Chapter XI: Fresh Faces
Becker trotted out into the middle of the bunk room, scanning the faces around him. So many familiar faces stared back, but many new ones did too. Those who'd been in his command for the past few weeks were easily distinguishable. They didn't bother with making sure their uniform was straight, their faces held signs of maturity having been pushed upon them before their time, and they had a collection of souvenirs they'd gotten from the battles they'd been in.
By contrast, the new additions to the platoon sat in
fresh fatigues on their bunks, their eyes holding a glint of eagerness, their spaces devoid of anything but the basics - gear, things from home, clothes.
The differences were clear, but Becker was sure they would slowly fade out over the coming weeks.
He cleared his voice, then began talking.
"As I'm sure you all can tell, we've gotten some new faces added to the platoon. Replacements for the casualties from the Kolmar campaign. They've been assigned to the various squads as needed. Take some time to get acquainted, and try to help the 'newbies' learn the ropes.
"Second order of business. I'm happy to announce that Bob is now officially Sergeant Robert Oliver, in command of squad two."
A chorus of groans came from the members of squad two, cut off shortly by Bob barking out, "That's enough, squad! No more complaints or you'll be doing laps in the rain!"
"I see he's already taking to the new job well," Becker said. A round of laughter followed his comment, and he smiled.
"That should be it, for now. We're not getting an assignment for at least another week, to allow us to get our recruits broken in. So get some rest, have some fun, teach the new kids, and above all, be good."
With that, he nodded to the soldiers and walked out of the room, into his private office.
Once inside, he sat down heavily, feeling very tired. Being in command of a platoon of kids wasn't easy... especially when he was barely older than them.
* * *
Bill walked up to the four 'newbies' of squad two, extending a hand. "Bill Palmer."
A boyish looking blonde took his hand and shook it. "John Lowe. Nice to meet you."
A red-headed female shook his hand next, followed by a brunette. They introduced themselves as Janet Banks and Jennifer Mead. Last was Alan Burton, who Bill felt had to be at least twenty one.
"Pleased to meet you all," Bill said. "Welcome to squad two."
John looked around, frowning. "Doesn't seem very comfortable out here."
"It's not," Bill replied, smiling. "But it's home."
Al half-grinned. "The beds sure don't feel like home, but I don't think they're any worse than the boot camp bunks."
"They're not. And after a while, you get used to them."
"How do you do that?" Janet asked.
Bill smiled at her. "You ever try sleeping on the rain-soaked ground?"
"No..."
"Compared to that, this is heaven. If the cold and wet, not to mention the hard ground, weren't enough to make you uncomfortable, the bugs will. I've been through that experience once already, having to wait out a mission. Don't want to do it again."
Janet looked
noticeably disturbed by the comments.
"Shall I show you all what we do with tape first, or should we examine some other aspect of a soldier's life on the front lines?" Bill asked.
"Tape?" Jennifer looked at him uneasily.
"All the better to bind your pretty hands in," Mel said, walking up and smiling.
"Cut that out, Mel. You'll scared the kids." Bill shook his head. "You'll have to excuse Mel, here. He's never been the same since he was
captured by the Tau."
"Captured?" Al asked, looking surprised.
"Oh, yes," Mel said. "It was a harrowing experience. I was brutally tortured for days, and you don't want to know what those people do for fun. But I somehow was granted the strength to break my bonds -"
"Surely the Emperor watches out for him," Bill said solemnly.
"- and free myself. A dozen Tau jumped me when they found out, but they're a bunch of wusses and I beat them off. I hear this loud explosion, and Bill here's leading a charge into the base to get me. He guns down twenty of the bastards, then throws me over his shoulder and runs out with me, leaving the Tau's base booby trapped so they keep blowing themselves up, even days after we got out of there. I'll never forget the things I saw and felt in there, never."
Bill nodded, a look of regret on his face. "I just wish we could have got him out while he was still a whole man."
Mel blinked, looking ready to shed tears. "If only they'd gotten there sooner. Oh, the scars I bear are so shameful."
"He could show you if you ask."
"Ah, no thanks," John said, backing away. "I think I'll go find out who my other squadmates are."
Bill hollered after him, "But they're very fascinating! Don't you want to see them?"
"No!"
Bill and Mel laughed, then looked back at the remaining three recruits.
"That story's made up, isn't it?" Jennifer asked.
"What makes you say that, Jennifer?" Bill asked.
"Jen. I say it's made up because there's nothing on record of any Tau torturing prisoners."
Mel smiled. "You're welcome to disprove it."
"I don't think I want to view the evidence," Jen said, frowning. She looked back at Bill. "What was this about tape?"
"A little trick we do with our clips. Here, let me show you..."
* * *
Mack stepped back, having just helped Terry wash her back. He stepped back into his shower, letting the water cascade over him.
Ian, squad three's only addition, called to him from the next stall over. "What were you doing?"
"Just helping out a fellow squad member, and getting helped," Mack answered.
"I thought that kind of helping was forbidden by
regs."
