Stupid Luck and Happenstance, Thread II
- Thread starter Peabody-Martini
- Start date
Even Landwehr need to conform to the standards of the OKW.
Soldiers, even part timers, work best when they have a task. Give them a burst of hard training and you'll see two strands forming: those there to be soldiers and those there to kill time in the easiest way possible.
Some of the latter may decide they enjoy real soldier of, (grudgingly), and it's these men that will turn the regiment around.
The lazy, incompetent and unwilling will find their time in the 3rd to be hell and will want out ASAP. They'll probably be sent to the Pioneers, and I would lay odds, that a pioneer unit, (containing a certain newly graduated Pioneer cadet), will be attached to the 3rd, (who better to guide him from a distance than a Graf).
So Kiki’s Dad just let her know quietly and without fanfare how much he cares and how much he supports he her. That will have a far greater more long lasting effect than any public announcement or act. Brilliantly done by the Kaiser and by the author. It’s moments like this that make this timeline so great!
Is the Graf starting to mellow? Shock horror!
Even a militia unit will have a cadre of regulars I would expect. It is here that the slipshod standards will reside. These Gentlemen are about to get a rude awaking. Hans is Horst’s protege after all!
Is the Graf starting to mellow? Shock horror!
Even a militia unit will have a cadre of regulars I would expect. It is here that the slipshod standards will reside. These Gentlemen are about to get a rude awaking. Hans is Horst’s protege after all!
In over thinking about the United States ITTL, there is still the process of suburbanizing going on but I doubt that we will see the Levittown type projects without VA loans that gave returning veterans a leg up over other borrowers and made it possible for developers to buy land in rural areas on the cheap and created large housing tracks next to the newly created freeways and highways.
The FHA was created in 1934 IOTL and they had a very bad history of denying loans to African-Americans who wanted to move the suburbs and developers were allowed to discriminate against them without any repercussions.
I see that maybe there is more of a gradual spreading out from the cities and there is more integration of transportation systems instead of just highways.
Another byproduct of no US involvement in the ITTL wars is that you won't have someone from Place A meeting someone from Place B at Place C, getting married to each other at Place D then going to college at Place E and getting a job at Place F.
The FHA was created in 1934 IOTL and they had a very bad history of denying loans to African-Americans who wanted to move the suburbs and developers were allowed to discriminate against them without any repercussions.
I see that maybe there is more of a gradual spreading out from the cities and there is more integration of transportation systems instead of just highways.
Another byproduct of no US involvement in the ITTL wars is that you won't have someone from Place A meeting someone from Place B at Place C, getting married to each other at Place D then going to college at Place E and getting a job at Place F.
Part 80, Chapter 1210
Chapter One Thousand Two Hundred Ten
8th January 1957
Tokyo
Word had gotten out regarding the incident with Taichi Satou, what Kiki had done for him. Suddenly, she found herself being held up as a model of bravery, forgiveness and compassion. It was something that changed the way people looked at her and she was reminded of all the times that Gia had stated that she was uncomfortable with the public persona that she had found herself with. Yesterday, she had been reminded of that when she had attended the Christmas at the Orthodox Cathedral in Kyoto and she found herself praised by the Priest as an inspiration, someone who had been given so much in life should always be willing to help those in need regardless of the situation. The whole thing left Kiki flabbergasted, these people knew that Taichi had been there to hurt her but didn’t seem to care.
None of that though explained Kiki’s actions today as walked through the massive hospital in Central Tokyo with four of Mistress Natsumi’s black clad enforcers. She had insisted that she needed to come here today and had argued her case to Mistress Natsumi who had relented but insisted that she have her bodyguards with her at all times and she was to obey their instructions with no questions asked. If she tried to pull any funny business, then their instructions were to bring her back immediately. The term “funny business” that Mistress Natsumi had used was new one for Kiki. It was obvious what that meant, and it perfectly described a great deal of Kiki’s own conduct in the past. Still, Natsumi’s men made the Doctor in the white coat who was walking with Kiki nervous. Here was a Specialist in Abnormal Psychology finding himself surrounded by four men from the tiny percentage of the population who would kill without hesitation. He was far more aware of what they were capable of than the vast majority of people.
