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The glory of war.
The ultimate fear. Mine, anyway.
I checked quickly to make sure that everyone was conforming to my decrees
concerning cleanliness and sepsis. A few of the wounded would stand a better
chance if the surgeons and their helpers cleaved to the rules. Even when they
were exhausted, as they were now, and the temptation to cut corners became
overwhelming.
Beyond our wounded lay those from Mogaba's army. They were likely to get no
treatment at all, except what they could manage for themselves. I was sure
that our medical supplies were as strained as our medical staff was. It looked
like this was a much bigger fight than I had expected. Or, at least, a more
desperate encounter with more casualties than expected in a short time.
Runmust Singh on crutches took me in to see Sleepy.
She appeared disoriented. I knew that look of old, having been there myself.
She was on the edge of collapse. She had not done more than catnap since the
fighting started. "You can't do it all yourself, Captain. You'll be a lot more
effective if you just trust the rest of us to get things done and get yourself
some rest. If Mogaba comes back now you won't be able to think fast enough or
straight enough to do anybody any good."
She eyed me irritably but was too exhausted to squabble. "I take it you didn't
come here past the dead."
"I came through the hospital area." She knew that I would have to do that.
After we talked I would, probably, go back to offer what little help an old
man with a bum hand and a bad eye could.
"Then you don't yet know that there isn't anybody left for me to trust while I
take a nap. Swan is dead, Croaker. Blade is dead. Iqbal Singh is dead.
Riverwalker is dead. Add Pham Huu Clee, Li Wan, both the Chun brothers and
your old engineers, Cletus and Loftus. There's going to be a lot of
opportunity for advancement. Name a name. Almost everybody is dead or injured.
Hell, even Sahra may be dead. We haven't been able to find her."
"We're back," I said. That ought to take a load off her shoulders.
"Successfully, I might add. What about Suvrin?"
"Suvrin made it through. Suvrin saved the day. Suvrin and I have agreed to
take turns resting as soon as we're sure Mogaba isn't coming back. Right now
we're taking turns holding everything together."
Based on what I had seen and heard already the Great General would not return
any time soon--unless he came on his own. His soldiers had had enough.
Mogaba would have been back already had he had any troops he could use.
Caution and procrastination were not sins you could pin on the Great General.
I heard Tobo's voice outside, overhead. He was addressing the folk of the
hidden realm. Before long we would know all we wanted to know about Mogaba's
current situation. In moments thousands of wraithlike things would be involved
in the search for Sahra--and everyone else still missing.
The kid was taking charge.
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Sleepy mumbled, "I shouldn't have engaged him till Tobo came back."
Unwittingly, I repeated comments she had heard from Suvrin already. "Mogaba
wouldn't have given you a choice. He doesn't have our intelligence resources
but he does make use of the tools he has. That was our failing. Not
remembering that. We should've given at least the appearance of having left a
sorcerer in camp."
Sleepy nodded. "Water down the creek. Which I'll thank you to remind me
whenever I begin to feel sorry for myself and start picking the thing's bones
to indict myself for doing things differently."
"You're a strange bird, little girl."
"What?"
"Sorry. One-Eye's been on my mind lately." I did not explain. As long as I
kept my genius sealed up inside my head there was a fair chance Kina would not
find out anything she would make me regret. I asked. "What about Goblin and
the girl? If there was fighting in the grove... "
"We don't know yet. I assume Tobo will inform us. I assume everything is going
to be just peachy now that Tobo is back." She was striving for sarcasm but it
was not working. She did not have strength enough to speak in anything but a
monotone.
"Lady and Murgen will be here in a few minutes. Let them manage the little
shit while you get your rest."
I went for an excursion amongst the unburied dead, to make goodbyes. They were
laid out in rows, awaiting disposal. The weather was cold and damp so
putrefaction was not far advanced but there was stench enough of blood and
open bowels. Flies were rare, it being the wrong season. And crows of any sort
were a rarity these days. Buzzards circled but dared not come down because the [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]