Exploitable Weaknesses by Brian Keller (red queen free ebook txt) 📗

sometimes allow visibility beyond twenty feet, but that was rare. This would make getting aboard the ships easier but with most of the crew below deck, it would restrict the space to fight and the close quarters would make it nearly impossible to prevent alerting the entire crew once the fighting began. Still, the shorter Guild blades would be much more effective in the confined space than the sabers commonly used by the sailors.

They boarded the closest ship first. A single man was on guard. He was hunkered under the fore “castle” with the brim of his hat pulled low. It was one of the only spots above deck that provided any shelter. The helm took the full blast of the wind and rain. Kinsman wondered how much of that wind-driven water was finding its way below.

The crewman alerted to their presence and Kinsman raised an open palm in greeting, “Permission to come aboard!”, he shouted. The crew man shouted a reply, “Ye've got no bisness-” Suddenly his neck sprouted a feathered arrow shaft and the small group split into four smaller groups to watch the doors to the fore and aft and the cargo hatch. Kinsman stepped to the starboard rail and leaned over it, looking for Wharfsider boats in the water below.  It took a few nervous moments to get their attention and tensions rose still higher as they pulled alongside and tossed ropes over the ship's rail to tie off the boats and then raise them up after the ship had been taken. Rukle, Gaff and Loryn each made two trips to the rail to check on their progress.

The wharfsiders quickly spread out along the starboard side and looked to Kinsman for instructions. He called out, “This time of night, in this weather, where will they be? Galley? Or bunks?” Several of the men exchanged glances. The reply was a series of noncommittal mumbling and shrugs. Almost all the wharfsiders were armed with curved swords but a few were carrying harpoons. Kinsman pointed to each of them and waved them closer, then ordered, “Follow behind our people and keep them from getting rushed or pushed aside.” He then called out to the rest of them, “We're going below. Secure the doors and hatches behind us.” He then waved at Rukle, Balat and two of the men from the Quarry. Loryn, Spen, Gaff and Naro moved to the doorway where the guard had positioned himself. Kinsman paused before the aft door and looked at the two men, “We're fighting side-by-side. I should know what to call you both.” Both men had light brown hair, one was thin-faced and wiry and the other was broad-shouldered but lean. The wiry one placed a hand on his chest, “Cam”. The other mimicked the motion, and announced, “Lebin. Well... Leb.” Kinsman acknowledged each man and turned back to the door. Without looking to check on the others, he pulled the door open and rushed inside, drawing his blades as he did. The door opened to reveal something that looked like a cross between a ladder and actual stairs. Kinsman avoided the well-intended obstacle entirely and dropped to the floor. The room he'd dropped into was the galley. It looked like most of the crew had gathered around a central table. Five men had cards in their hands and two were at the far end painstakingly counting the spots on a pair of dice. No one had considered that they might have guests.

The element of surprise would only last so long, and then they'd be severely outnumbered. With all the storm-tossed air and water everywhere there was no shortage of energy to tap into. Kinsman Channeled that energy,  turned left and surged forward.  He sped along the near side of the table, plunging and slashing his blades into any vital points that were exposed. Two or three strikes and then on to the next man. Balat was the next one into the room. Kinsman had moved from his second victim before Balat had rounded the table to engage the first man there. Rukle started to follow Kinsman then realized that another table was in the shadows to the other side of the 'ladder'. There were two men seated there and their sobriety was severely in question. He turned right. Once Cam and Lebin were in the room, they turned left and busied themselves with confirming the bleeding men were dead and finishing those that they couldn't be certain about. Kinsman met Balat on the far side of the table. Less than a minute after entering the galley, nine Lukasi agents lay dead or dying. Sounds of fighting could be heard from the fore. The three from the Guild responded immediately, tapping their Talent to cover the distance and enter the fray. By the time they crossed the ship the sounds had ceased and Spen was in the center of the room using the scrap of a fallen man's tunic to wipe the blood from his blades before sheathing them. He raised an eyebrow as Kinsman entered, “You might have let us know you intended to rush right into the fight... rather than using some kind of signal.” Kinsman's blank expression caused Spen to clarify, a note of irritation in his voice, “to coordinate the attack.” Kinsman tucked his chin, “You're right.” He glanced around, “Is that everyone? How many here?” Naro stepped out, “Five on this end.” Kinsman nodded, “Alright. Tell the wharfsiders that there are fourteen dead. Any Lukais crew still hiding is their responsibility. We need to get to the next ship.” As Kinsman climbed the stairs, Loryn asked Balat, “Fourteen?! That means there was nine in the galley?” Any reply was masked by the weather outside as Kinsman opened the door.

The second ship proved to be far less challenge. A single guard above and only two men awake below. The others were either asleep or some level of intoxicated slumber. They died quietly. On