Steven G. Rogers (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
thekidfrombrooklyn) wrote2012-07-03 10:10 pm
thekidfrombrooklyn) wrote2012-07-03 10:10 pm
Entry tags:
The Tale of Steve Rogers, part 6
The other recruits have been reassigned to other units. Only Steve remains, and he can't sleep.
He sits in the quiet barracks and tries to read, but he's happy to put the book aside when Dr. Erskine comes with a drink and two glasses. He's jittery, Steve confesses, and Erskine says he's the same with a laugh.
"Can I ask you a question?" Steve says as Erskine sits on the opposite bunk.
"Just one?"
Other questions, Steve thinks, may come later. "Why me?"
"I suppose that is the one question that matters," says Erskine, and tells Steve the story of his homeland, of Hitler's obsession with creating a super-race, and of a man named Johann Schmidt, the first recipient of the serum.
"Did it make him stronger?"
"Yes," says Erskine, "but there were other effects. The serum wasn't ready, but more important--the man. The serum amplifies everything that is inside, so good becomes great. Bad becomes worse."
And Steve can only imagine what that did to an ambitious member of the Nazi inner circle, determined to become a superior man.
"This is why you were chosen," says Erskine. "Because a strong man, who's known power all his life, loses respect for that power. But a weak man knows the value of strength, and knows compassion."
"Thanks," says Steve. "I think." They exchange smiles.
"Whatever happens tomorrow," says Erskine as he finally pours, "you must promise me one thing, that you will stay who you are. Not a perfect solider, but a good man."
"To the little guys," says Steve, raising his glass, but then Erskine remembers Steve can't have fluids and drinks to the little guys himself.
He sits in the quiet barracks and tries to read, but he's happy to put the book aside when Dr. Erskine comes with a drink and two glasses. He's jittery, Steve confesses, and Erskine says he's the same with a laugh.
"Can I ask you a question?" Steve says as Erskine sits on the opposite bunk.
"Just one?"
Other questions, Steve thinks, may come later. "Why me?"
"I suppose that is the one question that matters," says Erskine, and tells Steve the story of his homeland, of Hitler's obsession with creating a super-race, and of a man named Johann Schmidt, the first recipient of the serum.
"Did it make him stronger?"
"Yes," says Erskine, "but there were other effects. The serum wasn't ready, but more important--the man. The serum amplifies everything that is inside, so good becomes great. Bad becomes worse."
And Steve can only imagine what that did to an ambitious member of the Nazi inner circle, determined to become a superior man.
"This is why you were chosen," says Erskine. "Because a strong man, who's known power all his life, loses respect for that power. But a weak man knows the value of strength, and knows compassion."
"Thanks," says Steve. "I think." They exchange smiles.
"Whatever happens tomorrow," says Erskine as he finally pours, "you must promise me one thing, that you will stay who you are. Not a perfect solider, but a good man."
"To the little guys," says Steve, raising his glass, but then Erskine remembers Steve can't have fluids and drinks to the little guys himself.