I'm always amazed at the level of formality that Kircheis shows when speaking to Reinhard, considering that they're best friends. I've tried to capture that in this story, as well as their true personalities, but well, it's an on-going effort. Do tell me if anyone notices that Reinhard or Kircheis is acting out-of-character.


Chapter Two

"He's going to be late." Peter commented with slight concern to Samuel. Both were at the shooting range, awaiting the start of the class. Late-comers were usually punished with detention, as discipline in this military academy was strongly emphasized. A couple of minutes later, both of them looked up as a golden-haired boy entered with a patch of white tape on his face. One pace behind him was one Siegfried Kircheis, the subject of their conversation a few moments earlier.

Peter and Samuel exchanged resigned glances. "He would have been a good friend, but it looks like he went back to Musel," Peter sighed. With a shrug, Samuel said sagely, "It can't be helped, even though I really liked Siegfried. Musel seems to be the possessive type. Once drawn into his orbit, no one can ever escape the pull of gravity."

Clenching his fists in irritation, Peter grimaced and muttered softly, "Those nobles…they're all the same. They treat us like servants or even worse, objects. Siegfried calls him 'Reinhard-sama'…The Countess Grunewald's little brother…Musel is no better than the rest." Samuel turned amused eyes on Peter. "Don't let Siegfried hear you say that…" However, before he could say anything more, all conversation had to halt as the instructor arrived.


Reinhard spared a glance at Kircheis as he raised his blaster to shoot at the moving targets. Although a skilled shooter himself, he came nowhere near to the level of his red-headed friend. Watching Kircheis' shooting was like watching an unfolding piece of art, beautiful in its deadly precision. Heart, throat and head – those were the vital points that Kircheis always managed to shoot, despite its difficulty level. His youthful competitive spirit sparked, Reinhard decided to try to defeat Kircheis…

When Kircheis stole a glance at Reinhard halfway through the lesson, he was mesmerized by the fierce determination sparkling in his friend's eyes and the deadly grace with which he held the blaster. What has brought that on? Kircheis wondered confusedly. It was a look that Reinhard had only when he had made up his mind about something…and in the middle of shooting practice, what could have caused that look to appear on his face? When Reinhard shot an intense glance at him, Kircheis thought he had his answer.

Reinhard-sama… Kircheis was caught between amusement and exasperation. It was just like Reinhard to be so competitive. Kircheis would have willingly ceded his placement in the class to Reinhard by hiding some extent of his ability, but Reinhard would know, and he would be angry. Kircheis shook his head mentally; he would just have to find another way to convince Reinhard that there was no need to be the best at everything.

Kircheis knew though, why Reinhard possessed such fierce competitiveness. He thought back to the day when Reinhard had first held a blaster, three years ago, when Annerose had first been taken away from them. After the end of a night of fruitless activity, when Reinhard had brought a blaster along to a noble's party to try to rescue his sister to no avail, Reinhard had declared with firm determination, "Power. I want power! The power to get my sister back without having to listen to what those worthless people say. If the nobles are my opponents than I want power to surpass theirs. If the Kaiser is my opponent, then the Kaiser!" If there was any further need for proof that this golden-haired angel was extraordinary, that night dispelled all of Kircheis' doubts. Who else, at ten, would have made such a statement, and taken the steps to follow through on it?

Sometimes, in the darkness of night, Kircheis was ashamed to admit that he had his doubts. Gaining enough power to surpass the Kaiser was a tall order for anyone, much less two young teenagers. If it were any other person, Kircheis knew he would have dismissed it as a youthful dream or an unrealistic fantasy doomed to failure. But for Reinhard…Time and again, his friend had shown himself to possess the necessary qualities; the vision to set the goal, the self-conviction to follow through on it and the ability to carry it out.

In those areas, Reinhard always showed maturity surpassing his actual age, but in others… At the end of the lesson, Kircheis smiled gently at the sulking Reinhard, who was currently spotting a pout. While the latter had tried his best, he was still a couple of points behind Kircheis. "Just two more…I'll get two more points next time and beat you, Kircheis!" Reinhard stated emphatically, flipping his golden fringe aside with that regal tilt of his head.

