Homage and Honour

by Candy Rae

  “Beth and Xei of the Fifty-first,” she announced, “with Lei and Renlei of the Avuzdel reporting for duty.”

  “Pleased to see you,” Paul answered with a smile of welcome. He noted the Honour Star on the collar of Beth’s uniform tunic.

  “Thought we’d never make it in time,” Beth continued, her southern accent still obvious even after all this time, “we ran all night, knew this was the last ship.”

  “There’s food laid out on the deck below this,” Paul informed her, “feel free to partake and meat for our friends. The ship’s leaving now. They only waited this long because of us. The Captain assures me that he will catch up with the fleet. He tells me that his ship is the fastest, which is why it was he who volunteered to be the one who waited. Tide is turning.”

  The Captain was as true as his word, the transport caught up with the tail end of the convoy at dawn.

  * * * * *

  Liam Durand, General Commanding the Garda of Argyll had done everything he could to answer the muster. On the way to the aid of the Lind was everyone who could be spared from the defence of the country and some over. As he had told his men and women, “the Lind, they have protected us, fought for us, all these many years. Now is the time to repay that debt.” The transports of the ‘volunteer’ fleet contained some three thousand Garda infantrymen and women and the entire complement of Garda cavalry, both heavy and light.

  The majority had obeyed his orders willingly but some had had to be threatened.

  Among the latter was the Brigadier in command of the Heavy Cavalry. The difference between his response to the crisis and that of his opposite in the Light Cavalry had been striking.

  The latter had been willing, even eager to answer the call. The Light Cavalry was considered by their heavy counterparts to be the poor relation. The Light Horse was a hard-working unit around two hundred and fifty strong who had always worked closely with the duty Ryzcks. They fought with them. Lightly armoured and fast, they patrolled in small troops of similar size to the Ryzcks. They prided themselves on their speed of response and their valour in a fight. They knew the Lind and valued their friendship. They wanted to repay the debt.

  On the other hand, the duties of the Heavy Horse were ceremonial. The troopers’ breastplates were always burnished bright, the plumes on their helmets perfect and their horses immaculate. Liam had watched them drill the precise formations and secretly laughed at their pride in what they thought of as their ‘elite status’. They had never, during the ninety years since the regiment had been formed, raised their swords in anger, had never faced an enemy in battle. They had however, been trained for such an eventuality.

  Brigadier Halland, Officer Commanding, had spent his entire adult life with the ‘Heavies’ as they were disparagingly called by the hard-working ‘Lights’. The Brigadier was a peacetime cavalryman par excellence, of a good family, well groomed and overweight. Great had been his shock when the embarkation orders had arrived on his desk.

  He had argued, threatened and, when that had failed, pleaded that his command should be excused the campaign. He was needed and Liam was going to get the ‘Heavies’ on to the transports. It was only when Liam had gone as far as to threaten Brigadier Halland with being replaced that the man bowed to the inevitable and had, with a great show of reluctance, led his men and horses to the dockside.

  The light horses were similar to the Lind in terms of speed and build if not stamina. The heavy horses were another matter, not fast, very big and full of muscle; they would be the only force on the battlefield that would be able to rival the Larg for weight.

  The fleet from Port Lutterell met up with the ships congregating at Settlement on schedule and the augmented armada set out westwards. The current was fast and most of the varied elements of the fleet made reasonably good time.

  Liam’s transport stopped in to pick up any laggards (there were a few) who had missed the embarkation departure cut off and then set sail again.

  As they sailed west, the fleet was joined by more ships and boats from the towns and villages of South Argyll and Vadath, full of men, women and Lind determined to do their bit.

  It was during a stop to take on water that an elderly man with an almost pure white Lind partner requested permission to come aboard. He declared his intention to fight.

  “Me and my Lind,” he told Liam, “may no longer be able to fight within a Ryzck but we can help. We will stand with you and your infantry and provide your communications link to those at the CP. We have the experience and it will be our honour to do it. Please General, do not refuse us.”

