"Matrose Mond" - Chapter Seven He was coming tomorrow. Charlotta lay in her bed, staring at the stark whitewashed ceiling of her dormitory room, praying for something to happen that would ensure that this night would never end, that the sun would never come up, and that tomorrow would never become today. He was coming tomorrow, and he'd said he would have a special gift just for her. She had to make a decision. She knew what her special gift would be. She'd seen one or two of the other girls, had even heard one mention it to another in a hurried whisper, only to have the second girl get up and walk away. It was just something that happened, something that was never talked about. He was coming tomorrow, and she didn't want any gifts from Josef. On the outside, he seemed kind and gave toys and stuffed animals to the little children. The authorities of the Staats-Waisenhaus thought the image of a young SS officer spending his free time with the underprivileged was perfect. But he was coming tomorrow, and he wouldn't spend all his time with the younger orphans. Everything Charlotta had been taught told her what she was going to do was wrong; she had disobeyed an order only once before in her life. Otherwise, she'd done everything she was told. Now, five years later, she was still an orphan, and the only person who wanted her was a pervert in uniform. She'd had enough. Quietly, so as not to wake her roommates, Charlotta climbed out of bed and dressed herself. She didn't want to take anything that didn't belong to her, but even if she'd still had the clothes she'd worn the day she'd been brought to the Waisenhaus they wouldn't have fit her lanky and developed frame. She would only take the one uniform, however. She pulled opened the drawer of her tiny dresser and took out the only things in the world that she could call her own: two plastic balls on a double-elastic and a pair of pink rose-shaped earrings. She put them in the pocket of her skirt. Then she reached under her pillow and pulled out the wrinkled and dog-eared photograph. She stopped for a moment and stared fondly at the two adults in the faded and creased picture standing proudly around a little girl with a long chestnut ponytail. Unconsciously Charlotta's hand ran over the top of her long brown hair; that was perhaps something she could have back. She took a handful of hair and looped the plastic balls around it, forming a ponytail. She stuffed the photo into her pocket, deftly opened the window a little more, and lowered herself out into the night. He was coming tomorrow, but she was leaving tonight. ***** The euphoria of the victory over Jadeite had worn off in the weeks that had passed since that night. At first the Matrosen-Amazonen's training sessions had been intense, mostly in preparation for the next phase the dying general had warned them about. Now, with absolutely no sign of any unusual occurrences, the concentration of the Matrosen-Amazonen was slipping. Luna, realizing this, had reduced the number of sessions and stopped working the girls quite as hard. The sense of urgency was gone. Consequently, tonight was a pretty relaxed affair. Mars' control of her fire lances was steadily improving; Luna suspected it was from a desire to wield the fires selectively, with as great a care for her targets as for her teammates. Matrose Mond could take the leaf off a twig at fifty metres with her tiara and not disturb the next leaf over. Even Venus was getting better with her Halbmond Strahl, although she still preferred the larger and slower targets. After a brief but frantic session of run and hide', the girls sat down by a silent, empty fountain. "Y'know, I'm beginning to believe that Jadeite was just trying to scare us," Venus stated. "You didn't see the look in his eyes when he said that," Matrose Mond replied. "He would have been perfectly happy to see his retribution brought down on us there and then. He knew what's going to happen next." Mars shuddered. "I don't like the waiting; the longer it goes on, the worse my imagination gets. I keep expecting one of the nuns to suddenly change into a monster." "Creepy," echoed Venus. "I'd hate to think of being that close to-" She suddenly stopped and pointed. "Isn't it kinda late for something to be going on in the chapel?" "Why do you ask?" Mars sounded worried. "There's nothing on at all." "Because I just saw somebody go inside, and it didn't look like a nun." Mars stood up, concentrated, and resumed her appearance as Rachel. "You two stay here; it'll be better if I check this out myself." She scampered across the grounds of St. Cyriak's and headed into the chapel. Once inside, she cautiously crept towards the front, closer to the altar. "Hello? Anybody here?" She reached the first row of pews and looked down. There, huddled on the floor and trying unsuccessfully to squeeze herself under the bench, was a girl - about Rachel's age, tall, thin, with long chestnut hair in a ponytail, and wearing a uniform Rachel didn't recognize. She bent down, reached out a hand, and touched the girl. The girl rolled over, saw Rachel, and shrieked. Rachel fell back for a moment, then recovered her composure. She lowered her voice, squatted down beside the girl, and held out her hands. "It's all right; I'm not going to hurt you. Is there anything I can do for you? That floor is very uncomfortable." The girl, Charlotta, was shaking uncontrollably. In a weak, tremulous voice, she called out: "Sanctuary! I want sanctuary!" Then she curled back into a ball and began to cry. The smile vanished from Rachel's face. The situation had become important. ***** "Why wouldn't she tell us what was going on?" Wilhelmina complained. She and Kani were on their way home, after Rachel's hurried return and firm insistence that the pair change and make themselves scarce. Then she'd bustled off to wake Mutter Oberin and Pfarrer Jahn. Luna had decided to remain on the grounds. "It must be important," said Kani. "If it concerns us, Luna will let us know." "Well, I guess Rachel does have other responsibilities to worry about." Kani stared at Wilhelmina. "Good grief, when did you suddenly start thinking rationally? I mean, yes, Rachel and I have other things to worry about, but what about you? Have you run out of ways to spend your Daddy's money?" Wilhelmina laughed and flicked back her long blonde hair. "I don't think even I'm that good at spending money; my mother, however,...." She looked around. "Well, guess this is where we split up. I'll see you at school tomorrow. Night, Kani." They embraced. "Good night, Wilhelmina." Kani watched her friend head off, then turned to resume her walk