by Eric Schetley, with additional input from Richard J. Pugh
[Chapter 1] [Chapter 2] [Chapter 3] [Chapter 4] [Chapter 5] [Chapter 6] [Chapter 7]
Onestar, Kath, Crystal, Phantom and Karamon all ran from the exercise room to the main deck. A couple of the crew were shaken, but no one was hurt. The bolt struck the main shell, but only bounced off. Ville and Blaise were on the captain's deck, while Hall sat on the helm.
"Report!" Onestar yelled when he reached the deck.
"No damage from the attack," Blaise said, looking over to Delvin and Zebart just to make sure.
"Shrikeship attacked without any provocation," Ville began. "Crystal left the helm. When she did, we lost visual. I got the ports closed in time to prevent any damage. Should we return fire."
"Wait for my command." Onestar went over to Hall, who looked extremely tired. Belieth stood beside him, lending him emotional support.
"How are you doing, old friend?" Onestar asked.
"Me? I'm fine. I felt the ship slow down, so I knew Crystal left the helm. I got up here as soon as I could. I'm still kinda spent from taking one shift today. It looks... INCOMING!"
Everyone braced as another ballista bolt hit the ship. The crew was rocked, but there was still no damage to the ship.
"Can you switch with Crystal?" Onestar asked.
"If we do it...now!" Hall leapt from the ship as Crystal moved with speed and grace. The seat barely had time to change its shape before Crystal had merged with it, and looked over the situation.
"One Shrikeship... golden in color... bearing no colors... weapons limited... they appear to be moving closer, ready to board."
"BOARDING ALERT!" Onestar sounded. "All decks, Red Alert. All crew prepare to repel boarders!" With a thought, his clothes, a simple kimono, began to change it's shape into an O-yoyo, the full armor of the samurai. Karamon removed a piece of the wall on the main bridge and began taking swords and two starwheel pistols to be used. He took the pistols and put them in his belt.
"Hall, you and Belieth get to the captain's deck. Take over for Ville."
"Aye." Hall took Belieth's hand and made his way upstairs.
[Shrikeship now within range of weapons,]
"Weapons crew! Aim and fire!"
From around the midsection of the shell, parts of the wall slid open and Ballista projectors slid out. Crews of weaponeers began loading and firing within seconds of Onestar giving the orders. This was a trained crew, capable of delivering any orders.
[Direct hit!] Crystal said, seconds after the first ballistae were fired. Hall had reached the captain's chair, and used it to activate the rose crystal. The image of a Shrikeship filled the chamber, several bolts sticking out from it's underside.
Onestar looked carefully at the image, his vision narrowing on the bolts. The samurai concentrated for a few moments, then the image changed. The bolts began to quiver, it seemed, then began to glow. A minute later, they were on fire and beginning to spread to the Shrikeship. The samurai opened his eyes and watched with the rest of the crew as the ship began to burn.
The crew of the Shrikeship were now appearing on deck, trying to put the fire out. The blaze spread quickly, quicker than they could contain it. Onestar crossed his arms his chest, and began to give more orders.
"Stand down from Boarding alert. They're no match for us now." A white flag appeared on the ship's mainmast. "Fire suppression crews prepare to assist. Someone teleport one of that crew over here. I want to know what the hell is going on."
Kath and Phantom stood near the samurai as a figure began to appear in front of him. Onestar looked up to the command deck and noticed Belieth's hands glowing. The samurai raised one eyebrow in partial surprise and support.
The figure materialized completely into view, and Kath was right beside him.
"Surrender, or die. It's that simple." the scro said.
"I surrender. Take me to your captain." The man was human, but short. He was as tall as Crystal, with a very thin build and little musculature. He wore bracers on his wrists, loose-fitting clothing, and boots. Attached his waist was a rapier.
"The captain is here, but somehow, I think you knew that Vlasic."
"Onestar. We meet again." Vlasic half-bowed before the samurai. Onestar did not return the salute.
"You know this pirate?" Kath asked.
"We have a...history. Nothing more than a few adventurers. I thought you swore you'd never enter Wildspace, Vlasic. What changed your mind?"
"Like I'm gonna tell you."
"I'd reconsider that attitude. Your ship is burning in space. Now, we could leave you here to die, choked by the fumes of your own atmosphere, or you could be civilized for once and tell me what's going on."
Vlasic stopped, turned and looked around. He noticed the entire crew watching him, but didn't care that much.
"Nice ship you got here, Onestar old boy. Y'know, Scillabba and I really missed you."
Onestar grabbed Vlasic by the collar and lifted him high in the air.
"Never! Never mention that name to me again!" The samurai literally tossed the shaken Vlasic away from him, into a heap in the corner. "Karamon! Kath! Take him below and question him. Do whatever it takes to get answers, I don't care. I want to know why he's here."
"What about the Shrikeship?" Hall asked from above, curious about Onestar's attitude.
"Let it burn for another fifteen minutes, then help."
"By that time, most of it'll be destroyed. They'll be lucky to make it back to Krynn."
Vlasic was helped up (roughly) by Karamon and was being led below when he yelled back to Onestar. "You did it, you bastard. You and those damned Psionic powers of yours, didn't you! You set the ship on fire! I know it was you!" His voice faded as he went below.
