Uwa-Uwa-Roarrr! Uwa-Uwa-Roarrr!
“Do you hunger to rescue Xch’úup Xma’ K’aaba’?”
Uwa-Uwa-Roarrr! Uwa-Uwa-Roarrr!
“Do you thirst for the blood of Mahanamtz, his Kechelaj Komon, and his Kechelaj Jupuq?”
Uwa-Uwa-Roarrr! Uwa-Uwa-Roarrr! Uwa-Uwa-Roarrr!
As they calmed, I raised my fist. “We march towards Topoxte. The intelligence brought by Runners indicate that Mahanamtz will attack Topoxte. When, we do not know, but it will be soon. Our purpose is to kill Mahanamtz, not to defend Topoxte. Topoxte is forming an alliance with Yax Mutul and Yax Mutul is an enemy of Ox Witz Ha.” I searched for Huehue and found him across from me. He was Alaxel of Yax Mutul. He nodded and raised his fist. “Remember also that other Runners will be coming and going. Do not take them out in error.” I looked for Ah’-k’inob Coatl and saw his face clearly, lit by the sole torch that remained with us. “Before we go to battle, we pray for victory. Hold the Raax Ch’ayom Puaq onto your chest.” I stared directly at Coatl. He glared at me with fear, anger, I wasn’t sure. I continued to talk with a crescendo. “And now, Ah’-k’inob Coatl will invoke the Great Ek Chuah to give us Victory. Victory!” I shouted.
Uwa-Uwa-Roarrr! Uwa-Uwa-Roarrr!
Teyacapan smiled and Coatl almost smiled. Immediately, his priests brought out incense burners and the sweet smoke began to mist the air around us. The Warriors were quiet. The jungle was quiet. There was no crazy laughter from the kos. No taunt from the icim. Coatl and the priests began their chanting and I did not interfere. I needed them on my side and I had to accept that I was in a land of enchantment with different gods, different beliefs. I had to use the beliefs of both worlds. The priests took about half-k’ab then Coatl nodded to me indicating that they were done.
“To battle! We are dressed as the chaq’ab for we are the Q’eq Warriors of the Chaq’ab.”
Uwa-Uwa-Roarrr! Uwa-Uwa-Roarrr!
Then Yochi and I were suddenly alone except for Patli, Teyacapan and his section. “Teyacapan!”
“Nabe Nacon!”
“You and your section will continue on the south sacbeob to Topoxte. Be vigilant, and look out for Runners. If you see other citizens or Warriors approaching, I want you and your guards to disappear into the nearby jungle. You, Ah’-k’inob, will remain on the sacbeob and tell them that you are priests and healers on the way to help Topoxte.” He nodded. “Teyacapan! Guards! If there is any danger to the section, do not hesitate. Kill the threat quickly and get rid of the bodies without ceremony. I will be at your rear, at times”
“Nabe Nacon,” they shouted.
“Teyacapan! Keep them moving. We will be near to you, but you must not slow us down. Once we near Topoxte, we will bring you into the jungle with us. Ah’-k’inob! Once we are in contact with Mahanamtz, you will begin to invoke the gods. If you and your priests try to leave, your hearts will be torn from your chests and thrown to the Kechelaj Jupuq and your bodies left to the oc.” I looked to Teyacapan and the three guards. “Those are my orders.” They raised their fists. The priests looked to Coatl, fear obvious in their eyes. Coatl simply stared at me then he nodded.
“Ko’one’ex,” shouted Teyacapan. The priests collected their effects then marched into the darkness of the sacbeob heading west, leading to the southern shores of the two ha’s. Further north was the sacbeob running from Maxam to Yaxha, but I not only wanted to avoid that main thoroughfare, but to completely bypass Yaxha which was on the north bank of Ha’ Yaxha. The sacbeob we marched on tracked south of Ha’ Sacnab and Ha’ Yaxha. There was a ulew-q’a’m465 between the two ha’s, passable at certain times, over which an army could pass. So far, however, all indications were that we did not need to fear an attack from Yaxha, so we expected no enemy Warriors coming over the ulew-q’a’m. The sacbeob we marched on also gave us some cover as it was narrow, less traveled, with the jungle close around it.
“Get rid of the torch, Patli,” I ordered, and soon we were in almost total darkness. We waited for our eyes to adjust then Yochi, Patli, and I began following Teyacapan, keeping a reasonable distance from them. There were no reasons for us to enter the jungle, at that time, and that allowed all four sections and the fireteams to have equal access to me, if they needed.
