War Stories

Chapter VI: Blood in the Water

Stories of Squad 7's success had began making their way not only through military channels but within civilian populations as well. In the midst of the invasion, good news was hard to come by, so it was a boost to morale for all the citizens to know of the success of any military operation. Though details were limited at best, most would never know or appreciate the sacrifices of the brave men and women fighting to liberate their home.

And so it was that Welkin Gunther found himself leaning against the Edelweiss, arms crossed as his attention was drawn to the dirt and grass and rocks. This was his standard position after any engagement, his troops chalking it up as the Lieutenant enjoying his passion of observing nature, yet if any were to pay attention they would see the deeply etched frown marring his visage, as he stood lost in thought and replaying the battle in his mind.

Capturing the supply base in the Cloden Wildwood was yet another successful operation, yet it did not feel like a success to the young man. Two among his squad, Emile and Susie had been wounded in the conflict, Emile critically so, and Welkin could not help but consider the potential loss of the soldiers under his care. He got this way any time an operation had been completed, thoughtful at how his decisions nearly cost someone their life.

They were orders that had to be followed, orders that led to a successful mission, and yet orders that nearly cost the life of one of his squad. And despite all that, the success that they achieved, he could not relent his own guilt he misjudged an enemy's position or an unexpected sniper that led his team to getting hurt. He had been fortunate thus far, no casualties, but he wasn't sure how he could handle it if one of his men died under his care.

That is what always led him to stare at the earth after a mission, and while, for the most part, his troops believed he was concentrating on the environment, his mind would often not allow him the calming presence of nature to ease his doubts. It was often why, in such circumstances that no less then three young women within his squad would observe him in a distance vigil, each pondering the correct time to go and speak to the young commander.

Isara would often stand at the fore of the tank, feigning calibrations or replacing damaged plating, yet her eyes fixed upon her brother with a look of deep concern. She knew him better than anyone in the squad and knew his moods and behavior like second nature, and yet she did not feel it was her place to comfort him. As much as it hurt, that duty was left to another.

Speaking of, Alicia approached her commanding officer and delivered a quick salute before relaying the details of the inventory they had procured from the enemy base. "We've secured the supplies, what few were left. Nothing of any importance. Most food, medical, ammunition and documents were shipped out during the battle. There are a few vehicles and weapons and we did manage to find a mostly intact communications pack. Looks like they were trying to destroy it but the Imperial trying to do so was stopped before too much damage was done."

Her words petered off into the empty air between them as she stepped forward, placing her hand on his forearm and drawing his attention to her. Only she was ever able to reach through the veil of discontent, to ease his mind and contemplation when he got this way, and it left her deeply charmed to know he trusted only her through the harshness of war.

Welkin spent so much time and effort shielding his sister from the horrors of what they did, that he could not burden her with his troubles. And yet, despite wishing the same for Alicia, he felt oddly calm by her very presence, as though only she were capable of keeping the deepest secrets of his heart. And not for the first time he wondered why that was. Was it her gentle, guiding nature, her ease at which he found himself able to speak to her so openly and freely without being judged? Perhaps it was just because it was Alicia that he could let his guard down, reveal his deepest fears and lament his failures. He had done no less for her, and he was often left wondering what she got out of all of this. Why she was so comforting and nurturing to his mind and spirit that wasn't sure if he could function without her, and that single thought terrified him. In truth, he would devote more time to understanding this new development in their relationship, but for the time being, he would put it in the back of his mind as he focused on the task at hand.

"Good job Alicia," and though his words were praising, his tone was flat and emotionless. "Radio to headquarters and ask for a depot truck to pick up the supplies. We'll secure the communication field pack in the Edelweiss. Maybe our engineers can deconstruct the code the Imperials are using.

"Anyway, set up a rotation to secure the perimeter and have a contingent begin tearing down the base. We can't burn it without risking it setting the whole forest on fire, and we can't leave it here for the Imperials to just move back in..."

"Already done," she replied as she moved to take her place by his side, leaning against the Edelweiss, her posture matching his own.

A dry chuckle slipped past his lips as he shook his head. "Of course you did," a small smile drawing upon his lips as he turned his attention back to the ground. "What would I do without you," though the words were delivered playfully, there was an underlining context that hung heavy in the air between the two young adults, a meaning that seemed ever present between the pair thrown into this hell of war.

