[b][u]Lieutenant Karras[/u][/b]

Milos nodded in understanding at the Captain's words, but up until now he had not quite considered himself a veteran. It was true that he was quick with a blade, accurate with a pistol, and possessed a sharp tactical mind, but the first half of his career was spent behind a desk and the second half he spent at a remote outpost in one of the far flung corners of the Empire, with little action aside from some unruly locals or the occasional skirmish with a band of brigands. This would be his first command over a platoon.

But despite this, he was not nervous. If anything, he was even more determined to prove himself worthy of his rank. During the voyage he had diligently studied training manuals and revisited books on military tactics.

After a respectful salute and a "yes sir", Milos walked out the door and made his way to the dorm.

-----

The next day, he walked down the line of soldiers that would be his new platoon, inspecting them closely. Most of them seemed to be fresh faced recruits, so it seemed that the Captain's assessment had been correct. He personally examined each man, pointing out any flaw no matter how minor or major, be they a slightly crooked helmet, a slouched stance, or a missing piece of equipment. Those first two flaws could be easily adjusted, but the last one would certainly be met with some sort of punishment later on.

Once he was satisfied, he returned to his position standing in front of them, with the Cornets by his side, and cleared his throat. "2nd Bandon!" He began, his voice loud and clear but carrying little emotion. "I am Lieutenant Karras, your commanding officer for the foreseeable future. Some of you lack experience, but that shall be remedied with enough time, experience, and training. I expect all of you to fulfill the standards and regulations of the Imperial army to the letter. I will not tolerate disloyalty or insubordination. Do I make myself clear?"

As the men let out a chorus of "yes sir!" that would inevitably follow such a question, Milos unrolled a piece of parchment and began reading: Omadon assignments. Cornet Konyx led 1st Omadon, and his squad included that peculiar Spaniard, Delgado. At first glance Konyx had not appeared to be overly charismatic, something that Delgado seemed to ooze. Cornet Leventis led 2nd Omadon - two men in particular stood out to Milos, one rather dour looking fellow named Danius, and another who appeared to be somewhat nervous but also deeply religious, with the name Speros. Only one man in Cornet Von Nyon's squad (3rd Omadon) stood out - his name was Ordo, and he seemed to be particularly loyal and devoted towards the officers, his salutes somehow more respectful than most. And on the list went. He would memorize most of the names eventually, but on that first meeting such a task was an impossibility.

Once they had been divided into squads, Milos allowed the Cornets a few moments to say their own words to their men, before dispensing with the formalities and getting right into training.

Milos led a rigorous training exercise, drilling his men by the book and coming down hard on failure or insubordination, just as he promised. At the same time, he would also take the time to acknowledge his men's successes, such as a particularly well-aimed shot or a hard-fought victory in the sparring ring, but he rarely offered more than a word or two, and he wore the same stern expression he had when he criticized them. In fact, that stern expression rarely left his face at all. He stopped directly inspecting the men after the first day, and instead turned that duty to the Cornets and NCOs, watching closely in case they missed anything.

The officers were not exempt from this regime. Most were newly commissioned, and Milos wanted to ensure they could hold their own in a conflict. However, he never had them directly spar with any of the enlisted men - it would not do if a lowly ranker realized he could best his superior officer in a fight. Instead, the Cornets sparred with each other.

He also kept an open ear to the senior NCO's advice. Having served in the Mamluk Rebellion, Ioannis was one of the most experienced men in the Bandon, and Milos would be a fool to ignore his advice based solely on rank and birth. The man also showed an enthusiasm for discipline, which Milos encouraged, although he still would reign him in a bit if he ever got too extreme.

Milos was aware that his methods would earn him little love from his men, but in his mind respect and discipline were more important.