Triple Strength

82. Interview: Wiremu

I was really getting to like Ruku. Now I think he might be way too observant to be able to join us. The trouble is I think we need what he can teach us. He didn’t have to mention that people could identify Tāoke as a Monster with Journeyman Level Sense Spiritual. That is probably what drew him over to me at the performance. He is Military. Retired or not, he is still military, and that will be where his loyalty lies. I wonder how much he has already told them. I wonder how much he has already seen with his Interrogate Status Skill.

Tabitha checked with our Caravan Master, Selma, to see if she had any issues or wanted to be at the interview. She was excited he might be joining us. If he were to take charge of the morning sparring, it would attract other guards to join us, and we needed to replace four who were not going further than Obalno. She couldn’t be at the interview but sincerely hoped it was successful.

Skavt would join us for the interview. She was in charge of Security for the Caravan and knew about Nyx and the affinities, including Tabitha’s Shadow Affinity. Both Tabitha and I were concerned the Military would try to pressure us into working for them or, worst case, joining them. This wasn’t the Empire, so we hoped the worst-case scenario was off the table. Even in Hrothgar, they only wanted to use our names and reputation. The best case was that Ruku could be our buffer between them and us. I wasn’t expecting that either.

We could not hire him and go our separate ways. However, I think Military Intelligence is going to catch up with us at some point, and that could leave us with few options. The big question is Ruku himself. He is definitely who he says he is, and that is a straight-talking soldier. He has a brain on him, and I am sure that there is someone to who he is reporting.

Tabitha has another concern. She is afraid that his Sonar Skill will curtail her clandestine movements. It is unusual for a non-Mer to have the ability. She has started taking more care now that we are by the coast and the Mer are more common. It was clear from last night that her Shadows Embrace partially confused the Sonar. Ruku could tell something was there, but not that it was a person. She is quite active at night, making connections and doing deals that neither of us could see the military being in favour of. If we employ Ruku, she will have to be a lot more careful about hiding her activities.

I heard Skavt and Tabitha arriving for the interview. I would be relying heavily on my Truth Sensing Skill for this interview, and it was only mid-Apprentice. Thinking about it now, I could have easily levelled it by going gambling with Tabitha. I might still do that, but it won’t help today. I poured the pot of tea, ready for the interview.

Ruku arrived a few minutes later, and I poured the tea, and we sat around a small table to talk. After some preliminary questions on Skills and experience, I figured we might as well start with the more sensitive questions, as this might just mean the end of the relationship.

“Ruku, you consult for the Marines in training and levelling. Do you consult them for anything else?” I asked.

“I didn’t until I reported this time. This time, Major Sione from MI wanted me to check out Comedic Rhythm as he suspected an unknown Shadow Affinity user existed. MI is Military Intelligence, by the way.” He replied.

“So that is why you were at the performance.” I stated.

He nodded. “I haven't talked to anyone from Comedic Rhythm as I got sidetracked by you and Tāoke. However, I do have some of the answers for them, and, to be quite frank, in any city of moderate size, you are going to be identified as affinity users. The signs are there, and a large part of MI is tracking affinity users.” Ruku went on.

“We don’t want anything to do with the military.” Tabitha stated forcefully.

“I picked that up.” Ruku said. “MI tracks all affinity users anyway. They can be great threats and great allies.”

“We don’t want to be either.” Tabitha said.

“But you are mercenaries, are you not? In fact, you are mercenaries who have no love for the Empire.” He nodded to Skavt, as it was common knowledge Orcs were feuding with the empire. “MI is more flexible than most military units and would probably be interested to know if you were open to accepting some contracts.”

“Those contracts wouldn’t be coming through the Mercenary Guild, would they?” Tabitha asked.

“Probably not all of them, but this is not my field. I really am just a Soldier,” Ruku replied.

“I am interested in how much you have figured out.” I asked. This would tell me how much was able to be discovered by a reasonably bright person.

“You Sten have a rock affinity of some sort, and Tāoke is a Monster. There is a Shadow Affinity user, and my guess is that it is you, Skygge. There is something else, or you are extraordinarily clever, Skygge. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have frustrated the head of the local MI unit.”

“I will take ‘clever’.” Skygge replied. “I assume MI knows this?”

