Trapped Beyond the Horizon

[farmerman]

"Where am I?" Karl asked aloud as he struggled to retain his recently recovered consciousness. He couldn't remember how he had gotten there, or even where there was. All he knew for sure was the pain flaring from the side of his head.

He tried to stand but the world spun too heavily and he collapsed to the floor. It was then that he heard a dull chuckle coming from a doorway across the room in which he lay as a figure entered. It was a man dressed in a formal Rheinland Military uniform, but some things about it just didn't seem right. He had a strange look about him. And was that hat standard issue? Karl also didn't recall many Rheinlanders carrying military sabres. None of that mattered when Karl noticed the strange glow coming from the man's face - he appeared to be one of the Wild. Karl hated when that happened.

"Guten tag, Karl," the uniformed man said. "I trust you are well?"

Karl groaned in response. The man laughed.

"Now now, don't strain yourself. You were hit pretty solidly on the head there by this mercenary here," he said, indicating another body sprawled upon the floor. "But I took care of him, don't worry. It wasn't your time. At least, I had hoped not, as I had plans for you and your friends."

The man glanced at Karl and a flood of images entered his mind. The LWB in flight, the war against the nomads, his wife; a jumble of memories welled up inside him. Among them was the identity of the man in front of him. He felt it in his mind, in that strange way that only happens when one is unfortunate enough to run into das Wilde in the middle of nowhere. He realized that one Konrad Hammerschmidt, formerly of the RM and now one of them stood before him.

Konrad saw the terror on the chef's face and reassured him, saying, "now now, no need to worry. As I said, we have plans."

Karl struggled into a sitting position and asked the man (if he could still be called that), "What? Why me? Are you going to make me into... one of you?"

Konrad shook his head. "No no," he said, "you are useful Karl Kuerbis. Very useful."

"Why is that?" came the reply.

"Because you're a good, honest man," Konrad said. "And such men can be quite predictable. You fight against the government for what you see as the greater good, even if you sacrifice yourself in the process. So long as we ensure you're... guided a bit, you will do us much good."

Karl asked, "how can I trust you on that?"

"Oh, you can't," Konrad said. "Oh, you can't trust much of anything I say. Not because everything is untrue - much is - but do you know for sure what is what? I'd be glad to tell you all sorts of things, but you won't believe me. Or you'll believe too much. That is what is so great about humans." He laughed again. "You don't even seem to remember where you are, do you?"

Karl didn't answer and tried to avoid looking at Hammerschmidt at the same time.

"I'm sure you'll recall soon enough, especially if the mercenaries come back," Konrad said. "But in case you don't, you're in an abandoned station in the Omegas. You made an emergency landing with some prisoners you rescued from certain death. In fact, that's why I am here, too. They have something we want."

Karl struggled to remember, but still came up blank. As he continued to try, an older man wearing one of the jackets popular with the LWB entered the room. It was Josef Bauer, former Landwirtrechtbewegung member and former friend of Karl.

Josef noticed Karl on the floor. "Don't worry old friend," he said, "You'll get through this. In fact, we'd much like it if you would. There is much you don't yet know about all that is occurring in the sector. Ha, you don't even know that secret Eva has been keeping from you. Or the one Heilbronn has. Or even which two of your members work for us."

"We have what we wanted now," Konrad told Karl. "So I will take my leave. Try not to die out there."

With that, he walked out the doorway, leaving only the two former friends.

"I need to go, as well," Josef said. "There'll probably be a few dozen miners out here soon. They like to show up in swarms. In fact, you should probably get out quickly yourself, lest you find yourself in Vierlande - or maybe Newgate. Either way, not fun. And because you're an old friend, das Wilde has even fixed that engine trouble your Uruz had. It should be good to go."

Karl glanced puzzled at the Wild. "Why are you doing this?" he asked.

"Asking again?" Josef replied. "We haven't time for that. Just know there is a very logical reason... maybe. Or maybe it's a trick, ja? Who's to say. I certainly won't. But don't worry, we didn't make it TOO easy for you. Those mercenaries are still here, too."

With that, Josef existed the doorway. Karl tried to stand and follow him, but he collapsed into a heap once more. As his body hit the floor and he began to slip into unconsciousness, he somehow managed to remember how he had gotten there. Unless that, too, was a Wilde trick.

The memories flooded to the surface as darkness overtook him...

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Faction info links: Samura Heavy Industries : LWB : Watchers