The night had met Rob with a gentle breeze. The starry sky was as impressive as it could possibly be. Cloudless, it had no competitors in terms of lighting the surroundings as even the base was covered in darkness for the sake of protection from the dirigible’s bombardment. Still, it wasn’t silent as the guards were constantly patrolling the whole area, loudly checking each nightwalker.
And there was music. Barely audible, it instantly captivated Robert’s mind, making him turn his attention to a search for the source. Or it was an attempt to redirect his painful thoughts in a different direction. Still, he followed the beautiful sound of an orchestra that was coming from a gramophone.
The whole place was a small city earlier but was turned into a military base a few years earlier when the frontlines stabilized. There were no civilians here, but Rob could still see traces of their previous life here. The half-broken playground with remnants of what made children smile and laugh with joy. The faded sign of the café on the nearest building, where locals might meet a new workday with a cup of hot coffee. The row of flowerpots, now dried or empty. It felt like the life went from here only to be replaced with survival.
This year had a strong impact on Robert. It wasn’t the first war, but overall conditions made it much uglier and scarier. His role as an operator, who was fighting against an alien swarm, had made him view the battles as a coin with only two sides. Any breach of the bunker meant quick death, while the opposite result led to a win. There was almost no middle ground. Either you repel the attack, or you die with all defenders.
The battlefields in the Middle Ages felt much bloodier, but in a way quite honest. Your own skill, your strength, your physical condition – everything influenced your chances to live longer. They were chaotic, but mostly it depended on yourself whether you would make it. You saw your opponents from close. You literally faced them in a direct fight. There could be many of them simultaneously, but it was still within the ability to react to the threat. However, the current war was different. More random. And much more deadly.
The luck had no less impact on the chances to live than your own strength or skill. Just a single fragment from an exploded shell might kill you at any moment. Moreover, it could be even caused by a friendly fire. Even outside the battle, you couldn’t feel safe as it would take a mere second before whistling sounds might turn into waves of explosions. Just shockwaves from them caused a lot of damage afterward – the regular headaches were the smallest part of it. Harsh conditions didn’t add any health either.
Robert was much better than others in this regard with his increased regeneration, but that didn’t mean it was easy. Surprisingly, the human’s body was very fragile in some cases, easily dying from a simple scratch that led to an infection, while being tough enough to live through multiple holes from bullets. However, often it was mental health that broke first. Such constant pressure was as heavy as a mountain, periodically aiming to crush all sanity that you managed to keep in such a situation.
And there were faces. Hundreds of them. Thousands. Young and old, they each indicated a person, who went through hell only to stay there forever. No matter how Robbert tried to distance himself from others, it was impossible not to communicate with comrades-in-arms. However, the death toll appeared to be too huge. New soldiers arrived to replace the fallen one only to die in a month or two. Then new faces came instead, again and again repeating this terrible cycle.
The scariest part was that Robert started to forget those faces and people behind them. He could barely remember the name of the infantry squad inside his bunker on Earth. His memory had wiped out everyone from the training camp, except his closest friends. It even took him a few minutes to remember the real name of Wolf. It was much worse in here. Rob failed to remember who told him a funny story about local pigs and their connection to extinct orcs. Or who taught him how to use a machine gun properly and avoid overheating it in no time. He thought he knew, but with such gaps in memory he wasn't sure as there was nobody left who could confirm it.
That was the main reason why he pondered about the offer, not knowing what to do.
Beth was my anchor of normality here… But now? Do I want to become one of many casualties of the war in a foreign realm for me only to disappear without a trace, forgotten by anyone? At least I can do some meaningful. Even if we fail, I tried… Wait! No, not for that – don’t lie to yourself, Rob. No noble reasons. You just want to break out of this damned cycle. The chance to die is about the same, no matter what the mission will be, but it will bring something new. So, let’s do it. This world is already like hell, so nothing will change for me… That bloodsucker could indeed bath in blood here, not feeling any danger with his insane regeneration… Wait! Is it..?
Finally finding the source of the music, Robert was shocked to see that the sound was coming from a light room on the ground floor of the building, where currently two persons were sitting at the table. One of them was that dwarf officer, who had checked his information before sending him to war. Another was a major, who had offered him to be a part of his special forces squad.
