Soarer's Children, Part 6
Chapter 30, Quarasote Flats, North of Iron Stem
"Alucius!" Wendra called out from the trailing edge of the flock.
"I feel them. Two groups, watch your back," he called back.
Just a fraction before he heard Wendra's voice Alucius felt the telltale trace of the sandwolves' life force. There were several to the fore and left of his position and at least two trailing behind. But he was confident in Wendra's ability to handle herself and a rifle so he concentrated on what was closest to him. Several rams were taking up position with the ewes and lambs pulling up more tightly. He could also feel Wendra's mental persuasion to a couple of laggards at the rear.
From a large, nearly dead quarasote bush a moderately sized sandwolf flashed across the front of the flock, trying to draw off one or more rams. It took two shots but Alucius brought it down. He heard a single shot from behind and he felt the red of death and he knew Wendra had gotten one of the two lurking at the rear. The survivors took the hint and ran off.
Alucius wheeled his horse around and worked his way back to check on his wife. She met him part way, a small fist protruding from the carry pack she wore across her torso. He smiled and said,
"Nice shooting, it only took you one."
"Mine was head on, yours was angling away from you," she replied with a smile. "You know, I think Alendra here is starting to pick up on what we sense. She'd been quiet all morning until just before I felt the sandwolves. She started to babble a bit and wave her fist."
"Interesting. We'll have to keep an eye on her for other signs. We'll talk about it tonight. I better get up front. Well done, you two," he said with a smile as he turned his horse.
Wendra looked down at her daughter who was regarding her intently.
"Well done, little lady. Mommy and Daddy are so proud," she said.
Later that evening after dinner had been eaten, the four adults of the stead sat in the living room discussing what had occurred that morning.
"I'm afraid I can't offer much on this," Royalt said. "I've never been out in the flats with a child that young. The first evidence we had from Alucius was when he had the encounter with the penned ram. And then the whole business with Lamb."
"It's going to get very interesting around here when Alendra starts walking and talking. We're going to have to be on our toes at all times," Lucenda said.
"I'm not so sure of that, Mother," Alucius said, "I get the feeling she's going to be more thoughtful about things then that."
"Not unlike someone else we know?" Royalt asked.
Alucius just shrugged. The next morning he took the flock out by himself as Wendra was needed to help with the spinning and weaving equipment. The equipment was aging and Royalt wanted to make a full assessment of any repairs or parts replacement that was needed. As Alucius moved the flock deeper into the eastern reaches of the flats, closer to the plateau, he could feel the bitter winds starting to come down from the heights. His eyes were drawn upward, catching the faint green gleam of the morning sunlight reflected and filtered by the green crystals along the edges.
What was it about Corus and crystals? The weapons of the Efrans relied heavily on crystals for operation. The small light torches that he saw in Dereka and the one he brought home used a crystal to provide illumination for seemingly centuries. Did the crystals around the edge of the plateau provide energy for the cities of the ancients? Was there some way that that energy could be brought to the people of Corus? He needed to take a look at that map again and start looking for answers.
Chapter 31, Northern Guard Headquarters, Dekhron.
Colonel Feran sat behind his desk exchanging stony expressions with a pair of traders. The cut and quality of their clothes marked them as among the handful of remaining traders of some worth, at least as far as golds were concerned. It was one of the few times in the course of carrying out his duties that he regretted letting Alucius push him into becoming commandant.
"We find this situation totally unsatisfactory, Colonel. Not only will the removal of the Headquarters post have negative consequences for the town, the whole process of building the new one has put us at a serious disadvantage," the older of the two said.
"If by disadvantage you mean you'll no longer be able to exert influence over the Guard or continue to accumulate golds through overpriced supplies, that was the idea. Well, part of it anyway. Colonel Alucius found those issues nearly as important as the change in the strategic situation that made the area around Iron Stem more suitable."
"Ha, that one. A herder out of those accursed quarasote flats. How he managed to convince the Lord Protector of this folly is beyond me," commented the other.
