Chapter 07

The Darmore Demon

Prologue

Between the events depicted in The Dareed War and these events the following changes have occurred in the Royal Guards organisation. Naturally they’ve also had upgrades in equipment, weapons, training, and procedures during this time. Many as a result of the lessons learned at Marley’s Landing. The 3rd Claymore are officially given the unit insignia of a rock, along with their name of The Rocks.

The Claymore has two more regiments. The 4th, the Falling Angels, a parachute insignia, air assault, helicopter and parachute troops. The 5th, the Urbans, a house insignia, urban combat troops.

The Peregrines, Royal Air Guards, three wings of one thousand three hundred troops. Each unit’s internal structure is different to match the operational and support needs of their aircraft. The unit insignia is a Peregrine Falcon with wings wide in braking and claws out in strike mode, the wing number is on the falcon’s chest. The 1st, Brown Bombers, jet fighter bombers with aircraft painted like giant brown Peregrine Falcons. The 2nd, Green Birds, helicopter gunships painted jungle green. The 3rd, Blackbirds, troop transports in jungle green (Blackhawk helicopters and short landing / take off aircraft), the unit insignia has a sword grasped in the falcon’s claws because they deliver Swords. The intent is to eventually expand the air brigade to five wings.

The Orcas, Royal Sea Guards, four fleets of one thousand three hundred soldiers. One platoon per boat. The unit insignia is a side view of an Orca with the fleet number on its side. The 1st, Blue Orcas, light patrol boats that are better at inshore work. The 2nd, Green Orcas, heavy patrol boats better for open sea work. The 3rd, Black Orcas, troop transports, their insignia includes a sword clutched in its mouth because they’re used for amphibious operations and they deliver Swords. The 4th, Red Orcas, ultra-fast patrol boats equipped as torpedo boats. The intent is to eventually expand the brigade to five regiments.

Also, two new Army units are added: one of helicopter gun-ships and one of air transport; similar to the 2nd and 3rd Peregrines.

Prelude

Darmore is a small town of seven hundred souls in north-western Berant and eight kilometres from the base of the Sharten Mountains, the northern border of Berant. It provides essential services and is a transport terminal for the farms in the area of about fifty kilometres around it. The main products of the area are citrus fruits and grains. The area has several small passes in the mountains that allow foot traffic to cross over, but no vehicles can pass through them. The only road through the Sharten Mountains is eighty kilometres further east. The road from Darmore joins that road, The Northern Road, just below a major river crossing then The Northern Road runs straight to Berana, the capital of Berant. In recent years some tourist trade has come to Darmore. A few locals set up escorted tours of the mountain trails and weekend jungle camping trips for nature loving tourists. This small boost to the local economy is very beneficial to all of the people in the area.

Throughout history groups of people crossed the mountains to raid the farms and towns on the other side as the tribesmen went both ways. The last such raid into Darmore was in 1932. Darmore was very lucky to be almost untouched during the Second World War and the civil war. The area has known nothing but peace for nearly forty years, since the end of the Second World War.

Jessica Tandar

Born in late 1964, four weeks early while her mother is visiting her parents in Amarant, Jessica Tandar is the second child born to a poor farming family. The family lives with her father’s clan while working on a farm at Marley’s Landing on the Kotar Plain. Her father dies in an accident on the farm when she’s four years old. The family stays at the farm and her mother continues working on the clan farm. Family cares for family in Berant, even in-laws. When Jessica is eight years old and her brother Brian is eleven years old their mother marries another man who’s a cousin to their father. The four of them move to Carmel because he has a new job there at a hotel. Jessica is nine years old when this happens.

Jessica loves living in Carmel, a seaside holiday resort town. The Carmel school has much better resources than her previous school and her studies improve a lot. The warm sea is a delight to swim in. There’s also a major Royal Guards base nearby with lots of off duty Guards wandering around town. To her they all look handsome and strong, both the men and the women. She’s infatuated with them and she often seeks them out in her free time to talk with them. Mostly she asks about life in the Guards and what she should study to gain entry. The Swords are used to some children doing this, so they speak freely with them. They know many ask because they’re thinking of joining the Guards when they’re older, and most end up joining; this is what they did when they were young. On her twelfth birthday Jessica tells her mother she intends to join the Guards as soon as she can pass the entry exams. Her mother thinks this is a passing phase, despite it already going on for some years.