"Regs, shmegs. We're out here on the ass end of nowhere. Who's going to borrow with
regs? Besides," he said, leaning out to smile at Ian, "she's my girlfriend."
"Huh?"
"You heard me."
Ian turned off his water and stepped out of the stall. "Yeah, I think I did. 'Girlfriend'?"
Mack finished his shower, then stepped out of his own stall and grabbed a towel. "Yes, Ian, that's what I said. Wow, you newbies sure have sharp hearing."
Ian scowled at him. "You saying the two of you are in love or something?"
Mack dried off his head, then nodded. "Exactly what I'm saying, detective."
Ian gave him a look of total lack of understanding.
"Look, Ian. We're out here getting our asses shot up, no one else to look after us, so we look after each other. We all become friends, close as family. Some of us get closer than family. Not uncommon in the regiments, you know. Live together, die together, love together."
Ian nodded, getting dressed. "I think I see."
"Just never use the war as a pick up line."
"Thanks. I'll remember that."
* * *
Mel glanced down at his arm, trying to fight off the temptation to scratch it. It still itched sometimes where he'd been hit by shrapnel.
Samuel Class, one of the new members of squad five, frowned at him. "something bothering you?"
"Uh huh," Mel said. "My arm. Itches like mad."
"Bug bite?"
"Shrapnel."
"Ouch."
"I got hit by a piece of a bombardment shell that went off close to me."
Sam leaned against the bunk. "How'd that happen?"
"We were sent after some Tau in a valley. No one told us we were just there to provide the big guns with a homing marker for their bombardment. It put the final nail in the coffin for the Tau, but cost a lot of men their lives." Mel felt his mood fall with the memories.
"That sounds harsh."
"It was. It always is out here. I thought it was just going to be go around, shoot up some aliens, get a big reward or something. But it's more than that. There are no pushover aliens, just dangerous ones with really good guns. And precious little time for rest between fighting, too."
Sam nodded. "Doesn't sound like much fun. The impression they give in training is a cake walk through the stars, just shoot the other guy and come back home."
"Do you think, if they told people how it really was, anyone would sign up?"
"Come to think of it, no, I don't."
"You can earn glory in this outfit, sure. But just as well, you could end up dead. Luck and skill, and maybe a little faith, are the only things keeping any of us alive. We have to be better than the aliens, and have faith in our ability to look after each other and beat our enemies. You ever forget that, you're a dead man."
Sam took it all in, saying nothing. Finally he nodded his head once at Mel and said, "Thanks for the advice, and telling me how it is."
"I'd say it's my pleasure, but that'd be a lie. Take care of yourself, Sam, and take care of your squadmates. If you do, chances are you'll come out of this alive."
* * *
Sara held up the taped clips, making sure Ian saw them.
"So that's what all the tape is for?" he asked.
"That's right."
"That's a useful trick. Thanks for showing me."
"No problem. I'm glad to help in any way I can."
"If there's any way I can repay you for your help - "
Sara shook her head. "If any of these things keep you alive, that'll be enough for me."
"Is there anything else you can tell me?"
"Yeah. Don't burden yourself with what you don't need. Your tents, bedroll, all that. Most missions, you're not going to need them. Do yourself a favor and leave them behind. Only the bare necessities, else you'll get weighed down and that might keep you from getting out of danger in time."
"Got it," Ian said. Then he gave out a short, low laugh.
"What's that about?" Sara asked.
"The guys back home would never let up if they knew I was getting survival advice from a girl."
Sara smiled. "This 'girl' has been around combat. And she knows more than enough tricks to deal with guys who think a girl can't fight."
"Generally, the idea of a girl is a bit, well, softer."
"I'm soft enough, where it counts. I just have to be as hard around the edges as anyone else." She smiled. "Don't let all the rough talk fool you, I know how to play and be just as sweet and kind as any other girl."
"I don't dispute that," Ian replied. "If I did, I might wonder how Jim and you got together. As it is, I have no question."
"Please, no more. I got enough comments like that during the first couple weeks of training camp. I don't think there was a boy in camp who hadn't
fantasized about me by the time it was over."
Ian smiled. "Can you blame them?"
Sara laughed. "No, I guess not. I guess I have to admit that I was thinking the same kind of thoughts about some of them."
"Oh, you're opening up. Looks like I've already worked my way into becoming a genuine member of the squad."
"Yeah, I guess you have. Come on, let's get Jim and we'll show you a few tricks to making your stay with us as enjoyable as it can be."
* * *
Jim laid back in his bunk, his bare feet perched on the ladder. He watched Becker shake the hands of each newbie in turn, welcoming them to the platoon.
He looked over at Mack. "Looks like we got
'em broke in, Mack."
Mack smiled back. "Wasn't so hard."
"Now comes the fun part. Surviving their first day in combat," Jim said.
"It won't be that bad, I'm sure they'll all make it."
"I'm talking about us, man!"
"Bah. These kids won't get us killed."
Sara looked over from her bunk. "Kids? They're our age, and some of them are older."
Jim shrugged. "I guess it's just their innocent attitude compared to ours, sort of like a virgin talking about sex."
