Harry woke up in the sick bay bed. He wondered briefly how he had got there. He

decided that it didn’t matter as long as he could leave. He could stay in bed for a bit.

Then he had to check on his kids.

“How’s it going, Harry?,” asked Nick.

“I feel all right,” said Harry. “Just enjoying this bed for a moment before I get back

to work.”

“You’re going to have to take it easy for a few days,” said Nick. “Cat has given you

some injections, but you were poisoned by the blast you set off.”

“It cut through the force field?,” asked Harry.

“The bottom of the shelter you created wasn’t covered,” said Nick. “Looking at it, the

radiation came through the bottom and sliced through you. Yema checked it for us

while you were out.”

“Am I going to be okay?,” asked Harry.

“We think so,” said Nick. “Cat has been mixing things for you to battle the symptoms

and erase the cause. You might be stuck in bed for a while.”

“I don’t want to be stuck in bed,” said Harry.

“Then quit blowing stuff up while you’re in the blast zone,” said Nick. “Savvy?”

“How are things going other than confining the best contractor ever to a bed?,” asked

Harry.

“Milla isn’t confined to a bed,” said Nick.

“Have we had any more super gates?,” asked Harry.

“Not yet,” said Nick. “We don’t know if they can field another one after what you

did.”

“Maybe they will do something stupid and gate the next one on the other side of the

planet, and give it air cover,” said Harry. He smiled.

“Maybe,” said Nick. “If they do, that will give whomever is here time to destroy it.”

“Did you get a bead on that truck?,” asked Harry. “I think that planet should be the

next stop for me.”

“I got a bead on it,” said Nick. “It showed at the edge of the galaxy. It was the planet

that fell before Yema’s was attacked.”

“So what I attacked was something that helped take over the planet and massacre the

civilians?,” said Harry.

“Yes,” said Nick. “We were able to evacuate part of the population, but we still lost

the planet to the enemy.”

“What I did probably won’t make the place look any better judging by what happened

to the Wallens and Delgas,” said Harry.

“There is a discussion going on about sending you out there and letting you do what

you do,” said Nick. “I requested that you be sent back to Earth, and be put on light

duty.”

“So I won’t be able to take back that planet?,” said Harry. He controlled the anger.

His boss was right. He knew it. He didn’t feel it.

“It’s being discussed like I said,” said Nick. “I think you need to take some time off

instead of chasing after the next stage of your campaign, but it’s out of my hands.”

“I get bored easily,” said Harry.

“You can burn out chasing after something,” said Nick. “It’s a thing. You should

enjoy your ten million and let others do some of the work.”

“I am the best contractor,” said Harry. “The review board already said that.”

“No,” said Nick. “They said you were one step below a mad dog that needed to be put

down. Take the warning, and back off.”

“You just want to win that trophy,” accused Harry.

“And I can’t win it if one of my contractors is considered annulled and sent out of the

fight,” said Nick.

“I don’t really have anything other than this,” said Harry. “I want to go to that other

planet and take it. I feel like a more aggressive leaning is changing the balance of the

war.”

“It certainly has impressed the contractors you have worked with, but they are

eventually going to have to go back to their areas of conflict and help keep those

zones clear,” said Nick. “Their agents don’t understand why they aren’t dead, just like

I don’t understand why you aren’t.”

“It’s the nature of the business,” said Harry. “I don’t want to go back to Earth. I want

to at least stay here with the kids.”

“And no one wants to unleash your Bolos on planets that have people on them,” said

Nick. “They are a threat if they have a breakdown.”

“My kids are okay,” said Harry.

“One of your kids wants an aquarium,” said Nick. “I don’t think I have seen a

machine want that.”

“Wait until he wants to borrow the car,” said Harry.

“Hello, Harry,” said Yema as he strode into the sick bay. “I see you are doing better.”

“I’ll be ready to get back in the fight in a few minutes,” said Harry.

“More like a month,” said Yema. He looked around. He found a chair he could sit in

and then sat so he wouldn’t loom over the bed. “I assume your agent has been talking

to you.”

“He wants me to take it easy and go back to Earth now that I have a firebase

installed,” said Harry. “And he doesn’t like the kids.”

“I didn’t say that,” said Nick. “They are just weird.”

