Thick as Thieves 2: Under Your Command

Chapter 19

Terra Nova

Michael squinted at the morning sun as he waited outside the Command Centre for Sergeant Reilly to join him. Jim had given him the task of helping Reilly re-train some of the soldiers. Given that he had seen battle most recently, and he was the most informed on the enemy's tactics, Jim decided that he would be a good choice to assist Reilly in getting the soldiers prepared for whatever was coming next. Most of the lower ranks had joined him already, as well as a few new recruits who had volunteered to help. They would need the most training, but the colony needed whatever help they could get at the moment.

Eventually, Michael spotted Reilly walking towards them with Nurse Ogawa. They stopped outside the Infirmary where Reilly gave the nurse a kiss goodbye. Michael raised an eyebrow and smiled at Reilly as she joined them.

"Better late than never, Sarge," he teased. He lowered his voice: "And how long has that been going on?" He looked back towards the Infirmary where Nurse Ogawa must have started her shift.

Reilly glared at him. "None of your business, Corporal. Let's get to work, shall we? We have a lot to get through."

She started to address the crowd before her, giving them a run down of the day's training programme. Michael sighed. There was a time when he and Reilly could joke around about stuff like that, but not anymore. He could tell from her hostility since he'd got back that she still had issues trusting him. That was fair enough.

He was snapped out of his thoughts when Reilly clapped her hands together, beginning to lead the group OTG. He began to follow them when he realised Skye was in the crowd.

"Squirt? What are you doing here?"

"I volunteered," she smiled. "I want to help."

"Are you sure? You know how dangerous this is going to be?"

"Michael, I'm not a kid anymore. Mr Shannon said it was okay. Besides, it's not like I'm going to be on the front line after one day of training."

He sighed. The sight of her in uniform made her look so grown up. "You remind me of your dad," he said. He smiled slightly.

She mirrored his smile. "Thanks. No bucket this time. It's the real deal."

He chuckled, remembering the stories she told him of a miniature Skye, wearing a bucket on her head to look like her military father. It certainly was the real deal now. This was clearly something she wanted and Michael wasn't about to talk her out of it, so he held a hand out as an 'after you' gesture and she followed the rest of the group towards the gates.

Michael looked back towards the Infirmary before he left, knowing that Mira and Carter were still inside, waiting for Jim, if not already being interrogated by him.

The day was going pretty well. Everyone seemed eager to learn, and Reilly was a good teacher. Not as good as Guzman or Wash were, but she was close behind. Michael could understand why she had been promoted. She had done a lot of amazing things since the occupation.

They took breaks between training segments to reflect and talk about what they were learning. Michael used these moments to divulge what he knew about his former comrades. He explained that the Phoenix Group army were taught to follow the orders of their command, no matter what. They were only loyal to the highest bidder and they were taught not to feel empathy for the people they were inflicting pain on. He also explained that the current army was largely made up of volunteers who were rushed through training and only joined because they felt they had no other choice. They weren't all bad people. He knew this, thinking about Gus. They weren't all like the army they had fought in the last battle.