Rebels of Akrona

Part Four

by G. Lawrence

The Army of Liberation

In Slave of Akrona, a young soldier had been taken captive on a conquered planet 1,200 light years from Earth. After seven years as a slave, he escaped into the mountains with his pregnant wife and 9-year-old nephew. Shalli died on the mountain giving birth to Hope, but she has not been forgotten. Rebels of Akrona is being told in eight parts.

Recap: After escaping from Karak the previous winter, Grey is organizing a raiding party to free the slaves from their chains. On another world, Lady Gamtra also takes an interest in the slave camp.

* * * * * *

Chapter Six

TWO WORLDS

Four hundred and twenty-six light years from Akrona, on a swampy green planet with a bright yellow sun, a ground vehicle halted before a majestic limestone gate. Large enough for eight passengers, the runner held but one traveler.

"Kall' Tree, my lady," the driver announced, helping young Livy disembark.

"Sherra's blessing," Livy said, offering a small gemstone. But the driver declined.

"Your family does much for the lower orders, my lady. I take no gratuity," the driver begged off, dipping eye-rings in reverence. He dropped off her travel bag and departed, the transport disappearing down a long country road.

It was a lovely day, the weather mild. Livy smoothed the ruffles of her lavender suit, her cheeks glowing blue as she entered the vast estate. She found thriving orchards and sleepy willow trees. Jastron the Caretaker came forward to carry her satchel.

"Lady Gamtra awaits your arrival," Jastron said, bowing low.

Livy noticed that Jastron was short for an Arikhan, under two meters, and stockier than most. Nearly eighty orbits old, he was showing his age, the cheeks turning browner.

They approached an elegant residence made of sandstone and shale, the upper floor featuring broad sundecks. Lady Gamtra appeared in the doorway, her light gray tongue lashing with excitement.

"Welcome, my cousin," Gamtra greeted, brushing claws.

"It is good to see you again, Lady Gamtra," Livy replied.

"I am still Dogra among family, impertinent egg," Gamtra said, leading the way through the atrium to a lush flower garden.

It took no urging for Livy to strip naked and enter the greenish pond, lounging in the warm water. Gamtra joined her as Jastron served a fine Lafarian wine. Gamtra had to suppress a tinge of jealousy. Though considered attractive, for a middle-aged aristocrat, Gamtra couldn't help noticing how smooth Livy's skin was, or how gracefully her slim body moved through the water. Not yet twenty-three orbits old, Livy had a thousand years of perfect breeding behind her.

"The troubles on Akrona continue," Gamtra said. "When production at Karak fell to such low levels, I thought Kanatro would restore Lord Gamtro's methods, but he is a fool."

"To treat slaves as anything but food causes great controversy," Livy warned, her large red-brown eyes glancing cautiously about the garden. "Mordari is arrested for her heresy."

"The Voice of Sherra stands martyr for our blindness."

"You know I agree, but it is dangerous to say such words. With your Chronicles receiving much attention, you may soon be called before a commission."

"I am no commoner as Mordari is. Even the Retrenchment must think carefully before challenging a great house."

"It is still dangerous. Let the Committee of Commerce produce their report before telling more tales of your slave child."

"You love Shalli, too."

"Yes, she is a charming creature," Livy agreed, dipping eye-rings. "It has been a full orbit since we visited Karak. It broke your heart to see Shalli's home reduced to ashes."

"Mordari called it a desecration."

"You put much pressure on Kanatro, but little has been heard from Karak since."

"This is why I have called for you, my dearest. Governor Zenatro suppresses production reports. I need someone to pay a call on Va'ragashant. Find out what the waddling corruption is hiding."

"Bynatro makes a new survey for the Fleet Commission. I will accompany his committee and make a trip to Karak."

"No, Karak is too dangerous. Find a reliable agent to make the investigation."

"No commoner will be allowed to audit Kanatro's books."

"I would rather you did not go. Find another path," Gamtra insisted.

The aristocrats were nearly done with their bathing when Jastron returned, his face drawn and eye-rings bent.

"Sorry news, Lady Gamtra," Jastron reported. "The Supreme Council has found Mordari guilty of heresy."

"What sentence?" Gamtra asked.

"It is not decided. The Retrenchment demands her death, but the Council of Warriors fears a martyr."

"They will not still Mordari's voice," Livy said.

Gamtra was not so sure. It worried her that their leaders could be so unwise. And she wondered what had happened to Shalli and Ben after they escaped from Karak.

* * * * * *

"We're not prepared for winter," Nole reported, tapping a finger on the long pinewood table. The late fall day was cool and gray.

"Kanatro keeps our supplies meager," Barris complained. "He demands more production."

"How? The power tools are worn out," Clagg complained.

The council chamber was a canvas tent pitched near the southern end of Karak's lake. The burned-out cabin where Shalli and Ben once lived stood a dozen yards away, undisturbed since they had fled into the mountains a year before.

"There's a discovery," Sharlot confessed, brushing back her dark red hair. "A rich layer of akronium lies below the old Wolf mine. Better than anything found in years."

The council members fell silent on the news. Nole, their unofficial leader, considered what it might mean. Forty-five years old, the slim leader of Deer Camp was one of the oldest men in Karak.

"Perhaps we can use the new find to negotiate better conditions?" Clagg suggested.

"No, we shouldn't do that," Barris disagreed.

Barris was the youngest man at the table, now in his mid-thirties, dark-haired, strong and agile. Unlike the others, who represented their camps, Barris held a special status. He was Karak's war captain.

"One day you will avenge your wife," Clagg promised.

"This is not about Tak or my children," Barris explained. "A rich vein of akronium will make our enemies stronger. We may be struggling, but they are struggling, too."

"Black Hands, what do you think?" Sharlot asked.

The healer of the people stood at the tent flap, staring at the charred cabin. Medium height and slender, with long black hair and a graceful figure, Black Hands pondered her many years with Ben. They had begun as enemies and became close friends.

"Barris is right. Revealing new ore will only incite Kanatro's greed," Black Hands said. "The winter may prove difficult, but we'll survive. By spring, at the latest, he'll return."

"Spring? Who?" Clagg asked.

"Ben. Ben will return by spring," Black Hands said.

"I wish that was true, but Ben is probably dead," Nole responded. "Even if he and Shalli somehow survived, they're likely hiding in caves somewhere."

"Ben is not one to hide in caves," Black Hands answered.

"Black Hands is right," Barris insisted. "We must continue to resist. They killed many. If we show weakness, they'll kill more. We need to be strong."

* * * * * *

"I fear this is unwise," Bynatro said, taking a seat in the narrow passenger car. The train consisted of the hydrogen-powered engine, a supply car, the lone passenger car, and a few tenders. The technology was fifty years old.

"We have been to Karak before," Livy said, sitting on a leather stool.

"It was dangerous then, too. Guards were killed. The Group Leader's head was found in a steel box."

"It should be calmer now."

Va'ragashant Station was quiet, the early morning hour keeping the temperature cool. Large windows provided excellent views of the colonial capital. More passengers slowly filtered in.

Livy glanced to the rear of the car, relieved to see Coltara settling in with their luggage. When her long-time servant looked up, Livy gave her an encouraging dip of eye-rings. Though getting old, Coltara was still vigorous. And fearsome when provoked.

"We can still engage an agent. The Mineral Guild has a booth in the Citadel," Bynatro suggested.

"Governor Zenatro avoided a meeting with us. Sardan Leader Kanatro ignored our summons. If we wish to learn conditions at Karak, we must see for ourselves."

It was obvious to the other passengers that the young bureaucrats were of high birth. Where the great majority of Arikhan were brown or gray skinned, Livy had the purest of blue in her cheeks. Bynatro less so, yet still evidence of an exalted house.