home. Up the road, Wilhelmina paid no attention to the two men staggering out of the Rathskeller across the street. The taller man turned and watched her go by. "Not bad. If only I were twenty years younger," he mused. "Ja, but a momen'go she was with my step - step - step-daughter." Hans Schmidt pointed unsteadily with his cane. "I wanna know why," he slurred. "Ja, ja," replied Max soothingly. "You're seeing her everywhere, aren't you? Why don't we get you home so you can have a nice little lie-down, and then you won't see her anymore." Once again he heaved the more-intoxicated Hans up to his feet and began to drag him in the same direction Kani had gone a few minutes earlier. ***** Kani rushed through her chores in the morning, said a quick "Tschuess" to her mother, ignored Papa Hans snoring away on the sofa, and sprinted over to St. Cyriak's. However, instead of Rachel, she found Luna sitting alone outside the Nonnenkloster gates. "Where's Rachel?" Kani asked the cat. "She was up pretty late last night and Mutter Oberin gave her a little extra sleep-time this morning. Furthermore, she's relieved of chore duties for now; she's in charge of Charlotta." "Who?" The pair had begun the walk towards Kani's school. "Apparently, that's the name of the girl Rachel found hiding in the chapel last night; probably the same one Wilhelmina saw sneaking in." "Where did you get this?" "I overheard some of it, and Rachel gave me a quick briefing; she knew you'd be by first thing this morning. Anyway, it appears this girl's a runaway from the Staats-Waisenhaus, but she won't say why. All we can tell is that she's positively frightened of something and won't go back. At least they talked her out of the chapel; she's sleeping in Rachel's room for now." "That's going to put a crimp in our practice schedule." "Nothing to be done about that." "Luna, do you think there's something at the Waisenhaus she's scared of, like maybe our friends from the Dark Kingdom?" "It's a possibility; I had the same idea, but when I did a quick check earlier I didn't feel anything. It might just be a personal problem." "Well, we might want to be on our guard. I'll brief Wilhelmina." "Uh-oh. Time for me to go." "Huh?" "Isn't that Maria over there, waiting for you?" "Oops. Bye, Luna." The cat scampered off as Kani crossed the street to where the auburn-haired girl was waiting. "Morning, Maria." "Morning, Kani. I didn't know you had a cat. I thought your step-father had a thing about pets." "It's not mine; just a local stray that seems to adopt' me from time to time. Probably thinks I'm a soft touch for a meal." As they walked and talked, Kani couldn't help noticing the change in her old friend. Gone was the stark terror, the nervous fear of only a few weeks ago. If there'd been one benefit to the Matrosen-Amazonen's victory over Jadeite, this had been it: a great psychological burden had been lifted from Maria's shoulders. Kani took some small satisfaction in her role in that triumph. It was almost like old times. Almost, that is, until they reached the school. The black limousine was pulling away, having dropped Wilhelmina off in front. She stood there, holding her book bag in one hand and waving a cheery greeting with the other. Maria scowled. "Well, it was nice while it lasted." "Why don't you try being nicer to her?" Kani replied defensively. "In spite of her money, she's just a desperately lonely girl who needs a few friends." "She could go out and buy a few. She's got one already." Kani whirled around, surprised by the sudden edge in Maria's voice. "And what does that mean?!" "Guess." Maria turned away and went into the school grounds alone. Kani stood there for a moment, positively thunderstruck. She hadn't seen it coming. Why hadn't she seen it coming? "If you want, I'll go. It'll be easier without me around." Wilhelmina had come alongside Kani, noticing the downcast expression on her friend's face. Kani took a deep breath. "No. It'll be all right. It really will be." But something inside her told her it would never be the same again. ***** Siegfried Koenig wasn't alone in his office this morning, but it wasn't his usual travelling companions who were with him. The man sitting in the chair across from his desk wore an expensive tailor-made suit, swung a leather shoe-covered foot back and forth in a bored manner, and occasionally tossed his long curly reddish-brown hair back. Nephrite had slipped into his cover role with disarming ease. He'd even appropriated for his personal use one of Ferdinand Porsche's classic sports cars from the SS executive motor pool. Somewhere outside a clock tower began to chime the hour. Siegfried stood up. "It's the appointed time. We mustn't keep your Mistress waiting." The Reichsfuehrer reached into his desk drawer for his techno-crystal ball, placed it on his desk and plugged it in, then tapped in a coded key sequence on its control panel. The face of Queen Beryl appeared in the glass. The two men made perfunctory gestures of respect. "Report, Nephrite. Are you ready to begin?" Beryl asked. Nephrite smiled. "I am indeed, Queen Beryl. The homing crystal has allowed me to locate six of the Regenbogenkristall-Traeger. With the Reichsfuehrer's help, I have even determined their general whereabouts. Were it not for the power required to remove the Kristalle from their hosts, we could be nearly complete in hours." "You said six', Nephrite. What about the seventh?" The general shrugged his shoulders. "For some reason, Queen Beryl, this Kristall refuses to reveal itself. It is my calculation, however, that once I have the other six Kristalle I shall be able to use them to locate the seventh." Beryl beamed with pleasure. "Excellent, Nephrite. Continue to do well and you will be richly rewarded." She turned her face slightly until she was staring at the Reichsfuehrer. "So, Siegfried, how goes the plan for gathering energy?" "Slowly but surely, Koenigin Beryl. I must be careful not to arouse suspicions. I guarantee you, however, that when I am ready you will have all the energy you will need." "Nothing but good news today, gentlemen. I am pleased. Contact me when you have more to report." Without a word of farewell, the Queen broke contact and the orb went blank. "When would you like to start?" Siegfried asked. "I'm ready when you are," replied Nephrite. "Excellent." The Reichsfuehrer rubbed his hands together. "Exactly what I had planned." He unplugged the crystal ball, replaced it in the drawer, and led the way out of his office. ***** "Either we're really in the Hero's bad books or there's something more to this assignment. Maybe the little show-off's going to get