Dying to Live

by Vengeful Soldier

In a culture where death is as important to living as life, both the mortal shell and immortal soul are threatened when something challenges the Imperial Cult's creed. The soldiers of the 12th heavy siege regiment, fresh from the Emperor's wars don't know a lot about living, but they know a lot about making something stay dead.

2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 Rest and Relaxation

"FRONT AND CENTRE YOU WORTHLESS MAGGOTS!"

Erich fell in line quickly with the rest of the guardsmen and naval personnel going away on leave. The Heroic was currently docked at a refitting station in Bergrundy's orbit and while it was being refitted and the munitorum decided where to send the displaced regiments aboard the guardsmen were being given a rare opportunity to take some much needed rest. They were in the docking bay of the Heroic and had a picturesque view of the planet below from the viewing windows running the sides of the ship. Everything was a gunmetal grey in colour with a few Imperial motifs here and there. Everyone was standing together in drill formation, or as close as they could get with the differing drill systems from a dozen different systems, but they had formed into a rough rectangle that must have been passable because the sergeant major was no longer yelling at them.

Erich was dressed in his suit that he had been wearing when he first joined the Korps, but found that it was now too tight and was careful with his movements, not wanting to rip his clothing. He could have worn his dress uniform but he didn't really want to wear it on this occasion and didn't want to wear his PT consisting of grey sweatpants and a white t-shirt like the handful of other Kriegers had chosen to do. It seemed that he wasn't the only one who wanted to go down to Bergrundy's surface.

Erich had more in mind than simple leisure though. He had learned that one of the many companies that his family owned was based on Bergrundy and he wanted to inspect it and see how it was doing. Give himself a little business experience and make sure that they weren't embezzling money as was often the case when the far flung enterprises of the von Shreider family weren't properly managed.

"STAND UP STAIGHT YOU POX RIDDLED FAIRIES! EYES TO THE FRONT! STOP MOVING YOU ANTSY BITCHES!"

Erich wondered why all high ranking NCO's felt the need to scream every order they ever gave. Erich had gotten the promotion to sergeant after the events on Athena II and only ever yelled spoke loudly enough to be heard. He didn't feel the need to scream at everyone and everything. Or to give himself a heart attack.

"ALL YOU GLORY BOY REJECTS WILL NOW GIVE YOUR FULL ATTENTION TO LIEUTENANT MORI FROM THE HUMAN RESOURCES DIVISION. SHE WILL WALK YOU DUMB SHITS THROUGH THE PROCEDURES INVOLVED IN TAKING YOUR LEAVE. YOU WILL LISTEN! YOU WILL APPRECIATE HER TRYING TO COMMUNICATE WITH YOU DUMB APES, AND YOU WILL ENJOY YOUR LEAVE TO THE FULLEST EXTENT AND ENJOY YOURSELVES! LIEUTENANT MORI IS PART OF A NEW PROGRAM TO CREATE A KINDER AND MORE ACCEPTING ATMOSPHERE FOR YOU WORTHLESS SCUM. YOU WILL NOT BE A WALKING EMBARASSMENT TO HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY'S SERVICE WHILE ON LEAVE OR SO HELP ME EMPEROR I WILL BREAK OFF YOUR SCRAWNY NECKS AND SHIT DOWN THE HOLE. YOU GET ME MAGGOTS?"

"Yes ser-"

"DON'T TALK IN RANKS! NOW, GIVE YOUR FULL ATTENTION TO THE MA'AM!" roared the sergeant major.

"Hello everyone, stand at ease. Stand easy. My name is Lieutenant Mori and I'm here to explain a few things before you go on leave. I'll start with the briefing for the guardsmen present."

"Now the first thing to know is what to do if you get lost. Now, if you happen to get lost, you can head to any law enforcement station and they will get you in contact with the Guard personnel department. If at any time you wish to end your leave early, you may return to the spaceport and take the space elevator back up to the Poltava station. Remember to hang onto your tickets, because if you lose it, it'll really be an inconvenience to have to wait in security overnight while we get things sorted out. You are all expected to obey the local laws on the planet and to observe their customs. If you find at any time that your customs or practices are being repressed or you feel you are not being treated fairly, you are free to return to your regiment at any time. You are representing the Imperial Guard as a whole here and we are guests here which means that you have to play by their rules so to speak. If however, you feel you are being discriminated against because you are a member of the Imperial Guard you can get in contact with the Guard Personnel department and we will handle it promptly. So remember the difference. If it's just against you, turn the other cheek. If it's against the Imperial Guard it's dissidence and we'll handle it accordingly. But don't make a false claim or else it's twenty lashes by the commissariat. Any questions?"

Erich waited patiently while Lieutenant Mori answered the few questions raised by the guardsmen is her almost forcefully happy voice. No, personal weapons were only allowed by officers. No, not even religious items were allowed if they were considered weapons. No, you couldn't refuse a security check on cultural or religious ground. No, you could not challenge people to a duel if they offended your honour. You were only allowed twenty kilos in your bag when you returned, besides your carry on unless you made prior arrangements. The most humorous questions were asked by the guardsmen from from feudal and feral worlds.

"Alright everyone that's all you have to let me bore you. Now remember to have a good time and be a positive example for the Emperor's service. I'll turn you back to the sergeant major now."

"ATTEN-SHUN! DIS-MISSED! NOW GET YOUR BITCH ASSES MOVING THROUGH THE DOOR! MOVE IT, MOVE, MOVE!" howled the sergeant-major, practically frothing at the mouth.

The space elevator would take about ten minutes to reach the planet below and Erich was extremely thankful that the air recycler was working or else he was worried that the smell would overwhelm him.

Erich was already squinting like he was near-sighted because he didn't own a pair of sunglasses and wasn't allowed to bring Korps equipment on leave which left him bereft of his mask. Which already made him feel a little insecure, the widows showing their rapid descent into the planet below and the vast empty void around him turning the otherwise boring ride into his own personal hell. Whoever had decided that the floor needed armourglass panes in it so the occupants could see themselves falling deserved to be shot and burn in hell for all eternity, but that was just Erich's personal opinion. Though he could just be in a bad mood because of the overweight feral world guardsman in a rough fur hide coat eating mutton right beside him. Making little bits of mutton and drool fall onto him, and his clothes. His good clothes. Then the fact that the coat smelled like it had just been freshly killed and the guardsman had no idea what personal hygiene was. Or common decency. Or respect for the fellow passengers. Or the fact that he took up two seats. Or that he was getting on Erich's last nerve and the stress of the agoraphobic nightmare made him want to snap the fat mans neck.

