Dorrman smiled, amused by the seeming innocence of his Marine friend. "Not as long as I have a
corpsman striker; extra work builds his character. Anyway, Lucas is a lot better with the horses that I ever plan to be. So, let me join you and we can make sure that we don"t get poisoned by our eager chef."
"That"s a plan that I can live with," Duke told him as they walked towards the campfire.
* * * Duke and Dorrman were sitting at the campfire conducting an impromptu tactical discussion with other Marines while they waited for lunch. When they heard a guard loudly announcing the scouts" return, they continued sipping their coffee. After dismounting and hobbling their mounts. the scouts left their horses in the hands of fellow leathernecks and joined Duke and the others at the campfire. Other Marines started to drift in closer to hear their report and silence quickly spread around the area. The scout leader, Lance Corporal Hans Hoffman, removed his sungla.s.ses and began to come to attention before starting his report but was stopped by Duke"s gesture. "Lance Corporal, relax. It"s cold and it"s been a long day for your guys. I want you all to sit down and drink your coffee first. The report can wait."
"Danke, mein freund," Hans murmured, as he sat down and sipped coffee from the cup someone put in his hand. Duke allowed him time to unwind.
Hans, a man in his early thirties and Duke"s former neighbor, was the oldest and most experienced of the down-timer recruits. He was being groomed for a staff NCO position and, like Hudson, had rejected a Marine commission. The group that now surrounded the campfire waited patiently for his report while his fellow scouts, Gustav Franker, Noah Wilson and Dallas Chaffin also sat down to catch their breaths and warm up with coffee. They, too, had been wearing sungla.s.ses. That suggestion from Dallas had quickly become the scouts" trademark. At last, Hans put his cup down, picked up a nearby stick and started drawing a rough map of Magdeburg.
"Admiral Simpson sends his compliments, Gunny. He"s pleased that we finally made it. The navy yard is here, the emba.s.sy is here and the king"s palace is there. In the yard, we can use a temporary barnlike building for quarters. However, I wouldn"t move anyone inside until we have cleaned and disinfected it thoroughly. We"ll need to use . . . what do you call it, Noah?"
"You mean the DDT, Hans?" Noah asked."DDT, danke. We should use it to kill all the fleas and other insects. I"m sorry, but it looks like tents again, tonight. We also need to dig new outhouses and a well to make the area livable. The admiral sent me and Mister Cantrell to check the site he"s picked out for the permanent barracks. It"s good and has a nice view of the river. There"s s.p.a.ce for all the planned buildings, ranges and the parade ground. As per your orders, I scouted two routes to get to the yard. One here, around the outskirts, is longer, but faster, as traffic is light. Noah scouted the other route through town. Noah?" Hans prompted Wilson to continue the report.
"Gunny, Dallas and I went through town. I got us a route but getting through is going to be a challenge.
The place is like a zoo. There"s traffic everywhere and no one to play traffic cop. It also stinks to high heaven, because the new sewer system is still under construction. On the other hand, it bustles with activity and energy just like Grantville, but multiplied by ten. Looks to me like a good place to live as long as you don"t mind the stink or the noise. There"s lots of new construction going on, so we may have problems hiring workers for the barracks. I talked to Swedish and German soldiers at the checkpoints
and got the names of several of the local equivalents to a contractor. I also warned them to expect us, so
we can go through the checkpoints without stopping. Hans?""Danke, Noah. Gunny, I discussed your request with the admiral. He told me that you could do whatever you think best. He also said that if you go with the main plan you really need to make sure that you show the colors. He also gave me a letter and a package for you. He said that he had wanted to wait and surprise you but thought that you could use something to start us on the right foot. Here it is." Hans pa.s.sed Duke an envelope and a small package wrapped in oilskins.
"Thanks, Lance Corporal; you and your team performed admirably." Duke pitched his voice so everyone could overhear his compliment to Hans and his scouts. He then stood up to address the whole group.
"Listen up, Marines. During the trip, I"ve talked to you about my ideas for our outfit. Right here, right now, is where we start making them a reality. We have a whole town full of civilians and allied soldiers who have never heard or seen Marines before. So, they don"t have an idea of what to expect. We have an excellent opportunity to make a good first impression and help jumpstart our recruitment efforts. We"re going to ride through town and let everyone know that we"ve arrived. So, this is the plan. I want everyone to remain in formation, keep your horse under control and try to look sharp regardless of what we encounter. Tighten up your saddle and accoutrements. I don"t want anyone falling off his or her horse in front of the crowd. Police your uniform and person and remember-today we create history. That is all. We will leave in two hours, but before we do, we will police this area. O"Keefe, Hobbs, Dorrman, Hoffman and you, too, Wild Bill. A moment of your time, please."
The other Marines moved away, some to start their preparations, others to continue their interrupted rest.
