"Yes, Regent," replied Marshal Aluyn. "Unless something unusual has occurred, they should be ready to begin the assault."
"I would not like that."
"Nor would we, Regent. But the Lord-Protector cannot bring any more lancers into the south."
"Cannot or will not?" asked the Regent.
"If he does, he risks losing the north more quickly or even his own south. If the revolt in Hyalt spreads to Syan, Soupat will be cut off, and that will limit the lead available to the Lanachronans, both for their bullets and their crystal trade."
"How are your efforts proceeding in that?"
"There are more weapons being shipped into Hyalt along the old Coast Range trails, and the revolt there continues to grow."
The Regent nodded, then asked, "And the torques? How many have werepowered?"
"We have concentrated on repowering those of former captives and those in and around Hieron."
"How many, Aluyn?"
"Less than a quarter. It takes time. We only have a few truly Talented officers. The new crystal is not as strong, not yet. We dare not send any recently trained captive lancers too far from places where we have Talent-officers."
"The crystal grows more powerful with each day."
"The Talent-officers have noted that, but you ordered us to concentrate on retaking the south."
"I did. That I did." The Regent nodded. "You may go. Let me know when we have word on our progress."
The marshal bowed. "Yes, Regent."
After the conference room door closed behind the departing marshal, the Regent turned back to the windows. She looked southward in the golden light of the time just before sunset. Her fingers touched, briefly, the dark green emeralds of the choker. The gems flared deep within at her touch, and her smile hardened.
Chapter 38
« ^ »
Sexdi morning, immediately after breakfast and morning muster, found Alurius in Captain-colonel Jorynst's study along with Marshal Frynkel. The three sat around a circular conference table in one corner of the study, a corner flanked by two man-high bookcases filled with leather-bound volumes. As he shifted his weight in the wooden armchair, Alucius couldn't help but notice that all the volumes were dusty, as were the bookshelves themselves.
"The marshal was telling me that you were attacked by strange creatures on the road south to Krost," offered the colonel. "Never heard of such a thing." He looked directly at Alucius.
"It was a surprise to us," Alucius replied. "I've never heard of anyone being attacked on a road like that. Not in the middle of Lanachrona, certainly. "
"It happened to you and not to anyone else," said the colonel. "You were not terribly successful in protecting the Eighth Company, successful as you may have been with your own lancers. Command is not about protecting just one part of a force; it requires one to handle all the companies as one."
"That is true, Colonel," Alucius replied as politely as he could, despite the growing rage seething within him. What business did Jorynst have in chastising him? "At that time, I was only in command of Fifth Company, and I did not receive any orders from Marshal Frynkel."
"Shouldn't need orders for that. Your job was to protect the marshal."
Alucius debated for a moment, deciding whether to point out that he was not and had never been under the colonel's command. He decided against doing so and said calmly, "That was what we did. We stayed and fought the beasts. We killed them all, and that way none of them reached the marshal."
"You didn't do that much for the fourth and fifth squads of Eighth Company, now, did you?"
Alucius could not figure out why the colonel was attacking him—and why the marshal was allowing it—except that it was clear Frynkel had always had his own agenda. Alucius tried again, keeping his voice level. "We did the best we could, sir, and we did keep the other Eighth Company squads from taking casualties."
"That still left some thirty dead and wounded—almost a third of Eighth Company."
From what Alucius could sense, the colonel was angry, but Alucius couldn't figure out why. Jorynst hadn't been there. Eighth Company did not belong to Krost Post, but was stationed out of Tempre, according to the marshal. So Alucius just waited, without saying more.
"Your pardon, Marshal," offered Jorynst, nodding to Frynkel and turning back to Alucius, "but many strange things have happened around you, Majer, and you have an extremely high rate of casualties. I will do as ordered and place the Twenty-eighth and Thirty-fifth Companies under your command, but I cannot say that I am pleased. I am not pleased at all, and I cannot understand why this step is necessary. But I am a faithful officer and will do as directed."
