Chapter 10: Outpost

Judy was woken for the second day in a row by a kick on the foot. She cracked an eye and saw Tanda Havra once again standing over her. "Breakfast," Tanda informed Judy. "Then horse or wagon."

Judy looked around the tent, empty except for the two of them. She must have been tired to sleep past the others getting up!

"Horse," Judy said almost without thinking. She'd seen the wagons yesterday. They bumped and jolted you; there were no springs.

"Be ready, be quick!" Tanda told her, turned and left.

Judy watched her go, more curious than ever. Why had the two native women returned? What had the ritual with Elspeth been about? Why Elspeth and not her?

Then she rushed through getting ready, even as troopers arrived to tear down the tent.

Around her the camp was stirring, men were bustling about loading wagons and taking down their own tents. It looked like a confused bustle, but if you watched for a few seconds, you realized that these men were experienced in what they did. There was little wasted effort and the apparent confusion was because there were a lot of people moving rapidly to perform particular tasks.

She found Tuck and Gamelin sitting around a much smaller fire than there had been the night before. A soldier handed Judy a cup of the porridge they ate. Again, even though the taste wasn't very pleasant, she quickly finished it. The porridge was warm and that felt good against the morning chill.

Tuck said something to Gamelin and Gamelin nodded, got up and walked away.

"The signal post on that mountain didn't report at first light, like it's supposed to," Tuck told her. "A group of troopers left early to get to their town." He grimaced. "I let them convince me that the others should go with them. Gamelin assures me that we can catch up in short order."

Judy nodded.

Tuck's eyes went to Tanda Havra, who was talking to the girl from her village a couple of hundred yards away. "I was talking to Gamelin's boss last night and this morning. Tanda Havra has family at Outpost. Traders, mostly. They were, he told me, quite worried about her.

"Judy, I don't know anything for certain, one way or the other. But if someone has a family who's relatively well off in one place and goes and lives in a much poorer place by her lonesome... well, there pretty much has to be a reason. She's not the village idiot, she's not stupid, she's competent enough to kill deer by sneaking up on them in the dead of night.

"I can't think of a single good reason to live like that, when you don't have to. I can, in fact, think of a number of reasons to live like that, that aren't good. I would be very, very careful what you say to her."

Judy looked at Tuck, puzzled. "You're saying something, but it's not clear."

"Either she's done something to piss off her family, they've done something to piss her off or something else. If I was a trading family, I might think about putting someone in place among the locals who could look after my affairs. Except Tanda Havra is supposed to be an herbalist; kind of like a pharmacist, here and now. She's not known to be involved in the family business."

"She knew what to do to treat the saddle sores and blisters," Judy agreed.

"So, absent something to the contrary, I'm going to assume that she's a spy. I don't know who for, so I'm going to assume the worst there, too."

"A spy? That doesn't make any sense!" Judy said, upset. "Spy on who?"

He looked at her steadily for a few seconds. "The people around her, that's who. The more important question is spy for whom. That's where I'm assuming the worst: that she's one of those traveling through time. I don't know what happened to Mrs. Flowers and her daughter, but someone was watching us closely and reacted quickly when they left the rest of us behind.

"I don't know any of this for a fact, Judy -- don't get me wrong. I hear this uncle of hers has the hots for her and that she doesn't reciprocate his feelings. That is a good and sufficient explanation for everything I know about her."

He took his hat off and wiped his forehead with his sleeve. It wasn't that hot, but he was sweating anyway. "Vietnam, Judy, was an education. The Vietnamese officers ranged from as good as we were, to corrupt, venial and beyond incompetent. Some of their officers were selling the food and ammunition that was supposed to be going to their troops to the Viet Cong. Their government was riddled with the same sorts of people: corrupt, incompetent... or merely looking out for number one, devil take the hindmost. Right up to men as good and as competent as any, anywhere.

"You never knew when you went out on a patrol if someone had sold the route in advance to Charlie. More than one bunch of guys got their clocks cleaned, because someone betrayed them. Once you figured that out, you learned to play everything close to the vest. If you told someone anything, it was usually the wrong information, a trick."

He put his hat back on and straightened up. "It's hell not being able to trust people, Judy. But that's just a tiny hell, compared to what happens when you find out someone you like and trust is selling you down the river. Even if it's for ideology instead of money, it's not a pleasant thing. So, I learned to be cautious. You should be too."

"And the others?" Judy asked.

"If all of us aren't cautious, God knows what will happen to us. Still, I wouldn't bother them with this just yet. Maybe Elspeth."

"She's older than I am," Judy said quietly.

"So? Judy, when I needed someone, I'd turn around and there you were. I know Elspeth has some personal problems, I understand, at least a little. She might be older, but she's what I think of as a staff person." He laughed. "I almost said 'puke' there; we didn't have a lot of regard for the rear-echelon mother..." his voice paused, "... the guys in the rear.

