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"What's the TMCC doing about it?"
"At first light I heard some shooting, far to the north. My guess is two patrols ran into each other."
"So you don't think they've figured out where we are?"
"They'll know soon, my David."
"What do you think they'll do?"
"I leave outthinking them to you. I just try to outfight them."
"If you had to outfight me right now?" Valentine asked, looking across the river. He could just see the tip of the crane building the Kurian Tower, though he supposed the construction schedule had been set back.
"I'd try you soon, before you could organize. Today, tonight."
"Wouldn't hurt to pretend you're giving the orders across the river. Let's get up the hill."
* * * *
It was full light by the time he approached Solon's Residence across the bulldozed hilltop. A bulldozer was at work, digging pits into the ground in front of the house beyond the turnaround. Post stood in front of the entrance, giving orders. A truck pulled up and a team of men hurried to take the crates out and manhandle them inside. With the bed emptied, the pickup turned around and drove back down the road to the station.
Post looked up as Valentine approached.
"The hill is secure, sir. Ella, Daltry and Pollock have their companies north, east and southeast. We've got observers watching the river. Styachowski is holding the station until we get the rest up here, unless they come in force. This is a choice piece of ground. I can see why Solon picked it. Great view."
"Where are the wounded?"
Post pointed to one of the building shells. "Lower level of that one, sir. The doctors are getting set up in there. There was already a little dispensary for the construction workers, and they're expanding it. They could use some trained nurses. Dr. Brough's already bitching."
"I know of one. Get Narcisse in there as soon as you can."
"She's with the wounded at the station," Post said, shrugging his shoulders the way some men do at a heavy rain that can't be helped. "Nothing serious, but you know her. If someone's in pain-"
"I'm glad you had the sense not to stop her. Let's get the prisoners organized, Colonel Kessey-she's got an eyepatch, easy to spot-said she had some doctors."
"I saw her come over the hill," Post said. "She's talking to the men placing the guns now."
"Every company has Quickwood spears, right?"
"Having them is one thing. Getting them to use them is another."
"We've got today, at least. They won't hit us with Reapers until dark. Carry on, Will. Lieutenant Nail's been badly wounded by shrapnel. Hit in the back."
"Damn. You know, I don't think anyone's been killed yet? On our side, anyway. Who ever heard of that?"
"Maybe our luck's finally turned," Valentine said.
* * * *
To the extent that there were still MDs, Major Brough deserved her title. She was a field surgeon with ten years experience in the Guards, and had seen everything metal could do to the human body.
"I'm not hopeful, sir," Dr. Brough said, when Valentine asked her about Nail. "Tore open his back. One kidney's gone, the other's probably damaged enough so it might as well be gone, too. His back's broken, and there's massive nerve damage. I'm surprised he was even coherent when they brought him in."
"He's a Bear. They're tough."
"I'm a surgeon. Lifeweaver mysticism isn't my field."
Valentine absorbed the news. Dialysis machines had gone the way of the dodo, as far as he knew. Nail was dead, it was just a question of how long.
