Space Knight Book 2

by Samuel E. Green

  “What’s the matter, Lyons? Can’t think of a lie to spout?” Olav taunted me. I glanced at the captain, but he seemed more than willing to let me work my own way out of this confrontation.

  “I have already asked for your forgiveness,” I said through clenched teeth. “I have risked my life for the crew.” I looked to the others, and they nodded at me. Their skepticism had vanished, and I knew they had accepted me back into their fold, unlike the berserker.

  “Lay off the lad,” Leith said. “He’s not as bad as you think, Olav.”

  “He’s more than proven himself,” Moses added.

  “Grendel shit!” Olav screamed, and he pulled his beard in rage. “That’s it. I’ve had enough.” His hands balled into fists, and a hard right launched toward me.

  I ducked to avoid the blow, but before the berserker’s fist completed its swing, he suddenly went sprawling. A prot-field projection was entangled around Olav’s shoulders and knocked him on the ground before he could punch me. I traced the trajectory back to Captain Cross, and saw that he was still wearing the late king’s gauntlets.

  The captain marched to Olav and looked down at the fallen berserker. “I took you in and fixed you up,” he said, barely above a whisper. “Don’t think I can’t cast you out again, Olav Kjeldsen. You and Squire Lyons will remain here on the Den Ark while we clear the portal on the Gor Ark. I’m sure the prime minister can find you a pleasant residence to share so you can work out your differences. Whatever it takes. Just don’t kill each other. Squire Lyons, feel free to defend yourself.”

  The prot-field vanished, and Olav scrambled to his feet. “I’m not sharing a room with that git,” he said as he thrust a finger at me.

  “You will obey my orders, or I’ll leave you on Ecoma.”

  Olav was still pointing his finger at me, and it curled up to join the others as a meaty fist. He looked like he was going to attempt a second punch, and I stared at his hairy knuckles in anticipation. If the man’s fist struck my face this time, I wouldn’t hold back. I stared beyond the berserker’s hands to his wild eyes, and I looked into them with a plea for him to follow through. I almost wanted the captain not to intervene, so I could at least get a few hits in.

  Instead, Olav sighed and dropped his hand. “Alright, Captain. I’ll spend some quality time with the whelp. But I can’t be blamed if he comes back with a few bruises.”

  Captain Cross touched the berserker’s shoulder, and I could tell a strong bond existed between the two men. “So long as no one dies, I don’t care,” he said. “You’ll have plenty of time to recover in the regeneration chamber afterward. No Runetech.”

  “Not even one piece?” Olav said as he stroked the axe hanging from his side.

  “You can take your prot-belt,” the captain conceded. “Now, it’s time for the rest of us to prepare the Stalwart.”

  Whatever happened next, I wouldn’t hold back. Nor would I endure the berserker’s bullying without retaliating. The captain had granted us permission to sort out our problems in whatever way necessary other than murder. So I planned on meeting Olav’s rage with my own.

  It was going to be a long seven days.

  Chapter 14

  After returning to the squire quarters, I ate a meager meal delivered by our new Ecomese attendant. The food on the Ark was almost as bad as the Stalwart’s cuisine, and I wondered how the evolved humans ever survived on the chunky gruel. After the squires wished me luck and left to meet Captain Cross and the knights at the docks, I spent a little time fixing the Dax gauntlets. Once the Energy Targe rune was glowing like new, I gathered a spare uniform and shoved it into a duffle bag to take on my week long confinement with Olav.

  I left my armor and weapons at the foot of my bed since I wasn’t allowed to bring them. The one Runetech item Captain Cross allowed me to take was my prot-belt, so I tightened it around my waist. During the few moments I wasn’t fighting with Olav, I could study the RTF’s offline database. I had performed well on all my Academy exams, but it wouldn’t hurt to review all the high level Grendel information again.

  I’d have little else to do.

  While I laid the Grendel items I acquired from the portal on my mattress, Elle entered the room with a motorized cart and smiled at me. “Hello, Nicholas. Good to see you recovered well from the battle.”

