Chapter 6: Quiet hope

Lynette was sitting down on the bed, her arm wrapped up and her head hurting but otherwise she was okay. Yoshika was right by her side, familiar out as she kept healing since the hour Lynette arrived back and she was starting to fall asleep.

“Lynne chan.. How could they hurt you like this?! It.. Why? It’s just horrible!” Yoshika pleaded to her friend, still in shock at the story Lynette told everyone. The Britannian thought about it for a moment before looking at her friend, she slowly came to a realization as she responded “I.. I’m not sure.. I think there’s something wrong in their world”

“W-what could cause someone to be like that! It’s not right! None of it is!” She cried out in disbelief, “Aren’t we all the same?”

“I.. I don’t know why Yoshika.. I wish I knew” Lynette replied as she saw Perrine and Minna walk in. Perrine was visibly angry at the news, adjusting her glasses before talking “Those bastards! We’ll kick them all out, every single one! Why’d they hurt someone like you is beyond me, you don’t deserve it!”

“Easy now, It’s a crime that is happening but we have to plan on dealing with this” Minna ordered, trying to ease the situation as she talked to Lynette “That was rather brave of you Lynette.. Even if you were originally going after Keera and this Eva girl”

Bishop nodded before jolting up and trying to ask Minna something but she patted her on the shoulder and assured her “No worries, we’ll apprehend her.. I don’t understand her motive however..”

“Neither do I.. maybe Keera or Bauer does.. Oh how’s everyone else?” lynette asked, Minna smiled and had Yoshika help Lynette out of bed to follow her.

Geena was sitting down, her arm in a cast as Rosalie, Carla and Kunika were talking, the three were beyond worried as the news was just surprising and almost out of nowhere. Rosalie was taking it hard as she wondered what the invader’s intentions were; it didn’t help after Geena handed the books they found in the enemy’s property and it scared her.

“C-conquest, Th-They’re all hostile.. We have to kill human beings..” Rosalie said, almost unable to comprehend their current situation “I understand we are in the military and we have to protect people but.. I hoped we’d never have to fight non Neuroi..”

“C-can we even go through with that? Would the generals allow that?” Kunika asked, disturbed by the stories she had been told an hour ago. She hadn’t taken the idea that she killed Keera once well, this would be far worse for her “Can’t we just.. Talk them down?”

“No chance, they’ve fired upon us without hesitation.. I suppose that gate is still connecting them to their homeland, if.. We were to cut that off..” Geena then had an idea come to her head as she looked at Rosalie, she began to tell her something “Once we’re healed up, we’re going to take out that Gate.. they have a rudimentary Anti air defense but we’ll manage”

“I’ll.. think about it and we’ll see to it.. And about Keera?” Rosalie asked.

“She’s held her own along with Bauer”

“Can I see her?” Rosalie prodded Geena curiously, the Liberion witch nodded as she got up.

Keera laid down the bed, guarded by Heinrike and a dozen soldiers as she was healed by Bauer. She would return to the Prison soon with Bauer headed back to her unit. As she laid down, she opted to listen to Heinrike and Bauer talk to eachother out of curiosity.

“I’m not calling her a good person by any means but she saved my life!” Bauer argued, Heinrike dismissed this outright as she responded “For her own life! She used you as a battering ram!”

“Honestly, you nobles have your head far up your-“ Bauer was quickly cut off by Keera staring her down, she quickly rephrased her words at Heinrike, “Heinrike, maybe it’s best if you never had a mouth”

“Listen here you mongrel-”

“Enough, stand down” Geena said as she walked in with Rosalie, Lynette soon joined in with Minna. Heinrike stuttered for a bit before looking away fuming as she cursed under her breath, Bauer sighed in relief as she looked at Geena with a smile as she listened carefully.

“I’m rather happy to see that you all seem okay so far, how do you both feel?”

“Alright ma’am, just healing miss Keera” Bauer said as she stood there with a small smile, Geena then looked at Keera and asked the same question. The Gallian rolled her eyes as she talked “Yeah, I’m fine.. Just laying down here. That’s all”

“I see.. Well I’ll need you later on but for now I’ll let you rest, you too Bauer” Geena remarked as Minna looked at her curiously.

