Chapter 17

A Chapter by Calibaster

When August woke up again Kett was there, but he was covered thinly in some dust and dirt, so August knew that he had been exploring. "You might want to wash your face before they get here," August warned. And then passed back out.

August knew a lot of time had passed before he was able to struggle himself awake again. Kett wasn't near him, but that wasn't really surprising. August could already tell that he was restless and liked to be doing things. He also had gotten a sense that he wasn't the most honest and trustworthy person there was, but still felt like he could trust him. August sat up slowly and looked around.

He extended his mind, wow, Hochstetter still hadn't left. Somehow, August wasn't surprised. But, it seemed the men were almost off the hook. Hogan was in with Hotchstetter and Klink, but he was at the door, and holding it open. The rest of the men were in another room listening in. August wasn't at all suprised that they had Klink's office bugged.

He found Kett wandering the tunnels again, but decided to leave him alone to his exploring. August wanted to do so as well, but felt it in his best interest to not move. Wilson must have changed his bandages though. That was good, though August still wished that Cynthia was there, or a hospital was nearby.

Oh, they were done! He called Kett in his mind and smiled when the kleptomaniac jumped, 'they're on their way.'

'I'll be there soon,' Kett was getting a hold of this telepathic thing, just like August had thought he would.

'Run, they are actually closer than you,' August warned.

Kett appeared only seconds before Hogan and his men, and was laying casually on the other cot when they walked in, "What took you so long?"

"It took me a while to convince them that there was no way that we could have done it," Hogan replied. "The Gestapo have been suspicious of this camp for a while. But as Klink is happy to say, 'there has never been an escape from Stalag 13.' Really he should get an award or something," Hogan smiled mischievously.

"But the award would really belong to you." Kett feigned indignant horror as Newkirk ambled in,

"Doesn't everyfing belong to us 'ere?"

"How are you feeling?" Hogan got down to business after cracking a slight smile.

"Like a squirrel is trying to eat me and a frog got loose in my brain," August replied.

Newkirk began to laugh, but silenced immediately after a dirty look from LeBeau. "Sorry."

"I try," August winced. "My friends and I used to have a small competition of who could informatively describe their injuries or pain the funniest."

"Well, Louis, the poor lad didn't mind me laughter, no need to be so rude," Newkirk said.

"I am not the rude one." LeBeau glared, but finally stopped when August laughed.

"Wilson says you're gonna be on meds for a while, well, ... As soon as we get them. We used up our last penicillin when Carter caught himself on his own knife." Hogan looked apologetic, while Kett's interest sparked,

"How did that happen, exactly?"

"He rolled over onto it in his sleep." Kinch deadpanned.

"We'll have more soon." Hogan promised as Carter turned beet red under the sudden waves of laughter erupting around him.

"Yeah, bu' until then, you 'ad better start sleepin'' wivout your knife!" Newkirk smirked as Carter turned practically purple.

"All right, pipe down fellas!" Hogan held up his hands, then looked at them apologetically "You two are gonna be stuck down here for a while, sorry."

"That's okay. There are worse places." August gave a strained smile, and everyone else looked sympathetic.

"Yeah, like Carter's bed." Kett grinned, seemingly oblivious to the dirty looks he procured. Everything went dead silent, then August burst out laughing, and everyone followed suit.

"Ow," August complained after his fit of laughter. "That hurt."

Hogan quickly hid a look of worry at that, and nodded, "You're gonna hurt for a while."

"I figured." August made a face, then winced and stopped.

"Oh well!" Kett jumped up, "It can only get better from here, right?"

"Where do you think you're goin'" Hogan stopped him with a look.

"An' is that dirt on your face?" Newkirk leaned in for a better look.

"Yep." Kett nodded, surprising everyone by not lying.

"So you explored the tunnels, which I explicitly forbade?" Hogans eyebrow went up.

"No," Kett looked confused, "I was getting up to check on August, 'cause he started shivering, and accidentally tripped. There isn't dirt in my teeth, is there?" He pulled his lips away from his teeth, showing them to be perfectly clean.

"No, I just-" Hogan began, but Kett cut him off,

"You really think I would go against your orders? I've had enough conflict to last me for quite a long while, why would I go and try to create more?"