Feran's expression went from stony to dangerous. He rested his arms on the desk and leaned forward.
"Let me offer you two gentlemen a few words of advice. That herder from the flats is either highly regarded or highly feared in every capital across the length and breadth of Corus. He is a confidant of the Lord Protector and is quite likely to be the one responsible for bringing an end to the general state of warfare the entire continent has been experiencing. A situation that you gentlemen, if you have the wit to capitalize on, can exploit to ever greater profits. As far as the Guard is concerned, you'll just have to compete with everyone else that is interested in doing business with us. It's less than a day's ride to Iron Stem. The freighting cost will be minor.
"I would also suggest that you be very careful how you refer to Colonel Alucius within earshot of any trooper. You might find the response short, sharp and not at all to your liking. The reason I granted this audience was simply this. We are moving, the post here will be mostly closed up with a small caretaker contingent for security and upkeep duties. Any and all requirements for supplies for the new post and the Guard as a whole will be handled strictly by lowest bid. You can also inform Halsant that his family's business has been banned from bidding on Guard contracts for a period of two years, at which time the situation will be reviewed."
"That's an outrage," the first Trader protested.
"Yes, dealing with the enemies of the Valleys certainly is. Now, if you two gentlemen have nothing more of any importance to discuss, I have many things to deal with today."
With that rather abrupt dismissal, the two traders left, the second one in a highly agitated state. He managed to control his temper until they had cleared the post gates and then he vented his anger.
"This cannot be tolerated. That black suited time server thinks to lecture us?"
"And what would you suggest, Tolnar? The herder has proven impervious to everything anyone has thrown at him. The council is gone and the Lord Protector holds the Northern Guard in high regard. To whom will you protest? Tarolt and Halanant are dead, and marked as traitors, which pulls Halsant's teeth very neatly. Get used to the idea that you're going to have to make coins by making good trades. And if you have any ideas about doing something about either of those two, don't look to me for help. I'm not very happy about the way things have turned out but I prefer life to death and those two mean death to anyone that tries to cross them. Good day to you."
With that, Tolnar was left to stand fuming on the street while his compatriot hurried to his trading house to begin charting his new course. Eventually Tolnar left the street to do the same. The sentry at the gate, a sharp eared son of a herder who had been among the last conscripted before the Lord Protector's ban, did his best to stifle a laugh after hearing the rantings of the trader. As long as Colonel Feran and Colonel Alucius were around, the days of anyone meddling with the Guard were over.
Chapter 32, New Headquarters site, North of Iron Stem
Alucius sat on his horse just outside the main gate of the new Headquarters post. The gates hadn't been erected yet but the towers to either side were done as was the entire front, or east, wall. It was an amazing amount of work in a relatively short time as Autumn had just begun. He had ridden around the exterior of the post and found that the north and south walls were likewise finished and the west wall only required capping and cleanup. The buildings for barracks, storage and administration were in the process of being roofed and the interiors finished. They were constructed fully of stone to provide protection from the dry bitter winds of late Autumn through early Spring.
Based on the design of stead houses, heavy wooden shutters were fitted for all windows along with a second door with a three foot gap to the next to provide a barrier to cold winds blowing in when a trooper entered or exited. The extensive stables had stone half walls, topped with a double board and batten wall the rest of the way to the slate roof. While coal stoves were supplied for the barracks, the stables were left unheated. Three hundred animals weighing as much as twelve hundred pounds each would heat the low ceiling structures. Woolen horse blankets had been ordered.
While recognizing that the Iron Stem site offered a number of advantages, comfortable winter weather wasn't one of them so Alucius made sure he insisted on measures to ease this burden as much as the budget would allow. If the comments of some of the troopers that had accompanied Feran on his inspection trips, they were on the right track. As he waited for the Commandant to arrive, he noticed a familiar figure at the opening for the gate.
"Good morning, Korcler," he called out.
