Walter and Pham both burst into laughter. It was well known that the s.p.a.ce programs of both the United States and the USSR grew out of the scientific and technological heritage of the Third Reich.
However, Theodor did not laugh. He had no wish to join in the merriment.
What does she have in mind?
Glaring at Irisdina’s face in the communications window as she told another anecdote, he tightly squeezed the control handles again. That Pilot; what should I do……?
+++January 10
++Territory of the former Polish National Republic
++Krosno Odrzańskie Ruins
Pulling out from the ruins of Krosno-Odrzańskie, which was swarmed with BETA, Theodor decided to move with boost jumps. The remaining amount of propellant was less than 10 percent. He could not afford another engagement with the BETA.
Besides…
“Ahh, hot……”
A faint moan… He examined the state of the Bundeswehr (West German Army) girl strapped in before his seat. With every boost jump, the sudden acceleration twisted her body painfully. Theodor had to shoehorn the girl found in the wrecked F-4 into the c.o.c.kpit of his own Balalaika. He was forced to abandon the F-4 Phantom since carrying it with a single MiG-21 was impossible. Most likely the fighter had already fallen victim to the countless numbers of Tank-cla.s.s approaching from all sides.
I picked up a troublesome package……
Members of the NVA (Nationale Volksarmee; National People’s Army; East German Army) were strictly forbidden to have contact with the soldiers of the Bundeswehr. Officially, the ban was to prevent information leakage from the East German Army and infiltration of its ranks by spies, but the real reason was to prevent soldiers from defecting to the West. So far, countless soldiers who were suspected of having contacted the West German Army to seek asylum in the West had been executed by the Army and the Stasi.
Seen in that sense, for Theodor, who had special circ.u.mstances, this would be in an unfavorable situation indeed, although it was only a coincidence that he had rescued a Bundeswehr soldier. If he took a wrong step, it was likely that he would again be under the scrutiny of the Stasi. In socialist East Germany, just thinking of reconciliation with the capitalist West would get you labeled as a person with dangerous ideas.
“Dammit, I was just following orders…… whatever happens is not my responsibility……”
The shock as the machine’s legs pounded the ground caused the control unit to jostle. The girl breathed with difficulty as the small shoulder bag fastened to her belt bounced about. The girl’s personal belongings had been stowed inside the F-4 control unit’s first-aid kit storage s.p.a.ce.
‘Those westerners, carrying their personal items in their c.o.c.kpits……’ The indescribable feelings of vexation boiled in his mind.
“Katia Waldheim……” Theodor quietly muttered the name written on her ID record to himself, bearing in mind the girl’s face, which still held the childishness of youth.
Theodor linked up with Irisdina, having arrived at the rendezvous point simultaneously.
“—You made it safely, Unterleutnant.”
The view of Irisdina’s TSF projected onto his retina made Theodor inhale sharply. Most of the fuselage was smeared with pieces of flesh and body fluids. “—Were you able to rescue that F-4 pilot?”
“……Eh? Ah, yes,” Theodor gathered himself and answered, momentarily taken aback. “The pilot is secured inside my control unit. Currently unconscious, but there seems to be no injuries.”
“—Affiliation?”
“The Bundeswehr. A girl……”
“—I need confirmation. Forward the data to me.”
‘I guess it’s reasonable that an oral report would not be trusted. After all, I had abandoned a comrade in battle earlier--.’
“Transmitting video. See for your—” Theodor glanced at Irisdina as he spoke, and his tongue froze in mid-sentence. Irisdina was staring at the projected image intently, looking genuinely astonished.
“Err…”
In the next moment, Irisdina suddenly fixed her eyes on Theodor, openly meeting his gaze. Pinned by her eyes, Theodor lost awareness of his surroundings. He gulped. It was the first time that he had seen Irisdina show such a humane expression.
“—I’m sorry. She looked like the spitting image of my little cousin in Berlin.”
“Ahh…… verstanden.” Certainly, anyone would have blanched if they saw their relatives in the Bundeswehr…
“—Have you found out what’s her unit?”
“According to the ID record, she is from the 101st Tactical Surface Fighter Battalion, Second Company.”
“—Her unit must have just arrived on the west bank of the Oder River. Indeed, they must have been attacked by the BETA while in the middle of a mop-up…… Her name?” “Katia C. Waldheim.”
“…During the rescue, there was only the one machine?”
“Yes. A single unit. I believe she was unable to escape due to damage to the jump unit.”
“—And the fighter?”
“Abandoned. There was a swarm of Tank-cla.s.s closing in at the time…”
“—Is that so?” Irisdina gave an approving smile. “—Well done, Unterleutnant.”
Theodor nodded with mixed feelings. He had been freshly reminded of the fact that his fate lie in Irisdina’s hands in the recent dispute with her. Nothing would change the fact that the commander was a monstrous devil, a “heroine” of the Stasi who would willingly sell out her own blood and family… Besides, the enmity arising from the recent altercation wouldn’t recede just like that.
“—Unterleutnant Eberbach,” Irisdina suddenly asked, her expression serious. “—What are your thoughts on the current state of the squadron?”
“State… of the squadron…?” Theodor repeated the question reflexively, wondering about its intent.
“—Indeed. I’m not talking about our recent conversation. I just want to hear your opinion as a pilot.”
In the midst of bewilderment, Theodor considered the question. Even if he did not want to reply, he could only answer the question as ordered.
“I think that we are in a fairly dangerous situation.” With a dry feeling in his throat, Theodor continued. “In today’s battle, our unit started with eight members. As such, it is indicative that conducting future Laserjagd operations against the Laser-cla.s.s would only become more difficult from now on.”
Irisdina nodded in silence. This time, it seemed that she had no intention of rebuking Theodor.
