Thor's Lieutenant

"Why do norse gods have to be so attractive?"

On a morning, 1938, about daylight, something woke her. I looked out the second story window and saw men, camouflaged in white, sneaking along the road in back of the house. Since I knew our men had no reason to be infiltrating, I opened fire. The shot woke everyone else in town. ...The shooting went on for about ten minutes, and we pinned down the Germans, which must have been the scouting element for the tanks, because lo and behold a column of 29 German tanks and half-tanks, loaded with men, came up out of the draw in back of the town and surrounded it. I figured this was the end of me, because we had already heard about the massacre at Malmedy. I figured I might as well keep shooting until the end.

Even as she woke, the screams, shooting, and pounding of feet deafened her. Alora threw her green blankets off her and got up, going through her morning routine. Getting dressed, eating breakfast, brushing her teeth, and arming herself, Alora trotted down to her studio.

Pulling her violin out of its case, Alora checked its tuning. She had learned how to play in the cold afternoons, easing the tense atmosphere in the unit. The waiting tested everyone's patience, even the horses'.

She began playing 'Last Round Up,' a song the U.S. military appreciated greatly. The men normally sang, and while off-pitch, raucous, and filled with laughter, it created pleasant memories. A corporal brought a mini piano occasionally, which led to worse singing and nights that could be regarded fondly.

Alora played and played, switching from song to song seamlessly. Her anxiety melted away with each note played, until it shattered with the last note of 'Lovely.'

Azai barked four times, low-pitched and followed by a growl. She barely heard it. Alora moved quickly, putting her violin away gently. Pulling out the gun on her hip, Alora climbed the stairs silently.

Military dogs only barked when there are intruders.

Her dog had barked four times, indicating he had spotted four intruders. She clicked the safety off her gun as she turned the corner to her kitchen. She recognized Steve and Natasha, who both appeared as if they were searching for someone or something. Probably me, heh.

"What are you doing in my house?" the former lieutenant general snapped. Both people spun around to face the barrel of the gun.

High threat! High threat!

"The door was unlocked. We just want to talk," Natasha tried to placate her.

"Lie. My door is never unlocked. I can turn you in for breaking and entering, mates," Alora warned them. "Where's your other friends?"

The sickeningly familiar sound of a repulser behind her brought her breathing to an uneasy rate. The woman's gaze flickered between the two in front of her, tense and ready for action. Little invisible needles pricked at her skin, not helping the cold feeling she got.

"Put it down, gunslinger," a cocky voice commanded smoothly.

Maximum threat! Neutralize!

A sharp whistle and one tuck and roll later, she was standing in her doorway with her dog prowling the intruders, gun still ready. Azai gave the woman an escape route by scaring the person behind her. Alora spared the new person a glance - he was dressed in a black suit (people still wore those these days?) with metal covering one hand. A low blue light told her that was his weapon.

"There's supposed to be one more," Alora noted, backing up a full step...

...And colliding with something warm. She spun around, feeling the urge to assess the threat, as she'd been trained.

"Sugar honey iced tea!" Alora gasped, staring up at the strikingly handsome man. His eyes were electric blue and gentle, long hair blonde and built very well.