Staying Power (Darshian Tales #3) Read online

  “All our people are sick and I’m worried about them. I wanted to know if you or Soza had any medical training.”

  “He doesn’t, and he’s sick too. But I’m trained as a healer. Give me a minute and I’ll come down.” He left the door open, but Romi didn’t enter. From the doorway, he could smell the now familiar stench of vomit and general illness, which was enough to make even a healthy man sick. Over on the lower bunk, he saw Karik speaking to Soza, who had his arm over his eyes and seemed to be uninterested in whatever Karik was saying. Then Karik came back over to Romi and closed the door behind him.

  “Has he been like that for long?”

  “Since we set sail, more or less.”

  Karik had been caring for him all this time? They must be in love.

  “Are your medics sick?” Karik asked.

  “All of them are. They’re so ill, and I don’t know what to do for them. I don’t even know if this is just seasickness.”

  “It probably is, but I’ll do what I can. I don’t have a lot of practical experience as a healer, I’m sorry.”

  He sounded so weary that Romi bit back any sarcastic comment he might have been inclined to make. It wasn’t as if the man had claimed to be a healer, so he couldn’t hold that against him.

  The passenger hold was every bit as vile as the cabin, but Karik didn’t flinch. “Which one is the worst, do you think? Who’s been sickest the longest, or who was struck down most quickly?”

  Romi was momentarily confused, since he hadn’t thought about things that way. “Netu was doing fine until this morning, then he just collapsed and threw up.”

  Karik asked him to fetch clean water, soap and a towel, carefully washing his hands before going to Netu. He checked his pulse, his eyes, his breathing and his temperature, then asked Romi about the symptoms and the sequence of events. He washed his hands again, then looked at the other soldiers just as methodically. Finally, he drew Romi aside. “Netu has an infection, most likely some transitory illness, but it might be contagious. I’ll see if there’s somewhere he can be placed away from the others. The others are just seasick—what are you giving them?”

  “Salt ipo tea and honey, nerf leaf tea every few hours. None of them want to eat.”

  Karik grimaced. “Not surprising. Use the nerf leaf as little as you can, and nothing for Netu at all. You must wash your hands before and after tending to him, and keep any of his waste away from the others. There’s little we can do but help people endure. The ipo tea is good—give that to them as much as you can. Difficult with six of you to look after.” He bit his lip. “Let me speak to Captain Temu about a place for Netu, and then I’ll do what I can to help. I’d suggest our cabin, but it’s just Soza’s very sick and can’t do anything for himself at all, and I think it would just make him worse if I suggested he came down here as well.”

  “I’ll manage, if you can’t help.”

  “I’m sure,” Karik said tiredly. “Get some fresh air in here, and empty the waste buckets, will you? Wash your hands after, as I said. I’ll come back shortly.”

  Romi was a little taken aback at the authoritative way he’d just been ordered about, but there was no point in being prickly about trivial matters of pride. All that mattered was the health of the team.

  Karik was longer than he’d said, but when he returned, he said he’d arranged matters so the first mate would share the cabin with Soza for the time being. The mate’s cabin would become Netu’s sick room, and that of anyone else who might fall ill from the same thing. The captain was anxious that, whatever the illness was, it should not spread through his crew. For that reason, Karik would care for Netu alone, and sleep in that room, at least until Netu was well and the chance of infection had passed. The captain would ask his sailors to help if they could, and Karik would try to give advice if needed.

  Romi had to admit it was a relief to have things so quickly and sensibly arranged. In matters of health and illness, he knew only the basics of emergency care and hygiene, though like all soldiers, he’d been issued a small book on how to deal with everything from blisters to field surgery which he’d made sure to study carefully. It was pure luck that Karik had not been felled by seasickness too, and Romi was grateful for that good fortune.

  The bad weather continued for three days, and he ran himself ragged attending to his sick colleagues. Every so often a sailor would turn up and offer to fetch tea, or sluice out buckets which took the pressure off him a little—he was developing a new respect for healers, if they had to do this all the time.

