Act 4-1
—
Narration by:
Beatrix Brehme (Preparation, bit by bit)
Starring:
Gretel Jeckeln (What an adorable zampolit)
Featuring:
Martin Karel (The other blonde man)
Jürgen Bernhard (Absent)
—
Setting:
1981, January
Harz Forest military base
"~Huhuhuhu… that glare, do you know how many people that stared at me like this had been sent to their death? Or is it because you still remember me? Remember my face?"
The commissar locked in her seat across Beatrix was shooting her a detesting glare, although it wasn't all misguided hatred on her part. The red-eyed officer had faked a handful of evidence against the name of Gretel Jeckeln to warrant an arrest by the Stasi, an event incredibly unlikely as she was a recently graduated political officer.
So now the pair was stuck together in the base's interrogation room, roles belonging to the subject and the questioner reversed for Gretel. She was at Beatrix's mercy, as the Major could condemn her to death if that was her mood.
"Why are you doing this, Major Brehme?"
"~Ara, ara…? No 'comrade' for me? Know that I am deeply hurt by your unfriendliness, Comrade… Leutnant Gretel Jeckeln."
"Please tell me what you want, Major. Never mind how your false accusation against me will take some time to clear up, I do have a unit that I'm assigned to assist." Gretel seemed to be lacking patience and tolerance for Beatrix.
"I want to know… why you became a commissar, every man has a story, Jeckeln, enlighten me to yours. Is it a comedy? A tragedy? A tale filled with drama? The passion of love between young souls? Tell me, Gretel Jeckeln."
"What do you have against me, Major? I have done nothing to provoke you! We haven't even met since you made that arrest at my school…" The past Gretel tried earnestly to forget was dug out by Beatrix's scornful harassment.
"Yes… yes, I did do such a thing. Back when I was a Hauptmann for the Ministry, good times were had those days, no? Perhaps it was my visit to your school that led you down the path to becoming a commissar? How honoured am I, in that case." To be honest to herself, Beatrix couldn't stop the teasing she knew already went too far.
It was almost instantaneous, how swiftly the glasses girl twisted her appearance from an uncomfortable frown to pained resentment towards Beatrix. This was an old wound for Gretel that had yet to heal, and she just poured salt directly onto it.
"…How dare you… Major! You know why I chose this career! Why I try to formulate a compromise between the people of our Fatherland and the State ruling our Fatherland! You don't even remember his name! He who I loved! You took him from me! Stole him from me!"
It felt as if a tight knot was entangling Beatrix's tongue; she wanted to retort, to prove her side of the story. Or perhaps she wanted to abuse, laugh at Gretel's miserable lack of control over her emotions, Beatrix didn't know.
"He only wanted to help our nation! His parents did nothing wrong in exposing the ugliness of our State's regulation on pollution! And yet you purged his family! Even his disabled poor sister from it all! He didn't deserve this! None of them did!"
The Stasi officer found it suddenly difficult to maintain her own grin, witnessing a pure righteous desire for justice was somehow familiar to Beatrix, but at the same time just as forlorn.
"Major…! When people think of the Stasi, how can they see faces representing an organization aimed at protecting our State when all they can see are monsters!? Have you never known love, Major Brehme!? Is there nobody worthy of your fervour!? How could you be so cruel! Just to call me here and undo the stitches from my scar!?"
"The name was... Martin Karel, was it not? I think I've come to regret what I did to his family. I want to ask for your forgiveness today, actually… I've just long forgotten how to behave properly as a human."
Utter bewilderment was Gretel's next expression, she recoiled back when Beatrix revealed her true intention, a noble goal unfitting for anyone serving in the Stasi.
"Major… that's…" While she wasn't doing it for Gretel to see, Beatrix slipped off the glove coating her beautiful left hand. The ring, Jürgen's ring to her, the only ring she swore to ever wear.
"I… thinking back to it, he reminded me of my own partner. I was young at that time, I wanted to aid him in climbing the ladder of power. So I trampled others underfoot, robbing from many their most precious gift. Feasibly, that was my karma… I did rob myself of my own most precious."
Her inner self shamed her for acting a fool, having even less control over her sentiment than Gretel as Beatrix noticed the tears leaking without her consent. It had been a long time since she last cried for him, and it was becoming less and less a choose when to weep.
"…I-I'm sorry, Major. I-it wasn't my intention to hurt you." It was almost inconceivable for the political officer to be the one apologizing.
"You're kind, so very kind… Gretel Jeckeln. I'm really grateful to my younger self for not totally abandoning my mortality. I think you'll be happy to know that Martin Karel still lives."
"W-what!? Is that true!? You're not deceiving me!?" Now it was Gretel's turn to have difficulties containing her opposite feeling.
"At the time, I spared him out of pity… and maybe a desire to prove to myself who I am… anyway, he no longer owns any right as a citizen of East Germany, that was out of my control. I will arrange a meeting for you two, hopefully soon. ~Hu… huhu." The laughter this time, was rather dry.
