Chapter Ten
Captain Richard Rodgers sat with General Kinkaid, the personnel officer and the division sergeant major. "We will start the selection process on Monday What I need, before it starts is two men I trust. I want Warrant Officer Esposito commissioned first lieutenant and assigned as my Executive officer and Corporal Ryan promoted sergeant and assigned as my orderly. I don't need a valet. I can have a civilian in that post when I'm in the palace for formal events. I don't need one in the field and I spent most of my life picking out my own clothes, polishing my own boots and dressing myself."
"Done and done Captain, General Kinkaid said. Colonel Wainwright have the commission and warrant prepared within the hour. We will hold the swearing in ceremony at the palace. I will personally carry the commission to the king for his signature, swearing in to be at two o' clock. I suggest that you get Mr. Esposito over to officer's sales to get him one service uniform and all the insignias he will need. He can have all the alterations made on his other uniforms as needed. You are dismissed Captain."
The differences between commissioned officer's, warrant officers and enlisted men's uniforms were relatively minor. All metallic insignias, buttons and buckles on commissioned officer's uniforms were gold; warrant officers were silver and enlisted polished bronze.
Braids were gold, silver, and colored cloth respectively.
Esposito was shocked when he received the news. Pleased but shocked. He knew that receiving a commission put him in line for his own command eventually, if he wanted it. Right now he was worried about something else.
"What will this mean to my status as your aide, sir? He asked, a worried look on his face, about your security? After the stabbing incident none of the royals are going to accept any reduction in security. Her Majesty and the princess are going to be hellcats if that's threatened in any way.
Rick clamped an arm around Esposito's shoulder. "Relax Javi, I'm not replacing you as my aide you'll still hold that position but I think that everyone is going overboard about my safety. That was a one- time thing and it has been settled. My relationship with Kate is not known outside the family and personal staff so there's no reason for anybody to be after me. Don't you think that someone will figure out that I'm not like any other guards officer if I have a bunch of armed troopers around me? After our engagement is formally announced I'll accept a security detail but not until then.'"
Esposito laughed but it was more in derision than humor. "Good luck with convincing either the princess or the queen of that. Actually you might be able to convince the princess but the queen, not likely. She lost a child. True, Alain was an adult but still her child. She won't stand by and risk losing another one. Maybe you won't officially be hers until you are married to the princess but the queen already considers you such."
Rick shrugged. "We don't have the time to discuss it right now we have to get over to officer's sales now. You pay for your uniform and I'll pay for your dress sword and sword belt, my gift."
Esposito was sworn in as a commissioned officer and Ryan promoted sergeant, both then assigned to the provisional training company, Captain Richard Rodgers commanding.
The following Monday, three hundred fresh out of training privates, twenty corporals, twenty sergeants, ten staff sergeants, five company sergeants major and twenty lieutenants stood at ease on the parade ground at Fort Griffith. Three officers, a division Sergeant Major and a sergeant walked out of the headquarters building. The Sergeant Major barked out; Group, Attention."
One officer stepped forward. "I am General Gerald Kinkaid. You are here for training of a very specialized nature that may well change the face of warfare as we know it. If this training and the field test following it are successful you will all be the cadre when new units are formed and can expect rapid promotions if you work out. Those who don't will be returned to standard units with no blemishes on your records. Without further ado I will turn you over to your new commanding officer, Captain Richard Rodgers, Royal Guards.
Rick stood directly in the center front of the troops. He was wearing service dress with all his ribbons in place. He slowly turned and walked across the front and back again looking over every man. Coming back to the center he stopped.
"Every man of you, from rawest private to the sergeants major is wondering what you are doing here. I will tell you. You are here to be tested. To see if you are strong enough, smart enough, tough enough and adaptable enough to form a unit such as not been seen before. You will be learning new ways to fight, how to use new weapons, become an elite unit."
He paused a moment, looking them over again. He resumed pacing as he talked.
"But not all of you only the best of you. For the next two weeks you are going to go through the toughest, most grueling two weeks of your lives. There are three hundred privates here. At the end of two weeks there will be one hundred twenty five. At the same time there will be half the number of commissioned and non- commissioned officers. Then your real training will begin.
Eight weeks that will make these first two look like a picnic.
But at the end of those two months there will be one hundred men left but the best one hundred men in the entire army. You will at that time become Company A provisional Guards Ranger Company. There will be no cushy slots. Every man works, every man fights. Every man, including the officers will be armed with both rifle and pistol. The exceptions will be the company medics who will carry only pistols."
