Chapter Two Thousand One Hundred Twenty
6th February 1972
Tempelhof
“I don’t know if anyone is going to thank you for this Helene” Kat said trying to be diplomatic, something that was difficult for her. They were talking about recent events and how Helene had forced the issue with Argentina. The issue was one that Kat was acutely aware of, the paradox of being a woman that Kat knew she had to contend with, and she was certain that Helene did as well. It was the idea that people liked them in the position they were in and the respective jobs they did. However, the instant they took too public a position or were seen as exercising the full authority of their office then people didn’t like it at all.
“Not all of us have a fearsome reputation that allows them to rule from the shadows” Helene replied. Kat hated it when it was brought up that among some circles she was feared. Of
“I try to keep certain aspects of what I do quiet because being loud would be counterproductive” Kat said, “Forcing the Chancellor’s hand on a matter of Foreign Policy is the very definition of loud.”
“Someone had to do something” Helene said, “Especially after Manfred got hurt in a battle that was fought entirely because of the monstrous ego of Raul Martínez.”
That was also Kat’s position as well, though she wasn’t about to give Helene the satisfaction of saying aloud. The entire battle that had been fought in Paso de San Francisco had been after the initial objectives of the campaign had largely been achieved but President Martínez had wanted to teach the Chileans a lesson. Besides that, Kat had a son going to University and he would be near the front of the line if the Government ever felt compelled to reintroduce conscription. That was the last thing on earth that Kat wanted. It was bad enough already that Tatiana was involved with the BND. The fortunate part was that with his aptitude with computers, Malcolm was extremely unlikely to find himself on the frontlines leading a Rifle Platoon.
“The two of you are never going to agree about this” Gerta said, “Always talking past each other though there is not a whole lot that separates your perspectives. It’s been the same since we were children.”
Gerta had quietly listened to the two of them argue since they had sat down to eat half an hour earlier. Now with their plates untouched, Kat was a bit embarrassed that they had gotten caught up in a circular argument about what exactly was the best course of action.
“We were a bit older than children when we met” Helene said.
“I don’t care” Gerta replied with a smirk.
That prompted them to resume their meal in silence for the next several minutes. Kat and Helene knew that having Gerta present today was a rare treat. They led busy lives and Gerta lived in Prague most of the time these days, it made simply getting together a challenge.
“Quiet, loud, whatever” Helene said breaking the silence. “The Chancellor needs to keep the governing coalition together and squabbles like this over policy occur frequently. In a few months the next crisis will preoccupy everyone, and Argentina will be ancient news.”
That was a very cynical take, but Helene was a Politician who measured things that way. Kat had been appointed Prefect of Berlin by Louis Ferdinand when she had retired from the Luftwaffe and didn’t think that she could have gotten a position like that by any other means. Not that Kat didn’t believe in democracy or saw herself as some sort of dictator, it was just that Berlin was huge, complex city and the various factions would have never agreed to elect someone Prefect though the position had proven necessary over the last few years. Someone needed to have vision to keep everyone moving in the same direction. With Tempelhof and Tegel as showcase neighborhoods, Kat had a lot of authority in suggesting what a unified vision of what the city should look like if it were going to work for everyone. Though, what was the alternative? Bulldoze the city center and build massive highways through everything? Kat had been in a few American cities where they had done that and had not been impressed by the results.
“Better to have problems blow over than what Sophie is going through” Kat said, “She is discovering the joys of being a young woman that recure every few weeks.”
“I’m just glad that Ina is mostly past that sort of drama” Helene replied, “I don’t know how you do it, you couldn’t pay me enough to have a… What? How old is Sophie? Twelve? Thirteen?”
“Almost thirteen” Kat replied.
“You still have what’s coming” Gerta said, “Shifting interests, odd music, boys…”
“Don’t remind me” Kat said, “Sophie had a crush on Malcolm last year. Things were a bit awkward when that ended after she found out he had a girlfriend.”
“Everything is the end of the world when you are that age” Helene said, as she poured a bit of milk into her coffee. “I remember how one of us was always trying to catch some boy’s eye and while the other tried her best not to be noticed. Between my experiences with you two, and what I have seen with Manny and Ina, nothing surprises me anymore.”
“I thought you were less than thrilled by Ina getting involved with Christian Weise?” Kat asked.
“So, long as he keeps his hands to himself and is respectful of Ina, I don’t have a problem” Helene replied, before she took a drink of coffee. Kat got the impression that she was saying that mostly to convince herself not to react badly over something that was inevitable.
“What about Manny proposing to Suse?” Gerta asked.
And Helene spit her coffee all over the table.
“He did what!” Helene demanded.
It seemed that Helene was wrong, Kat thought to herself. There were still a whole lot of surprises ahead.