You wish to join them? It is well. But I entreat you—take what you want and go.”
Hansu dropped his empty hands. “Good enough. We shall not invade your village, Corban. Send us supplies and one hundred guen—those broken to saddle use. And we shall not be deceived if you give us wild ones, but if you do we shall come and choose for ourselves.”
The Corban raised his hands to his breast and then to his forehead in the salute a vassal renders his lord. “War Lord, it shall be even as you say. We shall bring you a conqueror’s share and thank you for your mercy.”
The Llor party went back to the village and Hansu addressed the shrunken Horde.
“—that’s the picture. From this fellow’s description there must be a full Mech Legion at Tharc. They have heavy stuff as well as wings with them.”
“What about Truce Law?” called a voice from the ranks.
“Let’s face it. Truce Law was broken when they flamed Yorke and the rest. Mech renegades aren’t alone in this—they couldn’t have brought in heavy stuff without help—a lot of it. And now they believe they can settle us whenever they wish. I don’t care how much backing they have—they don’t dare let any news of this get back to Prime. So their first move will be to shut us away from the ships at Tharc.”
Shut off from Tharc—bottled up on Fronn—unable to get away. Kana watched the uncertainty mirrored on the faces of those about him begin to change to something else—a grim determination. Generations ago the weaklings, the irresolute, had been weeded and bred out of the Combatant strain. h
Hansu dropped his empty hands. “Good enough. We shall not invade your village, Corban. Send us supplies and one hundred guen—those broken to saddle use. And we shall not be deceived if you give us wild ones, but if you do we shall come and choose for ourselves.”
The Corban raised his hands to his breast and then to his forehead in the salute a vassal renders his lord. “War Lord, it shall be even as you say. We shall bring you a conqueror’s share and thank you for your mercy.”
The Llor party went back to the village and Hansu addressed the shrunken Horde.
“—that’s the picture. From this fellow’s description there must be a full Mech Legion at Tharc. They have heavy stuff as well as wings with them.”
“What about Truce Law?” called a voice from the ranks.
“Let’s face it. Truce Law was broken when they flamed Yorke and the rest. Mech renegades aren’t alone in this—they couldn’t have brought in heavy stuff without help—a lot of it. And now they believe they can settle us whenever they wish. I don’t care how much backing they have—they don’t dare let any news of this get back to Prime. So their first move will be to shut us away from the ships at Tharc.”
Shut off from Tharc—bottled up on Fronn—unable to get away. Kana watched the uncertainty mirrored on the faces of those about him begin to change to something else—a grim determination. Generations ago the weaklings, the irresolute, had been weeded and bred out of the Combatant strain. h