“……If Unterleutnant Hosenfeld becomes unable to fight, the company would only be left with six machines…… half the standard strength.” Yet missions would still be a.s.signed to them as if they were at the full strength of twelve machines. “The next time we have a Laserjagd operation, it would be doubtful whether we would be able to accomplish the mission successfully.” Giving her a challenging look, Theodor firmly shut his mouth. Although he believed that his fighting spirit was relatively stronger compared to those whose spirit had broken, still…
“—Well done, that was an exemplary answer.” Irisdina gave a satisfied nod. However, she had a predatory expression on her face. “—In that case, you would be agreeable to my plan, I would say.”
“Plan? What plan…?”
“—This Eishi; we shall have her volunteer to join the 666th Tatical Surface Fighter Squadron.”
“Wh-!?”
‘This kid… this person from the Bundeswehr; add her to the team, you say…?!’
“—Like you said, our company is in a dangerous situation now. With our current combat strength, the success of future missions is uncertain. Besides, we do not know how soon we will be able to get replacement pilots.”
“What, you…” Theodor paused a moment to shake his head in disbelief. However, Irisdina ignored him and continued.
“—It is necessary to immediately replenish our combat strength ourselves, since we cannot rely on the NVA.”
“You, just what the h.e.l.l are you thinking?!!” Theodor shouted. Overwhelmed and bewildered, he raised his voice again like he did thirty minutes ago in the recent argument with her. “This person… this girl is from the Bundeswehr! You don’t have the authority to do that anyway! What will you do if she’s really a spy?!” Theodor’s temples began to throb alarmingly. “We would definitely be suspected of aiding in espionage…!”
‘Or would there be no problem with whatever she does since she’s a member of the Stasi herself…?! No, even then…’ Whether or not she was a spy, Theodor didn’t want to be near a West German person. He didn’t want to come under the attention of the authorities.
“No matter how short on manpower we are...! Firstly, without the permission of Commissar Gr… Jeckeln—”
“—Did you think that I would speak without having thought of that?”
“…!” Theodor shut his mouth. There was a note in Irisdina’s tone that sounded like she had something hidden up her sleeve.
“—Firstly, there is a procedure to legally incorporate pilots from the west into the NVA.”
“WHAT?! A procedure? Since when—”
“—She only has to defect.”
“…!!” Reflexively clenching his fists, Theodor felt something like frustration and impatience rush through him.
“—Under the international treaty that was mediated during the Cold War, East and West Germany recognized each other as sovereign states with equal rights,” Irisdina explained without faltering, as if she had rehea.r.s.ed beforehand. “—However, there is a difference in the treatment of citizens. Both German countries feel that the citizens on the other side ‘belonged to us originally.’ In other words, if a West German citizen wishes to seek political asylum in East Germany, they would be able to become an East German citizen without having to go through any complicated process. The DDR administration acknowledges this as well.” For one to be both a fellow citizen and a potential enemy at the same time – that official stance was the strange reality born from the Cold War.
“—So, it is possible for legal admission into the NVA. Although an examination of the motive for defection would be needed for a transfer into the Unit, which would be within the jurisdiction of Oberleutnant Jeckeln’s duties, and since there is a precedent, it’s more or less feasible. Of course, she herself must be willing as well, and once that is cleared, all is well. Political indoctrination can be left to Oberleutnant Jeckeln then.”
“But… what if she is a spy, what then…?” Theodor asked, choosing his words carefully. This conversation could be recorded as well, like with the previous argument… Irisdina shook her head quietly.
“—I believe that there is no possibility of her being a spy, because I highly doubt that the Bundeswehr would sacrifice an entire company just to get this girl in,” she replied.
“Sacrifice… an entire company…?”
“—I verified it just now when I fought the BETA to confirm whether there were any survivors. Unfortunately, I didn’t find a single one…”
Indeed, considering the current situation of the war, it would definitely be illogical to make such a large sacrifice just to send in a spy. Also, if Theodor had been late by so much as a second, the BETA would have already eaten her. Having been able to rescue that Eishi was only by fortune, undoubtedly.
That being said…
“Even if she really isn’t a spy, others wouldn’t be so understanding. You should know that very well!”
“—You need not worry about the Stasi.”
“…!!”
“—Management of military personnel is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Defence. The Army will not keep quiet if the Ministry of State Security were to infringe upon their authority. Though both the military and Stasi are controlled by the same party, they are still political rivals.”
‘Can what she said be true…?’ To Theodor, the Army and the Stasi were one and the same. Both had the power of the state to rule with an iron fist.
“—Therefore, as long as they are unable to provide any concrete evidence, this Eishi cannot be arrested without warning. If they take any overt action, the Army may well turn it into a political issue.”
“…However, I doubt Oberleutnant Jeckeln would be swayed by your reasoning. In the end, won’t it be the responsibility of the Oberleutnant to handle her?” For the inflexible Commissar Gretel, it would be strange to expect anything but hatred towards people from the West.
“—If the squadron gets annihilated, she too will die… Well, it’s going to take some ingenuity to persuade her…”
“…Then, what about this girl’s decision?” Theodor asked, indicating the unconscious girl with his chin. “What you just said about her wanting to defect to the East, she has to agree to it, right? Wouldn’t that be absurd?!” Theodor demanded, his underlying hatred increasing. As if there were a single person that likes this country enough that they would defect to it!
“—If my guess is correct, it’s possible that she’s an Eastern sympathizer.”
“Guess…?”
“—A single TSF, fighting without backup… don’t you think that’s strange?”
“Ah…”
“—There’s a high possibility that she was caught up in some trouble. Besides, she is a fellow German…” Irisdina paused for a moment before continuing. “—So, I would like your full cooperation on this matter… For starters, I need your help to persuade Gretel.” As Irisdina’s blue eyes bore into Theodor, he somehow sensed great sorrow and determination hidden within. “—As you know, she has a stronger sense of pride compared to others. In my opinion, it is unlikely that she will meekly accept this. That is where you come in.”
