Heirs of the Enemy (14 page)

“We have magical means of transporting the troops,” answered Kyrga, “but I will not explain any further except to the force leaders.”

Kyrga handed out the assignments, and they were passed back by the generals in the front. Men searched for their names on the list. Under each force were three teams of two armies each. Clint noticed that his name was not on the list. He was not surprised.

“Look at this,” scowled General Whitman as he stared at the paper in his hands. “Baroukans not only lead every single force, they also lead most of the
 
teams within each force. Not a single Aertan is in command of anything.”

“That does seem like a slight,” commented Clint. “I can’t imagine it is just coincidence.”

“It is no coincidence,” agreed General Whitman. “Three generals from Spino get to lead teams, and two from Ertak. All of the rest are Baroukan. The only Baroukan generals not leading something are Hartz and Tauman.”

“I think you will find that General Hartz will lead the defense of Despair,” replied Clint, “and General Tauman is in control of Camp Destiny.”

“Camp Destiny?” echoed the Aertan general. “What is that?”

“I am not sure,” lied General Forshire. “I suspect it is something that needs to be defended. All I was trying to point out is that both of the Baroukan generals missing from this list are needed here at home. That is why they are not leading groups to Alcea.”

“Ah,” General Whitman nodded in understanding. “You are correct. That makes the lack of Aertan generals leading teams on this list all the more of an insult to King Anator.”

All around the room, dozens of conversations were going on about the assignment list. Suddenly a voice broke through all the chatter.

“What are these teams listed under the forces?” asked General Somma of Spino, “and what are the strange names alongside them? Mine says Chi next to it.”

“Chi is the name of a city in Lanoir,” answered Grand General Kyrga. “Each force will have three prongs to the attack. In the case of Ongchi, those prongs are the cities of Barouk, Chi, and Elmor, located here, here, and here.” Kyrga tapped the map with his pointer identifying the three cities. General Franz will lead the prong from Chi, and you will be under his command. Do you understand now?”

General Somma nodded in understanding.

“This list indicates that I will be leading the prong out of Caldor in Sordoa,” stated General Omirro from Ertak, “yet I know nothing of the terrain of this strange land. How am I supposed to plan for an attack when I have not even studied the area I am to battle in?”

“The force leaders will be briefed in detail,” explained Kyrga. “They in turn will brief the teams under them. Detailed maps of each area will be supplied to the teams in advance of the invasion.”

“I don’t mean to complain, Grand General,” retorted General Omirro, “but maps are not enough. A map might show a forest and the extent of its boundaries, but that doesn’t tell me an awful lot. In our own land, the Bloodwood is very different from the Kyber Woods. Both would appear as forests on a map, but each would call for an entirely different strategy. It is essential that the team leaders get to analyze the territory that we are to conquer.”

Many of the generals voiced their support for Omirro’s words, and Kyrga silently cursed K’san for demanding that he expose the coming war with Alcea.

“Can the magical method of transportation be used beforehand without harm?” asked General Ross.

Kyrga looked at the general who had almost replaced him as Grand General and sighed. “The portals can be used, but they lead directly into enemy territory. There is no way that I can allow my generals to be put into such a situation. I have just outlined our attack strategy. Can you imagine the harm that the capture of any one of you would cause? I cannot and will not allow that to happen.”

“Yet we need more knowledge of Alcea than you can provide,” retorted General Ross. “You have to find a solution to this problem.”

“Perhaps,” offered General Tauman, “I can offer a solution.” All heads turned towards the Commanding General of the First Corps. “I am sure that each general in this room has a colonel that he has trained as a possible replacement. Why not let the colonels, men who have no current knowledge of the overall attack plans, take the place of the generals in visiting Alcea. Each colonel would only be advised of the small sector where his team will be operating. The maps supplied to the colonels will show nothing but their intended route. This way, if any of them get captured, we will have revealed very little to the enemy.”