  Liam had been about to refuse, thinking them too old and frail but then he caught the Lind’s pleading eye and understood in that moment the look on her hairy face. Duty and honour were of paramount importance to the Vada. She was begging him to say yes. He agreed.

  The duo’s names were Harld and Alya, friends of Beth and Xei.

  It would turn out to be one of the best decisions Liam had ever made. By the time Liam reached the rendezvous he had in his mind a thorough understanding of the methods the Ryzcks and Lindars employed in a fight and of how his sister would command her army.

  From the port at Vada other ships set sail, filled to overfull with the Ryzcks and the Vadathian Militia.

  Those closer to the west made their way on paw, on hoof or on foot.

  As the ships reached the river estuary and began to make their slow and ponderous way upriver to the disembarkation point deep within the rtathas of the Lind, three ships to the rear of the straggling convoy peeled away, heading to the ice-reef where the Larg would cross.

  Two of them were fast cargo ships, the Emily Stanton and the Malinon, the third was not. The powder ship was an ungainly vessel, difficult to manoeuvre with a single mast and sail. It made for slow going, although the current was swift, the Powderflower was not built for sea sailing, she was a coastal vessel and not in her first youth.

  They would not reach the reef until long after the troopships reached their landing site upriver, around thirty miles from the rendezvous at Fountains Head. The landing site was a small Holad station known as the Outpost.

  The staff at the Outpost were working with frenzied speed. Their task was to co-ordinate the initial planning and implementation of the medical support for the army. It was a daunting task for Talin, the elderly Holad medic in command of the post. Not only would Vada Holad contingents be arriving but teams of doctors, nurses and medics from the Garda together with civilian medical personnel who had volunteered (or who had been volunteered) to serve with the army for the duration of the campaign.

  Smaha root, carriages to transport the wounded, bandages, stretchers, surgical implements, the list was endless. Talin felt as if his head was bursting with the stress and the strain.

  As Lynsey and Bernei disembarked from the Tranet they looked around the Outpost with a great deal of interest. It wasn’t large but she had expected that, consisting of five buildings only. The first was a low cabin that was home to Talin and his Lind Mederthya, another that was home to his staff and the third and largest building was the medical facility itself containing treatment rooms, storerooms and operating theatre. The final two buildings contained the wards for the patients. One was large and was dedicated to the Lind and the small one was for humans.

  As they led the advance party on to the jetty it was Talin and Mederthya who met them. She was an arthritic white Lind of advanced years, some four seasons older than her life-partner and Lynsey knew that Talin was over seventy. Although he would not be accompanying the army west, all but one of his staff would. His youngest daughter would remain to help her father tend to the needs of the local Lind.

  His son, Holad Vadeln Medic Nadil and his Lind Zaya and Holad Vadeln Nurse Jessali and her Lind Axei were to accompany the army. These two were married with two young children who would remain with Talin while their parents went to the war.

  “Susa,” Talin greeted her, “I never thought this day would come.”
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  “You and me both Talin,” Lynsey replied, shaking his hand in greeting. Indeed, this duty station had, since its inception, been the quietest on record. Nothing much ever happened here. The Holad duos spent their days travelling around visiting the packs in turn, dealing with pregnancies, disease and the occasional accident.

  “I’ve got what supplies we have packed already,” Talin said. Unexpected as the emergency was he was eager to prove that, despite his advanced years, he was more than capable. Before old age had forced his retiral from active Ryzck service, he had been a Vada Cadet at the same time as Harld and had been accustomed to making decisions. Age had done little to blunt this edge. Lynsey was thankful that it was Talin greeting her and not his bumbling predecessor. “You’re going to Fountains Head at once?” the old man asked.

  “Within the bell if I can,” Lynsey answered and began the introductions of the other senior members of the advance party.

  “Ranolf you know.”

