“Jesus.” said Delaney.
“Yeah Maybe the worst prison in American history. But therewas a Union doctor there and he managed to get me patched back up, sort of, andI eventually managed to escape with a small group of men. We made our way toSherman’s troops and then, boy. we sure got even. Eventually, S amp; R foundme and clocked me back. I spent some time in the hospital and then took mydischarge. I figured I’d had enough. Only a funny thing happened.”
You couldn’t hack civilian life,” said Lucas.
Andell nodded. “You know about it. huh?”
“Yeah. I quit once, too. But there was just no going back.It was either reenlist or go crazy.”
“Then you understand,” Andell said. “War does funny thingsto some people. I don’t know, maybe it’s that after you’ve danced on the edgeof the sword blade, you can just never go back to ordinary life. Lot of peopledo. but me. he shook his head. “I never would’ve figured it. I thought I’dnever want to go back in the military again, but civilian life just drove mearound the bend. I started drinking. Got into drugs. Got busted a few times.”
“That’s why you couldn’t reenlist,” said Delaney.
“Yeah, they don’t take convicted felons in the service. So Iwound up going merc. Ran into a corporate recruiter in Miami. Next thing Iknew, I was on a shuttle to Tokyo. They processed me, put me through detox,then clocked me out to Spain with a merc: unit they were using and we joined upwith Hannibal there.”
“So you were in on the crossing of the Alps?” said Lucas.
“That’s right. Not exactly your average day hike. But I’lltell you something … you’ll probably think I’m crazy, but I loved everyminute of it.”
“How’d you wind up with the Observers?” Andre asked.
“I re-upped after I completed my hitch for Nippon and got assignedto the T.O. Corps.”
“But what about your record?” Andre said, puzzled.
“They didn’t know I had a record.”
“I don’t understand,” said Andre, frowning.
“The Nippon Conglomerate gave him a new identity.” Delaneyexplained. “Some countries do that for mercs. It’s sort of a recruitinginducement. Do a good job for them. complete your tour without getting yourselfkilled, and they’ll give you a brand-new identity, fully documented. You get tostart off with a clean slate.”
“So Andell’s not your real name?” asked Andre.
It is now.”
“Aren’t you taking a chance on telling us all this?” sheasked.
“No, not really. Even if you turned me in, which I don’tthink you would, HQ wouldn’t really care. They’re kind of pressed for manpowerthese days. As long as my official record’s clean, they’re not going to careabout who or what I was before.”
“But they’re not going to promote you. either,” saidDelaney.
“No, that’s for sure. I’ll never make it past sergeant. Butthat’s okay. I never much liked officers, anyway.” He grinned. No offense.”
“None taken,” said Delaney. “I know exactly how you feel.”
“You’re talking to the man who actually holds the record forthe most reductions in grade in the entire Temporal Corps,” said Lucas,smiling.
“Seriously?”
“Seriously.”
“And you still made captain?” Andell shook his head. “Youmust be a real hotshot. Sir,”
“I just don’t understand it,” said Delaney. “I keep takingthe damn bars off and they keep slapping them back on
Andell grinned. They were entering the outskirts of thecity. “So, you want the orientation lecture or you just going to let theprogramming kick in?”
“No, go ahead” said Lucas. “We can always use the perspectiveof someone who’s been in the field for a while.”