Training Barracks

[Morhin]

Rawhide was led to his new corders. They were accualy more to his liking that the over furnished rooms at the Palace. This was simple, a bed, a small table, a small stove, and a chest. One door, one window.
Rawhide was then led outside to meet his second in command, a Lt. in his late 20's who looked more show that anything else, and the Master Sargent, a big man in his late 30's-early 40's with eyes that showed he knew who to fight and train men and followed orders. Rawhide then ordered for the men to be brought out for an inspection. 144 men, 12 squads of 12 men ran out of their barracks and stood at attention. The Lt. steped forward and saluted Rawhide. "Captain, the platoon is formed and awayting inspection." Rawhide retuned the salute and began walking up and down the colums, examinging the troops. Most of the men were between 18 and 25, all young and inexpereonced.
After getting a good look at each man, Rawhide dismised them and called the Lt. and Master Sargent to his corders. There, he was informed of the platoon's time and training scedual. Rawhide then drew up a new scedual. "This is what we'll go by for the next three weeks." Both the Lt. and the Master Sargent looked surprised but didn't argue. "Give the men the rest of today off and have the mess hall give the men extra rations. They'll need the energy for tomarrow. Dismist." Rawhide graped a bite to eat himself before turning in early. Tomarrow, was going to be hell, and he needed his streingth.

[Morwen]

(hello, the troops are newly formed, i only created them since i though it would be better to have some men who didn't need horses and to be more in keeping with PJ's vision, so anyway you want really)

[Morhin]

The sky was just starting to turn light when Rawhide ordered the men to assimble. 144 men, all wearing a simple red shirts and paints stood in 12 by 12 colums. At the frount was the Master Sargent and the Lt. The Sargent was dressed like the rest of the men, but the Lt. wore are red tunic with gold trimings. Rawhide stood before the men and looked them over before turning to the Master Sargent giving the orders. "Sargent! I want 100 push ups, 100 sit ups, 100 jumping jacks, 100 dimon push ups, 100 crunches, and 100 more jumping jacks! Go!" The Sargent noded and began barking the orders. "100 push ups! Stay with my count! Go! 1..2..3..4..5..6..!" 144 men plus the Master Sargent droped and began to do the 100 sets.
Rawhide and the Lt. walked up and down the colums, making sure that the men were doing everything right. There was no brakes inbetween the sets. By the time the men were finished, the sun had begon to appear over the horizen. All the men were sweating and heaving. But they reaseved no brake. "Sargent!" Rawhide yelled, "Five miles out is a water hole. Run the men to it but no one drinks untill I give the orders!" The Sargent turned and gave the orders.
Two hours later, the worn out men arived at the water hole where Rawhide was waiting for them. The men expected to get a long rest and drink but it was not the case. Rawhide had the men cool down before allowing one cantee of water to each man. "Sargent, thats all the water these men get untill they return to camp. Move them out!" Rawhide said as he mounted his horse.
Two and a half hours later, the troops draged back into camp. It was a little after noon and the sun was beating down hard. After reseving another canteen's worth of water, the men were ordered to do the same 100 sets they had done this morning. Some of the men began throwing up. Many others passed out from heat exaston. They were splashed with a bucket of warm water and told to continue. Finaly, after another hour and a half of 100 sets in the hot sun. The men were alowed inside the mess hall for water and food.
But only after a half hour brake the men were ordered back outside and ran through the same thing. 100 sets, 5 mile run to the water hole, 5 mile run back to the base, 100 more sets, then a 45 minit dinner after which was another 100 sets. After that, Rawhide had the men stand at attention wile he breifed them. "This is how it's going to be for the next three weeks. Get use to it. If you refuse to run, of do your sets, you'll get ten lashes from me." Rawhide pulled out his bull whip and cracked it. "And if disobedeonce continues, food and water will be withheld from you and your squad. Keep that in mind. Now get some sleep. Tomarrow we'll do it again. Dismist." As the men draged themselfs to their bunks, Rawhide over heard one man say. "Easy for him to give orders. He's not the one running. Why should we listen to somebody who's just lays around on his ars all day and gives orders."
The next morning at the same time the men were assimbled and awated their orders. Rawhide aproched them before they started and asked, "Repeat what you said last night." The man looked shocked that he had been over heard and reluctently said, "I said that it's easy for you to give orders when your laying on your ars all day." The Lt. ran forward and said, "Your going to be floged for that. And no rations for yo.." Rawhide silenced him with a raise of his hand. Steping back Rawhide took off his cloke, revealing the bull whip and elven knife. The man flinched as Rawhide reached down and took off the belt. "Sargent. You may begen." As the Sargent began with the 100 push ups. Rawhide droped down and did them with the men. He did the whole daily rutean with them. And even though he did throw up twice and almost pass out, Rawhide did the whole drill with them. At the end of the day, Rawhide asked the man, "You going to follow my orders now?" The man shamfuly nodded his head. The other men nodded in agreement. Rawhide had just won some of his men's confidence. But they all still had a long way to go.

[Morwen]

(hmmm nice, mind if i make things complecated)

[Morhin]

(You already have, but sure, go ahead.)

[Morwen]

(i thought i might play another little charrecter in you're happy legion. One of the Tattoed people?)

Cold black eyes wached his new Captain from acrose the courtyard. He seemed at first glance the same as any Soldir, but when you looked again you say his eyes, and the eye on his arm, both seeming to look into you're very soul....and not careing.