"Perhaps a different path may be found?" Bynatro urged.

"Dogra writes a new Chronicle. We must know if Kanatro has restored Karak's prosperity, and if so, by what means."

"Our cousin would not send us to such a place."

"No. My lady would be most upset to learn of our plans," Livy revealed.

"Not our plans. Your plan," Bynatro insisted, lashing his pale tongue.

The train pulled out of Va'ragashant Station, heading south. There were small cities at first, then small towns. Factories lined the tracks producing tools and trade products. Akrona was known for its raw materials, not its culture.

At the outskirts of the province, the first slave camps appeared. It was said those with skills found protection from the pens. For a time. Unskilled workers were destined for the slaughterhouses.

"I did not reflect on their misery during our first visit," Bynatro said, peering out the window. "Now I see what Mordari speaks of."

The mineral processing center at An'cor was located near a meandering river. The train stopped while sixty empty ore cars were attached. Other than Livy's party, the remaining passengers departed, leaving the car feeling empty. They saw a huge assembly plant known for making spaceship components.

"In better days, Akrona made warships for the fleet," Bynatro recalled. "Now all they make are cargo vessels, and not many of those."

"There is still enough production to keep the guilds busy," Livy said.

"Is there? Many of the factories appear idle," Bynatro noticed. "Without akronium, they can't provide protective coatings for the hulls."

"Perhaps operations at Karak aren't going well?" Livy guessed.

The train lumbered into the Varish Expanse, four hundred kilometers of undulating tundra, wilderness, and salt flats. Not until reaching the Rellina River did the land grow green again.

"It looks unsafe," Bynatro said, seeing a long suspension bridge.

"If Zenatro is failing to maintain infrastructure, it will hurt the factories needing Karak's ore," Livy said.

"Could Zenatro be replaced?"

"Maybe you can win the appointment?" Livy teased.

"No thank you. I would rather be a file clerk on Arikhan than Governor of Akrona."

"I would not want such duty either," Livy admitted.

As the train crossed the bridge, they noticed struggling crops out the right-side window. Forested mountains lay to the left. Up ahead was a gravelly valley with a rowdy creek running down the middle.

"Much as before," Bynatro said, observing the forcefield fencing containing the slave population, the energy waves giving off a blue glow. It was a large enclosure, at least twelve kilometers long and several kilometers deep.

"Fewer troops," Livy said. "Not Contingent. Only camp guards."

"I see the food-creatures. They look thin."

Livy got up to see. The slaves appeared undernourished.

"Kanatro may seek to starve them into submission," Livy supposed.

They disembarked at the train station, seeing the old brick gatehouse to their right where the ore tracks connected to the cargo docks. A three-story barracks rose to their left, the log structure offering few frills. Up a forested hill on the east side of the valley was the camp headquarters, a shabby pinewood structure with peeling green paint. Coltara followed them at a distance carrying their bags, two and a half meters tall with broad shoulders and thick legs. Few could guess at her strength, and none would dare test it.

"What incursion is this?" Group Leader Bractro said, stomping toward them.

"The Committee of Commerce has no quarterly reports. We are sent to discover why," Livy said, straightening her thin shoulders.

"Lord Kanatro is not here. He visits the salt camps," Bractro said.

"We don't need your master to read his charts," Bynatro countered.

"Kanatro is the Sarden Leader, not my master," Bractro objected.

"What of the food-creatures? Are they cooperating?" Livy asked.

"They meet the old quotas. Not the quotas filled for Gamtro."

"Baron Gamtro," Livy corrected with bent eye-rings. "Maybe you should not have broken trust with them?"

"The superior race does not indulge food," Bractro protested.

"Nor, it would seem, do you prosper," Livy observed. "Take us to the accounting office. Coltara, find us decent rooms for the night."

"Let there be no delays," Bynatro said, his cheeks flushing dark blue. "I wish to leave this wretched place as soon as possible."

"On that we may agree," Bractro said.

* * * * * *

Chapter Seven

THE ARMY OF LIBERATION

Late in the fall, when cool weather tended to keep Arikhan patrols closer to home, sixty guerrilla raiders rode through the forest to the outskirts of Karak. Riding in leather saddles, the small army made camp above the old logging grounds. A pack train of fifty extra horses brought up the rear, carrying food, tents and weapons.

"The day is already late. We'll wait until sunrise," Grey said, stopping in a clearing surrounded by thick woods. "I'll go forward to reconnoiter. If the hornfeet maintain a normal guard, our numbers will be equal."

"Conapt and I go forward. Our eyes see more in the dusk," Taba said, tugging down his broad-brimmed campaign hat.

Grey paused to look at his command. The traditional clothes of their hunting life were gone, replaced by khaki uniforms and green trim. Canteens and rolled blankets were attached to their saddles. All held composite bows with quivers of steel-tipped arrows, though one in six also carried captured Arikhan pistols.

"Leave the energy rifle with Farina. It's for air cover, not attacking sentry posts," Grey ordered.

Conapt handed the long-stemmed weapon to Farina who placed it in a protective leather case. Then the eager young woman brought her bow back up, studying the strange woods for danger. Many in the battalion were nervous to be so far from home.

"I'll go, too," Garn said, rising in his stirrups.

"I need you here," Grey denied. "You're the only other person who knows the area should something go wrong."

Garn was disappointed but obeyed. Everybody obeyed Akeem.

Around them, the thick growth and steep hillsides provided excellent cover. Grey noticed there had been no new logging, the tools left to rust. The trail where timber had been dragged down into the valley was overgrown. Grey had no doubt the canyon where he and Baron Gamtro had corralled their buffalo herd would prove empty.

Just after sunset, the three scouts walked the final distance, creeping through the thinning trees to a low weed-covered ridge overlooking the southeast corner of the compound. The energy fence gave off its ominous blue glow, visible in the cold evening. Beyond the fence, a hundred campfires burned within the compound, allowing Grey to breathe a sigh of relief. He had worried there would be no one left.

In most respects, Karak appeared much as it had when he first arrived eight years before. Stretching a dozen kilometers below a long wall of steep cliffs, the slaves lived in rustic camps near their mines and quarries. A large lake fed irrigation ditches for the crops. Sparse woods and grassy meadows filled the ground between the mountains and the perimeter fences three kilometers away. Just east of the compound, a creek ran down the center of the valley to the deep blue Rellina River, where a hundred-year-old suspension bridge crossed over into a vast prairie.

"You spent many years here," Conapt said.

"Yes. When I first arrived on Akrona, I was held in Contingent custody," Grey remembered. "They thought I might be a spy or a smuggler. When their interrogations failed to gain information, they sent me to Karak, believing my days would prove short."

"They didn't know who you are," Taba laughingly said.

"They still don't," Grey replied.

"The camp is as you and Garn described," Conapt observed. "Though more terrible than you admitted."

"I cannot imagine life in such a place," Taba agreed.

"The people are not here by choice," Grey said. "The brick building to the left of the railroad tracks is the main gate. There's a guard post on the lower bottom, power controls on the second floor. To the right, on top of that round hill, is the camp headquarters. That's where they keep their communications. The tall structure with all the windows is the barracks. A bigger barracks than I remember."

"There must be a hundred hornfeet," Conapt said, keeping his bow ready.

"Yes. The guard has been reinforced. Maybe the camps have been hard to control," Grey said. "Fortunately, they aren't Contingent."

"Are not all the same?" Conapt asked.

"No. The Contingent is a government militia, drawn from warriors who have fought with the Arikhan fleet. They're an organized fighting force. Camp guards are generally poorly paid and lack such experience."