I didn’t know what the length of the ha’s were as I had not developed an understanding of the geometric measurements used by my people. Yochi had ignored the fact that I was ignorant of that, accepting that there were things about me that he would not understand, so when we spoke of distances we used k’abs, hours, the march would take. Whenever we spoke of the height of a building, a tree, or any similar object, we used multiples of the average height of a Warrior. I gathered that it took about three k’abs, during the day, to run along Ha’ Sacnab and another four k’abs for Ha’ Yaxha.466 We only needed to march two k’abs along Ha’ Yaxha, however, as Topoxte was about midway along the south beach. Marching at night and through the jungle would, unfortunately, slow us down.
We ran for about two k’abs, without incident, then I halted the march. The moon was less than half bright, but gave enough light to allow us to see ahead of us. I decided to stop for the night and have the Warriors get some rest. It would have been a strategic error for a tired platoon to face Mahanamtz the next k’iin, day … or whatever it was we had to face. That was one of the errors that Nabe Kaloonte’ Coatl had made when he faced us on South Hill at Chay Abaj.
“Patli.”
“Nabe Nacon.”
“Find the Nacons and tell them we halt for the night, but we will camp in the jungle, off the sacbeob. They are to reform their sections, organize themselves, and get some rest. Tell Ikan, Namacuix, and Chicahua that I will send Teyacapan’s section into the jungle on their side. They are to seek them out and assure their safety. Go to Teyacapan, stop their advance and instruct them to go into the jungle on the south of the sacbeob even though they report directly to Ukab Nacon in the north.
Soon, there were only Yochi and I left on the sacbeob. “Yochi. Join the sections on the north. I will go to the south.” He nodded.
I moved into the jungle, its complete darkness enveloping me. There were occasional breaks in the canopy and narrow beams of moon light did get through to the jungle floor, but those were diffuse and a Warrior could stand hidden without much effort. I went west, cautiously, but my mind kept drifting on everything that was happening, was not happening, and was about to happen. Then I heard the whistle of the baläm. I immediately crouched down into the darkness, grasping my maquahuitl. There was absolutely no sound, no movement. Then I felt the blade of a bate’ on my shoulder. I slowly stood up realizing that whoever it was that had found me didn’t want me dead, at least not immediately. I turned around cautiously. Ikan and Teul were staring at me.
“I could have killed you, you madafok,” snapped Teul. “What’s the madafok’s the matter with you? That should never have happened.” Teul was very angry. I saw Ikan frown, probably wondering how Teul could talk to his Nabe Nacon like that … perhaps also stunned that they could have advanced on me so easily.
I released the strong grip I had on my maquahuitl, looking at my friend glaring at me. “Perhaps, too much has been happening.”
“Madafok to that!” stormed Teul. “You are Nabe Nacon. Just like how we have an obligation to keep you alive, you have an obligation to us to keep yourself alive. We can die, but you must not. You are Nabe Nacon. You are the Great T’oit’ik-jolom called Fuck. You will kill Mahanamtz. You will rescue Molly and you will get all of us to madafok out of here. Don’t you ever forget that.”
I opened my mouth to answer, but Teul had already melted into the darkness. I looked at Ikan. He seemed perplexed then shrugged his shoulders. “Teul is right, Nabe Nacon. You were not the T’oit’ik-jolom just now. No Warrior should be able to place the blade of a bate’ upon the shoulder of a T’oit’ik-jolom. It would be best that no Warrior knows of this.” I nodded, taking the disciplining from my Ukab Nimal
Nacon.
“Take me to my sections,” I said, and I followed him into the dimly lit jungle.
After a few minutes, he sat down on the jungle floor and laid his ba’at beside him. I sat also, laying my maquahuitl beside me. Out of the darkness, without even the sound of a stepped-on leaf or branch, Teul, Namacuix, Xiuhcoatl, Chicahua, Yaotl, and Teyacapan came and sat around me. Patli stood off to one side.
Namacuix spoke quietly. “Nabe Nacon. We have spoken among ourselves and with the Nimal Nacons of the north. We think it best that each group of sections and fireteam, the north and the south, have one Warrior in charge. Those two Warriors would still be in charge of their specific sections, but they would also be Oxib’ Nacon of the troop on their side of the sacbeob. Ikan would be Oxib’ Nacon of the Warriors on the south, and Eztli on the north. You and Ukab Nacon would then be free to move around as you wish. Ukab Nacon would still be in charge of all sections. It is necessary.” I nodded. He raised his fist. “We are just south of the eastern tip of Ha’ Sacnab. There is no activity. Guards have been set up. Otherwise, the Warriors are asleep.”
