"...You're making a big mistake," Gwendolyn cupped her mouth as if to swallow back the words. Didn't want to look anymore desperate then she did, following Ouberon and all.

Ouberon keeps her stone face, attempting to ignore the bunkbed row of eyes that would follow them out of the door.

In fact, one the owners of those bunkbed eyes yells a jeer or something or other at her. Ouberon just shook her head. "Must be out of it again," the eyes reason.

The base's door shuts behind them both and the cold assaults them a second time. Ouberon looks at Gwendolyn over her shoulder. 

"Hey," Gwendolyn places her hand on Ouberon's glaring shoulder. "Fine, don't take my offer...but at least become the...you know."

"General?"

"Oh! So that's what you guys were talking about! Okay...right. Yeah! Become the general!"

Ouberon sits on the snow, leaning her head on the door.  "You know Hadewig, don't you?"

"Nah, I—"

"Tell Hadewig it wasn't funny."

"Huh?" It hits Gwendolyn. "...I didn't really mean that, you know, it was just a joke."

"If I really am fighting for just a fetish and you mean that, I'm gonna need some proof before I go ahead and...do this with you. That did occur to you, right?"

"...Of course it did! Don't take me for an idiot."

"Give me the other proof, then."

Bowing her head, she whispers, "Alright, here comes the hard part..."

"Come again?"

"You'll...you'll have to come with me, then."

"Ah?"

"They have—"

"Sorry, this whole thing sounds off to me. I'll let you go, but there are...just too many strings attached."

Gwendolyn grips Ouberon's wrist before she walks back to base. How desperate the grip was didn't hit her until she attempted to turn herself loose.

Ouberon yelps through her teeth, "What's the idea here? You're trying to kidnap me!"

"We've been going round and round, so I'm just gonna give it to you straight, okay? You're not only just gonna fight for some blood thirsty degenerate, you'll... you'll die in the arms of the law for said degenerate! Is that what you want?"

A touch of emotion—disgust—forms on Ouberon's face. Gwendolyn tries to push back a smile. She thinks she's finally got Ouberon. Her hands grip tighter around Ouberon's.

"Okay..." Gwendolyn's voic reclines. "Without the melodrama and...flowery language...I'll say it again. Once the government finds out about this, you'll be tried as a war criminal, not a solider."

Ouberon snatches her wrist free. "Let's talk to Hadewig."

Gwendolyn nods.

"Eh. I wouldn't believe it." Hadewig adjusts random trinkets on the shelves. "I personally don't buy it. Are you sure you don't want Idoia killed? She looks like she's annoying."

"I don't want her killed. Wanted your opinion."

"Yeah, joking. My opinion is that it's bullshit and she probably wants your kidney, Ouberon."

Gwendolyn isn't dismayed. "Hadewig, I want your take on Abel. How is Abel a threat to the Doyles?"

"Who's in Abel?" 

"The Children Of Gerdina."

"Right. Who are we fighting against?"

Refusing to bite, Gwendolyn keeps pushing her coin, "Hadewig, why are you fighting against The Children of Gerdina?"

Hadewig doesn't bite, either.

"Who told you to fight against them?"

"I know, I know, war is hard, but guilt-tripping a key player into submission isn't the way to go!"

"If the Gerdina's weren't holding back for long, it wouldn't take them even...the slightest blink to eliminate you all."

Hadewig gifts Gwendolyn her full, undivided attention, "So? Go tell that to your mother!"

"...Gerdina isn't a woman. She's not even a thing. She isn't my mom, either. She...that's besides the point. I really hope someone... one of you sees the cracks in this... before any of you die."

Hadewig turns to Ouberon with a grin on her face. "What's the verdict, General?"

"I've been thinking. What she said about Abel the first time we met really stuck to me. Hadewig... don't you at least fear the prospect of going to jail?"

"I fear the prospect of you dropping the title of General to go off with the... Bastards of Godiva."

"Uh, yeah, I think you've misunderstood everything. I'm not of the Doyles. I'm not a Gerdina. I'm an outsider who's trying to show people what's really going on."

"Where'd you get that get-up?" Hadewig quips, eyes pointing at her costume

Not missing a beat, Gwendolyn retorts, "Stole it, ma'am." She shakes her wrist to show off how loose the sleeves are. Hadewig concedes.

"Well, Ouberon, can I stop you?"

"You'll be alright. Right?"

"Heh. I told you not to let that title get to your head. Of course, I'll be fine."

Hadewig strains over the wooden table and whispers into Ouberon's ear, "Don't hesitate to k—"

"Wait, Chief, I need to ask her something."

Caught in her shit-eating grin high, Gwendolyn snaps back to receive the question.

"Why do I have to come with you? You didn't answer that question for me."

Gwendolyn examines the ground as if the answer is written on the wooden tiles. Her smile immediately dissolves into a reverent expression. "...It's because we're all...we basically work in this band together, and before I tell you more, I have to check in with the others. But I promise you, it'll all make sense once we get there!"

Amused, Hadewig winks at Ouberon. "Seems legit. So, Ouberon?"

"I'll go. If I do sense something that'll hurt me, I'll subdue you. Or kill you. It's not personal."

"Understood." Gwendolyn nods.

Climbing over the table, Hidewig reaches over to give Ouberon a parting hug and some advice, "Don't come back. Please."