Kiana found it so strange watching Richtofen sleep. It seemed like something few - if any - ever got to ever see. His bare chest slowly undulated with deep restful breaths as Kiana looked on with curiosity. She could not take her eyes off him; it was a moment she did not want to forget.
She wanted to know Richtofen like this. He looked vulnerable but he also looked peaceful - freed from the emotional turmoil if only for a brief moment. And she knew that once he awoke; this moment would feel like an all too distant memory - buried beneath the glacier of his icy scowl.
Richtofen was surprisingly muscular for an older man. His lean physique had been lost beneath his general's uniform - nevermind the cumbersome cosmonaut suit. It was strange enough just seeing Richtofen's bare hands since they were always hidden away under his black leather gloves. But now, Kiana got far more than she bargained for seeing him in nothing but a pair of high-waisted briefs.
Her eyes began to trace their way down along the scars on Richtofen's chest. Her curiosity was getting the better of her as she finally allowed herself to look at them. Every scar seemed to tell a story; from shrapnel scars on his chest to the bayonet scars on his forearms. Even on his abdomen she could make out the silvery shimmer of scar tissue from a stab wound. His body was looked like a kintsugi piece - except his wounds had been mended with silver instead of gold.
The more scars her eyes uncovered; the more questions arose. What on earth had Richtofen been doing to get these? Were they all just from the war? Some of them looked far older - and others far newer. It was clear he had lived a turbulent life for many years. Perhaps even as far back as childhood, Kiana thought.
The man in question stirred gently in his sleep which caused Kiana to quickly look away guiltily. Her eyes had dared not stray any lower than his abdomen anyway. Instead, she finally went over to the other sofa. As she sat down she could feel herself sinking into the soft brown leather of the sofa. Even in its aged state it still retained its comfortability.
"Jou know, zhis reminds me of somezhing very shimilar", Richtofen whispered - catching Kiana off guard.
"Crikey, had he been awake the whole time?!" Kiana began to question in her mind.
"Oh, and what's that?" She feigned surprise.
"Bah! How zhe tables have turned. I distinctly remember it was jou in jour underwear", he smiled through closed eyes.
Kiana thought back to the day she arrived in this universe. The day they found her in Der Riese.
"Jou looked so vulnerable", Richtofen continued.
"I don't even vant to zhink about how I must look right now", he sighed.
"Oh, don't be daft! You're still terrifying... just minus your nazi gear", she fired back with a smile.
"Do I look insignificant vithout zhat uniform?" He asked.
"You look like a human being", Kiana answered which caused Richtofen to frown slightly.
"And you also look slightly less terrifying when you're not scowling and frowning too", she added.
"I'm honoured to be one of the few people to see it", she smiled.
"Is zhat how jou shee me?" He asked sharply.
"I think it's how you want people to see you", Kiana answered promptly.
Richtofen sat quietly on the sofa as he stared intensely at Kiana. It was obvious he was deeply assessing the sincerity of her words. But as usual, she just seemed to sit there unfazed - which always fascinated him. Then, his eyes fell on the gun strap slung over her shoulder before his gaze fell on the submachine gun itself.
"Hmph", he scoffed.
"I graduated from your pistol... do you want it back?" Kiana asked.
Richtofen turned his face away from her in rejection of her offer. Kiana just smiled at his stubbornness but she knew there was more as to why he wanted her to keep it. The pistol was his, in fact, it was even engraved with his name on the side of the gun. He liked the thought of her carrying something of his everywhere she went. There was something intimate about that. Plus, it kept him in her thoughts even during his lengthy absence. And he liked the thought of being on her mind.
"How did jou manage to find me?" Richtofen broke the silence - referring to the events back at Kino.
"You really don't want to accept that what I've told you is true... do you?" Kiana sighed.
"Nein, how did jou physically get here?" He asked.
"Oh, that's not important", she waved dismissively.
