Chapter 19: Taking Aim

Tuck arrived well after midnight. First a few of Manistewa's men filtered up the ravine and Tanda talked to them. After a short time, Tuck joined the three women.

"You three did well, thank you," Tuck responded after Tanda finished her explanation. Tuck glanced up at the sky, but the earlier stars had vanished. "We're looking at not making camp until well after the sun's up. I doubt if the men will do much wandering today, but we'll remind them again anyway. And again this evening and tomorrow morning."

Judy and the other women went forward, while Tuck returned to his main body. Eventually they stopped under some large cottonwood trees, next to a stream that rushed quietly out towards the desert. Judy had walked by the watercourse and knew that the water only ran a few hundred feet beyond the trees before it was sucked into the sands and vanished.

Again they dozed another few hours before finally the advance parties started arriving. Tuck was with them and he supervised siting the camp. Both the High King and Tuck rigidly enforced camp hygiene. Several times Judy had heard around campfires how things had been in bygone days, where more men died of disease than guns in battle. But since the High King's arrival, medicine had steadily improved, hygiene improved and the men were a lot happier.

Some soldiers erected Judy's tent, which told her that they were going to stay for a few days at least. Before dawn Tuck rode out with an escort of mounted infantry, to fetch Gamelin and his men.

Tuck returned with Gamelin just before High Sun and there was a minor bustle as they too set about making camp. Judy had smiled at Gamelin and he'd smiled back. Tazi giggled and Tanda had no expression on her face, but Judy thought she was probably laughing too.

After the noon meal, Tuck came to Judy. "Feel up to a council of war?"

"Sure."

There were quite a few Hostigi officers, a dozen, ranging from Captain Leitnos, Captain Andromoth, Gamelin and Vosper to Tuck and the two "junior" captains with him. Tanda and Tazi were there, and then they walked to the end of the grove of trees, where a half dozen of the Ruthani, four much older men, and two younger ones were waiting. Chollo, one of Manistewa's men, sat a little apart from either group.

Tuck was introduced to each of the Ruthani in turn and he greeted each of them with flowery praise. When the introductions were over, Tuck spoke to all of them. "I thank you on behalf of Count Tellan, who speaks for the High King, for letting us use your grass and water. I will mention this to them and I am sure they will thank you themselves."

"Are you here to take all that you see for the High King?" the old man known simply as Pinyon asked.

"By now you should know that is not the High King's way. He negotiates with sovereigns and comes to terms with them. They keep their way of doing things, their leaders -- above all the lands they claim. The High King offers to be an honest broker in disputes between sovereigns about land, about precedence, about many things.

"When Count Tellan was sent here, he talked to the elders of many villages. The land on top of the Barrier was not claimed by any. It is wetter than the desert, but the soil is much thinner and not very suitable for crops. However, the High King has farmers who can plow a field of rocks and bring in a crop."

There were grunts of admiration from the Ruthani; evidently this wasn't a surprise.

Tuck went on. "The High King, speaking through Count Tellan, claimed a patch of ground atop the Barrier. No bigger than a village the same size would need. They dammed a stream and made the lake, they use the water to water their fields. They have done much to improve the land, as any careful man would."

There were more nods.

"Now, enemies come. Enemies of yours, enemies of Count Tellan and the High King. The Zarthani and the Mexicotal, working together for the first time in all history. The time is dire indeed."

The younger Ruthani that had talked the night before, Chandi, spoke up.

"If you go to the lands of the Mexicotal to make war upon them, I and the men of Mogdai village will join you!"

The old man hissed something and even Tuck smiled.

"I think your elder means that when you start to bargain, you don't give away something at the beginning that someone would buy. Patience!" Tuck didn't show any expression as the young man subsided.

"Still, as dire as the day, the High King foresaw that it would come and has prepared against it. This place is far from the lands of the High King, there are many of his enemies between him and us. But, even so, there are plans. The High King thinks about these things.

"Count Tellan has told me to take the war to the Mexicotal, including invading their lands. We are as you see us. A thousand men, a thousand horses. We brought fifty wagons of food, another fifty more of weapons and fireseed. We have a half dozen Hostigi field guns. There are other weapons as well.

