01-31-2015, 02:41 AM
Chapter One: Zapfenstreich
*BANG*
*BANG*
Old guns were shooting bullets into the dark evening sky of Planet New Berlin.
It was 11 o'clock in the evening and Wolfgang was holding his hand to his head in a fashion he did many times before.
Wolfgang Dornier was tired. Tired of ceremonies, tired of formalities and tired of the military.
While watching he slowly became aware that all this time he was in the military it followed him everywhere - even in his free time.
At home there were his promotion certificates on the walls, along with pictures of his old comrades from the squadron he flew in.
Come to think of it all of his friends were people who had some connection to the military.
Even his family: his father was in the military. So was his father. And Wolfgangs great-grandfather as well and so on.
Their most precious family heirloom was an old gun that once saved the life of a forefather.
*BANG*
More shots into the black sky.
Wolfgang thought about his wife. She was the daughter of a former commander of the squadron he flew in. They met on an official celebration of this exact squadron.
They laughed and danced all night long and continued the contect for a long time. Finally Wolfgang gathered all his courage and asked his commander for permission to propose to his daughter.
His commander approved. He liked Wolfgang for his personality and because he was a good pilot. Two months after the marriage his wife's father fell ill and died shortly after.
After both Wolfgang and his wive overcame the loss, they had a happy marriage which was overshadowed by Wolfgang's wives constant fear of loosing him as well.
*BANG*
Ironically Wolfgang was not the one to pass away first.
A tear rolled down his wrinkled old face. His wife suffered from the same illness that claimed her father before.
The ceremony was almost over as it started to rain.
Marie.
Suddenly it hit him: What will he do when the military disappeared from his life?
He was not one of those who looses their ideals when they get old. He still believed that fighting for the things you care about is top priority.
But what's left to fight for? He never had children. His wive was infertile and something like an adoption was never an option because his wive didn't want to fear for the life of another close relative.
Wolfgang also never believed in something like a God, so what was left?
The 'Vaterland' his family was fighting for for generations? That had to be it. After all the military had never been 'only a job' for Wolfgang.
*BANG*
But now it was over. He was old and weak and not a member of the military anymore. Will he just sit at home and do one of the ordinary things retired people do?
Playing chess? Or Bingo? Feed old bread to birds in some park? Just thinking of it made him shiver.
For the rest of the ceremony Wolfgan's thoughts drifted through old memories from passed days.
*BANG*