Overtime

[Chak Ku'rill]

The sea otter dared not tarry long after Reedox?s punishment, fearing Torin?s perceptive eye. Thankfully, it was the end of his shift, and no one would consider the hasty departure unusual. No one liked hanging around the sulfur mine longer than necessary, and if anyone asked about the missed meal, he could say he stopped and grabbed some hardtack from the dining hall.

Part of him was relieved that the wildcat had not killed Reedox outright, but what Torin had done to the slave was almost as bad. Why hadn?t Reedox followed Robert?s plan? They were supposed to all work together. Even Tooley was smart enough to figure that much out, eventually. Why couldn?t Reedox have just waited a little longer?

As he stalked down the cavernous corridor, Chak?s mind returned again and again to the gruesome scene. He tried to think of how life would be without his rudder. He probably wouldn?t be able to walk at first, and certainly could never swim again. A shudder ran down his spine. No balance, no propulsion, no way to scull his body through the waves. He made for the harbor.

Often Chak used his afternoons to dive, washing the sulfur and sweat from his fur. As on the Silver Maiden, a daily swim kept him in good form both physically and mentally. It was one way he could still feel free, despite the Dead Rock?s tight embrace, and if ever there was a time Chak needed an escape, it was today.

Upon his arrival, the otter scanned the docks for Plink. A few times he had run into the rat, though they hardly spoke. She still seemed nervous around him, and always made excuses about having somewhere to go. She was nowhere in sight this time, so he prepared for his exercise, removing his kerchief and his belt with its new cudgel and whip, and making sure his pockets were empty. He found a candied mango and studied it sadly before placing the useless treat atop the stack of belongings. Then he dove into the small, ship-filled bay with a splash.

After swimming several rigorous laps, Chak returned to the dock and shook the saltwater from his fur. He was squeezing moisture from his pants and shirt when something hard pinged off the back of his head. He swore and turned, paw touching the wound reflexively. He hissed, spotting Plink a safe distance away, her fur bristling and shoulders arched. His paw came back with blood on it.

?Damnation, runt ? what were that fer??

Plink looked around to make sure no one else was within hearing range, then made her accusation.

?That's fer what you've done to all those slaves! Yer a bully an' a blaggard!?

Chak scowled. ?What makes ye think I be treatin? ?all them slaves? so awful, cully??

"Beasts don't get to be slave drivers by bein' nice! An' you! Yer just some otter who turned on his own kind!"

Chak frowned. "Yer kind be who yer raised wi', mate. Thar be more pirates than otters in me life. An pirates ain?t nice, if ye ?aven?t noticed." He rubbed the blood from his paw against his dark breeches. ?But I don? agree wi? the way they be treatin? the slaves, if ye mus? know.?

The rat turned her scowl back onto him. ?Oh, you don't like it but yer fine watchin' Robert get beat up! Don?t try an? deny it ? I know he?s in that stinkin' sulfur mine right now.? Her lip curled.

Chak sighed deeply. ?Aye, ?e be in the sulfur mine, lassie. But I ain?t the only slavedriver up thar ? ?

?Yer just as bad as them if you let it happen!? Plink was rigid with indignation.

?Oh, aye?? Chak fixed the young rat with a scrutinizing look. ?I ain't seen you jumpin' inta the path o' any whips, cully.?

Plink's little fists shook at her sides. ?If I was big like you, I would. I sure wouldn't let awful things happen to beasts who ain't done nothin' to deserve it!?

Chak blinked. Reedox?s screams still echoed in his ears. The otter took a deep, slow breath through his nostrils and shook his head. ?T?ain?t that simple.? He gestured for the rat to come nearer. ?Listen cully, an? listen well ta what I be tellin? ye.?

The weary sea otter sat down with a grunt, letting his legs hang over the edge of the dock to help put the young rat more at ease. She crept warily forward, then squatted near enough to hear but far enough that he couldn?t grab her.

