Chapter Four Hundred Twenty-Four
29th September 1944
Formosa
“Any man over the age of majority who wants to exercise the very rights we are defending please get in line as instructed and exercise his civic duty” The Kapitan zur See said in conclusion as he addressed the Regiment. Tilo couldn’t help but notice that there was a newsreel crew filming the whole thing.
“Any idea what this is about?” The man behind Tilo asked.
“There must be a General Election going on back home” Tilo said, “The Kapitan is suggesting that we vote.”
“Really” Reier said, “They want us to take part here?”
“It’s because of time zones” Tilo replied, “Ours might be the first votes cast in this election because of the date line, here or Freemantle. That’s why the film crew is here.”
“Wow” Reier said.
Later they were standing in line with all the other R’s and S’s. Reier had it easy, the odds of there being another Wenzeslaus Reier was extremely remote. Tilo on the other hand as aware of at least a dozen other men with Schultz as their last name in his Regiment alone. He had to give his full name, Dietrich Ignatz Schultz and then match up the serial number on his identity disk.
“This is the Federal ballot” The Functionary handing Tilo a sheet of paper and a pen, “This one is for the State of Brandenburg and when your done filling them out put them both in the drop box. Try not to discuss your choices with your friends while you do that.”
Tilo walked over to where Reier was sitting in the shaded area used as the enlisted men’s mess filling out the forms. Tilo sat down and started reading the State form.
“What are you thinking, Kid?” Reier asked.
“That I’ve been away from home for way too long” Tilo said, “I don’t recognize most of these names.”
“The Federal form is easier” Reier said, “So who’re you for as Chancellor, Augustus Lang or Konrad Adenauer?”
“You know we were told not to discuss that with each other” Tilo said, “And there are more than just two candidates.”
“Those are the only two that really count” Reier said, “And since when have you known me to follow rules that no one expects anyone to?”
Tilo shook his head and began filling out the forms, Reier did have a point there.
Potsdam
Kat was reading the newspaper to the Empress as she was laying in her bed. As in the past Kira had swiftly grown stir crazy in these situations it had fallen on Kat to think of things to do that weren’t strenuous, not something that she was really equipped to do.
“After heavy fighting continued for a second day in Riyadh. A spokesman for the Sultan has declared the city safe and the City’s Army victorious” Kat read aloud, she put that paper aside, “Sorry your Highness but the way I read this is that the raiders left the city with as much as they could carry. The locals are declaring victory because the raiders left.”
“That is how it works in the Arabian Desert” Cecilie said, “Ancient grievances, tribal warfare and raiding neighbors is the pastime.”
“You know a thing or two about it?” Kira asked.
“The whole region is a bit of a mess” Cecilie said, “After the First Great War the British and the Ottomans left. The locals were left to their own devices. It really is like a giant pot of crabs.”
Kat understood that metaphor, crabs will pull each other back into the pot, preventing them from escaping. Her understanding of the Near East was that it had divided along ethnic and sectarian lines after the First Great War. The only times they could agree with each other was when one faction got too powerful. Then they would band together to take that faction down.
“I once had a Sultan from there offer to marry me just from seeing my photograph” Kira said, “He said that I would be the third or fourth most treasured of his wives.”
“Really?” Kat asked, “Wives, as in plural?”
Kira nodded with a smile.
“I couldn’t imagine” Kat said.
“You two can continue without me” Cecilie said and she left the room. Kat presumed that she was going to check on what Princess Alexandrine was doing. Cecilie’s oldest daughter had been born with a severe medical condition, the result was that she was mentally and physically impaired. The truth was that Alexandrine was a sweet soul who was totally dependent upon her mother. It was a bit of a worry for the Imperial Family as to what would happen to Adini when Cecilie was no longer around.
“What’s the next story?” Kira asked.
Kat scanned the headlines below the fold.
“British comment about crop failure and the success of humanitarian aid in India over the last year” Kat read aloud. The assessment by Abwehr had been that the British had only acted in India to prevent people from starving after a crop failure in Bengal because they didn’t want to give Indian Nationalists a club to pound them over the head with. Having their own names mentioned in the same breath as Stalin in light of what had happened in Ukraine was not something they wanted to have happen.
“The last thing I want to hear about is self-congratulatory drivel” Kira said, “What else is there?”
“Friday the 29th of September, that is tomorrow, is Election Day, Berlin Police are bracing for massive celebration, snarled traffic, Kat read aloud, “Requesting volunteers from other municipalities.”
“Are you going to be out in that?” Kira asked.
“No” Kat said, “I’m not comfortable in crowds like that. I’m planning on going to my neighborhood to vote, then spend the afternoon with Marcella and Gianna.”
“That would probably be much better than cooped up in here” Kira said, “I’d actually go with you if I could.”
“Knowing Marcella, she’ll probably want to go out” Kat said, “Her idea of that is Gert’s Tavern. Unless you’re a fan of spilled drinks, cigarette smoke, foul language and football it’s not for you.”
“Katherine” Kira said, “Your idea of commonplace is someone else’s idea of an adventure. Ever think that I wouldn’t mind seeing a place like that, even if it’s just to feel the energy of the room? And don’t think for an instant that I’m unaware that your Uncle is co-owner of that establishment.”
Kat had never thought of it that way.