"Comrade Major, thank you…! I-I don't know what to say… I'm just glad to know not all ministry officers are monsters." Mixing her gratitude with elation, Gretel was hardly contained in her seat.
"There's another offer I wish to make to you, Jeckeln. I have… reviewed the marks you received for your overall TSF training program, and I believe a bit more experience will sit well by you." Beatrix recollected herself, the little breakdown was something to never be spoken about again.
"Major, are you inviting me to the Stasi?"
"Yes, to the Werwolf Battalion, to be exact."
"I'm sorry, but I will have to refuse." For this rejection, Beatrix had a little countermeasure.
"Wait, it's not what you're thinking. I won't have you sortie to purge enemies of the State, I want you to edit our submitted reports so they're a bit more… lenient for my girls. I want to break this mold, you see. Even the Stasi has people in its mix." Her new proposal was noticeably more appealing to Gretel's ethics and within the range for her consideration.
"Then what will you teach me there?"
"We will focus more on anti-BETA tactics and general TSF maneuvers, both of which you seem to be somewhat lackluster in, no offense."
"Errrm… but still, it's quite a leap for me. How will my superior react to this? It would almost looks like a betrayal!" Another valid concern.
"I will convince them, do not worry on that front. How about this? You'll fly with us for a year, then after that I can sign you over to any NVA unit you want to be a part of, think of this as extended training, like I said." This conversation was so refreshing for her, Beatrix was speaking like a normal person with her fellow man.
"Jeckeln, as you can see, I'm not in the best of mental conditions. We all walk a fine line as pilots in this grim age, and members of the Stasi more so. Whether they choose to stand on that line or to plunge into darkness is not my place to say, but I want someone like you with a strong sense of justice to help us, keep the Werewolf afloat."
"I can see where you're coming from, Major. But why, may I ask; that you feel the need to change? When you came to my school years ago announcing Martin's arrest, you mocked me for my weakness of fear and how I didn't stand up for him. What changed? Was it what you lost?" It was a frank question for Beatrix, and she knew the right reply.
"Everyone is a sacrifice to the Stasi system, even me, the executor couldn't avoid that fate. Only someone who lives solely for themselves can survive in this environment, turns out I wasn't that person. So now I can only carry on his will, act as he would have wanted, and patiently wait for a miracle."
"I don't really understand the latter, but for the former; this system, is it your goal to change it?"
"It is my goal to rule it, then I can change it." Hearing her answer, Gretel laughed instead.
"Hahaha… Major, I never thought people can truly change themselves from who they are, so either I'm wrong… or you were never the wickedness you led me to believe. Nevertheless, I'll place my gambit in your hands, hopefully I won't regret this faith." Thus Gretel saluted her, with a more casual air.
"Thank you, Leutnant Gretel Jeckeln, and welcome to the Werwolf."
Act 4-1 End
—
Act 4-2
—
Narration by:
Beatrix Brehme (Preparation, bit by bit)
Starring:
Lise Hohenstein (Heroine to another story)
Featuring:
Gretel Jeckeln (What an adorable zampolit)
Heinz Axmann (Wandering about)
Theodor Eberbach (Another lost brother)
Erich Schmidt (Being nonexistent is fine too)
Jürgen Bernhard (Absent)
—
Setting:
1981 March, 26, 2000 hours
Harz Forest military base
"Now, now, why don't you take those blindfolds off? It's an open knot." Beatrix's subject compiled.
The Major traded glances with her newly arrived guest, although nothing was exchanged by connecting their eyes, since what stared back at Beatrix were two pupils robbed of any emotions. It was similar to the cold gaze of a puppet, no countenance, no belief.
The set of grounded spotlights blinding Beatrix's prisoner irradiated only the centre of their interrogation room, its design being to make the newcomer as uncomfortable as possible. She herself was assisting to that purpose as well, drinking her tea to pass the time before words were to be pronounced, never forgetting to hang her evil smirk by the tip of her mouth.
"Oberleutnant Lise… Hohenstein, this is our first meeting, yes? Do you know who I am?"
"Ministerium für Staatssicherheit officer, Major Beatrix Brehme." She delivered a correct answer.
"Then do you know where we are?"
"This is the Harz forest base in the Spreewald region of Berlin." Geography knowledge from Lise was on point as well.
"And who are we?"
"The 101st TSF Battalion, Werwolf." There appeared to be nothing this blonde teen hadn't learned.
"~Ufufu… I see you approached our den armed with the basic applicable information, well done indeed. So tell me, Oberleutnant Hohenstein; why join us? Why now? Which part of the Werewolf attracted you?" There was the tiniest hint of puzzlement developing between Lise's eyebrows; Beatrix smiled on, pretending ignorant.
"Major, I was assigned here by my superior."
"No, no. You want to be here, you want to be a part of us; spoken in more detail, you have a desire that can be granted here."
Lise's hidden confusion was breaking through her emotionless barrier to further impede the poker face she tried so hard to uphold. As Beatrix watched in amusement, the First Lieutenant restrained her tongue since she had absolutely no idea where their conversation was heading.
