The four, former, Rakshasa Demons scream in pain as they are subjected to a medieval form of torture: The Breaking Wheel. Esdeath has the four bound onto wheels made of ice. Their joints, hands, and feet have been bound and reinforced with their backs and other exposed parts being hindered by icy thorns that cut the skin. Their limbs intertwined between the spokes of the wheel. Eight of Esdeath's guards take turns beating and striking with jagged ice sticks as the other four spin them around. Seryu, Logi, Dainsleif, and Nachzehrer look with pity and disgust as they see the torture and beatings going on.
"Eh... how long have they been at it?" Logi asks Seryu.
"They've been at it for half an hour," Seryu responded. "It took less than a minute for Esdeath's men to set this up and even less for Esdeath to build those pedestals and to give them their orders." Seryu continued.
"Could those four be any more stupid?" Nachzehrer comments. "Breaking into Esdeath's room as to be the stupidest idea I've heard. I still bewilder myself in trying to understand how they're in the same squad as us." Nachzehrer continued. "But this method of torture seems justifiable. From what we're seeing, Esdeath ordered those guards to give blows hard enough to bruise but not break bones. Torture here is tamer than that of the Empire. But from what I've learned...psychological torture is preferable to physical."
"Is that so?" Logi responded. Turning hs head to Nachzehrer. "Thank you for that info, Nachzehrer." Logi thanks Nachehrer. Hearing his voice coming from a gas mask, his mask catches the attention of Nachzehrer.
"Don't you get uncomfortable wearing that mask?" Nachzehrer asks, pointing at his GM54 gas mask.
"I can breathe just fine with and without the respirator. I chose not to wear it today," Logi responded. "Furthermore, it is a preference. I much rather have it on all of the time." He continued.
"Is that so?" Nachzehrer responded, becoming curious about Logi's face underneath the mask. "You really don't need to hide your Aryan features behind a mask." Nachzehrer pounces on Logi trying to remove his gas mask. "Come on, I only want to see what's like underneath your mask. All I ever saw was your hair and eyes through the mask!" Nachzherer pounces on Logi pinning him down. Logi objects to Nachzehrer and tries to push her off but she places her legs on his upper arms, making it difficult to push her off. She reaches over to Logi's head and knocks off his SS Bergmütze. She places her hands on his mask. "Now, let us see what is behind that mask." Nachzherer proclaims. Before she should remove his mask she is grabbed off him by Seryu. "What the, let go of me! Izou help me!" Nachzherer calls out to Dainsleif: real name Izou. "Hurry and get this woman off me! Cut her down for all I care."
"If you don't want to be handled like this then you shouldn't have pounced Bols!" Seryu manhandles Dorothea, pulling her out from being on top of Bols, then known by Logi. Seeing her struggle, Izou glances upwards at Nachzehrer calling out to him but looks back down.
"Her blood isn't sweet enough for Kosetsu to taste, Dorothea. Plus," Izou opens one of his eyes and glances downward at Koro who stands just before him. "Fenrir doesn't seem he wants me to get involved."
"You're so useless!" Dorothea, then known by her codename of Nachzehrer, lambasts Izou. As the confrontation continues, Run appears behind them all. Walking up to the ruckus and commotions caused by the crying pains of the four in the ice torture wheels and the ruckus caused by the other four. He glances at the commotions and stands at rest position.
"Attention!" Run speaks up. A simple command stops all in what they are doing. "New orders from the SS-Gruppenführerin," Run continues. The SS men torturing the former Rakshasa Demons drop their ice rods and stand at attention, saluting Run. The other members of the Einsatzgruppen Eis turned to face Run and also salute him in the same manner as the SS men. Run salutes back. "Esde... I mean the SS-Gruppenführerin has new orders set out," Run reaches his hand at the SS men. "You me are to let free of those four from the breaking wheel and return to barracks until further ordered by your superiors. The Einsatzgruppen Eis are to remain here," Run lowers his hand. Following the orders of Esdeath, the SS men let free the four former Rakshasa Demons, each one being more mangled and bruised than the last. Letting each one fall to the ground, the SS men left for their barracks. The four former Rakshasa Demons struggled to get up from the ground. "Per the SS-Gruppenführerin's orders. We are to assemble in the dining room at once. Esdeath has news to present to us." Run continues.
"Tch. Once that's done I'm going to kill those men." Suzuka proclaimed as she relocated her shoulder back into her shoulder.
