Going Down

[Rune]

The older man, already dressed, removed both their new uniforms from their duffel bags and laid them out with care on Reiner's bed, which remained made. When that was done and the private was dressed.

As they were making their was through the halls that led to the galley he caught the eye of a lowly Airman who was passing them by. He called the man up sharp and asked if he was currently on duty. When the man, hesitantly, said that he was not Kuno told him to have the wrinkles on the uniforms laid out on the bed in his cabin steamed out within the hour. When the man nodded and saluted Kuno told him he might as well make the bed while he was in there too and then walked on, Reiner in tow. The galley was as full as ever at that time of the morning but Kuno stepped to the front of the line. He hadn't pulled rank during their first three meals but this morning time felt like it was important, worth it, at least, to take advantage of privileges that were now rightfully his to take when he chose.

When they had their full bowls and had snagged a pair of chairs Kuno pulled his around to sit beside Reiner where they could hear each other more clearly than if they'd sat across from each other.

Once they were sat he said,

"Right. You're standing with the full authority of the Minister of Science, possibly the highest ranking member of the government still able to give orders. You have no need to bluster or explain yourself. If the Commander's questions are both reasonable and you know the answer, for sure, you should answer him. When he starts to bluster just remember from whence your authority comes, the worst he can do is shout at you and pretend like he isn't going to obey orders. When he sees that you aren't moved by either he'll respect you, and by proxy, your illustrious cousin."

He paused here to take a bite, so far he'd mostly sounded like he was reciting something they'd memorized together, though, in truth they'd pulled the plan out of whole cloth only the afternoon before. It was the best they had and if they had to gamble, it was a good bet.

After chewing and swallowing several mouthfuls, finding himself suddenly starving as he always was before a battle, even if it was one of wits in this case, he said,

"Honestly, if you can manage to look almost bored, but not quite, that would be great. Like, wholly unimpressed without tipping over into disrespectful. He won't be expecting that level of poise from a young army private but it will make him think your family is made of the stern stuff both of your cousins implied with their rise in power but none of the high ranking officers in either branch really got to confirm for themselves. I'll keep a wholly straight At Attention face and stance the whole time, I'm scenery. If you look at me and see it know that the plan is still working, if something goes astray I'll do my best to cause a distraction so we can regroup."

Seeing Kuno standing perfectly straight standing off to the side enough that Reiner could see him would hopefully offer an anchor for the younger man. It was, in perfect honesty, the best Kuno could give him.

By the end of the meal, which Kuno made them both eat more slowly than was their usual, he led the way back to their cabin where they sat and he went over the list of officers they were most likely to encounter when they landed, along with what they looked like. Addressing officers unexpectedly by name could do something to close the gap between them and those of lower ranks.

About half way through the refresher course there was a sharp knock at the door. When Kuno called,

"Come." The airman who he'd pulled out of his free time to see to their uniforms stepped inside holding both suits carefully over his arm. The man saluted with a sharp, respectful,

"Lieutenant!" And stood at attention till Kuno told him to hang the clothes on the hooks by the door and dismissed him. Once he was gone Kuno gave Reiner a little smile that was a few shades from shy and an equal number of shades from cocky.

"Must admit, I'm enjoying the new decorations." He nodded to the pin that indicated his new rank where it rested on his shoulder.

[Reiner Dornkirk]

Reiner pursued Kuno out into the corridor. As they walked, the private's right hand was grasping the wrist of his left- Both of which were hung behind his back and resting against his tailbone on the shelf of his rump. The youth started, when Kuno raised his voice to address some random ensign or whatever and instruct him to tend to the ironing of their uniforms. He suppressed his grin, and cast his eyes downward to avoid the uncomfortable airman's awkward glances.

When the man stepped away from them, Reiner parted his lips with a tease on the tip of his tongue, but after a moment's thought, he clamped his teeth shut. They were in public and Kuno was in an imperious mood, as he'd just displayed. It would be best he not incur the side of his roommate that could come out when Reiner hazarded to be too playful in front of others.

Reiner hesitated to cut the line in the galley, when Kuno made for the front, holding back until the lieutenant beckoned for him to join. With that permission granted, he offered an apologetic purse of the lips and a sheepish little wave to those they'd set back for own privilege. He didn't like the feeling, but he brooked it without comment.

With a full tray, he followed where his superior officer led, and claimed the seat intended for him. He leaned over the bowl to smell if the offerings were different for this breakfast than the last and, finding that they weren't, took up his spoon and began to dig in with his usual enthusiasm as Kuno spoke.