"Jour reshponse proves ozhervise..." Richtofen opened his eyes and looked at her.
"Tell me", he asked lowly.
Kiana took a deep breath before composing herself.
"Look, why can't you just be happy letting me keep that part a secret. You don't exactly explain everything to the rest of us...", Kiana tried to counter.
"Nein, tell me!" He insisted.
"Very well then. Primis and I--" Kiana began before Richtofen lifted his head to look at her in disbelief.
"Yes, he survived. No thanks to you..." She snapped.
"Hm, so I vas right..." Richtofen mumbled to himself as he lay his head back down.
"Wait-- what do you mean? You knew the undead weren't going to kill him?" Kiana asked angrily.
"Vell, not exshactly. But I had mein suspicions zhat Samanzha vould vant to keep him alive", he explained.
Kiana just sat there unable to even respond. Richtofen's callousness never creased to amaze her.
"Now continue, I vant to know how jou got here", he asked impatiently.
"I-- Uh... I-- Well-- I...", Kiana began.
"--I did a deal with Samantha and Dr Maxis...", Kiana finally blurted out as Richtofen sat up with a jolt.
"Jou vhat?!" He raised his voice.
"Oh for goodness sake, you need to rest and stop the theatrics. Yes, silly me did a little deal with them so I could get here on time", Kiana replied as she got up and tried to lay Richtofen back down.
"Und vhat did zhey vant in return?" Richtofen asked suspiciously.
"They wanted me to kill you...", Kiana replied bluntly as Richtofen flinched and looked up at her standing beside him.
"You know better than anyone that I'm not going to do that", Kiana rolled her eyes.
"Kiana..." Richtofen whispered.
"Vhat vas zhe forfeit?" He asked quietly.
"Oh nothing much, just that Samantha will pursue me to to the ends of the earth - a bit like she wants to do with you actually - and give me a wonderfully agonising demise. So yeah, nothing much", Kiana replied nonchalantly.
"Jou foolish voman! Do jou not understand zhe seriousness of zhis?!" Richtofen hissed angrily.
"What's it to you anyway?" Kiana fired back with an apathetic expression.
"Zhat brat und Dr Maxis are not to be trusted. Maxis is ruthless und he vill command Samanzha to kill jou", Richtofen growled.
"Well, I guess I'll have to find a way to not let that happen then", Kiana replied and shrugged her shoulders.
"How else was I going to get here anyway?" She added as Richtofen frowned.
"Vhy on earth are jou being so nonchalant about all zhis?" Richtofen asked in disbelief.
"I didn't really have much of a choice, Doctor", Kiana replied as she finally got him to lay back down.
"Oh and that reminds me..." She began as Richtofen narrowed his eyes.
"Your little demon friends decided to contact me -- tonight actually. In fact, another one decided to try to attack me just before I found you", Kiana added as if it was no big deal.
Richtofen's jaw nearly hit the floor.
"I told you that it was better you rested before I offload all this information..." Kiana shrugged.
"And no, I didn't make any deals with them. I told them where to shove it. But I was intrigued that they wanted my help in convincing you to work with them again. I take it there has been a falling out?" Kiana asked.
Richtofen averted his eyes as the pair sat in silence.
"No, that's okay. I didn't expect you to tell me anyway", Kiana smiled.
Richtofen turned his head to look away before Kiana spoke again.
"Is that why the lander turned up in ruins? They tried to kill you?" Kiana asked as she finally connected the dots.
"Ugh, I'll have to do the one sided conversation thing since you men like to clam up at the serious stuff", Kiana sighed.
"I suspect that you've been in contact with these beings long before you touched the MPD... and even before you joined group 935... am I correct?" Kiana asked.
"You could do something like blink twice so I know I'm getting warmer. That way it won't feel like you're actually telling me anything", she added.
To her surprise, Richtofen blinked twice. He still kept his head turned away from her but she could see the side of his lashes beat twice.
