《GERSTEIN und TEA CUP》 First Report - REDEMPTION ¡°Fraulein. You look like a tea cup.¡± ¡°And you look like an SS officer.¡± ¡°¡­ I am an SS Officer. However, my position stands differently than those bastards in my office.¡± 1945. The Second World War. The Nazi Socialist Party had already taken full control of Germany and declared war against the entire European Front. It all began with a Blitzkrieg offensive that involved capturing Poland, soon after the nations of France, Norway, Denmark, Austria, the Afircan Continent, and eventually the Eastern Front of the Soviet Russia. These were ambitious times, and the Germany Army of this era were sure they were going to win this war. Ever since the Treaty of Versaille, the bad taste of defeat were still bitter in their mouth like spoiled coffee. It was only a matter of time before they lift up their chins and raise their war banners high again. Regardless of the war front, the true conflict did not just come from rifles, warplanes, or tanks. Often the case, there were moments in the chaotic war period that the conflict did not involve bullets or an artillery shell.One of the major struggles in this war, was to believing in the existence of a hidden nightmare that was being buried under the mud and rain. Where men and women, both of and outside of Germany, are fighting to bring about a truth that the world must see. And everything that has been told, comes from the lips of a certain German Officer who wears the black uniform of a notorious armed division in the Germany Army, the Waffen-SS. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. I¡¯ve sent hundreds of letters to the Swiss Churches, hopefully asking for someone of high-rank in their society to witness the horrors of what I¡¯ve endured, to tell to the world. Maybe even the Vatican. Instead, they sent a single nun no higher than my hip. What does this mean?¡± ¡°Hmm. I hate to say this but due to budgetary cuts, they couldn¡¯t afford losing their important officials in the church due to the intensity of the war. They¡¯ve already spent their resources in providing Red Cross packages and are too busy with managing the Geneva Convention of War Inspections and Reports. Also, I¡¯m not a nun. I¡¯m a clerk at one of their smaller branches. My position is part-time.¡± ¡°Which comes to the question again, why a tea cup?¡± ¡°Are you making fun of me, Mr. German?¡± The battle in Germany didn¡¯t involve facing the Allies head on. Often times, the groups that German Soldiers must face are not necessarily a British Commando, American Pilot, or even a Russian Tank. There have been many moments in the history of German Military, where they fought amongst themselves. This came from the source of extreme rivalry from between Germany''s traditional Werhmacht and the newly annointed Waffen-SS. Soldiers of the Fatherland, and Agents who serve directly to the Nazi Party. If they didn''t fall at the Western or Eastern Front, it wouldn''t be shocking to see them fall in their own homeland for various reasons. Their only difference was who they truly served: Germany, or That Man. It was obvious theWaffen-SS would ''weed out'' those who deny the existence of That Man, even if it mean removing key members of the Werhmacht. ¡°I¡¯ve noticed the moment you entered the restaurant, Fraulein, that the men at the tables have been staring at you. Are you sure you should be meeting with me in such a showy nun robe? You really do look like the type of china cup my grandmother would often pride herself over.¡± ¡°¡­No. I believe the true intent of those eyes are meant for you. Do you not remember the fact that you are the only man in Black Uniform.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.. Oh right.¡± In a certain town in Germany, in a small little hamlet by the name of Dusseldorf there was a small restaurant. It was owned by a humble family of five, a wife, husband, and three children. They had the dream of opening many chains under their family name all across Berlin, until the nation itself decided to put all of their resources in invading other countries. And ever since the whole country went into high alert and martial law, business had altered significantly. However, that didn¡¯t meant the family weren¡¯t flexible enough to cator their food and services to member of the German Army who drop by every now and then. Surprisingly, most of the Officers in the ranks are paid good money. And it became a popular gathering place because of that. Hence why all the patrons were men in the classic grey uniform. Most of them were high ranking officials in the Werhmacht themselves who enjoy dining, drinking, and having the occasional photos together. This was one reason why everyone felt a sort of tension to see just that one certain SS Soldier sitting at a table. He was wearing a black uniform, the uniform of the notorious Waffen-SS. Sitting across from him, was a girl. Hard to say beautiful, because she didn¡¯t look mature enough to carry the title confidently. Neither did she look like the person whoenjoy people staring at her small round face or short legs. Instead, she covered herself head to toe in what appeared to be the habit of a nun. It was white, shocking white, almost too bright. With the blue decorations that curled around her skirt and sleeve, she kind of looked like a tea cup made from the factories of Copenhagen, Denmark. But in fact, she was born and raised in neutral Switzlerland. For now, let¡¯s refer to this peculiar girl as China Cup for simplicity.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. ¡°Fraulein. I hope you would understand, the territory which I plan to transcend is riddled with turmoil and horrors that should never be seen by the chaste eyes like yourself. Let me be the one to burden those poisonous sins.¡± ¡°Which is exactly why I was forced to meet with you all the way from Geneva to formally decline your request to the Church you wrote to. Honestly, our offices are no bigger than a chapel in a hamlet, our influence could barely tip the scales of favor among the larger churches. They say they believe in your story of what your organizations is doing to millions of innocent people, but frankly they still think this is some kind of publicity stunt to get more attention to German propagand.