Never let me go

33: Do not go gentle - Pt. I

33: Do not go gentle - Pt. I

The village situated approximately twenty clicks north of Ставрополь - Stavropol had been abandoned long before they arrived. The meager farmland surrounding this village had only supported a small population of workers, and their homes were little more than huts. Stavropol's main business in peace times was trade, hence the major roads connecting at its heart. The factories in which the armored Dartz automobiles were made were another contributor to the city's influential status.

Iris stood at the end of the table they had pulled into the center of the main room inside the small house. The warrior unit surrounded her; Reiner sat at the other far end of the table and Pi was seated to her left, Zeke and the hollow eyed Porco were standing. Jun was lurking in one of the darker corners of the room. He had stalked in behind her when she had returned to inform the warrior unit of their orders. The time to invade the city had come.

"There is a suspicious lack of activity in the critical parts of the city, making it looks like an easy conquest. I say it stinks, and I've said as much to the captain. Told him we should send in reconnaissance teams to scour the outer perimeter before we send any men in there... Or preferably bombard it from afar using the beast titan, but the colonel want us to take the city "intact". I hear he has it in for a lordship if he manages to take the city without destroying the Darz factories."

There's a long moment of silence. Pieck is looking to Zeke as if waiting for him to make an input, but he seems completely occupied with the cigarette pinched in between his fingers.

"I agree. Must be a trap" Reiner finally puts in. Pacing behind him, hunched and tense, Porco reminds Iris of a hungry predator. He snickers and in one quick, jerking motion his head snaps around to transfix Reiner with his red-rimmed stare.

"Hah, of course you do." His upper lip curls in what is a cross between a smile and a sneer.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

Porco laughs humorlessly. He steps up to Reiner and leans in until their faces are level. Iris could swear that she has not seen him blink once since she entered.

"You know very well what I mean, Braun. You look fucking ridiculous with your chest puffed out like that, like you think anyone gives a shit about your opinion. That she looks at you like you are god's gift to mankind doesn't change the fact that you're nothing. So why don't you do us all a favor and shut your fucking mouth."

Pieck stirs in her seat and leans in over the table.

"Calm down Pock, you don't mean that. Reiner is entitled to an opinion as much as you and I. He happens to be right; we will be sending the troops into a trap."

Porco stands back up scowling and clenching his fists so tightly his knuckles turn white.

"Oh you agree?! Of course you do, you all agree don't you because this is the Reiner Braun pity party and everyone here is part of his fucking fan club. Have you hit your head and forgotten what happens to people who rely on him?! What happened last time Braun had a plan, eh?!" He swings around furiously, sweeping his eyes across them all without really looking at any of them. The motion unsettles his water combed uppercut hair, and long strands of it falls across his forehead and into his eyes. He makes no move to brush it back.

"Galliard..." Reiner begins but Porco interrupts him.

"Don't you fucking "Galliard" me you gutter rat bastard! They should have taken the armored titan from you when they had the chance! Anyone, even a little girl would have been a more worthy vessel than you!" He points his finger at Reiner as if wishing it was a loaded gun.