He heard their voices faint on the wind.
Something was exciting their interest. He climbed up on to the tractor
and shaded his eyes, The unmistakable figure of Mek Nimmur was coming
down the trail from the direction of the escarpment, stocky and powerful
in his camo fatigues, his gait determined. He was accompanied by two of
his company commanders.
Mek hailed Sapper from a distance. 'How is your dam holding?' he called
in Arabic, which Sapper did not understand. 'Soon it will rain on the
mountains, You won't be able to hold out here much longer.' But his
gestures towards sky and river were immediately intelligible to Sapper.
Sapper jumped down from the machine to gr,6et him, and they shook hands
cordially. They had recognized in each other the qualities of strength
and professionalism that they both admired.
Mek seized his company commander, who spoke English, by the arm, and the
man fell into his by now familiar role of interpreter.
'It is not only the weather that troubles me,' Mek confided in a low
voice, and the interpreter relayed the information to Sapper. 'I have
reports that the governMent troops are moving into position to attack
us. My intelligence is that they have a full battalion moving down this
way from Debra Maryam, and another force low the monastery at St.
Frumentius, moving up the be Abbay river.'
'Pincer movement, heyT said Sapper.
Mek listened to the translation and nodded gravely. 'I am heavily
outnumbered and I don't know how long I will they attack. My men are be
able to hold them when gueff illas. It is not our role to fight
set-piece battles. It is the war of the flea for us. Hit and run. I came
to warn You at short notice.'
to be ready to Pull out Sapper grunted. , 'Don't worry too much about
am a sprinter. Hundred yards dash is my speciality. It's Nicholas and
ROYan you should be thinking of, them in that ruddy rabbit warren of
theirs.'
but I wanted to arrange
'I am on my way to them now a fall'back position. if we get cut off from
each other in the the monastery.
fighting, Nicholas has cached the boats at That is where we will
assemble.'
okay Mek---2 Sapper stopped speaking and all three I the trail, where
there was a fresh of them looked bank. 'What's disturbance amongst the
men along the going on?'
Mek one of my patrols coming in narrowed his eyes.
'Mere must be some new development.' He stopped not understand speaking
as he realized that Sapper could him, and then his expression changed as
he recognized the small, slim figure that was being carried on a rough
litter by thing-_ men of his patrol.
towards, her and sat up weakly Tessay saw him running her to the ground
and Mek on the litter. The men lowered the litter and placed both went
down on his knees beside They held each other in silence for a his arms
airoun(:
her face in his Mek gently cupped long moment. Then features.
hands and examined her swollen and arre Some of the burns had become