Duke opened the admiral"s letter as he walked away from the campfire. He quickly scanned the contents and a wide grin split his face. Lulu exchanged curious glances with the rest of her colleagues as they followed the gunnery sergeant, wondering what was going on. Duke stopped to open the package and started issuing his instructions. "Hans, I need you and your scouts to open the way for us into town and provide traffic control. Your people are going to be my road guards. Lulu, do we still have those orange construction vests we swiped from your great uncle?"
"Yes, in the first wagon. I was wondering what you wanted with them. So, Hans and his boys get to
wear them, right?"
Duke stopped walking as soon as he was far enough from the main group not to be overheard. "Right, I want them to stand out like sore thumbs, Lulu. Get them those vests after lunch, please. Hans, I"m counting on you to prevent any civilians from getting in our way or getting hurt, but be polite about it.
Discuss it with your scouts and maybe you can use some of the folks to help you practice your crowd control drill before we leave."
"Yes, Gunny." Hoffman replied, making a notation in his always-present notebook.
Duke turned towards the corpsman. "Dave, as soon as we arrive at the barn, I want you to collect a detail
and start working on our new quarters" habitability and sanitation. The only living thing that I want sharing my bedding is my wife."
Dorrman laughed. "I share that feeling. It will be done, Gunny."
Duke then addressed his two platoon leaders. "Hobbs and Musgrove, after we arrive at the yard, we"re
going to conduct evening colors for the first time in Magdeburg. I want it to become a Marine responsibility from now on. Please, organize the troops and maybe get a little practice for the flag detail before we depart, okay?"
Puzzled, Sergeant Hobbs raised his hand. "Yes, Gunny, but isn"t it going to be a tad too early for evening colors?" Duke addressed the whole group with his answer. "Guys, have you seen how dark the night gets around here? Magdeburg doesn"t have an electric grid yet. So, as much as I hate it, and until the night light situation improves, we"re going to have to conduct evening colors while we still have daylight. Around 1700 would be my guess, just like the army."
Hobbs nodded his head as he followed the reasoning. "Makes sense. But it"s going to feel funny. Well, we can adapt and improvise, Gunny." Satisfied, Hudson smiled. "And overcome. That"s the spirit, Hobbs. Now everyone, listen up. A month before we left Grantville, I wrote the admiral with some suggestions about our manning and organization. I am pleased to inform you that he not only approved my suggestions and the personnel actions I suggested, but to my surprise, has provided us the proper insignia. So, let me start with the junior man here. Hoffman, front and center." Hans, already standing in front of Duke, came to attention.
"Hans, I don"t know what kind of officer you were before as a mercenary but you"ve impressed me in the short time you"ve been with us. As well as becoming my friend, you"ve shown me you have the makings of a good non-commissioned officer. Your wife Ilse has become an invaluable part of our ladies support efforts and a great a.s.sistance to Claire with the down-time Marine ladies. I"m sure she would love to know that we recognize your worth to the Corps with this promotion. Lu, Dave, can you do the honors and help Staff Sergeant Hoffman pin his new stripes."
Duke handed the metal devices to his surprised friends. Smiling, Dorrman and O"Keefe admired the well-made reproduction of a Marine staff sergeant collar insignia, a black painted metal device with three chevrons and a rocker with crossed rifles. Together, they approached Hoffman and carefully replaced his lance corporal devices with the new insignia before shaking his hand. Hoffman had stood ramrod straight during the proceedings, seemingly surprised and overwhelmed with emotion.
Hudson then singled out Corporal Musgrove. "Wild Bill . . . William, one of the most surprising things about you is that, unlike your nickname, you"re one of the most evenhanded and well-controlled Marines that I have ever known. Of course, that"s apart from your truly low sense of humor, which is better left unmentioned. We all know that you got a raw deal up-time, and had a promising career cut short. However, since you decided to join our quixotic enterprise, your enthusiasm and selflessness has shown us the kind of NCO that the up-time corps lost in the twentieth century. Is my pleasure to be able to remedy that situation in this century. On behalf of Admiral Simpson and myself, please accept the insignia of your new rank, Staff Sergeant Musgrove." Unlike Hoffman, Wild Bill had an ear-to-ear grin as his new stripes were pinned to his collars.
"Calvin," Duke said, "we all knew you reluctantly decided to leave the Corps to take care of your family when we were back in the old USA. It happened to many others, and we can"t fault you for that. However, I am personally grateful that you decided to give our new Marines a chance, as your knowledge is going to come in handy in the months ahead. This promotion to staff sergeant is just a token of our appreciation and recognition of that experience." Hobbs snapped to attention and managed to keep a straight face through the informal ceremony but finally cracked up when Lulu hugged him.
