“ …verustas cannot land on planets,” continued Robain, “the carrier will land, with the Vada and they will search out the strangers and …”
“ … find out if they mean harm or not,” finished Larku. “They will all be carrying the new weapons, in all likelihood they will be more primitive than the ones the strangers carry but at least they will offer more protection than swords and crossbows.”
“It could well turn out to be a suicide mission.”
“It could. Hopefully, it won’t.”
Robain got to his feet.
“I believe we should keep this knowledge under wraps for now,” he said in a sober voice. “I’ll tell Daniel Ross and my sister Jill. They are intelligent people and have probably guessed something is up already. They will keep silent. No point in frightening everyone else to death.”
“Agreed,” said Larku in a similar tone.
Diaglon faces never showed much emotion but Robain recognised a deep, enduring sadness on Larku’s. Like the Lind, the Diaglon had ever been the protectors of the innocent and of the peace.
* * * * *
It was Susa Malkum and his Lind Freya who were the next to experience an interview with Gtrathlin Larku.
“These reports have been verified?” enquired Susa Malkum after Larku had explained the situation. Larku thought Malkum was containing his shock at the news very well, considering.
Larku raised his great head away from the data screen and looked at the officer who, with his Lind Freya, commanded the Vada.
“Yes,” he answered. “The last data message has confirmed it but we have suspected the truth for some time.”
“How long? A week, a month, a year?” Malkum was far more vocal and forceful than Robain in his reaction to the news. “Why haven’t we heard about this before? Did you know about this before we arrived here on Tak?” Despite his best efforts Malkum’s anger was mounting, fuelled by an increasing sense of bewilderment and a nudge of betrayal, which he was trying hard to suppress.
Larku did not answer and as the seconds passed, enlightenment came to Malkum.
“You did know,” he accused. “Also, I understand now your insistence that the Vada should not be disbanded and that we continue to train and operate even though there are no brigands to fight. Tak is remarkably peaceful, no doubt due to your influence. I’m also beginning to understand why you got the artificers to design and build the new weapon. Swords aren’t going to be enough, are they?”
“That is so,” Larku admitted.
“What else didn’t you tell us?”
“That your Vada must prepare for battle once more.”
“We have never, in our entire history, been unprepared,” countered Freya. “And the Lindars of the rtaths too, they have always been ready to meet whatever threat came at us, whatever it was.”
“I know,” said Larku. “Will the Vada be ready and willing?”
“When do we get the weapon?” countered Malkum.
“If you could ask your Weaponsmaster to attend on the artificers at their building? Tomorrow will not be too soon.”
“We’ll send Artem and his Lind Larya,” answered Malkum. “Weaponsmaster Alkin is old, too old perhaps to start learning how to fight with a weapon that can fire bolts of metal over long distances. Assistant Weaponsmaster Artem is younger and will be more receptive. I was talking to him the other day too. One of his nephews is an artificer in Township. Artem came to me asking what I knew about certain developments this nephew had hinted at. Changes he called them. I understand now.”
“I will inform the artificers to expect them,” said Larku.
“Then, unless you have further unpalatable news to impart, Freya and I will take our leave of you.” He bowed politely and Larku inclined his black head in response.
As he was turning away, Malkum stopped.
“Oh, I meant to ask, what is the weapon called?”
“It is, I believe, known as a ‘firearm’.”
* * * * *
Chapter 3
Firearm
“Wake up sleepyhead.”
Thalia groaned and turned over.
Josei sighed and padded over to Thalia’s bed where he stood, looming over her, and incidentally, blocking out almost all the dawn light streaming in from the window.
: Wake up sleepyhead : he repeated then added a mental nudge of enough strength to waken the comatose.
Thalia’s eyes snapped open immediately. They always did when Josei used his telepathic abilities in this way, especially in the morning.
“It can’t be dawn bell already,” she complained. “I’ve only just got to sleep.”
“You’ve been snoring your head off all night.”
Thalia sat up.
“I don’t snore.”
“Really?” Josei’s eyes crinkled with amusement as he sat down. When she looked at him she could see his mouth and two rows of very long, sharp, white teeth. He was laughing at her. Someone who didn’t know the Lind might have believed his facial expression was a threatening one but Thalia knew it for what it was - a grin of pure enjoyment at her discomfiture. Thalia and Josei had been life-bonded for years and could read each other’s minds like open books. Josei knew that Thalia hated to get up in the morning and Thalia knew that Josei was a dawn bird.
“You snore,” he stated, adding, “But I like it. It helps me sleep.”
“Idiot,” she grinned, leaning over and patting him on his muzzle - the only part of him she could reach.
“Had you forgotten that we promised Cera and Xei that we could accompany them on a run this morning?” he asked.
“Wings of Lai. I had!” She swung her legs so they dangled over the side of her bed (Josei slept on a low divan in the corner) and began looking around for her uniform.
It didn’t take her long to wash and dress. A scant half bell after Josei had woken her up the two of them were exiting the long, low building that was home to the dagas of the thirty-five members of the Fifteenth Ryzck.