Onestar stood there, in front of Crystal, fists clenched and shaking. He turned to face her, and she almost froze in fear. Before he spoke, however, all emotion left his face and he relaxed.
"Crystal, I apologize for being rough on you earlier. Forgive me."
[...of course, captain. Of course.]
Onestar bowed before her, then looked up to face Hall. Blaise stood beside Belieth on the command deck.
"Blaise, you have the bridge. Hall, get some rest, then please meet me in my quarters in one hour. I want to know why they're here by then."
Onestar turned and left the bridge before Hall could answer.
Onestar sat on the floor in his quarters, his legs under him, with his eyes closed. The samurai breathed easily and quietly, focusing on his inner self. He seemed relaxed, calm.
There was a slight knock on the door. Onestar did not move. The knock came again.
"Come in," he said without opening his eyes.
Hall opened the door. Whisper strolled in before him, coming back from making some rounds of the ship. The Astrovag liked to roam the ship, and it seemed that Onestar approved. He let Whisper out when he returned an hour ago.
"Onestar?" Hall curiously asking, concerned over his friend.
"Sit down, please. Tell me, have they determined Vlasic is here?" He still did not move or open his eyes.
"Yeah, Karamon and Kath got him to spill his guts, figuratively, of course. He said that he was sent by someone named Scillabba to look for you. He said that Scillabba was waiting for him on Krynn, and that they were getting paid quite well for this endeavor."
"He wouldn't say what he was after, however."
"I know," Onestar replied, his voice quiet. He opened his eyes and stood so quickly that Hall was taken back with it.
"Scillabba, Vlasic and I once belonged to an adventurer's party back on Omni, before I began spelljamming. I didn't really trust Scillabba. He had a presence to him that was cold... but he was a paladin. A holy warrior for his god. He was supposed to be honorable, but there was something about him, the man and not the warrior."
"We traveled for about a year after I appeared on Omni. I had very little memories, other than who I was and what I could do. I didn't trust Scillabba or Vlasic, but Vlasic was just a kid. I thought he was too absorbed in Scillabba's personality, and it was affecting him. I hoped to provide a counterbalance, another view, but it was too much for him."
"How did you part company?" Hall asked.
"Scillabba tried to kill me."
"WHAT!" Hall jumped out of the seat.
"Yes," Onestar replied. He stood, walked over to his desk and took a small pot of tea. He offered a cup to Hall, who merely shook his head. Hall was too interested in the story.
Onestar poured himself a cup of the hot liquid, sipped it, then sat down behind his desk. "Scillabba had changed religions. I didn't know it at the time, but he chose to serve an evil god. We set out on one last quest, a search for `an ancient artifact of great power'. Scillabba was sworn to get it for his god. I wanted to retrieve it for the betterment of humanity."
"It was an ancient temple to a long forgotten religion. The way was dangerous; some of the party didn't make it. Even Vlasic was severely injured. Scillabba left him in a `safe place' and we went to the final chamber."
"It was there we found the artifact: a full set of armor."
"Your armor?" Hall asked. The samurai nodded.
"I didn't know about it's other abilities at the time. Scillabba went to retrieve it, but he made one mistake beforehand. He tried to cut me down. I didn't really approve."
"We fought. We were too evenly matched, he and I. Somehow, however, he got the better of me. Whether it was, pardon the expression, divine intervention or dumb luck, I never knew. But I was faltering."
"The armor sensed that I was an honorable man, and went to my aid. It literally slid off its stand, like a liquid, and covered me as Scillabba was to land the killing blow. It saved my life and bonded with me. I then learned of the armor's other powers."
"This armor, beside never needing cleaning or changing, besides being able to change its shape, is responsive to psionisicts. It can... substantially... increase the wearer's psionic power."
"With it, I was able to remove Scillabba and Vlasic. I didn't kill them, rather I just tossed them into another plane. The temple was filled with gates. I just picked one at random."
"And you think he's come back for you?" Hall asked.
"Either me, or the armor." Onestar responded. "Or both. It's bonded to me for life. He'd love to kill me, to get at it. Last I heard, he became Colicor's personal enforcer on Omni."
"Someone else who'd love to see you dead."
"I do seem to have a habit of making enemies like that," Onestar joked.
"Now what?" Hall asked.
"Crystal?" Onestar spoke into the air.
[Yes, captain?] Crystal's voice seemed to come from the teapot.
"Have Li T'sing set a course for Krynn. Inform him that we're on a mission to restock the pantry. Tell Illeria to teleport Vlasic back to the Shrikeship, then have her send over a Helmseeker missle to shatter their helm."
[You want to leave them here to die?] Crystal said, her voice coming from under Hall's chair.
"We might come back for them later, or they may have another way home. It's one of Vlasic's specialties, having an out." He turned to Hall.
"Prepare the shuttle. You'll be traveling to Palanthus to get the supplies. Take the Fleetfoot family, Ville, and Fr. Armas."
"What about you?" Hall asked, ready to protest any decision Onestar made.
"I'm going to have to locate Scillabba. Get Meridian down here. He knew Scillabba also. Between us, we should be able to find him."
"You still haven't told me what you're going to do."
"Just something I should have done years back." Onestar said, looking out the port into the depths of wildspace.
Continue to Chapter III