There we go, a new chapter is released.
In this one, I tried to show a more casual side of the lives of the guardsman and a more dark side of the SoB's. So I wish I managed to do that properly.
The story advances and the first act will be over soon.
Hope you like this one, and have a good read. If you have any suggestions, recommendations, or compliments, feel free to review them or DM me.
Now without further ado, let the curtains be pulled and the show begin...
The Calling Part VII
To their chagrin, the living quarter has a lot of people in it. So their discussion must be as quiet as possible, so it won't catch the attention of the soldiers around them. Silviya approaches the bunk bed sitting on the right side, 661 follows suit sitting on her left. Both of them look around, trying to see if someone is eavesdropping on them.
"Right I think we are good, so since you were so adamant about having this conversation right now, you go first."
Silviya annoyingly sighs, but with a reluctant nod, she agrees to be the first to talk.
"What happened in the cafeteria was an accident. I didn't mean to hit you."
"Really?"
661 crosses his arms, staring at her doubtfully.
"Since the last thing, I saw before taking the worst punch in my entire life was your angry face."
"It was a knee-jerk reaction. I didn't think, I just did."
"That's the problem, you cant keep doing that. Seconds before I saved your life and the way you repay me is to punch my face?"
"I felt threatened and I reacted!"
"Why though? Since our meeting I've never given you a reason to distrust me, so what caused your "knee jerk reaction"?"
"You know very well what caused it!"
In the instant that this sentence left her mouth the annoyed expression of 661 turned to an apologetic one. He scratches the back of his head.
"Look I didn't do it on purpose. I was trying to prevent your fall, in such conditions, if you fell, it could undo the stitches again. So I did the first thing that came to my mind."
Silviya raises an eyebrow in suspicion, and with a cautionary tone asks.
"The first thing that came to your mind was to hold my breast?"
"NO!"
661 says loudly, which prompts a group of nearby guardsman to glance at them. Silviya pinches his arm, making him yelp. And with her left-hand signals for him to tone down his voice. While rubbing his stinging arm 661 annoyingly nods, and with a whispering voice, he adds.
"No. My first reaction was to take a hold of you before you reached the ground."
The battle sister only hums at his answer while looking at his features, trying to see any sign of deception. His expression is remorseful, he is telling the truth, good. It would be a shame to have to break his teeth for such lecherous behavior. With a click of a tongue, 661 talks with an honest and firm tone.
"It was an accident, but still I'm sorry for touching your...breast."
"It's fine, I know that you are being sincere. However, if you were lying..."
She cracks her knuckles while staring at 661 with her best murderous smile.
"I would have to break your hand and something else between your legs. Do you understand?"
661 could only nervously nod at her implied threat. Silviya then turns her expression from murderous to serious, her eyes still locked in him.
"Still, my reaction to the whole scenario was improper. It was clearly a misunderstanding between both parties. You were brave and humble enough to say sorry so I should do the same."
The sororitas pauses, taking a deep breath and closing her eyes. With them still closed she starts in a hesitant tone.
"I'm so..."
She pauses, the rest of the word caught in her throat. Silviya shakes her head, taking another deep breath with her eyes still closed, she tries again.
"I'm sor...ry"
The crack in the last syllable, running her effort. After another failed attempt she peeks with one eye to look at the guardsman's reaction, she could only see annoyance in his features. His reaction only manages to get her more nervous.
"I'm...I'm...I'm!"
Her stuttering making her look like a nervous acolyte that was caught stealing rations from the kitchen. For Emperor's sake why saying a simple "sorry" is such a hassle. Is just a damm word! That little voice in her head interjects her thoughts.
"*Maybe is because he is a guardsman. One who saved your incompetent ass, and here you are saying sorry to a common soldier.*"
Shut up! Annoying voice in her head. With her focus lately wavering such spiteful thoughts are becoming more and more common.
661 annoyed voice breaks her internal conflict.
"You are?"
Once again she takes a deep breath and with her eyes still closed replies as fast as she can.
"Imsorryforhittingyourface!"
There she said it! No hesitance, just like she was supposed to do. Her resolve is unwavering, determination is her second name...
"What?"
And just like that, she is back at square one. She clenches her hands in frustration on her platinum hair. Silviya is very tempted to tear her locks out in frustration. Why it must be so difficult? When did she become such a proud being!?
Emperor would be ashamed of such an attitude. Scratch the twenty lashes, it will be fifty once she gets her gear back.
"Look Silviya I get it, you're not used to saying sorry. But I don't have time for this right now. If that its all I must go."
