by Eric Flint
Belisarius shrugged. "It's not an oasis, actually. I think it's one of the places where the Persians dug a vertical well to their underground canals. What they call their qanat system."
The clatter of horses behind caused him to turn. His two bodyguards, Anastasius and Valentinian, had finally arrived at the mountain pass. They had lagged behind while Valentinian pried a rock from one of his mount's hooves.
Belisarius turned back and pointed to the "oasis." "I want to investigate," he announced. "I think we can make it there by noon."
Protest immediately erupted.
"That's a bad idea," stated Maurice.
"Idiot lunatic idea," agreed Vasudeva.
"There's only the five of us," concurred Valentinian.
"Rest of the army's still a day's march behind," added Anastasius. The giant cataphract, usually placid and philosophical, added his own glare to those of his companions.
"This so-called `personal reconnaissance' of yours," rumbled Anastasius, "is pushing it already." A huge hand swept the surrounding mountains. A finger the size of a sausage pointed accusingly at the plateau below. "Who the hell knows what's lurking about?" he demanded. "That so-called `plateau' is almost as broken as these mountains. Could be an entire Malwa cavalry troop hidden anywhere."
"An entire army," hissed Valentinian. "I think we should get out of here. I certainly don't think we should go down-"
Belisarius cleared his throat. "I don't recall summoning a council," he remarked mildly.
His companions scowled, but fell instantly silent.
After a moment, Maurice spoke quietly. "Are you determined on this, lad?"
Belisarius nodded. "Yes, Maurice, I am. I've been thinking about these qanats ever since Baresmanas and Kurush described them to me. They've been figuring rather heavily in my calculations, in fact." He pointed to the distant patch of greenery. "But it's all speculation until I actually get to inspect one. This is my first chance, and I don't intend to pass it up."
Having established his authority, Belisarius relented a moment. His veterans were entitled to an explanation, not simply a command.
"Besides, I don't think we need to worry about encountering Damodara's forces yet. The battle where they took the Caspian Gates was bloody and bitter. By all accounts, Damodara simply left a holding force at the Gates while he retired his main army to Damghan for the winter. By now, they'll have refitted and recuperated-they're probably back through the Gates, maybe even as far into Mah province as Ahmadan-but that's still almost fifty miles from here."
Vasudeva cleared his throat. "Is your assessment based on reports from spies, or is it-"
Belisarius smiled. "Good Greek logic, Vasudeva."
Nothing was said. But the expression on the faces of his Thracian and Kushan companions spoke volumes concerning their opinion of "good Greek logic." Even Anastasius, normally devoted to Greek philosophy, was glowering fiercely.
Belisarius spurred his horse into motion and began picking his way down the trail. Silently, his men followed.
More or less silently, that is. Valentinian, of course, was muttering. Belisarius did not ask for a translation. He was quite sure that every phrase was purely obscene.
Halfway down the slope, a new voice entered its protest.
This is a bad idea, came the thought from Aide.
Et tu, Brute? responded Belisarius.
Very bad idea. I have been thinking it over, and Maurice is correct. And Vasudeva and Valentinian and Anastasius. This is too much guesswork. There are only five of you. You should leave this off and rejoin your army. You can investigate that oasis later, with a much larger force.
Belisarius was a bit startled by the vehemence in Aide's tone. The crystalline being from the future had been with him for years now, ever since it was brought to him by the monk, Michael of Macedonia. Over the course of that time, in fits and starts, Belisarius and Aide had worked out their relationship. Aide advised him, and guided him, and often educated him, on matters pertaining to history and broad human affairs. And the "jewel" was also an almost inexhaustible fount of information. But, from experience, Aide had learned not to outguess Belisarius when it came to problems of strategy and tactics. In that realm, the crystalline being had learned, Belisarius was supreme. Which was why it had come here from the future, after all. To save itself and its crystal race from slavery or outright destruction, Aide had come back to the past searching for the great Roman general who might thwart the attempt of the "new gods" to change all of human history.
