The story will be re-rated to M after this chapter.
Chapter 3 – Slow progress
Aya opened her eyes slowly. It was still dark.
Hmmm… What is this place? Where am I? Think… Think… Don't panic… Ah… I'm in a new base... Somewhere in Soviet Orussia… Elsa is sleeping over me; Sieglinde and Angela are sleeping in the bed beside me… My new friend, Marie, is sleeping opposite of me… I really was surprised she had something in common with me… Now I have a small foothold to start a relationship with her… I hate myself for being how I am but… I can't overcome it… I'm weak in life, and strong in combat, a truly chimeric creature… My new superiors seem okay… That Eleanor is very friendly, and her friend Katie is a real hothead it seems... That Kola fellow is mysterious, I'm half afraid of him, and half mesmerized… He must have some secret… Or he's simply an ass… Time to wake up Elsa…
Aya stood up, and leaned over the top bunk. Elsa was sleeping with her mouth open, but without snoring. Aya took her wrist and pulled it gently. No reaction whatsoever.
"Elsieee… Wake up…" Aya whispered. "Elsie…"
"Hrrrrmmmmmhhhnnnnrrrrrmmm…" Elsa made some strange noises and turned her head towards Aya. "Oh, you're awake…" she said silently. "Always the first to wake up… Are you scared, Aya?"
"Only a little bit… I'm not accustomed to this whole situation yet, but having you three by my side helps…"
Elsa stroked Aya's head and said, "Good… Good… Let's wake up the rest."
"I'm awake already," Sieglinde said from their side, causing them to twitch. "Sorry I startled you two."
"Nah, no worries," Elsa said. "Hey, Angela, you're awake?"
"Yeees…" she moaned.
"Brrrrrrr… It's a bit chilly here…" Aya said. "I'll go check the radiators…"
Aya jumped down on the floor.
"Waaaah, cooold…" she silently voiced her disapproval while jumping around on the floor and she quickly jumped back into her bed. "I have to wear some socks…"
Aya pulled up her sturdy, military issue socks and went to the radiators, nicely lined up under the windows. She touched one of them.
Only lukewarm… Damn it… It's probably like minus twenty C outside… Might as well check…
Aya opened the window, and an arctic breeze enveloped her slender body.
"Waaaah!" she shouted out loud and slammed the window shut. "It's so cold…" she said with tears in her eyes.
"Haaaaaah… What's happenin'…" Marie mumbled in her bed.
Aya twitched, and scuttled behind Angela's and Sieglinde's bed.
"Hmmmm…" Marie looked around the dark room. "Oh, I was transferred…" she mumbled. "Are my new frère awake already? I thought I heard some voices."
"Yes, we're awake already," Angela said. "Good morning, Marie."
"Good morning… Angela?"
"Yes, I'm Angela," the Karlslander smiled in the darkness.
"I'm sorry if I mix up someone's name, but my memory is merde sometimes…"
"So, who am I?" Sieglinde asked.
"The firm voice… Hmm… The blonde looking like a Valkyrie… Sieglinde?"
"Nice description, hah…" Sieglinde smiled mischievously. "Yes, that's me."
"Oh, and me?" Elsa asked.
"Cheerful voice… You must be the brown haired girl, Elsa."
"Yay, correct! Now do the last one of us!"
"Last one…. I would have to need her to speak up…"
"H-H-Hello, M-Marie…"
"Ah yes, the clear yet afraid voice… The crow black long hair… And those nice breasts… Aya?"
"Y-Yes… But why mention my breasts?!"
"I'm envious…"
"Heehee…" Aya giggled silently. "M-Maybe we should go and s-search for our superiors, everyone?"
"Good idea, Aya," Angela said. "Let's dress up, and search for them."
"No need, I'm here…" Ellie said suddenly from the darkness, and the lights slowly came on in the centermost row. "Good morning girls, how was the night?"
"We agree that we slept okay, right?" Angela asked and looked around.
After seeing all the nods towards Angela, Ellie said, "Good. I'm sorry that it's a bit cold in your room, but our central heating is aerated, and Kola has to fix that. So, get dressed and get out, so he can work in solitude. You know, rules about witches interacting with men and the sort…"
"Affirmative," Angela said. "Come on girls, chop chop."
They all started dressing up under the watchful eyes of Ellie. Yesterday they didn't have tights on, but given the fact they had insulated suits, they didn't need them. Today, every one of them pulled a pair on.
The Karlslanders went with military regulations, and pulled on olive camo tights. Marie however was a little less uptight about that and used marine blue ones.
"Shoo you all. Here's a light," Ellie threw a pocket lamp to Sieglinde. "The mesa's down the corridor to the left. Hope that Katie has a good mood, or you'll be pooping out your intestines."
