Union Forever Page 48

And then but an hour ago, yet another report had arrived that a fleet was seen far down the coast, coming up with two gunboats in the lead.

  "We'll be splitting our forces if we do," Hans said, his voice full of despair. "Cromwell's got the Ogunquit and four gunboats. If the report is right, we only have two. At best Andrew will be able to land whatever he has left down on the coast and then bring them up here. If we attack, we'll be pouring men into the city, and Cromwell can shell the town into oblivion. And remember, we're going to lose a hell of a lot of men in the process. By tomorrow we might have thousands of our best-trained troops, fully armed, to support us."

  "By morning they'll be ferrying Merki across," Pat replied. "They'll have a foothold on this side, they'll have our capital and Mikhail with them. For God's sake, that bastard might be able to turn some of the outlying cities against us. Remember these people, Hans—the city is the symbol to them, even more than the factories. We abandoned it to spare it, figuring Andrew would come back and we'd somehow take it back. With Mikhail backed by the Merki, it's finished.

  "At the very least give me the chance to kill the son of a bitch and put up a fight for Suzdal. It just might rattle Cromwell if this springs up at the same time Andrew's closing in."

  Hans stood up, paced to the far end of the room, and looked out the window.

  "It'll be dark in another couple of hours," he said quietly and then looked back at Kal.

  "Your opinion, General Schuder," Kal said evenly.

  Hans walked over to where O'Donald sat, and leaning over he reached into the artilleryman's jacket and fished out a cigar.

  "My last one," O'Donald protested.

  "We'll split it," Hans said, breaking it in half, holding the two ends up, and then tossing the smaller portion back. He bit off a sizable chew and looked at the small group of government officers and regimental commanders that flanked the table around Kal and Casmar.

  "I've always believed in two rules of war," Hans said. "First is get your strength together and punch the bastards with everything you have. The second is hit him first and keep on pushing him off balance.

  "If we wait, we'll obey that first rule. If we go in tonight, it'll be the second, because once those Merki start pouring into the city, we'll never get it back."

  Chewing vigorously, he looked down at the floor and then with a shrug let out a jet of dirty brown juice into a comer of the room.

  "Attack tonight. That damn redheaded mick is right. I know Andrew—he isn't going to wait, he's going to come crashing straight in, because damn him I taught him damn near everything he knows about the fine art of killing. If we attack, maybe we'll take some pressure off his side of things."

  O'Donald pounded the table with his fist and looked over at Kal.

  "Then do it, and may Kesus look down upon all of us," Kal said evenly.

  "I wish to speak with you."

  Nervously, Tobias looked up at Hulagar.

  "I want to make sure this gun is mounted correctly. Then we'll talk," Tobias said sharply, pointing to the huge bulk of the hundred-pounder that had laboriously been moved up from the stern to replace the damaged gun, which had been sent back down to the aft end of the ship.

  "That can wait," Hulagar said.

  Tobias could not help but notice the distinct difference in tone Hulagar had adopted since the retreat of yesterday. He wanted to shout back at him to wait, but somehow he sensed that the ability to do that had been lost.

  Beckoning for Tobias to follow, Hulagar pulled open the hatch to the lower deck, bent over, and inched down the ladder, Tobias following. Gaining the lower deck, Hulagar walked doubled over, his long arms dragging along the floor, and stepped into the confined quarters where he and the other Merki were berthed. Nervously Tobias stepped into the room, trying to suppress a gag.

  The creatures had a strong musky smell, which was near to overpowering in the confined quarters. In the dim lamplight they looked at him coldly.

  "When will Keane's fleet arrive here?"

  "Sometime after sundown."

  "And your plans?"

  "I'm going out tonight," Cromwell said quietly.

  "No. For tonight you are to stay here in the river."

  Tobias felt as if his heart were about to stop. Just what the hell were they doing? When he had finally realized the full extent of his losses, he had known it was over. Once the damage was repaired and the firewood replenished, his plan was finally clear. He'd pull the ship out, and then at the right moment kill all of the Merki bastards. Once freely out to sea, he'd use the Cartha crew the same way he had used the Suzdalians who had followed him before. Hell, with the Ogunquit intact the Bantag would surely make him an offer.

