A Time to Blossom

Chapter 16. The lie of the green....

Incoming call. Swipe up to answer

“Hi, Natters, how are you? Fall out of bed or something? It must be way early there.”

“Hi, Boots. I saw you online, thought I’d call. You at lunch? I’m just checking the washroom’s tidy here, everyone has just finished showering and is getting ready to head over to breakfast. I’ll only be a minute or two, just wanted to hear your voice again.”

“Maybe I should send you a recording, Nat.”

“Smart-ass. What you doing at school today?”

“Maths next, then geography and finishing with English Lit. – “Wuthering Heights.” Emily Bronte has a lot to answer for. I’d rather be doing something interesting. Then an hour at the garage before I go home. Loads of stuff to re-arrange on the shelves there. What you up to?”

“Economics, business studies, history and then sciences. Loads of stuff afterwards too. Got to get the guys sorted with their exam timetables, and driving licence applications, then we’re preparing for sports on Wednesday. Final preparations on Wednesday for our first golf match next week. And we also have to think about how we’re going to stay ahead in MilSkills. We have quite a lead but we’re not unbeatable yet. The syllabus this semester for MilSkills is patrolling and basic reconnaissance.”

“I can help you there, Nat. We do that stuff all the time in cadets. If you like, I can drop you an email with some ideas. I’ve got an idea too about how you can show off your drill at the end of semester when you have the Open Day and Prizegiving for parents to attend.”

“That’s be great, Boots. Can we chat later, maybe tonight, or tomorrow night? Just before you go to bed, when it’s tea here?”

* * *

Travis led the way back down the corridor and into the dorm after tea, kicking the door wide open and allowing Shane to dive through it, roll across the floor and spring into position behind his bed on the far side of the room.

“Room covered, one occupant,” yelled Shane as Will and Noah surged in, followed by Travis.

“Tactical entry, Nat,” smirked Travis, “You wouldn’t have stood a chance. Oh, and we brought you a pastry. Noah, pastry for the sergeant.”

Noah stepped forward and carried a cup of coffee and a paper bag to Nat, placing them on the admin desk.

“Thanks, Noah.”

Nat slipped the lid off his coffee and took a sip as Shane scrambled back to his feet and the rest of the guys headed towards their own bedspaces ready to begin private study.

Nat looked up at them conspiratorially. “Anyone actually need to start on their worksheets right away, or can you give me a half hour to discuss something important?”

The guys exchanged glances and Travis spoke for them all. “No, we’re good, aren’t we guys? Everybody is already ahead on private study this week. What you got for us, Nat?”

“Just a couple of things. A bit of boring admin first though. I was in the office earlier and Mrs Woodleigh was just opening the mail. The Sheriff’s Department has sent through the application forms for Learner Permits to the Car Club ready for the start of this summer’s ‘Teen Driver’ program. I guessed you might all like one so I brough a handful over. They’re on the desk here, grab one later and fill it in if you want to take part and learn to drive. It’s on private property, the College grounds, so you can start this semester on Saturday mornings as part of Car Club rather than waiting until you’re 16.  The time you put in will count towards your 65-hour tuition requirements, and you can get the eye test and medical forms done by the college doctor. You’ve all done the HUMVEE snow driving with Sergeant Anders so I’ll try and twist the Sheriff’s arm and get them to count that as your bad weather tuition.”

“Nat,” began Travis.

“No, Travis, having an ox-cart licence in Dakota doesn’t exempt you here in civilisation. I checked. You have to do the full course.”

“Okay, Nat.”

“Nice try,” smiled Shane.

“Next year, when I’m a sophomore, I’ll be getting a truck, maybe just like Kyle’s,” said Travis. “What are you getting, Will?”

“I was thinking of an electric car, maybe a Prius. They’re the future.”

“Electric? No chance. Can’t beat cubic inches. A V8 big block running premium gas will always beat out a few volts. How about you, Shane?”