his comeuppance." Tristan had been in a foul temper all morning, ever since he'd heard what their assignment was. Andreas smiled back. "Oh, there's a surprise or two in store for our little Jos." They had arrived at one of the SS's outlying offices, tucked away discreetly in an industrial park. This office was different from most others, as it was the home of a very special branch of the SS: the Paranormal Division's Active Squad. The SS had always possessed a passing interest in the unusual, mostly due to the eccentric and eclectic natures of its four successive leaders. The Active Squad consisted of the results of years of recruiting people who had displayed some talent or ability that could not be explained by rational scientific means. Most of these people were harmless, caught in the relentless search of the desperate for the impossible. They were the ones who'd earned the unit its derisive nickname, The Spoon-Benders'. However, for every hundred phonies, cranks, and false alarms there was one with - with something. Of this minuscule core, Josef was the prize pupil. The problem was that he knew it. Tristan and Andreas passed various testing labs and carefully-armoured rooms. One entire wing of a previous facility had been obliterated in an unfortunate experiment with a suspected pyrokinetic; now there were many new safety features as standard in each laboratory. Finally, they reached Lab Nr.107 and went in. There was a knot of scientists, all in white lab coats and carrying clipboards. They were monitoring gauges or dials, or just watching a metal ingot stamped "10kg" hover shakily just above the floor. Josef, a spare-framed young man, sat in a chair at the other end of the room, his face bathed in perspiration, his eyes screwed shut. One hand was stretched out, as if it held a long wire supporting the weight. Suddenly Josef gasped; his eyes opened, and the weight fell to the floor with a clang. He bent over in his seat, fighting for air. Someone handed him a towel. One of the scientists turned towards the young telekinetic. "Congratulations. New records in mass, height, distance, and duration. You're steadily improving." "Of course. There's nothing I can't do." Josef wiped his face and stood up. Then he saw Andreas and Tristan. "What can I do for you, gentlemen?" "You can start by saluting superior officers, Untersturmfuehrer!" Tristan barely kept his anger in check. "Sir!" Josef fired off a textbook salute, but one with the merest hint of insolence in it. "What do you require of me, sir?!" "Orders from the Reichsfuehrer-SS personally: you are to come with us to Headquarters for a meeting." "The Reichsfuehrer himself? Yes, sir." Josef picked up his uniform cap from the rack and led the way out. "I hope he won't keep me for too long; I'm due today at the Waisenhaus." "He acts as if he was expecting the summons," whispered Tristan. "Probably thinks the hero's going to reward him personally," replied Andreas. "Won't he be surprised?" ***** The lunch had been the best she could manage, but money seemed in ever-shorter supply these last few weeks. Mama knew at least it wasn't Kani dipping into her purse; that was one worry she didn't have about the girl's recent behaviour. However, Kani was doing a lot of things differently lately. For one thing, she wasn't hanging out with Maria. Mama had liked the girl the few times they'd met; Maria seemed to understand Kani's situation in life. This new girl, this Wilhelmina, seemed pleasant enough, but she was clearly Kani's social superior in every way. Mama believed firmly there was a place in life for everyone, and perhaps her eldest child was reaching a little too far above herself. For another thing, Kani seemed to be letting her hair grow. For years she'd always kept her straight blonde hair short; it was easier to manage, she'd say. Now she was letting it go, and it was already halfway down her back, an usually high rate of growth. At first Mama had thought Kani was doing it in imitation of Wilhelmina - the two of them looked uncomfortably alike as Kani's blonde hair grew to match her friend's. However, a few nights past, Mama had espied Kani in front of the mirror, trying a different hairstyle. At first she'd wanted to tell her daughter it looked positively ridiculous, two balls of blonde hair with a streaming tail from each; then Mama had looked again. Somehow, rather than looking like a pair of Klopse, they seemed to suit her. Kani hadn't worn the style outside the bathroom yet, though, and Mama thought it safer not to mention the incident - privacy was too precious a commodity in the Schmidt household. Mama sighed and mopped her brow, reaching down to clear the dishes from the table. The children who'd come home for lunch had gone back to school, and the others had disappeared, except for the youngest, as ever clinging fiercely to Mama's apron. The only other left was Hans, who sat back in his chair, undid the button of his trousers, and lit his pipe. Mama carried the first load of plates away, then came back for the second. "What have you done to make the butcher that angry with you? That chicken must have been dead for a year," Hans groused. "It isn't easy finding enough to feed this army of ours. Tender young broilers cost money, and what you give me only goes so far." Hans glowered. "What I give you has always kept us properly fed until now. Have you been giving that girl of yours money for her to waste on her late-night dalliances?" "Prices went up in the shops again. I've given Kani nothing. Besides, her friend's rich; Kani tells me she's paid for everything so far." "And I find myself asking the question: why? Those girls are up to no good, I'll wager. Thor's teeth, I'll have the truth out of her the next time I catch her out at all hours." Hans grasped his pipe in his hand and knocked some loose tobacco onto a plate; then he took his heavy ash stick and pulled himself to his feet. "Well, just time for a quick shave and then I'm off. Max pulled a few marks off me at skat yesterday and I swore I'd get even." He stumbled off, the thud of his cane poking its way up the creaking staircase. Mama sighed, bent down as far as her belly would permit, and stroked the face of the little girl still grasping firmly to her skirt and sucking her thumb. Children were so much less trouble at that age. The older they got.... ***** They parked in the garage of SS-Headquarters and marched over to the elevators. Josef was a bit concerned when he realized the other two had positioned themselves behind and on either side of him, but shrugged it off. Surely they were just providing him with an honour guard. The elevator