  “You seem especially chirpy,” I said.

  The point clerk shrugged. “I enjoyed fighting the Grendels and controlling the warsuits was like a dream. I had such power!” She laughed, and I found myself smiling with her.

  “Well, I asked you here so you can check out my gear before I leave for the Den Ark,” I said.

  Elle’s eyes sparkled as she stared at the equipment. “You really take the whole ‘gathering as much loot as you can’ to heart, don’t you?”

  “I need the Kingdom Points,” I said with a shrug. “I want to take the knighthood examination as soon as I can, and Mom could also use the money.”

  “Your mother must really appreciate the help you’re giving her,” the point clerk said. “Is she bedridden?”

  “Nah,” I said plainly. Elle must have thought the only people who needed monetary assistance were bedridden. It was a little ignorant, but I didn’t take offense because she hadn’t intended it. “She cleans apartments, and that doesn’t pay very well.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry. I thought she must not have been able to work since you provide her with money. I suppose that’s my Core World upbringing, always assuming people all over the kingdom are as fortunate as I am.”

  “Don’t worry about it,” I said. “I’ve heard much worse from nobles. Besides, I like you.”

  I thought nothing of the words until Elle’s lips curved up into a smile, and then her cheeks bloomed red. My mind fumbled for something to say, but the point clerk did me the favor of speaking first.

  “I bet it was hard being an Outlander at the Academy among so many Core World nobles.”

  “Sometimes it was difficult, but I was just happy to be there.” Although Ludas Barnes had made my life hell, I had mostly forgiven him. After all, I wouldn’t have been put on the Stalwart were it not for his betrayal.

  Elle stared at me for a moment, and then she turned back to look at the Grendel equipment. “So, are there any items you’d like to keep?”

  “I’m not sure. I haven’t had a chance to look at them yet.”

  “Scan the items, and then I’ll enter them into the database and give you a price. You can decide whether to sell them or keep them once we’re done. But you better hurry. You only have thirty minutes until you have to meet Olav at the elevator!” The point clerk touched my arm and nudged me toward the items.

  “Uh . . . don’t remind me about that insane knight,” I said as I picked up the serrated sword.

  “Maybe you could bring a few dozen liters of beer with you? I am sure a lot of alcohol will mollify him.”

  “He’d probably need a few hundred liters.” I scanned the sword, and a holo with the statistics appeared from my prot-belt’s runic buckle.

  Weapon type: Undocumented Master Saw

  Additional damage: [unknown]

  Power class: Expert

  Weapon effect: Can be inscribed with multiple runes.

  Runes inscribed: [unknown]

  Rune class: [unknown]

  Rune effects: [unknown]

  Warning: Undocumented. Use with extreme caution. Abusers will be prosecuted.

  The Expert class didn’t have an RTF equivalent, but many of the weapons in that class could be tinkered with so squires could wield them. Elle would probably remove the weapon effect when she approved it for squire use since powerful qualities had to be curtailed.

  “This sword is worth 500 KPs,” Elle said after she logged the item with her tablet. “It will require at least that much to prepare for use if you want to keep it. There is also the 100 KPs registration fee for keeping the item.”

  “What about the weapon effect?”

  The point clerk sh
ook her head. “It’s too powerful for the Squire class, so it will need to be scrubbed. Keeping the weapon effect will mean assigning the sword to Knight class.”

  As I turned the blade over in my hand, I considered stashing the sword to use after my knighthood examination. I imagined slashes that would carve Grendels in two and sever their lizard limbs. The edges were like the waves of the ocean, and while stunning to look at, they would make thrusting nearly impossible. The serrations would catch on flesh, bone, armor, and probably other weapons. Not to mention the difficulty sharpening the blade would pose.

  All those problems could be resolved through the right rune selections, but I figured it would be more trouble than it was worth. In the time between now and my examination, I could probably find better weapons, anyway.

  “I’ll sell it,” I told the point clerk.

