127443.fb2 The Dance of Time - читать онлайн бесплатно полную версию книги . Страница 42

The Dance of Time - читать онлайн бесплатно полную версию книги . Страница 42

TERMS FOR PUNJAB AGREEABLE TO ROME STOP BUT WANT IRON TRIANGLE

MAINTAINED AS ROMAN ENCLAVE STOP KEEP THE PEACE STOP

"He's probably right," said Sanga. "The Rajputs can live with a small Roman territory in the fork of the Indus and the Chenab, easily enough. Probably even be good for us, in terms of trade. And he might keep the Persians from pushing north."

"Why do you care, anyway?" demanded Narses. " Let the Persians have part of the Punjab, for pity's sake. Just insist on two things. First, they have to stay west of the Indus as far north as Multan; then, west of the line formed by the Chenab and the Jhelum. To make sure they stick to it, expand the Roman enclave. Let the Romans have the whole area in the fork of the Indus and the Chenab all the way up to Multan-and give them Multan."

Sanga was starting to look outraged. "You'd give the Persians almost half-"

"Oh, nonsense! It's not more than a third of the Punjab-and most of it, once you get north of Multan, is desert and badlands. Almost useless, except to the hill tribes. So let the Persians deal with the cantankerous bastards. As far as the expanded Roman enclave goes, yes, that's fertile territory. But it's still not all that much-and you can't stop them from taking it anyway, if Link's-"

He glanced at the radio operator. "If Great Lady Sati's army collapses. Which we're counting on, because if it doesn't we're for exile anyway. Assuming we survive at all."

"He has a point, Sanga," said Damodara mildly. "There's another advantage, too, which is that giving the Aryans everything west of the Jhelum brings them up against the Kushans in the north."

Sanga thought about it, briefly. "True. And that means the Persians and the Kushans-not us-would have to deal with the Pathans and the other hill tribes. An endless headache, that is."

He gave Narses a not-entirely-admiring look. "And what's the second thing?"

The old eunuch's smile was very cold. "I should think it was obvious. The Persians can have that area- if they can take it."

After a moment, Damodara laughed harshly. "Yes. Let them bleed. Done, Narses."

***

In the Iron Triangle, it was Belisarius' turn to stare at a message. Then, tilt it so that Maurice could see. He also spoke the words aloud, for the benefit of Justinian and Calopodius.