"Don't, the SS-Gruppenführerin said that you are not permitted to harm her guards in retaliation. Everyone is to assemble in the dining room immediately for important news she has to share with us." Run reiterates the orders given to him by Esdeath. Hearing these orders, the other eight members of the Einsatzgruppen follow Run back inside of Esdeath estate.
Moments passed after Run had rounded up the rest of the Einsatzgruppen Eis and escorting them to Esdeath's dining room. The presentation of the room remained the same except for the tablecloth having been removed to make way for Esdeath's presentation.
"All members of Einsatzgruppen Eis are present and accounted for." Run reports to Esdeath.
"Thank you Herr Run," Esdeath responded as she looked at her mirror. Fixing up her room and Dienstrock uniform while the others were outside. Esdeath then places her SS officer's cap back onto her head. "It is time, let's go," Esdeath responded. She turns and leaves her bedroom once more with Run following by her side. "I assumed the four that snuck into my room without my permission were properly tortured?" Esdeath asked.
"Of course. But why would you want them to be beaten with over half an hour duration? Aren't there any other methods? Because if they are broken then that would hinder their performance? It would be a negative for you with the demonstration being less than two days away." Run expresses his concerns.
"Their healing abilities are faster than the average person of this world. By the time the demonstration is to be presented, they would be ready," Esdeath comments. "Now, let us not worry about the future but instead focus on the present. The fatherland is now embroiled in a war against the US and the UFN. It's only a matter of time until one breaks." The two continued to walk until they reached the dining room area. Esdeath opens the door and enters the dining room and observes the other eight members of Einstazgruppen Eis standing up to salute Esdeath as she enters. Run closes the door behind him and salutes as well from the door. "You are all well acquainted with me. So a salute is not important to me unless a military or political official comes to my estate," Esdeath breaks the silence. "Sit, for I have some important matters to discuss with all nine of you," Esdeath walks past her subordinates. "It is best to take notes." Esdeath pulls a chair from one of the far ends of the table and sits down. "Firstly, I would like to place some ground rules," Esdeath glances at the four who broke into her room. "Entrance into my room without my explicit permission is forbidden, with punishments that would go far beyond the breaking wheel." Esdeath glances at the other five. "Furthermore, disobeying my orders will incur penalties," Esdeath glances at Seryu. "And making yourself a fool to a higher-up is not something that I want to deal with. You are all members of the German SS, so act dignified as if you were in Burgundy. If not, I will bring treatments and ways to instill discipline into every single one of you that I can get from the Burgundian SS. Any questions before I move on?" Esdeath asks. Hearing her question, Seryu stands up from her chair.
"SS-Gruppenführerin, I would like to apologize if I had caused any trouble between you and those Obergruppenführerinhrers," Seryu apologizes.
"No need for apologies. What you did was only a natural reaction. But be aware of who you run into and who you let Fenrir bite. Had Herr Kaltenbrunner or Herr Müller drawn blood, then there would be no doubt that our careers would have ended short," Esdeath responded. "To the matter at hand. This Sunday, despite being an official rest day, we have a meeting with the leaders of the German SS. I was going to show you off to the aforementioned men earlier today. But we've come to an agreement of a scheduled demonstration."
"A demonstration?" Some of the Einstazgruppen Eis members reacted. Agitated by their outburst, Esdeath uses her Imperial Arms to freeze each of their feet in place.
"Yes, a demonstration. Most likely in Germania," Esdeath stands up and walks up to each of those standing. "One that would be attended by the higher-ups," She walks behind Suzuka fist and pushes the seat forward sitting her down, "Attended by Obergruppenführer Müller: head of the German SS and the Gestapo," As Suzuka was forced to sit back down ice is formed around her wrists and the chair's arms, "Obergruppenführer Kaltenbrunner: director of the SD and the Reich Security Main Office, SS-Obergruppenführer Steiner: head of the Waffen-SS, and possibly even the Führer Adolf Hitler himself," Esdeath repeats the same for Mez, Ibara, and Seryu. But doesn't freeze Seryu like the others did. "The only group I hope to never see would be the militarists of Reichsmarshall Göring," Esdeath walks back over to her chair. "Here is the plan. Until Sunday. You would have all day today and tomorrow to train and present something that is of worth. If you desire, then you may repeat what you did in Burgundy. If not then come up with some parlor trick that will not embarrass me or the honor of the SS. Is that understood?"
"Yes, SS-Gruppenüfhrerin!" All agreed to Esdeath's orders.
