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 />
weight of armor on; her knees felt as if they had s<strong>and</strong> in them.<br />
"I am Centurion Shkai'ra Mek Kermak's-kin," she told them. "I comm<strong>and</strong> this troop. Decurion<br />
Bukangkt is provisional second."And I'm provisional Centurion, but let's not get fancy . "This is<br />
Squire Sova Shkai'ra's-daughter Far-Traveller, my aide. Further appointments will be made according to<br />
merit." The pony pranced, feeling Sova shift at her new use-name. Well, it fit as well as<br />
"Can't-take-your-eyes-off-her-for-a-moment" or "Disobedient Little Bitch."<br />
She scanned the line. "At present, all you have is an appointment with the corpse-robbers!" She let the<br />
words sink in. "This is the most undisciplined, shab<strong>by</strong>, ill-assorted, uncoordinated excuse for a cavalry<br />
troop it's ever been my misfortune to see, let alone try to comm<strong>and</strong>! Steel Spirit weep, the thought of<br />
leading you up against Arkan regulars, I don't know whether to laugh, puke, or run!" She hammered a fist<br />
on her saddlebow. "Youwill keep up with line of march, <strong>and</strong> you will drill at maneuver every<br />
minute of it . You will take care of your horses before your gear, <strong>and</strong> your gear before yourselves; you<br />
will make a camp the Demarchic Guard would be proud of, <strong>and</strong> then you will do weapons-drill until you<br />
drop, <strong>and</strong> then, maybe, you can eat <strong>and</strong> sleep."<br />
She let her scowl relax into a smile. "And when we meet the Arkans, we will kick their well-reamed<br />
assholes so hard their teeth march off to Kurkas like little wooden soldiers on parade, <strong>and</strong> we will skin<br />
them of loot right down to their bones."<br />
"Mount!" That wiped out the grins. She drew her sword <strong>and</strong> took the file-leader's position, forward <strong>and</strong><br />
to the right. "Form column of squads, from the left. Walk-march,trot ."<br />
Zaik saw them try. Zaik wept, or maybe laughed. She sighed, <strong>and</strong> hoped the next battle would be<br />
delayed a long, long time.<br />
I'm never going to be done riding stupid horses, Megan thought sourly. Shkai'ra <strong>and</strong> Sova were off<br />
doing what cavalry did; Megan kept an eye as well as her rear on the revolting creature she was riding,<br />
while mentally reviewing the technique for using a wire garrote. She'd learned it quite a while ago <strong>and</strong><br />
hadn't had much occasion to use one since.Learn the flip/snap till you can do it falling on someone,<br />
Megan , her old master had said,since you're not likely to be able to reach up to a naZak's neck<br />
anyway . So true, that had turned out to be. She'd brought one in her collar, thinking she might need it.<br />
The dust cloud was broadening; trot, walk, trot now rather than just walk.<br />
She was near the head of the main column; far ahead was the vanguard, then a long stretch of open road<br />
curving slightly through rolling hills, then the mounted Elite Demarchic Guard at the head of the main<br />
column, under the great st<strong>and</strong>ard of Yeola-e, green mountains, blue sky with seven stars.And I, here<br />
with the odds <strong>and</strong> sods, as Shkai'ra would say , Megan thought sourly, all the bits <strong>and</strong> pieces attached<br />
to headquarters. Behind them the Aniah marching on foot, double-bitted axes over their shoulders;<br />
behindthat , the endless column of troops <strong>and</strong> baggage.<br />
The countryside around them was strange, hotly alien to F'talezonian eyes: terraced hills with vineyards,<br />
olives, apricot trees, oranges, figs, strips of yellowing barley <strong>and</strong> wheat. The stone cottages were<br />
deserted, no movement off across the hills except an occasional dust-cloud or twinkle of steel from the<br />
outriders. A manor house on a hill was burning, sending a dun club of black smoke <strong>and</strong> sparks up into<br />
the air. The road lanced across the hills, massive cuttings <strong>and</strong> embankments; there were poplars along<br />
either side, <strong>and</strong> the passing strips of shade were more than welcome. Megan took a sip of lukewarm<br />
canvas-tasting water from her canteen <strong>and</strong> spat.