"Mm!" He nodded in agreement, though his mouth was too full to offer a verbal reply. This seemed to garner him a withering stare that inspired him to slow down. Gulping down his porridge audibly, he cleared his throat.

"That makes total sense, yes, Lieutenant." He replied, before taking a much smaller scoop of yolky porridge onto his spoon and taking a bite that reminded him of the soup course at White Knight Hall and how the delicate genteel ladies supped on bisque.

"I can look kind of bored, if that helps..." He smirked impishly, "I'll just imagine you're telling me another one of your bootcamp sob stories..." He trailed off, grinning as he took another bite. He listened on, agreeably as they finished up. It was comforting to know he'd have Kuno at his side, even if the lieutenant's hands would largely be tied. He knew the man was clever and would find a way to save him if he was truly floundering. But there was no reason to expect that would be needed. He was a Dornkirk and, as Kuno had said, the others of his line had earned their lofty places. So could he.

As the prep session continued in the cabin, Reiner took notes in a little pad that he would keep close at hand. Taking down the names would help to remember them and, if he had extra time or a moment to himself, he could further refresh himself.

When the young airman entered to complete his task for the lieutenant, Reiner just kept his eyes on that notebook and mouthed the names of the officers he'd scrawled thereupon. His eyes only darted up after the man had left, and Kuno made his comment- hazel gaze falling to the lieutenant's insignia on his shoulder.

"Oh, I can tell." He said, closing his notebook and placing it down on the bed. "Guess we'd better get dressed for battle, hm?" He leaned forward to unlace his boots, and start getting out of the old uniform to make way for the new.

[Rune]

Kuno wasn't quite sure he liked the comment Reiner had made when he'd mentioned his promotion but now was not the time to let his brain-demons dig at something so trivial.

The slightly older man had been keeping track of the bells, again, more out of habit than any conscious choice and knew that they had roughly an hour before they would need to head out to the tiny boat that would escort them down to the ground. The Gambit was perfectly capable of landing herself but, considering all the uncertainty and likelihood of any number of unforeseen possibilities, it seemed wiser to leave her where she was most capable of defending both herself and the ground. The little 'lifeboat' that would take them was barely capable of making short trips between the Gambit and the ground but Kuno was versed in piloting one, as much as one could be with so simple a device. It lent credence to his role as escort that Reiner most certainly could not pilot any form of airship.

"Best we got to it, eh?" He agreed, sitting on his own bed to remove his boots. Dressing took only a few minutes for each of them but being fully 'dressed' took longer as Kuno fussed at Reiner's hair and then used the room's tiny mirror to do the same to his own. They had both shaved the evening before but he used his razor to see to any spots that either of them might have missed as well as ensuring what little new growth there was wasn't too much to be considered 'clean shaven'. When this was done he checked boots and buttons to ensure they all held a shine then gave them both one last looking over before nodding.

The bells chimed the half hour just as he'd declared them fit for duty. The trip down would not take half an hour but there was really no reason to linger.

"Off we go." He said, giving Reiner a moment in case he needed to collect anything, like the letter he was to deliver, and then led the way to the small ship he'd been given the access keys to at the briefing the previous day.

The tiny vessel held the two men snugly in the cockpit with room for four more passengers in the back if it was going to be used as an actual lifeboat. Once they were strapped in Kuno was able to convince himself that showing off his piloting skills on a ship barely able to keep itself in the air, with an army man who needed other things on his mind and who, he was in no way sure, would not vomit all over if the ship began to flip over or do fast loops. Thus he brought them down in a set of slow circles of the base and set down just outside the main building, on a strip of grass just large enough for the boat. Pride at this accomplishment put a little jaunt in his step that, as they came to the doors to the building he suppressed. Today he was eye candy, not a kid in a candy shop.

He pulled the door open for Reiner, face now blank, and snapped a salute as though he were the inferior. Once inside there were several desks and doors by which one might leave the open area but, thankfully, one main desk. Behind this sat an imposing women of middling rank who served as a sort of combination secretary and Cerberus to those seeking audience with the Commander of the fort.

This was Reiner's stage now, and Kuno could but wait.

