Plura Ater Nox

Chapter 17

Standing against the cold concrete cement wall, her arms folded over her visibly ample chest, her purple hair tied back in a tight braid, Angelique sighed softly. She had been witness to the unjustified advancement of Lieutenant Van Eyke on to her colleague, Aimée. It disgusted, but also alarmed her.

If it happened to her friend, then surely it would likely happen to her! She bit her lip in contemplative thought, wondering if it was a fluke or if she was next on the list. She couldn't bear the thought if she was.

She shook her head. 'No, it can't! I won't. So help me, if that low-life scum thinks he can try and score with me, he's sadly mistaken! If he tries, he's going to be nothing more than an imprint in the wall!'

She punched her fist into the palm of her other hand. 'Oh, I so want to make him regret it!'

Blinking, Angelique turned, hearing the faint shuffling of feet. She turned sharply, her braid spinning around as she did. She was tense, on alert, but relaxed, her sights meeting with the dead ones of her friend.

She trotted over. "Mon dieu, what ever is wrong, Aimée?" She gasped out, taking her friend's hands in hers. "It's that awful man, isn't it?!"

"Oui mon ami." Aimée replied sadly. "I do wish the good Lord hadn't made such a man for this green earth… Why did he have to come back?"

"Who?" Angelique asked, curious. She knew she was a reincarnation of a strong being; the reincarnation of Suzaku Seishi, Nuriko. She had her wish and now was female. She felt a minor connection to Aimée but couldn't place it…

"Lieutenant Van Eyke is… He's a… Oh, Angelique! There is no justice for women in this forsaken world! We have always been at the pity of man!" Aimée sobbed softly, choking back tears.

"What is he?" The one that was once Suzaku Seishi Nuriko queried. 'Is Aimée also a seishi? I sense it. But, which one is she? She does vaguely look like a Seiryuu Seishi, but I don't remember their female Seishi too clearly.'

"It's not what he is, it's who he is!" The former Seiryuu Seishi, Soi replied. She inhaled deeply. She had her doubts about telling such things. She didn't know if she would be regarded as a mad hatter for such claims or if it would get a warm reception.

She gazed into the cobalt orbs of her friend. Boldly in a low voice, stated, "the lieutenant is Seiryuu Seishi, Tomo."

"Seiryuu Seishi, Tomo?" Angelique blinked, trying to remember. She had the hardest time trying to recall the Seishi, as no permanent image of the man had been implanted in her mind from her previous life.

"Oui." Aimée nodded. She sighed morosely. "It was easier when he was just a cold bastard who wanted nothing to do with me. Now it's hard because I don't know what to expect from him."

Angelique blinked, unable to recall what the man looked like. She was however able to guess that her friend had been one of the Seiryuu Seishi, but which one? Aimée did vaguely remind her of Soi…

Almost seeming to come out of the shadows, from up the snaking corridor slithered the much loathed lieutenant. His golden narrow eyes were strategically averted on the young, meeker of the two females meeting in the hall. He had no use for the purple haired female, his desires and intentions lay with the former Seiryuu Seishi, Soi. He let her get out of his grasp too easily - one too many times for his liking. This time however, would be different, much different.

He would slowly break her wild stallion spirit from the past, erode all thoughts and emotions that were more con the blonde shogun. He wanted it eradicated from her conscious and subconscious. He would let her fall, then gracefully catch her when she was utmost vulnerable, making her into what he wanted, needed and desired.

His initial intentions seemed to be to create a docile resistance leader. In essence, in truth, in his mind he had plans to recreate the Soi he knew and get her to work for him - in more than one way. It would stretch beyond strictly professional. He wanted her completely, but he could never bring himself to admit such things right out when she still had her sights and dreams fixated upon the one man who he knew was his enemy.

He stopped, stopping in front of the two ladies. He cast a withering glance at the purpled hair woman. His tone was curt and cold, as he addressed the impediment to his desires and intentions. "Excuse me, you have to leave. I need to speak with Mademoiselle Beauregard."

Angelique blinked, stunned. She didn't know if this was the man that her friend didn't like or not, but she didn't have a profound retort to fire back. Also, this was the enemy and he was likely armed with a pistol and she didn't need to be sent home in a corpse bag because she had a big mouth, even if she was stronger than almost all the men she knew.

