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Liam Morgan Blog Entry


Sergeant Liam Morgan
August 11, 2023, 3:00:09 AM
August 11, 2023, 3:00:42 AM


8/11/23: r/SketchDaily theme, "Free Draw Friday." This week's character from my anthro WWII storyline is Liam Morgan, sans cap (top drawing) and with cap (bottom drawing). (I'm unsure of his rank.) He's in the British military but has secretly been turned by the bad guys, and he turns one of the American good guys, but this detail isn't revealed until near the story's end because it's someone nobody expected. There'll be more about him later in my art Tumblr and Toyhou.se.

Regarding his design, nothing much to say except I clearly imagined him with bold distinctive coloring, in this case white with a black hood.

TUMBLR EDIT: Anna Julian is a young American corporal who's sent to liaise between the Americans and a British outpost in German territory early in the war. She's one of the very very few women around, and is quite pretty, so of course draws a lot of attention. One night while she's walking alone back to the base at which she's a guest, two men attack her; she tries to fight them off, but isn't strong enough. Just as it looks like the worst is about to happen, a third man appears and promptly lays out one attacker before turning on the other; a couple of blows and the attacker grabs on to his companion, just getting back on his feet, and goes stumbling away with him. The third man turns to the mussed and stunned Julian and asks if she's all right; seeing the state she's in, he offers to walk her back to the base and fetch her a drink to steady her nerves. Once they're back in a public, well-lit area, she starts to calm down and asks the man his name. He replies, "Liam. Liam Morgan."

Corporal Julian expresses her gratitude to the man who will end up being the death of her. She doesn't know this yet, of course. She also doesn't know how Morgan paid a couple of men to pretend to attack her, so he could swoop in, save the day, and with luck, win her over. All she knows is he just (apparently) saved her life, and he has the kindest eyes and smile she's ever seen. She starts falling for him almost immediately. Just as planned.

Liam Morgan may be a British military officer but he's also a Svengali. There's irony in this, as the original Svengali was a Jewish stereotype, whereas Morgan is secretly working for the Waffen-SS. The SS has secret files on most German citizens and also on many enemy combatants. They have a slim file on Julian. Just like Morgan himself, they've identified her as a mark with potential. One small yet promising detail they've dug up is that Julian despises Jews. She's exactly the sort of person the SS is interested in right now, so they send Morgan to recruit her by whatever means necessary.

Liam Morgan hasn't revealed his past to me just yet, but I imagine it was a rather rough one, which primed him to become the sort of person the SS wanted to recruit. He has an uncanny knack for reading people, determining their motivations, fears, desires, what makes them tick, and how best to manipulate them to achieve his own ends--a talent he likely developed as a consequence of having to rely on himself only to survive. I'm not sure that he's a psychopath, but he comes close. He has the additional talent of hiding this first trait behind an empathic, kindly demeanor. No one could ever tell from a glance at him, his body language, his eyes, the sort of person he truly is. He's a master at disguising his motives while digging out others', and not only does this make him an asset to the Allies, the SS wants him as well.

How exactly Morgan is "turned" by the SS isn't something I've explored yet but I imagine it has interesting background potential. It's unlikely, given his personality, that he was entirely willing--he deeply resents being under anyone's thumb, and while he'll do others' bidding if it suits him, he always does so on his own terms. I imagine agents for the SS abduct him at some point and he's likely exposed to some sort of brief but extensive torture, and possibly what later becomes known as brainwashing; for his strengths are also his weaknesses, and the SS knows how to exploit them. Their treatment of him before he's set loose again with his new mission is likely quite brutal. He flips rather quickly but definitely not easily.

Morgan's mission: To find and turn other potential SS operatives from within Allied ranks. He's good at this, when it's other men; when it's women, he's excellent. He's fit, handsome, intelligent, well mannered, and knows what they like. The SS accordingly has him focus his talents on female marks. When word reaches them of the British forces getting ready to send someone to speak with and establish an alliance with an American battalion known as the Trench Rats, they carefully set everything in motion. Morgan is sent to flip Corporal Julian, who, although not part of British forces, has recently established herself as a liasion between them and the Americans--the perfect mark, if he can not only flip her but make sure she's the one to secure this particular mission herself. Morgan knows this latter detail will be a cinch--Julian can easily convince her British handlers of the benefits of sending her to interact with the Trench Rats. As for the former detail, it'll be a bit more challenging, though not overly so. As I said, Morgan reads women like open books. And what he reads in Julian's file convinces him she's especially susceptible to his skills. He locates a couple of shady characters who are both good at keeping mum, and in need of cash--gives them money and instructions where and when to find Corporal Julian--and waits. Within days, Julian is smitten with him, and he suspects it won't take long at all for her to do anything he requests of her.

He's working on a tight schedule--the British are expected to send someone to the Rats soon--so he works Julian a little bit faster than usual. It helps significantly when he determines something about her that he'd suspected, from reading her background in her file, yet which hadn't been proven: Julian likely had a traumatic past similar to his own, though her reaction was different from Morgan's. Whereas Morgan learned to become manipulative, conniving, clever and chameleonic and opportunistic, subtly bending other people to his will, Julian learned to become submissive and compliant, bending to the will of others. She has a bit of a stubborn streak, due to her pervasive mistrust of others, but once Morgan discovers this he knows exactly how to wear her down. With most of his targets, he never even has to use force, he's that skilled. With Julian, it turns out a little bit of force is actually attractive. Within a few weeks more, Julian is putty in his hands. Whatever he wants her to do, she'll do, without question. Even humiliate herself.

Morgan does have to teach Julian to hide her emotions better--"You'll never get anywhere in life, love, wearing them on your face like that for everyone to see"--and though she never becomes even half as skilled as he is at such things, still, she improves quite a bit. He teaches her to feign other emotions to show openly. He brings up the subject of the upcoming envoy to the Trench Rats, and suggests she volunteer for the role. "This'll be an excellent test of your skills, love, and you'll be doing a good service." "A good service for who...?" Julian asks--a very rare question. Morgan replies, "For the Fatherland, love."

Here, the ultimate test: During all his grooming of her, Morgan's never told Julian who it is he answers to; he usually has no need to. He takes a calculated risk in telling her now. As expected, she reacts with confusion, and even tries to back off a little bit although he stops her. She starts putting up her mental wall but he halts this just in time to tell her how and why she'll be so useful: "These Americans I told you to meet with, love...? They have a corporal. A Jew. A Jew working to undermine everything you and I stand for. How does that make you feel...?"

Julian is understandably guarded, but listens to what Morgan has to say. He plainly sees the disgust flicker across her face as he describes the Trench Rats' corporal, Drake Rat, and the success he's had so far in helping to rescue another American unit and establish contact with a group of French partisans. "He's done far more putting out his tentacles than their sergeant, even," Morgan says. "Their Aryan sergeant. He may be the one with rank but the Jew's the one really in charge, and already he's making inroads. Here, in the Fatherland! Right under our noses! I know this can't sit right with you, love, and I know it can't sit right with you that we're actually considering collaborating with such a person. It's bad enough when we give them power. To welcome them among us...this is far worse. Our militaries are actually encouraging this shameful stuff, this race mixing. You've seen what men are like. How is he any different...?"

Here, Morgan opens the door; and--"What do I have to do?"--Julian steps right through it. Ever a master, he strings her along just a little: "I'm not sure this is the sort of mission for someone like you after all," he admits, concern in his eyes; "it's asking an awful lot. Especially for someone with so little experience. Maybe I've overestimated you with this." He knows the power of occasional, subtle, well-placed jabs on a psyche such as Julian's, how badly they sting, yet how much more motivating they are. And indeed, it works just as planned--"I can handle it," Julian insists, a bit desperately. "Just tell me what I need to do." Any chance to prove her worth to him. Morgan hesitates a tiny bit further: "It's going to be difficult, and abhorrent, love; you're sure you want to go through with it?--I could find an easier mission you're more suited for," but she's persistent, actually grasping the front of his uniform and looking up at him pleadingly. "Let me do it," she says. "Let me show I can do it." Then, a bit halting, "For...for us. Our race...for the Fatherland."

Morgan knows now that he's snagged her, but it's only when he tells her the actual mission--to meet with the Trench Rats, and attempt to seduce and extract info from Corporal Drake--and she agrees--that he's certain his own mission is accomplished. Julian's been turned. She shoves down her revulsion, uses the skills he taught her to hide her emotions, requests the mission from her British handlers, and is sent to meet with Sergeant Camo Rat and Corporal Drake Rat.

Much of the following, Julian's actions, go unobserved by Morgan personally. His own involvement with the American forces is, by necessity, quite limited--his connection to Julian has to remain secret. She keeps him filled in on her progress whenever she returns to British headquarters and spends the night with him. She outlines her initial interactions with Sergeant Camo and Corporal Drake; the two are understandably aloof, yet polite. Drake is the more personable of the pair--when she salutes and then shakes their hands, he offers a small courteous smile, unlike Camo, who seems to distrust her. Julian furrows her brow as she describes this meeting to Morgan. "He wasn't what I expected," she murmurs, "the way you described him." When he asks what she means, she adds, "I mean...his eyes are brown, but other than that he looks and talks just like us." She'd actually been expecting a literal Jewish stereotype to greet her. "That's how they fool us, love," Morgan explains. "He likely has some race mixing in his own past. It's been going on for generations, for centuries. How else do you think they've gotten their claws in so deep...?" He reminds her to stay alert and not let herself get complacent just because a Jew doesn't look like a Jew; if anything, ones like Drake are even more insidious in how disarming they are. Julian promises to be on her guard.

