Shown the Ropes

Uli had never been inside Fort Tarsis before.

She didn't think anyone from the Dominion had. Of course, if there were Dominion here, then Antium had a lot to worry about. Or, rather, more to worry about than it already did, what with Scars, storms, and psychopaths bearing down on the southern kingdom. Still, she was here. One day and one step at a time. This was her first day as a member of the Sentinels. This would be her first day (or rather, first night), taking a shift upon the wall. And to that end, she walked up to the night warden at the base of the stairs that would lead up to her section. Sentinels were walking down them as part of the changing of the guard. She just had to find out who she was assigned to.

"Um…"

"Yes?" the marshal asked disinterestly.

"Ah, yes. I talked with Lieutenant Brin, she told me to report to you and-"

"Name?" The watchman took out a piece of parchment and unfolded it.

"Uli sir. Initiate level."

The watchman looked up. "You the defector then?"

"Um, yes." She twisted one foot behind another. She'd hoped that little nugget of information wouldn't have been so widely circulated.

The watchman grunted, rolled up the parchment, and knocked on the small wooden guardhouse at the base of the wall. "Thaddeus, your newbie's here."

Newbie, Uli reflected. Never thought I'd have to be called that again.

Granted, she never thought she'd be giving her allegiance to any nation other than Stralheim. Either way, she stood to attention as a man walked out – tall, clean shaving, and she had to admit, handsome.

"You're the new recruit then?" he asked.

"Sir, yes sir," Uli said. She extended a hand, then retracted it. "Um…do I-"

"I don't need salutes, I just need you," Thaddeus said. He extended a hand. "This'll do as far as introductions go."

Uli took his hand and shook it – Thaddeus's grip was firm, but not so much that his grasp was painful. She looked at the watchman who was giving the scene a withering look.

"This what we've come to?" he asked. "Breaking bread with the enemy?"

"I'm not an enemy," Uli said, breaking the handshake. "I mean, I was, but…"

"But now you're not," Thaddeus said. He patted her on the shoulder. "Come on. I'll show you the ropes."

"Sir, yes sir!"

The two Sentinels began walking up the stairs that led to the wall. As they did so, Uli glanced at the watchman. She saw his mouth quiver before he returned back to his guard house.

"You may be seeing a lot of Old Red," Thaddeus said as they climbed the stairs. "Don't let him get to you. He has a dislike for anything and everything."

"Especially traitors?" Uli asked.

Thaddeus looked at her. "You're here now, aren't you?"

"I guess."

"Then unless you betray Antium, you're not a traitor. Still…" He trailed off, picking up his pace, forcing Uli to pick up hers as well. "Still, I can't help but wonder what made you decide to leave the Dominion. I mean, you must have been risking a lot."

"I did," Uli said. "It isn't an easy trip to Fort Tarsis." She gestured to the jungle that lay beyond the fortress as they reached the top of the wall. "I mean, everything out there wants to kill you for starters. That's not even counting the Valkyries."

"You were a shocktrooper, right?"

"I was. Until…"

"Until?"

She shrugged. "Until I realized that the Monitor was leading us all to disaster? Until I realized that his cause wasn't just, and that I was fighting for someone who deserved neither loyalty nor service? Until I realized I couldn't look myself in the mirror as long as I wore the uniform of Stralheim?"

"And all that made you flee south to join your enemy?"

"We don't have to be enemies," Uli said as they walked across the wall. "But the Monitor doesn't know that. So until he's defeated…" She sighed. "Well, this is the side to be on."

"Even if we lose?" Thaddeus said.

"You won't lose," Uli said. "I mean, we won't lose."

"I know," Thaddeus murmured.

They didn't exchange many words after that. Night had come. Lanterns dotted the walls of Fort Tarsis as surely as Sentinels did. Behind their helmets, Uli could only guess what they were thinking. As with Thaddeus, she held hers under her arm – no reason to put it on until they reached her section after all. Speaking of which…

"Um, is it much further?" she asked.

Thaddeus looked back at her. "Getting tired?"

"Just can't help but notice we've walked around half of the wall."

Thaddeus laughed. "Quarter actually. And besides, we're here."

Uli saw them up ahead. A group of Sentinels, some with their helmets on, some without them. The key distinction was that none of them were keeping their eyes fixed on the jungle ouside Fort Tarsis, and all were just lounging around. Uli frowned – she knew it wasn't her place to judge, being so new to the Sentinels, and having formerly been their enemy, but still, she'd expected more.

"On your feet, the lot of you!"

