Grantville Gazette, Volume 65

by Bjorn Hasseler

  "Aloyse," she added, extending her hand.

  Becker took it as if it were a delicate blossom. "Enchanted."

  Hartmann broke into the touching scene like an axe falling. "The three extra men were for a new unit. We will have to find out whether they are merely stupid or were misdirected. Frau Schlesier, we have work to do." He gave her a nod, jerked his head for Becker to follow, and walked away, then noticed Becker was not beside him.

  "It was nice to meet you, Frau Schlesier."

  Ah, young love. "Becker!"

  "My master's voice. Good day, Frau Schlesier."

  She watched as the young man jogged toward the sergeant and fell into step. She smiled gently. "Yes indeed, Linus. And your sergeant has given me food for thought."

  3:00 PM

  The men finally staggered to a stop. "Right face!" They turned, facing their tormenter. Hartmann sighed, clasped his hands behind his back, and rocked heel to toe. "You are the most pathetic group I have ever seen marching. And since I have been a soldier for half my life, that is not an honor. Feldwebel Becker is going to take over, and he will march you until he is satisfied. Do not consider this a blessing. He has become somewhat strict after I beat it into him."

  Becker marched over. "All right, you sorry lot, we will do this until I am satisfied. We will not stop for meals unless you please me, and that will include breakfast if you are as slow as you have been!" He snarled. "And I like my dinner and breakfast on time! So you best buckle down! Left face! Forward at the quickstep, march! Kohler! Watch the men on either side! If you are not moving the same foot in time, I will make you wish you were born a girl!"

  Hartmann watched them for a moment, then turned to head to his quarters. Actually they were shaping up nicely for a first day. But the up-timers had taught him that giving praise too early would make them slack off.

  He paused to arm himself, buckling on his sword belt and hanging one of his wheel locks on the opposite side. He put on his cap, then marched to the regimental headquarters.

  "Sergeant!" He turned, then snapped to attention. Colonel Ludendorf came up on his horse, stopping a few feet away. "Minor change in plans. You are going to be the divisional sergeant of the guard tonight. Sergeant Strombeck of the First Battalion will be there for the regiment."

  "Yes, sir."

  "Sergeant, I have known you long enough to know when you are displeased. Indulge me."

  "My men have found out today is my birthday. Knowing them, I shudder to think what they might do if I am not watching for it. It was just before my birthday that County Tilly slaughtered my father and brother, and caused my mother's death that night. My younger brother died on my birthday as we were headed for White Mountain, where I lost my sister as well."

  "Ah." Ludendorf eased his mount. "I will inform Strombeck to watch out for any surprises they might plan. Oh, I hear you saw my daughter this morning?"

  "I did, sir. She has grown a lot since I saw her last."

  "In a few months she will be eighteen, and according to her, she wants to join the army."

  "Times change, sir."

  "Yes." Ludendorf looked across the camp. "I never thought they would change to this extent, Sergeant. To have men fighting to defend their homes instead of for pay and loot. Staying true to your land and oath rather than going where the money is. I like those changes, but more will come that neither of us like." He shook himself as if waking. "As for Aloyse, I have a favor to ask. I told her you spent almost three years in the up-timer's National Guard. No one knows better how they deal with women in their army."

  "I have promised to speak up for her, but I expect something from her. I will ask that a study be commissioned, but only if she writes a position report. With your help, she might deliver it."

  3:45 PM

  Thanks to the change in post, Hartmann had to jog part of the way. He entered headquarters and went to the sergeant's guardroom. Sergeant Kreis of the Black Boar Regiment stood at his approach. "I am glad you arrived. I only heard a moment ago that you were my relief, Sergeant Hartmann."

  "Call me Richard. After all, you are now a sergeant, Eric," chided the younger man.

  "Yes I am. But you are senior. So until I am more comfortable, perhaps I will call you merely Sergeant?"

  "Please yourself."

  Kreis went through what had been happening during the day and what was expected during the evening to come. Once Hartmann was fully apprised he nodded. "Sergeant, I relieve you."

