The Road of Good Intention

[Doomguy]

Continuing from Intermission From Doom

The next few days had been taken to ramp down into a more familiar military routine, the ad-hoc barracks turned into a temporary home. The Lieutenant and Eagle Eye had not called for my attention since the first day I met them, the two handlers had decided to leave me to my business until whatever objectives they had planned more me became apparent. Worked for me, as I wanted to get a lay of the land and at least start on digging for info on Impel Down before I got sent on whatever fox hunt the two cooked up. With my PDA bugged and any camera in the street watching me, I was basically pinned down until I could find a way around Costa del Sol without the Empire figuring out that I was two timing them. That meant a lot of time meandering around the town with the auto mapper and marking the line of sight of cameras and patrols. Which meant using the features of the auto-mapper I made fun of when I first got it, but then how would I have known I would be trapped in an alternate dimension with a totalitarian goverment.

No, I don't know if the demons of Hell were totalitarian, I'll ask them the next time I see them.

My "co-workers", the stormtroopers that were charged with keeping the peace on the mainland of this ocean world, keep their distance. It seems that a few years of guard duty, dealing with the occasional rampaging prime, and a general unappreciated and humiliating job had made them wary of outsiders. Go figure. If they knew I was a prime I'm sure they would have thrown me out. Since I had to share the same barracks with them for the next few weeks, I had to hand the olive branch and build the bridge and whatever garbage phrase you want to use. They were unresponsive at first, but a peace offering of beer and cigarettes had them warming up to me, in that "I'll tolerate your presence" kind of way. Fastest way to a soldier's heart is their vices followed closely by insulting their jackass CO. Which was phase two.

"What's your deal anyway?" One Sergeant Tina ("Tiny Tina" was the nickname I heard around the mess hall, even though she was almost as tall as I was and filled her armor better than most of the men in her squad) asked as she took a cig from the carton I was dangling hypnotically in front a few of the soldiers under her charge. Although she took the gift without comment, she eyes me suspiciously and that carried in her voice.

"Well, I was dragged into this Omniverse by some jackass" I left out who that jackass was intentionally "and being a soldier in my own universe, took the job I had skills in." My half-truth didn't endear me to her, as she just continued to narrow her eyes and silently judge between puffs of smoke.

"Then why not join the Stormtroopers properly and not be a scummy merc who's wasting the time and resources of our citizens" She accused me with unbridled contempt, which was an amazing feat considering her voice didn't change at all from her original "calm" voice. Perhaps if I was a more diplomatic person, I would have just let the whole thing slide, backed down on the position, and continue with just trying to get on the good side of the other soldiers.

I am not a diplomatic person.

"Maybe because I'm not all for being a drone for a bunch psychopaths that think crushing people's lives is a fun hobby" I got right up into the sarge's face, backing up my discussion point with physical intimidation. We stared at each other in silent confrontation for what seemed like a hour, both of us dared to strike first and lead this mental game of chicken to blows. I'm sure we would have both left the room with broken bones had not one brave soldiers from her squad stepped in between us.

"Ma'am, we still have to finish patrol" the soldier reminded his CO, both out of a genuine need to finish the job and concern to keep his superior officer out of harm's way. Probably. It's hard to read someone in those dumb helmets. We remained unyielding for a moment longer, then Tina gave me a sneer and mushed her cig into my armor as a show of defiance in defeat. She turned to her squad and with a nod she left the building with her men in tow. The one who broke it up gave me a final glance before he caught up with the rest and left me alone.

That was enough playing nice for one day. I had a feeling that things were going to turn sour sooner than I would hope. Time to get some information, and I knew who I would get it from.