In Carmel Jessica joins the Martial Arts Team for school sport, and she soon becomes a top competitor in the school and regional matches. She’s also fast to progress through the ranks of devotees of the Way of the Hand, the local form of martial arts. At thirteen she joins the local junior shooting club to participate in rifle and pistol competitions on weekends. By her fifteenth birthday she rates as marksman with both. Just before her sixteenth birthday in October, 1980, she passes the Year 10 exams. Three weeks later she receives her official results notification. At dinner Jessica hands it to her mother with an application to join the Royal Guards. This is for her mother to approve her enlistment because she’s under eighteen years of age. Her mother looks at the form then at Jessica. Sighing softly she signs the form and accepts her daughter won’t go to university, as she’s already given up on teaching Jessica how to cook properly.

Jessica’s application to join the Guards is accompanied by the written recommendations of two teachers and the shooting club instructor, as they’re all retired Guards. All speak well of her, especially about her concentration and level of commitment.

In the Guards

The next day Jessica visits the Guards recruiting office to lodge her application. They note her scholastic record transcript and high marks. She returns two days later for her medical and physical tests: she passes both. The following day is her interview with Peter Landers, a retired warrant officer with a psychology degree. He’s to evaluate her attitude and suitability. In response to the key question of: ‘Why do you want to join the Royal Guards?’ She says her wish is to help others and to defend her country. She explains how she’s admired the Guards ever since, as a small child, she saw them when they fought her country’s enemies. She likes their unity and spirit of purpose. She wishes to be part of it.

Later, when discussing her application with his supervisor, Monica Stephens, Peter says, “I was concerned Jessica may be too idealistic, but she came across as being very well grounded and realistic. I think she’s perfect and will go far. If she’s not solid enough they’ll find out in basic.” He sits there for a moment, and Monica raises an eyebrow in question. “There’s something else that troubles me about the girl. Oh, it’s nothing to wash her out. But in the tests she never got flustered once. I’ve never seen that before, everyone gets flustered at some point. The tests are designed to make them get flustered. She never did. Also, I felt very comfortable sitting and talking with her, almost as comfortable as being down the pub drinking with my mates.” Monica raises both her eyebrows at this. She makes a note on Jessica’s file about her stoic attitude, and a personal note to handle her final interview herself because she wants to see what this candidate is like.

All Guards applicants are given two weeks from the date of application and testing to the date of final enlistment. This is to allow them time to review what they’ve done and to retire gracefully if they’ve any second thoughts. At the end of those two weeks Jessica attends a final interview with Monica, the senior recruiting officer, a retired major with a psychology degree. This interview is deliberately designed to really rattle the applicants and encourage those not fully committed to withdraw. The Guards requires a total commitment by the new recruits. Monica is also surprised by Jessica’s level of stability and calmness during the interview. Nothing rattles her. Monica approves Jessica’s application and she gives her travel papers with orders to report for training at the next recruit induction in January. Later, while talking to Peter over an after work drink she mentions her interview with Jessica and how she felt like Jessica was an old mate, even when she knew this was the first time they’d met. It’s not like she’s an old squad mate or something. Looking up Peter says, “That’s it, she has the feel of a combat veteran and it sets me at ease.” Absent-mindedly Monica nods. Suddenly she looks up, and they both stare at each other while they wonder how that can possibly be? How can a sixteen year old girl feel like a combat veteran? They stare at each other while they ponder hard on this paradox. Neither says anything about it to anyone else.

First Parade

On the 5th of January, 1981, Jessica stands on the parade ground at the Royal Guards basic training base when she reports for her first day of duty. She’s successfully passed the entrance exams. She did so well she surprised the testers by how well such a young woman can do them. The Guards accept anyone who’s a legal adult or is at least sixteen years old with parental approval. However, most people don’t join until after they’re eighteen years old.