His brother in law looked and smiled. He was holding one end of a measuring chain as another man marked off distances. Korcler said something to the man, who looked in Aucius' direction and then nodded. Korcler hurried over and came to stand next to the horse. The boy, now a young man, rubbed the strong neck as he looked up.
"Good morning, Alucius, or should I say 'Colonel'?
"Alucius is just fine, Korcler. So, I see you got work here as what, a carpenter?"
"Carpenter's assistant. We finished up a big barrel order for the Dekhron traders just after they started work here. I managed to get a job after I proved I knew how to use tools. Father has some barrels to make, and I help out at night if needed, but I'm making a few silvers here."
"That's great. So what have you been doing?"
"A little of everything. Putting up roofing beams, laying floors, building bunks and shutters and doors," he said with a laugh. "Now we're getting ready to do the gates. And I guess I should be getting back to work," he added, seeing the look he was getting from the other man with the chain.
"Do that. We'll talk later," Alucius said with a smile.
He watched as Korcler hurried back to his work and in a few minutes he sensed the arrival of Feran with his squad. He turned and watched them approach.
"Good morning, Colonel Alucius."
"Good morning, Colonel Feran."
"So, how are we faring?" Feran asked with a grin.
"A lot better than I would have thought at this time. That rubble fill business really did the trick. I rode the wall earlier, it's almost completed."
"Well, I'll take your word for that. Let's go in and have a look around," Feran said and Alucius fell in beside him.
They rode through the opening and horses' hooves crunched on the gravel surface. It was considered impractical to lay a hard surface over the entire enclosed area, but a compromise was reached. The courtyard around which the barracks and administration building were built was provided with a solid stone surface. Gravel from the river was laid down from the gate to the stables. While mud was not a condition generally encountered in the northern part of the Valleys, the dust that accumulated as a result of the relentless winds could be as bad or worse than the mud usually encountered further south when a rare significant rain occurred.
There were six barracks buildings. Three for the permanent companies, and three for the auxiliaries in the event of an emergency. They dismounted and left their horses with the security detail. Walking into the administration building they found only finishing touches left to be done. The main door opened into the duty room where the clerk and a few others could work. The study for the Commandant was on one side and the one for the post commander was opposite. The rooms were not particularly impressive for two reasons. One, the Militia, now the Northern Guard, had never gone in for anything beyond the basics because it was all they could afford and two, a smaller room is one that is easier to keep warm.
By the time they were done, the walking tour had taken in all the buildings and a closer look at the gate. At the gate Alucius paused and went down to one knee. He noticed two stones with notched ends placed about a yard to either side of the center of the opening. He looked up at Feran with a questioning glance.
"Those are the stone pockets for locking bolts. We didn't want a horse catching a hoof."
"Makes sense. I'll be able to report to the Lord Protector that we're close to completing the post. And we've done it for less than we hoped. That should make him happy," Alucius said. "And preserve your stipend."
"I'm glad you recognize what's important," Feran replied.
Chapter 33, Lord Protector's Palace, Tempre, Lanachrona
"Excellent news, Colonel. I can't ever recall a time when a Southern Guard effort was completed without delays and additional costs. It's possible you're setting an unhealthy precedent," the Lord Protector said with a chuckle.
"We simply tried to comply with your directions. Add to that traditional herder frugality and..." Alucius finished with a shrug.
"I appreciate your modesty, Colonel, but it is not something to be shrugged off so lightly. The golds you saved means that much fewer that the Treasury has to send north for the time being. We are only just now beginning to see revenues flow in. But trade is still much reduced. The Praetor's war footing has the east cut off and the Dramurians are playing both sides against the middle. They play at legitimate trade through Southgate but sponsor the raiders who make that trade a risky proposition."
"What do you think they are after?" Alucius asked.
"My guess is that they seek to dominate the coast. My understanding is they've always felt they have a right to Southgate. They might be taking our measure to see if an assault of some kind would be worth the attempt."
"What thoughts have been given to defenses?" Alucius asked.