As the time passes, however, her growing frustration becomes more evident every time she reports back to Morgan; despite her best efforts to get close to the other corporal (Julian doesn't really "flirt," she's not the type--and she senses Drake isn't the flirty type either--but she does send out subtle hints, smiling at him often, taking chances to be alone with him, unbuttoning the top of her blouse and leaning down a tiny bit far, lifting the edge of her skirt just a tiny bit higher than is proper), it's simply not working, he won't reciprocate. "I don't understand it," she says. "I'm doing everything you suggested, but he won't respond." "You need to step it up then, love," Morgan replies, "stop being so subtle. Make what you want so obvious he can't help but know exactly what you mean." Julian is obviously uncomfortable, but she obeys everything Morgan tells her to do--no matter how humiliating--so she returns to Trench Rat Headquarters to give it another shot.

I should take a moment to note that every time she visits, it's the Rats who have to pick her up, and she's always blindfolded and has thick headphones placed over her ears, to block out all sight and sound; Trench Rat Headquarters is kept a strict secret from non-Trench Rats, no matter how closely allied, and this is one of her intended goals, to gain the Rats' trust enough to also gain admission to Headquarters and thus learn its exact location. She heads back, and after a few days of sending yet more hints Drake's way (he's polite, yet utterly platonic), she manages to wheedle her way into him letting her into his private quarters. This takes her utmost ability in convincing, and lots of little white lies (which make her cringe inside--she detests being deliberately untruthful), and Drake himself is obviously uneasy letting her in, yet she correctly banks on his own sense of courtesy making it difficult for him to refuse. She's again surprised by how "normal" everything looks; she'd expected all sorts of signs of blatant Jewishness but really the only different thing she notices is a Tanakh, or Hebrew Bible, sitting on his desk. They make a little polite smalltalk, then when he's turned away she again undoes a few buttons on her blouse and the moment he turns back around, she practically launches herself at him and kisses him, hard. She'd been trying to aim for his bunk but he accidentally backs into the file cabinet beside it instead, the drawers letting out a violent rattle; she sees his eyes go comically wide as her mouth meets his and she presses against him. He lets out a startled noise--since he can't talk--and blinks--then grabs her upper arms, fingers digging in. Julian shuts her eyes and expects him to push her onto the bunk, which is why she stumbles and nearly falls over in surprise when instead, he pushes her back and breaks the kiss, keeping hold of her arms long enough to step aside from the cabinet and into the middle of the room before letting her go. "Corporal!!" he exclaims, voice cracking; Julian catches her footing and for a second or two they stand there, panting and staring at each other with wide eyes. Julian clutches shut the open front of her blouse, feeling a flush rising in her face; Drake looks more aghast than anything, and she feels the tiniest bit of pique, that how dare he, how dare this Jew find her repulsive. He takes a breath, appears to gather himself, and says in as even a voice as he can muster, "I think you should go now, and I won't report this."

She quickly does so, without argument; her humiliation--and growing rage--are almost crushing. It's all she can do not to scream as she storms back up the hall to her own guest quarters; in fact she almost misses noticing Camo as he approaches, though he definitely notices her. "Corporal--?" he says, startling her so she gasps and lets go of her blouse; seeing who it is, she blushes furiously and does the buttons back up as quick as she can. Camo frowns at her disheveled state and asks, "Are you all right?"--obviously suspecting something unseemly. Julian assures him she's fine; still, "Is there anything you need to report?" he presses, and she belatedly realizes that he thinks someone tried to attack her. She reiterates that everything is fine, she's fine, there's nothing that needs reporting. The Trench Rat sergeant looks unconvinced, but lets her continue on her way. She straightens herself out in her room and requests a ride back to British headquarters sooner than planned, for once appreciating the blindfold and headphones and the long ride to help calm herself down. By the time she meets with Morgan again, though, her fury has only grown.

"That--that--swine!" she rages, pacing in Morgan's private quarters as he sits and watches, vaguely amused. "Treating me like that! Where does he get off?" "Not with you, apparently, love," Morgan says, unable to resist; he doesn't bother getting angry when Julian screams and knocks everything off his desk, knowing he earned that. "They all think with their [expletive omitted], don't they?" Julian snaps, clenching her fists, pacing back and forth. "Isn't that what you told me? I've seen what men are like? What makes him so different? Why am I not good enough? I'm not subhuman! How--DARE he treat me like that! The nerve to say HE won't report ME! After I literally throw myself at him--what sort of man turns that down? I know there's nothing wrong with me! Is there something wrong with him? Is he--is he a f****t or something--?"

Here--ALMOST a moment of lucidity--except Julian is too enraged to stop and think it over. Of course she has no way to know that Drake's already involved with someone: Papillon, the French partisan who made initial contact with the Trench Rats, and who actually discovered the location of Headquarters on his own. Yes--his own. Drake's not interested in women. Julian could've shown up in his quarters stark naked and it would've made no difference. Even as she says this, Morgan frowns a little, mulls it over, makes a mental reminder to tell the SS to look into gathering more intel and updating Corporal Drake's file accordingly; Julian's question makes sense. What if the Trench Rat corporal really is homosexual? That's definitely something that should be in his file, and of course it completely scuttles this plan. There's no way in hell he'll try to seduce Drake himself. After letting Julian rant a moment or so longer he stands up and grasps her by the shoulders, stopping her in mid-pace, and says, "Hush now, love, you did your best, obviously there's nothing more to be done for it." "I can try harder," Julian immediately replies, and clutches his shirt, that desperate look in her eyes again--"I can do better! I know I can do it! Just--just tell me exactly what it is I have to do, and I'll do it. I'll get it right, I promise."

Morgan pauses--there's something sadistically appealing about sending Julian right back to try--and fail--again, in the most humiliating fashion possible--yet it would only waste valuable time. He grips her shoulders harder and says, "No, love, you gave it a shot, you failed. Such things happen. Let it go. We can try something else now. You said the sergeant asked if you were all right?--he seemed concerned?" When Julian confirms this, he muses, "Maybe this is the open door we need...maybe you should try with him, instead. He might be a lot more receptive." Morgan's read Camo's file--he's a widower, and had a child some time previously, both wife and daughter dying in an automobile accident. Morgan is fairly certain he's not only straight, but available. Maybe even looking.

Julian immediately looks uncertain. "I don't think it'll work," she murmurs; "You didn't see the way he looked at me when we met," she adds, "like he doesn't trust me...I don't think he likes me." "And this is why you try, love," Morgan presses; "Nothing comes easy. I taught you for a reason; did I choose the wrong person for the job? What makes him the line you don't want to cross...?" His hint that she risks disappointing him works; she promises to try, though she seems even more reluctant than she was with Drake. "He's one of us," she finally explains, and by that he knows she means Aryan. (A note here, Morgan is actually of Irish/English descent, whereas I'm not sure about Julian though she's part Irish; Camo is the only one of actual Germanic descent. They're basically using fancy talk for "white & not Jewish/Slavic/Roma.") She believes he'll be much smarter than Drake and will easily see through her motives. Still, a promise is a promise, and this is her mission. They wait for a few days, then she goes back to Trench Rat Headquarters.

She reports back some time later: The more time she spends at HQ, it appears, the more the Rats warm to her. She got to speak with Camo only briefly before he had to leave; spotting Drake walking past, she hailed him and apologized. "You what--?" Morgan says, a bit sharply, making her flinch; "I thought he might compromise me," she protests, and adds that he seemed to take pity on her obvious embarrassment, telling her it was all right and they could forget it happened. "You think he means it?" Morgan asks; Julian ponders a moment before murmuring, "I believe he does...I don't think he can tell without possibly compromising himself, too." She resumes regular visits to Trench Rat Headquarters and over time gradually gets closer to Camo, though it's a very slow process; Camo, just as Julian said, is very distrustful of most others, and at first he seems perplexed by her attention. She starts to consider seducing him to be a personal challenge and Morgan has to carefully rein her in now and then, remembering how infuriated her failure with Drake made her. Julian correctly guesses that Camo's never completely gotten over the death of his family, and this is the likely source of his distrust and self-imposed distance from others; Morgan advises her to go with her gut on this. Julian attempts to empathize with Camo over a shared sense of loss, and finally, the door cracks open, just a little. Morgan warns Julian: "Don't make the mistake you made last time, love. Don't throw yourself at him. Slow. You yourself say you know grief. Take small steps." Never mind that he was the one who advised her to make her intentions for Drake painfully obvious.

Julian arrives at the British outpost, and Morgan's quarters, one day, with a very strange, glassy look in her eyes. Frowning, he lets her in, fetches her a drink--she looks a lot like she did at their first meeting, and he figures she can use it. "What happened...?" he gently asks; it's a moment or two before she can speak, but she then swallows and says, "I did it...we did it." Morgan presses further despite her obvious growing discomfort, but at last she says that she succeeded in convincing Camo to let her spend the night with him.