Chak rubbed his knuckles, popping them as he spoke. ?Ever? time that ruddy wildcat touches lash er paw ta Robert, I wanna smash ?is bloody face in, ye fath?m?? He met Plink?s startled expression with narrowed eyes, his jaw grimly set. ?An? today, ?e caught Reedox tryin? ta escape an? decided ta teach ?im a lesson by cuttin? ?is tail off. Ye remember, Scrufftail? That be ?im? though I cain?t rightly call ?im that no more. ?Bout killed that slavedriver whar ?e stood, but I ?eld back. Jus? like I be ?oldin? back wi? Robert. Ye know why??

Plink's glare had returned, but she shook her head slowly.

??Cause it don? matter ?ow big I be, cully. Once I make a move agains? those in charge ?round ?ere, that be it. No second chances. An? it be Robert who be tellin? me this.? Chak held up a finger. ?Whar I stand now, I be ?avin? the keys ta the slave cells, authority ta get other pirates ta listen ta me ruther ?n attack me on sight, an? most o? all ? access ta weapons. So ye see, I cain throw all that away tryin? ta ?elp one slave one day,? he paused, letting the thought sink in, ?er I cain ?old back an? wait fer the right moment when I cain ?elp Robert free every slave all at once.?

He watched for a moment as Plink scowled at the water, chewing on his words. Finally, she looked back at him, a little wide-eyed. "You... yer plannin' to leave with 'em."

Chak rumbled assent. ?Ain?t no place fer me ?ere, li'l mate. I?ve a lot o? wrongs ta try an? right, an? that ain?t summat pirates be known fer. That be the sort o? thing only beasts like Robert care ?bout. Beasts who hurt when they see others hurtin? an? want ter stop murderin? villains like Torin an? Blade? ? He glanced at Plink, then back at his folded paws, ?an? me.? He nodded his head. ?Good beasts, like you.?

Plink was tugging at her shirt, shaking her head. ?I ain?t ? ?

?Ahoy!? A stoat appeared at the far end of the dock, making his way purposefully toward them. Plink leapt nervously to her feet.

?Mister Ku?Rill, sir,? the stoat addressed the sea otter respectfully. ?I?ve some bad news ta report.?

Chak felt his heart drop, thinking of Reedox and Robert, but then rose calmly. Nobeast here would think a slave?s death worth such a report.

?What be the problem, mate??

?It be Mister Torin, sir. He be taken sick all a?sudden. Ain?t in no shape ta oversee. Yer gonna ?ave ta return an? fill in fer ?im.?

Chak cursed. A double shift. Today, of all days.

?A?right, I?m right be?ind ye.? He gave Plink a meaningful look, then went to gather his things. He plucked the small sweet from atop his kerchief and turned, offering the candied fruit to the rat.

??Ere. Ye?ll appreciate this more ?n I would.?

Plink snatched the treat from his palm, then watched him depart, his shoulders sagging.



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Back at the mine again, Chak tied his kerchief over his muzzle once more. The slaves were astir with the news that Torin was down. Some even dared laugh. Sure Chak was there, but they all knew he was a soft touch by comparison. It irked the otter, but it was true. His heart just wasn?t in the game.

At least this way Reedox would get a break. Chak spotted Robert helping the squirrel along as he had the gimpy hare. All the slaves seemed to sympathize with the newly tailless beast, and Chak even spotted a few adding sulfur to his baskets. He wondered if he could get away with sending Reedox back to the slave quarters as they had Robert?s Waverunner friend.

Unfortunately the squirrel wasn?t the only one taking it easy. The slaves always seemed slower in the mornings when Chak was in charge, but now they were positively listless. Chak swore under his breath.

?Move yer hides, ye scurvy sluggards!? Chak cracked his whip, but to little avail. The slaves within reach picked up their pace, but in the mine itself, they dawdled and dallied. Chak had never dealt out a thrashing let alone a branding since he started, and this seemed to weaken his authority.