Deciding that the abuse had gone far enough, Alucius forced a polite smile. "Then, Colonel, we feel exactly the same way. The last Southern Guard officer under whom I served managed to lose almost his entire company to the last man, and I was forced to watch as tactics I thought were unsuitable were employed. I managed to defeat an enemy that outnumbered our forces by close to ten to one. It is true that we suffered casualties in the range of thirty to forty percent, but that was far better than Majer Draspyr's ninety-eight percent. I am here at the request of the Lord-Protector. I did not ask to be here, and I did not ask to be sent to put down an internal domestic revolt in Lanachrona, a revolt with which the Iron Valleys have no connection. Because I, too, am a good and faithful officer, as always, I will do my very best. In the past, it's been far better than the Southern Guard has managed."
Jorynst's eyes almost bulged out, and he opened his mouth, then closed it. Finally, he spoke. "You… that is… insubordination…"
"Yes, sir," Alucius replied. "If telling the facts as they are constitutes insubordination, then I am insubordinate."
"I cannot believe that you—" began Jorynst.
"Colonel…" Marshal Frynkel said, firmly. "Majer Alucius is a Northern Guard officer. His record is impeccable. He is the only man in the history of Corus to receive the highest decorations from Deforya, Lanachrona, and the Iron Valleys simultaneously. He is also the only officer ever to engineer an escape from Madrien and, with less than a company of half-trained recruits, defeat between four and six experienced companies. He prefers the truth in a less varnished fashion and speaks more directly than the subordinates to whom you are accustomed. You may note that he replied most courteously and politely in his manner of speech time after time, when you were the one who was abusive. You took offense to what he said, and to the substance of what he said, I fear there is no rebuttal." Frynkel smiled coldly and turned to Alucius. "What are your training plans, Majer?"
"Do they need any more training?" asked Jorynst. "The Twenty-eighth and Thirty-fifth Companies have been preparing since we received word from the arms-commander."
Alucius couldn't believe that the colonel was still objecting. Was he that stubborn? Or was he just trying to set up Alucius? "We'll need at least several days to work with them and to assess—"
"They're good lancers—" said Jorynst.
"I'm certain that they are," the marshal interjected, "but the majer needs to work with them to make sure that the command structure works and to know how they do what they do, and they need to know how the Northern Guards do what they do."
"I suppose that's true…" The colonel's words were grudging.
"Colonel," Frynkel said almost amiably, "Majer Alucius understands his task. We should let him get on with it. There are a few matters that we need to discuss." Frynkel looked at Alucius. "If you wouldn't mind, Majer." After the briefest pause, he extended a folder. "Here are the rosters and squad assignments for your new companies. Your command begins as of now."
"Yes, sir." Alucius didn't mention that Feran had probably already established that command. He stood. "By your leave, Marshal?" He did not look at Jorynst.
"You have my leave, Majer."
Alucius left, closing the door behind him. He paused, but heard nothing, then stepped past the ranker seated at the desk in the anteroom. He wished he knew e
xactly what game the marshal was playing, but by the end of the meeting it had been clear to Alucius that the marshal had used Alucius against the colonel and had been quietly pleased. Alucius didn't like being used that way, but there was little he could do until he knew more.
He made his way to the armory, where he arranged for three hundred rattan blades to be ready on the following morning. Then he hurried to the stable, where the gray was waiting, already saddled. He took several moments to study the rosters, and then slipped them inside his tunic before leading the gelding out and mounting.
The post seemed quiet as he rode out past the sentries, who barely acknowledged his departure. Feran and the two Southern Guard captains were waiting for him at the edge of the flat dusty maneuver field to the west of the wall of Krost Post.
"Overcaptain, captains… I apologize, but the marshal had a few matters to discuss." Alucius offered a smile he did not feel. "I'm Majer Alucius, and I see that you've met your deputy commander, Overcaptain Feran."
