Free Vampirates 6: Immortal War by Justin Somper Page B

“So we’re caught between the Scylla of Christabel Carmichael and the Charybdis that is Wilberforce Gresham. What do you suggest?”
    “I thought we could lend Captain Gresham some crew members from the other ships until Nurse Carmichael gives his lot the all clear.” Cheng Li nodded approvingly as Connor continued. “I was going to suggest offering tenof our own pirates and five each from four other ships in the fleet, but, with our plans for
The Diablo
, I think we should keep our crew intact for now. I’ve prepared a transfer list for you to approve when the time comes.” He passed the document across to her.
    Captain Gresham’s dilemma resolved, there were only a couple more items on Connor’s list. As he finished talking, Cheng Li leaned back in her chair. “Before you go, there’s one more thing to discuss,” she said.
    “Sure,” he said, looking up from his sheaf of papers. “Shoot!”
    “Molucco’s will,” Cheng Li began.
    In response, Connor held up his hand. “I’m sorry you had to hear about my legacy from somebody else. But really, there’s nothing to talk about,” he said. “It doesn’t change anything.”
    Cheng Li toyed with her fountain pen. “It will change everything, Connor. And the more you push it away and ignore it, the more of a tidal wave will hit.”
    “All right,” Connor said, barely reining in his impatience. “Then I’ll just give the money back to the Wrathes. I’m sure they won’t say no.”
    Cheng Li shook her head. “It doesn’t work like that. There’s Federation revenue and taxes to deal with, for one thing.”
    Connor frowned, annoyed that there seemed to be no way out of this conversation. “Okay then,” he said. “I’ll donate it all to the Federation itself. For the war effort.”
    Cheng Li smiled. “That’s a noble thought, Connor, but please don’t be rash. Molucco’s bequest has the power to change your life.”
    “I still don’t know why he gave it to me,” Connor said. “We were enemies when he died. He said so himself.”
    Cheng Li gritted her teeth. She’d done plenty of cleaning up on behalf of Molucco Wrathe when he was alive and she had been his deputy. It was galling, to say the least, to find herself in the very same position six months after his death. But Connor had become too important to her for her to let this go without a fight.
    “Try not to let your thoughts of Molucco or of the rift between the two of you cloud your thinking about this incredible gift. You were an orphan with nothing but the rags on your back when we met. Now you have the chance to do whatever you want with your life.”
    Cheng Li could tell that her words had hit home.
    Connor sat staring at her, silently, for a time. Then he shook his head. “I appreciate what you’ve said. I mean it. But, Captain, you—alone of everyone on this ship—know the truth. You alone know who and what I really am. And no amount of money on this blue earth can change that.”
    So
, thought Cheng Li,
at last we come to the heart of this
. “I know that you are still coming to terms with being a dhampir,” she said. “But it isn’t in any way impeding you from being a valuable member of my crew or of playing a central role within this conflict.” She paused. “Indeed, given that we are now in strategic alliance with theNocturnals, you might say that it’s a positive advantage that my joint second-in-command is immortal.”
    Connor shook his head. “You and I both know that this alliance is only born out of pragmatism. Once the threat of Sidorio is eliminated, the old dividing lines will soon reemerge.”
    Cheng Li frowned. “You underestimate what a revolution in thinking there has been at the heart of the pirate world. And, in so many ways, you and your sister are responsible for it. Before you and Grace came onto the scene, all we knew of the Vampirates was that old shanty and a slew of bogeyman stories. We were guilty of lazy thinking. But as the cracks began to