The city was one huge mess. After the attack by the Blood Knights, it would be a wonder if anyone was still planning on living there. Field hospitals were set up everywhere from the city center to the civilian residence. Much to the delight of the Prussian troops, civilian casualties were low while that of any military personnel were high. The various hospitals were flooded with casualties ranging from bullet wounds to deep cuts that required surgery to various soldiers in critical condition. The Wulfkorp personnel, who weren’t out hunting any remaining Blood Knights, were assigned to the field hospitals to carry out what tasks they were able to perform to the best of their abilities. Those trained in medicine, surgery and other fields were assigned to wounded patients whenever the doctors needed a break or were busy with other patients. Those not trained in medicine were giving menial tasks, such as caring for the needs of the wounded, providing food and blankets, carrying patients on stretchers and gathering supplies.
***********************************************************************
Dr. Hilda Schreiber, the Wulfkorps chief medical officer, was more tired than she had ever been in her entire life. Once she finished up one that was wounded or critical another one would be dumped onto the table. She and Dr. Kaminski had set up a field hospital in the church just past the market district. Priests were there to administer last rites to the dead and dying, while also helping out with preparing meals and medicine.
“I haven’t seen this many causalities since the Crimean War” said a doctor with an eastern European accent. Hilda looked up at Dr. Kaminski, her mentor and friend. “At least we’re not at war” she replied “otherwise we’d be half dead from exhaustion.” Kaminski chuckled just as Helga barged into the field hospital. “Where is he?” she demanded. “If your referring to the gentleman you demanded urgent medical care to, he’s already recuperating with the rest of those who have already been stitched, now if you don’t mind; I would like it if you keep it down and let me continue tending to the wounded.”
That being said, Helga jogged downed a hallway passing several nuns who were bringing food and medicine to the recovering troops. It was in the church library were the wounded officers were being laid out after surgery. Helga scanned the room and she found Heinrich in the corner talking to a sergeant, she immediately recognized him as Hans Bruckner, Heinrich’s mentor, friend and second-in-command. She walked over and Bruckner immediately looked up and appeared somewhat surprised at who approached him.
“Helga Von Braun as I live and breathe” he said with a straight face. Helga kept a straight face as well “Nice to see you again Hans, how’s Heinrich doing?” Bruckner cleared his throat “Captain Schroeder” he said sternly “is doing just fine, if you want to see for yourself, ask him” he turned to Heinrich “If you two want to hash things out I’ll see want to see how the man giant and that American gal is doing” with that he saluted and Heinrich saluted back and with that Bruckner spun on his heels and left the room.
Helga
looked back at Heinrich with a smiled but he didn’t return the favor. “Why did you leave me?” Helga frowned “is this how you repay me for
saving your pathetic life? By insulting
me?” she yelled and it caught the attention of the others in the room, but she
didn’t seem to care. “You know exactly
why you selfish bastard, you choose the military life over me” she said
sobbing. “I thought you would
understand” he said coldly “you knew my family was that of lower nobility. Making something of myself in the army was
the only way I could improve my family’s reputation. It got shot to hell when my bastard of an
older brother got involved with that scandal of skimming funds off the top to
line his own pockets and make it appear that merchant families, as well as the
nobility, were ripping off the various workers guilds. Did you know or even forget the fact that he
was almost hung by an angry mob?” he said bitterly “If it wasn’t for my father
that would have happened, so instead he was exiled from Prussia
“Even though it wasn’t my family’s fault, it still brought shame upon the name of Schroeder” he continued on coldly “And then there’s my sister. When she came of age to marry, she had to marry some pig of a merchant who dares to call himself a man instead of someone more prominent” Schroeder spat as he finished. Helga seemed unfazed by what he was saying. “I haven’t forgotten what ill fate has befallen your family, but when I asked you whether we would have a life together, you said the same thing about when you wanted to get married and all you said was “I don’t know” she said sobbing angrily.
Schroeder remained poker faced “The
truth of the matter is I was uncertain about having a future with you. But now, after having a near death experience
with that thing I faced off with, I having second thoughts about sharing my
life with someone.” Helga had a stunned look on her face “You found someone?”
she asked while still sobbing. Heinrich
smiled at her “Maybe I have right now” he lifted up his unbroken arm and wiped
away a tear from her left cheek, Helga had a look of surprise.
