The Art of Interrogation

[Vera Silvertooth]

Well before dawn, Dead Rock buzzed with activity. Slaves and pirates alike scurried about on various tasks. The bustle of Dead Rock included the kitchen, where extra supplies were being prepared. Vera knew the ships were being loaded. For what purpose and with what she didn?t know. She only knew one thing.

Crue?s message had said that today was the day.

Vera had a job to do.

Sorry, Hylan. I?m going to have to take a risk if I?m going to help you.

?I can make the scones and hardtack, Fishlug. The gruel just needs to cook now.?

The rat glared at her. ?Git it done, then, an? no slackin?.?

She fetched the bag of bad mushrooms and a bag of leeks from the storage room and brought them to the table. She grabbed her knife and diced up the mushrooms and leeks quickly. Setting those aside, she went in search of one of Fishlug?s largest mixing bowls and added ingredients for the scones? dough, using a recipe she?d learned at an old ferret?s inn only a season after leaving home. Her paws trembled as she mixed the mushrooms and leeks into the dough.

?Where?s that little idiot weasel?? Fishlug roared.

Good question... Vera hadn?t seen Tooley since she?d sent him off to take a break the evening before. I hope he?s okay. If he doesn?t show soon, it?s going to make it hard for me to get breakfast for the slaves.

Vera carefully patted the dough across a floured section of table, cut out the scones, and put them on a baking sheet. Over and over she did this, sliding the sheets into the large ovens.

She was slipping the last of her special mushroom and leek scones in the oven when a stoat and two sea rats came in. ?Fishlug,? the stoat said, ?Captain Blade needs to see your vixen.?

A shiver ran down Vera?s spine. What could Blade possibly want with me now?

?Why?? Fishlug demanded. ?I?m shortpawed as it is!?

?I got orders to round up all the foxes, and I need to ask you a few questions, too.?

Fishlug cursed and swore at the stoat as Vera brushed her paws off on her apron quickly. The two sea rats sauntered over and one grabbed her by the arm.

?Quit dallying. Captain Blade doesn?t like to be kept waiting.?

With her escorts flanking her on either side, they marched through the tunnels. Vera?s stomach rolled like a boiling pot. Could they have found out about the soup for Torin and Chak? But how? I was careful. No one was around but Tooley...  Was I tricked? Did I misjudge Tooley? Was he spying on me this whole time?

Reaching Blade?s quarters, the rats dragged her inside. Already gathered in the first big room were a half dozen foxes, members of various pirate crews, judging by the colored sashes they wore. All looked annoyed, yet Vera wagered the scowl on the face of the Pirate King kept them quiet.

The sight of the other foxes actually quelled her panic. Relax. This probably has nothing to do with me. She calmed her breathing, straightened her shoulders, and put on an expression of impatience.

Captain Blade began to pace slowly in front of the skulk of foxes. ?I?m certain one of you knows why you?re here,? Blade said. ?One of you has been somewhere you shouldn?t have.?

Vera swallowed hard and her bad leg began trembling. Deep breath. Calm down.

?While you are all here,? Blade continued, ?your bunks are being searched for anything that doesn?t belong and your shipmates are being questioned. However, I already have my suspicions as t? who is the guilty party.?

Vera?s breath caught, because Captain Blade?s eyes flicked over her when he said that.

?Search them,? Blade commanded the sea rats who stood as guards.

The other foxes each protested as they were patted down and pockets and pouches turned out. Vera submitted quietly, afraid to make a scene that could be used to show her guilt, but she shivered all the same as paws ran over her. Then the rat found her apron?s hidden pocket. She bit her lip as he pulled out the shells, unwrapped the bit of fabric binding them together, and then looked at the child?s drawing of two hares.

?Cap?n, look at this.? He handed the picture to Captain Blade.

The ferret captain studied it for a moment. ?An odd trinket, Miss Silvertooth.?

Vera?s tongue felt heavy in her mouth. ?Yes, sir. I know. I keep it as a reminder.?

?Of what??

?To be careful of who I trust.?

Blade raised an eyebrow, but returned the picture and shells. Vera tucked them back in their place with trembling paws. Down the line Blade went, questioning each fox quietly and listening intently. A one eyed weasel followed behind Blade, making notes on a sheet of parchment the whole time. One by one, the foxes were escorted out to be confined to their quarters. Finally, Blade reached her.

