Chapter 9

John took himself back to the testing site, and found the ladies were now testing the laggards who had not turned up yesterday. Uniformly, these people performed badly at both tests, as John had expected.

Once John was assured that the ladies were conducting the tests efficiently, he excused himself to make an enquiry. Before thinking of approaching Sergeant Henrison, he first phoned Colonel Kempe to be on the safe side.

“Colonel,” he asked when he got through, “May I interview Sergeant Robert Henrison, with a possible view to appointment as our physical fitness instructor?”

“Henrison? Oh, yes: the sergeant. He was doing a job yesterday. Why him, Major?”

“He performed best in our tests, so is qualified that way. Our database says he was a Recruit Instructor with the Australian Army, which bodes well, but I need to establish why he left that post.”

“Ah, I think I can help you with that one, Major. I have standing orders for details of military applicants for the colony to be passed to me for vetting. Sergeant Henrison gave up his position after two of the recruits he was training were killed in an exercise. The deaths were the result of incompetence at a higher level, but it had been covered up. He could not continue to work under such men, particularly if their clear failings were being ignored. I found him quite acceptable for the colony and my department.”

“In that case, Colonel, I shall be recommending him for the post of chief fitness instructor for your service, with a possible promotion if you feel that is warranted.”

“Thank you, Major. I shall take your recommendation under advisement. Your observation is an accurate one, I believe.”

“Thank you, ma’am, sir. Permission to dismiss?”

“Dismissed, Major.”

John, though still on the phone, drew himself to attention, declared, “Aye, Aye, sir,” and cut the connection.

Returning to the testing site, he found the women arguing. He asked what was the problem. Elizabeth explained, “I said the two girls didn’t need to be tested, as they were not Security staff, but they think they should be tested.”

John turned his gaze on Jane and Caroline. “Right, girls. Explain your reasoning, please.”

Jane spoke for both. “Sir, we would like to join the Security Department, so we would have to take the test later, so why not now?”

John looked at Elizabeth and asked, “Well, love?”

“I was just trying to save them unnecessary stress, if they don’t get in, John. They are a pair of bull-headed girls.”

John smiled as he looked back at the two. “Well, they are belligerent enough to be possible recruits, and I for one would love to see them in a hole, all sweaty and sticky. Their clothes would be sticking to them, showing off their female attributes. Yes, I fancy that!”

He leered at the two observers, really in jest, but interested to see how they would take this. Caroline grabbed the spade and set to, in the nearest square metre. She was clearly up for it. Elizabeth automatically started her timer.

Jane was more hesitant, until Catherine said, “He will want to see my body in the same way, Jane, and I won’t even be Security department staff. Mind you, he is going to marry me, so I am fine with his eyes on me.”

“Well, he is not going to marry me. I have a man of my own ... but what the heck!”

She took up the other nearby spade, and started on another square. “Catherine, remember to time me.”

Catherine did so, and they watched as both girls got down and dirty. John observed with interest, and was pleasantly surprised at how well both girls were digging. He went over to the target shooting, and made sure there were two rifles loaded ready to fire.

Once both girls had done both tests and headed off to the showers, John told Catherine, “Now it is your turn, my love. Elizabeth will time you. Then Elizabeth will do her stint, and I will time her. Kathleen will have to wait until the archery equipment gets here.”

These test done, John went looking for Sergeant Henrison. Admin told him where he was supposed to be; in charge of a training session; they were unable to state what the subject was.

John nodded at this: he approved, so asked when the session was scheduled to end. Getting that information, he set the alarm in his phone to alert him ten minutes prior to that time. He returned to his girl watching, but found that he was too late. Elizabeth and Catherine had finished their digging and had done their target shooting. Kathleen was working with the recorded data. He recalled what he had said before, and asked Elizabeth, “You didn’t wait for me, my love?”

Elizabeth informed him, “You, my darling, were not back in time, so I got Kathleen to time me and score my shooting. You will have to pay closer attention to the job next time, if you want to see me sweating and panting!”

He chuckled at the thought. “I am looking forward to seeing you panting and sweaty, Elizabeth: tonight, perhaps?”

She looked at him coyly. “We shall see. Catherine may claim you tonight instead.”

He raised his eyebrows. “Not both of you together?”

Elizabeth laughed gently. “You ARE a randy bugger, John. You can’t wait until our wedding night to fuck us both together?”

“Well, it is a while since I had that pleasure. You have been insisting on turn about, despite my inclinations for a threesome.”

“You will get a threesome on our wedding night, my darling: be sure of that. It is only a few days to wait.”

“Wow!” came an exclamation from Kathleen. “You three are so turned-on. The sooner you get married the better!”

John laughed. “Just wait, Kathleen. Once you have your pelvis back to normal, you can seek out a man for yourself, and have fun.”

