LITMIR.BIZ

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off his helmet and rubbed a hand over his buzzcut.

      She took the stethoscope from her ears and handed it to Liada. “He lost a lot of blood, and the wound is deep. We cleaned it and stitched it up, and I gave him a shot of morphine.”

      Liada placed the stethoscope earpieces in her ears as she’d seen Autumn do, then she opened the blanket and slipped the endpiece inside Kawalski’s unbuttoned shirt. Her eyes widened at the sound of his heartbeat. Autumn had become accustomed to using her hands as she talked, for the benefit of Liada and Tin Tin. Both women seemed to be able to follow the conversation, at least to some extent.

      “His blood pressure is good, and his pulse is normal.” Autumn was quiet for a moment as she watched Tin Tin try the stethoscope. “I don’t think any of his organs were damaged. It looks like the sword went under the edge of his flak jacket and pierced him all the way through, just above the hip bone.”

      “You’ve done all you can do for him,” Alexander said. “Probably when the morphine wears off, he’ll wake up.” He handed the web belt to Autumn. “We need Liada’s help with this.”

      “Whose is it?”

      “We took it off a dead buffalo dog.” Alexander watched her as she puzzled it out.

      “Oh, my God! The captain.”

      “They could be holding him prisoner, or–”

      “Liada,” Autumn said.

      Liada looked at her.

      “This belt,” she handed it to Liada, “is like mine.” Autumn showed her the one around her waist. “And Kawalski.” She pointed to Kawalski. “And Sarge.”

      Alexander showed her his belt.

      “But this one, our man is lost.”

      “Lost?” Liada asked.

      “Yes,” Autumn said. “Our man, like Rocrainium.”

      Tin Tin removed the stethoscope from her ears. “Rocrainium?”

      Alexander looked around at his troops. “Spiros, give us some help with Tin Tin.”

      Private Zorba Spiros knelt beside Autumn. “What’s up?”

      “I’m trying to tell her about Captain Sanders being an officer like Rocrainium.”

      Spiros spoke to Tin Tin in his broken Greek. She took the belt from Liada.

      “You man Rocrainium?” Tin Tin asked Autumn.

      “Yes.”

      “He lost to you?”

      Autumn nodded.

      “Belt come where?”

      “One of the bandits had the belt from our Rocrainium.”

      She tried to use hand signs and motions to indicate the battle and dead bandits. Spiros helped as best he could.

      “Vocontii,” Tin Tin said to Liada, then something else.

      Liada agreed. “Vocontii.”

      Tin Tin and Liada talked for a minute.

      “Um, that bandits there…” Liada tried to sign what she wanted to say.

      “The bandits are Vocontii?” Autumn asked.

      “Yes, yes,” Liada and Tin Tin said together. “Vocontii.”

      Autumn watched the two women as they talked something over.

      “Autumn wait by Kawalski,” Liada said as she and Tin Tin stood.

      “All right.”

      Tin Tin handed the stethoscope to Autumn, then the two of them ran toward the other side of the encampment.

      “Autumn,” Alexander said, “from what I’ve seen of those…what are they called?”

      “Vocontii.”

      “From what I’ve seen of them, I don’t think we should hold out a lot of hope of finding Captain Sanders alive.”

      “You won’t leave him behind, will you, Sarge?” She reached to touch his arm. “Even if there’s the slightest hope.”

      “Leave him,” Lojab said. “He can take care of himself.” He spat in the dirt. “We need to get the hell out of here.”

      “No.” Alexander glared at Lojab for a moment, then looked at Autumn. “I would never leave anyone behind, just as the captain wouldn’t leave us. But these Vocontii are so primitive and brutal, I can’t see them having any reason to keep him alive. If they were holding him for ransom…” He looked over Autumn’s shoulder, then pointed that way.

      “Oh, no,” Autumn said. “It’s Rocrainium.” She stood and dusted herself off. Tin Tin and Liada walked on either side of him. “They thought I was talking about him.”

      “Well,” Lojab said, “this should be interesting.”

      The two women almost had to jog to keep up with Rocrainium’s long stride. Soon, they stood before Alexander and Autumn.

      “Autumn, Sarge,” Liada said, motioning to the two of them. “Rocrainium.”

      Alexander was tall, a little over six feet, but he still had to look up to Rocrainium. He held out his hand.

      “Sarge,” Rocrainium said. He smiled and reached to shake hands. He then said, “Autumn” and shook her hand also.

      “Um, Rocrainium,” Liada said, “go…” She tried to sign but couldn’t get it right. She asked Tin Tin Ban Sunia something.

      “Rocrainium,” Tin Tin said, “go foot-soldiers you Rocrainium.”

      “You mean,” Autumn said, “your foot-soldiers are going to look for our Rocrainium?” This was done with hand signs as much as with her words.

      “Yes, go now.”

      “Oh, good.” There was obvious relief on Autumn’s face. “Thank you, Rocrainium.” She took his hand in both of hers. “Thank you very much. I can’t tell you how relieved I am. Our captain—”

      “Eaglemoon,” Sarge said, “you’re gushing.”

      “Oh.” She pulled away her hands. “Sorry.” Her face reddened under her dark tan. “Very sorry. I don’t know what–”

      “Just shut up,” Alexander said.

      He touched his heart, then held out his hand, palm up. Rocrainium responded with a word, then looked around for someone. Six of the scarlet-caped young men had come along behind Rocrainium, and now they stood nearby. He pointed at two of them, and when they came forward, Rocrainium gave them some instructions.

      The two men took a quick look at Autumn, then saluted Rocrainium with their fists to their chests. They hurried away to carry out his orders.

      “They must be junior officers,” Alexander said.

      “Probably,” Autumn said.

      “We go,” Tin Tin said, “find you man.”

      Autumn touched her heart, then held out her hand, palm up. “Thank you.”

      “That Tin Tin is very bright,” Alexander said as he and Autumn walked back to Kawalski.

      “Yes, they both are.” Autumn knelt beside Kawalski. “They learn our language and ways much faster than I’m learning theirs.” She checked the dressing on his wound.

      “Do you think we need to change the dressing on Cateri’s arm?” Alexander asked.

      Autumn looked up at him. “Yes, I think you should check it.” She grinned.

      “That smirk is uncalled for, and I would check the bandage if I thought she wouldn’t use her whip on me.”

      “She only hit you yesterday because she thought you were trying to take her wagon.”

      “Hey, look at that,” Alexander said.

      Autumn

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