*
Alynnou was away and busy with her assigned tasks as soon as she and Treston finished breakfast. By midmorning, everything was in place. Now to wait and see if Ishtar would be able to gain wisdom and understanding from the lesson the colonel was about to teach her.
Treston and Alynnou remained squirreled away most of the day with PalaHar, going over reports from MueoPoros. It was well into the dinner hour before the three concluded business and proceeded to the officers’ mess. They were just finishing their meal when Ishtar quietly made her way in, sitting alone at a table in a distant corner.
Alynnou noticed it first. She poked Treston’s arm and motioned. Ishtar’s normally natty uniform fit the girl awkwardly. A closer look revealed a crudely sewn tear alongside the right breast catching the sleeve up, making it about an inch shorter than the left sleeve. There was also a dark, greasy stain running from the armpit down to the bottom of the jacket. Alynnou commented that it must have caught in a machine while being cleaned.
A waiter ambled over to the captain and in short order a quiet but animated discussion ensued. Others in the mess hall could see Ishtar was not at all happy. Finally she motioned the man away, appearing very dissatisfied about something. After a rather lengthy delay, the waiter returned with a steaming bowl of soup or chowder, some bread and a chilled drink. Ishtar grumbled something and the waiter strolled away.
A sudden shriek, followed by coughing and spitting, shattered the relative quiet of the mess hall. The waiter hurried over to assist the girl, grim concern growing on his face. Ishtar let out with a tirade of complaints and insults, pointing and gesturing at the bowl. The waiter, attempting to apologize for whatever the problem was while gathering up the dish slipped, tipping its hot contents into the captain’s lap.
Ishtar screeched in pain and anger, “You oaf! What kind of a fool are you?!” looking around while pulling at her pants, demanding, “Don’t just stand there! Get something quick! I’m burning!”
Shocked and caught by surprise at the emergency, the waiter did the first thing that came to mind. Grabbing the glass of cold beverage, he threw its contents on Ishtar, splashing her from head to toe. A volley of vile threats and curses spewed from the girl’s mouth that do not bear repeating. She stood, threatening the waiter again, and stormed from the mess. He silently watched the captain depart. After she was far down the hall, the waiter turned toward the three observers and smiled.
The next morning, a very tired and distraught Captain Ishtar found herself on the duty roster to take charge of a cleaning detail. The third and fourth level storage and bilge rooms along with stock pens were included in her area.
Needless to say, the day was spent in frustration and futility. Tools and needed equipment mysteriously disappeared, slop buckets accidentally spilled, and animals got loose and rampaged through the hold. Just before lunch, an entire hopper filled with animal waste tipped over, dumping its smelly, gooey contents at Ishtar’s feet. The force knocked the girl down, and even with the diligent assistance of the work crew, the captain was covered in the slop.
“Captain Ishtar, I can find no excuse for your total ineptitude this day. I have no choice other than to put you on report. I will take this matter up with the general when time permits.” Treston sat at his desk examining the series of written complaints from the captain of the Brosh. “This is a ship of war, Captain, and as such must be prepared for action at all times.” He looked up at Ishtar. “Remember, Captain, we are at war.”
Ishtar began to whine about all the problems she suffered through that day, complaining about the duty and crew.
Treston curtly stopped her. “You are a captain in the Children’s Army! I do not want to hear about your difficulties with the enlisted personnel under your authority.” He stood and walked around the desk, stopping in front of Ishtar. Still looking at the paper, he sternly added, “I assigned you yeomanly duty today, a task usually given to an officer of much lesser rank. It was not my concern how you might accomplish your assignment. But it is my concern as to why you failed.”
He looked the girl in the eye. “As you well know, the officer in charge takes full responsibility for the success or failure of the mission. Every mission during wartime is essential to our overall success. You put us at risk today… albeit a very small one. Still, there is no excuse other than, say, incompetence or lack of leadership abilities.”
“I am an able officer!” Ishtar smartly replied. She wasn’t acting defiantly anymore, seeing the true metal of Treston’s leadership. There was no doubt in her mind now as to why he was a colonel. He was every bit an officer of rank, a man to be obeyed, respected and feared. She was beginning to regret the previous night’s confrontation.
Treston peered into her face and scornfully replied, “We shall see. We shall see.” He turned to walk back to his chair, continuing to speak as he did. “Take a night-duty crew back down to those stables and clean up the mess there.” He sat, tossing the paper to the table. “I expect you to be finished to take up your roster duties in the morning. Is that understood?”
“Yes, sir.” was Ishtar’s uncertain response.
Treston picked up another paper, studying it. “Good! Dismissed.”
Ishtar acknowledged the order and silently left the colonel’s office. She trudged down the hall, a growing feeling of hopelessness enveloping her. The night would be long and difficult, and the morning would not be easy without sleep this night. What she didn’t know was tomorrow would be a repeat of this day’s frustrations, concluded by another scorching lecture from the colonel. And there was yet to be another such day… and another...