Morgan doesn't let things go just there--he practically interrogates Julian, making her go into excruciating detail. Several times over he has to outright order her to answer, making her cringe and shrink in on herself in embarrassment, yet she obeys each time. By the time she's done describing her night she's huddled in on herself with her head ducked low, trembling and wiping at her eyes--not because of anything Camo did, he treated her perfectly normally, not at all the way Morgan usually treats her--but because she's so humiliated detailing everything they did. She adds that the morning after was quite awkward, with Camo seeming to regret his actions, so she departed a bit quickly to give him his space; she worries that she might have ruined her progress, but Morgan assures her she made the right move: "You need to go slow with him, love, and you did just that. You did well." Julian lifts her head and makes eye contact; he pauses at the aggrieved look on her face. Julian says, "I feel like--I feel like I'm betraying you," and he realizes just how deeply he's pulled her in; she actually believes he loves her. His eyes soften and he touches her face. "You're doing your job, love, the job I gave you, and you're doing it well. I'm proud of you." "It just feels wrong," she persists, so he asks, "Do you have any feelings for him, love...? Stop and think before you answer me." Julian's silent for a moment, then murmurs, with big glassy doe eyes, "No...none. He's only a target. A job." Morgan responds by smiling and stroking her cheek, murmuring, "Good lass."

Morgan makes his report to his superiors in the Waffen-SS: Julian's gotten an in with the Trench Rats' sergeant. It's early yet, she obviously doesn't yet know the location of HQ, but it's a significant step, and it bodes well for his career. He gets a visit shortly after from a German operative, who tersely requests his and Julian's presence at Projekt Weltuntergang headquarters. Perplexed, he asks for more info, but all the visitor will tell him is authorities wish to speak to them about their recent success. He knows better than to question too much, says they'll visit soon, is told, "You and Fräulein Julian are expected to appear within the week. Make your presence known at the main office," and Morgan promises they'll be there. He briefly explains the situation the next time he sees Julian, and cuts her short when she starts to protest that she can't possibly go with him into the city lest she be seen; they're going, and that's it. Julian offers no further argument.

Morgan knows something big is up. He doesn't know much about Projekt Weltuntergang--AKA Project Doomsday--headquarters, as he's not involved with that; but he does know they're located in the same building complex as Allgemeine-SS administrative headquarters. They're the ones technically in charge of all those records on private citizens. He suspects the Waffen-SS reported his info to them, and now they wish to request further info from Julian. You don't turn down a request from the Allgemeine-SS; but even more, Morgan thinks their official involvement might spell further opportunities for him. He and Julian coordinate when to visit HQ and arrive accordingly.

They're greeted by a rather overly enthusiastic person who introduces himself as Dr. Dietmar Kammler. Ingratiating, fast talking, he seems rather desperate to please, which Morgan picks up on without even trying; he both detests Kammler immediately, and decides he's an easy mark himself. Kammler explains he's the head of Projekt Weltuntergang and wished to speak with Morgan before he's seen by Allgemeine-SS authorities, thus his detour here. Realizing this is just a side visit, Morgan is quite peeved, yet hides it and grudgingly lets Kammler lead them briefly through project headquarters, pointing out various things. "I know this is over your Köpfe, er, heads," he babbles in stilted English, glancing at Julian in particular before focusing most of his attention on Morgan, "so I will, ah, make things simple, ja?" Morgan peers at Julian, and reminds himself to remind her later on to be careful of the look on her face, as her own disdain is pretty obvious by now.

Kammler reassures the impatient Morgan that they'll get to speak with the appropriate official soon, and starts talking and pacing faster. As they make a stop outside a windowed room, Julian's attention seems caught by what's going on inside; Morgan peers in and sees a large, hulking man in striped clothes, a black triangle on his shirt, seated at a table with some blocks on it; he notices them as well, and he and Julian stare at each other. Kammler just keeps yammering at Morgan, oblivious, until Julian abruptly cuts him off, asking, "Who is that man?" Both men blink at this unexpected rudeness; Kammler struggles to regain his train of thought, sees she's looking in the room, and furrows his brow. "Kolten...?" he says. "He is Versuchsperson, ah, test subject. Big success!" Julian again cuts him off before he can start babbling anew, saying, "He has a black badge, what does that mean?" Kammler seems a bit peeved by now so Morgan decides to just let Julian keep doing what she's doing since it's amusing, even if counterproductive. "Mean Versuchsperson is blöd, ah, stupid," the doctor says, "small mind, ja?--slow."

Julian then says something that catches both of them completely off guard: "Why are you wasting time on Unnütze Esser (useless eaters)?" she asks sharply, glaring at Kammler. Kammler blinks, stammers, shifts his eyes toward Morgan as if asking for help (Morgan doesn't oblige), stammers more. "Uh--pardon?" "Why are you wasting resources on him?" Julian presses, her disdain growing even as Kammler's confusion does the same. "Feeding him, housing him, keeping him alive? Doesn't this go against everything the Reich stands for? Where do you get your funding that you waste it on Unnütze Esser like this--?" Kammler clearly understands what she's asking with the word funding, as the blood drains from his face and he starts stammering even harder. "Need to try on him, others, first, before good German citizens, ja?" he explains desperately, "Still, ah, experimental, can't just use on good German subjects yet." "I'm not sure how useful this thing is if you only get it working on an idiot, and all the money it takes to care for that idiot, when good German folk are suffering," Julian says, and Kammler goes so red that Morgan finally decides he's let this go on long enough; he gently grasps Julian's shoulder, cuts her off with a murmured, "That's enough, love," and then to Dr. Kammler, "I think we've seen about enough, any word on when we can speak with the authorities?" Kammler, who'd looked ready to blow up, abruptly lets out a breath and reverts to his earlier desperate ingratiating self, promising to take them there right this minute, right away, all he asks is that they put in a good word for him, yes?--to keep the very important project running--just a good word, that's all he needs. Morgan determines that whoever it is they're going to speak with must be responsible for keeping Dr. Kammler's project running, and this tour is Kammler's attempt at securing additional funding. Any other time he would be irritated enough to get Kammler in trouble, but seeing Julian's unexpected and uncharacteristic pushback--he'd had no idea she harbored such thoughts about the disabled--was entertaining enough to mollify him, though he knows better than to let it go too far. Kammler keeps babbling as he hurries to lead them through the building and on to Allgemeine-SS administrative headquarters. He salutes and bobs his head and thanks them repeatedly as they head toward an office, exclaiming after them, "Good word, ja?--keep Weltuntergang going, good for the Reich! Good word!"

"Vulture," Julian mutters, and Morgan suppresses a chuckle. A pretty blond SS-Helferin shows them into a large office where two Allgemeine-SS officers are waiting to meet them. The one seated at the desk promptly stands and waves them forward, stepping out to greet them as well. He introduces himself as Sturmbannführer Ludolf Jäger and while apparently pleased to see them, he's much smoother and more collected than Kammler. He shakes Morgan's hand, yet when he attempts the same with Julian, she offers a stiff-armed salute--"Sieg Heil!"--instead; Jäger blinks, salutes back, then Julian does the same toward the second SS officer--"Sieg Heil!"--he too blinks, looks uncomfortable, and holds up his hand in a halfhearted salute rather than extend his arm. "Kamerad Himmel isn't big on salutes," Jäger excuses him when he decides to leave, then, "It's all right to relax a bit, Fräulein, we don't stand too much on ceremony here. I hope Herr Kammler's tour wasn't too bothersome, he begged until I gave in. Now, I've been told you have some information to share about the Americans...?"

Morgan answers a few introductory questions, then sits for a while and lets Julian handle Jäger's polite interrogation; the major pulls out a notepad and pen and jots down notes. When Julian starts describing her night with Camo he actually flushes a little and interrupts with, "Ah, you needn't offer extraneous detail on such a sensitive encounter, Fräulein!--I can simply assume how it went." He's more interested in Camo's emotional reactions to her: "Do you think he's smitten with you yet?" Julian says no, she thinks he's still hung up on his deceased wife: "I'm sure I can get to him with more time and effort, though," she adds, with a note of desperation sounding like Kammler. "Well, I'm sure you have the ability, and you know best in this situation," Jäger says, and after several more questions he sets aside his notes and stands--"That should be all for now, I'll have this information typed up and placed in Herr Camo's file; before you're seen out is there anything you'd like to ask me?" Morgan opens his mouth to tell him Dr. Kammler could probably use a dressing down for taking up their time, but to his surprise Julian speaks up first, with, "Why does your project waste time and resources on idiots?"

All the blood drains from Morgan's face, then roars right back--ears burning, he feels a burst of irrational rage. Jäger blinks, looks confused, says, "Pardon--?" "That idiot Herr Kammler is working on, with his experiment," Julian says before Morgan can speak. "He carried on like you're the one who funds it? Why waste all these resources on an idiot when they could go toward healthy citizens instead--?"

