"We can't figure it," Scheier said. "Last year, they had a decent C.O. Captain Finner. He knew Missouri like the back of his hand; been from Iowa to the Ozarks more times than I've been issued shoes. His men were ragged and patched, sure, what Wolf Unit in the bush doesn't look that way?"
"Good man," Jarvis echoed. "Made a speciality out of blowing the crap out of the River Patrol, only he used Grog guns for it so they'd hit back at the wrong target. One time he made it look like the Red Scalps Clan did it-scalped a boat captain with red hair-and started a big feud between the River Patrol and Red Scalps."
"Then one of Martinez's inspector generals comes in, and suddenly no more Finner. Sent back to supervise a depot full of blankets and winter socks."
"I'm no fan of General Martinez," Valentine said. "The way he runs things, I'm not sure the Kurians would do much different if they were giving the orders instead of him." He was breaking military protocol fifty ways from Mountain Home, but one more charge on his long list of sins wouldn't make a difference now.
With the cautious ice broken, Scheier continued.
"I don't know about Martinez. Sure, he's made improvements. Lots more supply getting to us now. Mail's better. But then his staff goes and puts a guy like Brostoff in charge of the Missouri Wolves. Force conservation. Avoid areas of possible conflict. Observe and report, under no circumstances engage. Don't make sense."
"All they do is eat, clean their guns, and then wait to rotate back to the home areas," Jarvis said. "What kind of formula is that for winning anything?"
"Those poor Grogs in Omaha kept expecting us. It was building, too. Bear Teams. Jarvis and I had set up a chain of supply caches with some of the Golden-the Bears and a bunch of Wolf heavy weapons trainers teams backed up with regulars and special forces were going to go hit Iowa on the supply lines for their siege. Soon as Martinez came in, that whole op got canceled on us."
Ahn-Kha planted his feet wide and set his pylonlike arms so he leaned in over the Cats.
"Tell me the truth. My people were promised warriors in a fight, and they did not even attempt to come?"
Scheier and Jarvis, both a little wide-eyed with Ahn-Kha looming over them, shrank into each other.
"No," Scheier said. "Or rather, yes. What I'm saying: the whole thing got scrubbed as soon as Martinez got in with all that talk about a 'respite' at the last election."
"That's what happened all right," Jarvis said. "No wormshit."
"Martinez don't think too much of Grogs. Said whole lot of 'em wasn't worth 'one son of Texas'-I think that's how he said it. It was in a speech he gave at the war college. Got reprinted and distributed, like all his speeches."
"He loves giving speeches and sending bulletins," Jarvis said. "Keeps us in writing paper and asswipes every month."
"They all begin 'Soldiers!' With the exclamation point, like the soldiers are all excited."
"Now he's made an enemy of one," Valentine said.
"My David, you will do me the honor of hearing this oath." Ahn-Kha drew his utility knife, and taking great handfuls of his Golden Mane, began to trim it down to stubble, with a good deal of nicks and cuts in the process.
He threw his head back and made a high wailing call as he cut his hair.
"For your benefit, my David, I will translate. 'Hear me, souls of the fathers in Paradise. Before I join you, I will take my fallen brother's revenge from General Martinez.' "
"I've never wanted to do a Grog before, but I'd consider it with that one," Scheier whispered to Jarvis.
"Ouch," Jarvis said. "That's not a team change, that's a different league."
"You'll have to wait in line behind me, old horse," Valentine said, after a moment to let Ahn-Kha collect himself.
"You take my words lightly?" Ahn-Kha growled.
Valentine felt a stab. He'd never had so much as a harsh word from the gentle giant. Ahn-Kha laughed at misfortune and bore hunger and discomfort with the same equanimity as he accepted sirloins and featherbeds.
"I'm sorry, my friend. If we survive this, I'll say good-bye to Colonel Lambert and follow you right to Martinez's headquarters, if that's what you want to do. What we have to do now is find your people and see if there's anything that can be done to help them."
Ahn-Kha tweaked both of Valentine's ears and flicked his own forward. "I forget, sometimes, my David, that you are not my people. You are only human, as you humans most accurately say."
Valentine wondered if he was blushing. He'd seen mother Grogs take their offspring's ears in this manner to chide them. He tweaked Ahn-Kha's snout.
"Did we just see a moment, here?" Jarvis said.
"Kiss already!" Scheier laughed.