A Way Out

“You… you’re lying! There’s no way you rolled another double six! Th-that’s impossible!”

Singe’s voice nearly cracked as she snapped at Hermann, her face bright red.

Hermann merely folded his hands and nodded slowly.

“You’re right, it’s very unlikely…” he admitted.

Then he fixed her with his gray eyes and made a motion as though to lift the cup.

“So… is this your final call? You say that I’m lying?”

She jumped to her feet, nearly knocking over her cup in the process.

“W-wait!”

Thoughtfully chewing on her fingernails, she tried to read Hermann’s expression.

Behind her, the spectators debated the game.

“I don’t think he’s telling the truth… he’s bluffing,” one of the soldiers declared confidently.

“Or maybe he wants her to think exactly that,” another shot back.

Tong let out a loud groan.

“Oh, come on already! Can we keep the game moving? In case you forgot, we’d like to play too...”

She gestured beside her at Flam, who was barely coherent anymore, while Linly was already fast asleep with her head on the table, softly snoring.

“Fine then!” Singe finally said, dramatically pointing a finger at Hermann. “I say… that you’re… LYING!”

Hermann sighed.

“Oh man! Well, sucks…” he said with mock horror.

Singe grinned in relief.

Until he lifted the cup and grinned back at her.

“…to be you.”

Singe froze as cheers and laughter erupted from the crowd while she stared at the two dice, both showing six pips.

“Y-you were actually telling the truth…” she stammered.

Hermann pushed her cup toward her.

“Well then. Bottoms up.”

Grinding her teeth, she took a deep gulp, some of it dribbling down the corner of her mouth.

“Gahhh…”

“Want to switch seats? Seems like you two aren’t a very good match-up...” Tong asked bored, resting her cheek against one hand.

“No way!” Singe shot back immediately before grabbing dice and cup and throwing Hermann a venomous glare.

“I’ll get you next round!”

Hermann had to suppress a laugh as he stood up.

“Maybe later…”

Her hand shot out and grabbed his sleeve.

“Wait, where are you going? We… we’re not done here yet!”

But he only shrugged.

“Sorry, but I really need to piss.” He gestured at the soldiers crowding around them. “You girls cover for me.”

The moment he said it, several bodies were already shoving toward his seat.

“I wanna play too!”

“Hey, I was here first!”

“Move over a little!”

Singe tried to protest, but she was already wedged between the new players as Hermann slipped out of the barracks hall.

***

The latrine sat at the far end of the dim corridor.

Only now did he realize he felt slightly dizzy.

I have to admit... this Chu-Rai stuff hits harder than I thought...

Before entering the bathroom, he knocked loudly on the door.

“Hello? Anyone in there?”

No answer.

The door creaked open as he stepped inside.

A single long washbasin stretched along one wall, opposite a row of simple wooden stalls, each containing a squat toilet.

After relieving himself, he washed his hands at the sink and looked at his reflection in the mirror.

Honestly, I wouldn’t have expected running water here. Even though it's freezing cold...

He splashed water over his face when suddenly the door creaked open again.

“Occupied. Give me a minute…” he said without turning around.

But the footsteps didn’t stop.

They came closer.

“Didn’t you hear me? I said I’m...”

He spun around and froze as he found himself staring into the brown eyes of a girl.

Who is that?

She had shoulder-length dark blonde hair, slightly disheveled.

Her lips were parted, her breathing uneven as she stepped closer to him.

With trembling fingers, she undid the buttons of her field jacket and pressed herself against him.

“What are you doing…” he whispered, even though he already knew.

Heat surged through his body as he felt her heartbeat quicken beneath the soft breasts pressed against him.

“Don’t worry…” she breathed into his ear in a shaky voice. “It'll be over very quick…”

Then she grabbed him between the legs, stroking him awkwardly before her delicate hand slipped into his pants.

“H-hey…”

Her hand was cold, her movements clumsy.

Too hurried. Too rough.

And yet Hermann’s own heart started racing too.

Almost instinctively, his hand slid into her open blouse and grabbed.

A high, squeaky moan escaped her, and her whole body immediately began trembling.

His body reacted immediately.

In one motion he turned her around, bent her over the sink, and tugged at her pants.

“P-please…” Her voice cracked. “…Make sure I definitely get pregnant, o-okay?”

Hermann flinched, and his grip loosened from her hips.

“Pregnant…?” he repeated unevenly.

Commander Zirka’s voice echoed through his mind.

Get one of them pregnant, and I’ll kill you!

He stepped back, and the soldier whipped her head around.

“What’s wrong? Come on already!” she gasped.

But when he saw the desperation on her face, the horror in her eyes, he understood.

He remembered the mutilated bodies in the infirmary.

The empty, hopeless faces.

Nandai’s words came back to him from when he had first entered the Grapevine.

...Is she trying to fast-track herself into the Mother Program to get out of here? She can forget about that…

Hermann swallowed as realization hit him.

Motherhood... is their only ticket out of this hell…

By now the girl had turned toward him and dropped to her knees, fumbling at his crotch.

“S-should I help you? Is that it? I… I heard men like it when you use your mouth…”

But he pushed her away and hurriedly pulled his pants back up.

“Don’t. Stop it right now. We shouldn’t do this.”

Her eyes widened in panic.

“No! Wait! You wanted it too just a second ago! Please, I’m begging you! I… I…” Tears streamed down her cheeks. “I can’t take this anymore! All the dead people, all this misery… I can’t stand it here any longer, I… I want to go back home!”

Nearly hysterical now, she threw herself at Hermann.

“You... you just have to stick it inside. That’s what you men are for, so… please!”

Hermann opened his mouth, but no words came out.

What kind of world is this… that it turns women into this? This is… this is…

He pulled her back to her feet while she wiped tears from her face, sobbing.

“No…” he said, colder and harsher than he intended, giving her a light pat on the shoulder. “I’m sorry.”

She looked at him one last time.

“But... why not... I... I don’t wanna die...“

Hermann's blood ran cold at her words.

Memories flushed his mind, back to a time when he heard those exact same words before.

I don’t wanna die...

He tried his best to suppress his own trembling, when he squeezed her shoulder tightly.

“You won’t... I will... make sure of it...“

She looked at him in a mix of hope, disbelief and doubt.

“Liar...“

Then she bolted from the room, without another word.

Why did I say that... this isn’t my nation. And they aren’t my people... so why...

For a moment, Hermann simply stood there, trying to process what had happened.

Something like this... should never exist… no matter where.

He clenched his fists as he thought about the weapon plans he had brought with him.

Maybe they could be saved from this hell...

He exhaled deeply and stepped outside.

But when he turned on the hallway, another person was standing there.

Singe.

Her gaze briefly lingered on the distraught girl rushing past her at that very moment, blouse still half open, pants hanging loose.

She looked at Hermann, who was just tucking his shirt back into his trousers.

“That was quick,“ she said coldly. “Though I probably shouldn't be surprised...” 

Hermann shook his head.

“It’s not what it looks like. Nothing happened. She came in while I was...”

“Like I care!” she snapped bitterly. “Go ahead and enjoy yourself with the whole Grapevine if that’s what you’re into…”

Then she turned on her heel and strode back toward the barracks hall.

“Men aren’t good for anything else anyway…”

A moment later Hermann was left standing alone in the corridor.

He shoved his hands into his pockets and sighed.

“So much for pretending not to care...”