  “Excellent,” she said. “What would you like to examine next?”

  I grabbed the Grendel plasma rifle and admired its design for a moment. The weapon was made of a shiny black metal with hexagonal markings imitating scales, and it stretched one meter from battery to barrel. A blue light flickered from the gas cannister below the reaction chamber, and I switched the power off before holding the firearm over my prot-belt’s laser scanner.

  Weapon type: Scaled Plasma Rifle

  Additional damage: [unknown]

  Power class: Novice

  Weapon effect: Fires white-hot plasma pulses. Requires battery and gas cannister. Subject to overheating and instability after extended firing.

  Runes inscribed: None

  Rune class: None

  Rune effects: None

  Note: Match in database. Item must be assigned to RTF member and approved by point clerk before use.

  Someone in the RTF had acquired and registered similar weapons, so the database provided a match. While I rested the rifle on my shoulder and stared through the scope, I wondered what it might be like to fight in a world where prot-fields couldn’t repel projectiles or reflect laser fire. I had scored high in marksmanship at the Academy, but outside of that institution, I would almost never need to use firearms. Still, it could be useful since even prot-fields would eventually succumb to enough firepower. A rifle as a backup weapon could come in handy, and my magnetons had sufficient space for at least another weapon or two.

  “I can provide 600 KPs for the plasma rifle,” Elle said. “Or it will cost you 100 KPs for a weapon registration and then you can have Casey inscribe some runes on it.”

  “I do like the rifle,” I admitted.

  The plasma firearm looked different from the basic models I’d seen at the Academy, but I’d learned real-life weapons had many variations. Their runes would also add another level of uniqueness. I now understood the vast differences between runes from working at the enchantry. Even runes with the same fundamental structure could work in vastly different ways because of the complexity in each sigil. It was the primary reason why the RTF’s squires and knights didn’t have identical equipment; every item was as unique as the person enchanting it.

  A minor deviation could mean a rune effect that increased strength, or one that sapped all the energy from the wearer. The RTF’s stringent legislation on who could craft runes was meant to prevent the latter, but even those who passed the examinations couldn’t guarantee perfect runes. It was all part of being a human craftsman.

  The attempts at using automated machinery to craft runes hadn’t gone too well either. The sigils couldn’t be drawn by machines because Dust-drills required an actual person wielding them. I didn’t understand all the reasons, but it had something to do with how a human physical contact to a Dust-drill generated an arcane connection. If I’d stayed at the enchantry, I would have been better at explaining the details.

  “I think I’ll keep it,” I said to Elle as I placed the rifle at the bottom of my bed.

  I then took the three knives and laid them on my mattress. The blades were about ten centimeters long and shaped like isosceles triangles. I wasn’t very impressed with them since they would require getting really close to strike an enemy. I also like lopping off limbs and cutting Grendels in half, and that would be almost impossible with such short blades. When I scanned the items, I wasn’t expecting much.

  Weapon type: Knife of the Storm

  Additional damage: 10% (lightning)

  Power class: [Squire]

  Weapon effect: Can be inscribed with multiple runes.

  Runes inscribed: Storm Bolt

  Rune class: [Squire]

  Rune effects: Inflicts minor electrical paralysis when two or more weapons bearing the Storm Bolt rune are embedded in an enemy. Effect increases with multiple weapons.

  Note: Match in database. Item must be assigned to RTF member and approved by point clerk before use.

  The power class and rune class were all Squire equivalents, so I could use the weapon after receiving authorization from Elle and then have Casey modify it if necessary.

  I was a little more impressed after scanning the first knife, but the Storm Bolt rune was useless without other weapons bearing the same rune. As I picked up the second knife, I spotted matching sigils, and my lips pulled into a smile. I grinned after I scanned the other two knives and found they were all identical.

