"Adams, Robert - Horseclans 10 - Bili the Axe" - читать интересную книгу автора (Adams Robert)

The man who nodded and began to speak looked to be a good ten years younger than the injured brigadier, but in all else they appeared as alike as two peas in a podЧaverage height, solid and powerful bodies with thick and rolling muscles covering big bones. Though only beginning to stipple with errant strands of silver, the colonel's mustache was no less thick and worn in the same, drooping fashion. "Earl Devernee, I cannot but agree with much of what our wise and experienced brigadier has here said. It is long since our

Skohshun pikes have been pressed so hard or stung so bitterly by so small a force of riders. Are we confronted, come spring, with anything approaching the size or composition of that stout band of warriors who stung us so badly in the most recent engagement, my voice will be unequivocally added to that of the brigadier.

"However, Earl Devernee, there is this additional matter to consider: Badly as they hurt us, I'm of the considered opinion that they were hurt worseЕ far and away worse. And such as I have squeezed out of the prisoners taken on that field tends to bear out my assumptions. These Kuhmbuhluhners have been here but a few generations; they were not very many who arrived and they are not many more now. Almost all of their nobility were among the heavy-armed horse who fought us so tenaciously, so splendidly, last autumn, and we all know how few of that force rode or hobbled or crawled off that bloody field.

"Therefore, I seriously doubt that we need even think of facing another such battle, for, brave and daring and stubborn and altogether worthy as these foemen have proved themselves to be, I surmise that their strength now is so sapped that they no longer can offer any dangerous sort of open battle."

The old brigadier cleared his throat explosively.' 'Haarrmph.'"

The colonel immediately fell silent and, after a moment, the earl nodded his permission for the senior officer to speak.

"I have seen more than sixty springs, and I have been on campaign for nearly fifty of those war seasons, and I am here to tell you all that no formation, no tactic, no folk are ever unbeatable, least of all us Skohshuns; we've been routed in the pastЧalthough no one of you is old enough to remember itЧand in just such a situation as this. The folk who broke the hedge that time were much like our present opponentsЧ stark, brave warriors whom we had sapped and bled and pushed to the very wall over a period of years just as we have done here with these Kuhmbuhluhners."

The young earl nodded. "Yes, brigadier, I think I recall my late father speaking of that disaster. Kleetuhners, weren't they, those who routed us?"

The old officer had another swig of beer, then shook his head. "No, Earl DeverneeЕ but yes, too. Yes, we were defeated once by the Kleetuhners, but that was many years ere even I was born and they are not the folk of whom I'm here talking; it was subsequent to our eventual merger with the Kleetuhners that our current tactics were developed and perfected.

"No, it was over forty years ago, this time of which I speak. I was then an ensign of foot and I came damned bloody close to dying that day, so I remember it full well. There was never a merger with those valiant folk possible. So long and hard and unstintingly did they oppose us that, in the end, we found it necessary to slay every adult male and female and many of the young'uns, even. The empty lands and a very few children was all we secured in the end.

"Those admirable folk called themselves Sinsnatyers, and almost every one of the couple of score boy children we adopted of them has become a fighter of note in Skohshun ranks. I greatly fear that if we push these Kuhmbuhluhners too hard, too far, we may well end with a similar situation or a worse one, mayhap. We now know their mettle and they ours, so should we now offer to treatЕ ?"

All of the other officers made to speak, but Earl Devemee forestalled them, raising his hand and saying, "Alright, brigadier, nothing can be lost by trying your idea; we can't fight for some months, yet, anyway. You choose three heralds, send them to me, and I'll draw up a set of demands and concessionsЧa great many of the former and a very few of the latter, of course."

But the brigadier frowned. "I had been thinking along lines more of negotiation between more or less equals, Earl Devernec, but we can try it your way, to start. Don't any of you be surprised, however, if these feisty bastards send back both heralds and list with detailed instructions as to where we can insert said list!"

General James Hiram Corbett, U.S.A., returned the saber flourish with a hand salute and acknowledged the crisp report of his subordinate, Major Gumpner, with a nod of the head. Then he smiled. "Okay, Gump, let's get this show on the road. I'll join the column after I've had a few last words with Dr. Sternheimer."

As the major trotted off toward the formation of men and their beasts, Corbett reined his big riding mule around and toed it over to the communications building. There he dismounted, hitched the mule and strode inside. After returning the salute and greeting of the duty sergeant, he said, "Get the Center for me, please. Dr. Sternheimer, of course."

The young radio operator seated himself at his console, threw several switches, turned some knobs, then began to intone, "Broomtown Base calling J&R Kennedy Research Center."

"Center, here," the reply presently came. "Who are you calling?"

The general strode over to the console and picked up a mike. "This is General Corbett. Get me Dr. Sternheimer, stat!"

"I'm already here, Jay," a smooth, deep voice replied. "I had an idea that you'd call just before you left. Have you thought of something else we can supply?"

"No, David, we're as well equipped as it's possible for us to be, now. Barring unforeseen circumstances, I'll be in contact with you or the Broomtown Base once every day, most likely when we halt for the night. Is that a suitable arrangement?"

"Of course it is, JayЧwhatever is easiest for you and your party. Your mission is vital to us, here at the Center, so you'll get all the cooperation we can afford you. How soon do you think you'll need the copters?"

Wrinkling his forehead, the officer answered, "We'd best just play that one by ear, David. At this stage, I simply am incapable of estimating a date. My intel sources lead me to believe that there is a great deal of movement up north, so much that it sounds like a migration of some people or other. Since they're said to be heading west and south and east, we are certain to come face to face with them no matter where we angle our route of march, which most likely means fighting at least part of our way."

"Then perhaps you should have more troops, JayЧand I think there are some machine guns in the Center armory, too."

Corbett sighed. "David, David, you mean so well, I know, but you simply don't understand the logistics here. If these four troops of dragoons can't do the job, then a damned full-strength regiment couldn't accomplish it. And supplying more than the two hundred and fifty-odd now in this force would be a real nightmare; the preparations alone would probably keep us from starting before this time next year, if that early."

"Well, then, Jay, how about those machine guns? I can have them up there in only a few hoursЕ ?"