"He is the Carridean intelligence network."
"And don’t you always advise against leaning on a single point of failure too much, General? Even Aldo’s agents get it wrong sometimes and frankly, they have been ill equipped to penetrate the desert these last few cycles.”
“Who are you using?”
“I can’t tell you.”
“So, we just have to trust your words for it?”
“Not my words, General. The Consul’s words.”
Just before Mac said something he would surely regret, Kellick cut in, “I wasn't entirely joking earlier. Do you expect us to do it?"
“Do what?”
“Kill the civilians.”
"No, the Assembly's reinforcements I brought along..."
"Assembly's reinforcements. Bah." Mak cut in, "Jaro's men."
"In any case, we want it done."
"After the last armed man is down the Ravens cease bow fire." The General said.
"I wouldn't expect anything less." He replied quickly with a sneer which wasn't subtle enough to avoid notice by either soldier.
"Go and prepare your men. All of them need to be either side of the ford. If you’re going to do this, there's no need for any of them on the hills."
"We will do that. Good day gentlemen." Bowing.
The two stood in silence for a moment before Kellick suddenly said, "The Mhuranni are excellent swimmers."
"Is that true?" Mak said with the first smile to break his face since Cillius had arrived with the Pikes earlier that day.
"It is. They are originally from the banks of the Jalpashian river. One of the few tribes to live off fish."
"I didn't think they eat fish."
"Can't be that devout then." A pause followed before Kellick finally added, "Mak, I don't like this."
"Me neither.” He shook his head wearily. “It's nearly over Kellick, we can go home soon."
Four bells and three leagues away Canno, Rill and five thousand scout rangers found themselves hiding once again under tarps, sand and foliage on either side of the steep rocky cliffs.
Kellick was watching the Raven's engineers in the valley below finish their preparations on the wooden bridge crossing the fast-moving river, sawing deep into the structures support posts. Once the majority of tribesmen guarding the front ranks of citizens behind them crossed over, the engineers would pull the bridge downstream with submerged ropes reigned to sixteen horses.
A good plan. The Captain considered with a degree of pride, tainted by the thought that it would result in a great deal of innocent suffering.
And death. Once the bridge is gone, the front guard won't know whether to defend forward or try and cross back over the river to protect the women and children.
The warriors in the rear will be too late.
Confusion. Bow fire. Leaders killed first. Communication breaks down. Panic. Bow fire. Appearance of the Pikes at both ends of the pass. Screams. Bow fire.
Kellick knew well what would happen down there.
Poor bastards.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Narubez
A low black stone table dominated the centre of the map room, it’s polished surface barely visible under mounds of half unrolled parchment and piles of the Emperor’s dusty history books. Maps of all shape and sizes covered the walls, their patchwork broken only by bright red banners draping down the wall every ten paces. Their presence was mostly aesthetic as most of the military planning taking place at any given time was done on far larger and modern charts. Nevertheless, the gathered men had been focussing on one wall and one map in particular for some time now. An area that the Ravens had just a few days ago, destroyed one of the Quoroubi's last ancient tribe.
"How many?" Galtus asked.
"Difficult to say exactly, they think many would have escaped down the river. Counting bodies though, no less than fifteen thousand dead, my Lord."
"Did they fight?"
"No. They were attacked from the hills. Scout Rangers most likely, but my agent did say there was some evidence of Pikes there, lines of holes in the ground or some such."
"So, it's over" Galtus commented.
"Nearly my Lord, yes. They will go to the mountains next to find the few holding up there. They won't last long."
Both men watched their Emperor who stared at the map reflectively.
"After that Yarrian, can we expect Carrid to move south? Consolidate?"
"My Lord, I think we may need to reconsider some of our theories."
"Reconsider?"
"Their... motivations."
"We were never certain what the Assembly’s aim was during this war. Jaro is a mystery. Extend their borders, block our own interest, or just win a few votes in their damned election." Dokra said making his contempt for the Carrid leader plain.
