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"Get a hit."
He smiled. The old Bloom was back. "Their infield's in. I think I can poke one through."
Valentine found the doctor he'd first talked to.
"Have you ever tried transfusions from a Bear?" Valentine asked.
"I've read about some amazing results. But I believe it must be done quickly, while there's still living tissue and nerve impulses."
Gamecock arrived, breathless from a run across the bridge. His Bears were sheltering on the opposite side.
"What's Bloom's blood type?" Valentine said.
"O positive, suh," the doctor said. "Fairly common."
"Gamecock, get your Bears' blood type,"
"I've kept up with the research too, Major," Gamecock said. "You might say I have needle-in experience. I spent a week at Hope of the Free hospital, passing blood to critical cases. They bled me white and kept trying to refill my veins with orange drink."
"I need an-no, make it two-two Bears with either O positive or O negative blood. Right away. Doctor, give Colonel Bloom a transfusion as soon as one can be arranged. Then a second in twelve hours. Is that clear?"
"If the Bears are willing, I am. I've heard stories about injecting one and getting your jaw rewired in return. I want willing and, more important, calm subjects."
"I'll watch over them myself, suh," Gamecock said.
"I'm going to need you for a few hours, Lieutenant," Valentine said. "We're going after those mortars."
"Did you take a look at that bluff, sir? It's a steep one. I'd hate to waste Bears taking it."
"The Moondaggers will have to prove they know how to hold off a Bear assault. I still think they don't know what to do about someone who fights back."
"It's still a steep hill. It'll look a lot steeper with bullets coming down."
"I know a way to get up it."
* * * *
Valentine got a report from the artillery spotters. The height of the bluff made it impossible to accurately spot fire, so Valentine told them to save their fireworks.
"Infantry strength?"
"All we can see is perhaps platoon strength on this side. They're right at the top."
"Right at the top?"
"Yes, sir. I don't think they can see jack at the base of that hill."
They really didn't know how to fight. Or they just liked the view. No matter, Valentine had to take advantage of the error quickly, before a more experienced Moondagger arrived and corrected the matter.
The hardest part was getting one of the Bulletproof to agree to ride the legworm.
"Up that?" Swill, the Bulletproof veep in charge of their contingent, said. "If the footing's poor, you could roll a worm right over on you, especially if men are hanging on it in fighting order."
"I'll take mine up that hill," Tikka said, stepping forward. "I'm the best trick rider in the clan."
"There's trick riding and there's getting shot at. You don't know enough about the other,"
Swill said. "I'm not risking our senior veep's sister."