Cera and Xei were waiting outside. Like Thalia, Cera was wearing her uniform. The uniform of the Vada was maroon with silver piping. On to the front of their tunics were two badges - the silver badge of the Vada (a Lind’s head) - and the badge denoting the Ryzck they belonged to. Both women belonged to the Fifteenth Ryzck so their badge was a representation of a Lai in flight.
As both women held the rank of Vadryzka, on their sleeves sat a single inverted rank stripe, also made of silver threaded material.
Their uniform was finished off by a maroon kepi, which had silver piping along the seams. It suited them both very well.
“Shall we go?” invited Cera as she leapt on to Xei’s back. Thalia copied her, vaulting on to Josei’s back with an ease born of many bells practice.
Both Lind were eager to be off. They ran out of Stronghold with strides that grew ever longer, waved to the guards at the gate as they swept through and began to run towards the grasslands to the south. They were going so fast that they didn’t attempt to speak and Thalia began to think she would lose her kepi.
All four loved these dawn runs, running free on the surface of their planet; feeling the wind on fur and hair, the sting of the flecks of sand and dust on skin and hide. It felt as if this was the most wonderful feeling in the entire universe, better even than their feelings when they had arrived on Tak after their eight-year journey.
At last Josei and Xei began to slow down until they were traversing the ground, side by side at a gentle amble.
“Did you see Katie last night?” asked Cera.
“Katie? No. We’re meeting later today,” answered Thalia, surprised. Katie Durand was her best friend. They had been cadets together. “Why?”
“Well, she let something slip. Actually, it wasn’t me who picked up on it, at least not at first. It was Xei.”
“Picked up on what?”
“You knew that the Fifty-first Ryzck had an unexpected weapons-practice session with Assistant Weaponsmaster Artem yesterday,
didn’t you?”
“Yes. Me and Katie were going to go to Township to do some shopping but we had to postpone.”
“We met her and Kenlei outside the ablutions block last night, after dark. She looked terrible, sort of drained, if you know what I mean.”
“Katie? Drained? She’s got more energy than me and you put together and then some!”
“I asked her what had happened and she gave me that lopsided grin of hers.”
“Sounds like Katie.”
“I placed my hand on her shoulder, I was concerned, she looked so unlike herself, and she winced. She said she had come off second best.”
“That also doesn’t sound as if it was Katie, unless she was fighting one on one with Artem himself.”
“That’s what I thought. She said it wasn’t just her. Kenlei nudged her then and she clammed up. Wouldn’t tell me anything else. She looked guilty, as if she’d said too much already.”
“What happened then?”
“She went back to her daga. Xei told me he sensed that both Kenlei and Katie had received a shock.”
“Did Xei try to question Kenlei?”
“All Xei would say that the Fifty-first had been put on their honour to say nothing but to be prepared. So what do you think it is all about?”
“I haven’t the foggiest,” answered Thalia as Josei began to sweep round in a circle as a prelude to their run back.
When they reached the barracks they found a message on the notice board inside. The Fifteenth Ryzck were scheduled for a weapons-practice at Seventh Bell. It would be with Assistant Weaponsmaster Artem.
* * * * *
The Vada’s harness and saddle hadn’t changed much in centuries.
The latter had been designed to be both comfortable and giving the rider the security and stability required to enable him or her to fight without falling off. They bore little resemblance to those that countless human generations of horse troopers had used. They were thinner and more flexible and of a different shape. Lind backbones and withers were not the same as horses and saddled and harnessed the Lind could still weave in and out with the suppleness of the wolf. The saddle was secured on to the front of the body with a martingale (which was an integral part of the harness) and a girth fitted round the stomach. Behind the saddle was a strap designed to keep the saddle in place. To compensate for the fact that the saddles had no pommel or cantle, the riders were strapped to the saddle with thick leather straps. This had the added advantage that even if unconscious the rider would remain in the saddle, enabling the Lind to escape any melee without losing his or her rider in the process. The rider’s feet rested in stirrups made of toughened leather. There were no reins.
When Josei was harnessed and saddled Thalia began to get ready herself.
Practice armour was identical to the armour worn during active combat, the only differences being that it was lighter and the steel studs and plates were removed. It had been designed, reportedly by the first Susa of the Vada himself, to be as flexible and light as possible and was made of hardened leather. The Vada’s strength was in speed.
The armour consisted of a reinforced helm, leather lower and upper arm and leg guards and wrist plates. Added to this was a breast and a back plate of boiled leather. On active service the Lind wore a wide leather collar designed to protect their vulnerable necks and throats.
Thalia put it all on save the helm, which she would carry until she and Josei arrived at the practice field.
She couldn’t but wonder if the unscheduled arms-practice was somehow related to Artem’s hint about ‘changes’ happening to the Vada.
: Cera and Xei’s little talk with Katie and Kenlei tends to support your idea : Josei told her : Refasten the buckle on my left please. The strap feels rather tight :
: You putting on weight? : she teased : I’ll have to make you add another bell a day on exercise runs if that’s the case :
: I am not putting on weight : retorted the affronted Josei : The strap must have shrunk :
Thalia burst into laughter.