Erich suddenly realized that he hated public transportation and everything involved with it and decided that if at all possible he would never ride it again. Ever.

A little bump on the way down caused the man to press the mutton wet with sauce to Erich's suit, and smear it with grease and whatever passed for seasoning on his food. Erich did the typical Krieg response when confronted with an unfavourable social situation. Sighed heavily through his nose, sat glumly, and wished terrible horrors upon the fat man.

"Hello, what regiment are you from?"

Erich looked to his other side and saw a well muscled young adult with abnormally pale skin, dirty blonde hair, and faded grey eyes. He was wearing the PT training clothes of a Krieg regiment, likely the only civilian looking clothes he owned.

"I am from the 12th Krieg heavy siege regiment. Assault company."

"I am from the 12th as well. Though I am from the demolition company. It is a pleasure to meet you. I heard that we aren't supposed to use designations on Bergrundy to avoid cultural confusion. Did you hear the same?"

"Yes, I was informed of that particular order. They don't want any culture clash."

"My name is Peter, what is your name?"

"My name is Erich."

"It is nice to meet you Erich. Who is that man sitting beside you?"

"I am afraid that I do not know him."

"He smells very badly, wouldn't you agree?"

Erich actually found himself lost for words and his mouth opened a little in shock. The feral world guardsman stopped chewing for a second and glared at the young demolition trooper, then resumed eating.

"What do you plan on doing on your leave time?" asked Erich trying to change the subject.

"Oh, a few different things. This and that, nothing too important," said Peter avoiding the question. Erich really didn't care too terribly much, but he couldn't ignore him without being rude and he seemed pleasant enough. A few moments passed and Peter seemed to think the conversation done and turned away. Erich was about to make more small talk when something odd happened.

A metallic click and the smell of lighter fluid suddenly assaulted Erich's senses and he looked over to see Peter cupping a lighter and playing with the flame, squinting his eyes because of the light, but doing it nonetheless.

"I do believe that we are not allowed combustibles onboard the space elevator," said Erich a little shocked.

"Hmm? My apologies," said Peter snapping the lighter closed with a flick of his wrist and making it disappear so quickly as to make Erich question whether he had seen it at all. Though he did wonder how Peter got it through security.

"I thought they confiscated lighters before we boarded and other paraphernalia."

"They said I could keep it," said Peter smiling. Erich looked over at a faded sign with a red circle and a line over several items that could produce flame or even a spark. Then looked back at Peter.

"They said you could keep it?" asked Erich in a monotone voice.

"Yes. Could you do me a favour?"

"I could acquiesce," said Erich.

"Look down please."

Erich looked down, right through the glass floor and saw clouds smashing against the floor, rushing past the elevator and then the ground below and it felt like he was going to fall outside of the elevator and keep falling forever. It seemed the ground below was yo-yoing back and forth and Erich had to lean back and close his eyes to counteract the vertigo. When he opened his eyes again, he looked over and saw Peter smiling at him again.

"Feels like you're falling off the edge of the world doesn't it?"

He had done it on purpose, was the thought that went through Erich's mind. He knew what that would cause and had done it anyways. This man was more than a little odd and it seemed like a very bad idea to keep questioning him about his lighter and him having it.

"Did you know your skin receives second degree burn injuries at 55 degrees Celsius? And that first degree burns occur at only 48 degrees Celsius?"

"No I did not actually," said Erich perturbed.

"Oh. Well now you do."

Never talk with Peter again, mentally coached Erich to himself as they began slowing down and eventually the space elevator locked into place at the space port.

"Would you like to form a group to explore Kisograd?" asked Peter.

"Where are you going?"

"I was thinking maybe the old quarter."

"I'm not going there," said Erich gruffly and quickly picked up his kitbag and hurried to the exit.

Xxx

Gunther looked around the spaceport and wondered where to go. He really hadn't had a plan coming down to Bergrundy's surface other than he wanted to see the planet. Now he didn't know where to go, not to mention he didn't know how much accommodations would cost. He sat on a bench by a fountain and just watched people come and go for awhile. It was so much different than Krieg.

The spaceport was large and brightly lit, with white tiled floors that had different coloured ones put in place to make pictures on the ground. The ceiling was high and vaulted, but different and a little more rounded than the gothic style that he was so used to. There were plenty of stores around, many with attractive entrances and goods inside, using a wide array of colours. Imperial clergymen walked about with Sororitas from some sect that Gunther was not familiar with handing out leaflets and tithe vouchers to those that seemed down on their luck, and asking for donations from those whom seemed more fortunate.

Families walked to and fro, unmasked, unsuited, smiling, laughing, one even crying. He saw another couple on a bench kissing and Gunther looked away, a little red in the face. This world allowed open displays of affection which was startling for Gunther. On Krieg, that was something you did in the privacy of your own home, if at all. Open displays such as that could land you a fine on Krieg.

What surprised him the most though, was all of the places that one could buy food. And as much as you wanted to as well. There were no restrictions, no nutritional guides, and no limit. If one wanted they could spend their entire wages on perogies and sausage. Whatever perogies were.

A few news stories scrolled by on the pict viewers showing an epidemic of teenagers skipping school to the point that the local militia officers were actively searching for them, picking them up and dropping them off at school. It seemed that they got a small bonus for every student that they managed to get back to class. There was also a small story about the fifteenth level of the hive now also being cordoned off because of an outbreak of some form of influenza. The newscaster told people not to panic and to be sure to get their annual flu shots and that the PDF would be assisting in helping those afflicted by the outbreak.

Gunther stretched his back and felt it twinge, still a little stiff and sore from where the lictor had hit him, nearly breaking his back and killing him. It was like he had woken up that day from a dream afterwards. He had been scared of course being on top of that ladder. Scared and in pain, but he had believed entirely in his training and his ability to fight whatever had murdered several of his comrades. He had lost his Laute dame when he had fallen into the reservoir, but he had still kept his grenades and used them to their fullest efficiency. He had believed that he had killed it, only for another to skewer him through the leg and pull him down. Gunther had truly believed that he was going to die that day. And it had terrified him.