"Jaro wanted all of it. And to provoke me. We have already discussed this." Galtus cut in before pausing to say, "the tribes were an ally in all but name. Friends some of them..."
The two officers looked at their Emperor, surprised by his sudden concerned almost sorrowful tone.
"Yes, well not friends." He smiled at the two men. "But most useful, they were." Galtus returned his gaze to the map. "The question remains gentleman, will Jaro capitalise on his victory and fortify closer?"
"As Dokra said, the problem for us has always been in assessing Carrid's objective in the Quoroubi. The Assembly didn't like the tribes trading with us. Fine. They seek to cap your influence there by wiping them out. The election cannot be discounted as a factor either. Are Carrid looking to clear a path to invade? Unlikely. Are they going to acquire new provinces in the south? Why would they? No. We always saw the whole thing as opportunistic. Jaro hates Narubez and this was a convenient stab. We were never going to intervene, our agreed strategy has always been to aid the tribes as best we could, watch Carrid bleed a little and spend a lot. Let Jaro waste some energy."
"We know this already Yarrian.”
"Yes, my Lord. However now we are coming towards campaign closure. Carrid's behaviour has been... unexpected."
"How so?" Dokra asked.
"General, how large is the Assembly’s force in the desert."
"You know better than I."
"Humour me."
"Very well, it's substantial on the northern perimeter. 2nd army is based at Fort Rand, 4th army near the Huracan somewhere north of Elik."
"And deeper in?"
"That's where our..." Dokra looked at Yarrian, "Your intelligence is patchy."
"It's not patchy, we have just assumed that 7th army was hiding somewhere towards here." Yarrian pointed to the western centre of the Quoroubi not far from the Hidabi. "But could never locate them exactly".
"And?" Galtus asked.
"They are not in the desert my Lord. We know that now."
"How?"
"The dead tribesmen here." Pointing back to the battle site, not far from where they had thought the 7th army might be. Why were the 7th not involved?"
"They may not have needed them. The Rangers, if indeed it was them, seem to have been effective on their own" Galtus said.
Probably those bastard Ravens
"The Rangers have been the only hand at play in most of the engagements over the last two cycles. Where have the 7th been?"
"That's true my Lord" Dokra agreed, realising Yarrian was correct. "There were signs of the 7th army everywhere, but we never made sighting."
"Why are we only realising this now Yarrian?" Galtus asked, clearly frustrated.
"My Lord, why would we question? The battles were on a regular tempo, in the expected places. As Dokra eluded to, evidence was everywhere. It is only now that a pattern is visible."
"They may be marching at this moment to the mountains to rendezvous with the scouts that did... Did this" Galtus waived with obvious chagrin at the point, unbeknown to him, that the Ravens had indeed struck with their deadly bows.
"They may, and we will see my Lord. But I suspect not. Battle repor
ts so far have always featured scout rangers working with tactical units. Never the 2nd or 4th, who haven't moved this whole war. The 7th were always in holding positions. We need to look again at this campaign, remove the 7th completely from our considerations.”
You have already looked Yarrian.
"You really don't think they are in the desert?" Dokra asked.
"I don't know, but I doubt it. I do know they haven't done a thing. No one's seen them in two cycles. Did they ever arrive in the Quoroubi? Are they even real? At this point it matters not. If we discount the 7th we are left with a bizarre scenario.”
"Real?" Dokra asked.
"I'll get to that." Yarrian said walking to a second map on the wall and started removing the pins representing the suspected locations and actions of the 7th army at any given time over the last two cycles.
"All of it is noise. Look, this is actually what they have done."
"You are running a few steps ahead of us as usual Yarrian."
“I’ll speak plainly. If we take the 7th away, this is it. Two cycles. They haven't left the northern frontier. The reserve armies sitting here and here are essentially the front line. Never left Fort Rand. Hardly left Carrid borders."
