“Captain, you know that transporting slaves in Federation Space is illegal,” Gedmun stated, his voice soft and respectful in spite of his pronouncement of doom.
“Don’t s’pose it helps me none that I had no idea she was in here?” Dexter said, turning away from the girl and back to Gedmun.
Gedmun continued to stare at the newly discovered woman. He glanced at Dexter finally and shook his head a bit. “What’s that? Oh… no, no I’m afraid it does not. She’s going to have to come with me, I’m afraid.”
“I cannot leave my Master,” she said, her voice silky, pleasant, and promising all sorts of hedonistic pleasures.
“Stop saying that!” Dexter said, turning back to her. He rose up and turned to his crew, his eyes pleading for help. Jenna’s gaze was smoldering with fury. He had no idea what had gotten into her, but he knew no help awaited him there. Rosh, on the other hand, had eyes only for Keshira, and it was obvious what was on his mind.
“Captain Gedmun, clearly this be no matter of slavery. I, we, none of us, had any idea she was in that box! There be magic involved in this, and we’ve got no wizard among us!” Dexter protested, clearly agitated by the turn of events.
“I understand that you were unwitting dupes in this, Captain,” Gedmun said, puffing out his chest and offering his hand to Keshira. “Which is why I will escort this young lady to a safe Federation port and let her be on her way back to her family or friends.”
When she made no move to rise, he lowered his hand closer to her. “My Lady, take my hand so I can escort you to my ship.”
“Half a minute there, Captain,” Dexter said. “This business is between me, this girl and Ormitor. If it’s all the same I’d rather head back to Port Freedom and have words with him over this. He assured me my cargo was legal. I’m not for smuggling flesh, I’ll have you know.”
“You may deal with your employer as you see fit, if the Lady will come with me, I’ll let you, your crew, and your ship go and naught will be mentioned of it,” Gedmun assured him, again gesturing for Keshira to take his hand.
Dexter glanced back down at Keshira and saw her still staring up at him patiently. Expectantly. He sighed and gestured at her while saying, “get up, already!”
“Yes, Master,” she said with a smile that would melt steel. She gracefully climbed to her feet from the box, standing up and presenting herself. She was even more beautiful standing.
Her dress clung to her body, accentuating her natural curves and making them so perfect as to seem almost unnatural. She stood just shy of six feet tall, only a hair shorter than Dexter. Her deep and expressive eyes were a sapphire blue, which was further set off by her dress. Her hair now fell about her shoulders, but it fell in curls that, when straightened, would probably allow it to fall to her shoulder blades.
Every man in the room, and the dwarf in the hallway, stared at her, momentarily spellbound.
“Lady Keshira, follow me to the Gavel… that’s my ship,” Captain Gedmun said, his voice showing signs of irritation that she was all but ignoring him.
“Stay where you are,” Dexter said, then shook his head when she replied, “yes, Master.”
Ignoring her he turned to Gedmun and made sure that Kragor, Rosh, and Jenna — who was glaring daggers into him — could see him as well. “The girl was on my ship, that makes her my responsibility. I’m not for being played a fool, Captain. If she wishes to go with you, I’ll let her…”
“I must stay with you, Master, or I will have no purpose,” Keshira said behind him, interrupting him.
Jenna’s eyes narrowed. Rosh’s grin spread and his hand inched down his side so that it was close to one of the large daggers on his hip. Kragor muttered something in dwarvish and took up position outside the door to prevent anyone from entering or leaving the room.
“Well there you have it,” Dexter said, not entirely comfortable with it. “She stays.”
“Unacceptable,” Gedmun said, staring at her. “Bring her!” He snapped to his remaining nine sailors.
One of them stepped forward, then another. They both grabbed her arms, one to a side, and tried to force her forward. Dexter waved subtly at Rosh to not draw steel…yet.
Keshira did not budge. Both sailors strained but were unable to move her. One pulled her arm and managed to raise it some, but then she surprised him by yanking back on it, pulling him off balance. Then she pushed, hard, and sent him staggering into a wall. She looked at the other sailor and he quickly let go of her arm.
“Seems she means it, Captain,” Dexter said.
“That’s not possible!” The shaken sailor blurted out, staggering away from the wall and looking at her. “No woman’s strong enough to throw me like that!”
It did seem impossible, he was a good sized man wearing a studded leather harness and armed with a dagger, crossbow, and short sword, all items that would weigh him down further.
“My helmsman says there’s magic involved. The crate was magicked, ‘haps she is as well?” Dexter suggested.
Gedmun, his cheeks flushing red with frustration and anger, nodded and spat out, “fetch Anaskus!”
The sailor closest to the door turned to leave and stopped abruptly when he saw Kragor in the way. Dexter nodded to Kragor and the dwarf moved out of the way for the Federation soldier to hurry up on deck and head over to his ship.
He returned several tense minutes later with a man who’s dress resembled nothing like the other sailors save for the insignia of rank on the right collar of his tunic. Clearly, from the multiple pockets on his loose fitting tunic and pants, as well as some of the runes embroidered into his clothing, he was a wizard.
He stopped as soon as his eyes fell on Keshira. The initial male reaction was to be expected, but his bordered on the professional as well. He moved forward again, walking around her and studying her. Her eyes followed him, though the pleasant smile on her face never faded.
He stopped in front of her, then closed his eyes and uttered several words in an arcane language that left Dexter feeling nervous. His hands gestured in accordance to the words of the spell, then he was finished and his eyes opened. They glowed with a purplish light and as he stared at Keshira, then he grunted and stumbled backwards, his hands going to his eyes to cover them.
He turned to the others, the purple light fading from his eyes as he did so. “This is no matter of slavery,” he said, confusing everyone.
“But she was sold to a man as a servant and imprisoned!” Gedmun spat out, infuriated at the possibility of losing her.
“It, Captain Gedmun,” Anaskus said. “This thing is not human.”
Everyone turned to stare at Keshira, who seemed unperturbed by his proclamation.
“She looks human to me,” Rosh said, his eyes devouring her and his voice daring the wizard to declare otherwise.
“It is a construct. A golem. A soulless and unthinking creation of magic and flesh. The wizard that created her is unequalled in skill, but she is no more human than the wooden floor upon which we stand,” he said, delivering his report.
“Is this true?” Dexter asked Keshira, having trouble believing that she was no more than a mindless automaton.
“Yes, Master, I was created to serve you,” she — or it — said in response to him.
“No, damn it!” Dexter sputtered. “Not me, you were to serve another, Sir Drayful!”
She smiled at him, which was infuriating. “I know only you, Master, the one I awoke to see and am now bonded to forever. I am yours to command.”
Rosh cursed under his breath and he heard another muttering from Jenna that also sounded far from complimentary.
“It is a possession, Captain, not a person. I fear there is nothing for us here,” Anaskus said to his captain.
Gedmun opened his mouth and then shut it. He nodded his head, not trusting himself to speak, and gestured for his sailors to return to his ship, the Gavel. He cast a last longing glance at Keshira before storming out in the wake of his men.
Dexter turned to look at Keshira, then turned away to look at the others. Rosh was grinning like a fool and Kragor was watching the others leave. He turned and met Dexter’s eyes and could only shrug. When Dexter turned to see Jenna he saw her open and then close her mouth, then she shook her head and hurried out of the cargo
