The Fireseed Wars

TWENTY-EIGHT

Kalvan and most of his top aides were touring the top floor of an abandoned mansion formerly owned by one of Prince Varrack's cronies, who had fled the city sometime during the short siege. Most of the furnishings were gone and the floors were stripped to the base boards. Kalvan suspected he'd sold everything that was portable, or had squirreled them away somewhere. He was trying to determine if this three-story mansion was a good home for the new University of Hostigos. Guildmaster Varianos, head of the Stone Masons Guild, had sworn to the integrity of the foundation and walls; the only problem was that the building was too close to the city's second wall.

Do I really have time to do this? The answer was, of course he did. This building would hold the key to Hostigos' future, the young minds and bodies who would flesh out his ideas and reinventions. The problem Hostigos would face in the future, assuming they survived the present onslaught of Styphon's Grand Host, would be avoiding some of the pitfalls of his own world's history. Already, he'd brought the concepts of religious war and total war to here-and-now. What he didn't want to do was bring unbridled change and out-of-control industrialization. Slowing the coming industrialization is not going to be easy-if it's even possible. Once some local booster comes up with manifest destiny-look out!

Not that Kalvan didn't already have his plate full with things to do. He'd assigned Master Ermut and a team of artisans to build a new and enlarged paper mill; they'd promised to have it up and running by midwinter. Once Ermut had solved the sizing problem, before they left Hostigos, they had been turning out a decent quality rag paper that didn't fall apart in your hands. The new stuff actually held up under an ink pen. Note: Set up rag collection depots and see about local sources for linen.

He had a new Royal Foundry under construction, a new glassblowing facility for making brandy flasks and a new Bank of Hostigos being built. Mytron was overseeing the building of several temples to Allfather Dralm. In his copious spare time, Kalvan was working with Captain Nathros on a new road system and semaphore station layout to go from Thagnor to Rathon City. He'd made General Klestreus his Chief of Staff and put him in charge of setting up the new Thagnor food depots and collection stations; he had a real gift as an administrator and bean-counter.

Master Ermut, here-and-now's first scientist, was the new Dean of the University of Hostigos, while Mytron, the former rector, was the realm's new Chancellor-now that former Chancellor Chartiphon was King of Rathon-and head of the Temple of Dralm. Both men were busy overseeing the cataloging and accounting of the materials and equipment that had survived the exodus from Hostigos. Unfortunately, too many valuable and irreplaceable items had been abandoned, destroyed or left behind in their haste to leave Hostigos.

"All the walls are stone, Your Majesty," Guildmaster Varianos said, his breath blowing puffs of fog into the air. "Good construction, too."

"It's even bigger than the original building that was the foundation of the University of Hostigos," Chancellor Mytron added. "The grounds are quite large, with two large barns for the laboratories." He pointed out the window. "Over there we could raise up another classroom."

"I don't like the fact that it's right up against the City's second wall," Kalvan said. "I'm certain we'll see a Styphoni siege in the spring and I don't want to have to rebuild the University again if they bust through the outer wall."

Mytron shook his head. "We've been all over the center of the city and there are no abandoned buildings big enough for our purpose. We'll either have to buy up a block or two of prime commercial property or demolish several blocks of townhouses and apartments, which will prove both costly and unpopular."

"Dralm-damnit, I know," Kalvan said, throwing out his arms in frustration. Everything seemed to take more of his time and cost more money than anyone could have predicted. It wasn't easy rebuilding Hostigos Phoenix-like out of the rough materials of Thagnor.

"That may not be a problem, Your Majesty." Ermut paused long enough to bring a soapstone out of one of the pockets in his brown robe. The Dean appeared to keep all nature of things, from fruit to meteorites, in his oversized pockets. "The Army engineers have finished the outer wall and have just started working on shoring up the second wall."

While Ermut was making his drawing, Aspasthar asked, "Your Majesty, does this new University you're building in Thagnor mean we may not be returning to Hostigos?"