"Good, any questions?" Esdeath snaps her fingers and the ice dissolves around the hands and feet of those she had frozen."No questions I see. I take it that you understand the assignment at hand?" Esdeath asks. "Then this meeting is adjourned. You are to train on your own until 2200 hours in the courtyard. After that, you will assemble once more and show
She stands up from her chair. "Succeed... do not fail or embarrass me or the German SS." Esdeath stands up and salutes the Einsatzgruppen Eis. "Heil Hitler!" The rest of the Einsatzgruppen Eis repeats Esdeath's salute. "Esdeath then brings her hand down from the salute. "Meeting adjourned. Now go." Esdeath gives her orders. As the Einsatzgruppen Eis leaves the dining room they begin to converse with one another about how to demonstrate their prowess to the leaders of the German SS.
"Unlike those six, Fenrir and I have a good chance of impressing the German leaders of the Reich," Seryu proclaimed. "Fenrir could grow up to three or seven meters tall and display his invulnerability to most weapons," Seryu continued with Koro following her side. "Once they learn of our Imperial Arms' strength. This war is good as over. It's like the history of the early Empire of our world." Seryu continued to speak. "How would you two go about?" Seryu turns to Bols and Run as they walk by her side. Bols ponders for a moment about how he would demonstrate his to the leaders of the German SS
"This world already has its own Imperial Arms like mine. I've seen the usage of the Flammenwerfer-59 firsthand in Burgundy. I like how it can not only be held by one man but could also be fixed to a tank," Bols comments. "Yet they may find interest in Rubicante as I do not need to worry about fuel and the flames stick like napalm." Bols continued to speak. He turns to Run but sees Run walking the opposite way. "And you? Where are you going, Run?" Bols asks. Run stops in place and turns to his compatriots.
"I have a meeting with Esdeath right now. You two and the others go on and train without me. I will catch up," Run responded. Hearing his response Bols and Seryu continue to walk to the courtyard as Run turns and walks the other direction, away from the rest of the Einsatzgruppen Eis. Run walks through the halls of Esdeath's estate. "Almost two years in this world along with my Imperial Arms. Coinciding with the others, I sometimes find myself somewhat mixed feelings about this. I know for a fact that Esdeath herself did appear in this world almost 24 years ago. But would our demonstrations be just as effective as Esdeath had? How would the Obergruppenführers and the Führer react to such weaponry and powers? I believe that they may be underwhelmed," Run thinks to himself.
"I see you've chosen to roam the halls?" Esdeath steps out of the dining room, catching Run's attention. He turns to face Esdeath.
"I decided to wait outside your office and speak with you earlier about the subject we've discussed previously." Run responded.
"Is that so? I don't mind. Come now." Esdeath and Run begin to walk over to her office side by side. "Anything you wish to discuss about or have a few things cleared up?"
"It seems that when you speak of the German SS leadership, you've only ever referred to them with the Obergruppenführer title and not the Oberst-Gruppenführer as in Burgundy. And if Obergruppenführer Müller is the leader of the German SS, shouldn't he be Reichsführer of the German SS? Why is that?" Run asks as he walks with Esdeath.
"After the SS revolt, the title and office of Reichsführer SS in the Greater Germanic Reich was abolished by the Führer if it meant that the German SS would under be the total control of the Führer himself along with Alsace and Lorraine going to Burgundy. Furthermore, the rank of SS-Oberst-Gruppenführer is only used in wartime with the condition being that all Oberst-Gruppenführers would be demoted back to Obergruppenführer rank once the war was over," Esdeath responded. "But all came to the agreement, along with Himmler's recommendation, that Obergruppenführer Müller be made the leader of the German SS, with the title of the Reichsführer German being posthumously presented to Reinhard Heydrich. The recognized second head of the SS." Esdeath continued.
"I assume it was done to prevent the German SS from revolting once more or taking too much control from the Führer itself," Run responded. "And with Himmler no longer being involved in Germania the German SS would be in control of the Führer."
"How else do you think the Führer would have done it? Had Hitler been more like Prime Minister Honest, then the SS would have been dealt with just as the SA had. Unlike what Honest had to face, the SS had greater zeal and connections all throughout the continent and in its Reichskommissariats. Greater than the connections that the Revolutionary Army had. If Honest had to deal with the SS, then some of its leaders would have been killed, but in the end, Honest would have still fallen." Esdeath continued. The two continued to walk until they reached her office. Run opens the door and follows afterward as Esdeath enters. Esdeath continues to walk over till she reaches her desk, standing right beside it. Run stands across her from her at attention. "No need to stand at attention, Herr Run." Esdeath orders him.
