The Broken Blade

6

Shortly after sunrise, Sorak and Ryana arrived at the camp on the outskirts of the village. The campsite was already a bustle of activity. The caravan captain had been up for several hours before dawn, cracking the whip and having the roustabouts light the cookfires for breakfast, then mustering the kank handlers and making sure the giant beetles were well fed before the journey.

Kanks were docile creatures, especially those raised in captivity, and were the preferred means of caravan transport. Otherwise, the merchant houses employed large and fully enclosed armored wagons drawn by mekillots, usually in paired teams. Each mode of transport had its advantages and disadvantages.

With the kank beetles, a caravan could make much better time, but the caravan crew and passengers were exposed to the elements and were more vulnerable to attack. Consequently, a larger force of mercenaries was usually employed to guard a kank caravan against desert predators and raiders.

The armored wagons drawn by mekillots were large enough to hold the complement of the entire caravan, in addition to the cargo, and they were nearly impregnable to attack. However, the huge, six-ton mekillot lizards that pulled the heavy armored wagons—the only creatures on Athas capable of such a task—were slow moving and difficult to control.

Only skilled handlers adept at psionics could deal with the beasts, and their job was the most hazardous of all, for the giant lizards had long and powerful tongues that could snare a handler for a snack if his control slipped even for an instant. The passengers and crew were well protected, but even with the roof vents of the wagon open, the heat inside became oppressive, and the stench of sweaty bodies crammed together inside the dark enclosure made for a very long, unpleasant journey.

Kanks, on the other hand, could manage a surprisingly rapid pace for creatures of their size, even loaded down with cargo, but they grew stubborn and recalcitrant when they were hungry. Getting a four-hundred-pound beetle to move when it didn’t want to was not only difficult, but potentially hazardous. Kanks were vegetarian, and domesticated ones did not attack, but they indicated their hunger by clicking their powerful pincers together, and if an unwary handler happened to come too close, he could be severely injured, or even killed. Consequently, the welfare of the kanks was the first priority of the caravan captain, after the safety of the cargo. The passengers came last.

It took several hours to feed the kanks, and while the handlers were seeing to that task, the roustabout crew loaded up the cargo pouches, strapping down the large hide bags and cinching them tight on the chitinous backs of the creatures. Others worked at taking down the camp, furling the tents and packing all the gear away for travel.

Once he had issued orders to feed the kanks and strike the camp, the captain of the caravan mustered the guard. The supply clerk took careful inventory as the cargo was loaded, making sure none of it had gotten sidetracked since the previous night’s inventory. If any of the cargo turned up missing, the guards who had been on watch the night before would have to answer for it, so they stood anxiously by the supply clerk, making sure each item on the manifest was systematically checked off.

The few hours before the caravan moved out were profitably used by the captain to make sure all his men were present and accounted for, which sometimes took a bit of doing, particularly when a caravan stopped at a place like South Ledopolus. Mercenaries were drifters by nature, and despite the high salaries paid by the merchant houses, they sometimes drifted off before the caravan reached its final destination. Others had gotten deep into their cups the previous night and had failed to make the muster. If some of the guard turned up missing, the captain sent a flying squad through town for a quick check of the taverns and the pleasure houses and the back alleys in their immediate vicinity.

If the missing guards were found, the flying squad would sweep them up and return them to the campsite. If they were not found, or were discovered too injured or hung over to make their way back to the camp, then they were simply left to fend for themselves, and new men were recruited from among those who got up before the crack of dawn and gathered at the campsite in the hope there would be vacancies they could fill.

It didn’t take long for Sorak to find Kieran, who was conversing with the caravan captain when they arrived. As the new captain of the house guard for the House of Jhamri, Kieran would be the caravan captain’s superior when he arrived in Altaruk to assume his duties, so the caravan captain’s desire to impress was evident in his posture and demeanor. As Sorak and Ryana approached, they saw the captain nod to Kieran and clap his right fist to his left breast in salute, then hurry off to resume his duties. Kieran turned and, when he saw them, grinned broadly.

“I was hoping you would come,” he said, holding out his hand in greeting. “So, you’ve decided to accept my offer?”

