Strike Witches episode 5: Building Better Mousetraps

[Finorskia]

Yuri knocked on the infirmary door. "Yo Maria, you in there?" He asked. He hadn't brought anything. He just wanted to give her his thanks and in a way, congratulate her. He also hoped that he could finally loosen the tension and rebuild the friendship that he had both built and destroyed in one day. His first day in the squad.

Yuki sat on a stool in the dimly lit hanger. Her hand running over the dented and bent right side striker unit of her F-15 striker. She suddenly found her self crying, and her left hand tracing the outline of her eye patch on her face.

[Hetland 2]

Yuri knocked on the infirmary door. "Yo Maria, you in there?" He asked. He hadn't brought anything. He just wanted to give her his thanks and in a way, congratulate her. He also hoped that he could finally loosen the tension and rebuild the friendship that he had both built and destroyed in one day. His first day in the squad.

Yuki sat on a stool in the dimly lit hanger. Her hand running over the dented and bent right side striker unit of her F-15 striker. She suddenly found her self crying, and her left hand tracing the outline of her eye patch on her face.

Maria looked at Yuri for a second before returning to staring at her bottle of wine, leaning against Katsumi, who also looked at Yuri, but placed her finger against his lips hushing him, "She's... I don't know. You can stay but just be quiet. Maria sweetie, please drink up." Maria nodded and took a drink. "Oh Maria... It really hurts to see you like this. I hate seeing my best friend like this." She spoke in a soft tone, stroking Maria's hair.

[Wolfenium]

Inside a ward in one of the infirmaries was Fei, leaning against the wall amidst the dim lighting in the room. The shadowy setting, which blended heavily with his weighted heart, covered much of the ward's space. Much unlike his usual cheerful self, the Manchurian was beset by a massive burden of guilt and regret. Clenching his hands tightly, he could feel the warm blood of his hands leaking from his pierced, wounded palms on the floor. Grief stricken all over his face, his eyes welled up in tears as he slowly broke down from his despair. The presence of the patient admitted inside only served to grind at his conscience, as he struggled to force his guilt-ridden eyes to glance at her.

Laying comatose on the bed was Svetlana, wrapped in chains pinning her to the bed. The brutal injuries she suffered in Maria's hands was telling of the sort of damage she had somehow endured in her psychotic rampage. And yet, the engineer himself blamed no one else for the fiasco. Not Gustave. Not Maria. Not Sveta. Only himself...

"It's my fault..." he uttered to himself, his voice filled with remorse and agony, "I caused this... If only I hadn't raised my voice... Sveta wouldn't... Why?... Why her?... Why'd she have to be here of all places?... Why do I have to be here with her?... It's my fault... I did this to her..."

"Fuck!!!!!!" howled Fei, his voice heard even along the passages to the infirmary. Slamming his fist into the steel wall, a tinge of red painted the dent he formed as drops flowed to the bottom of the floor. Recoiling in his own sorrow, he pulled his hands over his forehead, leaving his blood over his remorseful eyes...

[Finorskia]

"You know. That's all I ever hear from the people in this squadron." Eric Heinze stepped out from around a corner. "I'ts my fault, it's my fault Blah blah blah. It relay gets annoying having to listen to all the time. Every time something bad happens some bodies always blaming themselves. Well you all have to snap out of it. Cause it's not your fault if something bad beyond your control happens. If I build a prototype and something goes wrong and the test pilot dies, then yeah it's my fault. You guy's however blame yourselves for other peoples actions and it's both annoying and not good." Heinze laughed. "Listen to me. I sound like a psychiatrist. I thought that was your job Fei." He looked at the floor and then back up to Fei. "Then beyond all the self pity our team barely functions as a team, let alone barely functions in general. I swear. Maybe coming back in time was a good idea. You can all learn from these coherent vets."

[Hetland 2]

Inside a ward in one of the infirmaries was Fei, leaning against the wall amidst the dim lighting in the room. The shadowy setting, which blended heavily with his weighted heart, covered much of the ward's space. Much unlike his usual cheerful self, the Manchurian was beset by a massive burden of guilt and regret. Clenching his hands tightly, he could feel the warm blood of his hands leaking from his pierced, wounded palms on the floor. Grief stricken all over his face, his eyes welled up in tears as he slowly broke down from his despair. The presence of the patient admitted inside only served to grind at his conscience, as he struggled to force his guilt-ridden eyes to glance at her.

Laying comatose on the bed was Svetlana, wrapped in chains pinning her to the bed. The brutal injuries she suffered in Maria's hands was telling of the sort of damage she had somehow endured in her psychotic rampage. And yet, the engineer himself blamed no one else for the fiasco. Not Gustave. Not Maria. Not Sveta. Only himself...

"It's my fault..." he uttered to himself, his voice filled with remorse and agony, "I caused this... If only I hadn't raised my voice... Sveta wouldn't... Why?... Why her?... Why'd she have to be here of all places?... Why do I have to be here with her?... It's my fault... I did this to her...