"Do you think the leadership would be convinced by our abilities and Imperial Arms?" Run asks.
"I would believe so. Your demonstration in the Ordenstaat was appealing but were disappointed that they couldn't replicate your Imperial Arms for wider military use, along with the others," Esdeath responded. "I still remember the faces of the hierarchy when I first presented my Imperial Arms, so to say they were surprised," Esdeath continued. "They will take interest in your Imperial Arms, Bols, and Seryu. Even your Germanic codenames would give clues to what your Imperial Arms' are. Dorothea and the four former Rakshasa Demons would be more difficult to explain. The latter's abilities would be of great interest... the German SS would contact the Burgundian SS for information. Izou's would be the most difficult to explain." Esdeath continued. Run relaxes his stance as Esdeath turns to face Run.
"I want to ask you SS-Gruppenführerin... how come the Obergruppenführers attempting to antagonize you? Isn't it futile since you are well respected in the Reich and a great warrior? Not including your Imperial Arms?" Run asks. Hearing his question, Esdeath smirked.
"I find it disparaging that they would attack my honor, even being blamed for the failures of Operation Rockwell and the failure of invading the United States," Esdeath responded. "In the forties, they were praising of me but something may have changed in their thought pattern." Esdeath continued.
"I assume they because you are a woman with great power that no one has. One that would threaten their power base?" Run interjects.
"Could be. The only one I have to thank for my rank as SS-Gruppenführerin is the Führer himself," Esdeath responded.
"But I would like to discuss one more point, SS-Gruppenführerin. What were they mentioning about us? Not being viable for the German SS?" Run asks.
"You and everyone else should have known this by now? The criteria for the German SS are strict as Burgundy's. More so focus on one's own Aryan bloodline. All of us do not have that supposed bloodline that they want. But they've made exceptions throughout the years to bolster their numbers, even including non-Aryans in their ranks like the Slavs and other ethnic groups. Only restricting their requirements once more when Burgundy was established," Esdeath continued.
"They've also mentioned a Jew in your ranks too? Do not take this the wrong way, SS-Gruppenführerin. I'm not interrogating you." Run mentions but Esdeath walks closer to Run.
"I understand, you've always been the inquisitive type since your arrival," Esdeath commented. She turns around and steps back from Run. "I recommend that you sit," Esdeath orders Run. Hearing her request Run sits in one of her office chairs. "Before the invasion of the French Third Republic, I was placed in the 5th Panzergrenadier Regiment of the 3rd SS Panzer Divison Totenkopf. At that time I commanded two hundred men, they thought that the size would be enough for me to make some blunders and have me relegated to the Auxillary unit along with the women of the SS. But I managed with little casualties," Esdeath begins her story and walks over to the back of her desk. "In that initial unit, of the two hundred and the eventual tens of thousands that I've commanded, only a literal handful managed to survive the five years of service with me. One stood out the most, SS-Scharführer Friedrich Oppenheim. The Jew that the Obergruppenführer Müller and Obergruppenführer Kaltenbrunner mentioned." Esdeath responded.
"How was that possible? Weren't the SS at the time antagonistic against the Jews?" Run asked.
"They were and still are. Despite having Aryan features and an impressive military record that would have made him an officer, the SS found out about his genealogy and promptly whisked him away. But the question still perplexes me. Why not keep him? Such a good and fearless soldier, who followed my orders and dedicated his life to the fatherland, only to be cast aside simply because his blood was not pure by what the SS had set," Esdeath comments.
"Must've come as a shock to learn that one of their own is a member of the enemy." Run comments. But as he commented, Esdeath turned her head to face Run.
"You have been residing in Burgundy for over a year. Tell me... do you truly believe in the cause of National Socialist, of the SS to be specific?" Esdeath asked Run.
"What do you mean?" Run asks. Esdeath walks over to one of her bookshelves, pulling out Mein Kampf from the shelves. Esdeath walks over to Run presenting the book to him, later sitting on her desk.
"You know what I meant. Völkisch nationalism, racialism, the Aryan blood, irredentism and expanisionism? Everything laid out in Mein Kampf," Esdeath clarifies her question. "Some of their philosophies I do agree with. Strength over the weak. But most of it I do come to disagree with it." Esdeath clarifies. Her question leaves Run to ponder. Yet seeing the book in front of him, Run grabs it and places it back on Esdeath's desk.