  The storms passed and within an hour of the rain stopping, Taz felt well enough to leave his bed. Soon several of the others were up too, all pale and fragile, but able to keep down soup and look after themselves. Kepi was the last to recover, and he was so weak, the now recovered medics forbade him from leaving his bed, in case he just passed out.

  It was the following morning before Romi saw Netu again, looking decidedly weak and weary as he walked into the passenger hold. Taz exclaimed at the state of him and made him sit.

  “Gods, Netu, should you be up?” Romi demanded.

  Netu shrugged. “I’m a lot better, and they wanted the cabin back. That Soza fellow didn’t like sharing with the first mate, apparently. Karik’s gone back to look after him.”

  Romi made a disgusted noise. “He said he’d look after you—if I’d known he was going to run off after that bastard—”

  Netu held up a hand to silence him. “It’s all right. I told him to. He’s been running back and forth between the two of us and he’s exhausted. I was much better yesterday but he told me to rest until we were sure the infection was gone. I’m not complaining.”

  Romi grunted—perhaps he’d been too hasty. “Well, you rest now. If we get more bad weather, everyone will be hit by this again and I’ll need you.” He looked at the team. None of them, including himself, were anything like ready for duty. There wasn’t anything more he could do. It was still another two days to Darshek, though the most storm-ridden part of the journey was likely over.

  The team were so tired they spent much of the day in their bunks, dozing or sleeping. Romi slept a good five hours before waking near sunset, hungry and refreshed as he had not felt in days. He found he’d been deserted—the others had to be up getting fresh air or finding solid food. He lit a fire sprite and decided that before he ate, he desperately needed to wash at least his neck and face. He went on deck to where barrels of rainwater were kept for that purpose, now full to overflowing with the weather they’d had. He shuddered as the freezing water hit his skin, and he hastily rubbed it dry with his shirt.

  “It’s a little too cold for that, don’t you think?”

  He turned, still wiping the water from his face. “Maybe, but I couldn’t stand being dirty any longer. I’d kill for a bath.” Karik stood at the rail, his coat pulled around him and a scarf covering his pale hair. He looked rather drawn and pale in the dying sunlight. “Are you all right? You’ve not taken Netu’s illness, I hope.”

  “No, I’m not sick. Just tired. I wanted some air. I should go back though.”

  He started to walk away but stopped when Romi put his hand on his arm. “Wait...I wanted to thank you for your help, especially with Netu. We’re very grateful.”

  “It’s nothing. We’re all part of a team, we need to help each other.”

  “True. Pity your friend Soza doesn’t think like that.”

  He felt Karik go rigid under his arm, and then the man pulled away from him. “You’re very harsh in your judgements, lieutenant,” he said in a low voice. “And yet you know nothing about the people who you condemn. Soza’s never travelled on a boat, or been this ill before. You may not make an allowance for that—I do.”

  “He’s not the only one who’s sick, but he’s the only one demanding special favours.”

  Karik’s eyes narrowed. “You are so ready to criticise. Perhaps the rest of us don’t appreciate being held to your standards in that manner. Goodnight.”