"The windows of the barracks are lit," Taba said. "Many hornfeet remain indoors. There are also lights coming from the headquarters."

"The armored vehicle is gone, but I see a sentry post guarding the bridge," Grey mentioned, taking out field glasses for a better look.

"What's that big metal wagon?" Taba asked, pointing at the largest machine he had ever seen.

"It's a train," Grey said. "The locomotive pulls the cars along the tracks to move heavy loads, such as ore or equipment. This one travels across the Varish Expanse to the northern processing centers. My people use trains, too. They're easy to build but hard to protect."

"Is it armed? Like the fire weapons of the shaba'kars?" Conapt asked.

"They can be, but aircraft are still more dangerous. Let's fall back before they see us," Grey decided.

Conapt and Taba withdrew first, hunching over as they returned down the gentle slope and through a pasture into the trees. Grey lingered behind for a few minutes, studying the changed conditions. Far to the left, he saw a fire burning at Ferret Camp. A fire burned at Deer Camp. Many fires burned beyond the lake at Raven Camp. The area south of the lake, where he and Shalli had shared a few happy years, was completely dark.

They returned to their camp where tents had been hidden in the trees. The horses were divided into small groups to be watered and fed. Sentries posted at irregular intervals protected the perimeter from surprise. Grey sat alone on a hillside until food was ready. Many had questions.

"What are we going to do? The hornfeet are strong," Taba said.

"Charging down the hill on horseback is out of the question," Grey agreed. "We have three energy blasters, ten pistols, and one laser rifle against their entire arsenal. They have a stockpile of ammunition. Our supplies are low."

"We have sixty bows and a sword," Helva said, drawing the long steel blade and waving it in the air. Taba and Conapt ducked to avoid getting cut.

"I'm not leading archers against a well-armed garrison," Grey said, angry Helva had mentioned it. "You're the core of a new army. You've been rigorously trained. You'll train others. You weren't trained to be stupid."

"We haven't the strength to attack, do we?" Conapt questioned.

"Not charging in like we planned," Grey confirmed. "Even if we're able to drive the Arikhan across the river, they'll reform before we can evacuate the compound. It's ten kilometers to Lopota's supply depot. Thirty kilometers to Eagle Station where Raynaar's flight crew stands by. Our shaba'kar can only carry forty people at a time. I don't see how we can outrun pursuit by such a large force."

Garn brought Grey a thick fur to sit on, giving him sweet root wrapped in a wheat roll. Grey tried to refuse. Farina and Helva came to sit with them, sharing the meal.

"You've got to eat," Garn insisted. "You avoid meals. You never sleep. Everything Shalli warned me about is true."

"The boy is right, Akeem. You don't care for yourself," Helva said.

Grey halfheartedly ate the bread. Taba brought a cup of reeba to wash it down.

"We'll set up an observation post to look for weakness," Grey suggested, eating more than he intended. "I want to study the fence. If we can bring down the power grid in a quick strike, confusion might create opportunities."

"This you have taught us, but you seem reluctant to let us share the risk. War cannot be fought in this manner," Helva insisted.

"In any war, there will be losses," Grey said, remembering the sober advice of an early mentor. "You're right, Helva. I've never been good at sending others to do the fighting. That's why I'll never be a good leader."

Many immediately objected, some too loudly for the perilous conditions. Helva quieted them.

"Akeem speaks true. Always does he think of others before himself. This is why he needs us," Helva declared.

The band settled down, looking at Grey in the dim light cast by the new moon. They believed Helva judged correctly. Garn gave Grey another piece of bread and made him eat it. Farina smiled.

"It's embarrassing to be treated like a child," Grey complained.

"There's no need to be," Helva said, cutting a strip of dried deer meat for him. "You think large thoughts. Your mind travels months and years ahead, then you plan ways to make your visions come true. None of us can do this. It's a gift granted by the gods."

"And if it means we must take extra care of you, it's a small burden to bear," Farina said, squeezing closer.

"Thank you," Grey appreciated. "I haven't decided how to approach this new situation, but know always how much I value your loyalty. There have been times in my life that I've cursed my fate. Times I've found myself in places I didn't want to be. Tonight is not one of them."

"We're privileged to be here, standing at your side," Taba said.

"The warnings you gave us were true. None of us imagined how hard the training would be," Conapt confided.

"Or how much we would learn about horses," Farina added, wrinkling her nose.

"To shoot arrows from the back of a running horse isn't the same as hunting," Taba said. "In the forest, we are quiet. Always careful not to frighten the game. Now we scare our prey with pounding hooves."

"Everyone learns new skills," Conapt said. "Raynaar flies the shaba'kar. Ussan governs the medical corps. Olda leads her pack trains. Leena works the hornfeet communicators."

"Your people have much to be proud of," Grey praised.

"Our people have much to be proud of, Akeem. You are one with us, as we are one with you. Never again expect to walk alone, for we will not permit it," Helva lectured.

"To be Akeem is to walk alone, my good friend, but you'll always be in my heart. All of you," Grey assured them.

Grey finished his meal and went up into the hills, taking his cup of reeba. A few minutes later, Farina followed, though not so discreetly as she wished.

"Akeem's heart is heavy tonight," Helva remarked, stirring embers in the campfire. An owl hooted in the dark woods around them, making many reach for their weapons.

"You should've seen him when we studied the slave camp," Taba said. "He was great with anger but wouldn't let himself show his emotions."

"Mother says Ben was like that when he first arrived at our camp," Garn recalled. "It took Shalli a long time to restore his spirit."

"Maybe Farina can help him? A man like Akeem needs a woman in his furs to keep him balanced," Conapt said, thoughtfully stroking his new beard.

"She's certainly worked hard enough to get there," Taba said with a laugh. Many others laughed, too.

"Farina is good for him. She's strong and lusty. A good hunter. Her family is respected. She knows how to make a man forget his troubles," Helva agreed.

"What do you think, Garn?" Conapt asked.

"Ben has enough troubles already," Garn answered, unable to hide his resentment.

"Just because a man finds a new woman doesn't mean his previous love is lost, Garn. Ben will always love Shalli, but he must move forward. If the heart stops, it dies," Helva cautioned. Garn nodded that he understood, but still found it hard to agree.

"At least he takes an interest. I thought he might never look at a woman again," Conapt said.

"Akeem's been different ever since he captured the hornfeet tools and started the training. He broods less. It's given his life back," Taba confirmed.

"A man needs something to live for," Helva agreed.

On a cold hillside, Grey sat on an outcrop where the distant fires of Karak twinkled like tiny stars. The smaller moon was up in three-quarter phase, Shalli's moon having already set. He finished the reeba and wished he had more. Farina came to sit beside him, skillful enough to follow his trail even in the dark.

"Let me fill your cup," Farina said, pouring from a goatskin.

"Thank you," Grey quietly whispered.

"You're thinking too much again. Haven't I warned you about that?"

"Not thinking. Remembering."

Farina sighed and took his hand, rubbing the calloused fingers.

"Will we attack the hornfeet tomorrow?" she asked.

"We might. I'm not sure yet."

"I've never been in a battle. What's it like?"

"It's different for everybody. Some are so scared they run away. Most are scared but recall their training. There are a few who thrive on battle. It's exciting, in a gut-wrenching sort of way."

"I won't run away," Farina swore, frowning with determination.

"No, you'll be fine. You're a brave girl. Just stay with Helva and Conapt."

"Shalli wasn't a warrior. Would you like me better if I stopped carrying weapons?" Farina nervously asked. Grey laughed.

"Shalli wasn't a warrior, but my first wife was. The most ass-kicking, head-stomping warrior you ever met."

"Can I share your furs tonight?"