Shane smiled. “I was thinking of maybe just a small car like the deputies were recommending at their Parents’ Day display. I’ll only need something small, just to go into town in. It doesn’t need to be powerful. Ed and Mary have said I can have a car and Kyle will help me choose something sensible.”

Nat smiled, allowing the guys to talk enthusiastically in anticipation of their acquisitions, then turned to Noah. “How about you, Noah? Given any thought as to what car you might like?”

Noah nodded, then said quietly. “I already have one, Nat. My pop sourced it for me. A vintage VW Beetle convertible from California, pristine condition. Powder blue with white leather. It’s in storage until I pass my test.”

Nat smiled, then called the guys to order. “Okay guys, that’s the boring admin out of the way, sorry to have to bother you with the tedium of more form filling later. Now we can get on to the important stuff. Whilst you were all at tea, I was chatting to Craig. He’s got some ideas for us about Milskills. Make sure we win. Want to hear them?”

* * *

At lunchtime the next day, Wednesday, the guys were working in over-drive. Nat had arranged for a mini-bus and driver to be available for them and as soon as morning classes were over Will, Travis and Noah were loading computer and radio equipment onto it when everyone else was at lunch or preparing for sports afternoon. They were soon joined by PFCs Hawke and Kier who had once again been called in to assist. Shane appeared a few minutes later with the selected players who would form the squad from which he and Nathan would choose their first team that afternoon.  Just as the last equipment was loaded, Nathan appeared, seemingly from nowhere.

“That’s good, Travis. Everything sorted? Okay, gather round guys. First, thanks to all of you who have given up your usual sports to help out today. It’s really appreciated. I know you’re missing lunch too, but Shane has some food arranged for you all at the Country Club, testing out the catering we’ll be providing next week for the guest team at the match. That right, Shane?”

Shane nodded. “Yes. I’ve arranged for a light lunch to be waiting for us, just like the visiting team will get next week. It’s Cornish pasties, like they have in England, along with fries and a side of salad or coleslaw. Let me know what you think of it or if we need to do something different next week. Once our training match is over, we’ll have dinner at the club, just like we will with the visitors will next week. The food there is good, I’ve been there before.”

“Once we get to the Allegheny Heights, I want everyone to give a hand carrying the kit in to the room designated for Will’s scorers and liaison team. The sooner that is done, the faster you can get your lunch. After lunch, Will and his team will set up ready to do the scoring and all the potential players will follow Shane down to the club pro’s range for some tuition. The plan is that we are all ready to tee off at 14:30. Got that?”

“Got that’” everyone chorused.

“Sometime around 14:00, Captain Davis and some of the officer cadets who will be acting as hosts next week will arrive. Shane will bring them down to the first tee, go through the actions of introducing them to the visiting team and then we’ll have a line up practice for some pictures as if KWT-TV are here. They’re going to try and feature us throughout the day when we have the proper match next week on some of their bulletins so everybody needs to be totally alert and making a good impression. After Jackson tees off at 14:30, you’ll all go round in your pairs, me and Shane leading, and get a practice round under your belts on the course. Will and his team will be monitoring and keeping track of scores, feeding them back, running a leader board. After everyone is finished we’ll have a de-briefing session and pick the team for next week. Any questions?”

Travis glanced quickly at his watch and said “No, Nat, we’re good to go. No time to waste if we are to get to the golf club, unpack, set up and be ready on time. I can fill people in on the way if they have questions.”

“Okay everyone, you heard the Corporal. Mount up and move out. Shane, you can come with me in Lemon Steroids and we can refine stuff on the way. Noah, you can go with Travis and Will on the bus or, if you don’t mind squashing into the back seat of Lemon Steroids, you can come with us too and we can go over what we’re going to put to Jackson about Milskills later.”

Noah smiled and headed towards Lemon Steroids.

* * *

“This food’s good, Shane, you did well organising it. I like these pastry things. Kind of like pie that you hold.”

“Pasties, Riley. They are Cornish pasties, not pastries. They’re English. Designed so you don’t get arsenic poisoning if you are mining tin.”

