After being recalled from Belgorod, Erich returned to Berlin to his post in the area. Like many of the men who had taken part in the Russian Civil War, he was changed by the conflict. Mukden was the start of the man’s declining mental state, but Saint Petersburg and Tsaritsyn had fully cemented his state as a cold, sadistic psychopath.
The only thing stopping the man from acting out of turn was his fear of Bruno and what the man would do to him if he did something to smear his name, and reputation, or God forbid, ruin his future plans.
Bruno, unlike Erich, was a deeply cunning and scheming figure. Erich had known this for a very long time, but Bruno seemed to have a very good understanding of future events and was preparing for them even as they changed in real time.
And while Erich was a capable field commander in his own right, and given command overran the entire army as a general, could prove to be exceptional in that regard. Was still ultimately limited to the battlefield.
Building an Empire or maintaining an Empire’s position in history when it was doomed to come crashing down. That was something he was not remotely capable of. And because of this, he simply followed Bruno’s orders.
But civilian life was dreadfully boring to the man who had gotten accustomed to killing people for any number of conjured reasons he could come up with. The Reich was in a state of peace, and because of this, he could not actively go out and hunt down enemies of the State.
And hence, the man often found himself in taverns, pubs, and bars, wasting away his nights with a liter of beer in one hand and a cigarette in the other. It was perhaps because of this habit that he was quickly approached by a mysterious organization.
A man sat down at the bar next to Erich on the night that Heinrich and Alya were eating at Bruno’s home. The man did not identify himself, nor did Erich recognize him in any capacity. And yet when he spoke, he spoke as if he already knew everything about Erich, especially what he had done in Belgorod.
“You have very powerful friends, you know that? Had I been in your place in Russia, I would have most certainly been handed over to the Okhrana for them to deal with as they please. It is truly a pleasure to meet the Terror of Belgorod…”
Being approached under such shady circumstances by a mysterious stranger who seemed to know everything about him and what he did, even though Bruno had swept it under the rug. Had Erich been armed, he would have reached for his gun.
But since he wasn’t, he simply eyed the man cautiously while taking a drink from his mug. After which he was quick to comment on the man’s statement.
“You seem to know exactly who I am and what I have done. But for the life of me, I can’t remember ever having met you in my life. And I assure you, I am not nearly drunk enough for the alcohol to begin affecting my memories. So, who are you and what do you want from me? I assure you if you try to blackmail me into doing something I do not desire, it will not end well for you…”
The man who approached Erich also seemed to have a screw loose as he responded to Erich’s threat with visible excitement. Feigning the shakes as he responded to the man most enthusiastically.
“Ooh, the chills I just had now as you threatened me! Believe it or not, I have no doubt you are fully capable of living up to your words, Major von Humboldt. However… I’m not an enemy. Rather, I am a friend, a representative of the crown, actually. The Kaiser is putting together a new organization. The working title is the Ministry for State Security, or Stasi for short. Anyway, our job is basically the same as that of the Okhrana, and the Kaiser wants you to lead us as we hunt down enemies of the state and dispose of them in ways that never reach the eyes and ears of the public. You have, after all, earned a certain reputation in this regard, now, haven’t you?
So, what do you say? Care to join our ranks? You would be more than welcome to do so. We are all very eager to follow your commands!”
Erich did not immediately respond, instead he drank the rest of his liter of beer before handing over his payment for the drink. After which he stood up and turned off the barstool. Only when he was about to walk away did he respond to the man.
“Assuming you are who you say you are, then I have no reason to reject your offer. I was growing bored with this peaceful civilian life, anyway.”
After saying this, Erich walked off, leaving the man who was supposedly a member of the Kaiser’s newly reformed secret police with a satisfied expression on his face. While the Kingdom of Prussia had its own Secret Police it operated solely within the jurisdiction of Prussia.
With Bruno’s suggestion, the Kaiser quickly began to reform it as a national institution of the Empire. With the goal of expanding its operations across the entirety of the German Reich and its colonies. If the German flag was waving in some part of the world, the agents of the Stasi would be there to monitor the local population for any dissident views or revolutionary plots.
Erich would officially be transferred out of the German Army the next day, and into the newly formed Ministry for State Security. An organization that didn’t exist in any official capacity and was totally off the books.
Bruno would come to learn of the reason for Erich’s transfer from the Army sometime later. While he wouldn’t necessarily approve of it, he also understood that with Erich’s current temperament, it was indeed a far better position for him to hold.