Carnifex

12/8/469 AC, The Base

The two infantry cohorts peeled the edges of the fortress, one clearing east, one west. As they did, they made the valley floor below uninhabitable to the Salafis trying desperately to relieve the central massif. As they did, too, it was possible for Jimenez and Masood to shift their own troops away from the cleared portions and concentrate on the sections of the massif still under attack.

It was not possible yet for the Scouts atop the massif to delve into the lower area, the caves and tunnels. It was also, Carrera considered, unwise to pull in the wide-ringing Cazadors and cavalry scouts to assist until the outer valley floors could be cleared in detail.

Still, one part seemed clear enough. He directed his Cricket to land by that part of the massif's base.

* * *

"Get us the fuck out of here, Martin," Arbeit begged. "I don't want to die here . . . or anywhere."

Robinson ignored her. He needed desperately to call his ship or Atlantis Base. Unfortunately for that, his belt communicator could not penetrate the rock above and getting up to the surface was quite problematic. His allies here held the entrances to the caves, but any attempt to emerge was driven back by a fusillade of fire. Even being near the edges was dangerous as the enemy aircraft could swoop in at any moment to deliver rockets and napalm. Burned and bleeding men were even now being carried deeper below.

"You look worried, infidel," commented Nur al-Deen.

"And you're not?" Robinson retorted, then realized the retort was hollow. Nur al-Deen did not look worried in the least.

The Salafi smiled. "Not at all. Not only is my faith in Allah limitless, but we have an escape tunnel."

"What?"

"An escape tunnel. It leads from under this hill to a main line of the local karez."

"Karez?"

"Yes, karez. They're underground . . . oh, aqueducts I suppose you would call them. About a meter wide, maybe one and a half to two high, deep below the ability of the infidel sensors to reach, and they lead everywhere. There are tens of thousands of kilometers of them in this area. It's a tight fit and, for the tallest among us it will be very uncomfortable to walk so far bent over like old women. Still, we can get out. And we will, while the martyrs above buy us time to escape."

It suddenly hit Robinson, "Those things I thought were lines of bomb craters . . . those are part of the system?"

"Yes," Nur al-Deen replied. "There are none for the tunnel that leads from here to the main line. That was deliberate on our part, partly for defense and partly for deception. We are building a fire by the tunnel entrance to draw in fresh air so we can use it. Before, any enemy who tried to would have had to carry their air with them."

Relieved, Robinson ran his hand across his face, then reached into his pocket and pulled out the detonation device. He wasn't necessarily going to be captured or killed after all. "You must take me with you. I still control the nukes," he said. "Only I have the key codes."

"Of course," Nur al-Deen agreed, amiably. "Otherwise we'd stake you out for the other infidels now."