?How do you spend your evenings, Miss Silvertooth?? Blade asked.

She took a slow breath. ?Well, immediately after dinner, I wash dishes in the kitchen. Later in the evening, I go down to the harbor to fetch water and clean up. I often get the slave?s gruel ready for the morning feeding and let it simmer all night. Then I generally go to bed.?

?Is anybeast with you during these times??

?Most of the cooks are at first, but they all spend half the night away every evening. Oh, apologies, two nights ago, Tooley would have been with me all evening. Ah, Tooley Bostay, that is.?

Blade?s eyes narrowed and he held a whispered conversation with his lackey. He turned back to her. ?So you have a long period of time every night where there is nobeast around you??

Vera?s stomach flipped. ?Ah, yes, sir.?

Blade clasped his paws behind him and studied her. ?What is your relationship with Mister Bostay??

Why do you want to know? What trouble has that weasel gotten into? She cleared her throat. ?Not much to tell. We both served on the Silver Maiden under Captain Ancora.?

?He was part of Ancora?s crew??

?Yes, sir.? Then Vera remembered that Ciera had not picked Tooley at the sacrifice and she felt sick.

Blade tapped a claw thoughtfully against his muzzle. ?Interestin?.?

The door behind her clicked open and the stoat who?d stayed behind to talk to Fishlug entered. At a nod from Blade, the one-eyed weasel scampered over and the two muttered together. After a brief conversation, the weasel looked at Blade.

?Fishlug says she stays in the kitchen as far as he knows, but ain?t got a way to confirm that.?

?Very well.? Blade turned his back on all of them. ?Come with me, Miss Silvertooth.?

Vera glanced once at the exit before she followed Blade deeper into his quarters, to a room with a desk and shelves upon shelves of bookcases. The bookcases, however, stood empty. A filled crate sat near one shelf. Blade gestured to one of the chairs in the room. ?Sit, please.?

She sank into the confines of the plush chair, twitching her tail to one side so it curved along her left hip. She fidgeted there, too tense to enjoy the comfort.

Blade gestured to a wine bottle and several glasses on the desk. ?Care for something to drink? I?ve got a very nice wine.?

Vera held up a paw. ?Oh, no thank you, Captain. I never drink. One terrible experience involving October Ale was enough to cure me of that for life.? Not to mention that I have no idea if there wouldn?t be something in the drink.

Blade quirked an eyebrow as if interested, then shrugged and poured himself a glass. ?Help yourself if you change your mind.?

?Thank you.?

Blade took a sip, then set the glass on the table beside him. ?Tell me. What is your relationship with Captain Ancora??

Vera licked dry lips, almost regretting turning away the offer of a drink. ?Captain Ancora was very generous to take me aboard her ship on such short notice, and it?s been an enlightening experience being here.?

?Elaborate.?

?Ah, well, I suppose you could say I?ve learned a lot about corsairs... and the way they like things to be run.?

Blade stepped closer. ?What were Ancora?s plans, Miss Silvertooth??

She blinked a few times. ?I... I?m not sure. She never spoke of them at any length to me. I am, after all, just a cook.?

Blade smiled and a chill ran down Vera?s spine. ?But you seem like a very observant beast.? He walked across the room to a small carved cupboard and opened it up.

?I try to pay attention to things around me, Captain.?

Blade withdrew something from the cupboard and closed the doors. ?An observant beast is very useful to me. Very useful indeed.? He held up his paw and something silver and scarlet flashed in the light of the lanterns.

Vera?s breath caught in her throat at the sight of it.

Blade held her amulet up by it?s chain. ?Sometimes, perhaps, a beast can observe things being said or done by others. Others that perhaps trust her??

Vera licked her lips as she watched the amulet twirl slowly. ?I...?

Blade?s voice continued, laden with promise. His eyes stared her down, dark behind the beautiful brilliance of the ruby. ?If some beast were to, perhaps, overhear certain things being muttered within Dead Rock... I could see that beast being rewarded.?

Vera thought of the scrap of cloth she?d given to Hylan yesterday. The message from Crue and the promise of the squirrel?s plan.

?Rumors of mutiny and rebellion are on the wind, Miss Silvertooth. Have you heard them? Heard the whispers??

