Great River Road, or else she will put them aboard barges and take the water route. She will draw much attention upon this false caravan, so she will not risk her real wares to follow through the woodlands to the east of her holdings. It is too close to the false cargo.' His sword scratched across the river that offered the main avenue of trade through the heart of the Empire; east and west, major roads were inked in red lines. 'Here,' said Tasaio, stabbing his sword at a minor line twining south from the Acoma border. 'Keyoke is certain to cross south through Tuscalora lands and pass through the foothills of the Kyamaka Mountains. He will make for the delta north of the Great Swamp, and continue directly for Jamar, gateway to the southern markets.'
Leaning forward over the chart, Desio anticipated him.
'You'll attack in the foothills?'
Tasaio tapped his weapon at a serpentine bend in the road. 'At this narrow pass. Once into it, Keyoke's forces can be bottled up at both ends, and with the Red God's blessing, no Acoma warrior will survive.'
Desio tapped his full lips with a finger, silent. 'But Mara might keep her Force Commander with her. Suppose her Strike Leader, Lujan, is sent in Keyoke's place?'
Tasaio shrugged. 'Mare has shown cleverness in trade, but in battle she must delegate command. Her options besides Keyoke and Lujan are a half-blind old strike leader soon to retire and two others newly promoted. She'll do the only intelligent thing: send her proven officers with her two caravans and trust her cho-ja allies' raw power to protect her home estates.'
Yet Desio was not satisfied. 'Can we arrange an accident for Lujan, also?'
Tasaio considered this with abstracted interest. 'Difficult.
Mara's soldiers will be expecting trouble, and even a gifted assassin would be unlikely to get near their commander.'
'Unless . . .' Desio arose from his mat and squatted on the stair above the map. After a studied moment, he said,'What if we arrange to have our young Strike Leader come rushing down to aid his commander?'
Tasaio's eyes widened. 'You'll need to be clearer, my Lord.'
Pleased to have surprised his cousin even slightly, Desio s* his chin on clenched knuckles. 'We "expose" one Acoma spy, torture him enough to convince him we're serious, and while doing so, brag about our trap - we'll even tell him where it will occur. Then, at the moment Keyoke cannot be recalled, we'll let him escape.'
Tasaio's face was expressionless. 'And he'll run home to the Acoma.' Deliberate in his movements as always, he returned his sword to his scabbard. The click as the laminated blade slid home resounded through the nearempty hall.
'About here,' Desio went on, shifting position to touch the river road line with his toe, 'just to the south of SulanQu, our released spy will encounter Lujan and his caravan.
By then the Acoma Strike Leader will be jumping at every sound, expecting our overdue ambush. When he hears that Keyoke is the real target, he'll turn his army and race downriver to try a rescue.' Smugly Desio concluded, 'By the time relief arrives, Keyoke will be dead and our men in position to ambush Lujan's force.'
Tasaio's lips thinned in serious doubt. 'I think the plan a bit overbold, my Lord. Removing Keyoke with his little troop should pose no problem, but Lujan will be commanding as many as three companies of a hundred, hundred and twenty men each, hot for a battle.'
Desio brushed such concerns away. 'At the worst, Lujan will prove too difficult a foe and we'll withdraw, leaving Keyoke dead and the Acoma's most likely new Force Commander shamed by his failure to effect a rescue.
'Better,' Desio finished, a finger upraised for emphasis,
'with a little luck, we could remove at one stroke the only other able field commander the Acoma bitch has. That's worth the risk.'
'My Lord-' Tasaio began.
'Do it!' Desio shouted, overriding his cousin's caution.
Then, with all his lordly authority, he calmly repeated his command. 'Do it, cousin.'
Tasaio bowed his head, turned, and left. While the aide who had carried the map hurried belatedly to catch up, Desio motioned to Incomo. 'I shall be drilling with my personal guard for the next hour. Afterwards I shall bathe. Instruct the hadonra to have serving girls ready.
Then I shall dine.'
Uncaring that he had demeaned his First Adviser with instructions more suitably put to a body servant, the Lord of the Minwanabi arose. Slaves hastened to set crumpled cushions to