Stupid Luck and Happenstance, Thread II
- Thread starter Peabody-Martini
- Start date
I think that if Freddy wanted to be in an elite combat unit he would have chosen a different branch. While playing with demolition and ordnance disposal sounds like fun, there would be a limited amount of lessons to be learned there that would be useful in his future career in the family business.
What would be useful to learn is how to lead people, how to manage projects, how to deal with locals, how to deal with logistics and how to organize things when you have limited resources and nobody telling you how to best use them and everyone willing to second guess you after the fact.
If he ends up in a unit that does things like repairing bridges and roads after some tank units were a bit rough on them during maneuvers and the locals sort of objected to having their stuff destroyed and damaged that would teach him things.
Having to build bridges and fortifications in a war-zone or at least rebuilding stuff to win hearts and minds during a police action would also help. The whole (in theory) not on the front line aspects of the whole deal would keep everyone back home happy and the fact that in practice the theory may end up being wrong and he could end actually making a difference in a battle through stupid luck and happenstance would keep the story interesting.
What would be useful to learn is how to lead people, how to manage projects, how to deal with locals, how to deal with logistics and how to organize things when you have limited resources and nobody telling you how to best use them and everyone willing to second guess you after the fact.
If he ends up in a unit that does things like repairing bridges and roads after some tank units were a bit rough on them during maneuvers and the locals sort of objected to having their stuff destroyed and damaged that would teach him things.
Having to build bridges and fortifications in a war-zone or at least rebuilding stuff to win hearts and minds during a police action would also help. The whole (in theory) not on the front line aspects of the whole deal would keep everyone back home happy and the fact that in practice the theory may end up being wrong and he could end actually making a difference in a battle through stupid luck and happenstance would keep the story interesting.
I think Freddy ends up being in something like the Navy SeaBee's. They have the capabilities to build lots of different things, yes land and water related. They have an organic ability to build everything from a small hut to large steel buildings, including the utilities. Different units were specialist airfield construction units and also harbor and pier units. I know they call these the Pioneers but I can imagine this being a cross services branch in the OKW.
The election of Harriman is probably a case of the American people accepting their place in the world.
IOTL Harriman was one the "Wise Old Men" that helped shaped the bipartisan consensus on foreign policy during the Cold War years.
If he was the Ambassador to the Soviet Union ITTL at the same time he was IOTL, then he was there in Moscow for the final surrender and most likely he was able to personally persuade the winning faction after the capture of Stalin to end the war.
With his extensive business and investments interests in IOTL Germany, he has the clear eyed vision of what the capability of Germany is able to do versus what the United States is able to do and what it's potential could be.
With that in mind, he is going to continue the Truman policy of modernizing the military which includes the building of nuclear weapons and powered naval ships, and having a space program that is concentrated on commercial and scientific needs that may lead to the United States to join in with other space programs for manned exploration of space.
Part 80, Chapter 1213
Chapter One Thousand Two Hundred Thirteen
9th February 1957
Tegel Airport, Berlin
The Second of February had come and gone without incident, though Kat had found herself receiving calls from Journalists with questions about the Reichstag Bombing. She had even gotten a request for an interview on a live news program that aired during prime viewing hours. Kat had tried to be diplomatic, but the only way she was going to be interviewed on television was over her dead body. Even after eighteen years the memory of dome atop the old Reichstag building being consumed by flame was indelibly burned into her memory. It was something that she didn’t want to talk about.
Instead, the week since then had been full of drama and tragedy. Grand Duchess Maria of Russia, who was Kira’s sister, had been suffering from congestive heart failure for some time. She had taken a turn for the worse and had passed away. Kira had been reeling from that when word had arrived that Duchess Cecilie, the former Empress and the mother of Louis Ferdinand had died. Kiki who wasn’t supposed to return home until June had been given permission to come home for this week so that she could attend the funerals of her Aunt and Grandmother. As Kat stood in the airport terminal with a Squad from the First Foot, she thought about how this was certainly not the sort of homecoming that Kiki had imagined that she would receive.