"At the moment, not a great deal. We added those two companies of returnees and we've had some success with several ships we took as prizes when we first seized the city but not a great deal beyond that. Unfortunately, we have never been a sea faring nation, so there is much to learn."
"If I may ask a question, early in my career as a Matrite trooper you sent three cannons against us. Were they the only such that you had?" Alucius asked.
The Lord Protector made a face and said,
"I would have preferred not to have been reminded of that fiasco. An expensive gamble that didn't pay off. Three more had been under construction but after the debacle near Zalt, I ordered all work halted. I believe all the parts were stored away somewhere. The use of powder weapons of that size are just too risky. The assumption was that a Matrite officer was responsible for setting off the powder. We didn't think they had anyone that strong so near the front lines."
Alucius had the good grace to look embarrassed and said,
"They didn't. They had me."
"You! You were the one that destroyed those guns?" the Lord Protector said with a mix of exasperation and humor. "If you had any idea of the plans you ruined."
"I was just trying to stay alive, sir."
The Lord Protector waved the explanation aside and said,
"You've repaid the debt many times over, Colonel. What are you suggesting? That we place cannon around the harbor at Southgate?"
"It's something to consider. It took nearly everything I had to set off that powder and the only other person I know who's capable of doing the same thing is in the other room talking to your wife," Alucius explained.
"Wendra?"
"Yes, sir," Alucius replied and then went on to explain what had happened the night they liberated the blasting powder from the armory at Altema post.
When the Lord Protector stopped laughing he said,
"I think I'll appoint your lovely wife to head the negotiations with the Matrites. Wouldn't that send them up in flames."
"Perhaps in ways you hadn't intended," Alucius replied with a straight face.
Once again the Lord Protector laughed.
"Sir, If I may, I'd like to suggest that I take another trip to both Heiron and Alustre. If things look quiet I think it's time I looked into what the Dramurians are up to. What you've told me makes me a little uncomfortable."
"I would appreciate anything you can find out but I agree that you do an assessment of our neighbors first. A bit of prodding might be in order as well, but nothing too noisy," Talryn said with a smile.
"Yes, sir."
"Now, let's go see what our Ladies have to tell us."
When they entered the living spaces of the private apartments, the Lord Protector and Alucius found Wendra and Alerya deep in conversation. They both looked up smiling.
"There you are, dearest," Alerya said. "All is well I trust."
"Well enough but it could be better as you know. But we have hopes," he said. "Talus is in bed already?"
"I'm afraid so. Now that he's walking he tires more quickly. And I think he was showing off for our guest," Alerya said with a laugh.
"So how goes your project?"
"It's beginning to move. I was telling Wendra that our local enthusiasts are more than ready to do what they can. Many have contacts in the other cities and will begin spreading the idea. Of concern is what we can do about those areas that have dried out so much in the last generation or so."
"What think you, Colonel? Is there anything from the Valleys that might work? You've led me to believe it's fairly dry up there," Talryn said.
"And cold. I'm not sure what grows on the flats would survive the heat. But I suppose we could gather some seeds and your experts could try them out," he said and then smiled a bit. "I thought life would be simpler once I left the Northern Guard."
"Life is rarely simple for those with talent, Colonel. And I mean the more mundane kind," the Lord Protector said. "As to the Guard I have my doubts that you will ever truly leave."
Chapter 34, Lustrea
A tall figure in a black uniform crouched in the rocks above the pass. The large gathering of troopers had dwindled to perhaps a few companies of horse and foot. There was no sign of special wagons. In the light of the one small moon it was difficult for him to see any sign of tracks leading toward the grasslands. He would have to move around beneath the highway to look for signs. He couldn't imagine the Praetor giving up so easily. He dropped back into the earth and headed north. As he arrived below the beginning of the pass, he could sense that there was still a sizable presence of troops there. He drifted about beneath the encampment and found no sign of any crystal based weaponry.