The more she talks, the less confused Jäger looks, his expression growing darker instead. Morgan whispers, a bit sharply, "Corporal." Then surreptitiously grasps her elbow and squeezes. Julian's face pinches but she cuts herself off and goes silent. "I apologize," Morgan says in response to Jäger's withering glare. "She just...got a bit caught up in that tour your doctor offered." Jäger is briefly silent, then clears his throat--"Ja, well..." He picks his notes up and tamps them into place. "You needn't concern yourself with how our project is run, we have our way of doing things and you have yours. Like I said, I'll make sure Kamerad Himmel updates Herr Camo's file, and look forward to any other information you manage to bring forward. You would like Kameradin Katja to see you back out...?" "That's all right, we'll find our own way," Morgan says, standing and making Julian stand with him. "We'll report when we have more. Thank you for your patience." Jäger nods but says nothing, obviously in a sour mood; Morgan forces himself to take a breath and bite his tongue, murmuring, "Let's go," to Julian, whose "Sieg Heil!" gets only another nod, and they depart from Jäger's office.

Morgan waits until they've reached the end of the hall and turned the corner before reacting. His hand shoots out and grips Julian by the neck, shoving her against the wall, hard; Julian gasps in surprise, then lets out the faintest squeak when Morgan squeezes, constricting her windpipe. Her eyes go wide and she grasps his arm but doesn't dig her fingernails in, he's taught her that well. Morgan leans close to look her in the eyes, his own burning.

"Never speak out of place like that again, understand?" he says under his breath, just the tiniest bite of fury in his voice. "You nearly made a fool out of me in front of him. You don't talk to them like that. You have one job, and this isn't it. Don't make me think I've misplaced my trust in you. Stay in your place. Understand...?"

The whole time Morgan talks, he tightens his grip on Julian's throat a bit more and a bit more, until she's squirming a little, her face going red and small choking noises escaping her. Her eyes flit to the side and her body tenses up; nape prickling, Morgan peers aside also. At the end of the hall, someone has just stepped around the corner and is staring at them; Captain Himmel's expression is even more hostile than Jäger's had been. Morgan promptly lets go of Julian and she gasps; "Un--understood," she murmurs shakily, rearranging her collar, "it won't happen again." Morgan gestures and she obediently follows as he continues up the hall; he glances back briefly to see Himmel continue on his way as well, though the captain's expression is definitely unfriendly. If he wants to punish Julian further he'll have to do so in private.

Morgan and Julian make a handful of visits to project headquarters to report on their progress. It's unfortunately mixed; while Julian slowly gains Camo's trust, the Trench Rat sergeant never reveals any information to her that could be considered classified. He doesn't even tell her directions to HQ despite her repeatedly staying there. Julian's frustration is evident; she's sure that by now, Camo is in love with her, yet he won't betray the Rats. "What do I do?" she begs Morgan. "Offer him anything and everything he wants," Morgan says, adding, "Everything." Julian shakes her head; before he can retort that this is her job and she'd better suck it up and get used to the idea, she says, "I already have! EVERYTHING a man could possibly want! He just...doesn't want it!" She explains that when she's subtly hinted at offering him all sorts of things--subtly, as he's not the upfront type about such matters--he's always turned her down. "Don't tell me he's into blokes too--?" Morgan exclaims in disbelief; Julian adamantly shakes her head. "He...he likes being with me just fine," she says, blushing. "But...he's....well, he's a gentleman," and she shrugs.

Morgan is skeptical--at heart, all men are alike, they all want the same thing--even the homosexual ones, just from another party--and if you offer them ANYTHING they like, they'll take it. Julian confirms, though, that Camo is not like that. Although not upfront, he's also not prudish, so it isn't merely a matter of her needing to convince him more; he just isn't interested. "Why do you think you have to do such things...?" he outright asks her at one point, and Julian pauses to think--she does such things to keep men content. "I already am," Camo says; "And what about you?" Julian has no idea how to answer that...no man has ever asked her what she wants. For the tiniest moment, there's almost a realization--here's Camo, asking her what she wants, while Morgan, the one she's in love with, has never asked her any such thing. But then the epiphany is snuffed out before it can be born; "Well then," Morgan muses, "you'll have to be blunt." "About what?" Julian asks; "You'll figure it out, I have faith in you," Morgan says. The truth is, he has no idea; Camo's behavior is an anomaly to someone like him.

Julian summons up all her nerve, and when she's alone with Camo again, she takes the risk of meekly asking why he doesn't trust her. He doesn't answer, but seems perplexed, giving her a questioning look; this is replaced by understanding as soon as she murmurs, "It's just that...in all the time I've been coming here...you've never let me know where exactly it is I've been coming." She wants to grimace, fearing she's been far too obvious, and expects him to promptly shut her down and kick her out...indeed, he shakes his head and says, "That's because I can't tell you." She shrinks in on herself and starts to gather her things--"I'll--I've overstepped, I'm sorry, I'll go now," yet Camo grasps her arm--a far gentler grasp than anything Morgan's ever done--and interjects, "No, you misunderstand. I can't tell you--you're not one of us." He explains that no one, not even their closest allies (well, except Papillon, and he found out on his own), is told the location of Headquarters--this is information that's given only to other Trench Rats. This has nothing to do with him not trusting her--he wouldn't give such info even to his own mother. Julian feels quite dumb as she says, "So...if I were a Trench Rat, you'd tell me?" To which Camo frowns and hesitantly replies, "Are...you asking for a recommendation...?"

After Julian makes hasty denials, again offering to leave (she's quite flustered by now), the two of them finally manage to understand each other: Camo says he can't make her a Trench Rat himself, but he can offer a recommendation to her superiors in the US military and her handlers in the British army. If that's what she needs, he's willing to do it; it has nothing to do with their relationship, rather, she's proven herself helpful in various ways, including their alliance with the British. Julian is so used to her worth being based solely on her use to men that she hadn't even considered she might have been useful in other ways. When Camo adds that this process involves a recommendation from Drake as well, she's just about certain her chances are shot, and she can't even tell him why without arousing suspicion; yet not long after, one of her British handlers calls her in to inform her of an important change in her circumstances. She's to give up her private quarters at their outpost, and her permanent residency there is revoked; she's now officially merely a guest. Julian goes white, thinking something dreadful has happened; yet the British officer, noticing her expression, exclaims, "What are you so upset about, Corporal?--you're moving up in the world, didn't you hear? Or can't they bother to spare you a room at Trench Rat Headquarters...?"

Here it is, the culmination of all Julian's and Morgan's efforts: She is now officially a Trench Rat. The changeover is so abrupt it's like a footnote; she doesn't have the chance to visit Morgan and inform him before a Trench Rat arrives to drive her back with him. "Not needed, ma'am," he says when she asks about her blindfold and headphones, and rather than sit in the back of the truck as is customary, she sits up front with him. Her stomach in knots the entire time. She stares out the windows the entirety of the lengthy drive and takes mental note--the best she can, at least, considering how overwhelmed she is--of all the scenery and landmarks that go by. They drive into the woods and finally approach a gate, well concealed from above, and are let in by the guards outside. A little distance more, and they pull up before more guards and the driver gets out while a guard assists Julian. She belatedly notices a semi-concealed entryway nearby; going inside, saluting more guards, the two start to descend into the earth. The majority of Trench Rat Headquarters is located beneath the ground, something Julian had already been able to guess based on her previous descents, but this is the first time she sees where it is she entered from. They enter a main artery of the underground tunnel complex and Camo and Drake are both waiting. Camo is aloof as usual as he is in public, though Drake offers a smile, which Julian didn't expect. Camo excuses himself as he has work elsewhere to attend to; he congratulates her and says he'll see her soon. Julian's anxiety returns at being left in Drake's company, but all he does is gesture for her to follow him to the mess hall.

Drake: "They're serving lunch right now. I suppose I owe you some congratulations!"

Julian: "Thank you, it's an unbelievable honor being allowed in here."

Drake: "No more allowing, you're one of us now. I imagine it'll take some getting used to, but ask anyone for assistance and I'm sure they'll help out."

Julian: *tentatively* "Corporal Drake...I...I still feel I need to apologize for...ah..."

Drake: *shakes head, stops to hold open the door to the mess hall* "Bygones."

Julian: "I thought perhaps you wouldn't offer a recommendation...and I wouldn't have blamed you, considering."

Drake: "No point dwelling. In any case it's like Camo said, you've done a lot for us already, it'd be foolish to be petty. We can always use a helpful hand. Ham and cheese sandwiches and barley soup today, unless you'd like something else."

Julian: "That's fine, thank you." *Drake fetches her tray & hands it to her; they retreat to a table & sit*

Drake: "It does mean you're going to have to choose your assignment here. Lots of things to pick from."

Julian: "Goodness, I didn't even consider. I have no idea."

Drake: "Well...they always need help in the medical ward, if you have a strong stomach. We have tons of records that always need going through, and never enough eyes to go through them. And if you know anything about electronics at all, D-Day could use an assistant wiring the rest of the complex."

Julian: "D-Day?"

Drake: "Lance Corporal Doomsday. Ah...he asks to be called D-Day instead...obvious reasons."

Julian: "Oh...of course." *pulls sandwich in half* "I can learn about electronics...but I worry I might cause offense. I have no idea how I'd talk to him."

Drake: "You talk to him like anyone else. And don't worry too much, it takes a lot to offend him. I think he'd appreciate the help a lot more. Anyway, you have a day or so to choose, so it's no rush."

Julian: "Oh. You didn't pick up anything to eat."

Drake: "It's all right, I'm not staying long. I can have someone show you to D-Day if you'd like to introduce yourself."

