A New Day

"Which one of you is Akado? Sergeant Akado!" bellowed a major, flanked by two lieutenants, as they entered the grounds of Walker's hospital, where the Austrian Infantry Corps, soon to be disbanded and delisted, was stationed. The major's voice echoed loudly at the entrance of the promenade reserved for wounded soldiers.

At that moment, Akado was busy polishing his Iron Cross, a medal he had earned for his bravery. Hearing his name called out, he looked up to see the group of officers standing at the doorway. Since his arrival in this era, Akado had only fought in two battles. The first had seen the enemy deploy poison gas, during which he had saved numerous lives of his fellow soldiers, earning him the Iron Cross. In the second, he had served as a sergeant on the field and, while taking a stroll near the hospital, had assisted in carrying two stretchers back to the field hospital. Uncertain of the officers' intentions for visiting him—perhaps they suspected him of desertion?—he quickly dismissed the thought; after all, he hadn't fled. His absence from the battlefield was due to following superior orders, not desertion.

"I am Akado, sir!" he declared, standing and saluting as he approached the major who had called out his name.

"Sergeant Akado, congratulations on your promotion to second lieutenant. Here is your letter of appointment," the major greeted him cordially, extending a handshake before handing over the official documents. He then solemnly placed a contract book on a small table, which had a vase to one side, and pointed to a blank space on the page. "In light of your exemplary service during the war, we are offering you a special recruitment as a new Lieutenant of the German Wehrmacht. Major Gordon will oversee your specific duties. However, as per the Versailles Treaty, you must confirm that your enlistment is voluntary."

Before Akado could respond, a familiar voice interrupted. "Akado, you shouldn't stay in the army; you should join me. Together, we could be unstoppable!" It was Hitler, his presence drawing the officers' attention as they turned to look at the wounded corporal, his eyes still red.

"Do you know this corporal?" one officer asked, his tone laced with a hint of sarcasm.

"I recognize him as a capable leader, sir," Akado responded confidently, his voice resonant, leaving the officer momentarily taken aback.

The major, observing the exchange between Akado and his friend, remarked, "It's unfortunate that his rank must be retired, but you have the opportunity to stay. Take your time and make your decision."

"We could enter politics, Akado. It would be easy to control the army from there. With just a word from us, all troops would swear allegiance," Hitler whispered excitedly, pulling Akado aside.

"We can be allies and comrades-in-arms, but our paths must diverge here. Your strength lies in politics; mine in the military. Together, we might not be as strong as each of us alone. I will continue to serve and consult with you on military matters," Akado replied, smiling.

Hitler's piercing gaze fixed on Akado. "I'm not certain of my ability to win support in the political arena. Are you sure you can rise to a general in an army dominated by nobility?"

"It's not about certainty," Akado said after a brief pause. "You must overcome all political adversaries to become Germany's president. And I must rise to command all German armed forces. We have no other option."

Visibly moved, Hitler stuttered, "Okay."

"I will think about it," Akado said as he approached the major, took the pen, and signed the document: Akado Rudolph. He then stood and saluted. "Mr. Major, I am ready to depart immediately and report for duty."

"Major Gordon's office is in Hamburg. Here is your ticket; you must leave now. He will assign your new position," said the officer, tossing the ticket onto the document with a hint of disdain, clearly unimpressed by Akado's brief interaction with Hitler.

"Yes, sir," Akado responded, saluting crisply. He sensed a slight hostility from the officers surrounding the major but also felt the weight of his new beginning as a soldier of the German Wehrmacht.

As the major and his entourage departed, Akado began packing his belongings. Among his personal items were a small notebook, a hand mirror, a lunch box, and a local military map of the Lyme area. He approached Hitler, who appeared somewhat despondent, and gently patted his shoulder.

"Mr. Adolf Hitler," Akado began solemnly, "I will secure a position as soon as possible and stay in touch. In the military camp, my placement could be anywhere in Germany. I'll try to get assigned to a department with more freedom. For now, you must fend for yourself."

Reluctantly, he pulled out a small black leather notebook from his suitcase and handed it to Hitler. "Here's my analysis of the current political climate in Germany. It might help you. It's of no use to me now; better that you have it."

Hitler accepted the notebook gravely, his intense gaze locking with Akado's. "Mr. Akado, take care! When we meet again, I hope we have the power to change Germany's future."

"We will make Germany the most powerful country in the world by 1930," Akado affirmed with a smile before turning to leave the hospital where he had spent nearly a month.

As he boarded the train, a whistle sounded, snapping Akado back to reality. The carriage was crowded, filled with the smell of sweat and the sight of injured soldiers and civilians in patched clothing—a testament to the years of war that had drained the country. Beside him sat a middle-aged man in a plaid shirt, absorbed in a newspaper, and an Air Force officer named Dick Proctor, who introduced himself with a polite nod.

Ignoring the middle-aged man's apparent disinterest, Akado engaged in conversation with Dick. "I heard your air force will be completely disbanded. What a disaster. We had tens of thousands of planes. It's a pity not to use them against the enemy."

"My plane is over there," Dick pointed out as the train passed a small station, revealing a vast field where numerous German fighter planes were parked, their lifeless forms stretching toward distant hills.

"It's a shame we have to destroy these planes on the ground," Akado lamented, despite his preparedness for the sight.

"If I were a German commander, I'd rather die in the sky," Dick replied, his frustration evident.

The middle-aged man beside them tightened his grip on the newspaper, his arm trembling slightly. Akado, touching the Iron Cross on his chest, countered, "If victory were possible, no German would choose this humiliation. But enduring it now means Germany can rise sooner."

His passionate words drew the attention of the middle-aged man, who set his newspaper aside to listen. Ignoring the admiring look in Dick's eyes, Akado concluded, "We will see a new day when I will let you fly again."

The middle-aged man, moved by Akado's words, wrote in his book, "No peace treaty, no enemy can take from us our strong conviction. When fate calls the German people to arms again—and that day will come—they will find warriors, not cowards, ready to fight with steel-like resolve, no matter the weapon."