Though the words were an invitation, neither Alicia nor Welkin address them...at least not yet. There was too much uncertainty still before them, and yet, the invitation still hung heavy above them, as though a reminder of a conversation neither were willing to face in their present state.

As the silence fell once more between them, Alicia reached her hand forward and clutched Welkin's fingers in her own before turning her attention fully to the young man, "Welkin, are you..."

"I've been giving it some thought Alicia," he spoke in his soft, reserved way that seemed to drown the world in comfort despite the chaos around them. While Welkin would often wonder how Alicia was the only one to reach him in his times of deep contemplation, she would ponder at how his tone and very voice seemed to erase all her fears, as though he himself was a lighthouse, driving away the darkness and casting the light that would deliver all under his care to safe passage.

"What do you think of cross-training the troops?"

The tone was not lost on her, she knew it well. It was often used when he had an idea and wanted her to very much to talk him out of it. "What do you mean?" she asked in the usual verbal dance they would fall into as she turned her attention towards him.

"Emile got hurt. I'm really glad he's going to be okay, but that puts us down a sniper. Most of our strategies rely on a two sniper formation, but in battle, without any in reserves, it puts all the work on Catherine. But, if we cross-train, train scouts to be snipers, shock troopers to be scouts, engineers to be shock troopers, it would alleviate any gaps in our squad. A scout could fill in in the sniper role if one got hurt, plus it gives more diversity in troop deployments..."

"And it would stretch our troops too thin," she remarked, her attention turned to the same patch of ground Welkin studied. "We have enough to deal with trying to outmaneuver and over take the enemy advance without exhausting our troops with more training. They're tired and stressed as it is, I mean, I get the logic behind it, but it seems a tad excessive."

"And maybe," Welkin continued, his voice softening as if unsure if he should speak any further, "we can train Salanis to be a tank commander."

"What?" she asked, her attention spinning and eyes locking upon him as if afraid of where his train of thought was taking him.

"He's a big time tank enthusiast. I mean, if something happened to me, he could take command of the Edelweiss and keep the enemy at bay..."

"No," she pleaded, her whole body moving so that she was now facing him. Placing her hand against the tank, her arms barricaded Welkin against the Edelweiss as she stared at his impassive face. "Nothing's going to happen to you!"

"I mean, it only makes sense," he continued as if he had not heard her words. To Alicia, the hollow tone of his voice was matched only by the reserved expression upon his face, as if he had determined his death was a foregone conclusion. "If or when that bullet finds me, someone is going to pilot the Edelweiss."

"Nothing is going to happen to you!" Alicia pleaded, her eyes swimming as she settled her hands to the side of his face and drew his attention to her. "Okay, nothing's going to happen...it can't..."

There was so much left unsaid between them, that open door that stood before them both that would take them to someplace beyond being comrades and friends. A place that they were both eager to enter but afraid to traverse. And it tore at both of them to know this, that if this war had never happened, if they weren't thrown into this conflict of life and death then they would willing step over the threshold and enter wherever that door would lead. But they were, so they wouldn't...at least not yet.

"You can't know that Alicia," he said, his hand moving to cradle her shoulder as he fixed his gray eyes upon her. "We're in a war...its a miracle we've made it this far without any casualties, but this is just going to get harder. I just don't know any more," he offered as he turned his head from her, unable to study the concern and that something more neither could face right now, reflecting from her eyes like mirrors that echoed the hopes and dreams of his own soul. There was just so much, both known and unknown to the present, that he could not find a way to rationalize it.

"I won't let it happen, you hear me?" she asked as she lowered her eyes and rested the crown of her head against his chest. "I won't...I'll keep you safe..."

'You can't...not from this,' he thought, yet the words died on his tongue as he turned his attention once more on the girl in his arms. He could lie to her, tell her it was just battle jitters that was making him think such dark thoughts, but it wouldn't be right. He'd want her to be prepared for the inevitable when it should happen.

"You saw them right, the kill orders?" He asked unnecessarily. He knew, and she knew that he knew that the whole squad had found the file of priority targets. Princess Cordelia, members of the intelligence committee, Generals Freedmont, Daimon and Harks of the northern, central and southern Gallian forces respectively, have all been assigned assassination orders. Yet it was Welkin who had found the file first, and Welkin who had presented it to the squad. And Welkin who presented the incomplete list.

He could hide it from...it would be so easy, but again, she deserved to know. So, reaching into his right trouser pocket, he pulled the single page, folded neatly in his own precise manner, and held it for her see. Immediately she snatched the page from his hand and unfolded it, her eyes locking on the artist rendition of the man who, only a moment ago held her in his arms. A kill order marking one Welkin Gunther for immediate execution.

