[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
forms and body armor. A couple of the vaqueros were in their normal leathers,
probably non-Citizens, but their rifles were as much a part of their working
equip-
ment as their clothes, and they looked just as determined as the rest. Off to
one side a pack of hounds that looked to be more than slightly mixed with gray
wolf lay in disciplined silence.
as
"Junior Lieutenant Cantor, 22nd Divine Twins
Brotherhood Battalion," a man introduced himself, PRINCE OF SPARTA
101
as Lysander swung himself down from the tiltrotor.
Nobody jumped distances like that in Sparta's gravity. Except new chums, who
wondered why they ripped tendons and sprained ankles. "Brother
Halleck," the militia officer went on, introducing the owner. Roger Halleck
was a stocky rancher in his forties with gray in his shag-cut brown hair, a
finger missing from one hand and a bulldog determination to his square face.
A. lot like the
Senator, actually, Lysander thought.
'This is Lieutenant George Hartunian, Prince
Royal's Own," Lysander said. "And Lieutenant San-
ford Dunforth, Life Guards."
"Highness " Cantor began.
"And for the moment I'm Colonel Collins, First
Royals Regimental Commander," Lysander said. "No
file:///F|/rah/Jerry%20Pournelle/Pournelle,%20...20M.%20-%20The%20Prince%20of%
20Sparta%20UC.txt (73 of 286) [5/21/03 11:09:02 PM]
file:///F|/rah/Jerry%20Pournelle/Pournelle,%20Jerry%20%20+%20Stirling,%20S.%20
M.%20-%20The%20Prince%20of%20Sparta%20UC.txt point in getting too formal,
Citizens. Now what's our situation?^'
"My boy Demetrios was up north about six klicks, scoutin' for a new watering
dam. Had a handset, reported all well at sundown yesterday. Nothing this
moming, so I sent my top hand out. Miguel?"
"Don Roger," the vaquero said, nodding with dignified formality. "My Prince, I
took young Saunders with me" a big-boned blond youth, another of the
vaqueros, shuffled his feet in acknowledgment "to the stream where the camp
was. We found a campfire still warm with unburied embers; this Don Halleck's
son would never do, he was well taught. Also we found this."
He handed a small object to Lysander. A spent car-
tridge case, standard 10mm magnum caliber. He brought it to his nose. Becent.
Sparta City Armory marks on me base. which meant little...
"See," the vaquero said. "The tiring pin imprint is a very little low and to
the right of center? 'Hie young
102 Jerry PwmeSe is S.M. Stirling
Don Demitrios's gun, veridad. Also we find this, a thousand meters north." A
ring. Lysander's brows rose.
"Its his," Halleck said. "His grandmother left it to him."
"Twenty horses, maybe more, came during the night from the south," Miguel
continued. "Before the rain, because the marks were almost washed out. Only in
the mud by die stream we see them, you understand."
Lysander nodded. The grasses which had claimed this countryside so quickly
after the terrafonning package made a deep tough sod. They paused, then went
on with the young Dons horses as well."
Lysander started to speak, then stopped and turned to lieutenant Hartunian.
George Hartunian straightened. "Not much doubt about what happened." he said.
"Lieutenant Cantor, what do we know of enemy activity in the area?"
"Sporadic. Largest group we've seen was a dozen, on horseback. This group may
be twice that size, but they shouldn't be any problem, no heavy weapons.
Except "
Page 59
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Except they've got the squire's son as hostage, Lysander thought.
"Anyway," Cantor said, "we had instructions to call on the regulars, and since
I don't have any experience with hostage situations "
"Neither do I," Hartunian said. He hesitated, clearly looking to Lysander for
orders he wasn't going to get. "A
troop of scouts will be here in an hour," Hartunian said.
file:///F|/rah/Jerry%20Pournelle/Pournelle,%20...20M.%20-%20The%20Prince%20of%
20Sparta%20UC.txt (74 of 286) [5/21/03 11:09:02 PM]
file:///F|/rah/Jerry%20Pournelle/Pournelle,%20Jerry%20%20+%20Stirling,%20S.%20
M.%20-%20The%20Prince%20of%20Sparta%20UC.txt
"Send them after us. I guess it's time for the rest of us to move out." He
looked to the dogs. "Is that pack well trained?"
'They can follow a scent," Halleck said. He looked at Hartunian and shrugged,
a gesture that clearly said he didn't believe that waiting for the regular
troops had been worth the delay. "Colonel, the best thing will be for us to
get on the trail, and you look with that
PRINCE OF SPARTA 103
tfltrotor. That way we just might find something."
Lysander glanced up at the sky. Three hours of daylight, maybe a bit more." He
projected a map onto the ground. "Dunforth, you'll take the tiltrotor. Cover
this area, but stay away from the canyons-1 don't have to tell you the whole
purpose of this just could be to lure that plane into range of a missile."
"Sir. Shouldn't I stay with you?"
"No. Now get looking, and be careful. Keep Regi-
ment up to date on your location." Lysander looked to the available
transportation. Two Cataphracts, and three von Alderheim 6x6 trucks. Little
enough.
There'll be a light armor cavalry column coming up before dark. Send it after
us. And I'm ordering Regi-
ment to send another cavalry troop."
"Fuel," Hartunian said.
'Til authorize air resupply," Lysander said. Expen-
sive. Damned expensive, but Senator Halleck's always been one of the team, and
by God we can take care of our own. "Now load up."
"I'll be going," Halleck said quietly.
"And me." A girl not more than twenty. Freckles, strawberry blond hair and
furious blue eyes, in militia gear. "7 trained those dogs, as much as
Demetrios did, Dad. I ride and shoot as well as he does, and he's my brother."
Lysander raised his brows at the rancher.
Unwillingly, he nodded. "Lydia is the best hunter on the place, next her
brother. My family," he added, nodding to two mutinous looking boys of about
fourteen, "runs to twins. And no, Isagoras and Alexias, you're not going."
"Load up, then," Lysander said. He waited until the
Hallecks were in the trucks. "You go with her," he told
Middleton. "Hartunian will take the lead Cataphract.
I'll be in me other one until Reid's troop catches up."
104 Jerry fowneUe fy S.M. Sttding
Harv started to protest and thought better of it.
"Yes, Prince."
file:///F|/rah/Jerry%20Pournelle/Pournelle,%20...20M.%20-%20The%20Prince%20of%
20Sparta%20UC.txt (75 of 286) [5/21/03 11:09:02 PM]
file:///F|/rah/Jerry%20Pournelle/Pournelle,%20Jerry%20%20+%20Stirling,%20S.%20
M.%20-%20The%20Prince%20of%20Sparta%20UC.txt
"Missile attack. Taking evasive action."
Lysander noted the ditrotor's location on his map projection. "OK, you've
found them," Lysander said.
Page 60
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
"Now get well back, refuel, and stand by. If they had one missile they'll have
more."
"Yes, sir."
"OK, driver, push it," Lysander said. They rolled onward-
"Bloody hell," Lysander cursed quietly. "There goes the chance of using the IV
sensors."
The hills to die west were aflame for better than a kilometer to either side;
there was a strong easterly wind, enough to move the fire briskly despite the
early season. Tall grass will bum even when green, if the fire is set with
torches and fanned by moving air. The higher partial pressure of oxygen on
Sparta made it even more deadly than prairie fires on earth.... Haze and smoke
and the pale-yellow disk of the setting sun made it difficult to see the
mountain peaks beyond.
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]