Chapter 17
"Uh, Damn that hurts like hell." I mutter as I come to in a hospital bed. "Serves you right for not seeking medical attention sooner." Gertrude said as she appeared in my feild of vision. "You nearly killed yourself." "Not the first time I've done that, and won't be the last." I say before trying to sit up. "Don't try to move, Yoshika could only do so much." Gertrude said as she laid me back down. "So, anything new happen while I was out?" I asked. "Yes, the Liberion 101st airborne was trapped in Bastonge and are currently surrounded by the Neuroi. Patton's army group is heading north to end the siege but it'll take time." She answered. "I'm calling it's going to end on the 26th of December." I said. "No ones betting on that." Gertrude said before Erica chimed in. "I bet they'll be cut off until the 10th of January." "20 bucks. And if I win you get up on time everyday for the rest of this war." I said. "And if I win, you and Trude have to sit in the sauna together for three hours." Erica said. "Hey, Hartmann I never agreed to-" Gertrude was saying until I cut her off. "Deal, shake on it." We shook and Gertrude was pissed, she clearly knew that I was going to win but was upset that I would agree to such a deal. "Stefan you have some explaining to do!" She rages before Commander stepped in. "Well Morrison, the brass was pleased that you went into combat without magic but they want you to not die. So they reassigned you again, here's your papers." She said. "Thanks." I responded taking the folder and opening it. "Well I rather like this posting, it seems I will be joining the 501st again and be working as the second in command with increased pay." Looking up at Gertrude I say. "How about a lovely dinner in Paris as a date?" "If you're paying." She responds. "Of course I'll pay, it's part of the experience. Though we aren't going to do much shopping there." I tease. "We'll leave you to love birds to plan out your date." Commander said before dragging Erica out of the hospital wing. "Now that their gone, we can chat." Gertrude said. "Alright sit down please." I said patting part of the bed. "You need to care more about your life, you aren't alone anymore, you have me, Yoshika and the rest of the 501st." Gertrude said after taking a seat. "I'll live for awhile longer, it's not like I'm going to die anytime soon." I say while pulling her into a hug.
I was realeased a few days later. Stepping out I spotted Gertrude waiting with Erica. "It's the 22nd and the siege is almost finished." Erica said. "So I basically can say I win on this bet." I respond. "Well, we still have to settle out sleeping arrangements and finish the night patrol schedule." Gertrude said. "Yea I'll get right on that, please lead the way to wherever I'll be doing my work." I responded. "Right be first everyone wants to speak with you." Erica said before Gertrude started to pull me off with the help of Erica. "Where are we going?" I ask. "You'll see." Erica said. "It was Miyafuji's idea." "I feel like it's a bath." I deadpanned. "How'd you guess?" Gertrude asked. "It's something she'd do." I answer while letting them drag me. "It will be nice to take a bath after so long in a medical cot." "Yeah, and the perfect opertunity to shave your bread again." Gertrude said. "Wait. WHA-!" I started before Erica shoved a cloth in my mouth cutting me off. "Don't complain. It'll only get worse." Erica said while duck taping it. "Alright lets do this Hartmann." Gertrude said before they dragged me into the bath change room before I could close my eyes. I struggled to get away before they dragged me into the bath. I felt rope get roped around my body and with a heavy they tossed me into a chair and tied me up. I quickly closed my eyes allowing my aura sense to take over my vision. "Trude, now!" Erica said as I felt her untie me. Making a break for the hall I didn't get far before Gertrude tackled me to the floor. "You're coming in whether you like it or not." She said as she started to undress me. Once she was done I wrapped a towel around my waist quickly. Finally they took the cloth out of my mouth. "I hate you two." I said once they removed it. "No, you love me enough to not struggle much." Gertrude said as she lead me to the bath. "Stefan, it's good to see that you're alright." Yoshika said as she ran up. "Afternoon Yoshika, could you help me out abit?" I asked. "Sure. What is it you need?" She asked. "I need you to distract everyone once I finish my quick bath. I got work to do." "No I'll decline helping you out. You're going to relax now and work later. Even Commander Minna is here." Yoshika said excitedly as she dragged me into the bath.