The next eleven months are a long whirl of studies and organised mayhem while the instructors push all of the trainees as hard as they can to learn what they’re capable of as well as where their skills and aptitudes lie. During the first ten weeks every recruit is given an opportunity to be their squad corporal for two weeks. She’s one of the few to spend the next nine months on higher pay as an acting junior corporal in charge of her squad.

The instructors are amazed at her constant calm manner because basic training is specifically designed to rattle everyone, but it does not rattle Jessica. In everything they do she stays cool, collected, and a calming influence on her squad. When acting squad leader she’s in total control at all times, and she gets the best out of the squad members.

After basic graduation she’s sent for three months of medic training, followed by three months sniper training, three months heavy weapons training, and three months urban warfare training. During this time she completes the theory training for corporal, sergeant, lieutenant, and captain; passing all of the exams with marks of ninety-five percent or better. On the day she graduates from the Urban Warfare Training Course she’s notified of her promotion to full corporal, the youngest ever, and appointed to 2nd platoon, A Company, 5th Claymore with orders to take four weeks leave before reporting for duty. She’d turned eighteen years old six weeks earlier.

First Leave

When she arrives home on her leave her mother is surprised Jessica is wearing the uniform of a full corporal in the 5th Claymore. Letters home never mentioned what she was actually doing; just that she was doing another training course. She’d expected, and hoped, Jessica would join the Royal Rescue Service. Regardless of this her mother is proud to walk down the street with her daughter in her uniform. During Jessica’s leave they often go shopping with Jessica in her uniform at her mother’s request.

One evening they’re out in a club with her stepfather, Jessica in uniform at her mother’s request again, when a noisy argument starts in the corner. A group of several roughs are giving some trouble to two Guards privates on leave. The two privates look like they’re about to respond to the roughs when Jessica excuses herself and walks over to their table. She doesn’t see the MP Sergeant and squad enter by the side door behind her. The club owner had called them a few minutes earlier when he realised the roughs were baiting the young privates.

While she approaches the scene one of the privates takes an attack stance. She says, in a commanding tone, “Attention!” Both privates spin around and snap to attention. Walking closer she sees they’re wearing 5th Claymore patches and they’re ‘very merry’ but not yet drunk. While pointing at her table Jessica says, “Pick up your gear and go over to that table.”

In unison they say, “Yes, Corporal.” They pick up their gear and start to walk away.

Thinking he has a free shot at them one of the roughs draws a knife and he lunges at the back of the privates. Jessica snaps up her foot, kicks out, and breaks his arm before he gets close to the privates. The rough drops to the floor with a scream. The rest of the roughs start to move forward. She calmly draws her pistol and points it at them while saying, “Who wants to die first?” They just stand there looking very embarrassed. They can’t believe this pretty young woman will kill them, but they’re too scared to try her. There’s something about her that intimidates them, especially the cold steadfast look in her eyes and her calm demeanour. She adds, “Right, you lot pick up your gear, pay your bill, go home, and sleep it off. The barman will get an ambulance for your friend.” She calmly watches them pack up their gear and leave the bar.

The barman approaches the table. Jessica holsters her pistol as she tells him, “Look after this fool and get him an ambulance, please.” After turning around she walks back to her table. A smiling MP Sergeant turns and leaves while taking his squad with him.

On returning to her table Jessica address the privates, “OK, boys, who are you?” Both are a few years older than her, but they immediately answer. Giving their names and the fact they’re just out of basic on leave prior to reporting to B Company, 5th Claymore. She dresses them down then she tells them they shouldn’t get drunk in public. They’re to take a cab to where they’re staying. They nod yes, and leave; as both of them are glad to get off so lightly.

Noticing the shocked expression on her mother’s face Jessica says, “Well, Mum, what did you expect? I’ve been away for two years getting intensive training on how to deal with matters like that.” Her mother slowly nods as she realises her little girl isn’t her little girl any more, but a grown woman. A real soldier, not a toy soldier like she’d been thinking. She’s surprised to find herself comforted by the thought.

