Annihilation - Part 2

That, amongst other things, inclined Northman towards agreeing to it. He got the sense that if he pushed for it and insisted on seventy, Oliver Patrick would not have argued back. There was a strange humility to his assertions, as though he was fully prepared for every one of them to be dismissed.

"Then we'll take fifty, and look forward to the privilege of working with a Patrick," Northman said finally.

"Should we not take the other twenty at least for runaways?" Cormrant suggested. "It seems a waste. Those woods are big. Even with a cliff behind them, there's going to be runners."

"They'll run," Oliver agreed. "Fifty will still do."

The boy didn't seem to notice the twist of dissatisfaction around Cormrant's mouth. More than the other sergeants, he didn't like the idea of a noble coming in and taking over. Taking the glory away from men that had worked hard for it. He'd been strongly opposed when they received the order from the General.