by Leslie Chase
No. That's weakness, I told myself. Gemma's safety matters more than my happiness.
"Idiot," the pirate said again. She snorted with laughter and wiped sweat off her brow. "If you don't want her, Protector, we'll take her instead. The captain would be happy to have her aboard, and so would I."
I growled, my hands balling into fists, and the woman laughed again, raising her hands. "Hey, no offense meant. It's you she wants to be with, remember? None of us are a threat to you unless you push her away."
With an effort I unclenched my fists, and the pirate lowered hers. From her belt she pulled out a flask and passed it to me as a peace offering. Whatever it was she drank, it smelled horrible and tasted worse. The only saving grace was the burning of alcohol numbing my tongue.
"What is this?" I gasped, passing the flask back.
"Doesn't really have a name," she replied, taking her own swig. "Makes for a good wound cleaner, though. Cheers!"
I shook my head. These pirates were a strange bunch, but I couldn't help liking them just a little. If only this one would keep from prying into my love life.
Before I could say anything more, a cry went up from the lookout at the prow of the ship. Instantly my companion's mood changed, becoming all business.
"You'd better get below with your mate," she said. "We're going to be busy up here with a zhak."
"I'll earn my keep," I told her, shaking my head. The sea serpents were dangerous foes, and I wasn't going to let the crew see me shy from a fight.
"Suit yourself," she told me, grabbing a bundle of throwing spears and tossing it to me. "Pass those to me when I ask."
For a moment I wanted to object, but I stopped myself. I was a stranger here and the crew was acting like a well-oiled machine. As much as I might want to contribute, there was too much chance I'd get in the way. Looking at the spear, I admired the design. The tip was a long, sharp blade packed with explosives — detonating that inside something's flesh and whatever it was would have a bad day.
Staying carefully back I watched the pirates work. For the undisciplined gang that they appeared to be they weren't shabby at all, and soon everyone was in position. Not a moment too soon, either. The ship rocked and groaned as something huge hit it below the water.
Prisha grinned back at me, readying her spear with one hand and gripping the railing with the other. I recognized that smile, the expression of a warrior covering nerves on the eve of battle.
"It's a big one," she whispered. As though her words had summoned it, a great head broke the water beside the Halloran, sending a wave cascading over the side. For a moment I was stunned. I knew that the beasts grew bigger out in the deep waters of the ocean, but I'd never seen anything like this before. The creatures that came close to Rohar were half the size if that, and the idea of fighting something like this with spears seemed ludicrous.
Prisha flung out her spear, a perfect cast that simply bounced off the monster's scales and exploded harmlessly in the water. Without needing to be asked I handed her a second spear. Others were throwing too, their spears glancing off the great sea serpent with no more effect than Prisha's. Then it lunged with a deafening roar, slamming into the Halloran's hull with a crash that made my ears ring.
The whole ship skidded sideways in the water at the impact and I barely kept my feet. All around me, chaos reigned. Water washed over the decks, sailors cried out incomprehensible orders, more spears glanced off the creature. Somewhere someone screamed in pain and my heart froze for a moment. But no, it wasn't Gemma, she was safe at the captain's side.
Safe as anyone aboard the Halloran could be, anyway. The idea of the ship making it back to Rohar in one piece seemed like a foolish dream now.
With a loud thrum that I felt in my bones, one of the great harpoon guns fired. Propelled by a coiled steel spring, the harpoon managed to penetrate the beast's hide and red blood sprayed from the wound. With a muffled bang the harpoon's explosive warhead detonated, spraying chunks of serpent out of the wound. The crew cheered, and for a moment I thought that was the end of it.
But no. Even that wound was only superficial for a serpent this big. The creature roared in pain, a deafening noise, and smashed into the ship again, gripping the vessel in its coils.
This time there were more screams, and the loud crack told me something internal had given. Orders flew fast, and more spears glanced off the scales of the beast. Some were aiming for its eyes, but despite the creature's size it swayed swiftly and the eyes were too small a target.