Robert, whispering between her and Hylan about the secret tunnel in the slaves quarters and the plans for escape.

?I reward those who serve me faithfully, Miss Silvertooth.? The amulet drifted closer, within paws reach.

Breathing hurt, as if a band had tightened itself around her chest. The red jewel filled her gaze. So close. Just a few words and she?d have it back.

She slowly raised a shaking paw towards her heart?s desire. She opened her mouth. ?Captain, there?s...?

A memory of Hylan, his bag packed and at his side, surfaced. ?You?re the sharpest beast I know, Vera. So please, don?t be an idiot while I?m gone. Promise me that??

Tears welled up in Vera?s eyes and guilt lanced through her. She lowered her paw to her lap and closed her eyes. ?There?s nothing I can tell you. I haven?t heard anything of interest.?

Captain Blade sighed and his long coat rustled. ?I was hoping you?d make this easy, Miss Silvertooth.?

She started as the door behind her slammed. She opened her eyes and looked. She sat alone in Blade?s office. Standing up, she hurried to the door, just in time to hear a click as a key was turned in place. She tried the handle anyway, but it refused to budge.

On the opposite side of the door, she heard Blade order, ?Send for Torin.?

Vera clasped paws over her mouth. Of all the beasts in Dead Rock, Torin scared her the most. Was Blade going to send her with Torin to be made into a slave?

I have to find a way out of here! A key or a secret door! There?s got to be something!

Vera hurried across the rug covered floor and a board creaked under her footpaw. She first went to the cupboard where Blade had kept her amulet. There was no sign of any key in there and given the absence of the amulet, Blade must have kept it with him.

Stupid! she told herself. A ruby won?t buy freedom. Damn thing was what got me into this whole pirate mess to begin with.

She examined the desk in the room.

Nothing.

She dug through the crate of books.

Nothing.

Blade didn?t even leave anything resembling a weapon in the room.

She began pacing across the rug, out of places to look and out of ideas. The room was silent except for the soft tread of her paws, and the occasionally creak of the floorboards.

How stupid could I be. I should have made up something to tell Blade. I should had told him some lie about the plans. Or some lie about Ciera. I?ve lost my amulet for good and who knows what Blade will do to me now.

She stopped and a floorboard squeaked again.

Wait... this is a cave... Why is the floor creaking?

She paced the area again, paying careful attention to the sounds. Then she got to her paws and knees and rolled back the rug, hoping against hope that maybe Blade had a secret exit from the room.

But the wooden door she uncovered was far too small for that. She opened it anyway, hoping instead for some keys or something.

There wasn?t much in the small cubby she had found: a worn scarf, a bundle of letters, a fine gold chain, and a small battered book.

She rifled through the contents of the hidden hole and then picked up the book and paged through it. Drawings of some strange looking tubes and interesting mechanics filled the pages, though they made no sense to Vera. Then she stopped on one page that looked at least moderately familiar.

It looked like a recipe.

5 parts saltpeter
1 part charcoal
2/3 of 1 part sulfur

She repeated the recipe several times. ?Sufur is what Blade has been mining all this time. I know what charcoal is, but what in the Fates is saltpeter? What does this make??

Voices outside the door made her jump and she hastily replaced the book, closed the hidden door, and shoved the rug back over the space.

The lock clicked and the door swung open. A pair of armed sea rats hustled in and grabbed her before she could make a break for it. Blade and Torin the wildcat strolled in.

Torin the slavedriver, who?d threatened her on her first day in Dead Rock. The one who dealt out misery to the slaves in the sulfur mine. And the one, she now was certain, that had harmed Hylan so.

?...whatever she can tell you about Ciera Ancora?s plans,? Blade was saying.

?Anythin? else?? Torin said.

Blade glanced once at her. ?I?d like t? know why she was in my treasure room, and if she took anything.? He gave a shrug and turned to leave. ?I?m sure there?s something else she knows. Just get her talking. I have things t? do.?

?Aye, Cap?n.? Torin turned towards her with a grin. He had a set of manacles dangling from his paw. He pulled her paws behind her back and he snapped them about her wrists. She gagged as the smell of decay washed over her. ?I can handle her from here,? he told the rats. He placed a paw on her shoulder and Vera flinched as he dug his claws into her.

