Free The Conscripts: Fight or Die (Blood War Book 3) by Rod Carstens Page B

Neither of those tasks will necessarily be easy, but you will do them. Do you understand?”
    The barracks windows vibrated with the volume of their, “Aye, aye sir!”
    Ura paused, then looked at Mati and Chucha. They both nodded yes.
    “First squad, line up to my left.”
    Dieter was the first-squad leader, and he was first in line. Ura took a tattoo gun out of draw of drill instructors desk in the squad bay.
    “Uncover your right arm.”
    Dieter rolled up his sleeve and presented his arm to Ura. Ura pressed the tattoo gun against his skin.
    “The small gold circle represents a grenade, and the gold leaves above it represent the flames when the grenade explodes. The square with red and green separated by a diagonal slash shows the colors of an ancient and storied French Foreign Legion. No one will know what this means unless they are another Legionnaire. If they ask what it is, they are not one of us. Say anything you like. Do not explain it to anyone but another Legionnaire. The word has gone out to all the former Legionnaires who are now serving. They will know what to do once they have seen the emblem.”
    Ura pressed the tattoo gun against Dieter’s arm near his shoulder. It hurt like hell for a few seconds, then it was over. Dieter returned to his seat on the floor, staring at the tattoo, trying to absorb all that he had just been told. He had a chance. He had a way out of all of this. Ura finished the rest of the platoon. Once they were all seated, Ura said, “Understand you will be fighting next to platoons that have little or none of the type of training you have had. The only way you will survive long enough to get out of the penal battalions is to watch each other’s backs. You will fight together as a platoon. You can and will survive long enough to transfer to the normal service. If you do not, you will have wasted our time. Understand?”
    “Aye, aye sir!”
    “Very well. You are dismissed except for Fenes, Ardan, and Minga. You three are to report to the drill instructors’ office immediately.”
    Dieter, with the other two, followed Ura to the drill instructors’ office. They stood at attention by the door before entering. Dieter pounded as hard as he could on the doorjamb three times.
    “Sir, Prisoner Recruits Fenes, Ardan, and Minga reporting as ordered.”
    “Come.”
    Ura was seated behind a simple desk. The other two drill instructors stood on either side of him.
    “Minga, close the hatch.”
    Minga closed the door and returned to attention in front of the desk. Ura stared at the three for a long moment before he spoke.
    “We have not brought you three in here because of what happened the other night. That is over and done. It has been taken care of. Do not ask questions. Legionnaires do this for one another. Now the three of us have watched you from day one, and you are the natural leaders in this platoon. The other members look up to you. You will take that leadership role on. You will look after the platoon members as if you were noncommissioned officers. You will take the lead during combat. You will not let them die, or everything the three of us and all the others have risked will be in vain. Have no doubt some will die no matter what you do, but do not let this platoon be put into a position that gets you all killed. We have taught you well. You three have exceeded our expectations. Now it is time to live up to your potential. Understood?”
    “Aye, aye, sir!” the three said in unison.
    “Now each of us would like to give you some parting words to go by as you face your futures,” Ura said.
    “Remember you are warriors. That means your body is your best weapon. If it is not up to the fight, then your equipment will not save you.”
    Ura paused to let his words sink in.
    “The difference in most battles comes down to just two things: your willpower and endurance. The will to never give up combined with the ability to continue to march when everyone else is down will win every