Private Bedros Sahakian

Journal Entry 37

July 20, 1932, Wednesday

Dealing with civilians is complicated. Protecting them is our charge and many are sacred to death, not knowing what's going to happen next.

Gad and Al had to tackle and restrain some salesman that panicked, trying to run out to the streets. We had to drag him away, kicking and screaming that we were all going to die.

We managed to hold the poor man down in a room long enough for a corpsman to come in to inject him with a sedative. Soon enough the guy fell asleep.

Gunny had us then put the guy in Dewitt's former quarters and handcuff him. Hopefully he'll calm by the time he wakes.

Still best not to take chances. Just when we were done and walked out the barracks saw Shang fighting two American boys close to his age.

We rushed over but then Shang blocked a clumsy jab by one before kneeing right in between the legs and the latter dropped to the ground squawking. The other tried to tackle Shang but he side-stepped and tripped him.

Then he was on the boy throwing exchanges and we finally reached them. I pulled Shang away while Gad restrained the second boy and Al helped the first boy still crying up to his feet.

Before we could get to the bottom of what's going on a woman in a yellow dress in her thirties ran screaming like a banshee, the names Henry and John. It was obviously the boys' mother.

We quickly let them go and Shang as well. The mother checked on her sons and we looked over Shang who seemed to have gotten the better of his opponents.

They clearly hadn't scrapped in the streets out there like he did for years.

Just as we were about to ask what happened the two brothers's mother demanded Shang be punished immediately. I tried to reason with her but she only screeched at us that no animal lays a hand on her boys and gets away with it.

I can understand her being concerned about her boys but the bigotry was completely wrong and we didn't establish the facts of what happened yet.

Shang narrowed his eyes at the lot of them but otherwise said nothing. Then we asked all three kids' their side of the story.

Needless to say both sides claimed self defense. Henry and John said that Shang attacked them without warning.

As for Shang he said he was on official business with Major Suvillian when these boys cornered him calling names and such. The little family seemed surprised that he can speak good English.

It was pretty priceless to see their reaction.

Quickly though Henry and John claimed Shang was lying, calling him something that I don't repeat here. But needless to say our kid nearly rushed them and I have to hold Shang back or we would've had round two.

Their mama bear screeched again, pointing at Shang and said, "See, now flog him!"

First of all we don't do that in the Corps, this wasn't the 1800s. Second, we owed Shang our lives and he wouldn't lie about something like this.

Al spoke up, declaring that Shang was a junior courtier for the United States Marines Corps and that assaulting a courtier is a federal offense.

That was a load of crap but it sure spooked the boys while their mother denied it, insisting that Shang was responsible.

Pressing his advantage Al stated that this would have to go to trial and brought up all the complications involving it. Frustrated but not wanting any more trouble she asked if the matter can be dropped.

Old Al just nodded and kept pretending to be serious as he said that both parties should apologize.

Neither wanted to I can tell but begrudgingly Henry, John and finally Shang did. After that the mother confessed to us that her husband had been missing for days.

We didn't know what to say but I relate in a certain way regarding Sachi, being worried about her. All the same them lashing out at Shang just because of his appearance is wrong.

The small family left and Shang thanked us, but I can tell he had a lot on his mind before he resumed his job.

Al really pulled through there, saving all of us a headache. He would've been a great radio star with the way he spun that junior courtier nonsense.

The three of us went our separate ways.

Minutes later I found myself looking out from the northern barricade toward the latest fire burning in the city. It was coming from Chapei across the creek.

Then I heard a voice from behind me, speaking quietly a language I didn't know. Twisting around I saw a brown bearded man in his forties and slightly shorter than me but the guy felt taller with the manner he himself.

He wore a dark khaki uniform with a soft cap to match it and an ammo bandolier going up from the right shoulder to down to the left hip.

On the cap was an emblem that followed a red shield and in the center of it was a white double cross with three blue hills below it. On his left arm was a green armband with a gold eagle.

Clearly a fighter of some kind.

The mysterious man looked at me before shrugging his shoulders. He sat down, pulling out a cigarette and lit it.

Subsequently he asked in accented English if I wanted a smoke as he held another one. Seeing no harm I accepted.

I remained standing while he went back to sitting and we looked out to the smoke again. Soon enough he introduced himself as Štefan Kováč some kind of mercenary.

Apparently he just finished a meeting with our CO and Suvillian. Štefan then changed the topic asking who I was.

I was surprised this gun for hire wanted to talk but I obliged him with my name. He quickly deduced I'm Armenian, saying he had a few of my kindred in his outfit.

Curious, I asked what unit they were and Štefan answered with a prideful grin.

"The Free Legion."

While we smoked some more he further revealed himself to be a Slovak exile who fought during the Weltkrieg with the former Czechoslovak Legion in Russia.

In return I told him my reasons for being with the marine corps and he nodded, saying he envied that I have a country to serve willingly where else his country is still held in captivity. You know that is something to be grateful for, to have a home.

Štefan then confessed he hadn't seen his homeland in eighteen years but dreams of it and those he was forced to leave behind.

The more we talked the more I learned how anti-monarchist he really is. He cares not for crowns seeing them responsible for the last war' carnage.

I don't know why but I confessed my feelings about Sachi to this stranger and my fears of what happened to her. Maybe I just wanted to get it out of my chest.

All the same the mercenary nodded and said these exact words.

"If she lives, show that you care by your actions."

Judging by his tone I can tell he was speaking from personal experience.

Done Štefan bid farewell and good luck as he went off into the city to rejoin his compatriots.

For a hired gun he sure gives interesting advice. I get the feeling I haven't seen the last of him.