“…But, why me—”
“—That’s because you won’t injure her pride. For example, orders from me, or orders from Walter, which one would you prefer?”
“Urgh…” Theodor choked on that. Although he had thought that he didn’t mind having it known, having it pointed out to him directly made him fully understand just how thin a line he had been on.
“—Considering how many times you have saved Gretel’s life, she would listen to you more than me, at the least.”
“…Can’t Walter be the one to ask?”
“—Walter is too close to me. Not to mention he was originally an Unteroffiziere (NCO). To Gretel, a commissioned officer, he would definitely be a target for discrimination. He isn’t the right person for this.”
Theodor shook his head in doubt. He didn’t believe that Gretel would think well enough of him.
“—You won’t know the result if you don’t try. And there is nothing to lose even if you fail, so it’s worth a try. If lets say everything goes well, the company’s fighting power can be recovered.”
“…”
“—I will persuade Unterleutnant Waldheim myself. That is all. Do you copy?”
Theodor swallowed dryly. The veins in his head continued to throb. Every breath he took felt like lead. Thinking desperately, he squeezed the control sticks. ‘…How did this happen?! Making light of the Stasi, even trying to manipulate a political officer… Despite knowing all communications are recorded… d.a.m.n it!’ Deep down inside, Theodor understood the rationale behind Irisdina’s plan. It was a fact that there were only seven pilots left in the company. Furthermore, during the withdrawal action at Poland, under Irisdina’s command the only survivor who escaped the destruction of the Polish People’s Army, Sylvia, was incorporated into the 666th TSF squadron. She had insisted on taking in a foreign Eishi then as well.
But then…
‘This girl continued fighting against the BETA alone in a single machine. At the least she won’t be dead weight…’
Realizing that temptation was sinking in, Theodor shook his head to clear his mind.
“I have a question…” Theodor forced himself to ask. “What if I were to refuse…?”
Irisdina twisted her lips into an evil grin upon hearing those words.
“—Did you think that I would permit that?”
“Tsk…!”
“—In that case I would hand you over to the Stasi. It would be a simple matter to produce evidence that you were secretly contacting this Eishi.”
‘This lousy b.i.t.c.h…!’ Theodor directed a murderous glare at Irisdina.
“—Up to now, everything I have done has been for the survival of the company… For the company to be restored as soon as possible, this is the only way.”
“—Be at ease. I will guarantee your personal safety. I have no intention of speaking of this to anyone other than Walter.”
Theodor had no choice but to admit that there was no escaping this. He could only bite on his lip until he tasted blood. What if he were to inform Gretel of everything immediately upon return? That was also an option, but who knows what Walter would do then? Besides, if Irisdina were taken away, even if Theodor himself were to survive, it was very likely that the squadron would end up being annihilated shortly thereafter.
‘There’s no way out of this…!’
Feeling humiliation and regret over being deprived of power over his fate, Theodor loudly exhaled before replying.
“…I understand. I still have no intent to accept or trust you. However, I will cooperate with you on this matter…”
Irisdina merely nodded in silence. Theodor looked away from her cold blue eyes. He did not want to see her face right now.
“—Well then, let’s get going. If we delay too long, the others would start to worry.” As she started moving the machine’s legs, Irisdina casually added. “—As for the communications log, the unnecessary parts will be deleted, so you need not worry. Well, to keep the flow natural, synthesized speech will be left in the appropriate places.”
“HUH?! For all of the recorded conversations…?!”
“—In general, yes. We’ll use fake logs to overwrite the recorders the Stasi planted in the machines.” Theodor was speechless. Irisdina gave him an innocent smile.
“—To survive in this h.e.l.l, such skills are needed, Comrade Unterleutnant.”
◊ ◊ ◊
Gretel reacted just as Irisdina predicted.
“You must be joking, Comrade Hauptmann!” Gretel’s yell echoed around the hangar on the Cottbus base as she confronted Irisdina upon her return. Expecting to move out again, the rest of the company had remained in their fortified suits. “Adding a Bundeswehr pilot into the squadron?! Have you lost your mind?! Even if our combat strength is in dire status… what will you do if she turns out to be a spy?!” Her face red with anger, Gretel stalked up to Irisdina. “She’s someone from West Germany! Who knows what she might be plotting?! Furthermore, do you really want her mingling with our troops?!” Irisdina gave Gretel a silent, measured look. Theodor could feel the silent pressure being directed at the commissar.
“Tsk…! Comrade Unterleutnant! What are your thoughts?” Gretel said, breaking away from the pressure of that stare and turning instead to Theodor. “There is no need to hold back because you are in front of your superior officer. Let me hear what you truly think.” Inwardly surprised at how well everything was developing according to her predictions, Theodor started to reply as if this were the first time he had heard of Irisdina’s reckless plan.
“There is certainly a high chance that she is a spy… And personally, I feel that it’s unacceptable to join forces with those Westerners. They would surely take that chance to be the first to escape from Europe while using the DDR as a shield.”
Gretel snorted upon hearing that.
“…However, from a practical point of view, I think that it would be all right to do so.”
“Tsk…!” Gretel loudly clicked her tongue in displeasure as she glared at Theodor. Theodor “apologetically” continued.
“When I rescued her, this pilot was determinedly fighting the BETA all alone by herself. Even to me, someone who’s been on the battlefield for over two years, I feel that she has no lack of fighting spirit.” As if there were any useful information to be stolen on this base… he swallowed those words. Gretel was making an unpleasant face. Her actual experience in combat was much less than Theodor’s after all. “Skill-wise, considering the training she’s had, she would definitely be better than a mere novice. In order to quickly restore the company’s combat strength, I think that she’s our best choice.”