"Huh?" Everyone tilted their heads.
"Her culinary skills are directly proportional to her mood. If she's all fluffy unicorns and rainbows, there's a chance she might brew up a masterpiece, but if she has a shit mood… well… you'd better break out the konserva's out of the pantry… Now… What was I… Ah, out you go!"
"Yes ma'am!" Angela shouted. "Form line!" she commanded.
A line was formed with Sieglinde first, Angela behind her, Elsa following, Aya behind Elsa and Marie closing the line.
"Put your right arms on the right shoulder of the one before you!"
Everyone did it, except Marie. She saw that Aya was bracing herself.
"Hey, Aya, can I place my hand on you?"
"Y-Yes… Thanks for asking…"
Marie gently placed her hand on Aya's right shoulder. Aya twitched slightly, but she then moved her shoulder a bit upwards.
"Sieglinde, light on!"
Sieglinde turned on the pocket lamp.
"Forward, march!"
The girls marched in place for a few steps, to synchronize, and then they walked out. Sieglinde made a left. The dim orange light of the pocket lamp shone on the dark corridor.
"I'm scared…" Aya said.
"Don't be afraid of the darkness, Aya. Be afraid of what is hides, heheh…" Elsa said.
"You're mean, Elsie!"
"Shut up you two…" Angela said. "How many of you noticed that that Kola guy was hidden in the dark, just a meter to the right of the door?"
"Me," Elsa answered.
"Me," Sieglinde said.
"And me…" Aya said.
"So you mean a grown man was stalking us in the dark… Waaaah, I don't want to be last!" Marie shouted.
"Shush I say! There's light leaking through the door ahead, go there, Sieglinde."
"Verstanden (Affirmative)."
They approached the big double door. Sieglinde turned off the lamp and put it in her pocket. She opened the door, and they were almost blinded by the lights inside.
"Ah, you're here already. Come on in, take a seat," Katie's voice was heard.
When their eyes got accustomed, they saw Katie in the kitchen window, and a whole mesa. It looked like a perfect normal mesa, with tiles on the floor, robust metal tables and chairs.
"Come on in, don't stand there! I have hot porridge for you all."
"Porridge for breakfast? A bit weird…" Marie said.
"The Oruskies eat like that, so we should too. Unless you can cook better, then please, release me from this burden," she said venomously.
"Ah no, no… It's just new to me… I didn't mean to offend you…"
"No offence taken. If I were offended, cutlery would be flying already, and your best bet would be to run, heheh… Come on, up to the counter."
The five approached the counter, and Katie pulled out some plates.
"Form an orderly line, everyone will get some," she said and slammed a few ladles of porridge into Sieglinde's plate. "What do you say?"
"Uhhh… Thank you?"
"Correct answer. It may not look like it, but it is really tasty. Here, a spoon," Katie said and gave her a spoon. "Taste it now."
"Now? Can't I take a seat?"
"Now," Katie said firmly.
"Oh well… Guten Appetit…" she mumbled to herself, and forced a spoonful in her mouth.
After chewing it down, she said, "Surprisingly good, despite looking like horse dick extract."
"I know I know…" Katie sighed. "But I don't have any fruit sauce to decorate it, or whole fruits for that matter. You know, Orussia, winter et cetera…"
"I won't complain since I'm a Karlslander soldier after all… Can I go?"
"Yeah, sure. Neeeext!"
Angela approached Katie.
"So you're the boss of this lot? Who gave you that authority?"
"Authority of authority, ma'am. Should I elaborate?"
"Duh!"
"Well, I'm the most organized of this lot, the most eloquent, I have the best tactical sense, and I have the biggest tits."
"By a shentimeeter at mowft!" Sieglinde protested with her mouth full.
"Biggest tits huh… You sure have nice knockers, it goes without saying, and even that baggy uniform can't hide it, to be honest."
"It's also ironical that my girls treat me as their leader, because before Aya's grandfather advanced in ranks past my grandmother, she was the formal commander of the 501st."
"History likes to repeat itself… Okay, you're ready to go, neeeeext!"
Elsa approached.
"You look like the mischievous spirit in this bunch, am I right?"
"People call me by various names – slacker, airhead, and so on – but I'm just lax when approaching life. You have only one, so I want to do it myyyyy waaaaaaay…" Elsa mused, imitating a famous Liberian singer.
"Hahah! Sinatra, right? But I guess there's something to offset you being how you are?"
"Thanks to my super strength and high load Striker, I can use a Vulcan cannon or a Rheinmetall 120 mm L/44 tank gun."
"Wheeeeeew…"
"But I only use those on special occasions, normally I dual wield MG3 H1's."
