Soldier at the Door(155)

The corporal smiled and continued walking down the hallway, Walickiah behind him. The young soldier seemed quite capable of holding the child. The baby started making an odd grunting noise that sounded like “Unk! Unk!” He wasn’t in the least bit upset or wailing.

Walickiah took note at how the corporal held him, so that he could copy the position.

In the main reception area the major came running in just as the corporal arrived. Major Shin’s shoulders sagged in relief when he saw the corporal with his son.

“Unk! Unk!”

The major smiled. “Yes Peto, you found your Unk. Zenos, thank you!”

“I keep telling you, sir, he’s going to grow up to be a scout,” the corporal smiled. “He toddled right into the mess hall as if he knew what he was looking for. No fear at all.”

The major laughed. “Looks like he made off with a part of someone’s pear, too,” he said as he took his son and gave him a big kiss on the cheek.

Walickiah tried not to stare. Major Puppy Dog was quite the disappointment.

“Unk!” Peto waved the pear at his father.

Karna ran into the reception area, the anxious look on his face evaporating.

“Unk’s pear. Yes!” Shin nodded, and turned to the corporal. “Would you do me a favor?” he said with surprising casualness.

“Let me guess—don’t tell your wife?” the corporal responded, equally as informal, and not even adding “sir” to his answer.

“Exactly!” Shin pointed at the corporal and winked, while Walickiah’s eyebrows furrowed in frantic analysis of the situation. “Peto, your mother should be finished cleaning up your mess. How about we go home?”

The major nodded good night to his men as Peto waved his little hand at them again.

Walickiah again felt obliged and waved half-heartedly. He should make himself known to the child somehow, so he wouldn’t make undue noise in his presence in the future.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw the corporal waving like a maniac. Walickiah stared at him and dropped his arm.

“Bye-bye! Say ‘bye-bye’!” the corporal crooned in a high-pitched voice.

“Bye!” the little boy said softly.

The major spun around.

“Did you hear that?!” His question was obviously directed at the corporal, because he didn’t make eye contact with anyone else.

“I did!” the corporal squealed like a teenage girl. “He finally said it!”

“Oh, good job, son,” the major kissed his baby again.

“My condolences, sir,” the corporal grinned. “He’s going to be as talkative as his sister!”

“I’m afraid you may be right.” The major chuckled and headed out, trying to get his son to repeat the word, oblivious to everything else.

Walickiah turned slowly to the corporal who was still smiling at the empty doorway. His suspicion increased, and if he could verify it, his superiors would be most impressed with his efforts on his first full day.

“I don’t think we’ve met yet,” he smiled thinly. “I’m Lieutenant Walickiah,” and he held out his hand.

The corporal took it. “And I’m the Unk. Good to meet you!” He winked and jogged down the hallway.

Walickiah’s mouth dropped open. That wasn’t the response he was expecting. In fact, there wasn’t anything appropriate about that response, and he was sure he said his part correctly.

He looked confusedly at Karna. “The Unk?”

Karna nodded. “Baby tender for Major Shin,” he said offhandedly. “Uncle. Some of us think he should get a special medal for changing their dirty cloths.”

“A soldier baby tender? For the major?” His hunch grew stronger.

“Naturally,” Karna smiled. “I told you, this fort is a most interesting assignment. Do you want to be a back-up for Unk?”

Walickiah thought about that. How much easier would his task be if he became the back-up baby tender? Never mind that he knew nothing of children, it’s not as if he would be doing much for long—

He considered the possibility too long. Captain Karna took his delay as a response.

“I’m only teasing you. They wouldn’t trust their children with anyone else than Shem Zenos.”

Lieutenant Walickiah smiled faintly and followed the captain back up the stairs, satisfied.

How perfect. In the fort for only a day and a half, and already he had identified the Quiet Man.



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Shem Zenos walked back to the mess hall, picked up his dishes, and brought them to the washing station. Then he idly wandered back to his barracks, lost in thought and worry.

Lieutenant Walickiah. So this was the next stage.

Major Shin was in major trouble.