Duncan confronts mutiny with authority and pardon

On Venerable, Duncan directly challenged sailors in the rigging, publicly admonished the ringleaders, and then issued a general pardon rather than creating martyrs. He defended that choice as a command decision: ridicule and restored duty had already broken the ringleaders' influence. The crew later apologized to a commander they described as a father because they knew he had fought for their pay and provisions. Duncan then boarded Adamant without guards and personally overawed another challenge to his authority. The episode captures the trust and fear he could command at once.