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"That’s your perfect right, Muncey That’s your right as a soldier of the Expeditionary"

Muncey’s body shook then, a series of three hard spasaps in his teeth Peter felt the soldiers tense; all around him, hands dropped to their blades, a quick, unconscioussoldier, didn’t flinch

"Well, I guess that’s it now," Muncey said when the spasms had passed Peter could find no fear anywhere in the soldier’s eyes, only a calm acceptance All the color had seeped from his face, like water down a drain He lifted his bound hands to wipe the sweat fro "It’s like they say, the way it comes on If it’s no trouble, I’d like it on the blade, Major I want to feel it co out of me"

Greer nodded his approval "Good man, Muncey"

"Donadio should be the one to do it, if that’s all right Myyou, and she was kind enough to bring me back She didn’t have to do that" His eyes were blinking now, the sas pouring down "I just wanted to say it’s been an honor, sir The general, too I wanted to come home to say that But I think you better step to it, Major"

Greer rose to his feet and backed away Everyone snapped to attention He raised his voice to all of them:

"This man is a soldier of the Expeditionary! It is time for him to take the trip! All hail, Corporal Muncey Hip hip"

"Hooray!"

"Hip hip-"

"Hooray!"

"Hip hip-"

"Hooray!"

Greer drew his blade and passed it to Alicia Her face was co all eripped the blade in her fist and knelt before Muncey, who had bowed his head noaiting, his bound hands slack in his lap Alicia bent her head toward Muncey’s until their foreheads were touching Peter saw that her lips werequiet words to him He felt no horror, only a sense of astonishment The mo fixed and singular-a line that, once crossed, could never be uncrossed That Muncey would die was only a part of its

The knife did its work almost before Peter realized what had happened; when Alicia dropped her hand, it was buried to the hilt in Muncey’s chest His eyes were open, wide and da his face now, tenderly, like a mother with her child "Go easy now, Muncey," she said "Go easy" A bit of blood had risen to his lips He breathed oncethe air in his chest, as if it were not air but so farover and done Then his life left hi hiround of the garrison

Peter did not see her all through the next day and then the day after He thought of sending her a h Greer, but he didn’t knohat to say In his heart he knew the truth: Alicia was gone She had slipped into a life he had no part of

They’d lost a total of forty-sixGeneral Vorhees It stood to reason that so theout search parties But Greer said no Thefor their departure was closing, if they were going to make their rendezvous with Third Battalion Seventy-two hours, he announced, and that would be the end of it

By the end of the second day, the caear, er tents except the hts would ree fuel tankers, now le Huroups: a s party on horseback, led by Alicia, with the rest following in the trucks and on foot Alicia was now an officer; with soall but two squad leaders, the ranks had thinned, and Greer had given her a battlefield commission She was now Lieutenant Donadio

Greer had lifted the order to keep Sara and Aated; a body was a body, he said, no reason at this point to split hairs A lot of s, cuts and scratches and sprains, but one soldier had a broken collarbone, and two more, Sancho and Withers, had been badly burned in the detonation The battalion’s twoher, Sara had taken over caring for the wounded, preparing them as best she could for the trip south Peter and Hollis had been assigned to the packing crehose job was to sort through the contents of two large supply tents, culling ould travel with theouts spread through the compound Michael had more or less disappeared into the motor pool; he slept in the barracks, took his meals elbow to elboith the other oilers Even his na, the question of the evacuation hung like a blade Peter had yet to give Greer his answer, because the truth was, he didn’t know The others-Sara and Hollis and Michael and even A hi on the subject made this fact all thehiarrison now seemed more perilous than ever Greer had cautioned hi; perhaps, he suggested, it would be best to wait until they returned next summer He’d talk to Division, persuade them to mount a proper expedition Whatever’s up thatti of the second day after Alicia’s return, Peter ca on his cot A winter parka was draped over his shoulders; he was holding a guitar in his lap

"Where’d you find that?"

Hollis was idly plucking notes, his face drawn in concentration He looked up and gave a sh his heavy beard, which by now climbed halfway up his cheeks "One of the oilers had it Friend of Michael’s" He blew on his hands and plucked a few es of a melody that Peter couldn’t quite discern "It’s been so long I thought I’d forgotten how to play"

"I didn’t know you could"

"I can’t, not really Arlo was always the one"

Peter sat on the bunk across fro"

"I don’t re or two"

"Then play that Play anything"

Hollis shrugged; but Peter could tell he was happy to be asked "Don’t say I didn’t warn you"

Hollis did soan It took Peter a : one of Arlo’s funny, s, the ones he used to play for the Littles in the Sanctuary, yet different soers, it was deeper and richer, full of an aching sadness Peter lay back on his cot and let the notes wash over hi had ended, he could still feel it inside hiht," he said He took a deep breath, fixing his eyes on the tent’s sagging ceiling "You and Sara should take that convoy Michael, too I doubt she’ll go without hi, Peter rose on his elbows and faced his friend "It’s okay, Hollis I mean it That’s what I want you to do"

"It’s what Vorhees said, e first got here About his ood for this anymore, if I ever was I really love her, Peter"

"You don’t have to explain I’lad you have this chance"

"What will you do?" Hollis asked