Disgraced
Copyright© 2025 by Ogreface
Chapter 25: Five Months after the Wedding
“This program is much more challenging that I thought it would be,” Craig commented as he, Dane, and two other marine candidate officers got onto the rail shuttle at the university. “Much more enjoyable than business management anyway.”
They just finished the final exam of their first semester of their Strategic Studies degree, so Dane invited Craig to go celebrate their first semester at the officers’ club in the marine base. Normally Dane would have hanged around until Nanette and Aida were ready to leave for home as well, but they finished their projects and exams the day before and were done for the semester.
To Dane’s and Craig’s surprise, the class consisted of the two of them, six marine candidate officers, and four navy ensigns. Craig was the only civilian in the class, besides the university lecturers. Dane was glad that his titles never became an issue. He was the highest ranking marine attending university and was also the youngest in the class.
“This is a new program, I wonder why they started training new officers this way?” Candidate Officer Gavin Hart, classmate and second son of a baron, asked.
“Because Grendel is doing it,” Dane said. “The Grendel Marine Corps officers all have degrees by the time they get commissioned. The Grendel marines are also the best trained marines in the cluster. Then there is something somebody said to me. ‘Officers are all leaders of men. You cannot train a person to become a leader, you can only identify a person as a leader and then train him to be a better leader.’ The initial officers’ training program is where they identify potential leaders, now they are training us to become better at leading.”
“My sire actually considered sending me to Grendel to attend their program,” Candidate officer Aaron Gardener, the second son of Viscount Westfield of Ashland, and fellow class-mate added. “Then I got offered to take part in this program.”
“What are you doing over the break?” Craig asked Dane.
“We are supposed to do a special weapons course,” Gardener said.
“Except I already did that,” Gavin Hart said. “I’m sure you would be doing something a lot more exciting, Captain,” he said to Dane. Dane was not really the class leader but all the candidate officers treated him like the official class leader.
“I might be going on a trip, something to do with the rangers,” Dane said. He had some early warning that he might be going somewhere on official ranger business but no details were given yet.
“Lucky bastard,” Craig muttered.
“Hey, my parents were officially married when I was conceived, or so I was told,” Dane responded with a smirk.
“I’m not sure about the luck part,” Gardener said. “Looking at the decorations of Captain Galan’s chest, it is obvious that not all marines are cut out to be rangers.”
“I would love to become a ranger,” Hart said.
The four had just settled at a table in the officers’ club when Major Gallagher walked in and joined them after getting himself a beer. All of them except Craig jumped to their feet but the major beat them when he saluted Dane first.
“How was your exams?” the major asked. Dane thought the exams were fair. The two candidate officers were suddenly tongue-tied to suddenly find themselves in the presence of the commander of the Marine Ranger Command, so the major asked Craig about his opinion as a civilian.
“Much more interesting than the business management program I started off with first,” Craig replied. “Even the math makes more sense. I just wish I could also take part in some marine-related activities outside of class.”
“Sorry, your brother will never allow it,” the major said. From the confused looks on the faces of the two candidate officers, Dane realized that while the military students accepted Craig as a civilian in a military class, they had no idea who he really was. “Nothing stops you from asking Captain Galan if you can tag along with him over the next three months. He cannot take part in real ranger operations either.”
“I can always ask my dear brother to make you take me along,” Craig said to Dane.
“When do I leave?” Dane asked the major.
“We..., leave in three days’ time,” Gallagher responded. “Sergeant Rogers is starting a new ranger orientation program tomorrow. Ask him to give Mister Cosgrove a test run. Not enough to break him, just enough to get him to change his mind about being a ranger.”
“Captain, can I also be considered for this test run?” Hart asked with a pleading look.
“The two of you will have to be on the PE field before sunrise, and be prepared for the worst day of your life.” Dane said.
“I’m curious to see if being a university student has made you soft, My Lord,” Sgt Rogers commented the next morning when Dane and Craig arrived at the PE field. The field was mostly used as a soccer field but not at that time of the day.
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