Tarhen
FOB, next morning

“Well, Sergent. It seems that my congratulations yesterday might have been premature.”

Dash's back straightens and she keeps her eye focussed on a point over Capitaine Adrelana's right shoulder as the massive Valorossiyan sits at his desk, regarding her coolly.

“Not twenty four hours after I promoted you to sergent, I find myself having to discipline you for drunken and disorderly conduct, not to mention conduct unbecoming, bringing the Legion into disrepute, and a whole host of other regulations.” Adrelana narrows his eyes and his thin lip curls into a snarl. Dash’s throat closes but her posture remains ramrod straight, even with the dull ache from her belly and side shrilly protesting at such a movement.

“Under normal circumstances, I'd be understanding, even forgiving. You'd just been promoted and you're one of the youngest compagnie commanders in Legion history. You're one of the youngest holders of the Equestrian Valour Cross, and that's not including whatever you did before you came to the Legion. You thought you were on the fast track. Yes, I can understand the desire to cut loose.” Adrelana suddenly pushes his chair back and rises to his feet in one flowing motion and something small and furry at the back of Dash's mind wants to turn and run, but she holds her nerve.

“These are not normal circumstances however. I'd expect you of all people to understand how dangerous Tarhen is right now. We're under the gaze of the Crown, and we're very much in the media's cross-hairs right now. Not only that, but not eight hours before you left base, you'd been sitting at this very table discussing why it was a bad idea to send legionnaires out into the city!” Adrelana barks, stepping around his desk and thundering up to Dash. His hand grabs her chin and suddenly her eye is locked on his four thundercloud-grey eyes. Lightning flashes in those four eyes, and the rumble of his breathing crashes like thunder. Dash can feel the fury radiating through the Valorossiyan, only barely leashed. His hot, stinking breath washes over her face and his viciously pointed teeth are an inch from her nose.

“There are other considerations,” Belial growls from his position by Adrelana's desk, his arms folded. “Our soldiers are up in arms because you've effectively put the lie to our statement that Tarhen is too dangerous to send them out on recreational patrols.” A shimmering curtain of fury descends over Dash's vision as she turns her head slightly, locking her remaining eye with the scowling Khan, but she holds her tongue. Adrelana clears his throat with the deep grinding rumble of a mountain landslide tumbling inexorably towards someone as he releases her chin and steps away from her.

“Were you a compagnie commander of line infantry, or someone more replaceable, I'd have you sent back to The Pit in disgrace. As it is, you're looking down the throat of the following charges: Absence without leave, Drunken and Disorderly Conduct, Desertion, and bringing the Legion into disrepute.” Adrelana ticks off the points on his fingers, his eye still fixed upon hers.

“I want you to tell me what happened. How do we get from us having a meeting in here to-”
There is a sudden urgent knocking on the door.

“Fuck off!” booms the voice of the Adjutant, silent in the corner until now.

The reply is dripping with Canterlot drawl, and Dash's heart sinks.

Crap, that's all I need, attention from the Princess.

“I come on behalf of Princess Twilight Sparkle, it is my understanding that there is a disciplinary proceeding taking place inside. I shall not ask again Sargeant Major.” Diplomatic Incident's voice is languid and unhurried, but there's an edge of steel beneath his tone, as though he'd quite happily kick the door down.

Adrelana's expression is incredulous and hostile, and then he covers his face with one hand, and he rests a lingering look of absolute disgust upon Dash. Dash has no eye for him, her eye is on Belial, and though his expression is perfectly military proper, she catches a glimpse of triumph in those cat-like eyes for only an instance, before his expression returns to the flat, military proper, expressionless mask.

“Enter!” Adrelana snaps, anger radiating off his face and neck, and then the Adjutant opens the door to reveal Diplomatic Incident, unruffled and calm as ever in shirt, suspenders and spats. His walrus moustache bristles as he walks into the room with the air of a monarch inspecting his subjects. He is not alone however. Smit walks in behind him, his expression set.

Dash's eye widens in shocked disbelief. Surely Smit knows how stupid he's being, getting involved in a spat between a sergent and not one, but two officers, and particularly bringing a civilian into the equation. The Legion handles its own justice, such is the way it should be.

