when he should!

It took him almost an hour, but he found a cave that would serve them
as a decent shelter. It had a fairly level floor, as far as he dared
take time to explore, with enough turns and side passages to keep the
wind out and maybe provide them with emergency hiding places or a
stronghold--if he could get the Ranger to them. And, best of all, one
of the side passages had a small spring overflowing into a stream that
led deeper into the cave. Yes, he decided, it would do nicely.

He brought the car to the entrance and turned on the visible-light
headlights long enough to unload his gear, arrange a makeshift bed for
the Ranger, and finally half-carry and half-drag the man inside and
settle him. Then he started to program the car to take it away from
them, but hesitated, thinking. He'd gotten what he could carry from
the aidvan, but there was a better than even chance the car itself held
something useful, this far from any settlements. He checked, finding
more blankets and rations, a military-issue medikit--and the jackpot, a
fusion lamp/stove combination. He grinned, lighting the lamp and
stacking his fresh loot inside the cave entrance, then finished
programming the car and sent it on its way.

It lifted off, climbing to well above treetop height, then oriented
itself to a heading that would take it--if it didn't blow itself up or
get shot down first--to the Planetary Palace an hour or so after dawn.
Dave listened until it was out of hearing range, then carried his finds
further into the cave and braced himself to check the Ranger's
condition. First he cleaned his patient's face, recognizing him as
soon as he'd washed the blood off: Esteban Tarlac, newest and youngest
of the Emperor's personal representatives and troubleshooters. Then he
started pulling Tarlac's uniform shirt off, trying not to get sick as
the wounds were exposed. When he had it about halfway off, the Ranger
stirred.

Tarlac woke slowly, aware at first only that he was laying on something
hard and that he hurt all over. He shifted, trying to get comfortable,
but a hand on his shoulder restrained him. He opened his eyes, to see
a young man--not much more than a boy, really--bending over him.
"What--"

"We're in a cave in the Webster Mountains, sir," Dave told him. "I'm
Dave Scanlon. I was a prisoner too, but when they brought you in, my
guard let me go so I wouldn't be involved." He went on to describe
their escape and pr