by Reiter
“Lead the way, First Officer,” Vyllynthe said and Dungias took the lead as he exited the arboretum.
He did not take them through the most expedient route because that would have involved drop tubes and Dungias wanted to give Jocasta enough time to get to her quarters, change, and then get to the Mess Hall. The extra distance that it took to reach the lift and go to the proper deck he felt would suffice his needs.
“There you are,” Jocasta said as she put a bowl down on one of the tables. “And you’ve managed to charm your way into having the best of escorts. Roc’s got a mean stew if you’re wanting to sample. Funerals make me hungry.”
“I would have to say that is an uncommon reaction,” Ukara remarked. “Thank you, no.” Jocasta had a smile on her face when she looked up at the woman who had addressed her, and she kept the smile, but it was clear to Dungias that she had absolutely nothing to smile about with regards to the only female in the curious trio. He placed his hand upon Alpha and stepped toward the table.
“Suit yourself,” Zyzo said as he turned for the kitchen. “Where are the bowls?”
“Gotta love it,” Jocasta muttered as she took her seat at the center of the table. She put her cane down and had it lean against the table. “Duke Vyllynthe, it seems I owe you a vote of thanks for your efforts that kept me out of Jeelah prisons.”
“Not at all,” Hurdran Vyllynthe said as he made his way to the table. He took a seat directly across from Jocasta and directed Ukara to also take a seat. She sat at the end of the table, two seats down from Vyllynthe. “I am sure it takes some getting used to. The Jeelah assume if you are brought before the tribunal, then you are guilty of something and thus innocence must be proven.”
“Can’t say I disagree with the approach,” Jocasta replied. “Especially when you consider I had my people and your people digging up all the facts on Vidé and the appropriations he’s made all over The Territories. I walk into court a criminal and walk out the Captain of a fallen hero. That Nova Bomb would have leveled those mountains. No telling how many nine-lived kitties would have counted to ten had that happened. And like I said before… thanks.”
“If anything, we are both in the debt of your Second Officer Llaz. He had the grace to overlook my transgressions, and the passion to spur me to take action on your behalf.”
“That sounds like our Llaz, all right,” Jocasta said, stirring her stew as Hillgray returned with a large bowl and several rolls. He walked around the table and sat next to Vyllynthe, one chair down from Ukara. Sitting down, he pushed one roll toward the woman.
“I am not hungry,” she quickly stated.
“You best eat, Missy,” Jocasta remarked, lowering her eyes to her food. “Your guts are beginning to wrench loud enough to be heard outside your armour.”
“Trust me, it isn’t the food,” Ukara shot back and Jocasta chuckled.
“We’ve got rooms to handle that sort of problem, baby doll,” she said calmly.
“We’ve got business to tend to,” Ukara stated.
“Fuck you and your business,” Jocasta replied. “This is my domain, Tinker-bitch. … the one place in the world where I don’t ‘have to be tolerated’. You don’t like my take on funerals?”
“Not in the least,” Ukara replied.
“Let’s see if I can get it right when I attend yours!” Jocasta hissed, throwing the contents of her bowl at the woman. Spider-like arms sprung from Ukara’s back and came forward, the ends coming together, forming into a shield in front of Ukara’s face. The stew was stopped cold by the fortification, but sparks traveled over Tonka as the arms began to lose form. “Gotta love what Roc uses for pepper,” Jocasta hissed as she came up from her seat and stepped up on the table. “Didn’t have a chance to use it on the expected Nanobots, but worked just as well on your toy!”
Vyllynthe started to get up, but Hillgray’s hand was incredibly fast to take hold of his friend’s shoulder and pull him back down to his chair.
“Did you forget that the blue one is right behind us?” Hillgray asked as he took a healthy bite of bread. Hurdran turned in his chair and looked back at Dungias who stood with his arms folded, facing the backs of Hillgray and the Duke. “Can’t say he was in on the whole thing, but he’s backing her without question. Besides, Ukara asked for this one!”
Ukara gasped as Tonka fell off her body and onto the floor. She was slapped hard by a gloved hand and sent to the floor. Jocasta looked down on the woman and removed her gloves. “You see, I figure this way we minimize the breakage.”
