"You want notification before take-out if we see him?" This from Bobby Glass, the detail's primary sniper, who would be using the fifty-caliber Barrett. Glass was a smooth operator, knowledgeable, experienced, and dependable, but Kriss knew they must be certain that there were no errors.
"Affirmative," he responded. "Contact before take-out. We've got to be positive. I've seen this guy a couple of times back at Apache Point, so unless he's changed a lot, I can maybe give positive ID. We can't afford to blow this by shooting some big barbarian by mistake. If that happens, he'll know we're here and we won't get a second chance."
"Roger that," came the voices of the other two men.
Later, as the eastern sky began to change from black to gray, they returned to their original postures and continued watching the fort.
Eochaid was becoming impatient waiting for Kasdan to appear. He and his chief advisors were assembled in their council lodge, a round, thatched hut thirty feet in diameter with a fire pit in the center. The sweet smell of burning peat was heavy in the air. Two rows of wooden benches had been built in a half-circle around the periphery of the room for the council members to sit on. Eochaid's large, high-backed chair sat on a dais on the other side of the fire pit. The chair was covered with various kinds of fur, while the benches were simple oak wood. This was where the king and his men made plans for war and pondered other important issues. Eochaid was speaking with Sreng when Etar was ushered into the big room.
The king gave the escorting warrior a sour look. Women were not usually permitted inside the lodge during deliberations. "What is the meaning of this intrusion?" he demanded.
"My lord, this girl says she has important information for you concerning the stranger she is serving," the soldier replied. Hearing this, a number of the council members stood and moved closer to the king.
Eochaid gave Etar an expectant stare. She looked down and swallowed hard. When her courage had risen to a sufficient degree, she described to him what had happened in Kasdan's hut. A hushed mumbling came from the assembly. Several of the men pulled amulets from beneath their hide shirts and shook them in the four directions of the wind to ward off fairies.
Eochaid's analytical mind searched for an explanation but failed. He had already seen what the stranger's powerful weapon could do, and now he was making a flame with his finger by invoking some unknown deity named Fire. When recounting the event, Etar had used the exact name Kasdan had shouted. The king rubbed his beard and decided that caution was advised. He dismissed the girl and seated himself on his chair. The council members returned to their seats, all except Sreng, who stood beside Eochaid.
"My lord," the champion counseled, "this man is more dangerous to us than the Tuatha. At least we know that we can kill them in battle, but I am not certain we can control the stranger's actions in the coming fight. One mistake and we could lose the war. In spite of the things he can do, I am convinced that he is only a man. A very strange and powerful one, I admit, but still a man made of flesh and blood. Maybe we should kill him."
Sreng said this based on emotion, but in reality he had no idea how difficult such an act would be. In any event, they did not have time to discuss the proposal. Eochaid looked up at the sound of a commotion among his advisors and saw Kasdan standing in the doorway. He carried a long, slender stick in his hand.
Eochaid rose from his seat as Kasdan entered and walked to the center of the room near the fire pit. He turned toward the assembly and gave them a narrow-eyed look. The room fell silent as he turned to Eochaid. "I have developed a battle plan that will yield victory for you if you agree to follow it," he said. "However, there will be a few special stipulations."
In the back of his mind Eochaid was thinking about Sreng's suggestion and decided against it. There would be ample time later on to take action if this powerful stranger failed to produce the results he promised. He drew himself up to his full height and said in a commanding voice, "I will hear your plan then decide if it can be put it into action. You are aware that we have already lost many men to the Tuatha and cannot afford to lose more."
Kasdan smiled at the king's show of bravado. "Fair enough," he responded. He turned to the assembled advisors. "You men come down and gather around in a circle." When they had done what he requested, he drew a long jagged line in the dirt. "This is the eastern edge of the great lake you call Orbsen," he said. "Here is your fort." He drew a circle near the bottom right of the line. "There is a small river that flows into the lake from the east, here," he drew another line between the fort and the lake. He remembered this stream from past experience, and if it had not changed, it was about eighty feet wide. "Across the river is the beginning of the great plain where you have met the Tuatha twice before," he continued. The men mumbled agreement, nodding to each other.