"That's a good question." Kalvan started to knock his pipe bowl against one of the walls to dislodge a plug of burnt tobacco and ash. He stopped in mid-swing, instead striking the barrel against the heel of his palm. Pipe barrels were not as sturdy as the ones back on otherwhen. They didn't have the French briar to make bowls here-and-now, so he'd had his own personal pipemaker experiment with burls of different woods. Black Walnut burl was the best they'd come up with so far.

Reaching into his tobacco pouch, Kalvan put some fresh flakes into the bowl, tamping them down lightly with his golden halberd-headed tamper. His fingers were half-frozen from the cold, making lighting his tinderbox a fumble-fingered affair. When the pipe was drawing well, he inhaled.

"You want the truth, Aspasthar," Kalvan said, after expelling a cloud of tobacco smoke. "I don't have an answer. Right now, without divine intervention from Dralm, it doesn't look as if we'll ever return to Old Hostigos."

Kalvan ignored the sudden whitening of Aspasthar's face. The boy had lost his father, Harmakros, and his home in the space of a moon. Yet, he'd still had the courage and forthrightness to organize the cadets at the Military Academy in the defense of Hostigos, delaying the Grand Host's siege of Tarr-Hostigos by several critical days. The bodies of almost a thousand cadets had been left behind to fertilize the soil of Hostigos. He deserved an honest answer.

"I believe with a little time and good fortune we can hold Thagnor against the Grand Host; this place is much more defensible than Hostigos ever was. And a lot farther from Styphon's House's base of operations. How long we can make a stand here without some help in the form of allies is another good question. And another one I don't have an answer for. A lot depends upon King Theovacar, as well as our own steadfastness. The best I can tell you is that I don't plan to leave Thagnor City on two legs unless we're returning to Old Hostigos."

Highpriest Mytron made a circle with his right forefinger around the white star on his blue robe. "May Dralm Bless Your Majesty and the Hostigi People."

"Dralm helps those who help themselves," Kalvan said before he caught himself.

"Is there some way we may yet return to Hostigos?" the young man asked, his voice trembling.

"I will do my best to see that we reclaim our homeland," Kalvan said, with mental reservations. The problem that Rylla, Mytron, Aspasthar and all the rest didn't seem to understand was that Hostigos-as they knew it-no longer existed. It was a barren wasteland and it might take five to ten years of hard work to give it life again. Meanwhile, life there would be brutal, nasty and short-And only if Styphon's House and Great King Lysandros allowed them the luxury of reclaiming their territory.

Ermut cleared his throat, indicating that he had finished his sketch of the Thagnor City Walls, using an X to show their current locations. He pointed to the X, saying, "If we move this second wall out here and out there, we can enlarge it so that it encircles the University. We can actually run this arm out as a bastion and put some guns here and right there. That way, if the Styphoni make a breach in the third wall, we'll have lots of protection.

"If we use some of our military students to design the bastion and build it, we can count it as part of their curriculum, giving them some 'practical education' as Your Majesty calls it. I can have the University's Engineering Department oversee the construction. In fact, the new University won't be fully open until summer so we can draft the stronger students and use their muscles to help build the wall."

"A great idea, Ermut. You just solved our problem. We can dedicate this building and the grounds to the new University as soon as we buy up several of the surrounding properties." He paused to point out four or five apartments and a big mill.

"Next, I want to try to find the best location for the Military Sciences building and the new Engineering building. Captain Nathros I want you to head up the new Engineering College as Rector."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Nathros bowed deeply. "I will do my best."

"You'll report directly to Dean Ermut. Also, it's time I promoted you to a proper grade." He grabbed the hilt of his sword and removed it from its sheath while Nathros got down on his knees. Kalvan had adopted some chivalric methods from otherwhen to move things along so he didn't have to consult with his overworked quartermaster clerks over every promotion. "I, Great King Kalvan, promote thee, Nathros of Hostigos, as Colonel Nathros of the Royal Army of Nos-Hostigos." He looked over at his adjutant. "Mykos, make sure you record this promotion and turn it over to the Quartermaster General."