“Fine by me,” Ukara said as she got up charging. She squared her shoulders and lunged for Jocasta who received the tackle and rolled backward, lifting her foot up into Ukara’s chest. The movement turned Ukara’s momentum into the force that now lifted and flipped her body. The dazed woman landed hard, her back to the metal table, and Jocasta quickly kicked up to her feet.
“You gotta watch those charges, sweet thing,” Jocasta said as Ukara rolled over to get up. “I’m sure the Delman taught you that tackle, but you need to use it on less wary targets. Case in point!” Jocasta took two steps forward and leaped. She flew up above the end of the table and her shoulders met with Ukara’s waist. Hillgray managed to move his bowl in time to keep Ukara’s falling body from hitting it. He winced at the sound her back made when it met with the metal tabletop a second time.
“And to think those are normal boots Jocasta is wearing,” Dungias observed. “She is definitely improving.”
“Pardon me,” Jocasta said as she took her empty bowl and smacked it up against Ukara’s head. The woman lost clear sight of the room from the impact, and Jocasta tossed the bowl over to Vyllynthe so that her hand would be free to deliver a hard straight punch to the face. Ukara fell unconscious and Jocasta saw no need to continue the brief contest. Instead she looked down on the woman, toyed with a few ideas of marking her permanently and then just shook her head, getting up off the woman. She looked at the Delman and pointed at him. “You be sure to tell her that I spat in her face, all right?”
“As I recall you took the time to suck up a most egregious sample!” Hillgray answered, drawing the glaring eyes of Duke Vyllynthe. “I will even suggest she go and see the ship’s physician to scan for any contagions you may have transferred.”
“I really like him,” Jocasta said to Dungias as she pointed at the Delman Warrior. Her First Mate nodded his agreement. “Okay, Duke, I realize I lost some points with you just now, but in my book, we’re not even close to being even. The next words you speak should be chosen very carefully… as you justify boarding my ship! Because there’s room where this high and mighty heifer is sleeping!”
“Then you should know, good Captain of a very fine ship,” Hillgray said, wiping his mouth. “…if that is your verdict, then I too should be escorted to what seems to be a very restful place. Mayhap afterwards we can get down to business.”
Jocasta looked at Zyzo Hillgray for a moment before she turned in a quarter-circle, smacking the top of the table. “Dammit! I really like you, Delman.
“That means you just got a reprieve, InvokeR,” Jocasta pointed at Vyllynthe as she spoke. “And yes, you can clearly tell by the way I say the word that my experience with your sort has been nothing but troublesome.”
“I can think of three examples where that is not at all true, Captain,” Vyllynthe countered.
“And that just added to the list of why I don’t like them,” Jocasta muttered as her head collapsed to her chest. “They’re still here, aren’t they, Z? Our three bookworms?”
“Still aboard ship, still happy to be aboard ship, and still studying, Captain,” Dungias advised. “With noted progress which they are eager to report. Tuitonn is watching over them at this point in time.”
“My little roving eye,” Jocasta chuckled. “I’m surprised he’s forgiven me for making him hang back and guard the ship and crew on that last run.”
“It would be an error for you to presume that he has, Captain,” Dungias ad
vised and Jocasta chuckled, shaking her head.
“Okay, Duke, you’re on. Spit it out!”
Hurdran Vyllynthe took little time to clear his throat and stand up from his chair. He looked at Dungias as he took to his feet, but his bronze eyes settled on Jocasta. “While I would rather start off by asking you how you came to be in the possession of the artifacts–”
“You realize the chances of getting a straight answer out of me are about as good as your girl here landing a clean shot,” Jocasta volunteered.
“Something to that effect, yes,” Vyllynthe agreed. “And without clarification, I can only tell you of estimations.”
“You mean to tell me that you stole aboard my ship because of itches that you couldn’t quite scratch?!”
“Our Captain is not the sort that holds your particular approach in high favor, Hurdran,” Hillgray stated with what he thought was a necessary haste. “Come to the heart of the matter and impress her with your eloquence later.”