As he led her through the twists and turns in Dead Rock, she pleaded, ?What does he mean about a treasure room? I never leave the kitchens except on my duties!?

Torin chuckled. ?Vixen, Blade says th? smell o? fox were so strong, ye musta been rollin? in the treasure, an? yer the only one without a good alibi.?

Vera realized that they were now in a corridor of Dead Rock where she?d never been before. ?Where are you taking me??

?My quarters. Cap?n Blade made sure I have extra room ta do his dirty work.? They reached a door and Torin opened it. ?Ye might not unnerstand the sophistication what goes inta a proper interrogation, but I'll be 'appy ta enlighten ye.?

When the smell hit her, she choked on a scream and jerked back, attempting to flee. Torin?s grip dug into her until blood began spotting the shoulder of her tunic.

?Get in there, vixen,? he hissed and shoved her forward.

The door slammed and her world echoed with that crack. Vera fell to her knees. She blinked. She was a kit again, trapped in her family?s home. The soldiers had slammed the door, leaving her alone. Her brother?s body lying between her and the only exit. The blood... the smell that filled the room. Too terrified to move. Too terrified to cry.

Torin grabbed her again, jolting her back to the present. As he dragged her across the room, her eyes fell on the row of tails hanging in display on the wall. Hylan had tried to shield her from the squirrel?s torture the day before, but she?d seen and heard enough... and it had never occurred to her in even her darkest dreams that the horrid beast kept them!

?Like me collection?? Torin laughed. "I think yers'll look particularly fine up thar."

Vera only managed a whimper in response as she was pulled past the tails and into a bedroom beyond. She saw a strange leather belt lying on the bed, as if it had been removed in haste. A sleek brown tail was clipped to the belt. For a brief instant, Vera thought it looked like Hylan?s.

?Had an old hare in here a couple weeks ago,? Torin said as he opened a narrow, cupboard-like door in the wall, revealing a set of stairs down into the darkness. He grabbed a lantern from a side table and descended, pulling Vera along with him. ?Didn?t have much o? value ta say, but Blade wanted an example made o? him. Takes real skill ta get a beast properly mutilated, yet still leave him able ta work.?

Torin?s lantern illuminated a room about the size of the bedroom they?d just left, though more spartan. A heavy wooden chair with a high back and multiple straps attached sat in the middle on a large dark colored square of cloth. The floor beyond the chair sloped slightly downwards towards some sort of drain. A table stood to her left, arrayed neatly with knives, hooks, and other wicked-looking implements. To her right was a large washbasin full of clean water and an unlit brazier full of coal.

Vera tried again to flee as the full realization hit her. ?You can?t do this to me!? she yelped. ?I demand to speak to Captain Ancora. I?m a member of her crew!?

Torin set the lantern on the table and cuffed her roughly. ?Hard ta do that, vixen, since Ancora set sail last night.?

?What?? Lead settled into her stomach.

Torin grinned at her. ?And that?s one o? the things Cap?n Blade wants ta know all about.?

?I... I... I... don?t know a thing. Ciera hardly spoke to me after we got here. I didn?t know she?d gone!?

?Then I wouldn?t want ta be you.? He laughed and forced her towards the chair. Vera screamed and shoved against him, but the wildcat seemed prepared for that. A punch to her stomach winded her and as she fought for breath, he wrestled her into the chair and got a strap around her upper right arm. Vera tried to headbutt him, but that attempt only left her dazed. He strapped in her other arm, just above the elbow. Vera pushed with her foot paws, but the chair hardly budged. She kicked instead, but Torin dodged as if he did this sort of thing all the time, then strapped her legs as well. He took a moment now to unchain her paws and force her wrists into straps on the arms of the chair.

He stepped back after that, breathing hard, but grinning all the same. ?Ye do have some spirit then. Good. Here?s how this?ll play out.? He strolled around her, checking all the straps to make sure they were secure. ?I?m goin? ta ask ye some questions. Yer gonna answer. If ye refuse, or I think yer lyin?... there?ll be pain.?

She yipped as she felt his paws on her tail, drawing it through the slats on the chair. She shuddered and lurched in the chair as his paws lingered on it, stroking the fur smooth.

?Get away from me!? she screamed. ?Don?t touch me.?