661 proceeds to get up, to leave the conversation they are having. A strange panic takes hold of Silviya making her do an unthinkable act.
"NO, WAIT!"
She screams while taking hold of his right arm. The strength in her grip is enough that Silviya can feel his heartbeat through her hold. Her mouth is dry, every muscle in her body contracting as if her own body was against the idea, but the decision was made.
"I'm sorry."
There she said it. Releasing the air that she didn't notice that she was holding, she sighs relieved. There she managed to finally say the damn word. She stares firmly at him, trying to regain her focus.
He stares her back, before slowly sitting again beside her. 661 eyes are set on the ground, then the next thing the man does catch her totally off guard.
"Okay. You didn't need to say it, but I appreciate your effort!"
The guardsman said giving her a genuinely happy smile.
What? How come she didn't need to tell him she is sorry? He almost got up and left only because of her reluctance in saying sorry.
"Bullshit! You almost left because I didn't tell you that I was sorry!"
Silviya protested loudly, earning a warning look from 661.
"Tone down a little, people are looking at us, since your scream. So if we don't want any more undesired attention lower your volume."
As she looks around them, guardsmen in the bunk beds right next to theirs are taking short glances at them.
661 tiredly sighs, before quietly adding.
"Look I'm being honest, I understood that you are sorry and that for me is enough. Plus I wasn't lying when I said that I have a lot of things to do."
He tried his best to reassure the strange battle sister. A frown fills her features, as she stares at him with distrust.
"Too convenient, I think that you were angry at my prideful behavior, and wanted to leave before I could say sorry."
"I already told you it's fine, the moment I saw that you were truly sorry everything is good between us. We made mistakes and that's it."
"It can't be that easy! I punched your face...my squad leader's face, if we were in the sororitas, my punishment was to be lashed until I couldn't stand anymore."
Erick settles his hand on the sororitas shoulder, to try to get her attention.
"But I am a guardsman, in here we don't do that...unless of course, a commissar sees it, then is another whole story."
He laughs a little at his own comment. There is a pause, he turns to her with seriousness on his face.
"Still we must talk about some ground rules of our squad. I heard yours, but now you must hear mine. Is that alright with you?"
She is apparently still dazed by his last answer. Some seconds go by, as she slowly nods.
"First rule: You must stop with your violent reactions towards fellow squadmates. If you have any problem with someone on our squad, talk to me, and we will solve it together, all right?"
Her numb stare turns to an annoyed one, before reluctantly nodding at him.
"Second rule: As we respect you as a sister, you must respect us as guardsmen. We are truly different, but that shouldn't be an obstacle to our relationship as squadmates."
Still, with a very annoyed look, she nods.
"Third and last rule: No more punches in my face, please. I really don't think my teeth can endure another one of your "mighty" punches. If you have a problem with me, talk them out, without violence...please."
Silviya looks at him with an unreadable expression, apparently pondering his last words. She starts to weirdly raise her right hand, her face looking to anywhere but him, her hand now waiting for a handshake. He smirks at her action.
"Well, now you want to shake my hand?"
She turns her angry stare at him, and with a threatening tone says.
"Shut up! Don't make me regret this."
A huge smirk still plastered on his face, Erick thought it is amusing the fact that the sister is actually willing to do something like this.
"Sheesh, is just a joke."
"I'm tired of jokes. Your annoying friend has already cracked too many for my taste."
Erick gives a little laugh at what Silviya just said.
"Yeah, it looks like her alright."
Silviya then looks at him and then her hand in a clear sign of what she is expecting.
"So everything is settled then, 661?"
"Yeah. But one last rule, you will stop calling me 661. My name is Erick, so call me that."
She scoffs at his words.
"Whatever you say, 661."
He looks at her with an annoyed stare, she stares back with a small playful smirk. Forget it, some things will never change, at least she has been cooperative enough. He clenches her hands, and both shake their hands, sealing their deal.
"Well, now I must go. I have to present myself to commissar Kraven on the working deck."
Silviya raises an inquisitive eyebrow.
"Wait, why?"
"To get work. If a guardsman can walk, and have enough limbs to help, he must help. And that's what I'm gonna do."
She looks doubtfully at his left stump before with a cautionary tone asking.
"You will be okay working with only one arm?"
Erick just shrugs.
"Yeah, ill be fine. Now rest, you lost too much blood."
"Fine ill rest, but when I woke up I hope to see you back in here, or we gonna have a problem."
His cheeks are burning red right now. Her expression is still the same determined one. She probably doesn't realize what her words can imply or she would be reacting differently.