"Reinhard-sama," Kircheis was sure his amusement was evident in his tone and crinkled corners of his eyes.

"Even if you do not…Reinhard-sama, there is no necessity for you to beat me at this kind of things." Kircheis knew his friend was listening even if he was currently evading eye contact in favour of pouting. He looked around, ensuring that the vicinity was free of eavesdroppers, before continuing in a soft whisper, "Reinhard-sama will be the ruler of the universe one day; a leader of man and a commander of fleets. It is more important that Reinhard-sama is good at leadership, strategy, tactics…the art of war. Shooting, hand-in-hand combat, driving…Please, leave this kind of things to me."

A momentary silence, then Reinhard looked up and flashed Kircheis a smile – the kind of smile, innocent and carefree, that only Kircheis and Annerose were privileged to witness. "Fine, Kircheis. In that case, I shall trust you to watch my back for me." Reaching out with those delicate fingers once more, Reinhard threaded them through Kircheis' locks of hair possessively. While some might have found it demeaning, Kircheis never minded, knowing that it was just Reinhard's way of expressing affection.

"Let's go, Kircheis." Once more his usual confident self, Reinhard beckoned to Kircheis with a small tilt of his head.

"Yes, Reinhard-sama." Kircheis followed, as usual, a pace behind Reinhard, the best position with which to watch Reinhard's back, with his usual smile.


After that incident, life at the academy regained its usual rhythm. Reinhard and Kircheis had not even gotten punished for any of the two fights, as Schneider's gang would want to keep their involvement quiet as well. That was one of the advantages of fighting nobles, at least, for they cared so much more about their pride than getting payback by tattling to the teachers.

Soon however, Kircheis found himself extremely busy, not with running after Reinhard, but with studying for the upcoming examinations. Never the most studious academically, he was especially having problems with learning the propagandist subjects that they taught in this school. Biology included Emperor Rudolph's beliefs about genetics, history was about the hundred and fifty years of glorified war that the Empire was waging against the Rebel forces (the official name for the Free Planetary Alliance), social studies was about the achievements of the thirty-plus Emperors since the beginning of the Goldenbaum Empire… Kircheis heaved a sigh as he sat on his bed in the dormitory room he shared with Reinhard and tried to focus on the notes in front of him. Which were, incidentally, Reinhard's notes, as Kircheis had not been paying attention to the teacher in that particular class.

The owner of the set of notes was currently lounging on his bed, his golden curls spilling messily over the white sheets, despite it being the night before a major examination. Sometimes, Kircheis thought that it was rather depressing to have Reinhard as a room-mate, for the latter never appeared to even need to study in order to ace most of his examinations, whether military or academic. The only subjects in which Reinhard wasn't top of the class were those of a physical nature. And even then, he was near the top. Even the teachers who disliked Reinhard as the younger brother of Countess Grunewald had to admit his genius; no one could doubt it, so attention-catching and apparent it was.

As if Reinhard knew what Kircheis was thinking, the former suddenly turned his head and caught Kircheis' gaze, a smirk playing about on his lips. "Hey, Kircheis, that's enough studying already. Anymore and you'll turn into one of those mindless idiots."

"Reinhard-sama," Kircheis murmured helplessly, unable to rebutt his friend's barbed words. He knew Reinhard's views on memorizing and regurgitating all the information during the test, but unfortunately, for someone like him, he felt that it was necessary in order for him to achieve good marks in these academic subjects. And while Kircheis had no ambition in the least to climb the military ranks, he knew he had to work hard in order to keep up with Reinhard, so that he could be of use to Reinhard later in his friend's military career.

"Come on, Kircheis. Stop looking at those notes. I only made the effort of writing down the mindless drivel to appease the lecturer. And myself of course. If I didn't use that activity to distract me, I'd have lashed out at the idiotic lecturer and his equally moronic viewpoints a long time ago. As it is, if not for you, I'd have aired my opinions long ago. Loudly." Reinhard turned his head so that his face was cradled by one arm.