Fuck!!!!!!" howled Fei, his voice heard even along the passages to the infirmary. Slamming his fist into the steel wall, a tinge of red painted the dent in the wall as drops flowed to the bottom of the floor. Recoiling in his own sorrow, he pulled his hands over his forehead, leaving his blood over his remorseful eyes...

Maria tilted her head curiously at the screaming. Katsumi looked at her with a puzzled expression. Maria's eyes were changed. It was as if someone else was looking though them instead of Maria. She dragged herself off the bed, wine bottle still in her hand. She left the bed and headed down to where the scream originated, Fei. She tilted her head cautiously at him, staring harmlessly, and at that moment Katsumi had realized then what had been bugging her. Kaixa had never disappeared. Katsumi paused curious what was going on. If what was going on what she thought was going on... Maria's silence might be a little more problematic then she thought.

[Wolfenium]

Fei stared bitterly at the floor as Heinze tried to talk him out of his stupor. Forcing a meek, ugly smile, he uttered in an exasperated tone to his listeners, "you have no idea, do you?... You think someone like her... can go insane just like that?... I was there... when she was on her way to deploy... I was... I just..."

Grimacing at the memory of the incident, Fei could barely bring himself to voice it out. However, he still forces it out, perhaps desperate for someone to blame him for Svetlana's bizarre behaviour.

---

Flashback - Infirmary, shortly after Gustave's desertion
As the roar of jet engines rang above his head, Fei could barely move his ailing muscles from the table. He had already told Gustave they would talk about this later. He was planning to speak on his behalf to let him to go on his private business on the coast. Unfortunately for him, it seemed his junior engineer was too impatient for anything. Mustering whatever might he had, slowly edged out of the edge of the bed, intent on calling Gustave out. Yet, his body simply shuts down on his commands, crumbling like a limp puppet on the floor with a thud. As he grunted in pain over his frail body, a voice broke out in shock from the door.

"Lieutenant Ouyang," blurted Svetlana at the door, her Hecate II slung on her back. Stunned by his fall, she rushed over to pull the weakened engineer on the bed again, her tiny body barely pulling the Manchurian up. As much as the young girl tried to hide her emotions, the glint in her eye showed just how much she was concerned about the engineer.

"You shouldn't force yourself to move," she told him, "you just survived a collision with a fully equipped witch, you're in no condition to go walking around."

"I know, Remitonova..." Fei blurted, his tone getting more agitated, "but I have to stop him. He was with me earlier. I could have done something to talk him out of it. If only I had done something then, I..."

Listening to Fei, Svetlana could only bow her head. Glancing away, she admitted in a low monotone, "it can't be helped. You didn't see this coming. The only thing left to do now is to arrest him. If that course of action fails..."

"I won't allow it!" he yelled in panic, gripping her shoulders as he tried to shake her out of her presumptions, "you can't! you shouldn't! He's part of the team! He's just trying to pick up the pieces in his life!" Rambling absentmindedly, he admitted, "look... There's still a chance to avoid killing him... Maybe if we... Maybe if we find this Nicole girl, we could figure something out... There's has to be another way, there has to..."

Fei could not help but panic over the prospects. He believed that as long as there was a way to resolve this diplomatically, they should take it. He cursed himself for failing to talk Gustave out of running away. The fact was, Fei had known about Gustave's true past. Ever since he first revealed this to him in their first meeting, Fei had made a probe into his past. Though it was merely an attempt to understand his junior better, he believed he should have done more to persuade him not to act rashly. More importantly though, he felt that Gustave should be given the chance to reconcile with the life he left behind. It was a chance Fei himself was deprived since his own fiance's death. If he could at least help someone to fulfil his dream; if he could change someone's life for the better; it would mean the world to him.

To his surprise, he heard Svetlana's voice uttering in an eerie monotone, "affirmative. I will not use lethal force on Serena. I will stop him for you." Looking down at the witch, Fei felt a bit bewildered by the sudden agreement. He did not think a girl who had been stringent on military law would agree not to use lethal force on a deserter like Gustave, especially one capable of killing her own friend for the same charges. More importantly, though, there was a blank look in her eyes that made his heart skip a beat.Bending down at eye level at Svetlana, he questioned nervously to the girl, "oi?... Are you alright?... You look... dead..."

Showing no trace of emotion on her face, Svetlana merely turned away, making her way to the door in a slow, lifeless pace as she stated, "I am fine. I will stop him from attempting his desertion. You must rest. You are injured."

"Hold on," Fei blurted, reaching his hand out for her. As pain spiked through his arm, he was forced to retract, utterly powerless as she shut the door behind. There was a lifeless gaze in her eye that struck fear in him. Backing away slightly, it was then that he knew that worse thing was to come. Beckoning his body once more, he forced himself out of the bed, crumbling in front of the door as he reached for the high-seated knob. Edging his hand on the knob. He feared for the worst to come...

---

"I must have trigged something in her," he told the others, detailing his account to the others, "something bad... I... I did something... Yelled some command word... Don't blame her... she had no idea what she was doing... I didn't dare tell anyone but..."

