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.Another Imperial rejin was moving down the road from where it had waited concealed, as the Schvaitformed to deploy on the Yeoli's right flank.The springalds kept up their steady buckingwhack-whack ,clingfire globes making smoky tracks through the arching grey storm of missiles that sped both waysabove the packed fight.We re safe for the moment.Even Gold-bottom Chevenga wasn't going to be able to finesse a meetingengagement; this dance would last for a while.Those lancers weren't coming down to mix it in, either.Two many had lost their mounts, or their lives; the survivors would stay up on the hills, now, and keepthe Yeoli foot from pursuing too hard when the Imperial infantry pulled back.The Arkans are learninghow to retreat , I think.She had more immediate business."You insubordinate little shit!" She struck Sova across the side of the helmet again, harder, making asound like a cracked bell; the girl kept her silence, and backed her horse out of reach.But her eyes wentwide; now she realized what she'd done.I've never campaigned with a child before, it's enough toturn your hair white."Iknow you're sheep-fucking brave, now show some brains.It's the trickstergod's ownmiracle you weren't killed! Gods-dammit, I want you at my funeral twenty years from now,not me at yours tomorrow!""Ve couldn'tleave him, he's one of Echera-e's childhood friends!" The girl's Thanish accent always cameout more, when she was excited.Now she'll change the subject; Shkai'ra was getting to know Sova Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.htmlwell."Khud-hird, is he all right? Ve ve got to get him to a Haian!"Shkai'ra looked down at the Yeoli, still lying across her saddle.Bleeding from the nose, big graze acrossthe side of his face, but probably no broken bones from the way his body moved.She peeled back aneyelid, then the other.The pupils reacted, but one was a little bigger than the other."Concussion," she said."Not too bad." Her voice dropped, steady and just loud enough to carry a fewfeet over the enormous noise of combat from the road.She fixed the girl's eyes with hers."What did I tellyou when you arrived, about discipline?"Sova's lips thinned."I know.I'm under army law.""Correct, military apprentice.And the punishment for disobeying a clear order in the face of the enemy isflogging.In this army, flogging up to falling at the discretion of the commander." Sova blinked; no doubtshe'd heard tales of what that felt like, from Yeolis.Shkai'ra waited,expression bleak."Given your youth,the circumstances and whatever, I'll commute it to fifteen strokes.Consider yourself on report, trooper.Now take that one " she jerked a thumb at the casualty across Sova's saddlebow, the cause of thetrouble, " and Sneeze-name doesn't-take-orders number two here back to the Haians.When he wakesup, you can decide whether you'd rather have your strokes right away or beside him when he's fit,because he's getting the same.Dismissed!"Sova found her hands shaking, as she helped lift Echera-e, who was still limp, onto a litter.He's so pale.Suddenly she wanted to throw up.Wake up, wake up, love & The cool sense in her wondered why thefear.He might die.I'm going to get flogged.He's going to get flogged if he doesn't die.I just fought the feeling was utterly divorced from thoughts or the truth of the present, that it was over and she wassafe all of the above.Wake up , livling.If he dies I want to say I carried him , she thought, and triedto keep her arms steady on the litter-grips.No.Khyd-hirdsaid it wasn't too bad.There was always a rolling infirmary near the head of the great column now, since the harassment hadincreased.She scanned for the cart with the double white-striped flag.A moan came from the litter."Mamaiyana, Tyizil& " The name of his horse."Sovee." The litter moved as his weight shifted; shelooked over her shoulder to see him lean over its edge, and throw up onto the ground."Kyuzai, escuseme, ohhhhhhhh& " He fell back."Keep still, Echerry," she said."I'm here.You'll be all right and so will Ansena and we won and we'realmost at the infirmary." She wondered how much he understood.The Alliance army had a good hundred Haians, unheard of for a military force.Because the Arkansbroke the Compact and invaded them.This is their way of fighting for their freedom; if we takethe Empire, Chenga will give Haiu Menshir back its independence.Gentle Haian hands lifted thetwo litters, quickly examined, touching necks, pressing wrists.Ansena would need surgery; they took him straight into the cart.Echera-e they checked as Shkai'ra had,But more tenderly."Concussion," the healer, a woman said."Must stay lying; we put heem in cart andlook efter heem today.He ken stay een hees own bed tonight, probebly, but should have someone weethheem to keep heem still, end quiet.Come beck when we set camp.""Their names and unit?" the Yeoli clerk with the wax-board said briskly, as the healer moved on, busy.Sova told him, and then opened her mouth, but he cut her off with a chop of his pen."Healers and Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.htmlwounded only in the carts on march," he said, as if reading her mind."They'll be fine, you've done whatyou can, off with you now." She wanted to argue, the pull on her heart like a claw to stay here, but theclerk looked annoyed.She'd be in more trouble if she disobeyed here, too.I'm going to be in the infirmary next, she thought, dejectedly.At least the gut-fear of fighting wasgone, faded while her mind had been on other things.Fifteen strokes.I have to choose, now or later,with him& later.I'm going to see him again before he's fit, so if I get it done now he'll know whathe's in for
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