Nathros was beaming and young Aspasthar was wide-eyed, probably dreaming of the day when he would receive his own kingly promotion.

"Now, before I get distracted with something else. Nathros, I want you to change the design of our flintlocks. Here are some drawings I made myself."

Nathros looked at rough ink drawings on the parchment, his brow furrowed. "This lock design appears more efficient, but I don't see any real improvement over the present model, Your Majesty."

"It has one very big advantage. When a musket is dropped or lost on the battlefields, there's nothing stopping the enemy from picking it up and firing it at our own men."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"With this new front-acting design, the enemy will be confused and uncertain as to whether or not it will work. The slower witted might even think it will shoot backwards! Plus, this new design will be the property of the Royal Gunsmiths and Riflemakers Guilds. The Royal Army will only buy the new locks. This will go a long way towards shutting down the inefficient older Guilds, who still thwart my decrees and requests for bore standardization and rifles."

Chancellor Mytron frowned, saying, "This will truly anger the Hostigos Council of Guilds. As soon as word of this leaks out of the palace, I will have Guildmaster Dyag beating upon my door!"

"I hope he does. It's time the Council of Guilds learned that we're no longer in Hostigos Town and that the old ways of doing things stayed there. We have a fresh parchment here and I'm going to make some real changes. If Dyag or anyone else gives you any trouble, tell them to come see me!"

Kalvan turned to Master Ermut, "While the new university buildings are being constructed, I want you to find places for another paper mill, three fireseed works-two inside the third wall and one inside the second wall-so that we are not dependent upon outside supplies for fireseed-as well as two or three stills for the new distillery."

"Do we have a good source yet for sulfur, Your Majesty?"

"I believe so. There's a sulfur spring in Rathon, about forty marches southwest of Rathon City." It had been called White Sulphur Spring, if Kalvan's memory served him correctly. He remembered hearing about it from his aunt who had visited the spa as a child. He'd already sent several miners and a pouch to Chartiphon, giving him orders and directions on how to set up a sulfur recovery station there. He had pointed out in his letter how important the place was and told him to build a big fort overseeing the springs. He also had standing orders to buy any sulfur that the sea merchants brought to port.

Dean Ermut rubbed his hands. "Great, Your Majesty! I have the local farmers and peasants building saltpeter traps. They already have excellent charcoal pits in the city. We should see the first new fireseed by midwinter."

"Excellent. I also want to re-establish the Hostigos Military Academy, only we'll found twenty to thirty of them instead of one big facility."

"Why so many, sire?" Aspasthar asked.

"First, there are now about forty to fifty thousand new Hostigi orphans due to Roxthar's Investigation and the migration from Hostigos. A few will be adopted but most will be left in our care. So we will need a lot more housing. We also want one Academy for girls only, but this one will also be dedicated to Tranth and Yirtta, as well as Galzar God of War."

Aspasthar, who had been made Commandant of Cadets, asked, "What does Queen Rylla think of this?"

"We're in agreement. Few of the girls in the Hostigos Academy wanted to be career soldiers, as I suspected. It runs against too many of the Zarthani codes of proper conduct, as I explained to Her Majesty. She's come to accept it, as long as those girls who want to join the Pioneers have a place to learn the military arts. The other girls will be trained in crafts, weaving, spinning, cooking and household duties.

"The other academies will be divided by age. I want junior academies for the younger boys where they can get more individual attention, some parenting and learn the basics of military life. There will be others for those who are approaching manhood. Finally, I'd like to create a senior academy, which will be known as the Royal Military Academy and offer training to older cadets and potential officers. It will work in conjunction with Military Science Department in the University of Hostigos. You will be in charge of all the cadets."