Sorak clasped forearms with him, in the mercenary fashion. “Well, it’s a tempting offer, and I have no other prospects at the moment. But before I give you my answer, I would like to know a little more about the terms and conditions of my employment.”

“Fair enough,” said Kieran, nodding. “I will be your immediate superior. A man of your courage and abilities should not be wasted in the ranks, so if you accept, I shall make you my lieutenant. I pride myself on being a good judge of character, and you strike me as the sort of man I can depend on. You will draw an officer’s pay of one hundred silvers a month.”

“One hundred silvers? That is very generous.”

“The House of Jhamri can afford to pay its soldiers well,” Kieran replied. “However, you will not be paid for the first two weeks of your employment. You’ll receive those wages at the termination of your service. This is to discourage you from leaving the service of the house without giving adequate notice. Should you choose to leave without serving two weeks notice, those wages will be forfeit.”

“That seems fair,” said Sorak. “But what if I am short of funds during those first two weeks?” He did not wish to give the impression he had money. The last thing he wanted was for Kieran to know what they carried in their packs.

“As an officer, you will be paid an adequate allowance for your room and board, in excess of your wages, which you may draw upon as soon as we arrive in Altaruk,” said Kieran. “If you are reasonably frugal, it should allow you to secure comfortable lodgings and enjoy three meals a day, if at least one of those meals is a light one. The enlisted men live in the barracks, but I think you would prefer private quarters.” He said this casually, with no obvious inference regarding Ryana. “Besides, I do not approve of officers living in the barracks with enlisted men. It encourages familiarity.”

“Room and board and one hundred silvers?” Sorak was impressed.

“As I said, the House of Jhamri pays its soldiers well. But they do not do so merely out of the goodness of their hearts.” He grinned. “Merchants have no hearts. The high salaries they pay ensure that they attract top men and keep their loyalty. Should you fall ill during your service, or become wounded, you will have free access to a healer. Should you become crippled in the service of the House, you will receive a pension that should keep you from resorting to the beggar’s cup. And should you die while in the service of the House, a onetime cash benefit shall be paid to your assigns, or they may accept the equivalent value in House shares.”

“With such terms, it is amazing they have any vacancies at all,” said Sorak sincerely.

Kieran indicated a large group of men milling around near the entrance to the camp. “As you see, there is never any shortage of applicants. However, the work can be hazardous, as I am sure you know, and while the terms are generous, the conditions are equally strict. After leaving service with the House of Jhamri, you may not enter into service with a competing merchant house for at least five years.”

Sorak frowned. “I suppose I can understand the reasoning, but how could they enforce that?”

“Violating that condition of your employment results in a bounty placed upon your head,” said Kieran. “A bounty lucrative enough to ensure that you will be looking over your shoulder for the remainder of your days, as there is no time limit to the bounty. Once offered, it is not rescinded.”

“I see,” said Sorak.

“This is to discourage you from accepting a better offer with another merchant house and, in the process, divulging any secrets you may have learned,” said Kieran. “Still interested?”

“Continue,” Sorak said. “Anything else?”

“Yes, one more thing,” said Kieran. “The word of your superiors is law. Pure and simple. In other words, my word. The punishment for disobedience to orders, whether direct or indirect, can be quite severe.”

“How severe?” asked Sorak.

“That is entirely up to my discretion as captain of the house guard,” Kieran said. “It could be as mild as extra duty and a dock in pay, if I felt the infraction a minor one and unintentional, or as severe as fifty lashes, possibly even death.”

“What sort of offense would merit a sentence of death?” asked Ryana.

“Murder; desertion or direct disobedience to orders in the field or under conditions of combat; sabotage or espionage for a competing merchant house; and striking a superior officer in the field or under conditions of combat. Under other circumstances, the normal penalty is fifty lashes. However, it is possible to die from that, as well. Those are the rules of the House of Jhamri. I have a certain amount of latitude in how I choose to interpret them.”

“Which means?” said Sorak.

“Which means I consider fifty lashes for striking a superior officer an excessive penalty,” said Kieran. “I can easily imagine conditions under which an officer might well deserve to be struck. I would judge such matters under individual circumstances.”

