Free Conrad's Last Campaign by Leo A Frankowski, Rodger Olsen, Chris Ciulla Page A

still alive.”
    “I can understand that,” I said. “But now, the Christian Army is here. We could equip and train your men, if you would join with us. We could provide your men with Big People. We could even provide you with a squadron of our newest aircraft. I think that you would be impressed by them. The landing gear is retractable, they are well armed with machine guns, and they are made entirely of metal, you know.”
    “No, I didn’t know that, your grace. I don’t even know what some of the things that you mention are! Considerable progress has apparently been made since I was forced to leave your army. Then, the aircraft were made of wood that had been covered with painted cloth. I helped build many of them. They were not armed at all! I would love to see one of these new planes! I will convey your very tempting offer to my father. But for now, I must tell you that it is impossible for you to take your forces, with all of these carts, through our kingdom.”
    “You are refusing us permission to go through your lands? I am in a hurry, sir, and rebuffing me is not a safe thing to do!”
    “It is not a question of refusing you, your grace! I meant that it is physically impossible for you to get these carts through! About a hundred miles north of here, there was a major bridge that collapsed during last winter’s heavy rains. Paying our tribute to the Mongols has kept this kingdom impoverished! We have not been able to afford to re-build it. There is a place that can be forded by horsemen at this time of year, but your carts could never make it!”
    “I see. Well then, in that case, besides the repairs we are making to your road, we’ll be building your father a new bridge as well.”
    “The last bridge was two years in the building. It had a span of over a hundred yards!”
    “Then if that’s all, the next one will be built in about a day!”
    “This is something that I would have to see!”
    “You are welcome to watch, Captain David. You can even lend a hand, if you want.”
    “I might do just that, your grace.”
    “Good. I invite you and your men to join me at my camp, tonight. We have a few spare tents in our carts. The food will be cold, but there is plenty of it. I have a very good brandy along that we liberated from a city in Africa that we called Shangri-La. You might like it, as well as some of my own twelve-year-old whiskey.”
    “I’ve heard stories about your excellent whiskey, your grace. I look forward to trying it.”
    The prince rejoined his men, while I sent one of my runners out to let the komander of engineers know that a bridge would be needed tomorrow.
    Another runner went to tell the people who were putting the column into order that my personal carts were to be put not in the middle, the way I’d originally set it up, but near the front. I’d be after the advance guard of Wolves, the six companies of engineers and twelve companies of their pick, shovel, and axe men from the mounted infantry, and after two of our breach-loading artillery pieces, one large and one small, that were needed in case we ran into something that needed blowing away.
    This rearrangement was so that Prince David could be close to the bridge that we’d be building tomorrow. We needed to impress him and his people.
    Of course each company would have its own carts of food, ammunition, and camping equipment traveling near it. The advance guard of Wolves would carry a three-day supply of stuff on their Big People, and be replaced every few days by another group brought up from the rear.
    The engineers had a lot of equipment with them, but still, I would only be a few miles from the head of the column. Only a few minutes when riding a Big Person.
    I sent another runner to scrounge up seven Big People, with saddles, for Prince David and his men. We’d had more than that number of warriors sick or injured so far, but Big People were far more durable than the men riding them. On normal horses, our guests would