105 More... well, just more. (1/2)
Remian came out of the infirmary after visiting George, Tim, Mindy and Max all in a row later that day and shook his head. ”What are we going to do about Deepsilver?”
Jujar wheezed. ”Harness the power.”
”Harness it?” Remian pondered Jujar's advice for a moment. ”You mean, like the Ecclesia's Lightning Rods? Hmm. If we could use their lightning-storage technology, we use it to power our airships and other machines. Or maybe we should do it like the Empire and convert it to mana. But either way, that kind of technology isn't easy to get a hold of. They are closely guarded secrets and the devices produced are well-guarded and monitored.”
”So?” Jujar asked.
Remian fell silent. ”I guess we could send Mikai and some of his friends to Ecclesia. I don't think we want to risk provoking Zor'khan-dras at this time. Or maybe we could try our luck at Liberteria. I heard they were experimenting with that sort of thing too.”
At that point, Asda dropped by. She looked stressed.
”Asda? Are you all right?” Remian blinked.
”I need... I need…”
”Here.” Remian grabbed a flask of water right off the Guild Hall table, picked up a clean glass and poured her a drink.
She gulped it down, coughed twice, and said, ”I need thirty kilograms of wheat or rice delivered to camp four, a large crate of clothing and three crates of bedding sent to Craggy Falls, nine crates of Fire Coppper and Jade picked up from Kara-Goth, sixty steel bars and fifteen builders sent to Encles village, and, and…”
”Slow down. How did our logistics get so completely thrown out of order like this?” Remian asked, puzzled.
”Mindy ended up in the infirmary, that's how.” Asda groaned. ”Nobody else can manage the Red Helm, and even the Red Fang is operating at low efficiency. She's the only real mage around, or haven't you noticed that all your dear adventurers are just scroll-casters? My people have our own carts and convoys, but there's just too much.”
Remian sighed. ”I'll ask the wolfcats to help with deliveries and pick-ups. It would be a good chance for me to inspect the camps and colonies.”
”You? You're going to be a deliveryman?” Asda stared blankly. ”Aren't you… well… physically weak?”
”I'll have the wolfcats accompanying me, and riding one the entire time.” Remian assured her.
It wasn't good enough for Asda. She had Andros' people assemble an actual carriage and added a few people to Remian's sudden entourage, including Salim, a representative from each of the three clans, four riders from the FDF, two of her own half-sisters, and Asda herself accompanied by all six of her logistics staff and four armed guards.
Their little convoy of twenty-two people, fifty wolfcats, two carriages and ten carts went to and fro along the new trail to Kara-Goth, Encles, the four road-camps, and the new town shaping up at Craggy Falls. They picked up and delivered goods and personnel, gave orders to the people that would shape the budding settlements, established regular supply lines between them and finally, toward the end of the week, ended the convoy feeling like they had accomplished a lot of good work over the past few days.
By that time, Remian was constantly throwing up by the roadside, barely able to eat, and had to be carried back to his room in the Guild Hall. Phoebe paid him a visit and had Asda's two half-sisters clean out his room every day, bring him regular meals following her diet plans, and stay with him throughout the days to take care of him and whatever he needed, doctor's orders, in spite of Remian's protests. They even partitioned off a whole section of his suite and turned it into another room for the two.
Were they nurses? Maids? A combination of the above? Remian wasn't sure what to call them. When he asked, Asda told him the easiest answer.
”Call that one Dhia, and the other one Jazaa.” She shrugged.
Remian gave her a serious look. ”You do realize they're only here temporarily, don't you?”