"The scouts were out there."
"Exactly. That's it, always the Rangers. They went in and took down a town and left for the next. We always assumed in the northern towns that the 7th came in to hold and support."
Galtus seemed to catch up with his spy master's point.
How could I have missed this?
"Not only this," Yarrian continued, "but even the expeditionary forces accompanying the Ranger battalions haven't fortified any further south than Ja Deist. Why not here..." Yarrian said pointing to the map again. "This city dominates the Tarin plain and guards access to the middle stretch of the Harukan. Roles reversed, we would never let it go. Adderock took it from the tribes earlier this year and then... left. Why?"
"I remember the discussion." Dokra said. "We concluded Jaro probably told Adderock the town’s too close to our borders to occupy. You have a new theory?"
"Yes. I believe I do, Field Marshall." Yarrian said.
"Out with it, Yarrian." Galtus ordered.
He’s enjoying this. A little late frankly. Catch up Dokra.
"Jaro hasn't occupied any towns further down than here.”
"What?! That's impossible!" Dokra exclaimed. "We know..."
"It's not Dokra, Yarrian is right. Jaro has been surprisingly clever. The 7th was never in the field. It changes everything." Galtus said.
"Why?"
"Because it means they never wanted the desert." Yarrian responded.
"We knew that. But the trade routes?"
"No, they need those secured. We were just wrong about how they were going to do it." The Emperor replied.
"We assumed they would put a bit of structure in there. With town leaders, arbitrate and encourage trade. Carrid are good at that sort of thing. None of the benefits would come to Narubez for a while, granted. But it was all at their expense. If they wanted to bankrupt themselves bringing their peace and democracy to the desert, let them." Yarrian continued.
"But if they don't occupy? It means they have left the region for... The Shaa."
"Yes." Said Galtus. “It does.”
"Madness, Jaro must know they are worse."
"As the Emperor said, it changes everything."
"Imperator, can we really believe Jaro has Withd the tribes with... with him?"
"Not only that, I think we are safe to assume they are colluding together. There are no accounts on record of action between the horde and any Carridean force, merchants even." Yarrian answered for Galtus.
"Their perspectives couldn't differ more."
"It matters not, field marshal. The same could be said for us and the Tribes. Yarrian, Carridean citizens won't stand for this surely?"
"No, Imperator."
"Then why not expose them?" Dokra asked.
"We can and should. But it would be a predictable move, Jaro must have factored into his plans your knowledge at some point." Yarrian said.
"Do you have a suggestion?"
"I do, Imperator. Jaro's scheme has been clever. He wins a war with barely a drop of Carrid blood spilled, which cannot help but get him re-elected. He deprives us of a trade partner and it looks like he’ll have made a fortune off this ghost army. Not only this but in fostering the Shaa he puts a wolf at our door."
"Your point?"
"The Shaa is a temperamental ally at best."
"And?"
"They are bound to turn on Carrid at some point. Perhaps we could... talk to them. Push along the inevitability."
"You assume the inevitability, Yarrian."
"You're right, Imperator. I abstract, though not without reason. As the high priests briefed us, the Shaa's interpretation of desert scripture renders it ultimately a death cult. It seeks souls not territory. If we are right in our assumptions that Jaro is indeed leaving the northern towns to the Shaa, then they will eventually consume everything in the desert and leave nothing left for the flock to feed on. The Shaa's followers survive on brigandage and in some cases cannibalism. They will need to leave the desert at some point and there is also little to stop him."
"Are you sure about that, Yarrian?" Galtus commented with amusement. "If just one of his mangy followers crosses the Ciavelli river I will send the legions. Jaro be damned, I might even cross it myself and thin their numbers."
"You make the point better than I could, Imperator. The Shaa’s most southernly raiding party hasn’t come close. The cult needs a fertile populous, now where will he find it? With us. No. The Shaa might be mad, but I suspect not stupid. For all he and Jaro know we are eagerly waiting for any provocation to justify entering the desert in force. Have they provoked us once?"