“d.a.m.n you…” Having spat that out, Gretel asked again to confirm. “In other words, you agree with Comrade Hauptmann’s proposal?”
“Sadly, yes,” Theodor said, faking an uncomfortable expression. “When the time comes, she can be used and disposed of, is what I think.” Theodor came to attention, as if to show that those were his real thoughts.
“But, that is a person from the West…” Gretel started to pace briskly around the area as she thought it over, showing a distressed face. After several seconds, it seemed that Gretel finished collecting her thoughts, and she stood face to face with Irisdina again. “Comrade Hauptmann, do you know what they think of you in the Army? Did you think that we were unaware of the reason you are called a ‘hero’?”
Theodor quietly froze. This was the first time he had heard Gretel speak of Irisdina’s past.
“The only reason I am making this proposal is for sake of defending the Fatherland and the Party from the BETA to the end.”
“…Honestly?”
“You know why they call me a ‘hero’? It’s so that the Party has someone that they can hold responsible when the unit gets annihilated, Comrade Oberleutnant,” Irisdina calmly declared. However, the fury in her blue eyes was unmistakable. Gretel continued to glare at Irisdina with suspicion for another moment, and then gave in with a sigh.
“Our country is a democracy as the name suggests. We will not refuse a defector from the West. After confirming her intentions, she will be placed under temporary protective custody until the investigation by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is complete and her defection is accepted. As for incorporating her into the company, if I present the case as a special circ.u.mstance under the present state of emergency due to the BETA a.s.sault…”
“In other words, there’s no problem?” Irisdina asked, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Come to think of it… If the unit said to be the strongest in the German Democratic Republic were to be lost, it would be a moral blow to the whole Army. As a commissar, you cannot overlook that, right? So, we must first verify the person’s intentions. We cannot allow someone without the will to fight for us into the Army after all… Once that Eishi awakens, I’d better confirm it myself…” Theodor kept a straight face, forcing his body to be still.
‘Is she going to accept Irisdina’s suggestion…?!’
“Once I have examined the background of this Eishi, it’s my decision whether to accept this as an exception. If I find out that she is a spy, she will be executed at once. Even if she is accepted, as a person from the West, it will be necessary to give her a complete political indoctrination.”
“Ah, I will leave that to you then, Comrade Oberleutnant.”
Seeing a relieved smile appear on Irisdina’s face, Theodor was aware that even that was part of the act. “This sort of thing really isn’t my forte…” he muttered.
+++January 13
++The German Democratic Republic
++Cottbus District
Theodor sighed. The lingering memories from 3 days ago were still stuck in his mind. He sank into his gloomy thoughts again as he stared at Irisdina.
‘This woman, is she really a dog of the Stasi? No, otherwise she wouldn’t have threatened me… Then, is preventing the destruction of the company the real reason she took in that kid? d.a.m.n it, what is the truth?’ The only certain thing was that he and Irisdina now shared a secret. If he disobeyed her… this time he would be finished for sure… The throbbing started again as he recalled what happened three years before. Theodor squeezed his eyes shut. ‘I already decided never to get involved with the Stasi again…’
At that moment, the loud roar of turboprop engines came from the skies to the west. Theodor checked the tactical map to confirm who that was. The 200th Bomber Wing, East German Air Force. The wing consisted of twelve Tu-95s, a strategic bomber made by the Soviet Union. They were using a low-alt.i.tude flight formation in order to avoid laser irradiation from the BETA occupied territories.
‘They must be on the way to execute an area denial bombing run…’ Theodor purposely diverted his train of thought. Otherwise his mind would just end up going around in circles. ‘Those daily penetrating raids into the BETA’s buffer zone. Even though the appearance of the Laser-cla.s.s on the front is rare, it’s still a tough job.’
“—All hands, Achtung!”
Hearing Irisdina’s even voice through the comms, Theodor suppressed the urge to click his tongue.
“—I received a report from base. The Eishi that was rescued finally woke up after three days. Isn’t that great, Unterleutnant Eberbach?”
“…Yeah,” Theodor replied indifferently.
“—Once we return back to base, we will begin the cross-examination to debrief her. Comrades Oberleutnant Jeckeln and Unterleutnant Eberbach, gather at the briefing room. The Oberleutnant and I will speak with her first to get her story, after which we will introduce Unterleutnant Eberbach.”
Gretel glared at Theodor with disgust.
‘Don’t look at me. d.a.m.n b.i.t.c.h ordered me to recover her…’
“—Ah, one more thing, Unterleutnant Eberbach.”
“…What is it?” Theodor replied tensely. Every action by Irisdina placed him under even more stress.
“—That girl you saved seems to be a rather well brought up child,” Irisdina told Theodor with a smile of approval. “—She said that she wanted to thank the pilot who saved her life.”
++German Democratic Republic
++Cottbus, Cottbus military base
“For now, I will report what I found out so far from the cross-examination,” Gretel said as she opened her notebook in front of the sick room being used as a temporary interrogation room. Theodor nodded silently. He had been forced to wait on standby outside the room for almost two hours until the cross-examination by Gretel and Irisdina was completed.
“Unterleutnant Katia Waldheim. a.s.signed to the United Nations 1st Atlantic Ocean command, German Federal Army 101st TSF Battalion, Third Platoon, Second Squadron… her unit was deployed at Reichenwalde base.” Gretel narrowed her eyes, squinting. “…15 years old. Born in Hamburg. She was still a student last year, but the death of both parents in a traffic accident prompted her application into the military. After going through accelerated training for half a year, she was a.s.signed to her current unit… In short, she’s nothing but a novice…” Hearing a past that was similar to his own, Theodor felt that there was nothing particularly touching about it.
