* * *
Eli slid his tray onto the table and lowered himself into his usual spot next to Adrienne Tenney. He looked across the table to Ellison, then to the right at Benson. He quickly scanned the rest of the room but didn’t see Crimsa anywhere. He wondered briefly if Crimsa had already seen the results. He assumed that he had.
It was obvious from the quiet that had settled over the table, and from the shared looks of his peers, they had all seen the latest posting. He focused on the slop in front of him and waited for the first question. He knew it wouldn’t take long, and his money was on Benson. His bunkmate had an irritating inability to let things lie.
“So, EJ,” Benson began. Eli fought to keep his face an unresponsive mask as a grin fought to break through. He knew he could count on Benson to keep things on the level, and he appreciated the other man for it. “What happened out there? The rumors being pushed around are crazy.”
“Well, I’m not sure what people are saying, but the truth is a bit crazy,” Eli replied. “Someone drilled a hole into my Ninny-gunner’s armor. We had to evacuate her to the temperate zone in the middle of the exercise.”
“I told you,” Sims offered from the other side of Adrienne Tenney. “Samna’s in my squad. She’s a solid trooper who knows what’s up. There’s no way she’d invent or exaggerate something like that.”
“No one said she did,” Ellison said quietly. “But how do we know someone drilled a hole into the suit? Maybe something she . . . I don’t know . . . maybe fell or rubbed against something that pierced the armor.”
“Really?” Benson challenged the question. “What could she have fallen against that would pierce agsel?”
“I’m just saying there might be another explanation. Who would purposely endanger a person like that?”
“It was a perfectly round hole,” Eli clarified. “I don’t see any explanation for how it got there except that someone put it there on purpose. With a drill.” Eli was ready to lay out his suspicions about the Minith sergeants—suspicions that had only gotten stronger over the past week—to the soldiers seated at the table, when he saw Benson pointing at something behind him.
“Here comes Crimsa.”
Eli turned and watched Crimsa approach. Instead of passing the assembled group with a smirk and a nod, as was his usual custom, the soldier from First Platoon stopped in front of the open space to Eli’s left. Crimsa’s face was an expressionless mask. He seemed hesitant, but Eli had the feeling from the way he stood that he was considering joining their group. Eli didn’t wait for the other man to decide. Instead, he reached over and pulled the chair away from the table and nodded toward it.
“Have a seat, Crimsa.”
The man exhaled loudly, nodded silent thanks, and plopped down. He stared at the tray in front of him, either unwilling or unable to meet the questioning looks being exchanged by the regulars. It was clear that something was on his mind, or he had something to say. Hoping to put the man at ease, Eli smiled. “Good morning, Crimsa. I’m glad you joined us. We were just talking about the Sift,” he started, hoping to break the ice. “Congratulations on your performance yesterday. You and your team did a great job.”
“You guys kicked my team’s butt,” Tenney offered. Her face was an unreadable mask of stoic indifference, though it sounded to Eli like the admission was a painful one. It was no secret that she held little affection for her platoon-mate.
Crimsa put his fork down and looked up at the faces staring at him. He met each person’s eyes and stopped last on Eli.
“I heard what happened with Samna,” he began. “She’s a good trooper, and I’m glad you and your team made sure she was safe. I know it cost you in points.”
“Hey, any of us would have done the same thing,” Eli said.
“No. I don’t think everyone would have done the same.” Crimsa turned in his chair to face Eli directly. “I don’t think I could have made the same decision in that situation, knowing it would cost me points. That’s the difference between you and me, Jayson. I think about what’s best for me. My decision-making process is based on that guiding principle. I know I’m not well liked because of it, but I can’t help it. It’s just the way I am. You, on the other hand. You think about what’s best for the group. It makes me angry to admit it, but I know you’re a better choice for commanding officer. I may want it, but you deserve it.”
Eli was shocked into silence. He was pondering how to respond when Benson pointed again.
“Don’t look now, but here comes Twiggy.”
All heads turned to watch as the giant, green Minith sergeant stomped his way toward their table. He passed through the other recruits in the chow hall like a battle tank crushing through a field of wheat.
* * *
Twigg marched into the human feed center and scanned the pale recruits. He quickly spotted Jayson seated across the room with a group of his Sift opponents. He wondered briefly why anyone would choose to eat with adversaries, but dismissed the thought as just another foolish human trait. Who knew why these small creatures did half the things they did? If they wanted to graze with their enemies, it was no concern of his.
He strode quickly through the crowd of humans, brushing the occasional man or woman aside when they failed to notice his approach or denied him adequate space.
Upon reaching the table, he noticed the one called Crimsa seated next to Jayson. He growled silently. The thought of two rivals eating one beside the other sent a pain through his stomach. Despite his acceptance of Eli as a human worth following, he did not have to agree with every human trait, especially the ones that made no sense. A more natural setting for the two males would be a fighting ring, where they could battle against each other, like true warriors.
Despite his distaste for the situation, the other man’s presence made his job easier, and he swallowed his unease.
He pointed at Eli and Crimsa.
“You and you, follow me.”