But, though Belisarius was startled, he was not swayed. If anything, Aide's echo of his companions' protests simply heightened his resolve.
And so it was, as Belisarius and his little troop worked their way down the slopes of the Zagros mountains onto the plateau of Persia, that another voice was added to Valentinian's muttering.
Stubborn Thracian oaf was the only one of those half-sensed thoughts which was not, technically, obscene.
Chapter 2
The trap was sprung when the Romans were less than three hundred yards from their destination. That was the only mistake the Rajputs made.
But they could hardly, in good conscience, be faulted for that error. Sanga had warned them of Belisarius' quickness and sagacity. But Sanga knew nothing of Aide, and of the way in which Aide enhanced Belisarius' hearing as well his eyesight. So his men sprang the trap at the moment when, logically, they had the Romans isolated from any retreat or shelter.
Belisarius heard the clattering of horses set into sudden motion before any of his comrades-before, even, the lurking enemy appeared out of the ravines in which they were hidden.
"It's an ambush!" he hissed.
Valentinian reacted first. He began reining his horse around.
"No!" shouted Belisarius. He pointed, with both hands, to their side and rear. "They waited until they could cut us off from the mountains!"
He spurred his horse forward, now pointing ahead. "Our only chance is to fort up!"
His comrades, from long experience, did not argue the matter. They simply followed Belisarius' galloping horse, as their commander charged forward.
Belisarius scanned the terrain ahead of him. The small "oasis" toward which they were heading was not much more than a grove of trees. Spindly fruit trees-apricots, mostly, with a handful of peaches.
Useless.
But, a moment later, his uncanny eyesight spotted what he was hoping for.
"There's a building! In the grove!" Belisarius cast a quick glance over his left shoulder. He could see the enemy now.
Damnation! Rajputs.
Perhaps a dozen. A glance over his right shoulder. Same.
His quick mind flashed back over his experiences in India. The standard for a Rajput cavalry platoon is thirty. Which means-
He turned his head back around, scanning the grove ahead. In less than two seconds, he saw what he was expecting.
"There are Rajputs in the grove, too!" he shouted. "Probably half a dozen!"
Belisarius made no attempt to draw his bow. He was not a good enough archer to handle it at a full gallop. None of his companions were, except- Valentinian already had his bow out. In less time than Belisarius would have imagined possible, the cataphract had fired an arrow. The missile sped ahead of the galloping cluster of Romans and plunged into the trees. Instantly, a cry of pain went up. Almost as instantly, five Rajputs drove their horses out of the grove, pounding toward the oncoming Romans. Belisarius could see a sixth Rajput, but the man was sliding off his horse, clutching at an arrow in his shoulder.
This was lance work, now. All of the Romans except Valentinian already had their heavy lances in position. So did Valentinian, by the time the Rajputs arrived. With his weasel-quick reflexes, the cataphract even managed to slide his bow back in its sheath before taking up his lance. Almost any other man in the world would have been forced to simply drop the weapon.
The contest, under the circumstances-a head-on collision between an equal number of Roman cataphracts and Rajpu
t lancers-was no match at all. Even without stirrups, the heavier Roman cavalry would have triumphed. With them, and the much heavier and longer lances the stirrups made possible, Belisarius and his men almost literally rode right over their opponents. For a few seconds, the general's world was a cacophony of shouts. The clangor of lance against shield covered but could not disguise the more hideous sounds of splitting flesh and bone. Battle cries became shrieks, fading into hissing death.
Three of the Rajputs were killed almost instantly, their bodies torn by the great spears. A fourth would die within minutes, from the blood pouring out of a half-severed thigh.
The only one who survived, suffering nothing worse than bruises, was the Rajput who faced Vasudeva. Though the Kushan was a skilled warrior, he had little experience with stirrups and lanceplay. But he was a veteran, and had the sense not to try matching the prowess of his companions. Instead of finding the gaps between armor, he simply drove his lance into his opponent's shield. The impact knocked the man right off his horse.