“However, as you suspected, she went through another half a year of training after her a.s.signment to the unit. She arrived in East Germany at the end of last year, after which she partic.i.p.ated in several mop-up missions. It seems that she p.i.s.sed herself in her first battle.” Theodor nodded in understanding. It would be unusual for someone to go through their first battle without that “rite of pa.s.sage” occurring.
“In the incident three days ago, she remembered having sortied, but not what happened after that. She does recall the fact that you rescued her though.”
“…”
“Although I cannot tell if that pilot’s words are true… The circ.u.mstances of her rescue seem to match your report.”
Theodor wanted to sigh. Being thought of as a “savior” strongly disgusted him.
“One last thing. Considering the burden on her psyche, we have omitted the fact that the main force of her company was completely destroyed. Take care not to let it leak out in your words. That is all for now.” With that, Gretel closed the notebook. “She responded quite readily to casual questions, though she did not divulge any internal information regarding the Bundeswehr.”
“Then the possibility of her being a spy is…?”
“We are continuing the investigation into her background.”
Theodor silently nodded in understanding. The DDR would get their own spies in the West to check on the background of possible spies. “But, well, how should I put this…?” Gretel added with amazed disbelief. “If that person really is a spy, then they must think that we are total idiots.”
“What…?”
“Follow me. I must say though, I’m allowing this only at the insistence of Comrade Hauptmann. Understand that under normal circ.u.mstances you would not be allowed to show your face.”
It’s not like I wanted to show my face either– Swallowing those words, Theodor pa.s.sed through the door.
In the sickroom, a girl with a large ponytail sat in pajamas on the bed– Katia Waldheim. Irisdina was sitting on a chair beside her and talking to her with a voice recorder at her side.
Theodor ran his eyes over the girl’s body thoughtfully. There didn’t seem to be anything wrong with her condition, he decided.
“Ah, are you…!” As soon as she saw Theodor’s face, Katia leaped to her feet. Nervousness, excitement …and sincere respect, were mixed together in the expression on her child-like face. “Erm, are you, Unterleutnant Theodor Eberbach…?”
“…I am,” Theodor answered with a sinking feeling. He shot a quick glance at Irisdina.
“Ah, th- thank you very much!” Katia exclaimed as she rushed over to Theodor, grasping his right hand with both hands.
“…Geh!”
“I heard that Theodor-san was the one who saved me from the BETA! It’s thanks to Theodor-san that I’m alive now…!”
Theodor felt like someone had squeezed his heart. –The one who was allowed to gently hold his hand, no longer existed. –Only that person was allowed to do so!
“Don’t touch me!”
“Ah…!”
Theodor yanked his hand away from her. After a moment, Katia stepped back in shock, and the light in her eyes dulled. She bowed her head in apology.
“Ah, I’m… I’m sorry…”
“…”
“But, I was just so anxious to thank you…”
Theodor looked away as he tried not to click his tongue. He still felt the pain with every beat of his heart. Taking a deep breath, Theodor looked around for something to cover up his actions.
“Hey, do you plan to thank everybody who rescues you on the battlefield in this way?” Hearing him say those words, Katia’s face grew animated again. She replied in a pa.s.sionate voice.
“Yes! It’s only natural that I should say thanks since my life was saved!”
Feeling a headache growing, Theodor pulled up a nearby chair. Gretel shot him a look, as if to say, “See what I mean?” Theodor could only nod in silent agreement. “I was just about to give her an explanation about our squadron,” Irisdina cut in, as if nothing had happened.
“Comrade Hauptmann! Information about our squadron would clearly be cla.s.sified military intelligence!” Gretel immediately exploded. Irisdina replied in a conciliatory tone.
“I’m only going to speak of things that are covered on the TV and newspapers.”
“Tch…!”
“The 666th TSF Squadron, they should have heard of us in the West as well— Isn’t that right, Unterleutnant Waldheim?”
Katia nodded quietly as she sat back down on the bed.
“Yes, I’ve heard of you. Using the MiG-21, the strongest TSF squadron in the NVA, having killed more BETA than any other unit in the whole of Europe…”
Irisdina smiled. She glanced at Gretel and Theodor, c.o.c.king an eyebrow at them.
‘…Huh?! You’re going to raise the question…?’
“By the way, Wal—”
“Erm, excuse me! I’d like to ask a favor of everyone!” Katia suddenly raised her voice, cutting Irisdina off in mid-speech. Although Irisdina was momentarily speechless, she gave a gentle reply.
“Please feel free to ask. The Unterleutnant is our guest. As long as you are on this base, we will do our best to make you comfortable.”
“Erm, I know this request may sound extremely unreasonable, but…” Katia took a deep breath. “P- please let me join your squadron...!”
“…!!” Theodor couldn’t believe his ears. His mind refused to understand. What Katia just said was totally beyond his imagination. The other two were the same as well. Gretel stood with mouth agape, and Irisdina had an expression of disbelief.
Not noticing the three’s expressions, Katia continued to pour out her heart.
“I’ll do maintenance or anything you want! If you give me a TSF I’ll fight the BETA! So please, I’m begging you…!”
“Comrade Hauptmann! Just what did you say to this kid when I wasn’t around?!” Gretel shouted furiously. “Are you mocking me, the commissar?! What’s this kid trying to say…?!”
“…This girl is speaking on her own. You can check the tape recorder later to confirm it if you want.” Irisdina shook her head. Judging by her perplexed expression, it didn’t seem to be an act.
‘What’s going on…?’ Theodor thought as his head spun. ‘What’s this person saying? We haven’t even asked the question yet, have we?’
“...Could you let us hear why?” Irisdina asked her, giving Katia an intent look. “What you just said has a significant meaning. Why would you abandon the country you were protecting and the comrades you fought with, in order to join us? You mustn’t say that without thinking it through.”