came and they got in. Andreas reached out and pressed the button for the lowest level. "Wait a minute," Josef protested, "isn't the Reichsfuehrer's office on the top floor?" "Yes, it is," answered Tristan with a grin, "but he specifically instructed us to escort you to the sub-basement." "Nein, nein, nein, nein, nein!! Not there!! I haven't done anything!! I haven't!!" Josef pushed towards the elevator controls, scrabbling frantically for the emergency stop button, only there wasn't one. Andreas reached into his pocket, took the cap off a syringe, and jabbed the needle into Josef's neck. The effect of the sedative was instantaneous; the boy went limp, his shrieks of panic subsided into dull whimpers. "See, I told you," Andreas remarked to Tristan, "I told you you'd enjoy this assignment." He took one arm, Tristan the other. When the elevator reached the bottom, they indelicately dragged Josef out. Waiting for them were Siegfried and Nephrite. "I see you had to make him a little more comfortable. A guilty conscience will do that," chuckled the Reichsfuehrer. Tristan and Andreas exchanged covert concerned glances; what did the squeaky-clean Josef they knew and loathed have to hide? They took the still-woozy Untersturmfuehrer into what the staff liked to refer to as a guest suite'. The room was well-padded, well- soundproofed, and there were manacles mounted on the far wall. Josef was shackled into place. "You're dismissed," ordered Siegfried. "I'll call if I need you." They closed the door behind themselves, glad to be away from that place. They didn't know what was in store for Josef; they just knew they didn't want to watch. ***** Nephrite studied the shackled young man carefully. "He wears your own personal army's insignia," he said after a moment. "So you noticed the collar flashes, did you? I thought it appropriate - tiny silver crowns instead of plain rank pips." "Wouldn't others - your rivals - be suspicious of such an obvious symbol of rank?" "They're too simple-minded; they merely believe it to be a personal vanity based on my last name. In my tongue, my name is the word for your Queen's male counterpart." "I see. And you're willing to sacrifice this one to your ambition?" "I will sacrifice anyone to my ambition." Nephrite stroked his chin and reached a conclusion. "How would you like his effectiveness to be doubled?" "What? You can do that?" "Watch." Nephrite walked up to Josef, grabbed his face, and shook it back and forth. "Wake up, you! Listen to what I have to say!" Slowly, Josef regained full consciousness. When he realized his position, he started to panic. "Nein, Herr Reichsfuehrer, nein, bitte!!" "Shut up, you fool, and listen to me," hissed Nephrite. You already possess a certain power, do you not?" Wide-eyed, Josef nodded dumbly. "Good. How would you like the opportunity to have even more power, all the better to serve your Reichsfuehrer?" Again Josef nodded mutely, this time with more vigour. "Good. I am going to do something which will cause you some pain but, after it is over, you will be more powerful than you could have possibly dreamed. Do you agree?" Josef licked his lips. "It is my honour to serve my Reich and my Reichsfuehrer in any way I can!" Even manacled to the wall, he stiffened to attention and tried to give a Party salute. Nephrite stepped back. He opened his hand and a small black crystal floated up from his palm. The crystal twirled in the air until its long end pointed at Josef. There was a flash and a beam of light shot from the gem, striking Josef in the chest. He screamed, his body arched, his limbs went rigid. And then, unbelievably, a red crystal shot out of his chest. Nephrite caught it deftly and put it in his pocket. "One," he said calmly. However, something was still happening to Josef. His entire body was hidden by swirling black clouds. Slowly, the mists dispersed, revealing the changes Nephrite had promised. Josef was gone. What stood there in his place was unreal. With a snarl, it pulled at the manacles, easily tearing them free. Then it stepped forward, stopping a bare metre away from Siegfried. The creature snapped to attention, its right hand flying up in salute. "Heil Koenig," it said. Siegfried stared back. The creature was dressed - no, covered - in the sleekest of black from head to toe. The silver twin lightning bolts of the SS cut a jagged swath across his chest. Silver was also the colour of his oversized gauntlets, and of his face. His eyes, though, gleamed red. "Ich bin Spieljos," it said. "At ease, soldier," the Reichsfuehrer ordered. The creature assumed the position. Siegfried turned back to face Nephrite. "Your Koenigin did not mention this side-effect of your extraction process." "The existence of the Seven Shadows was supposed to be kept from you; they were to remain weapons solely under the control of the Dark Kingdom. However, I see no reason why we shouldn't pool our resources more effectively. If I had removed his Kristall without his consent he still would have transformed into a Shadow, but his human part would have fought the change; under the right circumstances, the process could even be reversed." "And now we have a powerful tool. My thanks for your trust, Nephrite." "Then do not tell the Queen of this." "Agreed. When do we find the next one?" Nephrite smiled. "Tonight. But my Dunkelkristall will need to recharge after that, so we'll have to wait a week or so for the next batch." "No problem. I can even set that up to make everything ready." "Perfect." The trio left the cell, Spieljos ducking to avoid hitting his armoured head on the doorframe. ***** All day Kani had been looking for an opportunity to talk to Maria, but the other girl had deliberately avoided her. As school ended, the blonde made one last desperate attempt, but Maria was first out the door and long down the street. Kani stood watching Maria's tiny figure walking farther and farther away until she rounded the corner and disappeared from view. "I'm sorry, Kani, I truly am." Wilhelmina's hand was on Kani's shoulder. "We don't have to meet every day; I mean, it's not like you're my only friend now. There's Rachel, and - oh, she'll be busy with that new girl, Charlotta." She paused for a moment, scuffing the toe of one shoe on the sidewalk. "Look, it's no big deal; I'll just call the limo and get a ride home. I'll see you tomorrow." Kani held out a hand. "No; stop. I'm not chasing after her, not now. Tell you what: let's go to the Nonnenkloster and see what this girl's like. Rachel might need reinforcements." Wilhelmina smiled and nodded. "Let's go, then." ***** It was a hot afternoon and, following custom, Tristan