"Yes, we are familiar with that location," Eochaid offered.
"There is a low ridge separating the plain from the lake, one end of which abuts the river. East of the ridge, on this side of the river, is where we will assemble your army. Half of the men will form a long line along the river bank, stretching for a least the distance a fast man can run in one minute." He drew a line along the south side of the river. "Behind this line, you will form the balance of the army into two wedges with the tips pointing toward the enemy." He scratched two upside-down V's near the center of the river line. "You, Sreng, and your generals, will be positioned between the tips of these wedges. A third wedge of a hundred men will be formed directly behind you and will be held in reserve until we cross the river."
Eochaid studied the battle formation for a few seconds. "And where will you be?" he asked.
"I will be near you and Sreng," Kasdan replied. "The Tuatha should form up across the river from us with their king and generals directly facing our position. When I give the signal, the ends of our line will swing across the river forming a flank position on both sides of them." He drew two bow-shaped lines on each end of the line. "The two wedges will then strike straight across the river and engage the generals and their officers."
Excited conversations broke out among the men. There were shouts of disagreement and approval.
"The Tuatha outnumber us and will have the advantage if we are confined by the ridge," Sreng pointed out. "There will be no room to maneuver." His voice was louder than he intended.
Kasdan gave him a disapproving look. "Neither will the Tuatha be able to maneuver. That is what I am counting on."
An unknown man stepped forward. Red hair fell across his shoulders, complimented by a thick beard of like color. His blue eyes stared into Kasdan's. "How do you know what the Tuatha will do, or even if they will show up for that matter? This whole plan is based on whether or not they will form their army as you describe!" He gave a disrespectful grunt and shook his head.
Two important advisors had now raised objections to the plan. Kasdan realized that he must regain control or lose Eochaid. He stepped to within two feet of the red-haired man and glared at him. He was at least a foot taller. He spoke no words. After a few seconds the man stepped back and looked down, subdued.
Turning to Eochaid, Kasdan spoke in a firm voice. "You need have no concern about the Tuatha taking the field as I have described. I am capable of seeing the future and this I have foreseen. I will require your answer now." In reality, no one knew what events actually occurred during the final battle between the Fir Bolg and Tuatha de Danann; or for that matter, that such a battle really took place. However, there was enough evidence on and around the plain of Moytura to confirm that something of huge proportions happened there. Ancient cairns and stone monuments dating back to that time were everywhere. Kasdan had simply spun the legend to fit his needs. But one thing was certain: there would be a meeting between the two forces. There was nothing prescient about it. An event he was about to put in place would guarantee it.
"How can we be sure that we will be victorious, as you have promised?" Eochaid asked.
Kasdan looked at him with a surprised expr
ession. "Because I will kill the Tuatha king and most of his generals before the battle ever begins. They will have no one to lead them," he said in a tone of complete simplicity.
Though he was sincere in promising this action, he had no compunction about how many Fir Bolg might be killed or maimed for life if the plan failed. He knew that Leahy was presently quartered with the aliens and would be with them when they arrived at the battlefield. If the plan came to fruition, he would be among the first to die. Nothing else really mattered.
Eochaid looked at the stranger for a long moment without speaking. Finally, he walked to where his counselors were assembled. "I am in favor of this plan!" he shouted. "What say you?"
There was a momentary rush of individual conversations among the men. When they fell silent, the red-haired man stepped forward. "We say yes!" he bellowed. Cheering broke out from many voices.
Kasdan smiled and looked at Eochaid. "Bring me a messenger," he said in a commanding voice.
Eochaid called out to a young man standing near the rear of the council chamber. He came forward, spear and shield in hand. Kasdan stepped forward and stood in front of him. "What is your name?" he demanded.