“Why.. Do you need her?” She asked as the Liberion replied “We’re going to blow up the gate”

“I suppose- Wait Why didn’t you just do an aerial reconnaissance?!” Rosalie asked.

“We assumed them to be Karlslanders..” Bauer replied, “they seemed to be on our side!”

“.. I see, we’ll be doing aerial recon from now on, we must not approach them directly until we truly understand what we’re dealing with..” stated Rosalie.

“May I ask, can everyone leave me, Rosalie, Keera and Bauer alone for a bit?” Geena asked, Heinrike was flabbergasted and barked back “ARE YOU SERIOUS?! COME ON!”

“Just wait outside, I’ll call you in case of anything” Geena affirmed, staring down the Prinzessin causing her to reluctantly go outside with almost everyone else. Preddy turned her attention to Bauer and started talking to her with a softer tone.

“I know you want to find Eva.. Right?”

"... yes"

“I know that she’s trusted you enough to share some things with you.. let’s figure out what she didn’t tell you”

[Earlier in the night, Paris]

Eva looked before the place she reluctantly called home, La Saint Prison and the temporary home of the unsung Noire legion. The team had arrived quickly to try and capitalize on the opportunity, now was a chance to secretly recruit collaborators. Hansel had decided to assign Eva on her first mission with five soldiers to do the job.

The brief and rather quick assignment was a surprise to the unit but it was Hansel’s gamble.

“I’ll deal with some.. Co-workers while you guys do the recruiting” Eva explained to the Corporal, having agreed upon their plan when they were on the road mere moments ago. The team immediately got out of the truck and to work, half of them were wearing uniforms that were modified to Karlsland’s standards with the job of finding people inside the prison while the others were disguised as civilians and headed out into Paris.

Eva had been assigned to the Prison team as she knew the inmates rather well along with her aforementioned unit. She walked into the lobby and greeted the folks in her usual way with a dead eye stare.

“Welcome back Eva.., who are the folks behind you?”

“Karlsland Military police..”

The Corporal came over to give the brief story that Eva gave him, He gave off a curious look and started speaking.

“We’re here to drop her off, she got badly wounded”

“Ah I see, bring her to the nurse’s office.. Marceline will be back shortly for an evaluation”

“Sure thing”

The accountant and the guards were suspicious of her sudden return but decided that Marceline would clear it all up later.

With that out of the way, Eva led them down through the cell blocks as she looked for specific candidates to have as collaborators, pointing out some of the prisoners and workers that might take interest.

Then she found one prisoner in particular that could be of use, a scruffy looking man with an unkempt beard and a muscular build. This person in particular was one of the many Monarchist rebels that were arrested in light of recent events, he was indeed a perfect candidate for the Germans.

Eva walked over to his cell and came over to a guard nearby watching over the prisoners, she knew him quite well having to interact with the man during her duty as an unofficial guard dog of the Allied powers.

“Back again?! You look worse than usual”

“Yeah, got my ass kicked.. but I need to ask you to bring this guy to the interrogation chamber”

“Really? I don’t want to drag someone out of there.. again.. but I could do with a quick break.. Marcy’s put me onto the night shift.”

“Why am I not surprised.. That walking pile of cheese”

“Heh.. cute… but listen here Eva.. what do I really get if I help you and your new buddies?”

The corporal grew tired of the chatter and tried to start offering his own story immediately “Mein f- Gallian friend.. don’t you really believe that there could be something better? I can help you with that..”

“Really? Tsch.. what are you talking about?”

The Corporal and the guard then went into a discreet corner to chatter while Eva and the other soldier started to talk to their new target, not too far away however was two witches. The duo walked towards Eva with stern looks in their eyes as Marceline barked out at Eva.

“EVA BORNGEN! GET OVER HERE NOW!”

Eva was stunned as she turned to look at Marceline but immediately received a harsh slap that echoed through the wall, grabbing almost everyone’s attention as the Gallian witch snatched Eva by the collar and dragged her to her office ranting loudly with a fury never seen before as Louise began to question the other soldiers that followed Borngen.

Louise’s tone was one of a smug little rat, annoying the team as she started asking questions but her face held a more worried look as she spoke. The Corporal came over and grabbed Louise by her shoulders, shocking her as a yelp leaped from her mouth while staring at the men now surrounding her.