"'E's a little liar!" Newkirk pointed at Kett accusatorially, "Look at the soot on 'is 'ands! That only comes from Andrew's lab!"

"Hey!" Carter suddenly puffed up, trying to look bigger, "What were you doing in there?!"
"Well, I might be a curious little liar," Kett began, shamefaced, before holding up his lightsaber, "but at least I'm not a thief!"

"'Ey, you stole that from me!" Newkirk was suddenly checking his pockets, a flabbergasted look crossing his face.

"Well you did say I was a liar." Kett kicked at an invisible piece of dirt on the ground, before a diabolical grin lit up his face, "takes one to know one though, right?"

"Why you-" Newkirk looked murderous, but everyone else just started laughing.

"Looks like he gave you just as good as he got!" Kinch chuckled.

"Oui, Pierre." LeBeau was smiling, "Et he is the first person other than the Colonel that I have ever seen do that."

"Golly, how'd ya do that without him noticing!" Carter, easily impressed, was awestruck at this point, "You must be some kinda magician!"

"All right, that's enough!" Hogan stopped them all with a good-natured smile, "We've got to go up top, 'cause even if we forgot the Krauts, they haven't forgotten us." He pinned Kett with a hard look, breaking Kett's staring contest with Newkirk, "Now if I've read you right, you already have these tunnels memorized and can deal with trouble should it come; am I right?"

"Yessir!" Kett nodded, snapping to attention.

"At ease soldier, we'll be back soon to check on you, although maybe not all at once."

"Oui, I will make for you the most delicious sautéed mushrooms you have ever had!" LeBeau looked like he could go on for ages, but Hogan cut in,

"And Kinch'll be down here a whole lot, so you can keep each other company. Until then:" he mock saluted, which Kett willingly returned, then nodded at August before leaving the room with his men following behind. An unreadable look from Kinch, a smile from LeBeau, and a wave from Carter later, and all of them were gone except for Newkirk, who lingered to glare at Kett for a moment longer, before finally leaving, though not before Kett stuck out his tongue.

August was grinning when Kett turned back around. "I believe you've earned Newkirk's respect. Not his trust yet, but he would like you if you weren't in the same sorts. Hogan was slightly hoping that you would explore the tunnels, but now he wants to know if you can follow orders."

Kett frowned, "I don't think Newkirk is going to like me much when he discovers that I took his watch. But he stole from me first."

August smiled knowingly, and Kett frowned again. "I think he will get over it."

Right then Kinch entered the room again. "Peter says he wants his watch back."

"What watch?" Kett gave an innocent smile. Kinch just raised his eyebrows, holding out his hand. Kett finally held it out, sighing long-sufferingly as he dropped it into the Sergeant's hand.

"Thank you. I'll return it to him after we get him to give back a few things," Kinch smiled kindly.

"I know how that goes." Kett admitted with a rueful grin.

"I'll bet you do," Kinch chuckled softly. August found himself really liking this man, and he knew Kett did as well.

"I don't," August smiled. "I think my sister would kill me if I stole something. She still gets mad if I lie."

"That's why I have brothers." Kett snickered, "they're only slightly more tolerant."

"Well I have brothers too, just the sister I was referring to is my twin," August clarified.

"Ah." Kett nodded, "well the brothers I was referring to are my twins, er, triplets."

"Yeah, I've met one of them..." August smiled.

"Well, I'll leave you two alone," Kinch smiled leaving.

"Why didn't you escape from Gestapo headquarters?" Kett cocked his head, "Why did you let them do that to you? 'Cause I might not know you very well, but you don't strike me as the sort of person to just let that happen. And I know Cort's not."

"I knew that Hogan and his team would come for us, they're good men, and we had too much information," August smiled wanely. "We didn't want to blow their cover, or ours, I guess.

Besides, they would have just shot us if we tried to fight back." August paused a moment, and after the moment Kett understood the basics that he needed to know about guns. "It's kind of hard to fight a bullet."

"Like a quick and noisy arrow." Kett nodded.

August chuckled, "Like a two hundred mile per hour arrow, but yeah."

"So, you're not from here, but where you're from you have guns?" Kett asked for clarification.

