The Grand Sturmbannführer
A/N: I don't know what led me to create this, but I think it's pretty good (and I hope you do, too). Based on Dostoevsky's 'The Grand Inquisitor', a story within his novel 'The Brothers Karamazov'. Enjoy. *German Translation is at the bottom of the story*
"...Boy this sure is swell..." Carter said.
He was on his turn of the Unsung Heroes' rotating weekend passes.
He had seen the zoo, spoke with a pretty girl, and was currently going for a walk through the forest.
"The forest sure is pretty..." Carter said.
He walked along, admiring the beauty of Germany's forests.
"...Germany may have rotten people, but it's forests sure make up for that..." Carter said.
The day was nice.
The walk was a nice distraction from the fact that he was technically a prisoner of war.
"...I hope the war ends soon..." Carter said.
The walk was so distracting that Carter didn't notice the upside down rake directly infront of his path.
Sure enough, Carter tread on the edge of the teeth of the rake, causing the firm wood handle to swing up and wap him in the center of his forehead...poor Carter...
*Wap!*
"Oh!" Carter exclaimed, and fell back, flat on the ground.
Carter lay there, on the path through the Germanic Forest, the sun spilling through the branches.
Major Hochstetter read over the papers before him.
Said papers were a report of the recent sabotage activity in the Hammelburg area.
Hochstetter had his usual slightly annoyed look.
"...Bah! Zhese reports all say zhe same thing to me; Colonel Hogan is responsible for zhe sabotage! He und his men! If only I could get my hands on him! I'd settle for one of his men at zhis point!" Hochstetter said.
By this time, Hochstetter had thrown the report on the desk, come around to the front of the desk, and leaned on his arm, which was resting on the desk.
"...Perhaps I can get to Hogan through his men...But how? How can I get my hands on them?" Hochstetter pondered, aloud.
As he pondered, and schemed, there came a knock at the door.
*Knock, knock, knock*
"Yes, vhat?" Hochstetter said, in his irascible tone.
The door opened, and a young man in a SS corporal's aide's uniform entered.
"Corporal Bauer, sir." The young man said.
Corporal Bauer was Hochstetter's aide.
"Ja, vhat is it, Bauer?" Hochstetter said.
"Herr Major, we've picked up someone of interest." Bauer said.
"Vhat is so interesting about him, Bauer?" Hochstetter said.
"...We believe he's American...and though he won't say, we believe he's from a nearby Stalag...possibly Stalag-13." Bauer said.
At the words "Stalag-13", Hochstetter gave a little jolt, and looked over at Bauer.
"...You say it's reasonable to believe zhat he's from Stalag-13?" Hochstetter said, clearly interested.
"Ja, Herr Major. His dog tags say he is Technical Sergeant Andrew Carter, 547390." Bauer said.
Hochstetter stared a thousand yards for a moment.
"...Bauer?" Hochstetter said, refocusing.
"...Ja, Herr Major?" Bauer said.
"...I zhink I've just found a vay to find out who ze saboteurs are..." Hochstetter said, a malevolent grin on his face. "Bring zhe Sergeant to my office, I shall conduct zhis investigation personally."
"Ja, Herr Major." Bauer said, saluting, then left.
A few moments later, an American soldier in army fatigues, and a leather bombardier's jacket, holding a leather cap, was led into Hochstetter's office.
Bauer saluted, and stood off to the side.
Hochstetter was seated behind his desk.
"...Guten Tag, Sergeant Andrew Carter." Hochstetter said, his wicked grin on his face.
Carter gave a faint smile.
"...I don't zhink you vill be smiling vhen I get zhrough vith you." Hochstetter said.
He got up, came around the desk, and seated himself on the front of the desk.
"...Corporal Bauer, tell me, how did ve apprehend zhe Sergeant here?" Hochstetter said.