At the end of the corridor, the Doctor opened the locked door and gestured Kiki inside. The room inside was small, hardly enough space for the Doctor, Kiki and one of the bodyguards and the bed that Taichi was strapped to. He had tried to kill himself a few different times over the prior months. No one had said anything to Kiki, but she got the impression that he was being kept alive so that an example could be made of him at some later date. It was something that didn’t sit well with her. Without the heavy clothes that he had been wearing the prior summer the injuries he had sustained were worse than Kiki had originally thought. Burns and evidence of nerve damage. He was just staring silently with his good eye. The other one sat in its socket, dead.
“Are you being treated well?” Kiki asked nervously for lack of anything else to say.
“Why can’t they just let me die?” Taichi asked, his speech slurred but full of weary resignation.
“I think its because they want a trial” Kiki replied, “I don’t know what would come next.”
Taichi winced at that. A public spectacle would be a nightmarish ordeal for a man like him.
“I’m sorry this happened to you” Kiki said, “It shouldn’t have.”
“I was the one who intended to attack you” Taichi replied.
“No” Kiki said, “What happened to you and your family in Kure, it is horrible how ordinary people get hurt like that. You wanted to get back those responsible, my father played a key role…”
Kiki trailed off when she saw that Taichi now wouldn’t even look at her. She wanted to help this poor man, but all she seemed to have done was make things worse.
Berlin
Back in the Royal Court, Nancy was just middling among the Ladies it was refreshing after the Hobbesian social scene she had discovered in Cuxhaven. As the wife of the XO of the Sealion Regiment Nancy had discovered that she automatically enjoyed a high status among the wives but there was an aspect that she simply hadn’t known about. The Marine Infantry had fought in multiple theaters across several wars on multiple continents and that had left a profound mark on the 3rd Marine Division especially. Nancy had found herself quickly taken in by the other “foreign” wives that made up what had turned out to be the largest faction among the civilian dependents yet were lowest in the pecking order. Women from Vietnam, China, Korea, Russia, South Africa, Mexico and even the United States were who she met on a daily basis. Mostly, they had married enlisted men or the most junior of the Officers.
Nancy’s arrival had upset the applecart. She had this odd insider/outsider status that had changed the power dynamic in Cuxhaven. The wives of the Division’s Leadership had obviously seen Nancy as a threat, something that was reflected in how they had snubbed her on the first days. Added to that was how difficult it was to do her job by telephone. That was why Nancy had worked out a compromise with Tilo where she would spend part of the week in Berlin. Something that Helga Schultz had taken exception to. Fortunately for Nancy, two of Tilo’s nephews had gotten into legal hot water for some petty offense again and Helga had to spend her time on that instead of worrying about what Nancy was doing. Kat hadn’t been particularly sympathetic. “The family you married into has always been like that” was what she had said.
“That’s why I’m hoping for a girl” Nancy had replied, only to have Kat look at her with an expression that suggested that she knew something that Nancy didn’t.
In most other respects though, Kat had been wonderful. Today, she was helping Nancy with the how to sell the Emperor and Empress on the plans that Nancy had for public relations this year. Kat had pointed out that making a big production out of Kristina finally coming home in a few months would probably not work considering what had happened that had prompted her departure in the first place. It had been kept hushed up, but Kira and Kristina had gotten into an argument that had escalated into a physical altercation.
