Borderlands- Act 1 Read online

  “At ease! Sergeant, many thanks to you all for such a well-prepared muster, despite the short notice.” I pause to check whether he has forgiven me for earlier. His curt nod offers no clues either way. It shall have to wait until the men have been dismissed. “Also thank you all for your high performance over recent patrol cycles. I have asked a great deal of you and you have delivered in spades. Your dedication and professionalism are something to be proud of.” A short pause helps the message sink in. “As I am sure you appreciate, this makes the recent changes in the patrol ranking rules all the more irksome. I know many of you were hoping for first place, as was I. We all earned it. Nevertheless, we now have a new set of rules to follow. Tomorrow we begin our first patrol cycle under this new regime. It is going to be unlike any we have previously experienced.

  “We are going to leave tomorrow as soon as we are ready and force the march to Post Seven. We are going to arrive and relieve the current patrol. Ahead of schedule if possible. We are then going to start sweeping the Borderlands more intensively than ever before. We shall use multiple patrol teams on a continuous watch rota. We shall ride as wide and deep as possible. Into neighbouring zones and right up to the shadow itself if necessary. We shall track down and kill absolutely everything lurking there. We shall bring back more trophies than any other Vegsel Patrol in the history of the Guard. We are going to prove that we are the best of the best. We are not only going to show that we deserve first place, we are going to take it by an act of force!”

  Taking a breath, I study the reactions. A round of applause was never on the cards so I am not disappointed by the stunned silence. Surprise and confusion are written large on most faces. Even Haddar is wide eyed at my shock announcement. I carry on before they have a chance to do too much thinking.

  “Perhaps, you are asking how we can achieve this. We are not built to run multiple patrol sweeps back to back. Just like all Vegsel we are a compact and tight knit fighting force. If we break the current structure down into even smaller units there will be too few leaders and specialists to go around. The units will be tiny and quite ineffective against anything big they might encounter. This is why I have called you all here this evening.

  “The first task of this patrol cycle is going to be unlike anything I have asked of you before. To begin with it will take place before we have even set off. You are going to spend this final night in Afreem recruiting as many new patrol members as possible. For the whole plan to work, we need to double, preferably triple, the number of guards we currently have. Put simply, each of you needs to recruit at least two more people. The more the better.

  “It will not be an easy task. The short notice is definitely against us. However, I am confident in your abilities. Additionally, as some of you no doubt heard when I came in, I have organised a small incentive package.” I point at the sack. “Each of you will be given a purse. You are free to use it as you see fit, but if you come back empty handed, with neither coins nor recruits, Sergeant Haddar’s whip arm is going to get some exercise. Recruited means registered by the enlistment office and present at muster tomorrow morning. This is an imperative. Obviously, if the new recruits do not turn out they are not going to be any help on the cycle. However, even if they do turn out but are not registered to our patrol, their kills will not count towards our total.

  “We are mustering behind the stables directly after breakfast. Once any additional kit requirements are sorted, we shall be leaving. However, I have called in a favour with the chief clerk. The enlistment office will be manned from first bell of Dawn Watch. You will have adequate opportunity to get your recruits signed up. If you are quick you might even manage to grab a bite on the way to muster, but remember, getting everyone signed up first is an absolute priority. We will conduct a full roll call at muster. If names do not match bodies exactly, you will have wasted your efforts.” I give them a moment to assimilate all the new information. “Questions so far?” Two men stand to attention and I select one. “Yes, Vang, what is it?”

  As our most skilled archer, Vang’s mind is as sharp as his eyesight. “Sir, are we just after other guards or can we recruit civilians too?” He stands back at ease. The other man obviously had the same question as he follows suit.

  “Vang raises a good point. Guards, civilians, old, young, men or women,” I pause to give Vang a particularly pointed look. He has a reputation for frequenting the brothel, “it does not matter which ‘establishment’ you dredge. If they can ride a horse and handle a weapon, it is fine by me. However, each of you has a good reason to haul in the most competent people you can find. On this cycle, any trophy pay due to a new recruit is being doubled up and split equally with the recruiter.” A murmur runs through the ranks. “Yes, you heard correctly, you get full trophy pay for everything you kill plus everything your own recruits kill too.

