“She learns fast,” he continued. “I show her something once and she’s better’n me at it!”
Dexter grunted, offering a half-hearted smile. It did him little good to hear that she was as promising as she sounded, since he planned to be rid of her as soon as they returned to Port Freedom.
“Well, keep at it, we’ve four days to return to Port Freedom, no telling what we might run into this far out,” Dexter said.
“Wait, Captain,” Rosh said, looking around and lowering his voice. Dexter paused for Rosh to continue. “I hear you’s looking for more helmsmen?”
Dexter stopped, not sure he heard him right. He nodded after a moment and Rosh finished his request. “I’d like to learn me how to fly a ship… Sir.”
“I’d still work the rigging and deck off shift,” he hurried to add.
Dexter cocked his head and thought about it, after only a short moment he shrugged and smiled, surprising his anxious deckhand. “Alright, we’ll try it out.”
Rosh grinned ear to ear, then clapped Dexter on the back, which sent him staggering. He straightened and smiled weakly before turning to leave.
“Um, Captain… one more thing.”
Dexter turned, “yes?”
“I know that Fed wizard said she was belonging to you and I was wondering if I, um, if I could, ya know, borrow her?”
Dexter’s eyes widened and he fought the urge to laugh at the incredible request. “Rosh…I,” he paused, then shook his head, unable to find words to say. “No, Rosh, I don’t know what she is but while she’s on my boat, she’s nobody’s property.”
“Yes Sir,” Rosh said, nodding and turning back to his work quickly, his cheeks already flushing red with embarrassment at the rejection.
Kragor found Dexter on the forecastle, staring at the stars. Or, perhaps, he was trying to see into the future, the dwarf could only guess.
“Dex,” Kragor said by way of greeting, leaning against the railing beside him.
Dexter offered the dwarf a smile. “Hell of a day,” he replied.
“We need a bigger crew, boy-o,” Kragor said.
Dexter nodded. “I’m working on it,” he said. Then he chuckled before adding, “Can you believe Rosh wants to learn to be a helmsman?”
Kragor shrugged. “Who ya think told him to ask you?”
Dexter looked at his first mate and long time friend and then chuckled again. “Figures,” he said. “And Jodyne thinks I’m the troublemaker!”
Kragor could not hide his grin. He did, however, glance at the deck to make sure his wife was not on it and able to hear him. His eyes fell on Keshira and he watched her work, her strength amazing as she worked the ropes that Rosh showed her.
“She’s a sight,” he offered.
Dexter turned to look at her and sighed. “That she is… and it makes sense now. All of Ormitor’s servants… they’re like her.”
Kragor nodded. “Aye, I was thinking as much. Strong, beautiful, and not alive. I’m for guessing he’s not a man to be on the wrong side of.”
“Wizards,” Dexter grumbled, to which Kragor agreed by way of spitting over the railing.
“Reckon we’ll be on that side when he learns she didn’t make it to Grafton,” Dexter said.
“Aye,” Kragor acknowledged. “We could run. Hide, stay clear o’ this part o’ the void for a bit.”
Dexter gave him a look that confirmed what the dwarf already knew. He missed the old Dexter, the mischievous man that would poke fun at anyone he could, especially if they were bigger, stronger, and more powerful or dangerous — so long as he had a hole to bolt to. The new Dexter was responsible for a ship and crew, and he knew it and acted it. While Kragor missed the old Dex, he admired the man he had turned into even more.
“I’m not for wanting her, old friend,” Dexter said. “I’ll have no slaves about me.”
“You heard the wizard, she’s not alive! She’s an object… a thing,” the dwarf said. It was a bit eerie, he supposed, but she looked to be able to do the work of two men.
“Look at that,” Dexter said, gesturing at her with his chin. “She look like a ‘thing’ to you?”
Kragor stroked his beard thoughtfully, trying to come up with something to shore his argument. He could not and grudgingly admitted as much, “guess not. Them others din’t seem like her, them was more… lively.”
Dexter looked at Kragor, realizing the dwarf had just pointed out something that bothered him. Why was Keshira less lively? She behaved like a child, soaking up everything around her, but unlike a child she had no personality. Jarnella had been full of personality, or at least it seemed like personality. Perhaps it was just part of her conditioning, to be a sultry seductress.
Remembering Jarnella brought a rush of blood to Dexter’s face. To think, he had almost let himself be seduced by a…a… well, whatever she was. A construct, the Federation wizard had called her. He shook his head to rid himself of his incriminating thoughts.
“I’d best relieve Bekka from the helm,” he muttered. Kragor nodded to Dexter’s back as the captain headed for the forward staircase.
On the bridge Bekka decelerated the ship and rose from the helm slowly, stretching out the stiffness that inevitably set in. It was a shock, separating from the helm, because the consciousness had to part from the ship and re-associate with the body.
“We’ve got a new deckhand?” Bekka asked him.
Dexter nodded, having forgotten that Bekka had not been around during the encounter. From the helm she could sense everything that took place on the ship, and she could see in all directions from it, but she could not see inside the ship or onto the main deck.
“Only till we’re back at Port Freedom and the wizard takes her back,” Dexter said.
Bekka looked at him blankly, not understanding. Dexter sighed and explained the encounter with the Federation wizard and captain in the cargo hold, as well as what they knew of the girl that was with them. Dexter was more than a little dismayed to see how excited Bekka was getting as he explained things. While not a wizard herself, she was a sorceress, and magical mysteries such as this interested her keenly.
He replaced her on the helm, anxious to give a simple direction for his thoughts, and let her explore the deck and learn what she could on her own about Keshira.
* * * *
They were less than a day out from Port Freedom and still Dexter found Jenna unwilling to converse with him or, if she could manage it, even willing to spend time in the same part of the ship with him.
Keshira had come to him the first night and inquired how she might service him. Shocked and dismayed, and a little bit disturbed at the improper thoughts he had, he had sent her away to continue her work. He first had learned that she required no sleep, but she could do so if commanded to.
Now, with only hours remaining until they returned her, Dexter found himself curious about her. More than that, she had begun to become a natural part of his crew, interacting with them when they spoke with her. That she could handle the duties she had learned from Rosh was beyond question. While still bland, she did seem to have a hint of a personality about her. Dexter found himself wondering what more might lay hidden beneath her beautiful exterior.
Bekka had become fascinated with her, perhaps even more so than Rosh. She studied her and chatted with her whenever possible, trying to learn everything she could of her. As Dexter stood on the bow of the ship Bekka was busy talking to her as she worked, in fact. Bekka did most of the talking, but Keshira responded to any questions asked, though she had yet to ask a question of her own.
“Keshira, come up here please,” Dexter called out to her. She rose from where she had been kneeling on the deck scrubbing and sanding the planks to keep them smooth. Bekka looked at Dexter and smiled, then wandered towards the stern where Rosh was working on something.
“Yes Master?” Keshira said when she had climbed the stairs and stood before him.
“Captain… call me Captain, not master,” Dexter insisted.