8th January 1957
Tokyo
Word had gotten out regarding the incident with Taichi Satou, what Kiki had done for him. Suddenly, she found herself being held up as a model of bravery, forgiveness and compassion. It was something that changed the way people looked at her and she was reminded of all the times that Gia had stated that she was uncomfortable with the public persona that she had found herself with. Yesterday, she had been reminded of that when she had attended the Christmas at the Orthodox Cathedral in Kyoto and she found herself praised by the Priest as an inspiration, someone who had been given so much in life should always be willing to help those in need regardless of the situation. The whole thing left Kiki flabbergasted, these people knew that Taichi had been there to hurt her but didn’t seem to care.
None of that though explained Kiki’s actions today as walked through the massive hospital in Central Tokyo with four of Mistress Natsumi’s black clad enforcers. She had insisted that she needed to come here today and had argued her case to Mistress Natsumi who had relented but insisted that she have her bodyguards with her at all times and she was to obey their instructions with no questions asked. If she tried to pull any funny business, then their instructions were to bring her back immediately. The term “funny business” that Mistress Natsumi had used was new one for Kiki. It was obvious what that meant, and it perfectly described a great deal of Kiki’s own conduct in the past. Still, Natsumi’s men made the Doctor in the white coat who was walking with Kiki nervous. Here was a Specialist in Abnormal Psychology finding himself surrounded by four men from the tiny percentage of the population who would kill without hesitation. He was far more aware of what they were capable of than the vast majority of people.
At the end of the corridor, the Doctor opened the locked door and gestured Kiki inside. The room inside was small, hardly enough space for the Doctor, Kiki and one of the bodyguards and the bed that Taichi was strapped to. He had tried to kill himself a few different times over the prior months. No one had said anything to Kiki, but she got the impression that he was being kept alive so that an example could be made of him at some later date. It was something that didn’t sit well with her. Without the heavy clothes that he had been wearing the prior summer the injuries he had sustained were worse than Kiki had originally thought. Burns and evidence of nerve damage. He was just staring silently with his good eye. The other one sat in its socket, dead.
“Are you being treated well?” Kiki asked nervously for lack of anything else to say.
“Why can’t they just let me die?” Taichi asked, his speech slurred but full of weary resignation.
“I think its because they want a trial” Kiki replied, “I don’t know what would come next.”
Taichi winced at that. A public spectacle would be a nightmarish ordeal for a man like him.
“I’m sorry this happened to you” Kiki said, “It shouldn’t have.”
“I was the one who intended to attack you” Taichi replied.
“No” Kiki said, “What happened to you and your family in Kure, it is horrible how ordinary people get hurt like that. You wanted to get back those responsible, my father played a key role…”
Kiki trailed off when she saw that Taichi now wouldn’t even look at her. She wanted to help this poor man, but all she seemed to have done was make things worse.
Berlin
Back in the Royal Court, Nancy was just middling among the Ladies it was refreshing after the Hobbesian social scene she had discovered in Cuxhaven. As the wife of the XO of the Sealion Regiment Nancy had discovered that she automatically enjoyed a high status among the wives but there was an aspect that she simply hadn’t known about. The Marine Infantry had fought in multiple theaters across several wars on multiple continents and that had left a profound mark on the 3rd Marine Division especially. Nancy had found herself quickly taken in by the other “foreign” wives that made up what had turned out to be the largest faction among the civilian dependents yet were lowest in the pecking order. Women from Vietnam, China, Korea, Russia, South Africa, Mexico and even the United States were who she met on a daily basis. Mostly, they had married enlisted men or the most junior of the Officers.
Nancy’s arrival had upset the applecart. She had this odd insider/outsider status that had changed the power dynamic in Cuxhaven. The wives of the Division’s Leadership had obviously seen Nancy as a threat, something that was reflected in how they had snubbed her on the first days. Added to that was how difficult it was to do her job by telephone. That was why Nancy had worked out a compromise with Tilo where she would spend part of the week in Berlin. Something that Helga Schultz had taken exception to. Fortunately for Nancy, two of Tilo’s nephews had gotten into legal hot water for some petty offense again and Helga had to spend her time on that instead of worrying about what Nancy was doing. Kat hadn’t been particularly sympathetic. “The family you married into has always been like that” was what she had said.