Mack chuckled. "Like you'd know a thing about that."
Jim's tone became serious, older sounding. "You know, son, I was once a young boy like you, full of innocence. It may not seem like it, me being the sex machine I am now and all, but it's all true."
Sara cleared her throat. "Ahem."
Jim looked over and sheepishly smiled. "Sorry."
Ian looked down from the bunk above Jim's. "Are you guys always like this?"
"No, sometimes we actually loosen up and aren't so serious."
"You call this serious?"
"Well, yeah."
Ian shook his head, then flopped back down on his bed.
All Jim could do was laugh.
* * *
Jessy looked into Janet's eyes and firmly said, "You don't want to do it. Trust me."
Mel was uneasy at the conversation going on, but decided to let it continue without his input.
"Why not?" Janet asked.
"Look, Janet, we've all tried helping him cheer up. Chill out, mellow, loose a little of his tension, whatever. It doesn't work. Never has, never will."
"I can't stand seeing someone in that much pain."
"Bob can take it, apparently a lot better than you'll take the refusal of your aid."
"Something should be done."
Jessy shook her head. "It's not something we can help with. Whatever's wrong, he has to deal with it."
"I'm not going to give up before I try."
Jessy stepped back, leaving the path clear for Janet to follow Bob.
When Janet had left, Jessy looked over at Mel, her eyes showing far more sorrow than Mel had ever seen in them. "She's going to fail. I can feel it."
Mel stood up and put his arms around Jessy. "Let her try. It she succeeds, it'll help us all. If she doesn't, then she's at least tried, and she won't feel like she sat back and did nothing."
Jessy didn't reply.
* * *
Bob looked out over the compound, his view excellent from on top of the barracks.
He heard steps behind him, and he turned to look toward the ladder to the roof. Janet was walking toward him.
"I was told I might find you here," she said.
Bob turned his attention back to looking at the buildings around the barracks. "Why did you want to find me?"
The footsteps came up right behind him and stopped. From above him, Janet said, "Because it's obvious you need to talk to someone."
Bob snorted. "Everyone says that."
Janet sat down beside him. "You're too sad not to be bothered by something, Bob."
"What would you know about me? You've hardly known me. Just a week, now."
"I can tell you're upset by something. When I'm upset, it's easier to deal with it when I talk to people."
Bob shook his head. "That's you. Not me."
"Have you ever tried talking to anyone?"
"No. And I'm not about to start now."
"Bob..."
"Leave me alone!" he snapped, flailing at Janet with his right arm. "Why are you bothering me?"
"I told you..."
"Yeah, yeah, you want to help." Bob's voice started straining. He knew he was seconds from crying. "I told you, I don't need it."
"Just tell me what's wrong, that's all..."
Bob felt himself losing control of his emotions. His mind started flashing through different images. Himself hurdled up in a ball, too frightened to stand. Charging after a squad of Tau and killing them all. Making his way back to camp after being knocked out and left behind. The Eldar girl he'd inadvertently killed.
He gave up all pretense of having control, and began crying. "Damn it, why don't you just leave me alone?" he sobbed.
Janet put her arm around him. "Because I want to be your friend, Bob. And friends care. Squadmates care."
He looked up at her face. A beautiful face, and one that could have easily conjured up a hundred emotions if his mind weren't already too clouded to sort out what he was feeling. His vision was blurring with the tears.
"There's too much to say," he blurted out. "I'd never know where to start."
Janet's hand reached up and wiped his tears from his eyes. "Just start anywhere. Let me know it all."
And tell her he did, feeling all of his bottled up anguish drain as he did so. He told her everything, even the horrible dreams he'd had, and he watched her face go from sad to shocked to horrified and pity. He didn't care. It all had to be told now.
When he was finished, he found himself feeling much better. A heavy burden had been lifted from him, and he whispered, "Thank you."
That was the last thing he remembered before falling asleep.
* * *
Bill flopped down on the end of the bed, letting out a soft "Whew!" He'd just helped Bob into bed, and pulled his boots off. It wasn't easy; Bob was fast asleep almost the whole time.
He looked over at Janet. "What happened?"
She looked a bit stirred, but her voice was level as she answered. "He finally let go. He told me everything he'd kept inside. All of it."
"All? Like what?"
"I-I can't tell you. When he's ready, he'll tell you himself."
"You look shaken. Why?"
Janet frowned, then sat on the bed beside Bill. "Some of the things he said were unlike anything I'd heard before. They scared me, and knowing he'd kept so many thoughts like that bottled in his head for so long without telling anyone... I can see why he's always on edge."
Bill stood up. "Well, I think you could use some rest as well."
Janet nodded. "Yeah, sure." She slowly started dozing off.
Bill reached over and helped her, keeping her from falling off the bed. She was fast
asleep, rolled over and lying with her arm across Bob.
Bill shook his head. This was one weird day. And the end of it was certainly no less weird.
He looked down and saw Janet's boots still on her feet.
He let out a heavy sigh as he knelt over to take them off.
END OF CHATPER XI
Continued in Chapter XII: Offensive Actions
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