It had previously occurred to the army that placing over 30 teenage girls in the custody of army instructors could be an invitation for abuse, and indeed there had been what were referred to as incidents and there were rumours throughout the army of the goings on the block at night.

But so long as the girls in all these rumours were willing and the training and recruitment were not affected well the army wasn't going to risk the disruption that any investigation would cause, especially not in these times of decreasing recruitment

Being part of the training staff of a female platoon was not an enticing job for most male NCOs. The old adage applied wanting to do the job was the most obvious disqualification for it.

Tracey Smith was unaware of this; all she knew was that at 16 she wanted to get away, her parents had reluctantly signed the papers after some persuasion from her older brother home on leave from the infantry.

So with that she started her new life as a girl soldier in one of the few western armies that still recruited under 18's into the military. Getting off the bus at the army foundation college had her nerves in tatters, the shouting and screaming of the instructors didn't improve matters any.

Sergeant David Lewis nerves were also on edge, this was his 3rd female troop, the army had toyed with the idea of having an all female troop staff, but the notion that their had to be a strong infantry influence in the training of soldiers even those destined for non frontline roles was a strong one, and if you wanted a infantry soldier that meant a man.

Lewis had been something of a high flyer after only 7 years in the army he was a sergeant a rank that many good infantry men would often take twice as long to reach. Decorated with the military medal in Iraq he was also something of a celebrity in the training regiment. At 24 even his admirers thought him young for his rank, the parachute regiment had reluctantly given him a detached posting for 2 years so that he could gain administrative experience before he would return to take up his role as a platoon sergeant in the army's premier regiment.

The rest of the troop staff were a mixed bunch they were all from the logistics corps a group of people Lewis considered to be soldiers in name only. Corporal Lisa Hughes was a short stocky little blonde, and someone that seemed only too willing to live up to the blonde stereotype, lazy and bad tempered she was unsuited to any position of authority she was also easily led, Lewis had shagged her on his first night at the regiment in the corporals mess, ignoring her requests to take her to his room he had instead bent her over the pool table, she had been no trouble since and was keen to repeat the experience whenever Lewis felt like it, but so far he had refused to see her outside of work.

Corporal Lucy Taylor was different sort and someone that Lewis grudgingly respected an army decathlon champion, wide shoulder and brawny with cropped hair she was no beauty, but she at least had a dedication to her job, at times equally short tempered, she cared passionately for her job of instilling military values in teenage girls.

Then there was Corporal David Norris, Lewis considered Norris to be a friend so he owed the man some loyalty, he was also an experienced infantry soldier although a disenchanted one, at 36 he was counting the days until his pension. At times he still showed himself to a competent soldier and when he wanted he was able to impart that knowledge to the recruits.

Norris also found it hard to resist the allure of the recruits, with two previous intakes he had taken girls as a shag buddy, after Lewis had assessed that they were willing he had let it continue but with stern warnings to be discreet. Both girls had been among the poorer recruits, when he had discussed the girls with Taylor she had dismissed them simply as not being fit for any other use.

There had been another recruit achingly beautiful, and probably the best recruit Lewis had trained, Norris had become infatuated with her. Taylor had stepped forward forcefully and Lewis had backed her although the truth be told, Lewis too was attracted to her. After Lewis had declared her off limits Norris backed down and chose a more acceptable target. Taylor would later tell her the recruit had confessed to being a virgin. Lewis was proud that on marching out to receive the award for best recruit that her innocence was still intact, and that she would have the confidence to surrender her virginity on her own terms at a later stage in her life.

Then there was the final member of the troop staff first lieutenant Alice Jones. Before he had even met her, he had been comprehensively briefed on Lieutenant Jones by one of her classmates at Sandhurst who knew her intimately.

On The day of their first meeting Lieutenant Jones had been in an anxious state. She was under a cloud in the army at the present, and the renewal of her commission normally a formality was not certain even with her extensive family connections. She needed a good performance in her role as troop commander just to stay in the army.