"It was actually both surprising, and easy. He was talking to a group of people on a street corner. I believe, from what I heard when they brought him in, that he was telling them bible verses. Sort of a sermon. He went willing with us. He made no attempt to evade us." Bauer said.
"...Bible verses? Going willingly? How odd..." Hochstetter said.
"I believe I know why." Bauer said.
"Vhy?" Hochstetter said.
"Look at his forehead. There is a bruise on the center. Sometime after he escaped, he probably hit his head, and begun speaking bible verses." Bauer said.
"Interesting..." Hochstetter said, and turned his attention to Carter.
Carter stood before him, a neutral look on his face.
"...You need not stand...sit." Hochstetter said.
Carter did.
"...Tell me, Sergeant...how did you escape from Stalag-13? I figured zhat incompetent dummkopf, Klink, vould loose his record eventually." Hochstetter said.
Carter said nothing.
"...Silent, eh? Vell, I shall change zhat soon enough." Hochstetter said, getting off the desk.
He went around to the side of Carter.
"...Before I formally interrogate you, I have an offer. Tell me how you, Colonel Hogan, und zhe others are able to sabotage vital areas to Germany's war effort, und I vill skip the interrogation, und simply have you shot along vith Colonel Hogan, your dear leader, und your fellow saboteurs." Hochstetter said.
Carter said nothing, merely staring up at him, listening to him.
His stare, in a way, unnerved Hochstetter.
"...Is zhat a no?" Hochstetter said.
Carter only stared.
"...Fine! I vill enjoy wringing every bit of information I can get out of you!" Hochstetter said.
"Bauer, prepare zhe cell, und get a few men to assist me." Hochstetter said.
"Ja, Herr Major." Bauer said, saluting, then left.
Hochstetter walked back over to the front of the desk, and reseated himself.
He looked at Carter, who was staring at him.
Carter's stare, while neutral, was passive, yet looked almost, in a way, benign.
"...Out of curiosity...exactly vhich verses of zhe Bibel vere you saying to zhe people in your little predigt, your sermon?" Hochstetter said.
"...The beatitudes..." Carter said.
His voice sounded odd.
While his voice did generally sound the same, there was an odd note in his voice, a sort of, benevolence, and a slight seriousness.
All tone of his usual somewhat boisterousness and silliness was gone.
The usually naïve and kind of silly technical sergeant was acting rather odd.
That wap on the forehead really must've done it.
"...Zhe Beatitudes, eh?" Hochstetter said, rather bemused.
"...Yes, the eight blessings I recounted in my Sermon on the Mount. I was recounting them to the Germans at the corner of the street. Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are those who mourn: for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness: for they will be filled..." Carter began.
"Enough." Hochstetter snapped.
"Blessed are the merciful: for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." Carter said.
"Silence! I-..." Hochstetter said, standing.
He stopped, having realizing something.
"...Sergeant Carter...You said "zhe eight blessings I recounted in my Sermon on zhe Mount"...vhat do you mean, 'you' recounted zhem? Und vhat do you mean 'your' sermon?" Hochstetter said.
"...I recounted them, when I gave my sermon on the mount, to those who followed me then." Carter said.
"…To...zhose who followed you...?" Hochstetter said, staring at Carter, incredulously.
Hochstetter began to laugh.
"...Ahahhahhahhahhah!"
Carter only stared at him.
Hochstetter finally got control of himself.
"...Zhe sermon you gave...Hahhah...was für ein kompletter Unsinn...dass du die Predigt auf dem Berg gegeben hast..." Hochstetter said, brushing a tear from his eye.
He looked at Carter.
"...So zhat's vhy you vere giving a sermon to zhose people, you hit your head after you escaped, und you zhink you are der Christus." Hochstetter said.
Carter-Christ only stared.
"...Ahem...I am told you vere arrested not only because you are an escaped prisoner, but because you vere teaching sedition to those Germans who vere listening." Hochstetter said.
"...They needed to hear the truth. Your Führer, Adolf Hitler, has turned them away from their heavenly father..." Carter-Christ said.