Without waiting for a reply, Twigg turned on his heel and stomped from the room, confident that he would be obeyed. Unlike his entry, none of the humans failed to notice his departure. His exit went unencumbered and he lifted his lips with satisfaction.
He passed through the doorway of the mess hall, proceeded to the outside of the building, and moved to an open area on the right. The ever-present sun lit the area and the wind threw its sand in Twigg’s face. After years on the planet, he had come to hate the daylight and ignore the tiny grains. Upon reaching the open area, where they could converse without being overhear, he turned around. As expected, the two were close behind, scurrying to catch up. He crossed his arms and waited for them to assume the human position of attention—bodies ramrod straight, heels together, hands and arms tucked neatly to their sides.
“Stand at ease, privates,” he commanded. The two men relaxed into less formal positions and waited for him to continue.
“We’ve reached the end of the Sift trials,” Twigg stated the obvious. “As you know, you two are tied for the lead. We’ve never had that happen in the history of our combined cultures, but there is a process to determine the winner.”
“That won’t be needed, Sergeant.” Twigg looked at the one called Crimsa. “I’m ceding first place to Private Jayson.”
Although Private Jayson seemed somewhat surprised, Twigg felt a pang of disgust at Crimsa’s announcement. What kind of being would cede dominance that wasn’t won through battle or competition? Despite his initial reaction, the Minith sergeant did not hesitate or ask questions. The sudden abdication coincided with his agenda and that was good enough for him.
“Very well. I will make the announcement at first formation. You are excused.”
Twigg didn’t delay another second. He left the two men standing in place and headed for his office. That had gone much easier than he could have hoped.
Chapter 15
Captain (0) Eli Jayson moved along at the side of the company formation. The five-kilometer trek between their training barrack
s and their new unit seemed to drag, despite the speed at which the first sergeant called out their cadence. The armor they wore could have handled an even quicker pace, but the top noncommissioned officer in the new company wasn’t yet outfitted for the gear, so they were limited to his pace. Which wasn’t slow, by any means. Without their armor, the humans would have struggled to keep up.
Eli shook his head at how things had developed since the Sift ended.
He had been prepared to name Crimsa the company’s first sergeant when Twigg announced that he had requested—and been granted—a permanent transfer into the unit. Inserting a Minith warrior into a human unit wasn’t an unknown occurrence, but it was extremely rare. It had also thrown a wrench into Eli’s plans for assigning the leadership positions won through the Sift. Crimsa’s personality as a loner, combined with his reputation for being a “no excuses” perfectionist, made him an ideal candidate for first sergeant. Where the commanding officer—Eli’s role—acted as the brain and the voice of the company, the first sergeant acted as the backbone, and when needed, the backhand. It was his role to keep the troops in shape, in line, and on time.
There was really no choice, though. Once Twigg was assigned to the company, he became the obvious selection for the slot. Which meant Crimsa was shifted into the platoon leader slot for Third Platoon. Not really an ideal fit, but it would have to work. Eli and Adrienne Tenney, who he had named as the company executive officer—or XO—would have to monitor his efforts and mold him into the officer they needed him to be.
Crimsa seemed pleased with the assignment since it made him a lieutenant, which, technically speaking, was a higher rank than first sergeant. Eli wondered how Crimsa might have felt about the posting if he had known that first sergeant, although a lower rank, carried far more influence and responsibility than a platoon leader. Oh well. It was what it was.
Tenney was the obvious choice for XO. As his second-in-command, she was more than capable and was well liked by the men and women of the company. Also, unlike some of their company, she didn’t seem prejudiced against the Minith, which was good since she would have to work closely with Twigg on a regular basis. Between the two of them, they would handle most of the day-to-day tasks that kept the unit operational and ready to fight.
The only potential problem Eli could see with her being his second-in-command was the growing knot of anxiety and rush of excitement he felt whenever she was nearby. It wouldn’t do to let those feelings get in the way of their careers, or their need to work together every day. He examined the idea of getting to know her on a personal level for a few, brief moments before burying the strange thought into a deep, hidden corner at the back of his mind.
Never gonna happen, he chastised himself. It can’t.
* * *
“Enter!”
Eli paused for a moment to make a final, hurried check of his uniform, then entered the office of his new commander. He moved to the front of the desk, snapped to attention, and saluted the Lieutenant Colonel seated on the other side.
“Captain Eli Jayson reporting as ordered, ma’am.”
Colonel Conway sat back in her seat and frowned.
She offered a weak salute, so Eli lowered his.
He remained at attention, his back straight, arms locked firmly to his side. His eyes were fixed on a point directly to his front, and he found himself staring at a picture of a younger version of the woman seated at the desk before him. In the vid pic, she was receiving a medal from none other than General Grant Justice—his father. He tried not to fidget as his new boss looked him over. He felt like a bug under a microscope and had the distinct impression the eyes on him didn’t like what they saw.
“Are you always so formal, Captain?”
“Um . . . ma’am?” Eli stuttered. Apparently, his normal, confident self had slipped out the door while he wasn’t looking.
“At ease, for peace sake,” she spat. “You’re wound tighter than an agsel seal around a mothership bay door.”