An assault company trooper had saved his life, though not before he was nearly broken in two. In his haze of near death, Gunther had dreamed of his mother. Not Tuesday mom who helped him with his homework, or Wednesday mom who made his lunches, but his real mother. He had visited her at the medicae hospital as much as possible while growing up. As a class four, she had to spend nearly all of her time at the hospital, eternally having tests done and ensuring that the next baby to come would be healthy and fit. She was allowed to be at home in the intervening times between pregnancies, and up until the second trimester, then she practically lived at the hospital. No matter how many other kids she had though, she always smiled to see him and called him her little Gunther. He had thought about her a lot while recovering and it had been then that he had decided that he wanted to see her again, even if him wanting to caused him to be reeducated.

It was funny that she called him small though, because Gunther was actually a larger than average young man, with wide shoulders, large hands, and large muscles developed from lugging around his Laute Dame all the time. The other companies always thought they were so hard up having to carry their 'heavy' weapons. Let them lug around a Laute Dame all day with a few thousand rounds of ammunition for it and see if they still thought that they had it so bad.

Training had been tough and Gunther was glad that he had been so involved with the boxing program at the education centre so that he had had a good base already for stamina and conditioning, otherwise he was afraid that the training might have been the death of him. It had been hard enough anyways as it was. It almost seemed that the Korps delighted in seeing if they could push you just a bit harder and see if you broke.

Gunther studied his reflection in the fountain, seeing a young man with light brown hair and dark blue eyes staring back at him. Although he was squinting. He really needed to get tinted shades or something to protect his eyes. They were killing him.

"Hello, I am Gregory, and this is Falco. Would you mind if we sat with you?"

Gunther looked back and saw two Pale young men wearing tinted ocular shades. Both were in Korps PT clothing and they looked quite similar, both having dark brown hair, both around the same height, but the one named Gregory noticeably more muscular than Falco who seemed to resemble his avian namesake a little. As well as both having a kitbag slung over a shoulder.

"Of course. Please, take a seat," said Gunther offering the pleasantries that they had rehearsed before being sent on leave.

"Thank you," said Gregory, talking a little louder than necessary.

"Are you from the 12th by chance?"

"Yes, I am from the machine gun company," answered Gunther politely.

"Oh, how fortunate. I am from the artillery detachment, and Falco here is from the marksman company," said Gregory loud enough that people three benches away could hear him clearly.

"It's nice to meet you," said Falco demurely.

"And you as well," said Gunther.

"Franz will be along shortly, he is getting what they call perogies."

"Are they any good?" asked Gunther.

"I don't know to tell the truth, I can't taste anything."

"Really?"

"Yes. When we were shelling Olympus, we came under counter battery fire and a piece of shrapnel went through the back of my helmet and into my brain. They removed it, but it damaged my sense of taste. So everything tastes the same now, which is an improvement so far as I'm concerned with the ration paste."

"Well I guess that is something good," said Gunther not really sure what to say, or keep talking about. It had been a long time since he had participated in small talk.

"Ah, here comes Franz now," said Gregory as an averaged size young man with close trimmed light blonde hair wearing a cap with a long brim in the front came over to them, eating food covered in butter that smelled delicious from a styrofoam bowl. He looked up briefly at them, then just as quickly his chocolate brown eyes dipped back down to his food.

"This is very good. You should try some Falco," said Franz taking another mouthful and chewing, adjusting the kitbag on his back.

"I don't think that the amount of butter in it is healthy," said Falco eyeing the food a little warily. "Is it nutritionally viable?"

"I don't know, but it tastes very good."

"Franz has been the Colonel's personal aide since he was shot in the chest and wounded in the underhive battle," explained Gregory. He seemed to like talking a lot.

"So, what reason did you apply for leave for?" asked Gregory again just a little too loudly.

"I just wanted to see the planet, I didn't really have to much of a plan. What about the rest of you?"

The other three Kriegers looked at each other and all seemed to be waiting for another to be the first to speak.

"Franz, what were those places called that Colonel Stanton kept bringing you to?" asked Gregory. Franz flushed a deep red in the face.

"W-well, he, um, called them gentleman's clubs, but, uh, h-he said it would be a good e-education for me," stumbled Franz, swallowing a little nervously when he finished.

"There were half-naked women there yes?"

"W-well, some were more than half," mumbled Franz turning a deeper shade of red. "I went to confessional about it afterwards, but the Colonel keeps taking me with him," said Franz forlornly. "Now he's trying to get me to smoke and drink with him."

"Oh good, I want to go to a gentleman's club then," declared Gregory cheerily. "Would the rest of you like to come? Then we could view the half-naked women together."

"No," said Franz quickly, beginning to notice some of the looks that other people sitting at other benches were beginning to give them.

"What about you Gunther? Falco?"

"I don't mind where I go," mumbled Falco.

"I think that I'll just stick with touring the city thank you."

"Okay, well it was nice meeting you anyways. Hopefully we will meet again before our leave is done. Shall we go Falco?"

"Okay."

Gunther watched the two other Kriegers depart and then looked back to Franz.

"So how bad is the brain damage?"

"From what I heard it's not debilitating, but it has affected his inhibitions causing him to say and do things that may not be socially acceptable and to act on impulse more often," answered Franz as if uncomfortable talking about someone behind their back. "Apparently he asked a medicae nurse if she found him attractive. When she said yes he asked her if she would ever consider having coitus with him," said Franz, lowering his voice when he said coitus as if he was saying something bad.

"Did she slap him?"

"No, she said yes."

"Huh. So where are you going?"

"I would like to do some shopping. I want to get a gift for someone, but I don't know what to get her. Women like jewelry yes?"

"I think so. Are you having relations with someone?"

"Well...no, but I still want to get her something. She is very pretty, and she is very nice too," said Franz, sounding a little embarrassed and his cheeks flushing a little.

"Hey there boys, staying out of trouble I hope?" Franz nearly jumped out of his clothes at the cheery voice of the junior commissar, turning around and snapping to attention on instinct, while Gunther was on his feet in an instant at parade ground attention.

"Ma'am," answered both Kriegers at the same time.

"Relax guys, we're all on leave. I just came over to see how you guys are doing, not bark at you," said Amy with a smile. She was out of her commissariat uniform, wearing a long blue skirt with a white long sleeved shirt and a little beige vest. Her hair was not done up in a bun or a ponytail, but instead was loose around her shoulders and instead of combat boots she had little black dress shoes that didn't even cover the tops of her feet. She also wasn't alone.

