The Octonauts and the Overfishing Incident (complete)

Chapter Eleven

Shellington and Peso were shocked beyond speech. They had listened to Tweak's rambling speech with barely suppressed laughs, and listened as Cera got more and more annoyed. Then there was some kind of scuffle after Cera told a sailor to search the ship, then there was a horrible snap and Tweak screamed. The sound was bloodcurdling and Shellington shivered. He could hear Barnacles protesting in a roar of rage, Kwazii yelling and shouting with all his breath and Tweak's whimpers of pain. Peso was listening, his eyes wide and scared as he listened to the sounds of his team mate.

"Her wrist..." Shellington whispered in shock. "She broke Tweak's wrist..."

"It needs to be set and bandaged before Cera can do any more damage to it," Peso said in a determined way. "I need to go up there, help her."

"No Peso! You'll get captured too!" Shellington protested. Peso turned his face to Shellington's, his eyes full of tears.

"But Tweak's hurt. I have to help her."

"Remember the plan. You're not going to be able to get to Tweak to bandage her wrist up. Remember what Dashi said. If we just stay calm, it'll work." He felt sorry for the distraught penguin, but knew they had to carry on. The radio switched off and Shellington touched Peso's shoulder. "C'mon. The sooner we do this, the sooner we can help Tweak." Peso nodded numbly, following the sea otter up the corridor without another word.

Dashi crouched behind the crates, shaking in anger. Tweak was a few metres away from her current position, on the ground holding her wrist. The dog wished she could go over there and help but that would mean revealing herself. She could hear the engineer's moans of pain; Dashi could only imagine what it must be like for Tweak at that point. The Captain was arguing with Cera, but it was a bit of a one-sided battle as the fox wasn't really bothering to really engage in the fight. Barnacles was left yelling at her to let them go while she looked bored. Dashi felt like marching over there and slapping her in the face.

Suddenly Dashi felt a touch next to her and she jerked in shock. She looked down and saw Tunip's worried face, with Barrot next to him. She beckoned them closer, gesturing to Cera. Tunip chattered quietly and urgently, Dashi wished she could understand what he was saying.

"I can't understand you, Tunip," she whispered as quietly as she could manage. Tunip looked frustrated and jumped up and down in annoyance while he thought of what to tell her. Dashi put her paw to her lips and Tunip stopped jumping. Barrot gave a tug at her skirt and pointed over at the far deck. The sailor that had been told to search for them was looking behind crates. Dashi realized his next destination would be their hiding place. Nodding, Tunip did a little worried jig to indicate where should we go now? (at least that's what Dashi assumed). Dashi searched around with her eyes for another hiding place, seeing none close by. If they made a dash for it Cera would see them, Dashi was sure.

The sailor was getting ever closer now. Looking behind a crate, moving to the next one, looking behind that. Moving to the one next to Dashi's...

Dashi made a quick decision and gestured to Tunip before jumping over the side of the ship out of sight. Tunip gasped in Vegimalese and looked over the side, at first staring at the water below. There was no movement, no ripple, nothing to indicate that someone had disturbed it at all. The sailor was coming closer, peering behind the crates next to them, finding no one, coming up behind Tunip to look behind...

Just before the sailor saw them Tunip grabbed Barrots hand and jumped over the side.

Cera looked at the sailor who had been searching. He gestured helplessly towards the deck, indicating there was no one there. The fox wondered what Tweak could have been talking about. Kwazii, under the net, saw Cera's momentary look of confusion and realised they hadn't caught Dashi or the Vegimals yet. That was good. Then there was movement from the other side of the deck and Hawkeye strode through the door leading to his quarters. Kwazii, from what he could see of him from his uncomfortable position under the net, could see he looked happy. He walked over untIl he was in Kwaziis line of sight then stopped next to Cera.

"You've done well, Cera. Broken?" gesturing to Tweak's wrist. Tweak glared up at him with open hostility in her narrowed eyes, protecting her hurt arm. Cera nodded, she didn't seem to be as talkative when he was around. The Captain laughed, clapping her on the shoulder and pulling her close to him. "Good work, my girl." His voice was patronizing and Kwazii didn't miss the look of contempt she flashed him as she pulled away.

"I am not your girl."  (A.N. Anyone recognise this from Lady and the Tramp 2? No?)

Hawkeye was happily oblivious, striding over to the Captain pinned to the wall and directing his gaze at him. "Not so high and mighty now, are we, Mr Captain of the Octonauts?"

"Meh, I'm better than you any day." Barnacles spoke politely and there was light in his tone, but his eyes gave his anger away. Hawkeye looked furious for a split second, then his anger was replaced by a smile.

"You see Cera's speed? Her brutality? Her moves? I was responsible for that. I taught her all she knows. Raised her from a young cub, didn't I Cera?" A look at Ceras face betrayed no emotion as she shrugged, but her clenched fists showed that this was not the case.

"A teenager more like. And you didn't teach me all I know," she answered calmly. Hawkeye looked at her and the only clue of anger between them was that he went over to her and moments later Cera gave a slight gasp of pain. Kwazii couldn't see what he'd done to her from his position, but he could tell that Cera wasn't happy here. Hawkeye smiled like nothing had happened.

"Raised you from a cub, didn't I Cera? Taught you all I know, didn't I?" His tone was icy.

"Yes sir." Her tone was soft and subdued, but there was defiance in her eyes. Kwazii actually felt himself feeling sorry for her but brushed it away. She broke Tweak's wrist.

Hawkeye, meanwhile, had walked round to where he could see them all. A quick hand signal made Cera come to his shoulder, bowed head. "Ah well, the merchandise may be damaged a little, but it'll sell just fine."

"Huh?" Kwazii asked. Hawkeye smiled.

"Merchandise. When we get to port, you'll be some more stock to sell. I know a good black market that'll take you just fine."

Whaat??