Stupid Luck and Happenstance, Thread III
- Thread starter Peabody-Martini
- Start date
BTW King Michael has an ulterior motive for possibly hosting the wedding of Young Manfred von Mischner and Suse Rosa von Knipsel as any children of theirs would have the combined DNA of Richthofen, Mischner, Wolvogel, and Knipsel in them and King Michael would like to call first dibs on any offsprings of theirs on behalf of the Kingdom of Bohemia.
There's also the issue that Suse outranks Manny in the social sense, so her liege gets to pick the venue.
LinkedTortoise
Monthly Donor
I would disagree here as this is her first field assignment. Her not knowing who either of those guys are would be in character and if she knew who they were she might not be able to act convincingly that she doesn't know who they are yet.
If she knew who they were and that analysts back home would want to know stuff she might have tried to eavesdrop or something and got caught.
Part 135, Chapter 2325
Chapter Two Thousand Three Hundred Twenty-Five
9th September 1974
In transit, rural Bohemia
Just watching the countryside roll by was something that Kurt rarely got to do anymore. There was always something that he needed to address that consumed most of his time these days. If not that then there was something that Michael had cooked up that needed his input to keep it from going completely sideways. At the moment though, Kurt was seated at his desk in the private railcar that was part of the train that was the command post of the Bohemian Military. There was a pile of paperwork he was neglecting, but with the window right there it was impossible to maintain focus. He found himself looking out at the landscape and his mind kept wandering.
It was Gerta’s idea that Kurt should recreate the train her father had used as a mobile command post during the Soviet War, albeit without the risqué paintings and red velvet wallpaper in the saloon car. Things had sort of snowballed from there. Next thing he had known he was at the Skoda Headquarters in Prague going over their proposal for specialty railcars with a communications suite and all of the equipment needed to monitor the battlefield already installed especially because he had to often integrate forces from the disparate service branches on the fly. Their thinking was that while it was initially expensive, having the Bohemian Military as a customer would just be the start. They had proven correct on that score as the head of every Military District in the German Empire had wanted one once they learned that Kurt had one. It was just another status symbol for men who had progressed far past the usual means of showing themselves superior to their peers.
It was useful though as Kurt had observed the rapid advice of the Bohemian Army Group across Bohemia in the Autumn Field Maneuvers. It had been while he was in the field that word reached him that Suse Rosa and Manfred von Mischner had told Manfred’s grandfather their intention to finally get married. Kurt understood that it was something that they had been putting it off for as long as they could in the hope that things might change, and Gerta wouldn’t turn their wedding into a massive production. That was rather optimistic on the part of Suse because nothing shy of all out nuclear war would prevent Gerta from doing that, especially if Michael and Alberta were involved. So far, Kurt had learned that was exactly what was happening, and he knew his daughter well enough to understand that this was her worst nightmare. He had expressly told her that anything stupid she might try in the way of a public scandal wouldn’t work with the players involved. Besides that, a key part of why they were in this situation was because Kurt and Gerta had exactly that sort of public scandal happen with everyone too polite to mention that Suse Rosa had been born less than seven months after their wedding.
Tempelhof, Berlin
Dieter had thought that the things that went on over the summer were done for the year. However, because Sophie had a membership at an Athletic Club that mostly catered to teenagers they access to a heated indoor swimming pool. He had been astonished that on a Sunday afternoon they would be one small group among hundreds. There were a lot of things to do, which included water slides and diving boards. Before he knew it, it was time to go home.
Dieter would have helped if he were bigger, he had offered to try but Ziska had flatly told him that she didn’t need his help as she had climbed out of the pool and made her way as best she could to the lounge chair where they had put their things. She only had one foot, which made things difficult. He had never seen her without the robot leg that she normally wore and her leg with how it ended below her knee looked odd to him, it looked like it was smooth at first until he noticed a seam of old scar tissue and knew that was from when the surgery had originally been done. Seam was the correct word for it because…
“It is rude to stare” Ziska said sharply drawing Dieter’s eyes away.
“I’m not trying to be rude” Dieter said, “I’m going to be a Surgeon one day and I just wanted to see.”
“You were curious?” Ziska asked as she pulled a sock over the stump and her knee. “I suppose that is a better reason than how most people just want to gawk at it.”
“Why did they do that?” Dieter asked.
“It was deformed when I was born” Ziska said, that was probably a question she got regularly so she swiftly changed the subject. “You are going to be a Surgeon?”