  The junior sergeant gave a nod in return. "I stand relieved."

  The young man marched away, and Hartmann was now in charge. He nodded to the feldwebel who had just taken over from the earlier watch, then went out.

  Even with a larger area, it was simple. He knew where the guard posts were supposed to be even at the divisional level and was making sure everyone had been relieved on time. Unlike him and the officer of the watch, the men would be relieved every four hours to assure they did not get bored or slipshod. That meant the second half of their watch would be in the guardroom relaxing while the others stood their posts.

  Most sergeants left taking the men to their posts to their feldwebel, but Hartmann had always taken the first draft of replacements himself. That way he would see the lay of the land and where there might be problems. Some places needed better security even in a secure camp. He gathered the men, inspected them, and led them out along the perimeter. Once his guard had been set, he returned to the office.

  He arranged the list of people expected, including sutlers and camp followers, made notes of the areas in the city that might need to have men sent if the MPs needed help—the thousand and one things that happened every day or night that might be a headache for the watch standers.

  "Pay special attention to anything going to the Third Regiment tonight," Hartmann told the guard on the gate. "When the cat is away, as the old saying goes." That last done, he returned to the guardroom.

  A lieutenant he didn't know was talking to the feldwebel. The man was about the same age as Hartmann, late twenties. His uniform was crisp and looked tailored. "You are?"

  "Hartmann, Lieutenant."

  "Ah. The man reached out, grasping Hartmann's hand. "I have heard a lot about you! I am Lieutenant Wilhelm Jurgens. I am a new First Lieutenant of the Silver Fox regiment."

  "It is nice to meet you, sir."

  "Now, let us go over what is expected tonight."

  5:00 PM

  "We are ready, Linus." Maggie Rourke, the unofficial commanding officer of the Third Regiment's camp followers looked over the dozen trays the other women had prepared.

  "Great." Becker walked over to the front window. "No, bad."

  "What?" she asked.

  He motioned her over, pointing at the side of one of the barracks. A figure was standing there, scanning the regimental street. She looked "Strombeck."

  "Yes. Duty sergeant of the guard for our regiment. Want to bet he has been told by Hartmann to watch us very closely?"

  Maggie gave him a grin. "Trust in feminine wiles, feller-me-lad." She turned. "Women, I need some volunteers to keep a sergeant occupied."

  6:00 PM

  "Sergeant Hartmann?"

  He glanced over from where he had stepped outside to smoke his pipe. "Frau Schlesier." She came up to him, almost bouncing on her toes. "May I help you?"

  "Yes, if you would."

  "I have to go back to the office, if you will accompany me?" She fell into step beside him. Having seen Kohler learn to march, he was satisfied that she already knew left from right.

  "I spoke to my father about joining the army."

  "He told me, Frau Schlesier, and asked me to help. When you write this report, you are trying to convince men to agree. You can do this as a young girl to a man, or a friend to a friend. But if you do it either of those ways, you will lose."

  She nodded. "After our talk I spent several hours speaking with the up-timers in the USE Army, and found out what positions they allowed to be filled in their time.
Did you know the commanding officer of TacRail is not only a woman, but was commissioned an MP officer before the Ring of Fire?" He nodded. "Father told me that I could go into the field the next time the regiment deploys and help him with his correspondence, but I do not wish to be some pampered little girl safe in headquarters. I want to serve our country like any other soldier."

  Hartmann stopped, turning to face the girl. "Headquarters is safer than the line, I will admit. But I have seen them captured and torched before. Do you think for a moment that one of our enemies would say, 'Oh, she is some officer's daughter' and pass you by to rape some camp follower in your stead? Your life will be on the line, young woman, just like the women who work with us, remember that. That is why I made sure the regiment's camp followers knew how to load and fire a rifle in an emergency."

  Her reply was perfectly that of an officer's daughter. "I realize that, sergeant. I am not asking that I replace some man in the line, even if the up-time women would. I mean maybe in a clerical position or perhaps radio operator. I am thinking of when the war with Brandenburg and Saxony begins. Men who are sitting here in camp or at headquarters can be sent if women like me can take their place. Such a project must start somewhere.