Snorting scornfully, she arrogantly tossed her braid behind her shoulder as she briskly pushed by the German. She had no need for him and she intended to show as little respect and courtesy as possible.

Once she was out of shot, both vision and hearing, Lieutenant Van Eyke turned to Aimée, grabbing her wrist. He pulled her into his arms, smirking down at her, his mouth almost covering hers. "Isn't this a nice little surprise, wouldn't you say, Soi?!"

"I would say it's not! I do not want to be manhandled by the likes of you, Tomo!" She scathingly seethed, her tone dripping profusely with venom, as she contemplated electrocuting him with lightening. Although at the cost of her own safety, so she momentarily let that idea slip out of her mind.

"I wouldn't call it such a harsh thing. After all, I'm only stopping you from falling, so is that such a bad thing?!" His smirk taunted, challenged her. He was going to fully enjoy her. Since he first arrived, she captured his fancy and now he wanted vengeance, he wanted to capture her for his own.

"No you're not! All you're doing is proving that you're nothing more than a leach! I hate you and I do not want you touching me or even looking at me like that!"

"Oh, such spitfire."

"Stop that!"

"And why should I, dear Soi?!" he purred, his lips brushing over hers. "You know, your fiery attitude reminds me of an English play I once read: The Taming of the Shrew. It seems we're being cast in it and this is our stage."

She wanted to push him away, but she realised just how calculating he still was. She noted he had taken that into account when he took her into this compromising position. She was stuck and he was enjoying it. That was unfair!

"I don't even agree! And I'm impressed that there is still literature in that fascist hellhole! I'm surprised you read such a refined piece of work considering what an unrefined cocky jackass!" She spat hatefully.

"You've given me even less reason why I should let you go, little miss. I'd much rather keep you for my own devices. Come along, I wish to speak with you. Don't try anything foolish, for it will cost you dearly if you should."

With that, without her saying anything, he kept a tight grasp on her wrist and led her to his quarters, where he pushed her in gently, shutting the door behind them. Locking it, he smirked slyly at her. "I wouldn't object if I were you, it seems more to your benefit if you do go along with this."

"I refuse to."

"You can, but not for long."

