Spartan Run by David Robbins

Author:David Robbins [Robbins, David]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction, sf_postapocalyptic, sf_action
ISBN: 9780843930801
Barnesnoble:
Goodreads: 9721372
Publisher: Dorchester Publishing Company, Inc.
Published: 1991-03-31T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER ELEVEN

“They’re coming out of the woodwork!” Blade snapped, and drew both Bowies.

“At least these are on foot,” Rikki noted.

All eight soldiers had their short swords drawn. None carried a firearm.

They charged in ranks of twos, and one of the men voiced a challenge when they drew within 30 feet. “Who are you? What’s the meaning of this?”

Blade stepped forward, hopeful further bloodshed could be avoided once he explained the situation. These eight must have been en route either to or from the barracks, and must have witnessed the battle with the troopers on the dirt bikes. Blade mustered a smile and motioned for them to halt.

The speaker held up his sword arm and the Spartans stopped. “I’m Sergeant Thoas. You will lay down your arms and place yourselves in our custody.”

“We will not,” Blade responded.

“Then we will take you by force,” Thoas warned.

“At least hear me out. We were justified in killing those men.”

“Since when is an outsider justified in slaying a Spartan?”

“Since the civil war started.”

Sergeant Thoas cocked his head. “What are you talking about, stranger?”

“Then you haven’t heard,” Blade said. “King Agesilaus tried to kill King Dercyllidas a short while ago.”

“What?” Thoas exclaimed, and glanced at the man next to him.

“I’m telling the truth,” Blade asserted. “We were at the palace when the attack took place. Dercyllidas is now at the barracks where his bodyguard is housed. I have no idea where Agesilaus might be.”

“And how do you fit into the scheme of things?”

“We’re representatives of the Freedom Federation here to offer Sparta membership in our alliance. We’ve been caught in the middle of the dispute between your kings. We’re just in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

“You certainly are,” Thoas concurred. “And will you remain neutral during the conflict?”

Blade pointed back at the last rider Teucer had slain. “Those were Agesilaus’s men. Does that answer your question?”

“Yes it does.”

“Then you can see there’s no reason for us to fight.”

“Wrong,” Sergeant Thoas stated.

“What?”

The noncom gestured at his companions. “We’re Agesilaus’s men also.”

Teucer snorted. “When it rains, it pours.”

“Please,” Blade said. “We have no quarrel with you.”

“Nor we with you.”

“Then why go through with this? It makes no sense.”

“It’s clear you don’t understand the Spartan way. We were personally picked by King Agesilaus to be part of his bodyguard. He bestowed a great honor on us. In return, we pledged our loyalty. We promised to defend him to our dying breath, to follow his orders implicitly no matter what they might be.”

“But what if those orders are all wrong? What if you serve a madman?”

“It doesn’t matter. We’ve given our word, and a Spartan always keeps his word.”

Blade frowned. “It’s not giving your word that’s so important. It’s who you give it to.”

“Not for a Spartan.”

“Why don’t you just go your way and forget we ever bumped into each other?” Blade suggested. He’d already spilled enough Spartan blood for one day. In light of the rigid Spartan system, he tended to regard all their soldiers as mere pawns.

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