"Lise, why do people sin? Why… are people evil? And how are we separated from the truly evil men?" The state of bewilderment was the only expression boasted by her now.
"…They have something… they want to obtain, their devotion… for something. Just as we do… we all have desires." The Stasi officer closed the distance between their noses to inches, her elbows steadied on the table and her body propped into Lise's personal space.
"Then do you… have something you desire?" Beatrix saw, in that moment, in that short fraction of a second; Lise smiled ever so meekly.
"…I have… but right now, it's only my loyalty to my Fatherland and my unit."
"I see… I see. –Jeckeln, you can cut the feed now. Also go ahead and take a walk, why don't you?" That order was not meant for Lise.
While no observable difference occurred, Beatrix had just demanded the camera recording of Lise's indoctrination to be terminated, an action going against the standard protocol.
Then, from her belt, Beatrix drew a Walther PPK and placed it directly before Lise's side of the table. She herself slumped back in the chair, acting professionally unprofessional. Still, during all this time, the devilish grin never retired from her feature.
"Major… what is the meaning of this?"
"Huhuhu… you know, I know a good man; he is quite an eccentric man, an excellent officer of the law. Very effective, very efficient. Although he does have an odd hobby, he enjoys… -let's use the word 'indulge', he enjoys indulging others to pleasures they aren't aware of, and yet it still proves to be effective in flushing out traitors and fools alike."
"Still, his practices are a bit unpleasant to watch, and I myself only heard of the tales. I remember when he forced one of his pets to murder twenty detectors- including an infant and two children with nothing but a piece of rock. Rather horrendous, but I cannot deny his ability to leave an impression."
The change in Lise's appearance was severe, no matter how she endeavoured to conceal that boiling sentiment. For a verbal trap, this was all too obvious; Beatrix could be only describing one person and one person's felony using those incontrovertible words, still, Lise struggled to keep her silence.
"Nonetheless, He is a comrade of ours, so I'm inclined to assist him in his work. There's another man, you see; someone my friend wants to dispose of, a weak-willed and cowardice pilot for the NVA. Surely I can fabricate a bit of evidence to bring that failure to justice, it would be easy, considering how I know he serves with the 666th."
Beatrix delivered the threat with the pitch perfect mix of superiority and solemnity it sounded almost too genuine, she knew this was Lise's only straw. Judging by her poorly shrouded expression of exasperation, the inevitable end was creeping closer by her every syllable.
"Perhaps you know him, Theodor… Eberb—" Even before finishing, the gun was raised.
Acting purely on instinct, Lise made the unavoidable mistake of grabbing Beatrix's pistol and aiming it at its owner. Her next reaction transformed from infuriation to regret and fear almost instantly, as this was the exact course of action the Major coaxed the former slave to perform.
"...Ufufufufufu…! People like you make my job so, so easy, Oberleutnant Hohenstein. You knew it was a trap, and yet couldn't help yourself but bite. I see Axmann really neglected on graduating you from the role of a pitiful Swallow."
At this point, Lise's hands trembled uncontrollably; she was actively twitching, wavering between lowering the gun or shooting Beatrix and somehow getting away with it. Of course, the latter was never an actual option to take.
"C'mon, my gun, give it back. You honestly thought it was loaded?" She fearfully returned the PPK by sliding it across the desk.
"Major… you knew me… and Axmann."
"So I did."
Lise couldn't meet Beatrix's glamorous smile, she ducked her head away, wishing to be hidden in plain sight.
"Will I… die?"
"We all die someday."
"Will I die… soon?"
"That's up to you, Lise."
"Why do I find it hard to believe that?" And then silence, motivation for continuing the miserable discussion was nonexistent.
"Lise, is there no good men left in our world?" Beatrix posed her new topic, without the ever-familiar enchanting leer this time. She conducted sincerely, a gesture almost alien to her.
"I only know one."
"Funny… it stays true for me… and I miss him so…"
"Me too." To those words, the Werewolf's leader found herself drawing blank on response. After a light sigh, Beatrix slipped away on her brew as she copied Lise's plan of looking away.
"Major, I'm thirsty." However, the ribbon pilot was not yet finished.
"…You want some tea?"
"Please."
"Careful, it's hot."
"Dankeschön. (Thank you.)"
"Bitteschön, (You're welcome.)"
Awkwardly, or perhaps peacefully, the two enjoyed the sweet aroma of Beatrix's milk tea. She watched as Lise first blew across the cup's surface, creating small ripples ricocheting off the edges. She then gradually dipped her tongue into the scented water, testing its temperature before chugging it all down way too fast.
"Comrade Oberleutnant, must you devour that drink like an animal?"
"Isn't that how wolves swallow?" Beatrix actually laughed, albeit very mildly.
"Lise Hohenstein, allow me to apologize for my behaviour prior, I'm sorry for maltreating you." Lise jerked her head in amazement, her immense cobalt eyes shined for the first time since her arrival.