He paused to take a drink of water from a flask that Ryan handed him. He thanked Ryan and started again. "Know this, your training will be hard but all will endure it. Before we are done we will be a band of brothers. If your officers are eating steak and eggs for breakfast, so will you.
If you are sleeping on the ground in dog tents, so will your officers. Whatever we do, whatever happens, no one is left behind. It will be hard to stay, easy to leave. No one will be kept against his will. What will keep you here is spirit, your pride and the contempt in the eyes of your squad mates if you quit voluntarily. It will be no disgrace to wash out. Some of you will not be able to make the grade, that will be determined by me, Lieutenant Esposito or Sergeant Ryan.
Anyone who wants out now, raise your hand."
No hands went up initially.
"Very well. You will be initially divided into three companies. Command to rotate. Sergeant Ryan will call out your names and you will take positions with your companies. After that you will break for the noon meal. After that you will draw your weapons and field equipment. Lieutenant Esposito take charge of the unit."
The new rifles and camouflage uniforms would not be issued until the start of the full training but for the evaluation period the old style weapons would be used. Rick worked in his office until Esposito and Ryan came in. Ryan was carrying three cups of coffee. Rick put down his pen and gratefully accepted the cup of coffee that Ryan handed him.
"Sit down and relax. Rick said. How is it going?"
"It's going very well sir. Esposito said. With the headquarters personnel helping we've got all the men assigned to companies, issued their rifles and field gear and assigned to barracks and officer's quarters."
"Very well. Retreat formation in thirty minutes. Field uniform and full kit except that field caps instead of helmets. Anyone late to formation will regret it."
With five minutes to go before retreat Rick stepped out of his office and walked to his position.
Esposito called; "Companies Attention. Report."
The three company sergeants major reported. "Sir all present and correct." Esposito did an about face, saluting Rick. "Sir, the companies are formed all present and correct."
Rick returned the salute. "Companies Open Ranks March." With the companies in open formation, rick did a quick walk through inspection then returned to his position. "Close Ranks March." As the first notes of Retire the colors sounded Rick commanded; "Present Arms."
At the end of the retreat ceremony Rick dismissed the companies for the night.
As soon as he'd been returned to active duty Rick had demonstrated the Colt pistol and the shotgun to the king and General Kinkaid. As equally impressed with the pistol as they had been with the rifle the king ordered drawings made and requested that he take his pistol to the arsenal and let them take measurements off it. And sent a few rounds of ammunition to the Field Sure ammunition company. With an actual functioning pistol to work from the arsenal made three prototypes in the first two weeks and received the first thousand rounds in the same time. After the initial rounds of function testing one of the prototypes was sent to Brennan and Boyd Arms with a contract for one thousand pistols with three thousand magazines.
At the end of the shakedown period, Princess Kate was fuming. She hadn't had breakfast or lunch with Rick and he usually crashed right after dinner. Not only was she fuming she was horny. Rick's love making had awakened a fierce sexuality that had been far too long in that awakening. She was almost ready to scream with frustration.
Rick had just removed his uniform and was reaching for his night shirt when Kate stormed into the bedroom and grabbed it, throwing it on the floor, dropping her own robe from her shoulders. Gloriously nude, she spun him around and locked her arms around his neck, assaulting his mouth with hers, almost savagely.
She held the kiss until she had to breathe she pulled back and said; "Oh no you don't my Darling you don't get to sleep tonight, not until you keep your word. You promised me anything I wanted and you've been neglecting me. I know you're tired but so am I, tired of waiting.
She kissed him again, hot and demanding. Feeling his reaction against her middle, she giggled.
"I see you're not That Tired." He wasn't.
"If that damn alarm clock was a living thing I would kill it! It's Saturday why can't my fiancé be like other officers and let his sergeants handle it. It's only half a day anyway. But no, he has to be Captain Conscientious and wake me up at six o'clock in the morning. She groaned and pulled the covers over her head. Rick got out of bed and bathed then dressed, came back and gently shook Kates shoulder.
"Kate, do you want to have coffee before I head in." Kate had been so passionate the night before, Rick hadn't realized that her menses were starting and she was cranky. She snarled at him. "No I don't want any damned coffee just go away and leave me alone, damn you!"