Katia was silent for a moment, and then she replied, wearing a warm and gentle smile.
“I’ve wanted to know more about the other Germany for a long time, what kind of place it is, what kind of people live there… I always wanted to visit it someday. To make friends in East Germany if I could…”
“…”
“A- actually, to be honest I was bullied as well when I was in West Germany… Ahahaha…”
Theodor’s face grew strained as incomprehensibly uncomfortable feelings welled up in him.
‘This d.a.m.ned country, what could be attractive about it…?’
“…Comrade Oberleutnant. What do you think?”
“Do you truly trust this person, who would defect for such a thoughtless reason?!”
“Whatever her motive is, it’s a fact that we’re short of manpower. Thus, this is an offer we can’t refuse. So far I have thought it necessary to turn a blind eye to the minor details in order to accomplished our main purposes. Or could it be that you’re not confident in your ability to provide political guidance, Comrade Oberleutnant?”
“Tch…!” Wearing a thoughtful expression, Gretel remained silent for a few seconds—it seemed like she was trying to convince herself. “…I understand, Comrade Hauptmann. Humph, as expected of a selfish capitalist. Very well, let’s take advantage of her offer.” Gretel turned to Katia to confirm her resolution. “Let us confirm this then. Unterleutnant Waldheim, do you wish to defect to the German Democratic Republic? Do you swear allegiance to our Fatherland, the Party and the Army?”
“…!”
“The moment I accept your defection, you will become a DDR citizen temporarily under my custody and responsibility, and you will be under the command of this squadron. However, your rights as a citizen of West Germany will be immediately revoked. Furthermore, as an officer, it would not be unreasonable for you to be shot dead should you be caught trying to escape. If you are found to be a spy by others around you, you can also be executed. Naturally, we still have our doubts about you. You will need to show constant effort in order to gain our trust. Do you agree to that?”
Katia stiffened up, feeling the pressure from the word “defection”. Although she hesitated for a moment, Katia replied in a loud and clear voice, as if to challenge something.
“Yes, that’s correct. I, Katia Waldheim, request to defect.”
Hearing that, Theodor felt as if he had lost touch with reality. Despite the unexpected development, the end result was as Irisdina desired, with the addition of this pilot into their ranks. And so quickly as well…
‘Even if it wasn’t a sure thing, for Irisdina’s guess to be so accurate…’ Theodor turned his gaze to Katia. She must have hardened her resolve fully to make that decision, he thought. Grasping hold of the sheets tightly, she stared at the floor, awaiting the response.
“Unterleutnant Katia Waldheim, as of now you are a reserve personnel of the 666th Tactical Surface Fighter Squadron, Schwarzesmarken. Welcome aboard.” Irisdina held out her right hand. Realizing the meaning, Katia grasp it tightly with a smile across her face.
“Yes! Thank you very much!”
“In our squadron, we’re always short of pilots. Therefore I would like to a.s.sign you as a pilot. Is that acceptable?”
“Yes! I will do my best to work hard!”
“An excellent reply.” Irisdina gave a maternal smile, though Theodor thought that it was another act.
“Comrade Oberleutnant, although this may be sudden, could you complete all the necessary official procedures by tomorrow? Under the present state of alert, it wouldn’t be surprising if we were ordered to sortie at anytime.”
“I’ll make the arrangements. Under my authority, her defection and temporary incorporation into the squadron can be accepted immediately at least.” Gretel wearily lowered her shoulders as she resigned herself. “Usually the official acceptance of defection and admission into the squadron would take about one month to be processed, but I’ll negotiate with the Department of Personnel Management at political headquarters to have it completed within a week. I have a cla.s.smate there.”
“Many thanks.”
“Humph; fighting the BETA isn’t the only duty a commissar has.”
“E-Excuse me! There was one more thing I wanted to ask…” Katia tried to ask Gretel.
“What, Comrade Unterleutnant?” Gretel suddenly grabbed Katia’s collar with her right hand.
“Ha, hauu…!”
“You have some nerve to speak to me without permission. Are you aware that I can send you to a forced labor camp at my discretion?”
“Ehh…? But—”
“Comrade Oberleutnant! Stop it, you’re being childish!” Irisdina sharply ordered Gretel to back down. “She will soon become a comrade-in-arms whom you will have to entrust your life to. Treat her a little more gently. It will take the Unterleutnant some time to become familiar with the hierarchy of our army.”
“…You’re too lenient, Comrade Hauptmann. It’s sickening sometimes.” Giving Irisdina a stern glare, Gretel let go of Katia’s collar. “So, what is it you wish to ask of me, Comrade Unterleutnant?” After coughing a little, Katia timidly asked her question.
“E-erm… About the fact that I have become a pilot in the East, will the West be notified…?”
“…As a general rule, we have no obligation to inform them. Therefore it is quite likely that you will be recorded as MIA (Missing in Action) by the Bundeswehr.”
“…”
“Isn’t that good? This way, you won’t be considered a traitor by the pilots in the West.”
“I, I understand.”
“Also, you will address me as ‘Comrade Oberleutnant’ from now on. We’re going to be working together as comrades, supposedly. I will conduct your political indoctrination together with the transfer procedures.” With that, Gretel spun on her heel and marched out, her footsteps echoing sharply as she left the sickroom.
“Erm, did I say something to annoy that person…?” Katia asked Irisdina tearfully. Irisdina gave a sigh before replying.
“That’s the commissar of the squadron. She’s responsible for the political guidance and personnel a.s.signments of the squadron’s pilots.”