Julian: "Still--" *holds up half of the sandwich* "You'd like some--? I don't mind." *Drake shakes his head* "Really, it's a bit much for me. You're sure...?"

Drake: "I...can't eat that. You can wrap it up to go, if you'd like."

Julian feels a sudden tiny twinge, blushes, withdraws the sandwich and fights the urge to apologize again. For a few moments she'd actually forgotten who it is she's talking to, yet she catches a glimpse of what Drake's wearing--a tiny Star of David necklace--and thinks, of course he can't share her lunch. Not that she's inclined to share it anymore anyway; she withdraws a little bit, putting up her wall. Drake seems to sense this, as his friendly expression falters just a little, then she senses him putting up his own wall as well--he actually pushes his chair back a fraction. An uneasy chill settles over them both. "Well..." he says, and now has to force an awkward half-smile, "I'll send someone along to your quarters with info on how to get in touch with D-Day, if you'd like. You're still in the same place." Julian nods and he gets up, though before he can go she manages to offer a stilted thank you for the recommendation; she still isn't sure why he gave her one. Drake's smile is a bit less forced as he replies, "It's no problem, you earned it," and excuses himself. Julian shoves down her confused feelings, tells herself to be on her guard--surely a crafty Jew has his reasons for letting her in here--and eats her lunch alone.

She can't believe her luck when she's introduced to LC Doomsday not long after. She's heard of him, although they've never directly interacted; he's the big success story of Projekt Weltuntergang, who was liberated by the Trench Rats upon their arrival. Her feelings about him are the exact opposite of those about Drake. Doomsday ("Just D-Day, ma'am," he says when she refers to him by his longer name) is Aryan, and quite intelligent as well as physically strong due to the experiment he took part in. Julian actually blushes while he chatters at her about the wiring and electronics, feeling a bit of a crush. Engineering really isn't her thing, she just figured her best opportunity to get a good look at the layout of HQ and how it all works would be in his company. So she tries hard to shake off her infatuation and pay close attention when D-Day starts showing her around and explaining things. D-Day was once intended to serve as the Nazis' superweapon, only for the Trench Rats to thwart this; now, Julian hopes to utilitize him in a different way. She finds herself inspired; surely the future of Weltuntergang should depend on more subjects like him--not dullards like Kolten. She makes another mental note. She should really write a letter or two.

She spends all her time at Trench Rat Headquarters memorizing the layout of the complex the best she can, and reports this information back to Morgan whenever she visits the British outpost to keep them up to date. Morgan beams and chucks her under the chin--"Excellent work as ever, love," he coos--and Julian blushes with pleasure. The Waffen-SS gradually collects the info Julian and Morgan provide and puts together a rough map not just of the Trench Rat complex but of its location relative to other landmarks, such as trenches dug by the Rats, and the exact way to get there. Morgan receives word from an informant that the discovery of this information in SS hands can easily be pinned on an American captive, a Trench Rat named Teal, who was captured when D-Day was freed; he's already suspected of turning on the Rats and providing intel to the Nazis, so the location and layout of HQ can be laid at his feet as well. Morgan asks if Teal actually has turned; maybe he could be a source. The informant replies no--Teal hasn't turned on his own. Morgan can't help but feel vague amusement at the irony that he's completely innocent yet can serve as the perfect scapegoat, anyway.

The SS soon plans to stage an attack on Trench Rat Headquarters; the Wehrmacht will do the heavy lifting, bombing HQ's main complex from above, while positioning soldiers near the exits to capture anyone who escapes; meanwhile, other troops will target the outlying Trench Rat companies in a massive coordinated attack. Julian is expected to be present at HQ when this happens. For this reason, the SS doesn't inform Morgan of any of this, lest he tell Julian and possibly compromise things. Still, Morgan and Julian can both easily surmise that SOME sort of assault is incoming, they just don't know how or when. So when a giant blast suddenly strikes a western portion of the tunnel complex one day, Julian is a bit less surprised than everyone else. Within moments more blasts start raining down and the Trench Rats inside the complex start racing for the exits. Julian ends up with Camo and Drake and the three of them make a stumbling run for it; while trying to shield her head from falling debris, she notices Drake, just in front of them, pulling his pistol. He'll attempt to provide cover for the other two on the way out. Julian doesn't dwell on this thought; all she can think of, aside from trying to stay alive, is meeting up with Morgan again once the Trench Rats are wiped out. (Well, she rather hopes D-Day is captured alive.) This will certainly be considered their greatest success, and she knows he'll be proud of her.

Morgan, safely back among the British on a mission, learns of the attack only belatedly. Radiotelegraph operators at the outpost start receiving SOS messages requesting aid; the location of HQ is telegraphed, to their surprise, which indicates the situation must be dire indeed. Morgan's unit, out in the field, is located and informed by a scout who arrives breathlessly on foot. They head back to the outpost, but the situation is pure chaos by the time they get there--EVERYONE has been caught completely unawares by the attack--so Morgan himself is never sent out to provide assistance. He remains at the outpost, pacing his quarters and smoking and wondering how it's all playing out. He hates not being in the loop of the very thing he helped plan.

As the time draws out, he starts getting a bit nervous. He still hasn't heard anything from Julian, and although preliminary reports say the assault was a tentative success, details are lacking. The hours pass. Word trickles in. Massive, though not complete, damage to Trench Rat Headquarters; deaths are estimated to be in the scores if not hundreds, and at least an entire wing of the complex was destroyed, and many of the escaping Rats gunned down, before their own forces began to rally. The attacks simultaneously launched against the outlying companies were significantly less successful; one company fought off the attack with minimal casualties, while another managed to escape ambush completely. Early estimates suggest a quarter to a third of the Rats were killed or captured before they rallied enough to fight back; some of the retreating German forces were additionally picked off by partisans who'd been alerted to the situation. All in all, it went somewhat better even than they'd hoped it would--especially when the rumor spreads that the Trench Rat sergeant and corporals, Camo, Drake, and Julian, have been captured alive. If the Germans can break them under torture, they could prove to be immensely useful. Morgan allows himself to feel a twinge of relief--and satisfaction--that all his hard work has finally come to fruition. He relaxes and waits for further news.

Some time later, a British contact arrives, tells him his presence has been requested by a handler; he's provided with an excuse and an escort and leaves. He's transported to a tiny camp set up in the woods, where a handful of Wehrmacht soldiers is stationed, an SS officer among them. As soon as he arrives, Morgan starts to feel uneasy...he can tell by his uniform and insignia that he's with the Allgemeine-SS, not the Waffen-SS, who Morgan reports to. He has no reason to be speaking with this guy. After confirming his identity, Morgan asks what's going on. The officer responds by saying, "Did you have any hand in Kamerad Himmel's actions?" Morgan furrows his brow--"Who?"--he's already forgotten the name. "Hauptsturmführer Himmel," the officer says, "did you have any hand in his actions?"--barely even a question this time.

Morgan: "I have no idea what you're talking about. What's going on? I don't know any Captain Himmel. I thought I was going to be updated on Corporal Julian."

Officer: "You confirm that you are Fräulein Julian's handler?"

Morgan: *piqued* "Of course I confirm I'm her handler, I've been handling her for months now! You lot all know that!"

Officer: "Do not raise your voice with me, Herr Morgan. So you confirm you are aware of Fräulein Julian's position."

Morgan: "Yes, I'm aware. I trained her. What is this? Where is she? She got out of HQ, right?--so when do I get to talk to her?"

Officer: "You are unaware of the events that just occurred?"

Morgan: "What events? I know of the attack on HQ, is that what you mean?"

Officer: "This is not the event of which I'm speaking. So you confirm you had no hand in it."

Morgan: *raising voice* "If you'd tell me what the F**K it is you're talking about--"

Officer: "Fräulein Julian has been summarily executed."

Morgan: *blood draining from his face* "...What...?"

Morgan is unaware that a massive chain of events was set in motion that day so long back when he and Julian were invited to visit Projekt Weltuntergang headquarters, when Julian couldn't bear to hold her tongue before the Allgemeine-SS. He's been expecting some sort of retribution from Major Jäger ever since she mouthed off at him: Despite his middling rank, Morgan knows he wields an immense amount of power and influence in the SS, and it was exactly as he warned her--you don't talk to them like that. This, though...he was not expecting this. His shock only grows, however, upon being informed that Jäger apparently has nothing to do with it. Julian offended someone else far more that day.

Let's rewind and switch POV.

It's the day following the fated visit. Captain Himmel heads to the Projekt Weltuntergang labs the way he does every day. He's Major Jäger's head secretary, but he's also the project supervisor, meaning his observations and reports made back to Jäger determine whether the project continues to receive funding or not--Jäger holds the purse strings, just as Morgan guessed. Yet Himmel has a third reason for being there. He stops by the observation room where Dr. Kammler's test subject, Kolten, spends his days, sees him seated within building with his blocks, and enters. Kolten peers up as Himmel approaches his table; noticing his look, Himmel smiles, and his typical dour mood lightens.

Himmel: "Hallo, Kolten." *sits down across from him*

Kolten: "Hallo, Herr Hauptsturmführer."

Himmel: "What have you been up to since yesterday...?"

Kolten: "There is Hohenzollern Castle, but I've only just started it."

Himmel: "Have you made any new drawings?"

