Gateways 07_ What Lay Beyond - Diane Carey [53]
Kira gave Maldik a questioning glance.
The doctor tugged on his beard some more. “He said, and I think I’m quoting this precisely, “Thank her for me.’ “
Snorting, Kira said, “He’s thanking me? What did I do, besides fall on my face?”
“Well, from what he said, you didn’t actually come out and tell him you were dying of pneumonia while you were stupidly trudging through freezing mountains after wading hip-deep in a swamp.”
In a weak voice, Kira said, “I didn’t want to worry him.”
Another beard-tug. “No, better to wait until you fall unconscious and then completely frighten him. Yes, good point, much better than simply worrying him.”
Kira ignored the barb, instead asking, “What about his arm? Were you able to save it?”
“Barely. You did a good job of keeping the wound clean. If you’d continued your summer stroll for much longer, it would’ve been infected, but he got the two of you here in time.” One last beard-tug, then: “Enough gossip. You need your rest.”
“I’m fine,” Kira said, and she started to sit up. The room proceeded to leap around, whirl in circles, and generally behave insanely until she lay back down, and then everything was fine. “On the other hand, maybe rest isn’t a bad idea.”
In a tone that sounded irritatingly like Julian at his most smug, Maldik said, “Soldiers make such wonderful patients. Try listening periodically, it’ll do you wonders.”
Chapter 9
Kira spent what felt like an eternity on her cot. Every once in a while she was able to sit up, but never for very long.
As time went on, news from the front lines, and from the capital, came in the form of messengers. Admiral Inna led a convoy of ships to the Kendra Valley River in an attempt to cut off the Bajora’s supply lines. Natlar also sent an envoy to the Bajora, asking them to cease their support of Lerrit.
It turned out that the battle at Barlin Field had been more decisive than Kira and Torrna had realized, busy as they were being captured. It had been a major victory, and led to the complete reclamation of not only Makar Province, but also most of the Lonnat Valley.
By the time Kira was well enough to travel, a ship was coming down the coast the fort was located near the Korvale Ocean to bring injured troops home. Being, in essence, an injured troop as well, Kira went along.
The captain of the ship was a very short, no-nonsense woman named Tunhal Din. Kira noticed that she wore an earring in her right ear. “Who the hell’re you?” was her way of introducing herself.
“Kira Nerys. I’m General Torrna’s adjutant.”
“Didn’t know he had one. Well, find yourself somewhere to sleep. If you get sick, do it over the edge or clean it up yourself.”
“How’s the fighting going?” Tunhal shrugged. “We haven’t surrendered yet.”
Kira had never traveled much by sea. Her initial assumption that it would be much like flying in an atmospheric craft turned out to be optimistic. She managed not to throw up, but that only through a supreme effort of will.
When they came around the bend into sight of Natlar Port, she had other reasons for being ill.
The port was on fire.
She stood at the fore of the ship, next to the wheel, watching in shock. Tunhal was next to her. “Well, that was damn stupid o’ them Lerrits.”
Kira looked at her. “What do you mean?”
“Port’s what makes this land so damn desirable. Why’d they cannon it to smithereens like that? If they’re trying to win back the land, why screw up the most valuable part of it?”
“It depends on your goal,” Kira, who had spent her formative years as a terrorist, said after a moment’s thought. “If you’re trying to take land from the enemy, you’re right, it is stupid. But if you’re trying to do damage to your enemy where it hurts the most, that’s the thing to do.”
Tanhul looked at her like she had grown a second head. “That’s insane.”
Kira had to bite back her instinctive response: You say that because the tactics of terrorism haven’t really been invented here yet. They haven’t needed to be. And you should thank the Prophets for that every night before you