Erick had a hunch that she was oblivious to things like romantic relationships, but now he is certain. The choice of words done by the sororitas is the same as that of a clingy girlfriend.
He looks around in the living quarters seeing some very curious glances in their direction, he can just hope that no one heard that. What would they think if they eavesdropped on her last remark?
661 is acting very strange at her last comment. His cheeks are flustered, he is looking around. Did she say something wrong?
"Well our talk was fun, but I must go now. Rest assured at the end of my shift ill come back."
"When does your shift ends?"
"It depends on the job they assign me to."
Her only response is a little "oh", before setting herself on the bed. The comfortable mattress making her instantly relax.
"Bye Silviya. Have a good rest."
He proceeds to turn his back at her and go in the direction of the door but stops when he hears her voice.
"Emperor protects guardsman."
After her words, he stops midway to the door, then turns his head to her with a grin on his face.
"Emperor protects sister."
Going through the door, 661 lefts her alone in the living quarters, with only her thoughts as a company. She is satisfied that the misunderstanding between the two is solved.
Deciding for a quick prayer before her rest she takes hold of the rosarius around her neck, caressing the necklace while praying silently. She ends up falling asleep with her hands still holding the accessory.
Sarah was waiting for him right outside the door. The redhead took long enough to present herself to working duty. She will be lucky enough to not end up in the brig for breaking protocol.
While he still is on time to present himself to the working stations, his status as a leader can earn him some kind of punishment for "allowing" her undisciplined behavior towards the protocol.
To the ones asking, the Imperium doesn't care if he was in the infirmary or not. Is his duty as a leader to make his subordinates as disciplined as possible. So yeah, being worried is an understatement about the situation, he just hopes that the commissar in question can be lenient with their situation.
Together they quickly go in the direction of the nearest working deck. Exiting Deck 45 they go in the direction of the corridor to the other decks. Passing some corridors similar to the ones on 45, they go through the corridors of the Decks 44, 43,42,41,40.
In the last one, they turn right to a descending stair, similar again to the one in 45. But instead of the cafeteria, there is a huge administrative hub, with a variety of servitor skulls, guardsmen, commissars, and even space marines walking around.
This area is huge, is bigger than the entire barracks of the 41st and that is saying something. All around them, structures that look like multiple barracks, huge ass towers, structures that look like houses, and in the far left corner, there are a plethora of booths with huge lines of guardsmen waiting in them.
Their luck is that the commissar Kraven in person said that they needed to present themselves to him, the meeting place is in the commissariat office near the booths.
They proceed to go to the building with the distinct sign containing the skull of the commissars on its front. Opening the big copper double doors they arrive at the reception, a big round hall with people walking around with piles of papers. A servitor floats in the middle of the reception. As they approach the hovering skull, the floating cranium addresses them.
"Name and Unit Number."
"Erick Clarke, ID: ABA-661."
"Sarah Burke, ID: EXA-368."
The red light in the socket of the skull blinks, a weird clicking noise can be heard from it. Until with a ping sound, a piece of paper gets out of its "mouth", on it is written the number twenty-two.
"Commissar Kraven is waiting in his office. Third floor, office 33, wait for your turn."
Erick and Sarah look at each other before nodding to the floating skull. They proceed to climb the stairs to the aforementioned floor. Once there, they see two small metal panels with an arrow to the right and the left.
Numbers are written in the metal panels, the two guardsman search for the number giving by the servitor. They find their number in the left one. Both soldiers follow the aforementioned to their destination, passing through some rooms with small lines of waiting guardsmen, but the bigger line is exactly in front of office 33.
Another servitor is floating beside the door, each one of his eyes with what appears to be a red led light, each one displaying a number. They go to the end of the line to wait for their turn, soon both hear the familiar "ping" sound, the skull eyes now showing "15". A squad of four is leaving the room as the three next people in line go in.
Both of them wait for forty minutes before the familiar "ping" sound plays again, this time in the skull's eyes the number on the display is "22". They proceed to the door, but just before Erick opens it, Sarah addresses him.
"Wait. How did you know that this commissar Kraven was the one that wanted to assign our work duty to us?"
"That's simple actually. After I left both of you in the cafeteria the same commissar that made us do all that shit came to talk to me."
He pauses.
"Apparently, he was with his eyes set the entire time on us, so he wanted to personally assign our working duty."
Sarah looked unsure of the information he just shared with her. Understable since the guy made Silviya exercise to the point of actually opening her wounds, plus making him do push-ups with only one arm and watching him fall flat on his face for a good twenty minutes.