Kolten: *pulls over a large sketchbook & meekly hands it over*

Himmel: *slowly flipping through the sketches of buildings & random people* *smiles to himself* "Excellent work as always, Kolten." *flips to a sketch of Liam Morgan & Anna Julian; his smile vanishes* *pause* "Kolten..." *lifts the sketchbook to show him the drawing* "Who are these people?"

Kolten: *shrugs* "I do not know their names."

Himmel: "But you've seen them before, ja?" *Kolten nods* "Where? When?"

Kolten: "Yesterday. Doktor-Vater brought them with him. I think he was taking them on a..." *trails off, frowning* "What is it called, when you show people a place...?"

Himmel: "Tour?"

Kolten: *looking skyward* "'Tour.'"

Himmel: "Did he say why?"

Kolten: *looking at Himmel* "He did not tell me, but I heard him say to the man and woman to put in a good word for him." *looks skyward, starts speaking rapidly in broken English* "'Good word, ja?--keep Weltuntergang going, good for the Reich! Good word!'" *lowers his head & peers at Himmel uncertainly* "Are...are they going to come back, Herr Hauptsturmführer...?"

Himmel: *frowns* "I don't know, Kolten, why?"

Kolten: *meekly* "I...do not like the woman, she frightens me. I do not think she likes me."

Himmel: "Why do you say this?"

Kolten: "The man did not say much but the woman talked to Doktor-Vater...she asked about me and she seemed mad. She did not like my Winkel." *puts his hand over his black badge*

Himmel: "What do you mean, she was angry? About your triangle? Why?"

Kolten: "I think she did not know I could hear her. But she got mad at Doktor-Vater when he told her what der Winkel means. She said..." *looks upward, starts speaking loudly in English* "'Why are you wasting time on Unnütze Esser? Why are you wasting resources on him? Feeding him, housing him, keeping him alive? Doesn't this go against everything the Reich stands for? Where do you get your funding that you waste it on Unnütze Esser like this--? I'm not sure how useful this thing is if you only get it working on an idiot, and all the money it takes to care for that idiot, when good German folk are suffering!'"

Himmel: *says nothing, though his facial expression is growing more & more unpleasant*

Kolten: *meekly* "You...you will not let them come look at me again, will you, Herr Hauptsturmführer...? The woman frightens me. She talks like the men in skull-hats. I promise I'll be good."

Himmel: "I won't let her bother you again, Kolten, I promise."

Kolten: "Have I disappointed you...? You seem angry."

Himmel: "You haven't disappointed me, nein. I'm not angry with you. "

Kolten: "I'm sorry I am useless, if I could do something I would."

Himmel: *leans forward* "Kolten, listen to me. You are not useless, and you could never disappoint me. And I promise you don't need to worry about these people bothering you again. I'll keep you safe, I swear. You believe me?"

Kolten: *staring down* "All right."

Himmel: "I promise, Kolten." *stands up* "I have to go early, I'm sorry I can't stay." *pause* "Kolten...may I have the drawing of the man and the woman, bitte?"

Kolten: *tears out the page & hands it to him* *pauses while Himmel stares at it* "You like my drawing...?"

Himmel: "I like all of your drawings. I'm going to show this one to a friend." *puts it away* "While I'm gone, how about you make some more drawings? And work on Hohenzollern? I'd like very much to see it when I come back."

Kolten: "You want more drawings of the man and the woman...?"

Himmel: "Nein, this is good enough...in fact, how about you make sure not to draw these two again? And if Doktor-Vater asks you about them, pretend you did not hear what they said about you. It can be our secret, all right...?"

Himmel lowers his voice conspiratorially as he requests a little white lie--Kolten is painfully honest, his disability making it nearly impossible for him to be otherwise. Framing it as a special secret, almost a game, makes it easier--Kolten DOES know how to lie by omission, and he's done so many times, at Himmel's request. Despite his status as Kammler's test subject, there's a lot Kammler doesn't know. Kolten responds to the request by making a buttoning gesture at his lip--a gesture Himmel taught him. Himmel smiles, returns the gesture. "You will come to see me tomorrow...?" Kolten asks a bit anxiously, as if sensing big events are in motion; "Of course I will," Himmel replies, and Kolten visibly relaxes. "Tschüss, and be good," Himmel says; "Tschüss, I will," Kolten promises, and Himmel leaves.

He heads for the administrative offices where he works, having to force himself to not start stomping, fighting to keep his breathing even and politely greet the other workers he crosses. In truth, he's infuriated, as well as terrified, and digs his fingernails into his palms hard enough to hurt to prevent himself from punching anybody. Himmel isn't a violent person--despite his service in the Imperial German Army and then in the SS, he prefers to work from a desk and keep to himself, brushing off all the jeers about being a glorified secretary--but this news, and especially the American woman's speech, has him rattled like little else. He goes to speak with his boss, Major Jäger.

"The cheek of that woman!" Jäger exclaims when Himmel broaches the subject; he chatters as he arranges his office plants. "Lecturing me like that! Ah that's right, you missed it, but goodness, the nerve. Utterly humiliated that man she was with, if the color he went was any indication. Luckily for her I'm a bit more tolerant of such things, though I imagine he set her straight once they left! Anyway, what was it you wanted to ask about...?"

Himmel remembers what he saw in the hallway after he left Jäger's office--the British man pinning the woman against the wall by her neck--and realizes now what exactly he was witnessing. "I was wondering their specific reason for visiting," he says, trying not to sound too eager for information.

Jäger: "They were providing information for our files, but you know this already, you typed it up, ja?"

Himmel: "The information on the Trench Rats? That came from them?"

Jäger: "Ja, the Waffen-SS is helping to collect some intel. Nothing you need to concern yourself with too much."

Himmel: "But, why then did they visit Weltuntergang headquarters, as well? This is unrelated to the personal intel, is it not...?"

Jäger: "Ah, that was Herr Kammler's request. He would've nagged my ear off if I hadn't let them. Still thinks he needs recommendations from anyone and everyone to get his precious funding."

Himmel: "Why would that woman be talking about Unnütze Esser if all she's here for is to spy on the Trench Rat sergeant...? What business does she have with such matters?"

Jäger: *pauses; slowly turns to face him, frowning* "How did you know about that...?"

Himmel: "She spoke about it right in front of Kolten. After asking about his badge. She was talking about him." *shows him Kolten's drawing; Jäger furrows his brow* *pause* "You already knew about this...?" *Jäger looks uneasy* "Why did you not tell me?"

Jäger: "Frankly, Kamerad, it's because this is none of your concern. The same as Weltuntergang is none of her concern."

Himmel: "None of my concern--? This is very much my concern! The words that woman said in front of Kolten! He's not stupid, he knows exactly what she means. Whatever her business is, she's gotten herself involved."

Jäger: "She's a nobody and will be put in her place."

Himmel: *scowling* "You promised me you would protect him. Especially from our own!"

Jäger: "And I meant it! I'm telling you, Kamerad, you needn't worry about her, she'll have nothing to do with Kolten."

Himmel: "You gave me your word. I'm holding you to it. But if she harms one hair on his head..."

*Himmel & Jäger glare at each other*

Jäger: "What then, Kamerad...?"

Himmel: *pause* "If he were one of your children, you'd understand."

Jäger puffs up defensively but says nothing; the look on his face makes it clear enough for Himmel to leave, having worn out his welcome.

Himmel has no reason to disbelieve Jäger's words, but knows that Jäger answers to others he might not agree with, and has his own priorities which don't include Kolten. He decides to be proactive. He seeks out a member of the Waffen-SS for whom he once did a favor, and although he dislikes quid pro quos, he asks if the favor might be returned. He shows him Kolten's drawing; the officer identifies Liam Morgan as one of their own, and he doesn't know the woman's name but he assumes Morgan turned her too. What about them? He's puzzled when Himmel mentions Projekt Weltuntergang--"They don't have anything to do with that"--and is even more perplexed when Himmel asks him to let him know should the woman ever engage in any sort of activity related to the project. Still, he promises to get back to Himmel if he hears anything, and agrees to tell no one else about the request. Himmel can do nothing else in the meantime but continue to visit Kolten, and wait.

It isn't too long before the Waffen-SS officer visits Himmel with an envelope in his hand; he looks furtive and uneasy when he hands it over. He says that as far as he's aware, this is the only copy of this particular letter in existence, but that doesn't mean there aren't similar letters he simply doesn't know about. "Now, I hope our debt is settled," he adds; taking the hint that he's risking quite a lot passing along the letter, Himmel assures him they're even, thanks him, and he leaves. Himmel waits until he's alone in his apartment at night to open and read the letter. It's addressed to a Waffen-SS official and signed by Corporal Anna Julian, and isn't on any official letterhead, so he assumes she wrote this to send in a private capacity. Himmel goes cold as he reads the brief letter, which is an appeal on Julian's part to assess Projekt Weltuntergang's use of disabled persons. She makes the same argument she made to Dr. Kammler and then to Jäger, that results that apply to mental defectives won't necessarily apply the same to the mentally sound, and that feeding, housing, and caring for idiots (Himmel steams more and more as he reads this language) is in direct conflict with the principles of the Reich. Surely, terminating such subjects as quickly as possible, and finding suitable volunteers to take their place, is the best course of action.

