Chapter 21- Stepping out of his shadow
The sun was beginning to set in the badlands of Gallia, though the black plumes of smoke were still visible as the fires from dozens of destroyed Gallian tanks continued to burn in the distance. Much of the main force was destroyed or forced to retreat earlier that day, with only a small portion was able to make it through the Imperials attack.
Although, there was one girl who hadn't retreated or made it into Fouzen with Squad Seven and the remnants of Squad one. That girl, was Claudia Mann. Still alive, but now separated and in a tough situation.
Slowly, her dark blue eyes began to open. As she blinked and raised her head to look at her surroundings, she found that she was on her back, and in the shade of a large rock. She held a hand to her head, both to check if she still had her fathers headband on, and check for injuries. She felt a bump on the back of her head. She closed her eyes and tried to remember what had happened.
"Hmmm… I was on the Edelweiss… tending to Nadine. Then… I must have fallen off…" Claudia said softly, "Hmmm… odd how I'd end up under a rock with-"
Claudia gasped and bolted up right and looked around. She spotted a sniper rifle, along with a snipers bandoleer, and a belt with an open and empty binocular pouch. On her other side, she found a rifle, along with another belt and an opened scout pouch laying on the ground. She wasn't alone… but who did these belong to? Friendly's? or Enemies?
The sound of approaching footsteps caused Claudia's heart to leap into her throat. She felt around her tool belt and was thankful to find that her sidearm holster was still in place and had the weapon tucked within.
She quickly sat up, drew her sidearm and pointed it at the side of the rock, where the person was approaching from. Her hands began to tremble as the footsteps got closer and louder.
Suddenly, "Whoa, Claudia! Don't shoot! It's just me!" Elisa said while holding her hands up.
Claudia lowered the weapon as she breathed a sigh of relief, "Oh… Elisa. Thank goodness! I thought that you were an Imperial."
Elisa smiled, "I am an Imperial."
"No, no! I meant a bad Imperial, I mean-"
Elisa chuckled, "It's alright. I understand what you mean."
Claudia sat back against the rock and looked up at Elisa, "Who else is here?"
"Ellen. She was the first to jump off after you, Claudia."
"Really?"
"Yes, she's very fond of you, Claudia." Elisa said with a smile.
Claudia looked around while blushing, "So… where is she?"
"She's out doing what she does best," said Elisa with a bright smile, "She is scouting."
Not long after, Ellen had returned to Claudia and Elisa's side, "Bad news…." she said downheartedly, "The rest of the militia have retreated from the area. Worse yet, the Imperials are now out patrolling for any stragglers. I was fortunate not to have been seen when I was out there."
Elisa nodded, "So we can't stay here."
"But, where are we going to go?" Claudia asked, "Do you have any idea how far it is back to Fort Amatirain! We'll never make it!"
Elisa turned towards the canyons that housed Fouzen, "Then we proceed with the mission and hope that we can somehow catch up with the others who made it through."
"Are you fit to proceed?" Ellen asked Claudia with concern in her eyes.
Claudia nodded, "Yeah, I'm fine. Let's get going. We don't have much sunlight left." The trio then hurried their way towards the mighty canyon walls of Fouzen in the distance.
Eventually they arrived, but as they got closer and Elisa scouted the main entrance gates with her binoculars, and something didn't seem right.
"I don't get it…" Elisa said, "If the others really made it through… why is the gate still intact?"
Elisa passed her binoculars to Claudia and she looked through them. She saw the two large guard towers and the giant metal gate. The towers had their lights on and two or more Imperial guards were visible inside the windows. Two machine gun nests were set up on either side of the gate and a medium tank was parked right in front of the gates.
"No sights of a fight…" Claudia said as she lowered the binoculars and passed them back to Elisa.
"Well… looks like we'll have to find some other way in." Elisa suggested.
The three then continued towards Fouzen but started to go to the left to stay far away from the guards and the towers. Soon they reached the canyon, and cranked their necks back in order to look up at the high rocky walls. There were many ledges and gaps in the rock face and this gave Elisa an idea.
"Well, who's up for a climb?" Elisa asked excitedly as she rubbed her hands together.
Claudia gulped, "Are you sure about this?"
