But first, she thought, she needed a shower.

Ten

TEN

Minka’s sergeants were Raske, Elhrot, Dreno and Barnabas. Elhrot was the kind of officer who did what you asked as well as he was able. Minka had never had a high opinion of Barnabas, but she didn’t like to go against Dido’s opinion. Barnabas resented her appointment over him. But there was nothing she could do about that.

Dreno was her first appointment. The rank of sergeant was only the first brief step on the ladder for him. He clearly thought he was destined for much greater things. He’d take orders, but he had initiative. Better in a sergeant than a corporal, and Minka couldn’t begrudge him for a quality she’d shown in spades.

Minka spread the surviving veterans of Dido’s personal command squad into her other squads as corporals, and moved Yedrin and Blanchez to her five-strong command squad, with Baine – when he was declared fit – and Orugi.

She put it about that she wanted to keep an eye on the two young troopers. Blanchez reminded her of herself as a younger woman while Yedrin was quiet, earnest, as eager to please as a lost hound. He reminded her of her lost brother, Tarli.

He was up first in the morning, first to stand when she entered a room. Minka appreciated the respect. Cadians had very high expectations of their officers. The doctrines were straightforward. Always put your troops first. Never eat until they had all eaten. And always keep the troopers up to a high standard of readiness.

Minka found life as a lieutenant a big change from that of sergeant – how she was suddenly responsible for four times as many troopers.

She kept special tabs on her old squad, though. She spoke to Commissar Shand about Dreno.

‘Yes, I looked into that. No evidence of self-imposed injury,’ Shand said. ‘An over-zealous cadet.’

When she shared the news with Dreno he made no reaction. It was as if he had been so wounded by the insult that he had refused to acknowledge it. ‘And I want to make you sergeant,’ she said, ‘of my old squad.’

Dreno’s face betrayed emotion at that. ‘Not Viktor?’

She shook her head. Viktor liked being corporal. She saw no need to move him.

Dreno put out his hand and shook hers. ‘Thank you,’ he said simply.

Of the others, Karni was responding well to augmetics. Baine’s hand was healing nicely. Blanchez and Yedrin were settling in well.