"Still, as measured against the Mexicotal they are nothing." There was a murmur from the Ruthani; it was true, all knew it.

"I tell you true. I fought for another than the High King before I came here. Now I am banished here, with four young women. I am oath bound to protect them. One of those young women is here, with us."

Judy felt every eye turn on her. She sat still, unmoving, curious and intent on Tuck's speech.

"Now I fight for the High King, in particular for Count Tellan, who took us in and sheltered us. We have fought the enemies of the High King already. First, when we traveled north to tell Count Tellan of the threat against them. Lieutenant Gamelin led the patrol that learned of the attack." Tuck waved at Gamelin, who sat up straight.

"We fought them, we did. I failed in my duty to two of the young women: they fought Mexicotal armed only with knives, by themselves. One is here, the other assists the logistos at Outpost. The Mexicotal who attacked the girls are dead, by the hands of my students."

Now Judy learned what a "deafening silence" was; everyone hung on Tuck's every word.

"Lieutenant Gamelin found more than just me and those I was oath bound to protect. He found survivors from the village of Mogdai, villagers who had been captured by the Mexicotal. Those Mexicotal are all dead now." Tuck waved at Tanda and Tazi. "These two, women of Mogdai, stood as their elders had done in the village and killed Mexicotal."

"Count Tellan was willing to listen to my war plans. He sent a trusted captain and thirty men with your village women, and my young assistant, Lady Judy, to raid the main camp of our enemies, Mexicotal and Zarthani combined. Thirteen thousand of them.

"I do not know how many we killed, but we killed many. Our captain was excited afterwards and fell, skinning his hand and bruising his knee. Another man put his blankets down in the dark without checking the ground and later rolled over and found a small cactus with his elbow." There were laughs at that. Judy was sure that this wasn't uncommon.

"We took a Mexicotal scout prisoner a moon-quarter ago," the old man spoke. "He said one in eleven had been killed in the attack on their fort. More than six hundred of Styphon's soldiers simply vanished from their camp around the fireseed store. Many of the other casualties were from fireseed weapons. Almost all of the Mexicotal killed and wounded were shot by men of their allies, the Zarthani."

Tuck nodded. "Indeed so. We didn't stop to count our dead enemies. At the time they seemed... overwrought."

There was general laughter among those assembled.

"We went to raid them again, only to meet a thousand or more Zarthani skulking around in the night. We sent them back to their camp, their tails between their legs," Tuck concluded.

Pinyon chuckled again. "You only sent three hundred and fifty back, the rest lay dead on the field, including the Captain-General and all but one officer, captain and above. And he was wounded." The old man looked at Tuck. "That captain has fought and lost to you twice now -- and he is the only son of the Zarthani King."

Tuck nodded and was silent for a moment. "So, we are here now, to raid into the lands of the Mexicotal. I can't tell you that men under my command haven't been killed, they have been. But I can tell you that the men under me have killed many times their number and most are ready to kill still more of the Mexicotal.

"The High King is a generous man. In his name, Count Tellan offers this: he will treat with elders of any and all villages and confirm them in their lands. The High King has never broken his word. Never. Count Tellan has never broken his word. Never.

"Further, if some of your fighters would be willing to serve the High King, they may volunteer to fight under the High King's banner. They will mainly be used as scouts or as skirmishers. They may choose their own leaders, with only one stipulation. Once a leader is chosen, the leader may not be set aside without the approval of the field commander. Right now that is me. In addition, because of the laws of the High King, most of your fighters are not armed. The High King will supply a rifle, bayonet and all the fireseed and shot they will need to fire at our enemies. He would also equip such soldiers with such other equipment that common Hostigi soldiers are equipped with. The High King will pay such fighters as he pays his own soldiers.

"Further, the High King offers soldiers in his service the standard bonus upon completion of service: land, subject to the same conditions the High King places on all for that land. Some of the kings, princes and counts that the High King commands also offer their own rewards to those who serve; the High King's offer is not affected by such rewards from others. The lands given away would be the ones we wrest from the Mexicotal or Zarthani."

The men of the Ruthani sat staring at Tuck. Tuck smiled and stood. "I know you will want to talk about this among yourselves. Tonight, please, join us for dinner. It will be field rations, but different, I suspect, from what you are used to. After we eat, I will talk to you about my plans against the Mexicotal. Perhaps by this time tomorrow you would have come to a decision."

