by Overton, Max
"What's to prevent, in a proper battle, the enemy getting round behind your formation and just cutting them to pieces?"
"A good question, Murtu. I call this formation the Tortoise, and it is primarily a defensive formation. Just as a tortoise has a hard shell all around it, so does my Tortoise. Anyone slipping around the flanks or the rear will find the same shield wall. The rear ranks turn to face the new enemy. They can be besieged on all sides and defend themselves without major injury, while inflicting wounds on an unprotected enemy."
"But that's just it," Bordalas complained. "It is defensive and you don't win battles by being defensive. I appreciate the use of something like this to..." he smirked at his fellow officers "...protect the general or something, but apart from that, it is useless."
Jebu regarded the man impassively, refusing to be drawn out. "So how can we improve it?"
"What about smaller shields? If the soldiers were more mobile..."
"They would also be more vulnerable."
"Longer spears?"
Jebu rubbed the stubble on his chin with the stump of his right hand, knowing it unsettled his officers. "Alright, Sihon, explain how longer spears would be an advantage."
"Well, sir, I was brought up in the north of Hatti, and there is a small animal called a...a...I can't remember what it's called, but it has spines all over its body. When a fox or a lynx attacks it, it rolls into a ball and they can't get at it.'
"For pity's sake, get to the point," Bordalas growled.
"Yes, where is this tale going?" Jebu asked.
"Sorry sir. It was just the image I had of the prickly-pig--that's its name, sir. Prickly-pig. I thought of your Tortoise with lots of prickles and it reminded me of...of..."
"Of the prickle-pig."
"Yes sir. I thought if you had long spears, those of the second rank would also stick out in front and it would be much harder to attack."
"An interesting thought," Jebu agreed, "But not quite what I had in mind. Any other ideas? How do we improve the Tortoise?" The officers all looked at each other or down at the ground. Jebu sighed. "Look, you've seen it is efficient enough as a defensive formation, but as Bordalas rightly points out, you don't win battles by being defensive. So, we have to find a way of making the Tortoise offensive as well as defensive. Sihon's idea might work but it is defensive as well. Arnu said to make the shields smaller and that would certainly make the soldiers more mobile, but also more easily killed. Give me ideas. Come on, you are army officers, you are supposed to lead and protect your men." Jebu pointed down at the two groups of men who were now standing around the wagon, drinking water. "Imagine that is your Tortoise and the Kemetu army confronts you. How would you fight them?"
"I wouldn't," Bordalas said. "If I tried, I'd be dead."
"You are a good officer in many ways, Bordalas," Jebu said with an edge in his voice, "But you are too ready to see the worst in any situation. Find me a solution."
"How about if the Tortoise waited for an attack, repulsed it, and then attacked," Assurpal said. "Say we threw down our shields and charged the enemy, hitting them hard."
"And when the enemy rallies? You cannot be certain of delivering the killing stroke."
"I don't know," Assurpal admitted.
"We could run back and pick up our shields again," Sihon ventured. "Reform the Tortoise."
"Turn your backs on the enemy and they'll stab you in them," Murtu pointed out. "It takes time to pick up your shield and form the line again. The Kemetu would be all over you."
"Then make the Tortoise larger," Bordalas said. "So large that there are say, a hundred fast men inside the formation, protected by the shield bearers. The enemy attacks, is repulsed, and then the shield line splits and the fast men emerge, chase the enemy and hit them. Then, when they retreat, they run back inside the Tortoise and the shield line closes."
Jebu grinned and nodded. "The shield bearers are concerned only with defense, the fast men solely with attack. The shield men do not need to move fast, and the fast men do not need to stand and defend. The two groups are like the two arms of a man, the shield arm and the sword arm. Well done, Bordalas, I knew you could do it."
"You already had this idea?"
"Something similar, but I only thought to have a dozen men within it. Your larger Tortoise sounds intriguing."
"I still think my prickle-pig would work," Sihon said.
