Garet slammed the door behind him.
"Harran! You hid it, you jokester."
Harran: "Honestly, I've got no idea what you're saying."
He said while putting his can away to Ilsha's side.
"I was here the whole time."
Then raises his hands up to his head's height as if surrendering.
Garet: "Where did it go then?"
Harran: "Maybe it fell under the table?"
Garet: "I looked through my whole tent and did not find it."
Korse: "Before a brawl breaks out, Harran has no way of being in your tent to steal the… the thing or whatever you are talking about."
Ilsha: "He was here the whole time."
Harran: "Thank you, Ilsha."
He says as he tries to hug her.
In her defense, she holds him off with one hand while continuing to eat her soup, not even looking up.
Korse: "Well, anyway, Garet and Harran go for a bonding session tomorrow and grab some wood in the forest, since Zurn has not returned yet, I am only guessing he is harassing bears or something… or eating some mushrooms for fuck sake."
Harran, looking at Korse: "Talkative today, aren't we?"
"Do you want to go alone then?"
"Uhh- no?"
"Then shut."
Harran quickly salutes a little.
Garet: "Still, where did it go?"
Korse: "Looked under the bed?"
"Yes."
"And your pockets?"
Garet starts reaching into his pockets...
"I put it on my table…
…I would know if it was in my-"
He digs in the 6th pocket...
...and pulls out…
…a cogwheel.
Everyone stares at the cogwheel in Garet's hand.
Harran: "Factory repairman indeed."
Garet: "I found some spare parts, but it's not what I'm looking for."
Then he turns around and walks outside.
The next moment, Harran tapped the table with both his hands.
"I might sound crazy now, but something felt off."
He stares at the door.
Ilsha: "You do."
She says as she takes another spoonful.
Harran: "But I ain't tho."
Korse stands at the edge of the table near the door, looking at it.
"Thinking about it now, maybe something was off."
Harran: "My... my eye was doing something weird, it wasn't telling me anything about him like usually."
He repeatedly points at his left eye while saying those words.
Ilsha: "Be careful, you might poke yourself... or I will."
Harran, almost sounding in panic, keeping his voice down: "But I swear something is wrong with him!"
Korse looks at Ilsha.
"When we return to the capital, please take lessons in mental health too, our friend here needs it by the looks of it."
As her response, Ilsha throws a thumbs-up towards Korse.
Korse: "So what? Your ability is broken. What are we supposed to do? Interrogate him?"
He says, almost making fun of Harran.
Harran: "Yup."
"Harran, you're not thinking straight."
"Thinking straight, I am."
"And?"
"Let's interrogate him."
Harran stands up.
Ilsha then, with one hand, drags him back down on his ass to sit on the chair.
"No."
Korse: "Garet is fine, he's just himself… angry version that is."
Harran: "Which means something is wrong."
Ilsha leans forward with both of her elbows on the table and her hands under her chin.
"I highly believe Harran is merely insane from the sleep warder, as a usual side effect for such a severe overdose as this."
Harran: "Yes, yes, you said this like 12 times already."
Ilsha: "Merely 3."
Harran: "Still more than once or twice."
He goes over to the door.
"Cmon, trust me, something is wrong."
Ilsha: "Except nothing is."
After a good while, the three find themselves outside of Garet's tent, their masks back on.
Korse looks at Harran while grabbing the door. "Harran, if you're wrong, I'm shooting you in the foot."
"Eeeeeh, you wouldn't dare."
Harran said with mild panic in his voice.
Ilsha: "Now that we are actually doing what we said we wouldn't, I suggest you two go in together, then I go do a… one-on-one talk."
Harran looks at Ilsha.
"Well, you said it a little weird, but oh well."
He says, as he almost excitedly grabs Korse's hand, which is already on the door.
Korse pans his view towards Harran.
"Personal space soldier."
Then he opens the door and walks in, Harran behind him.
Harran closes the door behind the two of them.
Garet is seen messing with the box from the scanner, a small cube approximately 10 x 10 x 10 cm.
Korse stands near the entrance, hands behind his straightened back, at attention.
"Status report, engineer."
Harran goes closer to Garet's table, leaning onto the edge of it with his left hand, right hand on his hip as he stares directly at what Garet is doing.
"Are you winning?"
Garet does not look at either of them, does not look away from his work.
"What is this about? I have work."
Korse eases up a little, hands by his sides.
"A simple checkup, on… whatever you are doing."
Harran: "Yeah you seemed like you didn't get a good night's sleep for the past couple days and we wanted to see how you are doing, our beloved techie."
Garet supports his head with his left fist under his chin and puts the cube down.
"Harran can you stop throwing insults towards my title like it's a praise?"
Harran stands up, raising his hands slightly.
"My bad yo."
Korse: "What he meant to say was that he is sorry about being an utter idiot, now, how's it looking with the thing?"
Garet: "Great… totally great."
Harran scratches his helmet.
"Sooo… where was it?"
Garet: "Was what?"
Harran: "The thing?"
He points at the cube.
Garet: "Fallen, ground, door."
Harran spreads his arms as he makes a step back.
"So?"
