“They’re pulling back? The observer pulled down his binoculars, “The Hell?”

Johnson swept over the battlefield with her scope, “Lot’s of bodies, Destroyed vehicles, Everyone who isn’t is pulling behind the hill… There’s someone coming back over with a white flag.”

Shouts of “Hold your Fire” came up from the front line.

Evans could see a few runners sprinting back from Captain Gates’ house. One runner went to the church and shouted up, “Sergeant Evans! Captain Gates Requests Your Presence!”

Evans quickly climbed down the ladder and walked to the runner. She was an unfamiliar Private from the 127th who looked kind of young. He said, “I am Sergeant Evans.”

The Private blushed, “Oh wow, I can’t believe I’m meeting The Sergeant Evans. Is it true you’ve killed 20 Vledscan soldiers with your bare hands?”

Ignoring the question, Evans said, “Let’s go kid. What’s your name?”

“Private Bessie Gibson of Red Sands. I’ve read about all your adventures.”

He started to walk to Captain Gates’ house, “A lot of those stories are wrong kid. I’m not some mythic hero. I’m just a guy from Halton.”

“But some of them are true?” Gibson took off after Evans, “Did you really escape from a Vledscan Prison Camp? Did you really save the Duchess Medway from an exploding ship?”

“It was just sinking, not exploding. It was sinking because of explosions though.”

“So you still swam her to safety?”

“Swam not so much. I can’t swim and, in fact, am terrified of water. But she had a broken leg, so I grabbed her and flailed as much as I could.”

“So you faced your worst fears to save the divine beauty of Her Grace?”

Evans rolled his eyes, “Sure. Divine Beauty.”

Gibson whispered, “So are the rumors of you and Her Grace true?”

“I’m currently married to the most beautiful woman I have ever seen, who is the only woman I have ever been with, and the only woman I will ever be with,” Evans pointed to the building, “We’re here Gibson.”

“Oh, wow.”

The two walked in, Captain Gates was finishing up a meeting with Major Sutcliffe and Lieutenant Welch. The Captain finished up with the two officers before coming over to Evans, “Good to see you’re still with us Sergeant. Sergeant Major Gabriel took a bad hit, so you are going to act as my temporary Sergeant Major. Gibson, you’re going to carry the white flag and act as escort.”

“Major Sutcliffe isn’t going to go Sir?”

“No, Major Sutcliffe, Lieutenant Welch, and I agreed that since I have been acting as officer in charge and have the most full knowledge of the tactical situation, that I should be the one to negotiate,” Captain Gates pointed to Gibson, “Get a rifle, fix the bayonet, and tie some white cloth to it.”

“So what are you going to negotiate Captain?”

“Hopefully a ceasefire to deal with the wounded.”