"Funny, I don"t remember being hugged during my last promotion," Hobbs commented as he struggled to glance at the stripes on his collar. A mockingly serious Wild Bill replied, "Well, Staff Sergeant Hobbs, if I recall, you were then in an all male Marine unit. Of course, we certainly would not ask . . . or even tell."
"Wild Bill, I mean, Staff Sergeant Musgrove, shut up," Hobbs responded in the same vein "Aye, aye, Staff Sergeant," an unrepentant Wild Bill barked.
Shaking his head at their antics as he struggled to keep a straight face, Duke turned towards Dorrman.
"Dave, everyone has been calling you chief since long before we started our planning. The admiral and I think it"s time to make it official and make you the first official CPO of our new navy. He also told me to tell you to go ahead and advance Lucas to petty officer. Congratulations. I"m sorry you couldn"t go through a formal CPO initiation. I know that you squids make a good deal out of it." As he talked, Duke handed one of the pair of chief anchors to Lulu and together they pinned the new insignia on the collar of a smiling Dorrman.
"Don"t worry, Duke. I consider this two-week nature trip with you nuts a good subst.i.tute. Even so, I may have to inst.i.tute a more formal program for the newer CPOs after we"re established in Magdeburg. Lucas is also going to appreciate the promotion, although I may have to explain what a petty officer is. Thanks, guys."
As everyone shook Dorrman"s hand, Hudson started removing his own collar stripes to everyone"s surprise and then with a devilish smile, faced Lulu. As soon as she realized what he was doing, she went pale and a look of almost panic swept over her face as she tried to retreat. Her way was blocked by Dorrman and Wild Bill to everyone else"s great amus.e.m.e.nt. "Lulu, you have been my friend for longer than I"ve known these reprobates. You were the second person to hear about Admiral Simpson"s new Corps plans, but you were the first one to believe that we might have a chance. Since that moment, you"ve spent your every waking moment providing the logistics required. In the process you"ve reinvented the Marine military bureaucracy, while serving as a loyal second in command. Yet, you still found the time to become proficient in those fields that the up-time Corps female combat policies and your primary a.s.signment in logistics left deficient. Of course, we all know that your pugilistic skills have earned the respect of down-timers far and wide." Duke stopped, letting the expected chuckles subside.
He then continued. "The admiral sent you the appropriate insignia but I would consider it an honor if you wore mine, Gunnery Sergeant O"Keefe. Sorry, they"re a bit tarnished with my sweat, but I don"t think you"re going to mind too much." Hudson, a.s.sisted by Dorrman, pinned Lulu"s new rank, ignoring the tears that ran down her cheeks as the other NCOs beamed their approval.
After a short round of hugs all around, he continued. "Our detachment is now Alpha company of the hoped for first battalion, Lennox"s men are to become the first two companies of the second. Obviously, both he and we still need to recruit to our manning levels. If we work hard, I hope to see us fully deployed by the end of next year. I want you to start thinking about which people from our current ranks we"re going to promote next. We have to fill all the open company enlisted leaders positions. Is my intention that we meet at the end of the week to discuss it. So, be prepared to defend your candidates.
Yes, Lulu?"
"Err, Duke, pardon me but aren"t you out of uniform?" she asked, looking at his now bare collar.
"Well, yes I am, Gunny. Thanks for noticing it. I just wanted to get the small and more important details
out of the way. I would appreciate it if you and Hoffman do the honors," Duke answered, pa.s.sing them a pair of rank devices.
"First Sergeant?" she exclaimed with a mixture of both surprise and pleasure as she looked down at the
metal stripes with a diamond instead of crossed rifles. "I see you finally got the rank you ought to have had many years ago. Congratulations, my friend." Lulu hugged Duke first and then she and Hoffman pinned the new insignia.
After accepting everyone"s congratulations, Duke continued. "Thank you, people. After we"re all settled down in Magdeburg it"s my intention to pay for the first round of drinks. We"ll do that at a time and place to be announced later. New stripes need to be properly wet down."
"Darn, Top, is that the only way to get you to pay for booze? We may need to get you promoted more often," Wild Bill interjected, to the group"s amus.e.m.e.nt. "Hardee har har, Musgrove," Duke said. "Start counting your pennies. I expect everyone here to pay for at least a round. I"m not the only one being promoted. Now, lady and gentlemen, there is a lot of work to be done before we enter Magdeburg. I see that the so-called chicken stew seems to be ready and the rest of the troops have been served. Let"s get our lunch and get this show in the road."
"Aye, aye, First Sergeant," the group chorused before returning to the campfire.