"We can't go through the main gates. And it'll take far too long to walk around trying to find another way into Fouzen, so it's the only option we have at the moment."
"Ok…" said Ellen nervously.
Claudia took a deep breath and sighed, "Very well…"
The girls then set their weapons aside and placed their packs and pouches on the ground. They then started removing all non-essential items, in order to lighten up for the long climb ahead.
However, as Claudia was taking out some machine gun magazines and handgun clips, she heard a noise. She looked over and saw some movement in the dark. Curious, she stood up and began to slowly walk towards the source, her hand hovering over her pistol handle, just in case.
Just then, "Hey, Claudia! Where're you going?" Elisa asked as she clicked on her flashlight and shone it on Claudia's back.
But as she did that, Claudia happened to notice what appeared to be… a child. A Darcsen child at that, mostly hidden behind a rock up ahead. Claudia gasped and took out her own flashlight and shone it on the rock, but the girl was gone now.
Ellen and Elisa then ran up to Claudia and stood on either side of her, "What's wrong?" Ellen asked.
Claudia gave her head a shake, thinking maybe it was just her imagination or perhaps she hit her head harder than she thought when she fell off the Edelweiss.
"I'm not entirely sure… But I think I just saw a small Darcsen child. Just up there." Claudia said as she pointed to a large rock with her flashlight beam
Elisa shone her light on the rock, and Claudia continued to walk towards it. Ellen was shining her beam to the left and right, checking the surrounding area.
"I don't mean to sound rude… But are you sure you saw what you saw? I mean, what in the world would a child be doing all the way out here?" Elisa asked.
"I don't know. But we should check it out anyway. Perhaps she got lost or escaped Fouzens occupation and is now all alone." said Claudia just as she reached the rock. She then looked behind it, but the Darcsen girl wasn't there. There was, however, a very large pair of tank treads next to the rock.
"Hey, come check this out!" Claudia called out. Ellen and Elisa then ran up to Claudia's position and knelt down beside her.
"Hmmm… these tracks are far too large to belong to the Imperial light tanks that we've encountered in the past."
"There even too big for the medium class tanks…" said Ellen shyly.
Further inspection of the area showed multiple footprints on either side of the tank. Claudia decided to follow them, while Ellen and Elisa trailed slightly in the back. After some walking they came to a cave-like entrance with a huge boulder next to it. Even stranger, the tank treads and all of the footprints disappeared into the cave.
The girls all looked at each other, taking a silent vote. Elisa nodded, as well as Ellen, and Claudia gulped nervously and went into the cave first, her friends then followed.
The first few meters of the cave walls were very large, very wide and had tank treads leading further down the tunnel, multiple footprints were also visible on the soft ground. Then, both the tread tracks and the footprints suddenly stopped at a dead end. A huge boulder was blocking the rest of the way, and the treads and footprints seemed to have continued onwards… somehow.
Seeing the way forward was blocked, the girls searched around for a bit. Claudia then spotted a smaller tunnel and decided to head down that way, Elisa and Ellen followed close behind. A minute or so later, the girls came across a slightly large cave, up ahead were three more tunnel entrances; one had a rocky staircase leading up. The middle tunnel lead straight ahead. The third had a descending staircase, leading further into the earth.
As Claudia pondered which route to take, she heard Elisa and Ellen speaking to each other in their Imperial dialect. Ellen's voice was trembling, similar to a shivering voice in a deep cold. Elisa patted her on the back and replied in a confident and reassuring voice.
Though Claudia was only a beginner at the Imperial language, but she was able to pick up parts of the conversation. She understood that Ellen was afraid, perhaps of the dark or situation itself. And Elisa was telling her not to be afraid, and that she'd protect her, or something to that sort.
Suddenly, "Hyaa!" came a screaming male voice, the girls only had a second to look over, then they all hit the ground, just in time to avoid being hit by a flying pickaxe that sailed over their heads and struck the nearby rock wall. Claudia looked over and saw a Darcsen man recover from the hit, then perform an overhead swing directly at her. Luckily she rolled out of the way and it struck the ground and sent bits of rock flying all over the place.