"You ask that every night."

"Not every night, but often enough. We've not been together since leaving Saramont."

"It's not appropriate for a commander in the field to share furs with a subordinate."

"Can we be together after the campaign?" she pressed.

"You're bold."

"I'm full grown and once widowed. There's nothing wrong with setting my heart on an attractive man."

"It's not wrong, but we've discussed this. You should not have such high expectations."

"You're going to say yes, eventually. Aren't you? Aren't you going to say yes eventually?"

"Perhaps."

"Perhaps? Is that your way of saying yes?"

"It means perhaps, but not tonight. I'm fond of you, Farina, but I'm not ready for a relationship. When I am, you'll be the first to know."

"Is that a promise?" she asked, up on her knees. Grey gave her an affectionate kiss on the lips.

"That's enough for tonight, little warrior. Go to bed. We have hornfeet to kill tomorrow."

Farina did not argue, returning to camp with a spring in her step.

* * * * * *

The next morning, just before dawn, Garn went to wake Grey. He wasn't in his tent. Garn searched the bushes used for relieving purposes, then the corral. Grey wasn't in camp. Several Arikhan weapons were missing.

"Conapt, Ben is gone," Garn said, poking into his tent.

"Who stands guard?" Conapt asked, shaking Taba awake.

"It should be Trigg, but I don't see him either," Garn reported.

Conapt and Taba climbed from their furs, rousing others as they went to the picket line where the horses were tethered. Grey's graceful black stallion was still there, the saddle resting on a nearby log. Trigg silently approached from the western trail.

"Where have you been? Where's Akeem?" Taba asked.

"Akeem has gone to scout the enemy stronghold," Trigg said, a tall redheaded youth with a bow slung over his shoulder.

"Why didn't you wake us?" Conapt complained.

"Akeem said not to. He ordered me to ready the horses, but otherwise remain quiet," Trigg answered, scrunching his thick eyebrows.

Helva arrived, struggling to tighten the sword belt around his large waist. Sunrise was breaking through the trees to the east, the morning air cool.

"What should we do?" Conapt asked.

"Does anyone know why Akeem would go forward alone?" Helva said.

"He must look for weakness in the new day," Taba replied.

"Ben goes to attack the power grid," Garn exclaimed with sudden realization. "I'm sure of it. If the fences lose power, there will be nothing but guards to threaten the people."

"Can he sneak in by himself?" Conapt asked.

"He can sneak in, I worry if he can sneak out," Taba responded.

Garn wasn't worrying. He threw a lightweight saddle on his horse and began cinching the stirrups. Taba and Conapt started to saddle their horses.

"Akeem said to wait here," Trigg warned.

"Akeem tries too hard to protect his army," Taba replied, jumping on his horse even as Garn was already riding out of camp.

Though no orders were given, the rest of the band quickly followed. The horses snorted and pawed the ground, sensing this morning was different than the thirty mornings that preceded it. The warriors felt the difference, too, moving rapidly but quietly through the forest, past the old logging grounds and stopping in the pasture behind the south ridge. Helva and Taba crawled on their bellies to the crest of the weed covered rise where they could see. Garn and Farina were already there.

"It looks quiet. The workers haven't left for the mines yet," Garn said.

"I've never seen a slave camp before. It's huge. No wonder Ben thought freeing everyone would be hard," Farina observed.

"I don't see him," Taba worried, a morning mist rising from the valley.

"He must already be in the gatehouse. If he finds the power grid, he may try to sabotage the controls," Garn guessed.

"In what manner would this be good?" Helva asked.

"The fences are formed of energy, like the electricity you use to light the caves. If the grid collapses, the fences won't have power," Garn explained.

"It's a good plan," Helva said.

"Maybe not," Taba questioned, pointing to a plume of smoke rising from the north end of the two-story brick building.

Guards started running toward the gatehouse. Only a few at first. No alarm sounded. Soon a four-wheeled fire wagon was rolled toward the main doors.

"Akeem seeks to slip away under cover of the smoke," Helva said. "Taba, arrange the command behind the ridge. We'll screen Akeem's escape should it be necessary. Robar, return to the pack train. Summon the reserve. Everyone will come forward."

Taba and Farina crawled back to organize the rangers while Helva and Garn watched several Arikhan drag a canvas hose off the wagon toward the gatehouse. Two other guards carried flame retarding extinguishers but weren't using them. It amazed Helva that none of them suspected the fire might be part of an attack on the compound.

"Can the hornfeet be so careless?" Helva asked.

"No one has ever tried to free Karak, Helva," Garn said. "Not once in all the years it's been here. Why should the hornfeet expect trouble now?"

"We're finally here, Garn, and we're not going home without a fight," Helva promised, slapping the youngster on the back.

In the gatehouse, Grey was upstairs from the fire, studying the modulation controls. The room was largely steel reinforced brick, the panels set against the rear wall with windows facing west overlooking the compound. Maintenance was poor. Even in the days of his friendship with Gamtro, the power room was a place no slave was allowed to enter. But Grey was not confused by the strange energy meters. He had been an engineer too many years for such simple systems to be a mystery.

Once he was sure the Arikhan were preoccupied with the fire in the storage room, Grey started throwing circuit breakers. The southern perimeter went down first, followed by the eastern fences, the progression looking like a cascade failure. Out the window to his left, he saw slaves gathering inside the compound. Women from the gardens. A group of workers from Rabbit Camp. All stood quietly watching the flames. Initially, there were no children, which gave him a scare, remembering what had happened to Tak's babies. But as more people arrived from the farther camps, he saw a few children being protected by the men.

Grey had planned to shut down the grid, destroy the controls, and slip out using the fire as a distraction. Once rejoined with his command, they would watch for developments, perhaps launch a surprise attack later in the day. But when he saw the slaves beyond the fence with their clothes in rags, he suddenly changed his mind.

He knew it was wrong. Knew he should have told Helva about his plan and arranged for a coordinated assault, but it no longer mattered. The slaves would not be slaves another day or another hour. Not even another minute. He drew a pair of pistols, went halfway down the stairs, and opened fire at the first two guards he saw, killing them both. The others retreated in confusion.

"Look!" Garn shouted, standing on the crest of the ridge until Helva pulled him down. "The fences no longer glow. The masters run and draw their guns."

Helva saw the sudden commotion. Several Arikhan were pulling back from the gatehouse. One was calling for support, and soon the enemy had grown to twelve, some of them half-dressed. None wore armor. There was no panic, but the guards did seem surprised, exchanging comments and pointing toward the fire. Then shooting was heard from the gatehouse, the distinctive ping of pellet guns. A guard staggered out of the lower portal and fell to the ground, bloody claws clenched to his chest.

"Akeem does a poor job of sneaking away," Helva scornfully remarked.

"Helva, look at my people!" Garn said, seeing the gaunt faces. "Despair has come to my camp. Ben fights for them!"

"Why do your people not move? The fences are down. Nothing holds them back," Helva said, getting up on his knees for a better look.

"I don't know," Garn answered, starting to stand again. Helva pulled him down.

"Back to the horses," Helva ordered, dragging Garn by his green leather jacket.

At the bottom of the slope, sixty men and women were mounted waiting for orders. The horses pawed the cold fall grass in excitement, their noses smelling the fire. Helva was not shy. As gunshots echoed in the valley, and smoke rose high in the dawn sky, he climbed on his horse waving his sword.

"Brothers and sisters, Akeem fights the hornfeet in glorious battle!" Helva shouted as his horse jostled with anticipation. "The fences are down but the people do not move. Too long has been their captivity. Too great their oppression. They do not see the freedom that stands before them. Let it be our honor to show them the way! This is our moment, dreamed of by our forefathers! For courage! For honor! For victory! Taba, lead the left wing. Sweep the ground south of the gate. Conapt, take the right wing. Drive hard down the valley. I will lead the center, there to join Akeem. Are there faint hearts today?"