“The word has got out that working with you will allow contractors to maximize their

points,” said Yema. “The Jordan is fielding numerous requests for you to shepherd

other contractors.”

“I don’t think that is true,” said Harry. “And chasing points will get people killed.”

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“The word has spread,” said Yema. “Contractors are lining up to come here and help

clear this planet from the threat.”

“The calvary can clear the planet by themselves now,” said Harry. “They don’t need

any contractors to help. I expect the docks we dropped to start clearing the orbital

forces before I get out of bed.”

“There is still the rest of the continent, and the other land masses,” said Yema. “They

will need to be cleared eventually to protect the Earth. And judging by what we saw,

the enemy still wants to keep this planet after losing most of Wallens.”

“You’re saying I should stay here until I get ready to attack this other planet,” said

Harry. “Not go back to Earth, or Fort Honey.”

“Agents can only contract us, or dismiss us under a review board for our actions,”

said Yema. “They can’t really order us to do anything. That’s how things go. We’re

not a standing army that can be ordered into position. Some of us naturally just flow

into those spots.”

“So your advice is to rest here until I am ready to go, and then go out to where that

titan came from and assault it,” said Harry.

“Someone is going to have to do it,” said Yema. “It might as well be us. I recommend

a lot more caution than what you have shown. You don’t want to end up like me.”

“What are you saying?,” said Harry.

“What is he saying?,” said Nick.

“We’ve talked,” said Yema. “We want to look at this planet for ourselves. We think

it is heavily defended and we want to use equipment we have never used before.”

“When do we go?,” asked Harry.

“As soon as Cat says you can walk,” said Yema. “Then you will have to rehabilitate,

then we start planning.”

“Do the kids know?,” said Harry.

“Not yet,” said Yema. “We thought it would be advisable that you tell them yourself.”

“All right,” said Harry. “How long will I be in this bed?”

“That is up to Cat,” said Yema. “I have to go. Some of the area inside the triangle has

to be cleared and we are doing that.”

“All right,” said Harry.

Yema stood. His one good eye looked like it was smiling.

“Milla is highly upset with you,” said the cyborg. “I just want you to know that.”

“I will make peace with her,” said Harry.

“I think she will like that,” said Yema. “It will certainly calm her ongoing

complaints.”

“Be careful, Yema,” said Harry. “I’m stuck in this bed. I won’t be able to come rescue

you.”

“I’ll have your bees as my shield,” said Yema. He walked from the room.

“So everybody gets to do things, but I am stuck here,” said Harry. “That’s awesome.”

“Don’t blow yourself up and this won’t happen,” said Nick. “Savvy?”

“Jordan, connect me to the Bolos,” said Harry. “I want to check in with them.”

“Hello, Papa,” said Betty Lou.

“Connection acknowledged,” said Junior.

“Do you want to walk on the wild side?,” said Brophy.

“I’m stuck on the Jordan,” said Harry. “How are things on the planet?”

“Situation optimal,” said Junior. “Targets neutralized. Barrier is in place.”

“I have cleared part of the mountains,” said Betty Lou. “The bug people keep trying

to get their cannoneers into position to shoot at me from a higher elevation, but so far

I have a longer reach.”

“It’s fun, fun, fun, until Da takes the t-bird away,” said Brophy.

“So you guys don’t need me to come down and do something?,” said Harry.

“Situation optimal,” said Junior. “Waiting contact with larger target.”

“That does seem to be their style,” said Harry. “Just keep throwing bodies at the

problem until something gives. The bigger the body, the better.”

“Don’t worry, Papa,” said Betty Lou. “The Jordan gave us the design of its bigger

gun. We can kill one of those things now without a problem.”

“Won’t come back from Dead Man’s Curve,” said Brophy.

“Yema says they’re clearing out xenos inside the line,” said Harry. “Please keep an

eye out for them.”

“Under surveillance,” said Junior. “Ready to intervene if necessary.”

“Thanks, kids,” said Harry. “I’ll come down and hang out when I get released.”

“You’re not immortal like us,” said Betty Lou. “Be more careful.”

“Yes, favorite daughter,” said Harry.

The Bolos cut the connection to go back to doing what they were doing without

having to talk with him. He felt a little lonely, even with a Bernie in his head.

He supposed it was to be expected that his children would outgrow him.

