Fengel fell silent. Henry coughed.
"A little farther in," said Lucian. "Ten pages or so."
Fengel flipped to the aforementioned location and started again.
Twenty-second of Marchwater. Sixth bell. We have reached the Breachtown Colony only to discover that chaos and anarchy reign. Fires rage through the city. The cries of battle and the reports of gunfire can be heard throughout. Ships at anchor along the quay fight both pillagers and locals desperate to get away, themselves unable to pull out.
I have ordered anchor dropped farther out in the bay, still within sight of the city. Guns are prepared and the Marine contingent is on alert. Rationing has been instituted, should we have to return across the Sea to friendly lands without resupply.
"Hmm," said Henry. "It sounds like things were worse than we'd heard during the rebellion."
Fengel nodded. "The timing is right. This would have been two weeks ago." He bent back over the logbook and read on.
Twenty-second of Marchwater. Eighth Bell. While discussing the situation with my officers, a dinghy approached from the city. Several had done so in the hours since our arrival, manned by people desiring to escape the issues ashore. Every time so far we were able to warn them off without bloodshed, but my heart still leapt in my throat; it would only be a matter of time until we were forced to open fire.
Fortunately, this time we were not approached by refugees. A lone soldier from the local barracks had rowed out to hail us, on behalf of the Governor's Secretary, one Joshua Vrey. It seems that the Colony was in open rebellion, and this man Vrey was even now attempting to restore order. He begged our assistance and stated that he wished to meet at the Governor's House within the city.
There were too many questions that the soldier could not, or would not, answer. Where was the Governor? How had such things come to pass? After conferring internally, a decision was reached. Leaving Mr. Marley in charge, we lowered a longboat and went ashore, taking all but one contingent of Marines to form a beachhead.
Conditins were even worse up close. On our way to the Governor's House, we witnessed much chaos. The city is very much like something out of the Realms Below at this moment; fires, illness, and starvation.
The House itself was a stately building on a hill overlooking the Colony. It made an impressive sight, built with the Stormwall to the rear of its grounds and recently fortified against assault. Within, we met the haggard Mr. Vrey, and learned a most disturbing story.
Apparently the Governor had taken complete and utter leave of his senses and declared the Colony independent from the Empire. Just prior he had imprisoned the Major of the local Marine contingent. The rest he captured with his own men, and shipped them all off west in a commandeered merchant cog to inform the King of his declaration. Shortly thereafter, the city descended into civil war.
Fortunately, Mr. Vrey had retained the good sense which seems to have fled the erstwhile Governor. He imprisoned the man, took control of the loyalists, and was in the process of restoring order. With the local Marines either untrustworthy or largely dead, he begged our aid, and swore to fill our holds with all manner of treasure to return to the King in reparations.
Well, we know our duty, even if these colonials are utterly confused by it. I have given my commands. Tomorrow we begin a two-pronged attack, restoring order to the streets and buildings that may be saved, and bombarding the redoubts of those scurrilous rebels that are not worth saving.
"What a charmer," said Henry Smalls.
"Duty, King, Goddess," said Fengel. "And a whole lot of misery and murder for anyone who stands in the way. Or might be in the wrong place at the wrong time. That is the Perinese Royal Navy that we all know and love."
"Ain't that the truth," said Lucian darkly.
Twenty-fourth of Marchwater. Noon. The rebellion was easily quelled and order is now restored. At the sight of the bluecoats, many rebels surrendered immediately. Their leaders are being put to trial and will be summarily executed. A few malcontent strongholds were too heavily defended to risk our loyal Marines on. I ordered them shelled from offshore. While those buildings were demolished, there was a certain amount of unfortunate collateral damage; the local hospital and a series of tenements were annihilated as well. However, the folk within were poor rabble of no consequence, and the fires were halted when they tried to spread to the nearby counting houses.
The former Governor himself has gone missing, under extremely mysterious circumstances. As the highest local authority of the Crown, I have named Joshua Vrey acting Governor. I will say this for the man, he moves quickly. Already all manner of gold and silver taken from the local ruins and savages flow into the hold of the Albatross. We will depart on the evening tide. Mr. Vrey hopes that we will be able to beat the exiled Marines back to the Kingdom, to appease His Majesty before their news can reach him. It should be a matter of no real consequence, but we will make haste anyway. Returning with such a bounty as now sits in our holds is easily worth a lordship to the man in charge of the operation, not to mention being the driving force behind quelling a colonial rebellion.