“This is a nice place, Shane. You and Nat did well to find it and talk Jackson into negotiating a deal for us to use it.  It’s a Masters’ Course. Did you see those photos and medals in the lounge?”

“It’s owned by the Bauers, Carter,” someone else chimed in. “I guess Nat was really behind it all. Jackson just did the figurehead stuff.”

“It’s as good as the Country Club my folks use back home. Have you seen the menus for dinner tonight? And they have cabins down by the lake too.  I think there’s some kind of agreement in place that the golf team can come here and use the facilities at weekends. You know Bauer better than I do, ask him about it later. It could be a great place to come.”

Nathan kept to one side, listening in to the comments and issuing a steady stream of instructions through Travis. Though Travis was outranked by many of the potential players present, his quiet but growing authority ensured people listened to him and, in any case, everyone knew that if they caused problems to Travis their chances of making it on to the team would diminish. Sergeant Bauer was noticeably loyal to and protective of his guys.

A few minutes later Shane moved quickly over to Nathan. “Nat, Jackson and the officers have arrived early. There’s about half a dozen cars just pulling up out front. They must have rushed lunch at college and come straight here.”

“No problem, Shane, we can cope. Go out to reception and escort them through. In fact, take them through to my pop’s private dining room. We’ll bring their briefing forward. One of the staff on reception will show you the way. I’ll meet you there. Let Travis know, and get him to step everything up a gear, especially with Will and his team running the scoring and backroom stuff. Everybody else can carry on with lunch.”

“Got that, Nat.”

* * *

“Looks pretty much as though you have everything here running like clockwork, Bauer,” said Jackson as Nat, followed by Noah, entered the club’s private dining room. Around Jackson the other officer cadets, for whom this was their first visit, were busy taking in the pictures adorning the walls.  Famous players, celebrities. A president or two, all shaking hands with the Bauer dynasty over the years.

“Yes, Captain,” said Nat formally. “As you know, perfect preparation prevents piss poor performance. My guys should get the credit though, not me. They’ve been working on this for weeks.”

Jackson smiled. “I’m sure they have. And it shows. Give them my compliments.”

Nat smiled at Shane. “You can leave us now, start assembling the players and leading them down to the practice green near the pro’s shop. We’ll join you in about an hour to run through the formal tee off practice and get the selection match underway.”

As Shane left, Nat turned to Jackson and smiled. “As you’re a little early, and brought most of the officer cadets who this will concern with you, maybe I can put an idea to you. It’s about Prize Giving Day at the end of semester. Maybe we can make it extra special this year, particularly if you are going to lead us to a Golden Year…”

A flicker of a smile crossed Jackson’s face but was quickly supressed. “Go on, Nat, I’m interested…”

Nat turned and nodded to Noah who smiled and reached over to a concealed control panel, pressed a button. The lights dimmed a little and on the wall at the head of the dining table a reflective screen unrolled from behind one of the roof beams. At the opposite end of the room a light flickered as a projector burst into life.

Nat paused a moment for effect then spoke. “Please, take a seat around the table gentlemen. AFC Noah Mason has put some slides together for me to talk you through our ideas. It’s just a bare outline at the moment, so we won’t keep you long, but we’d like your input and Captain Davis’s approval to take things forward. Noah, first slide.”

The first slide on the screen showed a photo of the college, looking across the playing fields towards the chapel at the top of the hill.

“No need to tell you what you’re seeing, gentlemen. Normally at the end of each year on Prize Giving Day, parents sit in the sporting grandstand to watch us all parade down the hill from chapel and form up in ranks, year by year, in front of them. The Artillery Detachment fire their cannon. The Commandant makes a speech, the Captain of Cadets makes a speech, one of the Governors makes a speech. The prizes are awarded and then everyone is dismissed and the school year ends. Everybody goes to the dining room and then that’s it. All over. But, and I know it’s still very much unknown at this stage, if this turns out to be a Golden Year, we ought to do something more. Make it a year to remember.”

