Voidhawk: The Elder Race

by Jason Halstead

  “This guard was disabled while fighting the elves. It was taken to be returned for its raw essence but before the task could be done, it stirred to life again,” the elder explained.

  “K?” Dexter asked, staring at the scratch in the incredibly hard metal of the floor.

  “You had a companion who fell some time ago, I believe?”

  Dexter’s cheeks drained of color as he stood there. The realization of what the ancient elf said to him was crashing upon him so powerfully that he had to take a step to keep from falling. He stared at the sentinel, looking for some sign of his long lost friend. “K…Kragor?” Dexter whispered.

  The helm on the magical construct dipped forward and back, then the wand arm tapped its chest again.

  “What… wait,” Dexter said, holding up his hand. “How did you? I mean… how can…”

  “His spirit came to reside in the damaged construct. The magic within remained, but gone was the force that bound it together. Kragor replaced that essence with his own spirit, binding himself to a new corporeal form,” the elder explained. “For your services, we hold no claim upon the body of the sentinel, he is free to rejoin your crew.”

  Kragor, in his new metallic form, tapped his chest again with the wand then made a chopping motion with his axe. Dexter grinned and nodded. “Aye, I’m thinking there’s a few people bound to be smiling at your return old man!”

  Kragor’s foot stomped, which Dexter took to be his new method of showing his feelings to Dexter’s jibe.

  “Captain, if you would stay a moment, there’s more to discuss,” the elder said.

  Dexter sobered up quickly and nodded, then motioned for Kragor to move to his side so he could see the elder clearly.

  “You have earned our eternal thanks already, so if you wish to do no more we will understand and ask no more of you,” he began.

  “Eternal gratitude has a nice ring to it,” Dexter replied, knowing there was more coming. Most of the payment for the last job was gone, thanks to the money he’d spent to refit the Voidhawk after it had spent so long at the bottom of a lake. “But it don’t pay the bills.”

  “You should not underestimate what our gratitude can do for you, Captain,” he said enigmatically. “But if you would help us again, we would gladly take it. Our ships and our people are superior to these fallen elves that assail us, but they outnumber us greatly. Already you have achieved impossible things. We would ask you to assist us yet again as we set to correct a mistake we made long ago.”

  “The Voidhawk can hold her own, but she’s not exactly a warship,” Dexter pointed out.

  “We will help with that as well, but we have another task for the Voidhawk,” he paused, tilting his head as though listening to something, then continued to explain what he wanted the Voidhawk to do.

  Dexter grimaced as the details unfolded, but by the time the task was laid before him, he found himself already thinking of ways to accomplish it. He agreed to it at the end, then clapped the unyielding Kragor on the shoulder and they began their long walk back to the docks where the Voidhawk awaited.

  Tired of making small talk to his long lost friend that could no longer reply to him, Dexter lapsed into silence long before they reached the ‘Hawk. When he finally stepped across the plank and onto the deck, he saw he had the attention of several of his crew.

  “Fetch the others, I’ve news to share,” he announced. Tarin bolted immediately away, running below to spread the word. Rosh chuckled and shook his head at the boy’s enthusiasm.

  The last to arrive on deck were a slightly disheveled and red-faced pair: Willa and Bekka. Rosh stared for a long minute then refused to look back at them again. Willa, on the other hand, stared at him for a long moment until the fuzzy headed half-elf stealthily slid her hand into the other woman’s.

  Dexter cleared his throat, then turned to look at Jodyne in particular. “We’ve a new crew member,” he said, reaching up to clap Kragor on the shoulder again. “Seems there was a touch of an accident when them elves tried to stop us from waking up the elders. This here fellow was damaged. He’s been fixed up good since then, and he’s a bit different from the other ones.”

  “What’re we going to do with that?” Rosh interrupted. “Ain’t got no hands; he can’t hold a rope. Besides, ain’t we got enough people that ain’t natural around here?” Rosh’s last comment was directed towards Willa and Bekka.

  “He’ll find a place, don’t you worry,” Dexter said. “Jodyne, would you mind showing him around?”

  She did a double take at that. “Me and ‘Lynn got dinner cooking,” She protested. “Have the boy do it.”