Meanwhile in Marceline’s office, Eva sat down and stared at Marceline as she cursed at the Karlslander with a good reason. The commander’s screams of outrage and anger were unending towards the Bosche but for Eva it was mere white noise at this point for her, Marceline finally got to the point she was trying to make and she gave off a smile.

“FOR ONCE! CAN YOU JUST TRY BEHAVING!? WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU!? ARE YOU JUST UNCARING? WOULD YOU JUST LEAVE YOUR FRIENDS LIKE BAUER TO DIE?” Marceline roared out at Eva, striking several nerves in the witch as she stared at her commander in silent rage but tried her best to keep herself composed. “It-It would be stupid of me..”

“Guess you are A COMPLETE MORON! I’m glad once I FINALLY COURT MARTIAL YOU!” Marceline barked out at Eva as she pulled out some paper and started reading it carefully, the Gallian smiled as she kept reading it. Borngen on the other hand pretended to be horrified by the news, maintaining concern on her face but knew something for sure.

She wouldn’t go down that easy.

“A GOOD FEW YEARS IN A CELL SHOULD DO YOU SOME GOOD! JUST LIKE KEERA EH?” Marceline smugly boasted as Eva watched her ramble on, she watched as she rambled and rambled as she knew what was coming.

There was a knock on the door, Marceline stopped for a moment in order to see the person on the other side. Opening the door was that Corporal staring at her, Marceline immediately started to open her mouth, the corporal then came in and closed the door behind him.

“What are you- HMMPH?!”

The Gallian could only struggle as Eva joined in to take down her squad leader, the once excited and boastful Marceline gave way to a panicking wreck as the Corporal forced her down and started to restrain her with Eva holding her down.

A good moment later, Marceline was restrained as the two other soldiers had arrived and brought a trunk that was conveniently Marceline sized for no particular reason. Eva then looked at the Corporal, curious how he dealt with the two guards at the office’s door.

“How…How’d you get them to stand down?”

“Well.. money and authority talks”

“Was it that easy?..”

“Heh.. Three years of experience my fraulein”

Eva and the soldiers left the office as they headed out to the truck, naturally the personnel were curious at what they were carrying in such large boxes and the fact Eva was somehow not being confined. The cover story was always the same, they were merely just some documents and trinkets while Eva was being transported to a different place for court martial, the story was kind of enough to get past most of the personnel who would rather focus on getting the day done with.

However, as they were loading the truck and getting ready to head back, they noticed a vehicle pulling up nearby. Stepping out of said vehicle was none other than Kunika Kuroda, Gertrude Barkhorn and Jennifier Deblanc and behind them were Isabelle, Hartman and Marian.

“Eva Borngen! Have you forgotten what it meant to be a soldier?! And what’s with your friends and those boxes!” Gertrude demanded an answer, her familiar was out and the rest of the witches weren’t playing around either.

“Say.. What are you doing?” Kunika asked curiously, Staring at the flabbergasted Eva who now wanted nothing more than to run, just blindly run. The Corporal was anxious now, he tried to talk to the witches knowing even one word could end in a mission failure.

“Witches! We are merely taking Eva to be court martialed, no need to be all angry.. For the boxes those are legal documents and some evidence..”

“Evidence? Well, you’d let us take a look right?”

Gertrude and the group weren’t the slouches like the Prison garrisons and were ready to apprehend the team right there. The corporal sighed and looked at his squad, they’ve loaded up already and he gave Eva a smile as she got onboard.

“Tschuss”

The driver slammed his foot onto the pedal and started to drive off, the Corporal staying behind as he grabbed onto his trusted Mp-40 and opened fire on the startled witches. They raised their shields in the nick of time as they took cover before returning fire at him.

Eva looked on, the rest of the squad could do nothing but keep going.

The Corporal finally fell, the witches horrified as they had to end his life as they walked over to his body. Kunika silently rummaged and found a note in his pocket and took it just in case, Gertrude on the other hand could only stare at the broken body of the Corporal and silently mourn.

“We didn’t have to do this.. “

“T-Trude.. I.. Oh my god..”

To Be Continued