As the First-Class passengers left the airplane Kat saw Kiki walking up the jetway. Kiki’s travel plans had not been leaked, so there was no Press here which was fortunate. She looked exhausted, hardly a surprise after a twelve-hour flight. What would have been a surprise if Kat had not received the message that had raced ahead of Kiki was that Princess Suga had decided to accompany her for moral support. Kiki had hinted in her letters to Kat that Suga had plans to come to Berlin for her own reasons. Beyond the stated reasons for this trip, Kat had the impression that she would be using it to feel out what sort of reception she could expect here without being a part of her father’s entourage. Kat knew that while Suga was here she would need to have a quiet talk with the girl about what her plans really were.
When Kiki got close, she hugged Kat, much to Kat’s surprise.
“Thank you for everything you’ve done” Kiki said into Kat’s ear before she let Kat go and started walking towards the distant luggage claim. Suga, looking very much out of place gave Kat a slight bow before following after Kiki. Kat nodded towards Schafer who led the man to follow the two Princesses. Kat followed at a quick pace but still kept an eye out for possible threats that the men from the advance team might have missed.
The Red Sea, 120 Kilometers west of Jeddah
The vast chaotic Arabian Peninsula was on one side and the equally wild territory of Sudan on the other, where a civil war was raging between different factions of the Sudanese, the British and their Egyptian allies. The merchantmen who plied these waters were happy to have a warship along, even if it was a Trawler Gunship like the like the SMS V618 Greetsiel. When they had last been in port, the men had painted a cartoon donkey on side of the pilothouse that was kicking with steel shod hooves. Christoph had felt that it was perfect for the Trawler, it reflected the history of the boat and the sort of fighting spirit that the boat had. When the merchantmen had seen that, they had known that they were not being escorted by a slouch.
From what Christoph had seen, they had good reason to be concerned, in the Gulf of Aden and again in the Red Sea the convoy had been shadowed by Dhows. If they were boarded Christoph was certain that they would be innocent fishermen. He was also certain that they would have a newish radio set aboard a boat that looked like it had been plying the Red Sea since Moses parted it. The British had a large Naval presence in this region, but as the Kaiserliche Marine had discovered, they couldn’t be everywhere. They had also discovered that their enemies had people watching the ports and various bottlenecks in the hope of getting an easy score.
The Greetsiel had been recalled to Kiel for refit. Christoph himself had been ordered to report to Mürwik for instruction. What that meant was that he would no longer be an acting Lieutenant as he had earned a formal Commission and he was also going to lose the Greetsiel in the process. He was going to miss the old Trawler, ironic considering how reluctant he had been to take command of her a year earlier. Christoph had been astonished, it didn’t seem to him to have been that long. In his last letter Pops had said that the Brass had been having quite a time figuring out what to do with him. Welcome to the Pacific, Christoph thought to himself, where we make shit up as we go along, and Devil take the hindmost.
That reminded him of their friends out there who he knew were watching. Looking through his binoculars he saw the white sails on the horizon. Waiting for someone to do something stupid. It would be a considerable amount of time until they made it to Suez, too long to keep the men in General Quarters.
“Start rotating the men out” Christoph said to the Oberfähnrich zur See who had been his XO for the last few months, a boy who didn’t look old enough to shave yet. “Food, rack time for whoever wants it.”
The boy just nodded and went off to do as instructed. Christoph would remain in the pilothouse with the Coxswain, he would have all the time in the world to sleep when he finally reached Mürwik. It would be nice to see Ma and Pops every day though.
9th February 1957
Tegel Airport, Berlin
The Second of February had come and gone without incident, though Kat had found herself receiving calls from Journalists with questions about the Reichstag Bombing. She had even gotten a request for an interview on a live news program that aired during prime viewing hours. Kat had tried to be diplomatic, but the only way she was going to be interviewed on television was over her dead body. Even after eighteen years the memory of dome atop the old Reichstag building being consumed by flame was indelibly burned into her memory. It was something that she didn’t want to talk about.
