There were other problems too. Thane pointed out one in particular. «We must work in the dark and in silence, Blade, and that is hard enough. But we must also work under water and that greatly slows us-I have recruited the best swimmers and those with the strongest lungs, but no man can stay under for long. So do not count on a speedy job-this bridge will be a long time building.»
«That is not good enough,» Blade complained. «The underwater pontoon must be completed just as the other one pushes near the Hitt shore-that is my whole plan, that they be drawn there and contest me fiercely. By the time they see us walking on the water, so they will think, it will be too late. That in itself will be a shock and before they recover their wits we will be ashore in strength.»
«Then teach my men to breathe under water,» said Thane in a surly tone, «and give them gills.»
Blade stroked his beard for a moment in deep thought, then grinned and clapped Thane on the shoulder. «I may do that. You have tent cloth here and there is a smithy?»
«Of course. Do you think to fashion gills of iron?»
«You will see. Fetch me tent cloth and needles and twine or heavy thread.»
When this was done Blade had the cloth cut into strips and rolled into tubes and stitched up. «Smear them with tar on the outside,» he ordered. «It will make a tighter seal. Now to your smithy.»
The armorers were working in a pit dug underground to lessen the noise, and their chief gaped in amazement when Blade explained what he wanted. He found a stick and drew a diagram in the sand for them.
«You have made helmets,» he told them, «and this is naught but another helmet. But large-to fit over the head and rest on the shoulders. There must be a hole in the back for the tube and a small plate of glass in the front.»
By this time, Thane had grasped the idea and swore joyously. «By the gods, Blade, you do work miracles. But one thing-how are we to force the air down to them?»
Blade was in high humor. He wished all his problems were so simple. He laughed at Thane and pointed to the smithy bellows. «You are an engineer, Thane? How think you?»
«It will work,» Thane roared. «I tell you it will work.»
«Yes. It will work. And so will you and your men. You will begin tonight. There must be no talking, and you will use signs. All men to be dressed in black. There will be reward for good workers and punishment for loafers or careless men.»
«I have thought of all that,» said Thane. «I have drilled them this past week. Each man knows his work and there is no need for words.»
«Then the gods and luck be with you,» Blade said. «Ogier and I ride back now to the west bridge. I will be in touch by courier and see that you do likewise. Farewell for now, Thane.»
As they rode westward again, Ogier was silent for a long time. At last he admitted grudgingly that it might all work, that the invasion might be successful.
«But I still do not see the need of it, Blade. To guard our north flank, yes, but that is Casta's plan. He is the ambitious one. It is Casta who wants the north safe so he can invade to the south and east and west. Or is it only Casta? You do his work for him, Blade. Do you also share his ambitions?»
Blade denied this. «The Hitts have something I want, Ogier. I mean to get it.»
The Captain looked his puzzlement. «What? It is a cruel country, all crags and valleys and mountains. The cattle are poor and the soil worse. The Hitts are barbarians and stupid, but perhaps for Thane, and he is not really a Hitt. He is an exception. What, Blade?»
«Diamonds. You know of them?»
Ogier scowled. «You mean the shiny rocks that Thane uses for cutting? I know of them. They are also useful for toys, for children to gaze into, for they catch the sun and make pretty sparkles. I once knew a harem whore who wore one about her neck. And that is what you want? Only diamonds?»
It was impossible to explain and Blade did not try. He merely said, «In the place from whence I come, Ogier, such shiny rocks are accounted valuable. They are used for money.»
Ogier shook his head. «They must be fools indeed where you come from. A stone is a stone, shiny or not. You cannot bed a stone, or eat it, or drink it, and it cannot be a companion to you. I hate to lose so many men, Blade, to get you stones.»
«I know. But it is necessary to me, and you have sworn. Do you retract your oath, now that the Izmir is dead?»
Ogier scowled and his visage darkened. He scratched angrily at his grizzled stubble. «I retract nothing. An oath is an oath and I honor mine. But I do not like it.»
They rode in silence for a long time. At last Ogier said, «But as long as I must, I must. And I would have it begin as soon as possible, so that it is over the sooner. When do we attack, Blade?»
«The day the underwater pontoon is completed. In the meantime we must push the west bridge as near the Hitt shore as possible. Have they begun to harry it at night yet?»
«No. But they will. I know. They will swim out and chop it and set fire tubs against it. They will loosen the pilings and make it fall into the sea. I know, as I say. I was here before, when the Izmir last tried to cross.»
Blade thought a moment. «Yes. I expect all that. But if we can get it three-quarters of the way across it will suffice.»
«How so? The water will be deep. Heavily armored men cannot swim, not even a few hundred yards. Of what use is a three-quarters bridge?»
Blade had to smile. «I have never seen such a doomsayer as you are, Ogier. You excel at it. You see only darkness-never a bright spot, never a ray of light.»
Ogier did not smile. «I see truth,» he said grimly.
«But what you do not see is that I plan to turn a liability into an asset. I will use the uncompleted bridge as a stage, a pier or dock. I will ring it with boats for protection, and I will bring other boats to the end of it and embark troops, a steady stream of troops, to throw against the Hitts. Bloodax will think it the main attack-how can he otherwise? — but it will be only a very strong secondary attack. Strong enough to pin down the main force of Kitts.»
Ogier frowned. «How can this be done? There is a limit to our troops-if you attack in great strength at the west bridge, how can you have troops for the sunken bridge? I thought it was there that you meant to use the main force.»
Blade regarded him calmly. «Have I spoken of any final battle plan?»
Ogier shook his head. «Not to me. You are secretive and that is not a bad thing in a commander, but I thought-«
«You thought wrong. Bloodax will expect my main force at the west bridge and there it will come. The main force, Ogier, not the main attack. That comes over the sunken bridge. I will lead it in person. A small, elite body of troops. We will cross fast and circle behind Bloodax. You will lead the frontal attack and engage him heavily. With any luck we will strike him from behind before he even knows we have crossed. That is the plan. Now let me hear your cavils.»
But for once the Captain was at a loss. He thought for a long time and said at last, «I like the plan. It should work. But there is a matter-«
«I thought so.»
«A matter of troops,» Ogier persisted. «I have but one division on the beaches now, not counting the labor troops. I have nine divisions just recruited and training back in the palace-city. You know what they are-not yet soldiers and just better than a mob. So how solve this? Or perhaps you will use your shiny stones for soldiers?»