Ich Steige Auf und Ich Falle

by rose-colored-sunset

He had been mocked and belittled his whole life...by his family, his friends, and even his colleagues. Perhaps his confidence and leadership ability did leave something to be desired. He could admit that, to a degree. But why did no one seem to give a damn about his *good* qualities? (A collection of inter-related stories and brief character studies, focusing on Colonel Klink.)

3. Interlude

III. Interlude

For much of that afternoon, Klink struggled to cast the awkward interaction with Hogan from his mind. He had regained a more solid grasp of his faculties since their encounter. But the urgent question of how to recapture the twelve escaped prisoners also continued to taunt him.

His second-in-command, Captain Gruber, periodically tried to keep him updated on the search team's progress. Gruber felt hopeful that the stalag guards would return successfully, with all of the prisoners alive and well. Klink appreciated Gruber's optimism, and he wished it would start rubbing off on him a little. His store of hope was certainly running low at the moment, especially when he knew that Sergeant Schultz was in charge of the mission.

"Schultz may be a buffoon at times, but he takes these kind of matters seriously, Kommandant," Gruber had assured. "The safety and return of our prisoners is a must."

The captain was right on all counts, although Klink hated to admit the second one. Even though he was a buffoon (and a great pain in my side, too! he thought), Schultz understood his duty and more or less followed through on it. Now, if he could only figure out how to keep that lumbering oaf from fraternizing with the prisoners...particularly the ones in Barracks 2!

His concerns quickly returned to Hogan again. He still suspected that the officer had organized the escapes in some way. After all, he did head up a sort of "escape committee" among his men if memory served right. If those twelve prisoners could not be recaptured, it would reflect directly on Klink's competence as a leader as well as on his "no-escape record".

Perhaps Hogan's intention was to make a mockery of him, which would force Burkhalter to assign Stalag 13 to another kommandant. Perhaps even a kommandant who would be far more lenient and forgiving!

That thought sent a coil of resentment through him. Didn't he always try to treat the prisoners fairly? To satisfy their basic needs, to get them their Red Cross packages and mail and required physical exercise? Was it not enough?

General Burkhalter's words suddenly seemed to reverberate in his ears again: You bumbling fool ... I should have sent you to the Russian Front long ago ... You are finished!

Klink squeezed his eyes shut, as if doing so would keep all of the unpleasant memories at bay. No. No! He was not a fool. He was not finished. The prisoners would be found and Colonel Hogan, if he truly was involved in their exodus, would be punished.

But, the way things were currently shaping up, a part of Klink wondered if this was just a pitiful attempt at wishful thinking.

...