Ruku nodded. “They are very puzzled about how you have gotten this far into the Kingdom without their notice.”

I ignored the implicit question. “We are not hiring MI, and we are not working for MI. Individual contracts will be assessed and evaluated along with all the other contracts we may look at. Why should we hire you, Ruku.”

“Especially if you are spying for the military,” added Skavt.

“I am not a spy. I am a Marine and Commando, Fisherman and Diver. I don’t do subtle, and I don't do deception. I am also not offering to be a go-between with you and MI. That is not my skill set. My skill set is in combat and training for combat. That is what you are hiring.”

“What about MI?” Tabitha asked.

Ruku replied, “One thing you will need to know if you hire me. I will tell it straight and blunt. I don’t sugarcoat things. With regards to MI, you will have to deal with them. However, they are not unreasonable. They are always looking for allies against a common enemy.”

“We are not going to go and spill all our secrets to them,” Tabitha said.

“How much you tell them or don’t tell them is entirely up to you. You know how much they know. If you hire me, I expect confidentiality clauses in the contract. I will abide by any contract I sign.”

Ruku was coming across strongly as a straight-talking soldier, and my Truth Sensing confirmed that. How come my Truth Sensing Skill only seems to level when sensing lies, not the truth? It should be called the Sensing Lies Skill.

“Are you willing to take on the combat training for the Caravan?” Skavt asked.

“If that is what you want to hire me for. It would be exactly what I am interested in. I have never trained Catkin before.” Ruku answered.

“You have the Trainer Class. Can you use Skill Books?” Skavt continued.

“Yes, but I don't own any. They all belonged to the Navy; I can only use them, not make them. Making Skill books is a Class of its own.”

“We are heading to Kirghiz City and not planning to return. We are unsure of our plans after that. Everybody in the Caravan is contracted until Kirghiz.” Tabitha said.

“That is fine. My daughter is in Kirghiz City, and I have no pressing engagements.” Ruku said. “I have a question. Appā said you, Sten, and Tāoke were injured in a fight with a Lava Affinity user. There is only one known Lava affinity user, Derek Collier from the Empire. Alessia Striker, with her Hawk bond Aurora, sometimes worked with him. Did you fight them and Survive?”

Sten nodded.

“How? Please understand we keep track of other countries' affinity users and often plan combat scenarios. It is professional curiosity as it was always thought at least one strong water affinity user would be required to counter his lava.” Ruku sounded very curious.

I thought for a bit but decided the news was now out there. This will probably mean I will be on everybody's watch list. A wilderness retreat sounded good. The only problem with that is I was not going to leave the empire alone, so getting on watch lists was going to be inevitable, and having MI at my back, even loosely, might be an advantage.

“They attacked me in terrain that was very disadvantageous to them both. Hilly forest. It blocked sightlines and provided cover. I kept dodging, running him out of energy. Second, they underestimated Tāoke and thought the Hawk was enough to kill him. Third, they were trying to take me alive and underestimated my Regeneration and Pain Resistance. Fourthly, they underestimated Tāoke badly. All three died of his venom.” That was as much information as I was willing to give.

“It wasn’t only Tāoke they underestimated, and clearly you are a great team.” Ruku seemed to understand a lot more than just what was said.

“I suppose Sten is now going to be on a watch list and part of MI combat scenarios?” Skavt asked.

“I am sure he is already on the Empire’s list, and that is why they sent Collier and Striker to counter you. Not all scenarios go to plan.” Ruku said.

“Very well, Ruku. We will need to discuss your potential employment and get back to you soon. Where can we contact you?” Tabitha asked.

“I am staying at the Three Sisters Inn. If you want to go cave exploring, Sten, I am available whether or not you offer me a job.” Ruku replied.

“I might take you up on that,” I replied.

After Ruku left, we discussed the pros and cons of employing him. In my view, the pros outweigh the cons. Tabitha was the most reluctant. In her opinion, he was too straightforward. He could sense too much, and her activities would have to be much better hidden. She was also grumpy that he was fluent in Mer with Sonar, and she couldn’t use him to help negotiate with the Mer smugglers she was having trouble with. The result was an employment contract until Kirghiz, as the second in command of security under Skavt.