"No!" the forest warriors roared.

"For who do we fight?" Helva yelled.

"Akeem!" they responded.

"For what do we fight?" Helva bellowed.

"The Liberation!" the warriors shouted.

The command rode in a disciplined line to the top of the ridge, Garn staying close to Helva as they spread out along the crest where all of Karak could see them. On the horse next to Helva, Trigg unfurled the blue battle flag of Akeem decorated with two yellow moons. Taba ordered Owlmont's scarlet red banner with a golden tree unfurled on the left wing. Conapt had Saramont's yellow banner with a black sturgeon unfurled on the right. The wind picked up, letting the banners flap in the breeze as the freedom fighters awaited the signal to advance.

In the compound, several hundred slaves approached from the camps south of the lake. Foremost among them were Clagg and Nole, followed by others from Ferret and Deer camps. They were soon joined by Barris. Hundreds more were coming just as quickly from the northern camps, all fascinated by the burning gatehouse. When shooting broke out, they could not imagine what it meant. The masters ran to and fro, some shooting back, but at who or why nobody could guess.

Then, on the hill to the southeast, they saw riders aligned along the crest of the ridge. The colorful banners flowing in the breeze. The morning sun glistening off the pistols held ready to fire. The bows of the archers. And Clagg saw a young boy sitting next to a burly warrior armed with a sword. In a single movement, the riders suddenly spurred down the hill, their weapons waving, the growing thunder of the horses louder than the burning fire. One group swung wide to strike the compound from the south, another cut in the opposite direction toward the railroad tracks. The third came straight on, riding hard for the burning gatehouse.

"It's Garn! Look, it's Garn! Ben is here! Ben fights the masters!" Clagg shouted.

"Garn! My Garn has come back for us!" Myra cried, clinging to Clagg's arm.

"It's the Liberation! The Liberation at last!" Barris yelled, his eyes gleaming. "Strike, brothers! Strike for freedom! Strike for Akeem!"

Barris picked up a club and charged, followed by scores of slaves with pieces of timber, shovels, or whatever else they could find.

In the guard tower south of the compound, two sentries emerged on the wooden walkway pointing weapons at the slaves flocking toward the gatehouse. Before they could fire, an arrow hit one guard in the back. She spun around in surprise, then toppled to the ground with a thud.

The other guard turned, seeing a score or more food-creatures on large animals riding toward the perimeter. He raised his pistol, but another arrow found its mark in his throat. He staggered backward, grabbed at the ladder, and tumbled the rest of the way. Taba pulled his wing together and charged through the deactivated fence.

Grey emerged from the burning gatehouse firing his pistols at multiple targets. The Arikhan regrouped near the railroad tracks, gradually returning fire as their numbers increased. The bricks around Grey were chopped to fragments, forcing him back into the smoke-filled doorway. And then he was hit by a grazing shot, knocking him to the ground. He straightened up, tugged his jacket tightly around his wounded forearm, and sat in the doorway firing left-handed.

Seeing the mysterious intruder fall, the Arikhan grew bold, advancing in small clumps rather than set a formation. They didn't see the horseman bearing down on them until the arrows began to fly. Helva's wing fired their Arikhan pistols, and then Garn fired an energy blaster, raking heated pulses through the loosely formed enemy ranks.

The group of guards closest to the gatehouse rotated their line, only to be hit from behind as Grey once again engaged their rear. Then the people of the compound swarmed across the forbidden zone with clubs in hand, striking the Arikhan down with a hatred that the forest dwellers could hardly imagine. Taba's riders arrived in support, firing steel-tipped arrows at point blank range.

The Arikhan position collapsed, forcing retreating survivors to the barracks where a second line was forming. The barracks had no barriers, such a necessity never having been anticipated, causing the guards to throw up supply boxes and whatever else they could find. Some guards kicked out glass windows to fire from the upper floors. Conapt did not take his riders into a frontal assault however, swinging wide of the barracks to find an unprepared flank. When he noticed a small group of Arikhan pulling crates from a concrete depot, he turned his command around and charged, overrunning them in a brief clash. The concrete bunker proved to be the camp arsenal.

The defenders had little time to organize with the slaves swarming around their makeshift barriers. Only when gunfire from the top floors wounded several did the slaves pull back.

The left and center wings of riders reined in, looking to Grey for instructions. But what Grey wanted didn't matter. Hundreds of slaves had turned from the gatehouse to join the attack on the barracks. From the far side of Karak, members of Wolf Camp, Raven Camp, and others west of the lake were coming as fast as they could, refusing to be denied a share of the fight.

The Arikhan line that might have held the barriers against the first assault were not prepared to mount a defense on all sides. Most of the guards fell back into the barracks, barricading the doors. A few fled into the eastern woods. This was ground the rangers understood best, and with a nod from Grey, Taba led his raiders in pursuit. The remaining Arikhan ran for the river where they might still make a stand at the bridge.

"How do you fare, Akeem?" Helva said, dismounting before the gatehouse with Garn and Farina.

"He's been shot," Garn said with alarm.

"Not badly. That was a noble charge, my friend," Grey praised, still sitting on the gatehouse steps. The fire behind him was dying out, the fuel expended.

"It would have been nobler if the hornfeet made a fight. They flee faster than our horses can run, but they won't flee far," Helva promised.

Grey looked down the tracks toward the barracks. Conapt and twenty riders were at the perimeter while hundreds of former slaves pressed hard.

"Supply covering fire, but let the people have the pride of victory," Grey advised, indicating for Trigg to carry the order.

"You show wisdom, Akeem. Unlike when you left by yourself to find trouble," Helva said, the big man glaring with disapproval.

Grey stood up, a little shaky at first, and moved away from the smokey gatehouse. He was glad to see old friends from Ferret Camp coming to greet them.

"Mother!" Garn shouted, running into her arms.

Grey felt Myra's expression of joy was enough to make all the impromptu fighting worthwhile. Slight with brown hair, the small woman was underweight but still filled with energy.

Black Hands and Court came up, the women approaching the strange forest warriors with caution. But they smiled to see Grey. He was shocked to see them dressed in rags. Court still showed the sadness of having lost her daughter and grandchildren, her shoulders drooped and dark hair tangled.

"I'm sorry it took so long to return," Grey said, letting Black Hands treat the wound.

"Most thought if you ever returned, it would be in chains. Where is Shalli?" Myra asked.

There was silence as Grey stared at the ground. He knew this would be the first question asked but still wasn't prepared for it.

"Shalli is with Tak and her babies, sitting at Sherra's feet," Grey said, struggling for control.

The smile on Clagg's face disappeared. He and his little sister had been close all of their lives.

"Oh, no. I'm so sorry, my brother," Myra consoled, reaching to hug him.

Grey was inclined to back away. To be there with Myra and Clagg, while knowing Shalli was gone forever, was more painful than the pellet wound. Then Black Hands stepped forward to embrace him. It wasn't a romantic gesture, but the comforting touch of a healer who knew her dearest friend was hurting. Grey returned the hug with such warmth that it took her off-guard.

"You're looking thin," Grey said, feeling her skinny bones.

"Times have not been good," Black Hands answered.

"Times will get better, but the work is about to get harder. Are you ready?"

"We'll talk later," Black Hands agreed, her dark eyes acknowledging the challenge.