“That’s why I’m hoping for a girl” Nancy had replied, only to have Kat look at her with an expression that suggested that she knew something that Nancy didn’t.
In most other respects though, Kat had been wonderful. Today, she was helping Nancy with the how to sell the Emperor and Empress on the plans that Nancy had for public relations this year. Kat had pointed out that making a big production out of Kristina finally coming home in a few months would probably not work considering what had happened that had prompted her departure in the first place. It had been kept hushed up, but Kira and Kristina had gotten into an argument that had escalated into a physical altercation.
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The title is bit of a joke regarding way that life works out. Nancy is watching her husband's nephews with some trepidation and thinking that she would probably prefer a girl, but the next part revealed the truth. It doesn't matter.
Nothing like being clueless. She can't grasp that Taichi its dying of utter shame, as for all his desire of revenge upon an undeserving target, said target only offers him mercy and kindness, and forces him to realize WHAT he was doing, and the utter dishonour and disgrace of said act.
While initially offended, Helga its likely soon to start taking it with the REST of the wives of the MA. For all the issues of Nancy, as a good German wife ANOTHER of her sons its married and even better soon to give her more grandchildren to spoil silly.....in that case she is liable to bury the axe with Nancy, by burying it in the head of the bitches that dare to annoy her daughter in law.
And about the birth, odds are that she will ALSO give birth to fraternal twins......
I think Kat knows the Schulz girls. Didn't one of them break out of a convent to live openly as a lesbian?
The odds are 1 in 250, for those with a family history its 1 in 17. In Nancy's case it is unlikely.
You mean Inga Schultz? Who Kat shared a room with when she was training to join Abwehr.
There its a reason why the thread its called "Stupid Luck and Happenstance".......If Murphy felt the whim to it, even if the odds are near inconsequential, if it happens, it happens....
Part 80, Chapter 1211
Chapter One Thousand Two Hundred Eleven
18th January 1957
Berlin
When Emil returned from Japan, he had written several letters to the leaders of European manufacturing, not just in Germany but in several other countries as well. When the Commander in Chief of the German Armed Forces High Command requested a meeting, it tended not to be ignored. As he had met with them, he had not gotten the reaction he had wanted from many of them. The market for economy cars in Europe was crowded and to Emil’s surprise many of the companies welcomed the competition from Asia. The motorcycle manufactures were a different story and the reaction that Emil received was mixed. For example, BMW concentrated on the mid to high-end market and didn't see a Japanese upstart as much of a threat. Soichiro Honda had told Emil about his plans for a “universal motorcycle” that was high performance, dependable and affordable. Most of the manufactures Emil had spoken to seemed to belief that one could only pick two of those things in that equation.
It was an Italian company though that had caused Emil the most trouble. Not only were they confident that they could compete, they had sent Emil their response that they felt should speak for itself without telling him. The night before, Emil had come home to Maria asking why he had not spoken to her first as well as Zella and Walter excitedly looking at the large crate in the garage. Zella had been trying to get Emil to teach her to ride, but Emil’s R68 was simply too large and powerful for that. When the Ducati 65TL had arrived Zella and Walter thought it was for them. The problem was that the Italian motorcycle was small, with an air cooled one-cylinder 65cc engine, not particularly powerful and perfect for teaching someone to ride on. Emil wanted to return it, but it being a Friday evening there was no one at the offices of Ducati in Bologna to answer the phone.
With how pigheaded Zella could be it presented a real problem for Emil. He had made the mistake of mentioning this to Maria who had just laughed. “You mean to say that Zella reminds you of someone who was both stubborn and impulsive forty years ago?” She’d asked. Emil had spent the rest of the evening in his office knowing that he had lost this round.
Near Schwerin, Mecklenburg
According the to the latest letter that Kiki had sent there was a great deal of speculation about where he had vanished to and she had even heard about it in Japan. If word of his presence in Schwerin was going to get out, it would probably come a bit late. Basic training was drawing to a close and he would be moving on soon.