“Like Noah Bauer or Ludis Balodis” Dieter said. Dieter had watched Doctor Noah Bauer for years, but recently a television series premiered depicting a Platoon of Panzer Dragoons in Argentina during the Patagonian War. Dieter had watched as the Field Surgeon, Doctor Balodis, who was embedded in their Regiment was possibly the most courageous of them all. When Dieter had mentioned that was what he wanted to do when he got old enough, his father had misunderstood. He had thought that Dieter meant the Panzer Dragoons and in the weeks since, he had never been happier with his youngest son.
“From television?” Ziska asked as she adjusted her leg as she got it into the socket on the fiberglass prosthesis.
“Except in real life” Dieter replied, “I know a few real Surgeons like Doctor Ott, or Kiki.”
“Kiki?”
“She hates it when friends call her by her proper address” Dieter replied, “Doctor von Preussen.”
That caused Ziska to give him a look of mild surprise as Dieter felt someone grab his shoulder. He looked and saw that it was Sepp.
“Time to go to the showers Didi” Sepp said before looking to Sophie and asking, “We are meeting back in the lobby in half an hour, yes?”
9th September 1974
In transit, rural Bohemia
Just watching the countryside roll by was something that Kurt rarely got to do anymore. There was always something that he needed to address that consumed most of his time these days. If not that then there was something that Michael had cooked up that needed his input to keep it from going completely sideways. At the moment though, Kurt was seated at his desk in the private railcar that was part of the train that was the command post of the Bohemian Military. There was a pile of paperwork he was neglecting, but with the window right there it was impossible to maintain focus. He found himself looking out at the landscape and his mind kept wandering.
It was Gerta’s idea that Kurt should recreate the train her father had used as a mobile command post during the Soviet War, albeit without the risqué paintings and red velvet wallpaper in the saloon car. Things had sort of snowballed from there. Next thing he had known he was at the Skoda Headquarters in Prague going over their proposal for specialty railcars with a communications suite and all of the equipment needed to monitor the battlefield already installed especially because he had to often integrate forces from the disparate service branches on the fly. Their thinking was that while it was initially expensive, having the Bohemian Military as a customer would just be the start. They had proven correct on that score as the head of every Military District in the German Empire had wanted one once they learned that Kurt had one. It was just another status symbol for men who had progressed far past the usual means of showing themselves superior to their peers.
It was useful though as Kurt had observed the rapid advice of the Bohemian Army Group across Bohemia in the Autumn Field Maneuvers. It had been while he was in the field that word reached him that Suse Rosa and Manfred von Mischner had told Manfred’s grandfather their intention to finally get married. Kurt understood that it was something that they had been putting it off for as long as they could in the hope that things might change, and Gerta wouldn’t turn their wedding into a massive production. That was rather optimistic on the part of Suse because nothing shy of all out nuclear war would prevent Gerta from doing that, especially if Michael and Alberta were involved. So far, Kurt had learned that was exactly what was happening, and he knew his daughter well enough to understand that this was her worst nightmare. He had expressly told her that anything stupid she might try in the way of a public scandal wouldn’t work with the players involved. Besides that, a key part of why they were in this situation was because Kurt and Gerta had exactly that sort of public scandal happen with everyone too polite to mention that Suse Rosa had been born less than seven months after their wedding.
Tempelhof, Berlin
Dieter had thought that the things that went on over the summer were done for the year. However, because Sophie had a membership at an Athletic Club that mostly catered to teenagers they access to a heated indoor swimming pool. He had been astonished that on a Sunday afternoon they would be one small group among hundreds. There were a lot of things to do, which included water slides and diving boards. Before he knew it, it was time to go home.
Dieter would have helped if he were bigger, he had offered to try but Ziska had flatly told him that she didn’t need his help as she had climbed out of the pool and made her way as best she could to the lounge chair where they had put their things. She only had one foot, which made things difficult. He had never seen her without the robot leg that she normally wore and her leg with how it ended below her knee looked odd to him, it looked like it was smooth at first until he noticed a seam of old scar tissue and knew that was from when the surgery had originally been done. Seam was the correct word for it because…
“It is rude to stare” Ziska said sharply drawing Dieter’s eyes away.
“I’m not trying to be rude” Dieter said, “I’m going to be a Surgeon one day and I just wanted to see.”