Soon after that they leave the club. On the way home they detour by the police station for Jessica to lodge an official report of the incident. The rest of the leave is a fun time with her family and at the beach.

Jessica is now 160 cm tall, slim athletic build, light brown hair, striking steel blue eyes with well above average intelligence, and very fit.

The 5th Claymore

Arrival

At 7:00 p.m. on 4 January, 1983, the night before she’s due to report, Jessica walks up to the guardhouse of her new barracks. She reports in and she seeks directions to the barracks hut for 2nd platoon, A Company. The Duty Officer checks her ID, hands her a map with the hut marked, and dismisses her. After studying the map for a moment she heads off to find her bed. She finds the hut which is empty because she’s the first Sword to arrive. Picking a cot near the door she starts putting her gear away. Ten minutes later she’s finishing her unpacking when a Warrant Officer, the Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM), walks into the otherwise empty barracks.

Nodding at her he sits down on a chair while saying, “Corporal Tandar, I presume!” This is clearly a statement and not a question.

Sitting down on her bed Jessica says, “Yes, guilty as charged, Sir.”

With a big smile he says, “I hear you had some fun while on leave. Anything I should know about it?”

She calmly replies, “Not really, Sir. Just some drunk roughs and two privates fresh out of basic. No big deal. The privates now know not to drink too much in public. No worries all round.”

Nodding slowly he stands up, “Good, I dislike having to deal with minor matters. I know you’re not officially here until ten hundred hours in the morning, but the Colonel would like a word with you after breakfast, if you can fit it into your busy schedule.” He stands there, ready to leave now he’s delivered his message to her.

A smiling Jessica also stands up as she replies, “I think I can manage to squeeze in a few minutes for him, Sir.” When the RSM leaves she grabs a towel and heads for a shower before retiring for the night.

Ten minutes later RSM Jelling enters Lieutenant Colonel Newman’s office. He nods at the Colonel and Captain Rhundah while he sits down, “She may be young, but she’s as smart and as tough as they said. I know she hasn’t been in combat, but she has the feel of a vet. I’d give her the job. I’ve asked her to report to you after breakfast, Colonel.” They both nod their understanding of his report as they’re happy to have his evaluation of Corporal Tandar as being suitable for their plans.

First Day

Waking to reveille in an empty barracks is an odd feeling for Jessica because it’s the first time it’s happened to her. For the last two years she’s always shared the barracks with about twenty others. She rises, showers, dresses, and heads to breakfast. After breakfast in the mess hall she returns her mess kit to her locker before she heads to headquarters. Arriving at the Regimental Headquarters she gives the duty officer her name.

A few minutes later she’s shown into the Colonel’s office and he indicates for her to sit down. When she sits down he says, “Well, Corporal Tandar, I gather from Warrant Officer Jelling you aren’t going to tell us anything more about your leave exercise.”

She calmly replies, “No, Sir, I’m not. All that needs to be done has been done. It won’t happen again. The people concerned know they’ll have to answer to me if it does, and they don’t relish that idea.”

Nodding slowly he smiles as he says, “You’re very self-assured for someone as young as you are, or as new in rank as you are.”

She says, “Maybe, Sir, I don’t know too many people in my situation. I’ve been a corporal since the third month of basic. That gives me twenty-one months in rank as a corporal. Although all of it was in training units of some sort I was in charge of a squad for the entire period, and I can handle my squad. Four different squads so far.”

He looks intently at her, “Are you nicely settled in at the barracks?”

She grins, “Yes, Sir, I am. I gather I’m about to move.”

He laughs, “The RSM did say you’re smart and quick. Yes, you’re moving. I’ve had some news and I’m using you to fix a problem. As of this moment you’re Junior Sergeant Tandar, Commander, First Platoon, C Company. I want you settled into your new barracks with your stripes on by ten hundred hours.”

She says, “Yes, Sir. If there’s nothing else, Sir, I’d best get moving.” He nods dismissal, and she leaves the office.

