Triple Strength

61. Training Camp: Wiremu

We arrived at the Army camp about an hour before dusk. We were offered some tents for the night and Skavt accepted. The Army wanted to ‘debrief’ whatever that meant. I think Skavt saw I was in no condition to ride anymore today. Ört rebandaged my leg and Najprej and Drugič hunted up some food for us. I pretty much crashed after that.

We had packed up in the morning when a soldier came and said the Captain wanted to see us. We trooped off after the messenger, well the others trooped, I limped. My leg was noticeably better, but it would take a few days to heal. The command tent was near the gate facing the Kill Zone. Captain Tor was the skinniest and wiriest Orc I have ever seen. With him was Lieutenant Aaren. Tāoke was hidden in my shoulder armour and Kryddor came with us. Okse was left in charge of the other mounts. He was happy if he had something to munch on. I don’t think that Yak ever stopped eating. I guess he was still growing.

“Come in and take a seat.” Captain Tor had a deep voice like most Orcs. There were three seats. Najprej insisted I take one because of my leg so I sat next to Skavt and Drugič was on the other side. Najprej and Ört stood behind. Kryddor came and sat at my feet.

Lieutenant Aaren started with, “Please walk us through finding the goblins and the fight from your side.” There was a Dwarven soldier at a side table ready to take notes. Skavt talked them through the patrol, and the sighting and then what they did after I was sent to the camp, which was to shadow the goblins. When they heard the attack start they moved in at the rear of the horde. When she finished, the Lieutenant turned to me and said to walk them through the fight as it involved me.

“I am a hunter so I joined the archers.” I walked them through following the lead of the archer next to me, but nothing about Skills, especially new Skills. I talked to them about seeing the back of the Shaman, but nothing about putting a Venom Arrow in him. I saw him get taken by a fire bolt and then that the area where the Shamans fought had been devastated so I decided to go and help. When I said I discarded my bow and picked up a shield I was stopped.

The Captain said, “Lieutenant Aaren said he saw you create a stone shield.”

I said, “It is true I picked up a shield.”

“Not made a shield?” the Captain said.

I switched to Orcish as I figured the Lieutenant and the Dwarf scribe wouldn’t understand, but my team and Captain Tor would. “I will only admit to picking up a shield,”

“Why” the Captain asked in the same language.

“Because I want to be left alone.” I replied still in Orcish.

The Captain was silent for quite a while. Everybody waited for him. Eventually he said in Common, “Carry on with your story.”

It amused me that he said story, not a report or an account. The rest was straight forward, the darts and knives were from my bandolier, no mention of a spike war, I decapitated the Shaman and then Tāoke saved my ass. Actually, he saved all our asses. I put it more politely than that.

“So Tāoke is your two metre long serpent bond?” the Captain asked

“Well, he is a snake but he is not two metres long.” I put my hand to my shoulder and Tāoke came out in all his half metre long glory. I think the Captain was amused. The Lieutenant was fuming at my fabrications.

“Let it be recorded that Tāoke is a snake of about a half metre length and only 50-60 mm wide.” the Captain said to the Dwarf. The Lieutenant might be fuming, but he knew when to keep his mouth shut.

The Captain again looked at me. “Give me your assessment of Lieutenant Kelda.”

I decided not to sugar coat it. “She is too young. She has been over protected. She hardly knows her Affinity at all, for fuck sake she only had one attack Skill that I saw. Seriously Fireball or bolt or whatever it is called. She didn’t even use any martial skills. She has had caution pumped into her from childhood and now she seems almost scared of her Affinity. My assessment is that Warrior is the wrong class for her and she will not fit the standard Army mould. She will break before that and you will lose a powerful Affinity user.”

That was too much for Lieutenant Arren. He burst out, “We have been training Soldiers and Affinity users for decades. We are not going to listen to an upstart foreign mercenary who won’t even admit to his own Affinity.”

He was interrupted by the Captain who gave one of those, almost subsonic, growls Orcs were known for. I was wondering if I could make a Granite Spike long enough to go up the Lieutenants arse. I probably could but the Captain continued, “Lieutenant Kelba will be on light duties for at least two weeks. Would you be able to work with her on her Affinity in those weeks?”

“I will only be on light duties for a week and we have a contract with the Jern Guard, not the army. Any renegotiations will need to go through Skavt.” I replied.

Skavt said “ The Canine Queens are fully capable to continue our contractual responsibilities, even if our idiot member is recuperating.”

“The Kirghiz Army has the authority to take over contracts if deemed necessary. I will send word to the Guard in Kulle of your meritorious service and that you will operate from here for the remainder of your term. How long is that?”

“Two weeks,” she replied.

“Convenient. As of now you are under contract to the Kirghiz Army. In about an hour there is a squad of Scouts and two squads of soldiers leaving to track the Goblin Hoard to find their exit and to close it. I want you to be part of that escort and replace one of those squads. Expect to be gone three or more days. We had 23 killed in that fight and another six need limbs to be regrown. We are short handed if there is a major breakout. Those who are on light duty can report to the training ground and see Sergeant Henrik for supplies.”

We looked at Skavt. She checked with us and we didn’t have any objections so she turned to the Captain. “Very well, but I want to make it very clear that all the members of the Canine Queens are under my command, not yours. That includes those members on light duty.”

I appreciated Skavt saying that and making it clear I wasn’t under their orders. I imagine Army types like ordering everybody around.

“Lieutenant Kelda will train with you, Warren, but she will have two guards with her at all times. Very well, dismissed.”

We left the tent. The other’s were basically ready to go, they just needed food. I got the feeling Tāoke was undecided whether to go or stay. He really likes Oske. In the end he decided to stay with me. Drugič gave me a nudge and a wink before she left. I went back to the visitors tent we were assigned and unloaded Rocky, then asked directions to the training grounds.