The Romans rode on. Belisarius could now see more of the building through the trees. It was a farmhouse, typical of the sort erected by large Persian families. Square in design, the structure was single-storied and measured approximately thirty feet on a side. The walls were heavy and solid, constructed out of dry stone. He couldn't see the roof clearly, but he knew it would be made of wooden beams covered with soil.
Except-
There was something odd about the shape of the farmhouse. The trees obscured his vision, but it seemed as if the building sloped on one side.
A thought came from Aide. This is earthquake country. That building is half-collapsed.
Belisarius nodded. They were entering the small grove which surrounded the farmhouse, and he could see that the fruit trees were poorly tended. The place had all the signs of an abandoned farm.
Earthquake, probably, just like Aide says. Then-war comes. The survivors would have fled.
Belisarius cast a last glance over his shoulder. Their pursuers, he saw, were spreading out. Realizing that they had missed their chance at an immediate ambush, the Rajputs intended to surround the grove and trap the Romans in the farmhouse.
Grimly, he turned away. Five men against most of a Rajput cavalry platoon was bad odds. Very bad. But at least they'd have the advantage of being forted up rather than caught in the open.
A moment later they were through the grove and reining up next to the farmhouse.
If you can call this a "fort," he thought ruefully, examining the structure.
"There's only the one door," pointed out Maurice. "Maybe one in back, but I doubt it. Not if this is like most Persian farmhouses."
"You call that a `door'?" demanded Valentinian. His expression was that of a man who had just eaten a basket of lemons.
Maurice managed the feat of shrugging while he climbed off his horse. "It'll do, it'll do. We can probably shore it up with beams." He glanced up at the half-collapsed roof. "Be plenty of them lying around, I should think."
Valentinian left off further comment, although his continued sour expression made clear his opinion of "forts" with collapsed roofs.
Once all five Romans were dismounted, they pried open the door and led their mounts into the farmhouse. The half-dark interior of the farmhouse was filled, for a minute or so, with the noise and dust thrown up by skittish horses, still blowing from exertion and prancing nervously. Vasudeva occupied himself with calming and tying up the mounts while his four companions spread out and investigated the place.
The investigation was quick, but thorough.
Maurice summed it up. "Could be worse. Walls are thick. The stones were well placed. Roof'll be a problem, but at least"-he pointed to the rubble filling the northern third of the farmhouse-"when it collapsed it brought down the adjoining walls. One or two Rajputs could squeeze in there, but there's no way they could do a concerted rush."
Hands on hips, he made a last survey of their fort.
"Not bad, actually. Once we brace the door-"
He smiled thinly, watching Anastasius match deed to word. The giant simply picked up a beam and jammed it against the door. Then, as casually as it were but a twig, he did the same with another.
Maurice finished: "-we'll be able to hold them off for quite a bit."
Valentinian's expression was still sour. Sour, sour, sour. "That's great," he snarled. "You have noticed there's no way out of here? You have noticed there's no food in the place?"
Gloomily, he watched Belisarius pry the cover off what appeared to be a well in the southeast corner.
"At least we've got water," he grumbled. "Maybe. If that well isn't dry."
Belisarius spoke, then, with astonishing good cheer. "Better than that, Valentinian. Better than that. I do believe this leads to a qanat." He pointed down into the well. "See for yourself."
Valentinian and Maurice hurried over.
"Make it quick," commanded Vasudeva. The Kushan was peering through a small chink in the western wall. "The Rajputs are into the grove."
"Same on this side," added Anastasius, peering through a similar chink in the opposite wall. "They've got us surrounded." A moment later: "They're dismounting, now, going to charge us on foot." His tone grew aggrieved. "I thought Rajputs never got off their horses, even rode them into the damned latrines."
"Not Sanga's Rajputs," commented Belisarius idly, still staring down into the well. "He's just as stiff-necked as any Rajput when it comes to his honor, but that doesn't extend to any silliness when it comes to military tactics."
Suddenly, Vasudeva hissed. "They've got grenades!" he exclaimed.
Belisarius' head jerked up from his examination of the well.