After the bath I escaped Gertrude who was hunting me down and spent the time doing work. I was still seated at my desk when I looked up at the clock to check the time. "It's..." I said reading the clock. "5:43 in the morning!" I nearly fell out of my chair. With a sigh I stood up and stepped out of my small office to nearly bump into Sanya. "Oh, sorry Sanya. Didn't see you there." I said as Sanya walked past. "Must be sleep walking." I then make my way to the hanger for a quick smoke before everyone else wakes up. Leaning against the wall of the hanger I begin relaxing. 'Are there any others like me out there?' I ponder. "DUCK!" Jarvis breaks through my train of thought. I duck down missing being decapitated by a Neuroi blade by a hairs length. The other blade comes down towards me and I roll out of the way. 'Damn, why didn't Sanya pick up on this one, or even you Jarvis.' "It must have come in under the radar." Jarvis explained. Popping up I lash out with a left hook and send the Neuroi stumbling back. 'Damn that armour is hard' I commented to Jarvis. "That's the point. It's for protection." Jarvis says before the Neuroi comes back at me with a stab towards my head. I jump backwards and slip on something. When I hit the ground I realize it was one of the guards who was lying there dead. The Neuroi lunges at me and cuts me across the chest and slash's my left arm, just below the shoulder. Kicking his off before rolling over his body, my hand brushed something, grabbing it I spot it's his rifle, a model 1895 Orussian lever action. Standing quickly I jab the rifle in the face of the Neuroi and pull the trigger. *click* He never loaded his rifle. "Now die hybrid!" The Neuroi screeched at me before slashing at me with its right arm. Using the rifle to block the attack I kicked it back and grabbed a clip off the body, the Neuroi lunged again but a swift smack with the butt of the rifle sent it realling again. Quickly loading the rifle, I shove it in the face of the Neuroi again. "No, you." I state before pulling the trigger. The bang woke the rest of the base who came out shortly afterwards in varying states of dress. "What happened?!" Commander Minna demanded. "A humanoid Neuroi attacked me as I stepped outside for a smoke break." I explained. "It got a guard and cut me up pretty well." I then point to the guard's body. "He's in the bush's there." "Stefan You nearly got yourself killed again." Gertrude said. "Actually I wasn't actively trying to kill myself, I was ambushed while taking a smoke break." I say as I walk past them. "Now I'll head to the sick bay and get patched up. You can deal with the body, right?" I step back into the hanger and bump into Yoshika and Lynne. "Oof... You girls alright?" I asked as I steadied them. "Stefan you're injured!" Yoshika shouted in surprise. "Yea, Neuroi ambushed me outside the hanger." I explained. "So what was the gunshot? It didn't sound like your Enfield." Lynne asked. "It was the guards gun. Slipped on his body before finding his gun." I explain as Yoshika activates her magic. "The man forgot to load his rifle, so I had to fight off the Neuroi until I could load it and kill it." I explain as Yoshika finishes healing me. "Thanks Yoshika, gotta go, I've got some paperwork to do." I then leave the hanger.
As I was finishing the last bit of paperwork Gertrude practally kicked in the door. "Stefan." Her tone made it sound like she wasn't happy with me. "Why didn't you come to bed last night?" "Honestly, I got caught up in work and didn't look up at the clock until about 5:43 in the morning." I explained while signing the last bit of paperwork. Stretching I give off a loud yawn and stand. "I could go for a quick nap." I say. "Well I'll lead you to your room." Gertrude said. "Alright." I answer following her from my office. Walking past Commander Minna's office I stop. "Gertrude I'm just going to drop off this paperwork then I'll be right out." I explain before ducking in and placing my work on the pile of finished work. "Alright, please continue." I say before we set off again. Gertrude lead me around multiple hallways, I quickly got lost though I didn't mind much as I was half asleep. Gertrude then opened a door and allowed me to enter first. The first thing that I spotted was Erica with a razor. Now this didn't alarm me right away until I heard the click from the lock. My eyes widened at the sudden realization of what's to come. "NOO!" I shouted as I made a break for the window only for Gertrude to tackle me. "We have to tame that beard of yours, Stefan. Hold still, will ya." She said as I struggled to escape from her. I managed to wiggle one arm free which I was using to slowly make my way away from Erica who was busy getting something ready. Gertrude suddenly let go of me so I booked it for the window only for her to grab my collar and toss me into a barbers chair, Erica then tied my hands and feet to the chair. "Why must you trim my beard?" I begged. "Because. It's against regulations." Gertrude said. Figures she would find something in the rule book to justify it. They took their time slowly trimming my beard and making sure they didn't slip and cut me, which I was thankful for as if they slipped when trimming my neck they could have killed me. They released me after they finished. "Done." Erica chimed happily. "Erica why did you help her?" I questioned. "Because." She answers me. "That's not an answer." I protest only for Gertrude to pull me out of the chair. "Now, you need to sleep as you have been awake for 36 hours straight, and everyone else is going to bed now." She explained before letting me go. "Now since you still don't know where you're sleeping I'll show you." "Better not be another ambush." I said as we left.
