Kris was tempted to commiserate with him. Certainly, her farmers shot no better. Instead, she said, ''Now who is stalling?''
The colonel nodded. ''And you came out here to tell me …''
''Have you talked with Captain Thorpe recently?'' Kris began.
''No. I've been kind of busy of late, and we weren't exactly on the best of terms after what you did to us this morning.''
''I'd say I was sorry about that, but I don't really feel that way,'' Kris admitted.
''So what about old Captain Bligh?''
Kris thought only the junior officers called him that. ''He's no longer in orbit,'' she said softly.
Cortez shook his head. ''Thorpe would never run from a fight. He'd never desert us,'' the colonel snapped, but his eyes had gone to the sky.
''I have it on good report that rather than fight the Wasp, he broke out of orbit and is running for the nearest jump point.'' That last was a guess, but if Thorpe really was running, why head for the farthest?
''You've talked with your captain?''
''No, my comm tech did.''
''And you just sent her off on an errand. I'd love to see her tell that lie to my face.''
''What did Thorpe's ship have? A pair of eighteen-inchers? I saw those lasers fired. They couldn't have been larger.''
''Yeah, that's all our moneymen would go for.'' The colonel looked like he'd gladly throttle those men, but it was clear, he was slowly being beaten down by the thought that he'd been deserted, left holding the hot potato for this whole affair.
''My Wasp sports four twenty-four-inch pulse lasers, standard Navy issue. It has Smart Metal™ shields. Do you really think Thorpe would have stood a chance in a fight?''
Cortez started to say something, then swallowed it. What he got out was ''You know, I'll have to wait until Thorpe is due over again before I will even consider surrendering.''
Kris nodded. ''He should be overhead before the cease-fire is done. But I suspect my Wasp will be here first.'' And alone.
A couple of Marines trotted by, equipped only with packs and bags marked with red crosses, stars, and crescents. Kris and the colonel watched civilian men and women bustle by, some carrying the small bags that have ever marked doctors, others carrying baskets of linens torn into bandages.
''I don't know how you're feeling about now,'' the colonel finally said. ''But if I don't sit down, there's a good chance I'll fall down. And I don't think that would look good to any of those watching us over rifle barrels.''
Kris easily folded her legs beneath her. ''I'm glad you offered. I was only a second away from saying the same.''
They sat there, in the torn and blasted grass, for a long minute, watching as white coats, Marines, and civilians rendered what aid they could to the wounded. From the other side of the hill blessed silence finally came.
After five minutes of quiet, and a sigh that sounded more Irish than Spanish, Cortez said, ''Why don't you tell me your terms? I doubt I could get this command to defend itself against an angry troop of Girl Guides, much less a serious attack.''
Kris had no trouble remembering the terms she and several elders had talked about last night. ''You will surrender your weapons, munitions, and all equipment brought by you to this planet. All material seized by you will be returned to the civilians from which it came. Upon doing so, you will be treated and protected as prisoners of war. All enlisted ranks will be offered transportation to their planet of origin and returned there.''
''That's pretty nice of you,'' Colonel Cortez said. ''Is there a catch I'm missing?''
''All enlisted personnel will be made available to Panda employers and hiring centers who may offer them jobs at the going rate. Those that choose to accept employment will be treated as full citizens of Pandemonium.''
The colonel raised an eyebrow at that. ''Not a bad offer. By the way, will these employers and employment bosses care for my wounded and pay them while they recover?''
That caught Kris. Her pause went a bit long.
''You and the elders were talking about this last night, huh?'' Kris nodded. The colonel's eyes actually sparkled for a second. ''You didn't give much thought to what our two armies might look like today, did you?''
''I think that did kind of get overlooked,'' Kris admitted.
''You say that's for my other ranks. What about my officers?''
''They will have the option of local jobs,'' Kris said, then went on. ''If they don't take it, or are not offered one, they are my prisoners, and I will deliver them to a mature justice system off Panda to try them for crimes against humanity.''
''Oh, invading someone else's planet is a crime against humanity now?''
''It's either that or let some local hotheads just string them up.''
''But we are your prisoners.''
''And I said I would not permit it.''
''Thank you, Lieutenant,'' he said, and seemed to mean it. For a moment he meditated on the terms. Then asked. ''Am I included with the officers?''
''No, sir,'' Kris said. ''You are my prisoner. You will face a court.''
''I think I saw that coming. You need at least one hanging to discourage the others.''
''Preying on small unaffiliated planets can't become a habit, sir. You must understand that.''
The colonel rubbed his throat. ''You can understand that I might see it differently from where I sit.''
''I guess so.'' At the moment, Kris was seeing matters quite a bit differently from the way they had looked last night.
The colonel glanced around. Many of his troops were being carried to the rear. ''You know, I always thought you Longknifes were all horse. No charge. You know what I mean?''
''Yes,'' Kris whispered.
''So it's my luck to run into a young one that's got a backbone and a good eye and knows how to use them.''
''Your Captain Thorpe always seemed to look at me and see my father, Billy Longknife, the politician. Never my great-grandfather, Ray Longknife, the …'' Kris paused.
''The legend,'' Cortez finished for her.
''Something like that. I'm still trying to figure out just what.''
Cortez chuckled. ''If you ever do, for God's sakes, young woman, don't tell a newzie.''
''Kris,'' Nelly said. ''The Wasp should be above the horizon anytime now. If they stopped the jamming, I might be able to pick him up.''
''Right,'' Cortez muttered. ''Don't need that anymore.'' He managed to get to his feet, faced his side, and shouted, ''Turn off the jammers, Captain.''
A man stood, and shouted up the hill, ''Turn off the jammers, Sergeant.'' And the message passed up the hill and into the next valley. Kris made the same call back to her line, and a runner took off for the cave.
''So you ran Thorpe out of our sky,'' the colonel said. Kris nodded. ''If I'd known what I was up against, I might have marched my battalion back aboard our transports and taken off, too. Ain't hindsight wonderful?''
''Did you think about doing that?''
''Hell no, woman. Run my battalion away from a few farmers! Even if they did have a Marine company behind them. No way I could run. Of course, that was the situation then. Now …'' He paused. ''But then hindsight is always a whole lot better than what you got going in.''
A few moments of silence passed before Nelly announced, ''I have the Wasp's signal. Here is Captain Drago.''
''Hey, things look a whole lot quieter down there, Kris. What you doing?'' He sounded abysmally chipper.
''I'm having a little chat with Colonel Cortez. Whether we keep chatting or go back to shooting depends on what you say.''