Russian Army one agreed with one’s superiors and instilled respect and obedience in one’s subordinates. As an enlisted man he could rise no further than command sergeant major. Lieutenant Yamato’s squadron had obliterated Rudi’s command.
Colonel Lazarev came to mind. He hadn’t liked the man, but he had respected him. Rudi hadn’t found any trace of the colonel’s body. But he had been standing in the turret when the tank fell into the canyon.
Rudi found the pack near the place where Pelagian had been hit. He hefted it, winced at the flash of pain in his chest and side, and hurried back to Bodecia. The day seemed too warm to bear.
As soon as he dropped it next to her, Bodecia tore into it and pulled out the mottled green silk of Yamato’s parachute. She shook it out and started tying it to saplings.
“Help me, Rudi. We must build a shelter to keep him out of the sun and rain.”
Rudi glanced at the cloudless sky. “Is not raining.”
“It will. And the sun is strong this time of year.”
In twenty minutes they fashioned a tent, which could shelter up to five people if they were friendly. They gently moved Pelagian into the shade and piled their gear close. Rudi carefully pulled in large rocks to make the position defensible if the need arose.
The pain flashed in his chest again and he grunted.
Bodecia peered at him with her obsidian-black eyes. “How are you feeling, Sergeant? The truth now, I’ll know if you dissemble.”
“Is Rudi, please. I ache most of the time, sleeping has become difficult, this gives me much weariness.”
“You should have said something. I could have—”
“Please, is of no account. I am alive because you save my life. I do not complain, you asked me.”
“I could have given you something to help you sleep. You should let me finish my words.”
“I already know what you will say. If I take medicine to sleep, I lose survival edge, I don’t let little wrong noises wake me, and we all die. I am well able to endure small discomfort, please not to worry.”
“I, or the dogs, would know if someone came close. I could wake you. You need to heal as fast as you can.”
“How would you know if dogs also sleep, or wander? You don’t sleep at all? You are only healthy person here, must stay that way.”
“Rudi, look deep into my eyes, yes, right now.”
He stared, more out of politeness than curiosity. She wasn’t a hard woman to look at.
“Good, you’re getting close, now concentrate on what you see in there.”
He started a smile but it died halfway. Something moved in the back of her eyes, something there and not a reflection.
“Do you see shapes or people? Do you see yourself, or what you wished to be? Look deep, push your senses, and open your heart and mind.”
At first they were shapes. Slowly they coalesced into a startling image of Natalia as he last saw her. Her laughter abruptly crossed an unfathomable abyss to brush his ears.
He sat transfixed as completely as an opium eater. He could taste Natalia’s tears, feel her hands in his, and smell the lavender defense with which she blocked the world. He smiled at her for a long time.
“Ser— Rudi, you need to wake up now.” Bodecia’s voice insistently pushed into his contemplation, eroding his smile. He jerked at her touch and woke.
He pushed himself upright and shook his head. “I have been asleep?”
“Quiet. There’s something out there, along the river. The dogs and I heard it.”
“Were voices?”
“No, it might be an animal.” She continued to whisper. “If it is, it’s a big one.”
Rudi licked his lips and tried to peer through the brush. “What animals live here?” he asked in a low voice.
“Well, no lions or tigers.” Bodecia gave him a grim smile. “But we do have caribou and moose, brown bear and black bear, lynx, wolves, fox, and even muskrats.”
“Real bears?” His voice rose slightly.
“Shh. Da, not like the kind Jerry wears on his chest.”
He thought of
Colonel Lazarev came to mind. He hadn’t liked the man, but he had respected him. Rudi hadn’t found any trace of the colonel’s body. But he had been standing in the turret when the tank fell into the canyon.
Rudi found the pack near the place where Pelagian had been hit. He hefted it, winced at the flash of pain in his chest and side, and hurried back to Bodecia. The day seemed too warm to bear.
As soon as he dropped it next to her, Bodecia tore into it and pulled out the mottled green silk of Yamato’s parachute. She shook it out and started tying it to saplings.
“Help me, Rudi. We must build a shelter to keep him out of the sun and rain.”
Rudi glanced at the cloudless sky. “Is not raining.”
“It will. And the sun is strong this time of year.”
In twenty minutes they fashioned a tent, which could shelter up to five people if they were friendly. They gently moved Pelagian into the shade and piled their gear close. Rudi carefully pulled in large rocks to make the position defensible if the need arose.
The pain flashed in his chest again and he grunted.
Bodecia peered at him with her obsidian-black eyes. “How are you feeling, Sergeant? The truth now, I’ll know if you dissemble.”
“Is Rudi, please. I ache most of the time, sleeping has become difficult, this gives me much weariness.”
“You should have said something. I could have—”
“Please, is of no account. I am alive because you save my life. I do not complain, you asked me.”
“I could have given you something to help you sleep. You should let me finish my words.”
“I already know what you will say. If I take medicine to sleep, I lose survival edge, I don’t let little wrong noises wake me, and we all die. I am well able to endure small discomfort, please not to worry.”
“I, or the dogs, would know if someone came close. I could wake you. You need to heal as fast as you can.”
“How would you know if dogs also sleep, or wander? You don’t sleep at all? You are only healthy person here, must stay that way.”
“Rudi, look deep into my eyes, yes, right now.”
He stared, more out of politeness than curiosity. She wasn’t a hard woman to look at.
“Good, you’re getting close, now concentrate on what you see in there.”
He started a smile but it died halfway. Something moved in the back of her eyes, something there and not a reflection.
“Do you see shapes or people? Do you see yourself, or what you wished to be? Look deep, push your senses, and open your heart and mind.”
At first they were shapes. Slowly they coalesced into a startling image of Natalia as he last saw her. Her laughter abruptly crossed an unfathomable abyss to brush his ears.
He sat transfixed as completely as an opium eater. He could taste Natalia’s tears, feel her hands in his, and smell the lavender defense with which she blocked the world. He smiled at her for a long time.
“Ser— Rudi, you need to wake up now.” Bodecia’s voice insistently pushed into his contemplation, eroding his smile. He jerked at her touch and woke.
He pushed himself upright and shook his head. “I have been asleep?”
“Quiet. There’s something out there, along the river. The dogs and I heard it.”
“Were voices?”
“No, it might be an animal.” She continued to whisper. “If it is, it’s a big one.”
Rudi licked his lips and tried to peer through the brush. “What animals live here?” he asked in a low voice.
“Well, no lions or tigers.” Bodecia gave him a grim smile. “But we do have caribou and moose, brown bear and black bear, lynx, wolves, fox, and even muskrats.”
“Real bears?” His voice rose slightly.
“Shh. Da, not like the kind Jerry wears on his chest.”
He thought of
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