Strike Witches:Volume1 Chapter4

"Actually, weren't any of you ashamed by that at all!?"

Tomoko slammed the desk she was at as she shouted.

The squadron was in the same warehouse as the briefing room before. One of the rooms there had been walled off using spare building materials, forming a makeshift barracks.

Tomoko and the rest of the squadron were eating dinner in the mess hall, which doubled as a rest area.

It was a dreary room, with nothing but a few rickety chairs and tables, all worn from use, set up in the center of the room. Two sooty wood-burning stoves sent irregular drafts of warm wind circulating through the air.

Nine o'clock at night.

It was just before lights-out, so the squadron was off-duty.

After Tomoko's rant, the only one who had shown any sign of remorse was Haruka. Everyone else in the squadron just looked like they could go with the flow, no matter where it brought them.

As usual, Ursula was immersed in some extremely dense book. Katharine was sitting nearby listening to the radio, munching on a piece of bread she had stolen from somewhere. Beurling sat alone in the corner, playing with her dachshund familiar.

Faced by such apathy, Tomoko's tone sharpened.

"We're being labeled as misfits you know!"

"Now now, have some coffee..." F/O Elma said, as she placed a cup in front of Tomoko.

Tomoko grabbed the cup, and downed the entire contents in one gulp.

"But it was so hot..." F/O Elma whispered to herself quietly.

"Not hot enough!"

Tomoko shouted angrily.

"Um, I used boiling water though..."

"Not the coffee! You! All of you! How can you all be so lifeless!?"

With a loud tsk, Tomoko switched tactics. She headed straight to Ursula, pulled away her book, and spoke to the young girl directly.

"Hey Ursula. They're playing you for a fool, you know? They're saying you're useless! Don't you see that!?"

"Other people's opinions are of no concern to me. As long as it does not interfere with my research, I am fine with it."

She took the book back from Tomoko, and began reading once again.

"Well, Pilot Officer O'Hare."

"Please call me Katharine."

"Well then, Katharine, don't you feel anything at all at being laughed at like that? Doesn't it get that frontier spirit your country is so well known for burning?"

"My daddy always said, 'Let people say what they want to say'."

"They're saying too much here though!"

"Well, me, I'm fine with anything. It's a bit cold here, but I can live with it."

Shaking her head slowly, Tomoko turned to F/O Elma next.

"Y-Yes! What is it, Pilot Officer? Ma'am."

Without thinking, F/O Elma had added a 'Ma'am' while speaking to Tomoko, who was lower-ranking.

"Ma'am, don't you think that the reception we're receiving is unacceptable, after all that's been done to bring our help to Suomus?"

"E-Eh, well... what I want to say is..." F/O Elma stumbled for words.

"We didn't bring the military prowess you were hoping for?"

Tomoko grimaced as if she had eaten a bug.

"I-I wonder why too... ahaha..."

F/O Elma suddenly laughed nervously.

"I hit the nail right on the head, didn't I? Let's not even give food to that useless 'help', huh?"

Tomoko pointed at the watery soup on the table.

"Or rooms!"

She pointed to the walls and the numerous gaps in them next.