LANCEJACK (The Union Series) Read Free Page A

themselves. They get a chance to get away
for some rest in the garrison towns nearby every other month too.’
    I
raised my eyebrows, ‘Your platoon?’ My eyes flicked to Westy’s rank, he was
still a corporal, not senior enough to be sent back to Uralis to train for
sergeant.
    Westy
smiled, ‘My platoon sergeant injured himself in the gym a few weeks back, so I
was stepped up. Get used to it here, you’ll almost never have a complete
platoon. Don’t expect to have it cheers-easy as a section 2ic!’
    All
troopers in the Union were trained to perform the job of the rank above, so
that the death or injury of a commander on the battlefield didn’t result in a
fatal loss of momentum in the attack. It also meant that an absent commander
could easily be replaced by somebody a rank below him. I had been taught how to
lead a section as well as how to be a good section second in command, with the
latter being my primary role. But the idea of leading a section still made me
nervous. I remembered how badly Sergeant Evans and Westy had taken the loss of
their men. If somebody died, a section commander could blame others, but
ultimately the responsibility was on him. The burden must have been
overwhelming.
    Sensing
my worry, Westy leant across the table and patted my shoulder, ‘Don’t worry,
lad. You’ll be alright.’
    I
took my first spoonful of cereal, ‘Yeah.’
    ‘Which
platoon are you, anyway?’
    ‘Two.’
    ‘Cool,’
he nodded his approval, ‘They’re mostly alright. The boss is a bit of a belter,
though, I hear. He’s a miserable bloke, difficult to get on with.’
    ‘Yeah?’
    ‘Yeah,
he’s the senior of the three platoon commanders and thinks he’s something
special. Not a drama really when he has his platoon sergeant to keep the reins
on him, but he’s away, same as mine. A guy called Johnno is in his place. He’s
a good bloke, but I think he struggles with your boss sometimes. I think Mr
Moore winds the screws up on the ground a bit, he’s rude and arrogant. To be
fair, though, he knows his job.’
    A
full ‘screw’ corporal could give the boss advice, but it normally took the
platoon sergeant with his years of experience and often fierce temper to steer
an overzealous or misguided officer in the right direction. I could imagine the
NCOs having a nightmare trying to reign him in with their platoon sergeant
absent. He certainly hadn’t come across as an easy man to work with.
    ‘Brilliant,’
I said sarcastically, and Westy laughed.
    I
noticed the crow troopers who had arrived with me yesterday standing sheepishly
in amongst the queue for their food, Patterson among them. A group of senior
troopers were quite clearly talking about them further along the queue,
stealing malicious glances back in their direction. I felt sorry for them,
knowing that whether I was around to stop it or not, their introduction to life
within a dropship infantry company would be harsh.
    Westy
followed my gaze, ‘Those your boys?’
    I
sighed, ‘One of them is, yeah. I should probably make sure he’s alright.’
    Westy
nodded and tapped his wristpad, ‘Stay in touch mate. We’ll do something later.’
    ‘Roger,’
I agreed. I scraped my chair back and made my way through the tables toward the
new troopers. Patterson noticed my approach and his eyes widened as though I
was the bearer of terrible news.
    ‘Alright,
lads, found the place okay?’ They nodded, ‘Good. Don’t forget, once you’ve
eaten, wait in your rooms until we get grabbed. Don’t go anywhere else.’
    Another
nod. Were they mute?
    ‘Right,
I’ll catch you back at the accommodation.’
    Just
as I turned a voice called out from behind, and this time it wasn’t somebody I
knew, ‘Hey! Don’t go walking round here like you’re the boy, crowbag!’
    I
remembered the words of my JL instructor as I turned to face the gang of senior
troopers who had been eyeing up the fresh meat. ‘Upon your arrival to your
relevant companies, you will almost