Grey noticed Pie and Keep. They had been frivolous young girls when he first arrived at Ferret Camp. Now they were attractive young women. Hernet stepped forward, the stout miner clasping hands. Grey looked around, noticing some familiar faces were missing. Hernet's expression indicated Cot and Beknar would not be coming.

"Everyone must be ready to move. We have a long journey ahead," Grey announced. "This is Helva, a loyal friend. He'll help you organize. Is Kanatro here?"

"The bloated monster inspects the desert factories, but Bractro is here," Black Hands answered. Grey frowned. He had looked forward to Kanatro's green blood dripping from his hunting knife.

"Nole, begin preparations to evacuate the camp. Everyone should bring blankets. We have horses to carry food and tents," Grey ordered.

"What should we do with the hornfeet?" Helva asked.

"Spare those who surrender. Kill the rest," Grey said.

Grey walked away from the group alone, needing time to think. An Arikhan pistol lay on the ground, apparently unfired. With his own weapons expended, he tucked it in his holster. The original owner didn't need it anymore.

After crossing the wooden bridge over the creek, he paused at the bottom of a flagstone path. The camp headquarters lay on top of a low hill, a rambling wooden shack painted olive green. To his left, he saw the barracks bursting into flames. No prisoners were being taken by the slaves, saying much about their anger, for they were not a bloodthirsty people. A dozen miners lay wounded, tended by the women, but most of the casualties were Arikhan. The camp guards had panicked and paid the price.

Drawing the pistol, Grey walked up the stone steps he had first traveled a lifetime before, unsure what he would find. It was here that Sarden Leader Gamtro had agreed to close the pens in exchange for greater production. A decision that eventually restored Gamtro's rank and estates. And it brought a brief prosperity to the camps, for Gamtro had been generous in sharing his good fortune. Grey remembered dining with Gamtro, his mate the Lady Gamtra, and Shalli just before the baron's accident. It was the last time they were all together.

He paused on the upper landing. Beyond the headquarters was nothing but dense woods, so he assumed any fleeing guards would be gone by now. But there was a noise from inside. And fear. Grey could sense it before he opened the door.

"Spare us, master," a young female Arikhan said.

Grey saw she was tall but thinner than many of her species, the red-brown eyes farther apart, and her jacket woven of a rich purple fabric. Pure blue cheeks indicated a highborn aristocrat. She stood huddling with a large older female and a young bluish male, both dressed in fur overcoats. As none appeared to be warriors, Grey assumed they were administrators. The room itself was a disappointment--all the decorations Gamtro had once treasured either ruined or removed.

"What are you doing here?" Grey asked in Arikhan.

"We are sent by the Committee of Commerce," the young female said with a lilting accent. "We are charged to submit a report on why this camp has become a place of vast failure."

"Abusing, torturing, and eating your workers might be a factor," Grey said.

"We are sorry for these errors. Lady Gamtra seeks to amend conditions, but she is much criticized," the youngster said, her voice struggling to remain calm.

Now Grey saw their mission more clearly. Gamtra was gathering new evidence for an attack on the slave system. These were her agents.

"What's happened to Mordari?" Grey asked. Instantly the Arikhan lowered their gaze in reverence, eye-rings bent.

"The Voice of Sherra suffers exile. None have heard her wisdom for a season," the young female said.

"The Retrenchment seeks to still Sherra's Voice, but ever will her Truth speak boldly," the male said, surprisingly aggressive. He rose to full height, shoulders straightened. The eyes of both females lit up, their tongues softly clicking agreement.

Grey holstered the sidearm. These Arikhan weren't merely administrators, but followers of Mordari. Useful to his cause. He crossed the room to the communications globe mounted on the desk. The device was cold.

"Did Bractro or any of the guards call for help?" Grey asked.

"There was no time," Bynatro replied.

Grey studied the globe for a moment, and then detached the power coupling from the transmitter, temporarily disabling it.

"What is your name?" Grey asked.

"I am Livy, Countess of Kall' Nook," the youngest Arikhan said.

"I am Coltara, guardian to my beloved Livy," the older female said, brushing the younger Arikhan's claw with matronly affection.

"I am Bynatro, adjutant to the Committee of Commerce," the male said.

"You were here last winter. With Lady Gamtra. Shalli spoke of you."

"We remember her," Livy said, eye-rings dipping.

"Where is Kanatro?" Grey asked.

"He traveled to the desert camps, and then An'cor. He is not expected back for several days," Bynatro answered. "What are you going to do with us?"

"I'll not let you harm my beloved," Coltara said, taking a stance in front of Livy.

The huge brown cheeked Arikhan seemed to increase in height, spreading powerful arms. Two and a half meters tall, her wide feet straggled the floor. Traces of long fangs crept beneath her thin lips, the black tongue still. The fearsome eyes would embrace any danger.

"I wish there was such a nanny for my daughter," Grey said, taking a step back.

"My Livy will be safe?" Coltara asked.

"All will be well," Grey promised. "Countess, I have heard you stand close to Lady Gamtra."

"Lady Gamtra is my cousin," Livy said.

"Then I take you as my messenger. When you report to her, tell Lady Gamtra that Akeem has made a sacred vow. The slaves of Akrona will be slaves no more. And have her know that Shalli sits in Sherra's shadow."

"Shalli is dead?" Livy said, her voice quivering. Her delicate claws shook, and without warning, her knees went weak. Coltara rushed to support her while Bynatro brought Livy a stool.

Grey couldn't believe it. He had never seen an Arikhan cry before, but Livy's eyes filmed over. Her breathing grew short. A subtle wail of anguish rose from her throat. Coltara wrapped her arms around her, offering what solace she could.

"Continue your work. You will be informed when it is time to leave," Grey said.

He stepped out of the headquarters with a mixture of emotions. Exploiting Shalli's memory was a hateful thought, but he couldn't dismiss the dissention her memory might invoke among his enemies. It was something to think about. At the bottom of the steps, he saw Farina and Trigg searching for him.

"Akeem, Helva seeks your counsel," Trigg urged. "The battle moves to the river where the hornfeet hold the bridge."

"Tell Helva I'll be there soon. Farina, come here."

"Yes?" Farina asked as Trigg rode off.

"There's an important duty. Can I trust you?" he asked.

"Anything, now and for all time," Farina replied, her eyes begging his approval.

"There are three hornfeet in the wood building on the hill," Grey informed her, pointing back up the stone walk. "Guard them with your life. Kill anyone who tries to harm them."

"Kill our own? To protect hornfeet?"

"They are under my protection. Will you obey or should I find someone else?"

"I'll protect them as the she-bear guards her cubs," Farina swore, holding an energy blaster. Grey smiled, gave her a soft kiss on the lips, and rushed to follow Trigg.

Farina cautiously went up the stairs and poked her head through the door. It was as Akeem said, three hornfeet grouped around a table. The two blue hornfeet sat on stools while a brown female shielded them with her body. Farina had never seen living hornfeet so close up before, nor did she want to now. Though her curiosity was aroused by their strange dress and mannerisms.

"Don't worry, you're safe now," Farina announced, lowering her weapon.

The Arikhan merely stared with their large darting eyes, none of them speaking her language.

* * * * * *

Grey reached the wooden bridge over the creek, seeing the action had moved downstream to the river. In the camp, women and children were gathering where the fences had been, some still reluctant to cross over. Near the gatehouse, a few of Helva's men were stripping Arikhan bodies of weapons. The early morning mist was lifting, revealing a cloudy fall day.

"The hornfeet seek escape. Conapt rallies the command for a charge," Helva reported, standing on the train platform. He pointed to the suspension bridge where a final detachment was holding the liberators at bay. Grey turned to see the battle at the barracks was over. He also noticed the arsenal that Conapt had been wise enough to secure.

