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

never be able to keep up with the rest of us.
    I rode ahead to watch the road repairs in progress. The trail went generally north, up a rugged, medium-sized mountain river valley. Some sections were fairly flat, while others needed work, if we were to get the carts through.
    The land about us was fertile, irrigated, and intensively farmed, with many small villages scattered through it. Very few people were to be seen, however. They had apparently gone into hiding when they saw us coming. We meant them no harm, but there was no way to tell them that.
    Maybe they would figure it out for themselves, when they saw that we’d done them no damage, and left them with a decent road behind us.
    The more technical work, such as surveying, mapping, drilling, and blasting, was done by the engineers themselves, with some help from the mounted infantry, sledge hammering on the star drills. Sometimes, as many as six men were beating on a single star drill, while a single engineer kept turning it, and keeping it going in straight.
    Inserting the dynamite, tamping it down, and setting the fuses were jobs that the engineers kept for themselves.
    The real grunt work, removing trees, shoveling dirt, and using pick axes where needed, was being done by the mounted infantry, who were farmers, essentially. Their Big People were helping out where they could, dragging rocks, hauling dirt, and often eating the trees that were in the way.
    The surveyors and map makers worked just behind the advance guard of Wolves, who were led by a few guides. They dropped off supervisors as needed for such repairs as were required.
    The drillers, blasters, and pick and shovel men followed in order.
    All three groups rode ahead on Big People until an engineering supervisor stopped the ones in front, and put them to work on some new job. When they finished it, they rode forward until they were stopped again.
    My eyeball estimate was that they would make better that a gross miles of improved roadway a day. It occurred to me that someday, we might end up putting a railroad through here.
    I was making my way back when I came across Prince David, with four of his men, riding Big People.
    He said, “My lord, you can have no idea how good it is to be riding a Big Person again!”
    “I can relate. Not too long ago, I too was deprived of their services. It was definitely and most emphatically not good. I’ll tell you the story tonight… By the way, captain, looks like you’re short a couple of subordinates.”
    “Companions, sir, not subordinates. They’re taking our horses back, relaying your offer to my father, and, with any luck, impressing him with the Big People and your weaponry. Sir Wladyclaw detailed a lance of Wolves to… accompany them.”
    Bonus for you, Wladyclaw , I thought. Captain David may be a future ally, but as of right now, his kingdom was a Mongol khanate by proxy. Doveryai, no proveryai , “trust, but verify,” as our Russian comrades used to say.
    “Your men here are remarkably efficient and energetic.”
    “Well, the Construction Corps’ motto is, Opus Operis Perfectus . It means, more or less, finished without flaw . They’re also ‘on one, off two.’ After today, red and orange companies, will rest up. Yellow and green were on yesterday, and blue and purple will be on tomorrow.”
    “I wish it was possible to show him one of the aircraft. He’s never seen one. Sometimes, when I talk about flying, I’m not sure if he really believes me.”
    “Perhaps, something can be arranged. One of our types of airplanes operates from some of our ships at sea. I’ll find out if we have any seaplanes near here, and if we can get a radio to your father, we can coordinate a demonstration.”
    “Your grace, that might be just what he needs to change his loyalties.”
    “One can always hope!”
    I found a radio cart and commandeered it. My first messages were to the frigates and battleships we had on the Mediterranean, to see if they had any