"I think it might too, so I'm going to give you the chance to prove it. You'll take a hundred men and train them up, blunted wooden spears only. Bordalas, you are going to need more to prove your Tortoise, so take...what? Two hundred?"
Bordalas shrugged. "That should suffice, sir. Thank you."
"Don't thank me. I'll be down on you like a fornicating avalanche if you can't deliver. You have ten days."
* * * * *
Ten days later, a company of Amorite troops marched out into the desert, but this time some of them marched with their enlarged shields and others with elongated spears. Several hundred others marched out behind under the command of under-officers, ones who had not been at the original meeting. When they reached the spot, Jebu and the officers adjourned to their hillock overlooking the field of trial, while Bordalas and Sihon took command of their new units.
"The units look different," Murtu commented. "Not just size, but...those are not wooden spears. They're bronze tipped."
Jebu smiled. "I thought a touch of realism to make it more interesting."
"People could get hurt, killed even. Do we want to lose men on an exercise?"
"I'm hoping the Tortoise and the Prickle-pig will prove their worth. If they do, we should not lose many. If they don't, it is better we find out now rather than in a battle."
"Our men aren't going to attack them if they're fully armed though," Assurpal objected. "Who wants to risk his life attacking his friends?"
"Look closer at the attackers," Jebu said. "They are mostly deserters and defaulters. I gave them the choice of execution or showing me their worth today. Any who break the formations will be pardoned."
"You'd trust that scum, sir? They've got nothing to lose just attacking us and making a run for it." Assurpal looked around nervously, as if debating the quickest route of retreat.
Jebu waved a hand toward the soldiers below and a squad of fifty archers ran over to the base of the hillock and spread out in a defensive ring. "I have considered your safety, Assurpal," Jebu said, enjoying the flush of shame that crept over the officer's face. He waved again and junior officers started handing out swords and spears to the condemned soldiers.
"They're equipped as Kemetu," Murtu said.
"Of course. The Kemetu are our foe. As I said, I want this to be realistic."
"Then it's a pity we don't have a Paramessu or a Horemheb to lead them."
Assurpal laughed. "Just as well we don't. We don't want them to win."
"Thank you for your comments, Assurpal," Jebu said coldly. "You will go down and join Bordalas' Tortoise now. You will lead the fast men that attack the Kemetu. I expect to see acts of exceptional bravery from you."
Assurpal paled but he saluted shakily and ran down toward the Tortoise as it formed up.
"Alright," snarled Jebu. "Let's see what they are made of." He signalled again and Sihon's Prickle-pig started forward. After a few false starts, the ranks of the square, ten rows of ten men, settled down and moved smoothly toward the waiting deserters. An officer amongst them bullied the men into some semblance of order and led a charge at the square formation. As the men neared, the vertically held spears of the Prickle-pig swung down. The bronze spear tips of even the third and fourth rank stuck out in front, presenting a thicket of sharp blades to the charging men. They balked, but the press of men behind them forced the front ranks onto the spears and they died without getting close enough to use their own swords.
The 'Kemetu' force broke around the Prickle-pig formation and achieved their first success. The spears of the inner ranks were slow to change direction and
many swords hacked at the exposed limbs of the outer rank of the formation. Several men fell, but the inner ranks steadied and the square now presented spears in all directions. The attackers could not get close enough to do any more damage, and the defenders could no longer move forward.
"Stalemate," Jebu grunted. "I didn't think it was going to work." He signalled for the attacking force to fall back, and for men to pull the fallen from the field of battle.
"About equal casualties, I think," Murtu observed.
"Time for the Tortoise."
The larger formation started toward the milling 'Kemetu'. The leader, who had survived the Prickle-pig, waved his men forward again and they charged the shields of the first rank. The line bowed inward from the weight of the attack but did not break.
"What has Bordalas done?" Jebu muttered. "Those shields look to be locked together."
"I think a ridge on one side of the shield is catching at the one next to it," Murtu said. "Simple but effective."