  Because each item was enchanted with the Storm Bolt rune, nailing an enemy with at least two would cause paralysis, and then I could inflict a spectacular killing blow. Most lower-level Grendels didn’t need to be incapacitated when I could kill with a single hit to a vital point. However, the knives would be really effective against tougher enemies. We seemed to be fighting a lot more higher-level Grendels, and the memory of the Nagas made me think these knives might be rather useful in the future.

  “I can give you a lot for these,” Elle said after logging the three knives. “2,000 KPs.”

  My shoulders dropped at hearing the amount of currency I would gain from selling them. “I’m not sure I want to give them up, though.”

  “If I were you, I would keep them. Have you considered the slayer role in the future? They would be perfect practice.”

  “I thought the RTF didn’t accept any new slayer specialists?” I asked.

  “Only because there are so few slayers left to train potentials. But Leith Manzo could help you fulfill the necessary prerequisites.”

  “Like being a sadistic bastard who loves killing?” I chuckled.

  “Not all slayers are like Leith,” Elle said.

  “Just most of them?”

  The point clerk smiled at me. “The runes on the knives are already approved for use, so Casey will not need to modify them. I can seal each knife with a basic Squire class sigil, and you can take them. After paying a registration fee for each of them, of course.”

  “I think I’ll keep them, Point Clerk!” I winked at Elle and took the Grendel gauntlets. I inserted my right hand into one and squeezed a fist. They were too large for humans to equip immediately, but a little tinkering would solve that. Three-centimeter spikes rose up from each knuckle, and a circular rune pulsed in the palms. On closer inspection, I saw the blue symbols were tarnished so they would require substantial work before the item’s rune effect would work.

  Armor type: Undocumented Gauntlets

  Absorption rating: Basic

  Power class: Novice

  Armor effect: None

  Runes inscribed: [unknown]

  Rune class: [unknown]

  Rune effects: [unknown]

  Warning: Undocumented. Use with extreme caution. Abusers will be prosecuted.

  “The rune looks like it needs a lot of repairing,” I said to Elle. “Can you tell me whether it’s useful at all?”

  She took the item from me and scanned it. “Sorry, I cannot determine the rune. Even I could, it is too damaged to retrace. While these gauntlets look fancy, they are a basic model, so it is probably not worth crafting any new runes on them either.”

  “If I had more time in the Watchtower, I could have grabbed a
better item,” I said with a disappointed sigh. “So, how much are they worth?”

  “25 KPs. I can probably scrape a bit of Dust from the ruined sigils, but I would discard the leftover gauntlets.”

  I nodded and turned to the last remaining item: the totemic necklace. The pendant was fashioned from a bronzed metal in the shape of a frilled lizard’s face. I stared at the blazing ruby representing the third eye in the center of its forehead while identifying the item.

  Item type: Amplifying Totem

  Runes inscribed: Amplify

  Rune class: Expert

  Rune effects: Increases the range of a runesong by 15%.

  Note: Match in database. Item must be assigned to RTF member and approved by point clerk before use.

  The item would be useful for someone wanting to practice a herald knight’s abilities, but I had no real desire to follow that path.

  “You do not like it?” Elle asked.

  “Its rune effect only applies to runesongs,” I said. “My musical talents are sparse, and I prefer fighting on the frontlines rather than hanging back like a herald would.”

  “I have never heard you sing,” Elle said. “Maybe you cannot judge your own capabilities? Perhaps I could pay a visit to the squire showers and hear you hum a tune some time?” The point clerk giggled, and I tried to hide my embarrassment by turning my head away.

  “Is the totem worth much?” I asked her after clearing my throat.

  “3,000 KPs,” she said, and my eyes widened. “Necklaces are highly coveted items. They often contain the most powerful rune effects, too.”

  I remembered the Overlord’s Heart I’d taken from Emeric’s corpse. The amulet was still inside my footlocker aboard the Stalwart, and it had taken substantial effort to leave it there. Even now it beckoned to me like it was alive, and I considered a short trip back to the Stalwart to retrieve it before the crew left the docks.

  “Is something troubling you?” Elle asked me, and I pushed aside the desire. “You wish to keep the necklace?”