ALL NOVEL Aside: Lessons with the Aid-De-Camp
(Felica POV)
Thankfully, this Duke Robert provided a room for Commissar Marcus and I a room to lay the foundations of the auxiliary unit. The God-Prince warned me about the trio that seemed to be some off spring of the duke, while the Oldest here a local Psyker seems to know a far bit of military discipline as despite our age difference he understood that his understanding of war is different from mine.
Grabbing the chalk I wrote "Imperial Doctrine 101" on the blackboard behind me, I hope what my parents said was right that I have a naik for teaching. As everyone here was sitting at tables arranged in the Schola way as a lecture hall with myself at the front and Marcus standing at the back near the two Psykers. But everyone had small number cards on each desk.
"Right, you may call me Instructor Felica or Instructor. Nothing else nothing less." I start. With a nod to the Commissar, I push the same way the Schola staff do to all first years. Pointing at the old Psyker, "What do you believe makes a good soldier? Give your honest words, there is no wrong answers."
The man touched his chin briefly, His age showed as his robe that covered his arm shifted down and I could see the bones at his wrist. "Knowing when to shut up when commanders ask stupid questions." Wasn't that bad of an answer as a few Guard vets who supervised our training shared similar sentiment.
Marcus grinned from the back of the room behind everyone.
Nodding I point at another, an 'adventurer' as they are call. He was a rare sort as he owns his own firearm... though calling a single shot breechloader is very different from even a Autogun like the one the Prince used or our Lasgun.
Without wasting a moment he answered, "To never miss your target and to ensure they are dead." Again not a bad answer. Another sentiment shared by Ratling snipers if you can pay them to tell you that is... I am still surprised that the Schola on Terra had five on staff.
Next was the younger Psyker. "Kill the foe no matter the cost." A true is very dangerous answer... an ends justifies the means sort of answer, with a none verbal command I alert Marcus about him.
Lastly the trio. "Why does this matter? What the hell are we even here for woman!" The youngest yelled. My face remained passive just as Father taught, but internally I was grinning as I now had justification for corporal punishment; disrespecting your senior officer and instructor.
But to show some emotion I rolled my eyes, walking over. With a smile on my face to lower his guard and gently place my right hand on the back of the collar of his tunic.
"You see my Cadet you know not how we fight." I slam his head into his desk leaning in, trusting Marcus to protect me, I growl into his ear. "So you must understand how we work! So be glad that the God-Prince is willing to waste our time teaching you three's asses! I would take anyone else in this room, but I would never see you with a weapon if you keep disrespecting the time and patience we are giving you."
I lift him again before making him kiss the table again. Leaving him I returned back to the front. With that I started teaching.
After an hour another of the trio... the middle one speaks up after he raised his hand and I gave him a nod to speak.
"Instructor, I am aware that we will be given equipment according to our job... but I have noticed that, for the two leadership roles both are named while everyone here are just numbered."
Looking back tp the board, I had just gave them what roles they were within the squad, and had only given them numbers starting from three and up, and I had added the two people that had joined us by name as they would be the leader and if you need to know any name it should be your officers.
"That is simple, they are the seniors within this unit and are already being trained back at the HQ and we had judged them to fit within the two leadership roles." I answered matter-of-factly and my tone told him that there was no challenging that choice. He nodded.
I could tell his two brothers didn't like my answer. Out of the three the middle one was the most cunning but was smart enough to know when he needed to learn, the youngest was brash and treated his youth as a ticket to do whatever he wanted, leaving the eldest... arrogant and willfully ignorant to anyone that isn't him or his two brothers.
To be honest I would make the middle one a squad leader he has the traits of one, but is too connected to his brothers to make the right choice... that choice being the many over the few if the few are his brothers.
I continued with the lesson.
After another two hours I let them out for a break, the 'adventurers' came to speak with Marcus and I along with the old Psyker. The trio bolted and the young Psyker left instantly.
'Adventurers' are a strange bunch... they begged me to let them see what our weapons did to enemies... Marcus being the good Commissar shot it down explaining that out of everyone within the unit those present were the most trustworthy but it didn't mean they couldn't be considered expendable if they leaking any information. They all nodded but still pushed slightly and softly, as softly as several grown adults acting akin to children asking their parents for a toy they really wanted... unfortunately my parents treated my like a cadet from of the Schola and Marcus was a war-orphan... at least that is what I could get out from him but it seems Juliana would be the better option to get info about him.
With another harder denial which included getting smack up side the head. They complained but back in the Schola this would be close to getting pinched barely a slap on the wrist. Father did far worse when I acted out, in or out of the lecture hall.