“Commissar…”
“In the Bundeswehr, you have a military chaplain who preaches the Christian faith right? I believe that they perform a similar role.” Getting a mental image of the idea somehow, Katia nodded in understanding. “Therefore, it cannot be helped that she’s more sensitive compared to others in her speech and conduct towards the pilots. Should political problems occur in the squadron, she’ll be the one held responsible. The reason she treated you so severely is because you’re from the West, and she doesn’t know to what extent you can be trusted yet. Please understand.”
“Okay…”
“Well then, Unterleutnant Waldheim,” Irisdina spoke with a cheerful tone in order to change the mood. “Let’s talk about the future now. Firstly, how do you feel? Are you in good health?”
“Yes! Thanks to you, I’m as healthy as a fish in water!” Katia nodded happily. Theodor could only feel his mood darken when faced with that pure and sincere smile.
“In that case, though this is sudden, I would like you to get familiarized with the base, complete the adjustments of your new fortified suit, and practice on the simulator.”
“Erm, my fortified suit…”
“I’m sorry but that has been confiscated. Since you wished to join us, the Bundeswehr fortified suit that you wore is now the property of the NVA.”
“…”
“That being said, half the reason is for the sake of formality. The truth is, the fortified suit that you were using is incompatible with the systems in our army. Understood?”
“Yes, I understand now!”
“I’ve already left word with the maintenance chief, so you can collect the new suit at the hangar.”
“Understood! Erm, then, about my F-4…”
“Ah, you mean your personal belongings that were in the control unit? No need to worry, I’m holding on to it for now. I checked the contents just to be sure, but there wasn’t anything suspicious in it. I’ll return it once things have settled down.”
“Ah, thank you very much!”
“Then, for the familiarization of the base, adjustment of the fortified suit, and your duties in the squadron, you’ll be under the guidance of Unterleutnant Theodor Eberbach.”
“Yes, I understand!”
“W-what did you say?!” Theodor shouted upon hearing that, his eyes wide with surprise. “I was never told about this! Why should I have to take care of her?!” “Is that so? The other day, didn’t you say that you’ll cooperate with me on this?”
“Tch…!”
“Unterleutnant Theodor Eberbach is an outstanding pilot with three years of experience in the Army. I have a high opinion of him.”
Theodor’s mouth was agape, the mixture of embarra.s.sment and resentment causing blood to rush to his head.
“However, as you saw just now, he has a somewhat shy personality. You can tell from the fact that he rescued you before that he’s not a bad person. Since he’s the youngest in the squadron, you should find him easier to talk to.”
“Is that so?” Katia gave Theodor a look of respect, and bowed her head slightly. “I’m sorry that I was impolite just now! Please take care of me from now on, Theodor-san!”
“…Un- understood…” Theodor barely managed to eke out an answer, his blood vessels at the bursting point from fury. Irisdina nodded with a pleased expression.
“Well then, I’ll leave the rest to you, Unterleutnant Eberbach. I have to attend a strategy meeting at headquarters with Walter now, and I won’t be back until late at night. I trust that you will not disappoint me, right?”
“Tch. I understand…”
“A good response.” With that, Irisdina lightly patted Theodor on the shoulder and left the room.
‘I have to look after this kid…?’ Theodor clenched both fists tightly, glaring with hatred at Irisdina’s back. ‘Why, why do I have to do this…?!’ Behind him, Katia stared at Theodor’s back, a mixture of expectation and unease showing on her face.
++The German Democratic Republic
++District of Cottbus, Cottbus military base
Cottbus base was once an old fighter plane airbase used by the Soviets before it was taken over by the NVA. It was no bigger and had no better facilities compared to other bases on the front. Although it was small and surrounded by forest, one of its few defining features would be the 2,000 meter long runway it had.
Theodor was showing Katia around the base as per Irisdina’s orders. Officially, the squadron was a rapid response reserve unit under the direct command of the Eastern Front General Headquarters, with no permanent base. However, this time they had been stationed at Cottbus base for nearly a month now.
“…”
“…”
There was an awkward silence between the two. At the beginning of the familiarization, Katia would say, “The base’s mess hall is so big~!” and, “Oh, there are cats at the base too! Which do you like Theodor-san, cats or dogs?” in one-sided conversations. But as Theodor ignored her completely, she slowly grew silent as well, and for the past thirty minutes, they only spoke when necessary.
‘This person, does she even think before she speaks…?’
“Ouch! I-I’m sorry!” came a small cry from behind him. Katia, who was following along behind, seemed to have b.u.mped into someone. Theodor stopped walking with a click of his tongue. He wasn’t particularly worried about what happened, just that if she were to become a lost child, would things become troublesome. With uncertain steps, Katia avoided the crowd, and rushed towards Theodor’s back.
“Erm, Theodor-san…” Katia said in a respectful voice. Theodor ignored it, continuing to walk. “Theodor-san, you seem to be very upset…”
“…”
“I’ve always been told by others, ‘you can’t read the atmosphere,’ so I don’t get it, as usual…”
“…”
“I, did I do something to make you angry…?”
Theodor let out a sigh.
“It’s nothing, I’m not angry.”
“That’s a lie! Theodor-san is angry! If I’ve done something wrong, I’ll apologize! But if you act like that without telling me why, I won’t know what to do…!” ‘d.a.m.n it, this kid…!’ Swallowing his resentment, Theodor looked at Katia.
“First of all, don’t address me so familiarly. Call me Eberbach. No need for rank.”
“…B-but, since we are of the same rank, so that we can become friends, isn’t this way better…?”
“Is our relationship close enough that you can call me by name?”
“…Auu~…”
“And secondly, don’t treat me like a savior. I was only following orders. On the battlefield, helping someone is just an everyday thing…” Theodor faltered at the end.
“That isn’t so!” Katia turned away with a lonely look in her eyes. “…After all, Theodor-san, you’re the first one who risked his life in order to rescue me…”
“…Eberbach.”
