His musings were cut short when he felt a slight shift in the Voidhawk’s momentum. He turned and looked about, seeing the velocity of the stars dropping sharply. They had entered the gravity field of another object, either another ship or an asteroid or planet.
“Ship ahoy!”
Dexter looked up to where Kragor was taking a rare turn in the crow’s nest and saw him pointing off the port bow. He turned and stared at it, then cursed. It was a Federation frigate.
“Come to port and bring us alongside, she’s heading straight for us,” Dexter called out to his crew. “Kragor, signal that we’ll stand down for boarding.”
The dwarf ran out the flag while Jodyne, Rosh, and Jenna scrambled about the rigging and tiller, making the ship turn to meet Dexter’s commands. They closed rapidly with the frigate, and before they knew it they found themselves receiving the ropes tossed over by the Federation sailors.
“Federation Captain Gedmun D’arcy requesting permission to come aboard,” a short man from the frigate said.
“Permission to come aboard granted,” Dexter said signaling for Rosh to help the Federation sailors extend the gangplank.
After it was secure and Gedmun made his way over, with a squad of ten well armed Federation sailors, Dexter greeted them and said, “I’m Captain Dexter Silvercloud, of the free trader Voidhawk. How may I be of assistance?”
“Captain, nothing personal here, just your bad luck to be run across. I’m afraid I have to inspect your ship for contraband,” Gedmun said, surprising Dexter with his realism.
Dexter smirked, “very well, my first mate, Kragor, will show you to our hold.”
Kragor shimmied down from the crow’s nest atop the mast, surprising more than one of the Federation soldiers with his speedy descent. He moved beside Dexter and looked up the short distance it took to meet the gaze of Captain Gedmun. “You’ll be wanting the cargo holds then?”
Gedmun nodded. “Aye, and the steerage and ballast.”
Kragor grunted. They had never been so full that they needed to take on steerage, they had no ballast either, for they stayed out of most atmospheres and only landed in small controlled water harbors. There were several two hundred and fifty gallon barrels of water in the bilge, as well as some spare wood for repairs to the hull should they be necessary, but little else was of concern.
“This should be a short inspection, Captain,” Dexter said. “We’re only transporting a single item of cargo, a box for a wizard to Sir Drayful the Wise, governor of Grafton. It’s magically protected and he insisted it only be opened by Sir Drayful.”
Gedmun frowned but said nothing. He nodded after a moment then said, “thank you, Captain. Kragor, after you.”
The dwarf nodded to Dexter then led the Federation captain and his sailors into the cargo holds. Curious, Dexter nevertheless remained on the deck with Rosh and Jenna. He knew the Federation and their rules, but he also would not put it past an overzealous Federation captain to try something special.
A quarter of an hour later Captain Gedmun returned to the main deck with a rather heated looking Kragor behind him. “Captain, your mate refuses to allow my men to open your cargo.”
Dexter tried, and failed, to hide his scowl. He had been afraid something like this might happen. Before he could reply they all felt a supernatural chill pass through them from feet to head. It was accompanied by a scream that faded away quickly. With scarcely a glance at Jenna, Dexter was running to the stairs and from there to the cargo hold from whence it had come. Jenna and Rosh were right behind him, as was the Federation captain and the three sailors that had followed him up from the hold.
Dexter cursed when he entered the hold. One of Gedmun’s men was on the ground, his expression one of horror. The other sailors stood away from the crate, terrified of it. Dexter knelt and checked the corpse, then had to make room as Gedmun knelt beside him and did the same.
“What happened?” They both asked of the other Federation soldiers.
Several started to talk at once, then they all stopped and one stepped forward and resumed. “Percy, Sir, he figured he could get it open on his own and save you the trouble of an argument with their captain.”
“And?” Gedmun said, his glance spearing into the sailor.
“Well, he started to fiddle with the lock, he did, and then he stiffened up and his eyes roll back in his head. We all felt the cold then, Sir. It came outta that crate then Percy screamed like he was taking it all in himself,” he reported, glancing at the others for support. They were all nodding at the sailor’s recounting of the supernatural terror.
“Captain, I have to confiscate this box and put your ship and crew under arrest,” Gedmun said, turning to face Dexter.
Rosh started to move forward but Jenna stopped him with a hand on his arm. Dexter ignored them and focused on the Federation captain. “The wizard insisted the crate not be opened until it reached its destination. I told you the same. That your man tried to open it is his fault, not ours!”
Gedmun nodded and sighed. “So he did,” he admitted. “I can’t and won’t hold you accountable for his death, it being accidental and all.”
“What I must do,” he continued, glancing at the box and then back at Dexter. “Is hold it for magical examination. This was bound for the governor of Grafton, yet it killed the first man to open it. That says, to me, that it could very well be a magical assassination attempt.”
Dexter cursed. He had never considered that angle. Perhaps Ormitor had been willing to offer him whatever he wanted, knowing that he would be apprehended and killed after he delivered death to Sir Drayful. With Jarnella brokering the deal she kept his mind in the clouds enough that he never stopped to consider any alternatives, he was too focused on the beautiful woman and her sensuality.
The key! Dexter had a key. He looked to Jenna and Rosh. Jenna nodded, indicating she would follow him in whatever decision he chose. Rosh simply looked ready to explode into action.
“I can open the crate,” Dexter said, facing Gedmun again. “I will prove that there is nothing of the sort inside of it, or die in the attempt myself.”
Gedmun looked at him, frowning. Finally he nodded. “Very well, Captain, go ahead.”
Dexter took the key from his pocket, noting that it still felt as warm as it had when Jarnella had given it to him. He knelt down next to the box and hesitated. Turning back to the Federation captain he said, “If this be my final act, my crew and ship — and I — knew nothing of the nature of this box. Take it if you wish and return to Wizard Ormitor of Port Freedom with any grievances. But, let my crew and ship be on their way.”
Gedmun thought Dexter’s request over and then, at last, nodded. “If it is your last wish, I will honor it.”
Dexter turned back to the crate and took a deep breath. He felt a small hand on his shoulder then and, without turning, knew Jenna was offering him encouragement. He slipped the key in the lock and wondered, in hindsight, if anything happening to him would happen to her as well. He turned the key in the lock, feeling and hearing a resounding click.
Everybody save Jenna, Rosh, and Gedmun backed away. Kragor watched from the doorway to the hold, unable to enter due to the sheer number of bodies and plainly irritated by that simple fact. Dexter reached out, feeling no different, and lifted the lid of the crate, noting that it seemed more like a large chest than a crate all of a sudden.
Inside the crate mists swirled. They rose out of the crate, making some of the sailors curse or whimper in fear. They faded on contact with the air, however, and revealed their contents.
Laying upon silken sheets was a young woman who looked to be no more than twenty years old. She was dressed in a silken midnight blue gown, her wavy raven tresses framing an angelic face. She was a woman that bore only a faint resemblance to Jarnella and her fellow servants, for she possessed breathtaking beauty. Her eyes opened and beheld Dexter above her. She smiled and mouthed a single word.
“Master.”
Jenna’s hand on his shoulder clamped down, her fingernails biting into his skin before she retracted it. Beside her Rosh’s intake of air could easily be heard. Gedmun gasped beside him and stared at her. Dexter cursed, knowing that his life had just gotten more complicated.
“No, lass, I’m not your master, I’m just…” Dexter cursed, not knowing what he was.
“Yes, you are my Master and I am your servant, Keshira.”
