The woman shook her head.

Mincer grimaced and said, ‘She’s no experience with that, Fist. I never asked her advice, I’m afraid.’

‘From what I have gathered, you never asked anyone’s advice when you were captain.’

‘Aye, that’s a fact.’

‘Nor did you attend any staff briefings.’

‘No, sir.’

‘And why was that?’

Mincer shrugged.

Captain Bungle spoke. ‘Beauty sleep, sir. That’s what he always said.’

‘Hood knows the man needs it,’ Bult muttered.

Coltaine raised an eyebrow. ‘And did he sleep, Captain? During those times?’

‘Oh yes, sir. He sleeps when we march, too, sir. Sleeps while walking – I’ve never seen the like. Snoring away, sir, one foot in front of the other, a bag full of rocks on his back—’

‘Rocks?’

‘For when he breaks his sword, sir. He throws them, and there ain’t a damned thing he can’t hit.’

‘Wrong,’ Mincer growled. ‘That lapdog ...’

Bult seemed to choke, then spat in sympathy.

Coltaine had drawn his hands behind him, and Duiker saw them clench in a white-knuckled grip. As if sensing that attention, the Fist called out without turning, ‘Historian!’

‘I am here, Fist.’

‘You will record this?’

‘Oh, aye, sir. Every blessed word.’

‘Excellent. Engineers, you are dismissed.’

The group wandered off, muttering. One man clapped Mincer on the shoulder and received a blistering glare in return.

Coltaine watched them leave, then strode to Duiker, Bult and Lull following.

‘Spirits below!’ Bult hissed.

Duiker smiled. ‘Your soldiers, Commander.’

‘Aye,’ he said, suddenly beaming with pride. ‘Aye.’

‘I did not know what to do,’ Coltaine confessed.

Lull grunted. ‘You played it perfectly, Fist. That was exquisite, no doubt already making the rounds as a Hood-damned full-blown legend. If they liked you before, they love you now, sir.’

The Wickan remained baffled. ‘But why? I just demoted a man for unsurpassed bravery!’

‘Returned him to the ranks, you mean. And that lifted every one of ‘em up, don’t you see that?’

‘But Mincer—’

‘Never had so much fun in his life, I’d bet. You can tell, when they get even uglier. Hood knows, I can’t explain it – only sappers know a sapper’s way of thinking and behaving, and sometimes not even them.’

‘You’ve a captain named Bungle, now, nephew,’ Bult said. ‘Think she’ll be there in polish and shine next briefing?’

‘Not a chance,’ Lull opined. ‘She’s probably packing her gear right now.’

Coltaine shook his head. ‘They win,’ he said, in evident wonder. ‘I am defeated.’

Duiker watched the three men walk away, still discussing what had just happened. Not lies after all. Tears and smiles, something so small, so absurd . . . the only possible answer. . . The historian shook himself, and looked around until he found List. ‘Corporal, I recall you had something to show me...’

‘Yes, sir. Up ahead, not far, I think.’