Instead, the week since then had been full of drama and tragedy. Grand Duchess Maria of Russia, who was Kira’s sister, had been suffering from congestive heart failure for some time. She had taken a turn for the worse and had passed away. Kira had been reeling from that when word had arrived that Duchess Cecilie, the former Empress and the mother of Louis Ferdinand had died. Kiki who wasn’t supposed to return home until June had been given permission to come home for this week so that she could attend the funerals of her Aunt and Grandmother. As Kat stood in the airport terminal with a Squad from the First Foot, she thought about how this was certainly not the sort of homecoming that Kiki had imagined that she would receive.
As the First-Class passengers left the airplane Kat saw Kiki walking up the jetway. Kiki’s travel plans had not been leaked, so there was no Press here which was fortunate. She looked exhausted, hardly a surprise after a twelve-hour flight. What would have been a surprise if Kat had not received the message that had raced ahead of Kiki was that Princess Suga had decided to accompany her for moral support. Kiki had hinted in her letters to Kat that Suga had plans to come to Berlin for her own reasons. Beyond the stated reasons for this trip, Kat had the impression that she would be using it to feel out what sort of reception she could expect here without being a part of her father’s entourage. Kat knew that while Suga was here she would need to have a quiet talk with the girl about what her plans really were.
When Kiki got close, she hugged Kat, much to Kat’s surprise.
“Thank you for everything you’ve done” Kiki said into Kat’s ear before she let Kat go and started walking towards the distant luggage claim. Suga, looking very much out of place gave Kat a slight bow before following after Kiki. Kat nodded towards Schafer who led the man to follow the two Princesses. Kat followed at a quick pace but still kept an eye out for possible threats that the men from the advance team might have missed.
The Red Sea, 120 Kilometers west of Jeddah
The vast chaotic Arabian Peninsula was on one side and the equally wild territory of Sudan on the other, where a civil war was raging between different factions of the Sudanese, the British and their Egyptian allies. The merchantmen who plied these waters were happy to have a warship along, even if it was a Trawler Gunship like the like the SMS V618 Greetsiel. When they had last been in port, the men had painted a cartoon donkey on side of the pilothouse that was kicking with steel shod hooves. Christoph had felt that it was perfect for the Trawler, it reflected the history of the boat and the sort of fighting spirit that the boat had. When the merchantmen had seen that, they had known that they were not being escorted by a slouch.
From what Christoph had seen, they had good reason to be concerned, in the Gulf of Aden and again in the Red Sea the convoy had been shadowed by Dhows. If they were boarded Christoph was certain that they would be innocent fishermen. He was also certain that they would have a newish radio set aboard a boat that looked like it had been plying the Red Sea since Moses parted it. The British had a large Naval presence in this region, but as the Kaiserliche Marine had discovered, they couldn’t be everywhere. They had also discovered that their enemies had people watching the ports and various bottlenecks in the hope of getting an easy score.
The Greetsiel had been recalled to Kiel for refit. Christoph himself had been ordered to report to Mürwik for instruction. What that meant was that he would no longer be an acting Lieutenant as he had earned a formal Commission and he was also going to lose the Greetsiel in the process. He was going to miss the old Trawler, ironic considering how reluctant he had been to take command of her a year earlier. Christoph had been astonished, it didn’t seem to him to have been that long. In his last letter Pops had said that the Brass had been having quite a time figuring out what to do with him. Welcome to the Pacific, Christoph thought to himself, where we make shit up as we go along, and Devil take the hindmost.
That reminded him of their friends out there who he knew were watching. Looking through his binoculars he saw the white sails on the horizon. Waiting for someone to do something stupid. It would be a considerable amount of time until they made it to Suez, too long to keep the men in General Quarters.
