“Good,” Dexter said, backing away and moving towards the forward staircase. When he was close he enough he called down it for best speed out of the rocks. His crew, exhausted from their ordeal, still leapt to action and hurried to tend their sails and rigging so they could get away from the slavers once and for all.

  Dexter kept a wary eye on them as they put distance between them. Xander stood nearby, watching as well. Dexter turned to study the man once they had put enough distance between the two ships to reduce its size to something that was easily hidden behind a rock in the asteroid field. By that time they were free of it and soon to return to cruising speed.

  “Who’re you?” Dexter asked tiredly.

  “Xander vonHelric, Wizard of the Void,” Xander said, grinning and bowing to the man. “I’m deeply indebted to you, Captain…”

  “Silvercloud. Dexter Silvercloud. This here’s the Voidhawk, and she ain’t much but she’s ours. I don’t reckon you can pay for passage, but you’re welcome to a bunk all the same and you can work off your fee till we get to our next port,” Dexter said, already turning back.

  Xander opened his mouth but Dexter kept going. “I don’t care much for slaving, so I’m happy to set you free. How’d you come to be their guest anyhow?”

  “That’s just it, they followed me from my last run for supplies,” Xander explained. “I led them to my home and they attacked it. No doubt they thought I would have riches a plenty for them to steal. Ha! Fools!”

  “Your home?” Dexter asked, eyes narrowing. “That tower was your home?”

  Xander nodded. “Yes, it was. I built it myself,” he said, puffing up his chest proudly. “Of course it’s destroyed now, so I’ll have to find a way to save up the resources to build another one.”

  “That trap in your tower, the room with the sand, that yours too?”

  Xander nodded, grinning. “Oh, was that you? The dwarf told me his captain was in there. I’m glad I listened to him! I’d have never gotten my spell books back otherwise!”

  “Your… you turned it off?” Dexter said, understanding why the sand sharks had departed just as they were about to escape them on their own.

  Heavy footing on the decking was the only thing that alerted either one of them to Rosh’s approach. Xander turned around just in time to catch the large warrior’s fist in his face, which sent him staggering to the ground. His hand went to his face and came away bloody from where his lip was split and blood ran from his nose.

  “Rosh!” Dexter said, stepping between the large man and the wizard.

  Rosh glared at Xander but stopped. “Your trap damn neared killed us!” He spat at him.

  “Well that’s what happens to thieves!” Xander said; rising to his feet and glaring contemptuously back at the man.

  “We wasn’t thieves! We was looking to help!” Rosh growled.

  “Rosh, mind the rigging,” Dexter ordered, his eyes matching his serious tone.

  With a final glare Rosh turned and stalked off, leaving the stern castle and returning to the main sail.

  “Thank you, Captain; that void whale is too stupid to-“

  Dexter’s fist cracked into Xander’s face then, sending him stumbling backwards into the rail.

  “He’s a member of my crew and while you’re on my ship you’ll be treating him right!” Dexter seethed. “You’re trap near did us in, but we had found a way out anyhow,” he said.

  “And we was there to help survivors,” Dexter continued. Then, to pour some salt in the wizard’s wounded pride he added, “and if there weren’t none, then we was gonna take whatever we found that we could use.”

  Dexter turned and walked away. Over his shoulder as he walked he called out, “you can bunk in the crew quarters in the aft, down those stairs,” he pointed at the circular staircase down. “I’ll have Kragor get with you to find out what you can do to help us out to pay for your passage.”

  Xander stared after him, not sure if he should feel outraged, hurt, shocked, or embarrassed. Ultimately he just stood there and watched the captain of the Voidhawk cross the deck and check on each of his crew to see how they were doing. He caught Rosh sneaking glances at him a few times, and felt the others were probably watching and laughing as well. Mustering up as much dignity as he could, once his nose stopped bleeding, he made his way down the stairs and found the room that Dexter had told him to use.

