“After seeing that,” Jerry said. “I believe you could do almost anything.”
“I can’t hurry time, which is a good thing, because that’s all we have.”
Magda slumped to her knees and rested her head on her mother’s back.
“What can we do?” Rudi asked. He felt a deep, nearly religious awe and affection for this healer.
“See if you can get that machine started. We need to get to Delta as soon as possible.”
“As you wish, Bodecia.” Rudi looked up at the lieutenant. “Do you know engines?”
“I know they run on gas and oil. Don’t look at me like that, I’m a pilot; I have a ground crew to keep my plane operational.”
“Come with me anyway.”
As in most Imperial Russian Army vehicles, a key was not needed. Ignition began with the push of a button. But on this vehicle, pushing the button produced a flat click.
“Damn.” Rudi opened the engine compartment and began tugging on wires and prodding at components. “Look inside for tools.”
“Yes, Sergeant.”
Rudi grinned. “No disrespect intended, Lieutenant.”
Yamato dropped a toolbox on the fender next to Rudi. “Is the battery damaged?”
“Excellent question.” He followed the wiring back to a compartment under the floorboards. The battery leaked acid from three bullet holes. “No, is not damaged. Is destroyed.”
“Oh shit, really?” Yamato stuck his head in the compartment and retreated immediately. “I thought I didn’t hit anything.”
“Would seem you are better shot than appreciated.”
“How are we going to get them out of here, Rudi?”
He gave the younger man a bleak look. “How do I get me out of here?”
Yamato went silent. Rudi didn’t like that. He suspected the man produced crazy ideas when he didn’t talk.
“Let’s go give them the bad news,” Yamato said.
“Da.”
Bodecia looked up when they returned to the small clearing.
“Battery was destroyed in the fighting,” Rudi said.
She looked blank.
“The battery supplies the electrical power to start the vehicle and stores additional power from the generator once the vehicle is running,” Yamato said.
Rudi looked at him. “Thought you knew nothing about it.”
“My dad is a mechanical engineer; something must have rubbed off.”
For an instant Rudi remembered his father, drunk and beating Rudi’s mother, right before Rudi knocked him flat with a pick handle. That was the day he had joined the army. He had only fifteen years at the time.
“Rudi, you okay?”
“Yes, of course.” He looked at Bodecia again. “The lieutenant describes situation succinctly. Under present circumstances, vehicle is inoperable.”
“I understand. When you said ‘battery’ I thought of guns for some reason. Sergeant, get back in your litter. Magda, get my pack.”
The young woman hurried off and was back in an instant. “Here, Mother.”
“Thank you. Now go fetch yours and make sure your water bottles are filled.” Magda hurried off again.
Bodecia stared up at Yamato. “You and Magda must go get help.”
“What? Why us? I mean, I thought you fixed him.”
“He will not die. But it will take twice as long for him to heal out here as it would in the village. And sooner or later someone will come looking for that machine and its crew.”
“Good point,” the lieutenant said.
In his comfortable litter, Rudi tried not to smile. Bodecia could run a recruit training center better than any three sergeants he knew.
“But why Magda and me?”
“Pelagian is wounded, I must care for him, and the sergeant cannot travel as far and fast as you need to go.”
“Why can’t I just go and leave Magda here?”
“You would be lost within three hours without a guide, wouldn’t you?”
Yamato stared up at the sky and scuffed one foot. Finally he whispered, “Yeah, probably.”
Magda returned with a pack on her back and looked down at her mother. “Who is going with me?”
“Take Consort and Arrow and—” Bodecia pointed at Jerry and Magda grinned. Rudi’s laugh broke free.
“What’s so damn funny?” Yamato demanded.
“You lose at cards, yes?” Rudi asked.
“Yeah, mostly. What’s your point?”
“You possess honest face, Lieutenant. What happens in your mind ends up there. Please to be careful, we need both of you.”
“I’ll do what I can.”
Magda bent and kissed her father’s cheek, then touched her mother’s hair. “The Czar Alexander Highway is not far. Five days at most and we’ll be back.”
“Find Frank, be careful, and hurry.”
“Come on, Lieutenant.” Magda whistled for the dogs and left the clearing without looking back.
6
Russia-Canada Highway, east of Tetlin Redoubt
General Spotted Bird surveyed the burning perimeter of Tetlin Redoubt through his field glasses. No movement. No resistance for over two hours. “Okay,” he said with a growl into his microphone, “send in the braves.”
Infantry rose in both directions on the wide front, established earlier through cannon and other heavy weapons fire, and moved forward with caution and practiced alertness. The occasional crack of a rifle would bring the troopers down onto their bellies, but they didn’t hesitate in their advance. No rounds came their way; the enemy offered a total lack of resistance.
“Whattya think, Fires-Twice?” General Spotted Bird asked, squinting over at his adjutant.
The tall Sioux glanced at his commanding officer and nodded toward Tetlin. “I’d send in the Dog Soldiers if it were up to me.”
“Why?”
“They handle the unexpected somewhat better than our less experienced troops, and they won’t walk into a trap.”
“Agreed. Make it happen.”
Colonel Fires-Twice motioned to the radioman. “Contact Major Guthridge and tell him to execute Plan Prairie Fire at once.”
“Yes, sir.” The sergeant flipped switches on the large radio attached to the wide tank hull and spoke rapid Navaho into the microphone.
Colonel Fires-Twice cleared his throat and glanced at the general again.
“You got something to say, say it,” the general said, peering through his field glasses.
“We’ve run out of civilian liaison units. There were more towns in British Canada than we thought.”
“Don’t worry about it, Franklin.” General Spotted Bird lowered the field glasses and bent his mouth as close to a smile as he could. “We’re in Russian Amerika now, and every place we take will be given to our northern brothers-in-arms.”
“Why are we doing that? We’ve already taken most of British Canada. If we’re not out for conquest, why the hell are we still risking FPN lives?”
General Spotted Bird peered through his binoculars again. “For the big picture, Franklin, for the future.”
“I’ll take your word for it, General.”
“Sirs,” Sergeant Yazzi, their radio talker broke in.
“Sergeant?” General Spotted Bird gave him his full attention.
“Captain Guthrie says there is a man named Cassidy who just drove in and demands to see you. Says he was sent for.”
General Spotted Bird grinned for the first time that day.
“Indeed he was sent for. I sent for him. Have Mr. Cassidy brought forward at once.”
Sergeant Yazzi spoke into the microphone for a moment and then lapsed into silence.
Colonel Fires-Twice gave the general a look. “Is that Yukon Cassidy you sent for?”
The general glassed the field again. “Yeah. Know him?”
“We were friends when we were boys. I haven’t seen him since he got pissed and joined the Royal Canadian Rangers back in ’73.”