"Okay, I'm suspecting that they contacted you around the time you joined the Illuminati..." Kiana said as she looked closely at Richtofen's eyes.
Again, he blinked twice.
"I don't know why you would let them attach to you but they're pissed, Doctor. And as long as you're connected to them they will try to pursue you", Kiana explained.
"Jou should take jour own advice", Richtofen fired back.
"Hah! I think these demons make Samantha and Dr Maxis look like small fry!" Kiana laughed.
"When the group of them contacted me - one of them spoke to me just before they left", Kiana began which caught Richtofen's attention.
"It didn't sound like the others. This one had some authority about it. The other voices seemed to cower. I felt like it knew everything about me. But it told me to think things over before I made my decision", Kiana explained.
"Zhe Shadow Man..." Richtofen whispered.
"Bingo! Although I would refer to him as something else. But they do plan on returning-- well that was before one of them went rouge and tried to kill me", Kiana replied.
"How did jou fight it?" Richtofen asked.
"I didn't", Kiana said pointing to the cross around her neck.
"Oh, don't be so shuperstitious", Richtofen scoffed dismissively.
"How could someone like jou be religious? Jou are a woman of shcience!" Richtofen rolled his eyes.
"Oh, and isn't science a religion itself?" Kiana fired back.
"The priests of the ancient religions have merely shrugged off their robes in favour of the lab coat", she added - catching Richtofen off guard.
"I mean, it isn't exactly a surprise that if these beings exist then the good ones do too..." She added.
"Enough of the philosophical discussion though. I'm just glad it's the real you that turned up here", Kiana explained.
"Und who vere jou exshpecting?" Richtofen replied with a raised brow.
"Samantha showed me what happened in the Ragnarök facility. How that other version of you tried to kill you. But she didn't give me the correct context", Kiana began.
"I knew you couldn't be killed off so easily. But I can't help wondering why the other you tried to track you down like that?" Kiana mused.
"I suspect you know but I won't hold my breath for an explanation", she smiled sarcastically.
"We've talked plenty tonight. Try and get some sleep this time", Kiana explained before turning to walk away.
"Vait, I vant to ask jou vone more zhing..." Richtofen began.
"Oh, I wasn't sure if you'd be brave enough to bring up how you kissed me. Yes, it was very strange but I just chalked it up to you boldly believing that you weren't going to see me again. I won't hold it against you", Kiana replied - taking Richtofen by surprise.
When she turned away again; Richtofen grabbed her hand and pulled her close to him.
"I meant everyzhing I said..." he whispered with a devilish smile.
Their faces were inches away from each other as he seemed to revel in trying to make her uncomfortable. For someone so intelligent; he could be very immature.
"And I meant everything I said..." Kiana fired back as she looked him straight in the eyes.
"Jou know, now zhat zhe fever is almost avay I'm getting a little chilly..." Richtofen grinned deviously.
Kiana reclaimed her hand from Richtofen's grasp and stood up. Richtofen's eyes widened in surprise as she began to unbutton her coat. Beneath it, her dress remained miraculously untainted by all the dirt and grime. Her face was deadly serious as she looked down at him. Then she raised an eyebrow.
"Excuse me, what exactly do you think is happening here, Doctor?" Kiana finally blurted out with laughter.
Richtofen's look of surprise faded to a disappointed frown. He narrowed his eyes as she continued to laugh. Kiana finally composed herself and shrugged off her coat before slipping it down her arms. She then put it over Richtofen whilst averting her eyes as not to look at his body.
"Primis will be wondering where I am. I should probably tell him to call off the search party", Kiana explained before walking to the door.
"Don't want Dempsey to have a fit either. You're not in a fit state for an altercation", she added as she placed her hand in the door knob.
"Also, you need to get that generator to Dr Gersch tomorrow. Save your strength for that. Gosh, I sound like your secretary!" she smiled before she closed the door behind her.
Richtofen lay there unable to process what just hit him...
End of part fourty-four...