  "Father said you have spent a great deal of time among the up-timers in their National Guard. So you know how they think. He has offered to ask that a study be commissioned, and that begins with a position report."

  "So, you wish me to write this for you?" He asked in disbelief.

  "Of course not. My father's attitude about me wanting things is that I must always have a good logical reason why he should allow it. He said that is more important if I am to convince the Army! So I am to write the report. All I wish from you is what points I must address." She grinned impishly. "I think those who read it will assume some man wrote it. So when they complain he can say, 'My daughter, a woman, wrote it!' "

  "If there is anything you need from home, I would suggest you go and get it now. This will probably take the rest of my watch." She held up the bag she carried. He shook his head with a grin, and led her the rest of the way to his office, pointing her to a chair.

  "First you must look at the reasons they would not wish to have women in the army. There was a film I saw in Grantville named GI Jane where one of the actors, a Moor, commented that his father had wanted to be a gunner on a warship, but was relegated to being a cook because they claimed his entire race had bad night vision. So think of every excuse they might come up with and be prepared to refute it. The only one you can safely ignore is that it has not been done. Strength, intelligence, willingness to do the job, and stamina.

  "Strength is a given. I could easily pick you up without straining myself, but you would not be able to return the favor."

  "Neither could Dieffenbacher."

  "Agreed. So do not claim a woman is as strong. As for intelligence, that is something that you must already have, and they would have to prove that the average man is not as smart. Willingness? As the up-timers say, 'A man may work from sun to sun, but a woman's work is never done.' "

  "Ah, their habit of paraphrasing."

  "Exactly. So address their issues first. As you have pointed out, you could work in personnel, quartermaster, and payroll if you were a man. But you have to prove to them that a woman can." He considered what else to suggest when one of the guards came in.

  "I expect you to get to work on that." He walked out, talking with the young soldier.

  Aloyse sighed. She had hoped being a friend would work. But she found having him treat her like someone he expected work from was more satisfying. She opened her bag and took out her small teapot and the jar of tea. She looked out the door at the feldwebel at the desk. "Could you help me?"

  "If I can, Frau. . ."

  "Schlesier. My father is Colonel Ludendorf, and he wants a report from me. Is there a stove I can heat some tea on?"

  "Yes." He stood, hands running down his uniform, probably hoping he hadn't made a mess at dinner. "Here, I will get the water."

  "No, please, merely show me."

  6:30 PM

  Becker felt like Sisyphus in his torments. He had to arrange distraction after distraction. One he used immediately was relocating the party to the barracks where the new company was. But they still had to get the drinks in and rolling barrels through the street would definitely be noticed.

  He went to the feldwebel of the two adjoining battalions and arranged a barrel-rolling contest. Perhaps that would do it.

  7:00 PM

  "What do you think, Sergeant?" Hartmann motioned to the men he was speaking to, then walked over, reading the report as it stood. He made some suggestions about additional changes he had thought of. Without demur, she sat and began noting where to insert them before beginning again.

  7:30 PM

  "And what do I have here?" A voice asked.

  Linus tried to stop the barrel. But since he weighed less than a third of what it did, he felt his feet digging in. "Scheisse!" Becker snarled. Sergeant Strombeck was too much like Hartmann! He had been ready to move the beer, but the sergeant of the guard was watching! He had done everything he could to distract the man, but the bastard was too good!

  Strombeck crossed his arms, tapping his toe. "Well, Becker. Try to tell me a lie."

  Becker snarled. Yes, he was a sergeant, but really! "We wanted to give our sergeant a surprise birthday!" he screamed.

  Strombeck merely looked at him. Then leaned forward. "Why not tell me and ask for my silence?" Becker flinched back. "I never knew when my birthday was. I was left on the doorstep of an abbey right in the middle of a plague the day after the clerk fell ill, so there was no date of when I arrived. It wasn't until I was old enough to understand that they just gave me a birthday. So the sergeant knows what his birthday is. I will help." He motioned. "Finish moving the beer!"