The boy stood very straight and swallowed. "Boan, lord."
Kasdan reached into his pocket and produced something wrapped in a piece of red cloth tied with a rawhide cord. He had assembled the package the previous night using the red flannel bag in which he kept his compass. Eochaid, Sreng, and several others moved closer to scrutinize it.
The king reached out and touched it with a forefinger. "What manner of material is this?" he asked in wonder. "I have never seen anything like it before."
Kasdan held it up for everyone to see then turned to the messenger. "You will go to the Tuatha city and give this to their king. You will not open it, or allow it to be taken from you. It must be guarded with your life. Do you understand?"
Boan's eyes opened wide. He glanced at Eochaid, who nodded. "Yes, lord, I understand."
"Then leave now. Take two men with you in case you need assistance on the journey. Do not stop on the way, go directly there."
Excited by the importance of the mission the king had entrusted to him, the boy turned and ran to the doorway, calling out to two others as he went.
When they were gone, Kasdan turned to Eochaid. "We will assemble two days from now. Prepare your army to depart just before dawn."
Eochaid said nothing. He simply nodded.
Without speaking further, Kasdan walked slowly through the assembled men and out the door. Outside, he took a deep breath of cool air and blew it out. He stood for a moment gazing at the tall ridge north of the fort. He was about to turn away when he thought he saw something move just below the summit. He frowned, took out his binoculars and scanned the area. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary. The ridge was covered with mounds of scrub and grass but there was no movement; everything was quiet. He returned the binoculars to his pocket and headed toward his quarters.
A wide grin split his face as he conjured up a mental image of the alien commander's face when he opened the package. He laughed aloud at the thought of Leahy's reaction.
Chapter 17
The Agreement
Dbarr gave the president a slight bow. "We have just completed a tour of our city, Aeren," he reported. "I think these new friends now have a better understanding of our dilemma." He turned and nodded toward the group.
The President extended his hand to Matt. "I believe this is one of the most common forms of human greeting?" he asked in a friendly tone.
"It is, sir," Matt responded, taking his hand. Aeren's grip was firm, his hand warm. Matt looked into the alien's eyes and saw only sincerity. As was the case with all the Vryanians he had met so far, his face was unlined and wore no cunning expression. Life's lessons had taught him to avoid making judgments of people based on first impressions; however, he found himself instinctively liking this man's manner and demeanor. In recent times he had formed only one favorable opinion of a person during their first meeting, and that was Taylor Griffin. He had never made a more accurate evaluation and never had cause to regret it.
After greeting the others, Aeren showed them into his office where they took seats at a large round table. As usual, there were no supporting legs. Everything just floated in the air. As they sat down, the seats automatically adjusted to the occupant's height, keeping everyone at the same eyelevel. Jake's seat sank a few inches lower than the others, but he seemed to take no notice at the reduction in leg comfort. Taylor ran her hands over the table's surface. It was as smooth as oiled glass and made of a translucent jade-like material with fine amber streaks.
"First let me welcome all of you to Vryan," Aeren said in a genial manner. "I am pleased that the tour gave you a better understanding of our plight." Before he could continue, a male server appeared with a tray of cups and a large container of the burgundy 'coffee' they had enjoyed at dinner with Dbarr the night before.
"We can certainly see why you must relocate, Mr. President," said Matt. "But the island you have chosen is a problem. The ruling race of humans there won't surrender their land without a fight to the finish. Are you certain that the doorway to our world can't be opened at another location? Or is there a possibility that you could migrate to a different inter-dimensional world altogether?"
Aeren shook his head. There was a look of sadness in his eyes. "Please call me Aeren, Matt," he said. "Unfortunately, the answer to both your questions is no. Our scientists tell us that this is the only escape portal available. The gateway opens to the Fir Bolg island, and only in that specific place. As to other worlds, as far as we know there are none."