Gertrude opened the door and I could immediately tell who's side of the room was whose as the wooden fence that separated the room in two gave it away, also the clothing tossed everywhere on Erica's side. "So I'm sharing a room with Erica?" I asked. "Not only Hartmann." Gertrude said before stepping inside. "Myself, aswell." "Well now I don't mind it as much." I said also stepping in, followed closely by Erica, who went to her side and fell face first into her bed.
Waking the next morning was pleasant. I woke to Gertrude sleeping soundly in my arms so I stayed still hoping she wouldn't wake up right away. No such luck as Vadim had chosen that moment to stick his cold nose under the covers and touched the arch of her foot, waking her up. "I'll get him something to eat, you can get back to sleep." I said as I got out of bed and dressed.
Stepping into the kitchen, I looked around for something to cook up. "Lots of potatoes." I deadpanned. "Morrison what are you doing up?" Major Heidemarie. "Ah, Heidemarie, Sorry didn't see you there." I said looking over my shoulder. "I woke up and couldn't get back to sleep and then Vadim woke Gertrude up so I got up to feed him." Vadim took this opportunity to introduce himself by jumping out of the kitchen and towards Heidemarie. "This Vadim?" She asked as the Now fully grown fox sat at her feet. "Yea, that's him. Don't get to attached or he'll milk you for all the food on your plate. Happened to Erica and Gertrude a couple times." I said while fishing out a small amount of sausage. Stepping back out of the kitchen I toss a small portion of the sausage to Vadim before asking. "So how's the night patrol schedule working for you?" "Rather well." She answers. "No problems, I hope." I say while brewing a pot of coffee. "What any?" "No problems, and no thank you." She politely refused. "If anything happens my door is always open." I say. "On another note, how are you getting along with the other witches aside from Sanya and Eila?" I ask. "We don't interact much." She explained. "You should try to open up abit. It's not gonna kill you." I joked. "I just don't know how." She answered. "Let's see. The best way is to ask them questions and have them ask you questions, or if you're like Gertrude nearly get yourself killed in combat only for Yoshika to rescue you." I say remembering how Gertrude nearly killed herself over her sister being in a coma. "Did that really happen?" Heidemarie asked. "Yea, Gertrude used to be rather hosttile towards Yoshika." I said before Gertrude steps in. "Was not." "Yea you were. She was worried you hated her for no reason." I said. "Atleast I didn't blow smoke in the face of a fellow witch." She shot back. "You were harassing me so I used it o make you back off. And I have never struck you have I?" I said throwing a jab at how many times she's struck me. "Most of those times you deserved it." She shot back. "Ha, more like you were just upset and was taking it out on me." I say passing her a cup of coffee. "Anyway, try to open up to someone new, best bet is Yoshika."
The ringing from the phone caught all of our attention. "I'll get it." I say stepping up to the phone before answering. "Hello, you've reached the 501st joint fighter wing. What is it that you need?" "New set of orders from high command. It's a simple resupply mission, simply drop off 6 bags of medical supplies and 8 bags of ammunition to the men besieged in the wwestern sector of Bastogne." A voice said. "Wing Commander Minna should have the written orders by now." "Alright, What's the date of this operation?" I ask. "Tonight, no later and no earlier as the Neuroi will attack you while your landing and taking off in daylight and the troops need resupply soon." The voice explained. "Got it. Will do." I said before they hung up. "Gertrude. Up for alittle night flying?"