  "Why is it so important to stay here tonight? By tomorrow they might have us bottled in."

  "With what, two smashed-up ironclads? You know there's no great ship—you heard what the prisoners said."

  Tobias cringed inwardly. The humiliation of that revelation had seared into him. He could see it in the eyes of his crew, in the eyes of Hulagar.

  "They are lying," Tobias said quickly.

  "I have broken many human bones," Hulagar said darkly. "I know when their screams are truth and when they are lies."

  Tobias fell silent. Again it was the same, the table before him, the taunting stares from the other side.

  "Even I was fooled by the ship," Tamuka said evenly. "Such things often happen in battle. Victory can come from deceit as easily as from force of arms."

  Tobias looked over at the Merki, wondering why he offered such an excuse.

  "Perhaps we should kill him now and simply take the ship," Tamuka said softly in Merki, looking back over at Hulagar. "He must suspect something."

  "There are three hundred Carthas on this ship and but twenty of us," Hulagar replied forcefully. "None of them know the Vushka are here. If we should kill Cromwell, they might grow suspicious, they might turn, they might even go to the other side. Play out the false promise this one last night. Let him think he will rule this place, though the fool must realize that with his army lost all hope is gone. We must not allow a single enemy ship to gain the river. He knows how to fight this ship. Let us not create a deceit within ourselves to think we can do it.

  "Could any of you have understood yesterday's fight and commanded it?"

  He deliberately looked at Vuka, who said nothing.

  "We still need him, though he does not understand why. Tomorrow when the Vushka are in the city we will see. He will be brought ashore and our warriors will secure the ship. If he reacts well, he will live. We can still use him to make yet more such ships."

  "Just hold the river open—that is all we ask for now," Hulagar said, looking back to Tobias and speaking in Cartha.

  Tobias nodded slowly, unable to reply.

  "We have twenty-two galleys left, do we not?"

  "Yes."

  "It would be foolish to waste them in battle," Hulagar said absently. "They should stay safely in the city."

  "I still need something to patrol forward," Tobias insisted. "They're a lot faster in the short run than one of my gunboats."

  "Vuka," Hulagar said quietly.

  He looked up with a start.

  "I want you to command a galley. You are to patrol in front of the Ogunquit tonight. We need someone with the night eyes that these humans do not have."

  Vuka nodded slowly, and said nothing.

  "We must offer Tobias some logical hope," Tamuka said in Merki, as if Hulagar's orders were but a minor detail.

  Hulagar nodded in agreement.

  "It is not as grim as you believe," Hulagar said, looking back to Tobias. "Our Qar Qarth has created something that will soon be here to help you."

  "What?" Tobias asked suspiciously.

  "A device that you first told us of and how to make," and as Hulagar continued to talk a growing smile crossed Tobias's features.

  As the galley swung in toward the beach, Andrew felt the nervousness would cause him to explode. The first
wave of five ships had landed ten minutes ago; the line of skirmishes had disembarked and gone up over the edge of the beach into the high grass. A light splatter of musketry was starting to ring out.

  It was damn near the same spot where they had first arrived here over three years before. The low mound of their temporary earthworks was now overgrown, returning back into the earth.

  The bottom of the galley scraped into the sand. Andrew grabbed the side railing to keep his balance as the ship came to a stop a dozen yards from shore.

  The survivors of the 35th, who had been at the oars, started to come forward, leaping over the sides, rifles and cartridge boxes held high. Andrew hesitated for a second, then, sitting up on the side railing, he slid over into the warm water and advanced with his men. The blue wave of men rose up out of the water, going into the shadows, following their shot-torn standards retrieved from the wreck of the Suzdal.

  He found it all to be slightly ironic. Over three years before, they had sailed on the Ogunquit to do precisely this, make an amphibious assault on a Confederate fort. Well, they were finally doing it, but it was to fight against the commander of the ship which had brought them here.