“Start rotating the men out” Christoph said to the Oberfähnrich zur See who had been his XO for the last few months, a boy who didn’t look old enough to shave yet. “Food, rack time for whoever wants it.”
The boy just nodded and went off to do as instructed. Christoph would remain in the pilothouse with the Coxswain, he would have all the time in the world to sleep when he finally reached Mürwik. It would be nice to see Ma and Pops every day though.
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This could be an opportunity for President Harriman to show that the United States has entered a new era of international cooperation by having the USN participate in the anti-piracy patrols.
When Crown Prince Friedrich shows up, I wonder what he is going to be most surprised at, Princess Suga being there or the transformation of the "Whippet"?
When Crown Prince Friedrich shows up, I wonder what he is going to be most surprised at, Princess Suga being there or the transformation of the "Whippet"?
I think that, like any good brother, Friedrich would rather be boiled in oil than admit anything of the kind about Kiki, or stop teasing her.
He'd do much worse, though, to anybody else that tries the same.
This is similar to what is painted on the side of the pilothouse of the SMS V618 Greetsiel
She's the one that in about 60 years (if any of this gets out) is going to be held up as a serious icon.
Kat's legend is established at this point, but when you think about everything Asia did/does that isn't out there? That people won't know for a long long time yet? That's another legend in the making.
Hell, throw in that she is definitely LGBT of some kind, and she will definitely be an icon.
And speaking of that, has Germany gotten around to amending Paragraph 175 of the German Criminal Code at all? In 1929 OTL it was slated for repeal before the Nazi's took over, ITTL I don't recall anything on the matter.
Part 80, Chapter 1214
Chapter One Thousand Two Hundred Fourteen
10th February 1957
Berlin
The funeral one of those things where people’s presence had far more to do with the politics of the Imperial Court than any actual bereavement. It was all about being seen, especially because Cecile had withdrawn from public life, only interacting with her most trusted servants and her immediate family for the last few years of her life.
All of the one hundred of the Order of Louise were present, front and center. It was expected because Duchess Cecilie had been their Grand Mistress while the late, unlamented Wilhelm the 3rd had been on the throne. Cecilie had done her level best to make sure that the world remembered her husband as a rake even if his manner of death hadn’t done most of the job for her. Even in death, Cecilie wanted to be nowhere near her husband. She was to be buried in the Antique Temple in Potsdam with her son Wilhelm who had died in Spain in 1937, as well as two of her Mother-in-Laws and Prince Joachim, the youngest son of Wilhelm the 2nd who had taken his own life in 1948 after spending several years in a Psychiatric Hospital.
While Cecilie had been Empress the Order of Louise had been one of several factions trying to be the power behind the throne. These days, with the power of the Emperor curtailed by the Constitution and the balance of power shifting, they had dropped the idea of being behind anything and had become a faction that had grown powerful in their own right. That was the reason why most of the youngest members the Order were politicians who had gotten themselves elected into the Reichstag or any of the various State or City Governments. Today, they were rallying around Princess Alexandrine, who had been dependent upon her mother for her entire life. Having been born with Down Syndrome, she’d always had difficulties. Fortunately for her she was close to her oldest surviving brother, Louis Ferdinand and his family. For years they had been trying to make plans for what to do when Cecilie passed away, now they were having those plans were being carried out. She was to live in a house that belonged to the Hohenzollern Trust and would have a team of people to care for her so that she could lead a good life. However, that didn’t make any of this easy.
Kat was watching all of this in a detached manner. The former Empress had always been more like a force of nature to her, one that she had hardly understood at the time. Kat had spent a great deal of time ducking Cecilie’s summons, unaware that she had been quietly pulling strings on her behalf. It wasn’t until later, after she had ended up working for Kira that Kat had seen the full picture. There was a slight movement in the corner of Kat’s eye, turning her head she saw that it was Freddy fidgeting in the way he had since he was a little boy whenever he found himself in an uncomfortable situation. He had started at the Berlin War Academy after completing the basic training course for the Pioneer Corps. Kat already knew that he would spend the next six months there followed by time spent as an aide to General Kopp who was overseeing a hydroelectric project in Vietnam. It was expected to keep him busy for the next few years.