[Reiner Dornkirk]

The private dressed promptly, before submitting himself to the lieutenant's perfunctory (and rather persnickety) inspection. He'd already done his own hair, but apparently it wasn't good enough to meet Kuno's exacting standards. Reiner's facial hair, such as it was, was sparse and mostly little more than peach fuzz. It took a long time to grow, and so there was nothing new since last night, although he had missed a little patch just at the corner of his jaw. Kuno saw to that efficiently enough, with a chiding remark that Reiner laughed off lightly. His boots were well tended, and the buttons shone in the light of the cabin. Finally, he was approved. He knew it was good that the lieutenant was fastidious about these things, even if it could be irritating as it was happening. Whatever the case, he brooked it without complaint and was relieved it was over.

He pocketed the notepad, checked to make sure the whistle was where he'd left it, and collected the letter before joining Kuno at the door and following him out of the cabin.

"Here goes nothin'." He offered, a bit anxiously, as they made their way down the corridor and ultimately to a bay he hadn't yet seen. Perhaps Kuno had been given a tour when they were parted, or had found the ship layout provided them more legible than the foot soldier. Either way, they took an efficient route and soon Reiner was standing before the conveyance.

"That..." He grimaced, "...is small." Reiner Dornkirk didn't have a phobia of heights, per se, but he did have a healthy fear of them. It was due more to lack of experience than anything. But for some reason something in his brain told him the bigger the vessel the safer the flight. The islands felt like terra firma, massive as they hovered the airs of Zaichaer. The gambit was large like a building, and he'd spent the trip in enclosed spaces where one could easily forget one was sky high. This, however... was daunting.

He took a deep breath before following Kuno into the craft and taking his seat. The lieutenant had to make sure the private was properly buckled up, as he'd never been in this sort of vehicle and had very rarely been in any sort that called for safety belts of any kind. That, too, was daunting.

A white-knuckled grip clung to the armrests as the young Dornkirk hummed an unconscious, anxious protest through his clenched teeth and pursed lips as wide eyes looked out at a sky which was too close for comfort. But the sky was not nearly so frightening as the ground, so very far away. It always looked beautiful from the safety of the islands, but now it just looked like so much ground to splatter against.

This was a point in the journey he'd planned to spend reviewing his notes, but he couldn't bring himself to let go of the armrests, let alone reach into a pocket. Actually, he decided it was best to just close his eyes.

"Tell me when we're there. I'm... gonna rest my eyes." He said, his voice quivering slightly despite his attempt to save face despite his potent fears.

As it turned out, he didn't need to be verbally informed of the landing. It was very, very apparent when a ship this small touched ground. And his clench tightened once more as everything jostled into place before coming to a relieving stop.

"Endlich..." He whispered through a sigh as his eyes fluttered open. He took a moment to collect himself, while Kuno completed his post flight ministrations and unbuckled himself.

By the time they made it to the headquarters, Reiner felt like himself again. Well, until Kuno saluted him, at least, but that was a different sort of jarring and far more pleasant. Marching forth, he saluted to the woman at the desk and in a clear, crisp albeit raspy tenor, announced:

"PFC Dornkirk with a missive from Minister Stefan Dornkirk to be delivered directly into the hands of Commander Lang!" And stood at attention, with his eyes fixed ahead over the head of the seated officer.

[Rune]

The encounter at the fort went about like Kuno had predicted. They were an hour early, so they were made to wait, and even after the hour was up, they were made to wait, because Commander Lang had important things to do and they needed to be made to understand that.

The two messengers sat in chairs in the large central area that the woman behind the desk had indicated for them once she had checked her log book to verify their appointment. Another show of independence, the lieutenant was sure. Of course this woman knew that they were coming. They were, in all likelihood the first verifiable contact with a higher authority the fort had gotten since the 34th of Searing. Maybe some of the field generals had made contact but none of them would have direct authority over the Riverlands Corps.

They did not speak, as they had agreed, attempting so show no nerves, only focus. It was not time to look bored yet. Thankfully, service men in all branches were well trained in waiting, silently and respectfully.

When they were finally called into the meeting they were led through a series of corridors that might have baffled men not raised in the twisting and confusing layout of a part of the city that had not been planned. Kuno thought it was probably a good thing that there was no direct and easily understood path to the Commander's office and the man went up a few points in his head. Guile was not often a trait that went hand in hand with gruff, but it was good to know there was more to this man than the reputation he obvious cultivated.

When the doors were opened, the inside of the office was exactly what they had expected. The walls were covered in maps and charts and several massive chalk boards upon which appeared to be a combination of schedules and ledgers. Two of them were being currently updated by younger officers whose rank Kuno could not see while their backs faced the room as they worked. Behind a desk that was at least equally intimidating to that which took center stage in the main entrance area of the fort sat Commander Lang.

