Into the Motherland the Germany Army marched...

[youngsoldat]

Erwin had spent enough time exploring the ship to discover the media library. At first he had spent so much time simply reading books he'd missed or reading new books he'd never seen or heard of before. That had taken time. Then, slowly, his curiosity had turned to visual media. At first he had been amazed and overawed by the pictures produced

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[agyieus]

Apollo was well used to Nazis. It seems that for every fifteen worlds you came to, three of them were from a world where the Allies had lost the second World War. These worlds tended to be used a lot whenever the Authority had some steam to work off.

Imagine his surprise when he finds old films of them in the Sensoriums. He has the good taste to extinguish his halo as best he can when he enters the theater, to avoid oversaturating the place. He crosses his arms watching the black and white film in a bemused matter before transferring his gaze to the young man watching it so intently. "Does this mean something to you, then?" It's not a hostile question, Apollo's just asking.

[youngsoldat]

Erwin looked up, rubbing at his eyes for a moment. Sleep deprivation sucked, but he was used to it by now. He shrugged, eying the other man. He looked like something out of a film or American comic. Broad-shouldered, chiseled features. A "superman" if there ever was one. He shrugged and offered a polite smile, standing to offer his hand - courtesy costs nothing after all, "Well, I lived it. Erwin Fischer."

[agyieus]

Apollo gives him a long, measured look, before grinning and shaking Erwin's hand in a firm grip. Still, it's not crushing. This is a man who knows how to control his strength. "Apollo. Pleased to meet you." He glances back at the screen, then back at Erwin. There were two options there. One was that Erwin was some kind of immortal, which Apollo couldn't quite believe. Not with those eyes. The other option...

"You're from the 40s, then? German or...?"

[youngsoldat]

Yes, sir," Erwin replied, "Oberschutze Fischer, Three hundred and fifty-second Infantry Division, nine hundred and sixteenth Grenadier Regiment, fifth Company."

If he was wearing his boots, he would've clicked his heels. As it is, he just straightens up a bit more.

[agyieus]

Oh boy. Was this awkward. A Nazi as a crewmember? Wait, not all of them were Nazis, he tends to forget that. It's kind of easy to forget when all you really do is blow up their armies.

He crosses his arms, watching the films play across. "...A Nazi or just a soldier, then?"

[youngsoldat]

Erwin's face contorted for a moment as he takes a step back. He can feel the chill in attitude and he tries to carry himself like the soldier he his. Although really, at this point, he could give a damn about their opinions, "I fought for my country and against the Bolsheviks."

He sounded a bit tired, "I am not a party member. I was a member of the Hitler Youth. If any of that makes me a Nazi, if fighting for my comrades and my country makes me a Nazi, then I suppose I am one. Is there anything else you would like, sir?"

[agyieus]

Apollo gives him a level stare, then bursts into a broad grin. "Fair enough. I can't blame you for any of that now, can I?" He gestures at the video playing and shakes his head. "You've just got to learn this kind of thing, you know? It seems like every fifth universe I wander to, the Nazis have won."

He looks back at Erwin and ducks his head sheepishly. "Sorry, though. You've got to be getting that question from everyone, right?"

[youngsoldat]

Erwin looked a bit confused, but he slowly offered a cautious smile, "Well. I've had it asked more then once."

He glanced back at the video screen, "...a universe where we win? Huh."

[agyieus]

"Sorry, you're probably going to run into it a lot more." He shrugs again and moves to settle into one of the chairs, partially so that he can stop towering over the kid.

"There's tons of them." He pauses, then coughs. "They're not very popular, mind. Hitler tends to commit genocide in nearly every universe I've seen."

[youngsoldat]

Erwin retook his seat, slumping slightly as Apollo mentioned genocide. He shook his head, "...I didn't believe it when people told me. I know it's true now. But..."

He rubbed at his head with a sigh, "...it makes me wonder about the war. I had a duty to my country."

[agyieus]

He reaches out and pats the smaller man's shoulder. "No one can blame you for that. I mean, you're from the very early 40s. I'm not sure that anyone had even considered something on that scale before. And, as much as I hate to say it, it's not the last time it's happened."

Apollo leans back in his seat, watching the little black and white soldiers fight their black and white war. "I guess it depends on why you joined up. You weren't a Nazi. You don't seem like the kind of guy who gets off on killing." And Apollo would know, his husband does. "You probably just got into it out of patriotism, right? Can't blame you for that."