Heaving a sigh, he questioned them in a cryptic tone, "you ever heard of the Manchurian Agent? Seen the movie or heard the meaning somewhere?"

[Finorskia]

Heinze delivered the best right hook he could to Fei. Yuri let out a whistle at the punch. "You idiot!" Shouted Heinze. "That is now reason to blame yourself. You had no way of knowing of such a command word. I do know what it's like to hurt someone. Maybe not make them go away. Hell I got someone killed. Why? I messed up a simple calculation. Me messing up. Imagine that. Because I did however the test pilot of the striker I was designing died. So there. I am the only one here who deserves to actually blame themselves for someone else injury or death, but you don't see me mopping about do you." Heinze was in a rage that none of them had ever seen him in before.

[Hetland 2]

Fei stared bitterly at the floor as Heinze tried to talk him out of his stupor. Forcing a meek, ugly smile, he uttered in an exasperated tone to his listeners, "you have no idea, do you?... You think someone like her... can go insane just like that?... I was there... when she was on her way to deploy... I was... I just..."

Grimacing at the memory of the incident, Fei could barely bring himself to voice it out. However, he still forces it out, perhaps desperate for someone to blame him for Svetlana's bizarre behaviour.

---

Flashback - Infirmary, shortly after Gustave's desertion
As the roar of jet engines rang above his head, Fei could barely move his ailing muscles from the table. He had already told Gustave they would talk about this later. He was planning to speak on his behalf to let him to go on his private business on the coast. Unfortunately for him, it seemed his junior engineer was too impatient for anything. Mustering whatever might he had, slowly edged out of the edge of the bed, intent on calling Gustave out. Yet, his body simply shuts down on his commands, crumbling like a limp puppet on the floor with a thud. As he grunted in pain over his frail body, a voice broke out in shock from the door.

"Lieutenant Ouyang," blurted Svetlana at the door, her Hecate II slung on her back. Stunned by his fall, she rushed over to pull the weakened engineer on the bed again, her tiny body barely pulling the Manchurian up. As much as the young girl tried to hide her emotions, the glint in her eye showed just how much she was concerned about the engineer.

"You shouldn't force yourself to move," she told him, "you just survived a collision with a fully equipped witch, you're in no condition to go walking around."

"I know, Remitonova..." Fei blurted, his tone getting more agitated, "but I have to stop him. He was with me earlier. I could have done something to talk him out of it. If only I had done something then, I..."

Listening to Fei, Svetlana could only bow her head. Glancing away, she admitted in a low monotone, "it can't be helped. You didn't see this coming. The only thing left to do now is to arrest him. If that course of action fails..."

"I won't allow it!" he yelled in panic, gripping her shoulders as he tried to shake her out of her presumptions, "you can't! you shouldn't! He's part of the team! He's just trying to pick up the pieces in his life!" Rambling absentmindedly, he admitted, "look... There's still a chance to avoid killing him... Maybe if we... Maybe if we find this Nicole girl, we could figure something out... There's has to be another way, there has to..."

Fei could not help but panic over the prospects. He believed that as long as there was a way to resolve this diplomatically, they should take it. He cursed himself for failing to talk Gustave out of running away. The fact was, Fei had known about Gustave's true past. Ever since he first revealed this to him in their first meeting, Fei had made a probe into his past. Though it was merely an attempt to understand his junior better, he believed he should have done more to persuade him not to act rashly. More importantly though, he felt that Gustave should be given the chance to reconcile with the life he left behind. It was a chance Fei himself was deprived since his own fiance's death. If he could at least help someone to fulfil his dream; if he could change someone's life for the better; it would mean the world to him.

To his surprise, he heard Svetlana's voice uttering in an eerie monotone, "affirmative. I will not use lethal force on Serena. I will stop him for you." Looking down at the witch, Fei felt a bit bewildered by the sudden agreement. He did not think a girl who had been stringent on military law would agree not to use lethal force on a deserter like Gustave, especially one capable of killing her own friend for the same charges. More importantly, though, there was a blank look in her eyes that made his heart skip a beat.Bending down at eye level at Svetlana, he questioned nervously to the girl, "oi?... Are you alright?... You look... dead..."

Showing no trace of emotion on her face, Svetlana merely turned away, making her way to the door in a slow, lifeless pace as she stated, "I am fine. I will stop him from attempting his desertion. You must rest. You are injured."

"Hold on," Fei blurted, reaching his hand out for her. As pain spiked through his arm, he was forced to retract, utterly powerless as she shut the door behind. There was a lifeless gaze in her eye that struck fear in him. Backing away slightly, it was then that he knew that worse thing was to come. Beckoning his body once more, he forced himself out of the bed, crumbling in front of the door as he reached for the high-seated knob. Edging his hand on the knob. He feared for the worst to come...

---

"I must have trigged something in her," he told the others, detailing his account to the others, "something bad... I... I did something... Yelled some command word... Don't blame her... she had no idea what she was doing... I didn't dare tell anyone but..."