  Another galley slid in, and then an entire wave of twenty ships hit the beach one after the other.

  "We've got a messenger, sir!"

  Several of the men from the scout ship came running back to the beach, half-dragging a man from the 44th New York between them.

  The artilleryman, seeing Andrew, found the strength in his legs to come forward and snap to attention.

  "Sergeant Ciencin reporting, sir, and damn glad to see you alive."

  Andrew returned the salute, then stepped forward and shook the sergeant's hand.

  "I'm damn glad to be back, Ciencin. Now report."

  "Sir, Sergeant, I mean General, Schuder sent out a half-dozen of us men from the 44th along with guides to try to find you. It's been a hell of a day getting through.

  "Sir, Mikhail turned traitor, and he's got the city."

  "I know that."

  "Well, sir, O'Donald is leading an assault into the city tonight to try to take it back."

  Andrew looked over as Marcus, with Vincent beside him, came running up the beach to join him.

  "What the hell for?" John asked, "We'll be up there by tomorrow with nearly all our troops."

  "The Merki are closing in, sir."

  "What?"

  "Just that, sir. The Merki hit our defense line to the southwest three days ago and cut right through it. I was sent out this morning to reach you. I guess by now they're most likely on the other side of the river."

  "What's the road like up to the city?" Even as he spoke, the light rain of musket fire ahead was increasing in volume.

  "Damn near impossible, sir. I had to go way the hell around the reservoir and ride cross-country. They've got raiding parties out in a wide net. Sneaking down here I lost my Rus guide and both our horses. I'd say near old Fort Lincoln they must have near a thousand men that they landed there yesterday. Though I didn't see it myself, I stopped up with the fellas that were holding the mines and they claim they saw two gunboats anchored to cover the road."

  "A damn good delaying force," Andrew said sharply.

  "That explains why Cromwell didn't come out," Vincent said. "The Merki want him to cover the river while they cross over."

  "Where the hell is Ferguson?"

  "Over here, sir!" The engineer came up out of the water to join the group.

  "We're going to do it now, tonight!"

  "All right, sir," Ferguson said wearily. "I had a gut feeling you'd want to rush into this.

  "I'm going to have to rig them up in the dark. It'll be a bit touchy once I set the triggers on them, so I'd strongly advise everyone to clear this section of beach."

  "How many were you able to make?"

  "Only six, sir. There's precious little powder and not enough time."

  "Get to work then."

  Andrew looked back at the rest of his staff.

  "Darkness or not, we're going to drive toward the city tonight. The 35th will lead the advance in a line of skirmishers. They're to be supported by the first brigade of the second. I want a brigade to swing out wide to our right flank. Find some men in your units who live around here to act as guides. They might have a surprise up in the hills, but I doubt it—I think what they've got left will either be in the city or deployed as a blocking force. The rest of the army will follow the advance of the 35th.

  "Any questions?"

  "A night march is awful risky, sir," Vincent said.

  "It'll be just as risky for them. I want to keep the pressure on. When O'Donald hits, I don't want them to be able to shift support. Besides, it'll give us cover if we've got to run the boats or flank past Fort Lincoln."

  Andrew paused for a moment.

  "Ciencin? Kal, Hans, all the others," and he hesitated for a brief second, "and my wife—are they all right?"

  "They're fine."

  And he breathed a sigh of relief.

  "My wife?" Vincent asked nervously.

  "She couldn't be better. Sir, it was yourself we thought was dead—they sent your sword in to us. They said all of you were gone, but I knew better than that. The good Lord wouldn't want any of you, and the devil would lock his gates at the sight of you, so here's the only place we figured you could be."

  Andrew smiled and then looked over at John.

  "Colonel Mina, you will assume the command of the 35th. General Hawthorne, you will act as his second."

  "What are you talking about, sir? You're in command of the 35th," John replied suspiciously.

  "I'm going in with the boats."

  "Now wait a minute, Keane," Marcus snapped.