and Andreas were seated at a streetside cafe, two glasses of Pilsner in front of them. Andreas took a sip of his and grimaced. "Pffagh! Why does the capital of the Reich always make the worst beer in the world?" "Hey, don't knock it," replied Tristan. "You haven't tried American beer." They sat, slowly staring at their drinks. Then Tristan spoke: "It's been several weeks now and I haven't had a single blackout yet." "And if you've noticed, there's been no activity from either our new friends in das finster Koenigreich or from Matrose Mond." Tristan shook his head. "Why me? Why should I want to protect her? Why don't I remember any of it?" Andreas shrugged his shoulders. "You took the paranormal tests, didn't you?" "Of course I did. Everybody admitted into the SS does." "And you came up clean?" "I saw my file. Not a flicker." "Then where's this coming from?" They both lapsed into silence again, each lost in his own thoughts. Tristan picked up his glass, then stopped and lifted the other hand. "What happens when the Reichsfuehrer finds out I'm the one protecting his ally's greatest enemy? Isn't he likely to decide I'm a threat to whatever he's up to? Or am I being para- whoa!" The sudden break in Tristan's speech was occasioned by him stretching his arms out to make a point, including the hand still holding his beer. It had strayed over the railing separating the patrons from the sidewalk and struck a passer-by. Tristan put the frothy remnants down and turned to apologize, until he saw who was dripping wet with indifferent Pils. Instead he began to laugh. "This makes a change." Of course, it was Kani who stood there, a light brown puddle of beer forming at her feet. Wilhelmina looked on, doing her best to bite her lips and stifle the laughter bottled up inside. "Oh, go ahead, enjoy your little triumph," said Kani bitterly. "Don't be a gentleman." Contrite, Tristan handed her a napkin. "I'm sorry, I really am. It's just - until now it's always been you hitting me with things. I just had to laugh." Kani wiped her face and tried to sop up what had gotten on her school uniform, but she still looked a little ragged and smelled of beer. "This had better come clean, but I accept your apology." She handed back the linen. "Now, can we call it quits on the physical greetings?" "Agreed." They shook hands. In that split-second, something started. Tristan looked at Kani closely. "You know," he said, "all this time we've known each other and I still don't know your name." She smiled a little. "It's Kani. Kani Schmidt." "Pleased to meet you, Kani. My name's Tristan Erde." "Nice name." "So my folks must've thought." He looked past Kani to a now-awestruck Wilhelmina. "The charming fellow seated here is Andreas Mueller. Andreas, show some manners and stand up for the ladies." "Jawohl, mein Herr." Andreas fired off a mock salute towards his friend and stood to exaggerated attention. "Whatever you say, sir." "Yes, yes, all right," Kani waved a hand at the by-now frantic Wilhelmina. "And the young lady busy stepping all over her tongue is Wilhelmina Koenig. Say hello to the nice men in uniform, Wilhelmina." "Abbana-abbana-abbana." Kani turned and put an arm around her friend's shoulders. "You'll have to excuse her; she's just been rescued from the wild, something about being raised by a pack of wolves. Come on, my social butterfly, we're going to be late. A pleasure - eventually - meeting you again, Obersturmfuehrer Erde, Obersturmfuehrer Mueller." She dragged the still-frozen Wilhelmina away and around the corner. Once safely out of view and earshot, the two girls collapsed into a fit of the giggles. Meanwhile, the SS men had resumed their seats. "You were actually pleasant to her this time. If I didn't know better, I'd swear you were taking a shine to her," Andreas teased. "You bite your tongue," Tristan retorted, "or I'll sic her friend on you." "Too late. Greta and I are back together again." "Oh, that explains why your company has been tolerable these days." "Just for that, you can buy the next round." ***** Wilhelmina and Kani had finally regained their composure and were passing through the gates of St. Cyriak's. By now the two blondes had become familiar visitors, and waves and the occasional "Guten Tag" were exchanged with many of the elderly nuns. Nevertheless, the chance encounter with Tristan and Andreas was still the topic of conversation. "So you've had the hots for that Andreas for weeks, and when I finally give you a personal introduction you lock up!" "Believe me, the thought crossed my mind of coming here and asking the Mutter Oberin herself if I could join up. However, you and Tristan seem to be hitting it off." "Get real. It was just a truce, nothing more." Wilhelmina smiled. "We'll wait and see on that one." Then she pointed down the path. "Look: there's Rachel. I guess the new girl's the one beside her." Kani looked to where the other girl pointed. "I see they were unsuccessful in finding any clothes for this Charlotta, and I can see why." Rachel was back in her novitiate's uniform; Charlotta wore the dress the novice had worn to Hermannland: or, rather, she'd been stuffed into it. The dress was obviously several sizes too small and the tall girl looked somewhat uncomfortable. However, this expression was perhaps also due to her spotting the blondes bearing down on her; she manoeuvred herself behind Rachel. "Hi, you two." Rachel waved. Then she turned back to her new friend. "It's okay; they're friends of mine. The Mutter Oberin trusts them." Rachel then performed brief introductions. Wilhelmina began to circle the nervous brunette, shaking her head. "We'll have to do something about this," she said, pointing at the tightly-stretched dress. "You know this is all we've got," Rachel replied in defence. "Exactly. You're not needed here right now, are you?" "No," Rachel answered, tensing a little herself. "Good," said Wilhelmina. "We're finally going to exercise one of my skills. Have either of you ever been clothes shopping?" She smiled sweetly. ***** Maria stood in a corner of the family store, carefully dusting some of the silver on display. The work could have waited, but Maria wanted to be doing something, anything. Anything, that is, but think about what she'd said to Kani. Yes, she had meant to hurt her best friend. Yet she wished she'd never said what she had said. Kani was the type of person who just tried to be pleasant to everyone, even somebody as clearly obnoxious as that Wilhelmina. It was a character trait in Kani that Maria envied. Today, Maria had done what she had done out of spite. She wished she could see Kani again and perhaps apologize. The shop bell tinkled. Her mother had disappeared temporarily into the back, so Maria dropped her cloth and went to help the customer until Mama came back. One look and she was lost. He was indeed tall, dark, and handsome, and he was dressed as if money was no object. Even his voice sounded deep and melodious. "Are you going to help me, girl?" he commanded, after waiting impatiently for Maria to begin serving him. "Er, uh, jawohl, mein Herr," she answered, coming out of her trance. "It's okay, Maria. I've got it." Her mother swept into the store. "How may I help you, sir?" *No! Go away, Mama! He's mine! I saw him first!