Stupid Luck and Happenstance, Thread III
- Thread starter Peabody-Martini
- Start date
It is a direct play on the line of understatement that Jim Lovell is famous for making in OTL when an oxygen tank exploded on Apollo 13.
IOTL Houston was selected for the Manned Space Center because the Chairman of the key House Appropriation sub-committee was Albert Thomas who made sure that the Apollo Program got properly funded.
JFK wanted the center to be either in the Boston area or the Industrial Midwest to secure votes for his 1964 reelection campaign, so apparently Albert Thomas was still vital enough to the American Space Program ITTL for Houston to be selected.
I was thinking that with both Harriman and Rockefeller being Presidents ITTL they would have the Space Center in either Long Island or Upstate New York in Buffalo or Rochester.
Now that the Americans have made it to the Moon it may be possible for joint missions to happen but one of the price is going to be that the Americans has to open up the Astronauts corps to women and my thinking is that Sigi would be perfect to help the Americans in that effort...
JFK wanted the center to be either in the Boston area or the Industrial Midwest to secure votes for his 1964 reelection campaign, so apparently Albert Thomas was still vital enough to the American Space Program ITTL for Houston to be selected.
I was thinking that with both Harriman and Rockefeller being Presidents ITTL they would have the Space Center in either Long Island or Upstate New York in Buffalo or Rochester.
Now that the Americans have made it to the Moon it may be possible for joint missions to happen but one of the price is going to be that the Americans has to open up the Astronauts corps to women and my thinking is that Sigi would be perfect to help the Americans in that effort...
Come to think of it, wouldn't it make more sense for NASA to put the Manned Space Center next to the launch facilities (IIRC it's still at Cape Canaveral ITTL, though obviously it wouldn't be the Kennedy Space Center)? Aside from politics, that is.
Marc A
Part 111, Chapter 1817
Chapter One Thousand Eight Hundred Seventeen
22nd September 1967
Mitte, Berlin
Standing in a booth sized observation room as the Police interviewed Elke, Kiki watched her from behind the two-way glass and listened as she denied everything and attempted to blame her daughter in equal terms. Elke had no idea that there were tapes of her actions and while the status of those would need to be adjudicated, they were damning.
Kiki had wanted to talk to Elke herself, but had been told that it wasn’t a good idea and there were legalities to consider. Instead she got to watch as investigators got Elke to dig herself further and further into a hole of her own making. To Kiki this seemed wrong. Yes, Elke had neglected and abused her daughter as well as blaming Sophie for everything wrong with her life. There were no excuses for that. However, she had been abused, taken advantage of, and thrown aside when she had become inconvenient. Kiki still felt that Elke needed help. Arresting and prosecuting her wouldn’t serve that purpose. Would it?
Looking at Elke, Kiki had a hard time squaring her now with what she had been like nine years earlier. Back then she had come across like she had the world on a string, thinking she had found a way to beat the system by taking up with Reiner Blum, who she had been completely infatuated with at the time. She had gotten thrown out of the Medical Service for fraternization because Blum’s father-in-law had been the Commandant of the Stettin Training Depot and he had wanted her gone. Sophie being born eight months later told the rest of the story.
Kat had once told Kiki that predators knew how to spot damaged people who could easily be victimized. Many of them were shockingly skilled at manipulation and had strategies for getting what they wanted. Blum had spotted Elke and in retrospect, it was easy to see how he had been able to do that and had gotten away with it for as long as he had.
Kiki remembered how Blum had come onto her after Elke was gone, testing boundaries, and promising that he could ease her way through the remainder of training. It had ended badly for him when Kiki had done her level best to twist off an arm that was connected to a hand that had gone someplace it didn’t belong and had kicked him in the crotch so hard that Doctors had debated if he had needed surgery because of the swelling. Seeing the result of what he had done to Elke, Kiki was starting to feel that perhaps she had not gone far enough.
Finally, there were Elke’s parents.
Elke’s father was a real delight. He was more concerned about missing his programs on television than what was happening with either his daughter or granddaughter. He had commented that he had gotten more than a few licks from his long-deceased father and had turned out alright, so he failed to see what the big deal was. As in a grown man who saw nothing wrong with beating a helpless child thought he was alright. Kiki seldom felt the sort of rage that she had felt watching that interview, she had wanted go in there and give him the sort of beating that he apparently thought wasn’t a big deal. The mother had suffered a stroke few years earlier and was unable to speak, Kiki doubted that she would have anything positive to say if she could.
Unable to watch any more, Kiki left the observation room and to her surprise, Charlotte was waiting for her outside the door.
