After all the recruitment papers are given in, everybody is asked to return to the booth the next day, where the recruiter will assemble squads. -------The Next Day--------- Hunter stood in the huge crowd of people by the pier, once again examining the Fifth Echelon ships. The mercenaries were not given barracks big enough to use, so the majority of the ships weren't even docked at the pier, but anchored a bit farther away. The Fifth Echelon soldiers on those boats were leaning against the railing, looking at the new batch of mercenaries that are about to be recruited in. A different recruiter, this one actually has an arm, stood up on a large wooden crate, holding a book of parchment in his hands. “OKAY! Listen up you ugly bastards; I’m going to start listing the squads. The first person listed will be the Sergeant; he will receive the Fifth Echelon sigil pins that he must hand out to his squad. As I say your name, you come up to this side of the wooden crate, and meet with your Sergeant. Once I start naming another squad, I don’t want to see you by the wooden crate! We are leaving the city tonight, meaning we are meeting here in a bell (a bell is an hour, half a bell is thirty minutes, etc..) in order to get everyone on the ships.” He starts listing the companies and squads, until he gets to… “2nd LEGION, 5TH COMPANY, 9TH MARINE SQUAD! Sergeant of this squad will be Fyn Hunter” Hunter shook his head as he began approaching the wooden crate. He gave up on leading men, never again does he want to live through seeing his men butchered. “I’m sorry, I can’t take that title in the squad,” started Hunter as he got to the wooden crate. “We don’t care what you think, [I]SERGEANT[/I], you are what we say you are. Its either that or I’m ripping this contract up…” Hunter scratched his blonde beard. [I]I need this contract… I don’t have enough coin to last for more than a week in this city. But Oponn’s luck, to be given a Marine squad… It seems like a fateful coincidence. [/I] After some thought he quickly nodded his head and took the twelve sigils. Eleven crescents, and a twelfth crescent which was ‘thicker.’ Hunter assumes Fifth Elechon ranks go by how close the sigil is to a full moon, the fuller the moon the higher the rank of the officer. He clipped the thicker one onto the chest of his dark leather armor. “NOW, YOUR SQUAD, 2nd LEGION, 5th COMPANY, 9th consists of the following soldiers - Merek Harclay, Zyre le Maitr, Iver Magsin, Jayda Wolf, Viktor, Sean Uidhir, Xavier Hawthorne, Tal Etai, Cynric, Ana Valerius, Acele Gvene” Hunter took a look at the group of men and women making their way to the crate. [I]Damn tough looking squad… For sure. Those two got the look of heavies… Oh and that one HAS to be a sapper, just look at her! She’s probably strapped with a cusser already. [/I] The Sergeant accosted the squad as all eleven were at the crate. “We have a bell until we have to be back here… You heard what the recruiter said, we can’t stand and loiter here, so let’s head to the tavern not far from here.” _____________________________ The tavern keeper quickly cleared a large table for the marines, (although we have different roles in the squad, since we are a marine squad we can collectively be called marines) and per Hunter’s instruction brought in several huge jugs of ale. The sergeant put the eleven sigil pins on the middle of the table, only now noticing that some of them still had dried blood on them. These were definitely taken from the dead bodies from the last engagement the Fifth Echelon took part in… “Hood’s arse… They could’ve at least washed them... Anyway, these are going to be your sigils, each one of you should pick one up.” Hunter sat down at the head of the table, and looked at his squad one more time, left to right. “I am Fyn Hunter. I’m guessing that’s Sergeant Hunter now. If you’re not happy about that, guess what? Neither am I.” Hunter picked up one of the ale jugs and began pouring himself a hefty amount. “ I fought in the Jadelyn War, was Captain in the Jadelyn 1st Army. To make the long story short, times change, coups take place, some woman decided she wants to be an Empress, and so now I’m sitting before you in this shitty establishment and half assed predicament. The 1st Army began this marine unit organization, and it’s something I have experience with. Let’s work together, cover each other backs, listen to my advice, and maybe, [i]just maybe[/i], we’ll all get out of this alive.” The Sergeant picked up his mug of ale and began chugging it down, finishing the whole thing before looking back up at his squad. “Now, how about each one you introduce themselves. Ya know, what you’re good at? Why you’re here? Who you are?”