As it got closer they could see various signs of wear on the hull of the ship, however, everything seemed to be in working order. No obvious weapons were on the hull, by decree of the Federation. Most people did not care much for the law, but it was easier to obey than to face the fines, prison, and possible destruction by the Federation for refusing to abide by them.
The ship’s pilot expertly brought the vessel within hailing range, merging their atmospheres. Greetings were called out and Dexter replied, confirming that they were both who they were supposed to be. The ships then docked side by side, keeping the continuity of their gravity plane for everyone involved in the transfer.
The cargo transferred in crates and barrels. The crew of the Voidhawk took a good enough look at the other ship’s crew to draw their own conclusions. They other crew looked scruffier than they did, confirming they were most likely full time pirates or smugglers.
Dexter ratified the manifest verbally with the captain of the Maiden’s Bane, the name of their new trading partner, and bid him a farewell after flatly turning him down on his offer to borrow Jenna for an hour or so. The Maiden’s Captain left chuckling, then a few moments later the lines were cast and the Maiden’s Bane sailed away into the void.
“The Maiden’s Bane?” Jenna asked him after he walked over and made sure the cargo hatches were securely dogged and sealed.
“Aye, he named it because of the ram,” Dexter told her.
“I don’t get it,” she said, staring after the rapidly departing ship.
“Did you take a look at it?”
“Not that close, why?”
“They’d added a little wood here and there and painted it up to resemble a… um…”
“Oh!” Jenna said, laughing. “I get it now.”
Dexter shrugged a little, blushing in spite of himself. He was glad she had made the jump in logic herself without him having to explain the Maiden’s Bane’s rams faint resemblance to a penis.
“Makes me glad I’m not maiden,” she said after a moment.
Dexter stared after her for a moment and then just shook his head and went below to examine the cargo a little more closely. He took the front stairs and poked his head in the bridge to tell Bekka to start them heading towards Traxxus III, but to avoid any shipping routes.
In the cargo deck Dexter, Jenna, and Kragor stared at the crates and barrels, wondering what it was they were carrying. “Fire powder, I bet,” Kragor said, eyeing one of the barrels.
“Could be,” Dexter offered. Fire powder was not illegal in smaller quantities, but a large shipment without a Federation charter would definitely be considered smuggling. A punishable offense, certainly, but not something dangerous enough to merit the kind of fee he had negotiated.
“Then what’s in these?” Jenna asked, tapping some longer and thicker crates. Dexter looked to Kragor and he looked back. Both shrugged indecisively.
“We could find out,” Jenna offered, tapping her dagger at her side.
“Best leave them be,” Dexter said. “We’ll have enough trouble with the Devil’s Breath and dodging the Feds, no sense in inviting anymore with our customer.”
Jenna frowned but nodded. She walked past the two and left the cargo hold, heading for her room.
“Elves!” Kragor cursed, shaking his head.
“Women,” Dexter corrected, commiserating with the dwarf.
* * * *
They sailed for two weeks, alternating Bekka and Dexter on the helm in four hour shifts to keep them fresh. Dexter, with Bekka’s assistance, chartered a course that would take them clear of the more heavily patrolled areas of Federation space. There was still some risk, but thus far they avoided any hold ups and had maintained their speed.
The Voidhawk and her helm were holding up well under its first test. Bekka managed to charge it up and it was off of that power that they were running presently. Much to the sorceress’ relief Dexter had told her to stop pouring her energy into the helm. He saw the effect it had on her and he did not like it.
Their speed lagged as they began the second leg of their journey, passing through the edges of the Devil’s Breath. The Devil’s Breath was a giant gas cloud that, while not inhospitable for life, was very unpleasant. Sulfurous and cold, it made breathing a miserable experience. The vapors were not deadly but rumor had it spending extended time amongst the vapors would rob a person of a long life.
What was worse was the many creatures that had no care about the nature of the gas cloud. Ghost ships, the real sorts ran by powerful beings that had no need for breath or life, lay in wait amongst the Devil’s Breath. A few others took advantage of the dangerous nature of both the inhabitants and the cloud and set up bases near it. Anyone seeking refuge near the Devil’s Breath was, by their very nature, not someone Dexter wanted to run in to.
Skirting the gas cloud safely would have taken an extra week of time, a week that dodging Federation patrols had already robbed them of. On top of that, Dexter was wise enough to know anything could, and probably would, still happen.
Fully armed and with all hands on the deck, except for Dexter at the helm, they embarked on the most dangerous part of their voyage. Silence reigned on the deck of the ship leaving everyone taut with tension.
The stress stretched on throughout the multiple days spent sailing through the edges of the cloud. More than once the fumes sent one of them to their bunks with headaches, visions, or simple nausea. Bekka and Dexter rotated on the helm, and both looked more and more drawn with each shift as they strained with shorter rest periods to pilot the vessel clear of the Devil’s Breath.