“You were curious?” Ziska asked as she pulled a sock over the stump and her knee. “I suppose that is a better reason than how most people just want to gawk at it.”
“Why did they do that?” Dieter asked.
“It was deformed when I was born” Ziska said, that was probably a question she got regularly so she swiftly changed the subject. “You are going to be a Surgeon?”
“Like Noah Bauer or Ludis Balodis” Dieter said. Dieter had watched Doctor Noah Bauer for years, but recently a television series premiered depicting a Platoon of Panzer Dragoons in Argentina during the Patagonian War. Dieter had watched as the Field Surgeon, Doctor Balodis, who was embedded in their Regiment was possibly the most courageous of them all. When Dieter had mentioned that was what he wanted to do when he got old enough, his father had misunderstood. He had thought that Dieter meant the Panzer Dragoons and in the weeks since, he had never been happier with his youngest son.
“From television?” Ziska asked as she adjusted her leg as she got it into the socket on the fiberglass prosthesis.
“Except in real life” Dieter replied, “I know a few real Surgeons like Doctor Ott, or Kiki.”
“Kiki?”
“She hates it when friends call her by her proper address” Dieter replied, “Doctor von Preussen.”
That caused Ziska to give him a look of mild surprise as Dieter felt someone grab his shoulder. He looked and saw that it was Sepp.
“Time to go to the showers Didi” Sepp said before looking to Sophie and asking, “We are meeting back in the lobby in half an hour, yes?”
Last edited:
Sepp and Dieter are going to be speechless when the pfennig finally drops and they realise just who Frau Doctor Kiki von Preussen actually is.
As for Suse-Rosa, she is probably plotting an elopement to escape what she considers to be a nightmare from the deepest pits of hell. Unfortunately, her mother, King Michael & Queen Alberta have probably Taken Steps to ensure such an attempt does not occur, especially considering the guest list.
As for Suse-Rosa, she is probably plotting an elopement to escape what she considers to be a nightmare from the deepest pits of hell. Unfortunately, her mother, King Michael & Queen Alberta have probably Taken Steps to ensure such an attempt does not occur, especially considering the guest list.
Dieter knows who she is, just is used to being around her so he doesn't make a big deal about it.
Part 135, Chapter 2326
Chapter Two Thousand Three Hundred Twenty-Six
11th September 1974
Montreal, Canada
In the past, Marie Alexandra’s Grandmother had always shooed her out of the room when she had tea with her friends. Today though, something was going on elsewhere in the household, so she wasn’t there just yet. Marie saw it as an opportunity to get to know her Grandmother’s friends and she figured that it was something that she probably wasn’t going to be doing again in the future because of what they wanted to talk about.
“My goodness, that really is you with Kaiserin Takako” One of women from the social circle of Marie’s Grandmother said as she showed her a photograph in a magazine of Marie sitting to Suga’s right as the Empress was entertaining members of key Humanitarian organizations. “Margot didn’t mention that were so prominent in the German Imperial Court. What are the Kaiser and his family really like?”
That was entirely because it was the German Imperial Court, but Marie had promised her Grandfather that she wouldn’t provoke her Grandmother. The trouble was that her Grandmother wasn’t making that easy. Marie had also discovered that there were a lot of things that her Grandmother had not mentioned to her friends. Unfortunately, many of those same friends were strangely enamored with European Royalty and for Marie that was an obvious source of trouble.
“Friedrich is nice, though when he gets started talking on a subject that interests him, he doesn’t stop” Marie said, “Suga… Er… Takako is who I spent the most with, I think you would probably like her. She is interested in following the example of Friedrich’s Stepmother, who works as a Social Worker.”
“You mean Kaiserin Charlotte?”
“Yes” Marie replied, much to the woman’s delight. She was starting to suspect that her own life until just a few weeks earlier had likely been this woman’s fantasy. “You understand that they are just people, right?”
“I understand” The woman replied, “But that must be so exciting, to know Kings and Queens personally.”
Marie wondered if she would be nearly so excited about Royalty if she saw what they were really like. Especially if she had the privilege of dealing with Suga and Freddy’s daughters Mirai and Alex when they were intent on being little shits? That was the sort of thing that the magazines weren’t particularly interested in. Marie seen it a great deal because as Kammerfräulein before she had left for University she had often been tasked with trying to teach those two about Court etiquette and protocol. It had been like trying to push a string.
“That is behind me I guess” Marie said, “The Empress is looking for someone to fill my position since I left.”