As he moved west he found signs of encampments but they were appreciably farther east than they had been previously. As he continued toward the barrier that had been thrown up across the pass, he thought he could see signs of damage and from below it looked fairly widespread. He shifted his direction slightly so he could surface in the heights above the pass. It was still dark but his night sight would be sufficient for the task. As he peered over the edge of a rock wall he saw that the floor of the pass was littered with debris from the edge of the hastily erected rock barrier and extending east for approximately a thousand yards. Rocks of various sizes were scattered all about. The remnants of a number of wagons were strewn about in an area behind the trench line he saw the last time he was here.
Most of the lateral trench was shattered with much of it caved in to one extent or another. A number of craters were also evident with blackened edges. They looked like the results of blasting powder charges. Had the Deforyans somehow obtained cannon? It would certainly explain why the western edge of the Lustrean encampment in the pass was nearly two thousand yards away from the rock wall. He dropped back down into the earth and moved a short distance west so he had a clear view of the Deforyans. As in the past, there were pockets of riflemen in the rocks of the barrier keeping watch.
What was new was lined up approximately fifty yards back from the west edge of the rock wall. A number of large wooden constructs resembling the frames of buildings on wheels, with the addition of a large arm running down the center. He sat and observed them as best he could in the twilight that was as dark as it got for his herder night sight. He concentrated on the nearest one, trying to puzzle out how it worked. The large wooden beam was mounted to the rest of the construction via a pivot that had perhaps a quarter of it's length toward the wall and the rest to the rear. A large box like structure was attached to the short end and a sling of sorts dangled from the rear.
Looking further down the line he could see several of the objects with the rear end pulled down and the large box dangling. The pivot must have been at least ten yards off the ground. He supposed that if the arm was released and the box was heavily weighted, the end would whip quickly up and forward. He was familiar with slings, knowing that the children of some town sheep herders used them against scrats and grayjays. As big as the ones attached to the ends of the big arms, the projectiles thrown must have been pretty heavy. That might explain all those rocks on the other side.
Surmising further he figured that instead of rocks, some form of explosive charge could be created and thrown, accounting for the blast marks and craters. While cumbersome and highly vulnerable to a fast moving cavalry charge, the large heavy devices appeared to be very effective from behind the rock wall and had been doing an admirable job keeping the Lustreans at bay. Alucius had to wonder at the ingenuity that they represented and where it came from. His experience with the Deforyan Lancers years early didn't suggest it came from the command structure but if there was some clever fellow somewhere high enough in the chain of command, the Landowners Council might have more to worry about than just Lustrean invaders.
Feeling he had seen enough, he dropped into the earth and headed for home. He was sure that his grandfather would be very interested in what he had seen. He also had to think that unless this had happened in the last few days, the lack of a response with some form of crystal based weaponry by the Praetor spoke volumes about the state of the Lustrean arsenal.
Chapter 35, North of Iron Stem
"Well, son, it's nothing that I've ever heard of before. But as you say, warfare on Corus has generally been based on cavalry tactics. What you described would only make sense for the kind of fixed situation that they have there in the pass. Or perhaps if someone was attacking a force holed up in a city somewhere and they wanted to reduce the buildings," Royalt said.
"Plus they are easier and cheaper to build than cannon."
"I can imagine. So you think it will end up as a stalemate?" Royalt asked.
"More likely a battle of wits. I'm sure the Lustreans are trying to figure out a counter. I'd have to think they have scouts up in those hills, just as the Deforyans have. They're probably trying to build some sort of throwing devices of their own, or maybe even working on some cannons. I doubt that the Lanachronans are the only ones who know anything about them."
"Let's hope they spend a lot of time doing it," his grandfather said before changing the subject. "I see that the new post is nearly finished. I saw it on the way back from Iron Stem."
"Yes, sir. The first company is due to move in next Londi. They've already started bringing in supplies and equipment."
"How did you do with the costs?"
Alucius had to grin at the word 'you' but he chose to let it pass.
