DragonShip

Chapter 1

Arrida sul'Barsdurn, captain and pilot of the Liberty Edge, navigator of the air roads of Zanitera, was sick and tired of evading law enforcement. For nearly the fifth time within the month her ship was being forced to land. It was a mad rush trying to hide all of the stolen goods that lay thrown around her ship. Her first mate, life long companion, and only friend, Dek, had just helped her stow a large chest of jewels under an old solar sail when they heard the distinctive sound of army regulation boots crossing the deck.

Arrida pulled out a silver coin from the pocket of her jacket. On one side there was the harsh face of a man, his features sharp and cold. On the other there was the symbol of a snake wrapped around a staff.

Arrida looked at Dek, grinning wildly, "Heads we kill him, tails we talk first." She flipped the coin, the sides spinning through the air. It landed back in her palm and the side facing up bore the snake. "I guess diplomacy won today." Arrida stood up and answered the door after hearing the sharp knock and a gruff voice demanding they open for a mandatory inspection.

She waited till Dek had hidden behind some crates, then opened the door and saw a tired looking official with a long scar stretching down his face. "By order of the great lord of the land, Sar Vankult, you are required to land this ship for a mandatory inspection regarding the theft of several desert surfers cargo. An attempt at resistance will result in your total and utter destruction." The man gave a bored sigh and went back to the small ship that was lightly tied off to the rail.

Arrida turned and headed to the helm of her ship, watching carefully as the man boarded his carrier ship. She slowly maneuvered the ship toward the ground. She smiled faintly, remembering the memory of robbing the desert surfers. It had been last week and she was honestly disappointed that it had taken Vankult's men so long to track the rather obvious trail she had left. The ships, which were also known as storm chasers, had been carrying the heavy cargo of jewels to help fund Vankult's conquering army. Arrida had seen fit to help the small vessels and lighten them of their load. The machines were truly a feat of engineering, small raft-like ships which were extremely fast and maneuverable. Powered by the sun with a small wind sail it was nearly impossible to outrun them. They only rose about ten feet off of the ground but this was all they needed in the bare desert of Squarta. It had taken the better part of a day to corner one of the speedy ships.

She had then left for the busy market of Qisfu. Arrida had spent plenty of her newly earned money, under an alias. Arrida boasted loudly that she had fought and won against several desert surfers, taking their treasure in the process. She knew that there were ears everywhere and anyone would be willing to sell someone out for a few coins. She had been expecting to be boarded somewhere in the middle of the desert, not nearly to the edge of it.

Whistling a faint tune from an old song, she slowly set the ship down on the sand. She saw Dek in the corner of her eye slipping down from the ship, his feet hitting the burning sand before he set out running for the carrier ship which had held the guard who was currently boarding their ship for an inspection.

Arrida led the guard below decks to begin his inspection where it would be harder to hear Dek trying to break into his ship. Arrida carefully watched as the guard went around knocking on walls and rummaging through crates filled with scrap metal. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. As if she was amateur enough to hide gold in scrap metal crates. Any smuggler worth their salt knew that the coins would scratch easily, becoming worthless.

She turned her attention back to the official, who had now moved down the hall toward yet another storage room. Arrida closely followed, no more than a troubled merchant wanting to be on her way. However, it seemed the guard knew one thing about smugglers' ships. Always check the floorboards. Shit, shit, shit. Arrida thought, alarm bells ringing in her head. If he found the gold she would have no choice but to kill him. Despite her earlier comment she did not enjoy taking lives.

Thankfully, a convenient explosion sounded from outside. The official looked up at Arrida, suspicion brewing in his eyes. Her hand flew to her mouth, the acting becoming second nature, "Sir, I-"

"Shut it. That better not be my ship, or it's your head I'll return with, regardless of whether it was your fault or not."

Arrida swallowed and nodded, keeping up her charade as a concerned merchant. Her head, however, was a different place. Dek, what did you do!?!? How do you manage to blow up a ship! You were supposed to be looking for papers, not hot wiring the thing till it exploded! She would have words with him when he got back. Lots of words.

The pair quickly climbed the stairs to the main deck and shit was there a sight to behold. Pieces of burnt metal littered the sandy dunes and above it all a small fighter ship hovered in the air, its sails humming with electricity. Arrida cursed violently in her head. She recognized the symbol on the sides. It was the Crimson Falcon. Far more infamous than her ship, the Crimson Falcon was one of the rebels' lead fighters. It was sleek and elegant while being fast and practical. It was perfect for everything from stealth missions to public displays of the rebels' power.

On the deck of the other ship she could see a tall figure with short white, blond hair pointing a gun to Dek's forehead. The curses in her head grew increasingly violent. It was Logan Nortchu. He was the captain of the Falcon and a sly, ruthless leader. He had tried many different times to recruit Arrida, his methods ranging from bribes to threats. And right now he had chosen threat.