The location where we were to rendezvous with the rest of the company was a good eight-hour march from the now slighted bandit camp and I decided to split the journey into three parts. I had the men rest for half an hour after the first four-hour leg of our journey and again when we were the same time away from our destination. I did this as a precaution just in case we arrived to find the company under attack. While no doubt I wasn’t the only one with the Long March Skill or something similar in my platoon it is a good idea to be as well rested as you can be going into a potential combat situation that could last for quite some time. In the end, my precaution wasn’t necessary, this time but sooner or later doing so will pay off, big time.

Upon arriving at the company’s temporary camp I handed off the two prisoners for further interrogation and then dismissed the men to have a late dinner while I headed to meet with Captain Walker.

“Good work Lieutenant Ryder, I understand you managed to capture two bandits.”

“Yes sir just before we were about to slight the camp them and seven others fell into our trap. I unfortunately wasn’t able to find out from the prisoners where the rest of them got to but perhaps you might have more luck.”

“Perhaps though I doubt it, they’ve likely either scattered to the four winds, found their way back to the main force or at least tried to. Not that theirs any indication of that from the latest scouting report of the enemy force. We have a rough count of their numbers, I didn’t want our scouts to risk getting close enough for anything more thorough.”

“Any indication that the hostages are still with them?”

“ That unfortunately we can’t say, not for sure anyway, their certainty are indications that may point to the fact that some of the bandits are guarding someone or at least something but that could just as easily be their leader.”

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“So when will we be engaging them?”

“If all goes well the plan is to attack them before they can break camp tomorrow morning, we outnumber them more than two to one so we should be able to deal with them. The other two platoons will be the ones to make the assault while your platoon will hang back with the scouts to deal with any breakout attempts. We don’t want any of the bandits escaping with their prisoners after all.”

“I would of course prefer to be part of the attack but I understand the need to be prepared for such an eventuality.”

“Theirs no reason to take my use of your platoon as backup in tomorrow's battle as any kind of a sign that I haven’t any faith in you, especially after how you handled yourself during your recent independent command.”

“I know sir, I doubt anyone else thinks otherwise and someone has to do it but still.”

After meeting with the captain I went to find Sergeant Basil York of second squad to see how the squad had fared in my absence. They hadn’t been as busy as the rest of the platoon and hadn’t seen any action but they were in good spirit and though as disappointed as I was at our planned part in it ready for battle on the morrow.

After my own dinner, nothing too fancy, I met with the five sergeants and corporals of my platoon plus Sergeant Young of the scouts to discuss our role in the coming battle.

“Alright you are dismissed we have an early wake-up tomorrow, so make sure everyone has a good night's sleep and that means you as well and I shall do the same, now be off with you.”

I had problems getting to sleep that night but eventually, I managed to do so and while I would be lying if I said I was awoken well rested the following morning I did at least manage better than most. Captain Walker seemed half asleep during the morning meeting where we finalised our plans for the upcoming battle. He did seem much improved by the time all the men had been gathered to listen to his usual pre-battle speech just before we moved into position. Though that was probably more thanks to all the coffee he had been drinking all throughout the meeting than anything else.