“Your girl again?” Dan asked.
“No, it’s from Kiki” Freddy replied, “She’s describing what New Year’s was like in Kyoto. She says that she almost slept through it except the people there ring bells, it seems ringing in the New Year means just that in Japan.”
“Like handbells?”
“Yes, but massive bells in the temples as well” Freddy said, “She says that it was enough to wake her from a sound sleep.”
“Adventures in the Far East” Dan said, “How did she land over there anyway? I’ve been wondering.”
“As an International Exchange Student” Freddy said, “She’s the brains of the family. Between my kid brothers, Mikey is the athlete and Lou is the adventurer. The babies, Rea and Vicky are the troublemakers.”
“There six of you in total” Dan said with laugh, “That makes for a full house.”
“Not really” Freddy replied, “Though to be stuck indoors with the twins on a winter day is asking to be driven insane.”
“I think that is the most you’ve said about your family since we got here” Dan replied.
“I’ve had my reasons” Freddy replied, “Now we see the light at the end of the tunnel.”
“You would think” Dan said, “But we still months of specialty ahead and you are crazy enough to go to the War Academy.”
“Someone has to be in charge” Freddy said.
It was ironic, Dan had applied to join the GS and he said that Freddy was the crazy one. The GS Brigades were those whose tasks included setting explosives while under fire and advancing with the Panzer Corps. Freddy, along with the rest of his cadre had been shown the specialized Schützenpanzer IVs that the GS used. They were considered the elite of the Pioneers and they epitomized the name given to the Pioneers by the other Service Branches, Flak Magnets.
“I would be careful, Fred” Dan said, “You might find yourself on the other side of Officer training and being ordered to report to a Sturmpionier unit.”
That was something that Kat had warned him about, in any of the Service Branches there was a strong possibility that they would send people to wherever they needed a warm body. And as an Aspirant, Freddy would have considerably less to say than most. His reasoning though was simple, he had joined the Pioneers because he had wanted to learn to build things. Outfits like the GS had almost the exact opposite mission. They were the ones who got called when something thought indestructible needed to be made into an example of hubris. It was part in parcel with the original mission of the GS, the neutralization of the fortresses that the French had built along the Franco-German Frontier following the First World War.
18th January 1957
Berlin
When Emil returned from Japan, he had written several letters to the leaders of European manufacturing, not just in Germany but in several other countries as well. When the Commander in Chief of the German Armed Forces High Command requested a meeting, it tended not to be ignored. As he had met with them, he had not gotten the reaction he had wanted from many of them. The market for economy cars in Europe was crowded and to Emil’s surprise many of the companies welcomed the competition from Asia. The motorcycle manufactures were a different story and the reaction that Emil received was mixed. For example, BMW concentrated on the mid to high-end market and didn't see a Japanese upstart as much of a threat. Soichiro Honda had told Emil about his plans for a “universal motorcycle” that was high performance, dependable and affordable. Most of the manufactures Emil had spoken to seemed to belief that one could only pick two of those things in that equation.
It was an Italian company though that had caused Emil the most trouble. Not only were they confident that they could compete, they had sent Emil their response that they felt should speak for itself without telling him. The night before, Emil had come home to Maria asking why he had not spoken to her first as well as Zella and Walter excitedly looking at the large crate in the garage. Zella had been trying to get Emil to teach her to ride, but Emil’s R68 was simply too large and powerful for that. When the Ducati 65TL had arrived Zella and Walter thought it was for them. The problem was that the Italian motorcycle was small, with an air cooled one-cylinder 65cc engine, not particularly powerful and perfect for teaching someone to ride on. Emil wanted to return it, but it being a Friday evening there was no one at the offices of Ducati in Bologna to answer the phone.