¡± "I assure you. Everything I''ve told you the moment you sat down is real. The people, the chemicals, the camps. All of it. If the people in your holy offices think this is some kind of joke, then you are free to go home." "I for one, do not like to quit now that I''ve gotten my feet dirty on your muddy Berlin roads. Neither do I share the same public relations viewpoint as my superiors. So my reasons for personally meeting you in this smoke and alcohol ranking family restaurant are very clear." ¡°You say that, but you look too young to be following in my footsteps. If I am to fight my wars alone, so be it. I can see you are not a member of the highly praised Swiss Mercenary units, and dragging you into this minefield of espionage would make me look irresponsible. Waffen-SS or not, I don''t want your blood on my hands." "Every heard of the saying, the pen is mightier than the sword. If my use is strictly clerical, then I shall record everything you''ve accomplished up to the point where either the battlefield crushes us, or the firing squad greets us. The last thing I will accept, is a man rejecting a woman''s good offer." "...How older are you again?" "27." "Yet you look like you could fit in well at my daughter''s boarding school?" "Again, are you picking a fight with me?" "If I truly rose up from my chair, the second I raise my hand these Werhmacht officers will shoot me. The bastards in my own organization are well known for pulling the trigger at the smallest of reasons, so don''t put such a depressing impression on my own shoulders. I''m different from them!" The man in the black uniform put on a small frown. It may have been not his nature, despite his services to that notorious group which he is part off, but it felt appropriate to say he felt conflicted by this interaction with the strange China Cup. Despite the fact he was the only man in the family restaurant who served members of the German Army to wear the iconical all black and red-armband, it didn¡¯t seem to bother him that everyone was staring at him as if reading to pull out their Lugers to formally greet him. Not even his hand was shaking as he drank his coffee. ¡°...Is that alcohol I smell mixed in with your cup? It¡¯s 9:00 in the morning and you¡¯re already in need of an eye-opener!?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. A German can¡¯t function without having his ritual cup of tea and schnapps. How do you think we can confidently dellud ourself that we are winning this war. The bad dreams of losing the First Great War still shake out heartsever since Foreign Minister Hermann Mueller and Johannes Bell signed the Treat of Versailles on Germany''s behalf!" "I confess, that I''m not entirely a nun of the cloth, however, I still strongly believe no one should devote their life to the false gods living in the bottom of a damn whisky bottle! You need to invest your time and energy on something more productive! Ever heard of picking up a hobby!?" ¡°FrauleinTea Cup. Schnapps isour national hobby!¡± The conversation between the girl who resembled a china cup and a man in a black uniform and red band seemed to be in the middle of a heated argument. The words they were exchanging like bullets between two forces stuck in the trenches would force other grey-uniformed German Officers to glare in their direction. If the prescence of a certain SS Officer didn¡¯t make them sit well, it would definitely the angry couple were disturbing their time with... their schnapps ¡°Here. Before I was forced to leave Switzerland to officially decline your request to help you, the head priest of the chapel stuffed these pamphlets in my dress. Be sure to attend the nearest Alcohols Anonymous meeting to deal with your problems.¡± ¡°Pardon my language, but are you a dummkoff, little tea cup? What is the point of questioning other''s culture and traditions by comparing it to your own. How do you think the British Empire get so many enemies within its colony when they force a majority of their out of country citizen to turn to Anglican Christianity!" "I''m Roman Catholic. So it''s not my problem." "Although I work for the Confessing Church as their acting agent, this is the first time in my life, where I''ve seen a nun give a ''I don''t give a sheisse'' look to me." "I told you, I work as a part-time desk clerk in a Swiss Chapel no bigger than an elementary school. I''m not even ordained." There was an awkward silence in the army-popular family restaurant, and it wasn''t coming from the Werhmacht soldiers watching the bickering couple in the center of the place. The tenions was so heavy, they were already reaching their hands for their Lugers, Kar98 rifles, or even the MP40 submachine gun. Then, the invisible glass shattered. "Hmph. Very well, I accept your offer to help me in my cause. Now, achtung, Fraulein. We have much work to do if we wish to bring the entire Waffen-SS down to their knees. They''re preparing to mobilize the production of a new chemical plant to create more toxins for the war. I wish to bury their pride before its has the chance to stand on its own two feet!" "Guwooh! D-don''t pull at my robes like that! I-it''ll give people the wrong impressions of what we''re actually saying! Wi-with this kind of body language, th-these soldiers will think I''m some kind of tramp wife who needs to be reeled in by her husband!" "...Apologies, Fraulein. I''m already married to a darling wife and I have a daughter whose about to start boarding school soon. Regardless of this god-forsaken black uniform, I am a family man through and through." "Now my position has been converted to the tramp mistress!? I don''t want that kind of misunderstanding for my first time in Germany!" The Werhmacht saw an peculiar sight, that day of 1943. They would see this hated Waffen-SS soldier dragging a nun who looked like a fragile tea cup out of the restaurant. Little did they now, the moment they exit the room full of stale cigar fumes and cheap schnapps, those two will begin on a long and difficult journey to uncover a truth that no one believed them. Not the Allies, not the League of Nations, not even the High Cathedrels of the Vatican. The man''s name was Lieutenant Kurt Gerstein, an SS Officer serving the Confessing Churches. "Schnell, schnell! We have much work to do with whatever free time we have in this messed up war. So let''s make every second count to wipe off the smug look from the bastard''s faces!" "JUST PLEASE STOP DRAGGING MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Second Report - DIRECTION ¡°I don¡¯t like trains. They make me dizzy.¡± ¡°Yet your sitting in one right now, Mr. SS Officer.¡± ¡°¡­ Planes are too loud.¡± ¡°What is the matter with you?¡± It was the middle of the Second World War. Germany has pushed their major offensives across the European continent in order to acquire more land and influence from the Allied Forces of British, American, Soviet, and other assisting nations. However, the German Werhmacht had come across various obstacles and hiccups in their multiple operations in key points such as Norway, the borders of France, and their assault with Fascist Italian Soldiers. Operation Chastise. The No. 617 Squadron of the Royal Air Force has launched a daring bombing raid in the areas of Mohne and Edersee, Germany, right behind enemy lines. The idea was to throw the newly developed ¡®bouncing bombs¡¯ to into a German-owned Dam system. With the capabilities of the depth charges being ¡®bounced¡¯ over the water surface at a fixed time and velocity like that of a jumping pebble in a lake, the attack was able to bypass torpedoe-netting and most anti-air security to destroy the German Dam. This caused major internal damages in the German territories with major flooding, and the loss of major source of power production. This would buy time for the Allies to regroup and prepare for another major offensive. "Huff. Ever since that incident, the moisture level around this area has increases. Even my finger tips are starting to prune as if I had too many showers." "...Fraulein Tea Cup. Didn''t you have a shower in the morning, a shower in the afternoon, a bath before we set out for this mission by train?" "I-it''s a ritual! Cough. F-for good f-fortune. Th-the Holy Tr-Trinity." "........... Of course." "D-don''t give me that look of pity! Do I look like a sick puppy lying across the road alone!?" At the same time, it caused issues in Fatherland of Germany. The