Heaving a sigh, he questioned them in a cryptic tone, "you ever heard of the Manchurian Agent? Seen the movie or heard the meaning somewhere?"

Katsumi nodded flinching minorly at Hienze's actions for later events. Now however was not the time. "I've seen the movie. I watched it with Maria, to get revenge for her making me sit through an entire marathon of Kamen Rider. Right Maria?" Maria said nothing, her mouse ears simply wiggled in response. She continued to stare at Fei, seemingly expecting something from him. Katsumi shook her head again. "Anyway that was the movie where two Liberian agents were brainwashed by the Manchurian government, right?" Katsumi sighed, "You really should have told someone, But from what I've heard... you said something to get her to stop. What did you say?"
Maria was beginning to act strangely, when Fei had been punched she got down on all fours and nudged his hand moving it to the top of her head.
Katsumi paused, "Fei... this has been worrying me for a while and I just want you to try it, no matter how weird it sounds. I want you to pet Maria. Hienze... I'll ignore that for now. You may have been justified in such actions."

[Wolfenium]

Feeling the full force of Heinze's fierce punch, Fei simply fell over, laid on the floor like a limp doll. Pushing himself upright, Fei could not fully shake off the guilt for the accident. He knew he did not mean to blurt out the command word. He knew he could not be faulted for how this turned out. Still, it was in his power to prevent it. He could not help but grip that responsibility in his teeth.

"I know what you mean, Heinze..." he uttered, stroking 'Maria's head like a pet, "I know it's an accident. I know it can't be helped... Still... If I had informed you guys of Svetlana's condition... The fact is, she knew fully well she had been programmed. She made me swear not to tell anyone out of fear they might drag her back. Sometimes, I wonder what on earth I should do to help her... What her government did... What they did... it's just..."

For a man who could always find the right words to console, Fei found his speech muddling into nothingness. There was really nothing he could say that could absolve his own guilt. There was little anyone else could do to assure him. As he petted the familiar-possessed Maria, he could only utter a meek apology.

"I'm really sorry about your mistress, dear girl," he said to the mouse familiar, "if there was anything I could do to make it up to her, I will."

As he forced himself to his feet, one other person was in his mind right now.

"Where's Serena?" he asked, "I don't think I've seen him being brought to the ward." The fact was that there could only be one other place he could be right now. After his actions, he had either had to be in another ward, or down in the brig. He could only wonder what the commanders intend to do with him.

[Hetland 2]

Feeling the full force of Heinze's fierce punch, Fei simply fell over, laid on the floor like a limp doll. Pushing himself upright, Fei could not fully shake off the guilt for the accident. He knew he did not mean to blurt out the command word. He knew he could not be faulted for how this turned out. Still, it was in his power to prevent it. He could not help but grip that responsibility in his teeth.

"I know what you mean, Heinze..." he uttered, stroking 'Maria's head like a pet, "I know it's an accident. I know it can't be helped... Still... If I had informed you guys of Svetlana's condition... The fact is, she knew fully well she had been programmed. She made me swear not to tell anyone out of fear they might drag her back. Sometimes, I wonder what on earth I should do to help her... What her government did... What they did... it's just..."

For a man who could always find the right words to console, Fei found his speech muddling into nothingness. There was really nothing he could say that could absolve his own guilt. There was little anyone else could do to assure him. As he petted the familiar-possessed Maria, he could only utter a meek apology.

"I'm really sorry about your mistress, dear girl," he said to the mouse familiar, "if there was anything I could do to make it up to her, I will."

As he forced himself to his feet, one other person was in his mind right now.

"Where's Serena?" he asked, "I don't think I've seen him being brought to the ward." The fact was that there could only be one other place he could be right now. After his actions, he had either had to be in another ward, or down in the brig. He could only wonder what the commanders intend to do with him.

Maria's ears twitched as she got up, attempting to keep her head under his hand, Katsumi saw what Maria or rather Kaixa was trying to do. Katsumi sighed and rustled Maria's hair. "Fei, use Kaixa as support. We're going to see Gustave..." He never did tell us what he said to get her to calm down. Katsumi tightened the scarf around her mouth and straightened her back, pulling herself to her full height. She muttered to herself, "Down we ge into the rabbit hole."

[Rupudska]

Brig

Ruya threw open the door, an extremely sour look on her face. Sohvi followed close behind, completely expressionless. For her, however, this was the equivalent of showing pure fury. They both strode towards Gustave in lockstep, stopping just in front of him. Sohvi was the first to speak.

"Explain yourself, Gustave. Why did you feel the need to fly off to Gallia, when you knew the consequences?"

[Malshan]

Brig

Ruya threw open the door, an extremely sour look on her face. Sohvi followed close behind, completely expressionless. For her, however, this was the equivalent of showing pure fury. They both strode towards Gustave in lockstep, stopping just in front of him. Sohvi was the first to speak.

"Explain yourself, Gustave. Why did you feel the need to fly off to Gallia, when you knew the consequences?"

