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This would explain the second lieutenant who is shaking hands noith the acting lieutenant, who salutes pleasantly and ambles off

“Better put theeant O’Malley, some of them look about ready to keel over,” the new lieutenant says

He’s young—they always are—twenty-three or twenty-four years old His uniforht, lapels starched and ironed to a knife’s edge, cap set to the correct angle with just a bit extra for a hint of swagger He has a patrician face with high cheekbones, smooth peaches-and-cream complexion, and eyes the color of a calm sea on a sunny day

“Noe’re getting somewhere,” Jenou says voicelessly

The lieutenant is gorgeous

“I’m Lieutenant Mike Vanderpool, I’m your new platoon commander”

Despite the dandy’s uniforht tilt to his head, and neither his voice nor his expression marks him as any kind of martinet

“I’ht from the start”

There is a rustle of low laughs, quickly quashed

“Yes, I am one of them And this is my first time in the actual war So I am relieved to find that I have under eant O’Malley, Sergeant Shields, Sergeant Cole, and Sergeant Alvarez, I will rely on your experience as ork together”

Rio al a bit taller before self-consciously relapsing to an unimpressed slouch

“You men—and women—I will come to know each of you in tieant O’Malley? Anything you or your NCOs would like to say?”

Jack suddenly collapses, but he picks hinored by the new lieutenant

Cole speaks up “Sir, I don’t know if this is the right time, but I’m down a corporal and I’d like to replace him out of my squad”

“You have someone in mind?”