“What can I do for you?” Adrelana asks, his tone languid and relaxed as he walks back to his desk and sits down. Dash tenses slightly as she hears that level tone, accustomed as she is to the idiosyncrasies of Valorossiyan officers.

Oh shit, he's really really pissed. The thought passes through both Dash and Smit's mind at the same time.

“Well, last night, I understand some of our gallant defenders went outside the wire,” Diplomatic Incident says levelly, and Adrelana sighs.

“Yes... that is indeed the case, but the situation is being handled adequately as it is now,” Adrelana replies. “It's a leadership failure, and we'll deal with it ourselves.” Diplomatic Incident nods slowly.

“I'd expect nothing less of such consummate professionals as yourselves, yet the point that this young warrior felt compelled to bring to my attention was that they were under orders to do so.”

There is absolute silence in the room for a long moment, and then Adrelana fixes Dash with a long hard look, before turning to Diplomatic Incident once more.

“Indeed they were,” Adrelana says. “From what we understand, the orders originated from this woman as acting Compagnie commander.”

“Really? That's not what I was told by corporal Smit here,” Diplomatic Incident says levelly, and Dash throws Smit an icy glare out of the corner of her eye.

You're such a fucking idiot, I swear to all the gods in heaven that if Adrelana doesn't throttle you right now, I'll do it myself.

“Caporal,” Belial corrects Diplomatic Incident, who looks at the Khan with disdain. “In any case, what guarantee do you have that he's being truthful?” Belial asks, and Diplomatic Incident shrugs.

“Right now, none at all, other than his conviction. He came up to my office, demanding to see me. He told me of his version of events, and then asked that I intervene. I told him that I could not do so on his behalf, and that I must mention his name. He told me that didn't matter, that he'd be happy to have his name mentioned. Being the curious individual that I am, I decided to press him for details and he passed on some rather interesting information. He said that Sergent Dash took her men out under orders from you, Captain.” Belial's eyes widen in outrage. He draws himself up to deliver a stinging retort, but then Capitane Adrelana raises a hand.

“I find this hard to believe. I am certainly not prepared to take the word of an NCO over the word of one of my compagnie commanders,” Adrelana says angrily, and Diplomatic Incident shrugs.

“I thought that would be the way of things, which is why I suggest that we summon Princess Twilight-”

“You don't need to do that,” Dash says, her voice level. “Caporal Smit, wait outside.” The last thing that Dash needs is Smit doing anything else stupid with his career right now. Smit shoots her a mutinous look.

“Now, Caporal.” Dash injects just an edge of bite into her voice.

He turns and walks out of the room, shutting the door with a snap behind him. Adrelana blinks in surprise, but then he turns to Dash.

“So then, sergent, perhaps you could fill all of us, including Diplomatic Incident, in on what happened?” Adrelana asks, and Dash takes a deep breath and casts another hating look at Belial, before she takes a deep breath and puts the story together.

“It's my responsibility. I wanted to go outside the wire. As you say, I'd just been promoted and our unit had been in two fairly intense firefights a few days back. I felt we'd earnt the privilege, and whilst they all committed the offence, they did so under my instruction,” Dash says, dipping her head and looking contrite. Through her eyelashes, she sees Adrelana's expression morph into one of brief confusion before he nods, and there's a hint of something else in his eyes.

“So about your caporal?” he asks, and Dash shrugs.

“Caporal Smit is a very loyal NCO, he wanted to defend me... I understand his impulse but I cannot condone it. He shouldn't have involved you, Diplomatic Incident. I'm going to dock him three days and subject him to Restriction of Privileges for a week, by your leave?” Dash asks, and Adrelana nods shortly.

“That's appropriate. Now that brings us round to what to do with you,” Adrelana says. “You're willing to take the punishment of the unit onto your own shoulders?”

“Yes sir. They did what they did under my orders. No blame should fall on them.”

“Very well,” Adrelana says, and then he nods slowly before he turns to the Adjutant.

“Adjutant. I want everyone assembled in company formation on the parade square in thirty minutes, everyone who isn't on the perimeter watch. I don't care what they're busy with, or how hungover they are. Also, get together the required kit for field punishment 21A.” The Adjutant in the corner snaps to attention, salutes smartly and walks out. The door snaps shut behind him, and Adrelana turns to look at Dash, who looks perplexed. A brief expression of sympathy flickers across his face before he nods.