: Josei! It’s made of treated leather! How can it shrink? :
: Lack of proper application of leather oil? : he challenged wickedly.
“You know that’s not true,” she answered, giving him a playful clout. “Now, move back a bit while I hunt for my practice gloves.”
“Over there at the bottom of the bed.”
“Thanks.” Thalia made a grab.
: Rodick and Anya are waiting outside : he warned.
Thalia raised an eyebrow.
: He wants to talk to you. He is wondering what all this is about and thinks you might know :
: He can ask as many questions as he likes : replied Thalia : but his guess, as you well know, as to why Artem has called us in is as good as mine is likely to be :
* * * * *
“Right. Fifteenth Ryzck. Listen up,” shouted Assistant Weaponsmaster Artem as the last of the vadeln-pairs arrived at the practice field.
The thirty-five vadeln-pairs stopped what they were doing (mostly chatting idly) and looked towards where Artem and Larya were standing.
“Practice makes perfect,” Artem said in a voice only a little quieter than his shout. “So let’s see if we can avoid being killed, shall we?”
: And when have we heard that one before? : telepathed Thalia to Josei.
: Many times : Josei answered, his ears twitching with amusement. : Are you ready? :
: Ready for everything he and Larya throw at us : a determined Thalia answered, settling her helm into position and gripping her practice sword : You? :
: Of course. Hold on. Larya is ‘sending’ instructions :
Thalia listened in, being very careful to make sure she understood everything about what Artem and Larya were telling them.
: I’ve got it : she confirmed as Josei began moving into position in response to the Assistant Weaponsmaster’s plan. The seven vadeln-pairs in her Vadryz followed and took up position behind Thalia and Josei.
: How much do you bet that it is a practice attack? I wonder whom Artem and Larya have persuaded to act as the enemy. Rtath Aya probably. Their rtathlians are the closest :
Thalia didn’t get a chance to answer.
Artem’s next command was to order the human half of the duos to dismount.
Larya’s command to the Lind was to order them to a small, irregular hill at the southern edge of the practice field, some ninety lind-lengths away. They were to watch and observe. The Lind asked for permission to continue to bespeak their vadelns during the weapons-practice exercise.
It was refused.
Josei was not the only Lind who was surprised.
“Your Lind are being held prisoner by an unknown enemy on that hill,” Artem told the thirty-five once the Lind had gone, explaining the scenario. “Your task is to rescue them. You will assume that they cannot bespeak you because they have been drugged.” He looked at the time-keeper on his wrist. “You have a quarter bell to come up with a plan. Larya is going to the hill. She will make sure that none of your Lind try to communicate with you.”
It was Thalia and the other humans who were surprised this time.
Was this exercise to be the same as the one the Fifty-first Ryzck had faced yesterday? Thalia hoped not but felt sure it was. This was completely different to any practice exercises she had gone through before. In fact, all in all, it felt more than a bit scary.
I know this will be bad. It takes a lot to rattle Katie.
The seven men and women in Thalia’s Vadryz looked to her for guidance, as did those in the other three Vadryz look to their own Vadryzkas. As one, the four Vadryzkas turned to their commanding officer, Ryzcka Vandiel although Thalia was not the only one to look first at their seven in what they hoped was a reassuring manner.
Vandiel was just as surprised at the turn this practice-time had taken as the men and women under his command.
The Vada was a cavalry unit. They fought mounted and their strength lay i
n rapid response and speed. Training consisted of exercises designed to refine this.
Vandiel coughed. He was miles out of his comfort zone. He had been serving with the Vada for forty plus years and was comfortable with the ‘way things were’.
The way things were, Thalia was thinking. Obviously, the ‘way things were’ was about to change. The Vada’s duties had been well established for centuries. The Ryzcks had gone on patrol, protecting human and Lind, from the sea pirates who raided the coasts, from the bandits who roamed around the north and from the vicious animal predators the wral and the gtran who lived in the mountains.
Here on Tak there weren’t any bandits or pirates, neither were there animals like the wral and the gtran. The native predators on Tak were flyers and were not large enough to present a threat to Human, Lind, Larg or Diaglon. They hunted the native burrowers and like them were largely nocturnal. Even the silly kura and zarova herds they had brought with them in the transport space ships had little to fear. Like the kura, the zarova were thriving.
Like many others Thalia had been wondering why the Vada had continued to train and to practice. When she and Josei had arrived and during the acclimatisation days, they had been informed that at the request of the Diaglon, the Vada was to continue as it had always done.
Thalia and Josei were still fascinated by the differences between Rybak and Tak, especially with the fact that the grass here was green and not mauve-ochre-brown. It was on record that during these first days Josei had spent an entire morning gazing at the ground, fascinated by the green, tufty grass!
After a pregnant pause, Vandiel marshalled his thoughts. He had come to a decision and the uncomfortable realisation that his Ryzck was waiting for his orders. Artem was standing looking expectantly at him, waiting to see how he would react and what his plan would be.
“Our Lind are on that hill and we are going to rescue them,” Vandiel announced. “They cannot respond to us because they are drugged and we have no idea who the ‘unknown enemy’ are. We have to assume that they are dangerous and will try to stop us.”