The source of Freddy’s discomfort was sitting next to his sister. Princess Suga. The Japanese Princess had done a great deal to burst Freddy’s bubble regarding her over the last twenty-four hours. He had been surprised by her presence and had immediately blundered into an awkward social situation. Suga had made it clear to him that whatever he thought about the idea of her, she had her own plans and ambitions that didn’t necessarily include him. She was reserving the right to reject him if he didn’t measure up. Kat had been inwardly applauding Suga’s actions as they had happened.
The other development was that Kiki was a bit different than she had been when she had departed for Japan the previous July. While things were still frosty between Kiki and Kira, hardly a surprise there. Just in the last day it had been noticeable that Kiki was more focused and assured than she had been before. She was also making some effort with her appearance, that was a marked change. On the ride to the funeral Freddy and Mike had still poked fun at her as still being their little sister Whippet but she had pointedly ignored them. Kat knew that wouldn’t make them stop doing that, but it would make it a lot less fun. That would probably change in the future when they realized that few people are better at getting away with murder than those in the medical profession.
At home, Jo had settled in, though Kat suspected that she was still struggling with the massive changes to her life. Kat had encouraged her to remain in contact with her mother who was incarcerated just outside Copenhagen. Learning that her mother would be in there for at least the next five years had been a heavy blow to the girl and Kat had done her best to make sure that she knew that she wasn’t alone. Kat and Doug had received a letter from Jo’s mother thanking them for all they done and for the photograph that Doug had taken of Jo that had been sent to her.
There was having Nancy as guest for a few days each week. That was enjoyable, but there was an undercurrent in Nancy’s behavior that Kat had picked up on. She blamed herself for making foolish decisions that had forced her to make some hard choices. Kat had told Nancy that those decisions were anything but foolish, she had wanted to be loved and feeling desire was perfectly natural. However, there was a reason why trying to avoid conception by having sex only during certain times of the month was not the most effective means of birth control. That last part had gotten a somewhat bitter laugh from Nancy.
10th February 1957
Berlin
The funeral one of those things where people’s presence had far more to do with the politics of the Imperial Court than any actual bereavement. It was all about being seen, especially because Cecile had withdrawn from public life, only interacting with her most trusted servants and her immediate family for the last few years of her life.
All of the one hundred of the Order of Louise were present, front and center. It was expected because Duchess Cecilie had been their Grand Mistress while the late, unlamented Wilhelm the 3rd had been on the throne. Cecilie had done her level best to make sure that the world remembered her husband as a rake even if his manner of death hadn’t done most of the job for her. Even in death, Cecilie wanted to be nowhere near her husband. She was to be buried in the Antique Temple in Potsdam with her son Wilhelm who had died in Spain in 1937, as well as two of her Mother-in-Laws and Prince Joachim, the youngest son of Wilhelm the 2nd who had taken his own life in 1948 after spending several years in a Psychiatric Hospital.
While Cecilie had been Empress the Order of Louise had been one of several factions trying to be the power behind the throne. These days, with the power of the Emperor curtailed by the Constitution and the balance of power shifting, they had dropped the idea of being behind anything and had become a faction that had grown powerful in their own right. That was the reason why most of the youngest members the Order were politicians who had gotten themselves elected into the Reichstag or any of the various State or City Governments. Today, they were rallying around Princess Alexandrine, who had been dependent upon her mother for her entire life. Having been born with Down Syndrome, she’d always had difficulties. Fortunately for her she was close to her oldest surviving brother, Louis Ferdinand and his family. For years they had been trying to make plans for what to do when Cecilie passed away, now they were having those plans were being carried out. She was to live in a house that belonged to the Hohenzollern Trust and would have a team of people to care for her so that she could lead a good life. However, that didn’t make any of this easy.