"H1? What's that variant? Never head of it…"
"What was it again, Sieglinde?" Elsa pondered.
"You forget about your own weapon…" Sieglinde sighed. "It has a reflex sight mounted on a rail, and is generally a bit lighter than the MG3 E's land infantry uses."
"Good enough. Okay, neeeeeext…"
Katie didn't see anyone approaching.
"Hey, wasn't there that black haired girl here? Aya I believe?"
"I-I-I'm here…" Aya slowly rose from under the counter.
"Oh, why are you hiding? I won't eat you, you know? Come on, straighten out, chest forward."
"I-Is that an order?"
"I'm trying to be friendly you know? Encourage you or something… But whatever, if you don't want to open up, I won't push you. I know all too well it won't work…"
"Mhhmm…" Aya muttered.
"So, what's your special magic?" Katie asked as she slapped some porridge on Aya's plate. "We didn't manage to get to it somehow…"
"I um… Just like Elsie…"
"You both have Super Strength? Ain't that some shit! Now I know who will do the heavy lifting!" Katie laughed and gave her another portion of porridge.
"Also… I… Um…"
"There's something else? Two types of special magic?"
"Healing…"
"You can heal? Splendid! Ah, but I see that you are at your limit for being sociable for now. Here's a spoon, go eat with your comrades."
"T-Thank you…"
Aya quickly ran off beside Elsie. The last one in for porridge was Marie."
"The Gallian, huh? I heard your grandmother was rich as fuck, but she donated almost everything to rebuilding her home country, right?"
"Yup! My Grandma was awesome for that reason but... the future generations have been impoverished a bit because of that… But I don't blame her, no way! I like the simple country life!"
"At least you're not piss mad about being a bumpkin. Here's your porridge, now it's time for me to eat…"
"Should I wait for you, ma'am?"
"No, I'll sit somewhere on my own accord. Go to your new friends."
"Okay ma'am."
The only free seat at the table occupied by the Karlslanders was either at Aya's or Angela's side. She took the latter option, because she felt that teasing Aya would be bad for her now. Marie tried the porridge.
"Hmmm… Not bad indeed… Mom could probably do better, but she would be using apples, so that's incomparable right now."
"Whatever goes… As long as it's not poisonous, we should eat it," Angela said.
Kola and Ellie came into the room silently.
"Kasha for the second time in a row? You should really upgrade your menu, Major…" Kola muttered.
"Put a lid on it, at least you have something to eat," Katie rebuked from the kitchen.
Ellie approached the eating girls and asked, "How is it?"
"Tolerable going into somewhat good," Elsa answered honestly.
"Not bad then… Katie?"
"Coming, coming…"
Katie gave Ellie and Kola a plate of porridge, and they both sat at a separate table. Katie joined them soon after, and they all ate silently. When the Karlslanders and Marie finished, Angela asked, "Hey, ma'am, could you give us a tour around?"
"Wait until we've eaten, then we'll go," Ellie replied.
"Understood."
The girls waited for Ellie to finish, and she stood up from the table.
"Okay now… Kola, you find yourself a job or something. Katie… Hmmm… Come with me."
"Kay."
"Come on girls,"
The whole group went on along the corridor. They landed up before a large double door.
"This, my dear girls, is our gym."
Ellie and Katie opened the door, and the girls saw a very spacious gym, dimly lit by the light of the rising sun, shining through the glass panes placed almost under the roof. It was a fairly normal gym, with ladders on the wall, two ropes hanging from the ceiling, three benches with weights and a large field to play whatever games one could imagine. Goal posts for playing soccer were there, as well as baskets for basketball and a net for volleyball. Also a few punching bags could be sighted.
"Mmmmmhhhhmmm… I am content…" Sieglinde said amazed.
"Wooooow… It's even better than the gym at my school was…" Marie gasped. "Say, Sieglinde, I saw that you have a rather athletic figure, apart from having your rather voluminous breasts… Do you work out hard?"
"Thank you for noticing. Yes, I do work out hard. My dynamic combat style needs it."
"I see… The rest of you also has rather toned figures…"
"Aya and I are taking the Bundeswehr fitness program seriously," Angela said. "Elsa is slacking off, but she's doing cardio to keep fit. Her inherent magic is more than enough for dealing with Neuroi in brute force manners…"
"Hey… I started lifting lately…" Elsa puffed her cheeks.
"I can't wait to see all you girls working out or playing soccer here," Katie said. "But we won't be doing anything right now, right, Ellie?"
"Yeah, we won't bother. I doubt you all have your gym clothes, right?"
"We don't… We only have one pair of undies for change…" Angela said with red cheeks.
"Don't worry; I believe the rest of the girls will come with supplies for you. In the meantime, lookie here."