The thought of having to impose her will on a decorated combat veteran, made her feel ill. Alice chosen path had been with the logistics corps and her only operational tour had been a disaster with her being sent home in disgrace. Para's were notorious as being hard to manage they prided themselves on it, and this Para was an army hero who had been feted at a special reception the night before at the officer's mess. She had not gone due to another engagement which had got her another in a constant line of rebukes from the Commanding Officer who Sang Sergeant Lewis's praises to her and made sure she knew how lucky she was to have him and how he hoped Lewis could improve her own poor performance at the Regiment so far.

It was essential that she make a good first impression on the man. She carefully rehearsed a speech and arranged her office layout to the maximum effect. She was standing behind her desk when she heard the knock.

"Come in" she said

Lewis marched in smartly and saluted as Alice reached out to shake hands "Good morning Ma'am Sergeant David Lewis"

"Good Morning Sergeant "Alice said cursing inwardly drawing her hand back and starting to salute herself

"You're not wearing any head dress ma'am" Lewis said calmly

'bugger bugger bugger' she said mentally, it was all going tits up straight from the beginning "excuse me Sergeant" she made herself come to attention which was the accepted form for returning a salute when no head dress was worn.

"May I sit down ma'am? " Lewis asked already in the process of doing so

Alice was completely flustered now and withdrew behind her desk. "So welcome to the Army Foundation College Sergeant I hope you will..."

"Yes ma'am I was given a comprehensive brief by the CO last night"

"Yes ahm okay so..." Alice was struggling to remember her prepared intro

"I met a friend of yours in Basra ma'am"

"Yes and who was that" Alice said curiously

"Hugh Barlow"

"Oh..." Alice blanched "and how... How is he?"

"Missing a leg" Lewis said simply "you did hear he was wounded didn't you"

"Yes I've been meaning to get in touch but I've been so..."

"Busy"

"Yes... busy" Alice's head was spinning it was all going wrong, Hugh Barlow fuck

"Do you know him well..." Alice asked

"Well familiarity between the ranks being discouraged and all that, he was my platoon commander. I got my Military Cross when he lost his leg; we shared a ward in the hospital"

"I'll write to him as soon as I get a chance "Alice said meekly

"Yeah... Well like I said he was pretty annoyed you didn't write, I'm not sure if he has reason to be. It's not as if you denied him anything when you were together. Is it?"

Alice felt sick; she couldn't look at Lewis anymore.

"anyway he wanted me to return something to you" Alice saw Lewis reach into his pocket and pull something out, it was only when he held it out in front of him that she realised what it was. A small black lace v-string with the words 'peek-a-boo' just about fitting onto the front panel, which Hugh Barlow had taken as a souvenir nearly a year and a half previously.

Alice started to panic, she couldn't form words, 'why had he done it' Lewis was right she had never denied Hugh Barlow anything, even if it left her feeling sore and humiliated. Even when...

"oh Jesus..." she whispered, even when he wanted to leave a small video camera running when they had sex, she only made the quietest of protests. She looked at Lewis again, he was expressionless. He had seen the videos she knew he had.

Lewis tossed the v sting on to the table, "I've never really been turned on by women wearing slutty underwear" He pointed at the offending garment on the table "but I have a hard time reconciling that, with that uniform you're wearing now"

"Look Sergeant..." Alice began

"Shut up, and stand up" Lewis said in a quite voice

"I won't let you..."

"Be quite you silly bitch and stand up..." In an even more severe voice

Alice obeyed instantly this time and then promptly started to cry

"I swear to Christ if you don't get a grip of yourself you'll be the first woman I've ever slapped."

Alice stopped "please..." she begged tears running down her face

Lewis knew she could shout at any time and half a dozen people would come running, he knew this had to be her choice

"Are you wearing knickers now" he asked

Alice looked at him blankly "of course" she stuttered, not realising that even in answering the question she had given herself away "I'm not a..."

"Like those" he said pointing at the table

"ahm no I. don't... ah" she was feeling confused and humiliated the tears were still flowing down her face.

"Show me"

"What... no" Alice was getting more and more scared "I want you to leave"

"Drop your trousers"

"Get out or ill scream"

"Drop your trousers or ill bend you over the desk and take them down myself"

"I'll scream... I'll..." she didn't know what she would do

"And whoever comes will find you bent over the desk" he said simply

"Look you have a choice to make in the next 5 seconds, drop your trousers, scream, or just stand there like an idiot and let me do it"