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He woke up Terl, who had been hitting the kerbango pretty heavily since sunset and was lying like a mountain across the plane seats.
“We have eighty-three," said Jo
Terl was foggy and sleepy. “The casualty rate of such a project is high. We have to make it appear that they are just training all winter when they are operating, so the extra numbers are fine. Why'd you wake me up for a silly question like that, animal?” And he went back to sleep. Jo
He had the historian draw up a roster of the Anguses and Duncans and all their parade of names, and sent them off in the night to hasten pell-mell to their homes and get heavy and light clothing and sleeping blankets, personal gear, and a few days' worth of food to tide them over until he could round up cattle. They must be back at dawn, and those who didn't have them borrowed horses, for in some cases it was a long ride both ways.
Jo
The English lord thought that was a very good idea. The Chiefs agreed to it.
“There is a distinct possibility,” said Jo
They brushed this off. Brave men always risked death, didn't they? And they'd not blame MacTyler. The bad thing would be not to try. That would be what couldn't be forgiven.
In the midnight chill, Jo
Fearghus was spokesman as he calmly outlined it to Jo
My god, gaped Jo
“Don't fret, MacTyler. We're behind ye.”
Jo
Part VII
Chapter 1
The first trouble came from Terl. He had a hangover after his solo binge, and he had been irritated close to anger at the comings and goings and delays.
At first light, Jo
Jo
Some apologized for seeming to bring so little but times had been hard, they said. It was no longer safe to raid in the lowlands. Some thought perhaps they were bringing too much, but one never knew, did one?
Some were a bit late and streamed in a breathless rush, the historian worriedly checking off their names.
The old women came in a clatter of kettles. The parson arrived rolling a keg– in case someone became ill. Jo
The sun was getting higher. Terl roared from the cab, “Get these filthy animals loaded!” People became very quiet; Jo
Finally, they were all there. All eighty-three of them.
Jo
There wasn't one. He had made them more confident in their new environment. They seemed cheerful, not afraid.
“Take it up, MacTyler!" said Robert the Fox.
Jo
He settled himself in the copilot seat, wound the security belt around himself twice, put on his air mask, and got out the map. Terl was looking sourly at the crowd.
With vicious sudden gestures, Terl recompressed the cab with breathe-gas and ripped off his mask. And Jo
He was rumbling something about “late” and “having no leverage on these blasted animals” and “teach a lesson.”
Jo
The plane vaulted skyward at a speed enough to crush him into his seat. It was at three thousand feet in the wink of an eye. Jo
Terl's talons snapped at some more buttons. The ship started over on its side.
“What are you doing?” shouted Jo
"I’m going to set an example!” roared Terl. “We've got to show them what will happen if they disobey.”
The thick mob in the meadow was a small dot below them as the plane turned downward. Suddenly Jo
The ground came screaming up, the crowd getting large.
No! screamed Jo
Terl's talons were reaching out for the fire buttons.
Jo
Open, it pi
The ground was coming up with speed.
Jo
Two hundred feet up, the plane abruptly changed course to level. It s inertia sucked it down to only yards above the crowd's heads.
Like a javelin it shot forward. Ahead of them, the trees leaping larger, was the mountainside. Jo
Branches hit the underbody. The plane rocketed up the mountainside only feet from the ground.
It shot into the clear as they passed the mountain crest. Jo
He reversed the tape that had taken them on the incoming voyage and fed it into the autopilot.
The sea sped by only yards below them. They were in the clear, undetectable by any minesite observation post, heading for home.
Jo
He looked at Terl. The monster had gotten the map off his face. Flames were flickering in his green-shot eyes.
“You almost killed us,” said Terl.
“You would have spoiled everything,” said Jo