“I am willing to give you a second chance. But enough of this when the doctors say you are fit and ready to moved, I am having you transferred to the hospital on board the ship I came in. My superiors back at headquarters want to meet with you” he said as she straightened up “Considered yourself a member of my unit” she said as she began walking away. Schroeder looked quizzically “What unit? What are you talking about?”
*********************************************************************
“Restrain the man, will you?” one of the orderlies shouted as he was trying to hold down the man-giant Ulrich. A Wulfkorp trooper tried to rifle butt him in the face, but Ulrich saw it coming moved his head out the way and slugged the man. “When I said no to painkillers, I meant NO!!!!” he roared. Bruckner had just stepped in the post-op area to see what the commotion was about and it was the man-giant that he and that American beauty had helped out earlier. The man-giant had looked like he was some kind of caged bear wanting to get out.
“Please sir, this will help you immensely” one of the Wulfkorp surgeons stated calmly. Ulrich laughed “You wimps may need that crap, but I don’t know, so just stitch me up and send me on my way” he demanded as he was attempting to get up while troopers were trying to wrestle him back down. “Careful now, you don’t want to kill him” said a familiar voice. Bruckner turned around to see Sheila wearing a surgical uniform with blood on it. Even without the strange clothing she wore, she was still quite a sight to Bruckner. But now she seemed upset that her comrade wouldn’t follow doctor’s orders.
“That’s no problem Deadeye, but what if he tries to kill us?” said a struggling trooper. With that being said Bruckner picked a nearby Mauser rifle and just as the man-giant was being dragged down by four struggling troopers, Bruckner took the butt of the rifle and gave a good hard strike to the back of the giant’s head and then he fell like a bag of potatoes. The troopers briefly acknowledged Bruckner’s help and then with the help of surgical staff, they lifted him back onto the bed where he could be wheeled out back to the operating room.
Bruckner looked back at Sheila and she was smiling. “Thanks a lot handsome. I would have gone up to him and kicked him in his fellas, but with my boots it may have hurt more than I would have wanted it too” she said with a grin. Bruckner smiled “Glad I could have been of some assistance. By the way is their anything more I can do to help?” he asked. She straightened herself up “You’re not saying that just so you can be right next to me are you hon? Because I ain’t gonna have you trying to cop a feel of my ass or try to touch my lovelies, when I am trying to do some good here” she stated “I’ve had to punch out many a men who have said to my face that I have a fine behind or that I got a nice pair.”
Despite the thought of disgust that most men have toward women and the confusion of her choice of words, he shook his head “I have no intention of doing such a thing, even though I don’t fully understand half of what you are saying. I merely want to offer any and all assistance, to wherever it’s needed the most, besides a beauty like you could use a second pair of strong hands to knock out any dopes who would talk to you in that manner. It’s high time you have the company of a gentleman like me.”
Sheila cheeks blushed and a pair of nurses made a pleasant sigh at his very words. “What pleasant words for a mere peasant. But your forgetting that women are more interested in wealth than words” said a voice that Bruckner wished he would never have to hear. It was Brunner again and he was still wearing his parade uniform from the other day, two soldiers accompanied him. Three Wulfkorp troopers approached him “Sir, I am afraid that you’ll have to wait outside” said one of them. Brunner frowned “I have every right to be here. I have been order by Colonel Burkestroof to requisition any and all available medical supplies to bring them up to headquarters.” The troopers had a look of confusion on their faces and were about to ask why when Dr. Kaminski came from the other side of the room.
“Please good sir, we need all the medical supplies we can get. Can you please tell Colonel Burkestroff that we need it more down here?” Besides, military headquarters was barely hit by the attack, unless I have been told otherwise.” Brunner sneered “My orders are as followed and if you don’t want to be thrown in the brig, you will do exactly as I say.” Bruckner was about ready to go up and slug the man, when Sheila stopped him and shook her head.
