The Alliance Read Online Free PDF

Even the charcoal burners banded together in groups for self-protection.
    Charcoal mounds ! Once set, they were the perfect signal, infrared as well as visible. There were no permanent camps in the area, but he remembered reports of a breakaway group setting up operations not far from the direct line to Kordobah.
    Three or four , he thought. They argued over the shares setup in a larger group and struck out on their own, using concealment for protection until they made enough profit to attract others.
    “Poor Red,” he spoke aloud, addressing the map. “Life isn’t fair.” The spacer knowledge passed on by his father and the years he’d spent off-planet would trap her. He strode to the door and opened it. “Corporal of the Guard. Rouse Companies A and B, plus the archers, at dawn. Full marching order, five days provisions. We leave at the first turn of the glass.”
    It would give him time to convince the fool he served and give Dirk his orders.
    A final glance at the map and he snuffed his candle. He had four hours for sleep, a luxury these days. Then they’d march to the village nearest to the suspect area and start questioning everyone.
    * * * *
    “We’re there.” Anneke’s whisper roused Rachael from her thoughts. “Remember, say as little as possible. Use short sentences. Giggle, or simper, wherever possible. You sound too much like High Born. Follow my leads.”
    She waited until Rachael nodded her understanding and stepped into the clearing. “Hola, the camp. May we come in?”
    “Who are you?” Rachael heard the man’s fear and the stir as he woke his companions.
    “Two fugitives from gadjes’ injustice, eh?” Anneke’s voice changed, her words had a lilt, and the response ended in an interrogative lift.
    “Travelers?” She heard relief in his voice. The charcoal burners often sold their wares through the traveler’s network.
    “Who else, eh?” Anneke’s answer was almost a chuckle.
    “Come into the light.” One of the men notched an arrow in a hastily strung bow. The other had a fearsome axe while the third, the speaker, held a crude spear at the ready.
    “Coming,” Anneke called. “Be careful with that bow, eh?”
    Rachael had listened to voice recordings of travelers and Anneke had the perfect mixture of half-amusement at Gorgio incompetence and wheedling encouragement. She had to be an Alliance agent, and a very good one at that.
    “Your fire’s too big. You want to invite everyone, eh?” Anneke led the way. “Some of the people out there ain’t as friendly as we. I could smell it for the last mile and see the reflection in the treetops for a hundred yards.”
    “I told you to keep it small,” the man with the bow said. He was obviously the leader.
    “Better still, keep it in a pot and add only twigs, eh?” Anneke advised, stepping into the circle of light.
    “I know you,” the bowman said. “You healed my sister’s child. Bring your friend, we’ll bank the fire with earth and make tea.”
    Rachael sat silent while Anneke told the agreed tale, adding such details as the bowman might already know.
    “He sounds too much a fool to run a village,” he said. “Still,” a nod toward Rachael, “She’s pretty enough to turn many a head.”
    Anneke shrugged expressively. “The blood’s thinned a bit.” She tapped her forehead.
    Nods answered her and the men looked sympathetic.
    “I see you’re ready to build new stacks.” She saw piles of gathered timber and mounds of earth. A small group like this would burn as many stacks as they could monitor in batches and then fade into the background with their precious charcoal, returning to the forest only after they’d sold their wares.
    “If you arrange them the way I show you, other Pavee will know you are friends, eh?”
    “Why not,” the bowman said. “We need all the help we can get.”
    “Use the sun to make sure of your alignment. I’ll show you in the morning.” Anneke yawned. “Sleep, eh?”
    “There’s a