Picking up his phone Colonel Newman calls Captain Rhundah and says, “I’ve done it, you’ve a brand new junior sergeant. I agree with Jelly, she’ll do very well.” He hangs up.

Moving at a brisk, but unhurried, pace Jessica returns to her old quarters to pack her gear and check the barracks are clean. Taking her kit she heads to the Quartermaster’s Store.

When she walks in the Quartermaster Sergeant looks her over. He reaches under the counter then he places a handful of Junior Sergeant’s stripes on the counter. Jessica picks them up as she says, “Thanks, Quartermaster. May I borrow your office for a few minutes?” He nods at the office.

After entering the office she sits down, pulls out her sewing kit, and a shirt. After removing the corporal’s stripes she sews on the Sergeant’s stripes. She changes shirts then she does the same for a jacket. She sits there and is quick to changes the rank stripes on all of her uniforms. Finishing the last jacket she cleans up the loose threads and she tosses them into the rubbish bin. Jessica picks up the corporal stripes, walks out, and hands them to the Quartermaster Sergeant.

Taking them the Quartermaster asks, “Why’d you do that here?”

Smiling at him Jessica says, “I gather most of this mob are just out of basic, right!” He nods yes to her statement. “Imagine you’re just out of basic and reporting to your first command. You walk into the barracks to find a very young sergeant and she’s sewing her stripes on. How’d you feel? Now they’ve no idea how long I’ve had the rank, so they’ll have a lot more confidence in me than if they see me sewing the rank on. Got it?” Smiling, the Quarter Master nods yes, and she heads off to her new barracks.

After Jessica leaves the Quartermaster goes into his office to call the RSM and he tells the RSM the story. They agree she’ll do very well. Definitely better than the Sergeant they lost to the hospital.

C Company

Walking into her barracks Jessica notices one of her corporals and some privates are unpacking. Nodding to them she enters the Sergeant’s office and unpacks her kit. Luckily for her the uniforms are nearly as new as the stripes, so no-one can tell how long they’ve been up. Leaving the office she introduces herself to the Corporal and she tells him he has free time until 10:00 hours (it’s now 08:30) if he wishes to visit the PX or the QM store etc. He says he’ll sit and read up for his sergeant’s exam. Nodding to him and the privates present she leaves the barracks and heads for the Company Headquarters.

Arriving at C Company Headquarters she tells the duty corporal, “Junior Sergeant Tandar to report to the Company Commander. Last minute posting to First Platoon.” This last point removes the Corporal’s frown as it explains why Tandar doesn’t show on his list of NCOs (Non-commissioned Officers).

On her being shown in Captain Rhundah invites her to sit down. He says, “This is the first case I’ve heard of where a company commander, regimental commander, and RSM are glad one of their sergeants can’t report for duty because he’s in hospital due to a car accident.” Seeing no change of expression on her face he adds, “Better and better. Sergeant Budrow is a good sergeant but he has no imagination worth talking of. That means in a situation like this I’d have to handle a lot more of the ‘new trooper breaking in’ than I’d like. You, however, can clearly handle that. Also, you’re sniper and heavy weapons trained, he wasn’t. I now have the best trained combat Sergeant in the regiment. Any idea why they sent you into so much specialist training instead of to a line unit?”

“I don’t know, Sir. No one told me why. But my guess is they were concerned about my age and they didn’t want me to get near the hot end of the barrel until after I turned eighteen. So they kept shoving me back into training. I didn’t mind as I liked the courses. I expected to lose my acting corporal rate when I graduated basic. However, the Training RSM explained if I’d been sent to a line unit I’d have probably kept it, so the Commander Training got it made permanent before I left the base. That upset me a bit since it meant he wasn’t as bad as I’d been thinking and I had to apologise, in my mind, for all of the mental abuse I’d given him.”

