"This story again", Erich thought to himself, glancing out the window again. He wordlessly rose and ventured over to the bar, bringing back a pint of lager for each of them. Taking a sip, he began speaking:
"I'm no soldier, Kommandant Eistocher. I am just a scholar and student when it all comes down to it, that is what I used to be."
Erich took another sip, rubbing his forehead.
"I was an excellent subject of the Kanzler, even when I was a child. I..."*Erich chuckles nervously*"I had beaten up a child who didn't salute the image of Kanzler Steller when I had been in Kindergarten. I had what I thought was a bright future ahead of me, you know? I enrolled at Cologne University on Planet New Berlin. It is rather prestigious."
Erich takes yet another sip, downing his lager to about one-third.
"In my second year, I had... I had learned that I would not have the money to afford my fourth term unless I took on a full-time job. As you can imagine, that left me with no spare time to rest or relax. I chose a job at Republican as a Transport Hand. It wasn't what I had thought my History degree would get me, you know?"
Erich slumps his shoulders, evidently awaiting a reaction or response.