Aspasthar grinned and then grew serious. "Yes, Your Majesty."

"The original cadets set such a high standard in helping evacuate Hostigos that we anticipate very few problems mixing the new Zarthani orphans with the Urgothi orphans. Plus, the Urgothi children have the advantage of knowing the system; this will go a long way into making them good subjects of Nos-Hostigos. Nor does it hurt that we will be enrolling several thousand Thagnori orphans in the Academies, who will have the advantage of knowing the local area and customs. We will be teaching mandatory language lessons in both Zarthani and Urgothi. Someday these children will be the bridge between both cultures."

"And some of your best soldiers, if I have anything to say about it!" Aspasthar promised.

Kalvan was sure the lad was right. He patted Aspasthar's shoulders. Someday this young man would be all the soldier his father had been.

Highpriest Mytron smiled. "This is a good thing, Your Majesty. Not only are you training tomorrow's soldiers, but you are creating the new subjects of Nos-Hostigos."

They were all discussing the site for the new Royal Military Academy when a couple of riders in Hostigi colors rode up. He recognized several of the men but was surprised to see Captain Jephros, one of Phrames' captains, among them.

"Your Majesty!" cried the highest ranker.

"Yes, what's up?"

"Captain Jephros just arrived from the Buffalo Party, and Colonel Leukestros thought you should see him right away."

Jephros was winded. Kalvan gave him a few moments to catch his breath.

"Report, Captain."

"Yes, Your Majesty. We had a very successful buffalo hunt; the beasts carpet the prairie like locusts. We had a hundred wagons of buffalo hides and three times that of salted meat when we were attacked by a large party of nomads."

"Was Captain Halgoth able to identify them?"

"No, Your Majesty. There were several large northern tribes banded together in a large war party. None of them were familiar to Grand-Captain Halgoth. Captain-General Phrames was suspicious because they attempted a surprise attack, which is unusual for the northern tribes. They also had more calivers than one would expect, and plenty of fireseed."

"Does he believe they were aided by the Styphon's Grand Host?"

"No, Your Majesty. He believes they were led by Greffan agents, possibly sent by King Theovacar to harass our party."

This was as close to a declaration of war as they gave here-and-now. Kalvan wondered, Is Theovacar in league with Styphon's House? If so, it would greatly complicate matters. "How did our troops fare?"

"Very well, sire. The gun carts worked marvelously well. As soon as the nomads drew within range, the Captain-General had us lower the tailgates and fire the case shot. At the same time, the hidden soldiers raised the canvas on their wagons and fired their muskets. The Urgothi slaughter was horrendous. They left behind almost two thousand bodies. We cut the throats of all the wounded and circled the wagons. Captain-General Phrames had me and my squad slip out before they regrouped for another attack."

By Galzar! Phrames had him cut their throats! Things must really be bad. "How many men are you up against?"

"Twenty to twenty-five thousand, Your Majesty. Although there may be more on the way."

Kalvan thought carefully before saying, "Phrames should have enough men to stop the nomads. Why were you sent ahead?"

"They were shooting fire arrows at the wagons, Your Majesty. The Captain-General believes they are trying to destroy our cargo, not our party. Every time we get wagons ready to go, they attack. Phrames suspects they may be waiting for reinforcements."

Kalvan nodded. That kind of strategy stinks of Theovacar's touch. The King must realize how short their rations were. "What does Phrames want?"

"He wants Your Majesty to send him enough men to protect the wagon train. He suggested you send Captain-General Hestophes with the Mobile Force."

Kalvan smiled. "Good timing." Hestophes and the Mobile Force were well rested after their journey from Rathon City. They would certainly prefer fighting barbarian tribesmen to moving dirt and rocks. "I'll send the Mobile Force, along with Captain-General Errock with five hundred Thagnori lancers and two thousand Royal Army heavy cavalry. Let's put the fear of Ormaz into these barbarians!"

"Aye, aye, Your Majesty!"