“Sir Malcolm and Margot are delighted that you chose to come here for University” The woman said, “And Margot said that it is about time that they were able to get you away from your mother. I understand that she is something of a tyrant, so I feel sorry for your poor father.”
“She said that?” Marie asked, wondering if her Grandmother was knowingly trying to start a war.
Eagle Rock, Los Angeles, California
For weeks they had been warned that the natives were restless during rollcall at the start of each shift. Most had paid heed to that warning, some didn’t though. Ritchie woke up on a Wednesday morning in time to see Lucia off to work while he spent a day off with Stephen. When he had heard the windchimes on the back patio and the howl of the Santa Ana winds in what was already becoming a hot day, he realized that they were all in trouble. That he should expect a call at any moment telling him that it wasn’t going to be a day off after all. He made a call to his mother to send one of his sisters to babysit. If he had turned on the television he might have seen the breaking story that was unfolding at that very moment.
It was a simple enough matter. The twist though was that it wasn’t even the LAPD that had caused the incident. Instead, it was the actions of a pair of Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputies and outside of the Los Angeles City lines, not that it made much of a difference. A broken taillight in Westmont near the corner of Normandie Avenue and Imperial Highway resulting in a traffic stop that went horribly wrong. It probably would have been a career ending incident even if the driver had not been Black. Of course, it probably wouldn’t have escalated so quickly if that were not the case. Then with contradictory commands being yelled at a terrified driver, it was the sort of thing that happened often, and it came as no surprise that this ended with a dead driver. The complication was that this occurred right in front of a Seven-Eleven with dozens of witnesses who had been there to get something cold to drink. Ritchie heard the details much later and he would have reacted in disbelief if he had not seen that sort of thing happen a few times himself.
It didn’t take long for word of mouth to spread throughout the nearby South-Central and that was exactly the spark that everyone had worried about. No sooner than Irma got there that Ritchie got calls from the Department, his Commanding Officer from the California National Guard, and Big Mike in rapid succession. When he left his house that morning, he had no idea that he wouldn’t be back for several days.
11th September 1974
Montreal, Canada
In the past, Marie Alexandra’s Grandmother had always shooed her out of the room when she had tea with her friends. Today though, something was going on elsewhere in the household, so she wasn’t there just yet. Marie saw it as an opportunity to get to know her Grandmother’s friends and she figured that it was something that she probably wasn’t going to be doing again in the future because of what they wanted to talk about.
“My goodness, that really is you with Kaiserin Takako” One of women from the social circle of Marie’s Grandmother said as she showed her a photograph in a magazine of Marie sitting to Suga’s right as the Empress was entertaining members of key Humanitarian organizations. “Margot didn’t mention that were so prominent in the German Imperial Court. What are the Kaiser and his family really like?”
That was entirely because it was the German Imperial Court, but Marie had promised her Grandfather that she wouldn’t provoke her Grandmother. The trouble was that her Grandmother wasn’t making that easy. Marie had also discovered that there were a lot of things that her Grandmother had not mentioned to her friends. Unfortunately, many of those same friends were strangely enamored with European Royalty and for Marie that was an obvious source of trouble.
“Friedrich is nice, though when he gets started talking on a subject that interests him, he doesn’t stop” Marie said, “Suga… Er… Takako is who I spent the most with, I think you would probably like her. She is interested in following the example of Friedrich’s Stepmother, who works as a Social Worker.”
“You mean Kaiserin Charlotte?”
“Yes” Marie replied, much to the woman’s delight. She was starting to suspect that her own life until just a few weeks earlier had likely been this woman’s fantasy. “You understand that they are just people, right?”
“I understand” The woman replied, “But that must be so exciting, to know Kings and Queens personally.”
Marie wondered if she would be nearly so excited about Royalty if she saw what they were really like. Especially if she had the privilege of dealing with Suga and Freddy’s daughters Mirai and Alex when they were intent on being little shits? That was the sort of thing that the magazines weren’t particularly interested in. Marie seen it a great deal because as Kammerfräulein before she had left for University she had often been tasked with trying to teach those two about Court etiquette and protocol. It had been like trying to push a string.
“That is behind me I guess” Marie said, “The Empress is looking for someone to fill my position since I left.”
“Sir Malcolm and Margot are delighted that you chose to come here for University” The woman said, “And Margot said that it is about time that they were able to get you away from your mother. I understand that she is something of a tyrant, so I feel sorry for your poor father.”