  “Captain, does he have a name?” Jenna asked, her eyes narrowing as she saw Dexter’s continued high spirits.

  Dexter grinned, unable to stop himself. “Aye, meet and old friend of mine, Kragor.”

  The reaction from the crew was exactly what he’d expected. Stunned silence. Kragor himself stood equally silent, though he had little choice to do otherwise. After the initial shock passed Jodyne stepped forward and looked up at the metal sentry. “He got the right of it?” She demanded.

  Kragor nodded, the movement stiff. He dropped to his knees before her but still towered over his wife. Leaning forward, Kragor traced a symbol of something on Jodyne’s shirt above her breast. With no quill nor ink he could leave no image, but the phantom lines he drew made Jodyne’s jaw tremble and eyes brim with moisture. She threw her arms around the construct then, and held him tightly in a display of emotion so powerful that the others felt the need to turn away.

  “Get the ‘Hawk ready,” Dexter called out a moment later, anxious to keep everyone busy. We’ll be sailing soon. Got one more thing to do before we put all this behind us.” He paused, seeing Willa’s haunted look as she stared at the back of a stony faced Rosh. She turned to Bekka and sniffed, then smiled appreciatively. “One other thing, Rosh, Willa, and Bekka with me.”

  He turned and walked aft, heading up to the stern castle. They joined him shortly, though the two spurned lovers refused to acknowledge each other. “Living on a boat’s not easy for none of us,” he said. “And you two pissing and moaning at each other’s not making it easier! Get over it, or get off my boat!”

  Rosh did a double take, then turned to smirk at Willa. Willa looked dutifully horrified by Dexter’s admonition while Bekka only looked a little sad and resigned. Unable to leave well enough alone Rosh spoke up. “Ain’t right, what you been doing. Even the Captain knows it!”

  “Rosh, shut your hole,” Dexter snapped. “I look at both of you and I got a bucket in each hand for each you. One bucket’s got the good you done me in it, the other bucket’s got the headaches. Soon as I figure out which one’s heavier is when I stop hoping you’ll figure out why your acting like kids fresh off the teat and I make a decision for you!”

  Dexter glared at the two of them, who both stared back in shock at his declaration. Satisfied he’d made his point, he turned and stormed off, heading for the bridge and a chance to think his next job through a little more clearly. Rosh and Willa turned to stare at each other while the Captain left them to it.

  * * * *

  “Captain! Another one off the port!” Xander called, distracting Dexter from appreciating the effect the ballista bolt had on the scout ship behind them.

  Dexter turned to look and cursed. It was closing quickly; quicker than they would be able to turn and reload the ballista for use. He studied their heading and scowled again. “Jenna, evade!”

  “Are they trying to ram us? They’ve got no ram!” Xander cried out frantically as he watched the ship approach as well.

  “Shearing attack,” Dexter grunted. “They mean to strip our sails. Earn your pay wizard!”

  Xander huffed and pulled back the sleeves of his robe. He reached his arms up, waiting the precious few seconds that remained before the atmospheres of the ships merged, then he thrust them forward and barked out a stream of clipped arcane words. The wizard held his arms up, pantomiming h
olding something heavy above his head. Dexter watched him, curious enough by the act that he had to know what the man was doing.

  The Voidhawk was slowly rolling away as Jenna barked out orders, but not quick enough to evade the oncoming ship. Dexter saw a flash of bluish light near Xander’s hands that was mirrored in the void around them as the elvish ship impacted with, and through, the wizard’s barrier. The entire Voidhawk jerked, as though it had been slammed into for a brief second. Xander himself grunted and fell to the deck, winded. Dexter started, uncertain as to whether he could trust his footing, and watched as the ship above them passed within inches of their mainsail.

  “Ha!” Dexter called out, realizing some of what had happened. He shook his hand at the elvish vessel then called a halt to the evasion. “Get us up there, let’s take that ship!” He ordered, his blood rising.

  The Voidhawk reversed directions smoothly, coming back up to orient on the stern on the ship above it. They closed swiftly with it, too swiftly, Dexter realized. The enemy ship was letting them overtake them.

