by Clayton Wood
Kyle stepped past Grotes, finding himself in a large room. The floors were made of glossy dark cherry, and fine paintings hung on the walls. A gilded fireplace burned merrily on the far wall, with a miniature model of the Defiance resting on the mantle. A long, ornate wooden table sat in the center of the room. The Captain sat at the head of this table, dressed in his fine red uniform. A steaming silver platter lay before him on the table, and three more were at the empty chairs near him. Grotes sat down on a chair near the Captain, and gestured for Kyle and Ariana to sit opposite him.
“Sit,” the Captain ordered. Kyle and Ariana did so, and Kyle felt Ariana's hand grasp his under the table. He gave it a squeeze. The Captain removed the lid from his platter, revealing a delicious-appearing steak. Kyle and Ariana did the same with their platters, and Kyle's mouth began watering as the aroma of sizzling meat reached his nostrils. Grotes and the Captain began eating, and Kyle joined them, devouring his meal with unfettered glee.
“You're not eating,” Grotes observed between bites, staring at Ariana. Ariana shrugged.
“I don't eat much,” she admitted. The Captain frowned.
“No wonder you're anemic,” he declared. “I insist that you eat; a body cannot withstand the violence of a day's work without food to replenish it.”
“I hear you put the men to shame today,” Grotes chimed in, nodding at Ariana. “Impressive.”
“Thank you sir,” Ariana mumbled. She cut off a tiny piece of meat, putting it in her mouth and chewing slowly. This seemed to satisfy the Captain, who returned to finishing his own meal. When he was done, he covered his platter with its silver lid. It was instantly whisked away by a servant that Kyle hadn't even realized was there.
“So,” the Captain stated suddenly, gazing at Ariana. “You say you were held for questioning, but escaped during the attack on Stridon?” Ariana nodded. “Is it true that the city was attacked by a giant flying machine?” he inquired.
“Yes Captain,” Ariana answered.
“And that this machine,” he continued, “...destroyed several city blocks in less than a minute?”
“Yes.”
“Intriguing,” he murmured, rubbing his chin. “And what is the nature of this 'Xanos' I've been hearing about?”
“Nobody knows for sure,” Ariana lied. Kyle noticed that she was still chewing the same piece of meat she'd started with. “They say he's like a god.”
“Yes, well,” the Captain stated. “In my experience, which is considerable, there are no gods. Only men deluding others...and sometimes themselves.” When Ariana didn't respond, the Captain frowned. “Your countrymen are under the impression that Xanos will succeed in destroying the Empire.”
Ariana glanced at Kyle, who kept his eyes on his plate.
“You can imagine this scenario to be of extreme interest to my government,” the Captain stated.
“Because then you wouldn't be able to trade?” Ariana asked. The Captain gave her a tight smile.
“Consider the possibilities,” he replied. “One: the Empire survives its assault. Surely it will be profoundly weakened. This would make it an attractive target for my people.”
“You mean, to attack?” Kyle asked. The Captain turned to him.
“Correct.”
“But aren't you allies?” Ariana pressed.
“Neutral, actually,” the Captain replied. “But that is always subject to change, given the right opportunity.” He cleared his throat. “Possibility two: the Empire falls, and Xanos eyes Verhan as his next potential conquest. This could be disastrous for us.” He took a sip of whatever liquid was in his cup. “Possibility three: we ally with Xanos to ensure the destruction of the Empire while protecting ourselves.”
“He'd turn on you,” Ariana warned. The Captain nodded.
“I suspect so,” he agreed. “Thus far, the only scenario in our favor is for the Empire to destroy Xanos...whether we invade afterward or not.” He took another sip of his drink. “So logically, it would be best for us to ally with the Empire against Xanos.”
“Really?” Ariana asked. “You're going to do that?” Grotes chuckled.
“Fat chance,” he replied.
“Why not?” Kyle asked, forgetting that he was supposed to play dumb. The Captain turned to him.
“My government has an unfortunate history with the Empire,” he answered. “Or rather, the Empire preceding yours. My people would never agree to an alliance.”