"Really?"
"Yeah really."
Erick proceeds to open the door of the commissar in question. Once inside they see the space they are in, is a room made with what appears to be wood, there is a window behind the sitting commissar, velvety red curtains adorning the aforementioned, and a painting portraying some random battlefield in the right wall. the place is cozy and has a bright yellow lamp on the ceiling that shines the room. Behind the sturdy wooden desk is the strange commissar, scribbling with a feather pen something down on a paper.
As soon as the door closes behind them, this gets his attention out of the piece of parchment, the older commissar turns his analyzing look to them.
"I see that Erick boy managed to make it in one piece. Congratulations"
Both guardsmen salute the officer in front of them.
"Sir! We are presenting ourselves to our working stations."
"At ease son."
Erick and Sarah relax with the officer's command. Kraven stands up from his chair, and with both arms crossed behind his back go around the table to be face to face with the guardsmen.
"So, did you think about my proposal 661?"
Sarah turns a worrying stare to Erick.
"What proposal?"
He turns to her with the best reassuring smile he can manage.
"Well..."
Erick was beyond pissed, he saved that ungrateful women's life, suturing her bleeding wound back and his reward is a punch to the fucking face. He actually doesn't know what he will do now, he'll probably walk around to vent off his anger.
Just when he starts to climb the stairs back to deck 45 he hears the familiar voice of the asshole commissar from before.
"There you are Erick boy. I wished to speak to you alone."
He freezes midstep, turning to the grizzled commissar. He salutes the officer.
"Sir!"
"At ease soldier."
Erick lowers his right hand as he stares suspiciously at the commissar.
"Sir why would you need to talk to me alone?"
He approaches Erick, now standing only a few steps from him.
"Call me Kraven, and I have a confession to make."
He pauses analyzing Erick's reaction.
"I was with my eyes set on your quad since Cadia. To be precise since operation red hill."
At that Ericks, eyes widen in surprise. How does he know about that? That operation was confidential. And worse yet how much of it he knows?
"Don't worry kid, for me the entire operation was a success."
"The operation had several casualties and the loss of two squad members. How it could be a success?"
"Didn't your squad managed to hold a heavily damaged high-value position?"
"Yes sir! But the entire segment that we were supporting died or were wounded while defending it. Our explosives didn't work, we lacked coordination and our comms got cut. Neither I or the commissar in that operation foresaw that."
"But only six of you were able to hold enough so reinforcements could arrive did it not?"
"Yes but...Wait, sir with all due respect, how do you know any of that? The operation was confidential, and that is not on my report."
Erick in his report told that the wounded and his squad managed to resist until backup arrived. But it was a lie, most wounded were too scared, or hurt to fight, so he told a white lie to cover the cowardice of some of the wounded soldiers.
At that, he takes his cap off showing off the top of his head that has a huge burn mark on it.
"I was there. I was one of the commissars on the east line."
Ericks widens his eyes even more at the revelation.
"By the Emperor... the east line was rushed by flame occultists. They set the entire line ablaze before Sigilus could activate the defensive explosives."
He pauses before addressing the officer.
"How did you manage to survive that? No one could get near that line because of the flames."
The commissar puts his cap back and with a small smile, starts to tell his tale.
"We were overrun by them just like you said, but to my luck, one of my man's body fell over me, knocking me on the ground, and his flesh covered me from most of the burns. Unfortunately, the top of my head have is not the only part of my body with these marks. But I survived and that's enough ."
Seeing the guardsman clear confusion He takes a deep breath before continuing.
"I was there while you and your men defended the line. I managed to crawl away from there, burning my arms and legs in the process but I managed to snake out of the burning inferno, dragging myself through the mud and blood of my fallen men before leaning myself in the northeast line where your squad was located."
"So you saw it? I mean the battle?"
"Boy, I saw it all. The way that you hold the line with everything you got, your comrades heeding every word that you ordered. If it weren't for you and your friends we surely would have lost the entire east and northeast line."
Erick waves his hands around in frustration.
"But we lacked coordination, Sigilus didn't obey me when I ordered him to help Atilus, Emeritus was focusing on repairing the illumination system since we couldn't see shit, and...this chain of events ended in we losing good men."
"Look no normal person could properly coordinate in that situation, unless if you were one of those hulking sociopathics in metal armor. The enemy knew everything about that stronghold, the attack was too precise, more brutal than any other before."
He puts a supporting hand on Erick's shoulder.
"No one that night could have foreseen what happened."