Bruckner was about to protest to her when she went up to Brunner. “The Doc said we need more of the supplies down here than you do up there. Now what don’t you climb back on whatever high horse you climbed off and tell them peacocks up at headquarters, where they can shove them orders.” Brunner looked at her coldly “Who are you to talk to me that way wench? And what the hell are doing here anyway? Trying to please the wounded with your body like some harlot? Stealing from dead and dying? I shall have you know that if you are stealing anything, I will have you arrested for such an offense” he said sternly.
‘Your one to talk” she laughed “you talk of stealing, but when you do it, then its okay. Now that’s a joke.” Brunner went red with anger “You damned whore, I should…” before he could finish his sentence Sheila just went up to him and gave a good swift kick into his privates. Both shock and pain went through Brunner’s mind as he doubled over and fell to his sides. The two soldiers were about to approach Sheila, when Bruckner came up to them and shoved them back. “Don’t you think you should help this maggot first?” Bruckner said with stern look on his face. The two soldiers saluted him and then dragged off Brunner to the nearest empty bed. Bruckner turned around to see Sheila putting the tips of her fingers to her mouth as she was blushing. “Guess I’ve paid of my debt to you” Bruckner grinned. Sheila lowered her hand “I guess so, but don’t think your going anywhere without me. I like having you around” she grinned. With that he followed Sheila out of the post-op tent. “Sheila, why is it they call you Deadeye?” he asked. She smiled “Because I’m a very good shot” she said as she had slapped him on his buttocks. Bruckner was stunned by such a response. “Eventually you’ll get to do that sort of thing to me……but not yet” she grinned as they went off to attend to the needs of the wounded.
*********************************************************************
Wolfgang was coming out of the mess tent with a cartload of food for the wounded troops. He volunteered for that task, frankly because he was the only one of his fellow men to be able to move without popping any stitches or groan in pain with the slightest step, so he made himself indispensable around the various medical tents. When he wasn’t delivering food, he would often carrying medical supplies to whatever tents needed them the most.
When
he entered the post-op room, it was packed full of wounded. He brought food to the nearest of wounded
soldiers. One by one he either left the
food on the chairs near the beds or gave it to those who could reach for
it. When he was finished he was
approached by a cadet-officer with pair of crutches and a splint across his
left leg. “Corporal Freidan, when you’re done with serving food to the enlisted men, bring
some food for the officers.” Wolfgang
saluted “At once sir and can I have your permission to ask a question?”
The
cadet shrugged “I can’t see why not, what is your question?” “Is Heinrich…..I mean Captain Schroeder
alright? I heard from Sergeant Bruckner
that he got hurt really bad.” The cadet
waved a hand “He’s doing quite well, last time I checked. You can ask him yourself when you bring the
food to him and the other officers.” Wolfgang
nodded “Very well then sir, I bid you good day sir” he said as he saluted and
walked off.
**********************************************************************
Harbin
After
the security personal checked him out, he went to the communications room. The system of communication would have made
Samuel Morse green with envy. The
communications were somewhat inspired by his works, but Wulfkorp scientists
like Harbin
He heard of an American named Alexander Graham Bell
that was trying to invent a similar system.
He never gave Americans a single thought about how they did things,
except for Sheila on account of the fact that she was quite the character in
his mind, but when it came to matters of science he didn’t discriminate, it was
his passion. To activate this means of
communication, one simply had to wind up the portable generator as much as they
could, then wind up a lever that was on the side of the talking machine, then
put this horn like object attached to a cord to your ear and then finally when
someone is heard on the other end, you talk into this other larger horn shaped
object on the bottom. Harbin
The sound of someone on the other end was heard
{password?} Someone plainly stated on the other end. “Savant, seven-nine-nine-one-seven-nine, to
White Wulf zero-zero-zero-one.” The
voice on the other end went silent and then another voice that was more gruff
came through {this channel is secure on my end, what about yours?} “It’s secure, I made sure of it” Harbin Harbin
“Speaking of distractions White Wulf, what of the
reports of other Blood Knights attacking?” he asked. {There were threats of an attempt on the life
of Chancellor Von Bismarck, but it was subdued after several suspicious
individuals were arrested for when they had questionable reasons for being
around the Reichstag. Then there were
reports of missing townsfolk in Bremen
Wolfgang had brought some of the finest food to the he had ever seen to the room where the officers were put in post-op. He handed the food to the subordinates, left them on the tables next to the beds or gave them to the officers themselves. He found Captain Schroder sitting up in his bed reading a copy of the daily paper that he managed to get his hands on from the priest. “Are you doing well Herr Captain?” Wolfgang asked. Heinrich looked up at him “Yes, quite well indeed. The doctors say that despite the fact I have a few cracked ribs, I can be up and walking before the day is out, how are you doing?” Wolfgang handed him some of the food and sat down right next to him. “I’ve seen better days, but at least I ain’t bored. I am the only one amongst my men that are still up and walking. I’ve pretty much been helping around here bringing food and medical supplies, pretty much anything to shake off last night’s commotion.”