“Did the Ancients really enslave your people?” Ariana asked. The Captain nodded.
“Our native ancestors, yes,” he confirmed. “They’ve been bred out of existence for the most part.”
“I can't believe it,” Kyle muttered. The Captain raised an eyebrow at him.
“Believe it, boy,” he replied. “Your precious ancestors were morally bankrupt men hiding behind a veil of righteousness.” He leaned forward. “And as you have seen, your current government is little better.”
Kyle was about to reply when he felt Ariana squeeze his wrist – hard. He glanced at her, and she shook her head imperceptibly.
“Even the fact that I trade with your Empire is looked down upon by my people,” the Captain continued. Grotes smirked.
“That's one way to put it,” he stated. “Last time we docked in Verhan, a mob tried to set fire to the ship.”
“Indeed,” the Captain agreed. “Which is why I pay the Verhanian guards so handsomely for their protection.” He sighed. “But I digress. If the Empire falls – and I believe it will – my people may be next.”
“Why are you telling us this?” Ariana inquired. The Captain lifted his cup, bringing it to his lips for a long moment, then lowering it to the tabletop.
“Because, my dear,” he replied. “You will be questioned extensively by the authorities in Verhan – especially if you request amnesty there.” He drummed his fingers on his cup. “The answers you provide may prove very lucrative for me.”
“I don't get it,” Kyle stated.
“Hardly surprising,” Grotes commented. Kyle blushed despite himself, and lowered his gaze to his lap.
“If the people of Verhan become convinced that Xanos is a threat to them, they'll panic. The rich will be desperate for runic technology to protect themselves.”
“But isn't magic illegal?” Kyle asked.
“Indeed,” the Captain replied. “But the rich can afford to worry less about laws, and runic items can be smuggled. One simply has to remove magic from the item so that it passes Testing at customs, and disguise it.”
“You mean by rotating the cargo like we did today?” Ariana asked.
“That works for items with residual magic,” the Captain answered. “For a well-charged runic item that would take weeks to work.” He smiled. “I have a much quicker solution.”
“Like what?” Ariana pressed.
“That is none of your concern,” he replied. “Suffice it to say that any man with the capability to smuggle runic technology from the Empire will become extraordinarily wealthy...as long as we convince the populace that the end is near.” He smirked. “Fear makes for very effective marketing.”
“And that's where you come in,” Ariana deduced. The Captain nodded.
“This is my proposal,” he declared. “In exchange for safe passage to Verhan and a generous payment to certain officials to guarantee your citizenship papers, you will provide information regarding the Empire's inevitable demise, and hint at Xanos's plan to conquer Verhan next.”
“Okay,” Ariana said. “But why would they believe us? We're just kids.”
“You were a prisoner of the Death Weavers,” he replied. “You can say you overheard the plans to attack Verhan. And if you're earnest enough, your youth may work in your favor.” He turned to Grotes. “That is where my First Mate comes in.”
“We'll be rehearsing your interrogations tomorrow,” Grotes stated. “And every day after, until we get to port.”
“When is that?” Kyle piped in. Ariana nodded; they still needed to
figure out when they should escape the ship.
“Five days,” Grotes answered.
“Do we have a deal?” the Captain asked. Ariana glanced at Kyle, who nodded. It hardly mattered what deal they made, seeing as how they had no intention of staying with the ship long enough to get questioned. Ariana turned to the Captain.
“We'll do it.”
“A wise decision,” the Captain replied. He stood up from his chair then, motioning for Kyle and Ariana to do the same. “Leave us now,” he ordered. “You may join the festivities on deck.”
“Festivities?” Kyle asked.
“A birthday celebration for one of the sailors.”
With that, Grotes ushered them out of the Captain's quarters and into the hallway. Rusty was waiting for them, and led them back down to the first floor of the cabin. When they reached the deck, the sun had finished setting. Thousands of stars winked down on them from above, the cool ocean breeze blowing through their hair. Kyle heard music playing and sailors singing in the distance; a few dozen men were clustered near the front of the ship, lit from below by a half-dozen lanterns placed on the deck. Some were dancing merrily, while others were playing their instruments, and still others were clapping in time to the music.
