Page 13 of Lucie
Chapter Seven
Strategy
“Excuse me, Battle Prince?”
Lucien glanced up to find one of the soldiers standing a few feet away. Seeing that he had Lucien’s attention, the man threw a thumb over his shoulder. “The Battle Lord and Lady request your presence in their tent.”
“I’ll be right there. Thank you.” He glanced down at the small shelter hewas erecting. During the day, he and Iain had ridden together, discussing anything and everything, and mostly nothing in particular. But one thing they’d decided was to bunk together, as Iain didn’t wish to sleep alone, and there was no way Lucien could stay in his parents’ tent.
Leaving the tent as it was, he hurried through the campground, toward the large blue and silver structureerected in the center. He caught sight of Echo ducking through the flap as he approached, and followed the warrior woman inside.
Despite the fact that night had fallen and the weather had turned cold, no fire had been lit inside. A few lanterns provided light for the dozen or so people gathered inside, their own body heat keeping away the worst of the chill. Lucien saw his fatherstanding at one end of the tent, withAttysitting beside him. She acknowledged Lucien’s arrival with a smile and gestured for him to sit beside her. He quickly made his way over to her and dropped onto a small rug.
Yulensurveyed the group. “It looks like everyone’s here. Good. This won’t take long. I want to bring a few things to your attention, then you’re free to go.” He motionedto wherePechardand the two guards from Green River were sitting. “From what I’ve learned from the emissary, it appears the Damaged have changed their tactics since that time they attacked AltaNovis.”
No one raised the obvious question. However, Lucien paid close attention to what his father had to say. He knew little of what had taken place, having been kept in isolation for hisprotection. All he knew about the days’ long battle was via the stories he’d been told, but he vividly remembered the aftermath.
“For those of you who weren’t there remember, the Damaged used spears and arrows to launch their contaminated waste over the walls, and let the virus do its damage while they patiently waited. They knew the disease was fast-acting, and they expected ourmen to quickly fall victim to its effects. After a time, when they thought we had succumbed, they tried to scale the walls with ropes and ladders. As you know, they were unsuccessful in their takeover attempt, and that was because we were lucky in one very special aspect. I’d already caught and survived the virus whenAttyand I were inCoradomany years ago, so Dr.MaGrathwas able to developa serum from my blood. By giving the serum to those who became infected with the virus, the disease didn’t spread as virulently as the Damaged expected. So when the Damaged tried to invade us, we were able to defeat them. We killed dozens, but the few who survived the assault managed to flee back into the woods and escape, even though we tried to go after them.
“The reason I’m tellingyou this is because, since that time, they’ve managed to regroup, although they haven’t tried to attack us again. It seems they’ve set their sights on what they feel are more vulnerable compounds. In addition, it appears they are no longer using the same method of attack as they did with us. At least, it’s not the method they used to invade Green River, and perhaps other compounds as well.
“We all know that there are no aftereffects if a Normal contracts the virus and survives. But we have no such reassurance when it comes toMutah. We know it’s impossible to tell if a Normal orMutahhas suffered the virus. In either case, there are no outward visible signs resulting from the disease. There’s no pock marks or lingering disabilities, nothing which would alert us to thefact that the person has contracted the virus. Which is why we can’t tell, until theMutahreacts, if he has battled the virus, or that he’s beenDamagedas a result.”Yulenmotioned toPechard. “I will let the emissary explain further.”
Pechardgot to his feet and looked around at those gathered. “Their method now is to infiltrate a compound. Those which are infected, but are stillable to pass themselves off as being well, come into the heart of the community and begin to spread the disease to others.”
“How?” Warren was the first to speak up. The second glanced at Iain. “How can they spread the virus if they don’t look sick? I’m not following.”
“Think of the virus as a worm,” the young physician explained. “Once it enters a piece offruit, thatfruit is no longer edible, but at first glance you may not know the fruit is no good until you bite into it. The virus works like that. When someone, Normal orMutah, contracts the disease, it takes a few days before the worst of the virus takes effect. But until then, that person is highly contagious.”
“It’s those contagiousMutahwho proceed to contaminate a large number of villagersand sections of the compound. They’ve been spotted spitting on tables and door latches. Sometimes they discreetly lick their hands before shaking the hands of others, or passing along an object. And a couple of times we’ve caught someMutahmen relieving themselves in the water buckets used to water the animal stock and the gardens,”Pechardinformed them.
“All of which will guaranteethe recipient will contract this highly infectious disease,” Iain added.
Renkenraised a hand. “What do you mean, when they pass along an object?”
“It could be something as innocuous as handing over a knife or ax when they enter the compound,”Pechardexplained. “AltaNovishas a similar law requiring newcomers and visitors to forfeit their weapons when they enter,and reclaim them when they leave.”
“We do,”Yulenconfirmed.
“There’s alsoMutahwho come to sell their wares, their goods. Food items, clothing, cooking pots. What appears to be totally innocent is, in reality, harboring deadly germs.”
“Surely you’re not saying that everyMutahwho comes to the compound is a harbinger of the disease?”Attyinterrupted.
Lucien didn’t miss the hooded lookPechardgave her. “At this point, we can no longer be certain of anything. We’ve had entireMutahfamilies seeking to settle in the compounds, only to discover later that they all areDamaged. By the time their ruse is discovered, they’ve done serious and considerable harm to the townspeople.”
“Let me see if I’ve got this straight,”Paxton spoke up. “DamagedMutahcome to the compound, where they’re welcome to stay for a short while or longer, depending on their need.”
“Correct,”Pechardreplied.
“But you don’t know they’re Damaged until when? People come down sick? Or the Damaged show their hand?”
“In almost every case, it’s pretty much simultaneous,” the emissary admitted. “It seemsthe incubation period for the disease to claim new victims, and to turn aMutahwho’s already recovered, is about the same length of time.”
“Then why not close your gates and forbidanyMutahto enter?”Mastininquired.
Yulenanswered his second. “Because that would void every treaty we’ve accomplished with every Normal andMutahcompound. Decades’ worth of work, struggle,and bloodshed would be wiped out.”
“Not to mention the fact that the animosity and hatred ofMutahhas already flared back to life because of this disease,”Attypointed out. “Mutahwere used as pawns. They are totally innocent. They never started this virus. AltonHighcliffand his hatred of all thingsMutahdid. He’s the one who infected theMutahand sent them off toMutahcompounds.”