The plan was simple, in and out. Two hours tops of time. Standing outside the briefing room I could hear the girls all wondering what was the reason behind this. Looking over at commander I spoke up. "Ladies first." She just walked in and I followed suite. The instant we reached the front all chatting stopped. "Recentally we received orders for a resupply mission, it was given to us as we are the best equiped to deal with this situation." Commander announced. "Morrison, if you would." "Okay, the mission is simple. We have to deliver 6 bags of medical supplies and 8 bags of ammunition to the western section of the Bastogne defense. It will be at night due to the dangers of flying in there during the day. Four witches will escort another four who will be delivering the supplies, the reason we can't just have all the witches carry the bags is because the Neuroi are likely to ambush us in between here and Bastogne." I explained. "Now any questions on the mission plan?... None good. The witches going are Myself, Gertrude, Erica, Sanya, Eila, Yoshika, Lynne and Hattori. Hattori since you are here until further orders you might aswell get some experience in combat, not that I'm expecting us to be attacked. Now any questions?" "Yes. Why are me and Lynne going?" Yoshika asked. Yoshika, your healing magic will allow the new supplies to last longer and put more men back in the fight sooner. As for Lynne, she can help in any way as you two work well together. Sanya and Eila will be acting as your guards and Gertrude and Erica will act as Hattori's and mine." I answered. "Now we leave at 2200 hours so rest up and be ready to fly." I step back allowing Commander to take control. "Everyone else you're on standby. Dismissed!" Commander ordered before walking out. Once she left Yoshika and Lynne came to ask questions. "How big are the bags?" Lynne asked. "Enough to put a person inside." I answered. "You two will only be carrying one each so don't worry to much. Also since you two will be helping out in the hospital myself and Hattori will make two more trips before we come to pick you up, don't worry about much, you have Sanya and Eila to protect you while you do your job. Listen to the soldiers when it comes to your safety, they have more experience on the frontlines than you do." I then noticed Sanya and Eila coming to join us. "Morrison, why are we needed to guard Yoshika and Lynne?" Eila asks. "They'll have their hands full carrying bags and helping the wounded so they won't be able to keep an eye out for Neuroi and Sanya's magic radar will help us out when it comes to flying low at night." I answer. "Meet me in the hanger at 2130 hours and we'll get ready to depart." I then stepped around them and left the room.
At around 2100 I started getting ready for a late night mission, using boot polish to cover my face and wearing a pair of long underwear. "Gertrude, Erica, I suggest you wear long underwear and blacken your faces, otherwise we could be spotted as we are flying low." I said while checking my rifle. "Uh... nether of us have long underwear." Gertrude said nervously. "I'll lend you a pair then." I said as I tossed them both a pair. "Now I'm off to tell the others the same thing I told you." I said before stepping out the door. Walking down the hallway I bumped into Yoshika, Lynne and Hattori who were all wearing warm cloths but hadn't blackened their faces. "I was about to come tell you girls to blacken your faces as we are flying rather low and could be spotted." I explained. "Right away sir." Hattori said before nearly saluting me. "Hattori. Don't salute me or any officer on the front." I warned her before slipping past them. Approaching the door to Eila's and Sanya's room I figured Eila saw me coming as she stepped out to greet me. "Morrison what do you need? And why is there polish on your face?" "Well I came to inform you and Sanya to blacken your faces and wear something to cover your hair as we're flying low to come in undetected." I explain. "Oh. Alright, thanks for the heads up." She said before ducking back into her room. I then made my way to the hanger.
Glancing at my watch I saw it was 2155 hours and Yoshika and Lynne had yet to arrive. "Where are they?" Gertrude asked eager to get going. "Gertrude, go tell everyone to warm up their engines. We leave in five, with or without them." I said while looking at my watch again. 2156 hours. I then heard running, looking up I spot Yoshika and Lynne running down the hallway. "You two were almost left behind." I said as they reached me. "Hope your ready to fly." "Roger." They said before making their way to their strikers.