never ending flow of stored water fell uncontrollably, so many major roads and transports were blocked by flooding. The only way for most German forces or civilians to cross this new ¡®nile¡¯ in their Fatherland, was riding onboard old trains that were located in remote areas. When it meant old trains, this means ¡®trains who should have been left alone for a very damn good reason¡¯. In one of those old clunkers, there was a particular pair of characters who were fighting behind enemy lines. One was a German Officer, wearing the all black uniform of the Waffen-SS. Since no one from his organization was present, he had stripped off the red arm band carrying the symbol he dislikes. Accompanying him, was a girl wearing the habit only nuns should wear. Maybe due to the blue pastel decorations painted across the skirt and sleeve, the attire made her look like a walking tea cup born from Copenhagen (but she was from Switzerland). ¡°Mr. SS-Officer. I believe you just signed our death warrants the moment we boarded this obsolete train. I feel like the last official inspection anyone has made for the integrity of this transport was in 1908!!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate the German technology, Frau Tea Cup. Unlike most nations and their standards of mass production, we always aim for the highest quality product with a long and reliable lifespan. Why do you think the Volkswagon brand is so popular? Even the British and the Americans were so proud to import it into their country before the war broke out.¡± ¡°You¡¯re just denying the fact that this piece of cr*p train could crumble into Martian Dust if one passenger were to sneeze the wrong way.¡± ¡°I will confess to you, Fraulein of the Swiss Church, that I hate the smell that¡¯s in the leather. As a member of the Technical Hygiene Department of the Waffen-SS, I cannot abide to this standard regardless of the reason. If the owner of this station was still present, I would have no qualm filing a complaint letter for him.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure the one manager who used to ran the once empty train station would be rolling around in his coffin to hide from you. You do realize it was last choice for the German military to re-open these run down stations.¡±Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°Of course, I was one of the members who approved its re-opening after I conducted a full hygiene investigation. At least someone cleans their bathroom even better than most hotels in Berlin.¡± ¡°Is that the reason why we¡¯re on this iron death trap that won¡¯t stop raping itself with rusted rods!?" ¡°Jawohl. I saw this as a perfect opportunity to slip behind my own German Security to reach one of the camps in Poland. With the flooding from the Mohne and Edersee Dam, this is a great chance to free the Polish Prisoner of Wars as their Schtalag camps are being overruned by mud and rats. With the current situations there, we could surely rescue all 320 prisoners and have the Allies retrieve them from the enemy lines. Yes, I can see the entirety of the Waffen-SS infrastructure crumbling from this very idea! Wunderbar!¡± It was in this very moment, it felt appropriate for the China Cup to put on a small frown. It made her look adorable more than lethal, but the look of blazing coal ready to be dumped on someone''s head said otherwise. Possibly it was because of her short stature, her expression of negative emotions didn''t have the same impact as that of a hungry lion staring at your face. ¡°I¡¯m just a clerk from a small chapel in Switzerland, not a member of the American Navy! I don¡¯t have advanced diving skills! And I highly doubt you''re a secret operative from the German Kreigsmarine. How do you expect an SS officer and a holy secretary clerk to deal with a brigade of German guards with MP40s!?¡± "Tritt ihm ohne Zogern einfach in den Arsch!" "Saying ''don''t ask questions, kick their ass'' in German Pride will not keep bullets or Rottweillers from biting us! You''re not listening to meeeeee!" The train was old enough to be mistaken as the grandfather of all trains. Its stage of function and decomposition would be enough to ask the engineers to send it to an elderly train care home for long term surveillance. It was not at all suitable to carry a full load of military supplies, ammunition, and German troopers and civilians. In fact, with how bad the flooding was it was just a terrible idea to be mobilizing at all. Yet a certain rebel SS-Officer decided to be the first to buy the tickets for himself and his partner, regardless of her objections. And since he had foreknowledge of this desolate train re-opening, to full service, he thought he could acquire seats in the most suitable compartment¡­ However¡­ uh. ¡°Gyaaah! Wh-what the h*ll is that thing rotting in the corner of our cabin!? I-is it moving!? Quick, you have a Luger! Shoot it! Shoot it!¡± ¡°Fraulein. As much as I am a member of the Waffen-SS who always picture themselves as gun-toting bastards ready to shoot their own men at the drop of a black hat, I¡¯m not that kind of person. And it¡¯s not an animal that died there, but a brick that an animal left behind. They say it''s perfect for fertilizers on the farm. Fortunately, after many years it''s turned into a rock so there''s no smell. Guut.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­. Why the h*ll did you choose this train box again?¡± ¡°Honestly, when I was a young boy, I¡¯ve always wanted to see what was the First Class compartment on a train. I guess, I¡¯m sort of fulfilling that childhood wish.¡± ¡°THIS IS FIRST CLASS!?....... No. That''s it. I''m getting off this train. Move your feet!¡± ¡°Fra-Fraulein. This train is moving at a maxium 99 miles per hour (160 km/hr). Y-you¡¯ll be torn to shreds the second you try and put so much as a pinky toe out of the door!¡± ¡°I DON''T GIVE A DAMN! I¡¯M JUMPING RIGHT NOW! SO, OUT WEINERSTAIN!¡± ¡°IT¡¯S AUF WIEDERSEHEN YOU SWISS DUMMKOFF! GET BACK IN YOUR SEAT OR YOU''LL CAUSE A TRAGEDY!¡± ¡°NEVER! MY SEAT IS STAINED IN STICKY WHITE STUFF! I DON''T WANT TO SIT ON THE SAME SPOT THAT SMELLS LIKE ROMEO AND JULIET CONSUMATED THEIR MARRIAGE BEFORE THEIR WEDDING!!¡± There had been a small issue onboard the old train, but it was swiftly dealt with. Maybe due to the sudden re-opening of the train services in the forgotten stations (closed after 1918) there either wasn¡¯t enough time to call back or hire staff workers to serve those onboard the train, or there was just no funding available. So, a certain Officer of the Waffen-SS could be seen persuading a raging girl in a nun habit from commiting suicide on a running train. A simple tackle looked efficient. ¡°Please calm down. This train is old, but has been hailed as the fastest. We will be in Polad within the hour... Here, have some schnapps. This should calm your mind.¡± ¡°Is the cup sterile? The black mold in this First Class Cabin is conflicting with my mind. I-I feel like the armies of infection are invading my body like how your army Blitzkrieg France in the first place!¡± ¡°That is a terrible joke! Apologize to the people who suffered under my idiot army¡¯s oppression. No schnapps for you!¡± ¡°N-no! Please, I-I need something more than rosary beads to calm me doooooown!