After an hour the second wagon came down to replace the first only to find that the first was still not filled. The rats pulling the wagon grumbled at first, but then seemed to appreciate the break as much as the slaves. They made bets on which miner would be first to bring their baskets up, helped themselves to the water barrel, and scrubbed wet paws under their armpits to cool off. After another half hour, however, a burly ferret stormed into view. The rats had just started to pull out with the first load, which was finally ready. They conversed with the ferret, shaking their heads and gesturing back at Chak and the empty wagon.

?Damn them all,? thought the otter darkly. He didn?t need the ferret to tell him they were appallingly behind in their productivity, but the foreman was eager to let him know just what an abysmal slave driver he was all the same.

?I don? know who put you in charge, otter, but yer fallin? way behind schedule. Blade ?spects a certain amount o? professionalism ?round ?ere an from the look o? things, yer no pro.?

Chak growled, ?Arrrr? We all seem ta be a bit outta sync at the mo? since Torin be takin? sick. We?ll get ?em back on track ?ere soon enough, though ? ye cain bet yer scabby ?ide.? He gave his whip an expert crack and snarled at the slaves making their way up the incline.

?You?d better. I don? wanna ?ave ta come back down ?ere again, greenie.?

Chak clenched his teeth at the insult, but only nodded, waving the ferret off. After he left Chak stormed back toward the mine. He would have to make an example out of someone. It was the only way.

He spotted a mouse actually sitting down on one of his overturned baskets near mouth of the mine, talking casually with another beast. Outraged, Chak made a beeline for the indolent slave. The mouse saw him coming and leapt to his footpaws with a squeak, grabbing up his baskets and heading deeper into the mine. Chak pursued him with a vengeance until he rounded a corner and found the mouse at a dead end.

?Ye rotten li?l-" Chak?s words were cut off abruptly when a wooden pole was pulled tight across his throat from behind. Chak stepped quickly back, gaining a few whisps of air before slamming into the rock wall behind him. The sea otter tried throwing the beast with brute force, but his attacker was a beast of equal build. Two strong dark paws clenched the pole tightly against Chak?s windpipe, determined to halt the slave driver?s whip once and for all. Chak pulled at the pole but couldn?t seem to find the leverage he needed. Spots flashed across his eyes and he gasped for air, slamming his assailant again and again against the wall until he was turned to face the other direction. Chak?s efforts weakened as he started to fade, and he noticed a squirrel watching him from a short distance away.

It was Reedox, watching him suffer, as he had stood back and watched the squirrel suffer. Strangely fitting.

Something hit them with a jolt and suddenly air rushed into the otter?s lungs as the pole loosened. Chak ripped the wooden shaft away with all his might and turned to face the pine marten, gasping, and very much alive. Robert stood behind the marten with a pole of his own.

?Leave off him, I said!? The hedgehog threatened the marten.

?You idiot! I had him!? the pine marten roared, a mixture of both fear and anger in his eyes as Chak recovered his strength before him, armed now not only with the pole, but also his whip and cudgel.

Chak charged his would-be assassin angrily, discarding the pole in favor of his club. The pine marten tried to fight back, but was quickly beaten down to a cowering lump.

?Ye wanna piece o? me, slave scum?? Chak shouted, bruising the marten across the back. ?Ye think ye cain take me down now?? He thumped him again and spat. ?Yellow-bellied bastard son of a bawd!?

?Chak!? Robert tried to pry Chak away from the slave, but Chak shoved him back.

?No! All day these miscreants be takin? advantage o? me leniency, slackin? off an? sittin? down on the job, makin? me look like a bunglin? arse! An? now this low-life scoundrel be tryin? ta murder me! I tell ye, I?ve ?ad enough an? someone?s got ter be made an example ?round ?ere!?

Three brands marked the marten?s terrified face and desperation filled his voice as he pled. ?Please ? no ? I?m sorry! I don?t know what came over me! You ? you don?t know what it?s like! Please ? I?ll do anything! Don?t ? please ? please don?t take my eye!?

