11 / 18
5
Hundreds of spiked pig bladders ripped open and splashed down in front of the walls of Thebes.
Burning brands arced down and started fires all along the wall. To the amazement of all, the
conflagration didn’t stop the advance of the Waspians. The burning dead piled up and more
of the bugs moved over the top of the dead to climb the wall over the clinging bodies of more
Waspians.
Cam-Thoth-A could see that everything possible was being done and it wasn’t enough. The
eighteen foot spears were now striking down at the heads of the giant bugs.
“Raise the red flag!” he shouted to those behind the gate. He waved the red banner signaling the
last tactic for the defenders. High above the wall, the red flag of Ra could be seen over the walls.
Four hundred yards to the west, out of the forest, most of the priests of the gods stepped fourth.
In their hands were the blast pikes of the gods. The energy blasts of the weapons shot forth and
smashed into the column of Waspians. At the same time a coordinated mass of javelins and
arrows arced from the top of the walls. This wave could now encompass all of the Waspians left.
The line of priests split into two. The forward rank went to one knee and fired their lances again.
The rear rank readied itself to fire and shot their lances several heartbeats later. The energy
lances fired in waves and cut deeply into the mass of Waspians. The death toll mounted and
it became clear to the Waspians they would not be able to scale the walls with their dwindling
numbers.
All at once the bugs turned west and attacked the priests. The clerics of the gods stood their
ground and fired blast after blast. There weren’t enough lances to stem the tide of the hundreds
of Waspians remaining. In heartbeats the priests were all dead and hundreds of Waspians were
carrying back the lances of the priests. In seconds the monsters were out of javelin and bow
range.
Cam-Thoth-A silently communicated the problem with the Pharaoh android.
“Open the gates!” shouted the Pharaoh.
The second the gates opened wide, the elite warrior chariots issued forth from Thebes. In
seconds they chased down the remaining bugs. The metal scythes of their wheels cut at the legs
of the Waspians. Chariot archers poured into the mass of retreating bugs. Even the Pharaoh
blasted at the rear of the Waspians with his force lance. The people on the walls of Thebes were
able to watch their Pharaoh and his warriors kill the last of the bugs two miles away from the
gates. A roar of praise went up from the city for their brave Pharaoh.
Cam-Thoth-A had other things to deal with. He went to the crossbowmen. “Where were these
made and who made them?” he demanded.
The fact that the hunters were alive and the Waspians were gone filled the men with glee. The
unemotional android only wanted to get back to his quest to find the human who made the
paddle-wheel skiff. Cam-Thoth-A raised his hand to quiet them. His serious demeanor calmed
the men down.