"Silence! No one shall speak ill of zhe Führer! Zhose Germans who vere listening to you, I am told, seemed genuinely taken in! Ve vill have to make sure zhey have not taken vhat you said seriously! Ve vill have to remind zhem of vhere zheir loyalties lie!" Hochstetter said.
"...So much hatred...Why have you turned away and become this creature of oppression, cruelty, and hate, my son? Why this desire to hurt the innocent?" Carter-Christ said.
"It doesn't matter, I-...SILENCE!" Hochstetter said.
He leaned close to Carter-Christ.
"I am going to interrogate you! I'll get you to admit zhat you und your friends are the saboteurs behind the destruction of zhe bridges, und railways, und zhe munitions supplies! I shall have all of you shot!" Hochstetter said.
"...Your soul is so tortured and tormented. You don't have to be this way, Wolfgang..." Carter-Christ said.
"Zhat is Major Hochstetter, to you! You miserable American schweinhund!" Hochstetter said.
"...That is what I told them. They did not have to follow Herr Hitler. They needed to remember my teachings..." Carter-Christ said.
"Silence!" Hochstetter said, his face tinting with red.
"...How appalling it was...how heart-wrenchingly tormenting...to see them so eagerly throw away what I had come to teach, to tell, to reveal, to enlighten...the new set of ideals that focused on a spirit of love and humility. The ideals of my teachings on mercy, spirituality, and compassion..." Carter-Christ said, with genuine sorrow.
"SILENCE!" Hochstetter shouted.
"...All because of him...all because of Herr Hitler...they forgot themselves..." Carter-Christ said, a tear running down his cheek.
"GENUG VON DEIMEN UNSINN!" Hochstetter shouted, his face suffused with red.
He grabbed his riding crop, struck the desk with it, and threw it back on the desk.
Hochstetter bent close to Carter-Christ.
"Enough. Silence. I have no vish to follow you. Your teachings are of veakness und foolishness. Such ideology has no place in Germany. Nor does an American POW who hit his head, und now thinks he's the son of God!" Hochstetter said.
"...You have said that I am..." Carter-Christ said.
Hochstetter scowled, and stared fiercely into the man's eyes steel-blue eyes.
Carter-Christ stared back.
Hochstetter began to feel intimidated.
There was something about this American POW.
Not only his voice, but in how he looked.
True, he was only wearing his fatigues, minus the hat, which he held in one hand on his lap.
His honey-blonde hair was in slight disarray.
Yet, there was something odd about this American POW who hit his head and begun to speak as God's son once did; a calmness in his blue eyes.
Hochstetter leaned back up, slightly intimidated by the closeness to this POW, and turned away from him.
"...Even if...even if you are Him...I am not to blame for vhat I am doing...I am only following my orders..." Hochstetter said.
"...And throwing away your morals..." Carter-Christ said.
Hochstetter wheeled around.
"You don't understand, Sergeant, Sohn von Gott, or vhatever you are. Zhe Führer is Germany's benefactor! He got us out of the depression, he reorganized us, he brought us to zhe glory zhat ve once knew!" Hochstetter said, with all the fanaticism of the SS.
"...At what cost?" Carter-Christ said.
Hochstetter stared at him.
"...For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, but lose his own soul?" Carter-Christ said.
"He cleansed our land of it's pestilence. Zhey vere hurting Germany. Zhey vould have willingly destroyed Germany if the Führer had not opened our eyes to zheir poisonous kind." Hochstetter said.
"...Pestilence? Those who saw Herr Hitler for what he was? A man who was to slaughter their fellow brothers and sisters? Their fellow humans? Their fellow Germans? A ruthless despot with no care or concern for morals, humanity, or any living creature but himself? Lusting after power, willing to do anything to attaint it, then to hold on to it? A man who was to shovel millions into the grave? Along with all of Europe?" Carter-Christ said.