¡± Again, the small problem had been solved. It was all thanks to the creation of schnapps, a local German alcoholic spirit with a fruity punch. It¡¯s very popular, and considered a ritual for most German Officers to carry a small bottle on their person. The life of an army declaring war against all nations wasn¡¯t easy. ¡°¡­Why does it taste like pineapple?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Strawberry actually. I bought this bottle straight from Japan Exports. The Imperials there surprisingly make very good spirits.¡± ¡°... I want more." ¡°Nein. The look in your eyes is telling me you''re stepping onto the dark path of all drinkers. I have to cut you off before you tread down the spiral of depression!" There was a small scuffle in the ¡®first class¡¯ compartment, but again it was quickly diverted. If anyone else was in the same small room, they would have mistaken it as a white tiger resembling a china cup assaulting an officer of the notorious Waffen-SS. But of course that didn¡¯t happen, historically speaking. Cough. Third Report - PLANNING ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to eat that, Fraulein Tea Cup? It¡¯s good for your gut, ja?¡± ¡°This thing you call a Wiener Schnitzel¡­ it¡¯s too big for my mouth. There''s no way a normal woman could eat this like a New York hot dog.¡± ¡°Even if you did open wide like a child to candy, no one will care. The guards are too busy unloading the chemical compounds, they won¡¯t bother paying any attention to you. Don''t fret about the details of etiquette.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m worried about you idiot German.¡± It was a cold afternoon, even thought it was the middle of June. Maybe it was heaven¡¯s way of saying this Second World War was unnecessary, but there was no way to influence the bubbling and frothing urges or emotions between nations with rising powers during a climactic era such as this. It was sad really, for both the Allies and the Axis despite their intentions of either world peace or world domination. Often times, there were moments where soldiers on the front line would wish they could just walk into town with some friends, have a nice drink, eat fresh food to forget the cardboard taste of their daily rations, maybe even meet a friend from the other side of the war. Honestly, the Americans and Germans have fought alongside each other once, but that would be another record to look into another time. Again, another time. ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, aren''t Weiner Schnitzel be served on a plate with some melted cheese¡­ Why is it sitting in a cut open bun?¡± ¡°As much as I was born and raised in Germany, that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m a fan of the Nazis. If they think Western Ideals be d@mned, then what better way to celebrate my defiant spirit by eating German weiners on a handheld bun like an American. Besides, there has always been a part of me that wanted to go to New York... or, go see Montana. Yes, definitely Montana.¡± ¡°There¡¯s so many mixed emotions in that statement alone. Even the Americans woldn¡¯t know if they should slap you or give you a medal.¡± ¡°Besides, it¡¯s easier to survey the unloading the transports without starving in the cold. I received reports from sources that the Waffen-SS are planning to produce a new chemical agents for the war. But before they put it into full capacity against the Allies, they¡¯re planning to test it on the prisoners in the prison camps. I won¡¯t accept it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°¡­ What is it Fraulein? D-did the Gestapo spotted us already?¡± ¡°Why the h*ll did you put sauerkraut in my bun. I hate onions.¡± ¡°What are you a cat, Frau Tea Cup?¡± Even if it wasn¡¯t snowing, just standing out in the cold streets in the edges of Hammelburg would feel like it could snow at a drop of a hat¡­ or snow flake. Take your pick. A certain rebel German Officer of the Waffen-SS thought it was a good moment to spy on a military office that was currently situated in the edges of town, away from regular civilian eyes. He could see a convoy of covered vans lined up one after another, resembling a boa constrictor that fell asleep after a decent meal. There was also an armored wagon, a Leichter Panzerspahwagen, or armored half-track, with a mounted Maschinegewehr 34 heavy machine gun that added extra intimidation points to the security detail. Standing next to the rebel SS-Officer, was a girl in series of clothing that made her look like a nun from a Swiss Church. The way she had these blue swirls and patterns painted on her skirt and sleeve gave her the impression of a tea cup. So let¡¯s call her China Cup (no, it¡¯s not a code name). ¡°Hey. Mr. German. Why are you gawking at that girl who¡¯s climbing out of the half-track. Is she really that attractive?¡± ¡°My wife is 10 times hotter than that woman with heavy make up. She¡¯s the scientist who is responsible with the new chemical compound the Waffen-SS are planning to put together with other deadly toxins. She is the one who is spearheading the development of the new gas weapon.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°¡­ Oh I see. So she is German. I see why she was crazy enough to wear only a lab coat and nylon stockings while it''s -20 degrees outside. Yes.¡± ¡°Are you mocking our German pride, little Tea Cup?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m merely stating what I see¡­ Gaah. This Weiner Schniztel is just too big! You eat it.¡± ¡°Nein! I¡¯m a member of the Technical Hygiene Department of the Waffen-SS. It would be counter-intuitive for me to eat food that someone else took a bite from! It¡¯s completely unhygienic! Not to mentioin all the sanitation laws I would be breaking at once!¡± The China Cup girl put on a frown. Although she wasn¡¯t old enough or mature to be considered beautiful as an adult temptress, she did have a round enough face and small enough stature to give her some attraction points. The little scowl on her face gave her some bonus marks. ¡°So what do you suggest. That we walk in, saying Heil whatever, that you want access to the storage room, and mix enough schnapps into the chemical vats to make them faulty for the production line?¡± ¡°Of course it won¡¯t be that simple. With my rank as an SS-Lieutenant, I will goose march my way to the office doors; yell at the privates and corporals for no reason and scream HEIL WHATEVER in a loud voice; say some random orders Schnell, Schnell! Or Raus, Raus, Raus, to get them out of my way; walk in with a key their struggling major will offer to me; unlock the storage; and light the damn barrels on fire in a way that would look like sparks from a rat-bitten wiring. Jawohl!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­Don''t give me that ''the hell?'' look little Tea Cup. This is what the Waffen-SS does on a daily basis. Stepping out of routine will not only confuse people in the Wehrmacht, but would immediately draw suspicions to me. There''s no such thing as a nice guy in the SS!" ¡°Hmm. Since this is Germany, I guess it makes sense.¡± ¡°Fraulein, did I hear some bad opinions about my Fatherland?