  And then he walked quickly away and disappeared into the stairwell. Romi stood watching him go, rather shocked at the sharpness of Karik’s response. But then of course he was defending his lover. Romi should have had more sense than to expect Karik to agree with him. He shook his head at the foolishness of someone making such a mess of his life, and then went in search of his supper and more rational company.

  ~~~~~~~~

  As Karik went to find refuge in the stores hold, he wasn’t sure what was worse—having to listen to that enormous arse criticising his friend, or that the enormous arse was right, damn him. He’d only gone up on deck because it was either that or snap at a sick man, and that would be neither wise nor kind. But then of course he had to encounter the one who knew everything. Couldn’t even make a simple thank you without adding a derogatory comment—the fact it was justified and for once, not aimed at him, made no difference. Karik was beginning to regret not encouraging Soza to turn Romi away, however much he grudgingly admired the way he had looked after his men, and spotted something was wrong with Netu despite his lack of training. The man would foment ill feeling. He already had done.

  He rubbed his forehead and climbed up on some sacks of beans and flour, so tired he could barely see straight, and needing to get away from everyone and everything for a few hours or he’d become homicidal. It wasn’t Soza’s fault he was ill, and Karik made allowances for that and his inexperience, but the man was incapable of even trying to help himself. Gods, Netu had been much more sick for a day or so, and even then he’d been apologetic about Karik having to clean up his messes—that when he couldn’t even lift his head from the pillow without vomiting, poor man. Karik was sure if Soza got off his bunk, especially now the weather had improved so much, he might find the ship’s motion much less troubling. The sailors had assured him seasickness was much worse if you stayed below deck, but Soza had refused to move at all. And now Karik, perhaps only because he was so desperately weary and irritated with life, was starting to question Soza’s fitness for the role of scientific leader of the mission.

  Rather, he amended scrupulously, he questioned whether he could lead the mission. The tantrum that Soza had thrown over the presence of the first mate in the cabin had been deeply embarrassing, and even though the mate didn’t seem to blame Karik for it, Karik’s attempts to explain and apologise had been met by polite scepticism. That Captain Temu would undoubtedly hear about it made it worse, but the fact remained Soza was completely unreasonable. Netu had been very sick and needed to be isolated. Karik, Temu—even that arse—had known it was necessary, but Soza had refused to listen. This was not a good sign.

  He didn’t know what to do. Master Jezinke had been the one to insist on Soza’s presence on the mission as its leader, and Kei, who with Karik had been the one to draw up plans for the expedition while Karik was still in training, had bowed to that, though he’d freely admitted to knowing nothing of Soza. Now Karik was in the uncomfortable position of not being able to wholeheartedly support Soza, but at the same time, not wanting to cause offence and dissension.

  He covered his eyes with his arm, wishing the headache would go away. If someone asked him directly if Soza should be in charge, he supposed he would have to be honest. But hopefully Arman and Kei would be able to arrange things so Soza could be left to do what he was good at, and the logistical matters could be placed in someone else’s hands. Even Romi’s hands, he thought with a scowl.

  He sighed and got comfortable. It was so much simpler when he was collecting off on his own. He wished he could just head off on a beast and roam Andon as he had in Darshian, answering to no one and making his own decisions. He thought this present mission would still succeed, if it had the right management—he just didn’t expect to like the experience much. And with that gloomy thought, he decided to stop thinking and get some sleep.

  ~~~~~~~~

  Twelve hours later, he felt a lot more cheerful. Some uninterrupted sleep had helped, and when he returned to their cabin, Karik was surprised to see Soza sitting up. “Feeling better?” he asked politely, helping Soza to straighten up.

  “Yes, I do. Karik, I apologise. I behaved atrociously last night.”

  “I understood—you’re unwell.”

  “You’re being far too kind. But the nerf leaf tea is making me so tired and irritable, and I sometimes can’t tell if I’m awake or dreaming. It makes it very hard to control my actions.”

  Having been unwillingly dosed with the stuff years ago, Karik knew the drug had some rather unpleasant after-effects. “Do you think you might be able to stop taking it now? The weather is much better.”

  “I’ll try. I want to get up—perhaps you’re right, if I got some fresh air, it would help.”

  Karik was only too happy to help his friend leave his bed, and settle him in a comfortable spot before fetching him his first real meal in days. Once Soza was on deck, wrapped in his warm coat and sipping some of the ship’s excellent broth—the cook on board was a genius, and the food was some of the best he’d ever been served on a boat—he looked a lot more cheerful. “Well, this is wonderful,” he said, as he looked out over the ocean, which was indeed looking beautiful under the bright sun. “Oh, dolphins!”

