John Carr - Siege of Tarr-Hostigos

The only other member of the University Team who seemed concerned about the Chief was Aranth Sain, who had pulled up a chair and was waiting for news patiently. She wished she shared his First Level mental discipline.

Finally, Captain Skordran Kirv-the latest Paratime Police babysitter- came through the door. Colonel Ranthar had taken Eldra with him when he'd left for his secret mission for Kalvan in Hos-Bletha. Sirna was convinced the only reason Eldra had gone along was that she'd been exiled by Chief Verkan for approaching Kalvan at the University party and trying to seduce him in public. It was a stupid thing to do, especially with Rylla waiting in the wings. She missed Eldra, but not the air of danger the older woman carried around with her like a scarf.

"How is our Chief?" Sain asked, finally breaking the silence.

"Dalon saved his life. Quick thinking on his part to use the monocell membrane to cover Verkan's chest wound. He wouldn't have lasted long without it."

Sirna saw the wince that Aranth made upon hearing about the mono-cell treatment. It was supposed to be very painful; she wondered if he had direct experience with it during his military days.

Kirv continued. "We just sent him back to the Fifth Level Police Terminal for treatment. He should be back in two or three days."

They'd probably graft him a new lung and use cellgrow to repair the tissue damage, she thought. His wounds must have been serious or he would have been back in a day. Now they were really alone.

"Is he badly hurt?" she asked.

"Yes and no. They're mortal wounds for Aryan-Transpacific. Minor for First Level; he wants to stay at the Terminal and study the battle reports, as well as catch up on some of his backlog, until the battle's settled. It's too soon for him to make an appearance in Hostigos-win or lose."

"What about Kalvan?"

Captain Kirv looked at her thoughtfully.

"I mean, what's the Chief's cover story?"

"Badly wounded and left for dead. We'll leave some pretty nasty 'scars' to show the locals and Kalvan when the war is over. There's tremendous variability in trauma survival where medicine's in its infancy. Here one can just as easily die from a rusty wire as a chest wound. 'It's all up to the gods,' is the local healers' disclaimer. I don't think anyone here will be suspicious unless the Chief returns too soon."

"When do we leave?"

Talgan Dreth, the Study Team Director, who'd just entered the foundry looked at her as if she were one of Styphon's minions.

"Only when-and if-Kalvan evacuates Hostigos Town. Otherwise, we'll stay put. I'll not be made a laughingstock by the media again!"

Sirna suspected one of the Paratime Police had smuggled out a recording of the original Study Team hastily deserting the Foundry based on false reports of a Hostigi defeat from some Ulthori deserters. Most of the Team had come off as amiable idiots-at best-as they struggled to conduct a chaotic evacuation. Sirna, Eldra and Aranth Sain had received all the good press, since they had stayed behind and helped to aid the Hostigi wounded. Neither Lala nor the rest of the Team had expected their hasty exit to be viewed on Yandar Yadd's news show. Lala had been livid, letting off a stream of curses that any of Kalvan's troopers would have been proud to claim as his own.

She hoped Talgan's pride wouldn't get in the way of an orderly evacuation, if things got grim.

Rylla watched lovingly as Kalvan pored over his maps in the sputtering lamplight while she scrambled turkey eggs for their breakfast omelet. They were billeted in a small manor house outside Ardros Field, a large horse ranch, whose titled owner had fled upon learning of the Styphoni invasion. It was such an ordinary domestic setting that for a few moments Rylla was able to imagine they had nothing more pressing to worry about than the best time to plant their vegetable garden.

She had missed last night's grand strategy meeting since she'd been in Hostigos Town visiting her father and Harmakros for the past quarter-moon. Her party had left Hostigos Town two days ago and she had arrived at Ardros field in mid-morning to find her husband fast asleep.

Rylla was making a determined effort to be quiet; Kalvan, Prince Phrames, General Hestophes and the newly arrived Duke Mnestros had been celebrating far into the night the arrival of three thousand League of Dralm 'advisors' the day before. Since the Covenant of Hos-Agrys, passed by the Council of Dralm, forbade the League's Princes to give any direct material support to Hos-Hostigos, Mnestros and some other Hostigi sympathizers had put together their own army to aid in the war against Styphon's House. From Agrys City there wasn't a Dralm-damn thing Xentos could do about it either.

Phrames, Hestophes, Mnestros and Kalvan had spent most of the evening studying maps and discussing battle plans, as well as drinking the best part of a cask of Ermut's Best. Kalvan, still nursing a hangover, was making a valiant attempt to show only his best humor. Despite the revels of the evening, she was determined to find out what they'd accomplished before every general and busybody in the army wanted their piece of the Great King's time.

With more than twice as many men as the Army of Hos-Hostigos, the Grand Host had been able to put the Hostigos Army into a wearing retreat. Their greater numbers were forcing Kalvan into a position where he would have to make a stand here in Sashta or fight in Hostigos itself. Already the roads were lined with throngs of refugees and it was growing increasingly difficult to feed them and the huge army, even with all the depots that Phrames and Hestophes had put in place last year throughout Sashta and Beshta. Praise Dralm for last season's bumper harvest!

When Rylla had finished cooking her turkey egg, cheese and onion omelet, she added some cornbread to the plate and brought it over to the table.

"Thank you, darling," Kalvan said, pushing aside his maps to make room for his breakfast. "I've gone over these maps until my eyes ache and I still can't see a better place to make a stand than right here. You know the creek that runs down the hill?"

"Yes, it allows our army a good supply of fresh water."

"True, but more than that we're going to use it against the Grand Host?"

"How, my love?"

"See this hillside." Kalvan stopped talking, to snatch a parchment of Ardros Field drawn by his own hand out of the pile of maps, and pointed to the hill. "We're going to build a dam right there. I hiked up there yesterday with Hestophes and he agrees there's a perfect spot for a small lake. If I know Hestophes, he's already got a team of engineers working on the dam."

"How will that stop the Grand Host?"

"The Johnstown Flood, that's how." He pointed at the map again. "When the Styphoni left wing approaches this point, we'll blow the dam and the resulting flood will completely disorganize the Styphoni left wing."

"I like that! Then Hestophes' right wing can smash the survivors like we did at Phyrax."

Kalvan nodded. "This depression won't hold enough water to wash the entire Grand Host away, but it should scatter and soak most of the left wing. Then it'll be up to Hestophes to pull them down from the trees and wring their necks!"

"That will be something to watch. But, my husband, you're not eating!"

Up close Rylla could see bruise-like bags under Kalvan's eyes that hadn't been there two moon quarters ago. Her heart went out to this man, only a few years ago a stranger to this land, who had almost single-handedly saved her homeland and made her his wife-the happiest times of her life.

Kalvan put the Ardros Field map away and attacked his plate.

The next few days, Rylla thought, would determine not only the course of her future, but its duration as well.