Erick is thoughtful who would have thought that one surviving commissar of that terrible night is here right in front of him. But wait...if he is what he is saying he is, why then he punished his squad?
"Sir if you excuse me, what exactly made your eyes settle on us?"
"The tactical prowess and coordination your team showed that day saved me and a lot of other good men. If the northeast line had fallen together with the east one, we wouldn't be here talking."
"Okay. But I must ask something if you allow sir?"
The commissar only nods at his request.
"If all you revealed to me is true...Why you still punished me and my squad?"
At his question, the officer scoffs in reprobation.
"Saving my life or not, I'm still a commissar. My duty comes first than personal allegiances, your squadmate broke the rules so I needed to punish her. I could be even harsher because of her incredibly disrespectful behavior. You taking her punishment instead was her doing not mine."
"Sir, but Silviya didn't do any wrong, she was only defending herself from Andres's unwanted sexual advances."
"I wasn't lying when I said that I believed her. But do you remember rule forty-four of the guardsmen codex?"
Erick thinks a little, in his former lessons on the rule book of the imperial guard, before replying with what he remembers from the rule book.
"Aggression between two members of the imperial guard, except when one of its members are under the influence of chaos, is strictly forbidden and punishable by either physical punishment of any kind or execution."
Kraven gives him a stern stare as if weighing his knowledge of the rules.
"You are forgetting one part soldier."
Erick looks confusingly at the commissar before the same sighs disappointed and with a robotic-like voice adds to the guardsman citation.
"The punishment being entirely on the commissar's judgment to impose."
"Yeah, but Silviya is a battle sister. She is under the jurisdiction of the Adeptus Ministorum, not the Astra Militarum, we can't punish her, not without requesting permission from the Ecclesiarchy."
The man annoyingly scrubs his greyish bear, looking Erick in the with a serious stare.
"She is with Gamma Squad and your team is with the Astra Militarum. So even if she isn't formally in our jurisdiction she must respect our rules and doctrines."
"Sir I must again say with all due respect, but she didn't know that. Silviya just reacted to what she perceived as a threat."
The commissar pinches his nose in frustration, at the guardsman's words, his left hand twitching near his bolt pistol that is attached to his belt.
"Yeah and thas the problem kiddo! To them, everything is a threat, and their first instinct is to put a bullet on it or cut it in half with a chainsword."
At that Erick is losing his temper. Even if he knows Silviya for only two days, no one speaks like that about a fellow teammate.
"I would really appreciate you stopped insinuating stuff about my teammate. And how could you possibly know that?"
At that Kraven's hand goes at full speed towards the gun on his belt, pulling the bolter pistol out, positioning the huge pistol right beneath Erick's chin, a clear angry expression written on the officer's features.
"Do not talk back to me soldier or ill put a bolter round through your thick skull. Also, I know that because I've already worked with them, a long time ago. And let me tell you, something boy. I've seen many imperials fighting, including Astartes, but none were more ruthless and brutal than the sororitas."
He paused, looking to the sides as if expecting someone to jump on them, still holding the gun beneath Erick's chin, and with a whisper say.
"Don't let the pretty face fool ya, they are heartless killing machines. I've seen with my own two eyes, they slaughtered an entire regiment for heresy. Want to know what this "heresy" was?"
Erick could only nervously gulp, with the gun barrel still beneath his jaw, waiting for the officer to continue.
"Their orders. The soldiers had orders to raze one chaos-captured cathedral to the ground. The poor bastards didn't know that the former church was a Sororitas stronghold. Their mission was a success, they managed to send the cultists running away as the structure crumbled to the ground."
Kraven stops as he looks around paranoic, sweat dripping from his forehead. Before redirecting his eyes at Erick.
"I was with the reinforcement regiment, the order came too late to aid them in their operation, we were one mile away from their position. And then we heard...the sound of thunder hawks soaring through the air. There were a total of six crafts, one landed beside us, and the other five went in the direction of the advanced regiment. Once they landed they came to talk to me."
He paused again nervously looking around, before he could start talking two people started descending the stairs, Kraven in an instant hides the gun inside his trench coat. As Erick turns to look he is surprised to see two hospitallers in casual robes climbing down the stairs. The two sisters happily talking about something. Erick and Kraven freeze as the two pass them, still happily chatting.
As soon as the two sister gets out of earshot Kraven releases air from his lungs loudly, he takes the bolter gun out holding it beneath Erick's jaw once again, and again with relief in his voice he continues.