**********************************************************************
Heinrich nodded “I heard from Bruckner that you and your men put up one hell of a fight last night, have you eaten something yet?” Heinrich asked. Wolfgang nodded as he pulled out some tobacco and begin rolling it up “Yes sir, I had something before I took the food over to the enlisted men. I also have a drink with me if you want to share sir and I…” he looked down at the roll of tobacco “Permission to smoke sir?” he asked. “Granted only if you can give me some of that drink and smoke that you are about to have.” Wolfgang gave a brief salute with his left hand as he gave the rolled up cigar to Heinrich and began making another roll of tobacco. He pulled out a matchbook and lit Heinrich’s first, then his.
“You sure you should be smoking that Herr Captain?” Heinrich shrugged “I am not dead yet, but I could use whatever booze you got in that canteen of yours Corporal.” With that in mind Wolfgang unclipped his flask of some of the best Bavarian ale that he had got from the Kaiser’s Delight before the attack. Normally the Corporal never drank while on duty, but when it came down the combat that he faced, he needed it badly afterwards. He was never one to abandon his duties because of a hangover, but for some reason he always found his nerves shot after an engagement.
Heinrich took a sip from the flask and smacked his lips. “You do have good taste what it comes to a nice drink Corporal, please make sure you have plenty of this hand.” The corporal grinned “If that’s an order sir, I’ll gladly follow it.” “And also, don’t make a habit of drinking too much. A good soldier like you can’t afford to lose the chance to become sergeant one day because of being drunk and disorderly.” Wolfgang smiled even more “For you sir, I most certainly will.”
Just as Wolfgang was about to ask something of the good Captain, a pair of men dressed in black military long coats with strange weapons attached to their leather straps approached the Captain’s Hospital bed. “Herr Captain Heinrich Schroeder?” the one on the left asked. Heinrich nodded “Yes, that’s me.” “We have orders to take you to our ship. You’ve been asked to bring you back to our headquarters” the other one said.
“I will only agree to leave this bed on four conditions” he said “One, My sergeant Hans Bruckner comes with me and any others I chose to come with me to wherever we’re going. Two, someone informs my commander of what’s happening. Three, the soldiers and officers that fought here get proper burials, they deserve it for their valiant efforts here and fourthly you guys tell me what the hell you want with me. It’s all or nothing” the Captain said sternly. The troopers didn’t seem fazed by what he had said. “Your requests will be fulfilled only if you agree to come with us, nothing more” sad the trooper at the foot of the bed.
“Done, now
could I get some help getting out of the bed?” he asked. Wolfgang and the trooper at the side of his
bed helped him up and he slightly grunted in pain as he was lifted. The other trooper handed him his great coat
and the Corporal helped him put it on. When he was ready, they left the room full of
wounded officers.
***************************************************************************
“That’s the last of them” Bruckner exhaled as he wiped the sweat of his brow and then off his chest with a towel. He had been helping Sheila and the other doctors with so much of his assistance that he was beginning to sweat hard and he therefore needed to remove his shirt. “My oh my, can you look anymore attractive without that shirt on?” Sheila asked as she removed her surgical cap to let her gorgeously long, beautiful hair fall down to her shoulders. Bruckner grinned “Maybe I will, just get me to work up another sweat.” Sheila laughed.