Ellie approached a door to the right of the gym, and opened it. She turned on the lights, and they saw a changing room.
"Is this… A bath?!" Angela asked with eyes sparkling.
"We have a fully functional banya complex which is warmed up by geothermal heat and the earnest work of Kola in the boiler room. There's nothing like a visit in this place after an honest workout." Katie said proudly. "We tested it already!"
"I've never been to such an establishment before…" Sieglinde muttered.
"We'll all bathe together in the evening; you'll see how it is," Ellie said.
Aya twitched a bit hearing that.
"F-F-Fourteen girls… All… N-N-Naked… S-Skinship…" Aya stuttered. "I'm not ready for t-this…"
"Come on, Aya, it isn't that bad…" Ellie tried to convince her. "I'll just tell everyone not to touch you without your permission, or they'll be cleaning the latrines, which are down the corridor to the right by the way."
"R-Really?"
"Really. I think I'm starting to figure you out slowly. But you aren't afraid of getting naked then?"
"I'm not afraid of my body… I'm sort of proud even…" Aya said with a small blush on her cheeks.
"Show me," Ellie sad firmly.
"W-What?! Why s-s-so suddenly?!"
"I'll break you in. Shock therapy."
"I don't think that would be a good idea… I don't know how she might react…" Angela said.
"I… I'll try…" Aya said and started undressing herself.
In a few seconds, she was standing there in her bra and tights.
"My, my… What a body… Something to really be proud of…" Ellie said and approached her.
Suddenly she placed her hand on Aya's naked stomach, to which the latter stiffened up visibly.
"Oh my… Your abs are rock hard, yet they're barely visible… Relax, Aya, loosen up a bit… A little skinship didn't hurt anybody… And you probably heard the tales of our grandmothers…"
"Y-Yes… The things my grandparents did…" Aya shuddered, but her muscles loosened up.
Ellie's hand wandered around her stomach, and she went on to her back, this time using both hands to inspect her.
"What a nice and straight back…"
Her hands wandered up to the hooks of the bra. She undid them with a swift movement. Aya quickly caught the falling bra and held it up her against breasts.
"L-L-Lieutenant Colonel… Wh-Wh…."
"Boob grab!" Ellie shouted and grabbed Aya's breasts.
"Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" she shouted.
"Firm… Plump… Well rounded…" Ellie muttered while squeezing and rubbing Aya's breasts. "I envy you somehow; my tits are slowly starting to sag… And yours are at least a number bigger…" Ellie sighed. "Okay, you can dress up again."
Aya dressed herself up faster than anyone could notice.
"How was it?" Ellie asked.
"I… This is only the second time I was groped and touched like that…"
"And who was the first one to do it, if I may ask?"
"Sigi…"
Ellie and Katie looked to the stern Karlslander, who replied, "What? I was a bit randy… I got smacked good by Aya anyway…"
"So you're what? L or bi?" Katie asked.
"I could probably say bi… But I didn't have a man yet to be perfectly clear… War sort of destroyed my plans…"
"What honesty…" Ellie said. "Good that the army softened a bit towards options different than heterosexual … So, what was I suppose… Hold on!" Ellie suddenly grabbed her ear. "Podpolkovnik Horbaczewski… Da… Da… Blyad'!"
"What is it, Ellie?!" Katie asked.
"A HB-2 Neuroi is flying towards the base! We have to destroy it, or the rest won't be able to land!"
"They're already on the way?" Angela asked.
"Half an hour away." Ellie explained. "Come on, let's go, we have to improvise!"
"But we don't have our Strikers, our guns!" Katie shouted.
"Remember what we saw in the hangar?"
"That? Ohhhhh… Now I know what you meant by "improvise.""
"What's going on? Improvise with what?" Angela asked nervously.
"You'll see. Let's go! On me!"
"Roger!" the girls shouted and ran out.
Kola, who witnessed the girls running girls asked himself, "What was that all about? They're going into battle? But the only thing we have are… Ohohoho… Now this will be something to watch!"
He ran to his room, and took his warm clothes. After quickly getting dressed up, he ran outside, using the same door the girls used.
Good that I visited the hangar yesterday.
120mm L/44 - if you've read my previous work, you should know I don't fuck around with shoulder mounted cannon sizes heheheh...
MG3 H1 - a fictional variant. H is derived from the word Hexe, meaning witch.
In case you're wondering - Ellie is straight and that was just some good old Slavic horseplay.
Neuroi classification system:
D – Drone
I – Interceptor
HB – Heavy Bomber
M – Medium (Fighter)
HD – Heavy Dreadnought
SS – SuperSonic
1-5 strength level, weakest to strongest
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