Gustave levered himself up off the floor and limped toward the cell door, stopping just out of reach of the two furious Witches. He stood there, simply gazing at them with dead eyes. For nearly a minute he stood there, just staring at them. Just before he sensed that they were going to boil over, Gustave began to speak. "Capitaine Ruya, you're probably the only one here with the proper clearance and authority to make me explain myself. But of course, since we've been transported into this past the point is sort of moot."

"You may know part of my history, but I doubt that you're aware of the full extent of my life. My file in 2012 is fabricated; not real. I was born HERE in this time, about twenty years ago. I'm sure you're aware of the Warlock Project? During a weapons test, several engineers and personnel disappeared. I was one of them, having been sucked through the portal while operating the controls. I was one of the junior engineers working on the beam weapons of the Warlock."

"When I woke up, I was in a military tent in 2012 being fitted with a prosthetic limb." He tapped his left arm. "The portal had ripped away parts of those who had gone through, me losing my arm while others lost more important parts." He sighed and sat down on the cell floor. "But that's not important."

"Haven't you ever loved something or someone? I have. Despite being the sciencey shut-in that I am, I fell in love with a woman who I was soon married to. And then that cursed Warlock project ripped me away and cast my into the river of time. I thought I'd never see her again, her being dead in 2012. But now that we're HERE in THIS time once more, I had the chance to set her fears aside. Knowing that I would never get permission to do so, I took the necessary actions to get back to Narbonne. She moved there shortly after my disappearance."

"So why did I desert? For a woman. The only one I've ever loved. To settle her chaotic mind. If that's such a crime...well, I don't care much."

[Wolfenium]

Feeling the full force of Heinze's fierce punch, Fei simply fell over, laid on the floor like a limp doll. Pushing himself upright, Fei could not fully shake off the guilt for the accident. He knew he did not mean to blurt out the command word. He knew he could not be faulted for how this turned out. Still, it was in his power to prevent it. He could not help but grip that responsibility in his teeth.

"I know what you mean, Heinze..." he uttered, stroking 'Maria's head like a pet, "I know it's an accident. I know it can't be helped... Still... If I had informed you guys of Svetlana's condition... The fact is, she knew fully well she had been programmed. She made me swear not to tell anyone out of fear they might drag her back. Sometimes, I wonder what on earth I should do to help her... What her government did... What they did... it's just..."

For a man who could always find the right words to console, Fei found his speech muddling into nothingness. There was really nothing he could say that could absolve his own guilt. There was little anyone else could do to assure him. As he petted the familiar-possessed Maria, he could only utter a meek apology.

"I'm really sorry about your mistress, dear girl," he said to the mouse familiar, "if there was anything I could do to make it up to her, I will."

As he forced himself to his feet, one other person was in his mind right now.

"Where's Serena?" he asked, "I don't think I've seen him being brought to the ward." The fact was that there could only be one other place he could be right now. After his actions, he had either had to be in another ward, or down in the brig. He could only wonder what the commanders intend to do with him.

Maria's ears twitched as she got up, attempting to keep her head under his hand, Katsumi saw what Maria or rather Kaixa was trying to do. Katsumi sighed and rustled Maria's hair. "Fei, use Kaixa as support. We're going to see Gustave..." He never did tell us what he said to get her to calm down. Katsumi tightened the scarf around her mouth and straightened her back, pulling herself to her full height. She muttered to herself, "Down we ge into the rabbit hole."

Nodding in agreement, Fei said, "we should. Though, Miss Miyafuji kind of fixed me up already. She insisted on it."

With that, he followed Katsumi down to the brig, the burden of his heart lifted somewhat. However, with one last look back at the unconscious Svetlana, Fei could not completely lose the guilt in his heart. There were still much he had left unsaid from his confession and much more about his life that remained unknown. But one thing was for certain, Fei could not live down Svetlana's psychosis just yet, not unless he confronted the demons in his soul head on...

[Hetland 2]

Nodding in agreement, Fei said, "we should. Though, Miss Miyafuji kind of fixed me up already. She insisted on it."

With that, he followed Katsumi down to the brig, the burden of his heart lifted somewhat. However, with one last look back at the unconscious Svetlana, Fei could not completely lose the guilt in his heart. There were still much he had left unsaid from his confession and much more about his life that remained unknown. But one thing was for certain, Fei could not live down Svetlana's psychosis just yet, not unless he confronted the demons in his soul head on...

Maria fix an odd stare on Fei, while remaining by his side, as Maria's mind wandered through broken memories of her beloved. Kaixa sensed a deep sadness eminating from Fei. It had lessened that before, but Kaixa knew that she could not fix Fei. Fei needed to fix Fei. She turned his attention to her mistress. The broken witch who locked her depression deep inside herself for the sake of other's smiles.

Memories

It was a nice looking study, comfy looking chairs sat infront of an ornate fireplace various fire tools lay against the wall just as bibles and various literature lined the bookshelves. In the center of the room stood an obviously man dressed in a black priest's robes and a small blonde girl in a catholic dirty school uniform. The girl's name was Maria.