The large catchatan Daniels was standing beside her, practically a mountain of muscle in plain clothes, and throne was he tall. His white t-shirt looking like it was threatening to rip from the strain and his ever present bandana still tied fiercely around his forehead, his burly arms crossed in front of him dwarfing both Amy and the two Kriegers. Next to him and looking impatient was a young girl with brown hair and eyes in a purple skirt that she seemed incredibly annoyed at and kept picking at it rhythmically. As if wishing that she could just make it go away by sheer force of will.

"So what do you guys think of your leave so far? Nice hat Franz."

"Thank you and very good ma'am," said Franz immediately and energetically. He sounded upbeat and excited when he talked to her.

"I like the enthusiasm," said Amy with a short giggle. "But I thought I told you to relax?"

"Yes ma'am."

"You don't have to keep standing at attention you know. I don't bite. Much."

"You would bite us?" asked Gunther a little surprised.

"Wha-no, it's just an expression," said Amy.

"Oh, so when the Colonel told me that nothing's illegal until I get caught that was just an expression as well?" asked Franz suddenly, seeming like he was just waiting for a chance to become involved in the conversation.

"No, that's just bad advice," said Amy with a half-smile. "Don't listen to the Colonel when he tells you stuff like that."

"But he's my superior officer," said Franz slowly and sounding very confused.

"Yeah, but when it comes to stuff like that don't listen to him. You're too good of a boy to do half of what he tells you to." Franz had a look on his face like someone had just told him that the sky was purple.

"But, I don't want to disobey an order ma'am," said Franz now sounding uncomfortable.

"Okay, well, if you ever get told to do something you don't like by the Colonel that goes outside of your normal duties just come and see me day or night okay? Or any other problems you might be having, I'm a good listener."

"Any time?"

"Of course."

"Thank you ma'am," said Franz sounding truly happy.

"What is that you're eating? It smells good," said Amy looking at Franz's food hungrily.

"It's called perogies."

"Mind if I try a bite?"

"Oh, ah, of course," said Franz practically thrusting the bowl into Amy's face.

"Oh," said Amy taking a half-step back in surprise. "Well, I'll just try a little bit," said Amy taking and chewing one of the buttery perogies experimentally.

"Mmm, these are pretty good, thank you Franz," said Amy slightly muffled.

"Can we go now?" came the whining voice of the young Athenian. "I'm bored."

"Yes, we can go in a minute," promised Amy. Penelope huffed in annoyance and received a glare from Daniels.

"Well I just thought I'd stop and say hi to you guys. Stay out of trouble and have a good time. I want to hear all about what you guys do 'kay?"

"Of course ma'am, I will include a detailed report when I return from leave," promised Franz. Amy actually laughed.

"Just tell me if you had a good time. You don't need to give me a report. See you later boys," said Amy waving as she walked away with Daniels and Penelope.

"She is very nice, would you not agree?" asked Franz to Gunther.

"She seems different than many other commissars, though I hope she does not get into trouble for her familiarity."

"Oh, I am sure that it is fine. I can not imagine Commissar Walker getting in trouble for anything."

"I suppose so," said Gunther. "Would you like to get going now?"

"Yes. Would you like to go to the shopping district? I think I know what I should get."

It was fairly easy for the two Kriegers to find their way out of the spaceport and to the shopping district. Harder when the realized that they went to the more 'local' district that served in almost entirely the native language of Bergrundy.

The shopping district had the smell of frying grease and meat from the food stands, that lingered in the air so much that after a few moments you wouldn't even notice it. It seemed like more of an informal market where instead of each vendor having their own building or shop, it was in the middle of a large square of hive towers in a sort of flea market. It seemed a place where the office workers from the nearby towers and hab inhabitants would come for just about anything they wanted to get cheaply and quickly, not concerned too terribly much as to where the items had all come from.

Now most Imperial worlds speak low gothic as the norm, or at the very least as a second language, but much of the time a home-brewed language will begin to dominate the spoken word and such a thing is allowed to occur so long as a certain percentage of the population can still speak either low or high gothic. Krieg is no exception to this rule and every person born on that irradiated world is forced by law to learn low Gothic to an acceptable level of proficiency. Unfortunately this is not the case on Burgrundy.

"Yes, I would like to purchase that set of earrings please," said Franz pointing.

"Vy khotite lozhku?" asked the shopkeeper pointing. (You want the spoon?)

"No, no, the earrings please sir. To the left."

"Medal'on?" (The locket?)

"No," said Franz shaking his head when the shopkeeper pointed to a battered looking locket. "I want the-oh, sir, could you help me for a moment please?" asked Franz to a passing man, taking a few steps away from the booth.

"Excuse me sir, could I ask you a question?"

"Sure, what do ya need friend?" asked the man in a somewhat of a drawl. He was tallish with a bit of a tan and long black hair that he had tied back in a ponytail behind his head at the moment.

"I am trying to purchase a set of earrings from this man, but we can't understand each other."

"Sure I could help you out. Just say lizat' moyu zadnitsu pozhaluysta to him. Then say YA budu platit' khoroshive den'gi. That'll clear everything up for you."

"Thank you for your help sir, my name is Franz from the 12th Heavy Siege Regiment," said Franz scribbling down the phrase and then holding out his hand like he'd been taught in public relations.

"James Gunn. Pleasure to make you acquaintance," said James Shaking Franz's hand. "Well I best be goin now, you take care, hear?"

"Of course sir, same to you, again thank you." Franz then hurried back to the shopkeeper who seemed less than pleased to try and communicate with gestures again.

"Lizat' moyu zadnitsu pozhaluysta. YA budu platit' khoroshive den'gi," said Franz with a smile. (Please lick my butt, I will pay good money.) That smile soon went away with the angry cursing that yelling that the shopkeeper suddenly directed at him. He was a shorter man and pudgy, but as soon as Franz finished telling him he wanted his face had gone beet red and he came out from behind his counter and advanced on Franz.

"I'm sorry sir, please, I just wish to purchase the earrings," said Franz confused and backing away, but finding that the world around him was draining away as he was confronted with aggression and his ingrained training started taking over so that there was only him and the shopkeeper.

A less talked about reason as to why the Korps doesn't like letting their property go on leave is that they have trained their Korpsmen in a way that is both very efficient, and very dangerous. The Korps doesn't have the luxury or training their soldiers for long periods of time and can't match the simple experience gap that a decade can make between the average age of their regiments and that of other worlds so they make up for it in a different way. They train them with technique and physical endurance like any other world, but they differ in on crucial way. They break them.