"Yeah... I suppose I'm from the future," August grinned. "I haven't quite thought of that the way I should have, that's too exciting. But, that's one of the reasons I trust them, I know all this from history books. Hogan, Carter, and Kinch are fellow countrymen, and Newkirk is from England, and LeBeau is from France, they're our allies. In fact that's what they called our side, The Allies."

"That's a nice word," Kett commented, "What's the other side called?"

"The Axis Powers."

"That sounds... I don't really know," Kett smiled, wrinkling his nose slightly.
"I agree." August returned the smile.

"So, you know how this all plays out?"

"The war yes, here no. But the Allies win, at great costs. Millions of people lost there lives in this war."

"Millions?!" Kett exclaimed.

Without trying August could hear a bit of his thoughts. Being somewhat in the middle of a war with such high casualties and advanced weapons is not the place to be.
August just nodded, he didn't care to explain bombings at the moment. He felt drained. But he explained it to Kett anyway; he even broached nuclear missiles slightly. If Kett was going to be in the middle of World War Two, he'd just as well be as forewarned as possible.

"That seems ...excessive." Kett looked a little sick.

August nodded, "Yes, innocent people die not only soldiers. Like all the big countries when I'm from have them. In fact the war to immediately follow this one for the U.S. is the Cold War. All it was was the U.S. and Russia afraid that the other would launch nuclear missiles at them... Well I guess it was a bit more than that, but still."

Kett frowned, "But that's not going to happen here, right?"

"No, Germany wasn't nuked. And we're in a POW camp, they don't fire on POW camps."

"That's slightly comforting." Kett twisted his face into a sick expression.

"Yes, hopefully we'll stay in the camp too," August replied. "From random thoughts here and there, they do bomb areas around here."

"This just gets better and better." Kett didn't look too comforted.

"Sorry, well, welcome to WWII."

Kett thought that over, "So, there's been another world war before this?"

"Yeah, I remember a history teacher once blaming the start of WWII on the end of WWI... It wouldn't have been any better of a war to end up in the middle of. Less civilians died, but the war was almost completely fought in trenches. I heard that they had rats as big as cats running through them, and the trenches were filled with diseases, and each side would gas eachother's trenches, and shoot at each other."

Kett decided that that sounded a bit worse than their present situation, but he still disapproved of the bombings. "So, are we supposed to just sit in these tunnels until something happens?"

"Well, that's my plan for right now," August smiled. "ButI have a feeling something will happen sooner or later, or you'll manage to get yourself in trouble before then."

"Well that was certainly quite an assumption." Kett sniffed, turning his nose up in mock offense.

"Not really when I accidentally hear your thoughts now and then," August replied, to tired to come up with anything clever.

"I haven't been thinking of anything that would get me into too much trouble," Kett retorted. It wasn't the strongest argument ever.

"Yeah, but it would still get you in trouble, right?" August yawned.

"Well, it depends on if I get caught or not," Kett argued.

"Let me let you in on a little secret, there's a thing called cameras and microphones here. They would catch you," August regretted saying that immediately when he realized that Kett felt that as a bit of a challenge, and was ready to test that. "Just try and be good, all right?" August finally settled on a plea, "the last thing we all need is more trouble."

"Okay, I'll be good," Kett assured, but August still had the feeling that once he fell asleep, chaos. And he was still feeling tired. His ribs were on fire, and it hurt to think let alone breathe.

"It's so boring down here." Kett was sitting down picking at the bandage on his arm, with his broken ankle extended in front of him. August eyed him,

"With us, it probably won't be for long."

"I still might die of boredom before any excitement, and there's no one around to pick pocket," Kett complained.

"I'm here." August frowned, but Kett shook his head, "You don't have anything in your pockets."

"Yes, you're right. And I would hurt you if you tried anyways."

"Not any more than you would hurt yourself." Kett chuckled, "you certainly didn't seem to notice when I checked your pockets earlier, anyway."

August frowned, he had the feeling he was asleep when this happened, but said nothing. "Yes, but it would be worth it."

"That's what most people say." Kett smiled ruefully, then frowned, cocking his head, "the ground is rumbling ... What's going on up there?"

"There's a tank." August said with surprise after checking.

"What's it there for? Is it bad?" Kett looked slightly alarmed at the image that August projected to his mind.

