Page 11 of Metal & Mud

"Manheim said that, huh?" Jess asked.

Sabby shrugged. "He said you were trying to re-prove yourself constantly. That being a woman in infantry, you're worried about people not giving you credit for your achievements."

Sabby knew better than to share Brian's comment that Jess could be a bit of a bitch on duty. Still, her sister scoffed.

"Easy for Manheim to say. He's a Sergeant First Class, and he's already got enough accomplishments that he doesn't need to prove a damn thing to anyone. The man's basically waiting on a slot to open up for him to become a First Sergeant."

"It's not all easy for him," Sabby pointed out. "I mean, think about what he's been through in the past year."

Jess nodded, taking a deep breath. "I know. And I'm not saying that Manheim's got it easy. I'd never want to lose someone the way he lost his wife," she said. "And I'm glad that he seems to be coming through it okay. But I still feel pressures he doesn't. He can't."

"Well, how about you tell me more about this new guy, Hollywood," Sabby said, not wanting to get into comparing who had more troubles, Jess or Brian Manheim. She'd prefer to not have either set of issues, in her opinion.

"Hollywood... like I said, he's got some talent," Jess said, "but he's a gentleman-ranker."

"A what?"

"A college boy who could have, hell, probably should have gone through Reserve Officers' Training Corps or something and become an officer," Jess explained. "With a degree in math of all things. I mean, with a degree like that, he could have maybe even gone straight to Officer Candidate School or warrant officer school. Space Force probably would have straight up pinned some butter bars on him and made him some sort of geek analyst. I wouldn't have been surprised. But he signs up to become a grunt of all things."

Jess paused, her brow furrowing in thought. "And he still approaches everything like he's solving a problem set. It's like he thinks everything should fall into place if he just follows the right steps. That doesn't sit right with some of the lower enlisted."

"Is he getting bullied?" Sabby asked, concerned. "I didn't think you allowed that, Jess."

"No... although I had to privately pull Tom Franklin aside and tell him to back off on the country boy bullshit," Jess admitted. "I'm not exactly a fan of the man's music choices either. But Franklin needs to keep his critiques of Hollywood to duty level shit. What a man chooses in music isn't my concern."

"I sense a big 'but' coming," Sabby said, and Jess nodded.

"Hollywood's got all the tools," Jess replied, "but he charges too hard, tries to look too perfect, tries to be... it's hard to put a finger on it."

She drummed her fingers on the counter, searching for the right words. "He acts like the job is a game with set rules. Move here, shoot there, problem solved. But combat isn't like that. It's messy, unpredictable. He seems to feel like right is right, wrong is wrong, and rank doesn't matter in that regard. That attitude's either going to get him promoted quickly... or run right out of the Army."

"Is that good for you and the Army?" Sabby asked. "I mean, I remember the last guy who you got rid of. From what everyone said, he was a bad apple. It's too bad you couldn't just kick him out of the service, I heard."

"I wish I could have, and I don't know yet," Jess admitted. "Hollywood's a natural leader, he's charismatic, and even though he doesn't know it, I have a problem staying on his ass. At least when he's not fucking up, I actually sort of like the guy. But it doesn't matter, he's in a position where he can't lead yet, and isn't deserving of it anyway. You know the old saying I've told you."

"Yeah, I know. To be a good leader, you first have to be a good follower," Sabby sing-songed, making Jess laugh. "So why not see about getting him into officer's school? He sounds like he'd make a good one, and you've told me second lieutenants are sort of like puppies anyway. Until they get housebroken, they tend to chew things up, but they're so cute you can't help but follow them around and help them out."

"Shhh!" Jess replied, laughing. "Jesus bitch, you're going to get me in trouble saying shit like that!"

"What? You're off duty."

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean that's the sort of things officers like to hear," Jess whispered. "Fuck, all it takes is some officer hearing that, and calling the battalion. Then Colonel Remsburg talks to Major Kota, they call Major Kirk, Kirk calls Lieutenant Parker into his office, and eventually the whole shitball rolls back onto me. Piss off my entire chain of command? No thanks."

"So send Hollywood to officer's school."

Jess laughed. "He's too good to be condemned to becoming an officer, and I get the vibe that he doesn't want to be one anyway. Nah, I'll figure it out. I just don't want to break him in the process. Or worse, break the team."

"I can understand that," Sabby said, watching Jess closely. There was something in her sister's voice when she talked about Hollywood, a subtle tension that suggested more complex feelings than simple irritation. "So what's gotta happen?"

"He's going to have to earn some respect," Jess said. "First from the rest of the fire team after today's fuckup, and then from me."

Sabby laughed. "Tall order from such a short woman. What about Franklin?"

"I'll deal with Franklin if I have to," Jess said, "but really Hollywood's going to have to learn to deal with him too. Country music and all."

"Well, it could be worse," Sabby said. "I mean, imagine if Hollywood liked that country redneck shit too?"

Sabby laughed at her own question. Then again, this new guy sounded like a handful for Jess. An in-shape nerd, probably with glasses, and a big mouth.

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