“I know.”

“Hey, L.T.,” Burke called out. “We’ve got some company coming up here.”

Savoy glanced over in the direction that Burke had indicated and noted the armed forces converging on their position. “Great. Don’t make any fast moves, guys. I’d hate to get toasted by the guys we came here to save.”

“Don’t worry,” Burke muttered.

The team watched as the militia came up, finally stopping just in front of them, and one of the figures stepped forward.

He was a big man, Savoy noted, his face craggy with exposure to the elements, and he handled the laser rifle in his hands like it was a toy.

“You are Ithan Savoy?” the man grumbled.

Savoy frowned. The translator either scrambled the word or he’d just gotten a new rank. In either case, it didn’t matter, so he nodded in an exaggerated fashion so the big man would be able to tell. “That’s correct.”

“Kimbo Yulth,” the man said, gesturing in what might have been a salute. “We are assigned to you.”

Savoy blinked, toggling into the command channel reflexively. “Hey, boss?”

Brinks’s growl came back, “What is it, Lieutenant? I’ve got mopping-up operations in three quadrants and a firefight in a civilian building in the fourth.”

“You know anything about local reinforcements?”

“They get to you already?” Brinks muttered. “Shit. I meant to warn you that they were coming. Didn’t think they’d be so fast.”

“I guess Milla got through to the local boss man,” Savoy said.

“That’s affirmative, Lieutenant,” Brinks told him. “They’re yours. Use them as you see fit. The local guy has given us the lead.”

Savoy almost cursed from the surprise, blinking furiously as his mind whirred.

“Sir?” he said.

“I know, I know,” Brinks said. “I don’t know what to make of it, either. I can’t say I’m opposed to it, mind you, just doesn’t make sense. The local military is acting more like a militia group or something…”

“Could be that’s all they are, sir.”

“Whatever,” Brinks muttered. “Doesn’t matter. They’re yours. Deal with it.”

“Yes, sir,” Savoy replied just before the channel went dead.

When he turned his attention back to Yulth, the man was waiting patiently for him to say something, to all appearances completely at peace with the world. Savoy tried to shake off the disturbing feeling it gave him and started speaking.

“All right, Yulth,” he said through the suit speakers. “Here’s the situation: We’ve got over two hundred of those Drasin things down in tunnels under our feet. We can’t ignore them, or they’ll rip this city out from under us. Got that?”

Yulth nodded.

“All right, here’s what I need to know.” Savoy stepped forward, placing a hand on Yulth’s shoulder and turning him around. He pointed down toward the wreckage, moving his hand expansively to either side. “Are there any civilians in that area, and if there are, how fast can you boys clear them out?”