?This might become me new favorite,? he purred. ?Though, perhaps if ye cooperate, I?ll let ye keep it fer now. Ye?ll have to do a lot of convincin? ta change me mind.? His paws moved from her tail up to her back and she flinched again as her apron tugged against her. Then his paws were on her shoulders and he lifted the string from around her neck. He strolled out in front of her again, looking over the green apron. "What a very useful article o' clothin'. I think I could make use o? this. I ruin far too many shirts." He dug into the front pockets, where there were nothing but a few crumbs that had slipped in during her work. When he found the hidden pocket, he pulled out the shells with Fildering?s picture. He glanced over them curiously, and set them on the table.

?Now, what?s this?? He gave the apron a shake.

A couple pieces of dried mushroom fell onto the floor.

Vera whined softly as he bent down and picked them up.

?Mushrooms?? He peered at the husks, then he looked up at her and his eyes narrowed dangerously. ?So... it were the soup,? he growled. ?I thought somethin? were funny about it. I don? know how ye managed that, vixen, but ye?ll regret it.?

Vera licked dry lips. ?I don?t know what you?re talking about. Fishlug makes the soup. He always makes the soup. He doesn?t let me touch anything but the gruel for the slaves.?

Torin slipped Vera?s apron on and tied the strings behind him. ?Now, I warned ye about lyin? a?ready.? He stepped in front of the lantern, casting a shadow over her. He looked over his collection of tools on the table before selecting a narrow blade and coming back to her.

He knelt near her side and began trimming the claws on her left paw, one at a time, little by little. The scrape scrape scrape of knife on nail made her fur stand on end. After he?d done each claw once, he went back to the first and trimmed some more. ?I used ta be a Cap?n, ye know. Sailed under Blade. Then he gave me ship away and put me in charge o? the slaves and had me doin? interrogations. Wouldn?t mind so much, ?cept there?s no room fer risin? in the ranks. No chance o? promotions.?

Vera yelped in pain as his blade reached the quick of one claw. ?No, stop! Please! That hurts!?

Torin grinned and sliced a little deeper, drawing another yelp from her. He moved onto the next one, ?It?s supposed ta! Now tell me the truth. Did ye do somethin? ta me soup yesterday??

As pain lanced through her paw, she sobbed. ?Yes, yes, yes, I put the mushrooms in the soup. Just a pawful in the tureen after I dished it up. Chak was supposed to eat it too, but he didn?t.?

?Thought so,? he said with a satisfied grin, and cut into another claw. ?Now, tell me why ye poisoned me.?

Vera bowed her head as her breath came in shuddering gasps. I can?t do this. I can?t, I can?t, I can?t. ?I... don?t know.?

Torin sighed. ?Typical. Ain?t gonna be a smart one an? learn th? first time??

?No, please, no! I... I...? She screamed as he cut in even deeper. ?I have friends!?

Torin scraped the knife against her next claw slowly. ?Is that a threat??

She shook her head with a whimper.

?Ah, ye?ve got friends among the slaves??

She nodded, hating herself for not being strong enough to resist.

?Give me their names.?

Vera closed her eyes tight, tears streaming down her face. ?No no no...? She screamed again as he started cutting. Blood slicked her paw and trickled down the arm of the chair. It spotted her apron that Torin wore, making dark stains on the green fabric.

After what felt like ages, she finally sobbed, ?Robert! Hylan!?

?Hmm, them names ain?t ringin? any bells. What type o? beasts be they??

She shook her head, weeping. ?Please, I can?t... no more.?

?Nay, ye liar. Ye just don?t want ta tell me more.? He examined her bleeding paw critically, his face in deep shadow. ?I think I can get a little more offa this one. What do ye think??

Up above, somebeast loudly knocked on the door to Torin?s quarters. ?Mister Torin! Mister Torin! Emergency, sir!?

?Fine time fer this... Hang on, I?m comin?!? Torin yelled. He stood up and wiped off the knife on the apron. He moved to the washbasin and gave his paws a quick rinse. ?Ye think about how much more pain ye want, vixen. I want ta know who yer slave friends are, then we?ll get started on Blade?s questions.?

Torin grabbed the lantern and headed up the stairs. ?I?ll be back. I?m lookin? for'd ta takin that pretty tail o? yers fer me collection.?

He left Vera alone and in the dark, the only sounds being her sobs and the occasional soft drip of blood from her paw.