"Anyway, the one in white armor came to talk to me, as soon as the thunder hawk landed. She presented herself as a sister "something" and threatened me to not intervene. I asked in what, however, as soon as the words left my mouth, I heard the sound of explosions and bolter fire, exactly in the advanced regiment position."
Kraven sadly looked to the ground as he concluded.
"The sound of screams filled the air, even at that distance, I could hear them. But the worst of all was not their screams, was the complete dead cold stare she was giving me the entire time, with these terrible sounds in the background."
He raises a very angry stare to Erick, pressing the barrel of the gun harder against his skin, before adding.
"Do you know what her answer to my question was?"
Erick could only dumbly shake his head side to side in a clear sign of no.
"The only thing she said was "Purging heretics". She didn't even blink, her voice didn't waver. The woman stared at me the entire time, daring me to do something. When the screams and explosions ceased, she just turned and left. And just like that..."
He snapped his fingers in Erick's face.
"They were gone. Soon after we received the order from high command, we should go there and clean up everything. Apparently, the sororitas would rebuild the building and needed that we the 38th cleared the area from bodies."
Once again Kraven took a deep breath before finishing his grim tale.
"I've been through many battlefields before, so I've seen some shit. But what I saw in those ruins forever changed something in me. "
There is a pause, Kraven lowers his gun, as he puts it away back on his black leather belt.
"Shredded bodies left and right, some with terror still written on their faces, some completely burnt down to a crisp. To my horror there was a carbonized body in a kneeling position, looking like the person was pleading with someone but only the charred bones remained. The figure was clenching an imperium rosarius on its hands."
Kraven then takes out the said rosarius from inside his trench coat, showing the charred golden piece to the guardsman right in front of him. Erick could only put his hand around his mouth shocked. This is the first time that he sees someone of the imperial guard say such things about the sisters. Usually what everyone hears are comforting and epic tales of warrior women devout to the emperor coming to battle with holy fire saving all from the dangers of war.
So hearing something like that shocks him. Erick can't doubt it either since the man's dreadful reaction says it all, also Silviya's behavior indicates something akin to what Kraven is explaining.
"These...These people are not the saviors we usually hear about. Their allegiance is to whatever they do inside their walls. They killed a lot of good men that day, and the reason I still don't know. So just a friendly warning, she is not your friend, if one day you cross her, or her duty, she won't hesitate to end your life."
Noted. He could only dumbly nod as the dreadful story came to end. As just as this somber atmosphere had come, it ended with a grin from the old commissar.
"So changing the topic...I heard that your another fellow, the one with fiery hair, didn't present herself to working duty."
Oh, this is not good. Failure to present oneself to working duty, within the designated time can get you literally executed. If what he is talking about is true, Sarah has a problem, a big problem at that.
"Wait really?"
"Yeah. To be precise three days late. You know the punishment for this transgression right?"
Fuck Sarah is in big trouble, whatever Kraven is wanting with this conversation he just hopes it won't end in her execution. Erick could only nervously nod at the commissar.
"Good. But don't fret I can help her out...if you agree to my terms that is."
"And what these "terms" would be sir?"
"Transfer your squad station from the 41st to the 38th. Gamma Squad will answer directly to me, also you will obey every order I give you, without hesitation."
Erick could only widen his eyes at the offer of the commissar. If he accepted he would probably forgive Sarah's transgression, but this could mean trouble also, since not so long ago he was falling flat on his face over and over again, all because of Kraven.
However, he doesn't have a lot of options, it's either accepting it or try to plead with some other commissar that Sarah doesn't get executed.
"Ill thought about it."
"Good, but ill need this answer in the next hours. Think a little and meet me in my office then you can give your answer."
Kraven takes a small piece of paper with something scribbled on it out of his pocket, giving it to Erick. He inspects the writing on it, seeing a location within the administrative hub.
"Thanks, commissar. I'll be in touch."
The officer tips his cap and with a small smile replies.
"You better be Erick boy."
Both started going to different locations before the commissar voice reaches his ears, stopping him in the middle of the stairs.
"One more thing soldier..."
He turns to look at the officer, the man staring at him seriously.
"Do not ever again talk to me like you did just a few moments ago if you do that again...well let's say that your permit to live will end with a bolter shot from my pistol."
And as that weird exchange comes to an end, Kraven turns around and goes away to somewhere within the cafeteria area. Erick just turns back to the stairs, climbing them, worried about committing his team to such a strange individual, also if Kraven is being honest this is a good opportunity for cleaning Sarah's name. he has a lot to think about.
Sarah turns an angry stare to Erick, her entire face frowning.