With how pigheaded Zella could be it presented a real problem for Emil. He had made the mistake of mentioning this to Maria who had just laughed. “You mean to say that Zella reminds you of someone who was both stubborn and impulsive forty years ago?” She’d asked. Emil had spent the rest of the evening in his office knowing that he had lost this round.
Near Schwerin, Mecklenburg
According the to the latest letter that Kiki had sent there was a great deal of speculation about where he had vanished to and she had even heard about it in Japan. If word of his presence in Schwerin was going to get out, it would probably come a bit late. Basic training was drawing to a close and he would be moving on soon.
“Your girl again?” Dan asked.
“No, it’s from Kiki” Freddy replied, “She’s describing what New Year’s was like in Kyoto. She says that she almost slept through it except the people there ring bells, it seems ringing in the New Year means just that in Japan.”
“Like handbells?”
“Yes, but massive bells in the temples as well” Freddy said, “She says that it was enough to wake her from a sound sleep.”
“Adventures in the Far East” Dan said, “How did she land over there anyway? I’ve been wondering.”
“As an International Exchange Student” Freddy said, “She’s the brains of the family. Between my kid brothers, Mikey is the athlete and Lou is the adventurer. The babies, Rea and Vicky are the troublemakers.”
“There six of you in total” Dan said with laugh, “That makes for a full house.”
“Not really” Freddy replied, “Though to be stuck indoors with the twins on a winter day is asking to be driven insane.”
“I think that is the most you’ve said about your family since we got here” Dan replied.
“I’ve had my reasons” Freddy replied, “Now we see the light at the end of the tunnel.”
“You would think” Dan said, “But we still months of specialty ahead and you are crazy enough to go to the War Academy.”
“Someone has to be in charge” Freddy said.
It was ironic, Dan had applied to join the GS and he said that Freddy was the crazy one. The GS Brigades were those whose tasks included setting explosives while under fire and advancing with the Panzer Corps. Freddy, along with the rest of his cadre had been shown the specialized Schützenpanzer IVs that the GS used. They were considered the elite of the Pioneers and they epitomized the name given to the Pioneers by the other Service Branches, Flak Magnets.
“I would be careful, Fred” Dan said, “You might find yourself on the other side of Officer training and being ordered to report to a Sturmpionier unit.”
That was something that Kat had warned him about, in any of the Service Branches there was a strong possibility that they would send people to wherever they needed a warm body. And as an Aspirant, Freddy would have considerably less to say than most. His reasoning though was simple, he had joined the Pioneers because he had wanted to learn to build things. Outfits like the GS had almost the exact opposite mission. They were the ones who got called when something thought indestructible needed to be made into an example of hubris. It was part in parcel with the original mission of the GS, the neutralization of the fortresses that the French had built along the Franco-German Frontier following the First World War.
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Any senior officer stupid enough to assign the Heir of the Throne to an assault unit would have his career torpedoed (if he's lucky to escape just with that), and Freddy would be reassigned. He will probably be (discreetly) steered towards safer options which might actually help his future career (Kaiser-ing).
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Ever since Crown Prince Wilhelm was killed by a sniper bullet in Spain there is no way that that the heir to the throne is going to be placed anywhere near the frontlines that is what the spares (Michael and Louis Ferdinand) are for.
Part 80, Chapter 1212
Chapter One Thousand Two Hundred Twelve
20th January 1957
Kyoto
It looked like several notebooks had exploded and there were books everywhere. It was a complete jumble, but Kiki was somehow able to keep track of where she had left everything. As Suga walked in she saw a stack of Latin and Greek textbooks by the door and other stacks that were sort of stacked by subject. Kiki had was seated at the low table with a World History textbook in front of her and she was scribbling in a notebook in the small, crabbed handwriting that she used. Anyone who saw that would instantly know why she needed glasses. One of the conditions that Kiki had on her was that she cleaned this mess up at the end of every study secession. Suga had no idea how she did that.