  Xander sat on a cot and sighed. His life had been going so well too, and now this. All of his research and experiments had to be put on hold, at least the ones that had not been destroyed. He shook his head and fought back the sudden wave of despair that threatened to settle over him. He was still alive, which was a good thing. He opened up the sack and pulled out one of his spell books, which brought a smile to his bruised face. He had his spell books too, and that was a great thing. He settled down in the bunk and opened up one of the books, intent upon memorizing his spells and restoring his energy so he could show the captain of the Voidhawk just how useful he could be.

  Then the man would understand just how powerful and great Xander was. He would be sorry then for striking him like some common ruffian!

  Chapter 6: Stowaway

  “Rosh,” Jenna said with a smile on her face as she sat down at the table.

  “What?” The large man grumbled, assuming she was about to tear into him for something or other.

  “Just saying hi,” she offered, winking at Jodyne who brought a bowl filled over to her.

  Rosh closed his mouth and looked at her, one eye narrowed suspiciously. “You right in the head?” he asked.

  She laughed and nodded, then began to eat. He continued to watch her for a moment, then shrugged and worked on finishing up his own meal.

  Kragor came down the aft stairs with Bailynn behind him, planning on their own mid day meal. Bailynn paused when she saw Jenna and glanced around anxiously. She started to back away and turn around when Jenna turned and saw her. She smiled and motioned her over, swallowing a hot bite of food before speaking.

  “Plenty of room, Lynn, come and eat,” she offered.

  Nervously, the former slayer made her way over and sat down across from the elf. Rosh glanced up again, alarmed and confused. Jenna continued to behave abnormally, which was to be cheerful and nice towards their latest deckhand, and he had run out of stew to eat.

  He pushed his bowl away and stood up. “Somebody hit their head,” he muttered. “I’m thinking maybe it’s me,” he added, turning and heading aft.

  Xander emerged from the crew quarters he had been assigned and nearly ran into the large man. Rosh sneered at him and barked out a “Boo!” making the wizard jump back and away in fright. Rosh chuckled and headed up the stairs, feeling a little better that some things remained normal.

  “What’s he about?” Dexter asked, coming down the companionway from his cabin.

  “Your elf’s actin’ funny,” Kragor said, drawing a smack from Jodyne as she passed by him and handed Dexter a bowl of stew.

  “Life’s too short out here to not appreciate your friends,” Jenna said, shrugging and smiling.

  “This coming from an elf,” Dexter said with a playful grin. “Might be he’s on to something.”

  Jenna assumed a pouty expression and then stuck her tongue out at the Captain of the Voidhawk. Kragor coughed into his stew, splattering it and earning another slap from Jodyne. Xander approached cautiously, clearly anxious about joining the rest of them. Bailynn looked a little less nervous, but still apprehensive.

  “Sit, wizard, and tell us about yourself,” Dexter said, chuckling. “Don’t be worried, we’re harmless.”

  “Hardly that, I think,” Xander muttered, sitting where Rosh had left. “You’re not of a mind to abuse me today?”

  “Well,” Dexter said thoughtfully, “it is early yet.”

  The twinkle in his eye made Jenna laugh, which let Xander know that the Captain was not quite as temperamental as he had believed he might be.

  “We’ve our health, the wide open void before and behind us, and a good meal for our bellies,” the last Dexter accentuated by raising a steaming spoonful of stew and winking at Jodyne. “It’s a good day.”

  Xander glanced around the table and realized that, perhaps, it was his time to earn some of the respect he was due. He leaned back a bit and took in a deep breath, then opened his mouth.

  “Captain, can I talk to you?” Jenna asked, beating Xander to the punch.

  Dexter looked at her, raising an eyebrow. He shrugged. “Sure, talk.”

  “Private, I mean,” she said, rolling her eyes at him in a decidedly non-elvish fashion.

  “The elf’s cracked, Dex, careful,” Kragor warned his friend and Captain under his breath. Jenna actually smiled sweetly at him by way of retaliation, which caused Jodyne to snicker softly in the background.