Kat was watching all of this in a detached manner. The former Empress had always been more like a force of nature to her, one that she had hardly understood at the time. Kat had spent a great deal of time ducking Cecilie’s summons, unaware that she had been quietly pulling strings on her behalf. It wasn’t until later, after she had ended up working for Kira that Kat had seen the full picture. There was a slight movement in the corner of Kat’s eye, turning her head she saw that it was Freddy fidgeting in the way he had since he was a little boy whenever he found himself in an uncomfortable situation. He had started at the Berlin War Academy after completing the basic training course for the Pioneer Corps. Kat already knew that he would spend the next six months there followed by time spent as an aide to General Kopp who was overseeing a hydroelectric project in Vietnam. It was expected to keep him busy for the next few years.
The source of Freddy’s discomfort was sitting next to his sister. Princess Suga. The Japanese Princess had done a great deal to burst Freddy’s bubble regarding her over the last twenty-four hours. He had been surprised by her presence and had immediately blundered into an awkward social situation. Suga had made it clear to him that whatever he thought about the idea of her, she had her own plans and ambitions that didn’t necessarily include him. She was reserving the right to reject him if he didn’t measure up. Kat had been inwardly applauding Suga’s actions as they had happened.
The other development was that Kiki was a bit different than she had been when she had departed for Japan the previous July. While things were still frosty between Kiki and Kira, hardly a surprise there. Just in the last day it had been noticeable that Kiki was more focused and assured than she had been before. She was also making some effort with her appearance, that was a marked change. On the ride to the funeral Freddy and Mike had still poked fun at her as still being their little sister Whippet but she had pointedly ignored them. Kat knew that wouldn’t make them stop doing that, but it would make it a lot less fun. That would probably change in the future when they realized that few people are better at getting away with murder than those in the medical profession.
At home, Jo had settled in, though Kat suspected that she was still struggling with the massive changes to her life. Kat had encouraged her to remain in contact with her mother who was incarcerated just outside Copenhagen. Learning that her mother would be in there for at least the next five years had been a heavy blow to the girl and Kat had done her best to make sure that she knew that she wasn’t alone. Kat and Doug had received a letter from Jo’s mother thanking them for all they done and for the photograph that Doug had taken of Jo that had been sent to her.
There was having Nancy as guest for a few days each week. That was enjoyable, but there was an undercurrent in Nancy’s behavior that Kat had picked up on. She blamed herself for making foolish decisions that had forced her to make some hard choices. Kat had told Nancy that those decisions were anything but foolish, she had wanted to be loved and feeling desire was perfectly natural. However, there was a reason why trying to avoid conception by having sex only during certain times of the month was not the most effective means of birth control. That last part had gotten a somewhat bitter laugh from Nancy.
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That reminds me of an old Catholic joke, Q: What do you call people who use the Rhythm Method? A: Parents.
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Oh, please write a chapter including this "Oh, shit!" moment!!!
Will Tilo's understudy Phan be making an appearance in Vietnam? I can just see him being assigned as part of the liaison team for his security.
Part 80, Chapter 1215
Chapter One Thousand Two Hundred Fifteen
18th February 1957
In transit, Over Siberia
“Except for the funerals it was a perfectly enjoyable trip” Suga had said to Kiki before she had fallen asleep.
There were times when Kiki was certain that Suga said things like that on purpose as a part of her somewhat offbeat sense of humor. Other times, she wasn’t sure.
Of course, Kiki would not had said it was an enjoyable trip. It had its moments like visiting her Gymnasia or seeing Zella and Aurora. The rest had been a slog through the formalities surrounding funerals and how the Order of Louise had reacted to the death of a former Grand Mistress. It had been a miserable week overall by Kiki's estimation. The first insult had been when Kiki had watched Gräfin Katherine interrogate Suga about what her plans were. Suga being Suga, she had happily chatted about how she would like to come and study Western Literature at University. She had also reiterated that regardless of her parent’s plans, if she was going to marry anyone it would be her choice. Kat had seemed amused by that and had said it would be a good thing if Kiki more frequently asserted herself in the way that Suga had. That was embarrassing, but it had been what had come after that was particularly humiliating.