The Captain laughs, “That’s about what we figured. I’m glad you don’t mind they kept you training, because by doing so they’ve actually increased your worth to me and the regiment. An NCO usually doesn’t get as much specialist training as you’ve got until after they’ve been in the service several years. I don’t think I’d have got you if Captain Carter had read your jacket before agreeing to let me steal you. I figure you’re worth a lot more than the extra six weeks of duty as Officer of the Day getting you cost me.” Her eyebrows go up at the cost for the transfer because that’s a lot of his personal time he gave up to get her. To do so he must think she’s worth more than most sergeants.

She responds, “Well, Sir, I hope you still feel that way in six weeks’ time when you’re missing your nights out. I hope you’ve some personnel jackets there for me.”

He smiles, “Yes, I do,” and he hands them over, “I know you’re the most junior sergeant in the regiment, but we’ll be expecting you to pass on your specialist training to the sergeants, lieutenants, and corporals. We need to get this regiment combat ready a.s.a.p. Times are very tense and we want the regiment ready if things go bad and the shooting starts.”

Picking up the files she smiles as she nods her agreement, “Well, Sir, I need to get back to the barracks and read these. Thank you, Sir.” She leaves the office, then she stops at the duty corporal’s desk for a clipboard with her platoon list before going back to her office. She sits at her desk as she reads the files on her corporals and privates while also regularly checking the time. At 09:55 hours she places the files in her desk drawer, locks it, and secures the key in a button up trouser pocket before heading outside to wait the last few minutes before the first regimental parade.

First Parade

Exiting the building with the clipboard in hand she looks around the base. She sees a lot of Swords are hanging around the parade grounds and barracks talking while they wait as it’s 09:57 hours. Walking out onto the parade ground she locates and stands beside the marker for 1st Platoon, C Company. Within a minute every platoon commander is on the parade ground and they’re standing at their unit marker, but they’re the only ones on the parade ground.

At 10:00 hours the RSM walks out onto the parade ground and all of the Swords scramble for their platoon markers. Jessica is quick to sort her platoon into two lines with the corporals in front of the platoon. She checks off the names, all are present. The parade ground is full of voices while the platoon commanders are checking all of the members of their platoon are present on the parade ground.

Walking to the middle of the platoon’s front rank Jessica faces them and snaps out, “First platoon, dress ranks.” She watches while they check their spacing and dress ranks properly. She orders, “Stand at ease, stand easy.” After waiting a moment for them to settle down she speaks loud enough for the platoon to hear, but not so loud as to disturb the other platoons, “For the record, my name’s Junior Sergeant Jessica Tandar, you’ll call me Sergeant. You’ll call me Sergeant at all times you talk to me or about me. I’m sure you understand that. If not, I’ll think of some extra exercises that’ll help drive it home to those who don’t. In future, when a parade’s called you will be on parade and formed up before the RSM enters the parade ground. Over the next few weeks I’ll get an idea of each of your strengths and I’ll sort you out into squads that suit me, not you or your friends, but me. You’ll make new friends in your squads. For the next week you’ll parade in your current order, so remember your places.” She’s obviously smaller and younger than everyone else in the platoon, but there’s something in her manner and her eyes - so no one’s prepared to argue with her.

After taking a deep breath she snaps out, “First Platoon, number.” They number haphazardly from the soldier at the left front. She slowly shakes her head and says, “When I was in primary school I’d a teacher who was a retired Guard. He had us form up and number whenever we went out on excursions. We were only nine years old, but we did much better than that the first time we did it. Now I know you can do better because you were taught to do it in basic. Let me hear it done right. First Platoon - number.” The soldiers call the numbers out, loud and clear. She nods, “That’s better. At this rate you should be as good as my old class by the end of the week. But that isn’t good enough. First Platoon - number!“ Loud, fast, crisp, and clear, they number like a well-oiled machine-gun. She smiles, “See, you do know how to do it right.” Snapping to attention she spins around and shouts out, “First Platoon, C Company, all present on parade, Sergeant Major.” It’s at this point Jessica and the platoon realise the whole parade has been quietly waiting and watching them for a few minutes.

The RSM snaps to attention, spins around, and calls out, “Fifth Regiment all present on parade, Sir.”