¡± The German Officer who disliked anything unhygienic or seeing human life being treated like trash clicked his tongue. He might have done so in history, but given the position of him being the only SS Officer in the entirety of the Waffen-SS who wished to bring his own organization down to their knees, his noble plan would require more than the average schnapps to encourage him. So he had every right to release some of the pent up negative energies from his body through any gesture necessary, in order to level down his anxiety. "Mein Gott, Fraul Tea Cup. Are you seriously a child? You got Gravy sauce on your cheeks. Stay still and let me wipe it off." "THE HELL ARE YOU LICKING YOUR THUMB FOR! I''M NOT YOUR CHILD! STAY AWAY FROM MY BODY!" ¡°Fine. Fine. You deal with the mess... Hmm. It''s almost time and we need to prepare. I¡¯ll contact the German Resistance members and provide them with the crucial guard shift schedule and security detail. I know the former members of the Wehrmacht are too happy to gun down anyone in the same uniform that branded their loyal German hearts as traitors like me, but knowing that we share the same goal in freeing the Fatherland from That Man, it¡¯s worth a shot.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Sorry, the ''worth a shot'' was a bad joke. I¡¯ll revise that saying.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not worried about that. It¡¯s the woman with the lab coat and nylon stockings I was worried about. What do you plan to do? Even if you go solo and sabotage her equipment and ingredients, so long as she still has the recipe in her head, she could always make more. Maybe she might be crazy enough to improve on the faults you would show in your plan.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Now it was the rebel Waffen SS-Officer who was silent after that one minor detail. The man known as Lieutenant Kurt Gerstein was one of the few who opposed the Nazi Regime, and the actions of his own Waffen-SS. The horrors he saw with his own eyes, he would never forget. As much as he wanted to be a one man army, he was only just a military scientist of the Technical Hygiene Department, not a blood and guts soldier. So there was only a few options with what limited resources a rebel SS Officer like himself could utilize. ¡°¡­ It would leave a bad taste in my mouth, but I shall kidnap the Fraulein if necessary.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you just give me your Luger and I¡¯ll take care of the bitch. Just seeing her sway her hips around to have all eyes on her busts pisses me off.¡± ¡°A-aren¡¯t you a nun from the Swiss Church!? S-so violent!¡± ¡°Technically, I¡¯m just a desk clerk at a small chapel in Geneva. This habit is my work uniform. Also due to my skin being sensitive to syntheric materials, this is the only clothing I could wear without breaking into a walking red rash. Plus, it''s easy to clean, even if I eat Italian Spaghetti with squid ink.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± "Are you going to stand there staring at my chest, or hand me your gun?" "Why does that sound like a loaded comment, Fraulein Tea Cup. I''m hesitant to even respond to that trapped phrase." "Just give me your Luger." War on the homefront was difficult. However, in order to bring in hope for those who wanted to see the future, even the rebel SS Officer was willing to take a bold leap forward. ¡°¡­Don¡¯t lose Bethany.¡± ¡°You named your gun?¡± Fourth Report - TRICK ¡°Do you see the tank, Frau Tea Cup?¡± ¡°Yes. Which is exactly why I want to go back to the hotel and sleep in for the day." Tanks. It has become an integral part of modernized warfare during the Second World War. At first, in the previous World War, they were nothing more than armored mobile artillery that could be crewed and driven through enemy flanks. They were monsters, even in their prototype stages. Due to the various engineering advancements and leap in technical knowledge, the capability of tanks have flourish significantly. There were various types and models built by different nations. For example, the British Sherman Firefly medium tank which was widely used among its forces as well as the Commonwealth Unit. Then the iconic American born M3 Stuart Light tank that was suitable for hit and run missions. But how could we ever forget the one Iron Beast that constantly changed the tide of battle the second it steps onto the stage ¨C the German Panzerkampfwagen VI Tiger Ausf. E¡­ or the Tiger I tank destroyer. ¡°As much as I should be taking pride as my skills in being a desk clerk in a Swiss Chapel, I don¡¯t like the idea of conducting a live drawing session ¨C while that menacing death on wheels is staring at me with it¡¯s one eye.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, everyone in the camp thinks I¡¯m part of an Inspection Group from the Waffen-SS. They¡¯ll be led to believe I will be simply conducting regular examinations of the prisoner barracks as well as the underground water piping and filtration system. Just carry on and pretend you¡¯re jotting down notes I¡¯m rambling about.¡± ¡°Could you pretend to speak rubbish louder to me. That guard I made eye contact with is staring at me even more than he should be. I-I think he saw the blueprints of the prison camp I¡¯m working on!¡± ¡°Pay him no mind. This is war, far from their home and city. Of course they would long for the companionship of a female." "I seriously do not like where this is going, Mr. SS Officer." "Fret not. As you said, I am an Officer. So, if he comes close, I¡¯ll just yell ''GET BACK TO WORK DUMMKOFF, SCHNELL! RAUS-RAUS-RAUS!'', and he will not question us... And I told you to at least wear a matching uniform! The fact you look like a walking tea cup is drawing too much attention!" ¡°Tch. My skin is super sensitive. The last time I dressed up in your godforsaken German uniforms, I ended up with rashes all over my body for an entire week!¡± "For the great good of saving hundreds of innocent lives, that is a sacrifice worthy of offering." "If I told you to give up schnapps to save a child, would you?" "......... I''ll... give you my response... in three weeks." "..." Tanks of any caliber were not always posted on the front lines. No, sometimes the army needed to keep some in reserve, in case the production plants were not capable of manufacturing enough spare units. There would be moments in periods like World War 2, where such tanks were necessary in quelling mass anti-Nazi riots in Berlin, fight against armed resistance groups, or even be present as a show of force and authority to occupied nations that have the inkling to rebel. So, it wouldn¡¯t be too suspicious to find one or two tanks posted in a prisoner of war camp, especially near the capital of Germany. Along with those iron monsters that were marching around the dirt fields of the prison compound, there was a peculiar pair of individuals that were undergoing ''inspections'' of the barracks in a prison camp. It was designated Schtalag 12. "Mr. German. You''re in my line. How do you expect me to draw an accurate diagram if you give me a crappy pencil that keeps breaking off at the tip, and having terrible lighting! It''s a miracle my writing doesn''t look like that of a drunkard." "Ausdauer und hingabe!" "Muttering ''perseverence and dedication'' in German isn''t going to help me improve my drawing skills!" One was an Officer of the Waffen-SS. Despite wearing the notorious black uniform and the red arm-band, he was a rebel against his own organization and didn¡¯t carry the markings on his armband to heart like most of his comrades. Following after him was a small girl who claims to be just under 30, but her height was conflicting the facts. She also wore this odd nun habit that had blue decorations making her look like a china cup. Hence why we call her China Cup for the duration of this excerpt. For the record, she was quickly scribbling some sketches and drawings of the barracks, security booths, prisoner quarters, and even the storage supply for both food and weapons (overcapacity prisoner beds).You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. ¡°Fraulein. I want you to make sure you get every square inch of this location in your drawings. Once we collected the necessary information, we will compile the diagrams and present them to the German underground that we will be meeting tonight in the Valhalla Haufbrau beer garden. After we make contact with them, we shall strike to break free the Allied and Civilian Prisoners from this camp before they are executed tomorrow.