In the grand scheme of things, it made sense. Welkin and his squad had won victory after victory. It wasn't like other field and squad commanders weren't targeted as well, but the thought had never occurred to any of the Seven that their commander would be on that list, and yet it made perfect sense that his successes and exploits would reach Imperial Command, he had become something of a rallying point for the citizens. The son of the great war hero who had proven to as great as his father. And it would be that reason that he would be targeted.

For her part however, Alicia felt a fierce anger and denial as she crumpled the page and threw it to the ground before she again framed his face with her fingers. "I don't give a damn what the Empire says, I will protect...I will..."

"Don't," he whispered, his voice unable to hold more strength as he locked his eyes upon her. In that moment, and only in front of her, he allowed his stoic mask to slip and reveal the fear that resided within his red rimmed eyes. "Don't you take a bullet for me...I couldn't...I can't. If anything were to happen to you..."

"Do you think I feel any different?" she countered as fought back her own fear. Neither of them were naive enough to ignore the feelings between them, they had known each other for months at this point, had fought beside and protected each other. Had trusted each other like no one else, and that was bond that would break. "Do you think I could live with myself if I didn't?"

At this, Welkin pulled her close, embracing and holding her tight against his body as he all but collapsed under the pressure of everything. Fear of his squad dying, fear of his own impending death, fear that this brave woman would throw herself in front of a bullet to protect him. All of it stole the breath from his lungs, and all he could do was cling to her, pray to any god that might still care about this tiny planet, that the concerns of a single mortal man would be enough to get them to listen. He doubted it, but he could still hope.

-0-

On the other side of the grounds, Juno Coren watched the exchange with a look of longing that was soon replaced by defeat. Long had she stood in vigil of the young lieutenant, hoping to go to him, to comfort him. They had known each other from university, and though she had been sought after by so many potential suitors that she had grown weary of the entire ordeal, she found Welkin to be a different sort of man. He accepted her as a friend, trusted and was even impressed by her intelligence. He seemed to care nothing for her looks, but treated her as she had always hoped others would view her, as someone to be admired for their brains and intellect, not their beauty.

That was what had drawn her to Welkin Gunther. They were two of a kind in a way, she an intellectual prodigy that was valued only for her looks, and him, a brilliant nature enthusiast that was so often compared to his father's legacy. That connection was what had made them friends, yet it was a bitter pill to accept that that was all he would ever see her as...a friend.

She had spent the better part of the last 20 minutes working up the courage to go to him, to be the one to comfort him, and how she desperately wished she was the one he held in his arms.

"What's that then love?" Catherine said, coming to step beside Juno, her accent a noticeable give away of her arrival. Following Juno's broken gaze, she fixed her eyes upon the lieutenant and sergeant in their current positions, Catherine nodding her head in quiet understanding. "Tis a right shite situation, in'it?"

Juno dropped her gaze as she shook her head in ready denial. Heaving a heavy sigh she shook her head slightly at the sentiment. "It's—it's just hard to accept the fact that I lost; harder still to know I wasn't eve n in the race. I..." she began as she allowed her shoulders to sag if accepted defeat. "I just hope she makes him happy."

Though the scene was proof enough, Catherine felt no need to add any more distress to her friend. Instead, she lifted a bottle she had been carrying, the amber liquid sloshing within the glass container. "Come on then, Vyse found the commander's stash of brandy. Let's go have us a drink."

Catherine fixed the bottle with a look of distaste before turning her attention to the sniper. "You know I'm an academic right? You do realize consumption of alcohol dulls senses, slows motor function, not to mention decrease of cognitive faculties, and let's not forget the number of brain cells that die as a result of poisoning your body with that..."

"Oh piss off on all 'dat, that's the whole point in'it? Besides, you're too damn smart anyway, you could stand to lose a few brain cells. Now come on, we'll drink to lost loves and bemoan our shite life decisions tomorrow."

As Catherine flung her arm over Juno's shoulder, the young scholar took one last look at Welkin and Alicia locked in each others arms, sheltered and guarded in their own world and shut off from everything around them. "It can't be a lost love if it was never yours to begin with..."

Quietly, Catherine turned her attention to her best friend and offered a sad, knowing smile before saying in a quiet, tender voice, "Then we'll drink to that too."