Not in the way a child breaks a toy, or in the way that a man's mind just one day snaps. No, it's more subtle than that.

In every person, in every healthy human being there is a part of them, a voice, call it a conscience, morality, your guardian angel, whatever name you prefer, there is a voice that tells you not to hurt someone. That makes you hesitate for those critical few seconds in a fight, or when you are about to cause someone grievous pain. The Korps takes that voice, and snuffs it out, training their soldiers to respond with the utmost violence when presented with aggression, and when threatened, strike. No pulled punches, no hesitation, and no remorse. Even the kindest seeming Korpsman is a cold killer when pressed.

Franz looked down at the shopkeeper cradling his face, with blood leaking from inbetween his fingers. Franz was still in a fighting stance with his hands up, his knuckles bloody.

"Sir, I apologize, but you were acting aggressively towards me," said Franz slowly lowering his hands when he was sure that the shopkeeper wasn't a threat anymore. The shopkeeper whimpered lowly.

"Franz what happened?" asked Gunther walking up holding some pastry-looking thing that had several bites taken out of it.

"This man was acting like he was going to attack me," answered Franz.

"Franz you shouldn't have done that," chastised Gunther, looking at the other shoppers and shopkeepers all staring at them.

"But he was acting aggressively towards me and yelling," defended Franz. "In training they told us to respond like this. To neutralize the threat."

"This isn't a battlefield dummkopf, you just committed a crime." (idiot)

"A crime?! But...I...he-I didn't mean to break the law," stammered Franz seeming horrified, the blood draining from his face and making him seem all the paler because of it.

"Yes well now it would seem that you did," said Gunther sounding frustrated.

"But I didn't mean to," protested Franz again.

"I know. Maybe they'll understand. I'm sure that the law enforcement on this planet are reasonable."

"So do we just wait for them or do we seek out the law enforcement?"

"Hands in the Air!"

"Pardon?" asked Franz a moment before two prongs shot into his chest and electrocuted him, sending him twitching to the ground.

"STOP RESISTING!"

"I'm not resisting," said Gunther loudly and clearly sinking to his knees with his hands above his head.

"HE'S TRYING TO GET AWAY!"

"No, I'm n-," Gunther was cut short when two prongs entered his chest delivering thousands of volts of electricity into his chest and causing him to fall over and twitch.

"STOP RESISTING!" shouted a militia member kneeling on Gunther and hitting him with a baton as he laid there still twitching from the electricity. It seemed that the militia of Bergrundy were not reasonable after all.

"I'm not," was all Gunther managed to get out.

Xxx

Erich walked briskly down the skyway bridge in his new suit. After his old one had been dirtied on the ride down, he had decided to get a new one that fit better anyways before he made his appearance at Regenerative Innovations, the company owned by his family. He had just picked it up in the airport and had it rush altered for him. The clerk had just smiled and said it'd take at least two days to get to and finish the alterations. It had taken a half hour when Erich had pulled out his credit chit.

It wasn't like some of the other Imperial regalia that Erich had seen before. His suit was rather plain in his opinion. A simple tuxedo with a handkerchief in his pocket with a dress shirt, pants, and tie. No awards, no raised collar, no mantle, no fur coat, just plain and functional formal wear. Still cost him enough though. That and he'd purchased special UV filtering contacts so that he didn't need to constantly wear ocular shades or a had to protect his eyes. They had a little bit of everything at a spaceport it seemed, though all at terribly inflated prices.

Erich checked his silver pocket watch that he had kept from Krieg. It still had the correct time and was ticking just as good as when he had left Krieg. A testament to the craftsmanship and quality of the piece. Well, the correct time for Krieg anyway, he'd had to adjust it and now it was ticking away happily on Bergrundy time. Erich closed it with a flick of his thumb and put it away.

A small boy, barely standing over five feet bumped into Erich rather rudely and kept walking, not even bothering to mutter an apology. Erich glared back at the retreating figure of the small boy mentally chastising the parents for raising such a rude child. Erich put his hands in the pockets of his suit jacket as he put his head down against the chill breeze of an early spring that still had the trappings of winter in it. His pockets were empty. That little brat, thought Erich as a jolt went through him as he realized that he'd been robbed.

"Hey!" shouted back Erich at the diminutive form of the pickpocket. He started to run.

Erich turned around and chased after the thief, quickly closing the gap between them. Green eyes peered up from below a black toque for a split second, before the thief grabbed the railing, flipped himself over and dropped over the edge.

Erich ran and looked over the side, and saw the thief sliding down one of the struts, before letting go and landing on the bridge below them with a roll, then continue running. Moving quickly and fluidly like he was some kind of simian or the hive was his own personal playground. Erich made a quick mental note of where the thief was running and took off running towards a staircase that allowed someone to move between the different levels of the hives.

Some of the hive towers were connected by only a single bridge. Others were connected by one at every floor and crisscrossed like veins in a body, while others still were connected by entire floors like a giant plaza or courtyard. Creating even more space in the form of parks, restaurants, strip malls, and really anything that a city planner or architect wanted. In fact, some towers had such extensive connections to others as to allow for roadways, alleys, and make it seem like it was the ground level of any city. This tower had multiple bridges and plazas, though nothing so large or elaborate as a roadway system.

Erich practically jumped down each flight of stairs causing the other people using them to push themselves far back against the railings to avoid his plummeting form, shrieks and shouted curses chased after him as he barrelled down the stairs.

Once he reached the same level as the thief, his head whipped first one way, then the other. There! A short boy with a black toque and a striped zippered sweater disappeared around a corner of a hive floor. Sprinting after him, Erich rounded the same corner just in time to see the boy run up on top of a bench, jump, grab a ledge above himself, and pull himself onto the roof of a low shop. The shop was set in a continuous row of buildings that were wedged together so tightly so that they may as well have been one continuous building. It was like someone had built the first layer of structures, then added on to it, trying to cram as much as possible into a small a space as possible, making any geometry or plan unrecognizable; allowing alleys, buildings, and anything else really at odd places almost making it seem like a child had put it together. And now this small thief was using it like it was his own personal playground. Who was this guy?

Erich ran, jumped up and managed to grip the edge of the buildings roof. Imagining it was just like in training when they had had to climb walls on the obstacle course, Erich pulled himself up quickly, grabbed the railing above him and pulled himself on top of the roof.

