Manuscripts Burn


MANUSCRIPTS BURN

"Manuscripts don't burn"
- Mikhail Bulgakov

Hi, I'm horror and science fiction author Steve Kozeniewski (pronounced: "causin' ooze key.") Welcome to my blog! You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and Amazon. You can e-mail me here, join my mailing list here, or request an e-autograph here. Free on this site you can listen to me recite one of my own short works, "The Thing Under the Bed."

Monday, October 19, 2009

The Last War: Chapter 70, Parts 1 & 2

The newly demoted Brigadier General Ras Qahira growled under his breath. Not only had he been demoted to brigadier but he was also back in defensive warfare. He knew that if he was ever just given the chance, he would be a monster on the offensive battlefield.

He had to deal with the defense of Cairo. The Rhinos were spread through the streets in good positions for guerilla urban warfare, as per his orders. At least they were on even terms with the mercenaries. The mercs had no greater weaponry than any of the Africans did.

"General Qahira, I've rigged the city as you ordered."

"Thank you, lieutenant," Qahira said.

He turned to Yutas. She handed him a panel which was similar to a keyboard, and a map. Each key was clearly marked with a grid coordinate, and the coordinates corresponded to the coordinates on the map. The map was the city of Cairo.

"You're a lifesaver, Yutas. I've already put you through for a promotion."

"Thank you, sir," she said, wiping the soot off her hands and onto her overalls.

Qahira decided not to shake hands. He saluted, and the younger officer returned it. She left. Ras crouched down and looked out toward where the mercenaries would be coming from.

***

"We have to determine where they expect us to be coming from, then come from a completely different direction. Don't you agree?"

Mossad al-Xyz said nothing.

"Dammit, al-Xyz," Abd Qajar said angrily, "Are you even listening to me?"

"I am," he grumbled.

"Then what do you think?"

"I think that you think too much. Or maybe you act without thinking enough that it looks like you think a lot."

"I'm talking about the invasion of Cairo, al-Xyz! What direction should we attack from? And frankly, I'm getting tired of your stony, deaf, dumb, and blind attitude in the middle of a campaign."

Al-Xyz looked down at the map. He pointed with one of his sausage-like fingers at a point on the map.

"There," he said simply.

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