It is destiny then. What was his name? Major Bronson? Bowson? Barkson? Oh, fuck it!
Quickly going around the corner, Robert stopped for a moment, before resolutely knocking on the door of what former was a barbershop, but now turned into a personal cabinet of a military officer.
“I am sorry, sir, to bother you at such a time, but I saw you through the window and decided not to lose an opportunity to agree on your offer of transfer,” pushing the door and immediately ducking under its header not to hit it with his head, Rob hastily started to talk before both higher-ups managed to answer.
“Did I give you permission to enter, private?” The dwarf captain almost roared with anger, while raising his head from the papers on the desk.
“Calm down, Ironspike,” Rob’s ass was saved by a major, who interrupted his colleague. Gazing at the tall figure, he nodded, before commanding: “Good. There are a few trucks, which are going to head to Avden Town at dawn for a resupply. Board on them, get to Avden, report to any officer, and wait. I will be by the evening. Will pick you up and we will move to others from the squad. Got it, soldier?”
“Yes, sir! Will be done, sir,” Rob quickly nodded and tried to turn around, but was stopped by a shout.
“Where are going, private? Take your documents or else others will see you as a deserter. If my soldier is going to die, then it will be during the mission and not because of my own stupidity. After that, you are dismissed.”
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
Giving himself a mental kick, Robert patiently waited for a dwarf to fill a paper, before hastily taking it and leaving the room. It felt physically uncomfortable to be in the same place with two high rank officers, who could easily determine your fate. Therefore, the shorter the contact was, the safer it was for him. At least that is what he heard as one of the rules of the military from his first lieutenant. Army’s universal wisdom not to get problems on your ass – that was how it was called.
“I do understand why you have picked him. I was the one who basically recommended him but aren’t you suspicious about his real identity?” asked the dwarf, pointing at the closed door.
“The year of service, third rank medal for bravery after surviving so many battles, second rank for fortitude after being wounded thrice – it’s enough to see him as a soldier I need. Especially, taking into account his capabilities from ogre’s lineage. So, for me, he is that Roberto Diadko… for nature’s sake what the hell with this family name?”
“Just bad luck on his name. It was a single unfound dead with a similar name,” commented Captain Ironspike, recalling the event.
“No wonder – that blast has obliterated half of the armored train. Stupid idea to transfer new soldiers together with ammunition, while not even trying to hide this fact from the enemy. Those idiots from the government basically gave an interview to a newspaper about their glorious achievement of gathering everything in time just to win a few points for future elections! Dumbasses!”
“I hope you, Major Krybor, are keeping your future operation in secret. But still wanted to ask about other candidates. Too curious not to do it,” dwarf shrugged with a wide smile.
“Major my ass, dear cousin! Such information might be safer without additional owners… unless such disclosure could give me more benefits.”
“A bottle of whiskey from my personal stock,” dwarf reacted immediately, but was stopped with a palm that showed three fingers, “No! Two, not more. It’s a damn good whiskey!”
“Deal,” both shook hands before Major opened his case and put several documents on his desk. Opening the first one, he started to talk.
“Excluding our dear ogre, I stopped on seven more. Before you ask why them, I must explain my reasoning. First, nobody will give me too important soldiers for the sake of experimenting. This whole idea of a special task force might not work in the cruel reality of a frontal war, where neither we nor our enemy can progress. Possible sabotages with the cost of lives of highly trained specialists might be not worth it in most cases.”
“Absolutely. Not that they have the opportunity to blend in beastmen society to sneak in,” nodded dwarf.
“Yeah. Second, their location. Technically, I could gather them from all over the place, but it is unreasonably costly. That limited their quantity by a lot. Adding two more reasons – not all officers want to lose unique and skilled soldiers under their command and those soldiers may not be willing to risk their lives in a venture… this can explain how short my list has become. Last, but not least – diversity. If I have limited chances to test this idea, I need to squeeze everything from each attempt. Therefore, such different characters can help me to see what has worked and what hasn't… Of course, if they managed to return to give me feedback.”
“So, did you gather real freaks?”
Intrigued, captain Ironspike couldn’t resist the temptation to ask while watching how his cousin was taking a document case with papers.