Chak paused, cudgel raised for another blow. The marten actually believed he was going to drag him up to the fire pit and burn his eye out with a hot poker like Torin would. Chak exchanged a look with Robert, who shook his head, then he lowered his club, still breathing hard.

It was an impossible situation. How could he possibly be a protector and a slave driver? Especially when the slaves were trying to kill him.

?Look,? Robert reasoned, ?there?re other ways to go about this, mate.?

?I weren?t gonna burn ?is eye out, Robert.? Chak glared at the hedgehog, disappointed that he could think him capable of such atrocities.

?I know, I know,? Robert tried to reassure him. ?But I don?t think you have to beat him bloody either.?

?They don? respect me, Rob. I cain?t e?en begin ta pretend I be in charge ?round ?ere if nobeast does what I ask.?

?Aye, I understand, friend. But what I?m sayin?, is maybe I can rally the Waverunners and we can pick up the slack ? make you look better.?

Chak seemed to relax some at this new suggestion.

?And Hylan here be somewhat of a leader himself.? Robert gestured at the bewildered pine marten. ?Maybe he could convince the others to play along too, now that he knows you?re on our side.?

Chak scowled at the marten, unwilling to forgive the assault so soon.

Hylan glared back and forth between the slave driver and slave, who were treating each with unconventional familiarity. ?Why should I trust either of you??

Robert reached a paw forward, as though to reassure the marten, though Hylan took a step back. ?Chak an? I fought together afore we were captured by the mongoose tribe and sent here. He used ta be a pirate slave driver, but he?s?reformed. Wants ta do somethin? else with his life. Ain?t that right, mate?? He nodded at the sea otter.

Chak shrugged. ?Summat like that. Certainly don? want ter be trapped ?ere the rest o? me life, ye cain bet on that.? He swore again, wheezing through his kerchief. ?Vulpuz, this air be killin? us all?? He snorted and spat sulfur-tainted mucus.

Hylan did not look convinced. He crouched before Chak, as though ready for the beating to recommence at any moment.

Chak switched gears now that things seemed under control again. ?Been thinkin?,? he addressed the hedgehog, ?d?ye think it?d be safe ta send Reedox back ta the cells? I fear what Torin might do if ?e be comin? back afore the end, but ?e could use a break.?

Robert nodded. ?Aye, he certainly could. He be hurtin? pretty bad. D?ye have any idea how sick Torin might be??

Chak shook his head. ?No tellin?, mate. Let?s at?least get ?im outta the crater an? this bad air. We cain ?ave ?im lay down be?ind the wall wi? a full load o? sulfur nearby what ?e cain pick up if Torin be showin? is ugly mug again.?

?Good plan.? Robert cast a glance toward the spot where the squirrel had been standing earlier.

?Arrr. An? speakin? o? plans, ?ave ye ?eard anythin? more from Crue?? Chak pressed. ?The sooner we get Reedox outta ?ere, the better, me thinks.?

?You told him about the plan?? Hylan shot a glare at Robert.

The hedgehog sighed. ?He?s been part o? the plan since the beginnin? mate. I told you, he?s on our side. So it?s probably in your best interest not to try to kill him anymore.? Robert scratched his chin, then turned to Chak, ?And it?s probably in your best interest not to beat the livin? daylights outta Hylan, Chak, as he be our connection.?

An awkward moment passed between all three beasts, then Chak shoved his cudgel back into his belt.

?If Torin don? believe I be ?andlin? the slaves well, ?e?ll ne?er give me the space we need. I need ?im ta trust me enough ta stop babysittin?.?

Hylan nodded, seeming to grasp the advantages of having a sympathetic slave driver on their side. ?So what you?re saying is, you need us to act like we?re afraid, even though you?re not actually going to do anything to us, right??