  “On the other hand, if you only drag in idiots then you are going to end up baby-sitting them all cycle and not make any money at all. So, do yourself a favour and find yourself as many fearless professional killers as you can. Further questions?” Nobody moves. “Good, then let us put this campaign into action. Once you have each received your purse, you are dismissed and free to leave and get on with it. Sergeant, if you would be so kind as to have the men form an orderly line.” Stepping down from the bench, I open the sack and take out the first purse.

  Occasionally, the greatest weapon of war is the olive branch.

  The men are soon gone leaving Haddar and me alone in the hall. He is still standing to the side where he was supervising the queue. I pick the last two purses of rough green canvas out of the sack. Hefting one in my hand, the scratch and clink of coin echoes in the space between us. “Not keen on collecting your purse then?”

  “Permission to speak freely, sir.” That clears that up. If he is being formal, he is still peeved with me.

  I give a short sigh. “Granted.”

  “Yer aware how far outside Guard regulations we’re operatin?”

  It is surely a good sign that he said ‘we’. “Actually, I believe we are well inside. Any patrol may enlist anyone they require whenever they see fit. Granted, poaching from other patrols at such short notice is a bit of a grey area but nothing actually forbids it. By my reckoning, we are in the clear.” I jangle the little bag invitingly, but he doesn’t move. “Further reservations?”

  “Poaching be damned, I’ve done it often enough myself. The big question is, how can we afford it? Senior Reserve Shis is going to pop a vein.”

  It is a fair point. Each active Vegsel patrol receives a regular operational stipend. Excepting standard trophy pay, which comes directly from a central fund, patrol Captains must stretch their allowance to cover all needs. Food, equipment, quarters for men and horses, it all comes out of the one purse. Occasionally, a little money is left over when the next credit comes in. What the Captain does not choose to keep back in reserve can be shared out to his men as a bonus.

  It is a delicate balance. Spend too much on equipment and the usual outcome is hungry men. Spend too little and the patrol becomes ineffective. Either way you are bound to lose men, either by transfers to other patrols or by mutilation and death whilst repelling Spawn.

  Though this should lead to consistent patrol sizes, trophy pay does encourage some variation in head count. Men that regularly bring home severed heads can afford to go without bonus pay and might even invest a little of their own cash into maintaining their weapons and mount. However, Vegsel patrol zones are kept quite small. This places a practical limit on the number of kills that can be made in a single cycle. Which in turn caps maximum trophy pay and keeps Vegsel patrols from unlimited growth.

  Thanks to our recent run of high kill rates, we are bigger than usual already. Put simply, I should not have enough cash in reserve to cover the recruitment drive itself let alone kit out the new people adequately. Being able to double the trophy pay is even less plausible.

  I hit him with my most winning smile. “Thanks to your muc
h-loved Captain, we have benefited from a sudden influx of cash that should be more than enough to cover everything.”

  His eyes narrow. “Yeh haven’e done something stupid like borrow the money from a lender have yeh?”

  I scoff. “No, I found a sponsor so there is nothing to pay back.”

  “A sponsor? Who?”

  “Suffice it to say, a generous private benefactor who wishes to remain anonymous.”

  “Anonymous?”

  “Yes, and we shall speak no more of it.”

  “Why am I smelling something nasty?”

  I try the winning smile again. “Perhaps you trod in something? Anyway, I am sure a few glasses with your drinking buddies will clear your nostrils.” I rattle the purse of coins at him again. “What do you say? You might even manage to recruit some of them. In fact, use this as the stake in one of your poker games and then bind them over to join us when you clear the table. Come to think of it, having a whole herd of old goats like you would be a great asset. You might even get colours at long last. Colours Goat Haddar, how does that sound?” I can see he is on the balance, so I jangle the coins again. “And even if you come back empty handed, I promise to have a word with my sergeant so that he goes easy on you with the cord.”