Himmel re-folds the letter and sits a moment or two to collect himself. This one will never reach its destination, but Julian likely wrote others, and given how persistent she seems, he doesn't doubt she'll just keep at it until she gets a response. The fact that she signed her name to the letter, as an American soldier still ostensibly serving the Americans, shows she has little concern about potential consequences; it's possible even that Morgan is unaware of what she's up to. She sounds every bit like a budding fanatic, and Himmel knows that if he wants to ensure Kolten's safety, he'll need to take drastic action.

He gets his chance when news breaks of the attack on Trench Rat Headquarters. A radiotelegraph reaches the SS, stating that the Trench Rat leadership has been successfully captured--this was a goal all along, nothing strange there--though caught alive along with them is a third party. None are referred to by their actual names in the message, but Himmel knows that the first two substitute names refer to Camo and Drake, and he makes a reasoned guess at the third. All three are to be handed into SS custody for interrogation. Himmel takes advantage of the chaos surrounding the situation--although the broader attack was largely a failure, the attack on HQ itself was even more successful than anyone expected it to be, catching its participants by surprise--and volunteers to do the initial questioning. Any other time, this would be seen as odd--not only because it'd be far more appropriate for the Waffen-SS to do the initial interrogation (the Allgemeine-SS is expected to get involved later), but because Himmel is definitely not the one who would be expected to be involved. He's a clerical worker, and isn't particularly known for his interrogation technique or his ability to be intimidating--although he can hold his own well enough, he's more of a background figure who goes largely unnoticed. So him volunteering for intake interrogation raises a few eyebrows, yet everything is going way too fast for anyone to question his motives, and the job is handed to him. Maybe if someone had gotten the word to Jäger first, he might have asked what's up, but nobody notifies him, and I doubt even he would've predicted what happens next.

Himmel makes sure he's in order and hurries to the temporary area set up where Camo, Drake, and the third party he hopes is Julian will be brought. He doesn't have long to prepare or to wait before several Wehrmacht soldiers drag the three in; their wrists are restrained behind their backs, they're somewhat battered and mussed from the initial attack, but they're otherwise relatively fine. They're hauled into a row and shoved down onto their knees--Sergeant Camo to Himmel's right, Corporal Drake in the middle, and--as he'd assumed--Corporal Julian on the left. Himmel briefly studies their faces as one of the soldiers barks orders in broken English. Julian looks frightened--a detail that just pisses Himmel off even further, as he knows she's acting, being an SS operative she has no reason to be afraid--she remains in character to the end. Drake's been roughed up somewhat--his Star of David is in plain sight, and Himmel doesn't doubt the soldiers took the opportunity to knock him around a little on the way there--and looks wary and uneasy. Camo looks openly defiant, and when Himmel makes eye contact he's sure the sergeant would murder him if he could get his hands on him. This is the third time they've come face to face: They saw each other once as soldiers fighting in the trenches in the Great War, then again they caught a glimpse of each other from afar at the start of this war. Himmel has read Camo's file and feels he knows him well; all Camo knows about Himmel is that he's apparently had a hand in things here for a long time, and he doesn't like him. Himmel showing up now in an SS uniform and with a swastika on his arm just confirms his feelings.

The handful of Wehrmacht soldiers stand aside as Himmel looks from one captive to the next, makes a few vaguely threatening comments, paces in front of them. None of them say anything in response. Aside from him not actually peppering them with questions as he should be, nothing about the situation looks particularly unusual or noteworthy, and the soldiers stop paying too close attention; even when Himmel unholsters his pistol and starts aiming it at each of them, finally stopping in front of Corporal Drake with the barrel pointed at his forehead, they merely snicker a little--a dead Jew is a dead Jew, no biggie to them--and resume their muted chattering. Drake shuts his eyes. Himmel stares down at him for a few seconds, then swings his arm left and fires. Corporal Julian's eyes go wide--the bullet enters her forehead, bursts out the back of her skull, and she topples over, blood rapidly pooling around her.

The Wehrmacht troops stop chattering with a collective gasp, eyes goggling. Everything else happens a split second later, all at once.

Himmel's heart skips a beat and he feels his lungs constrict so he can't breathe, ringing filling his ears. Julian stares up at the ceiling, the bit of light in her eyes flickering out. "Corporal Julian--!" Drake yells, scrabbling toward her on his knees--"Anna, Anna!!"--leaning over her but unable to do anything else with his hands restrained. A soldier hurries forward, rifle butt raised over Drake's head. Himmel opens his mouth to order him--then blinks. Camo's surged to his feet and, also yelling, launches himself straight at Himmel. His helmet cracks against Himmel's forehead and stars burst all around him as he falls back and hits the ground hard, grunting in pain and surprise.

He's stunned senseless for a moment, blinking and shaking his head; the stars disappear and he sees double for another few seconds before the full pain of the blow strikes him and he grimaces and clasps his hands to his nose, which is already streaming blood. Blood trickles into his eye as well, stinging and blurring his vision--a blink or two later and he sees a couple of soldiers beating Camo back down with their rifles. He stares a second, looks toward Drake--the other soldier cracks him in the head a second(?) time with his rifle butt and raises it a third time even though Drake looks plainly unconscious already--then looks back to where the soldiers are still pummeling Camo. This all takes place in a mere handful of seconds that feels like forever. Himmel pushes himself up, stumbles unsteadily--tries yelling at the top of his voice, which isn't very loud at all, "Nein! Stop!" Manages to shove back one of the soldiers beating Camo--"Stop!"--then knocks aside the rifle of the one beating Drake--"Stop it! Gather them up and get them back to headquarters! Schnell!"

The soldiers look confused, yet obey; they drag away the unconscious Drake and the half-conscious Camo, then one of them hauls Julian up by the arms--Himmel's seen plenty of gore before yet has to look away--and coughs uncertainly, saying, "Herr Hauptsturmführer...? What do you want me to do with her...?" Himmel instructs him to follow the others--somebody at HQ will figure out what to do--then advises him that somebody else will likely seek him and the others out soon for questioning. "What do you want me to tell them?" the soldier asks; Himmel frowns and says, "The truth, of course." The soldier turns--Julian's head lolls and her arms swing limp--and strides away. Himmel manages to wait until they're gone before throwing up, then sits and waits for someone to come fetch him. It doesn't take long before several Waffen-SS troops arrive with grim faces; Himmel holds out his arms. "Could you pass along a message for me, bitte?" he asks as he's cuffed. "Tell Doktor Kammler to tell Kolten that I won't be able to come see him for a while, something important's come up. And that I'm sorry."

Dr. Kammler watches in surprise as the Trench Rats are paraded past his area, then Corporal Julian's body is brought for autopsy. An officer delivers Himmel's message and Kammler brings it to Kolten. "I'm sure it'll get settled," he says when Kolten lowers his head gloomily. "Sometimes things happen."

Himmel meanwhile ends up in a small room where a Waffen-SS official tersely tells him, "Probably best if you keep quiet till we get in touch with your superiors." Pushing down his dread, Himmel replies (in a nasal voice that makes him cringe), "They have nothing to do with it, I acted alone." "Still," the official mutters, "keep your mouth shut till then," and leaves. Himmel puts his hands to his throbbing nose, curses his life, and waits again.

Some time passes, the door opens again and footsteps approach, stopping in front of him. "Kamerad--?" a voice says sharply; Himmel winces, peers up. Major Jäger has never looked so tall and looming; he blinks, then stormclouds form in his eyes. "What happened to his face--?" he demands of the officer next to him, his voice starting to rise dangerously. "We had nothing to do with it," the officer protests, and Himmel mumbles, "He's telling the truth, the Trench Rat did this." Jäger lets his breath out of his nose and barks, "Get him some ICE!" so the officer scurries away. He sits down and glares until the soldier returns with ice wrapped in a towel; Jäger hands it over and Himmel winces again as he presses it against his nose. Then winces even further when Jäger launches into a barely articulate tirade. At the heart of his gesticulating and ranting, though, is confusion--why would Himmel, passive unimposing Himmel, do something like this, something so unlike him? Himmel reiterates that he did it for Kolten, and shows Jäger the letter Julian wrote. "I guarantee you, there are other letters much like this one," Himmel says. Yet when he tries to convince Jäger of the seriousness of the situation, his boss hesitates.

Jäger: "Still, Kamerad, this aside...you don't go EXECUTING people! Especially our own! I just can't believe you'd be so reckless."

Himmel: "Reckless! After what she did! What should I have done? Tell me that."

Jäger: "Not THIS! You report it and let it go through proper channels! This mission wasn't your business and you had no legitimate grounds to take such action."

Himmel: "And how long would proper channels take while this woman is sending out her letters? You say this is none of my business. Weltuntergang is none of HER business! Yet she made it so, didn't she--? Where were her proper channels?"

Jäger: "You have no idea the amount of time and money it took to turn this person, Kamerad, or the damage you've done."

Himmel: *seething* "DAMAGE! Read her letter and tell me again about DAMAGE! Go ahead and take the money out of my salary. Demote me. Put me in a jail cell! All they need for their precious asset!"