"As you should be able to tell, I'm not exactly mentally stable… and neither is anyone in the Werewolf, for that matter."
Undoubtedly, Beatrix wouldn't be earning the poor girl's trust at first encounter. It was going to be a process for her to accumulate to her new life, a life that was just a little bit more forgiving and a little bit less hellish.
"Major… why are you so nice to me? I'm just Axmann's dog, I'm of the Berlin Sect, there's no point in letting me live."
"Lise, I like you… or maybe the proper term is intrigued? I should have you executed by firing squad- I should, but I won't."
Promptly, the expression froze on the First Lieutenant's face, she unintentionally hung her mouth open, leading to another giggle from Beatrix.
"I researched your past, of course. You possess talent in TSF piloting from your days as a frontier guard, but more than that, more importantly; you possess a desire to live. And that character I view more valuable than your background as Berlin's worker."
"Bu-but Major! You and the Berlin Sect are enemies!"
"…I honestly don't view them as a threat. The Moscow Sect's spies are engraved deeper into Berlin than any of theirs ever will. Besides, we got the U.S.S.R's backing along with support from the State, thus Axmann used you as a curve ball; story is along these lines, no?" Beatrix was grading herself full marks for that deduction.
"You know everything… Major."
"Well, Axmann being Axmann, he probably grasped this's how things were turning out. Regardless of your opinion, I think I've proven the cover he gave you was inadequate in deceiving my eyes. You have been abandoned, Lise, or should I say you're free? Congratulations?"
"No… but if I fail… then his promise…"
"I'm not sure what he promised to do for you, but I do know he won't be there to keep his word." Distraught to her situation and helplessly afraid of Beatrix, the true girl beneath her mask was sprouting its real self.
"W-why do you say that, Major?"
"Because a dead man can't keep any promise."
"Wh-what!?" Stunned beyond belief for the countless time was Lise.
"Heinz Axmann will soon die, Erich Schmidt will soon die. The Ministerium für Staatssicherheit will be mine, it will be all mine. Then, I can grant you any wish, Lise Hohenstein, if you invest in me, that is." Beatrix's ambition was not to be distrusted, and she made sure full well Lise understood her seriously.
"…Really? You're saying you're willing to help me, Major?" It was a bit entertaining how Lise never doubted her leader's ability to conquer.
"~Ara, ara… believing me so readily, you just make me like you more and more, my dear Lise. Of course I can realize your dream, so tell me child; what is your true desire? What is motivating you to conquer and endure the suffering forced upon your fatigue self?" A kind smile, so rarely seen before as Beatrix's expression.
And it was that smile which drew Lise into her care, that smile decided the fate of Werewolf's newest member.
"Major…! I-I… I want to see my brother again! I want to be happy with him! Please! Theo is everything to me! I'll do anything if it means I can protect him!"
"~Ufufufu… then reunite with him you shall, all in due time. However, Lise, I do not shy away from staining my hands in blood, I will always be leading in the front, but that doesn't mean you can avoid this filth, I trust you are ready to do whatever must be done?"
"Of course, Major! I have little left undone… anyway." Lise's recently discovered enthusiasm was the most appreciable trait. Beatrix nodded slightly, acknowledging the poor child's previous life of misery.
"So there we go, instead of being Axmann's dog and receiving nothing but mistreatment day by day; you should ally yourself with me, Lise. At here, whether you're a dog of Stasi is truly up for you to decide. You know you can trust me, because you're someone I strive to be."
"Major? What do you mean?"
"I'm waiting… believing in his return… soon, we'll become rulers of this land… but-! The age is still early, Lise. First things first, go meet the rest of my Battalion, I'll arrange for someone to teach you how to fake reports that Axmann probably wants you to send him. And maybe, you can make some friends."
"Jawohl! (Yes!)"
"Good, Oberleutnant Lise Hohenstein, welcome to the Werwolf."
Act 4-2 End
—
Act 4-3
—
Narration by:
Lise Hohenstein (Heroine to another story)
Starring:
Gretel Jeckeln (What an adorable zampolit)
The Werwolf Battalion
Featuring:
Beatrix Brehme (Preparation, bit by bit)
—
Setting:
1981 March, 26, 2130 hours
Harz Forest military base
"Thus concludes the tour of the Harz forest base, this's what our wolf's den has to offer. Oberleutnant Hohenstein, what do you think?"
"It's a… big base." There were many creative terms Lise could use to describe her new home, but she elected to start off with the simple ones.
Compared to the last base Lise was stationed at as a frontier guard, the Werewolf base was so much more refreshing and welcoming to her. Although that was partially thanks to not having anyone they met so far call her a prostitute, slut, traitor, sow, or any of the mean words she preferred not to recall.
"So err… Comrade Oberleutnant, what am I supposed to do now?"
"First, you can just call me Jeckeln… or Gretel, if you're really brave. It's confusing with everyone being comrade something something, nobody knows who is being addressed in a group. Second, let's go to the cafeteria, I think rest of the Squadron leaders are there."