"I don't want a frontal assault," Grey countermanded. "Spread out to squeeze their flanks. If we need to, Taba can cross the river downstream to block their retreat."

"It will be as you say, Akeem," Helva said, quickly issuing the orders.

Grey climbed on an ore tender for a better view, and to his right, saw a small party of Arikhan sneaking out of the forest upstream from the battle. Three were guards in brown tunics who plunged in the water, swimming for the opposite shore. The fourth, wearing a black tunic, appeared wounded and hesitant to follow. Grey recognized the hesitating officer. It was Bractro, the sub-leader whose minions had murdered Tak. The burly veteran had tortured Karak's population, helped ignite the revolt, and replaced the slain Amartro as Kanatro's enforcer. Grey decided that if he couldn't have Kanatro's blood on his knife, Bractro's would do just as well.

Trigg rode up, the horse breathing hard.

"Give me your mount," Grey said, nearly pulling the youngster from the saddle.

Grey turned the horse east, riding up a low hill, through the sparse trees on the lower end of the ridge, and back down toward the river. The group leader saw him coming and turned to fire his pistol, but the magazine was empty. Grey slowed once it was clear Bractro was no longer trying to escape.

"I have returned to keep my promise," Grey said, dismounting carefully to keep his wounded arm from additional injury.

"All said Lord Gamtro's pet was dead. What of your bitch?" Bractro replied, drawing a dagger from his belt. Grey had drawn his pistol, but now returned it to the holster, taking out his hunting knife instead.

"How easily ignorant slaves are goaded, and how quickly they die," Bractro boasted, clicking his tongue. The predatory eyes stared with eagerness. Grey set himself, eyebrows bent in study of the coming attack. He remembered the words of a childhood mentor--you don't need to be the strongest, or the smartest, you just need to win.

He did not wait long. Bractro rushed forward slashing at Grey's throat, the powerful arm unstoppable. Grey ducked aside, cutting through Bractro's black leather vest. He couldn't wrestle the creature with only one good arm, but Bractro was wounded, too, the stub of an arrow protruding from his neck.

The sandy soil beneath their feet was slick with moss, forcing each to find firmer footing. Grey's rawhide moccasins were better suited to the task than Bractro's heavy leather boots. Bractro circled toward higher ground, forcing Grey back against the water.

"Barris should have this honor," Grey said, probing Bractro's flank for an opening.

Beyond the big Arikhan, Grey saw that fighting at the bridge had stopped. Human and Arikhan alike were watching the battle on the beach. Garn was running toward them, panting for breath.

"The black-haired cow screamed for mercy, just as you will," Bractro said, trying to draw Grey into a rash attack.

"Tak but pleaded for her babies, as you well know. It's fitting that you die with a lie on your tongue. There is no Great Nesting for such as you."

Bractro was shocked. Shocked and outraged. He thrust the dagger forward, ripping through Grey's camouflage jacket without finding flesh. Grey was more precise, striking below the ribs, but the blade was deflected by Bractro's body armor. He yanked the knife free but Bractro struck out with his claw, hitting Grey hard across the face. Grey stumbled backward, his vision blurred, and almost lost his footing. Bractro brought his knife up, baring his sharp teeth.

"Into the darkness, curl," Bractro said, his black tongue lashing spittle.

"Akeem, watch out!" Garn shouted.

Coming within twenty yards, Garn stopped and aimed his energy blaster, but the combatants were too close together. He could just as easily hit Grey as the Arikhan. Yet Grey was in trouble, he had to do something. Garn looked to his right, considered for only a moment, and fired into the trees, startling a flock of crows. As the birds burst from the woods with squawks of surprise, Bractro turned to look.

Grey used the distraction to drive the knife forward with all his strength, finding an opening below the armpit. A serious wound, but not fatal. When Grey tried to pull the blade free, it snagged in Bractro's vest. Bractro responded with a stunning blow, knocking Grey into the damp sand.

With his arm in pain and legs weak, Grey made a belated attempt to draw his pistol. Bractro kicked the weapon aside, pinned him down with a heavy boot, and bent over, the dagger poised to strike. Grey grabbed Bractro's leg, trying to wiggle free.

"Bractro!" Garn shouted in a strong Arikhan accent.

When Bractro turned, Garn fired the blaster, hitting the sub-leader in the shoulder. Though the body armor absorbed the impact, Bractro staggered backward, dropping the dagger. When he reached for Grey's weapon lying on the ground, Garn fired again, nearly scorching Bractro's claw. Garn's third attempt to fire failed, the blaster expended. Bractro paused, seeing more food-creatures coming in his direction.

"This will be resolved another day," Bractro declared, looking down at Grey. Then, with a grunt, the group leader stumbled into the river, the current sweeping him away. By the time Grey got to his feet, Bractro was gone.

"Rest assured, there will be another day," Grey softly agreed.

"You fare poorly, Akeem," Taba said, riding up at a gallop and jumping to Grey's assistance. Garn ran forward just as quickly.

"Nothing but a few bruises," he replied. "How goes the battle?"

"We await your commands," Taba said.

Garn and Taba helped Grey limp back to the bridge where fighting had ceased. One of the guards was standing before their defense line with claws held open. There appeared to be twenty survivors in all.

"Will you offer terms?" the brutish guard asked.

Helva and Clagg were closest, neither having any idea how to answer. A surrender by the hornfeet was beyond their experience. Grey went to meet the enemy face to face.

"Those who yield will be spared," Grey said.

"In what manner may this be assured?" the defeated foe asked.

"I am the leader. None will disobey," Grey replied, turning back to make sure he was understood. Many were unhappy with the decision.

"And what will happen after?" the guard inquired.

"You ask too many questions. I promise your lives, nothing more," Grey insisted, his temper painfully short.

The Arikhan threw down their weapons.

* * * * * *

As mid-morning approached, the former slaves of Karak gathered their belongings. Hundreds of horses were rushed forward from the supply depot led by Lopota and eighty mounted rangers from Saramont, Owlmont, Braggermont, and Riverdawn. There were even a few boatmen, experts at moving large numbers of people across wild rivers.

The shaba'kar arrived, landing in the old logging grounds where the Arikhan prisoners wouldn't see it. Ussan and her medical teams disembarked, seeking those who needed help. Raynaar would ferry children and the sick back to Eagle Station forty at a time in the shaba'kar. If the evacuation proved successful, all would be snug in new homes before winter set in.

The forest leaders took charge, working with the camp leaders to arrange the evacuation. Grey was impressed by the cooperation, which was vital to escaping the western plains before the Contingent mounted a pursuit. Grey noticed a familiar face deploying his troopers.

"How was the march?" Grey asked.

"As rehearsed, Akeem," Lopota said, big and gruff as ever.

"Thank you for bringing up the reserves. I know you wanted to be with the advance."

"You achieved much glory."

"We did, but it is you, my old friend, that I'm giving the most difficult assignment. Are you ready?"

"We'll lead the hornfeet on a good chase into the mountains. We will leave behind abandoned camps and discarded goods to fool them. I will not fail you."

"There is no one I trust more," Grey said, reaching to shake Lopota's hand. The middle-aged forest leader puffed up his chest, making sure others were watching.

After a brief meal of cornbread and gravy, at Helva's insistence, Grey walked through the compound for the final time. The gardens south of the lake were much the same. The home he had shared with Shalli was a shell, only the lower walls and porch remaining. He poked through the debris, looking for relics that might have escaped the flames. One was an ivory necklace gifted to Shalli by Lady Gamtra. But he did not linger, choosing to visit Ferret Camp. Clagg and Helva followed as Grey walked among the weather-beaten tents, the cabins having been torn down for barricades. He kicked at a dying campfire.

