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.Made the guard commander take me to the coloneland told him I was reporting for duty.He told me I needed a shave and threw me in the brig."The corporal looked at the sergeant.Looked at Chip.Then back at the sergeant.The sergeant reached for his keys."Nobody could actually make up such a stupid story, Corporal.Nobody, but nobody, is quite that dumb.So he's probably telling the truth, you know."The corporal put her hands around her head."What a mess.I'm sorry, Private.""What are you doing?" demanded Chip, as the sergeant began unlocking the cell."Letting you out," said the sergeant tersely."It's not procedure, but I'm damned if I'm going leave you inthe cells for a minute longer.I was a front-line soldier myself, before I was invalided out, and this isn'tright.We'll go and explain to the colonel now."Chip reached through the bars and caught his hand."Oh no you don't, Sarge.I'm staying right here.I'mhappy here." He grinned."I'm dead.Dead people need lots of rest.You guys just leave it, and me,alone.""I think he is crazy," said the corporal, warily."Nope, Corp.Well, not more than most of the front-line troops, hey Sarge," said Chip cheerfully."But ifI go out there, ten to one the bastards will have me doing drill.Or your colonel, who sounds like a realchampion at handling things well, will post me back to the front.Now.I don't like drill.I sure as helldon't need to get back to the front in a hurry.Here I can sleep, and the sarge'll see I get three squares aday.I'll probably even get a shower and a quiet mooch in the exercise yard.Carrying rocks and the otherdelights of Detention Barracks don't start until you've been court-martialed and sentenced, do they?""Uh.No.""If you get me out of here, do you see your colonel giving me a week's pass?" asked Chip."Uh." The corporal shook her head."To be honest, no.The colonel will probably feel you made a fool ofhim, and he's a vindictive son-of-a-bitch.""Yeah.That's about what I figured," said Chip."I also reckon I owe him the chance to make a properfool of himself.So, have I actually done anything wrong? I mean, when they get to the court-martial canthey actually do anything to me?""You got witnesses for the brigadier giving you the order?" asked the sergeant.Chip started to giggle."I got one better.The guys who were filming Ginny filmed that bit.One of themcame and tried to interview me, afterwards.Thinking about it now, I reckon Charlesworth hadn't figuredout that we were the bunch that had rescued her.He thought we were just part of the escort.He told meto tell my platoon sergeant to give me a demerit for my uniform and not having shaved.Got maybe fiftywitnesses.About half of them civilians Shareholders, no less.""So long as we can find some of those people, it should be open and shut.You were given a legitimateorder from the senior ranking officer, and you obeyed it."Chip shrugged."Piece of cake.Tim Fuentes, INB.There were the rest of the bats and rats too.Youshould have seen that brigadier's face when Ginny said we must come along.""Well, rat testimony has been used in a few cases," said the sergeant."So that's got precedent.Andtracking down this INB guy should be easy."The corporal nodded, serious faced, just the edge of an unpracticed dimple in her cheek showing."Andyou reported for duty to the colonel.He accused you of going AWOL.""He's a prat.It should have been desertion under fire," interrupted the sergeant."AWOL is for backhere, out of the combat zone.""AWOL," continued the corporal smoothly."You told him exactly where you'd been.I heard everyword.He decided to throw you in the brig." She smiled, transforming her face."We'll get you a shave,shower, clean uniform and a defense attorney from the JAG's office.You're entitled to that, even for aregimental court-martial, which is what you're up for.You just tell your story with a nice straight face andyou should actually get a public crow-eating, and, if you play your cards right you'll probably get someleave, too.They owe you.""The Army owes you," said the sergeant, heavily."But, speaking as someone who has been through thesystem, it doesn't usually pay, Corporal.It collects.Look, son.I still reckon we should go and talk to thecolonel.But it's up to you.You do it the way you want to.You can stay in my cells just as long as youlike.But anytime you change your mind I'll take you up to the colonel.Should take 'em a while to get tothe court-martial.They might even work out what is going on and come looking for you before that."Chip yawned."They might.And it's fine if they do.But I reckon this lot couldn't find their own asswithout both hands.And I haven't slept on a mattress for a long time," he said, longingly.The corporal looked at the inch-thick strip of gray foam."Uh.Sergeant.Couldn't he get a better one?"Chip yawned again."Don't bother, Sarge.It's not mud, it's not rocks, and it's probably going to stay dry.Sounds great to me."Chip heard them talk as they walked away, and he snuggled down on the mattress and pulled the thingray blanket over him.Just snatches."Combat veteran all right.""Pictures in the newscast.I thought the face looked familiar.""It's not right.""Post traumatic stress.""What he wants, Corporal."They weren't quite right.What he really wanted was Virginia.Well.Maybe he wanted to sleep first.Hewas too screwed up about the way she'd turned her back on him to feel up to handling the question ofGinny right now.But a veteran learns to sleep when he can.And where he can.Back | NextContentsChapter 13Ward 11 (officers, male), First Military Hospital,George Bernard Shaw City.Fitz made the trip back from the front in an ATV army ambulance.It gave him more insight into why itwas best to drug patients.He was accompanied by Lieutenant Pringle, and two other MPs.Oncethrough the front lines an MP escort joined them.Fitz would be going to the military hospital forexamination, and thence, if pronounced fit enough, to the hospital wing of the military prison, and thenceto trial.Having been in a great hurry to field court-martial and summarily execute him, it now appearedthat they were in no hurry to send him for trial.Fitz was.He was sharing his stretcher with Ariel, andtaking her into a military prison could tax his ingenuity.* * *CHARGE I, Violation of the Military Code, Article 90 (Assault on a CommissionedOfficer)SPECIFICATION: In that Major Conrad Fitzhugh, Military Intelligence, Southern FrontHeadquarters, Army of Harmony and Reason, did, in time of war, strike Brigadier GeneralWinchester Charlesworth, his superior commissioned officer, then known by MajorConrad Fitzhugh to be his superior officer who was then in the execution of his office, inthe stomach with a bangstick with intent to cause severe or deadly injury [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]