Robert remained quietly polite.  He deeply abhorred the actions of Bessie and her lover and had she been a man he would have challenged her to a duel.  She'd not only been involved in the death of Louis' cousin and the wounding and near death of his wife but in the injury and death of several good men and Martians.  Then of course there was the deep treachery of cooperating with the Germans and supplying weapons to the feral Martian tribes.  Women and children would die should the tribes have their way not counting the soldiers and sailors that would perish under the guns of the more heavily armed foe.  Yet as a woman she was owed a certain consideration and gallantry at least as long as she was behaving within civilized norms.

He looked at Bessie as she offered her apology.  Robert remained silent for a moment and then nodded.  "Your apology is accepted Miss Womack.  Who are we not to accept the desire for redemption when offered with a honest heart."  He leaned forward and his expression hardened.  "But God help you if you are false Miss Womack for I will have no mercy."  Robert took a deep breath and relaxed a bit.  "Now, how can you help us in our present circumstances?"

Womack nods calmly at Robert's threat. "There was a time when I could agree with such a sentiment with a clean conscience." She smiles, but there is only sadness and a sense of acceptance. "My life is forfeit; all I may do now is try to undo some of what I have set in motion. To that end, I wish to join in your quest to find the smuggled weapons."

Louis' face goes still, and her eyes are death itself. She takes a breath, and looks to Robert.

O'Rourke nods slightly, and her smile would freeze a lava flow. She also looks to Robert.

Robert listened quietly.  He glanced first at his wife and then at Claude.  After a moment he stood and extended his hand to Maude.  "Miss Womack, I believe you and accept your aid.  Welcome."

Womack takes his hand. "Thank you, Sir."

Louis takes a breath. "What shall we do next?"

Robert took a deep breath.  "Please sit down Miss Womack."  He again offered her a chair.  "Would you care for tea or coffee?  We have stronger libations if you feel the need as well."  While they settled their guest he turned to the American woman'  "Perhaps you can explain some of the background that brought you here to Mars Miss Womack and how you think you might aid us."

The waiter attending your table walks up as Bessie sits down.

"Coffee would be fine."

"Right away, Miss," the waiter replies, and leaves to get her order.

At Robert's question, she sighs. "I'm from Georgia, originally."

(Robert knows that the Confederate States seceded from the US in 1860, and then voted to rejoin the US in 1870. War was narrowly averted by the American president's brilliant diplomacy, one part of which was his plan to abolish slavery - and help the southerners to transition their wealth from the slaves to other assets, and to enfranchise the freed slaves. Many of them chose to move to the other planets, there to start their lives anew.)

"My family didn't do so well in the Secession. When I came along, things hadn't improved much. So, I set out on my own. It's a long story, but I met Claude, and we decided to move here so we could live a little more openly. She had the contacts for smuggling, and I provided the needed paperwork."

"I can help by following paper trails to the suppliers. The government will need proof, not just allegations when this matter goes to court. I am not the only person involved in this trade, Commander Darlington. I have evidence that there are more weapons smugglers than just Claude and I out there."

Robert sipped his own tea quietly as he listened to Bessie speak.  He was peripherally aware of the events in the USA almost 40 years ago.  There had been speculation as he recalled of the possibility of a civil war that might put the War of the Roses and the English Civil War together to shame but it had not come to be.  Mainly it was a source of wardroom banter as to how the powerful USA might have broken up in a civil war with British intervention on the side of the southern states.

"Your knowledge of the paperwork and commercial trails for this foul business could be very valuable Miss Womack.  Such things certainly are not my forte.  When you say that more parties are involved do you have any evidence or even speculation as to their identity?  There is no point in tracking down the recent shipments if the Germans merely shift to other suppliers."

"Perhaps they could," Louis interjects. "But it is still the same person, Gerber, at the heart of the matter. That narrows the search, since we start with his organization."

Robert nodded.  "Well, what exactly do we know about Gerber?"

OOG: I misspelled his name; it's Gelber. Sorry.

IG:

"He is an attache with the German Embassy," Louis says.

"He's in their intelligence service, called the Abteilung," Womack adds.