Elisa then pushed the man who tried to attack her and he slammed into the wall. Another Darcsen man emerged from the shadows and tried to attack Elisa with another pickaxe. She leaned out of the way and avoided getting hit in the stomach by mere centimetres, then dodged another wild swing as she ducked in the nick of time. She then pulled out her sidearm and pistol whipped the man across the back of the head, sending him to the ground, dazed, but relatively unhurt.
Claudia breathed a sigh of relief at seeing Elisa safe. But a nearby scream made her turn her head and she saw Ellen scrambling backwards on her hands, with her legs and feet pushing her as fast as she could. Across from her, the other Darcsen man was charging at her with the pickaxe held overhead, ready to bring it down on the helpless Ellen in a lethal killing blow.
Elisa swung her sidearm pistol in his direction, aimed and ordered, "Stop! Don't you dare!"
He continued to charge towards Ellen, and she turned her head and released a horrified scream. Claudia also turned her head and shut her eyes, she couldn't bear to watch what was going to happen next.
Two loud echoing gunshots rang out, then all was quiet.
Claudia slowly opened her eyes and turned back to Ellen, only to find the Darcsen man facedown in the cold, damp, rocky ground, dead. She barely had time to process what had just happened, when the other Darcsen man got up and screamed in horror. He then took off down the descending staircase, all while screaming, "Tom's dead! They killed him!"
Claudia quickly climbed to her feet, looked over at Elisa helping Ellen to her feet… then heard a strange sound. A lot of angry shouting, and a thunderous sound that echoed across the caves. All the girls looked at the tunnels, the two with an ascending and descending staircase were suddenly being lit up by orange and red flickers… torches. A hornets nest had obviously been stirred up and its residents were coming to swarm the new invaders to their home… Claudia and her friends.
Claudia shook her head, "Oh no… RUN!" she screamed and started down the only tunnel that had no torch lights or angry voices present, the middle only that lead straight ahead.
After some running the girls came into a huge and vast open cavern. Lining the walls on either side were small huts, burning fires and… Darcsens. Claudia quickly remembered reading something in a book about how Darcsens usually go into hiding during a crisis; such as a hunt or time of war. Could this be one of those fabled sanctuary's of the Darcsens?
Claudia and her friends looked back and saw their pursuers entering the vast caverns as well, all were shouting angrily and were armed with spears, rifles, pickaxes, or any other crude weapons they could get their hands on. They then called out to the other Darcsens in the area, telling them to catch the Imperial intruders.
Now, no matter which direction Claudia looked, there were dozens of Darcsens closing in from all sides. Claudia put her arms out to the sides and stopped Ellen and Elisa in their tracks. They all turned and placed their backs to one another and were now in a defensive triangular shape. Ellen and Elisa both had their side arms out and pointed towards all the Darcsen's as they encircled them. Claudia had her hand against her side arm pouch, but ultimately decided not to draw it, lest it cause even more problems.
The girls were now completely surrounded, with rifles being aimed at them, pitchforks and spears were poking and prodding at the air just a few feet away from the girls chests and legs. Then, just when all seemed hopeless…
"STOP!" A voice commanded from somewhere up high.
Claudia looked up and spotted a strong looking Darcsen man with a shawl wrapped around his shoulders and another wrapped around his head. One of his eyes was closed as he looked down at Claudia from a tunnel on an upper level of the cavern. Someone else suddenly appeared next to the man, a woman dressed in a squad seven uniform.
"Claudia, darling! You're alive!" Catherine O'Hara happily exclaimed.
"You know this one?" the strong Darcsen man asked.
"Of Course, Zaka. She's a very close friend of mine!" Catherine said as she climbed down and made her way through the mob of Darcsen and embraced Claudia in a tight bear hug.
"They have killed one of ours, Zaka!" shouted an angry man, he was the same one who attacked the girls earlier.
"Your people attacked first!" Elisa shouted, her voice bearing a heavy Imperial accent.
"They're Imperials! I heard them talking in that their native tongue!" the man challenged next.
"But we're fighting with Gallia! Not against it!" Elisa continued. There was a sea of unsure murmurs, many were having a hard time imagining an Imperial helping Gallian in this war.
"Enough!" Zaka commanded, "We'll sort this out later. But for now, we're going to have to detain you. I'll have no more killing on my watch."