"Yes, sir."
Alucius studied the two captains. One was dark-haired and painfully young. The other was at least ten years older, with a rugged face, shortcut blond hair, and a thin red scar across his forehead. Alucius looked at the older captain. "You're Jultyr?"
"Yes, sir."
"Were you in one of the companies that patrolled the Coast Range against the Matrial?"
"Yes, sir."
Alucius could detect the faintest puzzlement in the captain's response, but continued, "Did you ever wonder why the Matrites never sent out patrols of less than what seemed to be a half squad?"
"I hadn't thought about it, sir."
"We'll talk about that sometime, Captain." Alucius offered a smile as he projected a hint of warmth and trustworthiness at Jultyr. Then he turned to the second captain. "Captain Deotyr?"
"Yes, sir."
"How long have you been in service?"
"Just a year, sir."
"Good," Alucius said ambiguously. "I understand you two have been working your companies hard. I also suspect that neither of you is thrilled to be assigned to a command where you know little or nothing about your commanding officer. Has anyone briefed you on our mission?"
There was a flicker of eye contact between the two captains. Jultyr's jaw tightened, and he said nothing.
After a silence, Deotyr spoke. "We heard that we might have to do something about the revolt in Hyalt."
"That's correct. Contrary to what may have been passed around," Alucius said easily, "I'm not interested in putting down a revolt by killing large numbers of people. That's a very last resort. Dead people don't produce goods. They don't pay tariffs, and their friends and relatives have even more reasons to revolt and try to kill lancers. That said, I won't hesitate to use force, if necessary, but I'd prefer other tactics first."
"Other tactics, sir?" blurted Deotyr.
"We'll discuss those later. We'll have plenty of time on the ride to Hyalt. This morning, we're going to go through some exercises to see just how your lancers operate and how good they are at what. This afternoon, we'll be adding some squad and company maneuvers and formations that are not used widely in the Southern Guard but that will have some application in Hyalt. Then, tomorrow, we'll begin some squad-on-squad drills against Fifth Company. Fifth Company is a very experienced outfit, and we can't afford any serious casualties. So… for any contact drills, I've arranged for rattan wands. You'll pick those up from the armory tomorrow after muster."
"Rattan?" blurted Deotyr.
"Captain," Alucius replied patiently. "We have to integrate tactics, techniques, and maneuvers. While basic mounted commands are similar from force to force, they are not identical, and tactics vary widely. There's a great possibility for miscommunication to begin with, and miscommunication with edged weapons is not desirable. Neither is conducting evaluation exercises and blade training without using weapons." Yes, sir.
"For this morning's maneuvers, I'll go with Captain Deotyr and Twenty-eighth Company." Alucius looked at Deotyr directly. "I'll give you the commands I want you to order. That will let me see how your company operates. Overcaptain Feran will do the same with Captain Jultyr and Thirty-fifth Company. Now… if you'd return to your companies and brief your squad leaders."
Alucius remained on the gray beside Feran, using his Talent to boost his listening as the two captains rode back to their ranked companies.
"Rattan…" murmured Deotyr. "Don't believe it…"
So far as Alucius could tell, Jultyr said nothing. After a moment, Alucius looked to Feran.
"Jultyr has an idea of what's coming," Feran said. "The other one…" He shook his head.
"I know," Alucius said. "I know."
Once he was sure that Deotyr had had time to brief his squad leaders, he rode toward Twenty-eighth Company.
The rest of the day was a blur, with exercise after exercise, and only a two-glass break between morning and afternoon sessions. By the time Alucius released the two companies—only slightly past midafternoon, because he had not wanted to put too much strain on the mounts—both trainee companies had learned, in general terms, the additional oblique maneuvers that Alucius had brought back from his captivity in Madrien and adapted for Northern Guard use, as well as a few others that had been used only by the Fifth and Twenty-first Companies of the Northern Guard.