O'Rourke nods. "According to his dossier, he's Prussian, inevitably, and holds the rank of Major. He's unmarried, and has no other family here on Mars."

Robert considered again...

"Unmarried, Prussian and with no family here on Mars.  That leaves little in the way of leverage or weakness.  Does he have any known vices or habits?"

Womack and O'Rourke shake their heads in unison.

Louis notes their reactions, and smiles grimly. "His superiors would surely consider a man most carefully before installing him in such a critical posting. Although, it seems that a sense of morality was not among their preferred qualifications."

Robert shrugged.  "Well then, we'll have to go about this the hard way."  He looked about as he made up his mind.  "Ok... Miss Womack as you suggest see if you can start investigating the supply lines of gun smuggling.  What is your plan and what help do you need from us?  Perhaps I might help along the docks if your investigations take you there."

While she answered Robert looked to Louis and the other American.  "I think our first step will be to talk to the family of the slain Martian boatmen.  They won't talk to the authorities but I think they will speak to us."

Womack smiles grimly. "I can tell you this; every gun they smuggle comes in via the British Merchantile fleet. Everyone else is subject to intensive searches, except for the diplomatic pouches. No embassy has enough traffic to account for the shipments I've seen. The Germans ship their military supplies in, of course, but they do not buy American arms."

Louis and O'Rourke nod in unison.

Robert stands and begins to pace.  It is evident that the news of the smuggling path has angered him greatly.  "Blasted merchants always grubbing for money.  They'd sell their mothers if there was money to be had.  As much as stopping the slaughter of civilians and seeing Gelber to justice I do want to put those traitors behind bars."

Louis stands and takes his hand. "We will see that they are, my husband."

Robert goes to the liquor cabinet and brings out four glasses and a bottle of gin.  He pours a little bit into each glass and hands it around.  "Pardon for the strong drink ladies but I think it is well called for now."  He raised his glass; "Confusion to Gelber and the traitors."

The ladies raise their glasses. "To their confusion."

"And to their destruction," Louis says quietly as she sips her gin.

"So," Maude O'Rourke says as she lowers her glass, "do we go together, or split up to begin this business?"

Robert set his glass down and looked about the room.  "We should go in pairs at the very least.  Gelber knows of us and we cannot discount the fact that he will have agents in town that may seek violence."

Louis nods. "I will settle the bill, while you discuss the particulars." She goes to speak with the staff.

Womack looks at O'Rourke. "I regret that we found ourselves on opposite sides of the law. If it is worth anything, I promise to not betray you. Not after what happened to Claude."

Maude sighs. "I won't say that I like this arrangement, but I think you're being sincere." She looks to Robert. "I think we should talk to the Martians, while you and Louis investigate at the port. You will get much further with the Brits," she grins at the word, "than us Americans."

Louis steps up to Robert's side. "The check is paid."

Robert listens as Womack spoke.  He tried to assess her sincerity as well and could only decide that she seemed trustworthy on the surface.  They'd have to watch her but her knowledge could come in handy.  At least the woman had no reason to love the Germans which spoke in the favor of her help being honest.

He smiled and nodded to Maude.  "You're right of course, my accent and experience will help with the sea and space going types." He glanced over at Louis with affection as she returned.  "My wife and I will investigate the docks then.  Miss Womack, do you know anything of the British merchants who might have been involved in this trade?"

Womack shakes her head. "I do not. I know that Claude kept a journal, maybe she noted it there."

Robert perks up at the mention of a journal.  "While I don't want to pry into personal matters or raise unfortunate reminders, could you or perhaps Louis go through Claude's journal?  Might there be other papers that could shed light on suspicious activities?"

"Oh!" Louis says with a smile as she remembers. "We still have her journal, my dear. I put in in our secretary when we returned home."

Womack smiled wistfully. "When you are done with that, I'd like to have it. It's all I have of her."

"We also have some letters," Louis says quietly. "I shall gather them with the journal, and return them."

Womack smiles. "Thank you, you are most kind."

Robert considered.  "It may be best to have Miss Womack aid us in the review of the journal at our house.  I recall there were entries that confused us mightily."  He grew more serious as well.  "And of course the journal and letters are yours Miss Womack."