“You have pursued this as far as you can Kristina” Charlotte said as they made their way towards the exit flanked by bodyguards. Charlotte clearly had her doubts about if Kiki would leave willingly. “This is the part where you need to let it go.”
“But it isn’t over yet” Kiki replied.
“Yes, I agree” Charlotte said, “Your involvement is though.”
Kiki had never known Charlotte to be this firm about any issue. Leaving the building as walking towards the waiting car, they were silent.
It wasn’t until they were seated that Charlotte spoke again. “You are new to this sort of thing” She said, “When I was starting out, I had someone with far more experience than me say almost the exact same thing I told you.”
“I’m not a Social Worker” Kiki replied looking out at the passing city street.
“What you do isn’t so different” Charlotte said, “You found yourself in a position where you were obligated to intervene, and you did it to the best of your abilities. While your methods were questionable, you got the least bad outcome.”
Kiki heard that with some disbelief. Was really the best they could do?
“What happens to Sophie?” Kiki asked.
“She is in a safe place” Charlotte replied, “I was able to see to that myself.”
“Good” Kiki said.
----------------------------------------------------------------
The house was huge, and Sophie found herself walking up several flights of stairs before her guide opened a door.
“She only asks that you tell her about your day and that you follow the basic rules at first” The old woman said with an odd accent. “When you are ready, more will be expected.”
Sophie followed the old woman into a bedroom that smelled of dust and stale air. She had been hearing about the expectations of the Lady of the house and it sounded bleak. Having to explain herself daily? That sounded painful.
“You will be happy here” The old woman said, “Dinner will be in a little bit, I’ll send someone for you.”
With that the door closed and Sophie had never felt more alone in her life.
22nd September 1967
Mitte, Berlin
Standing in a booth sized observation room as the Police interviewed Elke, Kiki watched her from behind the two-way glass and listened as she denied everything and attempted to blame her daughter in equal terms. Elke had no idea that there were tapes of her actions and while the status of those would need to be adjudicated, they were damning.
Kiki had wanted to talk to Elke herself, but had been told that it wasn’t a good idea and there were legalities to consider. Instead she got to watch as investigators got Elke to dig herself further and further into a hole of her own making. To Kiki this seemed wrong. Yes, Elke had neglected and abused her daughter as well as blaming Sophie for everything wrong with her life. There were no excuses for that. However, she had been abused, taken advantage of, and thrown aside when she had become inconvenient. Kiki still felt that Elke needed help. Arresting and prosecuting her wouldn’t serve that purpose. Would it?
Looking at Elke, Kiki had a hard time squaring her now with what she had been like nine years earlier. Back then she had come across like she had the world on a string, thinking she had found a way to beat the system by taking up with Reiner Blum, who she had been completely infatuated with at the time. She had gotten thrown out of the Medical Service for fraternization because Blum’s father-in-law had been the Commandant of the Stettin Training Depot and he had wanted her gone. Sophie being born eight months later told the rest of the story.
Kat had once told Kiki that predators knew how to spot damaged people who could easily be victimized. Many of them were shockingly skilled at manipulation and had strategies for getting what they wanted. Blum had spotted Elke and in retrospect, it was easy to see how he had been able to do that and had gotten away with it for as long as he had.
Kiki remembered how Blum had come onto her after Elke was gone, testing boundaries, and promising that he could ease her way through the remainder of training. It had ended badly for him when Kiki had done her level best to twist off an arm that was connected to a hand that had gone someplace it didn’t belong and had kicked him in the crotch so hard that Doctors had debated if he had needed surgery because of the swelling. Seeing the result of what he had done to Elke, Kiki was starting to feel that perhaps she had not gone far enough.
Finally, there were Elke’s parents.
Elke’s father was a real delight. He was more concerned about missing his programs on television than what was happening with either his daughter or granddaughter. He had commented that he had gotten more than a few licks from his long-deceased father and had turned out alright, so he failed to see what the big deal was. As in a grown man who saw nothing wrong with beating a helpless child thought he was alright. Kiki seldom felt the sort of rage that she had felt watching that interview, she had wanted go in there and give him the sort of beating that he apparently thought wasn’t a big deal. The mother had suffered a stroke few years earlier and was unable to speak, Kiki doubted that she would have anything positive to say if she could.
Unable to watch any more, Kiki left the observation room and to her surprise, Charlotte was waiting for her outside the door.
“You have pursued this as far as you can Kristina” Charlotte said as they made their way towards the exit flanked by bodyguards. Charlotte clearly had her doubts about if Kiki would leave willingly. “This is the part where you need to let it go.”
“But it isn’t over yet” Kiki replied.
“Yes, I agree” Charlotte said, “Your involvement is though.”
Kiki had never known Charlotte to be this firm about any issue. Leaving the building as walking towards the waiting car, they were silent.