When Tuck stood, so did everyone else. Pinyon bowed low. "And this place?"

"Count Tellan says that he can not give up lands of the High King, not without consulting his liege. However, long ago he consulted with the High King about the lands of the Lost Ruthani. The High King has never claimed any land south of the Barrier. When Count Tellan first started building Outpost, he told you that the High King laid a general claim to protect the lands atop the Barrier, then west to the Mud River, which is the edge of the Zarthani lands.

"Count Tellan asks if you would consider the empty areas west of the Wen'rotos and north of the northern most village as unclaimed by all. That any other claims made by either the villages or the High King or Count Tellan might be only done after first consulting the other parties."

"The High King, as all know, is a fair man," Pinyon told Tuck. "We will return later, to share your meal."

The Ruthani vanished and Tuck's officers returned to camp. Tuck looked around and said, "Wake me up in time for dinner!"

He took a few steps and leaned back against a tree, pulling his Stetson down over his eyes. Every one in the Hostigi party laughed. Still, Judy caught herself yawning. In spite of the growing heat of the day, she was tired. She'd been running on adrenaline, she thought, for quite a long time. A nap would be good...

Gamelin was mildly upset that he'd slept well last night while Tuck was making his forced march. He knew it was foolish and doubly foolish when he saw how tired Judy was.

He got with the junior logistos who had come with Tuck and discussed what they had brought with them. Gamelin was pretty sure that the Lost Ruthani were going to enlist in droves. Captain Andromoth asked him at one point what he was doing and Gamelin told him.

Andromoth nodded. "Continue that. I'm pretty sure that we'll be distributing a lot of our equipment here, shortly." The captain laughed. "Just remember that every rifle we issue is one we don't have to carry south in our own wagons. The same thing with fireseed pouches and all of that. If we can clear a few wagons, we'll see if we can buy more grain for our march."

Gamelin did just that.

Late in the afternoon, Chollo appeared. "I understand you will be issuing equipment to any who enlist."

"Evidently," Gamelin told him. He still didn't like the man, not at all.

"And the earlier weapons and fireseed?"

Gamelin looked Chollo in the eye. "I was told they were gifts to the Lost Ruthani. The High King doesn't give with one hand and take back with the other."

"So a man could have two rifles?"

Gamelin knew the answer to that. That was in the High King's field regulations! "No. A man may carry his own pistols as he wishes. He may carry his own rifle or a rifle issued to him by the High King. The High King expects an issued rifle to be returned at the end of the soldier's service. If a soldier has his own weapon, that is as may be. The logistos notes it, and the soldier keeps his weapon at the end of his service."

Chollo grunted. "You say he, when you talk about soldiers. Tuck said fighters, soldiers... he never said they had to be men."

"As they don't. Most women want to stay at home and have babies. Some don't. Those that enlist are as much soldiers and fighters of the High King as any other."

"Hah!" Chollo exclaimed. "They are bad luck!"

Gamelin smiled and stepped close to the older, heavier man, putting his chest against the other man's, making him back up. "You are a brave, brave man, Chollo! I'd count you braver if you said that to Tanda Havra's face, but saying it to mine makes you brave. My company has had a hand in killing and wounding more than fifteen hundred of our enemies. Fifty to our one! I've lost six men, Chollo! Six! I had to turn away a hundred men who wanted to join my company.

"And if there's a man in my company who hasn't kidded me about my attentions to Lady Judy, why, I haven't met him! Bad luck? You are a fool!"

"Women are to bed; wed if you absolutely must!" Chollo replied, trying to regain his lost face. "They aren't soldiers! They aren't fighters!"

It was abrupt. One heart-beat Chollo had been standing talking to Gamelin; the next Chollo was flying through the air. Tanda Havra pounced, her knife pressed against Chollo's Adam's apple.

There was a faint bead of blood where the point touched his skin. Tanda Havra leaned close into Chollo's face. "And my name is what, big fighting man?"

"Tanda Havra."

"Kills from Behind!" Tanda agreed. "You will want to remember it. Lady Judy killed a Mexicotal with a knife when he took her unawares from behind. Lady Elspeth did the same thing to another. Tell me, Chollo! How many Mexicotal have you killed with a knife?"

