This one might take a while to figure out.

Charpentier had a much different approach to things, he could tell.  While Isaac was fairly straightforward, it seemed like the other Lance was a bit more of the soft touch.  Pride in his rank?  Okay, it was an accomplishment to start a rung up the ladder instead of down on the ground, but it wasn't that much higher than everybody else, so he wasn't gonna brag about it, either.  Isaac guessed he could feel good that his skills had taken him this far and that they would keep on doing so, but he wasn't going to climb that ladder without making sure that those around him were following.  It seemed to him like the Lance-Corporal was also something of the philosopher type.  'Because we're here' wasn't so much a reason as a...state of being.  Not sure if it was some kind of pre-destiny kind of thing or...  Wait, no.  [i]Manifest[/i] destiny.  His father always said ancient conquerors had this feeling of destiny about them like they were too important to fail, like the weight of history itself would carry them to victory.

That didn't sound like what Charpentier was talking about.  Maybe he was just accepting reality.  At any rate, Isaac noticed he hadn't really taken to shaking his hand.  Must not have felt comfortable.  Were all Darcsens nervous now about opening up with people because of how they were generally treated?  Well, he'd get the guy to feeling normal, sometime.  Can't have anxieties on the battlefield.  Problems like that had to be solved in quick order, before they led to real trouble.  They were [i]all[/i] probably a little antsy, what with the distant booms and blasts going on.  Hell, one of the other soldiers came to them in full salute and official introduction.  He had to be anxious in [i]some[/i] way.  Let's hope it was good old-fashioned fear that he could overcome and settle into normally.  Over-confidence was not something that would serve them that well.  Right now, Private Katz was being put pretty much into his care.  Okay, he was alright with that, but...

[color=f7941d][i]Charpentier, you're not gonna keep everyone at arm's length, are you?[/i][/color]

It seemed like after being cordial-but-distant with him that he was doing almost the same with Katz.  It wasn't immediately obvious, but it did seem like the Private had just been displaced to him because the Darcsen didn't feel up to handling him personally.  Boy, that racial divide sure was a strong one.  Oh well, something to overcome.  Better just deal with what was in front of him, for now.  Like the man said, he should be helping out Katz now, not worrying about this.  Priorities and all that.  He smiled at the dark-skinned boy and spoke up.

[color=f7941d]"What he said.  The Lieutenant may be one for formality, but we just want to keep the squad working together as best we can.  So, what can I do for you, Katz?  Any comments, questions, curiosities?  Any idea what the Lieutenant's favorite color is?"[/color]

He wasn't going to throw their strict Lieutenant into the mud, so to speak, but letting the guy know in a sort of light-hearted commentary that he could just relax for now was probably for best.  Asking a funny question like that wasn't gonna harm the Lieutenant, but he had to admit that the guy himself could probably use some calming tea himself, or maybe a full rum.  Maybe he'd offer him one if he got his hands on some, just to get him to ease off the throttle of his command a bit.  During this time, another soldier approached, a woman who looked like, ah yes, she had a machine gun hanging from her back, like he did.  He could see the barrel and the 'legs' folded in.  The lady introduced herself as Britta Hagan after a kindly greeting to them both.  And it was here that the other Lance demonstrated what we will call 'proper informality'.  He told them all his first name. Isaac nodded in approval of this.

[color=f7941d]"As would I be fine with Isaac.  It's alot less of a mouthful than Lance-Corporal."[/color]

He looked again at the machine gun Britta had.  She must've had a steady hand and iron constitution in training.  They would need that here.

[color=f7941d]"I see you're a Gunner, as well.  Guess that means the two of us will be looking after our squad the most."[/color]

Apart from just shooting at people in particular, their job would be to deter the movement and any [i]funny ideas[/i] from the Imperial Soldiers.  If the squad was advancing, they had to suppress the notion that the enemy could get an easy bead on their people.  If they were withdrawing, the enemy must be informed that this was not an open invitation to follow.  If they were holding in the trenches, the enemy was to be told that they cannot just waltz right in here.  A Gunner must do all these things, and they must understand that their weapon can reduce a human being to giblets in seconds.  That much had been demonstrated for Isaac in training when they destroyed a pig carcass on a rope.  Blood and sinew all over the place.  Britta must have done very well to become the same class of soldier as him.

[@Rigmarole][@Symphoni][@LetMeDoStuff]