"You win, Red," Campesino said. He was smiling at me. "Go home,
Councillor, battle's over."
The Councillor went. He said there would be hell to pay, and maybe there
will be, but I don't think so, they still need us. We lost thirty
thousand good men in all the Companies. But when the next dawn came
Nova-Maurania was gone. I don't know where they went, or what happened
to them. Here in my stronghold I sometimes imagine them safe and
rebuilding a green world where they can smoke pipes and live their own
lives. And sometimes I imagine them all dead and drifting out there in
the infinity of space. I don't think they would mind too much, either
way.