It wasn’t until they were seated that Charlotte spoke again. “You are new to this sort of thing” She said, “When I was starting out, I had someone with far more experience than me say almost the exact same thing I told you.”
“I’m not a Social Worker” Kiki replied looking out at the passing city street.
“What you do isn’t so different” Charlotte said, “You found yourself in a position where you were obligated to intervene, and you did it to the best of your abilities. While your methods were questionable, you got the least bad outcome.”
Kiki heard that with some disbelief. Was really the best they could do?
“What happens to Sophie?” Kiki asked.
“She is in a safe place” Charlotte replied, “I was able to see to that myself.”
“Good” Kiki said.
----------------------------------------------------------------
The house was huge, and Sophie found herself walking up several flights of stairs before her guide opened a door.
“She only asks that you tell her about your day and that you follow the basic rules at first” The old woman said with an odd accent. “When you are ready, more will be expected.”
Sophie followed the old woman into a bedroom that smelled of dust and stale air. She had been hearing about the expectations of the Lady of the house and it sounded bleak. Having to explain herself daily? That sounded painful.
“You will be happy here” The old woman said, “Dinner will be in a little bit, I’ll send someone for you.”
With that the door closed and Sophie had never felt more alone in her life.
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The old lady with the odd accent might be Petia, so perhaps Kat is involved too?
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Perhaps, but this is a guy making predictions on a post whilst drunk on 1 litre of vodka
Normally he should have been out of whatever military prison that Germany has by now, but he assaulted an Imperial Princess in the process so I think that he got a longer term then what was usual.
Another factor is that in order to try to get out from under this he snitched on other officers and NCOs so he would have to somehow be able to survive their desire for revenge as the guards at the prison would just look the other way.
Love the way that Charlotte was firm but sympathetic to Kiki as Kiki really doesn't have the experience or mindset yet to distance herself personally from this, it is only going to get worse for Kiki when in the years to come she will see much more of this with even more tragic results that she couldn't do anything to change them.
Sophie is going to get better but it won't be a smooth process but she will have her hero and new big sister Marie there to protect her.
"Funny accent" would suggest Petia. And so another one gets added to the Tigress' Posse.
Marc A
You have to feel a little for Elke. Taken advantage of & abused throughout her life and unable to strike back at her abusers. The Heer was her once-in-a-lifetime chance to escape but she fell into the (literal) clutches of Reiner Blum, which cost her everything. Poor Sophie was the only available target for Elke's rage, fear & frustrations. Even Zella, after seeing all that Elke did to Sophie, might feel a little sympathy for Elke if Kiki ever tells her the full story. After all, she fell onto a similar predator's trap herself and she didn't have the background of abuse conditioning her to crave that attention.
Charlotte is right though. Kiki has done all that she can do and she has to be prepared to see this again & again throughout her career. She may not be a social worker, but she will see the bruises, lacerations, broken bones and worse from countless assaults by abusers on their victims.
As for the safe place, as others have previously mentioned, it is almost certainly the Tigress' Den. I don't think Sophie will be feeling very lonely once she realises that 'Brave Marie' lives there.
Charlotte is right though. Kiki has done all that she can do and she has to be prepared to see this again & again throughout her career. She may not be a social worker, but she will see the bruises, lacerations, broken bones and worse from countless assaults by abusers on their victims.
As for the safe place, as others have previously mentioned, it is almost certainly the Tigress' Den. I don't think Sophie will be feeling very lonely once she realises that 'Brave Marie' lives there.
Sadly, the "cycle of abuse" is all too common. Many, if not most, abusers have pretty sad stories of their own. Without either targeted interventions and support (if the authorities become aware) or a person of some empathy and moral courage choosing to break the cycle ("I am not my father. I am better than that"), the cycle often runs through generations.
Yeah I understand that, just hoping that P-M will fill us in on how exactly justice caught up with him.
I know. I've seen all too many of my former classmates go through this. Some were from poor families, some were from rich ones. Guess which ones the social workers tended to investigate and which ones they overlooked?
There seems to be a lot of damaged and broken people in this timeline. How realistic is that.... Oh, wait......
As ever PM, your characters are so wonderfully drawn and very personable, except for a few irredeemable, unmentionable souls. Sometimes they’re uncomfortably real. Again Bravo!!
As ever PM, your characters are so wonderfully drawn and very personable, except for a few irredeemable, unmentionable souls. Sometimes they’re uncomfortably real. Again Bravo!!
Perhaps if you knew why I was drinking youd understand, 4 of the guys I've been in close contact with have had to go into self isolation because they were at bars that were linked to Corona outbreaks in my town, so how about you cut me some slack and give me a break....