Korse: "So what?"
Harran: "Well, I didn't steal it now, did I?"
Garet remains silent and returns to fiddling with the cube.
Harran turns around and heads to the door. He taps Korse on the shoulder as he passes by him.
Korse follows him outside.
Harran looks at Korse as soon as the door closes.
"See, he seems off."
Korse facepalms.
"Or he's tired of your stuff."
Ilsha: "My turn now, correct?"
Korse puts his hand in his pocket.
"Sure, if you want."
Ilsha: "Time for psychology lessons to pay off."
Korse: "How many specializations do you even have?"
Ilsha grabs the door.
"A lot more than you, captain."
She then disappears into the tent, leaving Korse and Harran alone outside.
The two stare at the entrance of the tent for a while before Harran breaks the silence.
"Guess ye ain't the smartest one here."
"Did I claim to be?"
"Uh, I dunno, probably."
"You're getting a beating at the base."
"Worth it."
"I hope it is."
Harran turns around, putting his hands behind his head.
"Well, Ima head out now."
Korse grabs him by the jacket collar, stopping him from walking away.
"Not dismissed yet, soldier."
"Aw, man, but it's cold out."
"You are the one who dragged all three of us out here."
"Aughhhh."
Harran and Korse waited outside for a while until Ilsha got out again.
Korse: "So?"
Ilsha: "He did seem a little off, he faces me when we talk together usually, and he seemed overly focused on the device."
Harran raises a finger: "Aha! Knew it."
Korse hits him on the top of the head.
"You don't know a screw, calm your machine."
Harran lowers his hand and turns his head towards Korse on his left.
"If you keep hitting me like this I will get brain damage."
Ilsha: "You probably need not to worry about it."
Harran, holding his head with one hand: "Yeah you're right, this helmet has some good padding."
Ilsha and Korse look at each other for a second, before focusing their views towards Harran again.
Both: "So?"
Korse: "What is this about?"
Ilsha: "I would love to know."
She says as she puts her left hand on her hip.
Harran: "Well, he's acting wrong, yeah? It ain't him."
Korse: "We lack evidence for such claims."
Harran: "I have all I need."
He says, pointing at his eye.
Looking down Harran points at his shoe.
"Oh damn untied shoes again."
Korse: "Forget the shoes, it's time to sleep already."
Harran kneels down reaching for his shoes…
…then…
…suddenly, he throws himself at Korse's feet, grabbing the firearm and pulling it out of the shoe, kneeling on his left knee… and firing a shot into Garet's tent.
A loud blast with a flash of red light.
Korse kicks the weapon out of his hands and jumps on him, pinning Harran to the ground, Korse kneels on his back, holding both of Harran's arms back.
Ilsha rushes inside the tent.
Korse: "WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING YOU IMBECILE OF THE HIGHEST LEVEL!"
Harran is silent but Ilsha can be heard from inside the tent.
"Boys get over here, Korse get off the idiot."
Korse takes a while before he gets off Harran's back.
He turns to the tent, looking at the hole in the wall.
He steps towards the door.
His hands are shaking.
Breath is heavy.
The snow crunches beneath his feet.
"Harran… what the fuck."
He reaches for the side of the door to let himself in.
Taking a deep breath before he enters.
Harran can be heard laughing from his right.
Inside the tent, silence.
He opens the door.
Inside is… only Ilsha, no signs of Garet.
Korse stands in the doorway.
Ilsha: "The son of Lady Luck was right. Something was wrong with Garet."
Harran's laughter doubles in volume as those words leave her mouth.
Korse's hands turn into tight fists as he looks down at his feet.
He turns and starts making his way to Harran.
Harran stands near where he fired, about five steps away from the entrance, holding the gun by the barrel, chuckling.
"See? I was right, hahah."
He extends his hand towards Korse, handing over the weapon.
Korse when he gets to him, slaps him with his left hand and grabs hold of the tenshot.
Harran stumbles back a step, holding the right side of his face.
"Yeah I guess I deserved th-"
BAM
The weapon is fired the second time this day.
Harran falls to the ground.
"AUGH WHAT… FUCK… AGH… MAN, WHY?!"
Harran lies in the snow, clutching his right foot close to himself.
"I was right! You moron why did you… agh, why the fuck did you shoot me?"
Korse: "BECAUSE YOU ARE THE MORON WHO JUST NOW ALMOST SHOT A COLLEAGUE OUT OF RECKLESSNESS!"
Harran breathes rapidly: "B-But I didn't damn it."
Ilsha appears behind Korse, hitting Korse in the wrist with her left hand and grabbing the tenshot with her right.
"Both of you morons shut up! This is already enough of a mess."
Korse: "Harran I will be filing a report if I don't let something eat you here."
Ilsha: "Nothing is-"
Korse: "Don't get yourself into this Ilsha."
Ilsha: "I am saying that-"
Korse: "Silence."
Ilsha: "You-"
Korse turns to Ilsha, about to smack her in the face.
She steps away from him, then quickly to his side, kicking in the back of his knee, making him fall down.
"I am sorry captain, I will be taking the role of authority tonight."