"We had six thousand golds to work with and the Lord Protector wanted us to retain a quarter of that for operating expenses so that left us with four and a half thousand. It looks like the final tally will come in at around a thousand less than that. Even with the longer walls, the rubble fill method cut costs and labor rates were a little lower than what we expected but since we finished ahead of time, Feran is going to authorize a bonus. He's also looking at hiring some locals to do cleaning and maintenance. He wants to keep the troopers focused on training and not menial chores. He always thought that was counter productive."
"Good idea. Plus the added coins will put him in favor with the locals. I heard some comments about some of the Dekhron traders trying to push their way into some of the local businesses that hope to trade with the new post. Apparently they found the number of townspeople displaying Militia rifles somewhat disconcerting," Royalt said with a wry grin.
"I'd imagine so," Alucius said with a straight face before he started laughing.
The next two days had Alucius taking out the flock and aside from one pair of stalking sandwolves, the days on the flats were uneventful. The evening of the second night was anything but for the small herder family. It was warm and Alucius and Wendra were sitting on the front porch, he working on a old bridle while she played with Alendra. A small collection of toys that had accumulated over the generations, mostly little figures carved from wood scraps, a wooden ball and a rag doll were littered about the porch. While reaching for a figure Alendra accidentally kicked the ball and sent it rolling until it was stopped by the porch railing. She looked up to see her mother looking over at what her father was doing so she decided it was up to her to retrieve the wayward toy.
Rolling over onto her hands and knees, she grabbed hold of the edge of the bench she was sitting near and pulled herself upright, turned and with slightly unsteady steps she walked to the railing, took hold of a baluster and leaned down to pick up the ball. As she stood back up she heard her mother speak softly to her father.
"Alucius, look at Alendra, but don't say anything."
When Alendra turned to face her parents, ball in hand, she saw them both wide eyed and smiling. Maybe they wanted to play with the ball, too, so she walked towards them with her hand out, offering her prize. When she reached her mother she was scooped up and held at arms length.
"Oh, my goodness, aren't you the good girl," her mother crowed. "Walking, just like that."
"Mother, grandfather, Alendra just took her first steps," Alucius called into the house.
Alendra saw her grandmother and great grandfather hurry through the front door and she was quickly surrounded by happy adults carrying on a great deal. For the life of her, she couldn't figure out what the fuss was all about.
Chapter 36, Heiron, The Matrial's Residence
Alucius decided to use his 'day off' to pay the leaders of Madrien another visit. He suspected that with things as they were, they would meet daily, most likely in the morning to assess the situation and set the agenda for the rest of their day. He decided he would get there ahead of them and take in as much information as possible before making his presence known. He surfaced in the closet he used before and making sure no one was nearby he slipped out into the hall and walked to the double doors. As the conference room was empty, the doors were unguarded and unlocked. He entered and closed the door behind him.
As he had remembered from the time before the plain conference table had four chairs on each side, and one at each end. Additional chairs were placed around the room against the walls. He took a seat in one that was furthest from the table, giving him a clear view of everyone who would be seated there. As he sat and waited he cast about the residence to the limit of his senses and based on the number of people and the pace of their movements, all was not well. There were significantly fewer individuals in the building and those that were moving did so relatively slowly. He sensed a certain weariness and, if not outright depression, a lack of resolve.
He examined the conditions within the building for perhaps a half a glass before the first individuals, a trio, walked down the hall and approached the doors. He raised his suggestion of not being there and waited. The door opened and an officer and two guards stepped in. The looked around the room, missing him completely, and with a nod, the officer left the two guards in place. Alucius recognized them as the same two from the last time. In moments, other officers appeared in ones or twos until all but the seat at the head of the table were occupied. A fraction of glass later the Sub Marshall Alucius recalled came in and sat down.
Everyone looked tired and a bit gaunt. It appeared times were definitely tough in Madrien right now. The Sub Marshall looked around the table and said,
"Alright, so, how much worse have things become in the last day?"
No one seemed willing to answer voluntarily so she fixed the woman to her immediate right with a stare and she got her answer.
