Published at 2nd of June 2026 6:53 am

Chapter 964: The Devil's Adjutant

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Bruno had watched the successful launch unfold, and the world had watched with him. Germany had announced to the world its intent to not only penetrate through the barrier of space, but to land a man on another celestial body.

Many of the world’s largest critics said it was impossible, the fever dream of a nation drunk on its own victory.

But the world had watched as the first stage unfolded with zero issues. And why would it? Over the last four years, they had launched hundreds of manned missions to space, ever since Baldr-1 destroyed human conception of terrestrial limitations.

They had optimized against entropy and attrition. By now, accidents were rare tragedies, not expectations to endure.

And Bruno knew that this mission would succeed like all those conducted outside the public sphere of interest over the last few years.

The world’s response to Germany shocking the world was within expectations. Bruno’s closest allies spoke of it as an achievement of the highest magnitude, not just for Germany but all of mankind.

Those former rivals who were now bitter about their fallen state in the world had been critical openly, and then silent when proven wrong.

But nobody moved to interfere. Few could even begin to understand the level of complexity and redundancy that went into Germany’s burgeoning space industry. Let alone bear the cost of its expenses.

The ledgers bled red, and Bruno knew that it would be at great cost to pursue lunar colonization. But the endgame was worth it.... After all, the moon possessed something invaluable that Bruno knew existed, and the rest of the world had not yet begun to conceive as a possibility.

Helium-3, and a significant sum of it. It was a core instrument in creating the next step to the world’s power grid. Nuclear Fusion. There were generally considered three viable paths to nuclear fusion by the time Bruno passed away in his previous life.

Deuterium-Tritium

Deuterium-Helium-3

Deuterium-Deuterium.

Of the three, D-T was the easiest to achieve but most difficult to scale due to many limiting factors such as an extremely short half-life of tritium and a low supply, making it a logistical infeasibility long term.

D-H3 was the next easiest option. But required a level of material science that the Reich currently didn’t pose to contain the plasma. Nor was there enough Helium-3 naturally present in accessible locations on the Earth itself.

Finally, there was D-D which while in theory the holy grail of nuclear fusion, was basically unobtainable for at least another century as it would require one to generate magnetic fields to contain the ignition as its reaction was so hot it was quite literally a miniature sun that mankind would be attempting to contain with sheer force.

So D-H3 was Bruno’s long term goal. And that required a very distinctive vision to achieve. First, the Reich would head to the moon and establish a permanent lunar colony. For research, extraction, refinement, and finally, transport.

A space elevator was a mere fantasy at this point. But within the next few decades a Lunar Elevator would become an achievable reality for the Reich.

And it was Bruno’s hope that by the end of the century, long after he was likely to pass away that Germany would not only have a functioning Lunar colony and elevator, but would be on the right path to building the next step. The space elevator here on Earth.

This is why, when the world was so focused on the race to the moon Bruno was no longer in Germany, instead he was in Kenya. Sitting in an office, surrounded by his Leibgarde, and members of the Werwolf Group.

His arrival was not a formal occasion, but was conducted covertly through use of Werwolf Group and the New Hanseatic League.

With Ernst Rohm defeated, leadership of the Werwolf now fell to an equally, if not more infamous character from Bruno’s past life.

Joachim Peiper sat on the edge of the desk completely relaxed while dressed in camouflaged attire perfectly suited for the local environment.

A carbine lay slung around his chest, it was crudely painted to blend in with the environment.

Something a standard infantryman would never think of. His devilish grin matched the eccentric piping that symbolized his leadership as he spoke with the charisma that had swayed Faust to sell his soul.

"Of course, Herr Reichsmarschall... Your will is my command. Though I must say, I fear you are making a grave mistake with your long-term vision of where we belong."

Bruno didn’t respond immediately. Joachim Peiper had made a reputation for himself in the previous world war that was only eclipsed by his record in this one. He had been a Jagdkommando, one who had stacked bodies across multiple theaters of conflict.

Now he commanded a mercenary organization so vast and powerful that it was second only to the Reichsheer.

And Bruno had just delivered the news no mercenary wanted to hear. That when he passed away from this world, his house would no longer be their sole benefactor, instead they would operate under the oversight of the Imperial Military Reconnaissance & Intelligence Service.

Bruno however was not intimidated by the young wolf. He did not show the slightest hint of expression, which only made Joachim smile more.

"It is not your place to question my orders. The paperwork has been signed, and their orders are finalized. In the meantime... while you still operate with the impunity I grant you, I need you to do one more thing for me...."

Joachim didn’t speak, he simply motioned silently with his eyes that he was waiting for Bruno to give the order that would never be "given."

Bruno didn’t stand on ceremony, he rose from his seat and looked out the window of the military compound.

"The government of our former colony is being.... Difficult. Despite recent reminders to the world that the Reich still has teeth. They are stubbornly refusing my request to grant a Special Autonomous Zone from Mount Kenya to the Indian Ocean for future development and research... some foolish savage superstition about it being sacred ground and what not...."

Joachim knew exactly what Bruno was about to ask him. He knew all too well. His smirk grew only more wolfish as she leaned forward.

"Say it... Tell me what you need me to do, and I’ll do it."

Bruno knew all too well the kind of men who existed in Werwolf, and if he was being honest with himself, he wished he was among their ranks after years of civilian life. He couldn’t help but sigh and lean back in his seat.

"I think the Protectorate of Kenya has outlived its usefulness. Let us see which rebel wants to wear the crown?"

That was all Joachim needed. Approval to dismantle the current government and empower a new and more cooperating puppet than the previous regime.

He nodded and stood up, walking out of the room without saying another word. Setting to task the fall of Nairobi and the fools within it who had actually believed themselves sovereign.

As for Bruno, he looked over at the other man in the room, the leader of the New-Hanseatic League. He handed the man a folder which contained the ambitions for his future plans stretching decades into the future. The man’s jaw nearly dropped in response as he looked back up at Bruno who was smirking.

"You think you can handle that?"

Seconds passed as the leader of the New-Hanseatic League delved through the files in the folder. Eventually handing it back to Bruno.

"It won’t be a problem, Herr Reichsmarschall, but by the time that this is finished we both won’t live to see it. Do you really believe this is possible?"

Bruno simply scoffed and shook his head.

"I can’t be certain, but such grand ambitions require even greater preparation. Say it takes us a century to build it here? So what? Think of the benefits we will gain."

Silence existed between the two men, the leader of the New-Hanseatic League clearly thinking about something of considerable weight. And when he finally spoke, it was if he had gained cosmic clarity.

"Herr Reichsmarschall.... This is going to sound a bit.... Absurd. But please tell me that I’m overthinking things... You haven’t been planning this from the start have you? Allow me to clarify: from the moment you first took up the sword in defense of the Reich, was this the final conclusion to your ambitions?"

Bruno silently smirked and returned to his paperwork, leaving the man absolutely speechless. He was about to persist and demand an answer when Bruno looked up at him briefly and cut him off.

"The only person who needs to know the answer to that question is me, and me alone, is that understood?"

There was not another peep that came from the man, he simply saluted Bruno before leaving the office building.

There Bruno sat, protected by his own Leibgarde, in silence as he contemplated whether this had actually been his endgame all along, or if it was simply the natural byproduct of his life’s achievements.

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