"Verstanden. (Understood.)"
Lise's guide during her tour was another girl serving with the Werewolf, Oberleutnant Gretel Jeckeln. She wore her officer's dress uniform coupled with a hat similar to Beatrix's outfit, unlike Lise's standard BDU. Her fellow First Lieutenant seemed nice enough, she was kindly explaining the base structure and Battalion organization along the way.
"-Sohn einer Hündin! (Son of a bitch!) FUCKING KILL YOURSELF!"
The way Lise jolted her head up was almost comical, she was not expecting to be startled by cursing this early in her new residence. Following closely behind Gretel as she led her to the dining room, there was someone very angry sealed in the room ahead of the pair.
Likewise, Gretel also stopped moving, she lifted up her hand for the sole purpose of rubbing it over her face, most likely out of adversity. Then, she turned around to seize Lise tightly by the shoulders, an almost deadpan countenance was visible.
"Oberleutnant Hohenstein, I ask you to please not judge grounded by your first impression. Just please, don't do it. They're all nice girls… more or less." Lise nodded nervously, having little clue as to what she would be exposed to.
Gretel accepted Lise's notion of understanding, so she pushed open the doors leading into a brand new familiarity.
"Achtung! (Attention!)"
By Gretel's thundering command, four soldiers sitting by a round table all leaped to an upright position with their arms and legs formally fixed. To Lise's surprise, she had yet to meet a member of the unit that wasn't female.
"Grüßen! (Salute!)" The four greeted Lise and Gretel as ordered. Werewolf's commissar replied swiftly, although their latest member was a tad bit slow on the beat.
"At ease, I have an important announcement to make. This here is Oberleutnant Lise Hohenstein, she will be joining our Battalion from here on out. Standard regulations apply, don't ask anything you shouldn't; that's the same for you too, Oberleutnant Hohenstein, we don't talk about history here."
"Jawohl!"
Along with Lise, her four teammates answered to Gretel's warning. There was apparently a rule within the Battalion to not discuss personal history, a statute Lise wouldn't mind abiding to.
"She will be the Squadron leader for the fourth Company if we encounter human combatants, replacing Leutnant Murenkamp. Now let me introduce our pilots, Hohenstein, these are the other Oberleutnants acting as Squadron leaders and the Major's XO, expect for Farka." Number one question from Lise was why Gretel didn't fulfill her role as a First Lieutenant during anti-TSF combat, but she wasn't going to get an answer by cutting in.
"First, this is Oberleutnant Katrina Diegelmann, Major Brehme's executive officer. Hohenstein, I trust I won't have to explain what an XO does, will I?"
"No, thank you for your concern, Comrade Oberleutnant." When Lise realized her sight blunder, there were already five pairs of eyes gathered on her.
"Hey! That one's for me! Don't you dar—"
"-Aha! You are very welcome, new guy!"
"Hoho, don't worry about it."
"…This'll take a while."
All of the pilots who had earned the rank First lieutenant replied, creating a bit of commotion and embarrassing Lise by a little in the process. However they all soon started to laugh, leaving a first impression thousand times better than the blonde girl's last unit.
"Believe it or not, Hohenstein, we don't actually take military discipline that seriously at this base. The Major said not to be too caught up on rules and miss the bigger picture, even though we're the enforcers here." That too, Lise wouldn't have guessed to be a tradition for the Werewolf.
"It's true, you would think the Moscow Sect's watchdog unit should be more strict than any other Battalion, but it's fortunate Stasi's director don't visit us too often. I'm not even sure how that all works, haha!" One of the soldiers followed up on Gretel's statement, Katrina Diegelmann, Lise remembered her name to be that.
The brown-haired girl wore a single tall ponytail and left two long bangs dangling by either side of her temple reaching down to around her shoulders, with another shorter bang curving to the left. She smiled tenderly at Lise, her blue eyes were a nice fit for her small aspect.
"Anyway, moving on is Oberleutnant Rosalinde Buch. Leader of the Second Squadron- oh, by the way, our four Squadrons' names are organized by Squad leader's name; so the first Squadron is Brehme, second is Bucky- I mean Buch, third is Borkwalde and fourth should be Jeckeln, but I don't fly much so it doesn't have a name."
"Understood." Lise had more important things on her mind than evaluating how the Werewolf designated their teams.
"So, yeah! Like our almighty zampolit (commissar) has said, that'll make the fourth Squadron Hohenstein, right? Hihi! By the way, you can just call me Bucky, they all do; or! You can call me Rosa because I'm like a cute and adorable rose!" Cute or adorable, or rose weren't the first words to pop into Lise's head when Oberleutnant Rosalinde Buch introduced herself.
If Lise had to say, Bucky was a typical example of an energetic girl; rocking a longer than average crew cut with no more accessories than necessary, she was beaming a bright smile at Lise as her reception.