"...It is nonsense to debate vith a POW who thinks he's Gott's son..." Hochstetter said.
He stared at Carter.
"...His teachings vere nonsense. They vere foolish, und veak. Mercy, humility, love, all of zhem are nonsense that weakens men. Men need to be strong, zhey need to be feared by zheir enemies." Hochstetter said.
"The mantra of the truly weak. The cowardly. To mask your perceived "weakness" you hide behind a veil of cruelty. My teachings united men, strengthened them, and led them to God. Your Führer demands you be cruel to your fellow man, he divides them, and turns them away from their heavenly father. As James warned, "There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you."." Carter-Christ said.
"Slander!" Hochstetter said.
He eyed Carter-Christ fiercely.
"Look where mercy, kindness, and love got you...if it is you...nailed to a cross, and forsaken." Hochstetter said.
Carter-Christ stared at him, a look of pity in his steel-blue eyes, which didn't look very steely, more soft and gentle.
"...All was preordained, out of love. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." So that all man's sin would be taken away, so that all humanity may join in the heavenly company." Carter-Christ said.
"Bah! You demand suffering and pain of your followers. Zhe Führer demands loyalty and devotion. In return, he bestows honor and glory. What do you bestow to your followers? Torment and hardship." Hochstetter said, his coal-black eyes narrowing slightly.
"Torment and hardship that you put them through. Yes, they have suffered, and they will continue to suffer, but they do it willingly; for my sake, and for their own. I only ask they remember the scripture, and obey God. Their heavenly father gives them the choice to obey or not. He does not force conformity. The sufferings of those who follow me are nothing compared to the glory and blessings they will receive from Him." Carter-Christ said.
Hochstetter's coal-black eyes narrowed slightly in frustration.
This man, Sergeant Carter, or even Christ, did not falter; he answered diligently, and with no trouble.
"...Tell me. You, if it is truly you, are said to love all men...do you love me, Sohn Gottes?" Hochstetter said, bitterness in his tone, his eyes narrowed and his brow furrowed, in choler.
"...Yes, I love you my son." Carter-Christ said.
Though the words were spoken at regular volume, they had the effect of thunder.
Hochstetter stared at him, choler in his black eyes, his face still set in bitter ire.
Slowly, his choler melted; his brow un-furrowed, and his eyes un-narrowed, their ire fading.
Hochstetter stared at Him, a bewildered, incredulous, almost harassed look.
He turned suddenly away from Him, and leaned on the desk, as though physically exhausted.
Hochstetter's nails dug into the wood of his desk, his body stiffening, in an attempt to not tremble.
After a moment, he relaxed, and pushed himself upright.
"...It's irrelevant..." Hochstetter said, the steel returning to his voice.
He turned, and faced Carter-Christ.
"...That you are Him is irrelevant. You still have broken zhe laws of zhe Third Reich. Zhe penalty is death." Hochstetter said, his usual irascible look returning.
The choler returned his black eyes.
"I doubt you vill love me vhen I have you shot!" Hochstetter nearly shouted.
"...I loved Peter, even when he denied me. I loved Judas, even when he betrayed me to the Sanhedrin for thirty silver." Carter-Christ said.
Hochstetter's hands that so often fiddled with his belt buckle, nearly trembled; as such, he hid them behind his back, in military-fashion.
He inhaled and exhaled, composing himself; his dourness returned.
"...Do you know vhat vill happen tomorrow? Tomorrow I shall have you shot, as my fellow Gestapo have your precious followers." Hochstetter said.
He took a step towards Carter-Christ.
"Do you know zhat?" Hochstetter said.
Carter-Christ stared back, silently, the same benevolent-calm look in his eyes.
"...Perhaps you know zhat..." Hochstetter said, and stepped back.
He turned, facing away from him.
"...It must be done. I have sworn an oath to do so." Hochstetter said, coldly
His hands dropped to his side, and he suddenly wheeled around.
