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Akhbreed standards of what was beautiful or handsome, the pair in front drew
much attention. Halagar quickened the pace, but more than one native got a
hand or claw or some-
thing on her with intent of dragging her off. and a bit of
Halagar's leather uniform was torn as if it were paper. He
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the greatest of skilled mercenaries nor any great rebel rank. real or not.
could have defended against a mob.
Now, for the first time since seeing the system of Akahlar.
Charley began to have doubts about the wisdom of rebellion.
This was the future they were seeing here: a future of confu-
sion and brutality, in which revenge rather than just freedom was the primary
motivator. Take away the Akhbreed author-
ity, and these people would quickly be fighting among them-
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selves for what was left. Revolutions, particularly when they had a
self-evident just cause, had always seemed romantic affairs, the morality all
black or white, the rights and wrongs perfectly defined. For the first time
she began to wonder if things really were as simple as all that.
The combat support tent was guarded with better, more experienced troops:
obviously the hard core of the mostly disorganized irregular army building
here- These, too, were the tough, diamond-crested Galoshans. but they had a
differ-
ent bearing that was all military. Again. Halagar gave his spiel, which, to
Charley's ears anyway, sounded a bit too pal and convincing. She began to
wonder how he knew all the right names.
"Captain Halagar of the mercenary militia, on direct orders from Colonel
Koletsu of the General Staff. I must get permis-
sion to pass into the null."
154 )ack L. Chalker
The Galoshan stared at him. "Why? What orders do you bear?"
Halagar sighed, aware of the innate hostility and also of the vast potential
mob behind. "With all due respect, soldier, I
can't reveal that to you, any more than you would to me. If I
could just see the commanding officer, though, I'm sure we could work this
out."
The sentry thought a moment. "AH right. Just you, though, Captain. The others
remain here. along with your weapons and horses."
Halagar nodded, dismounted, and the others did likewise.
"Just stay here and say nothing," he whispered to them. "1
know it's a nervous situation but consider that the alternative is trying to
fight or sneak through all this. At least you're safer inside this picket
line."
There was no arguing with that. so they sat, Boday and
Charley sitting together and keeping very quiet and very still, Dorion tried
to look unconcerned, but he wasn't at all thrilled, either. At any moment, the
slightest hint of anything suspi-
cious would make things instantly unpleasant.
The nearest sentry came over to him and gestured at the two women. "They his,
magician, or yours?"
"Personal slaves. They were slaves even under the old order, so this isn't
much different for them." The conversa-
tion was making him uncomfortable. Too much chance of a
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But the guard just nodded. "That explains it, then. I
thought I noticed a different look about them. They say they're going to be
pulling the women out of these camps soon. Going to start a breeding program.
Some of the animal husbandry experts are opening up a whole new business in
slaves. Akhbreed, mainly, but some of the other races who won't join us will
wish they had, too. That bother you, you being bom Akhbreed and all?"
It did, more than this sentry could know, but that wasn't the required answer.
"The system's been just as bad to some of us as to most of you," he responded.
"You don't know what some of those big-shot sorcerers are like close up. I do.
I've been a refugee in the wilds for many years, seeing little of my own kind,
living and dealing mostly with halflings and changelings and
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WAR OF THE MAELSTROM
die like. The system's done such horrible wrongs that it's only to be expected
that setting it right will cause suffering as well. I had a mild brush with a
Changewind anyway, so I'm not wholly acceptable to them any more, either."
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The sentry nodded sagely. "Most all the magicians work-
ing on our side have some problems tike that, either from magic backfiring,
curses by higher-ups, or occasional Changewind problems. Nobody ever knew how
many like that there were until this."
And, with that. he slowly wandered away. Dorion allowed himself a nervous
sigh, and Boday caught his eye and seemed to understand.
It took Halagar almost an hour, but when he came back it was with an escort of
soldiers- "Come, Dorion' The General was most understanding, and we're getting
a security escort to the border. All I had to do was mention Masalur and all
barriers dropped. You two take the third horse, double up, and ride between
us!"
Boday was immediately on her feet and lifted Charley into the saddle and then
climbed on behind. They both were thin enough that a common saddle wasn't all
that cramped. It wasn't until they were on their way that either could wonder
just how easily Halagar seemed to have managed all this. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]