It lunged, teeth snapping shut, and a scream shut off abruptly as it snatched up two of the crew in one mouthful. Blood sprayed everywhere.
"Cut the engines," the captain cried. For a moment I thought he'd gone mad, but it was clear that we had no chance of outrunning the monster snake. Its coils wrapped around the ship now, squeezing the heavily armored frame, and we would have to dislodge it before we could go anywhere.
Another thrum and a harpoon sprouted from its side. Another roar, and the beast thrashed sending me tumbling to the deck as the ship shook in its grasp. Pirates hacked at its flank, angling their blades between the scales, but they couldn't be doing more than annoying the huge creature. Prisha and I staggered to our feet, looking up at it.
"Never seen one this big," she said, and I could hear the fatalism in her voice. She was resigned to losing this fight.
I don't have that option. Gemma's here with me, and I will not let her die. Even if no one else gets to safety, she has to.
Before I knew what I was doing, I grabbed one of the spears and charged. Not at the nearest coil of the monster — there was no chance that I could do better than the pirates were. I set my sights higher, on the head of the serpent.
"Come back," Prisha shouted after me. Then she swore and ran after me. At least I'd have some backup, I thought. Not that it would likely do any good.
I'd only have one chance at this. If it failed, I'd be too dead to try anything else. It was the only way I could think of to get Gemma home safely, though. I risked a glance back at her, seeing her wide-eyed terror as I ran towards the most dangerous part of the battle.
I'm sorry, my love. I wish I could tell you that I love you. Hopefully I will be able to after this.
If not, though, at least I'd have died saving her. As long as my plan worked, I'd be satisfied that this was a good death.
The second harpoon detonated and the serpent roared in pain again. Convulsing, it shook the Halloran badly, sending the crew flying this way and that. I barely kept my balance on the blood-slick deck, but I couldn't fall now. This was my chance, and I might not have another.
Bracing myself, I leaped. The monster's maw loomed large, and as I passed its bloody teeth I wondered if this was suicide. If I can take the creature with me, that's all that matters. Gemma will just have to forgive me.
The mouth closed fast, almost too fast. But I had just enough time to brace my spear against the roof of its mouth, angling to where I thought the brain must be. The force of the creature's jaw closing forced the blade through the softer flesh and as the world went dark my thumb struck the button.
For a moment, nothing happened and I thought I'd given my life for nothing. Then light and noise filled my world as the explosive detonated deep in the monster's skull.
The entire world hurt, an ache that wouldn't end, and I decided that was good news. It meant I was alive — being dead couldn't possibly be this bad. Groaning, I forced open my eyes winced at the stabbing pain the light brought.
At once there was noise around me, movement. Hands helped me up, pushed cushions under me, and slowly the room came into focus around me. I was inside, in a cabin, and Gemma was there. A wave of relief washed over me. She was safe, and that meant that everything was alright.
"You idiot," Gemma said, her eyes bright with tears. "You could have died! I thought you did die. If Prisha hadn't been right there to drag you out of that thing's mouth, you would have."
Prisha stood behind her, smilin
g and cleaning her nails with a knife. "Yeah, well, I had to do something. Couldn't let your idiot hog all the heroism for himself."
I managed a laugh at that, though it hurt my ribs. Even breathing hurt, and speaking was a gamble.
"I take it the beast's dead, then?" I asked, taking Gemma's hand in mine.
"Dead as can be," Prisha confirmed. "Lucky hit, too. You know a zhak's brains are smaller than your fist, right?"
I suppressed a shiver at that, not wanting Gemma to see it. I'd come very close to dying for nothing, then — but I'd won, and saved her. That was what mattered, I reminded myself. Better yet, I was alive too. As it turned out, we would be going home together. That was cause for celebration.
"Help me up," I said, struggling to sit. Gemma put her hand on my chest and pushed me down firmly.