"Urrgg, I think… I'm about to see my last night's dinner again… Bucky you disgusting freak… oh god… Hohenstein, you're pretty cute like a normal girl, why don't you try and convince this lesbian over here to not look like a goddamn G.I Joe!?" A third pilot interjected with insults Lise wasn't accustomed to.
"Em? G.I what?" Overall, the Werewolf Lieutenants were having a very puzzling conversation in general and Lise was getting almost none of it.
"Nico, you dumb fuck. Who else in this country would have even heard about G.I Joe other than us!? And why don't you fix your morning hair anyway!? When's the last time you took a shower? Before we built the Berlin Wall?!"
"Urrrga, stupid whore!"
"Dirty slut!" Then they slapped each other's hands a lot, for some reason.
From what Lise was witnessing, this scene came straight out of a comedy TV series she used to watch as a child, only this time it was taking place in reality, and she was too dumbfounded to have a laughing frenzy.
"Mein Gott... Hohenstein, this is my face when I want to give up on life…" And the expression Gretel made was very accurate to someone who wanted to give up on life.
"…Noted."
"Well, that one right there with the ridiculous side bang is Oberleutnant Nicola Michalke. She's the Company leader for the third 'Borkwalde' Squadron, and as you can see, we're all great friends who will backstab each other over a meal ticket, isn't that sweet?" Was there sarcasm in Gretel's voice? Lise wanted to guess 'yes'.
"Oberleutnant Michalke? Isn't the Squadron name Borkwalde?"
"Err… Oberleutnant Borkwalde… died a few months back, but we don't really talk about that."
"I… see." So Lise wouldn't discuss that topic ever either. Besides, observing the Battalion leaders have a fight was much more entertaining.
Nicola Michalke was as her friend accused, having a super huge side bang that was almost half the width of her temple, yet it didn't look out of place as a hairstyle for the dark blue headed First Lieutenant.
"So yeah, nice knowing you, Hohenstein, we'll talk later, okay? -C'mon Kat! You tell Bucky why this buzz cut makes her look like she came straight out of a sixties advertisement for deodorant!"
"If I shoot a bullet right into your bang, will you fucking die?!"
"Errrm… I don't have much of an opinion- but, can you thirsty bitches not!?"
Every one of these pilots must be the most proficient aces in of their field, Lise thought.
"Hmmmm… SHUT UP! Can you three freaking signal cell creatures let me finish our introduction before going around flinging fecal matter at one another!? JESUS!" Again to Lise's disbelief, even their kind sounding political officer wasn't excluded from the oral showdown.
Although her shouting was one level above the rest, Gretel successfully got everyone attending to close their mouth and settle down.
"We done!? Good! Moving on, Hohenstein; I mentioned her already but this's Leutnant Farka Murenkamp, the acting Squadron leader for the 4th Company when I'm absent. She'll be your Element partner from now on, so your wingman, treat her nicely, okay?"
"Guten tag! It's a pleasure to meet you, Oberleutnant Hohenstein! And thank you, I finally won't be the Squadron leader anymore! I absolutely hate it!"
A perfect ball of cuteness was Lise's first intuition of Farka. She had a head full of shoulder length orange-hair with a short braid swinging by her every step to the left, the girl's emerald eyes reminded Lise of that very gem itself. As she ran towards the new member of the Werewolf and grabbed her hand for a shake, Lise felt a fresh rush of warmth in her heart.
"G-guten tag, Leutnant Murenkamp… I will be taking over Squadron leader duties from now on. Please assist me when needed, thanks."
"Nice, no problem! I'm more of the order-following type of person, also I prefer halberd to rifle anyway, kills faster and cleaner." Looking at her adorable junior, Lise wondered how someone like Farka could be capable of slaying others.
"So you'll be my wingman, never really had one before… I probably won't know what to do some time."
"It'll alright, Oberleutnant! You're probably- definitely a better leader than me. Besides, everyone else here will be glad to help us!"
"…Reassuring." Lise wasn't too sure whether she was ready to starting make friends again, her attempt last time didn't work out too well.
"Well, think that's all I have to do here- oh, by the way, who was screaming their head off earlier just before we arrived?" Quickly adjusting her glasses, Gretel remembered the distortion from before.
The four Werewolf members traded glances with one another, communicating in ways Lise wasn't taught for. Sooner or later, someone was bound to fuss up the truth Gretel sought after, and that was when true treason took place; three fingers all pointed at one girl in unison, selling her out to the commissar.
"Farka did it."
"It was all Farka's fault."
"She's a bad girl, Oberleutnant Gretel."
"Wha—! B-b-bu-but that wasn't—! Oberleutnant Gretel! Wait!" A cold stare met a pair of frightened pupils at lightning speed. While Lise couldn't say she looked forward to seeing punishment, there was curiously as to how Gretel was about to dish out some pain.
"Leutnant Murenkamp, I know our Battalion acts very leniently in regards to regulations and mannerism, but there're restrictions on how wild you're allowed to be! You'll bring shame to the name of us Werwolf if you cannot control your emotions! I must report this to the Major immediately."