[Morhin]

Before leaving, Rawhide knowtest a man that eyeing him carefuly. After taking another look, Rawhide saw the man had an eye tattoed on his arm. Oh, Blast it! he thought, Not another tattoed eye. These guys, whoever they are, are really starting to tick me off. Are they the Queen's secrit police, or are they just a bunch of assassigns? Rawhide was too tired to care at the moment though. He quickly washed up and climbed into his bed. Within second, Rawhide was asleep.

[Morwen]

The young man smiled grimly at his Captians retreating back, then returned to his own quarters. As he stepped in compleate silance fell, and the other men bowed low, steppeing carefully out of his way as he made his way to the best bed in the barrak and climbed up, at a nod the other men went back to thier card games and conversations, thoug always with one eye on him.

[Morhin]

The next week went along just like the first day. 100 sets, five mile run to the water hole, small break for water, five mile run back, 100 sets, half hour lunch, 100 sets, five mile run to water hole, small break for water, five mile run back, 100 sets, 45 minit dinner, 100 more sets. Though the men were stugaling to compleat the tasks, they were passing out and throwing up less and less. And everyday, Rawhide did it with them, slowly making himself stronger. He kept an eye on the tattooed man, still not sure what to think about him.

Two weeks had gone by and almost every man was able to do the days work without passing out of throwing up. In fact, they were spending less and less time doing their 100 sets and their runs. Rawhide was very glad to see the enprovment. But he had to push the men harder, start molding them into a group force. After the men's lunch, Rawhide had the Master Sargent group the men into squads. "Take a good look at the men standing with you." Rawhide said after they had goten the the corect squad. "They are your new bunk mates. You will run with them, train with them, win with them, lose with them, and be punished with them. If one man in your group fails, you all fail. Remember that. Sargent!" "Sir!" "Show the men how to work together." "Yes Sir!" The Master Sargent had the men lay down in a circle. Each man put his legs on the back of the man next to him. They formed a circle and then were ordered to do 100 pushups. The hole squad had to go up together, or they would fall apart and half to start over. Rawhide placed himself in the group with the tattooed man and had him place his feet on Rawhide's back. He counted the pushups out and watched closly to see if the tattooed man would slip up.

[Morwen]

The man commenly known as Krait (as in the asian snake) carried out the exercise with ease, thanks to his fammilly training. (see Tattoo of the Eye) when he had complated them he turned around and looked straight into Rawhides eyes, challengingly.

[Morhin]

Rawhide could feel the mans strenght as they did the pushups togther. After they had compleated them, the tattooed man stood up and eyed Rawhide challengingly. Rawhide sized him up and disided that he could take the tattooed man. But he did not want to do it in frount of the other men. He had to earn their trust and respect. And a fight that he might lose was no way to do it. Rawhide, slightly out of breath yelled out. "Sargent! Have the men get in formation. I want them to run double time on the way to the water hole. Anyone who stops losses their squads water for the day." He let that last note hang before starting. Rawhide would run beside the tattooed man today. Just to see if he would really chalnged his captain.

[Morwen]

Krait fell into an easy stride beside his Commander, even sometimes slowly down so that he was beside him always, and always with that same mocking smile on his face. When they reached the water hole, some men started foreward, ignoreing the shout of the Sargent. With an ugly look he strde foreward and laid one hand on a mans shoulder. He froze, and coward with fear. "Move dog, or i'l cause you're fammilly more pain than they've ever had." he hissed, then "Now go, you mustn't dis-obay our great Commander now." The man bowed low and hurrid back to his place in line. A hard eyed Krait behind him.

[Morhin]

Rawhide watched the scene in silence, pondering this tattooed man. Rawhide had the men stand in ranks untill they stoped sucking wind before alowing them their canteen for the day. On the run home, Rawhide's thoughts were on the tattooed man he had seen with Sergien. What was it about these men? The rest of the day's training went without insodent. After the men were finaly finished, Rawhide took aside his Lt. and said, "I want you to ride to the Palace and ask supply to send us 144 full sets of armor and weapons. I want the men to start training wearing what they would in combat. I also want you to ask the head blacksmith if my order is ready." Rawhide then added in a hushed voise, "And see if you can find out anything on our friend with the eye tattoo. Dismised." The Lt. saluted and left. Rawhide sat behind his small desk that was covered in books and papers. He had been studing Easterling fighting styles and recorded battles. Learning diffrent ways to train his men. Rawhide pulled out his pipe and lit it. "Sargent. Tell Krait that I want to see him, now." The Master Sargent saluted wordlessly and marched off to fetch Krait.

[Morwen]

The Master Sargent entered Kraits quarter of the barracks. "The Captian wants to see you Krait."
"What is it now?"
"I'd be careful, he's new."
"People like me are always careful Sargent...you should know that." He laughed with a dark smile before walking out into the harsh sun.

He tapped on Rawhides door, before entering. "You wanted to see me...Captain."

[Morhin]

Rawhide looked Krait up and down without saying a word. He knocked the burnt tobacco out of his pipe against his heel and began to stuff it with new tobacco from a bag sitting on his table. "Krait." Rawhide said, more to himself than the man standing before him. After refilling his pipe, Rawhide layed it aside and gave the man before him his full attention. "Krait, you have been a big puzzlement to me. The work outs I disigned to be difficult for even the strongest of men. But you do them and show little sign of being tired. You do show some. The amount of wearyness I hope the other 143 men will show after they compleat their training. I want to know, Who are you? Where do you come from? And what training have you had prier to this?" Rawhide leaned back in his chair and folded his hands in his lap. "Permision to speak freely is granted." Rawhide added.