Father Toti struck Maria across the face with his fist, sending the small girl recoiling into a bench. "HOW DARE YOU BETRAY THIS CHURCH LIKE THIS! YOU DEVILISH RAT!"
Maria did nothing but hold her cheek looking down, "I protected the children from the bullies. Just like you told me to." Her voice was hollow and empty.
"YOU DID NOT! You and those fucking brats you hang out with beat up those rich children from across the road for a little teasing! What are you going to do if their families decide to sue us? Huh," He grabbed Maria's dirty blonde hair and pulled her up by it, "Did that thought ever fly through your tiny little brain?! What will you do if I'm forced to sell the church?! Do you expect you'll be able to live on the street?"
Maria felt tears begin to well up in her eyes, as a fire began to kindle in her soul, "I protected the children. Just like you told me to."
Suddenly the pain in her scalp lessened and she dropped to the floor. Father Toti had turned his back to her looking for something, Maria lowered her head, her voice trembling, "I will accept any punishment you deem fit. Just don't involve Sasha and the others. They're really nice people."
"Do you think I care about such things, you little bitch?" He turned around swinging a fire poker at her.
Maria didn't see it fast enough, the charred blackened metal smashed against her nose, leaving a deep scar and trail of blood. She screamed and scrambled up only to find herself against the wall, with Father Toti bearing down on her.

Knock knock knock.

Maria turned and looked where the knocking had come from. The study door. The doors from the church had been left open. Maria shook with fear as Father Toti looked from her to the door. Apparently the knocking had annoyed him enough to draw his attention. A voice could be heard from the door "Father Toti? This is Patricia? I believe we spoke of adoption earlier." He turned to Maria. "I'd better not see you when this woman comes in. Get your fucking ass out of here."
Maria of course, was too terrified to move and had collapsed on the floor, blood staining her school uniform. Heedless to this, he answered the door, but not to a woman by the name of Patricia as he was expecting but to a kevlar clad soldier, assault rifle aimed at his forehead. Two more soldiers moved in, one securing Father Toti with a pair of handcuffs and the other looking at Maria, he held up a picture to the light, looking from Maria to the picture. He pulled out a walkie-talkie, "Sasha. We've found her. She's injured though."
Maria could here the response loud and clear. "Excellent. I just finished getting the base's officer to sign the conscription forms too."
Maria's head swam with pain and confusion, one of the soldiers squatted next to her smiling, "Well, Maria. Welcome to the Venetian Strike Wing. We're pleased to have you aboard." She managed to utter, "Sa..sh..a?", before the pain took its hold of her again and consumed her consciousness.

Katsumi looked back at Fei and Maria, Fei seemed to be doing much better, Maria walking next to him, Kaixa leading the way. She noticed something peculiar as she stopped just outside the brig. Maria was crying. There was no emotional reaction, no bodily acknowledgement. Just tears rolling down her cheek. She looked hauntingly beautiful in an odd way.

[Wolfenium]

Fei felt a bit concerned over the tears in Maria's eyes. The poor lad was simply at a loss at what to do. The man who would usually act as the pillar of support could not help but feel powerless over her predicament. Wiping a tear from Maria's eye, he could not even force a word of consolation, however fake it may be.

As they reach the brig, one thing continued to dog Fei's mind. Approaching Ruya and Sohvi, he asked in a morose voice, "Madam, I take it you found out his... reason for going AWOL. Is it fine if we see him?"

[Rupudska]

Brig

Ruya threw open the door, an extremely sour look on her face. Sohvi followed close behind, completely expressionless. For her, however, this was the equivalent of showing pure fury. They both strode towards Gustave in lockstep, stopping just in front of him. Sohvi was the first to speak.

"Explain yourself, Gustave. Why did you feel the need to fly off to Gallia, when you knew the consequences?"

Gustave levered himself up off the floor and limped toward the cell door, stopping just out of reach of the two furious Witches. He stood there, simply gazing at them with dead eyes. For nearly a minute he stood there, just staring at them. Just before he sensed that they were going to boil over, Gustave began to speak. "Capitaine Ruya, you're probably the only one here with the proper clearance and authority to make me explain myself. But of course, since we've been transported into this past the point is sort of moot."

"You may know part of my history, but I doubt that you're aware of the full extent of my life. My file in 2012 is fabricated; not real. I was born HERE in this time, about twenty years ago. I'm sure you're aware of the Warlock Project? During a weapons test, several engineers and personnel disappeared. I was one of them, having been sucked through the portal while operating the controls. I was one of the junior engineers working on the beam weapons of the Warlock."

"When I woke up, I was in a military tent in 2012 being fitted with a prosthetic limb." He tapped his left arm. "The portal had ripped away parts of those who had gone through, me losing my arm while others lost more important parts." He sighed and sat down on the cell floor. "But that's not important."

