Dexter nodded. “But you think we can sail her as she is?”
Kragor nodded, “Aye, she’ll sail… but you still be needing some power in the ship to handle tactical speeds. Once we get up in the void we can let the sails take over, getting there’s the trick.”
Dexter turned to Bekka and asked, “Can you put some magic into the ship?”
The half-elf paled at the request, but she nodded. Dexter watched her a moment then figured he would ask her later. “Alright, Kragor you’ve got work to do, anybody not doing anything else please help him. Jenna, inventory the weapons and let me know what else you need. Make sure you and Bekka are both armed as well.”
Dexter glanced down at his own empty waist and grinned foolishly. “Guess I’d best be getting some too!”
He turned to Jodyne and smiled. “Jodyne, tell me what you need for the galley. Kragor, when you get a moment, I need to know how much canvas I need to buy for the sails.”
He paused, studying the three women before asking, “Um, someone knows how to stitch the sails, right?”
Jenna rolled her eyes and very softly muttered something in her native tongue, but said nothing.
Bekka smirked, either at Jenna’s actions and words or at Dexter’s question. “Yes, Captain, I can stitch and show anyone who would like to help,” she said.
Dexter smiled. “Good! Well then, let’s get to work!”
Having no charts or plans, Dexter spent much of his time helping Kragor with the remaining work. Bekka approached him after they secured a bunk to Jenna’s room. Dexter told her to follow him and they walked up to the front near the helm.
“It’s a good helm, Captain,” Bekka began. “I charged the ship as best I could and I’m needing some rest now. It’ll be several days of charging before it’ll be ready to fly and, truth be told, I don’t much like the feeling of having my magic drained out of me like that.”
Dexter nodded. “I understand. I’m planning on picking up a battery to help, but that comes last. We’re running low on money and all we’ve got is dry rations for food and no sails yet.”
“Yes Sir,” she said. “I’ll do my best.”
Dexter saw the troubled look on her face and opened his mouth to ask what it was about channeling her magic in the helm that bothered her, but decided now wasn’t the time.
“It’s different for those like me,” she explained.
Dexter fought the urge to jump and wondered if she’d read his mind.
“Wizards and priests learn their power, it’s not natural. Those like me, sorceresses and the like, magic comes natural to us, and to have it drained out of us like that is uncomfortable.”
Dexter bit his lip and nodded. “I can’t say I understand, since I don’t have your gift, but I will say that as soon as we can do it another way we will. That’s all I can promise.”
She nodded. “That will do, Captain. Thank you.”
Dexter paused at the door and turned back. “Bekka, have you and Jenna met before?”
Bekka smiled. “No, she dislikes me because I’m a half-breed. I’m impure, to her. You and even Kragor are better than I am.”
“Because we’re pure?” Dexter asked.
Bekka nodded. “It is the way with elves. Many races feel that way, but none so strongly as elves.”
Dexter nodded, thinking about it. “I’ve only seen a few half elves in my life,” he admitted.
“You’ve only recognized a few, many take pains to disguise themselves.”
“Fair enough,” Dexter admitted. “Being shunned like that must put a lot of hate in a person.”
Bekka smiled. “You keep passing tests, Captain.”
Dexter returned her smile and said, “Get some rest, not much you can do to help right now, I don’t reckon.”
Back in Jenna’s room Kragor worked on building a table that would fold down from the wall. Meanwhile Jenna was doing her best to ignore him. When Dexter entered she turned to face him.
“I need some parchment to write down our supplies and some ink and a quill, or at least some charcoal,” she told him.
Dexter had no chance to hide his surprised look. “You mean to keep track with books?”
“You want it done right?” she asked.
“It’s only us on the ship, I trust you to run it right.”
She shrugged. “You do a lot of trusting.”
“I do,” he admitted, winking at her. “Let me know when it’s a bad idea.”
She opened her mouth then closed it. At a sudden loss for words she turned back to the weapons and, with her back to him, asked, “What do you need?”
“A decent sword, a couple of knives, and a pistol,” he said, rattling off his standard fare.
She gathered the equipment and handed it to him one item at a time. Dexter set the weapons on her cot when he realized he could not hold them all at once. She handed him a weapon belt with a scabbard on it last. With the belt on he tied the daggers, already in sheaths, to it and slid the sword home. The pistol he tucked through the belt and then tied on the two small sacks containing fire powder and lead balls for shot.
“Arm yourself then join me on the deck, I’d like to see how good you are,” Dexter said.
Jenna looked at the weapons and shrugged. She grabbed a longsword, a dagger, and a pistol. Dexter noted she already had secured a belt around her waist. He made his way up the staircase and onto the deck, followed closely by the elf warrior. He stopped finally and drew his blade, turning to face her.
Jenna drew hers and looked at it, frowning a little. He lunged forward, certain she would not be caught off guard. He was right. She turned his blade aside and countered, striking back at him, which he dodged.
The two fought for several minutes, testing each other out and noting strengths and weaknesses. Jenna was skilled enough with the longsword, but her skill was nothing that left him speechless. She was good enough to kill the average man, Dexter knew, but he had hoped for a little more out of her. Finally, both of them sweating, Dexter held up his hand to signal an end to the fight.
“Enough, I’m getting distracted,” he said. “You fought well.”
“Distracted?” Jenna asked between breaths. “By what?”
“You need to change your shirt,” was all he said.
Jenna realized that she still wore the torn shirt from the prison. She laughed, surprising Dexter. She had not realized that it was now so loose that any abrupt twist, lunge, or other movement would have one or both breasts spilling out of it.
“Why are you laughing?” Dexter asked, confused. He was trying to save her from embarrassment and humiliation.
“You humans, so modest… I’ll have to remember that and make use of it,” she said.
Dexter looked at her, brows furrowing at his lack of understanding.
“The body is a beautiful thing,” Jenna explained. “Not something to be hidden and ashamed of. My people wear clothing to be sensible, fashionable, or for protection, not because it bothers us if others see us without it.”
“Oh,” Dexter said, suddenly the uncomfortable one. “I, um, I guess that makes sense.”
Jenna grinned at him, enjoying his discomfort. “Perhaps next time I’ll fight you nude.”
“Not sure I could handle that,” Dexter admitted.
Jenna chuckled. “Yes, Captain,” she said. She turned to head back below then stopped and twisted her torso to look back at him. “Captain?”
Dexter chanced a look at her, noticing almost instantly that the way she had twisted gave him a clear line of sight to the full swell of one breast behind one half of her torn shirt. He forced his eyes up to hers and fought to ignore the heat in his cheeks. “Um, yes?”
“If you’ve the money when you return for supplies could you pick me up a rapier and a short sword? You might find me a little more challenging thus armed.”
Dexter nodded, anything to escape the embarrassment he felt.
She made her way down the staircase and Dexter let out a deep sigh. “Gods,” he muttered. “What am I doing with women on the ship?”