Singapore was a noisy melting pot, a stark contrast to the rigid Batavia. The scent of spices mixed with the briny smell of the sea and smoke from British steamships. Julian wore a cream linen suit and a fedora, looking like an ordinary European tourist on excursion. Beside him, Kartika had transformed into a neatly dressed nanny or personal maid, her face obscured by a thin veil typical of Peranakan women.
"Remember, Julian," Kartika whispered as they walked along Boat Quay. "Friedrich's spies may still be here, but Dutch law does not apply. If we can reach Admiral Sterling's residence, we are safe."
Julian gripped a wooden cane that hid a red-wax-sealed letter. "I feel like a traitor, Kartika. Asking for British help for Dutch internal affairs... My father might curse me if he saw this."
"Your father would curse more if he saw Friedrich destroying everything he built with blood and tears," Kartika replied sharply.
They arrived at a grand British colonial-style manor at the edge of Fullerton. An Indian servant in a white turban greeted them. After Julian whispered his father's pet name and showed the Van de Berg family signet ring, the heavy doors opened.
Inside a room filled with ship replicas and world navigation maps, a sturdy old man in a British Admiral's uniform stood with his back to them. That was Admiral Sterling.
"A Van de Berg comes to my door in the middle of the night," Sterling's voice was heavy and authoritative. He turned, his gray eyes scrutinizing Julian. "The last time I saw those blue eyes, they belonged to a man who believed in honor. Do you bring that honor, or are you just a fugitive bringing trouble?"
Julian stepped forward, placing Anne Marie's letter and Kartika's documents on the mahogany table. "I bring the truth, Admiral. A truth that will make the King of the Netherlands indebted to you if you help us stop a tyrant."
Meanwhile, at the dark docks, Adrian and Elena were moving crates of Snider-Enfield rifles into the hold of a small ship. Adrian stared toward the southern sea.
"Are you sure about going back now, Adrian?" Elena asked.
"Julian is fighting with paper and diplomacy up there," Adrian replied, cocking one of the rifles. "I must ensure that when he returns with British support, the people in Java are ready to welcome him with fire."
Culture & Language Notes
Boat Quay & Fullerton: Historic locations in Singapore that served as the hub for British trade and administration during the 19th century.
Snider-Enfield: A type of modern rifle at the time; its appearance indicates that Adrian is beginning to prepare physical military strength.
Peranakan: A hybrid culture found in the Straits of Malacca (Singapore, Melaka, Penang), which Kartika uses as her undercover identity.