Business (Silus Delmore)

[Substitute Author]

?It?s been a while since I?ve been to a slave auction.?

Silus gave a friendly smile to Jonas, ?I would hope so.  The investment your father made was supposed to alleviate the burden of paying servants and finding slaves that are worth anything at these places.  Of course, there are very few businesses in the Imperial City besides me that deal in the slave market beyond the auctions.  How are they doing, by the way?  Your father gave you one or two, right??

?Two, and they are amazingly efficient, but they do lack the personality regular servants would have.?

?It?s part of the training process, I?m afraid,? Silus said as the first slave was brought to the stage and within a few moments, was pushed off for a ragged female.  The weasel and pine marten watched the slaves?many barely clothed and starved?being forced on stage and sold rapidly.

Jonas spoke first:  ?That otter looks like he would be worth purchasing.?

Shaking his head, Silus said, ?No.  He has a nice body and is in good condition, but he?d be tough to train.  He?ll be giving his master a rough time if possible.  I?ve had a few like him.  Most that they?re worth is decorative blankets or something.  So, what is this expedition again?

Jonas, leaning forward on his chair, said, ?It?s to Sampetra where Ublaz once reigned.  I think there is a great chance to progress my studies of the islands west of Mossflower and their historical importance.  You did know that I am a descendant of?Silus??

Silus raised his paw, catching the auctioneer?s attention and confirming a bid of 120 gold pieces for a female squirrel.  He was quickly raised by two other bidders.  Before he could agree to 150, a well-dressed rat yelled for 200, which no beast challenged.

?Heh, the fool; I doubt she was worth more than 160 by the current market.  Slaves have gone down in price,? he laughed.  ?All the better for me, because mine are going up in price.  But anyway, sorry and yes I did know.  I appreciated when your mother gave me a tour of your home, and I must admit the heirlooms were suitable.?

The next item on stage was a family of otters, the daughter an albino.  Silus, glancing headlong at Jonas, said, ?These will go for at least a thousand, maybe more since they?re from Srofang? latest run.  He somehow manages to find the most beautiful creatures that befit a wealthy one?s home.?

The bidding immediately started at 500 and quickly climbed to 1250 gold pieces.  The rat that purchased the squirrel called for 1750 and sat smirking to himself as his opponent, a ferret, could be heard cursing among the buyers.  The auctioneer continued, however:  ?Four otters going for 1800, 1800, can I get 1800?  No?  1800!  That?s a thousand and eight-hundred!  Going once, going twice, going??

?Two and five-hundred!?  The rat?s smug face disintegrated with surprise as Silus outbid him by 750.  Before the auctioneer finished closing with the otters, Silus asked Jonas, ?I?ll think about it and propose a price for you and the Emperor to consider.  Now, if you?ll excuse me, I have to go arrange payment and transportation.?  Before Jonas could answer, Silus left the pine marten?mouth agape?in his chair. 

Behind the stage where the slaves were kept in chains, cages, or both, Silus stepped in line behind three other beasts waiting to pay.  He saw his new toys being pushed roughly inside a small cage when Srofang appeared and shook his paw.

?I knew you?d buy those.  I was going to sell them separately, but when I saw you in the crowd, I thought I?d make more if I sold them as one.  I was right.?

?It?s cheaper for me to buy in bulk, especially with exotics.  Do you think I should keep the older two??  Both rat and weasel glanced at the cage where the mother held her two crying children while the father sulked.

?They?re your pets, mate.?

?Quite true,? Silus said.  He would enjoy them, too.  The last time Silus purchased a slave family, he kept the father and son, but killed the squirrel mother; disappointingly, he almost had to do the same to the father, but then he managed to completely break him after his tail was shaved among other things.  A grin crept up on him as he thought of the possibilities with the otters.

?But enough with the unimportant talk; Bryin asked me to tell you that Vonni has requested you.?

?What for??

The rat only shook his head:  ?Business of some sort??

~

It had been an interesting exchange, to say the least.  Poor Jonas, thought Silus to himself, he doesn?t realize what?s at stake.  Neither does Ashira.  As he sheathed his sword nonchalantly, Silus watched Jonas as he stared at the blood-stained cloth of his daughter.  It was a pity that Jonas had to sit there in disbelief, that things had fallen in place like they did:  the slaves escaping, Sableclaw dying, Dyera dying, and now Ashira plotting to kill Jonas?and probably Silus as well.  She could rally the crew under her if need be?they feared her much more than Jonas or himself,  but Silus wondered if they knew the true depth of his power, who would they dread more?

?Jonas, I think it would be best if you stepped down temporarily.  I know the Emperor appointed you in charge of this expedition, but I don?t think any beast could consider this an expedition anymore?at least until we get off this island.  Ashira will kill you?or us?if things don?t change and she gets the chance.  Neither of us is dying here, so I?m taking control.?  Jonas remained motionless, and when Silus was about to repeat himself, he nodded.