"Stefan, what's medicine like in the future?" Yoshika asked breaking the silence of our flight. "Well I'm not a medical expert but some major diseases are gone completely, such as polio, smallpox, yellow fever, and many more." I explain. "The future sounds nice." Sanya speaks up. "Heh some aspects are but there are many people that believe Communism is a valid form of gouvernment. Can you believe that, communism working, that's about as real as creationism." I comment. "Anyway, Yoshika, Lynne, Sanya, Eila, this is where we leave you." I then angle downwards to land in the open road. "Sir." A private said as soon as I landed. "We're here to drop off the doctor's and medical supplies that was requested." I said handing him the two bags I had. "But Sir, we never requested a doctor." He said. "Well you got Yoshika and Lynne here already so best to set them to work on the wounded, they really work miracles." I said before turning to Hattori, Gertrude and Erica. "We now have to make two more trips to the western sector, keep your heads down and on a swivel. Rather not be carrying any of you out in a body bag." I joke. "Not very tasteful Stefan." Gertrude says. "Hey, What can I say, I've got a dark sense of humour." I shrug. "Anyway enough dilidaddling. We have two more flights tonight, and I for one would rather not be anywhere near Neuroi airspace when the sun comes up." I said before the four of us took off.
The first flight was uneventful thankfully while the second one. "I'm tired." Erica whines as we make our landing in the open feild by the tree line. "Keep quiet!" I whisper to her. The crunch of snow signals to us something is approaching. "Flash." Someone whisper shouts from the tree line. "Thunder." I respond. "Thank god its you guys." A Karlesland corporal said. "Yea, so far so good, hope it stays that way." I say while more men reveal themselves and begin to take the bags. "Incoming!" Someone shouts as laser beams rain down on us from above, smashing into the trees and raining down splinters onto everyone. I grabbed the collars of Erica and Gertrude before rolling into a small slit trench, covering them under my body.I let out a hiss of pain as a splinter grazes the right side of my neck. Another embeds itself in my calf and the final one ends up in my lower back missing my spine and everything major. Standing up I brush myself of, knocking off the snow and dirt that had fallen on me in the small artillery barrage. "Stefan you've been hit!" Gertrude panics. "I'm fine, it's not that bad." I say only knowing of the graze on my neck. "Nothing to fret about." "Morrison, you've been hit three times." Hattori says as she goes to peak over the edge of the trench. I push her back down before she could be seen. "Don't ever look over the edge of a trench, ever." I tell her before turning to the corporal in the trench with us. "Your helmet please." I hold out my hand to receive his helmet. Setting it on the end of my rifle I slowly show it above the trench lip. Nothing happens so I slowly raise my head up underneath the rifle, making it look like someone's head above mine. Nothing I could see out there. "Girls, let's walk back to the church, pick up our friend so and head back to base before the sun is up." I order while picking up my striker.
The crunching of snow was all I had been hearing for the last few minutes. No one talked or even whispered. Suddenly my legs gave out from the blood that was spilling from my wounds. "Stefan!" Gertrude whisper shouted while catching me before I could hit the ground. "I thought I had a few more minutes before I started to suffer from blood loss." I muttered. "Guess I lost that half a litre." "Hattori, Hartmann get back to the church and retrieve Miyafuji." Gertrude ordered. Erica and Hattori ran off leaving us alone. Gertrude set me against a nearby tree to ease the stress of carrying me. I fumble my pack of cigarettes and lighter so Gertrude helps me out by lighting a cigarette for me. "Heh, I've lost so much blood I can't even light my own smoke." I joke. "You're joking?! At a time like this!" Gertrude shouts. "Well how else am I supposed to look back at this and laugh." I respond. "I've had a good life so far, and will likely continue." "You could die here!" Gertrude continued. "Negative waves, Gertrude, negative waves." I respond. "Anyway, when will Chris be visiting next? She is always welcome you know." "You really don't think you're going to die?" Gertrude asks. "Well how else am I supposed to move forwards in life?" I ask before a Jeep with stretchers pulled up. "Trude, Stefan, we got you two a ride!" Erica excitedly called from the back. "Well then come help me on, as you can see I'm not gonna be able to walk there." I joke with her. "Sure!" She answers and jumps off to help me. Lifting my arms up to help Gertrude and Erica pull me up. With a heave the managed to get me standing. "Now comes the difficult part." I state as we slowly make our way to the Jeep. "Oof. You could have been a bit gentler." I said after they tossed me onto one of the stretchers. "Nope!" Erica chimed before they both hoped on the Jeep and Hattori drove us to the church.