* "I'd like to see some rings." "For sir, or for...?" "For myself." *Good. Someday he'll pick out a ring and it'll go on my finger.* The silver received scant attention over the next few minutes as Maria kept her eyes firmly glued on the customer. At last he picked out an expensive wide silver band with an inlaid diamond, put it on himself, and paid cash from a huge wad of notes. Out the door, onto the sidewalk, and into his sports car, Maria watched his every move until he sped away. Then she looked down, trying to polish the plate until her face showed in it. Hers and the one she imagined beside it. Nephrite had never once notice he'd been targeted. ***** Kani had to admit it had been fun. Charlotta had quickly lost herself in the glee of clothes-shopping, glad to be free of the well-meant but ill-fitting dress, and Wilhelmina, to no-one's surprise, had proven an old hand at the art. Rachel still looked uncomfortable in the store, but at least she too had made several purchases. One was a cotton summer-dress. She'd drawn a firm line on the hemline, insisting on ankle-length. However, carefully hidden at the bottom of her bag was a pair of blue jeans Wilhelmina had somehow dared the novice to try on; Kani wondered if Rachel would ever work up the courage to wear them again. Even Kani was carrying a bag of her own home. Wilhelmina had firmly insisted no one was leaving until Kani had at least one outfit. Finally she'd settled on a skirt and top that were reasonable in both cut and price. Wilhelmina had wanted to hold out for more, but Kani was adamant about not taking advantage of her friend's generosity. Besides, she could wear the outfit instead of her beer-stained uniform to go home. So the four of them walked down the street together; in addition to their purchases, Kani and Wilhelmina still carried their school satchels. There was a lot of laughing, and Charlotta was loosening up to her new acquaintances. Wilhelmina held centre stage. "So, how long were you at the Waisenhaus, Charlotta?" "Five years. My folks, um, died when I was nine." "So you remember your parents?" asked Kani. Charlotta reached into the pocket of her dress and pulled out the battered photograph. "That's them," she pointed proudly. "What happened to them?" Kani's question was straightforward but Charlotta remained silent. After a moment, Kani realized why and wished she hadn't asked. The brunette was in the process of putting the picture away when she suddenly stopped and pulled something else out of her pocket. "I suppose I can wear these now." She reached up to her ears and clipped on first the right, then the left rose earring. Wilhelmina slapped the taller girl on the back. "Attagirl. Exactly what I'd do - accessorize." Rachel laughed. "Is that your solution to every problem, to throw money at it?" "No, but it usually helps." "Well, thank you and God bless you, Wilhelmina." Rachel rattled her parcel for emphasis, leaned over, and gave her benefactress a friendly buss on the cheek. Kani agreed entirely with the sentiment, and the shopping bag clutched in her hand reminded her she had obligations too. "Yes; thanks for a wonderful afternoon. Certainly made up for my beer shower." She too leaned over and gave her friend a peck. It was an entirely harmless gesture, a spur-of-the-moment display of affection and gratitude made throughout the country by thousands, and it was made at entirely the wrong moment. "What is this?!" Hans Schmidt was in a foul mood. He'd not only failed to win back his lost wagers, but Max had craftily conned him out of even more. The beer he'd already had wasn't helping his mood and, to top it off, his leg ached fiercely. He loomed up in front of the quartet. "Is this what I've wasted years of my time and money on, to let you run loose and sell yourself to a party girl and this" - he pointed at Rachel - "a Kraehenestling?!" He strode forward, face flushed. The others parted in front of him, leaving Kani standing alone. "It's high time you were put in your place! You've been out all hours, you're letting your hair grow, and" - he sniffed at her - "you smell of beer! Come here, you little-!" Hans made a grab for Kani's arm. She'd never been as terrified of her step-father as she was at this moment. She'd seen her mother, knew what was to come, and tried desperately to think of a way out of the inevitable. "No, no, it's not like that! You don't understand!" "Oh, I understand perfectly! Come here, you!" He tried again, but she evaded his clumsy grip. "Fine! We'll deal with you here and now!!" He raised his cane. "No, sir, don't, please!" Rachel had leaped in between the pair. "Sir, for the love of God-" "Get your god away from me, witch!" Hans shoved Rachel, hard. "Stop! Please! It's not her fau-!" Wilhelmina barely had time before she, too, hit the cobblestones. She lay quietly, holding her head; a trickle of blood ran down between her fingers. Kani started to turn, caught her foot on a loose stone, and fell. Hans strode up, towered over her. The cane went up. The cane came down. Kani screamed. The cane went up. The cane came down. Kani screamed, louder. The cane went up. It stayed up. Hans turned, furious. Charlotta was holding the cane in one hand, preventing it from descending again. "Let go, girl, or I'll give you some, too!!" he growled. "No." "LET GO!! NOW!!" "No. No more." Hans took a swing with his fist at the girl, then suddenly found himself flailing at the air. Charlotta ducked; in one fluid motion she let go of the cane, grabbed Hans' outstretched arm, lifted him over her back, and threw him down the street. He landed heavily against a wall. Charlotta stood staring at him for a moment, breathing heavily with the effort. Then she turned to her friends. Rachel was already on her feet, helping a woozy Wilhelmina up. The blonde held the side of her head. "Oh, I'm gonna have a bump there," she mumbled thickly. Charlotta hurried over to Kani, who lay quietly, biting her lip. "Kani, are you all right?" "No," Kani whimpered, "my