"She's competent, to be sure," he went on, "but, Judy, the bottom line is that you were there. You are here now. So, be careful. That's all I'm saying. I don't know anything for sure one way or the other and could well live my entire life and not find out anything one way or the other. On the other hand, we don't have a clue what happened to Mrs. Flowers and her daughter. Just be careful!"

Gamelin appeared, leading a mare. Judy swung up into the saddle, with all the litheness that she'd once had. A second later, Tuck was up, next to her on a much larger gelding.

"One last thing. I talked earlier about noblemen."

Judy nodded.

"Noblemen don't carry packs, they don't do minor chores, unless there is no one to do them. On the patrol, it was different, even for Gamelin. Here, he's an officer. People do a lot of the work for him. They will do the same thing for you, for the others and for me. The single worst thing you could ever do is start taking it for granted."

He waved at the column of troopers forming up in a line of twos, ahead and behind them. "These men, like I said, aren't stupid. You have their respect, but start taking them for granted and that respect will run out faster than water from a holey bucket. You have to think, Judy."

Judy nodded, quite serious.

"And be careful," Tuck added.

That was really everything Tuck had said, summed up into three words. Think! Be careful!

Gamelin came up on his black horse, looking very bright and cheerful. A few minutes later they were in motion.

Judy was scandalized, almost at once. "Why don't Tanda and her friend have horses?" she asked Gamelin as the column began to move, while the natives began to run.

"They were offered horses, but declined," Gamelin told her. "The other day, they took a group of two dozen old women and men, young children and a new born infant and covered the distance it took us twice as long to cover. Then, they ran back to meet up with us. Then did the march yesterday, all on their feet. They can run forever!"

Judy remembered Tuck's story and nodded.

Later, Gamelin went to the head of the column and Tuck moved in beside her. "Why is Gamelin looking so pleased this morning?" she asked, curious.

"He's a junior officer, on his first patrol. His whole career was riding on the outcome. Turning around and heading back before achieving his objectives heads the list of 'big do-do.'"

"There were enemies out there!" Judy said, upset again. "We met them!"

"We did," Tuck agreed. "However, sometimes the military isn't all it's cracked up to be. His boss could have decided he didn't do all he could and racked him over the coals for it. Captain Leitnos brought word that Gamelin did the right thing. That is a big load off the young man's mind."

He paused for a second, and then took a dig at Judy. "That and you keep smiling at him. Every time you do that, he stands straighter, puffs out his chest and gets a pleased grin on his face."

Judy decided that blushing wasn't the thing to do. She'd noticed the same thing. She'd also noticed that she was smiling at him a lot, herself.

"I'm not old enough," Judy said, a little unhappy.

Tuck laughed. "And when will you be fourteen?"

"Two months. The third of June."

"Do you know what they call a fourteen-year old girl here?" Tuck asked her.

Judy shook her head.

"The phrase translates as 'husband-high.'"

Judy couldn't help blushing this time.

Tuck nodded sagely. "Yep, this isn't home. They have another phrase, a little coarser. 'Old enough to bed, old enough to wed.' In short, Judy, the rules here are different. As your acting parent, I do hope you will talk to me before you do anything hasty."

Judy saw Gamelin sitting his horse off to one side of the trail as they rode along. He swung in, next to Tuck. "Tuck, Captain Leitnos has asked if you would join him in the van. He wants to hear more about your ideas."

Tuck gave Gamelin a salute, moved a little off to one side and kneed his horse into a trot.

Gamelin pulled in next to Judy. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine," she told him, Tuck's words running through her mind.

He smiled at her and Judy closed her eyes for a brief second. It was true! On the ground her knees would have been wobbly and she was thinking thoughts about things that she'd imagined were some time in the future. Quite some time in the future!

"When we stop later, I will show you how to fire a pistol," he told her. "Tuck says you don't know more than to point and shoot."

"I know how to shoot," Judy said, a little miffed, in spite of her earlier thoughts. Or maybe because of them.

He laughed. "Loading though, that is something else! Our pistols aren't as easy to load as Tuck's! One shot is all you have! You can't afford to miss! Also, Tuck's weapons have something to keep them from shooting accidentally. Not ours. Cock one of our pistols and you are dangerous!"

He was, Judy thought, being as nice as he could be. Of course, he probably wanted to get her off to one side and apply a little hands-on instruction on how to shoot.

Two things ran through her mind, just then. First, she'd understood almost every word he'd said. True, he was speaking slowly and maybe not using all the different words he could have, but she had understood him well enough.

The second thing? The future was holding fewer and fewer dangers, to her mind.

A few minutes later a command passed down the column, and they moved from a walk to a trot. It was going to be, Judy thought, an interesting day.

Gamelin watched Judybondi ride, keeping a careful eye on her. She'd said she could ride and it was evidently so. She sat the mare easily, even at a trot.

Moreover, she could talk and ride at the same time, something his older sister had never managed. He had talked to Judy about all sorts of things about her home and about his. She was, he noticed almost at once, a little more reticent about talking about her home than she'd been before.

"It is different there," she told him. "Not like this."