Bronze blades flicked out from between the shields, short stabbing blades that wounded rather than killed, and forced the attackers away. The 'Kemetu' tried encircling the larger formation but met with a shield wall wherever they probed and at last retreated to regroup. At once, the shield wall split and a hundred men armed only with swords rushed out and attacked the enemy soldiers, stabbing and hacking.
"There's Assurpal," Murtu laughed, pointing. "He's not doing too badly."
Jebu nodded but kept his attention on the overall situation. The hundred men from within the Tortoise were outnumbered by the 'Kemetu' they attacked, so were not likely to deal a decisive blow. "Don't leave it too long...ah, good."
Assurpal suddenly turned his men back and they fled for the safety of the Tortoise. A heartbeat later, their opponents were after them, but Assurpal led his men into the formation safely and the shield wall closed just in time. The 'Kemetu' crashed into the defensive shields and this time almost broke through before being forced back. As they reeled back, the shield line split again, disgorging Assurpal's men. The 'Kemetu' were not ready for them and streamed away in disorder, many throwing down their weapons and surrendering.
Jebu led his officers off the hillock and walked among his cheering men. He congratulated Bordalas, commended Assurpal on his quick thinking, and commiserated with Sihon. Then he turned his attention to the disarmed deserters.
"You were all condemned to death for your crimes, but I gave you a chance to earn life." Jebu shrugged. "You failed."
"Sir, will you hear me?" The man who had assumed the leadership of the deserters strode to the ring of armed men around them.
Jebu nodded. "Your name?"
"Amblax, sir. Some of my men deserve to live. They fought bravely but a few men cannot succeed where the majority will not support them. Should they be condemned for the cowardice of others?"
"Your point is noted. Who are these men deserving of life?" Jebu watched as Amblax strode among his men, pulling some out and striking others who clutched at him. He considered the choice for several long moments. "Very well, their lives are spared. Have them rejoin their units." The men streamed out of the circle but Amblax stayed within. "What of yourself? You showed ability. Are you not deserving of life too?"
"If it's all the same with you, sir, I will die with my men," Amblax said quietly. "I can vouch for the bravery of others, but not for my own."
"Spare him, sir," called a grizzled older man within the circle who nursed a wound to his stomach. "He fought for all of us."
"And you are?" Jebu asked.
"Samsas, sir," said the man. He saluted, wincing at the movement.
"Yet you do not plead for your own life?"
"No sir. We is all deserters and worse, but Amblax is a gentleman. 'E deserves better."
Jebu smiled and nodded. "Bring Samsas out and treat his wounds, Amblax also. Kill the others." He turned away as the slaughter started.
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* * *
Chapter Twenty
Khu had been to Iunu before. Many years previously, he and Scarab had passed that way en route to the frontier city of Zarw. The city was famous for the nine temples dedicated to the set of gods known collectively as the Nine of Iunu. There were other temples in the city, of course, temples dedicated to all of the major gods of Kemet and a number of lesser aspects of the deities. The religion of the Two Lands was complex, so complex in fact, that in some places priests outnumbered the common folk. Not all priests were in touch with the gods, that privilege was reserved for the Hem-Netjer and the Prophets of the God or Goddess. However, a thousand lesser ones thronged the precincts of the temples, helping the holy men and women in their devotions, ministering to their needs and carrying out the everyday tasks that were essential in keeping Kemet in order. The ministrations of the King, the Hem-Netjers, and the Prophets down to the ordinary priests preserved the Ma'at or balance of the Kingdoms. Only the gods could preserve Kemet and only the priests could petition the gods on behalf of men.
There are ten Cosmic families within the beliefs of the Kemetu (ten is a number delimiting totality). The World of Manu is one of these--that which is in heaven--and represents the original creative force. It is represented by eight gods and associated with it is the Solar Triad, made up of Re, Khepri, and Sopdet. Re is the light that sustains life, Khepri is life undergoing change, and Sopdet is both the origin and final destination of all life; yet all three gods are aspects of the Sun God.