“And if someone under your command struck you?” asked Ryana.

“Under conditions of combat, my lady, I would kill him instantly,” said Kieran. “Otherwise, I would simply strike him back. Repeatedly.” He glanced at Sorak. “Have you a problem with any of those conditions?”

Sorak shook his head. “No, they seem straightforward.”

“Good. Then you accept?”

“I accept,” said Sorak with a nod.

“Excellent! Raise your right hand.”

Sorak did so.

“Repeat after me,” said Kieran. “On my oath and on my life, I hereby swear to abide by the terms and conditions of service with the House of Jhamri, which have been explained to me and which I My understand.”

Sorak repeated the words.

“That’s it,” said Kieran. “You are now the executive officer and my second-in-command of the House Guard of Jhamri. Congratulations, Lieutenant. Henceforth, except in private, you will address me as Captain.”

“Second-in-command?” said Sorak, with surprise. “But… we have only just met! You barely even know me!”

“I know what I need to know,” said Kieran. “Your past does not concern me. In the present, you have demonstrated your courage and saved my life not once, but twice—once indirectly, on the boat; and once directly, in the Desert Damsel. And I feel confident that in the future, I shall not regret my decision.”

“But… with all due respect, Captain,” Sorak said, “is this wise? Surely, there is already a senior officer in service with the house guard whom my appointment will displace. Will this not incur resentment?”

“It is a commander’s privilege to appoint his own second-in-command,” said Kieran. “Every officer knows and understands this, or should. If not you, then I would have recruited a new man from outside the house guard for this position.”

“May I ask why?” said Sorak in a puzzled tone.

“Certainly. A senior officer already in place will inevitably have certain prejudices or predispositions, and an established relationship with those under his command. When taking a new post, I always prefer to start fresh, with a man I do not have to break of old habits and routine, and one who has not yet established any sort of a relationship with the rank and file. A new broom sweeps clean, in other words. And a man who has already killed a giant in single combat is not likely to be regarded as unqualified by those under his command.”

“I see,” said Sorak. “Well, I shall try to justify your confidence in me.”

“No, Lieutenant, you shall not try,” said Kieran. “You will do it. Understood?”

“Understood, Captain,” said Sorak with a smile.

Kieran clapped him on the back. “Good. And now that you have been sworn in, your first two weeks of service begin as of today. You will have no duties to perform until we reach Altaruk, but in the meantime, we can discuss what will be expected of you, and this way, you will not have to wait as long to draw your pay. And since you have already joined my command, you will receive free passage on the caravan, and I shall be honored to extend the same courtesy to you, my lady.”

“Thank you. That is very kind of you,” Ryana said.

“I would do so in any case,” Kieran said, with a slight bow, “out of respect to any cleric or priestess.”

“Even a templar?” asked Ryana.

“Especially a templar,” Kieran said. “It is wise to show respect to any cleric, whether preserver or defiler. And since templars exert considerable influence of a political nature, it is prudent to be politic with them.”

“And where do your own sympathies lie, Captain?” Ryana asked.

“Close to my vest, my lady, which is where I prefer to keep them,” Kieran replied. “And now, if you will permit me, it would please me if you would join me for some morning tea. Our caravan captain strikes me as an able fellow, and I am sure he would be relieved to go about his duties free of the concern that I am watching him. I seem to make the poor man nervous.”

Before long, they were ready to get under way. It was normal for a caravan to travel with a string of spare kanks, and Kieran had the chief handler select one for them. Some caravans traveled with light carriages drawn by kanks, a luxury afforded to well-heeled passengers and dignitaries, for a carriage offered a more comfortable ride and shade from the searing sun, but this caravan lacked such amenities. There were no aristocrats among the passengers, and the caravan captain had not wished to burden himself with carriages when he could make better time without them. As a result, the passengers and roustabouts all rode mounted in pairs upon the backs of kanks, as did about half the mercenary force. The outriders rode solo upon crodlu.

