Franck took the offered seat and grapped the file from the table to peek into it. "Uuh .. Hold on Leutnant, let me fly over Report up quickly"
... 26th July .. Hence thats an 2 month old report, what is bothering him about that one.. and .. why now? ... she thought and became somewhat insecure as she looked at the date.
Reading the report further down she began to wonder why the Leuntant asked her about the circumstances of the battle outcome as everything of value was stated in the Report. As she had read the report completely, she remained silent for a second, thinking of what to say.
"Herr Leutnant? Can you specify your question? The report clearly states that i've got shot down during low distance hull fly-bys, releasing nuclear mines close to the hulls of the Assault Cruiser. At this time it was the only opportunity for for me to help the BDM Vessel in the outnumbered fight." She said in a vague tone and returned the file to Leutnant Sittlingen.
... Two Libertonian Capitals and one Bomber versus a single Snubcraft is not that bad of a deal at all! ... she wanted to add before she came up with another phrase.
"Maybe i've became over-confident, as the Libertonian heavies firstly ignored me completely in the first five passes, those passes have influenced the battle outcome tho."
Sittlingen takes a deep breath before he continues.
"Over-confident - ja."
He taps his fingers on his desk.
"The defense gunners ignored you at first - ja."
The tapping continues.
"Your maneuvers influenced the outcome of the battle - unlikely."
The tapping sound suddenly silences as he claws his fingertips into the desk.
"You got my, I mean _your_ , Wraith destroyed, Feldwebel. That is unacceptable. A Wraith should not fall victim to capital defense fire - never."
He raises his hand up from the desk and clenches it to a fist.
"Since you are so eager to damage government-issed equipment, I figured it would be a nice change of pace if your next *special assignment* deals with _maintaining_ government-issued equipment, ja?"
He wrinkles his nose, taking the fist down in the process, and looks back at the Feldwebel. Without waiting for an answer he adds:
"Report to Leutnant Streicher at the hangar and tell him you have been assigned for toothbrush duty. Dismissed."
Major Hermann was in no mood for approximately anything when he got out from the cockpit of his Wraith. The time was not right for training. Avoiding the weak faces of the recruits in the Ready Room (who are obliviously afraid of what's waiting for them), he went directly to his office. On the way, he met with one of the secretaries.
"Any news?!" - Asked Hermann without even taking a look at her.
"Ne...Nein, Herr Major. Everything has been sent to the Vizeadmiral, while you were away. You....you don't have to care about anything at the moment."
Not saying a word, Hermann enters his office. Everything has been untouched since he left the Hangar for a routine patrol....that was 10 days ago. He sits down on his armchair and takes a good look on his military dagger. He's favourite posession is this dagger, besides his handgun, he got from Voelkel long time ago.
"If there's anything you need...."
It was hard to look away from the dagger.
" Nein, danke." - He keeps examining the old symbols on the grip.
But as soon as the secretary was about to leave his office, he looked up.
"Actually, you can do a favour for me."
"Jawohl, Herr Major?"
Major Hermann looks at the secretary, like he's looking at the enemy fighters before they explode and giving the pilot no chance to get out from their burning coffins.
"Bring Gefreiter Albrecht Fuchs to me. It's urgent." His sight slowly goes to the blade.
Albrecht was lying on his bed in the crew quarters, listening to music via in-ear headphones connected to his PDA, as suddently someone tapped on his shoulder. He slowly opened one of his eyes to take a look at who was so rudely interrupting him during his off-duty time.
"............................................"
Albrecht sighed, removing one of his earplugs. "Yeah? Waddup?"
"Major Hermann wants to see you." The other Gefreiter replied, standing next to Albrecht's bed.
"Hermann? What the hell did I do now? I wasn't even assigned to any patrol the last days. There's no way I could have effed something up!" He replied with a confused look on his face, obviously unable to imagine any other situation why the Major would feel the need to call for him.
The other Gefreiter shrugged. "How should I know? Better get your ass out of bed and check it out. If you really screwed something up, letting him wait won't make it any better."
"Yeah, right. Don't plan on making it any worse. Thanks for letting me know, Bernd." Albrecht replied while getting out of bed, putting his earplug back in.
He slightly bopped his head to the beat of the music while wandering through the sterile halls of the battleship, nodding to his comrades as he passed them. Arriving on the deck where the offices of all the officers where located, he straightened up a bit, substituting his relaxed nod for a sharp salute to whomever he passed while wandering the last steps to Major Hermann's office. In front of the large metal door, which was bearing a small badge reading: "Maj. Siegfried Hermann", he checked if his uniform was in order before he pushed the small button at it's side, ringing the bell inside the office.
"Alright Major Suckfried Hermann, lets see what this is all about." He quietly said to himself while waiting for the doors to slide open.
"Not again! What you're asking is nonsence." - And I hope I won't see your face for a week. Although, that was as absurd as Major König's request. - "Just because you have too much freetime to give birth to such theories and express them, I won't relocate a whole battlegroup."
"But...Bremen..."
"Enough! Bremen is fine as it is. I...." - the doorbell interrupted Major Hermann - "We'll continue this later" - I hope we won't - "Dismissed."
Major König saluted and went out of Hermann's office with fast steps and bowed head. As the door slided, Hermann noticed the Gefreiter on the other side. About time - thought, while putting some documents on his table. Everything is set.
As soon as the doors slid open and König had left, Albrecht walked into the office and straightened up, banging his heels together and presenting a sharp salute.
"GEFREITER FUCHS MELDET SICH WIE BEFOHLEN, HERR MAJOR!" He shouted much to loudly, wondering why he heard his own voice muffled by....music.
"Awww crap. Now you're done Albrecht. Effing great." He thought, trying to figure out a way to remove his earplugs unnoticed, hoping Hermann wouldn't notice.
"To blow sh....stuff up....for the Vaterland, Herr Major!" Albrecht replied, this time in a lower voice, since he has handed both the earplugs and the PDA over to Hermann.
His gaze focused on the file bearing his name.
"And it was hard to find another job with my education, Herr Major!"
His eyes trailed off to the ceiling of the room, brain obviously working on something. "Aw crap, that sounded better in my head..." He quietly muttered.
"I mean, even with the best education I would still have enlisted in the glorious Hauptflotte, of course!"
"I see." - replied Hermann while filling in a document - "It won't change anything anyway."
He took another paper from the envelope.
"The military is not just about....blow stuff up....as you said. Also, it seems to me you just don't want to work...not like anyone would employ you with such a low level of education you have....not to mention your serial insubordinations." - he put the pen down and cleared his throat - "The High Command wants me to send you back where you came from. They want you to pack your things and leave."
Albrecht raised both his eyebrows in disbelief, his mouth trying to form words, resulting in only barely audible sounds.
He composed himself after some time, shaking his head. "Like, what the hell? You are firing me? Seriously? I have not, like, screwed up royally or some other crap. Ja, there have been some minor things here and there, but what the hell? I am going to get fired because I greeted Weissman with "Yo Admiral!"? Or was it because of that crap with the farmer? Did Beist spill the beans on that or what? It's not like I don't do my stuff when out in the field! Didn't see that report of this boogey tasting the Fuchscannon? That was, like, marksmanship on the highest level. Bet that stupid Ragnar pilot was grateful for that crap."
He shakes his head again. "You can't just frigging fire me!"