"Haven't you ever loved something or someone? I have. Despite being the sciencey shut-in that I am, I fell in love with a woman who I was soon married to. And then that cursed Warlock project ripped me away and cast my into the river of time. I thought I'd never see her again, her being dead in 2012. But now that we're HERE in THIS time once more, I had the chance to set her fears aside. Knowing that I would never get permission to do so, I took the necessary actions to get back to Narbonne. She moved there shortly after my disappearance."

"So why did I desert? For a woman. The only one I've ever loved. To settle her chaotic mind. If that's such a crime...well, I don't care much."

Sohvi sighed, shaking her head. Well, guilt was completely out of the question. "Gustave, normally doing something with the consequences of, well, what you did or at least tried to do, would probably get you either life or execution, depending on the country." She paused to let that sink in.

"However. Considering the circumstances, and the fact that we need you, I'm willing to overlook this incident, on one condition." Ruya stared at her superior as if she had just spoken in Neuroi. "You are confined to your quarters for the remainder of the time we are here in 1945. You are only to leave to repair Strikers, eat, clean yourself, and use the restroom. If I see you doing anything else without a superior officer escorting you, I will have you immediately sent to the nearest French prison, where you will spend the rest of your natural life."

[Hetland 2]

Maria never entered the brig, Kaixa's limit emerged had run out and her ears and tail disappeared and Maria's eyes returned to normal. She slumped against the wall, tears still rolling down her cheeks. "Thanks Kaixa. I needed some time to think." She looked up at the ceiling. "Hey Sasha... I... I think its time to let go of you as... as a lover, there was nothing you couldn't do that make me smile. As a friend you were my eternal companion. As a wing leader, you wer the best I'd ever known. But... But now you're dead and I need to face the facts. You can do no more for me than I can do for you. Its..." Tears welled up in her eyes. "Captain Sasha Ahoro. I loved you more than I loved my life. But... I... I think I found someone..." She coughed, smiling to herself as she turned red.. "Er rather, something else that I want to love more. Forgive me, Sugar. I'm not the girl I once was. I... found someone too... I'll tell you about her later." Maria felt the tears rolling down her cheek, but she felt herself smiling. A massive weight had been lifted from her heart. "I... I guess I owe someone an apology for it. All those witches who told me to let it go. And just now I get it." She laughed, her maniacal cackle echoing throughout the halls, "I finally get it. I FINALLY GET IT!"

[Wolfenium]

"So cold..." Adela griped in annoyance, feeling an odd chill down her spine. pacing back to her room, she decided she was just going to wait out the time travel mess, even if she grows old and wrinkly. She wanted nothing more to do with the 'grannies' running around, and nothing more to do with her teammates for the duration of their stay in the past. With all due respect, she probably assumed the world in the future would be a dead wasteland by then.

However, something about her behaviour earlier annoyed her ever more, as she traversed the corridors. She was not one to show any concern up to now. For some reason though, she found herself trying to offer advice like a counsellor. The glaring lack of therapists in the 501st was striking enough for her. She could not help but feel the upper brass was sorely neglecting the mental health of a group of young girls whose psyches were clearly more fragile compared to the hardened gym rats of the military.

"So much for common sense..." she mockingly mourned the situation, dissatisfied with her overall stay. She used to think that she was the most delusional witch in the JFWs. Now, she was starting to believe she was really going to be driven mad.

[Finorskia]

Yuri cocked an eyebrow. "Get what?" Yuri shook his head. "You know what forget. You seem to be having an epiphany. I don't want to ruin the mood.

[Hetland 2]

Maria got up, calming down her cackling to a merely wince-inducing chuckle. She brushed off her legs and butt before heading back to the infirmary. She'd injured Svetlana. There was no point in moping about it. She'd go down and wait for the little girl to wake up and apologize sincerely. She opened the door and sat down next to her and began waiting patiently for her to wake up.

[Wolfenium]

Svetlana had been out cold for hours. The extent of her injuries by Maria remained unsaid. Even with Yoshika on board to heal her up at the time, there was a limit to how much she could fix. But as Maria quietly observed the sleeping loli, a look of terror was spreading on the Orussian's face.

"No..." she uttered in her sleep, as if sunk in a deep nightmare, "don't... please..." Struggling and stirring, she whispered in fear, "don't say it, I'll shoot... Please don't say it..." Significantly more high-pitched and emotional, Svetlana's voice lacked the cold logic she possessed for most of her life. Rather, it was a voice of a fragile young girl held under the threat of pain. Very soon, the girl began convulsing and screaming, forcing herself against the restraints in horror as the nightmares in her mind grew. The minder that once held her free will hostage had long disappeared from her life, and yet, his voice continues to haunt her subconscience, eating away at her fears. As her screams grew, it was clear she was in desperate need of help.

[Malshan]

Gustave levered himself up off the floor and limped toward the cell door, stopping just out of reach of the two furious Witches. He stood there, simply gazing at them with dead eyes. For nearly a minute he stood there, just staring at them. Just before he sensed that they were going to boil over, Gustave began to speak. "Capitaine Ruya, you're probably the only one here with the proper clearance and authority to make me explain myself. But of course, since we've been transported into this past the point is sort of moot."