ribs." She held her right side. Charlotta moved her hands down to examine Kani's ribcage; at the first touch Kani let out a scream, which she quickly bit back. "Broken, probably," was Charlotta's diagnosis. "We should get her to a hospital." Wilhelmina nodded. "I'll take care of that." She reached into her school bag and pulled out her cell phone. Then she looked over her shoulder. "What do we do about him?" She pointed to Hans, who was slowly pulling himself to his feet, picking up his fallen stick. "No," Kani whispered weakly, "let him go. Don't do anything. Please." Charlotta interposed herself between Kani and Hans. "Only if he doesn't try something again," she said, the determination clear in her voice. Hans glowered at the four girls. "Don't ever try to stop me when I exercise my rights as her father." Nevertheless, he turned and began to limp away. "I'll remember this," were his parting words. ***** In order to complete the aspects of his cover, Nephrite had even gone so far as to rent an expensive townhouse. He pulled up to his private parking space, carelessly left the Porsche convertible at an angle, and hopped out without opening the car door. Taking the stairs two at a time, he reached the front door, unlocked it, and went in. Then he tensed up. "What are you doing here?" The visitor stood by a mahogany desk, examining the printed business cards lying there. " Maximilian von Tirpitz, Gems and Semi-Precious Stones'," read Zoisite. "Aren't you carrying this human element a little too far?" Nephrite chuckled softly, tossed his kid leather driving gloves on the counter, and poured himself a drink out of a crystal decanter. "It easily impresses the humans I need to deal with; I'm too new to be known as a figure of power and authority, so I use the other two things respected in this society: money and old family. No door is ever closed to me for long." He raised his glass and took a sip. "In the meantime, you seem to have opened a few doors to your personal convenience. Be careful of how much you deal with these humans. That Siegfried Koenig is up to his own designs. He'll use you if he gets the chance." "Did you come here to lecture me, or do you actually have a reason for this visit?" "The Queen wants to know how you're doing." "Tell her I have the first Kristall; I hope to have the second tonight. Numbers three and four will be in about a week." Zoisite cocked an eyebrow. "That's pretty fast; you won't wear out your Dunkelkristall working that quickly?" "I might need to supplement it with a little stolen energy, but that should prove no problem." Nephrite put down the empty glass with a bang. "Now that you're done gathering information for your dear, dear friend Kunzite, have you anything else you want to discuss?" Stung, Zoisite shot back: "Be careful you don't burn your bridges behind you. Beryl may view what you're doing as building a rival power base." "And both she and I know that anything I do would be of no consequence once Metallia is revived. If she chose to sweep away everything I or Beryl did, she could do it without a second thought. Our greatest weapon is a double-edged sword, Zoisite; remember that." "But it won't be harmful to the person that wields it." "And you think your precious Kunzite is the man to do that?" A smirk crossed Nephrite's face. "By the way, do you know what they do to people like Kunzite and yourself in this society?" He paused just long enough. "They castrate them, and then they kill them." He started to laugh as Zoisite's angry form dematerialized. ***** "You can't go back home," Wilhelmina cautioned. "I know," was Kani's reply. It was several hours later; the limousine had whisked the four girls away to a nearby hospital - a private hospital - and gone on its business. Wilhelmina had reluctantly had her head examined ("to see if anything's actually in it," Rachel had informed Charlotta) while Kani's injuries were tended to. It wasn't too bad, all things considered: one broken and two cracked ribs. It was the fear of what lay ahead that spurred the hushed conversation in the lobby. "You could stay with us at St. Cyriak's," suggested Rachel. "No," said Wilhelmina firmly. "You got the last guest; this one's mine. Kani, I'm inviting you to stay at my place until, well, for as long as you need." "It's all very good, but I've got to go home. I need stuff that's there, and if I don't go home poor Mama will have to listen to - to - and then he'll probably-" Worn down by events, Kani put her head on Wilhelmina's shoulder and began to cry. "I think one of the problems is being dealt with," Wilhelmina whispered to herself. Kani lifted her head, sniffled a bit. "I didn't thank you guys for what you did. That was very brave of you." The four drew close, but kept from squeezing Kani too tightly. ***** You could hear it, but what could you do about it? Thin walls and closely-set houses mean there are no secrets in some neighbourhoods. Everyone knew Hans Schmidt's reputation and his temper, and did their best to steer clear. But there were some people who couldn't: the children had run off, but two people remained inside. If, in his rage, Hans hadn't actually struck his wife, he'd been dissuaded only by the sight of her pregnancy. However, he was running out of things to hit, to smash, to relieve the tension. The knock on the door startled him. It didn't sound like some well-meaning neighbour timidly tapping; it sounded too arrogant. Hans decided to teach the insolent busybody a lesson. Angrily, he flung the door open. "What?!" The two men in black stepped forward, taking Hans by each arm, hauling him down the steps to the waiting car, its back door open. "You are Hans Schmidt, correct?" enquired the one on his right with the sandy-brown hair. Hans nodded dumbly, swallowed, croaked a "ja," and was too shocked to resist when they stuffed him in the vehicle and drove off. In minutes the neighbourhood had resumed its appearance of normality. But appearances can be deceiving. ***** Back at St. Cyriak's, Rachel and Charlotta had been dropped off and were on their way to the residence. Rachel nervously eyed the clock tower. "I hope we're not in too much trouble for being this late," she said as she opened the door. "Only if you have a good reason, my child, only if you have a good reason, hmm?" Both Rachel and Charlotta jumped at the sight of Mutter Oberin; then Rachel quickly composed herself, for she was used to these unexpected appearances. "Oh, I think we do, Mutter Oberin," and then she briefly told what had happened to Kani. "That is not good. I will say an extra Novena for her and for that man. There must be peace, hmm? Now, you