She felt the pulse of energy sweep through her as she ascended the steps to the stern castle. She looked about, knowing something was amiss instantly. She saw the others look up as well, their eyes searching the sky and then going to the small asteroid beneath them. The ship twisted a little, coming away from the broken tower on the rock and swiveling along its axis just slightly. Jenna hurried to the railing and looked over it, an icy feeling already rushing through her stomach.
“Damn him,” she muttered, speaking of Dexter and just knowing that he had gotten himself into something. She nearly turned away, ready to return to the ruins of the tower, when she caught sight of something emerging from the far side of the asteroid.
“To arms!” Jenna yelled, casting a quick final glance at it before hurrying to the heavy ballista and struggling to load the bolt into it. “Keshira, help me!”
In moments the pleasure golem was beside her, helping her seat the heavy ballista bolt into the industrial sized crossbow. They cranked it back in time to see the other ship come into view off their stern. It was not an easily recognized hull, but rather one was an amalgamation of a few different ships. A claw-like structure at the front served as a grappling ram, while an elongated aft structure resembled that of the Maiden’s Bane. The elevated fore and stern castles were reminiscent of those found aboard the Voidhawk. Below the deck, it possessed a bloated belly that looked like a swollen planet-bound galleon.
“Kragor!” Jenna yelled, aiming down the ballista at the large vessel looming above them.
“I see it!” He shouted back. “Full ahead and into the rocks, we’ll come back for the others after we be losing them.”
“Go,” Jenna said to Keshira, taking final aim and pulling the lever that sent that heavy bolt flying.
Jenna followed after Keshira, though she kept glancing back to watch the flight of her bolt. It sailed through the void between the ships and missed the forward mast she had been aiming for. It still tore a ragged hole in the sail, however, which made her feel as though it was not a total loss.
By the time she made it to the deck Keshira had already unfurled the main sail and was working rapidly at securing it. Jodyne manned one of the ‘Hawks wings and Bailynn worked the other, swiveling them out to collect the solar wind and get them moving as rapidly as possible.
Jenna realized she could do no good on the main deck, and with Kragor yelling at her in the background, she turned back to the stern where she could man the stern sails that also functioned in part as a rudder.
“Blast, girl!” Kragor bellowed. “Bailynn, head aft with Jenna, you’re not catching the wind right!”
The dwarf, surly in the moment of peril, hurried over to the wing she hastily abandoned and caught it in his callused hands. He twisted it and tied it off, securing it at a better angle to take advantage of the rays coming from the distant sun. The effect was negligible, but it did help to keep the Voidhawk from being twisted laterally as they tried to sail forward.
The girl came up hesitantly beside Jenna. The arms mistress glanced at her briefly, her gaze cold. “Hold this like so,” Jenna instructed her, gesturing with her head towards the guide pole she held in her hands.
Bailynn put her hands on it and set her feet, making sure she had it securely. Her eyes remained on it as well, and her posture was submissive to the older woman. Jenna let go and stared at her for a brief moment, then hurried over to the ballista again and began to reload it. Without the help of Keshira it took her far longer to seat the bolt and crank it back.
By the time Jenna was ready the Voidhawk had nearly reached its top speed. The other ship had gained on them while they struggled to get underway, however, and trailed them by only a few hundred yards. She aimed and fired again, the bolt glancing against one of the arms of the ram and slamming into the railing of the ship. Broken wood floated away from it, but no serious damage was done.
Kragor yelled for them to come about, intent upon swinging into some rubble from the asteroid field that might allow a smaller ship like the Voidhawk more room to maneuver than the bloated vessel that chased them. It moved faster than they did, thanks to it having larger sails and more of them, but the dwarf was sure it could not turn as quickly.
The Voidhawk rounded a group of floating boulders, and sought to put on some speed so it could hopefully make another turn into the rock-filled void before its pursuer could negotiate the first turn. Kragor cursed when he saw four smaller ships laying in wait ahead of them.
They were spiders, small tactical craft used for boarding larger craft. Each could carry ten men, not including the pilot, and each possessed a special ballista that fired a weighted net. Their final namesake came from the 8 legged landing gear each craft possessed.
Kragor looked around, desperate for an option. Ahead of him, spread out along the only clear path through the asteroids, lay the spiders. Behind him, just now rounding the collection of loose rocks that had gathered together, lay their original assailant. The dwarf cursed and loosened the pistol at his side.
“Make ready to repel boarders,” He called out, his tone clearly one of anger. To himself he snarled, “I’ll not lose his ship without a fight!”
Jenna cursed her position at the stern. She looked to Bailynn and called out to her, “Tend that sail, slayer, and do what you do best when they board us!”
She turned and was gone then, running across the deck and leaping up the stairs to the forecastle to the ballista mounted there. She loaded the lighter weapon more rapidly by herself than the heavy one to the aft, though it was still a time consuming process. Once loaded she had time only to aim and fire it at a single approaching spider, and succeeded in spearing one of the invaders aboard it with the bolt.
She abandoned the siege weapon and drew her pistol next, as the spider she had fired upon closed the distance. It landed upon the bow, the legs latching onto the railing and digging into the decking to secure a grip. Orcs, goblins, and lizardmen issued forth from it, leaping over the sides and dropping to the deck in anticipation of blood and battle.
Jenna was happy to give them their wish. Her pistol cracked, sending a lead ball deep into the belly of an orc, and leading the way for her own charge into their ranks, twin blades singing. Another spider landed on the forecastle, behind her and closer to the main deck. The third landed upon the main deck and the fourth on the stern castle, where Bailynn alone awaited them.
Jenna heard Kragor’s curses, bellows, and roars as he fought the invaders amidships. Keshira fought as well, easily smashing aside the humans and humanoids that came at her. From the stern there was no sign of resistance that the embattled elf could discern. She cursed under her breath at leaving the girl back there, then felt the impact of a club against her back, driving her forward and sending the air from her lungs. She recoiled and spun, sword cutting a bloody furrow in the cheek of the man that had stung her.
Jenna was hit again after skewering a goblin through the lung. She turned to deal with the latest threat that had her reeling and slipped on the body of the dying goblin. She caught herself but was off balance and unguarded, allowing another club to strike at her and clip her chin.
The elf crashed to the ground, grunting as she hit. She struggled to get up but hands were grabbing at her and restraining her. She heard Jodyne call out angrily in the distance, and heard an answering roar of rage from Kragor. She bit out at an arm that crossed in front of her face and tasted the blood of her assailant. She heard no more after that, for her head was smashed against the deck and darkness claimed her.
“So, Cap-“
“I’m thinking,” Dexter snapped.
Rosh was silent a moment longer then decided enough time had passed. “We been here for more than an hour. Thinking ain’t gonna get us out.”