“Basically, yes. The first one is senior lieutenant Mason Teodor Brown, a pilot. Was demoted from a post on a bomber dirigible to piloting a scout version because he attempted to test the limits of the capabilities of the aircraft. Despite all warnings, managed to down two of them but was lucky to notice the enemy’s attempt to gather force during the last crash, helping to prevent the possible breakthrough… The next one is a sniper, Corporal Garold Highhill.”
“Dwarf?” interrupting the major, asked Ironspike not even trying to hide his surprise. It was hard to believe that former underground livers didn’t have a good sight.
“Pure blooded. And yes, he somehow has the eyes of a hawk. Driven by hatred for beastfolks, he agreed instantly just to kill more of them. No problems with him, except a constant critique of his higher us because they don’t give him enough opportunities to shoot. The next two are brothers – Raphael and Leonardo Oros. There were two more from their family, but they had died already. Previously members of the gang, they didn’t manage to get rid of their criminal habitats, organizing the smuggling of alcohol to the frontline. Both were sentenced to death, but my offer was their way out.”
“They can become a problem, but I also see how their cunning can be handy.”
“Two women. One is Alice Berkly, a former chemistry professor from the university who volunteered after the death of her husband two years ago. And no, not on war – problems with a heart. According to her, it made her reevaluate her wishes and life, which led to the army. Quite a specialist in anything that can explode. Another one is Margarette Carrey, a technician…”
“Wait! Is she a daughter of that Colonel Carrey? The man who basically managed to turn useless dirigibles into a weapon of war by finding a replacement for flammable gas and working on their construction? That Carry?”
“Nope, just a coincidence in family names… Of course, she is! I don’t know how she found out about my idea of a squad, but it was she who came to me with an offer of help, pointing out a quite interesting possible target to put the whole project to the test. In return, she made me include her in the list,” Major sighed, reclining on his chair.
“It can lead either to a disaster or to a triumph, my dear cousin. Wish you the former… Who is the last one?”
Dwarves question led to an even bigger sigh. However, before the mayor managed to open his mouth, there was a knock. Surprised, they both looked at each other.
“I bet that huge idiot forgot your instructions…”
“I am sorry,” instead they heard a female trembling voice, “I wanted to ask about Rob… Roberto.”
Squeezing through the barely opened door, a nurse with a tear-stained face came in only to stop after a single step. Looking at the floor as if too ashamed to raise her head, she was in complete disarray. A single glance was enough to notice how she was holding her emotions in hand with great effort.
“The patrol saw him coming inside… and I know about your offer to transfer… I just wanted to find him…”
The words were barely audible as if it was too hard for her to speak. Both officers exchanged their looks once again before dwarf pointed at the window. The sunlight was already spreading all over the surroundings, dispelling the remnants of the night.
“I am sorry to inform you, my dear, but his truck is already gone. He is on the way to Avden Town to join his future comrades-in-arms before going on a mission. You will not see him for a while…”
The last phrase was a lie, but Major still didn’t find the strength to tell that the chances were too slim to expect it. Moreover, even in case of success, a new mission would arise. Still, seeing as a nurse had bitten her lips in an attempt to stop a burst of emotions, before hastily turning around and almost whispering “I am sorry” only to run out of the room – it made his old heart ache with pain.
“That dumbass had sneaked into the train to get to the war, pretending a different person. I bet it was because of some problems at home as I didn’t notice any desire to be a hero in his eyes. Now he ran once again – and from whom? From a girl with a broken heart? So huge, but so pathetic. Are you sure that you need him?”
“Hey, don’t roll your eyes. Do you remember your own stupid deeds twenty years ago? Especially with the daughter of a drug store owner, who, I must remind you, you drooled over for a year when she told you that masculinity is not equal to a beard’s length. Do you remember what you did? Youngster’s drama was and will be always the thing. Unlike us, they have a huge stress from the war, those deaths, and a real chance not to live through tomorrow. Obviously, it will only intensify everything by a noticeable margin. Nothing here to criticize.”
“So will you send him back?” the dwarf smirked, trying to avoid the topic of his failed love and the event, which created a sticky nickname for a few years.
“Of course, no. Currently, I need soldiers and he is a damn good one.”