Meadows sighed and sat down. "I wonder who blabbed. Smoke? I swear her ears detach and walk around on their own."
"No, she's not even in Texarkana. She heard about a Lifeweaver, supposed to be up in Hot Springs, and hopped a train to find him."
"I saw a Lifeweaver once. Or what a Wolf told me was one."
"So the rumor's true?" Valentine asked, wanting to change the subject. Wherever the Lifeweavers helping Southern Command had fled to when the Free Territory fell last year, they were taking their sweet time in getting back, and speculation didn't hurry them along.
"Sorry, Val. Look, the Razors only half existed as far as Southern Command was concerned anyway. They never liked experienced Wolves and a Bear team tied down to a regiment of Guard infantry anyway. That, and the men have specializations that are needed elsewhere."
The truth of his words made it hurt a little less. "When's it going to be announced?"
"Another day or three. We'll have a big good-bye blowout the day after the news; I've arranged for that."
Colonel Meadows understood the men and their needs better than Valentine. In his more introspective moments Valentine admitted to himself that he threw himself so much into the job at hand that he forgot about the stress it put on the tool.
"You can help, Val. In the morning there'll be decorations, then the barbecue starts. I've arranged for Black Lightning to play- according to the Texans they're the best Relief band in Southern Command. Stripper tent, tattoo artists, a back-pay distribution so you'll get the flea marketers in to provide some competition for the Southern Command PX-wagons."
"What do you need from me?" Valentine asked. If he couldn't do anything about the Razors dying, he could at least see to the burial.
"We need a bunch of transfer orders written. I've got a skills priority list; match it up with the men. Wish we had Will. For the party, I mean."
"Seems wrong to have it without him. I just told him the Razors were waiting for his return."
"Sorry about that. I didn't want to tell you until you had a night or two to rest up here."
"I'll sleep tonight. I intend to have a couple of sips of whatever Ruvayed is passing out."
"Consider yourself off duty for the next twenty-four."
Valentine had a thought. "Could you take care of one thing, sir? Pass something up? The general's signature would be helpful."
"What is it?"
"I'd like Post to be able to say farewell to the Razors too."
* * * *
Roast pig is a mouthwatering smell, and it penetrated even the back of the ambulance. The vehicle halted.
"What's up your sleeve, Val?" Post asked. No fewer than four nurses and one muscular medical orderly sat shoulder to shoulder with Val, crowded around Post's bed on wheels.
"You'll see."
The doors opened, giving those inside a good view of the Accolade's renovated parking lot. The brush had been chopped away, tents constructed, and paper lanterns in a dozen colors strung between the tent poles and trees. Some nimble electronics tech had rigged a thirty-foot antenna and hung the Razor's porcine silhouette banner-DON'T FEED ON ME read the legend-to top it off.
Bunting hung from the Accolade's windows, along with another canopy of lanterns. Music from fiddles, guitars, and drums competed from different parts of the party. A mass of soldiers-probably a good third of them not even Razors, but men who knew how to sniff out a good party and gain admittance by performing some minor support function-wandered in and out of the various tents and trader stalls.
"Jesus, Val," Post said as Valentine and the orderly took him out of the ambulance. He looked twice as strong as he had on Valentine's visit the previous day-Post made a habit of coming back strong from injury.
"Hey, it's Captain Post!" a Razor shouted.
"Some secret debriefing," one of the nurses said.
"As far as the hospital's concerned none of you will be back for a day," Valentine said. "The only thing I ask is that someone attend Will at all times."
"SOP, Val. I can just holler if I need some water. John, set this thing so I'm sitting up, alright?"
The attendant and a nurse arranged his bed.