"Stefan what happened?" Yoshika asked as she stood over me. "Well the Neuroi fires a couple shots into the trees, so I grabbed Gertrude and Erica and rolled them into a trench and shielded them. I was then struck a couple times and now I'm here." I explained. "A patch up would be nice as I would believe Commander would want us back before sunrise." "If we are stuck here until sunrise, what happens?" Lynne asks. "Well we stay the day and leave the next night." I answered her while I felt Yoshika use her magic to heal the wounds I had. "Thanks." I said once she was done with me. "We have another two hours or so before we need to leave. If you want to stay behind for an hour then go ahead." "We've finished all of them already. You were the last one." Lynne explained while helping me off the stretcher. With the help of Lynne I managed to walk relatively well, though I was going to need a cane for a couple weeks before my body fully healed. "Sir, do you know when the relief force will make it here?" A private questioned me as I jumped into my striker. "Sorry, I'm not allowed access to such information." I apologized to him. "But I'd say based on how well they are doing, expect them sooner rather than later." Looking over to the seven witches with me I start to issue orders. "Keep low to the tree tops and don't, under any circumstances speak outloud unless we are found or I tell you that we are clear of Neuroi held land." "Roger." They respond before we take off, leaving the 101st airborne, 5th parachute division and the 26th Volksgrenadier division behind.
Once we made it back the girls disappeared to scrub off the boot polish I had leant them. Stepping into the men's washroom I started to scrub off the polish. The polish was mixed with wood, dirt and grass but brovided good camouflage in the darkness of the jungles back in the day so I used the tactic again to prevent myself from being seen. I finished rather quickly due to using the same tactic before. Stepping into the room I shared with both Erica and Gertrude I noticed that both girls were having some troubles removing the polish. "I could help you out if you'd like." I offered. "Please do." Gertrude said as she tried to scrub off the polish. "AHH! Get it off!" Erica shouted while scrubbing away. "Here." I said as I started to help them. It took maybe five minutes to help both of them out. "Anyway, we should get some sleep." I said. "Yea! Tomorrow's Christmas! YAY!" Erica cheered. "Hartmann, I never thought I'd say this but, go to sleep." Gertrude ordered. "Aww. But I wanted to see Santa." Erica whined. "You know Santa is fictional, right?" Gertrude asked. "And rather creepy." I added in. "Yea, I know, but it's the magic of Christmas." Erica continues to sulk.
The next morning I awoke to something fuzzy at the edge of my vision. It took a moment to place what it was but once it came into focus I knew what it was. "Gertrude you might wanna wake up." I judged her. "Huh? Wha...?" She sleepily asked. I answered her by pointing upwards and she looked up, spotting the mistletoe being held up by her younger sister. "What's that in your hand Chris?" Gertrude asked still half asleep. "It's mitleteo." Chris answered her before I smirked as the realization dawned on her. "We're both under the mitleteo." I said before giving her a kiss. "Merry Christmas, Gertrude." I was then promptly kicked out of bed and onto the cold floor. "Don't do that so suddenly again." Gertrude said to me, looking up I could see her face was beat red and Chris was laughing. "You planned this didn't you." She accused me. "Actually, no, I didn't know about this until I woke up." I explained. "Then who planned this?" Gertrude asked. "Erica did." Chris answered her.
Stepping out of the room I realized what time it was. It wasn't normal for me to be up this late. "Morning, Stefan. We were wondering when you would wake up?" Lynne said. "Well I'm up now. Any news?" I ask. "Nothing much." Yoshika answered. "We should probably gather in the lounge, maybe Commander Minna has something to announce." I said before Commander Minna came down the hallway. "If you're looking for a mission we don't have any, but there is a message you might like." She said as she stopped and handed a file to me. "I believe you're bringing someone from my past on base then?" I asked. "See for yourself." Commander answered before walking off. Opening the file the first thing that caught my eye was a picture of Major Sakamoto. Continuing to read the file I saw the words reassigned, Instructor and 501st joint fighter wing. "Hey, Yoshika, I think you might like this." I said as I showed her the file. Her eyes lit up and she got excited. "Lynne, Sakamoto's coming back!" Yoshika shouted. "Major's coming back?" Perrine said sticking her head out of her room.