100. Tjenner: Wiremu.

I didn’t want to stay in the village with Mayakku. We both wanted to get back, see what was happening, and do our bit to help. Catkin were very attached to their Pride, and Mayakku was very anxious to see her family, especially her brother's recovery and to mourn Ilaiya. Mayakku would not be up to a simple six-hour jog back to Obalno, and there were no horses available in the village. It took a full twelve hours to get back to the quarry, and we arrived in the evening.

The defences were mostly rebuilt thanks to Abigail’s wood affinity, and she had only been there a day. They were starting work on repairs to the building and fences tomorrow. Skavt was there pampering Oske, who was the hero of the fight. Again. That Yak has been amazing. I must ask Skavt what sort of Skills she has obtained from him. I really wish I had been with the Canine Queens for their fight.

I caught up with Skavt and Drugič, and they caught me up with what happened in town. I will need to catch up with Tabitha and find out how the meeting with the Pack Rats went. I am not surprised she has a date with the Heir, whatever his name is. I wonder how Ruku is. Tabitha will have explained who I am by now. I wonder how he is coping with that.

Tāoke and I had better get into the city before the gate closed. The Comedic Rhythm had only been guarded by Najprej, Ört and Kryddor last night. Tabitha had forked out for a high-class establishment in a rich part of town, so the Inn security was a lot better, and there were regular patrols by the Watch, not that those meant much.

We got through the gates just before they closed and headed to the rich Inn. The doorman almost didn’t let me in as I had only taken the time to scrub off the worst of the dirt and sweat, and I was loaded for war. Once I had proved my ID and name-dropped the Elemental Traders and a gold coin, I discovered Tabitha had reserved a very nice room. I checked on everyone and then cleaned up. Tabitha was in an adjoining room with Modrica, but she was still asleep, having been up all the previous night.

I picked up Ruku, and we went down to the tavern for an ale and a chat.

“So I can call you Wiremu?” he asked.

“If you want. Sten would keep things consistent for those not in the know.” I replied.

“So, you are from the Empire?” he asked.

“I actually grew up in the Free Republic. It borders the empire to the south and west. My full name is Wiremu Hunter, son of Bryan Forrester and Whetu Weaver. My entire village was either killed or taken to become enslaved.” I replied.

“Yes, I have heard of their quarries and mines to enslaved people for them. I imagine it is worse than the stories.” I nodded, and he continued, “How did you meet Tabitha? Actually, The Black Butcher? Seriously?”

“You know lowering your voice won’t stop anyone overhearing with their Skills, ah? Tabitha was just a thief escaping a bad situation when I met her. She took the death of her brother badly. You probably won’t believe this, but I actually think the whole Black Butcher was an overconfident youthful mistake on her part.” He looked incredulous, and I continued, “It certainly got out of hand, and she definitely learned from it. Her successor Nijel has been blowing up and spreading the legend.”

“She said the bard’s tales were not that exaggerated.” Ruku said.

“She has a lot of regrets over what she did through that time and is very hard on herself. I wasn’t there for the worst of it, so I don’t know, but she will always paint it in the darkest shadow because she carries a lot of guilt.” I explained. “I understand you are fully on board now.”

“Yes, I resigned completely from the marines today. Sione wasn’t happy, but I needed a new mission and a completely different environment from the military. The criminal world is as different as you can get, and the new family is certainly eclectic. The goal is worth it.” We lifted our mugs and toasted to that.

I saw Tabitha at the bottom of the stairs and waved to get her attention. She came over, and we ordered a meal. She laid out a privacy scrap and brought me up to speed with where she was at and what her plans were. She planned to scout the Seadog's remaining businesses and their hold-out cave tonight. Her leg was much better being a flesh wound, but her arm would take more time. She had her date with Eluf, the Duke’s Heir, tomorrow night and would like some dirt on the aide Tjenner before then. Performances would start the night after, so her night work would slow down. She had three goals with her date. Firstly, to come to an agreement regarding the Comedic Rhythm. Secondly, to find clues on who might be pulling the strings and their goal and, finally, to mix business with pleasure. She will have failed her last goal if she is back before midnight. She expected to be back in the morning.

“Did you find out how the Pack Rats worked out who you were?” I asked.

“No,” she replied. “There were too many watchers. I will need to get Rotte alone for that. There will be an opportunity as we whittle down the Seadogs.”

“What about the smuggler crew?” I asked.

“Nothing yet, but maybe you could find out. The Seadogs have links with a smuggler ship, so I think it will be the same crowd, but no confirmation yet. They will be similar to the Seadogs; we have killed off the easy pickings, and the tough ones are left. We discovered that in the rescue attempt.”

“Attempt?” queried Ruku, “you didn’t get her?”

“Sorry, bad phrasing. We did get her, but it could have gone much better.” Tabitha clarified.

“We could just sink the ship,” I said.

“Yes, and that is certainly an option, and we have an experienced operative for that,” she indicated at Ruku. “However, I am hoping we can keep the ship.”

“You want a shipping line as well?” I asked.

“Not necessarily, as I have no one experienced in running it. I think it could be a prize for the help from another group of Smugglers I am talking with. I am keen to get someone up to Northport to see if they are building from those plans and perhaps do a bit of sabotage. While there, they might get a line on Abigail’s relatives,” Tabitha replied.

“Shouldn’t Sione be doing that?” Ruku asked.

“Probably,” Tabitha responded. “He is a crafty old fish. I thought some rats to help the ship sink would be unexpected.”

“And also a misquote,” I said. “I can deal with Tjenner. Do you need him alive?”

“You can’t just kill a member of the Duke's Staff.” Ruku protested.

“Oh? Why not?” Tabitha asked.

“There will be consequences and an investigation and manhunt,” he said.

“But isn’t that what we want? To stir everyone up and bring things to light, or at least make them hard to brush under the carpet.” Tabitha responded.

“I can’t believe I am here plotting the murder of a high-level civil servant.” Ruku sounded half horrified and half amazed at what was going on.

“We can probably pin it on the Seadogs,” I said. “If he is at the top of this mess, everything will collapse. If he is a middleman, he is a key one with links into the Watch and the government, making their operation significantly harder.”

“He is not smart enough to be at the top,” Tabitha said. “Before you go, visit one of the Seadog's businesses, pick up a blue bandana and check out their traps while you are there. They have modified them with a powerful adhesive combined with a nerve toxin. You might be able to replicate it. I know your traps are deadly with your imbued Venom, but these types will hold you in place and dull the nerves. Hence a live capture. It might be useful in some situations.”

“I will check them out.” I said.

We finished our dinner and went our separate ways. Tabitha brought me up to speed with our information on the Seadogs to help me pin it on them. This was the first time I had actively planned a direct assassination. I didn’t have any qualms about killing the guy as he was part of the organisation that attacked us, killed and injured our people and killed Ilaiya. I would do a Tabitha and burn the lot down if I thought it would help.

Ruku decided to stay at the Inn. I probably wouldn’t actually kill the guy tonight, but I would scope out his work and home and other places he frequented. I thought the best place to kill him would be in his office. This would also be the most protected place and hence the most difficult to do. But the death could not then be easily hushed up either. First, we headed to the nearest Seadog run tavern to get some incriminating evidence and check out these traps that sounded great.