Gawky,
gutless Captain Quirkhardt is proud of being
“Officer Material” – he even
sings a song about himself with that title.
He’s quite a complex character –
being the incompetent and cowardly adjutant
to General Moundrot. He has a softer side which
affords him some redeeming qualities; having
led Third Battalion to its doom, he is imprisoned
by Moundrot, and is awaiting torture, including
being demoted by one rank a day and the possibility
of being minced slowly from the feet up. Being
demoted seems to bother him the most. He and
Ergo find themselves as cell-mates in the Pigfrog
Jail, and Ergo devises an escape plan involving
them dressing up as washerwomen. Having been
ordered by Moudrot to kill Little Else, he cannot
bring himself to do it, and kidnaps her instead.