"Why didn't you told me any of that before coming in here!?"
Erick tried to put a comforting hand on Sarah's shoulder, but the redhead only shrugged it off.
"It's because I've already made the decision."
"You can't decide something like that for me!"
She said while poking very hard at his chest, anger written in every corner of her face.
"In fact, I can. I'm your squad leader, and as my subordinate, your life is my responsibility, so I've already made the decision."
At that Kraven let a small laugh, while staring at the arguing guardsman.
"So soldier what is your answer?"
"I agree with your terms."
Soon after Kraven pull out from his pocket a folded parchment with the distinct sigil of the commissars on it.
"Take a read, if everything is right just sign at the end of it."
Erick unfolds the piece of paper, there is written all the information about Gamma Squad, its members, the squad id, the role of it, and its member's names including IDs.
The information checks out, and it's even up to date, with the name of Silviya alongside her ID on it. At the end of it right above a small space, there is the written "The squad leader is aware and authorizes his team station transition from the 41st to the 38th."
"Well, everything checks out."
Kraven then drags a small bowl with black paint with a writing feather on it to their side of the table.
"Here use this."
The guardsman settles the piece of paper on the guardsman table, picking up the writing feather dripping with ink. He prepares to sign at the end of the document. But something holds his right arm.
"Are you sure about this Erick?"
Sarah asked him inquisitively while holding his arm in place. without getting out of his position he turns his head and with the best reassuring smile he can he request.
"I am. Trust me okay?"
Sarah holds his arm in place for some seconds but hesitantly releases it. Erick then uses the dripping feather to scribble his signature, Once done he puts the feather back on the ink container.
Kraven picks up the signed paper and folds it back, proceeding to put it away in his coat pocket.
"Good Job kiddo. Now, let's seal the deal with a handshake."
The commissar holds his hand in the air expecting the soldier to shake it. Erick hesitantly clenches his hand around the officer's hands. But as soon as he clenches it Kraven shakes it quickly and strongly making his entire arm feel like a noodle.
"Magnificent 661. Then let's get to work, first I'll withdraw any grievances against the fire-head."
Kraven proceeded to sit back on his chair, typing something on the console on his desk. Some seconds pass as he picks up a piece of paper in one of his drawers and starts to scribble on it. Once he ends writing on the piece of paper he stamps it with the commissar seal, then he lifts it in the air waiting for one of the guardsmen to pick it up.
"Done. She's free of any charges, but...She will have to make a double shift for one week as a disciplinary measure."
Sarah at that could only gulp nervously, having to double shift meant that you have only two hours of sleep and some minutes for lunchtime. Erick picks up the paper from the commissar's hands reading it.
Reading the paper telling his squad members' working situation, he can observe that Silviya is on medical leave (well that's considerate enough), Sarah is assigned to guard duty (it could be worse), and he is assigned to cleaning duty...
"Sir why am I on cleaning duty?"
At that Kraven let out a small belly laugh. But soon his expression turned from amicable to serious as he explained.
"You don't have one arm son. At this point, you can't do any heavy lifting or fighting. So, for the time being, you will be more useful in cleaning duty. Also, it will help you to be in shape while we don't solve your "missing one arm" problem."
The commissar takes something out from under his desk, is a metallic prosthetic with a c shaped hook, crude, but still, any help still helps. Kraven pushes the crude prosthetic in his direction. After ending his speech he raised himself from the chair threateningly.
"Be thankful that I still believe in your talent 661. Because if it were any other commissar you probably wouldn't receive this opportunity or this "arm".
Kraven takes a deep breath before loudly ordering.
"Now you two get out of my sight. 368 present yourself to guard post nine and you 661 go to the cafeteria kitchen, present yourself there to your first cleaning duty."
The guardsman picks up the hook arm on the desk, proceeding to take his trenchcoat off so he can fix it on his left stump. Kraven now stood straight behind the desk staring right at them, now a small smile adorning his face.
"Both are dismissed, if I need to talk to you again my servitor skull will find y'all."
Erick now with the prosthetic properly installed and wearing the trenchcoat once again, trades glances with Sarah before saluting the commissar, after which they proceed to leave the room.
Both guardsmen were back at the administrative hub. Erick looked with a reassuring gaze at Sarah.
"We will be fine, I've been through worse. See you after work?"
She nods, her stare fixated on the ground appearing as if she is considering something.
"Yes, we will see each other..."
Erick turns away from the redhead, wanting to go to his new working station, but before he could go any further he heard Sarah's unsure voice behind him.
"Once we get back, can we talk about that night?"