Ellen looked extremely nervous, and Elisa looked to be quite angry. She must have been upset at how she and Ellen were being treated, despite the fact that they weren't at fault for what happened.
Some resistance members started towards Elisa and Ellen. They made a grab for Ellen, but Elisa stood in front of her protectively. "Don't touch her! Leave her alone!"
"Elisa! Please! Don't fight back!" Claudia pleaded as she tried to walk towards her friends. But she was grabbed from behind by Catherine and pulled back. Her arms then wrapped around Claudia's waist and held her firmly in place.
"Don't, Lass." Catherine whispered, "The best thing that you can do is keep quiet and let things sort themselves out. Zaka is a fair man. He won't pass unfair judgement on these girls just because they're Imperials. He'll hear both sides of the story."
More resistance members started to walk towards Claudia, But Catherine pulled her aside and shook her head at them. "Not this one, Zaka. She's Gallian, born and raised." Catherine insisted, "I'll take her directly to Captain Varrot. She'll want to know as soon as possible that Claudia made it back alive, along with her Imperial comrades."
Zaka thought for a moment, then nodded his head, "Fine. I trust your word, Catherine. Leave that one be." he ordered his resistance members.
When Claudia looked back, she saw that both Ellen and Elisa had been disarmed of their weapons and were having their hands bound behind theirs back with rope. It was such a sad sight for Claudia to see, but also, she was relieved that she wasn't part of it as well.
Catherine then led Claudia by the hand to the upper levels, leaving Elisa and Ellen behind. A short way into their walk and just before they entered the smaller tunnel systems of the main hideout, Claudia stopped and Catherine looked back as she felt the tug on her hand.
"Catherine… Thank you for going out of your way to lie for me. It means a lot that you're going so far to protect me."
Catherine smiled and shook her head slowly, "I wasn't lying, Lass. You may have some Imperial blood in you, but your mother raised you here in Gallia and brought you up to be Gallian, like her husband was. It was clear that she did not want you to be Imperial, like she was, dear. So when I told them that you were Gallian, born and raised, it was the truth, not a lie."
Catherine lifted Claudia's chin up with her hand and smiled at her, then turned and continued on walking down the narrow tunnel systems. Soon they came into a larger 'room' that had members of Squad's one and Seven all sitting or sleeping against the walls. Others were talking together in groups or looking out the little rocky slits at the Fouzen complexes below.
However, two individuals from Squad One turned and spotted Claudia, "Why am I not surprised…" Jane Turner said in disgust, "Yet again you somehow managed to make it back without so much as a scratch while so much of our squad was wiped out in the bombardments earlier, bah!"
As Jane was leaving, Wendy Cheslock added, "You really are bad luck… worse yet, you're like a cockroach that just won't die!" She then left as well and followed Jane.
Claudia looked down at the ground in sadness, but Catherine just patted her on the shoulder, "Don't let them get to you, Claudia darling. They're just stressed out from today's horrible events." Catherine encouraged, "Come on, let's go see the Captain." and the two girls continued on.
Not long into their walk, they could hear Captain Varrot angrily shouting at someone in a room that had a curtain drawn to provide some privacy, while it didn't provide much soundproofing.
"NEVER have I had someone speak to me the way you just have, Corporal Wulfstan!" Varrot screamed, "Get out! I'll not hear another word from you!"
Marina threw the curtain aside and stomped past Catherine just as she pulled Claudia aside to avoid being trampled. Claudia then looked up at Catherine with a 'what was that?' look, but she just shrugged. Catherine then gulped and knocked on the side of the cave to get Captain Varrot's attention.
She sighed loudly, then said "Enter!"
Catherine cautiously entered the room, Claudia followed though she hid behind Catherine and peeked over her shoulder at Captain Varrot, who was leaning forward against a makeshift desk with her hands on top. Whatever happened just moments before, it had left the captain steaming with anger.
"E-evening, Captain…" Catherine said nervously as she came to attention and saluted her, though the Captain didn't even bother to return the salute, nor turn around.
"What is it, Catherine?" she asked quickly, sounding extremely impatient.