"It has a Swastikas on it, so I'm assuming it's Nazi... I think it's here to be shown off or protected, because the Allies won't bomb here."

Kett grinned, "I have a feeling it won't be to protected here."

August nodded, "Nope, this is the worst place for them to bring it... Well, here's the excitement you wanted. I really wish I could get up, I've always wanted to see a tank. Actually, I've always wanted to drive one."

"I think you may just get that chance!" Kett leapt up, grinning as he studied the ceiling.

"The Colonel is gonna get mad at you if you leave," August warned, "Plus, I'm pretty sure he and his men have it under control."

"What can I say?" I'm bored." Kett shrugged.

August knew he should protest further, but he really wanted to investigate himself. He wondered if there were any wheel chairs around, because he wasn't ready to stand up yet.

"You look just as curious as me." Kett looked apologetic, then grinned, "I'm going out the emergency tunnel, if I cause a big enough distraction, then maybe you can sneak up for a quick peep. I won't get caught!"

August thought a moment, he sighed and struggled to sit up. He grimaced, but got onto his feet. "I guess I better keep an eye on you."

"I know how to handle myself!" Kett looked shocked, "besides, aren't you bored?"

"Never... But I do want to see the tank," August smiled wryly. "Let's just not get caught."

"Easier done than said!" Kett traipsed down the emergency tunnel, August limping behind. Kett then climbed up the ladder, his broken ankle only slowing him down a little. Then he popped his head out, looking carefully around before leaping out and closing the stump behind him. August meanwhile, laboriously made his way to the top, sensing that that was part of Kett's plan, and sure enough, a moment later, he was being lifted out of the tunnel by the kleptomaniac, and pushed into the nearby brush as a guard apparently looked their direction. But August checked, and all the guard could see was a stump and the forest. Things were going well.

They soon made their way to the top of a hill. And then they were laying down watching the camp proceedings, with August telling Kett telepathically what was going on. He had to admit, this was fun.

August perked up when he realized that they were about to start showing off the tank. "They're going to fire it a few times!" he exclaimed out loud, grinning madly. "Too bad we aren't closer," he said wistfully.

"We could get closer, if you want." Kett grinned, obviously just as enthralled as August was.

"We run the risk of getting caught, and blasting out our eardrums... But okay."

Kett helped August move closer to the tank. With them together they were quite a team at avoiding detection of the guards and prisoners. Soon they had a hiding place a little over fifty yards from the tank. They could see it really well.

They could also see Hogan and every one of his men, the Colonel was chatting cheerfully with the S.S. Man who had brought the tank, as though he hadn't a care in the world.

'He is very friendly with the other side,' Kett remarked silently.

'Yeah, and they're telling him a lot. I think half of them wonder how he ever made Colonel, and the other half think he's a lot cleverer than he lets on. Thank heavens for the ones who think him a fool,' August decided.

'Yeah, I guess they're the real ones, huh?' Kett chuckled quietly.

'Yeah, plug your ears,' August warned, placing his fingers in his own. Kett barely had time to follow before an explosion sounded. The tank was jolted back a little and a rocket shot out, obliterating its target a long ways away.

'I want one of those,' Kett grinned.

'I'm not sure of that would be wise.' August frowned, perceiving his counterparts thoughts.

'You said you wanted to drive one though,' Kett insisted.

'Yeah, but I don't want to get killed. You realize that the owners of that thing are in the same army as the ones that tortured me and your brother?'

That quieted Kett, but they stayed where they were, eyes glued on the tank. 'Ya'know, I think Hogan and his men just might steal it themselves.' August had only caught a flicker of the Colonel's thoughts, and that had been the gist. To his immense unsurprise, August could see that Kett wasn't even questioning how or why, but went straight to,

'We should help!'

'I'm sure you could wear him down,' August smiled.

'Who?'' Kett turned to him, all innocence.

August rolled his eyes. Then groaned. 'They're heading back to the barracks in a moment, we should hurry back.'

'Yeah, don't want them to find us missing,' Kett said sadly. He helped August up, and the cautiously made their way back to the stump and through the tunnels.

"I'd say that went well." Carter was speaking even as he entered the tunnel room, where August and Kett were waiting.

