Dexter’s pistol spat out a ball of lead at the same time that Rosh kicked the gangplank away from the Voidhawk. The pirate captain shrieked as he fell, reaching out for his ship and missing it. Dexter’s bullet drilled into his back, just beneath his shoulder blade, and turned the pirates shriek into a painful grunt.
“Anybody else?” Dexter called out, reloading his pistol while Rosh stood with his in hand and aimed towards the assembled pirates on the deck. None made any threatening moves, although three humans were hurrying to the edge and trying to tie up a rope so they could reclaim their captain.
“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.