TNL 38 – Recruitment Part Four
Raidon takes his time to read Brandon's latest report.
Sextilis 5421 PR
Raidon,
Here in Aran everything goes according to schedule. There are already a number of young people who have signed up for the New Legion. I hope to be able to test and equip them soon.
The old pirate base is gradually starting to look like a real village. From here about fifteen people have moved to set up a new life there. The inhabitants now call the pirate base Arana, derived from the provincial city Aran. All in all, there will now be around fifty people living in Arana.
Other than that, I don't have much news to report. Within a week we will receive an answer from Niroma, in response to our report on the fight with the pirates.
I'll keep you posted on the developments here.
Brandon
After reading the message, Raidon gets up and walks out to put the new recruits to work.
Outside, the recruits and sailors are waiting in a group with a bunch of soldiers.
"So, I've heard from Sergeant Brandon that five of you want to join the New Legion, and three of you want to go out to sea. Stand together, recruits on the left and sailors on the right, and we'll see what we’re dealing with."
With some pushing and shoving, the group splits into two.
"Great, the three of you are going with soldiers Willem and Milan to the port. Until we have enough sailors to go out to sea, you will be put to work with chores in the harbor.
The other five are allowed to go with soldiers Marcel and Rob to the training field. Prepare for a hard day. Training to become a soldier of the New Legion is a lot of work."
When the two groups leave, Raidon sees that someone else has been standing behind the group. With a smile on his face, Duncan is waiting for Raidon to come to him.
"Aren't you unnecessarily scaring those young people, Raidon? You also made it through your training in one piece."
"Duncan! How nice that you have come. As you can see, there is more than enough to study here."
"You can say that, Sergeant, this place is really huge!"
"Agreed. But before you can follow your heart, you first have to do a job for me."
"What kind of job, sergeant?" Duncan wonders.
"In front of the entrance to the port hangs a huge chain. I want to know how we can remove it, but also how we can put it back. I'd rather not have pirates suddenly sail right in, like how Ryker entered their base."
"Hmm, that would indeed be rather annoying. Do you have any idea where to start?"
"The chains are attached to both towers at the port. Somewhere in one of those, or maybe even both, there will probably be a mechanism."
When Duncan investigates the towers, he discovers that indeed both towers hold a kind of large coil with which the chain is pulled up and down. This allows the tension of the chain to be adjusted so that ships can enter the port. Unfortunately, these coils and chains have not survived the time completely intact. Even though everything was protected from intruders by Mithras, the salty seawater has caused considerable damage to the metal of the chain. In addition, the wood of the coils is not that good anymore, which together has ensured that the whole thing has become stuck.
"I'm afraid we're going to have to replace the whole thing. That chain can still be used for a while, because most of the damage is limited to the part that hangs in the water, but all the wood really needs to be renewed," reads the report that Duncan brings to Raidon.
Another four days later, the same sailors manage to launch one of the ships with the help of everyone, even the recruits. This is one of the smaller trading ships. Raidon initially wanted to take a warship, but on Ryker's advice they decided not to. The warships are too big and need too large a crew. There is also relatively little space on board to transport items.
The sailors spend the rest of the day looking at what needs to be replaced on board to make the ship further seaworthy. This turns out not to be much, because the ship is so well preserved. They only have to bring water and food on board before the ship can set off. Unfortunately, they do not yet have enough sailors to man it. Furthermore, there are still pirates nearby. Despite the loss of their base, these are still sailing around. Fortunately, the number of attacks has been greatly reduced, but occasionally a pirate ship still sails at sea. If those come across the trading ship, they will lose it. That's why Raidon wants to have at least twenty soldiers on the ship instead of the usual ten.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
He sends a message to Brandon, to see what needs to be transported to the island and to get it together. Once Brandon has done this, he has to send ten men along with fifteen fishermen to sail once with the trading boat. With another ten soldiers from the naval base, they can then risk a single trip to transfer cattle, supplies and households to Arana. After that, the trading boat can sail back to the naval base.
Three days later, five fishing boats arrive on the beach. Not only are the requested people there, but also a message from Brandon. The report they sent to the capital has been responded to.
Sextilis 5421 PR
Raidon,
We have received a response to the report of our fight at Arana. I am afraid that the reaction is not too good. I sent the message along, but I will list it briefly.
The generals are not happy that the New Legion suffered 20 percent losses in a skirmish with pirates. They question the usefulness of the legion again. There will be a study to see how useful the legion is. This examination will be carried out by a captain of the regular army.
I think we have to do something to get ahead of that examination, otherwise I fear that they will want to take everything that we have built up.
Let us know what to do as soon as possible.
Brandon
After reading the message, Raidon leans back in his chair. He had expected a lot, but not that there could be such a negative reaction. After all, no unit of the regular army can win against such odds, let alone with so few losses.