  Karik had seen the dolphins playing in the ship’s wake many times, but he still found them a delight, as did many of the sailors who thought they brought good luck. “There’s lots to see even out here, if you look. Later on they’ll be netting fish—they’ve caught some species I’ve not seen before.”

  “Always the scientist,” Soza said fondly. “I wish someone could find a cure for seasickness though. I’m dreading the trip to Andon. You said it gets rough?”

  “So my uncle Arman says. But I plan to speak to uncle Kei about what we can do to make you more comfortable, and this time, I hope our soldiers will be properly supplied with the medicines they need.”

  “Ah yes, that was an unfortunate lapse, and it does seem extraordinary they had nothing for infection in their kit. I shall need to keep a close eye on the outfitting, I can see that.” Karik said nothing. The outfitting needed to be handled by someone who knew what they were doing, and Soza could have no idea what was required. “You must be looking forward to seeing your uncles again.”

  “Very much. Uncle Kei is just a wonderful man, a great scientist and a talented healer. I sometimes don’t know who I want to be more like—my Pa or him. Both, I guess,” he added with a grin.

  “And your uncle, his lordship?”

  “Oh, I admire him too, but I could never hope to be anything like Arman. He’s like a god, almost—he’s so tall and brave and his mind is so sharp. He can cut through any problem with just a few words. He can seem rather terrifying, although he’s actually very kind underneath it all.”

  “I look forward to meeting him then. You know, this broth is very good.”

  It was by far the best day of the journey. Soza insisted on staying out in the fresh air, which suited Karik just fine—with just another day to go, he felt the worst had to be over. And now Soza was showing the side of himself with which Karik was more familiar, his own natural optimism returned. Perhaps it would be an enjoyable expedition after all. Even the occasional sighting of lieutenant Romi, who gave Karik a rather cold look whenever he saw him, didn’t dampen his spirits. Soldiers could be tedious bores, he knew from past experience, but that didn’t mean they were incompetent. So long as Romi and the others did the job they were asked to, Karik wouldn’t care what opinion they had about him in private—and if they didn’t keep it private, he’d have no hesitation in telling them to do so. He wouldn’t silently suffer the contempt of someone who knew nothing about him. He’d had more than enough of that in his twenty-one years, and he’d long ago decided the best course of action was to stand proud. Romi wouldn’t make him feel inadequate, because he wasn’t inadequate.

  He knew when they were close to Darshek because he suddenly heard Seiki’s voice in his head as he returned to the cabin to finish packing
.

  “Karik! You’re nearly here.”

  “Yes, we must be,” he said, grinning to hear her welcome voice. “The weather is fair, the wind is good, we should be in dock by sunset. Have my parents arrived?”

  “Two days ago. Jena’s been playing with her granddaughter.”

  Karik grinned. “Well that will leave you more time with Mila. I can’t wait to see you all again. I’ve missed you.”

  “So have we. We’re going to have the biggest party here at the house when you arrive.”

  “Not the first night, Seiki, please, I need a bath.”

  “Not the first night, silly. But the second for sure—Reis is beside himself with excitement.”

  Karik could imagine. Reis was so enthusiastic about the things he liked, and Karik was assuredly one of those. It would be so good to see them all again—he had so many wonderful friends in Darshek. “Is Gyo with Ma and Pa?”

  “He sure is. Kei’s house is bursting at the seams! He said to let you know that your friend has been given accommodation at the Rulers’ House. He hoped that would be all right—there’s just no room at their home.”

  “I’ll explain. How is Jes—is she walking?”

  “Yes, a little, and she’s starting to talk, can you believe? Jena thinks she’s saying actual words, though it sounds like babble to me. Mila’s not sure. But she’s beautiful, Karik. I love her so much.”

  “How could she not be beautiful with you two as parents? I don’t suppose she’ll remember me.”

  “She’ll probably think you’re Arman, because of the hair,” Seiki said with a chuckle. “She’s discovered his braid makes a very good handhold. She’ll use anyone’s but for some reason, she particularly loves his.”