That, Kircheis could believe. Indeed, half of his attention during every lesson was on Reinhard, for left alone, Reinhard would not have reigned in his dissenting point-of-views. And in a military school of the Galactic Empire, that was a very dangerous thing to do indeed. Reinhard felt so passionately against the contents of the subjects they were thought that Kircheis always had a hard time persuading Reinhard to leave the voicing of his opinion to the privacy of their dormitory room. Indeed, in the last lecture, when Kircheis had caught sight of the agitation on Reinhard's face, it was all he could do to hold down Reinhard's arm, which had been on its way into the air, in order to prevent his friend from getting into trouble. "Reinhard-sama…"Something must have showed on Kircheis' face, for Reinhard's eyes turned mischievous.

Reinhard's next words were filled with mock-exasperation as he heaved an exaggerated sigh, "You really are a worrywart, Kircheis. I guess it can't be helped. Fine, I'll tutor you then. Remember, even in this stupid academy's examinations, memorizing is not enough; application is the key." Perhaps Reinhard was expecting a more spirited response; Kircheis however, took the comment with good grace. He knew it was Reinhard's habit to wield words like he would a sword. Instead of taking offense, he looked passed the words to the intentions beneath – that Reinhard was willing to give up on his sleep to tutor him. And there was only one response Kircheis could give to that.

"Thank you, Reinhard-sama."

Pushing himself from his bed with one arm, Reinhard reached across the gap between their beds to tousle Kircheis' hair. "You don't have to thank me for such a small thing, Kircheis." Kircheis smiled at that, turning his mind for a few moments to the most recent letter he had written to his parents. They had questioned, as they did in every letter, whether the Musel heir was treating him well. Dad, Mum, you don't have to worry about me. Reinhard-sama is marvelous to me.

Kircheis had not returned home since he had entered the academy, and he knew that he would not do so in the near future either. He knew it was the same with Reinhard; Reinhard would never visit the father that he hated if he could help it. With Annerose in the palace and hence their time together limited, Kircheis knew that Reinhard would be suffering acutely from the lack of family. Yet, I can't help Reinhard-sama with that. The least I could do would be to limit my visits home. I write my parents once a month, they come to the academy to visit me once a year, and that is enough. Kircheis tried not to draw attention to the fact that he still had his family and home, while Reinhard did not. For that was his way of showing consideration for Reinhard's feelings.

The smile remained on his face as Kircheis shook himself into paying attention to as Reinhard sat up and started explaining the key points to Kircheis. With the starlight streaming into the room, Kircheis thought,that here and now, he was content with his life.


The third day of the examinations, as Reinhard sat in front of the computer simulation, there was a small smirk on his face. And to think that Kircheis had been worried about these examinations! Well, maybe not this particular examination. Like Reinhard would, Kircheis, who had taken his exam just before Reinhard, had scored well in Strategic Warfare Simulation. Achieving victory over a computer was an easy feat – Reinhard did not even have to take into account psychological factors that were sure to be a great influence if it was an actual battle. However, for examinations such as this one, students were paired with each other to determine their ranking so as to simulate the human factor an actual battle. This time round, Reinhard was paired with one Peter Linz – one of the two classmates that Kircheis had befriended.

"Main fleet, take a spindle formation," Reinhard told the computer, watching as the formation of his fleet changed. "Punch through the enemy lines. Left and right wing, attack from the flanks." As the green coloured arrows blinked and flashed, the computer simulation showed the over-extended battle line of the red fleet collapsing from the middle. And from there, it was a rout.

"Victory to Reinhard von Musel." The detached feminie voice of the computer system announced, even as Reinhard played with a golden lock smugly, throwing a glance at Peter Linz. The latter was red-faced with anger and embarrassment – he had not even lasted ten minutes against Reinhard. Even though the simulation was fast-forwarded many times over, it was still a shameful defeat for Linz.