  “Captain, we’re shorthanded,” Jenna reminded him as they saw the elves gathering on the deck to either repel borders or, he feared, do a little boarding of their own.

  “Aye, but we’re too pretty to die!” Dexter said, grinning fiercely.

  The wizard climbed back to his feet beside them, holding the railing for support. He was breathing heavily, but seemed to be regaining control. “Good job,” Dexter said, clapping him on the shoulder and earning a gasp from the man. Dexter was going to make another jibe when something on the pursued ship caught his attention. He stared closer, then turned to Jenna. “Jenna, see that elf staring at us from the stern?”

  Jenna turned from viewing the crew to take in what Dexter had said. She swore softly, dispelling any hints of ladylike behavior, and nodded. “Duballin.”

  “Thought so,” Dexter said.

  “Who’s Duballin?” Xander asked, staring himself.

  Dexter tapped the sword at his side. “Took this sword from him last time we met. He tried to kill Jenna and I, then he set Bailynn loose on us, then he tried to kill us again. Figures we’ve not seen the last of him.”

  “You bested him and you didn’t kill him?” Xander asked incredulously.

  “I don’t kill everybody I don’t get along with,” Dexter said defensively.

  Xander raised an eyebrow in a show of disagreement.

  “Didn’t take none too kindly to you at first, now did I?” Dexter asked him pointedly. Xander smirked and nodded. “You’re still here so be a good wizard and think up something nasty to do to him before I change my mind.”

  Xander chuckled and shook his head, then adopted a pensive expression as he did exactly what Dexter had suggested.

  “This the same ship?” Dexter asked her as they closed. It looked similar, he had to admit, but it had been a while ago and there were so many elven ships around them.

  Jenna nodded, then turned to call out orders to the crew before turning back. “You really mean to board him?” She asked him when she turned back.

  “Shearing attack,” She offered with an evil glint in her eyes.

  Dexter stared at her then barked out a laugh. “Wizard, you’ll be a lucky man indeed some day if you find a woman as devious as this!”

  Xander stared at them, confused, and only fueled Dexter’s entertainment. The Captain ordered her to continue, then watched as she continued the Voidhawk in under the guise of boarding the enemy vessel. Their atmospheres merged and Dexter could see the half-mad gleam in Duballin’s face when she called for full speed and changed the ship’s pitch suddenly.

  Dexter could hear the man’s scream of denial as the Voidhawk leapt forward and climbed up, swinging over as it did so to crack her own hardened hull against the main mast of the enemy ship. Xander leaned over the railing as this took place, hurling something with all the might his arm could manage. They were out of sight then, passing over the enemy ship.

  When time and distance had passed, they looked back over the stern and saw Duballin’s men frantically scrambling to beat at the mainsail from where it had fallen on the deck. Underneath of it smoke poured out, as though the ship had a hidden fire. Dexter saw the effects and laughed hard at the sight of it.

  “Well played, wizard!” He congratulated the man again, then turned back to study the battle around them while a grin still graced his face.

  “Dex, more ships! They’ve got reinforcements!” Jenna called out, pointing ahead.

  Dexter stared and, sure enough, more elven ships approached from the sphere of asteroids that surrounding Dasnari. He stared for a long minute then grunted. The elves had punched a hole through the asteroids, clearing a path with none other than their own Fort Prudence.

  “The elders still have their hands full,” she pointed out.

  Dexter nodded, even with their superior weapons and magic, the elders were still busy fighting. The odds had been three to one at first, and now Dexter guessed them to worsen considerably. “They sailed Fort Prudence here,” he said thoughtfully.

  Jenna stared, distracted by what he had said. She shook her head and swore again a moment later. “How do we fight that?” She asked.

  “If they sailed it, then so can we,” he said, nodding his head as he reached his decision. “Jenna, take us in!”

  “Dex… We can’t hope to-”

  “Do it!” He snapped, his humor from only moments before gone.

  She stared at him only briefly this time, then nodded. She seemed about to say something but bit it off and replied instead with, “Aye Captain.”

  Dexter looked at her, thinking for a moment she seemed to have a glint of moisture in her eyes, then she blinked it away and began to bark out orders in an unusually surly voice to the crew. He nodded and turned back to study the distance between them. It was considerable, but with the enemy reinforcements closing at their best speed they would close it in minutes.

