Echoes in the Shadows

10

In the expansive azure skies of spring in the Netherlands, the radiant and splendid sunshine is said to dispel all shadows of the soul. Yet, when two utterly opposing hearts are illuminated by the same strand of sunlight, it often ignites an even greater shadow, a desire to eliminate the other to bask alone in its glow.

In the tense atmosphere of the aircraft cabin, where two generals were again on the brink of a clash, Lieutenant Bormann, always perceptive and astute, remained blissfully unaware that he had become the singular ray of sunshine coveted by both these irreconcilable generals. In his mind, a repository of information rivaling the secret archives of the Reich Security Main Office, he had overlooked a seemingly insignificant detail. This oversight, however, was not due to any fault of Bormann's; the detail was irrelevant to military, financial, steel, energy, or political matters but was tied, however minutely, to human nature—the fact that each of these generals had a daughter of marriageable age at home.

General Steiner of the German Wehrmacht, embodying the traditional image of an old-school officer combined with the simple heart of a loving father, was unimpressed by the regime's ubiquitous propaganda about racial superiority. Holding to his traditional beliefs, he privately continued to view blond hair as a sign of shallowness, ignorance, and emotional weakness. He detested those political upstarts who rose rapidly due to their appearance. Like all old-school officers, he wished to see his daughter married to an outstanding military man like himself. From a father's simple perspective, men like Lieutenant Colonel von Kraulberg or Colonel Vetterkind, who poured their passion into battle and were hailed as war heroes, were not ideal suitors. He admired heroes, but certainly did not wish his daughter to become a hero's widow. Especially someone like Lieutenant Colonel von Kraulberg, notorious for kicking his students out of planes; anyone would sweat at the thought of their daughter being married to such a man. It was rumored that his fiancée, under his constant "guidance," had developed military skills sufficient enough to serve as a staff officer.

The presence of Bormann was, at that moment, the perfect candidate that General Steiner's heart could have fashioned. This young officer, seemingly unruffled by the tides of life, possessed the traditional military bearing shaped by the Wehrmacht's military academies. He had a temperament endearing to women, exuding a warm character, and displayed a reassuring efficiency in handling matters. His reputation in matters of romance was unblemished, almost faultless. Despite his lower rank, his unique family background promised a stable and secure military career, likely to continue in this vein in the future.

In stark contrast to the old-fashioned General Steiner, SS Major General Lutkentz held no traditional bias against blond hair, nor did he take seriously the regime's propaganda about superior racial theories. He was a thorough opportunist, a gambler interested only in benefits. His interest in Bormann stemmed from the young man's formidable network of connections built upon the Third Reich's monopolistic industrial families, and the attendant benefits. To Lutkentz, Bormann was no simple figure. He moved in the shadows of the empire's power corridors, silently influencing a myriad of military and political affairs. The simplistic-minded Lieutenant Colonel Kraulberg was merely a conspicuous target in Bormann's presence. Lutkentz recognized that the vast and magnificent steel empire, in reality, already had a share belonging to this modest lieutenant. What truly intrigued the SS Major General was the rumored enigmatic lineage of Bormann—a child of a wealthy German expatriate in South America. This detail, he had already verified: Bormann did indeed have a considerable inheritance in various neutral countries of South America. With the war progressing to its current state, a clever man like Lutkentz couldn't help but consider his future options. As for loyalty to Nazi ideology? Such things are not edible, and he hardly cared about them.