19.5: Outsiders, 2400 Log Close

Die Hauptstadt, Capricorn Nico wasn’t quite sure what happened. One moment, he was trying his best not to eavesdrop on Jericho’s, Doctor Kingsley’s, and Francis’s conversation; the next he was mentally preparing himself to use a proto-conductor containing superhuman vitae on Werner’s body; and then the very next moment he was suddenly blasted backwards byContinue reading “19.5: Outsiders, 2400 Log Close”

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”

18.1: Second Lieutenant, 0900 Debt

There was nothing Gilbert Wolff hated more than owing a debt. He hated thinking, after all. And when you owed a debt all you could do was think about paying off that debt. His mother always told him too: “Don’t take help without doing anything in return. It’s just not right.” And so, not wantingContinue reading “18.1: Second Lieutenant, 0900 Debt”

17.?: 「 」, – – – – ??????

Shion Myosotis always had a troublesome relationship with her name. (Still did.) Well, correction: she hated her name. Because while her given name was in the language of the Hoshi Clan, her surname was so Ophiuchian. Everyone stared whenever her name was read off for attendance in school. “Will she be on our side?” herContinue reading “17.?: 「 」, – – – – ??????”

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”

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”