16242d4132a202d76724be8cda620f37 by Unknown

Author:Unknown
Format: epub
Published: 2019-04-18T16:00:00+00:00

16

The leaves were just beginning to dust the willow trees with green when the sentry at the Innanigani post at Sconet Ford, on the Leynap River, heard a distant explosion pulse and echo down the valley. He scrambled up from where he had been lounging in his log bastion and shaded his eyes across the river.

A puff of smoke drifted away from a line of horsemen on the bank. He sounded the horn and began counting. A lieutenant scrambled up the stairs saying, “What? What is it?”

“The westerners, sir. A lot of them. On their harzas animals, I think. They have a flag.”

As they looked, four men waded their horses out into the stream, slanting upriver toward the long wooded island that stood about a third of the way from the east bank. The channel set on the east side, and ran high and cold with spring melt water. The lieutenant drew in his breath and said, “I guess they want to talk.”

He ran down the stairs shouting orders. “Subdirect Tavvy! Roll out the cannon. I want all the men on the walls but for the boat detail. Raze, get me that document—from the legislature. Out of the upper right drawer. You, Sergeant Cathet, prepare the infirmary. We may need it.”

Garet handed his reins to Kahdi and dismounted as the first Innanigani boat neared the island. He walked out on the rounded stones near the bank and caught the bow, lifting it a little and easing it ahead until it held fast. Then he stepped back and watched the easterners bring the two boats in and make them fast.

He held up his hand and said, “Garet Westrun, for the Federation. We have prisoners to return and want to arrange an orderly and safe transfer. We propose to bring them over to this island and then let you pick them up from here. You withdraw to your bank before we start. You wait there until we withdraw. All right?”

The lieutenant stared at him. “Prisoners? You mean the Opwei draft? They’re still alive?”

“All but one. He died of something about twenty days ago. Couldn’t do anything about it.”

“Where are they?”

Garet jerked his head toward the west bank. The lieutenant squinted. “I don’t...”

“On the horses. In the middle.” Garet looked at him narrowly. “Easier than walking. And faster. Now, do you agree?”

The lieutenant drew in his breath. “Yes. We agree. Now. I have a message from our legislature. You will see that it gets to the ... federation, or whatever you call yourselves?”

“We call ourselves the Heart River Federation, as you well know—all of you in the eastern gang, or mob, or conspiracy, or whatever it is you call yourselves. Yes, I will see the Federation gets it.”

“You won’t like it. And now, according to it, it is my duty to inform you that you are trespassing on Innanigani territory because the legislature claims its border lies along the Cwanto. We will enforce our claim with arms and must request that you return to your own territory.

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