"...Tomorrow I shall have you shot." Hochstetter said, staring intently at Carter-Christ, his black eyes awash with fanatical ire.
Carter-Christ, having been silent, stood.
He went over to Hochstetter, leaned slightly, and softly kissed the Major's bloodless lips.
Hochstetter shuddered, and turned, leaning on the desk, suddenly feeling exhausted, as though ladened with a great millstone.
"...Go...go and never return to us..." Hochstetter said, his voice barely an octave above a whisper.
Carter-Christ glanced sadly at the Major, then turned and left.
Hochstetter stared a thousand yards; the kiss glowing in his heart.
Corporal Bauer re-entered.
"Herr Major, the interrogation cell has been prepared-" Bauer began, then stopped. "Herr Major, where is the prisoner?"
Hochstetter was silent.
"Herr Major?" Bauer said, looking at Hochstetter with uncertainty.
"...Leave me, Bauer." Hochstetter said.
His voice sounded weary.
"...Ja, Herr Major." Bauer said, and left.
Though, in that moment, his heart and mind were stilled, Hochstetter adhered to Gestapo idea.
Carter clambered back up the ladder and into the barracks.
"Hi, guys." Carter said, in his usual boyish tone
Hogan, Newkirk, LeBeau, and Kinch jumped up from the table, and went over to him.
"Carter, where've you been?" Hogan said.
"We were bloody worried, mate." Newkirk said.
"We thought something terrible had happened to you." LeBeau said.
"You worried us." Kinch said.
"I did? Gosh, I didn't mean to." Carter said.
"What happened?" Hogan said.
"...Well, I'm not entirely sure, but the last thing I remember, I was walking through the forest, when suddenly I had this sharp pain on my forehead, and then...a sort of vague blur, then I woke up, still in the forest. I think I hit my head." Carter said.
Hogan eyes his head.
"I don't see any bruise..." He said.
"No bruise? That's odd. That rake hit me pretty hard." Carter said.
"Rake?" Newkirk said.
"Yeah, when I came to, I saw a rake in front of me. I must'a tread on it." Carter said.
"Why would a rake be laying in a forest?" LeBeau said.
"I don't know." Carter said.
"Well, rakes aside, we're glad you're back safe, Carter." Hogan said.
"Yeah."
"Oui."
"It's a load off."
"Gee, thanks guys." Carter said.
"...By the way, we got a call from London, they want us to blow up a nearby bridge." Hogan said.
"A couple of my TNT packs ought to do the trick. I'll get right on it, boy...uh, sir." Carter said.
He clambered back down into the tunnel.
"...A rake?" Newkirk said.
"Carter tread on a rake in the forest, and knocked himself out?" LeBeau said.
"If anyone could do it, it's Carter, that's for sure." Newkirk said, raising his mug back to his lips.
A voice suddenly spoke.
"My servant, how pleased I am with him."
Hogan, Newkirk, LeBeau, and Kinch jolted.
"Who said that!?" Hogan said, wide-eyed.
The four looked at each other; all the other POWs were out in the yard.
While hearing a seemingly disembodied voice was certainly unnerving, there was something about the voice that was...calm; a gentle benevolence, like a loving father's.
Newkirk glanced around, stared at his drink, got up, opened the window, and poured the drink out.
For the rest of the day, the unsung heroes were oddly solemn.
The End.
*German Translation*
Guten Tag - 'Good Day'
Dummkopf - 'Block-Head'
Bibel - 'Bible'
Predigt - 'Sermon'
was für ein kompletter Unsinn...dass du die Predigt auf dem Berg gegeben hast - 'What complete nonsense...that you gave the sermon on the mountain'
Der Christus - 'The Christ'
Schweinhund - 'Pig-Dog'
GENUG VON DEINEM UNSINN! - 'Enough of your nonsense!'
Sohn Von Gott - 'Son of God'
Sohn Gottes - 'Son of God'