Echoes in the Shadows

23

Several hours after the curtains disappeared, when the irate Major Klauberger stormed into the supposed resistance hideout, he was met with a completely unexpected scene. It wasn't a resistance stronghold at all, but a brothel authorized to serve German soldiers.

Every German soldier inside was either sitting or standing with scantily clad women draped over them, creating an atmosphere of leisure and comfort. This contrasted starkly with Klauberger's intense and agitated demeanor, making him stand out awkwardly.

As Klauberger processed the reality of the situation amidst his shock, several quick-thinking women leaped from the soldiers' laps and rushed toward him. In those times, and in such an environment, high-ranking officers seldom needed to visit such places for physical gratification. Local women in the occupied territories, often beautiful and scheming, were more than willing to offer themselves. Therefore, for a Lt. Col. to appear in this kind of establishment was almost unheard of. This rare occurrence stirred a palpable excitement in the building's main hall.

In the brothel, there was perhaps nothing more entertaining than teasing a young officer who easily blushed. And this particular officer was not just any young man; he was a handsome Lt. Col., adorned with various medals on his uniform, making him an even more appealing target. The soldiers in the hall watched with great interest as their superior officer was single-handedly besieged by the relentless advances of the women.

One of the women, as agile as a serpent, swiftly positioned herself directly in front of Major Klauberger and suddenly opened her blouse, revealing an unobstructed view of her charms. This action instantly turned Klauberger's face a deep shade of red, and his hand, which was about to push her away, retracted as if it had been electrocuted.

The soldiers surrounding them, cigarettes dangling from their lips, reveled in the misfortune of their officer. They burst into boisterous laughter at every shy, embarrassed reaction the Major displayed, thoroughly enjoying the spectacle.

Major Klauberger, in a state of utter disarray, finally managed to escape the crowd of women. The ordeal he had just endured was undoubtedly more challenging than charging into an enemy tank formation alone. The man, who once believed in maintaining the dignity and elegance of an officer even in the face of death, now abandoned all such pretenses, fleeing towards the entrance with the same disheveled appearance as any common soldier.

"Sir, please wait," a stern, emotionless voice called out, halting Klauberger in his tracks. It was as if a prisoner, glimpsing a moment of light, was suddenly thrust back into darkness.

In his dazed state, Klauberger instinctively reached into the breast pocket of his uniform and threw out his identification towards the source of the voice.

His unconventional behavior once again elicited raucous laughter from the crowd.

"Sorry, Major! I'm not a military policeman, I don't need to check your ID."

A stern-faced middle-aged sergeant, dressed in a white coat like a doctor, stood by a table near the door, which was laden with white enamel containers marked with red crosses.

The medic, with a serious expression, blocked Major Klauberger and leisurely took out a syringe from a white enameled dish beside him.

"According to the regulations of the German Wehrmacht, every soldier entering a brothel must be vaccinated against sexually transmitted diseases before leaving."

"You—what—did—you—say!"

Major Klauberger's face turned from flushed red to pale in an instant.

"According to the regulations of the German Ministry of Defense, you must be vaccinated against sexually transmitted diseases before you can leave."

The medic calmly responded, deftly taking out a shiny needle from another small dish.

"No!" Klauberger bit his lip, shaking his head firmly and screaming without regard for his image, "Everyone here can testify, I did nothing!"

Before his words even finished, laughter erupted from the crowd, mixed with whistles and catcalls of various lengths.

"Yes, Major. We testify — you indeed entered a brothel and then left without doing anything."

The same fact, when spoken by a group of veteran rogues, took on a particularly unsavory hue. Klauberger's face turned from pale to a rich mix of shame and anger.

"As a soldier, you should obey orders." The medic paid no heed to the major's objections, continuing to fill the syringe with the vaccine.