At some point, Alucius wanted to send off a letter to Wendra. That was all he could do to reassure her that he was thinking about her and Alendra, but he had a great deal of planning to do. Also, he was well aware that anything he wrote and dispatched from Krost Post would have to be short and say little beyond expressing his affection.
As he rode back to the stable, dust-covered, tired, and hoarse, he couldn't help but wonder what the marshal and the colonel had discussed and how it would all play out.
Chapter 39
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Septi morning was cloudy but dry, and as he reined up the gray on the maneuver field, waiting for Captain Deotyr and Captain Jultyr, Alucius could almost feel the resentment from a least some of the lancers in the two Southern Guard companies as they formed up—carrying the rattan wands. He had not talked with Marshal Frynkel, as had decided that it would be better for the marshal to seek him out than to seek out Frynkel immediately. Alucius's orders did not mention a specific time when he was to leave for Hyalt, and he did not want to leave until he and Fifth Company had had more time working with the two Southern Guard companies.
Within moments, Feran had brought his mount up beside Alucius. "Fifth Company is ready, sir."
"Thank you. Do all your squad leaders know what's necessary?" Alucius asked quietly.
"All I had to tell them was that the Southern Guard was most unimpressed with the Northern Guard." Feran's voice was dry. "I did add that the Southern Guards didn't seem to understand that you were trying to protect them, and that it might be wise to reinforce that point. Show the southern boys that they needed that protection."
Alucius nodded slowly. "Good. I wish it were some other way, but Colonel Jorynst's attitude has made this more difficult than it had to be."
"You mean that he can't believe that we're fit to command good southern men? Sir?" Feran snorted.
"Something like that."
"How do you want to handle today?" asked the overcaptain.
"Might as well start with squad-on-squad. One set of squads at a time, so the others can watch. Alternate. Your first squad against first squad of Twenty-eighth, second squad against second squad of Thirty-fifth until we go through five drills. Then, we'll take a break. Say a half glass, but we'll see. Then, we'll reverse the order… Your first squad against the first squad of Thirty-fifth… That will mean your men have to work twice as hard."
"They can handle that."
Alucius remained on the gray, watching and waiting as Deotyr and Jultyr formed up their companies, then rode forward.
"Twenty-eighth Company, present and accounted for, sir."
"Thirty-fifth Co
mpany, present and accounted for, sir."
"Fifth Company, present and accounted for, sir," added Feran.
Alucius accepted the reports with a nod, then said, "Good morning, Overcaptain, captains."
"Good morning, sir."
"We'll be doing squad-on-squad drills this morning…" As Alucius explained, he studied the three officers. "… and once we've had a run-through of the first five skirmishes, the men will get a break, while I debrief you on each squad's performance. Then, you'll get some time to work out things with each squad and squad leader, and a break for rations and water. Then, we'll go through another set of squad-on-squad skirmishes…" As he finished the outline of the day's training exercises, it seemed to Alucius that Jultyr's attitude combined understanding with resignation. Deotyr seemed resentful and bewildered. Feran managed to conceal an ironic amusement.
After he dismissed the captains to make ready, Alucius rode farther toward the center of the maneuver area so that he could watch more closely.
"First squad, Fifth Company, ready, sir!" called Feran.
"First squad, Twenty-eighth Company, ready, sir!"
"Commence exercise!" Alucius ordered.
He watched intently as the first squad from Fifth Company wheeled, then rode toward the first squad of Twenty-eighth Company. Within moments, most of the recent trainees were either rocked back in their saddles, had lost their rattan wands, or had suffered blows that would have been crippling had they faced lancers with real sabres. Alucius had anticipated that some additional training would be necessary, but he had not expected such a poor showing.
He let the skirmish go on for a time, long enough that it was clear to most that those raw lancers in Twenty-eighth Company would have been slaughtered.
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