Moments later, armed with the messages, Raidon goes in search of Morris. Perhaps he can explain why the generals are so difficult.
Luckily for Raidon, he doesn't have to search long. Morris is sitting at a desk two doors down working on a training schedule.
"Morris! You have to see what the reaction of the generals is. With a bit of bad luck, we're going to lose everything."
"Woow, take it easy, Raidon. First, let me read what exactly they have to say."
A few minutes later, Morris looks up. All this time Raidon has been impatiently pacing back and forth.
"Yeah, they're not really subtle, are they? If you read between the lines, it just comes down to the generals wanting to get rid of us."
"That seems clear to me. What I want to know is how we're going to fix this. I'd rather not give up everything we've built. Certainly not now that we have found this place."
"I'm sure it won't get that far, Raidon. The generals can claim more, but the empress really won't just give up on the legion. After all, she had to fight hard enough to set it up."
"Maybe you're right. But even then, such an investigation can never turn out well."
"That's why you have to make your preparations now. Take the original orders that the legion has been given. Make sure you follow those down to the last detail. For example, send the soldiers you can miss back to Aran, so that you have a whole platoon there. You can think of the rest yourself."
Amused, Morris looks at Raidon, who goes to work like a madman to make the necessary preparations.
Within a few hours, Raidon has sent the merchant ship back to Aran, manned with all the men he can spare. The ship makes the trip in a record time of five days, including a stop in Arana. A few cows, sheep and even chickens are transferred to Arana, as well as a whole pile of building materials and other personal things for the residents. The ship returns to the naval base without having seen pirates.
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There is a knock on Brandon's door. Brandon wakes up to the soldier sticking his head inside.
"Sergeant! You need to come quickly. The inspector has arrived and wants to speak to you."
"Huh, what? What time is it?"
"He insists that you come immediately, Sergeant. I will tell him that you are coming."
When Brandon arrives at his office, the inspector is waiting in front of the window.
"Ahh, finally. You must be Sergeant Raidon, the commander of this unit."
Brandon sits down quietly before answering. "I am Sergeant Brandon, commander of the unit currently stationed here. Who exactly are you?"
"Sergeant Brandon? As far as I have heard, there is only a squad leader Brandon, not a sergeant. Since I am sure that no message can possibly have arrived since I left, I assume that you are still a squad leader. Now tell the sergeant to come here right now!"
Brandon can hardly believe his ears. Could this be the inspector who has to examinate their actions? This man knows absolutely nothing about the New Legion!
"Sir, apparently you don't know anything about us. We are not under the command of the regular army. The fact that you know nothing about our promotions is because they do not come from the regular army. If you are indeed the expected inspector, then surely you should know that?"
"I believe that something like that has been discussed, but I cannot accept that as the truth. My assistant has my orders in the bag, which I will have delivered later. For now, I will repeat my question once more: Where is Sergeant Raidon, the commander of this unit?"
Since they've experienced this arrogance before, Brandon isn't really surprised. Even though he does pretend to the inspector.
"Mr. Inspector, who still hasn't introduced himself, Sergeant Raidon is currently on the island to arrange the final things at the former pirate base. I will send him a message that you have arrived and want to speak to him. The next messages will be sent tomorrow."
"That's not acceptable! I want the sergeant to be here tomorrow to guide me in my investigation!"
"Mr. Inspector," Brandon says with a deep sigh, "the island is a long journey by boat away. I don't think the sergeant will be back sooner than a week after we send a message. You will have to be patient anyway. In the meantime, you can start your research, at least after you have been able to identify yourself."
Brandon gently pushes the inspector out the door. Then he begins to talk softly to himself:
"Fortunately, the ship had just left. I think I've only taken an hour's rest since it left. If we had been caught with that thing, we would really have had a problem."
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Two days later, some soldiers return to the naval base with a fishing boat. They tell Raidon that the inspector had arrived on the same day that the ship left Aran. Brandon has said that Raidon was watching with a squad at the pirate village and therefore could not be present to receive the investigator. Raidon is expected to return in person to consult with the investigator. He must report as soon as possible.
That same evening when Raidon is still in his office, he goes through his new handbook one more time before he has to leave the next day. While he is busy studying, one of the soldiers comes in with a question about the duty roster.
For a moment the soldier looks at Raidon, but then he says:
"Congratulations, Captain!"
"What, Captain? I'm still a sergeant I think, soldier."
"Apologies, captain, but the triple arrow on your shoulders tell otherwise."
In amazement, Raidon then looks at his shoulders. Indeed, a sergeant's double arrow has given way to a captain's triple arrow.
"Gods, I didn't notice that. The promotion must have just happened, because just before I started studying, I was called sergeant."
"In that case, I am the first to congratulate you, Captain. Are you treating us to a beer?"
"You can get a beer, soldier. But don't push your luck."
That said, Raidon takes the duty roster to explain the changes to the soldier.