JANISSARIES

"Eh?"

"I said, 'No, sir.' This is a volunteer job, Cap'n, and I'm not volunteering."

"I see. Maybe that's wise of you. All right, I'll go alone."

"I do not think I should permit you to go at all," Drumold said.

"I doubt you can stop me," Rick said. He held his hand near the holstered Mark IV.45. "I don't doubt you could kill me, but that seems a strange way to save my life."

Drumold stood aside.

"That's all then," Rick said. "I'll be back in an hour."

All was quiet at the forward outpost. Rick stared out into the darkness. Tran's outer moon gave very little light, and he could see nothing on the road ahead. He heard footsteps behind him and turned to see Mason.

"I'd feel better if you were coming along," Rick said. "But you're right. You're needed more here. If I don't come back, take charge of the catapults. A dozen of them firing grenades ought to knock out Parsons' machine gun."

"Yeah. Maybe. Cap'n, I'd like it a lot if you didn't do this, but I know you have to. I don't believe you can talk sense to Parsons, but I hope I'm wrong. He's got some pretty good men with him. Elliot, McCleve, Campbell-"

"That's the way I see it," Rick said. "Okay, here I go."

He was startled by another voice behind him. "Wait," Tylara said. "I am coming with you."

Like hell you are. He stopped and turned. "No."

"Yes. You have said there is no danger to you. If there is none to you, there is less to me."

"You won't even understand what we're saying," Rick protested. "We will speak in English-"

"Yet I am going," Tylara said. "Do you think I wish to live twice widowed but not yet a bride?" She smiled softly. "And I give you the same reply you gave my father. You ca

Oh, bloody hell. And she means it, too. "All right. Let's go."

There were footsteps on the road ahead. Rick halted. "Andrй?" he called.

"Yes. Hello, Rick."

There was no mistaking that bantering voice. "Who's with you?"

"Sergeant Elliot and Corporal Bisso," Parsons said.

"Let me hear them."

"It's us, Captain," Elliot's voice called from the darkness. "Nobody else."

"And who is with you?" Parsons asked.

"Tylara do Tamaerthon," Tylara replied.

Now where did she learn enough English to know when to answer? Rick wondered. Mason?

"You have brought a woman?" Parsons asked.

"Sure, Andrй. This is a flag-of-truce meeting. I didn't think I needed bodyguards."

The low laughter came back. "Still naпve, my young friend. Well, this time you were correct. I have brought no more than you have heard. Do we now stand and shout in the darkness?"

"No. There's a hill about a hundred yards to the left. It's bare on top. We'll go up there and sit. I've brought a dark lantern."

"So have I. Well, let us get to it, then."

They reached the top of the knoll together. Rick pulled back the dark shutter from his candle lantern. He could see Parsons grin as he sat down.

"I must say I am completely surprised," Parsons said. "I suppose I should have suspected when I heard that hill tribesmen had won a great victory over the Roman legions, but I did not." He took a flask from his belt. "Wine?"

"Later-"

Parsons' laugh was a low, mocking sound. "Ah. Me first." He tilted up the flask and drank. "Are you certain you will not join me?"

"I have my own," Rick said. "I was about to offer you some. Share mine?"

"Perhaps it is better if we each keep our own," Parsons said. "That way there is no suspicion." His voice hardened and took on a more serious note. "Why have you asked me to meet you? Do you wish to surrender your army?"

"No. I came to tell you things you don't know. First thing; have you listened to the local legends? About caves, and fire from the sky?"

"No."

"I thought not. But you do know about the caves."

"I know there are caves beneath many of the castles," Parsons said. "They are important in the local religions. My friend Sarakos was very unhappy that he could think of no way to enter those under one of his castles. He would like me to help him cope with the ammonia, but I have better things to do."

"You'd better learn about the caves," Rick said. "That's one reason I wanted to talk to you. If I lose this battle tomorrow-"

Parsons laughed.

"I said if, and I meant if," Rick said. "We'll get to that later. But if you win, you'll need to know about the caves. You'll need them for fallout shelters."

"I fear you make little sense-"

"Listen." Rick told him of his deductions about the fate of the 1400 expedition, and Gwen's suspicions. He was careful to be certain that Elliot heard the story as well as Parsons.

"Interesting. I do thank you," Parsons said. He sounded very thoughtful.

"Of course that may not matter to you," Rick said. "I understand you won't be able to raise the surinomaz for the Shalnuksis." He laughed. "You said I didn't have enough experience to accomplish the mission, but I seem to have a bigger and better army than you do. And there's no guerrilla war where I live. So who's so damned efficient now?"

"That is unkind of you," Parsons said.

"My apologies. But you see, that surinomaz crop is more important than you know. A lot more."

"How do you know this?"

"Gwen. Remember her? The pilot's girlfriend. She found out a lot about the people who brought us here. There's a lot going on up there." He pointed to the bright stars and their strange constellations.

"You have not told me why this surinomaz is important."

"I don't know that I can trust you," Rick said. "It involves a lot of people. Including some back on Earth. But assume I'm lying. It's still important to you. Without that crop, you won't be getting any juicy trade goods from the Shalnuksis. In fact, Andrй, just what are you accomplishing with your superior skills and experience?"

"Is there any point to this conversation?" Parsons demanded.

"Certainly. I hope to persuade you to join us," Rick said.

Parsons laughed.

"Why not?" Rick asked. "Together we can grow those crops and trade with the Shalnuksis. We might even be able to capture a starship and get the hell off this planet! If we work together.

"Or we can go on fighting, and no matter who wins we both lose. You aren't going to grow that crop. Sarakos can't even feed his army! The people here will never stop fighting as long as he's here. But you must know already that we've been welcomed as liberators. My alliance is with the legitimate king, and I've got most of the nobility as well. I can get crops planted and harvested. You can't.

"Come over to our side, and you'll have an honored place. Wealth and influence, and you won't have to fight all the time. We both win. Fight me, and we both lose."

"So," Parsons said. "You are persuasive, if overconfident. And yet I wonder. I have been thinking since I received your letter, what is it that you can do? Gunpowder? Muskets? I thinkyou have not had enough time. Hand grenades? Undoubtedly, and catapult bombs as well. Tell me, what range do you get with them?"

"Enough. And I have a lot of them," Rick said. "Andrй, for God's sake, let's end this damned war here and now. Can't you see it's better if we work together?"

"I see that you are the cause of my troubles," Parsons said. "The guerrilla war-"

"That was spontaneous," Rick said.

"I do not believe you. Without you the resistance will collapse, and in the morning we will destroy this barbarous army of yours." He smiled thinly. "What makes you think I will share power with you and your hill clans?"

"You share with Sarakos-"

"For the moment. I need him. But that will not be forever."

"Andrй, you've gone crazy," Rick said. "What do you want?"