Kathleen turned away, so that he did not see her reaction, but Elizabeth was fully aware of what Kathleen was feeling, and went to her, putting her arm round the girl in a sympathetic gesture.

John finally noticed that all was not well, and spoke to Catherine. “Catherine, did I say something wrong? I am at a loss as to what to say or do, love.”

Catherine patted his arm, saying, “Darling, men are not be observant when it comes to women; and you are no different. Let it go for the present, and I will explain later, when the time is appropriate.”

John looked puzzled by her words, then shrugged. “Okay, darling. I will do as you say. Is it safe to thank everyone for their help?”

“Yes, dear. Do not go to Jane and Caroline until they have come out of the showers, but you can thank us three.”

“Fine.” He raised his voice. “Elizabeth, Kathleen, Catherine; thank you for your assistance with the observing tasks. You made the whole process relatively easy. All that is left is to compare the results, to see who needs extra fitness training, and how much. I have already decided who I would like to take responsibility for that training. As soon as I can see him, I want to get him appointed.”

As he spoke, Catherine noticed the two girls leaving the showers. Catching the eye of one, she waved to indicate they should come back. The girl waved her arm in acknowledgment, and the two were quickly on their way.

John welcomed them with a smile of gratitude. “Girls, I could not let you go without my thanks for the excellent work you put in today and yesterday. If you need any recommendation to go with your application to the Security Department, just give them my name. I will support your request. Thank you again.”

John expected both to be delighted, but was shocked when Jane went white, and burst into tears. He turned to Catherine and said, despairingly, “What have I said wrong this time?”

Catherine was mystified, and said to the girl, “Jane, what is the matter? Did John say something bad?”

Jane faced her, in tears, and said, “No. He was being terribly nice in thanking us, yet I cheated!”

John was flabbergasted. “Cheated? In what way?”

“I gave my boyfriend a better score than he should have got. I thought I should help him, but in doing so, I have let you down.”

John asked her, “Was he the reason you wanted to join the security department?”

“Yes. He got here two months ago, but I could not come until I worked my month’s notice. I know now I should not have altered his score.”

Elizabeth intervened. “How much of a change did you make to his results, Jane?”

“I moved his dig time to an extra minute, and gave his shooting results one extra ring for each shot. I am so sorry, Elizabeth.”

John laid his hand on her arm, and said slowly, “We haven’t finalised all our results yet, Jane. Why don’t we simply alter his results back to being more accurate? If it means a bit more work on his fitness, then let him do that. Making it easy for him is not a good long-term help for him, Jane. You should want your man to be fit and healthy. We will ignore what you did, as it has now no effect at all. You are forgiven, and my thanks still stand. We did indeed like the work you did, girl.”

She brightened up. “Thanks, John. No wonder Elizabeth and Catherine love you. You have high standards of behaviour, and expect others to follow these standards. I’ll make sure Tom and I work on a similar basis when we get married.”

John was about to speak again when his phone sounded. He checked it and discovered it was his alarm. “Damn. I have to get to my next appointment. Excuse me, girls. Catherine, Elizabeth, I’ll phone you once I know what’s what. Bye.”

He hurried off to where he hoped to meet Sergeant Henrison in less than ten minutes. The man was instructing at a training session of some kind. John hoped it hadn’t finished early, or he might miss his man.

He arrived at the single-storey building as the participants were streaming out. There appeared to be quite a lot, and John wondered what they had been learning. He waited until the stream of people slowed to a trickle, then slipped inside.

One of the students was asking questions, and the instructor gestured towards the man’s neck with a twisting action. John found himself nodding: an unarmed combat class. He waited until the student left, and the instructor looked at John curiously.

John said, “Twisting? Straight to the throat is more effective.”

The Instructor nodded, saying, “He wanted to know about non-lethal options. What you are talking about is potentially lethal, done the right way. You know about this ... major?”

“Yes. SAS – British, not Australian. I was a sergeant at the time.”

“Nothing I can teach you, then. Didn’t I see you this morning?”

“You did, at the fitness test. You came out on top.”

His eyebrows rose. “I did?”

“You did, and as a result I want to offer you the post of chief fitness instructor for the department. The Colonel has approved me asking you.”

“Hmm ... Does it come with a promotion?”

“No idea. That is up to the Colonel, not me.”

“Conditions?”

“You get a free hand. We pass on the results of our tests over the last two days, and we want to see all-round improvements, so that all staff have a basic fitness that allows them to take part in any action we have to take; even if they normally ride a desk.”

“Good principle, if it can be implemented.”

“I want it implemented. The Colonel wants it implemented. It will be implemented. No-one will be allowed excuses, men or women, at all levels of rank. Suit you?”