It took an hour to get as much information about Jr. as he could before tracking the boy to the crew deck.

Jr. was a new member of the crew. At 18 he was single, had no family apart from an elderly uncle, he had been an apprentice to a tanner but the man had died. Needing money he joined the crew just a week before the ship sailed.

In his office, Talbot decided he needed a new system for keeping up with crew members. He decided to list them in a log book like he did cargo.

He pulled a clean book out and started listing names, stats, relations, and other information as he waited for Jr to join him.

He only had three crew on the list when there was a knock on the door. He told them to enter.

Jr entered. He shut the door behind him. Talbot wondered if all the new crew would be as short as Elle, Nathan, and Jr.

"Harv said you wanted to see me, Sir." The boy said nervously. He stood with his feet planted just beoynd the doors closed threshold.

"Have a seat." Talbot said looking back at the book on his desk. He waited till the boy sat before he continued. "Can you read?"

"No Sir." The boy said his throat bouncing as he swallowed.

"Too bad." Talbot said and placed the quil pin in a jar. "But that's not why I wanted to see you. It's not common knowledge yet but Mr. Bartard has been permanently confined to his cell." Talbot said. He didn't miss the look of relief that briefly passed over the boys face. Talbot continued, "I had a talk with Nathan."

The boy suddenly lost his calm. "Is he okay? What did Bartard do to him? I'm sorry, Captain, but I need to go see Nathan." He pushed against the chair arms. He was halfway out of the seat before Talbot called him to stop.

"Stop. Nathan is fine. Thanks, in large part, to you, I think."

The boy sank back to the chair his relief obvious.

"My question to you is how you knew to warn Nathan away from Bartard." Talbot waited but Jr just sat there looking at the desktop. He chewed at the inside of his cheek. "Listen, Jr. It's fairly obvious you know something. I need to know to. Bartard is to be tried on ships justice. He made veiled threats to Nathan and Elle. Did he approach you with threats as well."

Jr was looking at Talbot with confusion. Talbot wondered if he had gotten it wrong. Jrs next words proved he hadn't.

"But Elle's a girl." His confusion clear. Talbot didn't know how Jr knew Elle's gender but it confirmed he knew about Bartard's preference as well.

"So you do know about Bartard's taste."

"Well, I, um, it's not," he said hedging his answer and shifting uncomfortably in his seat.

"Jr. you are not in trouble here. But I do need to know what you know." The Captain assured him calmly. "Did he make threats to you as well?"

The following silence was long and difficult. Jrs eyes shifted around the room unable to settle as his thoughts twisted through his mind. He twisted his fingers together. He dug dirt from under his nails without even glancing down at them. Talbot remained silent hoping if nothing else Jr would would feel the need to fill the silent space.

After what seemed to Talbot a long time Jrs eyes settled on the open ink jar at the edge of the log book.

"If I tell you what happens? Will he go free?" He didn't look up. His voice held all the emotion that his face hid. Anger, sadness, fear, and Talbot could swear there was shame deep in the tone.

"No. His trial will be held on this ship. He was for all intent and purpose a member of the crew. The crew will decide his guilt or innocents as well as his fate." Talbot assured him. He watched the boy nod. Jrs gaze shifted to his hands. There was another silence as the boy thought. 

"Will the others know what I tell you?" He asked.
"A few, yes. You will have to tell them so they can try him on the charges." Talbot told him honestly. To Talbot it was clear that what ever the boy knew would result in charges.

That was when the boy started to tell his story. A story that started just hours after the ship sat sail. Bartard had befriended the boy but it was a friendship with motives. Bartard had promised money for extra food, wine, blankets.

The senor crew knew  Bartard cheated at cards. So none would play. That's when he invited Jr for a hand or two.

Jr had felt powerful when he won. Bartard soon owed him fifty silver, four crowns, two copper and five pence.

They played every night before Jrs shift. Then every morning after. Tired Jr didn't notice how badly his "luck" had changed. By the time he did he owed Bartard almost double what he had been owed. Soon the bets increased as Jr tried to refind his "luck". In bebt way over his head Bartard offered him a deal.

Jr refused. Bartard demanded payment and threatened to tell the Captain Jr was welching on bets. Bartard told him he would have him thrown off the ship. He even threatened him with his family connections.

When Jr still refused Bartard punched him in the face.

When Jr woke up he was on the floor and Bartard was doing unspeakable things. Jr lashed out but the short stalky man was stronger. He also had the advantage of already being on top of him.

Bartard kept his punches mostly to places hidden from view.

When it was finished and Jr was allowed to leave he was to mortified to tell anyone. Bartard had explained it wouldn't do any good. He would be concitered a man whôre. Bartard assured him the others would believe him when he said Jr had done it to pay the bets.

Talbot remained quiet as Jr told him what had happened to him. He didn't comment on Jrs tears. He didn't demand that boy look at him when he spoke.

Harv came to get Jr for his shift. Talbot said they would just have to do without him. He didn't want Jr on the deck at night with his ordeal fresh on his mind.

He felt respondsable. Jr was on his crew and he had failed to notice the boy. If he had then thing could have gone differently. He had for the most part ignored Bartard's  presents on the ship. The rest of the crew had ignored him as well. He hadn't been a true prisoner so no one checked up on him. No one monitored his movements. No one had noticed his violent crime because he was not a true crew members, a friend, a prisoner. He was ignored like cargo after being counted, stowed, and tied down.

Only he hadn't been tied down and the cargo had shifted causing unrepairable damage.