"Newkirk, LeBeau," Hogan followed with the two aforementioned men tailing closely behind, "Make sure when you steal the tank to plant the evidence, we don't want it being traced back to us."

"Oui, mon Colonel." LeBeau's smile was diabolical, "The dirty Boche will think that they blew up their own tanks!"

"Right, 'cause everyone knows that if they 'ate anyone, it's each ovver." Newkirk chimed in. Both of them were dressed up as Germans, and August had to quietly marvel at how quickly they had done it.

"Whoa, wait, can I go?" Kett perked up almost immediately, and August had to admit that he would have liked a small piece of the action as well.

"Can you speak German?" Hogan looked at him skeptically.

"Uhmm ... Yes?" Kett looked hopeful. Hogan just shook his head,

"You can't go."

"I could learn it," Kett argued. "I pick up on languages and dialects very quickly. Say something in German. Please just humor me," he begged.

"Nein." Hogan shook his head, "Nein, ich habe Angst, dass diese Sprache ist schwieriger als man annehmen würde. Obwohl ich bin sicher, dass Sie die Sprache lernen könnte, ein paar einfache Sätze würden Sie nicht mit irgendetwas außer dem Dialekt zu helfen. Sorry, könnt ihr nicht hinkommen. Guter Versuch."

"Uh, ...something about dialect, and something about not being able to learn it from a few simple phrases?" Kett cocked his head sideways, "You sounded Astian, ... So ... hallo? Auf Wiedersehen? Ich werde dich töten? ... I know the essentials." Hogan only looked mildly surprised by this, then shook his head.

"Ich hätte wissen müssen, dass Sie es irgendwo schon einmal gehört hätte. Ich werde dich gehen lassen, unter der Voraussetzung, dass Sie folgen und alles tun, die Newkirk und LeBeau sagen, ja? Und wenn du zurückkommst, lassen Wilson zu beheben, dass die gebrochenen Knöchel Sie schon versucht, zu verbergen, da Sie zuerst ankam. Okay?" Kett blinked a couple times, then finally nodded,

"Okay."

"Sacre Chat!" LeBeau looked extremely irked, "You can't be serious mon Colonel!"

"Yeah, jus, 'cause 'es a good guesser doesn't mean 'e can tag along! 'E'll ruin everyfing!"

"Hey Newkirk, " Hogan leaned in conspiratorially, "Do you see these?" He pointed to the decorations on his bomber jacket and Newkirk groaned when he spotted them, "He goes and that's final."

"Fine!" Newkirk threw up his hands in defeat, then glared at Kett, "You'd better not screw up!" He stalked out of the room. LeBeau started following with Kett behind, then whirled on the young prince with a glare,

"Oui, un mouvement stupide fausse de votre part ... " He pulled a slow purposeful finger across his throat, his eyes burning into Kett the entire time before turning back and going out the door. Kett just grinned, looking at Hogan who quickly hid his own, motioning for Kett to leave with a wave of his hand.

As soon as Kett was gone, Carter spoke up, "Boy, that was mean!!"

Every one left in the room began to laugh. "You're a Colonel in a different army than those two," August observed. "That's quite something. You're little group, it's quite something."

Hogan nodded admiringly, "That's for sure, probably not anything like it in the rest of the world."

"What are your plans after you steal the tank?" August inquired.

"Oh, probably blow up all the other tanks, ... And the factory that made them ... And then the tank itself. Blame it on the Abwher when the Gestapo come to investigate, then blame it on the Gestapo when the Abwher come to investigate the evidence against them, and in so doing, take all of the suspicion off of ourselves." Hogan's smile had been growing the entire time, and now it was positively evil.

"That's great, but what if they get caught?" August had to bow down to the spur of the moment yet entirely thought out plan, but felt worried for his newfound comrades.

"Oh, they'll be fine." Hogan shrugged, "They've done this tons of times, after all."

"But what about Kett?"

"Don't you get the feeling that he's done just as much subterfuge and sabotage as us, if not more?" Hogan's eyebrow went up, then he reiterated, "They'll be fine."

"I sure hope so." August muttered, thinking of everything that could go wrong.

"Sometimes, " Hogan admitted with a look of frustrated understanding, "That's all you can do."

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