4
Title: "Burden of Leadership"
Author: Darkover
Characters: Lt. Ronald Speirs and First Sergeant Carwood Lipton
Rating: K
Disclaimer: I do not own "Band of Brothers," the miniseries, and I certainly do not own any of the men upon whom the miniseries was based, as they were and are real people, whom I greatly admire and respect. This is a work of fiction. No disrespect to the real men of Easy Company is intended, and I certainly hope none is taken. I am not making any money off of this; please do not sue.
Spoilers: Up to and including "The Breaking Point."
Summary: Sometimes only another combat leader can understand the decisions a combat leader must make. This is a sequel of sorts to "Lipton's Choice." If you read that one first this story will make more sense.
When the choir had finished and the sisters and their students had departed the church to let the men of Easy Company rest there for the night, First Sgt. Carwood Lipton rose quietly and went outside. It may have been the first time in a month that he and the rest of the men had a roof over their heads, but he wanted a smoke.
A dark figure already stood on the church steps. Instantly, Lipton swung his rifle forward, but the voice from the figure, which spoke without turning, was familiar. "Put that away, First Sergeant. I'm not a kraut. The town is clear, remember?"
Lipton lowered his rifle. "Lieutenant Speirs," he said, mildly surprised. Certainly, the brand-new C.O. of Easy Company had sufficient time to file his report at headquarters and return here, but Lipton had assumed that Speirs would remain there for the night.
"If I were the enemy, you would be dead by now." The tone was flat; Lipton could not determine if it was meant as a threat, a warning, or as a statement of fact. As he spoke, Speirs removed a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and extended them toward Lipton. "Smoke?"
Be careful if he offers you a cigarette…. Lipton pushed the familiar warning from his mind, reached out and helped himself to one from the offered pack. "Yes sir. Thank you."
Speirs jerked his head back toward the darkened interior arch of the church doorway. "Let's stand back a little. No sense making ourselves a target as we light these things." He pulled out a lighter, held it first to Lipton's cigarette, then to his own.
After taking their first puffs, Carwood could not resist saying; "As you just mentioned, sir, the town is clear. I don't believe we have to worry about snipers."
Speirs exhaled smoke. "By the time most people worry about the bullet that gets them, First Sergeant, it's too late." He replaced the lighter, drew in a lungful of the cigarette, and exhaled again, his gaze steady on Lipton. "Look at what happened to Lt. Dike today."
"What do you mean, sir?" Lipton asked carefully.
"He went into a cowardly funk, froze, got a lot of good men killed—and yet, he was killed anyway." Speirs' tone was almost conversational, but his eyes did not move from Lipton. "Sometimes things work out for the best."
"Sir?"
Speirs dropped the butt of his cigarette and ground it out beneath his jump boot. "Whoever shot him saved me the trouble, First Sergeant." There was a fractional pause. Lipton had gone completely still, the cigarette he held burning its way toward his nerveless fingers.
"Finish your smoke, Lipton."
As Carwood raised the cigarette to lips that felt suddenly numb, Speirs said quietly; "You did your duty today, First Sergeant."
"Thank you, sir," Lipton managed.
Speirs glanced skyward. "It's a clear night, but it's warmer inside. I'm going to hit the sack. Good night, Lipton." Without waiting for a response, the new C.O. went on inside.
For a moment, Carwood Lipton remained where he was, thinking; If he said what I think he just did, then he understands. Lipton felt the tension in his body ease for the first time that day. He glanced up at the sky, smiled, and went back into the church, where warmth, his men, and his new commanding officer all waited.