The lizard-hide kank saddles were specially crafted for the merchant houses, providing some welcome padding between the hard, chitinous shells of the beetles and sensitive posteriors. They also had high backs that provided support, allowing the riders to lean back and relax with the slightly rolling gait of the giant, six-legged beetles. Sorak found it a much more comfortable way to ride than bareback.

He found the crodlu mounts of the mercenaries of greater interest. They were large, bipedal, flightless birds, covered with reddish-gray scales instead of feathers. Their cousins, erdlu, were raised for their large eggs, one of the staple foods of Athas, and their scales were used for shields and armor. The birds were also slaughtered for food when they became mature, and erdlu meat prepared in tenderizing marinade was regarded as a delicacy.

Erdlus weighed up to two hundred pounds and stood around seven feet tall, with long yellow necks and small heads with large, wedge-shaped, powerful beaks. Their rounded bodies had small, vestigial wings which were kept folded to the sides and which the erdlu flared when they grew agitated. Their long legs ended in four-toed feet with strong, razor-sharp claws. If threatened, the birds defended themselves with powerful kicks which were easily capable of killing a man; but domesticated, herd-raised erdlu were mostly passive creatures that rarely became aggressive. Crodlu were a rather different breed.

Crodlu were specially bred for aggression by a small group of master herdsmen. Their eggs still made a good food source, though they were smaller, and their powerful beaks and claws were often fashioned into spearheads and daggers.

Crodlu scales were stronger and thicker, so armor made from them was more expensive, and it was readily identified by its darker, brick-red color. But primarily, crodlu were valued as fighting mounts.

Unlike the gentler erdlu, crodlu did not spook easily and in an attack they were more than merely mounts. A trained crodlu would kick upon command, and they would strike opponents with their deadly beaks at any opportunity. Erdlu could run very quickly, sprinting for up to half a mile, but crodlu had greater powers of endurance and could run much faster. For this reason, the mercenary outriders were all mounted on these birds, and Sorak was hoping he would have a chance to try one out.

The dark sun was quickly warming up the desert, as the caravan prepared to set off. For protection from the sun’s potent rays, the riders wore loose, hooded cloaks, and most also wore turbans with extra lengths of cloth hanging down that could be used as veils to protect their faces. Each passenger carried his or her own waterskin, slung from the saddle, and there were spare skins strapped to the cargo kanks, as well, but the caravan captain made it clear the water would be rationed, so the passengers would be responsible for conserving their supply between stops. Those passengers mounted in front on each individual kank could control the reins if they wished, but there was no real need: the kanks instinctively followed those in front of them, and the kanks leading the caravan were ridden by handlers, who also rode the cargo kanks and those bringing up the rear.

“It’s the first time I have ever traveled with so large a caravan,” Sorak said, glancing down the line of huge, restive black beetles. Kieran had insisted that they ride together, and he rode at the front, mounted on a crodlu, just behind the handlers who rode point. “Does it present many problems on the trail?”

“It actually presents fewer problems than with smaller caravans,” said Kieran. He turned and pointed. “To keep things organized, the captain has the formation drawn up five abreast, with the cargo kanks positioned single file in the center, a file of passenger-bearing kanks to either side and the two outer ranks of kanks bearing mercenaries and roustabouts.

“This way,” he continued, “the formation is kept closely grouped, except for the mercenary outriders, who range out ahead and to the rear, as well as scouting to the left and right for a mile or more, always within sight of the caravan. They ride the faster crodlu, of course, so they can quickly return to the main body and give warning in case they spot any raiders or natural hazards such as dust storms or rampaging antloids.”

Ryana frowned. “But the instincts of the kanks, even domesticated ones that have been raised by herdsmen, are to organize into hives, with a hierarchy of soldiers, food producers, and brood queens. Unless they’re separated, as in the case of kanks used as individual mounts or to draw light carriages, large groups of kank beetles that remain together for any length of time tend to fall into the organization of a hive.”

“You are quite correct, my lady,” Kieran replied, inclining his head toward her, “which is why food producers and brood queens are invariably used as cargo bearers, with young soldier kanks used as mounts for the mercenaries and older ones for passengers. Since the natural instinct of the soldier kanks is to protect their brood queens, that means they will never stray far from the cargo and will fiercely fight away predators or raiders.”

