''On my mother's side,'' Kris growled and washed her mouth with whiskey. ''Father's side would have thought this through better. So, let me see if I've got this right. We are here to help a government that for all practical purposes doesn't exist, and these people shooting at us can't be considered rebels ‘cause there isn't enough of a government for them to rebel against.''
''Begin to understand why I was falling asleep at my desk, trying to figure out how to get a handle on this bag of snakes?''
Kris had never had a senior officer come so close to a bald admission of failure. To hide her embarrassment, she took a long pull on her drink and changed the subject.
''We'll need to get more convoys moving, sir. They are starving out there. Adults are eating grass, but kids don't have the tummies for it.'' There, that was something she could tackle with both hands.
''Already checked. Lien's mechs will have fifteen trucks usable tomorrow. I figure three convoys.''
''Which one do you want me to lead?'' Kris asked, watching the whiskey swirl in her glass.
''None. I'm restricting you to base.''
Kris bristled. ''Sir, I fired when fired upon. We were engaged by the bandits. And I did my damnedest to keep civilian casualties to a minimum.'' Kris didn't know how to count her lone dead. Even one seemed more than Olympia was worth. Yet, against those odds, how could she have done better? Why do I feel so lousy about it?
The Colonel waved his drink to calm her. ''I know. I told you, you did good today. Still, I'm ordering you and Ensign Lien to limit your activities to the base.''
''Why, sir?''
''You have become a very high-value target, Ensign Longknife. You beat the bad guys like a drum. There's a lot of them that want you dead. I send out convoys now, the bandits know not to mess with them. I send you out, and some dude will try to get you to make himself a bad reputation. Whether you like it or not, you are that Longknife. The one that beat them at Wildebeest Wallow. I've got a battalion of highlanders due in from LornaDo in a few days. When they get here, I'm sending you and Lien back to Wardhaven, and I intend to send you back alive.''
''You're relieving me, sir!''
''Ensign, I'm rotating you. You weren't planning on making Olympia your career, were you?''
''No sir, I just didn't expect to be out of here so quickly.''
''It happens on these emergency Ops, Kris, especially when there's a budget mess tied in. Nobody stays for more than a month. Don't you think your time's about up?''
Kris tried to think of how long it had been. She couldn't. ''Nelly, how long have I been here?''
''One week, six days, eight hours…''
''Enough,'' the Colonel growled and took a drink. ''It's bad enough getting that from troopers, now I get it from their personal computers. The Corps ain't what it used to be.''
Kris took a slow pull on her near-empty glass. ''Who will take out the convoys?''
''Those other ensigns have had it too easy. I think I'll take one. Done enough paperwork. I don't know if I dare send Pearson. People might refuse the food.''
They shared a smile. ''Send Pearson,'' Kris said. ''She needs to see what reality is like. Might help her with her policies. With the Identacards stolen, there's no way to validate who's getting the food. Can't we just declare everyone on this planet starving and call it quits?''
''Can't. Everyone isn't starving,'' the Colonel pointed out.
''Outside our mess,'' Kris narrowed it down.
''There are some civilians who haven't missed a meal, Kris. Some folks have been eating pretty high on the hog. Maybe not as well now that you've got the Navy rations locked down.'' Again the Colonel raised his glass in salute. Both drained their tumblers. ''Another,'' the Colonel said, offering the bottle.
Kris eyed the swirling liquid. The drinker takes the first drink; the second drink takes the drunk. She remembered how hard it had been to dry out. How humiliated she'd been when Harvey or one of the maids had to clean up after her. Did she want the Colonel to see that Longknife? ''Thank you, sir, but I think I'll go for a walk.''
The Colonel refilled his glass. ''Watch your back, Ensign.''
''I will,'' Kris said. Problem is, I don't know which back is most at risk, my ass or my pride, or my…What?
Kris found herself outside the HQ, standing in the rain. Since she'd left her poncho in the truck, her clothes quickly got soaked, but the whiskey kept her warm. She could go for a walk. She'd done a lot of walking lately. She'd seen a few men vomiting in back alleyways, staggering down streets. What with food for the belly so scarce, most of Olympia was on the wagon. But there was always a bit of the drink when someone really needed it. Kris really needed it tonight; she started walking. ''Nelly, I don't want to talk to anyone. Take me off net.''
Kris was half a block out before the rain got harder, and her conscience got ahold of her, and she turned back to her room. Dripping wet, she threw herself on her bed, stared up at the ceiling, and tried to get hold of herself. She'd done good. She'd lost a trooper, maybe two. She'd fed some very hungry kids. She'd mowed down people whose only crime was hunger. She'd beat the bad guys. Her head spun, lubricated by the Colonel's whiskey. She remembered chattering squirrels back in the garden at Nuu House, chasing each other's tails. So long as all these thoughts tumbled over and over in her mind, she didn't have to face anyone of them. There was a water mark on the ceiling of her room. She wondered where it came from. She closed her eyes, but she couldn't sleep. She'd done good today. She'd killed and almost gotten herself killed. She'd…
''Kris. can we talk?'' came after a slight tap at her door.
''I don't want to talk to anyone,'' Kris shouted.
''Tom would really like to talk to you,'' Nelly said softly.
''So you told him where I was.''
''No, ma'am, I took you off net as you requested. However, he interrogated your room's motion detector. I assume he concluded you were in here.''
Kris scowled down at where Nelly hung from her shoulders. Apparently, her personal computer had not exercised its full initiative to protect her privacy.
''Kris, I'd really like to talk to you,'' Tommy repeated.
''And I'd really like for everyone to just go away.''
''Do Longknifes always get what they want?''
''No, but this Longknife is in a lousy mood and forgot to lock up her side arm. I'd go away if l was you.''
''Haven't you noticed? I'm not you.''
Kris could almost see that lopsided grin of his. ''I brought a bottle,'' he added.
That did complicate matters. Damn, she wanted another drink. ''Open,'' she growled at the door.
There was Tommy, big grin and all. As he stepped through the door, he tossed a bottle at her. She caught it, then made a face as she read the label. ''Sparkling water.''
''Don't knock it. That's probably the only bottle of the stuff on this mud ball.''
Kris aimed the bottle for Tommy's head, but he caught it anyway. ''You mind if I tell the Colonel where you are?''
''Why would he care?'' Kris spat.
''Because I kind of panicked him when he gave me a big drink and told me he'd shared one with you. A second later, he discovered just how much Nelly there can do. Which did not improve his attitude about rich girls in his Corps.''
''I'm in the Navy, not his precious Corps.''
''Can I call in?''
''Make your damn call.''
Tom did. The Colonel sounded relieved and cut the call short so he could cancel the all-points alarm he'd sent out on her.
''What's he so scared about?''
''You didn't jingle today.''
''What's that got to do with it.''
''If you didn't have any of those Wardhaven dollars, how were you going to pay for your drinks off base?''
''Which is why I'm not off base. You didn't think I was dumb enough to flash my credit card, did you?''