  “Aye then, let’s go have a look at that head of yours, see where the bump is,” Dexter said good-naturedly. He stood up and handed Jodyne his half-eaten bowl of stew, then followed his arms mistress back to her cabin.

  “Never seen an elf go daft before,” Kragor mumbled after they had left.

  Jodyne shook her head and sent a warning glance his way. Bailynn smiled a little, though she kept it to herself. She wondered if, perhaps, Jenna had seen herself in a new light since they had been forced to work together. The elf still confused and terrified her, but that was not in the least because she could still feel the connection between the two of them. She realized she needed to talk to Bekka, the strange woman that seemed to want to help her. Bekka alone had seemed to have a talent at unraveling the magic that made her what she was.

  “Temperamental lot, elves,” Xander said, trying to sound sagely. “As I was about to say-“

  “Kragor,” Jodyne said, interrupting the wizard but having the courtesy to at least flash a brief smile his way, “I’m for needing another barrel of salted meat from the steerage.”

  Kragor sighed then shrugged and stood up. “Listen to an old dwarf and stay single, wizard.”

  Jodyne stared at the ceiling beseechingly and shook her head; she knew better than to listen to her husband’s blustering. “You want to eat?” She asked him.

  Kragor grumbled something then grinned and winked at her as he made his way to down the hall to the cargo bay that hosted the trap door that led to the steerage between their feet and the Voidhawk’s hull.

  Xander looked around, noting how his crowd had diminished to the shy little girl and the cook, who was back working in her kitchen. He sighed and stirred his stew morosely.

  “I’d like to hear,” Bailynn said softly, glancing up at him then looking away quickly.

  Xander looked at her and nearly laughed scornfully. He paused though, realizing that he needed to start somewhere. Rightfully someone of his rank and prestige deserved better, but given the circumstances, he reminded himself that he had to make do with what he could. He nodded and smiled at her, and began to tell her of himself.

  “You’re not going to be taking your clothes off again, are you?” Dexter asked as the door to Jenna’s room shut behind him.

  She turned and smiled at him. “I thought you’d never ask!”

  “No!” Dexter said too quickly. He grinned. “I mean, you’re a pleasing sight to my eye, but that just complicates things.

  Jenna pouted a little and reached up to her vest, then winked at him and let her arms fall to her side. “Captain, I want to stay with you.”

  “Stay with me? Like in my cabin?” Dexter asked, confused.

  Jenna beamed at his idea. “I hadn’t thought of that, but okay, I accept.”

  “What? I didn’t offer nor ask!” He protested.

  Jenna laughed. “A girl can try,” she offered before letting her smile fade and turning serious again. “No, I mean I want to stay with you…with the crew… with the Voidhawk. I don’t want to leave at our next port.”

  “Oh!” Dexter said, relieved and a little disappointed all at once. He had liked the forbidden thoughts that had entered his mind involving her in his cabin. “Why the change of heart?”

  “Something Bailynn said to me,” Jenna said, shrugging it away as unimportant. “She reminded me of what it means to be an elf and that I don’t want to be one.”

  Dexter stepped closer to her so that he could place a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “Jenna, nothing wrong with being an elf,” he said. “No more than it’s bad to be human, dwarven, or anything else. The problem’s not with what you were born with, it’s what you do with it that counts.”

  Jenna looked at him for a long moment, her eyes searching his. Then she smiled and nodded. “Captain, I need you to know something.”

  “What?” Dexter asked, concerned.

  “I don’t plan on ever leaving your service or side,” she said with a twinkle in her eye that hinted at excessive moisture. “And that I’m looking forward to the game we play going on for a long, long time… or until you give in and accept me.”

  “What game?” Dexter asked, knocked off balance by his mercurial second mate yet again.

  “The game where you pretend you don’t want me,” she said, leaning in a little towards him to break the barrier of personal space between them.

  “I do want you,” Dexter admitted solemnly. Then, with a grin he added, “otherwise I’d have to promote Rosh to arms master! There’d be no living with him then.”