"You may know part of my history, but I doubt that you're aware of the full extent of my life. My file in 2012 is fabricated; not real. I was born HERE in this time, about twenty years ago. I'm sure you're aware of the Warlock Project? During a weapons test, several engineers and personnel disappeared. I was one of them, having been sucked through the portal while operating the controls. I was one of the junior engineers working on the beam weapons of the Warlock."

"When I woke up, I was in a military tent in 2012 being fitted with a prosthetic limb." He tapped his left arm. "The portal had ripped away parts of those who had gone through, me losing my arm while others lost more important parts." He sighed and sat down on the cell floor. "But that's not important."

"Haven't you ever loved something or someone? I have. Despite being the sciencey shut-in that I am, I fell in love with a woman who I was soon married to. And then that cursed Warlock project ripped me away and cast my into the river of time. I thought I'd never see her again, her being dead in 2012. But now that we're HERE in THIS time once more, I had the chance to set her fears aside. Knowing that I would never get permission to do so, I took the necessary actions to get back to Narbonne. She moved there shortly after my disappearance."

"So why did I desert? For a woman. The only one I've ever loved. To settle her chaotic mind. If that's such a crime...well, I don't care much."

Sohvi sighed, shaking her head. Well, guilt was completely out of the question. "Gustave, normally doing something with the consequences of, well, what you did or at least tried to do, would probably get you either life or execution, depending on the country." She paused to let that sink in.

"However. Considering the circumstances, and the fact that we need you, I'm willing to overlook this incident, on one condition." Ruya stared at her superior as if she had just spoken in Neuroi. "You are confined to your quarters for the remainder of the time we are here in 1945. You are only to leave to repair Strikers, eat, clean yourself, and use the restroom. If I see you doing anything else without a superior officer escorting you, I will have you immediately sent to the nearest French prison, where you will spend the rest of your natural life."

Gustave nodded. "Of course, mon Capitaine. I would expect nothing less. Sapristi...I expected to be executed. I much prefer house arrest." He stood up from his spot on the ground and moved closer to the bars, rubbing his tender arm where the rather overzealous Witches had shot him. He sighed. "Oh why couldn't you have simply let me go? The time stream was already feeling the effects of my departure AND my return. It wouldn't have changed anything so long as I didn't kill anyone."

There was a commotion in the hallway and a uniformed crewman went flying past the open door, slamming into the opposite wall. A barrage of loud Gallian curses were heard and Gustave winced. "Now where have I heard THAT before? Looks like I'm getting my wish regardless..."

A woman stormed into the brig, another crewman following closely behind. The crewman gestured hopelessly and apologetically to Ruya and Sohvi, seemingly unable to do anything about the furious woman. The woman caught sight of Gustave and walked quickly over to the cage, reaching through them and grabbing him in an embrace. The two exchanged a quick conversation in a mixture of Britannian and Gallian before the woman stopped and turned to face the two officers. "Bonjour, mesdames. Est-ce que vous avez mon beau en l'incarcération?"

[Finorskia]

"Personally I think we should execute the traitor." Yuri scoffed. The commotion outside caught his attention. Yuri spun and whipped out his 9mm pistol and pointed it at the mysterious women. "Miss I am going to have to request that you step away from the prisoner this instant or there will be consequences." Yuri's face was twisted into an expression of hatred.

[Hetland 2]

"Personally I think we should execute the traitor." Yuri scoffed. The commotion outside caught his attention. Yuri spun and whipped out his 9mm pistol and pointed it at the mysterious women. "Miss I am going to have to request that you step away from the prisoner this instant or there will be consequences." Yuri's face was twisted into an expression of hatred.

Katsumi caught his hand and pulled it down, easily sliding the gun from his grip, flicking the safety on and. "Section 16 Subsection 3. No unauthorized personnel are to have firearms in the brig. Section 16 subsection 1. Short of a full Nueroi attack or rebellion, all personnel are to keep their firearm's safeties on." She gave hit a bop on the back of the head before handing the gun off to Sohvi.

---

Maria moved herself up to the distressed witch and stroked her hair. "Don't worry, sweetie. Maria's here to protect you. Maria's here."

[Malshan]

"Personally I think we should execute the traitor." Yuri scoffed. The commotion outside caught his attention. Yuri spun and whipped out his 9mm pistol and pointed it at the mysterious women. "Miss I am going to have to request that you step away from the prisoner this instant or there will be consequences." Yuri's face was twisted into an expression of hatred.

Nicole's eyes crossed and her mouth twisted into an expression equivalent to hatred. "Va te faire foutre, de porc russe! Tenir à l'écart de Gustave et moi, ou bien vous n'aurez pas le petit doigt pour tirer ce déclencheur avec!" She turned to the two officers and said, "Pouvez-vous pas contrôler vos subordonnés? S'il vous plaît dites-lui de baisser son arme." Despite being faced with an advanced weapon, she seemed rather calm about the alien-like ship that had appeared.