The Complete Hammer's Slammers, Vol. 2

The name of the senior Sincanmo leader in the task force brought a partial hush. Men turned to look at Diabate, white-bearded and more hawk-faced than most of his fellows. He wore a robe printed in an intricate pattern of black/russet/white, over which were slung a 2cm powergun and three silver-mounted knives in a sash.

"Colonel Hammer has ordered us back ten kays," Kuykendall continued. Two crewmen stood atFirewalker's wing tribarrels, but the weapons were aimed toward the Notch. The air of the gathering was amazement, not violence. "So we're moving out in half an hour."

"Don't be bloody crazy!"Des Grieux shouted over the indig babble."You saw what's happening south of the wall."

He pointed the barrel of his grenade launcher toward the Escarpment. The bandolier swung heavily in the same hand."Inside an hour,there'll beten thousand people trying t' get through the Notch, andwe'rehere t' shut the door in their face?"

Sincanmo elders shook their guns in the air and cried approval.

Kuykendall's sharp features pinched tighter. She muttered an order toFirewalker's AI, then—regardless of the Hashemites in the Notch—blared through the combat car's external speakers, "Listento me, gentlemen!"

Her voice echoed like angry thunder from the face of the butte. Shouting men blinked and looked at her.

"The colonelwantsthem to run away instead of fighting like cornered rats," Kuykendall went on, speaking normally but continuing to use amplification. "He wants a surrender, not a bloodbath."

"But—" Chief Diabate protested.

"What the colonel orders," Kuykendall said firmly, "I carry out. And I'm in charge of this task force, by order of your own council."

"We know the Hashemites!"Diabate said.This time, Kuykendall let him speak. "If they throw away their guns and flee now, they will find more guns later. Only if we kill them all can we be sure of peace. This is the time to kill them!"

"I've got my orders,"Kuykendall said curtly, "and you've got yours.Slammers elements, saddle up. We move out in twenty . . . seven minutes."

Khaki-uniformed mercenaries turned away,shrugging at the slings and holsters of their personal weapons. Des Grieux did not move for a moment.

"I wanted you to see," Kuykendall continued to the shocked Sincanmo elders. "Thisisn't a tribal council, this is war andI'min charge. If you refuse to obey my orders,you'rein breach of the contract, not me and Colonel Hammer."