Erich locked eyes with the diminutive thief whom seemed startled that Erich was still chasing him, not to mention keeping up with him, no doubt thinking him an easy mark because of his suit. Apparently the scar on his face made him seem friendly and approachable. Knife scars just scream nice guy.

The thief hopped over a railing and dropped to an alley below them and as Erich got to the railing, saw the thief drop over another railing, dropping to an even lower hive floor. Erich could have reasonably given up, after all it could be dangerous to chase the thief, especially considering the the acrobatics he'd have to perform to continue the chase. But the thief hadn't just taken his credit chit and watch. He'd taken his wallet which held his return ticket and identification card. Without those he couldn't buy food, prove who he was, or get back to his regiment without having to admit the embarrassing truth. The truth that he, a von Shreider, a Death Korps soldier and decorated war veteran from a family line stretching back over ten thousand years had been caught off guard and robbed by a street urchin who probably didn't know the difference between a sabre and a rapier. A street urchin whom had managed to evade him despite all of his training and intellect. The coldly analytical part of him advised him to inform the militia that he'd been robbed and give them a description of the robber. The warrior in him demanded that he avenge his honour and get back his possessions himself. The warrior won.

Erich jumped down off of the ledge, landing in a parachutists roll, standing up and going over the next railing, lowering himself down to a dumpster below, then chasing after the little thief.

Erich was continuously annoyed and at the same time impressed by both the speed and agility of the boy whom had robbed him. He moved like an acrobat, flipping, rolling, and jumping around the alleys and buildings as if he'd been born doing it. There was a fluidity to his movements that Erich had to give grudging respect towards, and remind himself that he'd been told not to start violence unless he was attacked first and not to use physical force unless necessary. It would however, be necessary to get his possessions back. If he could ever catch the little snake.

Erich had fallen behind the thief, gaining ground on the open stretches, but falling behind whenever they had to climb or jump down to a lower hive level. The pickpocket had realized this and stuck to fire escapes, ledges, and any other places that required climbing. The thief was tiring though, Erich wasn't.

Erich came to an intersection of alleyways and stopped. He listened. He heard something metal and hollow fall to the ground distantly like a pipe. Instead of running, Erich moved as quickly as he could while being quiet.

The thief already had a significant lead and if he thought that he'd lost Erich, might slow down long enough for Erich to catch him.

Erich moved quietly from shadow to shadow, the gloom in the alleys providing excellent concealment for him, reminding him of the frantic street fighting he'd gone through on several hives on Athena II. Immediately Erich felt himself switch into combat mode, feeling his senses heighten to almost unnatural clarity and bring with it the anticipation of a fight and the cool detachment that had been trained into him.

He followed the little signs that showed the passage of a person. Tracked him like a hunter tracks an animal. It took a while, but Erich finally caught up to the thief, having been careful to stay out of sight and silent.

He found the thief leaning against a dumpster and panting, continuously looking at the alley entrances for any signs of Erich. After a while he seemed to relax, wiped a little bit of sweat from his forehead and started walking away. Erich was just ten steps from him now.

Clink.

Erich mentally cursed himself as his foot caught a bottle and the thief's head whipped back, seeing Erich in the shadows and made a dash for a fire escape. If he made it the chase would start all over again. Erich took off like a sprinter and caught up to the pickpocket just as he jumped and started hauling himself up onto the fire escape. Erich caught his ankle and threw him to the ground, ripping him off the side of the structure.

The thief had barely hit the ground when Erich had him pinned beneath him and had his fist drawn back ready to bring it down. Just before his fist struck, the pickpocket let out a high and feminine shriek. Erich stopped his fist barely a centimetre from the cringing thief and studied the figure beneath him.

The toque had fallen off, revealing bright red hair that went into a medium length tight braid and as Erich studied the face he realized that it was indeed a girl. Though you wouldn't be able to tell from looking at the chest, it was as flat as a board, though the general body shape was that of a girl.

"Get off of me you prick!" The pickpocket squirmed beneath Erich, but Erich held her in place.

"You are going to return what you stole from me."

"I didn't take anything from you, you freaking psychopath. Now get off of me!"

"You took my pocket watch and my credit chit along with my wallet," said Erich.

"The frak I did, you just started chasing me."

"You started running."

"Hmm, I wonder why? Oh yeah, because the big frakking asshole with a scar on his face the size of a frakking dozer was coming after me. Should I have just bent over and invited you in? Please sir, can I have another?"

"You're very crude."

"And you're the psycho who chased me down through half the fracking hive and tackled me, then acted like you were going to murder and rape me. Now you mind getting the frack off of me, around here this is considered sexual assault you prick."

"You bumped into me on the bridge and did not so much as mutter an apology. Then when I put my hands in my pockets my possessions were gone. I confronted you about it and you ran. Now I'm not going to ask again, give me back what you stole from me."

"Oh wow, so I bumped into you. I guess not paying attention to where you're going is a crime. And being rude is murder, so I guess that you're entitled to chase me down and kick my ass. Do you listen to yourself? Do you like chasing down girls and feeling them up? You get off on it or something? Have a thing for schoolgirls? Now get the frak off of me and-hey!" cried out the girl angrily as Erich started going through her pockets.

"Get away you freak!" said the girl pushing at Erich. Erich grabbed both of her wrists in one hand one continued searching easily holding her hands in place despite her thrashing and resistance. Erich pulled out his watch, credit chit, and wallet from the girl's zip up sweater.

"You said you didn't take these?" asked Erich rhetorically, dangling the watch by the chain in front of her by the chain like a hypnotist.

"No, I didn't."

"Then why were they in your pockets?"

"I don't know, I didn't take you shit, now get off."

"You're lying."

"Frak you, no I'm not. I didn't take your shit. Now stop accusing me and get the frak off of me you freaking rapist."

"I am going to turn you in to the authorities for attempted theft. I am going to impose a citizens arrest on you on my belief that you attempted to rob me. I will only use the force necessary to get you to comply and I will not infringe on your rights as an Imperial Citizen. I am not a law enforcement officer and as such cannot detain you for any period of time longer than it takes to the proper authorities to take custody of you. Do you understand why I am putting you under citizens arrest?"

"Frak you! Hey, let go, ah! That hurts you asshole!" protested the girl as Erich put her into an armbar and forced her to walk ahead of him. It took awhile to find his way back to a main thoroughfare, but Erich eventually found his way back to a busy street.