Jackson smiled. “I take it you have an idea?”

Nat nodded and Noah advanced to the next slide. It showed the same scene, but this time drawn. Several ranks of cadets stood on the field at the bottom of the hill, drawn up in line abreast facing up to the chapel. A figure sat on horseback behind them.

“Imagine this,” said Nat. “A staging of a Civil War battle. The freshmen, in their blue working dress, march on and form up in ranks. Their officer sits behind them on horseback. He’s been instructed to hold the ground at all costs.”

“They’d look like Union troops” came a voice from the rear of the room.

“The officer,” said Nat, looking directly at Jackson, “Needs to know where the enemy are, where they will approach from, how many of them there will be. He sends out his recce troops.”

Noah advanced the slides to show several horsemen racing up the hill towards the chapel.

“While the recce troops go searching, the officer marshals his men. Moves them into position. That allows the freshmen to show their skill at drill to the parents and Governors. Suddenly, the recce troop return, racing down the hill. They’ve seen the enemy advancing. As they report in, the enemy appear up by the chapel, all in their ceremonial grey uniforms. The sophomores, the juniors, the seniors. Column upon column, outnumbering the freshmen three to one. Marching relentlessly forward. Their officer out in front. Other officers commanding each column, and each cadre within the columns.”

“Confederates, in grey,” said someone enthusiastically as the slides advanced to show the columns snaking down the hill.

“The columns are marshalled, form three lines abreast ready to charge the Union troops. Lots of good drill to show off to the parents. Things look hopeless for the Union force.”

Noah advanced the slide.

“The Union commander pushes the two wings of his formation forward, aligns them with the centre, wheels them around. Reveals the Artillery Detachment hidden to the flank with their cannon.  It’s a cunning trap. The cannon blazes. The Confederate ranks are thrown into confusion and disarray as the cannon scythes them down with enfilade fire. They are forced to retreat as the brave Union force wins the day by superior tactics and firepower.”

A babble of excitement broke out around the table.

“It’s an idea.”

“Would look good.”

“Can we pull it off though? All that drill.”

Nat paused. “The freshman year can. My guys can make sure of that. Assign one to each of the dorms and get them well practiced. You saw them master silent drill. The real question is whether you can drill and command your own detachments. Can the sophomores, juniors and seniors match up?”

“Of course we can!”

“Goes without saying.”

“My detachment can out-drill any other.”

Jackson smirked at Nat, realised Nat had the officer cadets starting to back him.  “Interesting idea, Bauer. Certainly with merit. I think we can consider it. Flesh out the plan. Let’s talk about it in detail later. Maybe tomorrow evening after dinner back at college.”

Nat smiled. “That’s only half the plan. If you can spare the time, Captain, how about you stay here with me and my team for an hour after dinner tonight, let us brief you on the second half. Then you can put it to the officers later in the week when you have had time to think it over, refine it, add your own insight and ideas. But now it’s time to go and run through the golf practice ready for next week. Thank you for your time.”

Noah pressed another button, the lights came back to full and the screen furled away.

“Thanks again, gentlemen,” said Nathan. “Your time was appreciated. Captain, with your permission, I’ll go to the golf while you and the officers talk things over.”

* * *

After the golf practice, and then dinner in the Members’ Dining Room, it was time for most of the cadets to head back to college. As the minibus and the officer cadets’ cars disappeared down the driveway, Nathan led Jackson and the guys from the dorm back inside the club. Travis spoke. “Hawke and Kier will stow the unneeded kit back in our dorm, Nat, and we can return it to stores again sometime tomorrow. You can rely on them.”

“Thanks, Travis. Well organised. Now, Jackson, we’ve got a couple of options. We can either retire to the private dining room to go over the selection of players, or we can sit out on the terrace, there’s a private spot where we won’t be overheard and it’s a nice evening, summer seems to be getting underway early this year. Any preference?”