At that, his only reaction is to automatically straighten his posture. Many things he was expecting but not this. Since that night they avoided talking about what had happened between them, both acted as if nothing had happened. Erick turns to her with a small smile.
"Sure."
Sarah comes and quickly hugs him, and with a small peck on his cheek leaves just as fast as she embraced him, not even letting him say goodbye to her. Erick can only smile at the affection of the redhead, but enough of this, he must present himself to his working duty.
The guardsman proceeds to go back to the cafeteria area, all the while thinking about the parting request of the redhead. That night is a very troubled and personal topic between the two, to be honest, Erick doesn't even know his answer to her question yet, but still, if she wishes to talk about it, he will honor her request.
Lost in thought he doesn't even realize that he arrived in the cafeteria. Once arriving there, he goes to the staff door, when he opens it a chaotic scene greets him.
People running left and right with kitchen utensils, a huge group of people cooking what appears to be tomato soup. An entire group of guardsmen is dedicated to cleaning the dirty dishes and kitchen utensils. One of the rushing staff bumps into him, but he doesn't have time to say sorry before the man starts to rush to another place.
A guardsman using an officer cap approaches him holding a clipboard and a writing feather in his hands.
"Unity ID and working station."
"661, cleaning station."
The man in question browses through the papers in the clipboard before stopping to read something in it. After reading it he scribbles something on this page.
"Your assignment is to clean the ground in kitchen twelve. The mop is located with Private Jenkins, you will switch places with him. Also, your expedient is eight hours long, with one hour for lunch, and six working days. Do you understand?"
"Yes..."
Erick couldn't even finish as the kitchen administrator cut him out.
"Good, now follow the long corridor to your right when you see the number twelve on its doorpost, is your kitchen."
The man rushed to somewhere else before he couldn't even process the information relayed to him. Following the directions told by the kitchen administrator he ends up in kitchen twelve, just like all the others he just passed in the same scenario a lot of people moving around and guardsmen quickly cooking and cleaning.
With a loud voice so he can be heard through this chaotic cacophony of cooking, cleaning, and frantic shouts.
"Private Jenkins I'm here to switch places with you."
At that, a man comes rushing with the mop in his hands. With relief on his face, he pushes the mop into the hands of the waiting guardsman.
"Thank the Emperor. If I had to mop this floor one more time I would go mad. Now bye!"
The man ran away before Erick could even question what this was all about. One man wearing an apron and a chef hat approaches him with a cold stare.
"You are new in here right?"
Before he could answer the man, he is cut off rudely by the aforementioned.
"Anyway, the only thing you must do is to mop the ground from any dirt, grease, or food. The guy helping you is right there, we call him "Rookie". Any questions? No? Then GET TO WORK!"
As quickly as he can Erick runs to the side of "Rookie" and starts to mop the ground furiously.
Some time passes as the two are moping in silence, as the unsure voice of Rookie breaks the quietness.
"So... your first day of moping duty?"
Erick turns to look at the other guardsman analyzing his features. He's young, probably seventeen, caucasian, blond messy hair, blue eyes, and a small scar on his left cheek. Wait...This guy is familiar.
"Are you the guardsman that fled from Silviya earlier?"
Rookie's expression turned from friendly to flustered in the instant that the question left Erick's lips. The boy could only shamefully nod while moping the dirty ground.
"Don't need to be ashamed. To be fair you are not the only one that is scared of her. Silviya has this aura around her that is a little...intimidating."
The other guardsman could only meekly nod at his words.
"So "Rookie" what's your name?"
"Julius Rakov, but you can call me Rookie. What's yours?"
"Erick Clarke, but you can call me Erick."
The two exchange friendly smiles as they keep moping the dirty kitchen floor.
"Answering your first question Rookie, yes it's my first day on moping duty."
"Cool. Just keep moping, and obey Caligus that everything is going to be alright."
"Caligus?"
"Yeah, the kitchen master. That guy with the chef hat. If he tells you to do something just do it, believe me, it's easier if you do so."
Just as he ended speaking the man called Calgius approached the two and with a booming and angry voice shouts.
"You two less talking and more moping, NOW!"
The two yells "Yes sir!" before starting to mop faster, as the tall man in white leaves the two with an annoyed huff.
Well hope it was alright, once again thx for coming this far on the story, I hope to further entertain you with this tale.
The next chapter is near done, just making some finishing touches, and then I'll post it.
Also, the next one will have our first lemon scene. It's highly experimental for me to write such a scene but I hope ill do alright.
Wish you a good week, peace!