  They left the battle behind them, though two smaller ships sought to pursue them. One they managed to put an end to with their reloaded ballista. The other, upon seeing the fate of its comrade, fell back and turned to rejoin the larger battle in search of easier prey.

  Dexter turned to address his crew that was taking the moment to relax. Sweat beaded on their faces and their lungs heaved to pull in breath from all the work they had been put through. Dexter smiled appreciatively at them, then glanced off the bow to gauge how much time he had.

  “We get through this, I expect a line of people itching to take a swing at me or at least tell me they quit,” he said, starting his impromptu speech. “I don’t reckon we’ll be getting through this none too well though, so listen up.”

  He glanced again and judged he had just enough time before things got interesting. “We’ll be landing on Fort Prudence again, and I ‘spect it won’t be one of our softer landings. Everyone fights, man woman and child, got it? We got one shot, and that’s finding what it takes to pilot that rock through space. You find it, you find a way to sail it, then you point it towards that sun behind us.”

  “That’s it?” Rosh called out when Dexter fell silent. “This is how it ends?”

  Dexter shrugged. “Can’t say it’s always been a pleasure sailing with you Rosh, but it’s been an honor. The rest of you… I’m a better man for having sailed with you. Now get to work, we got one chance and it’s a bad one.”

  Rosh stood there, glaring at him. Keshira and Bailynn took up their positions. Logan hurried down from the ballista mounted on the stern castle to assist as well, with Tarin close behind. Dexter stared at Rosh for a long moment, communicating things between them that words alone would never convey. He turned away and hurried back to the railing as the asteroid turned enemy base loomed close enough he thought he could almost reach out and touch it. Behind him he heard Rosh curse loudly, then yell for Tarin to get away from his rope.

  Smaller elven ships began to fly at them. Smaller than the fort, that is, for most were larger than
the Voidhawk. The Voidhawk vibrated with the constant assault from weapons that struck against its hull. Many did little damage, thanks to whatever type of wood or special treatment the elders had used to repair and reinforce the hull. Enough struck solidly, however, to make Dexter feel certain the Voidhawk wouldn’t survive what awaited it. Strangely, he felt like he was free as he stood upon the bow. He fought the urge to spread his arms as though he was flying, so taken was he with the strange sensation of freedom.

  “Captain, another ship behind us!” Xander warned him, stealing the moment from him.

  Dexter nodded, “I saw it when I had my talk with the crew,” he said without looking. It was another of the large elven command vessels. It had followed them from the battle, not breaking off like the smaller ships had but it had also been further away and not an immediate threat.

  “Sir, we’re going to be caught between them!” The wizard pointed out.

  Dexter shrugged. “Where we’re going there’s no between, we’ll just be surrounded.”

  Xander stared at him, shaking his head in denial. “You’re mad,” he whispered.

  “No,” Dexter responded softly. “I’m free.”

  Jenna piloted the ship between the elven vessels, dodging the worst of their assault and leaving the Voidhawk surprisingly void-worthy. Far from unscathed, both it and its crew were injured in multiple areas. But, like the stalwart vessel, the crew made no mention of it and bore themselves well.

  The ship threaded its way down towards the Fort, ignoring the still damaged docks from their last encounter. All of the ships had been launched, sailing whether they were finished or not. Below they saw surprisingly few elves scurrying about the ground of the mobile asteroid.

  “Any idea where their helm is?” Dexter asked Jenna as she used signals and commands to guide the ship in.

  A stone from a catapult crashed into the back section of the stern castle, crushing the staircase below and sending shrapnel of rock and wood into the three of them. Jenna squeaked and grabbed on to the railing while Xander dove to the side and Dexter was struck by board across the shoulders and arm. Dexter picked himself up, wincing at the gash on the back of his arm that dripped blood. Xander was dazed but unhurt. Dexter paid him little attention as he saw Jenna grabbing the railing in agony. He looked down and saw that her right ankle was bent at an impossible angle, aided by the blood that dripped freely from it. Her left leg, up to her waist, was red with blood and laid partially open by a fragment of wood that was still embedded in her left cheek.