Dave risked a look around the corner, then stood with a sigh of relief. The person at the entrance was wearing power armor, which satisfied him that she was what she was supposed to be. "I'm tossing the gun out," he said, doing so. Then, raising his hands, he stepped out of cover. "Boy, am I glad to see you! Ranger Tarlac needs a medalert team, with a lifepod."
"He's here?"
"Yes, sir—I'll show you."
"Wait one." Dave couldn't hear what she said next, but what his mother's stories had led him to expect was confirmed when she said, "They're on the way. Let's go."
Dave led her to his patient, not at all surprised when she swore bitterly before picking up the unconscious man. "The team'll meet us outside—they'd never get a pod in here."
"Yes, sir." Dave led the way again, blinking as he emerged from the dimness into bright afternoon sun. A couple of decade Marines in power armor were guarding the perimeter of a new clearing, while several more in camouflage battledress held a number of rebel prisoners at gunpoint near one edge. The medalert team had obviously been in readiness nearby, because a lander with medical markings was already settling toward the clearing's center.
An armored Marine with captain's bars and "Chiun" stencilled on her helmet gestured the one carrying Tarlac toward the medical lander, then turned her attention to Dave and stood silently looking at him for several moments before she removed her helmet and smiled. "You'd be David Scanlon, then?"
When he nodded, surprised, she gave him a half-bow—people in power armor didn't offer to shake hands—and said, "Captain Heidi Chiun. Pleased to meet you. Now that we have Ranger Tarlac safe, an assault group will be hitting the main rebel camp. The Empire owes you some powerful thanks, young man."
"My pleasure," Dave replied, wanting to be polite though he wasn't quite sure which statement he was responding to. Then curiosity took over. "How did you know me? And why're you here now instead of tomorrow?"
"Two questions, one answer." Chiun frowned. "One of the rebels reported the torture and rescue to us, through the local IntelDiv office. Unfortunately, we couldn't get him out; he was killed while he was still on the screen. That's something we don't intend to have happen to you; His Majesty invites you to stay on the Empress Lindner until it's safe for you to go home, probably sometime after Ranger Tarlac recovers and holds a Tribunal on this mess."