Aimée swallowed hard, clasping her hands in from of her bosom, only imagining what he possibly had in mind for her. She didn't want to dare think what he was going to do to her! It would be horrible to even think of…

~~~~

Over the makeshift radio crackled the static of a long-distance broadcast. It came from England. Around it, sat three youths. They tuned in. This was the source they needed for their information before they made their next move to circulate more pamphlets that contained degrading material on the loathed regime.

"Verdammen Sie es!" The silver-haired male of the group exclaimed. He highly disliked it when static consumed the airwaves when Prime Minister Churchill made his weekly address to all of Britain and her allies. The White Rose had been lucky enough to tap into the radio air waves.

Theodor petulantly tapped his fingers on the hard wood desk. "Elisabet! Hasn't the allied broadcast started yet? What is the news? Any advance onto the German front?"

She raised a finger to her to her lips to indicate for him to shush, as she fiddled with the radio dials and the antennae to get better reception. She was the one among the group with passable English. Her two male colleagues didn't grasp it as easily, therefore making her the translator of the allied broadcast, since it was mostly conducted in English.

"Is there anything of importance yet? Has Herr Churchill said anything of value?" Nickolaus queried, his voice low, as to not impede on the former Byakko Seishi, Subaru's efforts to get a signal.

"Kein…kein…JA!! I got a better connection!!" She exclaimed happily. "Now shush, we haven't missed the start of the broadcast yet."

Over the makeshift radio, a refine English speaker announced the presence of Prime Minister Winston Churchill. He added the date before saying the English leader would now make his address to a nation at war and her allies.

Nearly six months have passed since, at the end of August, I made a broadcast directly to my fellow countrymen. It is therefore worthwhile looking back over this half year of struggle for life-for that is what it has been and what it is-to see what has happened to our fortunes and to our prospects.

Elisabet nodded. 'Good.' She thought, noting it was just the introduction. Nothing particularly important to the group as of yet. She glanced over and held up a hand indicating for silence from her two male colleagues. She needed to keep all her attention on the speech, as her English wasn't as perfect as that of the Anglo.

…pleasure of meeting the President of the United States and drawing up with him the declaration of British and American policy which has become known to the world as the Atlantic Charter. We also settled a number of other things about the war…

She held her pen in hand, trying to scribble down notations to give to her colleagues. It was hard to write in German and listen to English. The translation process was difficult, but it was key to their activities that they be aware of allied advances and positions.

Now silent, in the backdrop of the room, Nickolaus dealt out cards to him and Theodor. This would keep them silent until the broadcast was finished. It wouldn't be polite of them to interrupt her as she worked and did everything she could under such times of stress.

Looking up, glaring at the radio as more static crackled, intercepting part of the speech, Elisabet gritted her teeth, resisting the urge to growl out profanities that were unbecoming of a woman in such a period of time. Instead, she bit her lip, the nasty profanities merely dancing in her head.

…In those days, the Germans seemed to be tearing the Russian armies to pieces and striding on with growing momentum to Leningrad, to Moscow, to Rostov and even farther into the heart of Russia…

It was thought a very daring assertion when the President declared that the Russian armies would hold out until the winter…

She scratched down that inkling of details, wondering if indeed the massive German military has the manpower to break through the Soviet lines. She scripted a question mark next to that fact, wondering the validity of it. She knew she shouldn't question it because it came from a trustworthy source, but even then.

…We had already been for more than a whole year absolutely alone in the struggle with Hitler and Mussolini. We had to be ready to meet a German invasion of our own island. We had to defend Egypt, the Nile Valley and the Suez Canal…

"Fluch! The damned brown shirts are headed this way." Theodor cursed, glaring at the approaching men out the window. He didn't know what to do, as he slammed the cards down he had been dealt. Quickly, he stood up.

"What? What is it?" Nickolaus glanced up, sensing the alarm in his friend's sudden action.

"Just the usual assholes. I'm going to go take them out."

"NO!! You'll get in trouble!"

But his words went in vain, as Theodor teleported from the room.

"Tokaki." Nickolaus whispered. "Just like when we were protecting Byakko no Miko. You're just as reckless as before. You must've had nine lives…"

The one that was the former Byakko Seishi, Subaru, hadn't the faintest notion that this was occurring in the background, as she worked to translate as much as she could of all crucial information. They needed to know that their army wasn't invincible and that the government would experience defeat swiftly enough that it would gracelessly collapse, going teacup over saucer.

…It is little enough we have done for Russia, considering all she has done to beat Hitler and for the common cause. In these circumstances, we British had no means whatever of providing effectively against the new war with Japan. Such was the outlook when I talked with President Roosevelt in the middle of August on board the good ship Prince of Wales, now, alas, sunk beneath the waves…

'But they are the Bolsheviks! They are the communists! Weren't they the common enemy before the Nationalists became? How strange that there is an alliance between two such sources. But what else is to be expected in times of war.' She thought, listening to the continuing broadcast with keen interest.

She placed her pen down for a moment, wondering…

How could two enemies become allies? Actually, that was a dumb question. The Russians hated the Germans and the English needed a big army. It was all a matter of need as oppose to if you like the person(s). Necessity oft took precedence over other petty matters.

She sighed, picking her writing tool back up and dipping the tip into the inkwell that sat on her desk. Lightly she tapped the nib on the rim of the inkwell, letting the black ink drip off before she touched it back onto the page.

…Still, when you looked at it bluntly and squarely, with the United States neutral and fiercely divided, with the Russian armies falling back with grievous losses, with the German military power triumphant and unscathed, with the Japanese menace assuming an uglier shape each day, it certainly seemed a very bleak and anxious scene…

How do matters stand now? Taking it all in all, are our chances of survival better or worse than in August, 1941? How is it with the British Empire, or Commonwealth of Nations-are we up or down? What has happened to the principles of freedom and decent civilization for which we are fighting? Are they making headway or are they in greater peril?…

* * * *

Author's Notes: Well, it was a long time since I've posted a new chapter? Was it worth the wait? I should hope so, I've been busy with school. Plus it is easier for me to write at home rather than during my spare because that way I don't have morons gawking over my shoulder as I write. It's really annoying when they do that!! Anyway, once school is out on June 17th, I'll have more time to write and hopefully I'll be able to write more chapters and get more out for you instead of once a month. But hey, quality is better than quantity!

Quotes are taken from Prime Minister Winston Churchill's speech given on: February 15, 1942.

[http://www.ibiblio.org/pha/policy/1942/420215a.html]