«Then you came. Not for loot or conquest, or for anything from us at all. You came to help!» She shook her head and blinked with remembered surprise. «Sea folk!» She glanced quickly at Jim Ellis. «The other iron ship had been here for a time and we knew it had great power, but in our shortsighted, uncurious way, neither Aryaal nor B’mbaado had any use for it or its people once we knew it would not help either of us against the other.» She blinked apology at Jim. «Besides,» she said, «it was badly damaged. Every day I expected to look out and see that it had sunk. When the Grik came, it tried to help us against them, but it couldn’t move. All it could do was use its power to keep a passage clear between Aryaal and my home.» She bowed to Jim Ellis. «For that, I thank you.»

She looked back at Matt, and again at the surrounding officers. «But then you came, with yet another iron ship, and the great Homes of the sea folk. You erased the Grik from the bay! It was the greatest thing I ever saw. I am sure that were it not for Fet-Alcas’s treachery the battle for Aryaal would have been just as one-sided, and just as complete.»

She paused and blinked significant resolve. «I have come to realize that this war you fight to destroy the Grik forever is not just a war for honor, as we’ve so often fought, but an haraan, Queen Protector of the People of B’mbaado, beg you will accept my nation and my warriors into your Grand Alliance to destroy the Grik menace once and forever.»

There were appreciative howls and stamping feet, and the humans that could clapped their hands together. Matt stood and watched while the queen bowed formally, acknowledging the praise, and he managed a smile. Behind it, however, as he so often did, he was considering ramifications. The B’mbaadans were considerable warriors. Much like the people of Madura were reckoned in the world he came from. The question was how best to integrate them into the shield wall. They would have their own ideas how to fight, and he hoped they wouldn’t prove too difficult to teach the new way of fighting, as they’d done with the others. If the battle had taught them anything at all, it was that the tactics Matt had suggested and Shinya and Alden had drilled into their troops worked. The last thing they needed was a gaggle forming part of the line.

Surprisingly, Queen Maraan immediately answered the question for him.

«I was, of course, impressed by the skill and courage with which you fought,» she said. «As an ally, might I presume you will teach us these skills of war?»

Matt stirred with relief when Adar told him what she had asked, and he cleared his throat. «Certainly, Your Highness. I’m sure something can be arranged.» He waited until Adar began telling the queen what he’d said. «Lieutenant Shinya?» he whispered quietly.

Shinya stepped up beside him. «Sir?»

«See to it, if you please. Set up an abbreviated drill for our new allies. Or if they’re willing, maybe we can integrate the B’mbaadan troops directly into our existing regiments, at least for now. Sort of a ‘jump right in’ form of basic training. God knows, we need the replacements after yesterday.» While he spoke, he noticed the queen of B’mbaado staring at Chack with as close to an expression of interested speculation as her face was capable of. Perhaps Adar had mentioned him? Maybe she’d asked about the powerful young Lemurian who stared brazenly back at her from beneath the jaunty angle of his dented helmet. «I know you’ve learned to speak ’Cat pretty good, Lieutenant,» Matt said in a thoughtful tone, «but use Chack as your liaison. If you want him to keep the Second Marines that’s fine with me — hell, he helped train them — and that’d be a good outfit to put their officers in to work them up.»

Lieutenant Shinya nodded. «That was my thinking exactly, Captain.»

Matt looked at the battle line commanders for a moment before addressing them. «All of you are not just captains but also heads of state. You have an equal say in this matter. Do any of you object to this alliance?» There was only a respectful silence from the Home high chiefs, although Anai-Sa of Fristar seemed oblivious. «Good.» He turned to Safir Maraan. «Your Highness, as commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force, it’s my honor to accept your nation into our alliance on behalf of its other members, with my gratitude.» There was another short cheer, and Queen Maraan bowed graciously once more. Matt took a breath and regarded Lord Rolak, who stood watching what transpired with a tired, wistful posture. «Lord Rolak.»

The Aryaalan seemed to clear his thoughts as he quickly knelt before the captain. «Yes, Lord?»

Matt understood that much of the People’s speech, and he rubbed his eyes with his good hand and peered down at the t was high time he learned to speak without an interpreter. «Adar,» he said, «please try to explain to Lord Rolak that he’s not a slave. I know what he did — what he risked and what he lost — in order to keep his word. I don’t doubt his honor or his courage, and no one else should either. I admire it. Tell him that. Then tell him I’d be grateful for his service, and the service of all those who followed him and fought so well at our side. Not as slaves or vassals, but as friends.»

Matt carefully lowered himself until he was kneeling on the ground. As Adar spoke, Rolak lifted his gaze until it rested heavily and searchingly upon Matt’s face. With an encouraging smile, Matt extended his hand. Rolak looked at it, unsure, until Adar quickly explained the human custom. Then Rolak slowly, almost tentatively, extended his own hand. Matt grasped it between them and pumped it up and down.

Seeing Matt’s difficulty in rising, Shinya and Sandra helped the captain back onto the stool, where he sat, puffing slightly and watching the Aryaalan.

Rolak stood and brushed sand from his knees. «We are friends then, yes,» he said, talking to Adar. «But that in no way absolves me of my honor debt. If anything, it makes it a greater burden. Sometimes friendship can be the cruelest slavery of all, but in this case I accept it gladly. Tell Cap-i-taan Reddy he is my lord, as Fet-Alcas once was, and my sword, my life, and my honor are still his, but they are freely given as a friend and not as a slave.»

Matt listened to Adar’s translation and sighed. It was probably the best compromise he would manage for now, given the dire nature of Rolak’s original pledge, and he was grateful that, however it happened, the alliance had grown still more.

«Now,» he said, holding himself as still as possible while the pain of his exertions subsided, «that’s over with. I’ve heard your reports, but this meeting is to get everyone on the same page regarding our current situation. Mr. Shinya, would you describe the disposition of the enemy?»

«Yes, sir.» Shinya shifted and spoke so his voice would carry to all those present. «As far as we can tell, they’re gone. Our original estimate of their embarked force seems to have been. a little off, and several hundred of them, at least, escaped at the end of the battle. There is no indication that they retreated in any semblance of order, though.

They just fled. I would recommend that when the Catalina flies in from Baalkpan this afternoon, Lieutenant Mallory be requested to fly a quick search pattern, fuel permitting, to ensure that the enemy has not reconstituted himself nearby.»

«Do you think that is likely?» Keje asked. He spoke very carefully because he, like Matt, was trying to remain as still as he could.

«It’s possible. I do not think it likely, however.» Shinya paused and his brow furrowed in thought as he tried to decide how best to explain himself. Before he could, Courtney Bradford spoke up.

«If I may, Lieutenant?» Shinya nodded and the Australian cleared his throat. «Well. First of all, when the Grik finally broke, it was quite spectacular. Quite spectacular indeed! They just ran in all directions, like bees! As if they’d entirely lost their minds. Although I wasn’t, um, actually in the very thickest of the fight, I saw the end from what might have been a better vantage point than most. Their demeanor couldn’t have been more different from one moment to the next. It was as though one just pulled a cord and flipped a lied. «We saw it once aboard Big Sal and again, well, yesterday. I don’t think it’s a phenomenon we can feel certain enough of to base any strategy upon.»