“That makes good sense,” said Ryana, “but what prevents the brood queens from nesting?”

“The interruption of their cycle,” Kieran said. “Brood queens used as cargo bearers are sterilized. It does not cause them any harm, and actually increases their life span and renders them more manageable. The food producers and soldiers cannot tell the difference, and so they continue to react the same way to the sterile queens as they do to fertile ones.” He saw the caravan captain ride out to the side of the formation, giving it one last check. “Ah, it seems we are about to get under way.”

The captain raised his baton, from which several bright red streamers waved, symbolizing the House of Jhamri. “Out-ri-ders!” he called, stretching it out into three syllables. “Move out!”

The mercenaries taking the first shift of outrider duty prodded their crodlu into a fast trot and moved out to take their posts on the flanks, while the forward scouts rushed to the head of the main caravan. Sorak noted that all the mercenaries in service to the House of Jhamri wore red turbans, except Kieran, perhaps because he had not yet officially assumed his duties.

The caravan captain raised his baton once more. “Car-rak-vannnn…” he called out loudly in a sing-song voice, “…ho-ohhhhh!” He circled the baton over his head and wheeled his kank as the point riders urged their mounts forward and the caravan moved out.

They started down the trail, leaving the campsite and South Ledopolus behind, and gradually picked up speed. The caravan captain, mounted on a crodlu, rode out along the flanks, keeping an eye on things and making sure the formation did not string out. Ryana looked behind her to see how far the caravan was stretching out and spotted Cricket some distance back, sitting astride one of the passenger kanks, behind the elf they had seen in the Desert Damsel.

Ryana glanced over at Kieran. Riding at the very front, behind the two point riders, they had no cargo kanks between them, so they could converse easily. “I see your dancer friend made good her threat to leave.”

“Yes, surprisingly,” said Kieran.

“Why surprisingly?” Ryana asked.

“I did not really expect to see her,” Kieran said. “Despite whatever resolutions these girls may make, they rarely leave such places as the Desert Damsel. And Cricket was the star attraction, after all.”

Ryana frowned. “But if the conditions were unpleasant…”

“The money usually is not,” Kieran replied. “A dancer in a busy pleasure house may easily make in one night what it would take me a month to earn. They become seduced by the money. They may tell themselves they will only do it until they can get out of debt or put enough aside to move on to a better life, but it rarely happens.”

“Why?” Ryana asked.

“Because they don’t save their money,” Kieran said. “They spend it on expensive jewels and costumes, trying to outdo one another in competing for the attention of the customers, or else they start treating themselves to luxuries they could not afford before, better housing, better clothing, more expensive meals, some drugs to induce short-lived euphoria… They tell themselves they deserve it, because they work hard and besides, they’re making plenty of money. Before they know it, they’re spending everything they make and become caught up in the life. And it is not much of a life.”

“It does not seem so difficult,” said Sorak.

“No, the job itself is not so difficult,” Kieran agreed, “but the longer they remain, the more it wears them down. They come to think less and less of men, because they always see them at their worst, and because they expect men to behave badly, they often wind up with men who take advantage of them… or else give up on men entirely and seek the company of women. One day, they wake up and find that drugs have ruined their health and their appearance, or else they have simply gotten older and no longer appeal to the customers as much as the younger, prettier ones… and there are always younger, prettier ones.

“They start doing things they would not have done before,” Kieran continued, “and as time goes on, they do them for less money. What little self-esteem they may have left soon dissipates and, unless they’re fortunate enough to find some man to take them, before long they are no longer attractive enough to keep their jobs and often wind up on the streets. It happens all the time. The young ones see it happen to the older girls, but don’t learn. Who knows, Cricket may be different, but chances are she will only go back to the same thing after we arrive in Altaruk.”

“You don’t seem to have a very high opinion of her,” said Ryana. “And yet, you went home with her last night.”

“I escorted her home,” said Kieran. “And I have no particular opinion of Cricket, one way or the other. I acknowledge that she is young and beautiful and a skilled dancer. Otherwise, I know nothing of her. She claimed to be a virgin, which seems unlikely, but I did not dispute the issue. Neither did I press it. I walked her home, then said good night and took my leave. So you may spare me your disapproving looks. I have done nothing to deserve them.”

