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undercaptain. For the time being, you and Matorak work out a watch schedule
for the compound. All men in the barracks are to be in standby status, even if
they are resting. I ll want three-man patrols on the streets around here four
patrols for now. Those will rotate among the companies at the com-pound.
 I ll take care of it, sir.
As Fabrytal began to issue the orders to Fifteenth Company, Mykel walked back
to Hyksant.  We have the compound secure. I m reducing the building guard here
to one company. The other two companies will be on standby at the compound,
and we ll have mounted patrols on the nearby streets and boulevards.
Hyksant raised his eyebrows.
 If I hold all my men here until the submarshal
returns or until he doesn t they won t be able to re-spond to anything else.
The compound is only a fraction of a glass away by horse.
 I see.
Mykel could tell that he didn t. He looked at the Myr-midon officer, his eyes
hard on the alector.  I m certain that the submarshal could explain the
necessity of my actions better than I am doing, undercaptain, but having men
posted in the sun on granite paving, even with rota-tions every glass, is
extremely wearing. It s also hard on their mounts, even keeping them in the
shade as much as possible, because we can t water them enough. I d like to
have both men and mounts rested for the trouble that will come in the next few
days. I m certain that the submarshal will want that also. He was more than
cer-tain that there would indeed be trouble, of one kind or another.
This time Hyksant looked away.  As you see fit, Majer.
Mykel smiled pleasantly.  I m doing my best to carry out the submarshal s
orders, as I m certain you are. He stepped back and turned.
Behind him, he could sense consternation ... or con-fusion. He wasn t sure
which, only that he d best be care-ful in dealing with Hyksant, who seemed far
less understanding of what faced either the Myrmidons or the Cadmians than the
submarshal did.
Without hesitating, Mykel retrieved his mount and rode to the back of the gray
granite building, making his way to Loryalt.
The undercaptain stiffened as Mykel reined up.  Sir?
 It appears as if we ll be here far longer than the sub-marshal had thought.
I ve sent Second Company and Fif-teenth Company to that new compound. Split up
your company to cover front and back, and have a messenger ready to ride in
case you need reinforcement. The com-panies at the compound will be handling
road and street patrols...
When Mykel had finished briefing Loryalt, he turned the mount and began to
ride to the compound, wondering just what he might find there and how long
indeed they would be in Tempre.
82
The compound was close to luxurious by Cadmian standards and so recently
completed that Mykel could smell the varnish and oils. In places along the
entry archway, freshly cut sawdust had drifted into corners.
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Mykel had taken one of the senior officers quarters, reserving the largest
for the Myrmidon submarshal although the bed was far too short and he doubted
that Dainyl would wish to remain there long when he re-turned, if he
returned and one of the others for the un-dercaptain. There were adequate
junior officer spaces for Mykel s three undercaptains and for the other
Myrmi-dons. In fact, there was enough space for a full battalion and more.
That suggested to Mykel mat the Myrmidons were facing more than a few rebels.
Some chambers in the officer s area had never been used, and one whole wing of
the barracks had never been occupied, although there were bunks with
mattresses and blankets.
While he was glad to have decent quarters for his men, Mykel was worried more
than worried. Three compa-nies and a squad of Myrmidons were scarcely enough
to hold a city, even a small city. Enough to take it, but hold-ing it was
another question. He also still had no idea ex-actly what the submarshal
wanted.
There was also something else about the compound nagging at him, something
that should have been obvi-ous, so obvious that when he realized it, he would
re-proach himself for stupidity. But, as he looked around the quarters in
which he stood, taking in the large bed, the
wardrobe, and the well-crafted writing desk, he could not identify the source
of his misgivings.
After leaving his gear in the quarters he had taken, ig-noring the dress
uniforms of the majer who presumably had been the one Mykel had killed in the
dawn massacre, Mykel stepped out onto the covered balcony and then hurried
down the stone steps to find Fabrytal.
His eyes took in the dressed granite stones of the com-pound buildings, and
the well-fitted windows ... and he stopped ... dead.
 You re an idiot, Mykel... he murmured. Sponta-neous rebellions did not have
the time to design, con-struct, and complete well-planned stone-walled
compounds. Nor did they have the time to produce hun-dreds of uniforms, or
obtain hundreds of weapons. What-ever had been going on had been planned for
some time. But why hadn t the alectors seen it?
He shook his head. Because some alectors were indeed behind it, doubtless
powerful ones, and that indicated that a great deal was at stake. A very great
deal, and he and his Cadmians were caught right in the middle.
For the moment, he had no choices ... but he needed to keep alert to all the
implications.
He glanced from where he stood in the main inner courtyard to the southeast
corner where Fabrytal was talking with Undercaptain Matorak, then resumed his
progress toward the two. Both officers turned as Mykel approached.
 Sir.
 Did you find any stragglers here?
 No, sir. Even the cooks had gone, Matorak replied.
 What about supplies?
 They left pretty much everything. There s plenty of staples flour, lard, even
a bunch of cheese wheels, and close to ten barrels of ale and lager.
 Good. What about gear left behind? Have you put all their gear in the empty
storeroom?
 Yes, sir. Fabrytal paused.  If I might ask, sir...
 Some of them lived. They might like it back, once we depart. I d prefer we
not be thieves or pillagers.
 I thought that, but some of the men ... they were re-belling ...
 We don t know how long we ll be here. Mykel paused, then added,  Or if we ll
have to stay here or get sent back here in the future. As for rebelling, it s
only a rebellion if they  re not successful.  What about fodder for the
mounts? Is there any grain?
 Not so much as we d like, but there s enough for a week, I d guess, replied
Matorak.
 I shouldn t have to say this, but no one leaves the compound, except on duty
or patrol. We don t know what s happened to all the people in that building,
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or if there were more troopers sent somewhere else.
 Any more word on how long we ll be here? asked Fabry tal.
 If we don t get any new orders, three more days. If we do, we could ride out
tomorrow, or two seasons from now. Mykel smiled.  That s being a Cadmian.
 Yes, sir.
 I ll be here in the compound, inspecting what we have to work with. If any
messages come in, find me at once.
Both undercaptains nodded. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]