SpaceWitches

The Word Count, including this line, is 1846.


“SpaceWitches are exactly what the title indicates. They are Witches that are born, and live, in Space. The SpaceWitch can live on planets, moons etc. And they do. But most of them prefer Space – because it makes their magic, good or bad, more powerful. Most SpaceWitches are bad. But there are a lot of them that aren’t. This is one of them”¹

SpaceWitches

     A spaceship sailed through Space at Super Speed. Using the air in Space like water on an ocean, lake, river etc. On board that ship there was a Witch. She was being taken back to her home planet of Quinaix to be burned as a Witch.

     “I have never denied being a Witch,” said Glaire. “But I’m not the witch you are after. I’m a good SpaceWitch.”

     “There is no such a thing as a good Witch,” said Head of Security Yealon. “The same is true about a SpaceWitches.”

     “Do you really think that if I were a bad Witch I couldn’t have broken out of here a long time ago,” said Glaire. “I haven’t broken out because I am a good Witch.”

     “The people of Quinaix know what you look like,” said Yealon. “When we get there they will prove you are the bad Witch we have been looking for.”

     “That isn’t going to work either,” said Glaire. “Because they do know me there. I have been trying to find a band of Witches that are using their magic for evil. That’s what SpaceWitches do. We go around helping planets, spaceships, asteroids etc. get rid of their bad Witches. A bad Witch gives all Witches a bad name.”

     “I still don’t believe you,” said Yealon. “But if you are telling me the truth we will find out soon enough. If they know you as a good Witch, then only time will be lost bringing the wrong Witch back there. And if they don’t then you are the one in trouble. Either way I’m not the one in trouble. You are.”

<<<<<*>>>>>

     It all started a few days ago. The spaceship was traveling a little slower than usually. Captain Kevan knew that the Witch down in Holding was behind it. He just didn’t know how she was doing it – or why.”

     “Engine Room, we need more power,” said Kevan. “What is going on down there?”

     “According to the Controls there is nothing wrong with the Engines,” said Head of Engineering Patriki. “I don’t know why we are traveling so slow.”

     “I do,” said Kevan. “It’s the Witch we have on board. Keep trying to give us more speed. The sooner she is off the better I will like it.”

     “Me too,” said Patriki. “I don’t think it will do any good. But I will try to speed us up.”

     What Patriki just said went to no one. Kevan was no long in Central Command. He was on his way to Detention. And he was mad. It looks could kill then that Witch is as good as dead.
“What have you done to this ship?” was what Kevan asked the Witch when he got to Detention.

     “I haven’t done anything,” said Glaire. “How could I have done anything to your ship? I’ve been in here since I was brought on board.”

     “Is that true? Has she been in here the whole time?” Kevan was asking Yealon those questions.

     “She hasn’t moved since I put her in there,” said Yealon. “And I haven’t left since she got here either.”

     “Maybe she put some kind of a spell on you,” said Kevan. “To make you think she was there when she wasn’t.”

     “I didn’t put any spell on anyone or anything,” said Glaire. “Wait a second. When you first came in her you accused me of doing something to this ship. What’s wrong with this ship?”

     “Don’t pretend to be stupid,” said Kevan. “You already know what you did to this ship. You have slowed it down. And I want to know why. I also want to take off whatever spell you put on this ship.”

     Glaire didn’t say a word for several minutes. Then suddenly she said, “This ship is slowing down. Has it been slowing down slowly. Or has it been to a specific speed.”

     “It’s a specific speed,” said Kevan. “We were traveling at our top speed – 4.0. Now we are going at 2.0.”

     “Is it still at that speed? Or have we dropped anymore?” Glaire looked scared.

     Captain Kevan went over and hit a button by the door. “What is our current speed?”

     “It’s the same – 2.0.” That was one of the ship’s Pilots, Jecca, who answered that question.

     “Keep me informed if it changes,” said Kevan. Then he turned back toward the Witch. “Why did you want to know about the Speed?”

     “That’s because they have found me,” said Glaire. “The Witches of Quinaix. They have found me. Which means they have found you. The slower speed gives them a chance to catch up to you. You have to let me out of here. I don’t know if I am strong enough to stop them. But I have to try. That’s why I left Quinaix. To get some help to stop them. I have friends who could have. But you grabbed me before I could talk to them.”

     Just then Jecca’s voice came into that room over the Communications Box by the door. “Captain, you better get up here – the faster the better. Five Witches have just appeared in Control Central.”

<<<<<*>>>>>

     Captain Kevan, Yealon and Glaire where at Control Central within a few minutes. One look at the Security Officer, Tunia, on duty at the time laying on the floor dead and Yealon rushes to her side. “What happened?” That was Yealon who asked that question.