“I stand corrected,” said Ryana. “It is just that men often lack respect for women, yet that does not prevent them from enjoying their favors.”

“Just as women often lack respect for men, yet still eagerly accept the contents of their purses,” Kieran replied. “Cricket may indeed be what she claims, and she may have chosen her occupation out of sheer necessity, but mark my words, she will yet cause trouble on this journey.”

“What makes you say that?” Ryana asked.

“Experience, my lady. There isn’t a roustabout or mercenary on this caravan who hasn’t seen her dance. Now she travels with them, with no bouncers to look out for her, and that limp-wristed elven bard she rides with will not be much protection.”

“Is it not part of your duties to keep order among your men?” Ryana said.

“Officially, I have not yet assumed my duties,” Kieran replied with a shrug. “And keeping order on this journey is the caravan captain’s job, not mine. But if it were up to me, I would have left her behind.”

“Would you have left me behind, as well?” Ryana asked.

“No, my lady. An attractive, unescorted woman on a caravan is always trouble,” Kieran said. “You have an escort, and a highly capable one, at that. Aside from which, you are a priestess, commanding respect, and the fighting prowess of villichi are well known. A woman like Cricket, on the other hand, commands little respect, if any, and is unable to protect herself. And her chosen escort is scarcely better than nothing. So… there will be trouble. Now, if you will excuse me, I think I will ride down the line and observe the captain’s disposition of his guard.”

He wheeled his crodlu and urged it to a fast trot, leaving the formation.

“What an infuriating man!” Ryana said.

“I thought you said he was handsome and dashing,” Sorak replied, with a hint of amusement in his voice.

“He is all that,” Ryana conceded grudgingly, “but he is also very irritating.”

“He merely speaks his mind,” said Sorak. “And I cannot say I disagree with anything he said.”

“So you think a woman is merely an encumbrance unless she has a man to protect her?”

“That is not quite what he said,” Sorak replied. “He said that an attractive, unescorted woman on a caravan brings trouble. Roustabouts and mercenaries are a rough lot, and they are not known for their gallantry.”

“So women must be penalized for men’s failure to control their impulses?”

“I admit it is unfair,” said Sorak, “but that is the way of things.”

“Spoken like a true male,” said Ryana with a grimace. “I never thought to hear you of all people speak like that.”

“I do not think that is the way things should be,” Sorak replied, “but regrettably, it is the way they are. Certainly in Cricket’s case. After all, she makes her living by arousing men.”

“Then it’s all her fault, is that it?” Ryana said irritably. “You are beginning to sound like Kieran.

What would the Guardian have said if she could hear you speak like this?”

“I suspect she would have said that Cricket made her own choices. She was born with the gift of beauty, and she chose to exploit it by dancing in a pleasure house.”

“What if she had no other choice?”

“There are always choices,” Sorak said. “They may not be pleasant ones, but they exist. Suppose you had not been born villichi. You are also beautiful, and your family was poor. Knowing how much money you could make at a place such as the Desert Damsel, would you have chosen to work there?”

“No,” Ryana replied at once. “I would dance for you, if I knew how, but that is hardly the same thing.”

“I do not dispute that,” Sorak said. “But what might you have done, instead?”

“I would have found a job that I could do without taking off my clothes for strangers and then I would have searched for some way to improve my lot in life.”

“Even if it only paid a small fraction of what you could make by dancing in a pleasure house?”

“Even so. I would not wish to spend my days with men leering at me and offering me money to gratify their lusts.”

“Then there are other choices,” Sorak said. “Not easy ones, perhaps, and not as profitable, but choices nonetheless. I do not hold men blameless, mind you. If there was no demand for pleasure houses, then they would not exist. But at the same time, so long as there are women willing to work in such places, the attitude men have toward them will not change.”

“You mean as long as there are women who need money, it is all right for men to exploit them?”

“I never said that,” Sorak replied. “It seems to me that both men and women are exploited in such places. The women exploit the baser instincts of the men, and the men exploit the beauty of the women. But in the long run, I think the women get the worst of it.”