“Come on!” Rusty urged, leading them across the deck toward the men. They reached the rest of the crew, and Kyle saw Slim jump up from where he was sitting, a mostly-empty flask in his hand.
“Guts!” Slim cried, stumbling forward and throwing a scrawny arm over Kyle's shoulders. His breath stank of alcohol. “Have a drink kid,” he slurred, pressing the mouth of the flask to Kyle's lips. Kyle pushed the flask away gently, shaking his head.
“I can't,” he protested. Slim made a face.
“You drink water, don'cha?” he countered. “Same thing,” he added, shoving the flask at Kyle. Kyle pushed it away again.
“It makes me puke,” Kyle explained. Slim shrugged.
“Makes everyone puke,” he declared, taking another swig. “That's,” he added while pointing one finger at Kyle's nose, “...how you know you've had enough.”
“It's all right Slim,” Rusty interjected, gently pulling Slim away. Slim turned his bloodshot eyes to Ariana.
“Hey bee-yootiful,” he leered, putting a hand on Ariana's shoulder. Ariana put her hand on top of his, and squeezed. Slim dropped like a stone, howling in pain. He clutched his hand to his belly, curling up into the fetal position on the deck.
“I'm taken,” Ariana declared, grabbing Kyle's hand and stepping over Slim. A few of the sailors had clearly been watching, and they all burst out laughing. Rusty ignored Slim, bringing Kyle and Ariana near the sailors playing their instruments.
“You know any sailing songs?” Rusty shouted over the music. They both shook their heads. “Listen!” The crowd of sailors waited a few beats, then burst out into song.
“O, the sea's a kinder maiden,
Than any girl back home...
Wherever prow should meet her,
She'll leave a trail of foam.
If yer lost in her waters,
Or sinkin' to your doom...
To find them other seamen,
Keep an eye out for her spume!”
There was a loud cheer, and the sailors raised their flasks in the air, chanting the next verse with abandon:
“If ever you be pining...
For what you had on land...
Just drown your mates in spirits,
They're sure to lend a hand.
An' lift your spirits up 'til,
Yer so merry you'll explode...
So cast away yer worries,
They'll gladly share the load!”
There was another cheer, followed by laughter. Kyle grinned at Ariana, and she smiled back. The sailors were having so much fun it was impossible not to smile. Even Slim was back on his feet, joining the singing with abandon. The song went on for an impressive number of verses, until at last it ended, and everyone took a hearty swig from their flasks. Kyle gazed at the sailors, realizing that all of them – to a man – were horribly drunk. He felt Ariana tug at his hand, and he turned to her. She smiled at him, gesturing for him to follow her. He allowed himself to be led away from the crowd, back toward the cabin at the other end of the Defiance. The music and cheering faded away as they walked, until it was barely audible over the crashing waves all around them.
Ariana turned, leading him to the side of the ship. She stopped before the railing at the edge, staring down at the inky waves below.
“It's beautiful, isn't it?” she murmured. She stood there for a long moment, then smiled. “I've never been on a boat before this.”
“Really?”
“Really,” Ariana replied. “My parents took me to Stridon once, when I was younger. I wanted to see the ocean, but we spent too much time seeing the sights downtown, and in the Tower.” She sighed. “I never got to see it with them.”
Kyle heard the sound of men singing in the distance, the music starting anew. He found himself staring at Ariana, her eyes hauntingly dark against her pale skin, her black pixie hair rippling in the wind. He had the sudden mad urge to kiss her, and he leaned in and did just that, kissing her cheek. She turned in surprise, staring at him for a long moment. Then she grabbed his ears oh-so-gently, pulling him in and kissing him right on the lips. Kyle felt a strange tingling sensation all over his body, and barely realized when she pulled away. She leaned her head on his shoulder then, staring at the waves for a long time, then lifting her eyes to the stars above. They were positively splendid, unlike anything Kyle had ever seen on Earth. Thousands of stars shining brighter than the north star, their silvery light reflecting off of the churning waves below.