“She said that?” Marie asked, wondering if her Grandmother was knowingly trying to start a war.
Eagle Rock, Los Angeles, California
For weeks they had been warned that the natives were restless during rollcall at the start of each shift. Most had paid heed to that warning, some didn’t though. Ritchie woke up on a Wednesday morning in time to see Lucia off to work while he spent a day off with Stephen. When he had heard the windchimes on the back patio and the howl of the Santa Ana winds in what was already becoming a hot day, he realized that they were all in trouble. That he should expect a call at any moment telling him that it wasn’t going to be a day off after all. He made a call to his mother to send one of his sisters to babysit. If he had turned on the television he might have seen the breaking story that was unfolding at that very moment.
It was a simple enough matter. The twist though was that it wasn’t even the LAPD that had caused the incident. Instead, it was the actions of a pair of Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputies and outside of the Los Angeles City lines, not that it made much of a difference. A broken taillight in Westmont near the corner of Normandie Avenue and Imperial Highway resulting in a traffic stop that went horribly wrong. It probably would have been a career ending incident even if the driver had not been Black. Of course, it probably wouldn’t have escalated so quickly if that were not the case. Then with contradictory commands being yelled at a terrified driver, it was the sort of thing that happened often, and it came as no surprise that this ended with a dead driver. The complication was that this occurred right in front of a Seven-Eleven with dozens of witnesses who had been there to get something cold to drink. Ritchie heard the details much later and he would have reacted in disbelief if he had not seen that sort of thing happen a few times himself.
It didn’t take long for word of mouth to spread throughout the nearby South-Central and that was exactly the spark that everyone had worried about. No sooner than Irma got there that Ritchie got calls from the Department, his Commanding Officer from the California National Guard, and Big Mike in rapid succession. When he left his house that morning, he had no idea that he wouldn’t be back for several days.
Last edited:
That's something I never thought of...
If someone's in the National Guard, but their civilian job is in the police...if there's a riot in the city they work in as a police officer, a riot bad enough to need the Guard, who gets first call on their time?
If someone's in the National Guard, but their civilian job is in the police...if there's a riot in the city they work in as a police officer, a riot bad enough to need the Guard, who gets first call on their time?
Well, that is a very good question isn't it. It took a bit doing on my part to get the answer.
Margot is probably the only person that can make me empathise with Kat 
she is just such a nasty person
she is just such a nasty personNo matter how bad the reputation of the LAPD was IOTL within the minority community, the LA Sheriff Department was worse, it just not that publicized.
Being from Southern California, let me tell you that when the Santa Ana winds come in, you get this feeling of being on edge and any little thing will set you off just like how massive brush fires that happens during the Santa Ana winds only needs one spark.
Margot is not a "Harmless Bitch" as she has done a number on Marie's self-esteem, and now Marie has done a direct assault on Margot by showing off her life within the German Imperial Court, which impresses Margot's friends very much and they are going to have some very embarrassing questions for Margot.
Also Margot's description of the marriage of her son and daughter-in-law is not going to be unanswered by Marie as she will show everyone around her, especially her grandmother that she is truly her mother's daughter and that a New Tigress of Pankow will emerge.
What would be great if Margot is still getting free flowers from Flowers By Irene and the Boys in Langley are getting more comedy recordings for their amusement.
Being from Southern California, let me tell you that when the Santa Ana winds come in, you get this feeling of being on edge and any little thing will set you off just like how massive brush fires that happens during the Santa Ana winds only needs one spark.
Margot is not a "Harmless Bitch" as she has done a number on Marie's self-esteem, and now Marie has done a direct assault on Margot by showing off her life within the German Imperial Court, which impresses Margot's friends very much and they are going to have some very embarrassing questions for Margot.
Also Margot's description of the marriage of her son and daughter-in-law is not going to be unanswered by Marie as she will show everyone around her, especially her grandmother that she is truly her mother's daughter and that a New Tigress of Pankow will emerge.
What would be great if Margot is still getting free flowers from Flowers By Irene and the Boys in Langley are getting more comedy recordings for their amusement.
"Well technically, Freddy is an Emperor, not a king."
"Oh."
And? Who ever said that you were dealing with someone who is particularly well informed?
IIRC, as the State of California is over the City of LA, the state NG orders take precedence. If the NG was "federalized" - put under U.S. Government orders - those orders would certainly take precedence over any state or local needs.