“I will discuss your recommendation with Yochi. I do not think he will disagree. I remind you that when we meet without the Warriors, you will not bother to identify our ranks. Use our names. And your section, Teyacapan?”
“They are protected and asleep,” answered Teyacapan.
“Then let us sleep, also. Wake me with the haunting whistle of the kolol. At that time, Patli, go across and tell Yochi to meet us on the sacbeob. He is to bring all Nimal Nacons. We will have a briefing. Now, if everything is in place, let us sleep.” The men raised their fists and disappeared as silently into the jungle as they had arrived.
“Fok!” I cussed. Patli looked at me. I shook my head. “Let’s get some rest, Patli,” I said as I got down on the soft jungle floor and closed my eyes. But
sleep did not come easy for I went back to Santa Cruz, over and over again, and the wedding that did not happen. And there was the icim.
Gwow-gwow-gwow-gwow-gwow-gwot.
Gwow-gwow-gwow-gwow-gwow-gwot.
Gwow-gwow-gwow-gwow …
CHAPTER THIRTY
PLANNING STRATEGY
K’iin 31 - The Uinal of Mol
Wednesday, May 30, 1973
I felt the usual kick in my side and opened my eyes. Dawn, aq’abil, was already breaking and I saw my Warriors moving about me. Some were talking quietly, others were just siting awaiting orders to begin our march.
“Don’t grumble,” uttered Teul. “You needed the sleep. All the officers are awaiting you on the sacbeob.” He put out his hand. I held it and he pulled me up. I pissed and then we walked together to the sacbeob, in silence. Occasionally, I heard the neigh like gentle sound of k’oys in the canopy above us, the noisy cry of a paap, Piam-piam!-Piam-piam!-Piam-piam!, the Cha-cha-lac!-Cha-cha-lac! of the ixbachs, and the low-pitched boom of the k’ambul. But there was no Katy-Katy-yu-baby-di-cry. No jut-jut.
The Nacons were sitting, talking and laughing quietly among themselves, guards posted just inside the jungle. When the Nacons saw me, they began to get up. I raised my hand, stopping them, and found a place beside Yochi to sit. “When we meet as Nacons for briefings, unless we have waachs with us, we can put aside the formalities. That also holds for battles whether waachs are there or not. I will even accept a waach shouting my name in warning. Yochi. Let’s begin.”
“You’re very insistent on this,” remarked Yochi, looking at me with an expression denoting some disapproval. “That could lead to insubordination.”
“Yes, I insist.” We officers are one unit. We know our ranks and we know what insubordination is. As we say, Ixca junes maka ka metzev! We are one. Also, in battle we will not have time for formalities. By the time I am finished saying Nabe Nimal Nacon Eztli to warn him that he was about to receive a bate’ in his neck, he would already be on his way to Xibalba.”
Yochi chuckled then spoke. “We had a Runner during the night.” I looked at him and was about to ask why I wasn’t told immediately. I decided to keep my mouth shut. “It was Icnoyotl. He said that all was quiet in Topoxte. Our Nim-q’ij Envoys continue to negotiate and it seems that Topoxte will keep its forces to protect the city from Mahanamtz should he attack. Their forces will not be sent to stop our advance. Our envoys continue to warn, however, that new Runners have arrived from Yax Mutul. They have not been able to find out what the messages are, but Topoxte’s Nim-q’ij Family continues to be very alarmed.”
“Have there been any other Runners?”
“No, Nabe … Chiac. We have heard nothing new from Yaxha, Maxam, or Nakúm, nor from any of the more distant cities.”
“And Ox Witz Ha?”
“Nothing,” answered Yochi. “Your plans, Chiac.”
Huehue pointed up the sacbeob, cradling his sk’op. “How I wish we had the time for me to put a ch’ab into its heart. I can smell the meat cooking.” A large t’ix was walking across the sacbeob. We were all quiet as we watched the large animal continue its calm walk and disappear into the jungle.467 “Well, at least the jungle gives us yich-ches’468and imu’ts469 and tukans.”470
“I’m tired of eating like a madafok ch’iich’,471” grumbled Teul.
“Perhaps, tonight you’ll be eating a great meal in Xibalba, Teul,” laughed Yochi.