Three Miles outside the City of Magdeburg Main road from Thuringia Monday, 6 June 1633 AD 1535 hours local Duke finished checking Henderson" tack and bridle, adjusting his leather straps as the horse contently munched on nearby gra.s.s. After one final tug, he dropped the blanket and stirrups into place, then pulled his cover from his saddlebags. Like the rest of his small command, he had traded his road-weary bonnie-style floppy hat for a starched utility cover. His hands lingered on it for just a second as he thought of Claire starching and pressing it with her own hands. He missed her so badly that he could taste it. Putting aside his feelings of longing, he placed the cap squarely on his head, automatically checking the proper angle of the bill over his eyes with two fingers. Then, with his boot in the stirrup and his grasp on the saddle pommel, he hoisted himself into the saddle.
His Marines had policed the area well within the allotted time, providing ample opportunity to practice the drills required during their arrival in Magdeburg. Now ready, they stood by their mounts and wagons. The scouts took position at the head of the line, marked easily by their bright orange construction vests. As he watched the now silent ranks, Duke felt a momentary sense of pride in their achievements so far. Earlier, he had been especially touched, when each of the junior Marines had made the point of seeking him out to congratulate and shake his hand. Well, not everyone.
Kim Chaffin, his lone woman Marine, hugged and kissed him on the cheek instead as she whispered that she was doing it on behalf of his absent wife and daughter. That unexpected gesture had touched him deeply, making him glad that he had been able to walk away before his vision became completely misted. Later, looking into Noah and Dallas"s beaming faces as they offered their own congratulations, he could not help but think that his son, James, had also been there in spirit.
In spite of all that, Duke could still have gotten depressed at the memories as he had many times before, but Wild Bill had unexpectedly come to his rescue with one of his practical jokes. Instead of being depressed, Duke found himself trying to keep a straight face as he watched Wild Bill and his whole squad of like-minded scoundrels fall on their knees, bow with their arms extended and touch the ground several times as newly promoted Gunnery Sergeant O"Keefe walked by. They loudly proclaimed that they were not worthy to be in her presence to a deeply mortified, but pleased, Lulu. Duke wondered what she would do to get even but rested a.s.sured that it would be entertaining.
Shaking himself out of his woolgathering, Duke looked down at his watch and decided that it was time.
He rode Henderson to join O"Keefe in front of the formation. As he rode bedside her, he asked her sotto voce. "How you are doing, Lu?"
Lulu answered back in the same way. "Petrified and exhilarated at the same time. I can"t believe that we
are here at all. Not after all the problems we had. I just wish that Claire were here with us."
Duke smiled fondly as he thought of his wife. "Yes, I would have loved that, too. But I"m sure she"s with us in spirit."
Lulu smiled back before looking at the formed troops again. "Yes, she is. Lord, there are so few of us for what we need to do."
Duke looked at their Marines, too. "Few, but very proud. They"ll do."
Lulu smiled in reply and Duke gave her a silent nod, which she returned before barking her first command in her much practiced parade ground voice. "Marines, prepare to mount. MOUNT." Then, together, Duke and she slowly trooped the line, looking for but not finding any discrepancies. Duke took heart in their confidence and smart bearing before returning to the front, where he addressed the formation.
"Ladies and gentlemen, in a short while we are going to enter the capital city of Magdeburg to join our naval brethren for the first time. There, waiting for us, is the beginning of a new chapter in Marine history. To those of us born in the twentieth century this is another episode in the over two-hundred-year- old continuous saga of glory and sacrifice. To those of you born in this century, is the first chapter of your own glorious tale. During your training, you learned of the likes of Manila John Basilone, Daly, Butler, Lejeune, Henderson, Chesty Puller and countless others. They were men and women like you, no more and no less. They helped write each page in those chapters with their selfless dedication, sacrifice, blood and courage. I hope that you, like me, have found their lives a source of inspiration. But at the end, they belong to a future that will never be. This means that in you now rests the requirement to write the first chapters in your own book. It will be a place where others, one day, will seek their inspiration. I know it sounds like a daunting task. But rest a.s.sured that, like those Marines who precede us, you now have the wherewithal to excel and shine on your own. Because, I"m telling you, you all have what it takes and my personal trust and confidence." Duke stopped, letting his words sink in before continuing.
"On a personal note, I am grateful for your heartfelt congratulations and I"m sure that I spoke for the rest of us in thanking you for your well wishes." Duke let a smile cross his face before continuing. "I am also sure that Gunnery Sergeant O"Keefe will find the time to acknowledge everyone"s best wishes, especially those of second squad." A roar of laughter broke from the ranks at Lulu"s toothsome smile aimed at the suddenly guilty looking party.
"Okay, listen up. folks. When we arrive in the city, we are not only going to be on display for the good citizens of Magdeburg, but more important, our comrades-in-arms in the army, navy and Swedish
forces. Let"s give them a show. What say you, MARINES?"
"OOO-RAH!" Their enthusiastic roar disturbed the horses and shook leaves from nearby trees. It was to Duke"s complete satisfaction.
"Okay, let"s shove off and get this show on the road. MUELLER!" Duke barked.