¡± ¡°Slow down, slow down! I need your body as a shield to keep wandering eyes from seeing me writing too much detail. If they catch on, they could shoot me.¡± ¡°If they so much as look at you in a dirty manner, I will shoot first.¡± ¡°You may be wearing the SS uniform, but you can¡¯t even kill a rabbit for dinner!" "... I don''t want to get Bethany dirty." "Just admit it. You''ve never fired a gun." "Exactly! Ever since the start of this lousy war, she''s never been fired once for any reason! That am I proud of, and deserve some kind of achievement to pop out of no where and tell me I''ve done a good job. One day, this system shall be established, and everyone in the world will know - I''ve never fired a single bullet." "Honestly. I don''t know what type of generation we will have in the far future, but given how human genetics are going, I have no doubt people who could virtually be soldiers in some kind of imagintive game would laugh at you." "..........Ausdauer und hingabe!" "Sure." The China Cup scribbled some words down into her small pad. Due to the poor lightning, the fact it was nearing dusk, and being a bit jumpy at the German soldiers marching around the camp with full loaded Kar98 rifles and MP40 submachine guns, made it difficult to work under pressure. But she endured like the good girl from the Swiss Church would. "Fraulein. You''re shaking too much." "Can you blame me? I''m just desk clerk! I have zero combat skills and I obviously don''t live a secret double life where I can transform into a Witch at the drop of a hat! How can I not abide to my human instincts for survival!" ¡°I am a member of the Technical Hygiene Department of the Waffen-SS. They won''t question us one bit as we are in charge of inspecting camp filtration and sewage system. This include providing health reports of the prisoners to the Red Cross whooversees the regulation of the Geneva Convention! We are completely harmless! I''m not some kind of crazy gun-toting idiot like my co-workers!" ¡°Yes, yes, yes. The bunny youfreed from dinner will remember your kindness and tell it to her descendants for the years to come.¡± ¡°Fraulein. I feel that you¡¯re mocking me. I don''t like this feeling.¡± A certain German Officer put on a scowl. He may not have done this in history, given his position as a member of the notorious Waffen-SS, but it felt appropriate to express his dissatisfaction when he saw the flat expression on the China Cup girl¡¯s face. His said partner was finishing up the last of the sketches, she was already finalizing some empty spaces that needed to be filled. They had to make sure they acquired all the necessary details. Where the guard barracks were, where the prisoner housings were all placed, the time it takes for sentries to patrol certain lanes in the camp as well as the hours where they exchange new staff. All of this was put down on a series of specialized paper that would not be damaged even if it was thrown into a barrel of water or intentionally burned. The rebel Waffen-SS hoped that by collecting the information of P.O.W. Camp Schtalag 12, he could free enough Pilots and Tank drivers back to the Allied Forces. Then, he could use further intelligence to lure the ¡®enemies of his nation¡¯ to strike at key targets. Anything to make this horrific war end sooner so Germany and the Nazi Party would lose control of everything. Of course, he will be recgonized as the ¡®Anonymous Agent working for the Confessing Churches¡¯. ¡°There. I¡¯ve finished all of the schematics of the camp. We should leave, or else that Tiger tank staring at me would make even my frail body crumble¡ªBUGYAFFF!¡± ¡°You dummkoff tea cup! I told you not to walk with your head down! Not only did you bump into a German soldier, you got the guards riled up for stepping on their officer''s foot!¡± ¡°Wh-what are you panicking for!? You said yourself, you¡¯re a member of the Waffen-SS. Don¡¯t soldiers the rank of private and corporals freak out when they so much as see you from one mile away?¡± ¡°The one you ran into is a General of the Wehrmacht! His rank is already seven levels higher than the patches on my shoulders. Even worse, the Wehrmacht hate the SS! I can¡¯t use my usual spiel of ¡®if you cross me again, I will have you court-martialed, shot, AND sent to the Russian Front!¡¯. That man has every rightto use that on ME! Good god, he even has the Knight''s Cross with the Oaks Leaves swords and diamonds!! The h*ll? I-is this man from the Fuhrer''s Staff!?¡± ¡°Th-then what do we do? What do we do!? I don¡¯t have any pockets on my nun robe! Th-there¡¯s no where to hide the diagrams we¡¯re copying!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­ No. I¡¯m not stuffing my brassiere.¡± ¡°Your nun cap. It has space underneath it, right?¡± ¡°I told you I¡¯m not stuffing my brass¡­What?¡± As much as a German Tiger Tank was a scourge of the battlefield, being one of the few behemoths in the war that could easily change the tides of battle in a single howling cannon shot, there are times where it was a godsent. For example, it was useless in cold environments like the Eastern and Siberian fronts. The overlapping gear tracks could easily freeze over each other from mud and snow, effectively jamming the drive system. They overheat like crazy, and it takes longer for the main cannon to load in rapid succession.A window of opportunity for smaller Allied Tanks to pelt the sucker from all directions. Or, in this case, it had no eyes to witness anything shady. For instance, even with its one barrel staring at a certain Waffen-SS soldier stuffing piles of specialized paper under a certain China Cup¡¯s nun cap, it really could not see anything. The driver on duty was having a siesta inside, so essentially zero witnesses. ¡°¡­ I look stupid. I can hear children screaming ''Frakenstein, Frakenstein'' in my fattened head.¡± ¡°Just smile and nod, Fraulein. Smile, nod, and say ''ACHTUNG! JAWOHL HERR GENERAL!''¡± "...Sniff." Fifth Report - HONESTY ¡°I don¡¯t get the concept of this ¡®sent to the Russian Front¡¯ comment you German Officers keep throwing around.¡± ¡°It used to be an inside joke among the soldiers¡­ but with the Battle of Stalingrad, it¡¯s become a reality no one wants to be born in. It''s worse than hearing ''you''re fired'', because it''s really: ''you''re fired, now go and fight bears in the winter tundra.''