Chapter 4 ~ The Situation So Far

{Future M/M} Major Bailey learns of the problems of the fort, inside and out.

Chapter 4 ~ The Situation So Far

General Prior sighed emphatically and sank back down onto the chair behind his desk which was currently swamped in mail dispatches of all kinds; letters, requests, records of the supplies that had just arrived that day and one notice that was getting especially on his nerves. His superior, General Terry, was complaining �" once again �" about getting a lack of communications from the fort. Prior swore that if he got one more notice like this, he would personally go up to the departmental headquarters and give him all the communication he wanted. Dandy had laughed when he had told him this, but whether that was because of the fact he thought it was a far-fetched fantasy or because he was nervous that his commander would actually go through with such a thing, Prior wasn’t sure.

But Dandy must have seen his frustration that morning. Major Bailey saw it too as when Prior seated himself down firmly in his chair, he looked up and asked him if everything was alright.

‘’ Yes, Major,’’ Prior replied through partly gritted teeth. ‘’ It’s just that General Terry seems to think the opposite. Lieutenant �"‘’ He turned to Dandy now. ‘’ �"did we not send mail in March?’’

‘’ Yes, sir. But you know how slow communications are out here.’’

Prior sighed again. ‘’ That man has no patience. Well �" is there anything else he wishes to know?’’

‘’ Yes, sir.’’

‘’ �" oh God �"‘’

‘’ He is suggesting, again, that decisions be made about the Indians once our supplies are sufficient. He says it the final verdict will be yours, as after all, this is your fort and you know it best but he seems keener on an offensive than anything else. He desires a reply soon as possible.’’

‘’ Of course he does. Well, you know my feelings on this, Dandy.’’

‘’ Yes, sir.’’

‘’ I will reply back to him later.’’

At this point, there was a knock on the door. Prior rose from his seat and called for the person to enter. A young man, another member of the general’s staff, entered and saluted. ‘’ General, pardon me, but you’re needed.’’

‘’ What is it, Patrick?’’

‘’ Captain McDowell says there’s a problem with the new corn. He wants to know if there is anything mentioned in the reports sent through.’’

Prior moved around to the other side of the desk, picking up the paper he had just sifted through again with notes scrawled down from the man who had struggled up with the supplies that day. ‘’ What is the problem?’’ he asked.

‘’ I don’t know.’’

Prior sighed. ‘’ I’ll talk with him.’’

‘’ I can go if you wish, general,’’ remarked Dandy.

‘’ No, you’ll stay here, Dandy. A break from this will do me some good.’’

Dandy gave a nod and Prior left the room with one of his adjutants. When the door was closed, Bailey set the document he was holding down onto the desk and turned to the lieutenant, a certain little smile on his face. ‘’ I was wondering,’’ he said and Dandy glanced up. ‘’ Why does the general call you Dandy?’’

The young man turned back to the papers at hand. He smiled absent-mindedly. ‘’ I don’t know,’’ he admitted slightly quietly. ‘’ He says it’s because I’m young and…little and �" dainty. I’m not sure.’’

Bailey’s eyes twinkled in almost cheeky way. ‘’ He said that?’’

‘’ �" he might have done.’’

Bailey went back to the reports. ‘’ Do you like it?’’

‘’ Do I like the name? I’ve become used to it.’’

‘’ And what of the general?’’

‘’ What about the general?’’

‘’ I see he’s not General Terry’s biggest fan. I’m supposing that these requests from him aren’t rarities?’’ The twinkle was still in Bailey’s eyes.

‘’ I wish they were,’’ Dandy smiled. ‘’ But, no they aren’t. They’re usually about copies of letters and records and documents or notices saying that General Prior should send them more or so on but recently there’s been more talk of the Indians.’’

‘’ And what are the general’s thoughts on that? He seems to be confident in you knowing what he thinks.’’

‘’ Well, the general is an interesting man…’’ Dandy suddenly seemed slightly uncomfortable. His hands were still rifling through the papers but in a way that now seemed aimless. The same sheet kept finding its route to the top of the pile and then down again and then back again. Bailey tried not to notice. ‘’ He has his ideas and �" he sticks to them.’’

‘’ That isn’t uncommon. I’ve worked under many stubborn commanders.’’ Bailey wondered why his voice had suddenly taken on a more comforting tone.

‘’ Yes, stubborn is the word. He wants to just protect this fort rather than fighting against the hostile Indians �" which is, in truth, why we’re here �" but a lot other men and officers think differently. They want to attack and a lot of them are getting restless at the moment, if I’m being honest.’’

Bailey nodded. The men that he had heard the previous night made much more sense now. ‘’ Restless, how? Are they rebelling?’’

‘’ No. Not seriously but there’s the odd comment �" and these little ‘odd comments’ are getting more and more frequent as time goes on. Though it’s not enough to make them overly disrespectful. I think there’re too many gentlemen at this fort for the situation to get like that.’’

‘’ And these reports…That’s why the general doesn’t take too kindly to them?’’

‘’ One of the reasons. He likes to be in control and make the decisions and sometimes, he thinks General Terry is trying to take that away from him. At least that’s how it seems. But, at the moment, there’s a scouting detail out. We know the rough location of the Indian camp but we hardly ever know what mood they’re in. And that bothers a lot of men here too. Especially as there hasn’t been many attacks around recently �" that unsettles the general. Near the other two forts �" Fort Phil Kearny and Fort CF Smith �" there has been much more action than at here. They suffered the worst losses. We had hardly any.’’