"No-no! No, no, NOOOOO! I couldn't help it, Oberleutnant! They stole my Special Major Brehme Coupon! IT WAS MY LAST ONE TOO!"
"Hey, shut up! We won it fair and square! You're just dumb at poker!" Nico's assertion was backed up by her teammates.
"…What?" At this point in time, Lise could positively identify herself as puzzled.
"Arr… the Major very rarely gives out special meal tickets for her cooking, because it's actually very good food, the ticket's value is high as hell. You'll be lucky get one per month, and that's counting the ones you trade with others." Gretel mouthed off the explanation in-between her scolds meant for Farka.
"The Major cooks? Why?"
"Don't know, she said something about practicing, but she's already super good at it; I mean like five-star restaurant chef level of good, that only makes her tickets way more desirable." Lise blinked to handle the new information, she wasn't sure how to think of Beatrix after seeing her from such conflicting viewpoints.
"So pleeease, Oberleutnant! If you inform on me and they think I'm guilty or something I'll be executed! And then we all will be executed for lying! Being executed isn't fun, you know! The people I executed never liked it, and I don't think we will!"
Around this time was when almost everyone else started sniggering at Farka's panic attack, presumably knowing nobody was seriously being informed on. As for Lise, she found it interesting that the Second Lieutenant shared similar experience with her, it gave Gretel's warning on not discussing personal background another meaning.
"Alright, alright… calm down, Farka, nobody's dying here. I'll keep it a secret, alright? Now let me think… here, Hohenstein, why don't you play a game of poker with them? We'll see what you can do, maybe share your profit with this poor kid." Handing her an almost standard looking meal voucher except for a red stamp on it, Gretel was moving on from bullying Farka.
"You want me to play poker, Oberleutnant?"
"You recognize why the Major allows gambling on base? Because she sees it as an exercise in our skills of deception, so I want to see how good you are, Hohenstein, see if you'll fit in here."
Lise observed the ticket in her hand, then the table with scattered cards and chips, along with three Squadron leaders looking forward to robbing that superior coupon from her care and one subordinate urgently needing some cash. There weren't really any decisions to make right then.
"Jawohl, let me empty some wallets."
—
Intermission
—
"Alright… Bucky, small blind of five Marks, Kat, big blind of ten." After the correct chips were thrown into the new pot, Gretel dealt out two cards rotating in a clockwise manner.
"Call." Sitting to the left of Kat, Nico threw in her chip for ten Marks.
"Call." So did Lise, in line as the second person to bet.
"Call." Bucky added another five Marks to her previous five Marks bet.
"Check." Ending the betting round matching everyone else's value, the XO threw nothing more into the pot.
Gretel acknowledged the first go, she gracefully dealt four more cards from the deck in her care, with one facing down and three up. Visible on the stand were a Four of Hearts, a Seven of Spades and a King of Hearts.
Peeking over her fortunate hand, Lise measured precisely the chances of her winning the pot, but more importantly, she studied the expressions of her current rivals. They were good, although not her level of good; a few were concealing nervousness to their best abilities, but none were qualified enough to beat her stoic mien.
And it was thanks to her proficiency and expertise at disguise; Lise had been doing nothing but winning for the past five hours.
"Rising, seventy Marks." Before realizing, Lise threw out a few more chips from her abundant pool of money.
"…Damn it… Hohenstein… you're way too good at this for a new guy…" Nico judged Lise for her skills, unhappy about the situation she was forced into.
"I'm experienced, Oberleutnant Michalke. And Oberleutnant Buch, please stop. I hate to break this to you, but you're not a psychic and thus cannot read my cards." Lise shot her typical dead gaze to the short-haired pilot, who was still irately staring directly into her round cobalt eyes.
"Euuuumm… you got a… King of Clubs and Three of Spades!"
"Tch… why do I have to deal with this… Oberleutnant Jeckeln, is this allowed?" Out of aggravation, Lise clicked her tongue.
"Bucky! Either bet or fold! We don't have all day to play around after wasting all day playing around!" Her surrounding was blithely irksome in more ways than one, Lise simply wanted it to end, her opponents had no hope left anyway.
"Fine, fuck you! All-in! Three hundred and sixty four Marks!" If Lise wasn't upholding the best poker face in the history of poker right then, she would be suffering a seizure from laughing too hard.
"Damn it… Bucky…! Now you're forcing all of us to tag along!"
"So what, if this job doesn't pay enough you can always go back to being a hooker!" Lise's inner grimace almost took hold of her aspect in a disgusting frown, but before that, it was Nico who coolly reacted to those words first.
"~Hoho… if prostitution ends up being my only choice, I know I can count on you to be my first customer!"
"Hell no! I'm satisfied eating a normal lady's meal, thank you. Who here will want to go down on you, anyway?"
"Well… Gretel, how much do you think I'm worth? I'll make you ~real comfortable tonight."
"Urrgg… it depends on how much my STD treatment is going to cost, don't know if I can tip you good." After realizing that life-threatening insult for a few seconds, everyone relaxing around the café burst out in stifled laughter. Even for Lise, a forthright offense like this was unheard of before.
