The Stones of Nomuru

Salazar directed the Rangers to pitch camp on the outskirts of Neruu. He was inspecting this battalion and checking their equipment and supplies when General Jidsho appeared on the road from Shongaro at the head of a column of juten cavalry. Jidsho dismounted and approached Salazar abject with apologies:

"Honorable Sarasara, I withdraw the hurtful statements I have made against you. General Shta's mendacious letter to me did in time reach the Empress, whereupon she dismissed her faithless servant and appointed me commander-in-chief in his place. So, esteemed savant, I owe my elevation in part to you. To honor you and your Rangers, I shall post them at the place where the Choshas will mount their main assault, wherever it transpires that this will be."

To be posted at the most dangerous place on the battlefield was an honor that Salazar would cheerfully have forgone; but having talked himself into a position of military responsibility, he found no alternative to seeing it through. After the full ritual of good wishes, Jidsho withdrew to set up his own headquarters.

When Salazar reported to Jidsho the next day, the general had just finished interviewing a Shongo soldier, a fugitive from the battle at Hetori. According to this informant, he had seen a long Chosha column moving across the low ridge that separated the watershed of the Dzariki from that of the Mozii.

"Unless this be a feint," said Jidsho, "the invaders plan to take the Nomuru route and seize control of the south bank of the Sappari. Deploy your Rangers forthwith at the ruins of Nomuru; but hold yourself prepared to hasten back to Neruu if it transpire that the main attack will be toward the modern town. Now excuse me; I go to address the assembled Shongorin, informing them that they are now subjects of Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Gariko of Feënzun."

Salazar's Rangers settled into camp along the northern side of the Nomuru site, their numbers spilling out along both sides of the Nomuru-Henderson road. Under Salazar's watchful eye, the squads in turn patrolled the area and performed simple drills. They waited one day, two days, three days. At last Kara asked: "What's holding up the Choshas? From the look of my map, they should have been here on the heels of your Rangers."

Salazar shrugged. "Probably stopped to loot the towns along the way and kill the inhabitants. Jidsho's been questioning fugitives."

"A battle would be easier to bear than all this waiting!"

"You may think different when you see an actual battle. Anyway, the delay has given us time to position all the Frontier Force."

On the fourth day, Salazar was putting a squad of Rangers through a dummy rifle drill when the chug of a steam car brought him around. Approaching the Nomuru site, now serving as a drill field, came the black-browed Conrad Bergen, seated behind Pokrovskii and Bergen's Kook chauffeur. Salazar called to Kara, who was perched on a nearby Kookish mile-post writing in her notebook.

"Kara, look!" he said softly, jerking a thumb toward the approaching vehicle. He gave an order in Feënzuo to his squad: "Load your magazines, put one round in the chamber, and follow me. Protect me if I am attacked."

As Kara hastened toward him, he said: "Don't you think you'd better go hide somewhere?"

Head up, she replied: "I'll stick with you."

The car drew to a halt in a cloud of vapor, and the two passengers clambered out. Bergen reached into the vehicle and heaved out a large gun, which Salazar recognized as the developer's big-game rifle.

"Well?" said Salazar quietly, as his eight Rangers clustered behind him.

"Whaddya mean, well!" snorted Bergen. "I see you two have been off in the boonies again. You can't tell me there hasn't been any monkey business between you! And I've told you, she's my woman!"

"I'm not your woman, and you know it!" snapped Kara with a steely glare.

Salazar, more evenly, added: "And it's none of your affair, whether there's been any monkey business, as you call it, or not. We're going to have a battle here at any time; so take your buggy and head back for Henderson, before you're caught in the cross fire!"

Bergen's voice rose: "Goddamn it, you can't order me around! If—"

"Oh, yes I can! I've got the firepower."

"Gentlemen!" said Pokrovskii soothingly. "Please! Pozhaluista! We must not make a spectacle in front of natives. Why not walk out on site for talking, where half de Kook army can't hear?"

"Okay, but I'll take my soldiers," said Salazar. He chose four Rangers to stay with him.

"If you're going to talk about me," said Kara determinedly, "I want to be there, too."