"Look, I'm not gonna run away and you're hurting my arm. I'm really sorry that we had this misunderstanding. I didn't mean to cause you any trouble. Can you let go of me please?" The girl had done a complete 180 from when Erich had first met her. She had been polite, provided directions, and apologized several times for taking his possessions. She just had the face and tone of voice of someone who was for lack of a better word innocent and she was rather cute. But Erich didn't really trust her. They were almost out of the alleys and back to the street and didn't want her to make a break for it before the local authorities had her in custody.

"No."

"Frakking faggot," cursed the girl, dropping her act.

"Thief."

"Asshole," shot back the girl and tried to stomp on Erich's foot. Erich just tightened the armbar and made her stop with a gasp.

"You're breaking my frakking arm," whined the girl.

"Then stop resisting."

"It really hurts you prick, stop it. I'm not gonna run, what the frak is wrong with you? I'm serious, you're really hurting me." As they left the alley and entered the street, it was like another change had come over the girl, like she was trying to put on her act again, or at least it seemed like she was going to. For all the good it would do her. "Help! Somebody help me!" the girl suddenly shouted.

"Stop yelling," said Erich gruffly.

"This guy's trying to kidnap me! Help! Somebody help!"

People were turning and looking at Erich now, and he realized how bad this looked. He was holding onto a small woman in what seemed like an aggressive manner and was causing her discomfort and possibly pain. They didn't know why he was holding onto her and with his size and appearance it would look extremely bad on his part.

"HELP! PLEASE, GET HIM OFF OF ME!" shrieked the girl, pushing into the armbar a little more to induce pain and then actually started crying.

"Hey, let her go and let me see your hands," commanded a heavyset militia officer in a greatcoat and furred hat.

"She robbed me, I only had her under citizens arrest," protested Erich letting go of the little redhead, who promptly made a show of holding her arm and letting more tears fall free.

"He asked me for directions for how to get to Vykup Square, I thought that I was being nice. He asked me to show him how to get there and then pulled me into the alley and told me that if I screamed he'd kill me," sobbed the girl.

"She's lying," said Erich becoming increasingly outraged. "She robbed me and I chased her to recover my possessions and now she's making a scene to try and turn the blame upon me and get out of her misdeeds." Erich looked down at the little redheaded thief and realized that he was screwed. She was nearly a foot and a half smaller than him and was the very picture of innocence. Anyone would take her word over his in a heartbeat.

"I'm hearing two different stories from two different people," said the militia officer. "Now if either of you want to press charges I'll take you both down to the station, but sir, I didn't see her take your possessions. I did however see you holding onto her and forcing her to walk ahead of you. Do you see the predicament I'm in?"

"Yes sir, I do and I understand how this may look, but I can assure you that I was merely trying to follow the law."

"Are you from offworld?"

"Yes sir, I am a member of the Imperial Guard."

"Okay, here's the problem then. You can't do that to someone on Bergrundy. You can't do a citizens arrest and you're not allowed to hold someone against their will. That's assault and illegal confinement. Okay?"

"Yes sir, I am sorry that I misunderstood the laws on this planet and I regret that I may have overstepped my bounds, but I only wished to retrieve what she stole."

"Alright. Do you want to press charges?" asked the militia officer to the little redhead.

"No, I just want him to go away and I want to go home," sniffed the girl.

"Alright. Now, if you want to press charges, I'll have to call your regiment and get your commissar to come down here and sort things out. I'm not allowed to arrest you, but I can detain you until they come to pick you up. Do you want to do that?"

Images of scrubbing toilets and polishing boots for countless hours manifested themselves in Erich's mind along with the knowledge that he'd never be allowed on leave again if on his first day he got in trouble with the law. Swallowing the bitter lump in his throat and sighed somewhat wearily. He didn't want this girl to get away with her crime, but there was nothing that he could really do about it either.

"No sir, I do not wish to press charges. I recovered the stolen items and will be on my way then if it is alright."

"It is," said the militia officer and Erich strode away quickly, moving his wallet and other items to the inside, zippered pocket of his suit jacket. The militia officer watched him go then turned back to the girl.

"I can't keep covering for you Anastasia, you can't keep doing stuff like this."

"I didn't do anything, the guy was a psycho," said Anastasia stopping the flow of tears like she had just turned off a faucet.

"Anastasia, I know you stole from him, this is the third time this month that I've caught you stealing. Why are you doing this? Your family is upper middle hive. You're a good enough cook that your dad lets you work at his restaurant, and I know that you aren't a bad kid, so why are you doing this?"

"I didn't take anything from him Vadim," defended Anastasia hotly. The heavyset militia officer sighed.

"Look, I just don't want to break the news to your father that I had to arrest my friend's kid because she's been stealing. You know that would upset your dad."

"Screw him."

"What about your grandparents? What if they found out? You know it'd break their hearts if they found out."

"Don't tell them! I don't care if my dad finds out, but don't tell them okay? I, I don't want them to find out."

"Then stop stealing."

Anastasia grumbled something unintelligible and then sighed.

"Fine. Do you want to come by the restaurant tonight? I'll make you something myself to say I'm sorry."

"Hah! I couldn't afford to eat there on a months salary.

"Frak it, I'll just bill it to the house," said Anastasia with a shrug.

"Your dad probably won't like that."

"Yeah, well I don't like how he has me work and pays me below minimum wage because I haven't officially gotten any training. Not like cooking is hard. Not to mention the fact that he's the one who taught me, so I figure that I can hand out a few free meals now and then. Honestly if he fires me I don't give a shit."

"You shouldn't curse so much you know. It isn't good."

"Yeah, but so is being overweight. Doesn't mean that I'm gonna stop trying to make you get rounder."

"I think if I lost weight you'd take it as an insult."

"Damned right I would. So, I'll see you tonight at the restaurant?"

"Yes, I'll be there. Please stay out of trouble Anastasia."

"Just for today because you asked nicely. Bye Vadim, see you later," said Anastasia cheerily with a wave and just as quickly was gone.

Vadim shook his large head slowly. She really was a good kid, but she just had a habit of getting herself into trouble. She wasn't a mean one, sure she spoke without thinking and Emperor knows she'd gotten into more trouble than half the kids in Kisograd because of it, but she didn't actually want to hurt people. She just didn't think things through before she did them.