“That’s a very smart man,” Jocasta added, once again pointing at Hillgray.
“Very well then,” Vyllynthe said, taking in a deep breath to steady himself. “Captain Starblazer, I believe you are in possession of the MannA Keys.
“Of the major avenues that use MannA in their works, five were chosen to be given keys,” the Duke explained. “These keys that control the flow of MannA through each of those avenues. One key could turn a novice into a deity… all five keys could, quite easily, rewrite reality!”
Jocasta looked at the Duke for a moment and then smacked her lips. “Well, that would be something, if indeed we had them. As it turns out, we don’t have any keys in our possession.
“And you are looking awfully hard at me, Mr. Ear Man,” Jocasta thought as she looked down at her brace-com.
“What is this?!” Dungias thought, seeing the same act of Vyllynthe gazing at Jocasta as she spoke and then the Traveler watched the Olasson as Jocasta finished speaking; studying the way the Duke’s body moved. The flare of the nostrils, the settling of the shoulders, and the very slight straightening of his spine. “My body may not yet have returned to its true form, but my vision remains unhindered. And I am beginning to have the same sensation experienced in the courtyard on Black Gate; the feeling of being trapped!”
“Timing is a factor, Star Chaser,” Cihpares signaled. “You must go against the current, that is not in question… but you must choose when to jump into the waterway. Now? Or around the bend?”
“Captain, perhaps it would be helpful to the Duke if he were allowed to peruse our holdings,” Dungias suggested. He kept from swelling with pride when Jocasta’s surprise did not register through her face and body.
“Lead the way, Mr. Z,” she said, gesturing for everyone to take their leave of the Mess Hall.
“This way gentlemen,” Dungias said as he turned to lead everyone out. He entered commands into his brace-com before he reached the doorway. “We can leave Ukara and her… colleague here to rest.
“Satithe, please have Teela, Amosse, and Bantar meet us in the holding vault,” Dungias requested.
“I will alert them immediately,” Satithe replied.
“Captain, I cannot say enough how much I am taken aback by the level of technology aboard your ship,” Vyllynthe stated as he put his hand to Jocasta’s shoulder. “It is simply fascinating!”
“Aye,” Hillgray added, looking back at his friend. “And it has been for several days now.”
As the doors to the chamber slid open, Dungias took one step inside and a long stride to the right. He ushered in the rest and Hillgray walked into the room, looking at the three young souls he had seen at Black Gate. Aside from the day they had boarded the Xara-Mansura, Hillgray had not had time to actually look at them the way he had when he and his friend stood atop the overpass. Looking down into the courtyard that day, he had seen three young, awestruck, and frightened people who were completely out of their depth. Desperation could not be found in their eyes at this moment nor could it be said they were uneasy or anxious to see Hillgray and Vyllynthe enter the room. If anything, their eyes jumped from JoJo to her First Mate and back again. Only those two commanded their attention and concern.
Jocasta came to a stop and took a step back as Vyllynthe’s progression into the chamber stopped at the door. He placed his left hand on the side of the doorway as if he needed to brace himself. “I think maybe we need to equip you with brake lights,” Jocasta jested as she moved to put her hand on the Olasson man’s shoulder. “Whoa!” she wailed as she threw her head back, just avoiding his right elbow sent to smash against her face.
“Curse her speed!” Vyllynthe thought as he thrust his left hand forward toward Dungias. The thrust of Raw MannA did not get a foot beyond the threshold of the room before it was negated. The backlash was minimal, so Hurdran threw down the vial he had palmed the moment they all got up from the table in the Mess Hall. The glass never struck the floor, and Vyllynthe looked down to see the small vial floating centimeters above the floor. He then looked to see the blue-skinned man, leveling his short staff at the vial.
“Vyllynthe, what are you doing?!” Hillgray asked as his hand moved to the side of his girdle.
“Verifying that we do have the MannA Keys he had spoken of earlier,” Dungias said. “Even if we are not aware that we have them.”
“The MannA Keys?!” Amosse repeated, coming up from his seat. “Where?!”
