Mogaba swore
softly but virulenty, foully and steadily. Crows had been arriving
for over an hour, each bird carrying a fragment of a long message
from the Protector. Being birdbrained, no one crow could carry much
of the whole. And because they were vulnerable to a thousand
misfortunes, every fragment had to be sent again and again.
The Great General hated putting these puzzles together and this
one was the worst ever, by an order of magnitude. There should not be this many crows in the whole world.
He had twenty scribes working on the message already.
Some points became clear quickly.
He sent for Aridatha Singh and Ghopal Singh. This message would
affect all of them.
By the time the others arrived, enough of the puzzle had come
clear for Mogaba to reveal what, for him, was the most critical
detail. “They’re back.”
Aridatha jumped, startled by Mogaba’s intensity.
“Back? Who’s back?”
“The Black Company. The Protector destroyed them. Right?
Root and branch. Right? But now she says they’re back.
They’re patching her message together in the next room right
now.”
Ghopal asked, “What are you talking about?”
“There’s a huge message coming in from our employer.
She’s given up her quest. She’s on the run, headed
home. The Black Company is pouring through the shadowgate.
Thousands strong. Well-armed, well-clad, well-trained. With the
Radisha Drah and Prahbrindrah Drah in their train and blessing
them. And we have nothing much in their way for hundreds of miles.
She’s headed back here. She expects to lose her ability to
watch them shortly. They have some unfamiliar kind of supernatural
help coming off the plain with them. Evidently something like the
shadows but more dangerous because they’re
smarter.”
Aridatha observed, “Sounds like pretty good intelligence
gathering for somebody who’s on the run from an enemy who
knows her capabilities.” Singh’s handsome face had lost
some of its color. His voice had gone husky.
“A thought which did not escape me. She is Soulcatcher,
after all. On the other hand, though, she can’t learn
anything when there isn’t anything to see.”
Aridatha and Ghopal nodded. In all ways, except in their hearts,
they remained dedicated servants of the Protector.
Mogaba said, “The enemy being familiar with the
Protector’s capabilities means they’ll try to take them
away from her. We don’t know who’s in charge but
doctrine is doctrine. They’ll try to blind her first, then
they’ll try to take away her capacity to communicate. They
couldn’t have come at a better time for them. She’s a
hundred miles from nowhere. She can’t spread the word much
faster than rumors will spread. And you know the news that the
Radisha and her brother are coming back will spread like the
plague.”
Ghopal said, “I’ll seal this part of the Palace off,
then. We don’t want those people in there running to their
temples or whatever and telling too much of the truth to someone
who’d use it as a tool against us.”
“Do that.” That would look good to the
Protector’s invisible spies. But, on the other hand it might
be very useful to have some of the news get out. Taglios might fall
into a state of chaos. A state in which there would be
opportunities. Chaos could be very useful. Chaos could make
wonderful camouflage.
Perhaps when the Protector was nearer Taglios.
Right now it was necessary to prepare for the advent of the
Company. That would be expected from all quarters.
Where did they find so many men? Or shadows of their own? What
other surprise cards did they have in their hand?
Some, surely. That was their nature.
Mogaba said, “We’ve got to leak some of the news.
Like it or not. We have to get ready for war. We’re headed
for a fight. Unless we give up without a struggle. I don’t
plan to do that myself. I couldn’t live with the
consequences.”
The Singhs exchanged glances. The Great General showing a sense
of humor? Remarkable.
Ghopal said, “People are afraid of the Black
Company.”
“Of course they are. But when was the last time they won?
We beat them over and over during the Kiaulune wars.” Mogaba
was proud of his work back then. His thinking and planning had
contributed to every Taglian triumph.
“But we didn’t wipe them all the way out. The
trouble with the Black Company is that if you leave even one of
them alive, before long they’re coming right back at you
again.”
“My brother unforgiven.” That slogan haunted
Mogaba’s nightmares. He had his regrets.
“How soon can we expect the Protector?” Ghopal
asked. “I’ll have preparations to make.”
Mogaba said, “She was on foot when she started sending her
message. But she’ll get to a courier station eventually. Then
she’ll start making good time. I wouldn’t count on
having more than another two or three days if she gets in a real
hurry.”
Ghopal grunted unhappily.
Mogaba nodded. Nothing ever went easily.
Aridatha asked, “Did she catch the Deceivers?”
Once again Mogaba thought the man betrayed a curiously skewed
interest. Possibly a personal interest. “No. I told you, she
said she was breaking off the chase. Enough. We all pretty much
know what we need to do. Aridatha, I want the entire courier
battalion here as soon as possible. The garrison commanders will
need to be advised. I’ll let you know right away if any
critical news comes in.”
Watching the message continue to approach final form, the Great
General reviewed his unit commanders and the readiness and
reliability of their commands. He was troubled. At first glance it
would seem he could call up the resources of an empire. But the
Protector had not concerned herself with the upkeep of her armed
forces when she was not directly and immediately threatened. And
she was not remotely popular, never had been and never wanted to
be. She preferred rule by raw strength.
The Prahbrindrah Drah and his sister returning was particularly
troubling. They had been popular in their era and in time’s
crucible had gone through the first stages of sanctification
already. Some would hail them as liberators. Hell, if
Croaker was still alive they might give him his old title
back.
There would be desertions, both at high levels and among the
soldiers. Mogaba was more concerned about the troops. The nobility
and senior priests, who owed their positions to the Protector,
would play it carefully. Taglios had received several painful
lessons regarding the price to be paid for betraying the
Protector.
Where would it be best to bring the Company to battle? And how
could he force battle upon them if they were reluctant to hazard a
major encounter?
He was sure that his best chance lay in forcing an early
confrontation, before what forces he did have began to
evaporate.
