Chapter I
Year 8 of the reign of empress Lim-Kiririsha, 29th day of the month of Simanu
“What’s this?” ECSS agent Nidintu Ishpartu asked, as she was handed the tablet.
“The mission brief, obviously. You can read, can’t you?” Uktannu Kuttimu, the commander of the task force, replied.
“Yeah, smartass, I know that. But it looks different. The lettering, it looks too…”
“Immaculate?”
“You could say that.”
“Well, that’s because it was printed. By our printing press in Susa. They have machines set up there which apparently make writing much quicker, especially if multiple copies of a text are needed.”
“Let me guess, another Babylonian invention?”
“Of course. Good to have them on our side.”
“Maybe. Gonna put a lot of scribes out of work though.”
“Oh, don’t pretend you care about the poor jobless scribes. They’ll find work in these printing factories anyways.”
“I don’t care about them. I’m more worried about those Mesopotamian machines replacing us before long.”
“I don’t think the Babylonians can create any machines which could do our jobs better than us. This – the ECSS – requires not only strength and stamina, but intelligence and charisma as well. Simple technologies don’t have those qualities.”
“Not yet.”
“If you believe that, then get your ass on the ship at once, so that we could finish this mission and get paid for it before they invent machines which could replace us.”
The agents were in a small Elamite port city of Keshm, on an island of the same name. It was an independent town of little importance even a few years ago, but once the Kingdom of Elam expanded east and took over more lands, including this island, the city quickly began growing. It received a garrison, a military shipyard, and an influx of civilian settlers. It became quite an important location, for a couple reasons. First, it now became Elam’s easternmost port city, and so most goods from the east travelled through it, making it highly lucrative for the thousands of merchants who had settled here. And second, it became an important strategic point, as the island sat in the narrow strait between the Elamite Gulf and the Arabian Sea, thus – along with the port of Marduqat, held by Magan – both preventing unwanted ships from entering the Elamite Gulf, while also securing the EC access to the Arabian Sea and in turn the rest of the world to the east. And now, it was a rendezvous point from which the ECSS agents would set off for their mission to India.
Uktannu and Nidintu were the first two to arrive. A male and female respectively, both Elamites had known each other for nearly a decade and been together on a few missions, including one which led to the downfall of the Assyrian Liberation Army a few years prior. The commander and the interrogator were in an unofficial but quite noticeable relationship, though both claimed to be in it only for the benefits and have no emotional connection. They swore that they would sacrifice the other if the mission required it, which allowed them to continue going on missions together when it was appropriate.
The bustling port was now as busy as ever in these last few years, with the local workers loading up the five ships of the ECSS task force with all sorts of supplies. While only five field agents were assigned to the mission, they were provided with dozens of supporting personnel, including guards, medics, scribes, and cooks, not to mention all the oarsmen. The ships themselves were loaded with food supplies, armaments, clothes, and lots of gold, silver, and other luxurious materials and items made from them. Those were intended for the Indian kings, officials, and anyone else there who could help the ECSS in their quest to secure a regional ally and assure its dominance.
“So what is the curse?” Nidintu asked as she climbed aboard the flagship of the mission, where Uktannu was overseeing the final preparations.
“Huh? What do you mean?” Uktannu asked while being distracted. “Hey, careful with that box, pal! It is worth more than you will ever earn in your life!” he shouted to one of the dock workers, carrying a box of jewelry to the ship.
“The name of the mission. What does it refer to?”
“Oh, that. I don’t know. These mission names are always cryptic. Maybe it’s about us?”
“What?”
“We’re the curse.”
“That’s bullshit. Why would they send us there then?”
“I mean, we’re the curse for the Indians. With all the havoc we’re gonna cause for them. But a great boon to the empress, Elam, and the EC as a whole.”
“Well, I suppose that does make sense. Come to think of it, I actually like the idea of those stupid peasants thinking of me as a curse sent to them by their gods.”
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
“I’m sure you do, my little sadistic torturer.”
“Commander Kuttimu? Is this our ship heading to India?” a young man, in his late twenties, approached and boarded the ship.
“Are you asking whether I am commander Kuttimu, whether this vessel belongs to us, or whether it is heading to India?” Uktannu smirked.
“I, uh, well…”
“I’m just busting your balls, kid. The answer is yes. You are in the right place.”
“Oh, that’s good to hear. I’m Anshar Idadu, the, uh, translator.”
“Yes, I know. Nidintu, meet our translator for the mission. He’s from Magan and he knows Elamite, Babylonian, and Sanskrit, which will aid us greatly in communicating with the Indians. Isn’t that right, buddy?”
“Yeah…”
“And this is my girlf- my companion, Nidintu. She is our expert interrogator, for when diplomatic means don’t suffice anymore.”
“Pleased to meet you,” Anshar extended his hand to her.
Nidintu stared coldly at both of them.
“Ah, pay her no mind. She’s just a bitch like that sometimes. By that I mean almost always. You’ll get used to it,” Uktannu said.
A few moments of uncomfortable silence passed.
“So, uh, what do I-” Anshar began.
“Oh, yeah. Just go down to the lower deck, make yourself at home. Since it will be your home for some time. Cabin seventeen is yours,” Uktannu tossed him the keys to the cabin.
“Thank you,” Anshar said as he went down as instructed, taking his bags with him.
“So what, you call me your girlfriend in one sentence and in the next call me a bitch? Real gentlemanly of you,” Nidintu said.
