Triple Strength

287. Clan Črna: Tabitha.

He bloody did it on purpose. He knows I hate the goatee, especially as a redhead. We were meeting at one of the safe houses. I frowned at him when he entered. Wiremu just gave me a big cheesy grin that made me roll my eyes.

“Captain Lee, the mediocre stealth ‘expert’, huh?” I said when he explained her offer.

“Apparently, her expertise is infiltrating the Empire and setting up spy networks.”

“So, at least an agent for the Republic, possibly a double agent for the Empire?”

Wiremu nodded, “Apparently, we have no experience setting up clandestine organisations to support ex-slaves, and we need help.”

I raised my eyebrows at that, “If only they knew what I have done in the last few weeks right under their noses.”

“If they did know, it would not have been clandestine. They are lucky you didn’t start a war.”

“Please, The gangs around here are child's play.”

“Should I ask how much you took over when I asked you not to?” Wiremu said.

“Probably best not to ask. We have a good second income stream and are divorced from the Kingdom. Not enough to keep the bounty payments going, though.”

“We are barely paying one a month now, so while the cost per bounty has risen, the numbers have dropped, and we are spending less there.”

“What do you think about Lee,” I asked.

“Truth Sensing didn’t detect anything. The Famous Five are experienced at coming and going in the empire, so we don’t need her. She might be helpful with existing contacts in the empire, but she might also betray us.”

“That about sums it up,” I agreed. “I could check her out, but I won’t find anything.”

“So take her, use her and watch for betrayal, or leave her behind?” Wiremu asked.

“Shall we flip a coin?” I suggested.

Wiremu laughed, “Like I would trust you in a game of chance.” He pulled out a coin, “Heads or tails?”

“Heads she comes, tails she stays, and I am watching you! I know your Sleight of Hand has been improving.”

Wiremu smiled and flipped the coin to land on the floor. We looked at it, and then Wiremu said, “Do you want to tell her how indispensable she will be to us, or shall I?”

“You can. Practise Roleplaying some of that boyish charm.”

“I thought I might bring out Wild Bill.”

“Probably best not to yet, if at all.” I made a point of looking him up and down, “the sleazy merchant look doesn’t really suit either.”

He just grinned again, then said, “Have you talked to Mayakku?”

“Briefly. I scanned the proposal and made a couple of minor Adjustments. She will be safer here than going with us.”

“I know, but I was thinking she could flesh enchant some others if she came with us.” he shrugged, “It is probably better she stays and then heads back to her family. Or heading straight back to Tāttā is probably the safest option.”

“Astrid is thinking of staying with her.”

“Really? I think I demonstrated that a Healer is still needed after the cactus monster episode.”

“Your body was processing the poison, and you would have been fine. She sped up the healing. I think she is keen to head back to the kingdom as well.”

Wiremu thought for a bit, “I suppose Umreti has the First Aid class, and we can stock up on potions.”

“The empire does have merchants, you know.” I reminded him with a smile. The first place we were heading was my home city of Yelets. I was looking forward to seeing the place again, but I was also dreading it as it would remind me of my brother Warren. We had three or more months of travel first.

“I guess it is their choice. We have been together for a long time.” Wiremu sounded melancholy. I think this brings up Kelda in his mind and, to a lesser extent, the others who left.

“It is just us now. Clan Črna. The five of us are in the last step of the mission. It is you, me, Modrica, Ruku and Umreti through life and death.”

“That is very dramatic,” Wiremu said with a smile.

“I am an actress,” I said, having pulled him out of his melancholy

“You also forgot about the hangers-on.”

“Yes, but Lee and the Famous Five are hangers-on. Temporary.”

Wiremu nodded, then changed the subject, “When will you be ready to leave?”

“Tomorrow night. That gives me the rest of today, tonight, and all of tomorrow to sort things. I can sleep on Dusk as we ride.”

“You know I have technically completed my mission. I have found and funded a way to break the Slave Class and made it available to everyone. I could stop and retire now.”

I snorted in disbelief, “Yeah, right.”

“There are two specific things I want to do. I want to dismantle the slave army if they are building one. Secondly, I want to tear down the slave-making quarry and similar places. There will be similar places.”

I nodded, “and as a means to those ends, we will establish hidden rescue and rehabilitation centres, which are Empire-funded.”

“Empire funded?”

“Who do you think we are going to steal from?”

That got another smile from Wiremu. Then he said, “Before I go and break the good news to the indispensable Captain, I have something I want to show you.”

Wiremu then put his hand on the table and created a small slab of Granite. But it wasn’t normal Granite. It was messing with my Spatial Awareness. I looked closer, and it was like it was giving me a headache, and it felt like the world might begin to spin. The strange thing was that it was affecting my Spatial Awareness as well.

“What is it?”

“Puia has finished processing the rock he took from the mushroom cave. We can add this effect to rock and lava, but I think we might be able to add it to any mineral, like metals.”

“You haven’t told me what it is,” I complained, taking a step back. It was very disconcerting.

“The Skill is called Phantasm (Mineral). This is only Level 1. It distorts perception and perception skills at the novice levels. It distorts my Thermal Sensing, What about your Spatial Awareness?”

I nodded.

“It increases as it levels, and in Apprentice, it also starts to make people hallucinate. Not just seeing things but smell, hearing, touch and other senses. I get the impression that what someone senses will depend on them and their fears. At Journeyman level, this is a full-blown hallucination involving all the senses.”

“How do you combat it?”

“Mental Strength, mostly. Mental Resistance and Mind Shields help as well.”

I reinforced my Shadow Mind with Mental Strength and could look at the rock again. “Interesting,” I said, “So disorientation and moving into Hallucinations. How would you use it?”

“I am still working on that. I have some traps in mind that it could be used in. You can't control what people see, though.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure of that.” Wiremu looked at me, puzzled. I continued, “People jump to conclusions if you give them a few clues. You are doing it right now with your red hair and disgusting goatee. They look at the obvious and make assumptions about the rest. The Phantasm Skill could enhance those assumptions, but it would have to be well into Apprentice level.”

“You really are good at this, aren’t you.”

I grinned. Illusions, acting, and misdirection are my sweet spot and always have been. Distract was one of my first skills.

“You are thinking we could use this to help get Modrica and Umreti into the Empire?” Wiremu was quick. He always had been.

“We would have to think carefully about what first impressions we want to give, but yes, it is a possibility. We would need to test it, and it would have to be past the disorientation stage.”

“Disorientation is good in fights,” Wiremu said.

“The path to levelling it,” I said. “Now that Puia has shown what he can do, I guess you are looking for some Blacksteel?”

Wiremu nodded, “If you have any.”

I pulled the Blacksteel Stilleto out of my Spatial pocket, “I have only ever used this once, I think. It is just taking up space. I am very interested in what Puia could do with it.”

“Its main properties are its strength and durability,” Wiremu said.

“Don’t forget that Nyx has a particular preference for Blacksteel,” I said.

“You think Nyx could form a link through this to Puia?”

“That might be going too far, but it might help with communication and sharing of energy. But it may not either. He might just be able to be harder and more durable.”

Wiremu put the stiletto on the granite he had made and placed his hand on it. Puia melted the Blacksteel. I didn’t think that would be possible, but he did, and it disappeared. Wiremu then removed the Granite. This was going to be interesting.