¡± "Hmm. Sounds rough." "Why is exactly why I use it to scare the pants off of every soldier that stops me from achieving my goal." It was an cold month in the beginning of 1943. It was indeed the Second World War, where iron planes take to the skies and metal beasts conquer the forest, hills, and deserts of various continents to fight for freedom or supremacy. Regardless of the politics involved in this global warfare, there was a peculiar Staff Car driving down the narrow and winding roads of snow-covered Serbia, carrying the proud markings of the German Iron cross on its side. The vehicle was a Mercedes-Benz W31. It was a popular mode of transportation that had enough spice and class to ferry members of high ranks in the German Military. They were fondly designated as Staff Cars used by Generals and important Officers in the war. In the beginning of the conflict, more than 57 units were produced anda verypopular choice among the German Wehrmacht. By the end of the War, only three survived. Legend has it one of them was used as a prop vehicle in a certain classic WW2 P.O.W. sitcom, but that could be one¡¯s imaginative thinking. Sitting inside the car were two people (technically three if you include the driver, but the passenger compartment was sound proofed). One was a member of the Waffen-SS, who had the spirit of a rebel fighter wishing to bring down his own organization and really hated to wear the red armband on his sleeve. The other was a girl who wasn¡¯t too beautiful, neither too attractive, only small and docile to a certain capacity. The best way to describe the female companion of this conversation, was how much she looked like a china cup used for tea parties. ¡°Frau Tea Cup. I want you to be honest with me.What are the odds that we could free the Serbian rebels and civilians trapped in concentration camps by tough words alone?" ¡°Zero.¡± "Even if I throw my rank as Lieutenant of the Waffen-SS around like some kind of angry Zeppelin?" "Zero." ¡°I thought as much. Due to that realization, I have devised several alternative plans in how to help the Serbian prisoners to break free before the SS-Guards plan to execute them.¡± ¡°You say that, but you do realize the Nazi Party had slipped in enough of their men from the Gestapo cell agents and political puppets to force its own people to be converted to another religion against their will. Those who refused the party''s indoctrination are sitting in the camp as we speak. Honestly,as much as I am from a Church of Switzerland who specialize in evangelizing our Roman Catholic word, I don¡¯t like forcing others to believe in something they could never agree with.¡± ¡°Ignoring this uniform I wear on my body, I concur. That is why I will make it my personal duty as an agent of the Confessing Churchs to see if I could help and avert this tragedy that will be happening in a few days. Those are one of my many goals to finish this accursed war.¡± The Staff Car was much like a limousine, albeit shorter. The passenger compartment was covered with rich leather, so rich it was hard to think it came from the hide of cows or oxes. It had various decorative supports that allow officers to have a bottle of champagne or schnapps while they were on the go, maybe to celebrate a victory over the Allies (very rare). There was also a built-in wireless radio communication device, which had direct access to high security compounds in occupied territory to call for armed support or supplies. However, this toll free service was used mostly as a mean to communicate with one¡¯s mistress or mystery woman an officer met at a local hofbrau (a beer garden). It felt like those who sat in this luxury military transport, were able to forget the worries of the world that rolls by them as if on a scenic tour. This was one of the many reason why Lieutenant Kurt Gerstein of the Waffen-SS chose to work for the Confessing and Switzerland Churches to bring down his own paramilitary group. His goals in Serbia was to bring about an alternate ending, to avoid as much tragedy as his own two hands could change. ¡°Frau Tea Cup. What do you think of the German Army?¡± ¡°I was born and raised in Switzerland. We¡¯ve always been a neutral state since time in memorial. Hence, it should be obvious my answer would be ¡®no comment¡¯.¡± ¡°We fight for our Fatherland, to bring back the pride we once lost in the First Great War. Yet, we are being dictated by That Man, who has his own personal hatred and agenda. Personally, ever since the day That Man rose to the highest possible position in our government, I knew we would become nothing but puppets for his own goals.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°I never liked the Nazi Party. In fact, I only signed up because joining the initial Sturmabteilung (SA) made me cool, like the other young men who had the fire to make a change or difference. I will confess to you, Sister Tea Cup, that I only wore their tacky uniform so no one would bully me anymore.¡± ¡°And what happened after that? Did you rise the ranks to a Lieutenant within the Waffen-SS with just those empty ambitions alone?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? I got kicked out from the SA ever since I threw anti-Nazi pamphlets to people. I never liked them, the Nazi Ideaology, and I didn''t need to pay attentionin Political Science to know what they represent didn''t make me sit well. So I chose to just defy them to the bitter end... The b@stards.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°Of course a rebel like me would be kicked out from their ranks. Dishonorable discharge and more than a slap on the wrist. I can still feel the boot mark to my backside, even if this was years ago.¡±This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it ¡°¡­ I¡¯ve heard of the story in the early years of Germany. This tale about the Night of the Long Knives.¡± ¡°That Man gave the order to execute over 1 million SA members. His own loyal SA Members who pushed him to the position he sits in now. The removal of ¡®hundreds of young thugs that could essentially corrupt the purity of the elite German Army¡¯¡­¡­. Now that I look back, I got lucky with the boot.¡± ¡°Indeed. Even though I am not a nun, I have worked in the church long enough to see everything has been set in place for everyone. Often times, some things is life is God''s will and decision. Rebel or not, there is no need to reject the path of where you go.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡± Serbia was a very cold country. Not exactly a winter wasteland, but it was bitter enough to easily freeze over the tracks of tanks or choke up the engines in warplanes by freezing over the fuel. It took great time, cost, and engineering to keep any military units well armed and mobilized, to stay reliable even in wintry tundra such as Serbia or colder places. Not to mention there being too many exotic and dangerous animals, so forest warfare was usually out of the question. Even the roads were long, very narrow. There was not enough space in some regions to allow two cars to pass each other by. Such as the road was wide enough to support one German Staff Car at a time. ¡°Who was it? The people who turned the guns on your old group? Who pulled the trigger?¡± ¡°The same people who wears the same black uniform as the one on my body. The Schutzstaffel SS. Ironically, the first order they received since their service was to remove the SA and take over their position... As much as I disliked the SA, I still lost one too many friends.