"I shoot them like dogs," Chollo said, his voice bright and hard with anger.

"And how many have you shot like dogs?" Tanda sneered.

He was silent and she laughed nastily again. "You are a big liar and a bigger fool, Chollo! Go back to my uncle! Go now, right now! If you take one more step south with Lord Tuck, I'll kill you the first chance I get! You won't live the first night!"

Tanda bounced up and Chollo was up like a snake, a knife sweeping towards Tanda. She blocked his arm, rolled her hip and dumped him on the ground once again. She stomped on his wrist, making him let go of the knife. She kicked it contemptuously away, and then took a step back.

"Now would be a very good time to head north," Tanda told him.

Chollo reached for a pistol in his belt, but stopped when Gamelin leaned close, a pistol of his own pressing against Chollo's forehead. "Enough!" Gamelin took the other man's pistol, before cautiously backing away. "Stand up!" he gestured with his weapon."

The other's eyes were blazing with fury. Gamelin laughed. "Look to your left!" Chollo looked and saw Tuck, his rifle aimed right at Chollo. "And now, behind you."

Chollo turned and saw a half dozen troopers holding their rifles at port arms, with Vosper to one side.

Tuck walked up, his rifle cradled in his arms. "Chollo, your boss, Manistewa, has given me much sage advice, valuable intelligence. That said, he didn't do well when he sent you with us. Gather your things, see the logistos if you need any supplies. I don't care where you go from here, but if you go south you'll die. East is a good choice, then north. Outpost is under siege, but a clever man could get through. Or keep going east."

"You can't turn me out," Chollo said, desperate.

"And you can't draw a fireseed weapon in my camp on one of my soldiers. Right now I'm wearing my 'friend of Manistewa' hat. You really don't want me to put on my 'field commander' hat because then I would decide you present an unacceptable risk and ask the Lost Ruthani to deal with you."

Chollo raised his chin in defiance. "That, then."

Tanda Havra laughed. "We are Northern Ruthani, Chollo. Tolerated. If Tuck asks them to deal with you, why they will and think they will be doing Tuck a favor by killing you."

"I'll leave," Chollo said with bad grace. "I'll talk to Manistewa and the others and..."

Gamelin almost didn't see it, wasn't actually sure that he had seen it. Chollo had a very small pistol in his hand that somehow he'd palmed. He started to lift it, intending to shoot Tuck, but Tuck shot him first. Another bullet, from behind Gamelin, sounded very loud as it went past his ear. Chollo grunted, his pistol exploded and then Chollo took another shot from Tuck's rifle and doubled over and died.

Gamelin turned and looked over his shoulder. One of Manistewa's other guards had his rifle to his shoulder.

Tanda flicked her left hand at the dead man. "Stupid fool! You didn't even manage to die well!" Gamelin could see the drops of blood fly. So, evidently did Tuck. Tuck went to Tanda instantly.

Tuck glanced at the trader's guard who had fired, then turned to Tanda. She was telling Tuck it was just a scratch, but Tuck produced a field bandage to bind it. Tazi and Lady Judy came running up and Tazi took charge of tending to Tanda.

Gamelin could see that the tip of her left little finger was missing. Tanda smiled when both Lady Judy and Tazi exclaimed over it. "One less fingernail to bite, when I'm afraid, sister!"

Lady Judy stepped into a trap Gamelin would have, if he'd said what he felt. "I've never seen you afraid, Tanda Havra!"

"So, no loss, eh?" Tanda said with a laugh. Everyone within earshot laughed as well.

Tuck gestured to Gamelin. "Get a couple of your men. Take his rifle and pistols and give them to one of Manistewa's guards. Then take his carcass near where we were talking earlier with the Ruthani. Wait for a few heart-beats and when they come, give the body to them. I imagine they have a use for it."

Gamelin bobbed his head and a moment later a corporal came with a stretcher and four men. Gamelin and Vosper walked away from the crowd around Tanda Havra, leading the troopers and their bloody burden.

