A Malazan Book of the Fallen Collection 3

see the understanding in their eyes. But you cannot. All
right, so I'm starting to comprehend ...
    'Attend, Fist Keneb!' The warning came from the
Destriant. 'Assassins, seeking to penetrate our defences—'
    A hiss from Throatslitter, and he turned, called down to
the marines on the jetty. 'Sergeant! Get the squads up here!
We got Claws on the way!'
    Keneb faced Run'Thurvian. 'Can you block them?'
    A slow nod of the suddenly pallid face. 'This time, yes –
at the last moment – but they are persistent, and clever.
When they breach, they will appear, suddenly, all about us.'
    'Who is their target? Do you know?'
    'All of us, I believe. Perhaps, most of all,' the Destriant
glanced over at Nil and Nether, who stood on the foredeck,
silent witnesses to the defence, 'those two. Their power
sleeps. For now, it cannot be awakened – it is not for us, you
see. Not for us.'
    Hood's breath. He turned to see the first marines arrive.
Koryk, Tarr, Smiles – damn you, Fiddler, where are you? – then Cuttle and Corabb Bhilan Thenu'alas. A moment
later Sergeant Balm appeared, followed by Galt and Lobe.
'Sergeant, where is your healer – and your mage?'
    'Used up,' the Dal Honese replied. 'They're recovering
on the Silanda, sir.'
    'Very well. I want you to form a cordon around Nil and
Nether – the Claw will go for them first and foremost.' As
the soldiers scrambled he turned to Run'Thurvian, and said
in a low voice, 'I assume you can protect yourself,
Destriant.'
    'Yes, I have held myself in abeyance, anticipating such a
moment. But what of you, Fist Keneb?'
    'I doubt I'm important enough.' Then something
occurred to him and he called over to the marines. 'Smiles!
Head down to the First Mate's cabin – warn Quick Ben and
if you can, convince him to get up here.' He made his way
to the starboard rail, leaned out to study the fighting at the
base of the jetty.
    There were uniformed Malazan soldiers amidst the mob,
now, all pretence gone. Armoured, many with shields,
others holding back with crossbows, sending one quarrel
after another into the line of Perish. The foreign allies had
been pushed back almost to the jetty itself.
    Cuttle was on the foredeck, yelling at the ballista crew –
the sapper held a handful of fishing net in one hand and a
large round object in the other. A cusser. After a moment
the crew stepped back and Cuttle set to affixing the
munition just behind the head of the oversized dart.
    Nice thinking. A messy way to clear a space, but there's little
choice.
    Smiles returned, hurried up to Keneb. 'Fist, he's not
there.'
    'What?'
    'He's gone!'
    'Very well. Never mind. Go join your squad, soldier.'
    From somewhere in Malaz City, a bell sounded, the
sonorous tones ringing four times. Gods below, is that all?
     
    Lieutenant Pores stood beside his captain, staring across
the dark water to the mayhem at Centre Docks. 'We're
losing, sir,' he said.
    'That's precisely why I made you an officer,' Kindly
replied. 'Your extraordinary perceptiveness. And no,
Lieutenant, we will not disobey our orders. We remain
here.'
    'It's not proper, sir,' Pores persisted. 'Our allies are dying
there – it's not even their fight.'
    'What they choose to do is their business.'
    'Still not proper, sir.'
    'Lieutenant, are you truly that eager to kill fellow
Malazans? If so, get out of that armour and you can swim
ashore. With Oponn's luck the sharks won't find you,
despite my fervent prayers to the contrary. And you'll arrive
just in time to get your head lopped off, forcing me to find
myself a new lieutenant, which, I grant you, will not be
hard, all things considered. Maybe Hanfeno, now there's
officer material – to the level of lieutenant and no higher,
of course. Almost as thick and pig-headed as you. Now go
on, climb out of that armour, so Senny can start laying
bets.'
    'Thank you, sir, but I'd rather not.'
    'Very well. But one more complaint from you,
Lieutenant, and I'll throw you over the side myself.'
    'Yes, sir.'
    'In your armour.'
    'Yes, sir.'
    'After docking your pay for the loss of equipment.'
    'Of course, Captain.'
    'And if you keep trying to get the last word here I think
I will kill you outright.'
    'Yes, sir.'
    'Lieutenant.'
    Pores clamped his jaws shut, and held off. For the
moment.
     
    With barely a whisper, the figure landed on the sundered,
pitched rooftop. Paused to look round at the sprawl of
corpses. Then approached the gaping hole near one end.
    As it neared, another figure seemed to materialize as if
from