The Last Frontier Page #2

- You've got ears, haven't you?

- Yes.

- You'd better start using them.

- Yes.

If you don't, them Indians will be

wearing that bluecoat.

Yes, Jed.

How do you like your fish, Captain?

Cooper, if you were in uniform,

I'd lock you up.

Yes, Captain.

How do you like your fish?

- You left the fort without permission. Why?

- It's the best time of the year for trout.

Look, you just can't go wandering off

anytime you feel like it.

- What am I gonna do with you?

- Why don't you make me a soldier?

- No.

- Why not?

Because a soldier does more

than wear a blue uniform.

You mean, I'm not good enough for it.

Captain, I can leave. I don't have to stay

anywhere where I'm not wanted.

I want you to stay, Jed.

I like you. You're my friend.

What's wrong with me, Captain?

If you're my friend, tell me.

- You're just not civilized.

- What is this "civilized"?

I guess it's the opposite of being a savage.

You know,

even I have a hard time understanding you.

I understand you.

It's deeper than that, Jed.

You have to belong.

- Belong to what?

- To other people.

Me, Gus and Mungo. We've lived like that.

Ain't we people?

You gotta have a family. A wife, children.

Do you?

- I hope to, if I ever get out of here.

- That's what I'm gonna do, Captain.

Find me a woman, make some children,

get married and become civilized.

I won't go fool around

with these fish anymore until I tell you first.

I guess that's the first step, Jed.

Anything from Fort Medford?

Not yet, Phil. We've been trying

to get through all evening.

Would you like a fish?

No, thank you.

I want to thank you for not telling

the Captain about me getting drunk.

He might've been disappointed.

As soon as the snow falls...

I'm gonna go up in the mountains

and get you a bear skin.

- It will keep you warm for the winter.

- That isn't necessary.

How else am I gonna make friends with you?

Is that really important?

Yes.

Sorry, Mrs. Marston.

We just can't get through.

I could've told you that. I saw the cut wires.

We'll know more

when Gus gets back with Mungo.

Gus ain't here?

- Where'd you send him?

- Fort Medford.

You know that Medford's done for

and you sent Gus and Mungo anyway?

Why?

- I wanna know why, Captain.

- Because they are scouts paid by the Army.

It's their job and their duty.

That's something you wouldn't understand.

Gus and Mungo do.

I might not understand you, Captain,

but I'm going after them.

I better find them healthy.

If I find your Colonel kicking around,

I'll bring him back, too.

What kept you?

It's all right, lads.

It's just a friend of mine

come to pay his respects.

- Where'd you pick up our trail?

- Fort Medford.

- You kind of ran into some trouble there?

- Aye.

- Red Cloud and his Tetons.

- Yeah, they kept coming for two days.

We couldn't hold so we shot our way out...

with what was left of us.

- What's the matter here?

- I got a rifle ball about two inches in.

- It's beginning to kick up a mite.

- It's probably trying to get out.

Where'd you come from?

Fort Shallan.

Stand up when I'm talking to you.

Col. Marston.

Sir, this is scout Jed Cooper.

He'll see us safe to Shallan.

Come here.

Where are the reinforcements from Shallan?

I requested 100 men.

I'm all there is, Colonel.

- Who sent you?

- Capt. Riordan.

You go back and tell this Capt. Riordan

I want 100 men.

- We'll wait right here until they come.

- You can't stay here, Colonel.

As soon as Red Cloud buries his dead,

he'll be hot on your trail again.

With 100 men...

I'll meet Red Cloud in his own front yard

and crush him.

- We're gonna retake Fort Medford.

- It's burned down.

We'll rebuild it.

You have your orders, Cooper.

Capt. Riordan won't sent a single man

out of Shallan unless I tell him to.

And I ain't telling him.

Who's the Commander at Shallan?

You or the Captain?

The Captain.

But he's a smart man.

Beg pardon, sir, let me talk to him alone.

I'll knock some respect into him.

Never mind, Decker.

I'll give you a choice.

Carry out my order

or I'll have you shot right here and now.

I gave you my answer.

If you don't move out now,

you'll never get to Fort Shallan.

- Corporal, how are the wounded?

- Some need a doctor bad, sir.

There's a doctor at Shallan.

Decker, improvise litters for the wounded.

We're moving out.

If it wasn't for you and Mungo,

I'd walk right out of here.

Red Cloud would really love

that Colonel's uniform.

Civilization is creeping up on us, lads.

Turn out the guard! Armed party!

Present arms!

Order arms!

Glad you got through, Frank.

- Capt. Clarke, isn't it?

- That's right, Colonel.

- I'd better see to your wounded.

- Get those men to the hospital.

- Capt. Glenn Riordan, sir.

- At ease, Captain.

I'm glad to see you made it, sir.

Must have been pretty rough.

It was.

Hello, Frank.

Corinna.

I'll see you to your quarters, sir.

I brought the Colonel back for you.

Yes, I'm grateful, Mr. Cooper.

- See that he gets rubbed down well, Decker.

- Yes, sir.

You know, Jed, I may not be

as pretty as the Colonel's wife...

but you carry me gently

and I'll give you the kiss she didn't.

- I'll drop you, bucko!

- No, Jed, you'll kill me surely!

Why don't you get some rest, Frank?

Rest?

Who can sleep?

How did I ever get out here?

You could have stayed in Washington.

Behind a desk?

Shoving a pencil?

Why did you stay in the service, then?

What else do I know?

Are you any happier being a soldier?

You're a woman.

You don't know victory.

It has a taste.

So does defeat. I've shared that with you.

Come on in, Frank.

Why did you come out here with me?

I'm your wife.

- I don't want you to feel sorry for me.

- What do you want from me, Frank?

I want respect.

I want you to respect me.

How can you in this miserable place?

Look at the men who were

at West Point with me. Look where they are.

I'll be up there with them.

- I'll make you proud of me, Corinna.

- I don't care what you are.

I married a man, not a uniform.

And I deceived you.

I'm not a man without this.

Don't you ever sleep, Cooper?

- What are you doing up, Captain?

- Watching you.

Are you afraid I might do something wrong?

You wouldn't do anything wrong, Cooper.

Good night.

I won't do anything

you wouldn't enjoy, Captain.

Good night.

Mungo.

Report.

All present and accounted for, sir.

Present arms!

Order arms!

Good morning, Colonel.

Good morning, Colonel.

- How many men, Captain?

- 140. Raw recruits.

Half of them shoot each other

at target practice...

the other half catch cold

running out in their drawers at reveille.

They can be trained.

They are only odds and ends

they could spare from the war back east.

I guess most of us here are misfits.

Forgotten misfits.

Shunted out here

because the department wants to forget us.

But not all of us are cowards, Clarke.

If the definition of a coward...

is a man who is sickened

by killing and blood...

I qualify. In every sense.

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