It took nearly four to reach the edge of the gas cloud. Exhaustion tainted their relief at leaving the wispy tendrils behind. Less than a minute after reaching full sail the ship shuddered and dropped back to regular tactical speed, rousing everyone from the lethargy they had fallen into at the end of the stressful voyage. Dexter ran up on deck and scanned the void, cursing as he did so. Jenna came up from the aft stairs, one hand on her rapier and another on her dagger.
“Fires of hell, what’ve we got here?” Kragor cursed, staring at the three ships closing on them.
“An old warship, a scout, and a… ship,” Dexter said, eyeing the vessel that looked surprisingly familiar last.
“Can’t be the Maiden’s Bane,” Kragor said, eyeing the approaching vessel.
“Your friends are back,” Jenna said, walking up to them and nodding towards the approaching ship.
“Not my friends,” Dexter muttered. “Kragor, think we can outrun them?”
The dwarf and the elf both shook their heads in response to his question. “Not a chance, boy-o, she’s slim and narrow. A quick one, to be sure, and I’m for guessing the warship’s got weapons ready to pound us as we pass if’n we try.”
Dexter cursed. “Maybe they’re meeting us early?” Jenna suggested, knowing her suggestion was false.
“And maybe there’s too much air ‘tween yer pointy ears!” Kragor spat back at her.
Her grip tightened on her blades and she glared at the dwarf. Dexter ignored them and called out, “Bekka,” as he ran down the stairs and headed into the bridge.
She looked withdrawn and tired as soon as he saw her. “We can try to run, but I don’t think we can escape,” she said. “I channeled my power into the helm to give us a little more if we need it though.”
Dexter nodded, appreciative of her effort. “What about the Devil’s Breath?” he asked her.
Her eyes widened, then she shook her head. “We don’t have enough power to make it back through it, especially since we’d have to go slow.”
“But you could recharge us if we can just lose them, right?”
“Captain, we won’t survive. I’ve sensed things in there, things that would tear us apart.
“Damn it!” Dexter stared at his charts for a long second. “What in the hell are we supposed to do?”
“Surrender,” Kragor grumbled from the door to the bridge. “There be no other w
ay.”
Dexter looked at him, feeling his breath sucked from his lungs. Kragor met his gaze and nodded.
“Aye, we just got her, but you showed me what we can do, long as we live we can get another ship,” the first mate said.
Dexter took in the bridge, his hands clasped into fists. Finally he took a deep breath and let it out, nodding his head. “Alright, wave the white flag.”
“Bekka, let’s go,” he said, laying his hand gently on her shoulder.
She stood up, staring at him with a great sadness in her eyes. She glanced away and walked out of the bridge. Dexter paused, admiring again the bridge of the Voidhawk, his first real ship, and sighed. A moment later he left the bridge behind him and went up the spiral staircase to the deck.
The Maiden’s Bane pulled up alongside and lines were tossed and secured. Several gruff looking crew members swarmed onto the deck, weapons raised and pointed at Dexter and his crew. Relieved of their weapons and bound with ties behind their backs they stood in silence waiting. The captain of the Maiden’s Bane crossed over. He paused long enough to admire Jenna before stepping in front of Dexter.
“Thanks for getting it past the Feds, you did us a favor,” he said, chuckling a little.
“I don’t suppose your name is Drevin,” Dexter asked.
“As a fact it is,” he said, grinning. “But this don’t count as on time or early delivery.”
“I thought she agreed to the fee too easily,” Dexter mumbled.
“Aye, that’ll teach ya to be getting greedy.”
“The pot has called the kettle black,” Bekka spoke up, unable to restrain herself.
Drevin walked over to her and without any warning backhanded her across the face, splitting her lip and making her cry out. He hit her again when she straightened, then turned back to Dexter.
“Taking women for crew ain’t the way o’ things, but my boys and I appreciate it all the same,” he said with a lecherous grin. He pointed to the Maiden’s Bane and said, “Throw ‘em in the hold, then stow their gear.”
“The ship, Captain?” Asked a scarred pirate.
“It’s in good shape, leave the cargo and have Karl pilot it back. Pick a dozen men for the rigging too,” he said, already heading back to the Maiden’s Bane.
Jenna looked at Dexter, jaw clenched. He shook his head slightly, making her close her eyes and take a deep breath before releasing it. Then they were poked and pushed towards the Maiden’s Bane, where they were imprisoned in a hold converted to a brig.
They felt the Maiden’s Bane slow down and change directions several times, then finally dock. They were led out of the cell and onto the deck, confirming they were indeed docked at a floating collection of lumber.
It did not resemble a ship or even a group of ships, it looked more like a sawmill ate a forest and vomited up the remains, randomly placing wooden planks and beams all over the place. Some portions of it were open to the void, while others were enclosed. Only the docking areas showed any semblance of a pattern, with ramps extending out from the mass to allow the pirate ships to dock.
Also present were several heavy weapons, from ballista to catapults and jettison to even a few bombards. A slow realization dawned on Dexter but he kept his mouth shut until they were alone in a cell on the pirate base.
“I’m thinking we brought them a couple of bombards for their base here,” he shared.
“Blast, ye’re right!” Kragor said, smacking himself in the forehead. “That’s just the size for them boxes.”
