The Captive by Paul Lauritsen

Author:Paul Lauritsen [Lauritsen, Paul]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-05-18T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 26:

The Next Phase

“Cowards,” Garnuk muttered, “They are all cowards.”

“Refusing to fight does not make them weak,” Tarq replied stubbornly.

“It makes them traitors,” Garnuk growled. “They will not share in their Ramshuk’s vision!”

Garnuk had returned from Banta Kodu more than a week ago, but he was still fuming inside. He had wanted to discuss the matter with Tarq much sooner, but the captain had been away from Dun Carryl on Shadow Squadron business. Garnuk didn’t know where the captain had been, just that he hadn’t been available. So the hatred and frustration of his failed expedition had been gnawing at Garnuk and festering inside of him all the while, waiting for the moment to emerge.

“Then they will not see the benefits when we control this world,” Tarq said, shrugging. “More world for us.”

“If they do not fight, we may not have the world,” Garnuk snapped, thrusting his jaw forward.

“Even if they do fight, we may not have the world,” Tarq countered. “I’m not convinced Garnuk. I’ve reviewed the numbers, compared them to the last war and the one before. Even with Zanove’s impressive abilities, we are disadvantaged.”

“As I have been telling you,” Garnuk growled, “The Keepers will rip the Sthan apart for us. Or at least soften them up.”

“Will they? I haven’t seen that happen yet.”

“Because it is not the proper time.”

“Proper time?” Tarq demanded. “When is the proper time then? Zanove is grown, he breathes fire, he has immense destructive potential. What else is there to wait for?”

“He is raw,” Garnuk prevaricated. “He has not the experience we need to be successful.”

“Then fly some more practice missions,” Tarq suggested. “But leave some survivors. Let rumors begin to spread.”

Garnuk frowned. “Without the Banuk?”

Tarq roared in frustration, leaping to his feet and pacing around the small stone room furiously. “Why must you return to this issue? Every single problem you lay on the Banuk. Why?”

“They are traitors,” Garnuk repeated. “They will not fight. And we need them.”

“They cannot be forced to comply,” Tarq told him. “You saw what happened when you went to them.”

“They dared to attack me,” Garnuk murmured. “They will be repaid for their act of defiance.”

“The dared to threaten you,” Tarq corrected. “They did not actually attack, remember?”

“They may as well have. I should have let Zanove flame them to ashes and been done with the Banuk, Carh, Koah and all of their hornless, isolationist ideas.”

Tarq frowned, studying Garnuk. “You’ve changed,” he decided finally. “The ram I came to know over the last year would not let himself get distracted this way. You relied on your wits, your schemes, the few people you could trust.”

“Last time was different,” Garnuk grunted. “Last year, I was not leading a war. I was interfering with one. And I was dealing with the Usurper, not the whole Sthan kingdom.”

“Yet you killed their king.”

“It was an opportunity which could not be passed up. Our last war was about stopping the Usurper and destroying him. Killing the Sthan king bought me the time to do so.

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