"Much of its philosophy...I don't truly believe it. Perhaps your men back then and now are zealous for the Reich and are willing to fight for the cause of the SS. Much of it out of their own free will," Run replies to Esdeath. He stands up from his chair. "Oppenheim you stated must've been a perfect example of a loyalist to his fatherland, the people, and the SS," Run continues. "Both the Reich and Burgundy are similar to the reign of Prime Minister Honest and of the Empire. Like then, both states are facing their own problems and solve them by force or extermination. Yet a difference that I see is a more twisted form than the Empire. Though I'm more of the pragmatic mind, others like Bols and Seryu seemed to be more inclined to the beliefs of the national socialist." Run responded.
"Then we are of similar minds," Esdeath responded. She grabs Mein Kampf from her desk and looks at it. "I had to study this book back in my cadet days of the SS in Bad Tölz. But unlike many of my then colleagues, I didn't fall for much of their beliefs but I'd say it influenced my perspective on things. Even then, some men would die for it, and that's what many did," Esdeath brings the book down and turns to Run. "Despite the revelation of his genealogy, Oppenheim still dedicated himself to the cause of the national socialist," Esdeath continued. She gets off of her desk and walks over back to the bookshelf, putting Mein Kampf away. Esdeath turns and walks back to her desk. "In the end... fighting for one's ideology and beliefs is what drives them to greatness but to be blinded is to lead to certain death. That is what I've seen with the thousands of men who have given their lives in my division," Esdeath glances at Run. "Go and prepare yourself for Sunday's demonstration."
"Yes, SS-Gruppenführerin," Run stands up and salutes Esdeath before leaving. As Run closes the door to Esdeath's office, Esdeath walks over to the window that leads to her courtyard, she sees each member of the Einsatzgruppen Eis training for their demonstration and revealment to the Führer and the rest of the high command staff of the German SS.
3 May 1963
Hamburg, Greater Germanic Reich
In the Reich Chancellory, a Luftwaffe Abwehr officer reviews the reports sent from the Greenland Protectorate Division. A resounding loss. He'd expected the Luftwaffe to put up a fight but comes to read a report that most of the Luftwaffe pilots were killed all without ever leaving their barracks or their beds. He continues on reading. "A stolen Fokker F27, ten ME 110 pilots killed in their beds, and a squad of Germans fighting against us, a laser-induced explosion, none of this makes sense!"The Luftwaffe Abwehr tossed' the report down. "And stations seven and three all went silent with no bombs or an air raid ever being sounded. Just what is going on?" The Luftwaffe Abwehr officer asks himself. "Could this mean that the Americans have their own secret unit?" He asks himself further. He questions. As he continues to stress a knock is made on his door. "Please enter." He responded. The door opens and a Heer Abwehr officer enters the Luftwaffe's room.
"Any progress in understanding these reports?" The Heer officer asked.
"No, but I propose that the American CIA may have their own unit of fighters that may be a similar caliber as the SS-Gruppenführerin. There are several points here that make no sense to me. Like how half of the ME 1110 are killed with only a knick, all having died with a heart attack. No poisons were found. And the other half died by various other means. Plus a stolen Fokker F27 and others that I cannot wrap my mind around," The Luftwaffe Abwehr officer responded.
"I checked with the forensics unit and the photographs are ready," The Heer Abwehr officer walks over and presents photographs from the facility CCTV cameras of West One. "The day after the assualt, the severing Oberstleutnant sent these photos and made mention of everything in his reports. Just what do you make of it?"
"Might be difficult to understand," The Luftwaffe Abwehr officer grabs the photos after laying down the reports. "But I believe the Americans may have their own unit of assassins that outclass our own with weapons beyond ours. Perhaps, and hear me out, they may have origins that stem from the SS-Gruppenführerin's world." He responded. Taking closer at the photos of dead men and photos of a woman in black in the barracks, and another of Americans in a hanger by the stolen Fokker F27. "Yeah, that has to be it," He stands up and grabs the files and photos. "I'm going to present this to Herr Gehrad Wessel. After that, I hope it reaches Herr Gehlen and hopefully Herr Schörner or even Reichsmarshall Göring if they take what I believe to be serious."
"How so?" The Heer Abwehr officer asked.
"Despite being in a state of war against the Americans, were still competing against the German SS. Intelligence like this would rehabilitate the Abwehr's reputation. Now move." The Luftwaffe Abwehr officer leaves his office in a hurry, racing to the present the information to the deputy of the Abwer