"Several dispatches have arrived. All border areas remain unchanged. There have been no exchanges of fire and no reported sightings of any enemy troops on our side of the lines. At least they seem to have some intention of adhering to the current agreement. However, no trade is being permitted along any of the highways or major sub-roads. Only basic foodstuffs from the occupied territory is being allowed across and only after extensive searches of the wagons. It would appear they don't intend to starve us into submission but it won't be long before we are surviving on grain and garden vegetables."
"What about food production from those areas we still hold?" the Sub Marshall asked.
"Some livestock and the aforementioned vegetables. Most of our grain was grown south of our current lines. We have heard from some of those bringing in grain that quite a bit is being sold to the Lanachronan traders and even to some shipping out of Southgate."
"They sell to our enemies?" an outraged officer further along the table exclaimed.
"They see a new reality and are acting accordingly. If we could afford to outbid the others, they would sell to us. But we can't," another replied.
"Alright. So the lines are stable, food is tight but not yet scarce. What about getting our forces back in shape?" the Sub Marshall asked.
"As before, without the collars, we are having trouble acquiring and retaining trooper recruits. When the conscription order went out several weeks ago, a surprising number of the men vanished. It seems the Matrial's yoke did not sit well after all. And we can't afford to use the troops we have to try and round them up. We have gotten a number of women volunteers, but that has it risks."
"Yes, if we lose too many young women, we lose the next generation of Madrien," the Sub Marshall said.
"Exactly. At best, we look to have a force half, perhaps a bit more, than what we had before Southgate and without spearthrower weapons. That's barely enough to hold what we have at the moment. Within a year we could easily be crushed between the Southern and Northern Guard."
"What of the citizens?" the outraged voice asked.
"What would you have us do? Arm the old and the children and have them trampled under the hooves of their cavalry?" another responded.
"Enough," the Sub Marshal said. "It is obvious that the situation is dire, anyone can see that. We have neither the personnel nor resources to regain what was once ours, let alone achieve the Matrial's original goals. We have lost not only the crystal spearthrowers but all of the information and equipment the engineer had accumulated. What is worse we have lost much of our conventional equipment as well. Between the destruction of the armory at Altema and what was taken or destroyed during the mutiny at Salcer, we have little left to fight with."
Alucius was surprised to hear of the mutiny. Salcer was the extensive depot to the south and he recalled the huge warehouses. His thoughts were pulled back to the conversation by a fist thumping the table.
"That damnable herder Colonel. I know it was he who destroyed the engineers workshop and the armory. How one man could cause such damage to our cause."
"Is that not the true nature of the lamaial, Sub Marshall?" a junior officer at the far end of the table asked. "Was that not the reason we hunted down and killed men with talent, to forestall these events?"
"I suppose so," the Sub Marshall replied, rubbing her face with a weary hand. "But the lamaial was the stuff of legend. The boogey man to scare children and witless adults. A trooper or officer of the Matrial should not be concerned with such. So, what do you recommend?"
No one spoke for a time until the same junior officer cleared her throat.
"While the Matrial lived, Madrien thrived and grew. But she is no more, and neither is the Regent or the power that sustained them. We have not the resources to return to those times and must only consider the welfare of those that look to us for their security. Regardless of how repellant it might be to those of us here, I fear we must approach the Lord Protector and negotiate what terms we can. We are beset on all sides and his patience cannot last forever. It is not his troopers I fear, but the herder Colonel. What might we face if he is turned loose among us?"
"Well, finally. A voice of reason," Alucius said as he dropped his veil.
There was a collective gasp and a exclamation or two. The guards began moving their hands to their sidearms but stopped when Alucius raised a hand.
"Do you really want to go through that again?" he asked.
The two husky women hesitated, remembering that upon awakening from having their life threads tapped the last time, they endured splitting headaches the lasted for hours. The Sub Marshall waved them off.
"So, Colonel, you grace us with another visit. Do I assume correctly that you heard all we have said?"
