Setting the Course

[Chak Ku'rill]

The mole?s body slipped overboard with a quiet plop and sunk down into the depths. Chak sighed. The funeral broke up shortly and beasts returned to their duties aboard the Phantom once again. Crue had doubted Tildy would last long and had told him as much. But he had argued for her to accompany them.

?Let her die in peaceful surroundings, knowing she?s being cared for,? the healer had insisted.

Though the mole had hardly been able to speak, he remembered how she?d gripped his shirt tightly with that heavy digger?s paw, forcing him to look into her small, shining eyes.

?Home,? she?d pled. And that had been enough.

Fresh, clean ocean air filled his nostrils as Chak looked out across the endless waves, claws digging into the black painted railing.

Another beast leaned against the rail beside him. Chak expected Robert, but found a silent Reedox instead. Robert was probably measuring knots and making small adjustments to their course again.

?Did you know sulfur burns blue?? the squirrel broke the silence after a while.

?Aye. Rindclaw were demonstratin? the mechanics o? the lanterns the other day. ?E said the blue fire were from brimstone.?

?I can?t stand the smell.? Reedox rubbed at his whiskers. ?I wish Vera didn?t work with it above deck. I catch whiffs of it on the wind now and then.?

?Better she blows ?erself up above deck than below whar she might blast a ?ole in the side o? the ship.?

?Compassion just bleeds outta you, doesn?t it?? snorted the squirrel.

?Arrrr, I be thinkin? o? the ?ole crew!? Chak started to defend himself before catching the smirk on Reedox?s face. ?Hmmf. Since when be ye ?avin? a sense o? ?umor??

?Oh, I dunno that I?d call it that. More like, a seaborn illness. Hang out with these guys long enough and you?ll catch it.? The squirrel gestured at the crew on deck, former slavebeasts now sailors, tightening a sail at a new angle and reciting a merry diddy.

?Oh I?ve got a maiden awaitin? for me,
Far beyond the gray and the troublesome sea,
She?s a merry lass with a gleam in her eye,
Fifty coats rich and seven paws high!
Away we go ? home again ? oh!
Back to a land where the daffodils grow!
Sweet is the drip from the wild honeycomb,
But nothing compares to the comfort of home!?

Words turned to whistling as they finished their task and moved on to the next. Chak watched them join two others trimming the headsheets. Only a week before these same beasts were yellow-dusted, and vacant-eyed, defeated and despairing.

?Aye, they seem ruther cheerful after bein? through all they ?ave. Guess it were buried down deep.?

?It?s freedom.? The squirrel jutted out his chin. ?Freedom?ll make anybeast sing.?

?Yar. ?As been good ta ?ear music again.?

?Sounds better when it?s not forced, don?t it??

Chak growled assent. The otter?s back hunched as he leaned both arms against the rail.

Reedox absently hummed a line from the tune.

Slowly Chak relaxed, observing the tailless squirrel as he looked away. ?Been meanin? ta tell ye,? he paused, waiting for Reedox to turn back again. ?I?m sorry fer what ?appened ta ye? in the mine.?

The squirrel twitched slightly, then leaned back against the rail and folded his arms across his chest. ?I think I understand things a lot better than I did, now that I see how they played out. I get why you didn?t stop Torin earlier. I even know why you let him carry on? later.? He took a slow, steadying breath. ?You were biding your time. You were thinking of the ?whole crew.??

Chak nodded, hardly believing Reedox was able to see even that much.

?What I still don?t understand though, is why you beat me like you did before all that. Especially when you obviously know how it feels.?

Chak was quiet for a while, then answered carefully, ?I were in charge. T?were me duty ta make sure all the slaves put in a ?ard day?s work. If one o? ye fought me er broke the rules, I ?ad ta make sure ye were? discouraged from doin? so. I knew ?ow dangerous slaves can be. T?were necessary ta keep the peace.?

?It didn?t work.? Reedox glowered.

?It didn?t work wi? you is all I knew. An? in case ye don? remember, ye did break the rules a lot.? Chak looked down at the squirrel with a hint of his old reprove.

Reedox?s glare did not waver. ?Chak. You once beat me for looking at you wrong.?

The sea otter grimaced and studied a black splinter sticking up from the railing. ?Aye?? He twisted the splinter free. ?I knew ye wanted ta murder me then, an? it were worrisome. An? the only way I knew ta keep things under control were by force.? He looked at the squirrel?s branded face. ?Yer a fighter, Reedox. An? fighters don? make good slaves. They be dangerous. I were afraid o? ye, ?cause I knew ye?d force me paw one day. I ne?er ?ad ta kill a slave in me life, an? I didn? want ter start on that course. I wanted ta believe I could be a fair an? good slave driver what slaves ?ud respect.?

