Chapter 31

"A siege," said Shaw.

"Yes, Mr. Shaw, pretty much a classic siege," Igwanda responded. "On foreign territory, in a foreign structure, with no advance provisioning, in the worst of all possible positions."

"Colonel, I've read a little history, and can you tell me even one case—"

"—where the besieged have prevailed under those conditions?" the colonel finished. "No. There is none, without outside relief. If you wish, this is our extraterrestrial Alamo."

"What in the name of God have you done to us?" came Toshimura's voice, almost a croak.

Igwanda glared at him. "I?" he asked icily. "After that"—his gesture encompassed the negotiations with the aliens that had just passed—"are you still a fool?"

Meiersdottir intervened. "John, you have to accept. They did attack us. Apparently not just here but the lander as well."

It's difficult for a man lying on the floor to patronize someone standing over him, but Toshimura managed it. "Amanda, has he brainwashed you? Brainwashed you all?" his head turned toward the others. "He started this. Had to. They were our friends ten minutes ago. I know I did nothing to change that—and they were still trying to protect me, take me out of the violence, when the shooting started; they were still my friends. So who did what to start all that? I'll tell you—him! He's the one who yelled about 'suits, ' he's the one who fired the first shot, he's the one responsible—"

"Shut up, John," snapped Meiersdottir uncharacteristically. "Fucking shut up. Whatever you thought, every other one of us was grabbed by a big group of natives who tried to hustle us away to God knows where—"

"No!" interrupted Toshimura loudly. "All they wanted to do was protect us—"

It was Heisinger's turn to interrupt. "Dr. Toshimura," he said loudly. "John. Their idea of 'protection' was to kidnap us. They are not my bodyguards, our bodyguards. These people"—his gesture encompassed all three soldiers—"are. I happen to have observed the commencement of these events. They attacked our soldiers unprovoked and sought to make the rest of us captives. Please accept that as fact, for it is."

"And they lied to us," Lee spoke up. "Or at least they faked it. Some of the things Joe just said he never learned in our lessons, and I didn't know he knew. They've been overhearing us—and understanding! I can't do that with them, I'm not even close. But he's saying things he shouldn't be able to even think of, much less say out loud in Standard."

"Then... ," stammered Toshimura. "Then ... My God! It's all been a lie?"

He flinched as Igwanda strode over to him, but the colonel simply stood above him. "Dr. Toshimura. I apologize for striking you. Carol's death..." He shook his head. "It is still no excuse." He extended his hand to the prone sociologist. After a moment Toshimura took it, accepting the assistance as he rose to his feet.

"You understand the situation, now?" Igwanda asked him. He nodded mutely. The colonel looked around. "You all understand the situation?" Nods and murmurs from everyone. "Very well. It is not so dire as it appears, in my opinion; we still have options, and you need not de­spair.

"It seems from what Joe said that we need not fear any immediate attempt to rush us. They seem prepared to take virtually unlimited casualties if necessary, but it would be suicidal to try to crash the doors and I believe they know this. Even so, Ahlia, you and Dzenda need to keep watch closely. I also need one of you civilians to take up Carol's weapons so we will again be four armed if they do attack. Amanda, your training scores were much the best, will your scruples allow you to do so?" She nodded without hesitation. "Good." He walked over to the fallen trooper's body and emotionlessly retrieved helmet, laser assemblage and blaster. He handed them to her without expression; she accepted with the same demeanor.

"Now," he continued. "I wish to consult. I intend to relay to my sergeant on board the Gardener through Zo, who of course is nowhere close to death. But I would like for all of you to participate; we need all the ideas, all the intelligence we can assemble. As I said, we have options, but let us have as many as possible. I invite any of you to contribute to this discussion at any time. Please set your communicators to the lander frequency."

Zo quickly made the connection, and Igwanda soon apprised his sergeant of the full situation.

"OK, Colonel, you're under siege," Chavez summarized. "You can't use the on-ground lander to come rescue you. Seems pretty obvious to me; we use the second lander to come get you, we go clear the first one of that damn concrete or whatever, and we all go home."

Igwanda shook his head in frustration. Had Chavez served only under stupid commanders?