"You're certain?" he demanded. But he didn't wait for a reply before reconsidering his plans. Vasudeva was not the man to make such a mistake.
"I thought the Malwa never let anyone but their kshatriyas handle gunpowder weapons," complained Valentinian.
"So did I," mused Belisarius, scratching his chin. "Looks like Damodara decided to relax the rules."
He resumed studying the well. "Not surprising, I suppose. He's rumored to be far and away their best field commander, and his army's based on Rajputs. Sanga's Rajputs, to boot."
As he continued his scrutiny of the well, his voice grew thoughtful. "That explains this ambush, I think. I forgot how good Sanga is. Got too accustomed to those arrogant Malwa in Mesopotamia. He knows me. He probably figured I'd do my own reconnaissance, and set traps all along the foothills."
Belisarius looked up, finished with his examination. When he spoke, the iron tone in his voice indicated that he had reached a decision.
"No point in forting up, now," he announced. "They won't waste lives trying to force their way through the door. They'll just blow out the walls of the farmhouse."
"They're already moving in," agreed Vasudeva. "Three men, on this side, carrying grenades. I can't even fire on them. Chink's big enough to peek through, but not for an arrow."
"I've got two on my side," said Anastasius. "Same thing."
Belisarius pointed down the well. "We'll make our escape through here. Strip off your armor. It's a long, narrow climb, and I've no idea how much room we'll have below."
"What about the horses?" demanded Valentinian.
Belisarius shook his head. "No way to get them down. We'll use them for a diversion. But first-" He strode over to the horses. "Pull out our own grenades. I want to set them against all the walls. We'll do the Rajputs' work for them. Bring the whole place down. It might cover our escape."
He began digging grenades out of his saddlebags. An instant later, Maurice and Valentinian were doing the same.
"I've got fuse-cord," announced Maurice. "We can tie together all the grenades. Set them off at once."
Belisarius nodded. He carried a handful of grenades over to the west wall and began placing them, while Valentinian did the same on the east. Maurice followed, quickly tying the fuses to a length of fuse-cord.
All five Romans flopped onto the dirt floor of the farmhouse. An instant later, a series of explosions rocked the building. On the west wall, not far from Vasudeva, a small hole was blown out. Everywhere else the walls stood, although they were noticeably shakier.
"God bless good stonework," muttered Anastasius. "Always admired masons. A saintly lot, the bunch."
The horses reared up, whinnying with fear, fighting the reins which tied them to a fallen beam. Maurice, the best horse handler among them, rushed to quiet them down.
"Are they preparing a charge?" demanded Belisarius.
Vasudeva, back at his chink, shook his head. "No. They're too canny. They're putting together another batch of grenades. They won't charge until the place is a pile of rubble. Let the falling stones do their work for them." He grunted approvingly. "Good soldiers. Smart."
Belisarius nodded. "That gives us a couple of minutes." He pointed to the door. "Anastasius-pull those braces away. Then get ready to knock down the door. Maurice, as soon as the door goes, drive the horses through. That'll stop the Rajputs for a moment. They'll think we're trying a rush, and besides"-he smiled cheerfully-"Rajputs love good horses. They won't be able to resist taking the time to catch these."
He turned. Seeing that Valentinian had quietly gone about finishing the task of tying together all the grenades, he nodded with satisfaction.
"That's it, then. Vasudeva, you go first. Then Valentinian. Maurice and Anastasius, as soon as you drive the horses out, you follow. I'll go last."
Belisarius seized the heavy well cover and lifted it back onto the low stone wall which surrounded the well. Then, using a short beam, he propped it open. When the time came, he would be able to drop the cover back onto the well by knocking aside the beam.
He began stripping off his armor. Before he was half finished, Vasudeva was out of his own armor and already clambering into the well. The Kushan grabbed a wooden peg fixed into the stonework of the shaft-the first of many which served as a ladder-and began lowering himself.
"At least I've got rid of that miserable stupid ignorant barbarian helmet and that-" The rest of his words were lost as he vanished into the darkness.