Part 10 (1/2)

”Von Schlichten, right overhead. That you, Major Falkenberg? Nice going, major; how are your casualties?”

”Not too bad. Twenty or thirty Kragans and loyal Skilkans, and eight Terrans killed; about as many wounded.”

”Pretty good, considering what you're running into. Get many of your Kragans mounted on those hipposaurs?”

”About a hundred; a lot of 'saurs got shot, while we were leading them out from the stables.”

”Well, I can see geeks streaming away from the labor-camp, out the south end, going in the direction of the river. Use what cavalry you have on them, and what contragravity you can spare. I'll drop a few flares to show their position and direction.”

Antic.i.p.ating him, the driver turned the airjeep and started toward the dry Hoork River. Von Schlichten nodded approval and told him to release flares when over the fugitives.

”Right,” Falkenberg replied. ”I'll get on it at once, general.”

”And start moving that mine-equipment up into the Company area. Some of it we can put into the air; the rest we can use to build barricades. None of it do we want the geeks getting hold of, and the equipment-park's outside our practical perimeter. I'll send people to help you move it.”

”No need to do that, sir; I have about a hundred and fifty loyal North Ullrans--foremen, technicians, overseers--who can handle it.”

”All right. Use your own judgment. Put the stuff back of the native-troops barracks, and between the power-plant and the Company office-buildings, and anywhere else you can.” The lieutenant nudged him and pushed a couple of b.u.t.tons on the dashboard. ”Here go the flares, now.”

Immediately, a couple of airjeeps pounced in, to strafe the fleeing enemy. Somebody must have already been issuing orders on another wavelength; a number of Kragans, riding hipposaurs, were galloping into the light of the flares.

”Now, let's have a look at the native barracks and the maintenance-yards,” he said. ”And then, we'll make a circuit around the Reservation, about two-three miles out. I'm not happy about where Firkked's army is.”

The driver looked at him. ”I've been worrying about that, too, sir,”

he said. ”I can't understand why he hasn't jumped us, already. I know it takes time to get one of these geek armies on the road, but....”

”He's hoping our native-troops and the mine laborers will be able to wipe us out, themselves,” von Schlichten said.

There was nothing going on in the area between the native barracks and the mountains except some sporadic firing as small patrols of Kragans clashed with clumps of fleeing mutineers. All the barracks, even those of the Rifles, were burning; the red-and-yellow danger-lights around the power-plant and the water-works and the explosives magazines were still on. Most of the floodlights were still on, and there was still some fighting around the maintenance-yard. It looked as though the survivors of the Tenth N.U.N.I. were in a few small pockets which were being squeezed out.

There was nothing at all going on north of the Reservation; the countryside, by day a checkerboard of walled fields and small villages, was dark, except for a dim light, here and there, where the occupants of some farmhouse had been awakened by the noise of battle.

Then, two miles east of the Reservation, he caught a new sound--the flowing, riverlike, murmur of something vast on the move.

”Hear that, lieutenant?” he asked. ”Head for it, at about a thousand feet. When we're directly above it, let go some flares.”

”Yes, sir.” The younger man had lowered his voice to a whisper.

”That's geeks; headed for the Reservation.”

”Maybe Firkked's army,” von Schlichten thought aloud. ”Or maybe a city mob.”

The noises were growing clearer, louder. He picked up the phone and punched the wavelength of the military airport.

”Von Schlichten; my compliments to Colonel Jarman. Tell him there's a geek mob, or possibly Firkked's regulars, on the main highway from Skilk, two miles east of the Reservation. Get some combat contragravity over here, at once. We'll light them up for you. And tell Colonel Jarman to start flying patrols up and down along the Hoork River; this may not be the only gang that's coming out to see us.”