“Even that is risky,” frowned Kyrga. “If we were to send the colonels across the sea by ship, I would have no hesitation to your plan, General Tauman, but you know that is not possible. The attack must occur before winter, and a ship traveling both ways would never make it in time. That leaves us using the very devices we need to keep secret from the enemy.”

“Using the portals is the only way,” retorted General Tauman. “Besides, I have discovered a problem that I have been trying to discuss with you, but you have not been available lately. The portals are too small to allow for wagons. That means that supplies must be prepositioned in Alcea. This is the perfect opportunity for the colonels to mark where they want the provisions to be hidden. Once they report that back to me, I will make arrangements to have supplies delivered there.”

Kyrga sighed as he felt things getting out of control. “And what if some of the colonels are captured?”

General Tauman waved away the question dismissively. “None of the men sent through the portals will be allowed to be captured. Each of them must be instructed to take his own life before being interrogated. Make it a condition of the journey. Any colonel who would not agree to this risk does not deserve to be an officer in the Federation.”

“I find those terms acceptable,” General Ross offered before Kyrga could find fault with the plan. “While it is not quite as good as going myself, I have trained my colonels to understand the terrain and the important part it plays in battle.”

Murmurs of agreement rippled through the audience. Kyrga sighed and nodded in acceptance.

“Very well,” stated the Grand General. “Each general will choose one colonel to make the trip. I will have the detailed maps drawn up and ready by the morning. Have your men ready to leave at first light. Force leaders, I would like to meet with you privately in one hour in my office.”

Kyrga quickly strode out of the room before more concessions were pried out of him. Conversations broke out all over the room, and Clint turned to General Whitman.

“How exciting,” he said cheerily. “Too bad we don’t get to go to this strange land.”

“Are you serious?” balked the Aertan general. “When I go to Alcea, I want ten-thousand men behind me. I would never be so foolish as to step into the enemy’s camp alone. Ross is crazy, and Tauman is not far behind him.”

“I don’t think the risk is that high,” retorted Clint. “I can’t imagine that the Alceans even know that a war is coming. Goodness, most of the Federation generals did not even know about it until just now.”

“That is true,” pondered General Whitman. “You knew about it, though, didn’t you?”

“I did,” Clint confessed. “Which colonel will you be sending?”

“Hershey,” answered the general. “He is the only colonel that I have brought to Despair with me. I suspect the choice will be made for the rest of the generals here as well. It doesn’t sound as if we have time to send for a replacement.”

“Apparently not,” smiled Clint. “I would like to send Colonel Donil. I wonder if he can just tag along with Colonel Hershey?”

“It sounded like the teams will be sent together as a unit,” answered General Whitman. “Donil will have to go on whatever team he is assigned to.”

“I have not been assigned to a team,” Clint pointed out. “I suspect that Kyrga plans to use the A Corps as a reserve to be used wherever needed, but I would like information on Alcea as much as the next general.”

General Whitman glanced at the paper he was holding and slowly nodded his head. “I hadn’t noticed that your name was not on the list.”

“Well Kyrga did tell each general to chose a colonel,” shrugged Clint. “I might as well send Donil along with your man. At least you will have the benefit of two colonels reporting to you. The additional perspective won’t hurt any.”

“I suppose not,” agreed General Whitman. “I wouldn’t mind having A Corps alongside me when we attack Alcea. I never like to take chances when it comes to warfare.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” smiled Clint. “I will have Colonel Donil meet with Hershey this evening to become better acquainted.”

The generals started to leave the room, leaving the assignment sheets on the chairs as they rose. Clint made a show of leaving his sheet on his chair and then squeezing past the Aertan general. As the group bottlenecked at the door, Clint casually bent down and picked up one of the assignment sheets from an empty chair. He acted as if he were perusing it thoughtfully as he turned to look behind him. The generals behind him were involved in a heated discussion about the horse countries. Clint folded the sheet and shoved it inside his tunic. As soon as he was free of the room, he headed for the nearest exit from the palace and made his way to the barracks where his men were stationed. He entered the barracks and dismissed everyone except Colonel Donil.