“Hey, I didn’t call you my girlfriend. I controlled myself. And I wouldn’t need to call you a bitch if you weren’t acting like one. Not even talking about the crewmates, just the ECSS guys. Would it kill you to be a little nicer to our fellow agents?” Uktannu asked.
“Yes.”
“Alright, suit yourself. Anyways, here’s another arrival.”
A large, stout, hairy man, covered in tribal tattoos, and looking like he was in his thirties, climbed aboard the ship with a few bags of weapons and approached Uktannu.
“Murdus of Rhages. Reporting for duty,” the man said in a deep voice.
“You gotta be fucking with me…” Nidintu uttered.
“Ah yes, Murdus. Our muscle. Having been raised as a fierce Lullubi warrior, he is an expert in unarmed combat as well as sword fighting. Hopefully we won’t need your skills too often, your intimidating presence should be enough to scare most of our potential enemies off,” Uktannu said.
“You’re right. But still, crushing a skull or a few would be nice, just to preserve my reputation, if nothing else,” Murdus said.
“Well, uh, I’m sure we will find relevant tasks for you there.”
“Thank you, commander. I will not disappoint you. And who is the lovely lady beside you?”
“I am none of your fucking business, that’s who,” Nidintu angrily replied.
“No need to be rude, I just wanted to get to know the team-” Murdus said as he approached her.
“If you even think about touching me, I will cut out your intestines and feed them to you, and that will be just the start,” Nidintu said as she took out a dagger and held it to Murdus’ throat.
“Ha! An aggressive one. I like her. But I understand. No need to threaten me again.”
“She, uh, well, does that… sometimes… yeah,” Uktannu shook his head. “Here are your keys, get acquainted with your cabin, agent,” he gave Murdus the key to his cabin.
“Will do,” Murdus picked up his weapons and headed to his room. “Call me when you need any serious work done.”
“So we are now taking barbarians in as well, huh?” Nidintu crossed her arms.
“Like it or not, the Lullubi are part of the EC now. And that means they can be part of the ECSS as well. So yes, we are taking them in as well,” Uktannu said.
“Why? Is it because of some quota so that all the ethnicities would be represented?”
“Or maybe, just maybe, it’s because he’s the right man for the job?”
“I highly doubt that.”
“Well, believe what you will, but you will have to learn to work with this team.”
“I know how to work, you don’t have to worry about me. But if that unwashed barbarian gets his shit-stained hands too close to me, I’m cutting them off. As well as any other appendages of his. I’m not joking.”
“I believe that. And I believe he believes you too. He won’t disturb you.”
“He better not. So anyways, when is this circus performance ending? Who’s the last member of this freak show?”
“I believe that would be me, my exasperated exquisite gentlewoman. Doctor Warad-Sin Hakammun, at your service,” a man dressed in black robes, with a long black cape, a hat, and a bird-like beak mask appeared in front of them, carrying a cane and a few bags of medicines.
“How- how the fuck did you get here?”
“The ways of the plaguedoctor are mysterious indeed.”
“It appears our final agent is here,” Uktannu, also quite bewildered, introduced him. “Warad-Sin, a Babylonian doctor. India is bound to have all sorts of illnesses and diseases which could be unknown to us, so we must have a good medic in our ranks to help us deal with them. Or, better yet, prevent being infected by them in the first place. And Warad-Sin is said to be among the best. And, just like everyone else in the ECSS, he is also well trained in combat.”
“Much obliged for such a compliment on my skills, sire commander. I am indeed trained in the arts of alchemy and medicine, in addition to my recent training in the usage of armaments such as swords,” he pulled out his sword, revealing the cane to be a sheath for it, “and guns,” he slid a small handgun out of his coat sleeve into his hand. “You will find me a valuable agent, I assure you.”
“Are you gonna continue with these theatrics for the entire mission, bird-head?” Nidintu asked.
“The plaguedoctor must, thus the plaguedoctor will.”
“Right… How do you even breathe in that thing?”
“The plaguedoctor’s secrets are not for the diseased rabble to perceive. Of course, you are not one of them, but I cannot-”
“You know what, I don’t care. Just go.”
“Here are your keys, doc. Cabin nineteen, lower deck,” Uktannu gave Warad-Sin the keys to his room.
“Much appreciated, sire commander. Is it true that we have a Lullubi male on board our vessel?” Warad-Sin asked.
“Uh, yes. Murdus is our Lullubi agent.”
“Most fascinating. I will observe that most peculiar specimen throughout our journey.”
“Knock yourself out. Just don’t do any of your experiments on him.”
“Before I go – the sultry gentlelady emits… interesting pheromones. And that skin… Hmm. Take this,” Warad-Sin put a bunch of herbs in Nidintu’s hand. “And drink this liquid,” he gave her a vial with some liquid in it, before picking up his things and heading for the lower deck.
“Where the fuck do you find people like these?” Nidintu asked in disbelief.
“Honestly, I don’t even know myself,” Uktannu replied. “But I don’t discriminate. You should learn to do that too. Now, you heard the doc, eat your herbs and drink your… liquid. We’re sailing out soon.”
“I think I’ll go find our opium stash. I really need it right now.”
“Hey, no drugs on the job!”
“We aren’t on the job yet. It’s a long ass way to India, and I’ll be stuck for the entire way on this ship with these creeps. And besides, there’s not much else to do in the meantime anyways. So let me get high in peace!”
“You… Sure, why the fuck not.”
In a couple more hours, once the final preparations were made, the ECSS ships sailed out. Leaving the port of Keshm behind them, they set their sights on the Indus Valley, from where they would begin their journey deeper into India.