The World of Aakhut--the intermediate world--has six gods arranged in two triads. They are responsible for fixing the creative fire from the heavens into the physical world. The third of these ten worlds, the World of Rostau--that which is on earth--refers to the life that preceded birth, the life that comes after, and the life that is now. The Nine Gods and Goddesses of Iunu govern this realm.
Iunu is a city dedicated to the World of Rostau. The people themselves, including the army garrison and governor, live in the city itself, a short distance from the temple mound or ben-ben, where the Nine reside. When Khu and Scarab had come to Iunu years before, they had merely passed through the population centre, their destination being the centre of holiness. The nine temples are arranged in an ascending spiral, with the great temple of Atum in the middle. Priests of each deity watched them as they had walked the spiral path, but none had hindered their passage until they reached the temple of Atum. The god called Scarab into his presence and although Khu accompanied her into the inner precinct, he saw only the priests. Scarab said the god himself had appeared to her and prophesied, but what he said fled from her mind like water through sand. Some said that was always the way of the gods. They spoke truth, but the way ahead would remain hidden until the prophesied events came into being.
Khu now trod that same spiral path with physician Nebhotep, but they did not seek the temple of Atum. According to the words of the King's son, Scarab had a special affinity to one of the other Iunu deities--Auset, Queen of Heaven. If they were to find Scarab, the temple of Auset was probably a good place to start.
A young girl, hardly past puberty, stepped out in front of the two men as they reached the temple of Auset, half way along the spiral path. The girl was clothed in white linen, sheer and finely woven which hinted at a high position in the temple hierarchy, though her face held tension rather than the usual calm displayed by priests.
"The goddess bids you enter her temple precincts, travellers."
Khu glanced at Nebhotep, then into the bright courtyard beyond the entrance pylons. Farther in, cool depths of shadow in the temple hypostyle beckoned. "Us?" he asked. "Is Scarab here?"
"I do not know this 'Scarab'," replied the girl. "The goddess bids you enter. Do you refuse her?"
"No, lady," Nebhotep murmured. "But we thought to meet someone here and your welcome surprised us."
"It is not my welcome, travellers. I would not invite men past the courtyard, but the goddess wills it and I obey."
"Then we do too, and willingly." Nebhot
ep bowed respectfully and followed the young girl through the arch into the broad courtyard. Khu came after, but unseen by both men, another man slipped from the shadows of a broad tamarind tree opposite the temple and hurried after them, treading silently on the dusty ground. He followed them between the pylons, trying hard to look like just another pilgrim, another seeker after the favour of the goddess.
The girl turned and motioned Khu and Nebhotep to remain silent. "What is your business here?" she asked the man.
The man smiled and bobbed his head obsequiously. "I come to make sacrifice before the Queen of Heaven, holiness."
"There are priests in the courtyard who will take your offering."
"I hoped I might sacrifice within the temple itself, holiness."
"No man enters the precinct of the goddess unless summoned."
"Perhaps I might enter with these gentlemen?" The man indicated Khu and Nebhotep. "My sacrifice is a worthy one."
"Then great will be your reward," the girl replied. She summoned one of the lower priests. "This man desires to offer up sacrifice to the goddess. Show him where he may do so."
The priest raised a knuckle to his forehead and bowed. "Yes, mistress." Turning to the man, he gestured with his hand. "Come sir, you may make the offering over here."
The man scowled at the young girl's back and flashed a savage look at the two men before turning away.
"You know him?" Nebhotep asked in a low voice.
"Never seen him before," Khu replied.
The young priestess beckoned them onward, to the smaller pylons that marked the entrance to the shadowy temple. "Take off your sandals, for this is holy ground." They obeyed, and barefoot, followed the girl into the cool, dim depths of the temple.
From deep within the temple came the faint rhythm of a drum and the soft but insistent pulse of sistra. Amid the shadows and the tall pillars reaching upward to an unseen ceiling, white forms drifted and whirled. At first, Khu jumped when one of these apparitions appeared and he clutched at the physician's arm. "Gods preserve us," he quavered. "Spirits of the dead."