“I'll be frank. I can't demote you, I can't remove you and I can't do anything else with you, because to put it bluntly, you're the only reconnaissance NCO we've got who I'd feel comfortable leading a team-” he holds a hand up as Belial opens his mouth to protest, “-I'm also aware of what my other NCOs will think, and how they might react if you are perceived to escape without sufficient punishment. With that in mind, you will be escorted down to the parade square. There, you will be whipped. You are to be subjected to no more than twenty five lashes, and may they provide sufficient reflection next time you feel like getting drunk on duty. Caporals Smit and Sov will be administering the whipping, and legionnaire Zaafan will be counting the strokes,” Adrelana declares, and Dash feels a surge of relief mingled with pure, unadulterated terror.

Dash has never been whipped before, but she's seen legionnaires who have, and almost all of them say it's worse than getting shot.

She takes a deep breath and then chops her hand up into a salute. “Yessir... I'll get my people ready, and I'll have a word with my errant caporal,” Dash says, and Adrelana waves his hand.

“Yes Sergent. You have twenty five minutes to prepare yourself. You're dismissed.” With that Dash turns on her heel and marches out, Diplomatic Incident following on her heels. Smit is waiting outside, looking mutinous.

“Sergent-”

“Shut it,” Dash snaps, naked fear combined with residual anger making her tone much sharper than required. Smit looks like he's going to protest, and Dash narrows her eye before she glances around and then steers Smit into an empty office, kicking the door shut in Diplomatic Incident's face. Smit stumbles as her steer becomes a shove, pushing him off balance, and then Dash steps forward.

“You had no right at all to get involved in that! You certainly don't have the right to get Diplomatic Incident, and by extension, Princess Twilight Sparkle involved in disciplining me!” she barks, and Smit blinks.

“But you say you've got personal history with the princess and-”

“Yeah, and the less people know about that personal history, the better for all concerned,” Dash snaps. “It's between me and Princess Twilight, and I'm certainly not going to use her influence to bail me out of shit.”

“But it's not fair, I was there, I heard him, you heard him-”

“Yeah, we both heard him give the order, and yes, it's not fair, but what the fuck did you expect? This is the fucking Legion and the duty rumour is that Adrelana and Belial are buttbuddies since forever. Your word and my word would never have had a hope in hell of standing against that, even if it was two on one.”

“But surely Diplomatic Incident could have got you off...” Smit persists, and Dash gives him a long hard look. Surely Smit should know better than that. Dash is aware that her mind is turning over and over to avoid thinking about what's about to come and she forces herself to reply with a clear and level tone.

“Yeah, and how would that look to everyone else on base? If I was using my influence with Princess Twilight to get out of trouble? Influence that I’m not supposed to have?” she asks, and Smit nods slowly. He's not stupid, he can join the dots as easily as the next person. The chain of command is everything. Harmony within the unit must be preserved, and if she is seen to use her alleged influence to get out of being punished then discipline within the other three compagnies will suffer. It will also lead to questions being asked, pertinent questions that Dash and Equestria can really do without right now such as precisely why an anonymous scrote of the Legion has influence over a princess of Equestria.

“So what happens now?” Smit asks, and Dash's stomach tightens. Her mouth becomes dry as she prepares to give the orders. Her throat swells up and her fists clench tightly, but then Dash manages to get the orders out, biting off the sounds as though they taste foul.

“Get the compagnie assembled. You, Sov and Zaafan will be front and centre. Belt order only, no web gear or weapons. Standard working dress, but don't wear your best set,” Dash says, unable to quite articulate what's awaiting her in twenty five minutes. Smit nods, and then he turns to leave, but then Dash reaches out a hand to clasp his shoulder.

“One more thing, Elias,” Dash says, and the Boer turns, shocked at the use of his given name, and she offers him a smile.

“Thank you.”

Smit nods, a brief smile pulling at his lips. “Any time, Sergent.”

Next Chapter: Chapter 15: Cracking the Whip Estimated time remaining: 1 Hour, 59 Minutes