Kara Discovered: Episode 13 Hot on the Trail
Chasing the aliens that had his people in an unknown desert may not be smart, but Jeffries was their only hope.
His remaining sergeants got every legionnaire that would be moving on in line before his Top brought the first squad back. Looking at them through his blurred vision, doubts about the wisdom of continuing plagued him. This rescue already cost him too many men, though they were injured, not dead. But abandoning his captured people just wasn’t an option, and not just because he had given his word to them that he would bring rescuers.
A voice said from out in the blur, “At a guess, they are running, and making our people run, I think, but I can’t be sure.” Then his Top Sergeant, followed by the rest of the squad, appeared out of the blur. Those men moved to take their places at the head of the rest of his men.
Damn! If they were moving at a run, they had to hurry.
“Top, lead off at a quick march, and if you get killed, I’m docking your pay.”
His Top Sergeant turned and bellowed, “You heard the Lieutenant! No dying without permission! Platoon! Forward! March!” Then, after the normal four steps, he said, “Quickstep! March!”
Quick march in lose sand is brutal. Within just a few steps, Jeffries knew that they would not be able to keep it up. At the two-minute mark, he called out, “Eight-Two, Top.”
“Route Step! March!” his Top bellowed.
Eight minutes walking, two minutes jogging. It was still a brutal pace, but one his men should be able to keep at it until thirst becomes a factor.
**
“Quickstep! March!” rang out moments before he would have ordered it. Both he and his Top Sergeant had been trained to keep time in their head and he was glad to find his Top and he kept the same time.
The march continued. As far as he could tell, they gained no ground. Just before his Top would have called out the tenth quick march, Jeffries said, “Top.”
“Platoon, Halt! Five-minute water break. Sergeants convene at the Lieutenant.”
Jeffries sighed. Having a Top Sergeant that knew what orders needed to be given was priceless. A legion officer didn’t graduate Officer Candidate School without learning the importance of letting your Top give most of the orders and make any decisions he could.
The sergeants lining up in front of him, leaving a space for their dead comrade, sent a wave of anguish through him. That man’s life had been his responsibility.
“We’re not closing,” said his Top.
“No, I don’t think we are,” Jeffries agreed. “We can’t push the men any harder than eight-two. Suggestion?”
“Those two doctors should not be able to keep up this pace,” said a sergeant. “I’m surprised they have managed as long as they have. We just outlast them.”
“That may work for our people,” the other sergeant said. “But those bears have a much longer stride than us and the reptiles are hoppers.”
“Hoppers?” asked his Top.
“I’m seeing tracks in the sand side by side. They are jumping like kangaroos. I would bet on both species being able to outrun us long distance. They may be able to still outrun us even while dragging our people. Our men can handle 3 minutes, especially if we increase the normal walk a bit. A three-ten ratio should work and add more pressure on them to abandon the slower humans.”
“Or kill them,” said another sergeant.
“That has been their option since this started,” Jeffries’ Top Sergeant said.
“Ok, Top, make it a three ten and see how it works out. Five-minute water breaks every fifth one from here out.”
It wasn’t a solution he liked, but saw no other option.
“Platoon! Forward! March!”
This time his Top waited eight steps before giving the order. “Quickstep! March!”
