Sailing to the Adriatic Sea, Aubrey sends Jacob to Kutali to speak with his allies there, to gain the latest information on the rumor from Christy-Palliere, about gold being sent to pay for soldiers who in turn would block the Russian army from joining the armies of the other allies. Aubrey and Maturin made friends in Kutali in "The Ionian Mission". Links like this emphasize how Aubrey gained both allies and skills over the course of his naval career that serve him well when the war re-starts.