"Then how do you propose to handle the situation?" Taylor asked. "You have the power to destroy the Fir Bolg, but we have been told that such an act is prohibited by your ethical code."
"That is true. If a suitable agreement cannot be reached with them, then we must resolve ourselves to face extinction here on Vryan. Such an alternative has already been discussed and has been adopted as a last resort. I know Dbarr has informed you that there are no suitable planets in our universe to which we can migrate."
"Yes, we saw your sky during our tour. If the visible stars are an indication of size, your universe must be less than a few hundred light years across."
"I do not know the exact distance, but I expect your estimate is fairly accurate, Taylor."
Jake, who was sitting beside Rael, spoke up. "I'm afraid there's another thing that can't be overlooked. You are aware that we are time travellers from Earth's distant future?" he asked.
"Yes, Dbarr has advised me of your status. Let me say that I am amazed that such a thing is possible. But you say that you are afraid of something?"
"Not actual fear, just something you should know. I don't believe that you will reach a permanent agreement with the Fir Bolg. The only historical record we have of a race that fits your description was called the Tuatha de Danann. According to legend, they vanished from Ireland a few years after a massive battle with the Fir Bolg. They are remembered only as a god-like people who now live an ethereal existence beneath the surface of the human world."
While they were talking, Matt had been staring at a spot on the wall. He was not looking at anything in particular, just lost in deep thought. When the conversation lulled, he looked at Jake and Taylor. They returned his stare with quizzical looks on their faces.
Turning to Aeren, he asked, "Is there a place where the three of us can be alone for a few minutes. I don't want to be overly optimistic, but there may be a way to resolve this issue."
Aeren let out an audible breath, excitement on his face. "Of course! You may use this office. We will wait in the anteroom. Just call when you are finished. I assure you that you will have complete privacy."
The three Vryanians stood. "Rael, would you mind remaining with us?" Matt asked. "We may need your input on a couple of things." The girl glanced at her father, who nodded. She resumed her seat beside Jake.
When Aeren and Dbarr were gone, Matt said, "You know, I may have thought of a way out of this for everyone. And if it works, the benefits to both sides will be unbelievable, especially to us." As he laid out his idea, excitement among them grew exponentially. They talked for almost an hour then agreed that it was an acceptable and workable plan. Rael called the others back into the room. Aeren saw the enthusiastic look on his daughter's face.
Matt rose and said, "Gentlemen, I think we may have a solution. Right now it's just a raw plan with lots of details that need working out. Rael tells us that the logistics will be complex but possible. The three of us," he indicated Taylor, Jake and himself, "are in agreement that as a civilized species we are obligated to render whatever aid our world can offer to Vryan. But we will first need to return to Earth and locate a specific piece of real estate. The place we are thinking of should be near enough to the gateway to make things workable. The entire plan depends upon that. Even though our two species are very similar in appearance, in this particular time period humans and Vryanians can't exist together without fear. That makes isolation for your people essential."
Aeren let out the breath he had been holding and nodded his agreement. His face showed intense relief. He walked over to Matt and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Though I do not yet know the particulars of your suggestion, every man, woman, and child on Vryan will be forever grateful if it comes to fruition. Please give me the details!"
Matt looked at the others, still seated. Their expressions urged him on. He grinned at them then said to Aeren, "There is one thing: If we are successful, we will ask a price." He turned toward Rael and raised one eyebrow. "One which your daughter says is very small to you but will be spectacular to us."
Aeren spread his arms wide. "You have but to ask. There is nothing we will not do to repay you," he said with passion.
"Very well then," Matt responded. "Sit down and I will explain how this will work."
The group remained in session until well into the evening. Food was brought, and point-by-point details of the exodus from Vryan were discussed and agreed upon. Three hours later, they again stood on the mile-high landing ramp beside the vreel that had brought them to this doomed world. The air was frigid, and though Aeren, Dbarr, and Rael were dressed in the short kilt-like garments of their race, they seemed not to notice.