Catherine tugged at the collar of her black undershirt nervously, "W-well… I bring good news… a-and bad news… Captain…"
She then reached back and brought Claudia out from behind her and held onto her shoulders, presenting her to the captain. "Here's the good news…"
Captain Varrot turned around, and nodded. "I see. Word reached my ear not long ago that she had made it back. It's good to see that she's uninjured as well…" Though she didn't sound too relieved, and was still probably fuming inside about what happened with Marina. Though Claudia couldn't fathom what must have happened to make her so angry.
Catherine nodded, "But the bad news is thing… a resistance member was killed by one of the Imperial girls from squad one. I know that's probably the last thing that you want to hear, but-"
"It was self-defence!" Claudia interrupted anxiously.
Varrot held up her hand, while rubbing her forehead with the other, "Please, Claudia… Let Catherine finish. I'll get your side of the story later."
Catherine patted Claudia on the shoulder, then continued with, "Their leader, Zaka, would like to speak to you, Captain Varrot" said Catherine.
Varrot shook her head, and then retrieved her hat from off the desk and put it on. She then turned to Claudia and said "I think that you should go and get some rest before tomorrow's mission."
Just before she left, she turned back to Claudia and said "It's good to have you back." and then walked out.
"You know, I think that you should go and see Nadine before you retire, Claudia darling." Catherine suggested, "She's been so worried about you since she awoke to discover that you were missing."
Claudia nodded happily, "I will, thanks for everything, Catherine!"
"Anytime, sweetie… Anytime." She then left to catch up with Varrot.
After a short search, Claudia found Lynn, one of Nadine's good friends and asked her, "Where's Nadine? Is she alright?"
"Claudia? My gosh! You are alive!" she said happily, "Come with me! Nadine will be so relieved." And she took her by the hand and led her to where Nadine and the other injured members of squads one and seven were resting.
Over in one corner, many of the 'Sevens' were crowded around, crying as a body was being covered up by white sheet. A casualty. But many of the 'Ones' were shaking their heads disapprovingly.
"My God, people!" Jane shouted, "You've lost one person in this whole war, we've lost forty! Seeing you like this is so damn ridiculous!"
She and Wendy then stomped off together, Jane purposefully bumped her shoulder into Claudia so hard that she lost her footing and fell over, "Hey, watch where you're-" Lynn started.
"Zip it, dark-hair!" Jane shot back, "You've no idea who you're trying to protect, stick around her for much longer and you're sure to die just like everyone else she's been around!"
Before Lynn or Claudia could respond, Jane and Wendy had moved on. Lynn helped Claudia to her feet, "I don't care what they say… were it not for you, Nadine surely would have died out there."
"Thank you…" Claudia replied happily. She then remembered that Ellen and Elisa contributed to her rescue and wanted Lynn to know as well, "But I should tell you-"
"Claudia?" Nadine asked weakly from off the floor where she was lying in a cot with a blanket covering her.
Claudia smiled, then ran up to Nadine and knelt down next to her, "Yeah, it's me… in the flesh."
"I'm told that I owe you my life, Claudia."
"There's something I need to tell you, both of you…" Claudia said, "It's because of Ellen and Elisa that I was able to help you, Nadine. I never could have gotten you onto that tank by myself."
"The Imperial girls? The ones who killed one of our people?" Lynn asked.
"No, no! It's not like that!" Claudia replied, "He came at her with a pickaxe. Elisa tried to warn him, but was ignored. She had no choice but to do what she did to protect Ellen and me."
Lynn looked at Nadine and shook her head, both of them didn't reply.
"But that's not the point, even before that, they acted to help you, Nadine. I believe that these Imperial girls are different than the other Imps that you've encountered in the past. So please don't treat them as such, treat them as you would me."
"It's different, Claudia. You're Gallian." said Lynn.
Claudia swallowed hard and made up her mind to confess her true heritage, "W-well, there's something that I should-"
"Alright, listen up!" Largo shouted, "Lights out in ten minutes! We don't want any of you fighting half asleep tomorrow morning!"
"Yes, sir!" Everyone, including Lynn and Nadine replied.
Everyone then shuffled off to find a place to lie down and rest, and just as Lynn was getting up, she asked, "What were you going to say?"
