Free Steel by Carrie Vaughn

realize…”
    How could she realize? Compared to this, her life back home was the dream. She wanted to go home.
    “You have never had to look it in the face, yes?” She nodded, and his smile turned kind. “That it makes you sad is a good thing.” He moved away, to the people in chains.
    Captain Cooper was still hollering orders, and Jill still didn’t know what to do but watch. Abe said something in another language to one of the prisoners; the man shook his head and pointed to another, who came forward and replied. They had a conversation. Meanwhile, somebody ran forward with a hammer and chisel, and another brought up a big piece of metal—an anvil maybe? The shackles around their feet didn’t have keys. They had to be cut open.
    Jill couldn’t watch, but she couldn’t go anywhere on the ship to avoid the noise of it, and the cries of pain.
    But they were being set free.
    She was about to go belowdecks, to hide away—to stay clear of anyone’s attention. There was a shout.
    “Tadpole, fetch the surgeon!”
    Jill only realized Cooper was talking to her because she was pointing at her. The captain stood near the helm, scrutinizing her. And there was a doctor?
    “Surgeon?” she asked.
    “The prisoner! Go fetch him!”
    That strange, bitter man was a doctor? She had a hard time believing it, but she did what she was told.
    Belowdecks, she unbolted the door to his tiny room and said, “You’re a doctor?”
    The prisoner smirked at her. “Surgeon. What is it, then? Have you stubbed a toe?”
    “The captain—”
    “Ah yes,” he said, sighing, heaving himself from the wall with a great show of effort. “Her majesty the captain has stubbed a toe.”
    “We captured a slave ship,” Jill blurted.
    The man’s indifferent mask slipped, revealing a moment of disbelief. But the scowl returned. “Bloody hell. That’s what all the commotion was, then? Well, let’s get on with it.” He gestured forward for Jill to lead the way.
    She watched the doctor—surgeon—emerge from the hold onto the deck. He squinted into the late afternoon sun, shading his eyes as he regarded the scene. The twenty captives were seated. The crewman with the hammer was still working to free them. Jill could see now that they all had bleeding wounds, either from the shackles or other injuries. The doctor frowned.
    No matter where she stood, Captain Cooper was the focus of attention on the ship. No matter what other activity swarmed around her, the woman was easy to find, even if she was standing still, saying nothing. Now the captain was marching toward her and the doctor.
    The captain didn’t spare Jill a glance, but to the doctor she said, “You’ll keep them alive.”
    “It might be kinder to let them die,” the man answered. “I don’t know where you plan on setting them ashore, but chances are they’ll be captured again and end up worse than they are. Might as well drown them now.”
    Jill couldn’t tell if he was joking. He sounded so harsh.
    The captain didn’t seem bothered. At least her expression didn’t change from its usual hardness. “Treat them as you would any other patient, Mr. Emory, if you please.”
    “Do you take me for a complete brute?”
    “I don’t take you for anything,” she said, already walking back to the helm.
    The doctor stared after her a moment, as if astonished. “Harpy,” he muttered. Then he shook his head and got to work. He pointed at Henry. “Boy! Fetch me some water. Fresh from the scuttlebutt mind you, none of that bilge.” Henry, hanging from some of the rigging to watch the proceedings, scowled but complied.
    Jill continued to stay out of the way and out of notice.
    Supper came late that evening, and the rations were slim since a portion of the food was distributed to the new passengers. Jill didn’t mind; she wasn’t very hungry. The liberated slaves might not have eaten for days, the way they took in the watery soup and hard bread. She could make out ribs on all of them.