  Jenna’s mouth fell open in surprise, then she laughed. “That’s the game I mean, Dexter. I’m an elf and I’ve got plenty of time to wait for you to come to your senses.”

  She winked at him and backed away, turning and heading towards her trunk. “I need to get changed to head up on deck.”

  “Meeting’s adjourned then?” Dexter asked her, noticing that the way her hands were moving in front of her she was obviously not waiting for him to leave before changing her clothing.

  She looked over her shoulder at him and smiled, “yes, Captain, as long as you’ll have me on your crew.”

  Dexter chuckled. “I’ll think about it and let you know,” he said mischievously before turning to leave.

  He paused at the door and said, “Oh, Jenna?”

  She turned to face him, her vest hanging open in the front and allowing him to see her as she slid it from her arms. “Yes, Sir?” she asked softly.

  “I thought about it,” he said quickly, forcing his eyes to stay on hers. “You can stay… matter of fact, I was never going to let you leave in the first place.”

  She raised an eyebrow and laughed, then blew him a kiss as he turned and stepped out of her room. Dexter stood outside of it and shook his head, knowing he should not encourage her but also knowing that he enjoyed it so very much when he did. Whistling softly to himself, he started down the hall back towards the galley, then decided he might be better off to head up to the main deck.

  Kragor grunted and moved through the dimly lit hold. His dwarven eyes made it easier to see in the poor light, but the shadows were still deep. He kicked aside a crate and made his way over to some barrels that were lashed together. He stumbled on his way and glanced back at whatever had tripped him. Curious, he bent low to examine it, wondering how a tree limb had made its way into the hold.

  The limb moved, coiling up slowly and reminding him not of a tree limb anymore but more of a tentacle. He cursed and backpedaled quickly, trying to figure out what it was. He crashed into the barrels and fell on them, breaking apart a weakened one. He grabbed some of the wood and held it up, noting that he should be laying in a pile of salted meat. The wood showed signs of being worn down and eaten away, and the contents of the barrel were missing completely.

  “Elf balls,” Kragor cursed, thinking up stories of what the tentacle might be. He tried to lunge to his feet but another tentacle lashed around his arm, yanking it out from under him.

  The dwarf crashed again to the hull, air exploding from his lungs. Another tentacle wrapped around his chest and a third covered one leg. He pried at the one on his chest and gasped for air, trying to recover his breath. He smelled a musky odor that had not been there before, and noticed how much darker the hold seemed to be. A dark shape coalesced above him and moved towards him. He tried to hold his free arm up to ward it off, but his arm seemed so heavy he found he could not move it.

  Jumbled thoughts and images crashed through his mind, trying desperately to put a name to the terror that came across him. He managed to cling to the tenaciously stubborn will that was his racial heritage and roll to his belly. Dragging the leaden tentacles behind him, he began to crawl towards the square of light that promised escape and freedom into the cargo bay above. Each hurried breath sucked in more of the musky odor, however, and each attempt at pulling himself closer to it made it seem farther and farther away.

  Dexter watched Rosh and Keshira working on deck. They worked side by side to assist Bekka in the smooth sailing of the Voidhawk through the void, trimming the sales and tying off the rigging when necessary. Both possessed great strength, a necessary feat for running the ship with a skeleton crew, and endurance that was near legendary. The great difference between the two was that Rosh would eventually tire. Keshira worked endlessly.

  Set on a new course after tacking, the work slowed down. Rosh finished coiling up a rope and tossed it into its place next to one of the wings of the Voidhawk. He turned and grinned at Keshira, then let his expression fade when she just stared at him blankly. From the forecastle Dexter sighed and wondered how long it would take until the pleasure golem started to show signs of thinking and acting for herself.

  “Keshira, you ever going to figure out what a great team we make?” Rosh asked her, grinning anew in hopes of not being rebuffed as he usually was.

  “What Rosh?” she asked him, clearly confused.

  “You and me, we do good work together,” he said again, his grin fading.

  “I could do it myself,” she said.

  He chuckled and waved. “Sure you could, but you wouldn’t be so fast as us together.”