SFC Magda Martin knocked firmly on the door of Major Lazarus’s office.

The Major half stood as she entered but it was cursory, & he retuned to his seat as she was closing the door.

“Thank you for seeing me, Sir”, she said as he nodded to the wooden chair across from his desk.

Now Magda was not certain of protocol. She had never been in the Major’s office before – they had always interacted on the parade ground or in the officers mess. On Osiris she had an excellent knowledge of etiquette, and had adapted to the requirements of each society she’d found herself in since leaving, but the army was a new experience and being a SFC was even newer. It seemed to her that she should wait to be invited to speak by her superior officer, but Lazarus just sat and looked at her. What was he expecting? Was he simply sizing her up, waiting for her to speak… waiting for her to screw up?

For his part the Major was aware that before him sat the core world equivalent of the ‘landed gentry’. ‘Old Money’, and high status was her heritage. For a would-be heiress she seemed pretty tough though. Mid-length, brown hair twisted into a knot at the back of her head, dark brown eyes holding his gaze, unsmiling. If she was unsure of herself she didn’t show it.

He nodded slightly, “Sarge.”

It was the invitation she’d instinctively waited for. “Sir, I’d like to request a transfer from the Regulars to the Medical unit.” She kept watching him intently as one of his eyebrows twitched almost imperceptibly. Not what he’d expected from her?

She continued, “I gleaned some basic medical knowledge back on Osiris, and more recently I learned a great deal more about herbal medicines and field dressings. I believe I could be a valuable member of their team” She kept watching, wondering if he was aware of her true motive for requesting the transfer.

He did. An ‘almost-smile’ flickered across his face as he nonchalantly said, “I have several others in the regulars who could lay claim to more medical knowledge than that Sargent