“Certainly this ridge is the highest ground in the area,” Quintus observed.
“You’re right about that, sir,” Titus rumbled. “The surveyors confirm what you can see for yourself.”
“Perhaps there was once flooding here,” Quintus mused. “Even a lake. Some of these landforms have a streamlined gracefulness. Is that possible, Inguill?”
The quipucamayoc shrugged. “The history of this landscape is of course a question of engineering, not of nature. I do know the landscape artists allowed the country to evolve through stages of its own, letting it form as naturally as possible. We are always aware of the limits of our knowledge. Give the gods of nature room to do what they do best—that was the guiding principle. So, yes, perhaps it was once a lake, in some early stage of its forced formation.”
“Engineering.” Quintus looked to where the mountains rose, one range after another, waves of granite topped by gleaming ice—ranges that curved upward, very visibly, to left and right, as if he were peering through some distorting glass. “Yes, one can never forget that this place is an artifact. Now, down to business. War, quipucamayoc, is all about the details—about place and time. As for the place: so, Titus—will this do for you?”
“The highest ground for miles around, sir, as you say. Let them come to us.”
“And as for the timing—”
Inguill said, “Ruminavi has reported to me that the capacocha ceremony is to go ahead this afternoon, as previously scheduled. Meanwhile my contact Villac the colcacamayoc is ready with the permissions and passes to get your party out through the hub portals to your space yacht.”
Michael said, “I can confirm that we managed to get messages out to the Malleus Jesu. We had men volunteer for the details that wash the Inti windows—the details work all day, every day. As the ColU predicted, the little transmitters and receivers in the earpieces it uses to speak to us were sufficient to exchange communications with the Malleus through the window glass. Trierarchus Eilidh knows what we’re doing; we made a final check last night and she’s ready for the pickup.”
“Good,” said Quintus. “So all we need to do is get the travelers up to the portal and ready to go. Oh, and fight a battle against the army of the Sapa Inca. So, medicus, what of the men?”
Michael shrugged. “The whole of this continent, the cuntisuyu, is at a higher altitude than the antisuyu where we’ve been living—miles higher. The air is that much thinner. However, we’ve rested here seven days. You’ve kept the men very fit. I’d judge that they are acclimatized—and they are as ready as they’ll ever be to fight.”
Inguill frowned. “Should I be impressed?”
“You should,” Quintus said. “You see, quipucamayoc, though a battle itself may seem an arena of chaos to you, victory comes through planning and positioning, as well as reacting to circumstances during the combat.”
“Like the chess you have taught me.”
“That’s the idea. And I’m hoping that your generals, who are used to facing nothing more challenging than rebellions by unarmed, untrained, undisciplined villagers, might prove as poor strategists as you are a chess player. We’ll make our stand here. This may be no more than a skirmish—but it may also be the last battle a Roman army unit will ever wage. Aquilifer, set your eagle standard.”
“Yes, sir,” Orgilius said proudly.
Inguill anxiously scanned the sky, looking for Condors. “The imperial authorities will see that display.”
“Let them see us. The die is cast, as Julius Caesar once said.”
Titus Valerius stepped forward. “There’s one detail, sir. If we’re to give battle, you need an optio. Somebody who’ll be there to kick the arses of the men in the rear ranks, and hold the formation for you. Now, Gnaeus Junius is of course off on the Malleus Jesu. So if I may, I’d like to volunteer for the job. Just for the day, you understand; I’m not angling for a field promotion or a rise in pay—”
Quintus clapped him on the shoulder. “You’re a good man, Titus. But if you were to be taking part in this fight today, I’d turn you down; I’d want you at my side in the front rank, one wing missing or not. You’re certainly not getting a pay rise.”
Quintus saw complicated expressions chase across the man’s face. “Thank you for that, sir. But—are you saying I won’t be in the century when we give battle?”
“I’ve a much more important task for you, Titus. Remember—the battle we fight today is only a diversion. The whole purpose of this is to get Collius, and your daughter and her companion, Mardina, out of this habitat, and then to Mars, where—well, as I understand it, Collius intends to challenge the strange entities at war over human history. Now, Titus, when everything blows up, I need somebody in place, up in Cuzco at the habitat exit, to make sure the final escape takes place. And indeed to provide protection on the way. Although if it does turn into a battle up there, we’ll have failed.”
“That’s where you want me to go, then, sir? But how?” He glanced down at himself. “I am an overweight one-armed Roman legionary in uniform. I might be spotted, you know, even by these slow-witted Incas. I remember once on campaign—”
Inguill said smoothly, “We’ve worked this out, your centurion and I. I’m going up shortly myself. I’ll be on hand, with Villac and our other allies, to make sure Collius’s party get to where they need to be. And you’ll be at my side, Titus. As my yanakuna, my slave. A punishment for some outrageous behavior or other.” She grinned. “You’re ugly enough, and surly enough, to make that convincing.”
Titus looked doubtfully at Quintus. “My place is at your side, sir.”
“No, Titus. Your place is at your daughter’s side. Take care of Clodia. After all, she is putting her own life at risk in this game we play today, as much as any man of the legion. And, remember, I won’t be leaving this place.”
“You won’t?”
“Of course not,” Inguill said. “We can get a handful of you out, but there’s no way we can break out fifty men.”
Quintus said, “And their wives and, in one or two cases, young families. It was always a dream that we would all be able to leave. No, the men’s place is here, now, Titus, where Jesu in His wisdom has delivered us. And my place is leading them.” He peered into Titus’s eyes. “I can see you haven’t thought it through this far. Well, I wouldn’t have expected you to. Trust me, Titus. Do as I say. Your daughter isn’t coming back here, ever—so just be at her side, wherever she goes next, and protect the rest. That’s your duty now.”
Titus was visibly struggling with this. But he growled, “Very well, sir.”
Inguill blew out from puffed cheeks. “Well, thank Inti that’s resolved. We need to get moving, before it’s too late. Look…” She pointed upward. “Your activities have been noticed, at last.”
A Condor craft hung high above the air, a very obvious eye in the sky.