Kyle stared at that awesome vista, feeling the cool breeze in his hair, and Ariana's hair tickling his neck. The deck shifted gently and rhythmically under his feet, the sounds of laughter and singing in the air. He smiled, closing his eyes, enjoying every bit of it.
This night, this moment...it was perfect.
Chapter 17
Kyle groaned, feeling a hand grab his shoulder and shake it. He pushed the hand away, rolling onto his side and pulling the blankets over his head. The hand returned, shaking him again.
“Kyle!” a voice hissed in his ear.
“Go away,” he mumbled. The hand shook him again, harder this time.
“Kyle, wake up!”
He sighed, rolling onto his back and rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. Then he lowered his hands, seeing Ariana staring down at him. She looked worried.
“What's wrong?” he asked.
“I heard something,” she answered. Kyle sat up, and Ariana sat down on the edge of the bed beside him. “Something beyond the ship.”
“What was it?”
“I don't know,” she admitted. “But a little while later, I heard someone shouting up on deck.” She stared at their bedroom door, which was closed and locked. “I wanted to check it out, but I didn’t want to leave you here.”
“I'll go with you,” he mumbled, hardly looking forward to the prospect of leaving his warm, comfy bed. Ariana reached down and grabbed his boots for him. He sighed, throwing off his covers and slipping on his gravity boots. Then he walked to the door. He opened it, peering out into the hallway beyond. It was deserted.
“Let's go upstairs, to the deck,” Ariana proposed. Kyle nodded, and they left the room, walking down the corridor. They'd made it halfway across when Ariana stopped suddenly, staring off into space.
“What?” Kyle asked.
Ariana threw herself at him, shoving him sideways. His fell onto his back on the wooden floor below, Ariana landing on top of him. She pressed him firmly downward, covering his body with her own.
“What the...” he gasped.
The leftmost wall of the hallway exploded with a deafening boom, wooden shrapnel flying in all directions. Kyle threw his arms in front of his face just in time, his forearms stinging as pieces of wood struck them. Moments later, he felt an icy wetness
rush up his back, so incredibly cold that it took his breath away.
“Kyle!” Ariana yelled, her eyes wide with horror. Kyle lowered his arms, his jaw going slack. A massive hole had been ripped into the left wall of the hallway, ice-cold water gushing in. The water was forming a rapidly growing pool on the floor, soaking through their clothes. Kyle pushed himself off of the floor, wincing at a sharp pain in his left forearm. He looked down, seeing a few sharp slivers of wood sticking through his bloodied skin.
“Kyle, are you hurt?” Ariana asked.
“I’m fine,” he replied. The doors lining the hallway opened, men dashing out of their rooms barely clothed.
“Everyone on deck!” one of the men shouted. The men made a mad dash for the stairwell at the far end of the corridor, their feet splashing in the steadily rising water covering the floor. One of them slammed into Kyle's shoulder as they ran past, nearly knocking him over. Ariana pulled him away from the wreckage, but he resisted.
“We've got to get out of here!” she urged.
“The map!” he countered, pointing back to their room...or what remained of it. The door had been taken right off of its hinges, the door frame around it shattered. The last of the men ran up the stairwell, leaving the hallway empty. Kyle walked up to the shattered doorway, but when he looked through the door frame, he saw that the floor had been almost entirely demolished by whatever had struck it. Only a deep hole remained, lined by the jagged ends of broken floorboards.
“Stay here,” Kyle ordered, making sure no one was around to see him, then activating his gravity boots and levitating a foot off of the ground. He streamed magic into his boots then, flying through the shattered doorway into the room. He hovered over the gaping hole in the floor, spotting a backpack hanging by its strap on one of the hooks nailed to the wall. He grabbed it, searching for the second backpack...but it was nowhere to be seen. He flew back to Ariana, handing the backpack to her. There was another boom, and the entire ship seemed to shudder. He heard someone yelling in the distance, and barely had time to cut his magic stream to his boots and their gravity shields before whoever it was could see him using magic. The icy water below lapped at his ankles, chilling him to the bone.