     “I was only protecting myself,” said one of the Witches. “She pointed a weapon at me. And threatened to use it.”

     “She is going to be okay,” said another Witch. “We only gave her a knockout Mind Spell.”

     “How long before she wakes up? And what is a Mind Spell? Kevan was the one who asked those questions.

     “A Mind Spell is a spell we do with our mind,” said the third Witch. “It’s the fastest way to cast a spell.”

     “So that’s how she caused the ship to slow down without Yealon knowing about it,” thought Kevan. “She did it so her friends could show up to rescue her.”

     “She should wake up any time,” said the fourth Witch. “Mind Spells don’t last long.”

     “How long do they usually last?” Kevan looked at each one. He was trying to figure out who the leader was. But he couldn’t. It could be any one of them.

     “Five to ten minutes is normal,” said the fifth Witch. “Fifteen minutes at the most. I have never seen it last longer than that.”

     “Maybe I was wrong about Glaire. She couldn’t have slowed them down in fifteen minutes. Not unless she could do it from a distance. Glaire could have gotten to the Engine Room. But she couldn’t get back to her cell in fifteen minutes,” thought Kevan.

     Just then Tunia started to come around. She was still a little groggy as she said, “What happened?”

     “Did you pull you weapon on these Witches? And did you point that weapon on them?” Kevan and Yealon was helping Tunia get back on her feet.

     “I pulled my weapon,” said Tunia. “But I didn’t point it at them. I’m not sure but I think I hit the floor before I could point it at them.”

     “Are you stupid? You’re lucky the only used a Mind Spell on you. After all, they are Witches,” said Kevan. The he turned back toward the Witches. “What are you doing on my ship?”

     “We are here – for your prisoner,” said Witch three. “Hand her over. And you can leave alive.”
“She is kidding,” said Witch number two. “at least about the ‘leaving alive’ part. But not about giving her up.”

     “Are you the ones that slowed down my ship,” Kevan asks the Witches.

     “yes we did,” said Witch number four. “We had to slow you down in order to catch up to you.”

     “We are SpaceWitches,” said the first SpaceWitch. “And we are here for your prisoner.”

     “Glaire said she is a SpaceWitch,” said Kevan. “Now you are saying you are SpaceWitches. So witch is it.”

     “All of us are SpaceWitches,” said witch number five. “Glaire is just a bad SpaceWitch.”

     “That’s not true,” said Glaire. “They are the bad Witches. And they aren’t SpaceWitch. I’m the only SpaceWitch. They are the Witches I was telling you about.”

     “Someone is lying,” said Kevan. “And I want to know who it is. Or is it all of you?

     “I don’t care anymore who is a SpaceWitch and who isn’t a SpaceWitch,” said Yealon. “Let them fight it out among themselves.”

     “A million Credits is a lot,” said Jecca. “But it’s not worth all this.”

     “Is that how all of you feel?” Captain Kevan looked at each one of his crew members there. And all of them nod in agreement with Jecca.

     “I can prove I am a SpaceWitch,” said Glaire. “How did they get here? Was it a ship – or by magic?”

     “You know it was a ship,” said one of the five Witches. Kevan wasn’t sure which one because his back was to them. “Our magic is strong. But it’s not that strong.”

     “We don’t care anymore,” said Kevan. “I want you off my ship. And I want to off of it now. If you are SpaceWitches then you can battle it out in Space. And if you’re not go back to Quinaix. Or go one of the nearby uninhabited planets. There are several of them. We don’t care – as long as you leave my ship.”

     Just then Patriki contacted them. She said, “I don’t know but whatever you did the engines are back in order.”

     “Have you been listening to all this,” said Kevan. “Do you have an opinion on what we should do?”

     “I have been listening,” said Patriki. “And I agree with everyone.

     “Captain,” said Jecca. “You need to look at this.”

     Kevan slowly turned around. He was shocked. Everyone there was. The SpaceWitches were gone. “Where are they?” said Kevan.

     Before anyone could answer that there was a thunderous sound. And now sparks, lightning bolts etc. where lighting up the Space in front of them. Captain Kevan and the others there watched as a fierce was going on. A battle that had been going on for the that several hours. And it didn’t look like it was going to end anytime soon.

     Finally, Captain Kevan said, “Let’s out of here. Sooner or later someone is going to win that battle. And I don’t want to be anywhere near here when that happens.”

The End?

¹This is a Short Story from “Space: From A to Z.” Which is a Short Story Collection in Novel form that PureSciFi, aka SpaceFaction, hasn’t started yet.