  Talin nodded. They were old friends. “I see that to you has gone the honour of holding the Standard.” Ranolf nodded with pride and took a tighter grip of the furled banner of the Vada.

  “This is Johan and his Lind Baltimalya, my Second-in-Command, new since your time.”

  There were guarded nods between Johan and Talin although their two Lind greeted each other with expansive grins of welcome. They came from the same pack.

  “Melody and Dei, who command the senior cadets of the comms pivot and Rhian, our Weaponsmaster with Tadei.”

  “Pieter?” queried Talin.

  “He commands the First Ryzck. Their Ryzcka is ill and I felt …”

  Talin smiled, “better one who knows them.”

  Lynsey nodded agreement, “and these are Tana and Tavei, Nalda and Ilyei and Rick and Stasya, Vadryzkas on the staff at Vada. They’ll keep control of the seniors at the CP.”

  “No juniors?” queried Talin.

  “I couldn’t bring them,” confessed Lynsey, “and they are needed elsewhere to help plug the gaps in the coastal defences.”

  “And finally,” smiled Lynsey as a cheery-faced individual appeared at her side, followed by a very intelligent looking Lind, “this is Doctor Hannah and her Lind Kolyei.”

  “The Doctor Hannah Knutson who found the cure?”

  “She leads the Holad from Vada,” said Lynsey, “I know she’s young but she’s the best we’ve got.”

  She and Bernei left the group talking amongst themselves. Bernei had told Lynsey of a large white Lind waiting to speak to her.

  : It is the Gtrathlin :

  Lynsey needed no telling. He was the most senior Lind of all. The old white was too frail to fight in a Lindar but he was hale enough to make this journey to meet the Susyc.

  As she and Bernei approached him she could hear Hannah and Talin begin to discuss the details of the medical dispositions. There would be hundreds of wounded, perhaps thousands and to Hannah had fallen the task of making sure that everything was done that could be done to take care of them. She had to co-ordinate the entire medical support, human and Lind and that included making sure that all the supplies would be at the appointed place at the appointed time.

  Hannah and Kolyei would go with the advance party to Fountains Head where she would arrange the casualty station there. To pack Jannsdei had been detailed the task of defending the medics and also those at the CP. In the past the Larg had made a point of killing as many of the injured and communications pivots as they possibly could.

  Lynsey and Bernei bowed low before Redei, the Gtrathlin who returned the bow.

  “Dangerous times,” he said in greeting and understatement. “We of the rtathlians have answered your call to muster.”

  This was not the time for making small talk. “The rtaths between Fountains Head and the coast?”

  “All but one have heeded your warning,” Redei answered, “and have left their domtas.”

  “What one?”

  “That rtath does not believe the Larg are coming. You must forget about what will happen to them Susycs Lynsey and Bernei, as I have had to, difficult though it is.”

  “We are sworn to protect all,” Lynsey fretted.

  “You are sworn to defend,” Redei corrected her, “for the greater good of all you must do as I ask. I will try again to persuade their Susa and their Elda but they are old, set in their ways.” Redei sighed. “It is hard for them, the Larg have never attacked here before. The rtath is a small one. Now, you must tell me more about your plans. You have decided not to meet the Larg in the nadlians, is that correct? You will wait for them in the lian at the valley?”

  “Yes,” Lynsey answered, “in the woods, both sides of the valley. It is a deep one, wide with low undulating sloping sides at the entrance, the valley narrowing and the sides growing steeper closer to the waterfall that feeds the Tarklei. “

  “It is a good choice,” said Redei. “I must abide here though some of the Gtratha will go with you. They may be of some help. Alei too, he brings the Avuzdel to fight.”

  “They will be of help and thank you,” said Lynsey. “At the Battle of the Alliance I read that their presence was of great value to Susyc Jim and his Lind Larya. He wrote that their support and encouragement helped turn the tide of the battle.”

  “I have also ordered that all the nearest rtaths help with transporting what is necessary,” Redei continued, “and are horses coming? I will be interested to see them.”

