And then he just sat. He began to feel a little ridiculous. Suppose it rains? But of course it wouldn’t.
After an interminable wait, Odal appeared on a powerful trotting charger. His armor was black as space, and so was his mount. Naturally, thought Hector.
Odal saluted gravely with his great spear from across the meadow. Hector returned the salute, nearly dropping his spear in the process.
Then Odal lowered his spear and aimed it—so it seemed to Hector—directly at the Watchman’s ribs. He pricked his mount into a canter. Hector did the same, and his steed jogged into a bumping. Jolting gallop. The two warriors hurtled toward each other from opposite ends of the meadow, with Hector barely hanging on to his mount.
And suddenly there were six black figures roaring down on Hector!
The Watchman’s stomach wrenched within him.
Automatically he tried to turn his mount aside. But the beast had no intention of going anywhere except straight ahead. The Kerak warriors bore in, six abreast, with six spears aimed menacingly.
Abruptly, Hector heard the pounding of other hoofbeats right beside him. Through a comer of his helmet slit he glimpsed at least two other warriors charging with him into Odal’s crew.
Leoh’s gamble had worked. The transceiver that had allowed Dulaq to make contact with the dueling machine from his hospital bed was now allowing five Star Watch officers to join Hector, even though they were physically sitting in a star ship orbiting high above the planet.
The odds were even now. The five additional Watchmen were the roughest, hardiest, most aggressive manto-man fighters that the Star Watch could provide on one day’s notice.