Teul shook his head. “No madafok! I’m done with Xibalba. I’m going to eat right here on U Wach Ulew and when I’m done eating, I’ll chakuj tutuchci.”
“With who?” asked Ikan. “Sacnite or Xochitl? Or will Xipilli have two of them tonight?” We all started laughing.
“I am Achalal. Xipilli is Chaq’,” retorted Teul, laughing also. “I’ll give them to him when I’m done. That may be in a tun.”
“But remember, Teul,” stressed Ikan, cheerfully. “A word of caution. You are Nacon. You do not chakuj tutuchci with your Warriors.” Teul sighed in frustration.
“Okay,” muttered Yochi, grinning. He looked at me. “Your plans, Chiac.”
Gwow-gwow-gwow-gwow-gwow-gwot!
“Icim,” I muttered, looking into the canopy. I shook my head, trying not to be distracted.
“Strange at this time of the k’iin,” uttered Ikan.
“Let’s begin. There are too many uncertainties. I can only make very basic plans at this time. We travel west along the southern beach of Ha’ Sacnab. We send out Scouts to see if there is any activity coming down the ulew-q’a’m between Ha’ Sacnab and Ha’ Yaxha. If none, we continue west along Ha’ Yaxha until we are south of Topoxte. If there is no activity there, we continue to wherever our Runners say Mahanamtz is. What I need to know now is the layout of Topoxte. What can you tell me …?
Itztli and Choco rushed to the north end of our troop, and Chimalli and Ohtli to the south, bate’s ready. We all jumped up holding our weapons tensely. Two Warriors were rapidly approaching.
“Well madafok,” murmured Teul. “Look who’s here. We’re graced with a Nim-q’ij Presence.”
We waited until Choj and Bo stood before us. “Nabe Nacon,” they shouted, hitting their chests then raising their fists. “We have been sent back to join you.” They bent over, holding onto their knees and catching their breaths. They finally straightened up. They began grinning. Something isn’t right, I concluded.
“Another Runner approaches,” shouted Namacuix. “He has come from the jungle onto the sacbeob.’” We all looked north then south. He was coming from the south.
Choj turned. A frown covered his face. “T’ot! It is one of K’an II’s Nim-q’ij Scouts.” He looked at me. “Nabe Nacon. Can I meet him?”
I nodded and Choj raced up the sacbeob to meet the scout. Choj stood quietly as they spoke at length, then the scout began gesticulating angrily. Finally, Choj hit his chest and the scout did the same, bowing his head. The scout disappeared into the jungle once again. I looked at Bo. He appeared anxious. Something isn’t right.
“Patli. Bring that scout ba
ck here.” I looked at Bo again. He shuffled uncomfortably.
“We should continue the briefing, Chiac,” insisted Yochi.
“As I was saying, what I need to know is the layout of Topoxte.”
Choj rejoined us. “That was Papan. He is K’an II’s most trusted and proficient Nim-q’ij Scout. He is Nacon.”
Why would K ‘an II send his most trusted and proficient Nim-q ‘ij Scout to us? Something is not right. I decided to wait to get that question answered. “What intelligence did he bring?” I asked.
Choj furrowed his forehead. “I heard you ask about the layout of Topoxte. The information Papan brought has direct relevance to Topoxte. It would be better for me to provide the information as I discuss the layout of Topoxte.” He looked at me. I hesitated, but then nodded.
Something definitely is not right, I thought.
Choj glanced at Bo then he started with his brief. “Topoxte is actually made up of six small islands in the southwest end of Ha’ Yaxha. They are all very close together. A Warrior could swim from one to the next if it weren’t for the áayins. Of those, there are three principal islands. They are Paxte, which is the smallest, K’aay,472 next in size, and the largest which is also called Topoxte. The three other islands are much smaller. There is Alaj K’aay473 just southwest of K’aay; the second is Alaj Topoxte just northwest of Topoxte; the last is Chio-Chio,474 northeast of Topoxte. The main courtyard is on Topoxte, where the Nim-q’ij Family resides. Of the three large islands, Topoxte is the nearest to Yaxha. It would take Warriors only quarter k’ab to canoe across. To give you an idea how big those islands are, all of them could fit in Ox Witz Ha. Just for information, three smaller ha’s lie just west of Ha’ Yaxha. Running east to west they are Alaj Chak, Chak, and Chompoxte.”475
Sisimito III--Topoxte Page 48