They’re moving fast, and tiring themselves and their horses. By the time they get here, we’ll have had lots of rest, lots of time for preparation. It will take a full three days for their whole army to get through this defile.” He touched it with his finger. “It’s narrow.” He added with emphasis. “In retreat, it would take them the same time to get out.”
Plekhanov said heavily, “We can’t risk it. If we were defeated, we have no reserve army. We’d have lost everything.” He looked at Joe Chessman and Watson significantly. “We’d have to flee back to the
Reif’s face was expressionless, but his eyes went from one of the Earthlings to the other.
Barry Watson looked at him. “We won’t desert you, Reif, forget about that aspect of it. We’re all of us in this together.”
Reif said, “I believe you, Barry Watson. You are a…soldier.”
Dick Hawkins’ small biplane zoomed in, landed expertly at the knoll’s foot. It was a simple craft, propeller driven, and with a light machine gun mounted to fire directly ahead. A one seater scout, its pay load consisted of pilot and a few bombs. The occupant vaulted out and approached them at a half run.
His arrival coincided with that of Isobel Sanchez, who came up mounted on a snow white horse, richly saddled. She looked as though she was on a pleasure ride and came accompanied by two maids and a trio of her young, handsome interns.
Hawkins called out as soon as he was within shouting distance. “They’re moving in. Their advance cavalry units are already in the pass. The main body is only a day’s march behind.”
When he was with them, Plekhanov rubbed his hand nervously over heavy lips. He rumbled, “Their cavalry, eh? Well, let’s teach them a lesson. Listen, Hawkins, get back there and dust them. Use the gas. That’ll slow them up. Terrify the horses.”
The pilot said slowly, “I have four bullet holes in my wings.”
“Bullet holes?” Isobel said. She was slightly miffed by the lack of attention her arrival had precipitated. She had dismounted and moved to Leonid Plekhanov’s side, taking him by one heavy arm. “I thought it was only our side that had guns. Zen, this whole thing begins to get dangerous.”
They ignored her.
“Bullet holes?” Joe Chessman repeated.
Dick Hawkins turned to him. “By the looks of things, MacBride’s whole unit has gone over to the rebels. Complete with their double barreled muskets. A full thousand of them.”
Chessman closed his eyes, wearily. “How about MacBride?”
“I don’t know, Joe. All I saw was his cavalry fraternizing with the lead elements of Mynor’s force.”
Watson looked frigidly at Leonid Plekhanov. “You insisted on issuing those guns to men that we weren’t really sure of, then putting them under command of a man without military background. Why didn’t you let one of Reif’s officers head that detachment, somebody that would have recognized trouble when it started?”
Plekhanov grumbled, “Confound it, don’t use that tone of voice with me. We have to arm our men, don’t we? And as far as MacBride is concerned, I like to keep command in the hands of our group.”
Watson said, “Our still comparatively few advanced weapons shouldn’t go into the hands of anybody but trusted citizens of the State, certainly not to a bunch of mercenaries. If you can buy a mercenary, so can your enemy. He can buy him right from under you with more money. The only ones we can really trust, even among the Tulans—excuse me Reif, obviously I don’t mean you and your officers—are those that were kids when we first took over. The ones we’ve had time to indoctrinate.”
“The mistake’s made. It’s too late now,” Plekhanov said doggedly. “Hawkins, go on back and dust those cavalrymen as they come through the pass. Maybe we can throw enough of a scare into them that they’ll retreat.”
The seldom speaking Khan said now, “It was a mistake, too, to allow them the secret of the crossbow. It is a weapon almost as dangerous as the musket.”
Plekhanov suddenly angry beyond the bounds of his ragged temper, roared, “I didn’t
There was the faintest of frowns on the forehead of Isobel Sanchez, she looked from Plekhanov to Reif, and squeezed tighter the pudgy arm of her lover as though to regain confidence.
Reif’s eyes were unflinching from the Earthman’s. He said, “Then the crossbow should never have been introduced. It wasn’t necessary for the military plans Barry Watson has made for us.”
Plekhanov ignored him. He said, “Hawkins, get going on that dusting. Maybe you can scare them away. Watson, pull what units we already have in this valley back through the pass we control. We’ll avoid battle until more of their army has fallen away.”
Hawkins said with deceptive mildness, “I just told you those cavalrymen have muskets. To fly low enough to use the gas on them, I’d have to get within easy range. That pass is narrow. Point one, this is the only aircraft we have, and it’s priceless for reconnaisance. Point two, one of our number, MacBride is already dead as a result of poor decisions. Point three, I came on this expedition to help modernize the Texcocans, not to die in battle.”
Plekhanov snarled at him. “Coward, eh? Alright, well turn the aircraft over to Roberts, or somebody else who can take commands.” He turned churlishly to Watson and Reif. “Start pulling back our units. We can be completely out of this valley before Mynor can get his full force here.”
Barry Watson took a deep breath and looked at Joe Chessman. “Joe?”
Isobel Sanchez dropped the arm of Plekhanov she had been holding. A tiny tongue tip protruded from her overly red lips, and her eyes darted from one of the men to the other.
Joe Chessman shook his head slowly. He said to Reif, “Khan, start bringing your infantrymen through the pass. Barry, we’ll follow your plan of battle. We’ll anchor one flank on the sea and concentrate what cavalry we can trust on the hills to the right. You’re correct, that’s going to be the crucial spot. That right flank has to hold while the phalanx does its job.”
Plekhanov’s thick lips trembled. He said in fury, “Is this insubordination?”
Reif looked from Plekhanov to Chessman, then turned and followed by young Taller and two of his staff, started down the hill to where their horses were tethered.
Chessman turned to Dick Hawkins. “If you’ve got the fuel, Dick, maybe it would be a good idea to keep them under observation. Fly high enough, of course, to avoid any gunfire.”
Hawkins darted a look at the infuriated Plekhanov, then turned and hurried back to his plane.
Joe Chessman, his voice sullen, said to Plekhanov, “We can’t afford any more mistakes, Leonid. We’ve had too many already.” He said to Watson, “Be sure and let their cavalry units scout us out. Allow them to see that we’re entering the valley. They’ll think they’ve got us trapped.”
“They will have!” Plekhanov roared. “I counter that order, Watson! We’re withdrawing.”
Barry Watson raised his eyebrows at Joe Chessman.
“Put him under arrest,” Joe growled sourly. “We’ll have to decide what to do about it later.”
Barry snapped an order to two of the remaining Tulans.
Isobel Sanchez came up to the stolid Chessman, her eyes shining. She said, “Joe, don’t let it worry you. You did what you had to do. I’m proud of you.”
He looked at her thoughtfully.
By the third day, Mynor’s rebel and nomad army had filed through the pass and was forming itself into battle array. Rank, upon rank, upon rank until the floor of the valley seemed carpeted with humanity and horses. Behind them slowly ground a seemingly endless wagon train pulled by oxen and mules.
The Tulan infantry had taken less than half a day to enter. They had camped and rested during the interval, the only action being on the part of the rival cavalry forces.
Now the thirty thousand Tulans went into their phalanx and began their slow march across the valley floor toward the enemy.
Joe Chessman, Hawkins, Natt Roberts and Khan Reif again occupied the knoll which commanded a full view of the terrain. With binoculars and wrist radios from the
Below, Barry Watson walked behind the advancing infantry. He was armed only with a swagger stick, which