Claudia's heart was thumping in her chest after having almost confessed, but she quickly shook her head, "Nothing, it's not important! I just ask that you try and give these girls a chance."
Lynn sighed, "It'll be tough… going against thousand of years of mistrust, hatred and ill feelings towards our natural enemies… but we'll try."
"Yes… we will…" Nadine replied.
"Good, now get some rest." Claudia said with a smile as she reached down and squeezed Nadine's shoulder and left.
As she was making her way down the dark tunnels, searching for a place to lie down, she heard someone shuffling through some papers. She then peeked into a small cut out room in the cave and saw Marina with her back to her. Papers were strewn about on the floor around her feet and she was still skimming over pages and then tossing them over her shoulders. After she got to the last sheet, she slammed her fists into the wooden table in front of her in frustration.
Despite this, Claudia entered the room and decided to try and talk to Marina.
"Excuse me, Marina." she said. Marina looked over her shoulder and shook her head, then looked forward again.
"I'm so sick of this…" Marina growled.
"Hmm… what?"
Marina then walked over to Claudia, and she backed up until she hit the wall, then Marina got nose to nose with her and glared, "Listen and listen good. I'm going to tell you exactly what I told captain varrot earlier.
Marina had just arrived at the captains quarters in the hidden mine shafts of the fouzen resistance base. She quickly saluted the captain, then stood at attention.
"At ease, corporal." Varrot ordered. Marina did as she was told and assumed the position. "Now… I gave you a mission, corporal. To protect Claudia for me. That mission was not fulfilled when she became lost to us during the bombardment. You made it here alone, and even failed to report this incident to me. I had to find out through Alicia Melchiott of Squad Seven… now… why is that?"
"…" Marina simply remained staring straight ahead with her hands held together behind her back.
"You may speak freely, corporal."
"Very well," Marina responded, "I did not see it as being an important enough issue to disturb you with, Captain."
"What?" Captain Varrot asked in surprise.
"Have you forgotten about all the others that were lost this day? Almost three-quarters of our army, Captain? Does that not concern you even more than what happened with Claudia?" Marina continued, "Or do you continue to show favouritism and be overly concerned with this one, single girl in this whole entire war?"
Captain Varrot looked very offended, but took a deep breath and calmed down. "I will not engage in this discussion." Captain Varrot replied, "Word has just reached my ear that Claudia has made it back alive and is on her way here. And I know that what happened today, with you two being separated, will not happen again. I know your quality Marina, you're just like your father, and he never ever made the same mistake twice during his time in the-"
"Oh stop it!" Marina shouted angrily, "I've had it with you treating me and Claudia as you would our fathers. I am not my father. Neither is she. We're two different people.
And what you did today, showing favouritism towards Claudia despite all the other crisis's we're facing is unacceptable for someone of your standing, Captain! And it only proves one thing… that you're just a sad old woman who's let her love and affection for our fathers cloud her judgement and command decisions here in this war!"
Captain Varrot slammed her palms against the wooden table, "NEVER have I had someone speak to me the way you just have, Corporal Wulfstan!" Varrot screamed, "Get out! I'll not hear another word from you!"
Claudia gasped, "Y-you actually said that…? To our captain?"
Marina shook her head angrily, "It needed to be said. It is clear that the captain has been emotionally compromised and isn't basing any of her decisions about you or I as she should be. She put us in squad one because that was the squad our fathers served in. She paired us up because our fathers were friends. She's even overlooking all our faults and mistakes because we're the daughters of her friends… but no longer.
I'm Marina Wulfstan, and I'll be treated as I deserve! Not as my father deserves in her eyes! And I'm more than damn capable of creating my own path in life and not hiding in my father's shadow."
Marina then looked Claudia dead in the eye and while glaring said, "And if you have any respect for yourself, or your father, then you'll stop hiding behind his achievements and learn to step out of his shadow." Marina then turned and walked off, leaving Claudia stunned and unsure what to make of this.
A short while later, Claudia was unable to fall asleep, so she got up and headed towards Captain Varrot's quarters. But as she got closer, she could hear Catherine O'Hara having a discussion with Varrot, as well as another man's voice. There was a hole torn in the curtain covering the entrance, so Claudia tiptoed up to the curtain and peered through, spotting Captain Varrot with her arms crossed, and her back turned to Catherine and an old man with a blue headband. He was bent over and holding a hand to his aching back.