“I have a special task for you,” Clint informed the colonel. “You are to locate the encampment of the Twenty-fourth Corps. There is a colonel there by the name of Hershey. Do what you can to befriend him tonight. In the morning, you are going on a long trip with Hershey and a bunch of other colonels. Officially, you are not invited on the trip, but I want you to make sure that you get to go.”

“Just where am I going?” asked the colonel.

“To a land called Alcea,” answered Clint. “The terms of going are that you must avoid capture at any expense, including the loss of your life. Do you understand?”

“Captured by who?”

“The Alceans. We are going to war against them, and the purpose of the trip is to learn more about them. I have some special rules that I want you to follow, but I need to know if you can live by the terms handed down by Grand General Kyrga.”

“I will not be captured,” vowed the colonel. “What are your special rules?”

“I want you to act as a traveler over there. I have no doubt that some of the men going will tend to look upon the Alceans only as an enemy, but that is a foolish path to take. I have found that one can learn a lot more by being friendly to the natives. Be as kind to them as you can. Let them travel with you. Socialize with them. You will find that they will tell you much more when they think you are one of them.”

“I can do that,” promised the colonel. “Why do you say that I am not invited to go?”

“Twenty-four colonels have been given permission to go. I suspect adding one more might be overlooked, but it might not. That is why I want you friendly with Hershey before you depart. Get to know him so that he will support you if anyone tries to reject you. If you are pressed about your eligibility, say that you were told that the A Corps is acting as a reserve and that you had been assigned to accompany the Mya team. Do whatever it takes to get to go on the trip, but under no circumstances are you to admit knowing that you are not listed as eligible. To do so would cause both of us more trouble than we want.”

“Understood.” The colonel nodded. “How long will I be gone?”

“Over a month. Keep notes on what you discover. I will want to review them when you return. I also want you to observe everything and everyone, including your fellow colonels. In addition to Hershey, you will be traveling with a colonel from the Second Corps. I suspect whoever he is, he will try to call the shots. Defer to him when it doesn’t matter, but when you find him doing something stupid, do not be afraid to speak up. You are a good man, Donil. That is why I promoted you. Do not be intimidated by men who have been told that they are superior to you. They are not.”

Colonel Donil flushed as he heard the praise from his superior. “I will make you proud, General,” promised the colonel.

Colonel Donil saluted and departed the barracks. Alone in the barracks, Clint pulled out the assignment sheet and woke up his fairy.

“Memorize this,” instructed the Ranger. “You are to personally take this information to the Bringer.”

Peanut’s eyes grew wide as the Ranger used the fairy name for King Arik. He seldom talked like that.

“Tell the Bringer that one man from each of those general’s armies will be coming through Doors soon. Those men are colonels in the Federation army and they are not to be captured or disturbed in any way. To do so would alert the enemy to our knowledge about the Doors. What the Bringer should attempt to do is to covertly follow each of the men to see where they go and what they do. This will also be a fantastic opportunity for disinformation. Whatever they feed to these men will make it back to the generals leading the invasion. Also inform the Bringer that the invasion will not start until these men return, but slowing the men down will not work to our advantage. The Federation would consider them compromised.”

“This is a lot of information,” chirped the fairy. “The Bringer will be pleased.”

“I don’t know about pleased, but he will be better informed. You should also mention that the group going to Mya may include an additional man if I can get one into the group, but Donil does not know who I really am so he is to be treated like the rest. Can you remember all of that?”

“Certainly,” beamed the fairy.

“Then off with you, my little friend.”

* * * *

Inside the Imperial Palace, Lord Zachary stood outside the Grand Dining Room, looking slightly under the weather. He leaned against the wall in a dark corner of the corridor. When the door to the Grand Dining Room opened and the generals began filing out, he turned to face the corner. For several minutes the corridor became noisy as the talking generals left the area, but it soon quieted down when everyone left. It was only after it became quiet that Lord Zachary felt the slight presence on his chest. He looked down and saw his fairy. Flea wore a blacksuit, and his face and hands were coated in black. In the dark he was almost impossible to see.