Chak grinned behind his kerchief, sensing the personal inquest of the last line. ?Gotta keep up the act in front o? Torin, mind, but aye. S?long as yer workin? ?ard thar won? be no need fer further violence.? Chak tightened the knot at the back of his head and cleared his throat. ?Jus? keep yer ?eads down ?round that tail-obsessed cat.?

?Oh, yeah, I know all about that.? Hylan muttered darkly. The marten limped alongside the hedgehog and otter toward the entrance to the mine. ?I?ll see what I can do about getting the other slaves to speed up.? Chak nodded and clapped him on the back, causing the marten to wince.

?Grand. If we cain work out a system afore the end o? the day, mayhaps Torin?ll see fit ta leave me in charge more of?n. This place be Hell enough wi?out that devil.?



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As Chak had feared, Torin reappeared before the end of the day, though he seemed drained and weakened. Reedox had to re-enter the mine, but the second shift was near its end so he would not have to make very many trips.

?Chak, mate? what?d ye do?? Torin gaped at the slaves who practically ran up to the wagon with their loads. They bowed and cowed around the otter, then hurried away in apparent fear. It was quite a show. How Hylan and Robert had motivated such willingness out of all the slaves was beyond the sea otter, but it seemed to do the trick. Torin was impressed.

?Found a way ta inspire fear in ?em, as ye suggested.?

?Ah! Trade secret? Or do ye think ye can let me in on yer?method?? The hungry glint in the wildcat?s eyes as he watched the cringing slaves gave Chak pause, then he grunted and smirked.

?An old otter trick what be used ta coax information outta our enemies. Mayhaps I?ll show ye one day.?

Torin seemed pleased at the idea. ?Well, me bucko, seems I didn? have ta come down here after all. Glad ta see ye?ve finally pulled a page outta my book an? started settlin? inta yer own.? He put a proud paw to the otter?s shoulder. ?After we put the wretches down fer the night, what do ye say ta joinin? me fer a drink in me quarters??

?If yer up fer it?? Chak raised an eyebrow. ?Ye still look a mite shaky. Sure yer alright??

Torin?s lip lifted ever so slightly. ?Don? worry ?bout me. Nothin? keeps me down long. I?m sorry ye had ta fill in as long as ye did.?

Once the slaves were safely locked up in their lice-infested cells, the two slave drivers made their way to Torin?s quarters. Chak was blasted with the smell of decay and death upon entering, but politely refrained from gagging. The wildcat?s living area was more spacious than Chak?s, and even had a dividing curtain across one wall where there was evidently more. Chak was about to ask about it when the wildcat offered him a tankard of cool grog. The otter sat on a cushy, upholstered chair with claw punctures in the armrests, and was joined shortly by the wildcat, who lounged in an adjacent chair with a small tea cup in one paw.

?Ain?t gonna drink wi? me, mate??

Torin shook his head, ?Still don? ?ave much o? a stomach, I?m afraid.?

?Ah, that kind o? sick.? Chak nodded sympathetically. ??Appens ta us all, every now an? then.?

?Aye, I thought it were the soup, but the cook said the same batch went out ta everyone an? no one else got sick.? Torin frowned. ?Still, don? think I?ll be able ta stomach mushroom stew again after this.? His lip curled at the thought.

Chak nodded. ?Unnerstandable.? He took a swig of the grog, but the air seemed to make even the grog taste foul. Chak wished he was still wearing his kerchief. He cleared his throat. ?So, yer quarters be a bit more expansive than I be seein? elsewhar.?

?Aye,? Torin agreed with a note of pride. ?One o? the perks o? gettin? in wi? Blade. Though t?ain?t much compared ta the cap?ns,? he scowled. ?Cap?ns get all the best.?

?Ye wish ye were a cap?n then?? Chak tried another sip. It was still bad.

?I was a cap?n.? Torin replied bitterly. ??Til that Izhets wench stole my ship. A beauty she may be, but wi? a heart black as coal.?

?Izhets?? Chak sputtered the name.

?Well?she be goin? by ?Burnet? now. Bit of an inside joke.? He chuckled. ?She an? I used ta be together, ye know.?

