Jingo - Terry Pratchett [126]
“I don’t think that one—” Carrot began.
“I can’t see ’em,” said Vimes.
“Vimes, I order you to come to your senses this minute!” roared Lord Rust. “Have you been out in the sun?”
“That’s one count of offensive behavior to his lordship as well,” said Vimes.
The Prince was still staring at Vimes.
“You seriously think that you can arrest an army?” he said. “Perhaps you think you have a bigger army?”
“Don’t need one,” said Vimes. “Power at a point, that’s what Tacticus says. And here it’s the one right on the end of Ahmed’s crossbow. That wouldn’t frighten a D’reg, but you…I reckon you don’t think like them. Tell your men to stand down. I want the order to go out right now.”
“Even Ahmed would not shoot his prince in cold blood,” said Prince Cadram.
Vimes snatched the crossbow. “I wouldn’t ask him to!” He took aim. “Give that order!”
The Prince stared at him.
“Count of three!” shouted Vimes.
General Ashal leaned down and whispered something to the Prince. The man’s expression stiffened and he glanced back at Vimes again.
“That’s right,” said Vimes. “It runs in the family.”
“It would be murder!”
“Would it? In wartime? I’m from Ankh-Morpork. Aren’t I supposed to be at war with you? Can’t be murder if there’s a war on. That’s written down somewhere.”
The general leaned down and whispered.
“One,” said Vimes.
Now there was a hurried argument.
“Two.”
“Myprincewishesmetosay—” the general began.
“All right, slow down,” said Vimes.
“If it makes you any happier, I will send out the order,” said the general. “Let the messengers leave.”
Vimes nodded and lowered the bow. The Prince shifted uneasily.
“And the Ankh-Morpork army will stand down as well,” said Vimes.
“But, Vimes, you’re on our side—” Rust began.
“Bloody hell, I’m going to shoot someone today and it could just be you, Rust,” Vimes snarled.
“Sir?” Lieutenant Hornett tugged at his commander’s jacket. “May I have a word?”
Vimes heard them whispering, and then the young man left.
“All right, we are all disarmed,” said Rust. “We are all ‘under arrest.’ And now, commander?”
“I ought to read them their rights, sir,” said Carrot.
“What are you talking about?” said Vimes.
“The men out there, sir.”
“Oh. Yeah. Right. Do it, then.”
Oh gods, I arrested an entire battlefield, Vimes thought. And you can’t do that.
But I’ve done it. And we’ve only got six cells back at the Yard, and we keep the coal in one of them.
You can’t do it.
Was this the army that invaded your country, ma’am? No, officer, they were taller than that…
How about this one? I’m not sure—get them to march up and down a bit…
Carrot’s voice could be heard outside, slightly muffled:
“Now…can you all hear me? You gentlemen in the back there? Anyone who can’t hear me, please raise…all right, has anyone got a megaphone? Some cardboard I could roll up? In that case I’ll shout…”
“What now?” said the Prince.
“I’m taking you back to Ankh-Morpork—”
“I don’t think so. That would be an act of war.”
“You are making a mockery of the whole business, Vimes!” said Lord Rust.
“So long as I’m doing something right, then.” Vimes nodded at Ahmed.
“Then you can answer for your crime here, sire,” he said.
“In what court?” said the Prince.
Ahmed leaned closer to Vimes. “What was your plan from here on?” he whispered.
“I never thought we’d get this far!”
“Ah. Well…it has been interesting, Sir Samuel.”
Prince Cadram smiled at Vimes. “Would you like some coffee while you are considering your next move?” he said. He gestured to an ornate silver pot on the table.
“We’ve got proof.” Vimes said. But he could feel the world dropping away. The point about burning your boats is that you shouldn’t be standing on them when you drop the match.
“Really? Fascinating. And to whom will you show this proof, Sir Samuel?”
“We’ll have to find a court.”
“Intriguing. A court in Ankh-Morpork, perhaps? Or a court here?”
“Someone told me that the world watches,” said Vimes.
There was silence except for the muffled sounds of Carrot, outside, and the occasional buzz of a fly.
“…bingeley-bingeley