147. SLAVES: RUKU.

I had never had a slave and never contemplated having one. I now had five. My status showed a bond for each of them, but nothing else other than a feeling or sensation identifying which one it was. I had to find out about their skills and classes by talking to them. I didn’t have time for five in-depth discussions as I had a dead Patrol Leader and a dead soldier who would be missed very shortly. I set Abigail to strip the uniform of the Patrol Leader because I felt I deserved a promotion. Or rather, it had the potential to create more confusion.

I questioned each of my slaves to find out their classes. Skills would come later. Anita was Abigail’s mother, a Master Seaman, Journeyman Captain, and Apprentice Cannoneer and Archer. Robert was Abigail's father, a Master Sailor, Journeyman Navigator and Merchant, and Apprentice Carpenter. I don’t know the difference between a seaman and a sailor. I am a sailor myself. It is not important right now.

Knut was the dwarf, a Journeyman Sailor and Axeman, and a Novice Carpenter. It was unusual to have a class focused on one weapon type. Usually, they come as specialisations. I would need to find him an axe.

Suzy was a well-built human female who was a Journeyman Sailor, Apprentice Sailmaker, and Novice Oarsman. Tim was a skinny young human who was an Apprentice Sailor and Watchman. He confirmed he had Farsight and Darksight, even though they were not very high levelled.

I looked to Thorsson, “what do you need for this locomotion thing?” I asked. He had already been working with his enchanters, so he knew their skills better.

“Some parts and tools in the Smithy and then time on board,” he replied.

“How long before they are missed?” I said, pointing to the Patrol Leader.

“They would normally be finished about now,” Abigail said.

So much for going tomorrow. We will be going now. There was always a chance that it would but my distraction and the backup ride will not be around until tomorrow. I called Thorsson and Abigail over, “You need to each drink one of these,” I said, handing them a vaccine vial each. “It will protect you from the sickness. There are side effects. Tiredness and fever mostly, but you will need to push through it because we can’t stop, and I can’t afford for you to get the sickness.” They each skulled the vials. “I have two more we will share amongst the slaves. They should have higher resistances.” Thorsson and I gave each slave a quarter vial.

I looked at Thorsson, “Will anyone stop you if you take your group, grab what you need from the Smithy and go to the ship?”

“They shouldn’t. Patrol leader Williams there was pushing us to get the ship operating.” he replied.

“Right, you get moving. I will deal with the door guard. Oh! Do you have any axes out there?” I remembered to ask.

“Only for chopping firewood.” Thorsson replied.

“Bring it too.” I said.

Thorsson gathered his trio and headed to the side door to the Smithy. We could go that way too, but we still had to go past the door guard to get to the ship, so he needed to be dealt with. I spent a bit more time with the slaves, making sure they understood they could defend themselves if they were attacked. If I gave them instructions in line with their class and skills, I did not need to go into much detail. An Axeman knew how to defend using an axe, and they all should have at least basic Unarmed Combat. Instruction outside their skills would require much more detailed instructions. Hence I was hoping they would manage the ship with just basic instructions. While I was almost a Journeymen Sailor, I knew nothing about navigating at sea or repairing a sail, etc. They would do it without inspiration, but they would do it.

I had Skinny Tim go and call the soldier at the door in to speak to the Patrol Leader. The good thing about using slaves is that truth skills won’t detect a lie because they are not lying. They are just obeying instructions and won’t be able to answer any questions. I ambushed him and drowned him in Poison Water like his leader. Robert, Abigail's father, was about his size, so I had him put the uniform on. The Soldier that took the knife was a big fella, so cleaned most of the blood off, and Suzy wore that. A Patrol Leader and two soldiers escorting workers on the ship might pass at a distance. We grabbed things that might be useful, mostly crates of food, and marched out boldly to the ship. I hoped we survived long enough to get hungry.

When we got to the ship, Torsson was arguing with the soldier on duty. There were four of them on deck. Two were guarding the wharf side, and two were patrolling. Together. Time to be an officer.