At least they respected their commander she reflected. Upon his words, all stood to attention.

"You're late," one of the Sentinels said.

"I've the commander of this troop. I arrive exactly when I mean to."

The Sentinel scoffed.

"Anyway," Thaddeus said. He walked forward before turning around and gesturing to Uli. "This is our new recruit."

"Um, hello," Uli said, giving them an awkward wave.

"This the traitor?" one of the Sentinels asked. "The former Dominion shocktrooper?"

"Um, yes," Uli said. "But I can assure you that those days are behind me."

"Sure they are."

"They are!" Uli protested.

"Oh we believe you," Thaddeus said. He took out a knife from his belt and began flipping the blade in and out. "Don't we?"

The Sentinels either grunted or turned away – enough to make it clear that they were dubious of her loyalties at best.

"Don't worry about them," Thaddeus said. "Give them time."

"Yes sir. Of course sir."

"Oh stop calling me sir," Thaddeus said, still playing with the knife. "You won't have to for long."

"Pardon?"

Thaddeus didn't answer. He stopped playing with the knife before plunging it into the left side of his waist.

"Thaddeus!"

Uli ran over. She could tell that the angle of the wound meant it wouldn't be fatal, but it would leave a scar, and hurt like hell. "Sir, are you alright?"

"Course I am," Thaddeus murmured.

There was something in his voice that she found offputting. Almost as offputting as the fact that he'd stabbed himself.

"Why'd you do that?" she asked. She knelt down and began taking out some bandages – standard issue for all Sentinels.

"Do what?" Thaddeus asked.

"What?" Uli saw out of the corner of her eye that the Sentinels were beginning to gather round, but didn't appeared perturbed that their leader had just stabbed himself.

"Do what?" Thaddeus repeated.

Uli got to her feet. "Stabbing yourself of course."

"I didn't stab myself Uli. You stabbed me."

"…what?"

Thaddeus stood there in silence. Standing there as well, in the silence of the night, Uli felt a chill run down her spine.

Then she felt something else as Thaddeus drew out a silenced pistol and shot her in the stomach. She didn't scream as the bullet tore through her flesh, but she did fall over – the pain came later. The shock came first.

"You saw it," Thaddeus said. Through blurred vision, she saw him take the knife out and begin pacing around, addressing the Sentinels. "Initiate Uli attacked me without provocation. I was forced to defend myself."

"No! No, I didn't!"

"I'm only alive because of you," Thaddeus said. "You did what you had to do to protect your commander."

Uli tried to speak, but no words came out of her mouth. None of the Sentinels were objecting to the madness before them. None of them were challenging Thaddeus's perception of reality. And all of them began to advance.

"Guys?" Uli asked. "You…please…please don't!"

She didn't know how long it lasted. Seconds? Minutes? As they kicked her, as they pummelled her, as some drew out their rifles and brought their butts down on her again and again…time didn't matter. Soon, the pain didn't matter. She could feel her bones being broken. She could feel the blood trickle across her skin. Could taste it in her mouth. She could feel, at the end of eternity, being dragged to her feet and shoved against the wall. Through one eye, slightly less swollen than the others, she could see the Sentinels stand before her, like the executioners of Stralheim. She saw them take turns to punch and kick he, always in the stomach. Sometimes, she even felt it.

Thaddeus did nothing though. He just stood there. Watching. Stood there even as the beatings stopped, as one Sentinel held her in place while another put a rope around her neck.

"Tha…Thad…"

He walked over to her, and in his face, she saw…nothing. No hatred. No sympathy. Nothing. Like she was beneath him. Like she didn't even exist.

"Wh…wh…"

"Must you ask?" he whispered.

"Pl…please…"

"Men and women of Antium begged have begged for their lives. Did they receive mercy then?"

"I…I never…" As surely as the flood flowed from her nose and forehead, so too did the tears from her eyes. "I never killed…never…never…"

"Perhaps," Thaddeus whispered. "But we know that the Dominion treats traitors in the same manner as it does its enemies. So I figure we're only dealing the justice that's owed."

"You…" She felt the rope tighten around her neck. Saw Thaddeus turn around and begin to walk away. "You're a liar!"

He turned round and looked at her. "Am I?" he whispered. "After all, I promised that I'd show you the ropes."

Uli didn't say anything. Her mouth opened, but no words came out.

"Finish it."

Then she screamed as she was kicked off the wall. Screamed up to the point where the rope tightened. Then the screaming stopped, and only pathetic gasps for air remained.

Soon, even those ended.

And the walls of Fort Tarsis returned silence.