‘’ You’re saying that as if it’s a bad thing.’’

‘’ Well, personally, I don’t think that’s the case but it’s not a nice place to be where men and officers and turning more and more against their commander every day. A fight might settle things and maybe stop all this repetitive mail coming in. But then �" it might go the other way too. I don’t know. I just don’t know.’’

‘’ Has the general never sent out any offensive detachment?’’

‘’ Yes. Once or twice. The only problem is �" well, one of them �" is that with the general, there’s no offensive whatsoever or when there is, it can be rather reckless and disorganised. It’s as if he just wants to get it over and done with. The thing that saves it is usually the officers here that actually go and fight.’’

Bailey nodded again. This had been much more than he had been informed of before. Dandy certainly knew Prior well. He had to, really. He wondered if the general knew himself that well. ‘’ And what of his personality?’’ he asked after a short while. ‘’ Is he a kind man?’’

There was a gap before Dandy turned to Bailey to answer. The door opened and the general entered before he could.

~~~

The day passed uneventfully after that. Bailey spent most of the time either in the general’s office or taking in the fort that he had been shown around, personally by General Prior, earlier that morning and becoming acquainted with some of the men and officers that lived there. As with every post he had worked at, there was a variety of different characters �" some not quite so intriguing as others, some not quite so respectful of others �" but Bailey expected this. It was a common thing yet being out here in the wilderness, miles and miles and miles away from �" from anything, any emotions, any feelings, any opinions seemed to be exaggerated.

Bailey didn’t doubt that there was any conflict, not just outside the fort, but inside too, as he had heard from both the two soldiers and then from Dandy earlier.

It wasn’t a worry though. And he was adamant in not worrying about it, unless the situation presented itself. There was no use in it.

Bailey returned to the head quarters that night after a less than thrilling meeting with the quartermaster to find the curtains in the general’s bedroom drawn. Assuming that he had already retired to bed, Bailey kept as quiet as he could down the corridors and made his way to the office, intending to sort out the final documentations for the day.

He entered the office to find the papers scattered over the floor in front of the desk and Dandy bent over them. He was alone in there, curtains drawn against the dark, starry night with the gas lamp providing the only light, and when Bailey approached him, placing a hand on his shoulder, he jumped, gasping and turning suddenly. His eyes were wide and dilated as he stared back at Bailey. The major noticed the slight glossiness in them before he exhaled and looked down at his feet, back at the papers, embarrassed.

‘’ I’m sorry, lieutenant,’’ Bailey apologised, reaching to put his hand on Dandy’s shoulder again. He was back on the floor, sorting out the papers before he could. ‘’ I didn’t mean to startle you…’’

‘’ That’s alright,’’ Dandy replied though he didn’t look up. ‘’ I just, I �" I wasn’t expecting you.’’

‘’ I thought I’d come and finish up for the night, say goodnight to the general �" has he gone to bed already?’’

‘’ Yes. He usually goes to bed before me.’’

Bailey nodded, watching the younger aide at his feet. ‘’ Are you alright?’’ he asked. ‘’ Do you want some help?’’

‘’ No. No, I’m fine.’’

Bailey still bent down to him anyway, making Dandy look up momentarily. It was enough for Bailey to see the tiredness in his green, now slightly red eyes. He immediately put his hand on the paper Dandy was about to pick up to stop him doing so.

‘’ Lieutenant,’’ he said firmly. Dandy’s eyes met his again. ‘’ You’re exhausted. I’ll deal with this mess �" you go to bed.’’

‘’ Major, I can’t make you �"‘’

‘’ I’ll be fine. Now go.’’

Dandy wavered for a minute longer, hands aimlessly moving the documents underneath him before finally nodding and standing. ‘’ Well �" good night, Major. Come and fetch me if you need anything.’’

Bailey raised one eyebrow and Dandy cracked a small smile. ‘’ I’ll be getting to bed.’’

‘’ Yes, you will.’’

Dandy nodded and with no more words, moved to exit the office. Just before he did, Bailey turned and stopped him momentarily, suddenly remembering something. ‘’ Lieutenant,’’ he said softly. Dandy looked back. ‘’ May I call you Taylor?’’

Dandy smiled. Bailey saw a sparkle in his tired eyes. ‘’ Yes, you may.’’

And then he was gone. Bailey smiled and returned to the papers.

~~~

Taylor lay in bed that night, staring through the thick darkness at the door. The moon was beginning to penetrate the room, pulling furniture and clothing from the shadows but Taylor still remained with the covers wrapped tight around him, eyes peering widely over the top of them. His thoughts swarmed in his head, rendering him immobile in this state of unrest, and all he could do was count the footsteps outside his door and wonder who it was walking about at this time of night. It could have been the general, up again as he usually was, or it may have been Major Bailey.

Taylor was glad to have Major Bailey as a fellow aide. He was a million miles away from Captain Hamilton, Prior’s former aide. For a start, he actually listened to him. Hamilton had been all about the work but Bailey was different. He had already proved himself to be an interesting man, judging by his stories of the War, and a gentleman too. Hamilton had never talked to him much except for something business related.

Taylor thought that things could only get better.

He was handsome too.

Taylor closed his eyes and pulled the covers over his head.

TBC

Author's Note

Taylor = Dandy/Lieutenant Anderson
I hope that's clear now! :)