"Don't be silly," she said, worry in her voice. "You've got to rest, you're hurt."
That was when I realized just how much pain I was in. I'd been able to ignore it while we talked, but now that Gemma pointed it out, it all came rushing back. My arms burned, all my muscles ached, and a myriad of small pains mixed together. I winced and lay against the cushions.
Gemma sat beside me, lifting a bowl from the bedside table. "Let me clean those wounds up and you relax. We'll be home soon enough."
"I can't show weakness," I said, trying to gather my strength. The two women shared a glance and laughed.
"Idiot," Prisha said with a shake of her head. "You saved us. The Halloran wouldn't have made it if you hadn't pulled off your stupid stunt. No one's going to think you're weak just because you need a lie down afterward — you've earned it."
She pushed off the wall and walked to the door. At the threshold she turned back to wink at me. "Anyway, no one'd blame you for taking it easy when you've got Gemma to look after you. We'll be jealous, maybe."
Gemma didn't look like she'd understood all of that, but enough of it to blush and glare at Prisha. The pirate woman laughed and closed the door behind her.
I lay back, taking a deep breath. She was right. I could afford a little time to relax and tend to my wounds. Or, even better, let Gemma tend to them for me.
13
Gemma
From that point on, we were both treated as part of the crew. No, as part of the family, and that was even better. As Corvax recovered over the next few days and I tended his wounds, it seemed like every crewmember of the Halloran popped their head into our little cabin. Everyone aboard wanted to wish him well or thank him for saving their lives.
It was a strange feeling to be welcome aboard a pirate ship, but a good one too. The warmth between the crew, the camaraderie, was a nice change to my experiences since leaving Earth and I found myself wondering what my friends back home would think of me now. How would Alex, Becca, and Morgan react when I wrote them a letter saying I'd been adopted by pirates?
The thought made me smile.
The ship creaked as we edged our way onward towards Rohar, and everywhere reeked of either engine oil, sea monster guts, or both. The body of the zhak trailed along beside the Halloran, attached to the vessel by huge hooks and being carved up for meat and other supplies as we traveled. The stench was amazingly awful, but the pirates didn't seem to mind it at all.
"It's a treasure," Captain Orshak said when I asked why. "We've never killed anything this big before, and it'll keep us supplied for months. And there's those who'll pay for the fat, the bones. I might keep the skull if I can figure out where to keep it, though. That's a trophy that'll show people the Halloran's not to be fucked with."
I shivered at the thought that fighting monsters like that was a normal part of these people's lives. No thanks! Maybe Corvax had a point about this being a dangerous planet. Not that it made a difference. I'd rather be here with him and take my chances with the monsters than be safe back on Earth.
It helped that he lived in a castle rather than on a ship. We wouldn't be fighting sea serpents there, or at least I hoped not. I didn't think it made much difference, though. Even if I had to live aboard a pirate ship like this, I'd put up with it for his sake.
Captain Orshak laughed again, watching my expression, and I wondered how much he'd figured out. He might not look it, but he was a perceptive man. Probably it's a survival trait for a pirate captain, I thought. Being smarter than he looks must be useful.
"Do not worry," he said. "Yes, our lives are crazy. We are those who are cast out from the islands, and we make our living as we can. Your man, though, he's safer than this. The island-folk, they have it easy, and he'll take good care of you. He's not soft like most of them."
"He wants to send me back to Earth," I blurted out, then blushed. It wasn't something I'd intended to talk about, but I couldn't keep my thoughts inside.
Captain Orshak grinned and shook his head, clapping me on the shoulder with enough force to stagger me. "No, little human. Maybe he tells you that he does, but we all see how he looks at you. He wants you with him, no matter what he claims. His problem is that he's going to focus on keeping you safe, even if it leaves you both unhappy."
I looked at him, frowning myself. There was something about his tone that told me he was speaking from experience, but I didn't want to pry.
No, that wasn't true. I did want to pry, but I wouldn't be that rude. After a moment, he leaned back and smiled again, and it was as though that dark moment had never happened.