  “Captain Banak Doneir, now and then, yeh can be a real prick!” Excellent, he is back on board again.

  I toss him the bag. “Good man. I knew I could rely on you.”

  He snatches the purse out of the air and does a double take. “What’s this?” Bright printing stands out clearly against the dull olive textile.

  “You mean our patrol insignia? I thought it would help with the recruitment. You know, something visual to make us look even more special.”

  Haddar puts on a gruff voice. “We’re in for it now.” I raise an eyebrow and he continues. “These are returnable cash bags. Yeh’ve ruined them. Defacement of Aether Guard property. That’s a disciplinary offence.” He cannot quite suppress his smile.

  “I am prepared to assume full culpability, with one proviso, you promise to visit me when I land in the brig.” We both laugh. “Ok. Let us tidy up here and then get on with it.” He nods and we carry the bench back to where the others are stacked. As we head for the door, a thought occurs to me. “If we really can draft a few officers that is fine, but we do need to be discrete. Regulations or no, we cannot afford this to get up the chain of command until we are well under way. Best to avoid public displays in the officers’ mess and lounge, I think.”

  He nods again. “Ay, I was thinking the same.” After closing the gymnasium door, Haddar turns to me. “Shield of the Homelands!” I return his salute and we part company.

  This may be the first occasion I have ever been excited about a roll call.

  First light is just beginning to burnish the tallest roofs of the guard house. I stand quietly in the cool damp morning air watching as the inspection yard slowly fills. Haddar is organising the men, counting off old hands and new recruits, setting them neatly in rows and columns. The night appears to have been quite productive. Alongside every familiar face is at least one new one. In most cases, it is three or four. One man appears to have collected almost a whole team’s worth of people all by himself. On closer inspection, a certain family resemblance is apparent.

  As the last stragglers arrive, even without proper counting, it is clear we have exceeded my target. Our numbers must surely have grown more than three-fold. Haddar marches over and we salute.

  “Captain, sir. The men are all here with their new recruits. Nobody else is expected.”

  “Thank you, Sergeant.” I look down at the boy stood next to me. “Signalman Wim, enlistment office, copy of the patrol’s latest enrolment list, ensure it is complete, fetch it back, GO!”

  “Sir!” Off he shoots.

  Haddar watches the lad disappear before raising an eyebrow.

  “Before you ask, Sergeant, the answers are: Yes, Signalman Wim is my contribution to the recruitment drive; Yes, I appreciate he is a child and would probably struggle to deal with an injured phratt on his own; No, I have not taken leave of my senses.” Underneath his Parade Ground expression, the suggestion of a smile lurks. I continue. “It occurred to me that with our numbers about to grow so rapidly, a message runner might be of use to the patrol and I can assure you, he is quick and keen.”

  Haddar wrinkles his nose. “That may be true. Nevertheless, he got very close to a tanned back side when he delivered your message yesterday.”

  “We all had a lot to learn once and from now on he will be under the watchful eye of the greatest instructor, disciplinarian and old goat in the whole history of the Aether Guard.” I put on a superior smile. "I am sure you agree on all counts, Sergeant Haddar."

  Haddar’s mouth twists wryly. “Indeed, Captain.” He turns to look back across the yard. “Didn’t ye say he was quick?”

  Before I have a chance to respond, Wim bursts into view around the corner and gives a last sprint back across the open ground. In barely more than a brace of heart beats he is skidding to a halt before me and approximating standing to attention. “Sir, sorry for the delay, sir.” He gulps in air between each hurried sentence. “I had to wait for the enlistment clerk to finish the list, sir. Said he couldn’t remember ever having to write so long a list before, sir.” There is a short pause as he looks up at me expectantly. His eyes remind me of a pet waiting to be praised. Wondering how long it is going to take for his brain to catch up with his mouth, I make no response.