?No such thing,? the squirrel muttered, turning away.

?Aye, I serpose not.? Chak looked at his paws again and the scars that marred them.

?So basically what you?re telling me is that you beat me because you were afraid I?d try an? kill you. And you thought that somehow? that would make me want to kill you less??

Chak cleared his throat. ?Nay, but I ?oped it?d make ye too afraid ta try. I ?ad ta let ye know I was watchin? ye an? wouldn? be turnin? me back on ye. That I ?ad the upper paw an? intended ta keep it.?

Reedox frowned, looking out across the deck.

Chak sighed. ?Look, ?ow else can a driver control o?er fifty beasts? Threaten ta play terrible accordion music if they don? cooperate? Ye think anythin? else?d really work? It be the way o? slavery, that?s all. A way o? life. The only way I knew.  I treated all o? ye the way I wished I?d been treated. ? The sea otter paused, evaluating the squirrel?s stiff posture. ?What I didn? account fer, was that all o? ye came from a much better place.?

Reedox?s tufted ears swiveled before he turned to look at the otter beside him. ?Don?t you remember where you came from before you were a slave??

Chak shook his head. ?I ?eard about it from me Mum, but it jus? sounded like a fantasy.? He gritted his teeth. ?Dreams o? the past be what drove ?er o?er the edge.?

Reedox's gaze lingered thoughtfully on the grizzled seabeast. ?So you haven?t ever known a life outside of slaving?? He shook his head. ?No wonder you?re so screwed up.?

Chak snarled, but Reedox appeared unfazed.

?No family, no friends to return to? just what do you plan on doing when all this is over??

The sea otter relaxed again and shrugged, taking a deep sniff of sea air. ?Beyond tryin? ta track down an? ?elp the families o? yer drowned galleymates? I guess I don? really know.?

Reedox raised a skeptical brow. ?How do you plan on finding everyone?s families when you don?t even know what their names were??

The sea otter leaned his back against the railing, matching the squirrel?s crossed arms. ?Ta be honest, I were kinda ?opin? ye could ?elp me out wi? that.?

Reedox scoffed. ?I might remember a few, but? it was Nimbleton who knew everyone?s names, not me.? He paused when Chak?s shoulders slumped, and lifted a paw to scratch his chin. ?Though actually? I remember he did write them all down? on that memorial you two put together after the wreck. It was one of those rare moments where he openly defied you without you even knowing it.?

Chak felt a virtual punch to his gut at the reminder of Minstrel?s secret resentment, but at the same time hope filled his thoughts. It could be done.

The squirrel cocked his head, narrowing his eyes. ?You?re really serious about trying to find them, eh??

?Aye. I know it be too late fer apologies, but mayhaps I can t?least provide some closure. Learn a bit more about what kinda beasts they really were.? Chak squinted at the squirrel. ?What about ye? Air ye goin? back ?ome??

Reedox nodded. ?I used to be part of an outward patrol? which is how I was captured. Pirates came inland to grab slaves and we fought them to keep them from the town. I have no idea what happened to the rest of my crew. I?d like to know.?

Chak was about to respond when a loud BOOM shook the ship under their feet and a puff of black smoke rose from the far end of the deck. Both beasts rushed over to join the growing throng gathered around Vera?s workspace. The vixen was cackling with laughter, which relieved the otter.

?I think it works!? She shook paws grandly with Rindclaw, who sat propped in a chair nearby. ?Now we just need a pirate ship or two to test the cannon balls on. How close are we, Rob??

The hedgehog, drawn to the explosion the same as everyone else, smiled warmly at the fox. ?Still over half a day behind, but good news is we?ve found that elusive eastbound current I?ve been searching for. We?ll be caught up in no time.?

A cheer rang out from the surrounding crew, though Chak kept a sober silence. He felt lucky to have survived the last battle. Throwing themselves at a fleet of pirate vessels and the Zephyr fully-loaded with cannons still seemed insane.

?I ?ope they be comin? up wi? a good plan o? attack,? he grumbled, then felt a nudge from behind.

?I?ll hold your paw on the approach if ya like.? It was Hylan, grinning at him jovially.

Chak scowled. ?I?d ruther be ?oldin? me axe, if ye don? mind.?

He met eyes with Reedox and they exchanged a mutual nod. Despite the lingering wounds of the past, they would fight side by side again.