"Is it not strange?" Clagg said. "When you first came to Karak, we lived in rotting tents. The children went hungry. Then we had clothes and food. Now we've returned to rotting tents."

"You'll never be without food again. And you won't need to worry about tents that don't hold back the rain. That's a promise," Grey said.

"It's more than a promise. It's the oath of Akeem," Helva said. "Clagg, I invite your family to share my fire at Catspaw. You will never want for food or shelter."

"We will share your fire if we may share your labor," Clagg said so firmly there was no hope of argument. Helva smiled. From what Garn had said, he had expected just such a response.

Grey walked a worn trail to the original Ferret Camp, before the quarry had been made, seeing the spot where his small tent had stood. Where he and Shalli had sat together and spoken of their future. Not far away was the old mine entrance. The mountain had not changed. The trees had not changed. And yet everything had changed.

"I still feel her," Grey said.

"You will always feel her, my brother. She's a part of you. She is part of all of us," Clagg said, a hand on his shoulder.

Grey looked up at the cliff where he had first lived after arriving at Karak. Where Shalli had come to him in tears begging for help after Clagg had broken his leg. Where she had seen his star chart on the chalk wall and gasped in awe. Suddenly the emotions were too much for him. He walked away without saying a word, wiping tears from his eyes, and sat down under a scraggily tree to be alone.

"We won a great victory today. Greater than we could have imagined, yet Akeem's heart is heavy," Helva observed.

"Always has it been so," Clagg explained. "He doesn't feel the pain more than we do, but he feels it differently. Even in moments of triumph, his troubles are never far away. Are you truly his brother?"

"To the end of time," Helva affirmed, a fist over his heart.

"Then we share a great responsibility," Clagg said, looking Helva in the eye. The men grinned, knowing that adventure lay ahead.

"The prisoners are in the iron wagon," Taba said when Grey, Helva, and Clagg returned to the train depot. Barris and some former miners had released the ore tenders, leaving only the passenger car attached to the engine. Thirty-four Arikhan survivors were on board. Grey saw they were nervous, wondering if they would be set free or murdered by the fearsome forest creatures.

"It's a strange beast, this thing of iron. In what manner does it move?" Conapt asked, not the only one of his people amazed by the huge aluminum machine.

"The forward cylinder houses hydrogen power cells," Grey said. "The cells energize the motors that turn the wheels. There's a fuel station at the far end of the tracks that replaces the hydrogen each time the train returns."

"Saramont could move many trade goods with such a toy. Lorymont could share their boots and cottons. Riverdawn could exchange the colorful tiles they make of clay. If we could steal the beast, many villages would grow rich," Helva said.

"You learn quickly, my friend. Don't be surprised if your wish comes true," Grey responded, climbing into the passenger car. The Arikhan prisoners were seated on the floor, except Livy and Bynatron, who had padded stools. Livy's fearsome protector stood behind her.

"Akeem keeps his word. The train is sent to the production center at An'cor," Grey announced, deliberately speaking their language with a crude accent. "Have you sufficient water? Medical care?"

"Yes, curl of a food-creature," a wounded guard grudgingly said.

Grey went to Livy, standing over her with a frown. And then, with a dramatic flourish, he knelt before her on one knee, bowing his head in submission. The gesture impressed the common soldiers, as intended. Livy's red-brown eyes studied him with new insight.

"Give this to Lady Gamtra," he said, handing her the ivory necklace. "Tell her Shalli's body lies buried in a cave high in Rekellis Pass, but her spirit lives in her daughter. The child's name is Hope, and with her last breath, Shalli declared that which Lady Gamtra denied her."

Grey noticed all of the Arikhan watching. They were curious, but none would involve themselves in the affairs of aristocrats.

"It will be as you say, Akeem," Livy agreed, eye-rings wide. "Do you know what happened to Shalli's mate?"

"Some say he died on the mountain with Shalli."

"We will beg Sherra's blessing for her child's good health," Livy offered.

"Thank you, great lady. May Sherra see you safely home," Grey said, adding a click of homage at the end.

Livy dipped her head in acknowledgement as Grey departed, the car remaining quiet until he was gone.

"Conapt, keep watch on the prisoners," Grey ordered, putting his wounded arm in a sling. Black Hands stood nearby, making sure he didn't aggravate the injury. "We'll let them go when the rear guard is ready to withdraw."

"We should kill them all and burn the train. Why free them?" Barris asked, blood still staining his knife.

"The prisoners serve my purpose," Grey answered.

"I don't understand," Barris said.

"Then you'll just need to trust me, won't you?" Grey challenged.

Barris clutched the knife even tighter, looking at the train with squinted eyes. Then he put the knife in his belt.

* * * * * *

It was time for the exodus to begin, but first there was a final ritual to perform. As each camp packed what they could carry and departed the compound, Grey ordered the slave collars cut off, never to be worn again. By early afternoon, the pile of broken bronze rings rose two meters high.

"This is strange. I've not been without it since I was a child," Clagg said, rubbing his neck.

"I feel strange, too. It's almost uncomfortable," Myra remarked.

"We can put them back on," Grey suggested.

"No, that we won't do," Myra said, wrapping a piece of red cloth around her throat.

When the last of the slaves were freed of their collars, Grey stood in the open ground between the train station and the old camp headquarters to remove his own.

"No, Ben, this is for all to see," Nole insisted.

Before Grey objected, Nole and Clagg put him up on the train platform. Black Hands held a band cutter, now well practiced in its use. Thousands gathered. Garn waved the blue flag with two yellow moons. Nole motioned for silence.

"Brothers, sisters, friends of the forests," Nole called out. "Eight years ago, a stranger came to us wearing nothing but a slave collar. Today he comes again, this time to take our collars away. Let no one forget this moment."

Nole took the band cutter from Black Hands and gave it to Clagg. Grey brought himself to full height, standing still as Clagg sliced the collar free. Grey held the powerful symbol up for all to see.

"Liberty! Now and forever!" Grey shouted, throwing the collar back into the deserted compound.

"Akeem! Akeem! Akeem!" the people chanted, many crying and hugging.

Grey held up his hands, seeking their attention.

"Our celebrations will come soon, but today we march," he ordered. "Faith and bravery march with us. Follow our friends of the forest. Listen well to their wisdom. The new life starts with the trail home. For who do you fight?"

"Akeem!" the people shouted.

"For what do you fight?" Grey asked.

"The Liberation!" everyone cheered.

The people began moving out, south along the creek, a left turn into the old logging grounds, and then into the eastern mountains. The advance guard would hang lanterns as the day grew dark, the rear guard picking the lanterns up and delivering them to the front of the column. It was going to be a long night.

Barris and Taba helped Grey down from the platform. Black Hands came to Grey's side whispering her congratulations. Farina looked jealous, for the dark-haired healer was not only attractive, but clearly shared an intimate relationship with Akeem.

"We're hiding the tools as you asked," Nole said.

"It would be easier to destroy them," Jarten suggested.

"My friends, at one time that was my intention. I even intended to tear up the tracks and blow up the mines. Much has changed," Grey said.

"In what manner have things changed?" Clagg asked.

"The day comes when we'll need the mines. And the train. And the machinery. They belong to the people. They'll give us strength."

"You have much on your mind, Akeem," Helva said, recognizing the faraway look.

"When we began training six months ago, I thought this war would last twenty years. If it ever ended at all. Now I'm not so sure," Grey contemplated.

"Have you a new vision of the war?" Taba inquired.

"Yes, my friend. A profound vision," Grey replied.

* * * * * *

The Liberation's commander comes from a far more violent world than Akrona, knowing well that winning a battle is not the same as winning a war.