The ash fell from the sky like snow—melting into the soot-stained ground and softening up the red residue dried to the earthen patches. Smoke pillars grew like trees up to the sky, their branches blooming black across the horizon and mimicking clouds. Bodies littered the ground beneath these pillars like crumpled, fallen leaves. A manContinue reading “22.1: The Prince & The Llamamiento!”
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21b: Hidden Faults
“Congratulations, Hauptmann Waltz,” Acting Kaiser General Watzmann said. “You’ve done well. Capricorn thanks you for your service.” Newly promoted Hauptmann Werner Waltz stood at attention as the general fixed a medal in the shape of a thirteen-pointed star over his chest. Werner stood now in the late Kaiser’s office with Kleine, Bergmann, Brandt, Stein, andContinue reading “21b: Hidden Faults”
19.2: Doctor, 1130 Distance
Alice had bought Jericho the blackbird as a form of therapy during the second year of him being in her care. To nurture another living being taught responsibility and the sanctity of life. Her coworkers, who occasionally shared Jericho as a patient, had thought it a brilliant idea. Deep down, however, Alice had known thatContinue reading “19.2: Doctor, 1130 Distance”
19.1: Second Lieutenant, 0730 Riot
Threshold Werner Waltz found himself standing in his childhood bedroom, its floorboards and walls reflecting the blue moonlight seeping through the window. The frost eating at the windows bled the cold into the room and nipped at his fingertips and toes. Across from him stood Viktoria, her cheeks fuller, her legs shorter. In between themContinue reading “19.1: Second Lieutenant, 0730 Riot”
17.5: Private, 2200 Point of Contact
Landser Derik Stein never understood what the big deal was. Duty, honor, glory, loyalty, whatever. He’d always found it so boring. Lectures at the military academy put him to sleep. All the classes about ‘strategy’ and ‘tactics’ too—who the hell had time to think about how many soldiers to move backwards or forwards when theyContinue reading “17.5: Private, 2200 Point of Contact”
17.2: Royal Guard, 0620 Guidance
Ariesian Royal Guard Trystan Carter had always desired change. From the days when he’d toil away working in the paddy fields governed by the appointed feudal lord to the days when he’d attended school lectures held by passionate, underpaid teachers—change was always on his mind. Perhaps it was because of the passion of those teachersContinue reading “17.2: Royal Guard, 0620 Guidance”
17.1: Prince, 0400 Mandate
In-Transit, Capricorn Ariesian prince Olivier Chance had no idea what was going on. The last two things he remembered before waking up face-first on the cold metal roof of the train were fluttering book pages and Trystan and Marta looking down at him in alarm. Now he was cold, nauseous, had an ELPIS leader ringedContinue reading “17.1: Prince, 0400 Mandate”
16.2: Private, 0405 No Honor
Landser Wilhelm Fischer always wanted to be somebody. Anybody. He wanted to be more than his grandfather who fished day-in and day-out with a lame leg that ached every morning. He wanted to be more than his grandmother who toiled away at the bakery reading customers’ lips and because she’d lost her hearing in theContinue reading “16.2: Private, 0405 No Honor”
16.1: Captain, 0500 Insubordination
Before Volker Weingartner was hauptmann of the 212th Division of the Border Force, he was a teacher at Vollmond Elementary. Rather, he was a professor, holding first a degree in psychology and then numerous degrees in literature ranging from Capricornian folklore to classical Signum epics before finally attaining a degree in military tactics. Nothing tooContinue reading “16.1: Captain, 0500 Insubordination”
15.3: Lance Corporal, 0610 Enemy Encounter
Unoccupied Territory, Argoan-Capricornian Border Grenadier Klaus Kleine was accustomed to seeing dead bodies. He’d seen his first five years ago in his city-town of Buchstadt before he’d even been officially deployed. That day, the newspapers had praised Capricornian victory against an Argoan onslaught from Abschnitt 45 to 51, pushing forth celebrations all across the country.Continue reading “15.3: Lance Corporal, 0610 Enemy Encounter”
Six Chances 