Jaws of Darkness (Ñ Ð²Ð²-5) by Harry Turtledove
Author:Harry Turtledove [Turtledove, Harry]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: sf_fantasy
Eleven
When Colonel Spinello went east to Waldsolms to report his brigadeâs condition to Brigadier Tampaste, who commanded his division, he was not a happy man. âSir,â he said, âIâve got my men dug in east of Pewsum like so many moles. And if I had three times as many of them, and five times as many behemoths, and ten times as many dragons to back them up, I might be able to hang on when the Unkerlanters come down on me. I might, sir. I wouldnât guarantee it.â
Tampaste couldnât have been much more than Spinelloâs age himself. âDo you know what, Colonel?â he said. âOver the past few days, our scouts and mages have concluded the Unkerlanters may be planning an attack here in the north after all.â
Spinello rolled his eyes. âAbout fornicating time⦠sir. Weâve been worrying about it for weeks.â
âAll we are is the folk on the spot,â Tampaste answered. âIf that doesnât prove we canât possibly know what weâre talking about, I donât know what would.â
âHow big an attack do they think is coming?â Spinello asked.
âThey donât know,â Tampaste said, and Spinello rolled his eyes again. The brigadier went on, âSwemmelâs boys have been doing their best to mask whatever it is theyâre up to, so weâre having a hard time telling.â
âIf it werenât something bigger than weâd like, they wouldnât be trying to hide it.â Spinello hoped Tampaste would tell him he was wrong, he was worrying too much. Instead, the brigadier solemnly nodded. Spinello said, âI donât suppose thereâs any hope of reinforcements?â
At that, Tampaste threw back his head and laughed as if at the best joke in the world. âTell me another one, Colonel,â he said. âThe odds would have been bad before the cursed islanders invaded Jelgava. Now? Well, my dear fellow, what can I say?â He spread his hands.
That said all that needed saying, or almost all, anyhow. Spinello asked, âHow are things back in the east?â
âTheyâve been on the ground in Jelgava for more than two weeks now. We havenât thrown them into the sea,â Tampaste replied. âIâve heard theyâre moving on Balvi, the capital. Thatâs not official-all the reports from Trapani say the fighting is still by the beaches. But Iâve got a brother in Jelgava.â
âOh.â Spinello whistled tunelessly. âThings canât be going any too well if they think theyâve got to lie to us.â
âYou have a nasty, suspicious mind,â Tampaste said. âI would have more to say about it if the same thought hadnât occurred to me.â He nodded to Spinello. âGo back and set your men digging again. The more holes they have, the better their chances are. Good luck, Colonel. Powers above go with you.â
Spinello didnât know what sort of dismissal heâd expected. Whatever it was, it was nothing so abrupt as that. He rose, saluted, and went out onto the dusty streets of Waldsolms. Here in the town, the streets were paved. Once the buildings stopped, though, the cobblestones did, too, and the wind blew hard across the endless plains.
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