Shadow's Son by Shirley Meier, S.M. Stirling and Karen Wehrstein ...
Shadow's Son by Shirley Meier, S.M. Stirling and Karen Wehrstein ...
Shadow's Son by Shirley Meier, S.M. Stirling and Karen Wehrstein ...
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Generated <strong>by</strong> ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html<br />
enough to make the wings of these devices—<strong>and</strong> rubber, from caravaneers associated with the army,<br />
most prominently Goonter Frahnzsson of Neubonn, a Thane dealing through Brahvniki, <strong>and</strong> others…"<br />
O Celestialis, he thought as he watched the no-longer-secret ritual. Two lines of sweaty black savages,<br />
bodies heaving, muscles rippling, rough barbaric voices chanting to a primitive drum-rhythm, hauled on<br />
the ropes attached to the monstrous black rubber strap, stretched between two tall tree-stumps on a<br />
gentle rise. In the pocket of the giant sling sat the flyer with her—yes, certain signs were unmistakable in<br />
any race, it was aher — masterfully-made silk <strong>and</strong> bamboo craft, like a huge sky-blue bird, but more<br />
fragile looking.<br />
On a signal they all let go, <strong>and</strong> with an unearthly, deep, whistlingbwwwoing-g-g , woman <strong>and</strong> wing shot<br />
into the sky, like a huge blue dart at first, then slowing <strong>and</strong> catching the wind, like a hovering eagle, high<br />
above.<br />
Actually, he thought, as the next flyer stepped up <strong>and</strong> the whole process was begun again,it looks like<br />
fun… Celestialis, what am I thinking!? No wonder the price of rubber went up. If home ever finds<br />
out, my privates are mince .<br />
It had been one <strong>and</strong> a half eight-days since he'd last spoken with Whitlock, <strong>and</strong> Shefenkas was still<br />
horribly, unmercifully, disastrously alive.That little cat-clawed bitch is stringing me along , he thought.<br />
We're past Kirliana, I don't have much more time… Arko doesn't have much more time… She's<br />
going to push it to the limit, <strong>and</strong> I haven't made the limit hardenough yet, because of that fikken<br />
arrow-wound. The next one's got to be it. Do, or he dies. All or nothing. Arko has nothing more to<br />
lose .<br />
The man's got the guts of a lake-quarter rat, Megan thought.Either that, or he's just plain crazy .<br />
"It would add something to the illusion, wouldn't it," Chevenga was saying, "ifsome of the<br />
Chevengal—Chevengas, I mean— traipsing about the Arkan camp happened to be real,seya ?"<br />
She knew the stories. He'd assassinated a brilliant Lakan general <strong>by</strong> creeping throughtheir camp at<br />
night, sneaking over the wall to open the gate of a city the Yeolis were besieging, at sixteen, <strong>and</strong> so on<br />
<strong>and</strong> on… On his collar he wore two Serpent Incarnadines, the only person in camp who could wear such<br />
openly.So, he has a name. But he has a few other things now, too, that he didn't then. Like a<br />
position . She'd heard rumors of arguments with his comm<strong>and</strong> council over his taking personal risks. No<br />
matter how good you are, someday someone will catch you … She was very conscious of the ache in<br />
her leg, where the wound still twinged.<br />
And yet… She kept her face as carefully neutral as if she were dealing with a R<strong>and</strong> Jade Button, Third<br />
Rank.Lix<strong>and</strong>. If he got killed I wouldn't have to kill him. If I could make that rokatzkbelieve I<br />
arranged it… I should argue, though, since it would be unlike me not to .<br />
She cocked her head. "With all due respect,semana-kraseye: you are First General First of this army,<br />
said to be one of the finest generals in the last century, <strong>and</strong> the only one capable of keeping this fractious<br />
bunch of nationalities together. That makes you alittle more valuable than your average Ikal agent." She<br />
rubbed her wounded leg significantly.<br />
Chevenga shrugged, shoulders lifting in the relaxed Yeoli way. "I know." In that<br />
impossibly-innocent-of-conceit tone; it could be irritating. "But this sort of thing is my worth. They've just