  Becker looked after him then at his partner in crime. "All we did to keep him occupied wasted?" He asked, aghast.

  "I think you are always trying to be too sneaky, Linus." Michel Hamner commented drily.

  It took only minutes to finish moving the barrels, and Becker looked over the preparations.

  "And how do we assure Hartmann comes here before midnight?" Gross asked.

  Becker looked at him, then at the other faces expecting him to pull this off as well. "I hadn't thought of that."

  "Oaf!"

  10:30 PM

  "How is it coming?" Hartmann asked. He had been in and out every few minutes. The second shift had been marched out, and he expected it to slow down a bit. He had gotten messages from men in his company about coming by for their usual CoC chat, but he refused. He knew it was for something else and couldn't be bothered.

  Aloyse sipped her tea, and handed over the report. "It is still rough, but I can work on it a little more if you do not mind."

  He took it, reading silently. "Well-thought out. The arguments are cogent. A pity you cannot type."

  "Type?"

  "We have one of the newly-made typewriters in the radio room. If you could type, you could smooth out the wording, and put it in a clearly legible format."

  A guard stuck his head in. "Sergeant? There is a woman at the gate who was going to your regimental area. I brought her here instead."

  "Good. Bring her in." Hartmann was not sure what they might have planned. Becker had giggled about a film he had seen where a naval officer had thought a woman assigned to his submarine was really a stripper. Having seen a film himself about a woman who worked in what was called striptease, he would put nothing past Becker!

  The guard returned, and Hartmann immediately leaped to his feet feeling contrite. "Frau Kaufmann! You were heading to the regiment?"

  The wife of the innkeeper of Der Barmherzige Samariter, the Good Samaritan, walked up and hugged him. "I came to see you, Richard." She held up something swathed in a napkin. "We know how much you like our pork pies, so the girls made one for you. For your birthday."

  "You should not have,
" he said, looking at the bundle in her hands.

  "You may not celebrate the day, Richard. But we do every time we remember the Sack." She looked at Aloyse. "Richard saved my twin girls and me from rape and worse when the city was sacked by Count Tilly. We owe him a debt we can never repay."

  Hartmann took the still warm pan and opened the napkin. There was a box sitting atop the crust. "What is this?"

  "Your wife bought that not long after she arrived here in Magdeburg. She told me that she was going to give it to you on this day. Since she is no more, I felt the least I could do is deliver it in her stead."

  Aloyse had never seen such a look of loss on someone's face. Hartmann sat, holding the box as if afraid to open it. Then his fingers moved, and the lid fell back. He looked for a long moment, then lifted out a pipe. The bowl was not clay, rather it was of a white stone. He turned it, and she saw a tear run down his cheek. She bent closer, looking at the smiling woman's face that made up the front of the bowl. Her head was back as if laughing at a joke, eyes slitted in amusement. Her hair formed a foaming mass that would be caressed by the smoker as he held it.

  "The model is beautiful." she whispered.

  "Yes, she was. It is my wife's face. She had heard of a stone found in the Ottoman Empire that sometimes floats in the Black Sea. It is called meerschaum. The up-timers had smoking pipes carved of it in an antique shop in Grantville, though according to their encyclopedias, it will not be used for pipe smoking for another century." He took a folded scrap of paper from the formed rest, opening it. "So I will always be with you, my love, wherever you are," he read in a soft voice.

  Aloyse jumped as Frau Kaufmann touched her arm, moving her to the door, closing it. "Let us leave him for a time, young one."

  "His wife? When he visited my father after they returned this year he never spoke of her around me."

  "You know he was sent to Ahrensbök after he trained the company he leads? When he left she was alive and great with child." Frau Kaufmann looked away. "She died along with the baby the same day they reached Segeberg. He did not come home then or write. In fact we thought for months that he might have died in that battle. She meant so much to him. When he came home, it was as if his heart had been ripped out. He has mourned her ever since."