  Sensing that something is wrong, he does a quick mental review before beating out a salute. His breathing is slowing so I give the rising oxygen levels a final opportunity to fire up his brain. It doesn’t help. He is just looking more and more confused. Maybe it was a mistake enlisting him after all. I sigh. “And where is it?”

  “Sir?”

  Haddar can no longer contain himself. “The list, idiot boy! Give the list to the captain!” The sergeant strides closer, his arm raised, ready to give Wim a solid cuffing.

  Cringing from the approaching menace, the youngster snatches a scroll from his messenger bag and holds it out to me. “Sir, the clerk’s list, sir.” It’s not a moment too soon. Haddar’s hand hangs frozen in mid-air.

  I take the roll of paper and, with a sharp flick of my wrist, bat Wim over the top of the head with it. “Stand to attention, Signalman. A Guardsman must remain indomitable, even in the face of the most terrifying danger.” I wink at Haddar. “Thank you for your assistance, Sergeant, that will be all for now.” Haddar steps back, the tendons in his neck stand out as he fights the urge to give the boy a parting slap.

  I break the still warm wax seal and pull the roll of stiff springy paper open. Inside, in excruciatingly neat handwriting, is a single column of names. Current ranks have been included where appropriate. Though I am pleased to see a few junior officers have indeed joined us, the number of civilian recruits is still a little worrying. I let the paper snap back into a roll. “I assume you can read and write, Signalman.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  I hand him back the scroll. “Good, then you shall assist Sergeant Haddar with the roll call and assignment. Make sure you call the names out loudly enough to be heard all the way at the back and make sure the assignments are legible.” Wim and Haddar eye each other suspiciously. “Sergeant, if you would be so kind as to proceed.”

  He acknowledges the order with a nod. “Captain.”

  The pair get off to a faltering start, but a rhythm of sorts eventually develops. Wim calls each name forward. Haddar performs a brief interrogation and makes an initial team assignment. Wim makes a note with his pencil and the cycle repeats. Altogether, they take three runs at the list. First, they call up the existing old hands in the patrol. Four neat phalanxes soon form. Three look like active patrol teams whereas the fourth are surely reserves for Senior Daul Shis to employ in supporting functions. Next up are the guards that have transferred to us. From a distance most appear to have tidy armour and well-tended
weapons, but as a matter of pride, Haddar is not satisfied. Many inadequacies get pointed out during the interviews.

  Finally, Wim begins to call out the names of the fresh enlistments. Clearly, my permission to recruit anybody and everybody has been taken to heart. The civilians are a mixed bunch that represents just about every layer of society in and around Afreem. However, apart from one old boy who looks like he might have retired from the Guard an eon ago, not a single one appears to have any clue how to be a soldier. Hopefully, they are all quick learners.

  With the assignments complete, Haddar comes over to report. “Captain. All present and accounted for. The list and the bodies match. They’re sorted into three sub-patrols plus the reserves team. I’ve made a best first guess at balancing the active teams but that’ll stay fluid for a while.”

  “How are the untrained recruits looking?”

  “Disastrous, obviously. Any with a hint of combat ability have been put into the three patrol teams. The most clueless ones are in the reserves for now.”

  I wrinkle my nose. “Any rejects? The old-boy looks particularly frail.”

  “He’s actually a bit of a pearl. Not combat fit by any means, but if even half of what he claims is true, he’ll be an excellent trainer and example for the others.”

  “So, a second old goat after all. We are certainly in need of that.” I give the teams another glance. “And what is the story with that girl you put into patrol? She looks barely older than Wim!”

  “Pas? Certainly talks tougher than she looks, claims to be the best rat bow in the Homelands.”

  “Rat bow?”

  He shrugs. “Why not? Might even come in handy for keeping the phratts out of our hair. I’ll get Vang to check her out.”

  “Just remind him of what kind of checking out you mean. She is a guard just like everyone else now.”