¡± ¡°I am sorry to hear that. Yet you are wearing the same uniform who erased those memories you once held dear.¡± ¡°I will confess again, Sister Tea Cup, I joined the Waffen-SS because I was out of work. My discharge from the SA branded me as an outcast, I couldn¡¯t get any work in the labour force as it was all owned by the same organization that kicked me out¡­¡­¡­. Now that I think back, it¡¯s truly ironic that I was readily accepted by the same people who expelled me. This is a terrible joke.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Inside the Staff Car, there was already several bottles of wine and champagne stored in a hidden cooler. These were ¡®prizes¡¯ obtained after the invasion of France, Norway, and even gifts sent by the Fascist Italians during the initial campaigns. Reminders to the officers of the army of their ¡®successes¡¯ in their war. That hidden cooler was kicked open. A hand reached down to pull them out one by one. ¡°I¡¯ve never fired Bethany before. My precious Luger.¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°There was a time, where I wished I could use it. And unload my entire clip¡­ if I do that for a good reason, would this be considered violent in God¡¯s eyes.¡± ¡°It depends. Kicking a man while he is down could be evil. Yet, if he will rise up and cut your throat, then self-defense means differently. My superiors will be disgusted to hear me say this but, even the bible isn''t black and white.¡± ¡°That time, I really wanted to pull the trigger on someone. Every intention of delivering pain and anger to him. Even now, I still regret not following through.¡± ¡°If you commited the sin then and there, surely you would have been captured. You knew, you were trapped in a cage that you could not see.¡± Lieutenant Kurt Gerstein had his reason why he was considered a rebel among the Waffen-SS. There was a good purpose as to why he set his eyes onto a horizon that no one in the war ever fathomed to achieve, let alone pursue. To destroy the same organization of the uniform he wore¡­ or even the entire army. ¡°August 18, 1942. I will never forget how I counted the 45 wagons that were carrying more than 6000 people. They were a mixture of races and people of faith that did not sit well with the Nazi Party. Somewhere buried among them, I recognized various German Soldiers of the Werhmacht who were considered traitors in trying to rescue such prisoners¡­ Not everyone arrived alive.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­..¡± The girl who wore the nun habit with decorative blue colors that made her resemble a China Cup created in Copenhagan watched as the rebel SS-Officer examined the bottle. It was a vintage wine, made in 1918 in the fields of France, near the meadows of Orleans. It was an expensive bottle, and the German officers procured them by lifting them from the cellar racks after they took over the French nation. Times were hard, and difficutl. Some say, it was a nightmare. ¡°I saw it.¡± A small voice fell hard in passenger compartment of the Staff Car. If possible, it might have cracked the body of the vintage wine bottle in the hands of the SS-Officer. ¡°They all perished in an instant.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°100. 200. 500. Soon, all 6000. They dropped one by one. Like puppets rejected by the puppeteer. The last thing I could bear watching, was how they claw at their throats.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Did you know? The special viewing room that the SS Hauptmann showed me. What he called his ¡®private movie room¡¯. Those walls. I knew they were made out of concrete and hard enough metal plating that the man himself could survive a bombing raid by the Allies¡­ They were exactly 5 meters thick¡­ yet¡­ I can hear them clearly¡­. Help¡­No more¡­.. Don¡¯t hurt her¡­¡­¡­ Save my child.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­Kurt¡ª¡± ¡°The worse part of it all¡­ after the melancholy¡­¡­.. this silence. This heavy silence weighed on me¡­¡­¡­.. Blrg...HURK!¡± ¡°Kurt, You¡¯ve said too much!¡± The air in the Serbian country side was cold. A normal officer would consider it an act of a complete idiot to roll down the window to enjoy a bit of fresh air. The temperature was enough to freeze over a man¡¯s nose if they were careless. That rebel German Officer wearing the black SS uniform could be see reeling down the window of the staff car, and wretching his empty stomach all over the side. He accidently stained the wheels, but the snow erased the evidence of his emberassment. ¡°¡­I know what you want to say¡­ I know what you want to do, so¡­ So please¡­ come back to your senses.¡± ¡°Uugh¡­Uuurr¡­¡­¡­¡­I¡¯m sorry Fraulein. In the end, no matter how much effort I¡¯ve invested in mending my sins¡­ I still can¡¯t stomach what I¡¯ve seen that day of August 18, 1942¡­¡­. Honestly, I was wholeheartedly ready to wipe off that idiot Hauptmann¡¯s gleeful smile with my Luger¡­ But, I couldn¡¯t even move my hand.¡± ¡°¡­ Please. Don¡¯t push yourself.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.. Fraulein. Have I made a strong enough confession?¡± ¡°Yes. Even though I am not a sister of the cloth, I am still a desk clerk of the holy order. I will validate your confession in place of a priest.¡± ¡°¡­ Good. Very good. The uneasiness has subsided¡­ Now, I can think clearly of a sure-fire plan to save the fates of those being held in the Serbian prison camps¡­ I can feel my confidence returning to me.¡± Even with the window open, the flood of the chill hair biting at one¡¯s skin, the Lieutenant of the Waffen-SS did not feel cold. A heavy weight had been lifted off his shoulders¡­ for now. It will soon comeback to drag his spirits once again, to slow him down on the long road that would bring freedom and redemption to all. Every step he made to this point, had been nothing but lead-laid footing. However. ¡°Is this the reason why you asked for someone to help you, so you could use someone like me as a crutchto further your goals?¡± ¡°I confess to you, Sister Tea Cup. Yes. Despite where my feet are going, my body could never keep up. I really don¡¯t want to fight this bitter war all by myself... I am a man. One man, I know I can''t fight this war all by myself.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­. I understand¡­ So take responsibility for dragging me into this senseless war, Mr. German.¡± ¡°I shall reflect over my reckless decision, after the war is finished.¡± ¡°Sigh.¡± The China Cup let out a small sound from her small lips. Regardless of her political or emotional affiliations in this global conflict, her heart remained the same. Neutral as her nation Switzerland¡­ however, that did not stop her from using her own kerchief to wipe away the sorrows of the SS Officer who was confessing his sins in the privacy of a German Staff Car. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Fraulein.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°If I were to steal these trophy wine from the Generals that own them, and hand them to the nearest beggar I meet in town, would that be a sin?¡± ¡°Unless he is a teetotaler. Otherwise, no.¡± ¡°Very good, very good.¡± And the war to finish the never ending nightmare continues into the long cold and bitter night.