"Goetz was with me when the call came in," the commander supplied. "He's standing by for further information from us as to what we're up against. In the meantime, he's pulling in all off-duty officers so that they'll have manpower ready to mobilize if things get rough."
"How rough is rough, sir?" Rembrandt pressed. "We've already had one person shot. "
"After he opened fire first," Phule pointed out. "What's more, from what you tell me, he's unharmed. There hasn't been any more shooting, has there?"
"No, sir... as per your orders," the first sergeant said hastily. "There was a bit of activity around the ship a while back, but no firing from either side. I think they saw us, but I can't be sure."
"What kind of activity?"
"Spartacus reported it. Hang on, you can ask him direct."
Before Phule could comment, Brandy gave a low, attention-getting whistle, then beckoned to the Sinthian to join their huddle. The Legionnaire came skimming across the open ground, his body compressed low so he looked a bit like a bean bag draped over the glide board.
The nonhuman would not have been the commander's choice for a scout, since the swift motion of his glide board would tend to catch and hold the eye more than would the slow, stealthy movements of his human teammates. Still, it was more maneuverable over water, and apparently he had completed his mission without drawing attention, or at least without drawing fire.
"Tell the captain what you saw, Spartacus," Brandy ordered. "He wants to know what the aliens were doing around their ship."
"Well, Captain," the Sinthian began, "they opened a panel on the side of their vessel and tinkered around inside for a while... I couldn't see exactly what they were doing. Then they sealed it up again and retreated back inside."
The nonhuman's voice, as supplied by the translator he had hung diagonally across his body, was high and musical, almost like the tinkling of a bell. Try as he might, Phule could not escape the impression that he was receiving a military briefing from a Munchkin.
"Did it look like they were arming a weapon?"
"I... I don't think so, sir. There was no opening or fixture on the outside of the panel to suggest a firing capacity."
"Did they see you?"
"A few of them looked my way from time to time, but they were looking all around, not just at me. I don't think..."
A flicker of motion to the rear of their position caught Phule's attention, and he held up a restraining hand which silenced the Legionnaire in midsentence. There was a tense moment, then a small group of figures appeared, moving carefully from cover to cover.
"What are they doing here?"
It was Brandy who voiced the muttered question, though it echoed the thoughts of everyone in the huddle, as well as those Legionnaires positioned near enough to note the group's approach. The answer was forthcoming, as one figure detached itself from the group and crept forward to join them.
"Sorry to take so long getting here, Captain," Major O'Donnel said, nodding a curt acknowledgment to the others in the huddle. "We hadn't expected to need our full combat gear for a simple honor guard assignment, and it took us a while to get it all unpacked and issued."
He paused to survey the Legionnaires within his line of vision, then shot a glance back at his own Red Eagles.
"If you just fill me in on what you've got so far, I'll get my troops disbursed. Then you can pull your force out a few at a time while we cover you."
"Excuse me Major," Phule said coldly, "but what exactly do you think you're trying to pull here?"
"Pull?" O'Donnel was genuinely puzzled. "I'm not trying to 'pull' anything. We're simply taking command of the situation."
"By what authority?"
"Oh, come now, Captain. Isn't it obvious? Dealing with a new alien race, particularly one which is potentially hostile, is much more in the Army's line than the Legion's."
"I don't think it's all that obvious."
"Do you mean to say you think...
"In fact," the Legion commander continued, raising his voice slightly to cut off the major's protests, "what's obvious to me is that the Legion has been contracted to protect Haskin's citizens from whatever dwells in or comes out of these swamps, and that you and your force, Major, are interfering with our operation. Now, while I appreciate your offer of help, and would love nothing better than discussing military protocol with you, we're rather busy at the moment. Would you kindly take your force and retire?"
"You want authority?" O'Donnel said tightly, fighting to control his temper. "All right. I'll play your game. Pass me one of your communicators and I'll get authorization for you."
"I'm sorry, Major. Our communication network is for Legion personnel only. I'm afraid you'll have to hike back to the settlement to find and open-"
"Damn it, Willard!" the major exploded. "By what right do you have the gall to try to give orders to a unit of the Regular Army?"
"Well, Matthew," Phule said softly, "how about because at the moment we have you outnumbered by roughly ten to one?"
O'Donnel was suddenly aware that most of the nearby Legionnaires were listening to their conversation and that an uncomfortable number of weapons were now pointed in the general direction of the Red Eagles rather than at the alien ship.
"Are you threatening us?" he hissed, still watching the Legionnaires' weapons. "Would you actually order your troops to open fire on friendly forces from the Regular Army?"
"In a minute," Brandy said levelly.
"That's enough, Sergeant," Phule snapped. "As to your question, Major... Lieutenant Rembrandt?"
"Yes, Captain?"
"Do we have any hard evidence that the aliens are not capable of shape changing or low-level illusionary mind control?"
"No, sir."
"So for all we know, they may have the ability to disguise themselves as humans, even a people we already know, to infiltrate our positions?"
"Well... I guess so... sir."
"There you have it, Major. If necessary, I would feel more than justified in allowing my troops to defend themselves from any intruders, even if those intruders happened to look like a Regular Army unit."
"But...
"And especially," Phule continued, dropping his voice, "if they were conducting themselves in a manner inconsistent with known behavior patterns. You're losing it, Matthew. Cool down and we'll try it again... from the top."
O'Donnel wisely followed the advice, taking and releasing several long breaths before resuming the conversation.
"Am I to understand," he said at last, "that you are refusing to relinquish the situation to the Regular Army?"
"That is correct, Major O'Donnel," the Legion commander confirmed. "In my opinion, it still falls within our contracted services and is therefore our responsibility and ours alone. Simply put, it's our fight, so back off."
The major glanced at the waiting Eagles again.
"Seriously, Captain, are you sure you wouldn't like to have my boys around-at least as a backup?
Phule wavered. There was no denying the benefits of having a team like the Red Eagles around.
"Would you be willing to serve as a reserve unit under my command?"
O'Donnel straightened slightly and saluted.
"If that's the only way we can be included in this waltz, then yes, sir! Reporting for duty, sir."
It was far from an unconditional surrender, and everyone present knew there would be a reckoning later on. Still, if O'Donnel said he would take orders from the Legion, then his word would be good... at least until the engagement was over.
"Very well, Major," Phule said, returning the salute with equal formality, "then I want you to take your force and pull back about two hundred meters. I'll let you know when and if we need you... and thanks."