"Yes, I did. I arrived a little while before you all did. This is all so unnecessary, you know," he replied as he stood up, suddenly seeming to loom over them. "You were given the opportunity weeks ago to come to an accommodation with the Lord Protector. Yet you persist in trying to find a way back to where you were. I am here to tell you there is no going back. The Matrial took a gamble and lost. You all lost. Now wiser souls must find a way to end the hardship and work toward getting Corus back to some level of peace and prosperity, for most if not for all."
"What does a barbarian from the wastes know of such things," said the outraged voice from before.
Alucius now had a better look and could see the speaker was a middle aged Overcaptain with graying hair, some wrinkles and a saber cut scar across one check and down her neck. The look she gave him was pure poison and her emotions were barely checked violence. He sighed.
"If I was such a barbarian, Overcaptain, you would already be dead where you sit. From your expression and emotions I can tell you would like nothing better than to kill me where I stand, but that won't happen so I suggest you get control of yourself. You'll notice this barbarian is speaking to you in rather passable Madrien."
It was in fact, letter perfect.
"I have more knowledge of the people, places and history of Corus than any scholar you'd likely find in Madrien. I know what it takes to run the complicated business of producing nightsilk. So do us all a favor and drop the condescending attitude and hold your tongue so that cooler heads might prevail here," he said, finishing off with a projection of absolute authority and certainty that actually caused the Overcaptain to press back into her chair.
He turned his attention to the Sub Marshall.
"Sub Marshall, I don't envy you your task. You are an officer who was trained to lead troopers in a fight and now find yourself trying to lead your people out of a dire situation. As the most wise Undercaptain stated, you are beset on all sides, which I assume means you are facing a threat from sea raiders, most likely encouraged, if not employed, by the Dramurians. The same has occurred at Southgate. I would encourage you to send representation to the Lord Protector and work out terms. Believe it or not, I have spoken on your behalf with him. There were some aspects of Madrien culture that I found admirable. I'd suggest you include a Captain Gerayn, a tariff officer, if she is still available. I found her to be an honest and trustworthy person.
"Whether you wish to accept it or not, you have lost the war your Matrial started. You have the opportunity to win a peace that will allow your people to start living their lives again. I trust you will make the right decisions."
He resumed the veil and began to move toward the door and then thought again and popped back into view only a few feet from the guards, both of whom danced back in surprise.
"One other thing. It was me that destroyed the engineer's workshop, although I had only intended to burn the documents. I suppose something in there was rather volatile. But the armory at Altema was not my doing."
"Who's was it?" she asked.
"My wife. We came down to borrow some blasting powder and as we were leaving she set off the remainder."
"Your wife? Whatever did she do that for?" the Sub Marshall asked, genuinely surprised.
"I believe her exact words were, 'Those bitches disrupted our lives, now they know I didn't appreciate it'," he said with a small smile and then looked directly at the Undercaptain, who's eyes went wide, "You see, Undercaptain, you have more to fear than just me."
With that, and without the veil, he walked to the door, the two guards having stepped away and left the room in stunned silence. Wanting to know what would come next he ducked back into the closet and began to listen. It took a few moments before someone spoke. It was the Undercaptain in a slightly horrified voice.
"Two of them? How could we possibly deal with that? We can't even keep one out of the residence."
"I would rather die than submit to the will of such as that, that, thing," the outraged Overcaptain sputtered.
"I imagine the herder Colonel would be happy to arrange that for you," the Sub Marshall said acidly. "Very well then. Someone find this Captain Gerayn. Add yourself, Undercaptain as recording secretary and two others that you'd recommend. Bring me their names by the end of the day. And arrange for a squad as a security detail. I believe their Marshall is still at Zalt."
"I would suggest, Sub Marshall, if I may," the wise young Undercaptain began, "that a messenger be sent North to inform the force commander there so as to avoid any incidents."
"Well said. See to it personally," the Sub Marshall said.
Satisfied, Alucius slipped back into the walls and dropped down into the earth. He headed for home and a restful afternoon, which turned out to involve a lot of chasing after a very active toddler.