Jäger: "That's not how this works--"

Himmel: "I see exactly how it works, and how it works is nobody looks out for Kolten. You said you would. Proper channels? Are you telling me you'd stand up to them?--you'd speak back--?" *Jäger hesitates; Himmel's eyes narrow* "I didn't think so. Nobody else was going to do anything until it was too late. All she needed was one person, one person looking at her letter and stopping to think about it. And while I'm caught up going through the PROPER CHANNELS, Kolten is being liquidated." *voice cracks* "Go ahead and punish me. I don't care what happens to me as long as Kolten is safe."

Jäger: *stands up* *muttering* "I'm owed a few favors...I suppose I can call them in now. I'm not going to be able to shield you from every consequence though, Kamerad. This is serious."

Himmel: "I'm not asking for your help. I'm willing to face consequences. My only concern is looking out for Kolten...since no one else will."

Himmel gives Jäger a withering glare before he leaves, flustered by the captain's out-of-character violence. He goes to speak with Waffen-SS leadership and plead Himmel's case. The Waffen-SS officials are quite disgruntled by the loss of such a useful asset, but Jäger is a smooth talker, quite persuasive, and points out Himmel's own usefulness to the SS (he oversees Projekt Weltuntergang, as well as helps type up and organize a good number of the SS files). One officer protests but the others soon override him; "Well, we got what we needed most out of her," one muses, "I doubt she would've been much more useful anyway. Just another person to pay and mouth to feed. Seeing how easily she turned on her own, who's to say she wouldn't have done the same to us further down the line? Frankly, we're probably better off without. The Allies are scattered, that's what counts. We can always recruit another asset."

And just like that, Corporal Julian is relegated to a footnote, easily and readily expended...a casualty of the exact same argument she'd so passionately made regarding Kolten and his sort. An official confronts Himmel and says with a glare that since he can't escape entirely unpunished, he'll go without pay and be relegated to deskwork for a month. "I already work from a desk," Himmel says, confused; the official steams a little and says, "Well then, you'll go out and work in the field for a month!" Himmel (who's been doing deskwork since the end of the Great War) sulks while Jäger thanks the Waffen-SS profusely for their generosity. "You could have kept your mouth shut, Kamerad, and escaped punishment," Jäger points out, but Himmel reiterates--"I don't care about the punishment, I care only about Kolten"--and goes to visit with him once more before swapping out his black work uniform and cap for a gray field uniform and helmet, and grudgingly accepts his new temporary assignment.

He hardly has a thought to spare for the other party involved...Liam Morgan. Once Morgan gets over his initial shock at hearing of Julian's death, and answers a barrage of questions about his role in it ("I had no idea she was engaged in such behavior," he says, one of the few times he's honest, "I'd've reined her in, had I known"), he does his best to lie low while trying to figure out what exactly happened. He has a few contacts of his own and soon enough learns of Julian's letter-writing campaign. That she acted behind his back is bad enough; it's the Very Big Mistake she made, targeting Kolten in specific, that makes Morgan start fuming with fury. Morgan can't figure out why a piddling, mild-tempered secretary would get so invested in an idiot as to risk prison; then he gets a look at Kolten's Weltuntergang file. Takes him a bit to find it as it's under H, not K. H for HIMMEL, KOLTEN. Kolten might be an idiot, but he's still Himmel's son. "Stupid f**king c**t," Morgan mutters. Not only was Himmel just looking out for family, but it seems Kolten may be protected by certain other parties as well...Julian just happened to pick a fight with the Allgemeine-SS, a force far more powerful than herself. Morgan is surprised to feel a twinge of regret; he'd grown a bit fond of Julian's fawning company. He quickly brushes this off, though--he's never had any time or motivation for love--and like the Waffen-SS he thinks, well, at least she did her part, it's no big loss. The only ones who end up truly mourning Julian's death are Camo and Drake, the two people she hated most.

The Waffen-SS decides Morgan himself is a bit redundant--now that the location of Trench Rat Headquarters is known, and their leadership captured, his role turning others to spy on them is no longer very necessary--and he's relegated back to just casual intel gathering. He steams over this--he'd rather hoped for a promotion--but there's nothing really to be done. He does allow himself a snicker when Camo shortly after escapes custody (it turns out with Himmel's unknown assistance), and feels a measure of schadenfreude when the Trench Rats just bring in a new sergeant and corporal and start rebuilding Headquarters. He's sure that if he'd been kept on things, the SS would've kept the upper hand; yet they decided he wasn't needed anymore, so he figures they deserve whatever losses they take. There's really no loyalty among any of these people. Well. Except between Himmel and Kolten.

Morgan fades into the background as the war goes on. He guesses that the less obtrusive he is, the greater his chances of survival. And indeed, even as the tide turns, the SS struggles to maintain control, and the Allies gain the upper hand, he keeps a step ahead of everyone. At some point I believe he defects from the British military to serve directly in the Waffen-SS, though his German counterparts never truly trust him, so he's left in the rather precarious situation of not really belonging anywhere. But Morgan's used to being on his own. When the Third Reich topples, he runs and he hides. He falls off the map for a year or so (throughout the events of Ultima Thule) before making the mistake of heading further east, toward the USSR. His chances likely would've been better had he headed west, but he overestimates his ability to remain unnoticed, and is soon captured by the Soviets. They've been hunting down suspected escaped SS members since the war ended, and despite Morgan's protests to the contrary, they know exactly who he is. For him, just as for his former protégé Julian, there'll be no trial. He's beaten and tortured by the Communists just like he once was by the Nazis and at last he offers to tell them anything they want to know. His primary interrogator informs him that he's going to be executed whether he spills or not; Morgan says he knows, he'll tell them what they want anyway, just give him a little time to pull himself together. He has one request, though. He asks if it's possible for them to track down the Trench Rat sergeant and corporal, Camo and Drake. He wants to set the record straight while he has the chance.

The Soviets get on the radiotelegraph and ask around a little. They return to inform him that Drake, following his rescue from captivity, departed for France and is unlikely to return soon. Sergeant Camo is still in Germany, and when they tell him they have Liam Morgan in custody, he agrees to the Soviets' request to come.

Morgan is in poor shape when Camo arrives. He's told of his visitor and can barely lift his head and peer up at him through his one good eye. He and Camo have never met, and know each other only by reputation. Near the war's end, both Captain Himmel and Dr. Kammler were captured by the Trench Rats, while Drake and another Trench Rat captive, Teal Rat, were rescued; Teal snapped and, in a rage, killed Kammler (who'd tortured both him and Drake), then himself. Given how long Teal had been in Nazi custody, and his status as a special detainee, he was widely regarded as the leak who revealed the location of Trench Rat Headquarters to the Germans; before committing suicide, he denied this, though he did seem pretty guilty. Himmel, meanwhile, promised to tell the Rats everything he knew about Projekt Weltuntergang if they would take him to see Kolten, who'd been liberated by the Rats some time previously. The Rats were perplexed by this request, yet it seemed harmless enough, so they granted it. Himmel's and Kolten's relationship was finally revealed and Himmel kept his promise to tell everything. Among the most shocking of the details he gave was that Teal Rat was indeed innocent of betraying his fellow Rats; that had been Corporal Julian. Despite her odd actions, especially toward Drake, nobody had ever suspected her. Himmel explained how she was turned by another SS operative named Liam Morgan, whom he was pretty sure was her lover, while Teal took the blame.

Camo could never quite bring himself to believe this story. Even after Himmel testified under oath at his trial, and Drake was convinced, Camo stood by his belief that Julian had at the very least been set up. He continued despising Himmel after he was set free and helped the former Allies at the Alpine Fortress before retiring to the countryside to live near Kolten; despite every bit of evidence he came across that Julian was a traitor, it hurt too much to contemplate. Hearing of Liam Morgan's capture--and of Morgan requesting to see him--he realizes what this is: His likely last chance to learn the truth from the only other person involved who's still alive.

Morgan's captor announces his visitor, and Morgan peers up at him through one eye. Camo just glares, utter contempt. Oddly, Morgan feels no anger, only vague cynical amusement. He says he has nothing to gain from telling Camo this, he's going to die whether he lies or tells the truth, and his Soviet captor verifies this. He's in too much pain to go into excessive detail, but he confirms what Himmel's said all along: Julian never loved him, she only ever saw him as a target. Regarding her actions taken behind his back, and the sorry state Morgan's in now, "Looks like she didn't care too much for you, either," Camo says with a bite in his voice. Yet Morgan merely offers a bloody, lopsided, vaguely rueful smile: "She f**ked us both over, mate, just in different ways."

Camo departs soon after, his heart broken, though Morgan doesn't really care; he's just tired of a lifetime spent fighting to survive, and wants it over with. He answers the Soviets' remaining questions, then is asked if he has any special requests; he doesn't. His captors pull him to his feet and drag him outside, lashing him to a pole. He catches sight of a line of men with guns before the blindfold goes over his eyes. A voice calls for the men to get ready and to aim; Morgan takes one shaky breath, lets it out, relaxes. Good riddance, he thinks, as the voice yells, "Fire!" and the bullets tear through him, over and over, until he sags and then topples to the ground, blood pooling. Under the blindfold, the bit of light in his eyes flickers out.

[Liam Morgan 2023 [Friday, August 11, 2023, 3:00:09 AM]]

[Liam Morgan 2023 2 [Friday, August 11, 2023, 3:00:42 AM]]



The Trench Rats Character Info



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