Captain Jane by Doc

Captain Jane Flistenberg asked the two men she’d sent out to ‘take care of things’: “Is it done?”  They nodded.  “Yes, ma’am!”

The group of seventeen guerrilla fighters had been in hiding.  Now there were only 15.  It was the result of disobedience to orders.  The men had been sent to execute Sergeant Sarah Smithson and Corporal Gary Fortenberry.  It had been by garrote: quiet, efficient, and fast.  A length of wire tied around two small pieces of wood.  Around the neck.  It took less than a minute.

The captain’s face was dark.  She hated ordering their execution.  She knew the men and women of her unit felt even worse.  They all knew – every man and woman in the unit – that it had been necessary.   The rule was iron-clad.  No sexual contacts of any kind in the field.  Time enough for that on R & R back in the city.  Never in the field!  Worse, the couple had been on guard duty (supposedly).

She decided to call the group to discuss what had happened.  She chose to do it just before sunset.  There would be no campfire tonight.  Scott, her scout, had seen troops in the valley.  She knew they had night vision equipment, drones, and infrared ‘seekers’.   Everyone knew they were being hunted.

“I don’t need to tell you what happened last night – and what I had Jimmy and Elbert do today to ‘fix’ our problem,” she began.  No one met her gaze, which wandered from person to person.  Juanita coughed.  Carl fiddled with his shoelaces.  “The two people, who we all liked, had to suffer the consequences of what could have resulted in all of us being dead at this very moment.”  There was total silence.  The captain paused.

“I think we all have our needs.  We all hate this life hiding out here and sneaking around.  It’s not fun.  It is however our life until we manage to clear this district.”  She knew she was stating the obvious, but decided to plunge on.  “The reason I had Sarah and Gary executed was not because they decided to fuck.”  She used that word deliberately.  She needed to speak plainly.  “The reason I had Sarah and Gary killed was because they refused to wait until we would be relieved in a couple of weeks and – by fucking while on guard duty – put all of us at risk.  Do you all understand?”  Several heads bobbed up and down.   The others didn't move.

“I want  everyone to understand that I didn't want to have this happen.  It won’t happen again.”  Jane was now getting angry and it showed in her voice.  “It won’t happen again because you now know I’m serious about having my orders followed.  It won’t happen again because you motherfuckers now know what I’m made of.  And it won’t happen again because I think we all know that following orders isn’t an option.”  She stopped.  She thought.

“Not now, but whenever you want… if you decide to leave our unit and take your chances ‘down there’”… She gestured toward the valley.  “…. With ‘them’ going door-to-door every night”.  She paused.  “Let me know.” Another pause.  “You can go down there and take your chances and have a comfy life and fuck your brains out or get drunk as a skunk, or whatever.”  Everyone knew that if anyone did that, she would gladly let them do so.  They also knew those who left would be dead in 48 hours.  If they weren't turned in by the villagers first they’d be found in the searches.  Quitters might never have time for fun -- before being shot – or raped – or tortured – or …. .

Everyone knew what had happened two years ago when the enemy had moved into the district.  All those things and worse.

No one moved for a long time.

Finally Captain Flistenberg stood up.  “When we go to town in two weeks,” she said, “you won’t recognize me.  You won’t recognize yourselves.  We’ll stop being a fist.  We will have fun.  We will party.  We will fuck and drink and go wild.”  She paused again.
“But not until then.”

“Gentlemen and ladies, do you have any questions?”  No one said a word.  She looked around and then said, “Dismissed.  Now let’s bunk down.  Carla, you and Jonesy are on guard duty.  I think you’ll act professionally, right?”  Both immediately replied, “Yes, ma’am!”

The sun set that night on a group ready for the next day.  They would be putting out Claymore mines tomorrow.  Their job was to kill.  They all wanted to live.  They would obey orders.