"Please, Eleanor, you don't have to take all the responsibility of watching over Claudia Mann." Catherine pleaded, "We all made the same promise to that young girls father, you know."
"Indeed, He was our friend too, Eleanor. And I know a way that we'll all be able to watch our for her, instead of placing all that duty onto Murdock's daughter's shoulders." the old man with a blue headband said.
Catherine nodded, "Yes, great plan, Coby! Transfer Claudia to Squad Seven, Captain! She'll be much safer there!"
"NO!" Varrot shouted as she turned and glared at Catherine, "This is one request that I will not do. Squad Seven has become the most elite fighting unit in this war. So a place amongst their ranks must be earned, not given freely."
Seeing that Marina was right, Claudia decided to put a stop to it, so she opened the curtain and entered unannounced. Everyone turned and saw her approaching.
"Oh… Claudia… Darling… we were just talking about you." Catherine said as her eyes darted back and forth like a nervous bird.
"I know, I heard what you said." Claudia said, "And I want it to stop. Please stop treating me with such high regard and being overly protective of me, just because you all knew my father. I never met him, so I don't want to be treated like him!"
"Listen, girl, if you knew what kind of man your father was, then you'd-" Coby started.
"I don't care! Not anymore!" Claudia cried as she threw her hands up in frustration.
Catherine grimaced, then said, "Claudia, dear, you do not know what you're saying."
"Yes I do, I know exactly what I'm saying! Treat me as I deserve! Not as my father deserves!" Claudia shouted, "Because in the end… he was a fool!
Despite whatever he did, whatever glorious achievements he may have accomplished, he ended up leaving mother and I alone when he died… by going on that stupid, stupid mission to avenge my uncle Robert's slain family."
Catherine gasped, "Robert told you about that? But, Claudia, that isn't how-"
"Silence, Catherine!" Varrot ordered, "You know that we are forbidden to discuss that event."
Catherine then closed her mouth and nodded, Coby looked off to the side and grunted.
Captain Varrot sighed angrily, then stood up and walked over to Claudia. Once she reached her, she held out her hand, "Give me the headband." she ordered.
"What?" Claudia cried.
"You can't be serious!" Catherine protested.
"Now that's going too far, Captain." Coby added.
"I gave you an order, private. Give. Me. The headband. Now!"
Claudia's lips were quivering, her eyes beginning to well up with tears, but she still obeyed and reached up, removed her red headband and placed it into Varrot's waiting hand. Once she had it, she turned and walked back to her desk.
"Captain! This isn't right!" Catherine objected, "That belonged to Claudia's father! You can't just-"
"I CAN'T?" Varrot growled as she turned to everyone and glared daggers at them, "What I can't do is allow someone who soils the name of a man, so brave and selfless, to wear his headband.
If Claudia wishes me to treat her as she deserves, then she doesn't deserve to wear this. It belonged to a man far more courageous, far more selfless and far more respected than any other within our group of friends. I know that's what you all think of and remember when you look at it, am I right?"
Coby and Catherine nodded, Varrot then looked down at Claudia, "I can't tell you everything, Claudia. But I will tell you this; That mission that your father died on… it was led by him, not Robert. And it was not a revenge mission, but one that saved hundreds of Gallian lives; including everyone in this room, your mothers life… and ultimately yours. You wouldn't have been born if he didn't complete the mission he so bravely gave his life for."
Claudia was speechless. There was obviously more to her father than she ever dreamed.
"You want to disrespect his legacy? Act so uncaringly about his sacrifice? Well… then I dare you to do better… Claudia Mann…" Varrot said, she then turned back to the small rock window and looked out with her hands held together behind her back, David Mann's headband clutched in one of her hands.
"We're done here." Varrot said to everyone, "Get some sleep. We have a tough mission ahead of us, and I want you all rested up for it."
Everyone then shuffled out of the captain's quarters, all of them had their eyes glue to the floor as they went. Just before she left, Claudia looked back at her father's headband, then ran her hand across her bare forehead, and she started to cry. It just didn't feel right to not have it anymore. To not have… her father's headband.