  : Why, he sounds quite excited at the prospect : ‘exclaimed’ Lynsey.

  : He has never seen a horse because he comes from a pack far to the north : Bernei supplied the information.

  “My brother commands the army of Argyll,” said Lynsey, gathering her wits, “and yes, he brings horses. As Lind have defended him and his, now it is his turn to fight for you and yours.”

  : Well put : ‘said’ Bernei. : Now if you would be pleased to say your goodbyes to the Gtrathlin we can get something to eat and be on our way :

  * * * * *

  Rakthed (Fifth Month of Winter) - AL166

  War (6)

  Dawn came and there were groans as the dom came to life. There was still no word of the Larg kohorts.

  “It’s a miserable time of the year to travel,” complained Lynsey to no-one in particular as she rolled up her soggy bedroll. It was very wet; these last few tendays of winter had begun with rain and it was still raining. With the rain had come a slight increase in temperature that had begun to soften the ground making everywhere wet, soggy and boggy. This part of Lind was flat and full of streams and rivers with few trees or woodland to provide cover. Bernei shook himself trying to get rid of the excess water. The advance party was only a half-day’s run from the rendezvous. She accepted a mug of kala and a generous slice of maize bread from Tana. As she ate she prepared herself for the rigours of the day. In the distance she heard the bellows of the zarova and the bleats of the kura who were being driven towards the rendezvous. She fretted that there would be enough walda grass there to feed them all and Bernei had to reassure her that Talin had it in hand.

  Thank the Lai for Talin, was Lynsey’s heartfelt thought.

  It was after breakfast that the Lind became still, their faces tight with concentration as they ‘listened’ to the news that was being telepathed to them.

  : Many Larg sighted :

  “How many?” demanded Lynsey.

  : Pack Cdidya reports :

  The visual image came next.

  Susyc Lynsey paled. Hundreds of Larg! How had so many managed to cross over the Trent Reef so fast? Almost as one, the faces of those around her turned in her direction.

  “So they have arrived at last and at the place we thought they would,” was Bernei’s bland comment. His snout lifted as he received another message.

  : The Susa of Cdidya reports that he will not be able to hold them and he has ordered the evacuation of his domta :

  As others received the message and imparted its contents to their human partners, Lynsey spi
ed many worried faces. Pack Cdidya was about to pay the price for not believing that the Larg were coming. They had been warned and had chosen to disregard the warning, not really believing that the Larg could attack other than over the Argyll-Graham route. After all, the Larg had never come this way before. Even the Gtrathlin had been unable to persuade them that the danger was real.

  Everyone in the dom knew that there was little chance that the majority would get away. Although the Larg did not have the innate speed of the Lind they could run fast over short distances. There were ltsctas in the domta, many of them very young and they and the old would be unable to sustain a long run. Mothers with young would not leave them to be tortured and killed by the invaders.

  Those fit enough to escape would now be saying their farewells to loved ones who would not be escaping the domta with them. Lynsey felt sick at heart, an emotion shared by the girl beside her.

  “What will happen to them?” the fresh-faced senior cadet attached to the Command Post for messenger service asked in a shrill voice.

  “They will die,” answered her Lind. “Those remaining and who are able, will fight but will probably die too. Mothers will kill their own ltsctas before the end. Better the quick clean kill at the mouth of a mother than an agonising death. Mothers with older ltsctas will run, hoping they can keep up. If the Larg catch up, the mother will turn on them and take as many with her as she can to try to delay them long enough so that the faster ones amongst her young get away.”

  “The Lindar?” asked the cadet in distress, “can they not help?” Her Lind continued to explain the realities of the situation in a voice devoid of emotion and loud enough so that the other youngsters could hear too. “There is little one Lindar can do to stop an entire Larg army. Their Susa has his orders, he will accompany them as far as he can but will not permit any suicide fights. The Lindar will run until the great Tarklei river then east towards the Dantrapper Forest, to us.”