- "The pod has been cleared to cargo bay 3 and is kept fully isolated just as you requested, Herr Major."
It was a busy morning on Freital for Hoerst. He knew he needed to study all of the SOA's past research into Wilde mind control before the deed was to be done. And yet he still had to micromanage the operation himself to ensure that it is carried out to the letter. Overseeing the whole thing from his office was not something that he was used to, always preferring to be on the field and in direct control instead. But this situation needed his attention directed at the finer details. He activated his base communicator.
- "Gut. Now, I want a large security team at that escape pod, weapons holstered. Get her to my interrogation chamber and lock it down. Don't answer any of her questions. Got it?"
- "Verstanden, Herr Major."
- "Call me immediately if there is any unexpected trouble."
As Hoerst finished his sentence, he put the base comm on standby and returned to sifting through pages of printed data and documents from the past. Some of these were analysis of Wilde infested human corpses, others were field analysis of tactics employed by the Wilde. Captured equipment reports, scouting reports, theories on motivation and final goals... mountains of circumstantial and not fully understood information.
Hoerst sat back, visibly annoyed. Even though the last Reapers of Sirius attack came months ago, the setback caused by their first ambush has basically destroyed the actual substantial part of the research on the Wilde. Even the Coalition aces were unable to stop the transport from being blown up. The SCRA's scientists then simply cancelled their Wilde research program, acting as if nothing happened. He learned a few things that day.
He glanced again at his files, at the top of the pile laying a theory on Wilde indoctrination tactics. Supposedly the first step on the road of leading gullible or weak minded pilots into being physically infested. He had no reason to not believe this theory, as according to observations so far it was quite accurate. He knew that paper by heart. He also realised that the Hessians had never captured a live Wilde target before, and that in the end no paper can really prepare him for the days to come.
His comms flickered to life again, suddenly as usual.
- "Herr Major, the prisoner is in interrogation chamber B-7, high security as you requested."
- "What's her state?"
- "She seems quite shaken, sir."
- "Don't let anyone in the chamber until I come. Get the recording equipment ready, I want to have everything the girl says on tape and archived in our Neural Net as it comes in, we can't afford any data loss here. And get Leutnant Dresner on standby in the observation room."
- "Jawohl."
---
27th November, 818 A.S. - 01:38 PM
The single militia man standing by the door saluted as Hoerst walked toward him. Hoerst saluted back and motioned for the other security standing behind a bullet proof window to the side to open the heavy duty security door. The mechanic lock then released itself and the door slowly opened. Hoerst walked straight in to see a figure strapped into a chair in the middle of the room, illuminated from the top by a typically bright lamp. He pulled up a chair, sat down and stared down the eyes of the figure sitting in front of him for a couple of moments before speaking up.
- "Hello, Sophie. How are you feeling?"
The girl in front of him simply stared back at him.
- "You don't seem injured. That's good. I told the men to be careful with you."
She kept staring back, as Hoerst opened the case he brought with him and pulled out her file, taking a quick look at it then back at her. "It's always the young ones..." he thought.
- "There's a reason why you are here, Sophie. You might not understand it now, but this will change soon. First though, you have to tell me more about yourself. Tell me about... how you first came across your Gods."