“But it would seem that some of us at least have a grasp of what the MannA Keys are,” Dungias added as he made a snatching gesture with Alpha. The vial flew to his hand as he leveled Alpha at Vyllynthe who was quite aware that Jocasta had already drawn her blaster and had trained it on him.
“Oh… good,” Jocasta said, “… you do have eyes in the back of your head.” Vyllynthe held up his hands in surrender. “And if you want me to drill your friend, just keep moving for that weapon, Delman! I might like you, but it won’t keep me from firing like mad and simply regretting the fact that I had to stomp out your life-light!
“So, what’s in the vial?” she asked Dungias.
The First Mate lifted his left brow before tossing the vial to Bantar who caught it and touched a small crystal to the vial that glowed for a moment. “Wizardry,” he announced, pocketing the crystal. “Some kind of teleportation device. I can’t see anything else. His locks are quite powerful.”
“What’s the juice do?” Jocasta asked, stepping forward and shoving the barrel of her weapon into the Duke’s back. “And the blue one will know if you’re lying. It’s part of his charm.”
“Then I suppose if I do not answer, his powers of discerning truth from falsehood are of no use,” Hurdran replied.
“Have a care, caster,” Dungias warned as he stepped forward and thrust Alpha forward, lifting Vyllynthe’s chin. “… despite how carefully your only remaining ally moves for his weapon, you are in no position to anger the Captain.
“But then again,” Dungias said in a softer tone, withdrawing from the Olasson InvokeR. “Satithe, package all three for immediate delivery… to the stars!”
“Package this, you blue giant–” the floor panel Hillgray stood upon released a subtle white glow. A subsequent flash of light came from under his skin and the Delman dropped to his knees, his crystal-head mace falling to the floor. Hurdran had never seen his friend put down so quickly, and the extra prodding he received from the woman behind him told him that any reprisals would have to wait for another time.
“Yeah, he did say all three,” Jocasta clarified. “Because if you think that staged tantrum fit fooled anyone that was in the Mess, you should know there was a reason why I left my cane up against the table.
“And how is our so-called soft-faced guest doing, Satithe?”
“The gravity trap is holding both the woman and her familiar in place, Captain,” Satithe reported.
“Then take this one too,” Jocasta ordered. A beam of energy shot from the ceiling, attacking Hurdran’s nervous system and causin
g it to fail, albeit momentarily. The effect was unavoidable, and his eyes closed before he fell to the floor.
“Ouch!” Bantar whispered. “They didn’t even try to catch the man!”
“He should be glad they only used stunning devices,” Teela remarked. Bantar turned to look at her with questioning eyes. “What? No, it’s not the wand at all. They should be glad. This the same woman who killed the Governor of Black Gate and he was an Upyri Lord!”
“Okay,” Bantar relaxed, nodding as he recalled the fact. “When you put it that way, yeah, they should be glad.”
“The MannA Keys!” Amosse sighed as he looked over the holdings. “I don’t believe it!” He started to make his approach, but Tuitonn came from his place in the ceiling and cut him off.
“And here I thought it had been agreed that the three of you would first discover the mystery of the wands,” he said, taking on a blue glow, warning Amosse that he had ventured to a place of inquiry that was considered out of line. “You’ve only discovered some of the truth of one.”
“Speaking of,” Jocasta said, clubbing Hillgray across the back of the head with her weapon. “… what is the deal with this progress I’ve been hearing about?
“And don’t worry, Z,” she thought, holstering her weapon. “I see you over there, backing up to the wall. The heck with how you do it, but I know you got something from the Duke… and it’s rocking your entire world! I’ll get their eyes off of you and we can talk later.
“There’s nothing like a little progress to make the Captain feel good about not selling what is obviously very valuable shit!”
“It’s the battle wand,” Teela moved to speak first, approaching Jocasta and taking out the wand she had been allowed to wield. Drones entered the room and collected the two unconscious bodies, delivering more stunning energy bursts before picking them up. “It gives the user a suit of armour that is simply fantastic!”
“Yeah, I saw the playback yesterday,” Jocasta replied. “Does it have a name?”