“Your funny too, ain’t there anything you can’t do Bruckner hon?” “I sure as hell can’t do math. That’s my ultimate weakness. I mean, what the hell are they saying when it comes to that square root crap and that division junk. It’s a miracle if anyone can understand that.” Sheila chuckled “Can’t say I’m an expert on that either. My pa just taught me reading and English when he wasn’t teaching how to shoot straight, survive the great outdoors and pretty much anything you need to know about fighting.”
“I’m not surprised’ he said plainly “With the way you handled the pyro nut and that peacock officer, you look like you can handle yourself quite well, but what about drinking, you any good at holding down your liquor?” Sheila smiled “Only if you’re up for it hon, but not now my bosses got something special for you and your captain, so I need to bring you to them sober. But I will take you up on your offer when we have a moment to ourselves” she grinned as she went to the women’s changing room to go and change back into her regular clothes. She stuck her head out “No peeping now you hear?” she said with a smile.
Bruckner nodded to her and she stuck her head back in the changing room. He sat down on a couple of empty crates. “What kind of women is she? She can obviously handle herself quite well, but why do I feel distracted by her? And who the hell are her bosses and why do they want to see me and the captain? He said to himself.
He was drawing a blank on what kind of people this American femme fatale was working for, but if they knew anything about the events that occurred here today and the people responsible for the blatant deaths of loyal Prussian soldiers and innocent civilians, then he was more than willing to participate in whatever Sheila’s bosses had in mind.
“You
ready hon?” Sheila said as Bruckner stopped his train of thought and turned to
her. She had change from her nurse’s
outfit back into the strange American outfit she wore. “Whenever you are frauline Horton” Bruckner
said plainly. She smiled “Alright then
let’s head for the docks, that’s where my friends are going to want meet
us.” With that said, Bruckner and Sheila
made for the docks where the Zweihander
of the Sea was docked.
*************************************************************************
Cadet Schwartz was having a hell of time carrying out his duties with a busted left leg. He was told to take it easy on his leg, but he was always a stubborn lad, even back during his days at the academy. Whenever he was told to take a break, he never would, whenever he was sick, he would still perform his academic and military duties. On several occasions his superiors would have to order him to stay in bed or report to the hospital. But this time it really didn’t matter what he was told.
“You may never ride a horse again with your leg the way it is soldier” said one of the doctors. “To hell with what you say doc. I come from a long line of men who severed as cavalry troops that date as far back as Fredrick the first” he spat. “And I am sure you are proud of your heritage. But if you mount a horse again, you may never climb back up” the doctor stated plainly.
It was like his heart had been torn out and stomped on. He had spent his entire childhood wanting to be a cavalry officer for the Prussian army. His father was pleased by the very notion of him wanting to follow in his footsteps, that whenever he was out doing military exercises, he would bring the young Schwartz with him to the various forts that he was stationed at. He remember that when he was between the ages of eight and sixteen years old, he had been put under the care of a battle hardened sergeant named Ludwig, he couldn’t remember his last name and a gentleman officer named Erik von Herzog, whenever his father couldn’t look after him.
The Sergeant that he was often cared for by was something of a brutal man that saw so much action that he was minus a left eye, a missing pinky and ring finger on his right hand and a broken jaw that made him look like he was smiling. Despite his appearance, he still managed to scare the hell out of anyone who got it in their head to be less than what he wanted them to be. When he first got a good look at the younger Schwartz, he could almost tell that man was disgusted
“So” the Sergeant said “A weakling like you wants to
be in the Prussian army someday, do you want to be in the Army?” he asked
coldly. Schwartz nodded. “I ASKED YOU A FUCKING QUESTION!!!!! DO YOU
WANT TO BE IN THE ARMY OR NOT?!!!!!” he shouted to the top of his lungs. “Yes, sir” Schwartz said. The Sergeant grabbed him by the scruff of his
neck with his left hand and gave him a nasty stare with his one good eye. “When
I ask you a question, give you an order or ask something of you always say sir.
Now again, DO YOU WANT TO BE IN THE FUCKING ARMY OF MOTHERFUCKING PRUSSIA
The sergeant dropped him “about time a pathetic crybaby like you should acknowledge his place, your father should have taught you some manners, but since he’s doing his duty for the fatherland and here I am babysitting a snot-nosed little shit like you, so I have to teach you some. Don’t think your father’s influence is gonna help you here. The only thing stopping me from beating you bloody is his orders and that of base commander Herzog” the sergeant said coldly.