Also Vadim was fairly certain that she was a minor kleptomaniac. Vadim scratched his wrist where his chronometer had been. Or else she was just going through one annoying phase. He'd get his chronometer back at supper. No doubt she'd say that she'd just picked it up off the street for him. Still, he hoped that she didn't steal from the wrong person someday. There were a lot of people who'd be a lot less forgiving than the young soldier that she'd stolen from.

Xxx

"I'm sorry that I got us arrested Gunther," said Franz finally after a long ride in the back of the patrol car. "But at least we got to see a lot of the hive this way," said Franz, attempting a weak smile. Gunther just stared straight ahead.

"I was shot with a stun gun, beaten repeatedly with batons, handcuffed, and am now going to have a criminal record and be punished by the commissariat, because you hit a shopkeeper. But yes, at least I got to see some of the city from the back of a militia car while handcuffed," finished Gunther angrily.

"Sorry," said Franz quietly and went back to looking out his window. "Where are we anyway, this doesn't look like the militia precinct district."

"I don't know Franz, I just got here, went to a market that you wanted to go to, started eating a desert, then got beaten and arrested. You tell me." Franz became quiet again and didn't say anything again until they stopped.

"Where are we?"

"Just shut up," said Gunther.

The militia officers got out of the ground car, came back and opened their doors, then commanded them to step out.

It was a very large building, but nowhere near a hive tower. It had a wide entrance with multiple doors set atop an impressively tall staircase. It had to be at least fifteen storeys tall and a block wide by a block deep. It had a flat roof and there were rows of windows set into the brick work, though the bricks were most likely for show, the building constructed of permacrete and steel probably. There were teenagers in school uniforms coming and going, some sitting on the grass by a few trees here and there, others playing scrumball, or some just sitting on the steps.

"Where are we?" asked Gunther to one of the militia officers.

"We're returning you to Kisograd Central High #53. Now put your uniforms on and get back to class," said the militia officer pulling similar uniforms out of the patrol cars trunk that the teenagers were wearing.

"But we don't attend this school. We're from the Imperial Guard, the Death Korps of Krieg," said Franz. "We finished our schooling three years ago. We have the equivalent of your high school's education."

"Right, I believe that as much as I believe a tic can make an honest living. Now either put those clothes on, or I take you down to the station and process you for assault and battery. Your choice."

"Do you have a size 34 waist?" asked Franz.

"Well this turned out better than expected," said Franz as they walked down the hallway, passing by the other students, some staring at Gunther and his bruised face.

"Franz."

"Yes?"

"Please shut up."

"Oh, sorry," said Franz apologetically. "Where do we go?"

"I don't know, we're not enrolled. I think that those officers dropped us off here to get the commission for doing it."

"Commission?"

"I saw a story at the spaceport that said there was a problem of students skipping class and it had gotten bad enough that the local militia has started rounding them up, and they get a small commission for every one that they bring in."

"But that's, that's being corrupt," said Franz sounding mortified.

"Yes, and now we're in a school because of it."

"Do we just pick a class and go into it? Oh it seems that the girl over there is having problems with her skirt and the boy is helping her, what a gentlemanly thing to-oh, oh my," said Franz flushing deep scarlet and looking away.

"Just come in here," said Gunther grabbing Franz and hauling him into a classroom where students were just talking and sitting on top of the desks. A couple turned to look at them, but nobody really paid them any real attention until Franz decided to try to introduce himself to a couple, much to Gunther's irritation.

"Hello, my name is Franz, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance," said Franz holding out his hand to a boy with an open school jacket and spiked green hair.

"The frak do you want?" demanded the student with the spiked hair.

"I was just introducing myself to you, seeing as we're going to be classmates I thought that I would build camaraderie between us and work better together as a result." Spiked hair laughed at Franz.

"You slow or something? Frak off faggot," said the student, spitting in Franz's hand.

"Oh," said Franz, taking out the kerchief that was part of his uniform and using it to wipe off his hand. "That was not very nice, I would like an apology please."

"You want an apology?" asked the spiked haired kid, standing up and standing almost nose to nose with Franz.

"Sir, you're standing closer than I find comfortable, could you please step back?"

"You want an apology? Is that what you want?"

"Well, that and for you to step back, yes please."

"Well I like standing here, what are you going to do about it you little blonde faggot?" Franz took a step back and the boy with the spiked hair took another step forwards, all the while staring him in the eyes.

"Sir, you are invading my personal space."

"What are you gonna do about it huh."

"Pardon?"

"What are you gonna do? You gonna make me pretty boy? You gonna be a frakking retard and keep saying please all the time you little faggot?" asked the boy pushing Franz.

"Sir, I don't like you touching me. Please stop." If the boy had not been so preoccupied with trying to prove his alpha male status to the rest of his class he would have noticed that Franz was not the least bit intimidated and his hesitation was merely him remembering what he'd been told to do and say by the public relations officer while on leave. Gunther saw it though, and he started towards Franz, trying to stop another incident.

"What are you gonna do? What are you gonna go huh? Wanna go? Wanna fight me? Huh? I'm ready to go, come on, wooh"-crack.

The green haired student hit the desk behind him as he fell back, causing it to screech on the floor and move out of the way as he hit the ground unconscious. Franz had hit him with a solid right hook and was standing over him to make sure he was down.

"Franz, stop punching people," said Gunther, trying very hard to keep from losing his temper on the other Krieger.

"But he-"

"Stop. Punching. People. Franz," emphasized Gunther.

"Sorry," said Franz again.

"Hello class, take out your textbooks and turn to-oh Emperor what happened to Alexi?" asked a young teacher nearly dropping her stack of papers.

Gunther looked at the unconscious student then back to the teacher.

"He slipped."

AN: Well I hope I didn't make too many people mad with this chapter, I thought it'd be funny to see how the other Kriegers would get along while on leave on another world and am hoping I didn't turn this into too much of a fanfic. (no pun intended.) Some of the Kriegers act a little odd when talking to people, and I did this on purpose, because I think that the Korpsmen are a little socially stunted because of their training and indoctrination as well as the ones that went down for leave are the ones that Jaeger wants to reeducate.

I kind of liked writing Franz, he's like the really nice religious guy you know who almost seems to innocent to be real, but punches people. As for Anastasia, she'll be important and feedback will be appreciated, because I want to make her crass, not annoying so please review and give me suggestions on what you think and what you want to see. You'll get plenty of zombies later, but I want to do a bit without them first to do some world building, but I will alter some of my plans if you guys think I should.