XX
The Boldest Step
Vorgens did not notice that Mclntyre was missing until the following morning. It took a little while for him to discover that the sergeant was nowhere in the Mobile Force, that Merdon and a few Marines were also gone, and that a scout car had disappeared.
The Watchman summoned Brigadier Aikens to the dreadnaught’s wardroom. In cold fury, Vorgens explained the situation to him-
“I have only one question,” Vorgens concluded, barely able to keep his voice calm. “Did you authorize this raid in which they must be engaged?”
“Raid?” Aikens asked.
“On the Komani camp,” Vorgens snapped. “Did you authorize it?”
Aikens laughed. “Until just now I didn’t even know about it.”
“I see ,..”
The wall communicator chimed, and a trooper’s faceok form on the viewscreen. “Sir, there’s a trooper here at hatch four who demands to see you. Name of Giradaux. He says .. .”
“Send him here at once,” Vorgens said.
It took a minute for Giradaux to get from the outside hatch to the wardroom. He stepped wearily through the doorway, ducldng his head to get his tall, lanky frame through. He looked utterly bedraggled. His uniform was caked with mud. His face was hollow-eyed and grimy. His shoulders slumped dejectedly. He didn’t bother to salute. “We got him for you,” he said to Vorgens.
“Got him?”
“Okatar. He’s dead. I hope that makes you happy.”
“What are you …”
“We got Okatar,” the trooper said, his eyes filling with tears, “and they got th’ Sarge. Four killed, one wounded—sir. Trooper Martinis and I weren’t touched, It’s a big victory for you—sir. A big victory.”