"No. Carrid though..."
"Exactly Dokra, Carrid. Fertile indeed. Nearly a million people have already fled the desert during this war, almost all finding refuge in Carrid."
"You think the Shaa will try and convert them?"
"Perhaps many have already been."
"The migrations are certainly impacting Carridean politics."
"The Shaa will move his people north, he must. Remaining in one place is untenable. Moving south... Well there is you, Imperator. But north… There he has kin, a populace already splitting and an almost welcoming state."
"The Assembly will never allow them past Fort Rand." Dokra objected.
"I agree.” Yarrian continued. “But again, it matters not. Jaro has been clever, perhaps too much so. His war in the desert has resulted in victory on many fronts, both home and abroad. But... He expects the Shaa to be amenable, rational. No, he needs the Shaa to act rationally. The Shaa will not.”
"You’re right." Galtus said softly recognising the truth.
"And when that happens Jaro will be finished. He will fight re-election on the victory in the desert. A swift, bloodless victory at that. Any trouble with the Shaa will immediately undermine that position. Questions will be asked. Where has the horde come from? Is the desert not under control? What about the 7th?”
"You said they might not be real?"
"Yes Dokra, I believe that to be true. The 7th was commissioned six moons before Jaro declared peacekeeping operations. If he had intended on usurping the tribes with the Shaa, why would he bother with anything other than the scout rangers and say twenty or thirty thousand spears and horses?"
"He wouldn't."
"Then why form the 7th army?"
"Greedy bastard." Dokra said finally understanding.
"Aye and rich bastard now. Nevertheless, he oversteps"
Galtus took his eyes from the wall and walked back to the table, taking out a roll from a shelf underneath the stone and pinning its corners to the surface with small glass pebbles.
“Dokra how are your men now that they have dry land beneath their feet?”
“They are well, Imperator. In high spirits, I shou
ld add.”
“Excellent, I think they will be getting another taste of glory soon.”
“Sir?”
“If the 7th aren’t in the Quoroubi, then the Shaa is in control of the entire desert. Not Carrid. You see Dokra?”
“My apologies, Imperator. I…”
“We can do what we like for once!”
“How’s that?”
“They can’t cross the desert to stop us.”
“I see what you mean now, Imperator. So… We’ll?”
Galtus gave a rare smile. “What I want you to do Field Marshall is to prepare for hypothetical invasion of Dror”
“Of Dror!?” Dokra exclaimed.
“Hypothetical, I said. Don’t get carried away with yourself. Do some war games or whatever you call them and bring me the results. I need a few minutes with Yarrian too, if you wouldn’t mind?”
“Of course, Imperator.”
When the military officer had gone far beyond aged ear shot Galtus suddenly broke the silence. “He never was the brightest was he.”
“He’s still the best tactician we have though. He gets it done.”
“He certainly does.” Galtus admitted, thinking about the hundreds of warships now sitting in his ports.
“Yarrian I want you to send someone to the Quoroubi.”
“They will leave today. What message will you send with them?”
“Open a dialogue. Aid and potentially trade. Find out what they need. What he wants.”
“It will be done.”
Thank you.”
Just as Yarrian was about to leave Galtus said, “The Argot mountains. Send someone there too.”
“The Argot, but why?”
The Emperor looked at Yarrian instead of answering.
You know why.
“Sir, they are trouble for us. Nothing more.”
“They said when we are ready, resources would be made available.”
“Ready? Resources?”
“It doesn’t matter. Send someone there. They will know why.”
“Do we know where the temple is?”
“No.”
Yarrian looked at Galtus and for the first time in a long, long time, a doubt settled in his stomach with his leader’s decision.
CHAPTER TWENTY
The Ravens of Carrid Tower Page 12
