Valentine left, upset enough to forget the ice.
* * * *
The sun had vanished by the time Valentine returned to the Accolade. The Razors had set up some old car upholstery in the overgrown parking lot, and had gathered to drink and watch the sun go down.
"Bump, Major?" Ruvayed, the communications officer from the control tower, hollered as he passed. She looked off-kilter, like a dog back from the vet-part of her skull was shaved and a dressing blossomed in the bare spot like a white flower. She held out a tall glass.
"I need a major bump," another man added, flat on his back with a tepee of gnawed roasting ears, holding a lit cigar clear of the grass.
"Just have to check in," Valentine said as he passed, regretting the forgotten ice.
Meadows and Nail, the Bear leader, were going over personnel sheets, trying to work out store consumption and medical requirements for the men stabled at the Accolade.
"Wish staff hadn't snatched Styachowski back," Nail said, looking at the broken end of his pencil. "She went through paperwork like quicklime. Hey, Val."
"Maybe we need a piece of that blue blob they pried off the Kurian capsule," Valentine said. "I heard they're keeping it at Brigade. It eats paper."
The "dingleberry" was the only survivor of the Kurian capsule's trip through the defeated Dallas forces. The last Valentine had heard the Dallas Quislings were almost to Houston, being shepherded on blistered feet by mounted Rangers.
"Nail, can I have a moment with the colonel?" Valentine asked.
"Gladly. I'll grab a piece of twilight while I can." Nail drew a utility knife and went to work on his pencil point as he walked out the door.
"How's Will?" Meadows asked.
"Came through fine. I spoke to one doctor and two nurses. He's feeling a little low, but physically he's doing well."
"Send Narcisse over to have a chat with him. She's got a way of putting things in perspective."
"He said there's a rumor floating around that the Razors are through," Valentine said. His voice broke a little as he spoke. The Razors were a cross to bear, but also a matter of some personal pride.
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."