“The review board is meeting,” said Nick. “They would like to talk to you.”

“Can it wait?,” asked Harry.

“Possibly,” said Nick. “But you’re not going anywhere, so now is as good a time as

any.”

He yanked Harry into the thought room, and they walked down the hall. Harry

frowned at only wearing a hospital gown.

The agents crowded into the room and watched as Nick and Harry took their spot in

front of the three judges. Columbo looked at the crowd and they came to order. He

frowned down at his two troublemakers.

“Contractor Jordan,” said the judge. “There have been a number of requests for you

to take younger contractors under your wing and teach them your aggressiveness.

What do you think about that?”

“I think that would be a mistake,” said Harry. “I’m not a great teacher, and my tactics

are not something that I would want others adopting.”

“Why is that?,” asked the judge on the left, the slim woman disguise.

“The things I do would get a contractor killed,” said Harry. “I’ve almost died myself

several times. The presence of other contractors on the scene were the difference

between getting swamped and fighting clear. I am in recovery right now, and Nick

wants me to go back to Earth and leave the rest of the war to you guys.”

“What do you want to do, Contractor Jordan?,” asked the judge on the right, the guy

in the tux. His lined face wrinkled in a frown.

“If I had a choice, I would like to see where that big monster came from, and deal

with any more that might be there,” said Harry. “I feel like that world will be able to

send troops to Delgas at any time, and my Bolos can’t protect the whole planet by

themselves.”

“How many contractors would you take with you?,” asked the judge on the left.

“None,” said Harry. “I don’t want anyone else to be in danger. Contractor Yema said

the contractors who volunteered to go to Delgas are clearing out the piece of land

we’re reclaiming. That is as close as I want someone to be in danger. Going to that

other planet would mean extreme danger and possible death for any contractor who

tried to set up shop.”

“But you would go by yourself?,” asked the judge on the right.

“No family, no connections,” said Harry. “And a lookaround is better with one man,

than a bunch of guys wanting to farm points.”

“You don’t approve, (screech)?,” said the chief judge.

“I don’t think the loss of value from my contractor would offset his further

usefulness,” said Nick. “There are other missions that can be run, there are other

places to go where certain death is not on the board.”

“Do you really think one man can make a difference?,” said the judge on the left.

“There are numerous examples of one person turning the tide,” said Harry. “I can’t

claim to be as good as any of them. I can claim that my life expectancy is low, and

I would like to do something so that my seconds and their kids can have a better

galaxy to fight for when they can.”

“We will think on this,” said the chief judge. “If we agree to grant your request, we

will not send you alone. We will ask for volunteers to go with you.”

“Don’t send anyone with families,” said Harry. “I’m not writing letters for them.”

“I will take it under advisement,” said the chief judge. “If I were you, I would

develop better tactics.”

“I know, I know,” said Harry. “That’s why you wouldn’t want me to teach new

guys how to do things. It would just get them killed.”

“I agree with that, Contractor Jordan,” said the judge. “Rest and get well. We will

talk again.”

Nick turned and led the way back to his personal thought room. His Raymond Burr

face looked worried.

“I think they are going to send you,” said Nick. He looked at the bubbles in the room.

Contractors were doing things to save the day. He frowned at the images. “If they do,

it will be as dangerous as the first landing on Delgas.”

“It has to be done,” said Harry. “Someone has to look at that planet, and it has to

be taken back. We need to use the xenos own tactics against them. They will win

a war of attrition if we can’t cut their supply lines.”

“I’m not happy about this,” said Nick. “The more aggressive factions of our people

will want to use you as a shiny example of what to do.”

“If you want me to step back, I will,” said Harry. “But the fact of the matter is you can

afford to lose me. It will settle things down for your guys, and it gets me out of your

hair. It’s a win-win. It might even get you that second trophy.”

“Twelve,” said Nick. “I already have eleven.”

“Really?,” said Harry.

“I told you,” said Nick. “I pick exceptional people to do what has to be done. You

have done better than I thought but now it might come back to bite me.”

“Don’t worry,” said Harry. “I’ll look at this planet and get you number thirteen.”

“Let’s start by seeing if we can get you back on your feet again,” said Nick. “Then we

can see about trying to get out there. It’s a long way from here.”

“Sounds like a plan to me,” said Harry.