There was no mistaking the aged and mustachioed man with his uniform iron grey crew cut, dressed in a uniform that somehow managed to look crisp and slept in at once. Kuno would have to figure out how such a thing was achieved as it gave off the perfect impression of being in change and harassed beyond enduring and could be extremely useful. Though, he decided instantly, it was not the moment to ask.

Stepping into the room before Reiner he walked to midway between the door and the desk where he snapped off an exact salute and announced,

"PFC Dornkirk, to deliver a missive from Minister Dornkirk to Fort Commander Lang, Sir!"

At which point he stepped to the side, still several paces ahead of Reiner so that the private could step up and still be able to easily see Kuno.

[Reiner Dornkirk]

Reiner was more relieved than confounded at the prospect of waiting. His nerves were yet a bit frayed from the frightening flight down from the Noble Gambit, and this would afford him time to settle into the fact that he was on actual solid ground for the first time since he'd returned to the Schiller for his unit. Not even the approximation of solid ground that was the Islands, but actual terra firma. There was comfort in that and he would bask in it, curling his toes a bit in his boots as they sat there.

He would have liked to have checked his notes, but he didn't think it would have been appropriate. It might have been telling that his first and foremost concern was Kuno's judgment, before it occurred to him how the officer at the desk might respond to him were he to pull out a pad and start mouthing the names of her colleagues.

He was surprised that the idle time didn't end up making him more nervous. Actually, more than anything, he found he was excited. This felt like an adventure. It was a new foray with his newest ally, and it felt good to be set to a purpose. It was a different sort of excitement, of course, than the sort one enjoyed on the battlefield, but it was a high all the same.

He rose, marching ahead of Kuno down the labyrinthine corridors of the facility, and stepping through the doors that opened before them granting entry into the office. To his slight surprise, Kuno burst ahead to announce him, like the herald at some royal ball and, slightly disarmed, a faint smirk crossed his lips before he dismissed it summarily. As he entered the office, his face remained straight ahead, though he did allow his eyes to quickly scan the surroundings, before fixing them on a point on the back wall behind the commander. He approached to a spot within a few paces of the man's desk, and offered a sharp salute, dutifully sustaining that position until such time as Commander Lang granted him leave to take another.

[Rune]

The Commander did not look up when Lieutenant Kämpfer arrived and announced the messenger. He did not look up when said messenger, PFC Dornkirk, stepped forward and saluted. Both men remained at salute as the room, after the intrusion of their voices, returned to the near silence that typically filled it. There was the scratching of chalk on board, and the sound of Lang's on pen moving across paper accompanied by the occasional grunt as he either discovered something or became displeased by, often, the same thing.

He let himself finish the ledger entry he was checking before setting his pen in its inkwell and looking up. Both men were young, wet behind the ears, unlikely to need a razor more than once a week. They were at least disciplined enough not to fidget and look about the room, clear their throats when they went unnoticed, that sort of thing. When he had passed his eyes from one to the other he gestured to the man who stood more directly in front of him,

"Come on then, let's have it."

When the letter was handed over he realized the lieutenant was still standing at salute and, with a roll of his eyes saluted back so both men could stand down. The lieutenant remained at attention after, while this unexpected Dornkirk, despite his lesser rank, was slightly less formal without being disrespectful. The whole thing was odd, and this new uniform, what was that? The brass redesigned uniforms periodically but during the middle of a war?

Looking over the missive, sealed in wax with the Minister of Science's signet. He was no different than the dozens of similar letters he'd gotten since the job had been handed to Minister Dornkirk, but he eyed it anyway.

"Five months." The words were gruff, but that was just how Lang spoke, "Not a peep from anyone inside the city for five months and then you pop up, letter in hand, looking well fed and, far from worse for wear, in shiny new uniforms. What was it, boy? Another coup, gone wrong this time, turned to infighting?"

It was the first supposition that had come to the Fort Commanders, who still communicated regularly with each other. As time went on other theories, from those with greater imaginations surfaced, everything from failed experiments escaping to destroy the capitol, to an act of the gods to punish the State for its atheism.

When scouts had been sent to investigate, with orders not to enter the city if it remained unstable, the information they returned with did not clear up any of the supposition. If anything, it had worsened the superstitious nonsense being traded between the lowest ranks. Without more information, or confirmation of the validity of the letter, it could go into the fire with the other trash.