Gamelin looked at Chollo as they put the stretcher down a few paces from where they'd met with the Ruthani elders earlier. Tuck's first shot had hit Chollo in the right shoulder. The guard's bullet had hit Chollo in the lower jaw. Evidently Chollo had turned slightly to face Tuck, because the wound was diagonally through his face. Not immediately fatal, either of the first two wounds. Tuck's first probably not fatal at all, although the guard's shot had doomed Chollo. Tuck's last shot, though, had been straight into the heart.

Pinyon appeared after about a half hour. He gestured at Chollo. "What?"

"He drew a weapon on a fellow soldier in camp. Not once, but twice. Captain Tuck killed him."

"And Tanda Havra?" the old man asked.

"She lost the end of her left little finger," Gamelin told him, wiggling the finger in question. "I do not think it is serious. She certainly doesn't think it is."

"And this?" Pinyon asked, indicating Chollo.

"He worked for Manistewa, the trader. But I don't think Manistewa would like what he's done. Captain Tuck told me to ask you to take care of him. Captain Tuck said he was sure you had a way to deal with him."

Pinyon smiled. "You are Hostigi. Tell me, man of Hostigos, would you like to learn a secret of the Lost Ruthani?"

"Only if you wish to part with it freely."

"Without fireseed weapons, we have been able to oppose the Mexicotal and less often, the Zarthani, with bows and arrows. We've learned to make crossbows."

Gamelin nodded, he'd been told that many times.

"We hate the Mexicotal in particular. Four hundred years ago our greatest Elder lived. He taught us a new way to do things. We used to bind our dead and put them in high places, safe from scavengers. But time scavenges; after enough years their bodies were taken by the wind. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I understand."

"We knew that, we thought it grand! To end your days as dust in the wind! Who knows where your spirit dust travels!

"But, we needed better soil for our crops. We had midden heaps, but they weren't enough. We tried using night soil, but too often people would sicken and many died, eating food grown with it.

"The Great Elder told us to put our dead into special midden heaps. The women and children went into one, which was mixed with soil and eventually used to grow flowers. The men were put into a midden that we used to grow the vegetables and grain that feeds us. Our crops need to grow strong and tall! Like our men!"

Gamelin didn't let any expression show on his face. This wouldn't be a very popular idea in either Trygath or the rest of Hostigos.

"Our enemies, though. We reserved them for a special midden. It is a deep pit, hollowed from rock. We put their bodies in there. We throw in the carcasses of snakes and scorpions, venomous spiders. We use night soil instead of dirt to make the compost. But, from it we get a loathsome, foul-smelling liquid. When we fought our enemies, we tipped our arrows with it. Even the merest scratch from one of our arrows killed our enemies."

Gamelin mentally gulped. He'd never heard that! Had Count Tellan? The High King?

Pinyon grimaced. "Tell me, why did Captain Tuck permit a weapon to be drawn twice?"

"At first it was hard words and knives between Tanda Havra and this one. She took his knife away from him and cut him. When he made to draw a pistol, many men aimed at him, including Captain Tuck. This man saw that they were ready and stopped and I took his pistol. He carried another, much smaller pistol. He pulled it and tried to aim it at Captain Tuck. Tuck fired first and last, another man, one of Manistewa's guards, fired second. Tuck had already ordered him out of the camp. There was no way to stop this man without killing him."

"I would not like to think Captain Tuck is soft."

Gamelin shuddered. "No, Captain Tuck is not soft. He can run further than anyone except Tanda Havra and Tazi. He rides almost as well as I do."

"I understand Tanda Havra nearly killed Lord Tuck, the first time they met."

"He gave her a fight, I saw it with my own eyes. I don't think she would have time to kill him before we would have killed her. But we called out the High King's name and she stopped." Gamelin laughed uneasily. "I don't know many men Tanda Havra couldn't kill." Gamelin realized something, and smiled. "And of course, Tanda Havra came at Captain Tuck from in front."

Pinyon nodded at that. "Not to worry, we will take care of this," he indicated the dead man. "Tell Captain Tuck he was correct, we would prefer it if anyone dies, man or beast, that we dispose of the remains. We don't want to attract predators or scavengers."

"I will tell Captain Tuck," Gamelin promised.

The old man stepped forward and clasped Gamelin's arm in friendship. "We are not blind, Lieutenant. We know what you did for the villagers of Mogdai. The nights can be long here and we sing a very great deal. Already, you have a verse!"