Were Reinhard inclined to gloat, he could have made mincemeat of Linz's pride in that very moment, right in front of the three instructors who were grading the students' performance, and the watching students who were awaiting their turn at the machine. However, Reinhard was not one to derive pleasure from stepping on the pride on his inferiors…well, not unless he was provoked. And Peter Linz had not quite crossed the line yet…although he had come close when he had tried to draw Kircheis away from Reinhard's side.

In any case, Reinhard was not hypocritical enough to stay there to exchange pleasantries in a false show of modesty either. And unlike Kircheis who could forgive such small matters with a pleasant smile (else he would not have survived being Reinhard's best friend for three years), Reinhard freely admitted that he was not that type of person. No, he felt so very intensely, that his likes and dislikes burned with a fiery passion. It had been thus since he was a child of ten. Perhaps most children would have wept and lamented the fact that their older sister had been taken away, but Reinhard was quite certain that he was the only one who had taken it upon himself to change the situation. And Reinhard knew that it would never be a momentary fancy with him, nor a childish dream, to be forgotten once the realities of adult-hood set in. He, Reinhard, would make all his dreams and ambitions come true. And woe betide anyone who stood in his way.

Without so much as a backward glance at Linz, Reinhard walked off with that stiff gait that was expected of them as trainee officers in the Imperial Military, towards Kircheis, who, always waited for Reinhard.

"Reinhard-sama," Kircheis' tone was that odd mix of stern exasperation and anxious worry, his brows slightly furrowed. It was a tone Kircheis usually took when he felt that Reinhard was doing something wrong, a tone that Reinhard would accept only from two people in this entire universe; Kircheis and Annerose.

"What is it, Kircheis? Do you have something to say?" Reinhard asked, slightly miffed, even as he left the examination room with Kircheis falling in step behind him. He knew what Kircheis wanted to say, but still, that didn't mean Reinhard liked it… "Reinhard-sama, please, do not make enemies of everyone. It would help if Reinhard-sama was slightly more gracious in victory."

Reinhard remained silent as he walked down the deserted corridor. Kircheis' words were logical, however, it went against Reinhard's pride to give such incompetent people the time of the day! "Please think of it as practice for dealing with your superiors in future. Many will be mediocre at best, yet Reinhard-sama should not show disdain for their abilities openly."

Reinhard scowled at those words. However, it was undeniable that Kircheis was correct. And Reinhard knew that Kircheis had only given his advice for Reinhard's own sake. So, as much as he hated it… "As always, you're right, Kircheis. I'll try to be more patient with those incompetent fools." Glancing back at his friend, his gaze softened as he noticed the relief in his friend's eyes.

Kircheis was thankful that Reinhard had listened to his advice. One of Reinhard's more admirable character traits was that, unlike many other talented young geniuses, he was willing to admit his mistakes and correct them. Even if it often took Kircheis a long time and a large amount of patience to explain it to Reinhard in mild, persuasive tones. But then, Kircheis did not mind, for he had taken it upon himself to be as a sentinel to the ambitious angel that was Reinhard von Musel.


Peter Linz had a tremendous scowl on his face as he headed back to his dormitory after the test. How dare that Musel look down upon him so! True, he had won that time, but what was one battle in the bigger scheme of things? One way or another, he would get back at Reinhard von Musel…But how? He was but one person. Even if Samuel, his best friend in the school, would consent to help him with this, Musel had the aid of Siegfried, the acknowledged champion in hand-to-hand combat. The direct approach wouldn't do at all, Peter realized as he clenched his fists in frustration.

Perhaps he could make use of the enmity that Schneider and some of the seniors had for Musel. Of course, it was too much to hope that the seniors would come out on top, but if the conflict escalated and was discovered by the teachers…Smirking, Peter finally released his clenched fists.


I was re-watching the Gaiden series again the other day, when I realized the similarities between LOGH and Star Wars. I can't help but wonder what Reinhard would be like in the Star Wars universe. Perhaps he'd overthrow Palpatine and set himself up as the next Emperor...:)