Alan salutes the vetern marine at the entrance of BBG Chev. Luc a
d'Yatguy's field quarters. He then bends slightly; lifting the canvas
flap; and enters the tent. It takes a moment for his eyes to adjust from
the brightness of the hot and dusty day outside. The BBG turns from his
writing and say, in a somewhat urgent tone, "Alan I'm glad you're here!"
He then motions Alan, who had come to attention after entering, closer.
The BBG continues, "It seems you were right my boy... this nonsense has
gone too far!"
As Alan drew near he saw a red blush lay across the old BBG's cheeks. The
BBG reaches into a dispatch folder and withdraws a letter; extending it
towards Alan he says with contempt in his tone, "Read this last atrocity!"
Alan took the letter and began reading.
Pounding the desk with his fist the BBG bellows, "See the part where he
says that his only regret is that so few of the officer corps will be
going home? The audacity! I will not stand for this Alan! You were right!"
Alan hesitated and then faltered, "Right about what... exactly Sir?"
"About calling that cad de Mylcandonai out, of course!", exclaimed the old
BBG with such force as to bring on a coughing fit.
Alan set down the letter on the BBG's desk and quickly went to the
decanter and poured a brandy; returning and giving it to the BBG who had
recovered to a form of coughing hiccups by that time. He was able to down
the brandy with only a slight spill-age when one such hic-cough came on
mid-gulp.
Alan withdrew a handkerchief and dabbed the spilled brandy from the BBG's
tunic while saying in a soothing tone, "Am I to understand it Sir that you
are intending to call Brigadier de Mylcandonai out on a matter of honor?"
The old BBG, now somewhat recovered exclaimed, "Mon Dieu look at me Alan!
Although it is a smashing good sport of you to offer me first call."
He patted Alan on the shoulder while pausing to gaze affectionately into
his eyes until interrupted by a hic-cough.
"Then what are you saying exactly Sir?", asked Alan in a puzzled tone.
"I called you here to give my blessings for you to call out the cad!",
exclaimed the BBG as he fell back into another fit of hic-coughs.
"Blessings?", Alan murmured in almost a whisper.
Alan began to think that if the BBG had been correct, the night before, in
saying that victory is gained by surprise; then de Mylcandonai already had
the upper hand. Soon after that thought began to loop in his mind Alan
imagined he heard a buzzing in his ears. He also noted that he was
becoming uncomfortably hot.
[ OOC: Will our hero survive the dangers of an aggressive campaign in
order to lay a challenge against Brigadier de Mylcandonai? Stay
tuned for the next episode of "Somewhere at The Front. ;) ]