?Had no idea.? Chak answered in all honesty. Could this captain be the sister Vasily had been searching for? The way she had manipulated Torin sounded about right. Chak wondered whatever happened to his nervous friend. He thought it unlikely the cat had made it out of the sea battle alive, but then again, Vasily had survived a lot of ill fortune. Unless, of course, all of his stories had been lies. Which was possible.

?Aye. A pretty flower with sharp thorns. I think mayhaps she jus' didn' want tailless kittens.? Torin had a faraway look in his eyes. Obviously he did not hate this Captain Burnet as much as he originally implied. He sniffed abruptly and polished off his tea before setting the delicate cup down with a clatter. ?Most o? that older batch o? slaves be from her husband?s plantation, ye know.?

?Ah.? Chak nodded. That would be the batch that were dying off. Sometimes Chak would talk to the dying slaves, asking about their names and the families they had left behind. He never got much out of them, as they could barely breathe, but what they did manage to pass on was more than he had ever learned of his own slaves aboard The Silver Maiden. He wondered sometimes if Reedox might know more about the others, though he was fairly certain the squirrel would never tell him.

?Her husband Vasily be one o? me earliest trophies.?

Chak was jerked abruptly from his thoughts. ?Pardon??

?In my collection. That be ?round the time I were perfectin? the art o? preservation.?

?Yer collection?? Chak muttered, feeling apprehensive.

?Aye! Been wantin? ta show ye!? The wildcat rose to his feet and strolled over to the wall with the curtain. He drew back the draped cloth, and Chak nearly dropped his tankard. ?Weren?t many opportunities ta collect afore I became a slavemaster.?

The wall was covered in animal tails: a fluffy fox?s, a tawny twisting cat?s, a bushy squirrel?s, several thin shriveled mice tails, a short, black-tipped weasel tail, several puffs of hare tails, and even a large dark tail Chak could swear once belonged to a certain pine marten.

?Criminy.? Chak could not help the look of shock and surprise on his face. ?Ye keep ?em??

?Aye!? Torin sounded excited to explain. ?Y?see we all know leather keeps, aye? Shark hide, snake skin, I e?en saw a pair o? rabbit-skin gloves once.?

Chak nodded dumbly.

?What don? keep is the meat. That only lasts so long afore it becomes putrid an? rotten.? Torin walked over to the corner where a familiar scruffy tail dangled over a bowl of shallow blood.

Chak set his tankard down, not trusting himself to keep it steady.

?Ye remember this one. Not the prettiest sample, but I be pridin? meself on variety.? He prodded the limp appendage. ?Me thinks that be ?bout as drained as it?s gonna get. Lemmee show ye how it?s done.?

Chak felt his stomach churn as the wildcat unpinned Reedox?s tail from the clothesline, slapping it irreverently onto a broad wooden table. He picked up a knife and gestured with it, like a chef explaining how to prepare a casserole.

?It?s actually quite simple. Ye just have to remove the meat.? He cut a gash down the length of the tail and slowly worked the insides out. Chak felt a lurch as he recognized bone. Reedox was missing part of his gates-damned spine.

Somehow Chak held it together through the process as Torin scraped and then salted the squirrel?s skin, washing his bloodied paws at last in a bowl of water.

?Vury impressive.? Chak nodded at the end once Torin had cleaned up and returned to his seat. ?It be a remarkable collection, mate.? The otter stood.

?Oh, air ye goin? a?ready, mate??

Chak sighed and nodded, reaching out to shake the cat?s still-moist paw. ?Aye. Been a long day, as ye know.?

?Ah! Right, right. O? course.? The wildcat nodded. ?Glad ye could drop by. We?ll ?ave ta talk more about yer method later on!?

Chak smiled and nodded, exiting the cat?s abode. ?Aye!? He waved a friendly paw goodnight before rounding the corner and heaving until his eyes ran and nothing remained in his stomach.