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Stories from the Verse
A Dozen Verses
Chapter 22: Kondor 263
Table of Contents
Previous chapter: Cooper 79
Kondor was looking down on a rough-and-ready map of the University and the town when a swordbird came running in. He already had a psi link with the warfare professor who was there as they both tried to decide where to put the reserve force. The University was sprawling, and putting it in the wrong place might mean a break through the outer defense line without the reserves getting to the spearpoint in time to reinforce the perimeter defenders. That would turn an orderly engagement into a wild scramble with lots of potential for friendly fire incidents.
“Professor, Cho, Big Boy sends a message from the radio. The Clerks have called for a meeting to discuss terms.”
Kondor and the Professor of War exchanged looks.
“I do not trust them,” the warfare professor chirped.
“Neither do I, but we--I--need to try to put a stop to the killing.”
“I understand you well enough to know how you think, Cho, but do they?”
“Why?”
“If they understand you, they can dangle bait in front of you which you have to take.”
“Are you saying that you’re convinced they will be treacherous?”
Solemnly, the warfare professor nodded his feathered head.
“Cho, they have no notion of honor, nor of war, not really. We saw them lie to their own people, and send them to be killed. Why would they not do such again to you? You’re not even a Parakeet.”
“I see both your points. I have to do this, but as I do it I must assume treachery.” Kondor turned to the messenger. “Send a message to Big Boy asking him to arrange a meet in front of both armies. Harder to stab someone in the back in front of more than a thousand witnesses.”
“Yes, Cho,” the messenger spoke, and then ran off.
“I need to talk to Zeke about this,” Kondor said as Zeke popped into the University defense control center.
“Tell me what?”
Kondor explained, and Zeke agreed, but he had a suggestion to keep Kondor safe.
“Just paint me up in dark charcoal, and I’ll pretend to be you. You can be nearby in a combat pit in the grass with your rifle ready to shoot if I get in trouble.”
“Blackface?” Kondor’s eyes twitched with subtle amusement.
“Yeah, I guess you could call it that.”
“I don’t like putting you in front.”
“Look, Capt’n, you’re a better shot than I am. So I want you ready to snipe, and me, I’ll be ready to hit the ground and roll out of the way as soon as things go squirrelly--which I think we all assume they’re going too.”
“It's a good plan,” the warfare professor spoke in support of Zeke, and Kondor acceded.
There is a behind-the-writings look at the thoughts, influences, and ideas of this chapter, along with eleven other sequential chapters of this novel, in mark Joseph "young" web log entry #525: Character Battles. Given a moment, this link should take you directly to the section relevant to this chapter. It may contain spoilers of upcoming chapters.
As to the old stories that have long been here:
