Axton and Jaylee stared at each other at opposite ends of a table, a clear distaste for each other evident to all those who had the misfortune to share the same room with them. The commander chuckled to himself as he sat at the head of the table. “So…I take it you two are already well acquainted with each other?”
Jaylee scoffed. “’Acquainted’ isn’t the word I’d use to describe it. More like I had the displeasure of being in the same class as this…this…”
Jaylee struggled to find the word she was looking for, leading Axton to sigh. “Sir, during our first simulated battle, she and I were the commanders on different sides. My team barely pulled out a victory against hers, and she hasn’t forgotten it since.”
Jaylee shook her head. “That isn’t the reason and you know it! It’s because of your family name that you were even given the chance to be the commander of that battle, and to this day some in my team swear that there were some…unusual activities on their side.”
Axton rolled his eyes. “You simply didn’t account for the terrain during the battle. I simply used it to my advantage and caught you off guard. Don’t blame me that you didn’t see it coming.”
Before Jaylee could retort, the commander cleared his throat. “Okay okay I get it, you two hate each other. However, while you may have had an academic rivalry, in the military, you two need to learn to at least work together and respect the chain of command.”
He looked at Jaylee. “Ms. Hayes, I personally requested you to come to this post because I believed you had the skills to assist me and help keep this place humming. I still do. However, instead of assisting me, you’re going to be assisting Riley. I expect BOTH of you to maintain an outwardly civil relationship while you two are here. Am I understood?”
Axton and Jaylee both nodded their heads. “Understood.” They said in unison, avoiding eye contact with each other.
“Good, if after I’ve left, and I get a message from anyone here stating you two are squabbling, I will not hesitate to request both of you to be removed from command and put onto desk duty in the capital.” The commander stared down the two of them before continuing. “With that out of the way, you two do need to know what it takes to maintain operations here. Thankfully for you two, it’s not terribly difficult, especially since the only villages you have under your protection have a grand total of a couple hundred residents combined among them. Our job, for the most part, has been to provide the first line of defense in case we get invaded from Ugria. We may have cordial relations with each other now, but we cannot take for granted this relationship, as it could sour overnight.”
Jaylee cleared her throat. “If we’re the first line of defense, why are there so few troops stationed here? I’d say there’s only about five hundred troops from what I’ve seen.”
The commander nodded. “Good question, and the answer to that is that the higher ups, while seeing the need to post a military presence here, don’t see the need to make this a highly contested spot. Our job is to at the very least get some messenger pigeons sent to command so they know what’s going on. After that, we hold the enemy off as long as we possibly can until we either die or are captured. However, I have been told that my request to add three hundred troops, half of them being archers, has been approved and that they’ll arrive within the next week. I expect you two will have settled into your new roles by then and give them a proper introduction to the fort.”
“How many troops will that give us total then, after they’ve arrived? Axton asked.
“An even thousand. Just enough to make your force a stiffer challenge to any force that could make their way through the forest to attack. During our war for independence, an Ugrian force of fifteen thousand made their way through these forests to attack our then outermost military outpost. According to their own reports, it’s nearly impossible to send a force larger than that through the forest without serious logistical problems. And speaking of logistics…”
The commander handed both of them a large pile of papers. “This is what’s needed to keep even this small fort running. We’ve already done the hard work for you and calculated how much more resources are needed thanks to the reinforcements, and we’ve set up everything with our suppliers to start their new shipments to us. However, if things change, you both need to figure out what needs to change. Trust me when I say that if the higher ups get word that you’re spending too much, you won’t like the consequences. Unlike Acria or Ugria, our military budget can’t get as large as theirs is. Our economy just isn’t as large as theirs. As such, we have to make sure everything is as optimized as possible. Am I understood?”
“Understood Sir!” The two of them said in unison.
The commander stood up, motioning for the two of them to do the same. “Now, I’ll give you all a short tour of the fort. Afterwards, I’ll be preparing to leave. I highly suggest you ask any questions you may have BEFORE the tour is over. I’ll give you both plenty of time to ask questions before then. Now, if you’ll follow me, I’ll show you that there’s more to this fort than what meets the eye.”
The commander walked over to the door to the room and opened it. The three of them left the command center and walked down the hallway from earlier. “This small hallway was dug out when this fort was originally built. Back then, this fort was even more short staffed than it is today. The other rooms in this hallway are just some of the barracks, usually given to new recruits as these weren’t exactly designed for comfort.”
“And the others were?” Jaylee asked.
The commander chuckled. “Not exactly, but there were some considerations put in when the new barracks were built. Remodeling the old barracks isn’t high on the priority list right now though.”
The three of them walked up the stairs and to the main gathering area. Now that it was later in the day, there was a lot more activity than what Axton remembered. “Now, to the right, you’ll see another set of stairs. That leads to the main barracks. Continuing from there, you’ll see a door in the fort’s outer wall. That leads to the kitchen where there’s a rotating crew of chefs who–”
“Excuse me, Commander. There’s a letter for you from command.”
The three of them looked at a young man who couldn’t have been older than nineteen, holding out a letter for the commander. He grabbed the letter and quickly looked over the letter. His demeanor quickly changed, his brow furrowing. “I see…thank you soldier. Could you stay here for a couple minutes?” The commander asked the soldier who nodded. The commander turned and looked at Axton and Jaylee.
“Unfortunately it looks like my tour is going to be cut short. I’ve been given orders to head to my new assignment immediately as circumstances have changed. Eric here will continue with your tour. If you have any questions, try to ask those who’ve been given clearance to the command center. I’ll let them know to answer any questions you may have. Remember, despite how you feel about each other, respect and maintain the chain of command, but do not abuse it. Treat your soldiers under your command well, but don’t spoil them as they’ll be unfit for combat later. Lastly, ALWAYS keep an eye on supplies and what could be changed. Don’t put it off either. Do those three things and I’m sure you’ll keep the fort at peak condition. Axton, you’re the commander now. Jaylee, you’re second in command. Goodbye, you two.”
The commander hurriedly walked back down the stairs, leaving the three of them there. Axton and Jaylee glanced at Eric, who looked nervous. “I…I guess I’ll continue the tour for you then. If you’ll follow me then, Commander, I’ll show you everything there is to know about the fort.”
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