  "No arguments," Andrew said quietly. "Marcus, you're staying here on the beach. I'm giving you an order."

  "Me an order?" Marcus roared.

  Andrew smiled sadly.

  "Maybe this idea of Ferguson's won't work, maybe it will. By tomorrow morning the Merki might be in Suzdal, and the Ogunquit will come booming back down that river, with two beaten-up ironclads to fight her. If that's the case, Marcus Licinius Graca, as a representative of the Republic of Rus I am releasing you from the bonds of your alliance. You're to take the galleys and get the hell out of here as fast as you can. Get back to Roum, try to carry on the fight from there. There are enough tools there for you to rearm. I'd like to think that at least Roum in the end will defy the Merki and survive."

  "That's one hell of an alliance," Marcus snapped. "As consul I gave my word to this bond, and I will not abandon you now."

  "And what the hell good can you do here if we lose?" Andrew snapped angrily. "Stand on the beach, your men armed with spears and swords, and tomorrow the Merki come thundering out of Rus, while the Ogunquit smashes everything you have on the beach? You've got nine thousand men, Marcus. Take them back and use them where they can do the most good."

  Marcus shook his head.

  "In the morning you might see better," Andrew said quietly, "so don't let your pride stop you from what is right for you and your people."

  "Andrew, you're not going in with the boats," Vincent said sharply.

  Andrew looked over at Vincent, surprised that he had addressed him by his first name.

  "That's Colonel Keane," Andrew replied, his voice almost gentle. "And yes, I am going in with the boats, and by God you are staying on shore as ordered.

  "Gentlemen, I'm getting started over here, so would you all kindly clear this section of beach," Ferguson shouted.

  Andrew looked over his shoulder and saw Ferguson standing in the water in front of one of the smaller fifty-man Roum galleys, with a crew of Rus soldiers around him dragging a long slender pole.

  "The discussion here is finished," Andrew said sharply. "Now, gentlemen, get to your posts, and God willing we'll see each other in Suzdal come morning."

  Andrew turned away and started to walk down to join Ferguson.

  "Why?"


  Andrew looked over his shoulder and saw Vincent following him.

  "I think you if anyone should understand," Andrew replied.

  Vincent hesitated, and then a sad smile crossed his features as he stopped and wearily saluted.

  "I'll see you in the morning, sir."

  "So that is the city of the accursed Yankees," Jubadi said coldly, dropping the reins on his horse as it lowered its head to drink from the Neiper River.

  "It will make a wonderful fire when the time comes," Suvatai replied.

  "My Qar Qarth."

  Jubadi shifted in his saddle and from out of the darkness Hulagar emerged. Coming up to stand before Jubadi, he bowed low, pressing his forehead against Jubadi's foot before rising again.

  "Is all in order?"

  "There have been problems, my lord."

  "Then tell me."

  When Hulagar had finished recounting the events of the campaign, Jubadi sat in silence for long minutes.

  "I should have slit his throat as soon as the boat was finished and manned it with our own."

  "It might still have turned out the same in the end, my Qar Qarth," Hulagar replied. "We lost nearly fifteen thousand Carthas in the fight. That would have been an umen and a half of our finest warriors. Better their blood spilled to weaken the Yankees than ours. That is how it was planned from the beginning."

  "I want our people going into the city tonight," Jubadi said sharply. "This Keane has proved himself far too resourceful already, far beyond what we had ever dreamed possible. If he is still alive, let him return tomorrow and see our warriors manning his walls."

  Jubadi laughed at the thought of it. The legendary fortress of Suzdal turned upside down to keep out the very cattle who had built it.

  "The boats are waiting, my lord, just up the river."

  "Return to your ship, Hulagar. We will get started here."

  "Shit!"

  "Goddammit," O'Donald whispered, "of course it's shit. Now shut the hell up."

  He looked back up over the edge of the pipe. The walls of the northwest bastion were less than fifty yards away. He knew there would be people up there, but the weather was still playing to him, the clouds concealing the light from the Great Wheel and the twin moons, which would be rising soon.