Mogaba swore
softly but virulenty, foully and steadily. Crows had been arriving
for over an hour, each bird carrying a fragment of a long message
from the Protector. Being birdbrained, no one crow could carry much
of the whole. And because they were vulnerable to a thousand
misfortunes, every fragment had to be sent again and again.
The Great General hated putting these puzzles together and this
one was the worst ever, by an order of magnitude. There should not be this many crows in the whole world.
He had twenty scribes working on the message already.
Some points became clear quickly.
He sent for Aridatha Singh and Ghopal Singh. This message would
affect all of them.
By the time the others arrived, enough of the puzzle had come
clear for Mogaba to reveal what, for him, was the most critical
detail. “They’re back.”
Aridatha jumped, startled by Mogaba’s intensity.
“Back? Who’s back?”
“The Black Company. The Protector destroyed them. Right?
Root and branch. Right? But now she says they’re back.
They’re patching her message together in the next room right
now.”
Ghopal asked, “What are you talking about?”
“There’s a huge message coming in from our employer.
She’s given up her quest. She’s on the run, headed
home. The Black Company is pouring through the shadowgate.
Thousands strong. Well-armed, well-clad, well-trained. With the
Radisha Drah and Prahbrindrah Drah in their train and blessing
them. And we have nothing much in their way for hundreds of miles.
She’s headed back here. She expects to lose her ability to
watch them shortly. They have some unfamiliar kind of supernatural
help coming off the plain with them. Evidently something like the
shadows but more dangerous because they’re
smarter.”
Aridatha observed, “Sounds like pretty good intelligence
gathering for somebody who’s on the run from an enemy who
knows her capabilities.” Singh’s handsome face had lost
some of its color. His voice had gone husky.
“A thought which did not escape me. She is Soulcatcher,
after all. On the other hand, though, she can’t learn
anything when there isn’t anything to see.”
Aridatha and Ghopal nodded. In all ways, except in their hearts,
they remained dedicated servants of the Protector.
Mogaba said, “The enemy being familiar with the
Protector’s capabilities means they’ll try to take them
away from her. We don’t know who’s in charge but
doctrine is doctrine. They’ll try to blind her first, then
they’ll try to take away her capacity to communicate. They
couldn’t have come at a better time for them. She’s a
hundred miles from nowhere. She can’t spread the word much
faster than rumors will spread. And you know the news that the
Radisha and her brother are coming back will spread like the
plague.”
Ghopal said, “I’ll seal this part of the Palace off,
then. We don’t want those people in there running to their
temples or whatever and telling too much of the truth to someone
who’d use it as a tool against us.”
“Do that.” That would look good to the
Protector’s invisible spies. But, on the other hand it might
be very useful to have some of the news get out. Taglios might fall
into a state of chaos. A state in which there would be
opportunities. Chaos could be very useful. Chaos could make
wonderful camouflage.
Perhaps when the Protector was nearer Taglios.
Right now it was necessary to prepare for the advent of the
Company. That would be expected from all quarters.
Where did they find so many men? Or shadows of their own? What
other surprise cards did they have in their hand?
Some, surely. That was their nature.
Mogaba said, “We’ve got to leak some of the news.
Like it or not. We have to get ready for war. We’re headed
for a fight. Unless we give up without a struggle. I don’t
plan to do that myself. I couldn’t live with the
consequences.”
The Singhs exchanged glances. The Great General showing a sense
of humor? Remarkable.
Ghopal said, “People are afraid of the Black
Company.”
“Of course they are. But when was the last time they won?
We beat them over and over during the Kiaulune wars.” Mogaba
was proud of his work back then. His thinking and planning had
contributed to every Taglian triumph.
“But we didn’t wipe them all the way out. The
trouble with the Black Company is that if you leave even one of
them alive, before long they’re coming right back at you
again.”
“My brother unforgiven.” That slogan haunted
Mogaba’s nightmares. He had his regrets.
“How soon can we expect the Protector?” Ghopal
asked. “I’ll have preparations to make.”
Mogaba said, “She was on foot when she started sending her
message. But she’ll get to a courier station eventually. Then
she’ll start making good time. I wouldn’t count on
having more than another two or three days if she gets in a real
hurry.”
Ghopal grunted unhappily.
Mogaba nodded. Nothing ever went easily.
Aridatha asked, “Did she catch the Deceivers?”
Once again Mogaba thought the man betrayed a curiously skewed
interest. Possibly a personal interest. “No. I told you, she
said she was breaking off the chase. Enough. We all pretty much
know what we need to do. Aridatha, I want the entire courier
battalion here as soon as possible. The garrison commanders will
need to be advised. I’ll let you know right away if any
critical news comes in.”
Watching the message continue to approach final form, the Great
General reviewed his unit commanders and the readiness and
reliability of their commands. He was troubled. At first glance it
would seem he could call up the resources of an empire. But the
Protector had not concerned herself with the upkeep of her armed
forces when she was not directly and immediately threatened. And
she was not remotely popular, never had been and never wanted to
be. She preferred rule by raw strength.
The Prahbrindrah Drah and his sister returning was particularly
troubling. They had been popular in their era and in time’s
crucible had gone through the first stages of sanctification
already. Some would hail them as liberators. Hell, if
Croaker was still alive they might give him his old title
back.
There would be desertions, both at high levels and among the
soldiers. Mogaba was more concerned about the troops. The nobility
and senior priests, who owed their positions to the Protector,
would play it carefully. Taglios had received several painful
lessons regarding the price to be paid for betraying the
Protector.
Where would it be best to bring the Company to battle? And how
could he force battle upon them if they were reluctant to hazard a
major encounter?
He was sure that his best chance lay in forcing an early
confrontation, before what forces he did have began to
evaporate.