“I wish I’d never gone to that place,” said Ryana. “I was curious to see it, but the more I think about it, the more angry I become.”

Sorak nodded. “For a short time, before you joined me after you left the convent, I worked in a gaming house in Tyr. The Crystal Spider, you remember?”

“In the elven quarter?”

Sorak nodded. “I was hired to keep watch for cheats and cardsharps, but gaming was not their only trade. There were girls like Cricket there, as well. People went there for a good time, but there was a feeling of desperation in the air, and hunger.” He shook his head. “A lot of money changed hands in the Crystal Spider, but I don’t think it ever made anybody happy.”

They made good time the first day, without any misadventures, stopping at midday for a rest break and a meal, then continuing on until they were halfway to the oasis called Grak’s Pool. The oasis was at the midpoint of their journey from South Ledopolus to Altaruk, a distance of about one hundred miles, though the caravan had already traveled an equal distance to South Ledopolus from Balic.

The plan was for the caravan to stop at Grak’s Pool for one day, to allow the passengers and their mounts to rest, relieve the cargo kanks of their burden for a while, and take on more water. But Grak’s Pool was still another day’s journey away, and they camped that night within sight of the banks of the estuary, which the trade route followed all the way to Altaruk.

They stopped about two hours before sunset to J allow light to pitch the tents, post the watch, and light the fires before darkness fell, and as the roustabouts pursued their tasks, Kieran asked Sorak what he thought of the caravan captain’s disposition of the camp.

“He has placed us with the estuary at our rear,” said Sorak, “which I would not do with troops, but it strikes me that for a caravan, it could have advantages.”

“How so?” asked Kieran.

“Is this a test?” asked Sorak.

“Merely an informal one,” replied Kieran with amusement. “I am curious to hear your opinion.”

“Well, we are not likely to encounter an opposing army,” Sorak said. “If we did, there would be no choice but to surrender. Raiders would be the most immediate concern, and we would not be able to outrun them. We would have to stand and fight. It is doubtful there would be enough of them to push us back into the silt, which would not be their intention, in any case. They would want the cargo. By disposing us with the estuary at our rear, the captain eliminates the possibility of raiders attacking from that quarter.”

“Good,” said Kieran. “What else?”

“He has placed the cargo in the center of the camp, where it can be most easily protected, and the passengers’ tents are pitched between the cargo and the estuary, with the roustabouts and mercenaries in the front and on the flanks.”

“Why?” asked Kieran.

“I can think of two reasons,” Sorak replied. “One is that with the passengers disposed behind the cargo, they cannot get in the way in the event an attack must be repelled, and the second is that if an attack takes place and the raiders happen to break through, they will reach the cargo before they reach the passengers. Since it is cargo they will want, they will seize that and leave the passengers alone, unless any of them are foolish enough to interfere.”

“Excellent. And what of the disposition of the watch?” asked Kieran.

Sorak looked out at the placement of the guards. “Triangular,” he said. “One outpost on each flank, two at the front, to the right and left, and one at point, between them and about fifty yards advanced. It seems a practical arrangement.”

“Could you improve upon it?” Kieran asked.

“I would detail roving pickets to ride along the left and right sides of the triangle, checking with each guard outpost as they pass. And I would give them watch words, as an added precaution.”

Kieran smiled. “I have already made that suggestion to the captain,” he said, nodding. “I see we think alike. I do not think I shall regret choosing you for my second-in-command.”

“While there is still time, you may wish to reconsider that decision,” Sorak said.

Kieran glanced at him inquisitively as they walked back toward the tents, but said nothing, waiting for him go on.

“For one thing, you have no evidence of my ability, or lack of same, to handle men,” said Sorak. “For another, while I am not ungrateful, I have never stayed long in any one place. I have a wandering nature. It would seem to mean that you would want someone who offers… greater permanence.”

Kieran smiled. “You need have no concern on that account,” he said. “When it comes to the ability to handle men, the foremost quality required is character, and I am a good judge of that. After that, a man requires intelligence and thoughtful-ness. When I asked you about the disposition of the guards, you observed, then you evaluated, and you considered before giving your reply. And I have noticed that you do not have the tendency to speak without thinking. As for permanence…” He chuckled. “What is ever permanent in this world? My own appointment shall not last more than a year.”