Eli relaxed in place and folded his hands behind his back. His eyes left the photo and dropped to meet the colonel’s. He was caught off guard at the shocking hue of blue he found staring back at him. Most human eyes were brown, with the occasional, rare green or hazel. Blue eyes, at one time a fairly common trait among his race, he knew, had almost entirely disappeared over the past two hundred years. Yet here they were calmly appraising him. A corner of the colonel’s mouth lifted in a smirk and Eli had the impression that she knew exactly what he was thinking. It was likely that she had the same, startling effect on most of the people she met for the first time.
“Um. No ma’am. Not usually,” he replied. He took a breath and focused on regathering his thoughts and emotions. “I am extremely focused when the need arises, but I try to remain flexible to the events taking place around me and adapt accordingly.”
Eli smiled inside. He felt pleased with the recovery.
Colonel Conway offered a wry smile. Again, he had the feeling that she knew what he was thinking. Her next words seemed to confirm those suspicions.
“I wouldn’t be so pleased if I were you, Captain Zero,” she stated. “I’m the one who will determine how focused and flexible you are, and you’ve got a long way to go to prove yourself to me.”
The Captain-Zero comment referred to the number of years of experience he had in the Shiale Defense Forces. His formal rank was Captain (0). As a comparison, Twigg’s formal rank was First Sergeant (13), which reflected thirteen years of military service—twelve with the Alliance Defense Forces and one as a warrior in the Minith Army. The colonel was effectively telling him he was but a small cog in the machine and reminding him that, despite how well prepared he thought he was for his position, he was still a newbie with a lot to learn. And a lot still to prove. She was correct, of course.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Let me be blunt here, Captain. I had to shift my top-rated ranger company to another battalion to make room for your unit of armored Goliaths.” She punctuated her statement with an angry stab of index finger to the desk top. “You and your troopers better be worth the loss. I’ve read the reports, and I’ve reviewed the pacer vids. I like what I see, but that doesn’t change the fact that you and yours are new, new, new! I don’t have time for new. When the shout hits the air, I need soldiers who can fight, not armored kids who need someone to hold their hand. Is that understood?”
Eli swallowed the lump that had grown in his throat and nodded. He was put off guard at the less-than-welcome reception and made a quick decision to say as little as possible and escape with as little of his ass chewed off as possible. “Yes, ma’am. Understood.”
“Good. You and your unit are now Company A of the Shiale Rangers. I expect you to live up to the standards your predecessors have set.” Like a passing breeze, her bad mood dissipated quickly and without a trace. It was replaced by the calm, professional attitude Eli had come to expect from senior defense officers. “I see you’ve got a Minnie assigned to you as first sergeant. How’d that happen?”
Eli paused at hearing the colonel refer to Sergeant Twigg as a “Minnie.” It was obviously another term for a Minith, and he filed the info away. Using as few words as possible, he relayed the pertinent points of how Twigg came to be his first sergeant. He left out the part about the tower assault exercise and Twigg’s subsequent backing of Eli’s position over Drah’s wishes. If she wanted to know the details, they were available in his records and on vid. In fact, she seemed like the type of leader who had likely already checked out her new captain and already knew the answer to her question. It reinforced Eli’s decision to keep his response concise.
“Hmm,” she pondered when he finished. “Normally, I’d insist on giving you an experienced top sergeant to help get your unit up to speed, but it looks like you’ve already got one.” The practice of switching out experienced leaders for new ones who had been promoted through a Sift, was common in the Defense Forces. Eli and his leaders had already discussed a
nd were prepared for the possibility. “What about the rest of your Sift leaders? Is there anyone you’d like to change out for someone with more experience? And before you answer that, know that I normally don’t give captain zero’s the option to decide this for themselves. It’s usually a nonnegotiable requirement. But that PEACE-all armor you’ve been assigned and trained with makes things a bit more . . . unconventional. Anyone we move over would take months to train. But still, we could manage. In fact, it probably still makes sense, even with the delay.”
Eli nodded and immediately thought of offering up Crimsa. Moving the man to another unit would eliminate potential issues. The man was competent, but the manner in which he treated others, especially his subordinates, was a concern. It would be the easiest way to solve the problem, but no. He couldn’t see moving the new lieutenant, and those potential issues, to someone else. For better or worse, Crimsa was his soldier, just like the rest of the soldiers in his company.
“No, ma’am. If it’s all the same to you, I think we are fine in our present configuration.”
“Very well. Lieutenant Crimsa is your cross to bear.”
Eli blinked. Lieutenant Colonel Conway grinned. He was beginning to wonder if his new superior could read his mind.
“I can’t read minds, Captain Zero,” she quipped knowingly. “I’ve just been around soldiers long enough to know how they think. There’s not a lot that you’re going through that I haven’t been through or seen others go through. To be honest, it’s why I’m so peacing good at what I do.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Once again, Eli elected to go with a minimalist response.
“Also, there will be no fraternization with anyone under your command,” she stated with a level of seriousness that bordered on threatening. Adrienne Tenney. The name rose up inside his head of its own volition, but he knew who the colonel was referring to. Maybe. Perhaps the comment was part of the same, standard speech she gave to every captain under her command. He hoped so.
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