He talked a little about Trygath, more about Hostigos, which seemed to make her more at ease. It was, he thought, logical. She knew her home; Hostigos was the strange place that she needed to learn more about.

After about a half palm-width, he reluctantly bid her goodbye, and hustled further down the column to find Vosper, who was near the rear.

The sergeant laughed at him. "A nice day for a ride, particularly with the pleasant company!" Vosper had told him.

Gamelin grinned. "Duty, Senior Sergeant! Duty! She is new to our lands; everything is strange! I was telling her about the glory of Hostigos and the High King, the wonders of Trygath!"

Vosper nodded, and then lowered his voice a bit. "I wouldn't want to bury you, Lieutenant. I would go slow around someone Lord Tuck has sworn to protect!"

"I too have sworn to protect Judybondi and her friends," Gamelin told him, quite serious. "This isn't about that."

Vosper shook his head, his eyes laughing. "No, I don't suspect it is. It's not doing you any harm with the men, either. Half of them think Judybondi is a reincarnation of the High Queen. Mention to them that the High Queen is alive and well and they shrug."

Gamelin nodded and Vosper laughed again, "Lady Judybondi isn't husband-high yet, Lieutenant. I asked."

"Two moons," Gamelin replied, "I asked, too." The two men traded grins.

Vosper jerked his chin, in the general direction of Outpost. "I will soon be asked my opinion of how well you conducted yourself, Lieutenant."

Gamelin felt a wave of nervousness run through him. He'd thought this was past, once Captain Leitnos told him that Count Tellan had accepted his report and said to pass on a "Well done!" to Gamelin.

"My Lord Gamelin," Vosper continued, surprising Gamelin with his formality, "I have thirty-five summers. I am no longer a young man. I've spent my life in service of Hostigos, since I was a bare-cheeked boy."

"The High King rewards such men as you very well indeed," Gamelin said, trying to reassure the older sergeant.

Vosper made a dismissive gesture. "I understand. I understand other things too. You did very well in the last ten days, Lord Gamelin. You are blessed by both Dralm and Galzar Wolf's Head. My Lord, if you would have me, I would join your service."

That was, Gamelin thought, something else again. Gamelin had exactly zero people in his personal service. He'd known servants and courtiers since he could remember. But they were in his father's service, or the service of some other noble.

Since Prince Ptosphes of Hostigos had knelt to Lord Kalvan, the concept of First Fealty had grown steadily in importance. Taking a man like Sergeant Vosper on would be a large plus mark, he was sure. Sure, it would be nice to have a man like Lord Tuck vowing fealty, but that just wasn't going to happen, just like it hadn't been Lord Kalvan kneeling to Prince Ptosphes. Tuck knew what he'd be doing and he wasn't going to do it. Tuck wasn't, Gamelin was sure, going to be bowing to anyone in the near future.

"I would be honored, Sergeant Vosper," Gamelin replied with hardly a pause.

"When we stop, my Lord. These things should be done sooner, rather than later."

Gamelin understood that. "I won't change my mind, come whatever."

"There are lot's of whatevers abroad right now, Lord Gamelin."

Vosper was right, better to get it done.

They didn't stop until the afternoon; they'd caught up to the wagons that had been sent out earlier, as they stopped for their lunch break.

Captain Leitnos told them it would be a short break.

The bending of a knee, though, took hardly any time at all. And of course, was going to be the topic of conversation the rest of the day for the men in the column, Gamelin thought, as they started up again.

He rode up to the front of the column, to ride with Tuck and Captain Leitnos. "That was what?" Tuck asked, waving behind them.

"Oath," Gamelin told him, then had a little more trouble explaining fealty. It took Gamelin a finger-width to realize that Tuck knew what the oath was; it was the details of the relationship he wanted to know about.

Tuck had nodded in understanding.

Captain Leitnos gestured ahead of them. "Another few palm-widths to Outpost, Lord Tuck. I will be interested in your opinion of our defenses."

Tuck had shrugged. "I know some of defenses; it wasn't my specialty. I told you earlier that against this host, a siege would go to the attackers."

Captain Leitnos nodded. "As well it might. First though, you should see Outpost."

"Walls?" Tuck asked.

"There are walls around the inner city. The outer city is too large, but we will fall back to the inner city."

"An old trick was to burn the outer town and drive the defenders off the walls," Tuck warned.

Captain Leitnos grinned. "Not a problem at Outpost."

They talked about the defenses for some time, only at the last did Tuck think to ask, "We have, ah, ditches, around some fortifications. I think, maybe I should have asked sooner."

Gamelin had known they were coming up the last ridge, his admiration for Captain Leitnos' timing knew no bounds. Exquisite!

They topped out and Tuck could see the town ahead of them.

"I'll be damned!" Tuck said, his voice tight.

Ahead of them Outpost sat, the eye of the needle lake that surrounded it.

"Long cannon shot," Captain Leitnos said with pride. "Quite a ditch!"

"Food? Fireseed?" Tuck asked, the words tumbling from his mouth.