Steel

“No. Not a vote on destination. I call a vote for captain,” he said.

The ship was quiet for a moment, everyone falling still and looking at the first mate. His face was shadowed in the setting sun, making his glare and his scowl seem worse. He gripped his mug in both hands and ignored the wondering looks that turned to him. Jill thought he might have been drunk.

Jill leaned close to Henry to whisper, “What’s happening?”

Quietly and urgently, he answered, “Jenks is tired of chasing after Blane. He wants to replace Captain Cooper.”

“With who?” she said.

Before Henry could answer, Captain Cooper gave a brash laugh, drawing their attention.

“What?” she said to Jenks. “And vote for yourself instead? Think you can do better, then?”

Jenks nodded. “Aye, you’ve forgotten what we’re here for. For prizes, not revenge!”

Jill felt cold—she didn’t want Jenks as captain. She thought of what would have happened to her that first day if Jenks had been in charge—and thought she’d have ended up back in the water, or worse.

“You think I’m afraid of a vote?” Cooper said. “You think I’ll start sobbing like a wee maid? What about the rest of you? Are you with him or me?”

The crew was silent.

“A vote’s been called,” Abe said, his voice clear. He climbed into the shrouds, putting him above the gathering. “Are you sure, Jenks?”

“That fight today never should have happened. Of course I’m sure.”

Some grumbles of agreement echoed him, and some of dissent. Surely this wouldn’t end peacefully.

“Then we vote.”

Jill gripped Henry’s arm. “What happens now? What happens if Cooper loses the vote?”

He shook his head, his jaw set, his brow furrowed with worry. “The captain and those loyal to her will be set ashore, and the Diana sails on.”

“She won’t lose, will she?” Jill said. Henry didn’t answer.

Abe brought out two wooden buckets. Meanwhile, the crew passed out markers among themselves—they looked like buttons of metal and bone—then lined up in front of Abe. Jill hung back, but Henry pulled her in line.

Abe held up the bucket in his right hand, then his left. “This is a vote for Captain Cooper. This is a vote for First Mate Jenks. Captain?”

Cooper was first, and she held up her marker for all to see with a flourish and placed it in the right-hand bucket. Many of the crew cheered, which made Jill feel a little better. Cooper couldn’t possibly lose. Jenks was next, and of course he put his marker in the left-hand bucket. More people cheered. Jill didn’t like the way Henry was frowning.

Abe put his marker in Cooper’s bucket.

One by one they cast their votes. Jill tried to keep track of how many people dropped buttons in Cooper’s bucket, but the line moved quickly and she lost count. Far too many people put their markers in Jenks’s bucket. The line stepped forward, and Jill was standing before Abe.

“Last vote, Tadpole,” the quartermaster said. He pointed to the buckets. “Cooper or Jenks?”

She dropped her button for Captain Cooper.

“Henry, boy. Help me count,” Abe said. The two hunched over the buckets and began counting.

The crew watched while Abe counted, slow and careful, putting each button in a pile by its bucket. Henry counted out the buttons a second time. Jenks paced, taking swigs from a bottle tucked in his hand. Cooper stood at the helm, waiting calmly.

“I’ll have you fined for drunkenness, Jenks,” Cooper said to him.

“Not if you’re stuck by yourself on a godforsaken spit of land, you won’t,” he called back.

When Abe stood, everyone turned their attention to him.