Chapter 7

“Captain, do you wish me to add Queen Wizard Lee Watson to the guest list?”

Zeke grinned, “Yes, please. I will remind her that it is best not to transport herself out of the ship while the shield is on.”

Lee gave Zeke an odd look and got up to go over to touch the ship’s wall. “Hmm ... now that is interesting. I gather that you are aware that most magical people will not be able to blink into this ship?”

“Yes, I prefer my visitors to announce their arrival at my door.”

“Point taken. I gather that I arrived while it was inactive.”

“Yes, unless the other ship or station has the appropriate sensors, I must turn the shield off or limit its coverage while docking. It has multiple generation points, so sections of the hull, like doors, can be unshielded if required.”

“So, this is what I’ve paid an exorbitant price for.”

“No, the shield is only part of the package. The scoop can reclaim elements smaller than and including zinc. So, I can claim around ninety elements while flying if you include the stable isotopes of those thirty elements as different elements.”

“You would be surprised by how much it claims near other celestial bodies. I could probably have it let in larger elements, but at present, those it lets through don’t seem to stress the shield.”

“They all have their uses, and once I swap out the replicator unit in the other ship with mine, the elements will be accessible to it, like on this ship. I can meld the two recycle units, but I like the unit I built.”

“You don’t like our R&Rs?”

“Oh, don’t get me wrong, they are good units, but we will have to devise a workaround to join the two systems. You could always leave the scoop system separate. In its base form, I use it to create an Earth-like air. Mine is a little higher in oxygen like we use on Mars.”

“It can also produce potable water with added essential minerals, fuel, and lubricants for the ship. The rest of the elements are simply stored in bottles. You can swap out the bottles of elements at any time.”

“The way your system works, Lee, you can then drop the bottles into your reclaimer or just store them until needed.”

“For small ships, while this is a little more involved, it would work,” Lee mused.

Zeke added, “As far as energy costs go, your system uses more because you have to reconstitute the excess. For larger ships, we can install bigger bottles. Plus, you can turn the scoop function off.”

Lee nodded, “We will look into how to join them. I can see the value in doing so.” She grinned, “Do I get your spells, too?”

“Sure, I’ll copy my book for you.”

“Why haven’t you put them on your Mad?”

“Oh, they are on the Pedz. Why, couldn’t you find them?” he asked innocently.

“Oh, I like you. You’re a crafty little wizard, aren’t you?”

Zeke grinned.

Lee asked, “How long have you had the items, and if you don’t mind my asking, what do you have?”

“I found the two items when I was eleven and a half. They were in a jewel-encrusted box made of a gold alloy. The box was in a cavern system on Mars. The entrance I found was 200m down in a rift.”

“The cavern system goes much deeper and is extensive. I have since found two other entrances but haven’t been able to explore them fully. At first, only the wand worked. I was a bit freaked out when I felt the entity in my head, I can tell you.”

“I’m sure you were,” Lee chuckled. “Please continue.”

“Well, I learned from the journals in the box that the wand was missing the Nature gem. Lore is my dominant skill. Then Energy, Earth, Physics, and Psychic.”

“Not long before I turned fourteen, I realised that the strange crystals I had gathered from the cavern had some interesting properties. I was able to use that information to fix this.”

Lee watched as Zeke stood and opened the top three buttons of his shirt. He pulled the top open to the points of his shoulders. He then had the broad collar appear.

“Oh, wow! That looks like an Egyptian Usekh. Of all the magical items we have found, none have been in that style,” Lee said as she stepped closer to examine the collar.

It had seven distinct, interlinking rows of thin, rectangular links. They were roughly 12mm by 20mm. The rows were of yellow, pink and then white gold, finishing with yellow. A column of large gems ran down the centre.

The row closest to his neck was studded with three large, blue, clear and pink diamonds. They were mounted in a link next to the other. The next row had three square-cut rubies, with the darkest in the centre. They were spaced a link apart.

This pattern was followed by turquoise gems, amethysts, topazes and then opals. Each of the gems were different colours or shades from their counterparts but the same size and cut.

The last row had DeRay crystals replacing seven links, each separated by a link. Hanging below those six links was a small gold disc. Each disc had a different symbol inscribed on it.

Lee recognised them as the symbols for the six magical disciplines of the Keltrians, not Egyptian symbols. However, the combined ankh-DJed-was symbols were represented at the top of a thin sceptre with a forked end. It was made from a black, glassy-looking material.

The item ran from the centre of his shoulder to the last row of links to point at his left nipple. Lee couldn’t see how it was attached and could only assume magic was used to keep it in place.