"Ahaha-AHAHA! Nice one, commissar! Fucking got her!" As energetic as ever, Bucky was quick to praise Gretel for her wit.
"Dear Oberleutnant Jeckeln… I suggest you make sure your room door tonight is locked, double lock that, if possible. It would be very, very bad if we suddenly lost our loving zampolit to a purge…"
"Eh? But aren't we the ones doing the purg—"
"-Kat! No! …Just no." The input from an airheaded executive officer was immediately disrespected as Nico shoved all her chips into the pot.
"Yeah, yeah. Nico, no hard feelings, right?"
"Shut up and take my damn money."
As Lise sat silently, watching the festal banter escalate to further hilarity between members of what should be the State's most ruthless Battalion; she only saw a casual, light-hearted conversation between friends, and that affection was most the perilous quality in a nation sustained by fear.
"-Hohenstein… hey, Lise! It's showdown, everyone went all-in too." And while her mind was absent, the newcomer's auto piloted body stacked all her previous prize into her current hand likewise.
"Oh… tschuldigung. (Sorry)"
Observing the table, Lise saw three hands had already been revealed with the highest being a Hearts Flush sitting in front of a proud Bucky. Evidence to her victory, both Kat and Nico were moaning in defeat as they lost all hope in winning.
"C'mon, Hohenstein! There's no way you can beat that amazi—"
"Oh… I got a Full House, Kings full of threes. Do I win?"
So casually, so easily, Lise took her first bonus pay check, courtesy of the Werewolf First Lieutenants.
"What…? What? Huuuh?"
"Hold on here…! She had a… King of Clubs and Three of Spades… Bucky…? Bucky…!? Isn't that…!?"
"WHAT!? I CALLED THAT! Y-you-you had those cards all along!? WHAT!? MY GOD- WHAT IS HAPPENING!?"
"Hey, Bucky, weren't those the cards you said she was going to have?"
"No shit, Kat! No FUCKING SHIT! WHY DO YOU THINK I'M HYPERVENTILATING OVER HERE!?"
Lise simply sat there, not uttering a sound while the chaotic collapse of society she was witnessing rapidly drowned out in a sea of shriek. Her comrades were surely losing their minds over what she supposed was a trivial guess, but there existed little reason for her to join their madness.
"Woooooow! Oberleutnant Hohenstein! Do you know how impressive what Oberleutnant Bucky did is!?" Someone awkwardly snuggled up against Lise, neither to her comfort or discomfort.
"Not really."
"My math isn't too good, but guessing two cards correctly out of fifty-two is like- very impressive!"
"That's… I suppose you're right, Leutnant Murenkamp." The orange-haired Second Lieutenant smiled for Lise, never minding the constant illogical screeching in the background.
"Oberleutnant Bucky had some really terrible luck ever since she got here! She was the one always being caught by the Major for doing bad stuff every time even when we all participated, it was funny to watch but probably painful to receive."
"How are you guys doing this on a daily basis? Any of these activities should be against military principal." Remembering the rules and laws forcefully implanted into her brain, Lise was fairly paranoid of the Werewolves.
"Well, mostly Oberleutnant Gretel and the Major covers up anything bad we do. The Major doesn't care much about regulations and stuff, besides, all work and no play makes Farka a dull bo- girl!"
"Heh… alright then." To Lise, none of this was interesting enough worthy of her full attention.
"So anyway! I just wanted to ask you, Oberleut—"
The boisterous buzzing of an alarm was never pleasant to Lise, same stood true when a set of flashing red lights installed into the walls demanded everyone's attention.
"—Achtung! Werwolf Battalion Squadron leaders, report to the command centre immediately!"
The communication format switched for loud verbal to silent visual almost instantly, no more jokes or shouting were left as all members of Werewolf present traded gazes with one another. The mood was now completely different from their off-time, the pilots were back on the clock.
"Go time?" Lise asked while pocketing all of the coins rightfully belonging to her.
"Ja, we're probably sortieing any minute. Take some pills before embarking, we've been up for a while." Gretel answered followed by a warning.
"Tch… I just got here too, is there even a fortified suit for me?" Lise's click of her tongue was heard by nobody, same for her question which remained pending as everyone left out the door.
Act 4 End
—
Author's note
The names for the Werewolf First Lieutenants were taken from the wiki and a certain image board, they're not that important in any of the SM material (Werewolf harem never) so I can be a bit more lenient in writing them. As for Gretel, I dunno why I threw her in, I dunno anything, don't ask.
I don't think I got any character wrong per-se, Gretel might be a bit too nice to Beatrix, Lise's transition between happy-mode and Stasi-mode might not be too correct, Farka's personality is probably completely butchered because my Martyrs files got corrupted and I couldn't find the download again so I didn't play to where she shows up, fuck everything.
Thanks for reading, although this chapter hasn't been beta-ed yet, English's still terrible, deal with it please, or help me out.