“What’s the problem, soldier, and where is your Squad Leader?” I channelled my best hardass officer routine.

“Sir,” He saluted, as did his partner, “Squad Leader Perich will come on duty in two hours, Sir. The problem, Sir, is that no work scheduled for tonight, Sir”

“Patrol Leader Williams is down with the sickness, and he is way behind schedule, so there will be work tonight,” I commanded while ushering everybody aboard.

“Yes, Sir. I need to report this to the Duty Officer, sir. Who shall I say ordered it?” He obviously wanted my name.

Everybody was on deck now but had not moved further in, so there was some cover of the ten or so bodies standing around. I caught Thorsson’s eye, and he moved behind the soldier’s partner. “It’s Patrol Leader Gwaed,” and I grabbed him, clamped a hand over his mouth, and pumped his lungs full of poisoned water. I held him aloft, and his partner took a step toward me, then collapsed on the deck with a severed spinal cord from a piece of sharp metal Thorsson held.

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I called out to the two patrolling guards, “These two have collapsed. It is probably the sickness. We need a med team.” I looked at Thorsson and quietly said, “get it working fast,” and he went below with his three.

One of the two soldiers came running, the other held back with suspicion on his face. Shit. I grabbed the one coming fast and shoved my hand over his face, and pumped him full of poison water. The other started blowing his alarm whistle. Double shit. I aimed my arm at him, blasted Water Surge, and sent him over the rail into the sea.

I grabbed Anita and said, “You are the Captain. Get this boat out to sea fast.” Her Captain Class got to work, and she started issuing orders to the others, and they started moving. I started continuously using the one Skill I had that I thought might help. I got Inspiring Aura when I got my Leadership Specialisation. It seems to enhance the Mental Agility of those around me, but it is different for each person. At least it might make the slaves more proactive. I hoped.

I then followed the Soldier into the water. He had surfaced and was blowing his whistle again, but I used Water manipulation to drag him back under and crush his chest, getting the air out of his lungs, and then I filled them with water, drowning him. While I was in the water, I dove for the waterproof bags and tossed them onto the deck. I then climbed the hull using Suction Grip.

By the time I got on the deck, Anita had got us untied from the wharf, and the first sail was being unfurled. At least there was a reasonable breeze, even if it was not directly blowing offshore. A squad of soldiers was coming our way at a run, and the alarm was spreading. At this rate, we are not even going to get out of the harbour before we are blown from the water.

I grabbed Knut the Axeman and shoved the wood axe at him, and said, “You are with me to stop anyone else boarding the ship.” I tossed all my bags below deck except the ones with the weapons. I grabbed a sword and a small shield, cursing that I didn’t put a war axe in. We were separating from the dock but too slowly for people with a Physical build like these soldiers. They will jump the gap.

I limped to the stern of the ship, which would be closest to the wharf the longest. My Patrol Leader’s uniform is soaking wet and uncomfortable, and my foot is aching over top of my Pain Resistance. I think the sprint across the deck reopened the wound, and the salt water is making it worse. My foot will need to be re-cleaned and bandaged. I had Regeneration focussed on my foot, so the flesh wound will close in another hour or so. The bone will take longer.

I was still channelling Inspiring Aura. I shouted instructions to Captain Anita, “We need to avoid being boarded and avoid cannon fire. Make for the open ocean, but we will be chased and need to avoid being caught or sunk.” I really hoped she had the skills to enable those general instructions. I was pretty sure any Captain would have some skills there, especially one who did work for the Kirghiz Military Intelligence. “And If you have some way to hide us once we are out from the harbour, that would be fantastic,” I added. My reasoning is Military Intelligence is a spy organisation, more covert than overt. I haven’t had time to discover what skills she had, so I am hoping some will click with those instructions, and my Inspiring Aura will help.