When the Order of Louise had held their formal wake for Duchess Cecilie there had been a heavy media presence, not just the Press, but television cameras as well. Kiki had thought that the event would be closed to the public the way similar events had been in the past. If she had known that ahead of time, she wouldn’t have worn the formal dress that had been a gift from Kat and allowed her hair and makeup to be done. When her mother had seen Kiki, she had been happy with her for the first time in ages. Then when they had arrived at the Charlottenburg Palace, Kiki had been surprised at what was going on out front, she had clung to the arm of Fritz Schafer, the Oberstaber who was in charge of her protection detail. Suga, had followed a pace behind and had enjoyed the attention.
What followed was the banquet in Cecilie’s honor and it had turned out to be excruciating as Kiki feared that it would be. All jockeying for position and the subtle war for power that was waged within the Order itself. The presence of Suga had upset matters. She had been named a Dame in the Order of Louise, Special Class years earlier along with her sisters as a courtesy after Kiki, along with Rea and Vicky had been inducted into the Japanese Order of the Precious Crown, so she every right to there. Everyone present knew that Suga was one of a handful of girls who Kiki’s mother felt would be an acceptable match for Prince Friedrich despite the ethnic difference. The result was that all the Ladies present were aware that they were in the presence of a potential future Grand Mistress.
The next day, Kiki had been positively mortified by what was in the newspapers had printed on their society pages. The Press had loved Suga. She was the right mix of exotic beauty, intelligence and she had smiled for the photographers. They loved it when their subject did that. Kiki might have been inclined to be jealous of Suga, except she had never wanted that sort of attention first place. Even as it was, there had been a number of photographs of Kiki along with headlines to the effect of Who is this Unknown Beauty and What did she do with Princess Kristine? Or simply Who Knew? Kiki didn’t have time to dwell on it because they had left for Straßburg for the funeral of Aunt Maria.
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Moses Newton, a man who had once gone by a different name when he had been a student in Atlanta, Georgia years earlier was on the radio broadcasting on his evening radio show. He was on most weekdays and was one of the highest rated DJs in Argentina with his show rebroadcasted across Argentina. In recent days he had courted controversy when he had introduced Rock & Roll music to South America, an action that had gotten him denounced by some of the more conservative elements within Argentine society. He’d had the perfect antidote for that though, he had done an in-depth exploration of the heavy influence that American Gospel music had on Blues and Jazz. How that continued to echo in Rock & Roll and R&B. Oddly, it was those shows that had won over his critics.
While Moses was enjoying success on the radio airwaves, life had happened in ways that no one could have predicted. Moses had no idea how the Civil War in distant South Africa would radically change his life in the form of Emmy Vandale. In South Africa she was one of those labeled Cape Colored as her family was a mixture of African and Dutch Afrikaans. During the war her family had the means to get out of the line of fire and to the safety of Buenos Aires. She had taken a job as the Assistant to the Station Director only to meet Moses in the breakroom. Moses had been planning his next show when the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his life walked in and started asking questions regarding what he was going to be putting on the air walked in. Eight years later he had a wife and three children, he frequently wondered how that had happened.
18th February 1957
In transit, Over Siberia
“Except for the funerals it was a perfectly enjoyable trip” Suga had said to Kiki before she had fallen asleep.
There were times when Kiki was certain that Suga said things like that on purpose as a part of her somewhat offbeat sense of humor. Other times, she wasn’t sure.