Rick recoiled and his own temper flared. "As you wish Your Highness!" Rick grabbed a small duffel bag that he always kept packed and left for the base. Kate woke up two hours later with cramps and a headache. She got up, dressed and headed for her own apartment took two analgesics and went to bed. The onset of her period usually didn't hit her this hard.
Rack had left the palace and went to the officer's mess for breakfast then on to Fort Griffith, working until noon. He ate at the mess again, then tossed his duffel into a room at the bachelor's officer's quarters, changed into the clothes he'd been wearing when he was transported, got his horse, his dog, Rowdy and went hunting. Kate had forgotten that he had quite a temper and needed a while to cool off. If she'd called him, mid-morning as she usually did, he would have let it slide but she hadn't and he didn't realize that she was out of it. Being in each other's minds meant that they knew each other more intimately than any two human beings ever had. It didn't mean that they knew every nuance of the other's personality. He rode into the forest indulging in one of his favorite ways to blow off steam.
On a request from the king, the arsenal had taken one of the first run "Rodgers rifles" and polished the metal parts bright then given them a deep rich blue. Selected a particularly nice piece of burl walnut for the stock and hand-rubbed the oil finish to a high luster. Rick had taken the rifle, both his service revolvers and planned an afternoon of shooting and hunting.
In the late afternoon he shot a yearling buck, field dressed it and cut steaks from it for himself, giving the liver and heart to Rowdy. He always kept field gear packed on his saddle and dry rations in his saddle bags. He used his tarp and some bent saplings to form a lean to, built a fire to broil the meat and make coffee. A night under the stars was one of the best ways he knew to relax. He'd been on his own most of his adult life not having to account to anybody for his free time. His anger caused him to forget what not being where he was expected would cause a panic.
After eating he added a couple of shots of whiskey to his coffee, rolled up in his sleeping bag and went to sleep.
Kate had slept until late afternoon. She got up, bathed and took some anti-cramping pills dressed and feeling much better decided to have a light snack before dinner. She wasn't even thinking about the morning until it was time to meet Rick so they could go into dinner. She was surprised that he wasn't there to escort her. She walked to Rick's apartment and entered.
She called out; "Rick Darling where are you?" No answer. Annoyed, she decided to walk to the family dining room. Why was he late? She suddenly remembered her bitchy remarks and his cold response. Queen Johanna met her as she entered the dining room.
"Good evening Katie, where's Richard?" She asked. Kate's eyebrows rose.
"What, isn't he here? We had a little spat this morning I thought he might have come by himself. He probably got caught up in his work. I'll call Fort Griffith."
"Staff duty officer, Lieutenant Carver. How may I be of assistance?"
"This is Princess Katherine may I speak with Captain Rodgers please?"
"I'm sorry Your Highness but Captain Rodgers is not here, he signed off post at one o'clock."
Her annoyance vanished replaced by worry. She hung up the phone, thought for a moment and called Esposito. Esposito's reply that he hadn't seen Rick since noon set off alarm bells in Kate's head. That terrible night when he walked in to the palace, his jacket stained with his blood flashed into her mind.
Kate ran back to her mother. "He's not at Fort Griffith and Esposito doesn't know where he is!"
Johanna's eyes went as wide as Kate's sharing the same fear with her daughter. There was anger mixed with that fear. Kate rarely heard her mother curse.
"Oh damn it, I should never have let him convince your father and I to call off the security detail! What in the hell was I thinking." She quickly walked over to her husband and said, quietly; "James, Richard is missing." The king looked at her, a frown on his face.
"What do you mean missing? He asked.
Johanna said; "He left Fort Griffith at one o'clock this afternoon and hasn't been seen since."
James snorted... "That's only a few hours. He's been under a lot of pressure lately. He and Esposito probably decided to go have a few drinks. He is a grown man and doesn't need our permission to cut loose a little."
Kate shook her head in negation. "No Papa, Esposito hasn't seen him since noon, he told Esposito to take the afternoon off that he just was going to relax a little. Papa, we had a fight this morning, I cursed him and told him to leave me alone. All he said was as you wish Your Highness, but it was so cold."
This time James actually chuckled. "It's just a lover's quarrel Katie; he'll be back before bed time. He turned to Alden. Alden, call Lieutenant Esposito and have him report to me. As Richard's aide he's supposed to be with him whenever he's out of the palace, no matter what Richard tells him.