"Don't let him make the mistake I did, woman," he said, grabbing a bottle of wine and filling his goblet. "There are risks worth taking."
He drank deep, and I could see that I wasn't going to get any more out of him on that subject. I might be part of the family now, but we weren't that close and we never would be.
I wondered if he had anyone he could share those stories with. I hoped so, or it would be a lonely life. I promised myself I'd do my best to follow his advice and convince Corvax to let me stay here. If we didn't, I knew deep down that we'd both regret it for as long as we lived.
The melancholy expression on Captain Orshak's face wasn’t something I wanted to imagine on Corvax's, or to feel on my own.
14
Corvax
The skystalk stood out against the dark sky, lights flickering along its length as capsules raced up and down it. It was good to see that trade continued without me, and I just had to hope that nothing too bad had happened in my absence.
We were nearly home now, close enough to signal the castle and let my people know I was back. Fliers leaped into the sky to greet us, warily circling as the Halloran drew close to the island. No one wanted to trust a ship like this close to the island — pirates weren't above trying to attack a settlement if they had the chance, and our port would be a rich target indeed.
Not today, though. The Halloran drew close without loading its weapons, and there were smiles all round as we parted. Several of the crew offered me crude but well-meaning suggestions for how Gemma and I should celebrate our return. I hoped that she didn't understand them, but the blush on her cheeks was proof that she at least got the gist.
"You're welcome to stay a little while," I offered Captain Orshak as a flier dropped down to pick us up. "You've been a good friend, and I'll not turn you away."
He laughed, a booming sound that filled the air. "We'll trade some of the supplies we picked up," he said. "Then we'll be off. I don't want to spoil our friendship by making you put up with my lads on shore leave, and besides, I need to get the Halloran to a shipyard. Need some work done after that fight."
I nodded, understanding all too well. His ship came first for him, just as Rohar came first for me. This was the first time I'd felt sympathy for a pirate, and it felt strange.
"You'll get good prices here," I promised. Orshak smiled and nodded, clasping my hand.
The guards on the flier that came down to collect us were wary, keeping their hands near their weapons until Gemma and I were aboard. Only when the flier lifted off again did they really trust that this wasn't a trap of some kind with
us as bait. Their leader, Kaldash, turned to us as soon as we were airborne.
"Welcome back, Protector," he said, flashing us a grin. "We'd almost given up hope — the search parties found nothing, not even wreckage."
Not too big a surprise, given how far the storm had carried us. There must have been hundreds if not thousands of small islands in that area, and only so many of the Rohar could be spared for the search.
I clapped him on the shoulder and nodded. "I know that you all did your best. Now the question is, how are things at home?"
Kaldash's face froze at the question, and I knew that I wasn't going to like the answer. Instead of pushing, I looked ahead to the palace. We'd be there in a minute, and there was no point in making a guard uncomfortable.
"Never mind," I told him. "I'll speak with the Elders when we land."
Kaldash nodded quickly. "They'll be able to answer better than I would, Protector."
His words left me worrying for the rest of the short flight, but there was no help for that. Sitting back, I took Gemma's hand and squeezed it. Partly to reassure her, partly to draw strength from her presence. That reassurance was something I hadn't realized I'd been missing before I met her.
She smiled up at me and all my worries melted away. As long as we were together, it felt like nothing could defeat us.
The flier landed in front of my castle, and the Council of Elders was there to meet us. Not just them, either. It looked like almost the whole island had turned up, and the joy on the faces of my people should have made me feel happy and welcome. It did, in a way, but it was frustrating too. There was clearly no way I was getting a quick answer to any questions.
Gemma leaned into me and whispered in my ear. "Let them celebrate that you're back. They must have been worried sick."
I sighed and smiled down at her, squeezing her hand. She was right, of course, and I knew I should be patient. Whatever new problems were waiting for me here, they could wait another few hours. We should celebrate our return.