Of course, Kiki would not had said it was an enjoyable trip. It had its moments like visiting her Gymnasia or seeing Zella and Aurora. The rest had been a slog through the formalities surrounding funerals and how the Order of Louise had reacted to the death of a former Grand Mistress. It had been a miserable week overall by Kiki's estimation. The first insult had been when Kiki had watched Gräfin Katherine interrogate Suga about what her plans were. Suga being Suga, she had happily chatted about how she would like to come and study Western Literature at University. She had also reiterated that regardless of her parent’s plans, if she was going to marry anyone it would be her choice. Kat had seemed amused by that and had said it would be a good thing if Kiki more frequently asserted herself in the way that Suga had. That was embarrassing, but it had been what had come after that was particularly humiliating.
When the Order of Louise had held their formal wake for Duchess Cecilie there had been a heavy media presence, not just the Press, but television cameras as well. Kiki had thought that the event would be closed to the public the way similar events had been in the past. If she had known that ahead of time, she wouldn’t have worn the formal dress that had been a gift from Kat and allowed her hair and makeup to be done. When her mother had seen Kiki, she had been happy with her for the first time in ages. Then when they had arrived at the Charlottenburg Palace, Kiki had been surprised at what was going on out front, she had clung to the arm of Fritz Schafer, the Oberstaber who was in charge of her protection detail. Suga, had followed a pace behind and had enjoyed the attention.
What followed was the banquet in Cecilie’s honor and it had turned out to be excruciating as Kiki feared that it would be. All jockeying for position and the subtle war for power that was waged within the Order itself. The presence of Suga had upset matters. She had been named a Dame in the Order of Louise, Special Class years earlier along with her sisters as a courtesy after Kiki, along with Rea and Vicky had been inducted into the Japanese Order of the Precious Crown, so she every right to there. Everyone present knew that Suga was one of a handful of girls who Kiki’s mother felt would be an acceptable match for Prince Friedrich despite the ethnic difference. The result was that all the Ladies present were aware that they were in the presence of a potential future Grand Mistress.
The next day, Kiki had been positively mortified by what was in the newspapers had printed on their society pages. The Press had loved Suga. She was the right mix of exotic beauty, intelligence and she had smiled for the photographers. They loved it when their subject did that. Kiki might have been inclined to be jealous of Suga, except she had never wanted that sort of attention first place. Even as it was, there had been a number of photographs of Kiki along with headlines to the effect of Who is this Unknown Beauty and What did she do with Princess Kristine? Or simply Who Knew? Kiki didn’t have time to dwell on it because they had left for Straßburg for the funeral of Aunt Maria.
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Moses Newton, a man who had once gone by a different name when he had been a student in Atlanta, Georgia years earlier was on the radio broadcasting on his evening radio show. He was on most weekdays and was one of the highest rated DJs in Argentina with his show rebroadcasted across Argentina. In recent days he had courted controversy when he had introduced Rock & Roll music to South America, an action that had gotten him denounced by some of the more conservative elements within Argentine society. He’d had the perfect antidote for that though, he had done an in-depth exploration of the heavy influence that American Gospel music had on Blues and Jazz. How that continued to echo in Rock & Roll and R&B. Oddly, it was those shows that had won over his critics.
While Moses was enjoying success on the radio airwaves, life had happened in ways that no one could have predicted. Moses had no idea how the Civil War in distant South Africa would radically change his life in the form of Emmy Vandale. In South Africa she was one of those labeled Cape Colored as her family was a mixture of African and Dutch Afrikaans. During the war her family had the means to get out of the line of fire and to the safety of Buenos Aires. She had taken a job as the Assistant to the Station Director only to meet Moses in the breakroom. Moses had been planning his next show when the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his life walked in and started asking questions regarding what he was going to be putting on the air walked in. Eight years later he had a wife and three children, he frequently wondered how that had happened.
Moses is MLK right? or not?
ANywho, this random cameo makes me wonder where George Bush is at the moment.
ANywho, this random cameo makes me wonder where George Bush is at the moment.
Moses Newton is the assumed name of Martin Luther King ITTL.