Everybody relax, sit down and have dinner. Richard can take care of himself. Johanna will scold him for not telling us where he's going and you, Katie will apologize for starting the fight and everything will be back to normal."
James and Johanna were sipping cups of tea just before getting ready for bed when Kate burst into their living room. She was clearly distraught. Johanna looked up, worriedly.
"What's wrong my dear?"
"It's almost eleven and Rick's not back yet. Something's happened, I just know it."
James spoke. "I know that you're worried Kate, but as I said, Richard can take care of himself. It's too late to do anything tonight anyway. We'll send out patrols at first light."
Kate went to his apartment undressed and crawled into the bed she now considered theirs. Hugging the pillow that smelled like him she cried herself to sleep.
Waking early, feeling refreshed from his jaunt Rick broiled some more meat and made coffee. Finished with breakfast he cut a few choice steaks from the deer's carcass, wrapped the meat in cloth, he secured it, mounted and headed back in. He wasn't headed to the palace. He'd drop the meat off at the company mess hall and spend a few more hours at the BOQ. He wasn't angry any more but He was going to teach Kate that Royal Princess or not hurtful words had consequences.
He never made it to Fort Griffith. A patrol led by a clearly angry Esposito intercepted him.
"Where the hell have you been Captain? The family's in an uproar. The Princess is scared, the queen is angry and we're both in trouble. You know very well that I'm supposed to be with you whenever you are off palace grounds. His Majesty wants us at the palace soonest."
Rick's anger had cooled but resentment flared at being called on the carpet like a school boy.
"Very well Lieutenant Esposito I will accompany you but I think that you should seriously consider the repercussions for speaking to your commanding officer in that tone of voice.
Rick turned his horse and slammed his heels into its side, not enough to hurt it but the startled horse leaped forward. Move out Lieutenant we wouldn't want to keep the king waiting."
Rick dismounted at the palace steps and ordered on of the men to take the meat to the royal chef and another to take his horse to the stables, giving the man a crown (Coin worth about five dollars) to rub the horse down and feed him. He took his weapons to his apartment and headed to the royal apartment. He stopped for a moment, looking hard at Esposito.
"Your presence is not required Lieutenant, I am in the palace. You are dismissed."
Rick walked to the apartment door, stopped and knocked. Alden opened it. Rick walked in. The king and queen were both seated in the salon, Kate standing, nervously behind them. Rick didn't salute as he was in civilian clothes but came to attention and barked out;
"Captain Rodgers reporting as ordered Your Majesty." Kate gasped at the cold formality.
James cleared his throat. "Would you care to explain your actions of yesterday and this morning Richard? Especially why you were out all night and not headed here this morning?"
"Your Majesty I was not aware that I had to account for my actions on my off duty time. I chose to go hunting and I was headed for the BOQ at Fort Griffith. That is the authorized quarters for bachelor officers assigned to the Guards Brigade."
Queen Johanna shot out of her chair at that and walked right up to Rick, her anger quite evident.
"Just what do you mean by that Richard? Your apartment, your home is right here so why are you behaving like this? You scared the hell out of all of us, especially Katie."
Rick didn't flinch. "I somehow doubt that Your Majesty as I was simply obeying Her Highnesses command. I quote: Go away and leave me alone damn you. Since she chose not to rescind her command I obeyed. I haven't changed, I still love your daughter but I will not be disrespected and cursed by anyone."
James spoke. "Both of you have been very foolish and hurtful. Katie, you know better than to talk to anyone that way, especially the one man you claim to love. Richard, you over-reacted I blame a lot of that on stress but it was still a fit of temper on your part. Kate wasn't the only one you hurt. Johanna and I lost a son, not long ago. We were scared that we might have lost you. Both of you owe each other an apology and Johanna and I as well."
A tearful Kate came forward and took Rick's hands. "I am so, so sorry my Darling I was so wrong I love you so much and I promise that I'll never say something like that again. Mother, Father I apologize for starting this whole mess."
Rick looked down at Kate. "I accept your apology Sweetheart and offer you mine. I shouldn't have reacted like that or doubted you love. Your Majesties I apologize to you as well. I didn't stop to think of anyone but myself. It won't happen again."
"You're forgiven Richard, James said. Well, almost. We don't want to hear Your Majesty again in these halls."
Not caring that they were in front of her parents, Kate through her arms around Rick's neck and kissed him passionately.
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