Gamelin knew he was supposed to leave, but he had to ask. "Does Lady Judy have a verse?" The old man smiled but didn't say yes or no.

They retraced their steps back to the camp and Gamelin reported what he'd been told to Tuck.

Tanda Havra looked at the bandage on her left hand and cursed. It itched. No matter how many times she tried to ignore it, it was distracting. She raged at the thought of Chollo having even the least, last laugh.

To bide her time she sought out the guard who'd fired at Chollo, his name was Xenos. "Thanks."

"He violated the Paratime secret," the Paracop said. "Manistewa is the big cheese, there isn't supposed to be anyone else."

"Tell me he wasn't a Paracop."

Xenos looked at her like she was crazy. "No, he was a holdover. One of the University Consortium guards. Just as crazy as the rest of them."

Tanda coughed and he laughed. "No, you weren't consortium, you are University of Dhergabar."

Tanda looked at him, curious. "I'm a Paracop now, too."

He blinked and shook his head. "No one told me."

"Well, I'm telling you. Tuck and everyone are going to be hovering around me. There is no way I can get away and talk to Manistewa or even send him a message. Tonight, send a message ball and tell them what's happened."

Again Xenos shook his head. "I can't do that. A supervisor could order it, but not someone from the University. There's not much risk of discovery, but enough so that I just can't do it on my own."

"Well, I'm not only a Paracop, I'm a supervisory Paracop. Do it."

He was stubborn. "Tanda, I can't, okay? Look, I've been in the field for the last month. I'd like a good meal, a good bath and a good cigar, not necessarily in that order. Most of my mates are off the map... which means the Mexicotal got them. Doesn't hardly bear thinking about it, does it? I'm not about to risk a meal, a bath and cigar for someone from the University."

"You understand that Chollo knew who I was, which is what helped push him over the edge? This is important. I don't want to have to do a snap shot call to Mannie and tell him you're an idiot. I'm out here, just like you. I'm not asking you to do anything but report what's happened; you decide what's important. We either work together or this is going to get really messed up. And since you've been in the field, they probably didn't tell you who came to clean up the mess."

"No, they wouldn't. Which isn't to say I can't guess."

"I've already talked to you too long and Tuck will ask me questions. We talked about where Chollo came from. A rival Northern Ruthani clan, other than that, you don't know."

"That makes sense."

"If you can guess who was here to clean up the mess, guess who made me a Paracop." Tanda turned and walked away, looking for Tuck.

Tuck, sure enough, pushed his hat back and got up when he saw her approach. "How's the hand?"

"It itches. I can't stand the thought of doing the smallest thing Chollo wanted me to do."

He chuckled. "Well, that's good. Scratching that itch isn't good for you. Would you like to walk with me, tonight after supper?"

"No, I don't want to walk with you just yet."

"No, we need to talk."

"There is nothing we need to talk about away from the others."

"Tanda, I told you I have honorable intentions. You also told me my likely fate if I was stupid enough to try to force things. This isn't that."

"Well, this is good enough for me. I'm tired."

He laughed at her, but since she'd been grinning when she said it, it was no surprise. One thing she knew for a certainty: in Hostigos women who didn't want to sleep with their man pled they were tired. They never hinted at a headache. Such little things were vitally important in the field. And she was aware that almost all of the old impediments to even be able to think about such things were gone, removed. She hadn't dared ask about it, for fear of being removed if it was a failure in her conditioning.

"If you want to talk about your uncle's deepest secrets in open camp, well, that's your choice. I was thinking that there is trading going on with the Mexicotal when there's not an active war. And who would be most likely to trade with them? A trader. Who's the biggest, most knowledgeable trader around? Manistewa.

"You really want me to go on?" he asked her.

"There's no one within earshot."

"There wasn't anyone within earshot a bit ago when you were talking to one of your uncle's guards."

"He fired just after you did. Oddly enough, I appreciate people who try to save my life. I thanked him."

"As I will thank him. As I will those who try to save my life, the girls... and yours. Of course, I noticed Gamelin rubbing his ear a second later, checking to make sure he still had it."

"The guard hit his target and missed Gamelin. That was his object. I thanked him. I just wish I'd kept my hands down."