“Ah…! S-sorry!”
“…Third, don’t bother trying to get close to me.”
“Ehh-? Why…?”
“Because I don’t like it.”
“…”
“You can go play the friendship game with the other pilots. Just leave me out of it.”
“Th- that won’t do!”
“Tch…!”
“Th- Eberbach-san, you not only saved my life, but you also have to take care of me now. You’re someone that’s important to me! I want to know more about Eberbach-san! If we’re going to fight together, it’s better if we know each other!”
Theodor pressed his lips into a thin line. It was obvious that his blood was boiling all over.
‘Saying such things, doesn’t she realize how much it’s tormenting me…?!’
However, the next words out of Katia’s mouth, made Theodor turn pale…
“I’m a pilot from the West, and Eberbach-san is a pilot as well from the East, so if we get to know each other better, we can surely get along well! There’s no such thing as East or West when fighting the BETA!”
Theodor stopped breathing—more than that, all the blood drained from his face in an instant.
‘What, the h.e.l.l is she saying…?!’
The next thing he knew, the surrounding air seemed to freeze instantly. The nearby soldiers all froze in their tracks, staring at them coldly. Fear, bewilderment, displeasure… and suspicion, could be seen in their eyes. If there was a Stasi informer amongst them, they would definitely report this. After all, the suspects had just declared themselves to be enemies of the Party and the Fatherland—in other words, prey.
Theodor’s body started to throb with imaginary pain, as if the skin on his body was being frayed off—memories of the interrogation and torture he received three years ago. That time, thanks to someone selling him out, he saw h.e.l.l.
In the meantime, Katia, who was wearing an expression of innocent confusion, had only just started to sense the hostility around them.
“Ehh…? What’s going on…?”
“Oi, you—!”a harsh voice called—from one of the duty officers who worked at the base headquarters. Theodor sucked in a breath and straightaway grabbed hold of Katia’s arm.
“I’m sorry, there’s something a little wrong with her head!”
“W-what’s wrong with my head—?!”
“I’m providing her with proper guidance, so there’s no problem!”
“You b.a.s.t.a.r.d, what are you saying…?!”
“And so with that, please excuse me!”
“Eh…?!”
Theodor grabbed Katia’s arm and ran away at full speed. In his panic, he couldn’t think of anything else but to escape. The next place they headed to was the hangar—where they would receive the fortified suit.
At the hangar entrance, Theodor gasped for air. His heart was beating so hard that he couldn’t even speak.
“Wh…what was that… just now…?” Katia painfully asked in between breaths, sinking to the floor. “Did…did I say… something strange…?”
Beyond the anger, Theodor could only feel shock. What had just happened was enough to turn the attention of the Stasi towards them. Rumors would spread instantly as well, and Gretel would be sure to hear of it. Theodor felt as if he were rapidly driven into a corner.
“Erm, Eberbach-san…?” Katia anxiously asked Theodor, who had fallen silent even after he had caught his breath. He took several more deep breaths to calm himself as the urge to slap her face grew.
“There’s one more thing that you should know…” he told her as his stomach roiled with anger. “Never, ever say such things again…”
“N-no matter what?”
“...Never.”
“…Is that such a bad thing for me to make friends with Eberbach-san, and for the people in the East and West to get along in order to fight the BETA?!” “Tch…! What did I say about saying such things…?!”
“I don’t get it! Please tell me why!”
“…That’s enough.” Theodor let out a deep sigh. He had not given up on persuading Katia. It was just that this wasn’t a good place to continue that dangerous conversation. There might be hidden listening devices in the hangar, and among the mechanics there would definitely be someone who reports to the Stasi. “Anyway, let’s talk about this later. You have to get familiarized with the MiG-21 by the end of today, understood?” Katia reluctantly nodded her head. “Then follow me. And be silent, okay?” Theodor ordered and started looking around the hangar for the maintenance chief.
◊ ◊ ◊
Inside the hangar’s fortified suit storage locker room, Katia put on the East German fortified suit she’d just received and stood in front of the mirror, looking herself over as she turned this way and that. “It certainly is the same type as the West… The only difference is in the color…” Katia spun delightedly in front of the mirror. “The size is also a perfect fit for me!” Theodor watched her coldly; she seemed happy for some reason.
‘It was taken and altered from the spares of dead pilots you know…’ Theodor thought. As proof of that, countless repair marks could be seen on the suit that had been given to Katia. No matter how one look at it, it was definitely not something that was newly ordered.
“Then, try out another one. It would be awkward if you don’t have a spare when this one starts to stink because you peed yourself.”
“W-when I peed myself…?!”
“Yup, I heard about your first battle…”
Katia tearfully went back into the locker room, her face glowing bright red. Theodor let out a small sigh.
“That’s a rather peculiar girl you got there, son,” a loud, bra.s.sy voice rang out from nearby. “I heard about it indirectly from the company commander, but I never would have thought she would come.”
Turning his head, Theodor saw a man past his middle-age standing there in oil-stained coveralls. Even though he was over sixty years of age, his still had an aura of vitality bursting from his body. Oberleutnant Otto Strauss, the maintenance chief of the 666th TSF squadron. One of the squadron’s veterans, he was the man who lead the maintenance team, a huge family with more than two hundred members. It seemed that he had been an a.s.sociate of Irisdina’s from back when the squadron took part in the rear guard action at Poland. His trademark was a black eyepatch worn over his right eye, which he’d lost during a maintenance accident.
“I feel the same way, Chief,” Theodor nodded without reserve. Otto was one of the few people in the squadron in whom he felt he could place his trust. He had no interest in political matters. As someone who had gone through the final years of World War II as a mechanic, he was known as the veteran among veterans. Back when TSFs were first being introduc