Leaving Jonas to his grief, Silus walked outside into the last rays of the descending sun looking for Ashira.  As he searched, he contemplated the crew?s evermore dangerous situation.  He stopped suddenly, realizing that something was not quite right.  Standing still, eyes searching, he couldn?t see anything amiss except that the wall?s shadow was sleeking outward away from its base.  A few of the crewbeasts were settling down and preparing for the night; others watched him curiously hoping to hear the details of their captain?s death.  There are no details, no clues, and no body.  The lack of information began to weigh on his mind; little details meant little preparation, and little preparation led to terrible consequences.  There were, however, two things he did know:  Jonas must survive as well as himself.  Every other beast was disposable?slave, island rat, crew member, or even Ashira did not have a viable position in his goals or payment, but that would not prevent him from attempting to preserve them if possible; after all, the more that survived longer, the more Big Evil could choose from.

When he spotted Ashira entering the main building for dinner, he called her name.  Although her ear twitched, she continued walking.  Damn it.  Yelling again, another ferret grabbed her shoulder which she violently shook off.

Silus jogged to catch up, but before he could speak, Ashira spun around and snarled, ?What do you want??

?I thought about what you said and your reasoning for wishing to kill Jonas, and I must agree with some.  He?s not fit for leadership in his current state, so I am taking over. You may want him dead, but he is worth more alive.  Even to you.  You may doubt it, but he is respected by a couple of powerful political rings.  If you kill him and the story gets out, then you?ll have to answer to them if you manage to get off this island.?

Maintaining her composure, Ashira said, ?Is that a threat??

?No.  You?ll have to kill everyone unless you want to spend the rest of your life fleeing from the Empire; but then even if you wanted to run, I don?t think you could defend yourself against whatever lurks in the tunnels,? he said casually.  ?I know it?s late, but we need to secure all entrances into this fort including sealing up the cellars the slaves escaped to.  I want you to oversee the security of the cellars while I check the gates.?

?And why shall I listen to you??

?Because you?re obviously a female of high intelligence, and I would think that the profits you could gain by heeding my advice are worth your cooperation.  You came along to protect your slave property, but did you ever consider why I came along?  It wasn?t for slaves.?
?I thought you were a slaver.  If you are not here for slaves, Silus, then why are you here?? 
Silus grinned, thinking about the payment that waited for him in the Imperial City; he would receive enough from the Emperor to nearly double the profit he would have made if he would have stayed and continued to deal in high quality servants.  And then there was Vonni who had his own promises to keep to Silus, who expected them to be worth more than the Emperor?s.
?I?m here to ensure that a few things fall into their right places on behalf of the Emperor and others,? he said, knowing it would snag her curiosity.  ?Needless to say, I?ve been promised to be heavily paid, and it may be possible for me to ensure the replacement of your losses.?
?Possible?  I expect to be paid for the slaves that I have lost and no less.  If you double cross me, I will kill you.?

?Of course, but if you kill me, you?re already dead,? Silus said as he entered the building.  Within the course of a few hours, he and Ashira had transgressed the grounds of an awkward kiss to the beautiful trade of death promises.  Because Ashira was proving to be more and more unpredictable with her conventionally volatile mindset, Silus couldn?t guess if she?d pursue the relationship further in the future or find some other creature to lust after.  Silus didn?t mind, however; long term courting was unwanted and utterly unnecessary.

A good portion of the crew was finished eating and talking amongst themselves in the hall.  Without a second thought, Silus stepped onto the nearest table catching the attention of the crew.  When all muzzles were facing him, he spoke loudly:  ?I have taken over this expedition in the name of Emperor Malachite.  Dr. Lowri has agreed to step down, so I expect for everyone to obey my orders.  Unlike Lowri, I will not tolerate disobedience nor will I accept any disrespect.  If anybeast disagrees with this shift of power, then stand and draw your sword.  I won?t accept half-tailed work because I want to make sure that I get off this Fates-forsaken island along with every other beast.  Today, Sableclaw and a slave were killed by something in the tunnels; if we?re to survive, I?ll need everybeast?s full cooperation.  So, any beast that doesn?t want me as Captain, say so now.?
Silus slipped a paw on his short sword, prepared for someone to challenge his new role.  He looked from rat to stoat to weasel to ferret, making eye-contact with each vermin in the room.  After a few moments of no one moving, Silus continued:  ?Then listen.  Our first step is to secure any possible entrance into this fort.  Any supplies found are to be brought into this building untouched?we may be here a while and I have no qualms about feeding one less stomach. We?re doing this tonight.  Grab torches, weapons, and in ten minutes, meet where you are supposed to go.  The left side of the hall will be with me securing the gates and wall.  The other side is with Ashira in the cellars searching for possible tunnel entrances.  If the island rats get upset, ignore them.  If they get out of control, kill a few to calm the rest; kill only if you must though:  we may need their help in the end.?

As the crew rushed to finish eating and follow the orders, a single thought crossed Silus? mind:  where are the natives?