said she was going to stay with Wilhelmina?" "For a day or two, Mutter Oberin." "Hmm, yes, well, that can't be helped. Maybe it will do some good. Yes, good can come when and where you least expect it." The woman headed for the door. "Good-night, then you two. Sleep well. I just want to make sure the front gates are locked. No sense letting the world get in when we're not ready for it, hmm?" The gravel crunched under Mutter Oberin's tiny feet as she walked down the path to the gates. She stopped and stared at a bush. "Yes, they're back, but you'll have to wait until later, hmm." Then she continued her rounds. Luna took a step out from the bush's cover and watched the nun walk away, a puzzled expression on the cat's face. ***** Hans knew exactly where he was: the lowest level of SS Headquarters. The room was dark. He sat alone in the chair, his wrists and ankles held down by leather straps. His cane had been placed on the table in front of him. He sat there, feeling the fear seep through his pores until he could smell it. The door crashed open with a bang, and a light came on over Hans' head; its brightness blinded him. He closed his eyes, trying to adjust his numbed orbs. Slowly he opened them. A face hovered inches away from his. "Do you know who I am?" it said. "Jawohl, Herr-Herr Reichsfuehrer," Hans stammered. His throat was dry; his trousers were soaked with perspiration. "Good. And you are one Hans Schmidt, age forty-five, married, eight children by birth and one by marriage. Am I correct?" "Ja, Herr Reichsfuehrer." "You served in the Wehrmacht from 1970 to 1978, you were honourably discharged due to injuries sustained in battle, and you received the Iron Cross, First Class. Quite a service record: aside from your one moment of glory, you never particularly distinguished yourself. Oh well, that's the way it goes with some people - something happens and they just respond." Siegfried sat down across the table from Hans, folded his hands together, and smiled. "Now, Herr Schmidt, do you know why you are here?" "N-nein, Herr Reichsfuehrer." "Well, I understand that your eldest - the step-daughter - has been giving you some problems lately." "J-just a little, Herr Reichsfuehrer." "Children can be like that, especially at that age. The problems I had with my three boys were quite something, let me tell you. As for my daughter - did you know I have a daughter? - I expect great things from her." Siegfried paused, slowly lit himself a cigarette, and then continued. "Now, handling a daughter - by the way, did you know my daughter looks a lot like your step-daughter? My girl's hair is a little longer and she's a bit taller, but in their school uniforms you couldn't tell them apart easily if you didn't know them - yes, handling a daughter can be even trickier than a son." Hans shook his head dumbly. "This afternoon, when you found your step-daughter, do you recall any of the other girls with her?" Again Hans shook his head. "Think hard, Herr Schmidt; there was a girl from the Nonnenkloster, another rather tall girl with a brown ponytail, and a blonde. Do you remember now?" The nod was slow, careful, almost reluctant. "Do you remember what happened to the blonde?" Another very slow and painful nod. "You know, Hans - may I call you Hans? - you know, Hans, a man can pass his family and his name down through his sons, but it's his honour that gets passed through his daughters. He can see the best and the worst of life in his girls. A daughter is something far too precious, and he'll do anything to protect her. A drop of sweat ran down the bridge of Hans' nose, reached the tip, and hung there, refusing to let go. "Now do you understand why I asked you to come here, Hans?" The droplet fell, splattering across the front of Hans' shirt. "That was my daughter you pushed to the cobblestones, Hans; my daughter whose head you nearly cracked open. And a man has to do whatever it takes to protect his daughter." Siegfried got up, walked around the table, and leaned very close into Hans' face. "If I ever hear of you laying a finger on my daughter, or any of her friends - and that includes your step-daughter - I will have you brought back here, and I will not be here to greet you so gently. Do I make myself understood?" Hans could do nothing but nod in terror. Siegfried turned and walked across the room until he was mostly in shadow. "I'm going to make it a little easier for you, Hans. I know how much of a handful it can be, raising a daughter, so I'm going to take her off your hands. She'll be by tomorrow to pick up her things, and then she's moving in with my family. Is that acceptable to you, Hans?" "J-j-ja, Herr Reichsfuehrer." "Very good. I'll have someone show you out." He turned to go, then stopped. "I'm glad to have had this little chat, Hans; you know, one honoured war veteran to another. I deal with politicians and bureaucrats all day, and it makes a pleasant change to talk to a comrade, one who knows what it was like to live every day with the thought of a Soviet bullet finding a billet in your brain. However, I think one chat's quite enough. I hope not to see you again." Quietly, he opened the door and left. Alone again, Hans became aware that he'd ruined his second-best pair of trousers. ***** end Chapter Seven. Glossary: Staat: State. Waisenhaus - orphanage. Rathskeller - a public bar, usually located under the town hall. Regenbogen - rainbow Traeger - carrier Klopse - a type of meatball Spiel - game Pils - short for Pilsner, a type of beer Untersturmfuehrer, Obersturmfuehrer - [deep breath] it seems that I committed a error of monumental proportions when I originally gave Tristan and Andreas the rank of "Leutnant"; that would have been correct had they been serving in the Wehrmacht, the regular army. Alas, they're in the SS which, as Helmut Ott (take a bow, sir!) has pointed out, used a different system to identify its ranks. Thus, our pair should, in fact, be rated as "Obersturmfuehrer", the equivalent rank to the Wehrmacht's Oberleutnant and the British/American 1st. Lieutenant. Josef is an Untersturmfuehrer, equivalent in rank to the Wehrmacht's Leutnant and the U.K./U.S. Lieutenant. The rank information comes from the web site www.panzerdiesel.com, by I. Corbe. (Of course, all this could have been avoided in the first place if this wasn't being written by a naval historian.) Novena - a Catholic devotion of prayers for a specific intention, often using the Rosary and/or praying to the Virgin Mary for nine consecutive days, or one day a week for nine consecutive weeks, or one day a month for nine consecutive months (eg. the first Friday of the month).