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Tran s
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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 cannot stop me without killing me, and that is a strange way to
protect my life.
Oh, bloody hell. And she means it, too. All right. Let s go.
There were footsteps on the road ahead. Rick halted. André? 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, André. This is a flag-of-truce meeting. I didn t think I needed
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bodyguards.
The low laughter came back. Still naïve, 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 lan-tern. 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?
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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 cas-tles, 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,
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and Gwen s suspi-cions. 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.
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