Jenna nodded, agreeing with the captain. Bekka and Jodyn just looked on, not knowing one way or another, nor seeing how it made a difference considering their situation.
Dexter opened his mouth to speak again, but the door into the room opened and a man ducked his head and stepped in. All of them stared at him, momentarily speechless. He stood well over six feet tall and looked thick enough and strong enough to be able to tear the base apart with his bare hands.
“What are you?” Dexter asked.
“What?” he asked, his voice the timbre and pitch expected from so large a man. “I’m your guard, Rosh.” The ‘o’ was a hard vowel, making Dexter think of a roach when he said his name even though the giant of a man was a fairly decent looking guy.
“Are you half-giant?” Dexter asked, thinking how ironic it would be if he were considering the joke he made with his former employer about his first mate being a fire breathing half-giant.
“No, I’m human,” he said, scowling. “Just big.”
“I’ll say!” Dexter agreed, before turning to look at the others.
Bekka stepped forward. “What are they going to do to us?”
Rosh stared at her for a long moment. A slow grin crossed his face. Ignoring her question he asked her, “You’re a woman! Why’d you shave your head?”
“I find it’s better to not be judged by my appearance,” she responded.
Rosh nodded, “Good idea.” He shrugged apologetically. “The women’ll be raped, then killed. The men just killed. Don’t think we got anyone that likes boys here.”
“Why wait? Why not just be done with us on the ship?” Dexter asked.
“In case you had any surprises on board. Magic or something, ya know,” he explained.
“The guard on the other ship would not talk with us, how come you are?” Bekka asked him.
“I don’t get out much, too damn big for the ships, they says, so I’m stuck here,” he explained, sounding grateful for her question and her interest. “I’ve talked to everyone ‘round here, nothing else to do.”
“How much you make here, Rosh?” Dexter asked, a glimmer of an idea coming to him.
“Four gold a month, why?”
“You seem bored,” Dexter said, shrugging.
Rosh stared at him for a long minute, then nodded. “Maybe I am and maybe I’m not, what’s it to you?”
“Big strong man like you, I could use you,” Dexter said after a moment.
“Ha! I’m not into laying with men,” Rosh said, turning back to Bekka.
“That’s good, neither am I.”
Rosh returned his attention to him. “What you asking for then?”
“Like I said, I could use a strong man that knows his way around a ship and with a sword, my crew is a little short right now.”
Rosh chuckled. “Seems to me you’ve got too much crew since the only thing you’re Captaining is that there cage!”
“Aye, that’s the truth of it,” Dexter admitted, looking to Kragor and Jenna. They both returned his gaze and shook their heads. “But that’s where you come in.”
“You’re mad,” he said, shaking his head. “I got it good here, I ain’t letting you out.”
Dexter pushed himself up against the bars and spoke softly, “four gold a month… I’m willing to give you six percent of whatever our take is, how long would it take you to make that here?”
A crafty look passed over the man’s face as he considered the offer. His eyes narrowed and Dexter thought he saw his lips moving slightly. Was he counting? Dexter bit back his smile and made a mental note to invite Rosh to a friendly game of cards if things worked out well.
“And you’d be on a ship, traveling to different ports in the void, seeing new things and new people,” Dexter pressed.
“And women?” Rosh asked.
“Not like here, you want a woman you have to woo her on your own or buy her services,” he stated.
“Never could take something that wasn’t given freely. But you ain’t got no ship!”
“So let us out and help us get ours back!” Dexter said, letting some of his desperation bleed through. “The Voidhawk, my ship, is ready and waiting, we just need to get on it and we can be off and away! With your help we’ll have no trouble getting away.”
Rosh thought about it for a minute then shook his head. “You been caught once, you’ll just get caught again.”
“I got a plan for that too,” Dexter confided in him.
“You
’re mad,” Rosh said again.
“Maybe a little,” Dexter admitted, “but that’s why it’ll work!”
Rosh thought about it and then shrugged. “Ah hell, I’m bored with this work. Six percent… what’s that work out to?”
“We make 100 gold, you get 6 pieces. We make 1000, your cut is 60. Depends on how good we do – all of us, even you,” Dexter’s explained. “You’ll be helping us then?”
Wooed by the promise of more gold than he’d ever had, Rosh nodded. “Aye, stand back,” he said, stepping closer to the door.
Dexter backed away and glanced at the others, who were just as wide eyed and disbelieving as he was. Bekka grinned while Jenna just stared in disbelief. Kragor clapped him on the back and Jodyn muttered something about Dexter’s ability to talk himself into, or out of, the jaws of a void dragon.
Rosh opened the doors of the makeshift cell and let them out. He drew the great sword off from his back to cut the ropes that bound their wrists, then shook Dexter’s hand. “Stay behind me,” he said, asserting himself.
Jenna regarded his sword and shook her head disapprovingly. Aside from her reaction, everyone did as he asked, letting him lead the way through the confusing tunnel of corridors. In almost no time they encountered two men turning a corner into their corridor.
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