Part 36 (1/2)
-The Red Book, (Release 22.19A)
Chapter 42.
Scout's Honor ”Old soldiers never die. Young ones do. ”
-SOLOMON SHORT.
A moment later the lights came on. I looked around”Ten-hut!” Siegel, Marano, Lopez, Valada, Nawrocki, and seven other combat-ready veterans snapped to instant attention. By military standards, this lounge was lavish. By the standards of the Bosch, it was... adequate. The twelve soldiers hulking here nearly filled it.
”At ease,” I said automatically. I glanced around the room. This was the team I had originally picked for this missionmostly. Reilly, Willig, and Locke were gone; I was going to miss them. A lot. I didn't recognize the new faces, but I recognized the hardened expressions they wore; that was good enough.
Siegel stepped forward proudly and saluted. ”Lieutenant Kurt C. Siegel reporting, sir.”
”Knock off the sir c.r.a.p-did you say 'Lieutenant?”
”Would you please return my salute, sir?” He was standing ramrod stiff.
”Congratulations on the promotion? Good job, Kurt. But, uh-oh, h.e.l.l.” I returned his salute and he relaxed. ”-But I'm not your captain anymore. I just resigned from the Army.”
The look on his face was almost worth it. ”You what-?” The rest of them broke ranks and crowded around us, echoing his incredulity.
”What are you talking about?”
”I'm gonna kill that sonofab.i.t.c.h, Dannenfelser-”
”You're in charge of the team now.” I clapped Kurt heartily on the shoulder. ”I've been relieved of all responsibility-”
”We'll fight it!”
”No, you won't. I've never felt happier. And I'm getting married.”
”Married-!” Valada shrieked.
Nawrocki grinned. ”Awright!” Lopez planted a big wet kiss on my lips.
”Lopez! You surprise me!”
”You surprise me, you scrawny gringo!”
”But what about us-?” Siegel's proud expression was collapsing in upon itself. I'd spoiled his grand surprise. ”We were depending on you!”
”All right, all right,” I said. I was starting to feel guilty. Emotionally, they were responding like children who'd just been told that Daddy is divorcing them. ”Listen up. I'm now a civilian attached specialist. I'm your official Indian scout.”
”Huh? What does that mean?” The others fell silent around him.
”It means, congratulations!” shouted Lopez. ”You're finally being paid to think.”
”It means I can't give orders,” I explained. ”Only advice.” I looked directly at Siegel as I said it.
He frowned. ”That means I outrank you now?”
”That's right,” I agreed. ”You all do. I'm completely out of the chain of command. And more grateful than you can believe.”
”Um.” Siegel looked profoundly uncomfortable. ”Listen, Captain-I don't feel right about this. You know more about all this stuff than anybody. I mean, if we have to get into it with the worms, I'd really prefer it if you gave the orders.”
”Sorry, Lieutenant. I couldn't do that even if I wanted to. And you'd be court-martialed if you let me. Dereliction of duty: Trust me, Kurt. You can handle it.
I wouldn't have recommended you for the promotion if I didn't think you could.”
”You recommended me?”
”Yes, I did,” I said. ”Two months ago, after that business in Marin with the BART.”
”Huh? That was nothing.”
”I didn't think so,” I said. ”And it was my opinion that counted.” A family of jelly-pigs had taken up residence in the Sausalito station; they were threatening to undermine a whole city block with their burrowing. We couldn't use torches or oil, too many important buildings overhead, and the reproductive habits of jelly-pigs precluded the use of any type of explosives, even cold-bombs. Finally, we sent in prowlers armed with tanks of liquid nitrogen. The idea was Siegel's; his team handled the programming, and later on, the logistics of the operation as well.
Afterward I wrote up bounty recommendations for everybody on the team, but I also turned in a separate report commending Siegel's leaders.h.i.+p abilities. I'd written commendations for Willig and Reilly too Siegel shook his head in mild disbelief. ”Weld, I guess I should thank you then-”
He offered his hand.
What I wanted to say was, ”Don't thank me. You don't know what you've just inherited.” But that wouldn't have been fair to him. He was still glowing with enthusiasm. I took his hand and shook it firmly. ”C'mere. Let me talk to you.” I led him over to u corner of the room.
I turned him away from the others. He looked at me expectantly. ”I'll give what help I can, whatever advice I can; but never in front of the others. Whatever you do, whatever you say, you must never look indecisive. Don't be afraid to ask your troops what they think of the situation, but don't ever ask them what they want to dc-do you understand the difference?”
He nodded.
”All right, look-you need to learn this very very fast. You're The Man now. That means all the nasty decisions are yours.” I searched his face for understanding.
He didn't blink. He understood exactly what I was saying. ”Like Reilly and Willig?”
”Exactly. Like Reilly and Willig.”
”You didn't let me go back-”
I stared directly into his eyes. ”That's right. I didn't.”
”I hated you for that.”
”I hated myself. But I'd already lost three lives. I wasn't prepared to make it four.
Here's the thing, Kurt-if I hadn't been there to stop you, if you'd been the lieutenant then, what would would you have done?”
He didn't answer immediately. ”I see your point,” he admitted. ”There was nothing to be done for Reilly or Willig or Locke. You wouldn't have gotten ten feet.