[Reiner Dornkirk]

Reiner was struck by how familiar it felt to stand at attention and wait for some self-important superior to make him wait just because they could. There was an odd comfort in that, which somehow made him a bit less nervous. Reiner knew Lang's type, now that he was in his presence. They were passing common in the ZDC, but at least this one wasn't gratuitous about it. He was stern, without being cruel as such officers could often be.

The private dropped his salute at the commander's order, and closed the gap between himself and the desk, removing the letter from his small courier's satchel and handing it across. He would step back, and clasp his hands behind him at the small of his back with his feet shoulder width apart. He raised his eyes stare straight at the wall, giving Lang leave to review the letter at his own pace.

"Mists, sir..." Reiner replied sharply, and paused for a beat. It was an intentional vagary, meant to allow the ambiguity that he might be an insubordinate responding to a pointed question with an interjection of annoyance. But it was only for a beat, and then he blinked, as if he'd just realized his answer might be mistaken for an expletive, and promptly clarified.

"Dread Mists from a blitz. Presumed Kalzasern in origin, but unconfirmed." His brow knitted,

"The city is a hellscape, sir. Numberless dead, and others mutated into subhuman monsters that harry the survivors day and night. Communications lines have been severed between much of the surviving brass, but Minister Dornkirk is working tirelessly to return our military and our government to a cohesive machine once more." His eyes remained upon the wall, but there was emotion in his words that made them glisten. Grief and horror at the state of the State, and at the news that the commander had not yet been informed of this. Pride that his cousin was leading the effort to return Zaichaer to normalcy.

[Rune]

For a moment Lang thought the private was swearing at him and he frowned, then he understood and the frown deepened. He'd know that Mists had been involved, though he hadn't bandied the information about. The creatures that were now occasionally seen even this far out were not outside of his years of experience. Adding additional panic to his ranks was also not outside the realm of his experience, however, so the information was kept to his senior staff only.

The origin of the Mists, that they had an origin at all, other than blasted ill-luck, was a surprise and he let it show on his face, though his verbal response was only an additional grunt flavored by the emotion. Most of the information the private offered had already been confirmed for him by his scouts or sounded like memorized propaganda. Not that he thought the boy didn't believe what he was saying, it was the duty of a soldier to believe what his command structure told him to. The emotion that showed might have made him wonder what the man had been through, but this was not one of his. The show was as like to be acting as reality. He glanced at the other man, the guard, or whatever he was intended to be. No tears glistened in the startlingly green eyes of the lieutenant, but his expression had, without changing from blank, somehow become more pinched.

"And how am I do know that this," He held up the letter, "Is actually from the Minister?"

In previous encounters there had been a pass phrase that the messengers had been told, or had been in the address of the letter. He supposed he could break the seal and see if it was included in the interior, but he wanted to see how the messenger would react. If the man tried to verify in established ways it was almost certain that someone was using the unknown status of the Minister of Science to try and manipulate the situation.

[Reiner Dornkirk]

Comprehending Commander Lang's question, Reiner's nerves came back in full force as he recalled what Stefan had said about the pass phrases. Failing to provide an accurate code could result in summary execution as a suspected traitor. To be fair, it would have made perfect sense for someone with duplicitous intentions to send a lesser known Dornkirk or even an imposter to lend legitimacy and import to their deception.

"Das Fenster öffnet sich nicht mehr
Hier drin ist es voll von dir und leer
Und vor mir geht die letzte Kerze aus."

Fitting that a pass phrase between soldiers should have been Kathalan in origin. It had originally been a battle tongue, if his schoolteacher had the right of it. It was also more difficult to pronounce and less ubiquitous than the aptly-named 'Common tongue'. So, he offered up the lyrical phrase which was completely nonsensical in a military context, though it might have made a nice opening line to an angsty ballad.

Now that the words were out, Reiner went back over the phrase in his head, hoping he hadn't forgotten anything or misspoken. He knew it was unlikely he'd be shot in the head for stuttering or slurring, and if one got the bulk of the phrase correct it was already compromised, but some soldiers were just looking for an excuse. Reiner recognized that his name also put a target on his back that increased the risk of such an act. The Dornkirks were far from universally lauded. Ever since that damnable article in the so-called 'Knob Free Press' had come out, the brothers Dornkirk became more controversial than ever, with some blaming them for accelerating the war and others applauding them for the same. Most stolid soldiers of the State knew better to take the word of some knob gobbling hobgoblin who obviously had an angle in all of his fake news, but some people were just gullible.