The first of the soldiers was jumping for the ship. They were trying to avoid Knut and me, so I had to move to intercept. I didn’t try shield bashing as I wasn’t sure their momentum wouldn’t send me sprawling as my Shield Bash was only mid-apprentice. My Piecing Strike and Fast Strike were in the mid-journeyman levels. I got two body stabs in as they went flying past. One at least hit a lung. I moved as the next one was coming. My Sonar picked up Knut, almost cutting someone in half with the simple wood axe. That is a high-powered Class.

An Imperial Squad is ten people, including the Squad leader, usually two ranged attackers and at least one Heavey front liner with the rest melee fighters. I dodged an arrow, which deflected off my Whirlpool Shield while Shield Bashing the next jumper from the side, making her miss the back of the ship and end up in the water. Knut was engaged with a soldier who made it on board, and there were two more incoming while two were shooting arrows. Knut took an arrow to the leg. He had no armour.

I dropped to the deck under the jumper coming at me with a shield. He went right over me, which put him off balance as he was expecting to hit me. I helped him on his way with a Water Surge, and he went off the other side of the ship. I wondered what had happened to the arrows as I was expecting some. I looked, and they had changed targets to the Helm. That was smart of them. Then I realised my Inspiring Aura didn’t distinguish between people but affected everybody in my radius. I withdrew my radius to just beyond the ship. Anita was down, but I don’t know how bad. Abigail was there sheltering her with a large wooden shield. If Anita were killed, we wouldn’t be getting out of the harbour.

I had to roll quickly as the last jumper was stabbing down at me. I got my shield between us, but I was still lying on the ground. A small water Surge staggered him back, allowing me to get to my feet. He came at me hard, trying to keep the initiative, but I had decades of experience on the lad. I quickly disarmed him and bashed him overboard. Knut had dealt with his attacker and was dodging arrows. The two archers were the only ones left to fight, and we were now too far from the wharf to jump.

I headed to the Knut and helped him bandage the wound in his leg. I set him to collect the attacker's weapons and armour and throw the bodies overboard. I headed to the helm to check on Anita. As I limped up to the deck, I used my Master level Water Manipulation to try and speed the ship up. It had very little effect on a ship this size. I could make my canoe basically surf the waves, but the Seabreeze was too big for a noticeable difference. Every little bit helped.

“What the fuck, Ruku? Mum took an arrow to the chest, and she is breathing blood!” Abigail was rightly upset.

“Get the blue waterproof bag just inside the galley entrance,” I commanded, and she ran off. She came back quickly, and I grabbed one of Gwaed’s healing potions. I pulled the arrow, tipped some of the liquid in, and made her drink the rest while I bound the wound. Knut and I would have to tough it out because I don't have many potions. I looked at Abigail again, “Do you have any skills to make us move faster?”

She didn’t want to leave her mother, but she nodded, “I can smooth the hull and make sure it is clean.”

“Good,” I said. “Start at the Bow and work your way back. We need everything we can get.” She hesitated to look at her mother. “Go! Now!” I commanded, “or we are all dead.” She dragged herself away and went below deck, hopefully, to get to work.

I looked at Anita. Her breathing seems to have settled down. I am no healer, but I have seen more than my share of battle wounds. I also start to pulse Refreshing Aura. I needed to pace myself, or I would run out of energy. It is no good if I keel over from energy loss. Spiritual energy or Spiritual Consitution, as it is labelled in our status, could be used down to about 10% safely. Lower than 50%, you can feel lethargic. At 5%, you generally drop unconscious until the body recovers. If it gets to zero, you die. That is how Tabith’s bond, Nyx, kills. My energy was dropping fast. Now that the fight was over, I was feeling a bit lethargic. I wonder if the Monster Energy potions would revive Spiritual Energy. I had one left, so I would keep it handy.

I helped Anita to her feet. One good thing about a slave is they don’t lie. If you ask them how they are, they will tell you. I stayed with her to relay her orders and be the steersman. She couldn’t yell without reopening the wound in her lung.