“Sitting out on the terrace would be good,” said Jackson, “We may as well take advantage of the good weather. And I’m also interested in hearing about your ideas for the end of semester Prize Day.”

“That’s settled then,” said Nat, leading them through the club and out of a side door onto a decked terrace with a small private garden. “Take a seat round the table, someone will be here shortly with a menu for drinks and snacks.”

“I couldn’t eat another thing,” said Will, “That dinner was superb.”

“Yes, very good indeed,” said Jackson. “It’s certainly going to make a great impression on the schools that visit us. In fact, the whole afternoon has been very impressive. I know you were all probably working frantically in the background but from out front, the visitors’ perspective, it all seemed to be running perfectly. I’ll make sure the Commandant knows his faith in your ability to re-start the Golf Club was well founded. Those pasty things for the light lunch were good, Shane. An idea you brought back from your visit to the Tower of London last Christmas, I hear?”

Shane smiled and nodded but before he could say anything, Benson, the club’s maitre d’, appeared with a silver tray on which were two jugs of fruit juice, a coffee pot and an assortment of cups and glasses. “If you’d like anything else, gentlemen, just let me know.” As swiftly and silently as he’d appeared, Benson vanished.

“First of all,” said Nat, pouring Jackson and then himself a coffee before passing the pot to Travis, “Let’s sort the team for next week.  We’re going to need four pairs, plus a reserve player or two. Will?”

Will looked up eagerly and placed his iPad on the table. “I’ve got the score sheet. I think the first three pairs speak for themselves just from the scores returned. You and Shane as the first pair, Nat, with Riley and Connor as the second pair, then Sergeant Laquois and Lieutenant Deacon as the third pair. I don’t think anyone can argue with that. Then it gets interesting. There’s virtually nothing to separate the next half dozen players in terms of ability, they are all within a spread of three shots of each other. Which of them will perform best on the day is just as likely to be governed by chance as by skill.”

“They’re all reasonably good,” said Nat, mainly for Jackson’s benefit. “Their scores are not bad at all for this course. I think we can make the selection based on how we think they’ll face up to the pressure and represent the college; they all have decent playing skills. Jackson, any thoughts on that? Who do you think deserves a chance to play in our inaugural match? We’re looking for another pair, plus a couple of reserves.”

Jackson took the iPad Will handed over and looked down the list, studying it carefully. “Well, I agreed to let you and Shane do the selection, but if you are saying that any of these players Will has highlighted has the necessary skill level to command a place, then I guess we can bring other factors in consideration. As you say, their ability to handle pressure on the day may count just as much as pure skill, or they may have some other strength or characteristic that makes them suitable.”

Nat and Shane exchanged glances as Jackson screwed up his eyes in deep thought for a moment or two.

“What would you say to Lieutenant D’Olivera being paired with Sergeant Driscoll for the fourth pair? I know them both well, I think they have what it takes and it would be good to give them both a chance to play. Then for the reserve, maybe consider Lieutenant Koln?”

Nat nodded to Shane. “What do you think, Shane? Would you be happy with that, plus one more reserve? Or do you want to put a different group forward?”

“No, Nat, I can go with that. Maybe add Corporal Sumner as the other reserve? We’ve got some real strength in the first three pairs then, as Will says, the next half dozen are real close. I expect that for the invitation matches this semester they will all get rotated through the final pairing and get a chance to prove themselves. Then next year, when the current officer cadets will have left us, they can step up into a couple of places in the top three pairings and we can bring new blood into that second tier.”

Jackson passed the iPad back to Will and then turned to Shane. “Well Shane, if you don’t feel I’ve unduly favoured anyone, that seems a good selection. Nat?”

“I think we’re good on that selection, Jackson. We can type out the team list later tonight and Shane can post it over on the Club notice boards in the sports centre at morning break tomorrow.”

“Now, said Jackson, casually lifting his coffee cup and returning his attention to Nathan. “About the rest of that plan you have for Prize Day…?”