“Only a year?” said Sorak.

“That was the term of the contract,” Kieran replied. “I insisted that it be subject to renegotiation every year, and they immediately agreed to it, which tells me they have no interest in a permanent appointment. For that matter, neither do I. But had they wanted me as a permanent commander for their house guard, they would have bargained for a much longer term. They also would never have agreed to my salary demands. I asked for one hundred thousand gold pieces a year.”

Sorak stopped and stared at him with astonishment. “One hundred thousand in gold?” he said with amazement.

Kieran chuckled. “Yes, an obscene sum, isn’t it? The terms of the contract are supposed to be secret. No soldier in the history of the world has ever been paid as much. I named the figure because I was certain they would never agree to it. Only they did, and I found that fascinating.”

“Not to detract from your abilities,” said Sorak, “but why would anyone pay such a sum?”

“That is the same question I asked myself,” said Kieran. “Why? I have a well-known reputation, true, but only part of it is due to skill. Much of it was due to nothing more than luck. Even the best swordsman can fall in battle. I was merely fortunate enough to have survived more than my share. Ironic, when one considers that at that time in my life, I would have liked nothing better than to get myself killed. However, that is another story. I had retired to an estate outside the village of Salt View, and I had wealth enough to see me through the remainder of my days in reasonable comfort. I had no wish to return to the profession of arms.”

“So what changed your mind? The temptation of the salary when they agreed to it?”

“No,” said Kieran. “Once I had named the figure and they agreed to meet my price, it would have been bad form to turn them down. There was nothing to prevent me, of course, but my reputation was at stake. And then I was very curious. I felt certain that the House of Jhamri’s agents were not empowered to agree to so outrageous a demand, even had they been inclined to do so, but when they agreed I realized that they had been instructed to secure my services regardless of the price. Oh, they tried to bargain, mind you, but when I stood firm, they finally agreed.

“Now, I may have won considerable fame in my profession, but no man is worth that kind of money. They knew it and I knew it. So, I had to ask myself what possible reason they would have for doing such a thing?” He glanced at Sorak. “What would you think if you were in my place?”

Sorak thought it over for a few moments as they walked past the cargo area and approached the tents. “The sum itself would have to be the reason,” he said, finally. “The House of Jhamri must want it known that they will stop at nothing to hire the very best, and that they can afford to pay so high a sum. But then you said the terms of the contract were supposed to be kept secret.” He shook his head. “It makes no sense.

“It does if they never intended it to be a secret,” Kieran said. “Obviously, they plan to leak the information. That way, it will not be seen as ostentatious posturing on their part. But there is surely more to it than that. There has to be. Only for the life of me, I could not imagine what.”

“And so you took the job to find out.”

Kieran nodded. “I could not resist the mystery. And then, of course, there is the money.”

“Yes, there is that,” said Sorak with a grin. “You will be known as the highest paid mercenary in history.”

“I have just enough vanity to like the sound of that,” said Kieran, with a smile. “But something is surely afoot in Altaruk, an intrigue of some sort in which I am meant to play a key role. And it shall not take long to develop, because not even the House of Jhamri would pay me such a salary for a second year. Yes, something interesting is going on there, and I have to find out what it is.”

“They say curiosity killed the kirre.”

Kieran glanced down at his kirreskin breeches. “Yes, well, I plan to keep my own skin intact. It’s possible that someone may want me for a trophy for some reason. I have made my share of enemies. But they will find this cat difficult to skin.” He clapped Sorak on the shoulder. “Especially with a good fighter at my back.”

“Ah, so now it becomes clear,” said Sorak. “I am an insurance policy.”

“Paid for by the House of Thamri,” Kieran said.

“But with the money they are paying me, I can easily afford to add a bonus. You keep your eyes and ears open, my friend, and watch my back, will make it worth your while.”

“Well, now you have me curious,” said Sorak.

Kieran smiled. “I told you that we think alike.”