“I am glad you understand that sergeant” said a voice from behind Schwartz “I’d hate to have to tell his father that he was killed by your brutal training” the voice said plainly. A shaven headed man with granite like features approached the two men. The man was wearing a parade uniform, with eight or so medals pinned to his left breast and he was walking with cane which suggested a limp. “Young Schwartz, I am base commander Herzog. I am sorry that the sergeant methods are rough, but I was asked by your father to help you with your training in one day becoming a soldier.”
“You have to understand young man, that life in the army isn’t easy. Just look at Sergeant Ludwig here. You can obviously tell that he has seen his share of combat” he stated plainly. “That’s right boy, my men aren’t the only thing I lost in battle” Ludwig said grimly ‘I served my country proudly and with honor. I received the Hohenzollern Knight Order on two separate occasions. This left eye and my broken jaw are what got me those crosses.”
Schwartz shuddered at that thought. “Can’t say I blame you kiddo, but that’s why I am gonna whoop your ass in training and you know why that is son?” Schwartz didn’t know the answer to that question but he felt he should give it a try. “So I don’t wind up looking like you sir?” The sergeant and Von Herzog stared at him blankly and the young Schwartz thought they were going to explode and then they both did something he never expected them to do. They laughed hard, so hard that Von Herzog tried to keep himself from dropping his cane and falling to the ground and Sergeant Ludwig smacked his hand against his chest between coughs.
“Looks like we’re gonna make something out of you in this army” he said between chuckles “at least your father taught something of intelligence along with humor.” The sergeant was wiping a tear away from his remaining eye and then began straightening himself up. “But seriously, you are right to say that you don’t want to look like me. My old drill sergeant who trained me and the other recruits really whooped our asses when it came down to the basic training. Many of us didn’t take him seriously and you know what happened son?”
Schwartz was willing to take another guess, seeing as thought there was no reason to be worried “something bad happened to them?” Both Herzog and Ludwig nodded. “That’s right, many of them wound up dead during the first engagement, others like myself were maimed, some not so much as myself, but others far worse. I can’t remember if anyone of them came out in one piece.” “And when it comes to sending out the reports of such casualties, it’s as depressing as it is boring” Herzog added.
“So the point is son, you got to take the training from your drill sergeant more seriously. Because the reason he’ll push so hard is because the harder you train and the more you sweat, the less likely you are to lose blood heavily or lose a limb, you understand son?” Schwartz’s heart was filled with pride and respect for the Sergeant. He had given so much of himself for the fatherland, and yet he survived so many injuries to tell of his experiences.
“Yes sir I do, and let me say it will be a honor to be a worthless maggot of a recruit for you to beat into the soldiers life.” He wasn’t able to tell if the sergeant was grinning because of his broken jaw, but his features faintly indicated such. “And it will be honor to have a little maggot like you as my recruit” he smiled “so what do you say we get started with training?” Schwartz smiled “sir yes sir.”
*************************************************************************
A hand tapped him on the shoulder and he was immediately brought back to present. He turned around to see a trooper clad in a black great coat and black Pickelhaube with a silver Wolf like design on it. “I am under orders to bring you to our ship which is docked in the harbor” the man said plainly. “Whose orders were that?” he asked. “Some cuirassier Captain named Schroder. He didn’t tell me why, he just told me to bring you to our ship.”
Schwartz was stunned that his captain would ask for him. “Has anyone told him that I can’t ride a horse anymore? Or his assigning me to a task that would keep me in the army and in the field?” He pondered those questions as the black clad trooper spoke to him. “Sir, you’re going to have to come with me immediately, for me and my fellow troopers are expected to return to the ship by midday. For we have received orders from our superiors that we are pulling out at that time. So if we could be on our way.”
The man
gestured Schwartz towards the doorway.
Schwartz grabbed his crutches “Please grab my personal effects, for I
will need them” he pointed towards a pair of large bags. The soldier heaved one bag onto his right
shoulder and held the other underneath his left arm. With that said and done Schwartz and the
trooper left the post-op and made way for the docks.
*************************************************************************
No comments:
Post a Comment