Suga had heard from her own teachers that they liked the work that Kiki was putting in and how it was an example for others to follow. Suga however knew what drove Kiki. Her ambitions, how people didn’t take her seriously because of who she was or assumed that she had used that to get advancement without actually having to earn it. At the same time Kiki was trying to carve out a place for herself in the world and for those very reasons felt like she had to be twice as good as everyone else. This wasn’t helped by her desire to join the German Medical Service as soon as she could legally do so. Kiki was putting in a staggering effort to complete her secondary education before then. In Suga’s opinion she also slowly killing herself with how hard she was pressing herself. It was small wonder that tempers had flared when Kiki’s mother had questioned her priorities.
“It’s time to eat” Suga said, she had to repeat herself a few times because Kiki shut out the world when she did this. She had ignored the attendants when they had come around minutes earlier and their instructions were to get Suga if Kiki did that. Otherwise she might forget to eat at all.
Kiki stopped what she was doing, took off her glasses and was rubbing her eyes. “So much to do” She said, “And time is running out.”
“Time is what you do with it” Suga replied, “The Cook has taken the time to prepare a meal that will bring you great joy, if you take the time to enjoy it.”
With that Kiki fixed Suga with a look, without her glasses it was easy to read the expression of annoyance over what Suga had just said. Freddy had sent Suga newspaper clippings over the years detailing his family, mostly he had pointed out all the things that Press got wrong. One thing that was consistent though was that Kiki was stern, serious little girl. Having interacted with her for the last several months Suga knew that was not who Kiki was, but it was easy to see how she had gotten that reputation.
“Very well” Kiki replied as she got up from the table, it was noticeable that she had left her glasses sitting on the history book. That was usually a sign that she was through with whatever she was doing for the day. She wasn’t blind without them by any means, just near-sighted. “Let me guess, fish again?”
“Tuna tonight” Suga replied as they walked towards the door, “Very different from the salmon yesterday.”
“Think I’ll just have extra noodles then” Kiki replied.
“The Cook might be offended” Suga replied, “So, you will need to have a nibble.”
“You don’t want to offend the person who makes your dinner” Kiki said, “Gräfin Katherine says that is one of the favorite expressions of her Aunt Marcella.”
“That is not the first time you’ve mentioned this Aunt of your protector” Suga replied, “She sounds very wise.”
“I guess” Kiki replied, “I’ve only met her a few times.”
“That is a shame” Suga said.
Washington D.C.
The morning had been full of goodbyes with the White House Staff followed by coffee with Averell Harriman and his wife Marie. Then he had gone into the Oval Office and finished the last few bits of paperwork and unfinished business of his Presidency. He received a call from the FBI Director asking what he wanted them to do regarding something that he had asked them to keep an eye out for. He told them to not bother, he would be free to take care of it himself that afternoon. Director Ness had asked him if that was wise.
Then, that was that. From there Truman had waited until it had come time for the Inauguration itself. As Harriman had been sworn into office along with his wife, his two daughters had been present with their families. It was funny how it had worked out with the Press not realizing that Harriman would be the first President who had been divorced until after he had won the election. A damn shame that the 1956 Election had been about the issues as opposed to the bullshit trivia that the Press loved to make elections about.
Afterwards, while the rest of the Capitol had been celebrating the Inauguration Truman loaded up his Chrysler and prepared to leave Washington for good. The Secret Service had been somewhat bewildered a few days earlier by his desire to drive himself home to Missouri, but Truman had stuck to his guns. A good thing to, he thought to himself as he drove to the bus station. Seated on the bench, was the young woman who he had told the Ness to keep an eye out for.
“Good evening, Miss Lawniczak?” Truman called out the window.
“What are you doing here Sir?” Miss Lawniczak asked as she cautiously approached the car.
“Bess and I are headed home for Independence” Truman said, “Taking the scenic route though.”
“You’re allowed to do that?”
“Yes” Truman replied as Bess looked curiously at the girl.
“Oh” Miss Lawniczak said in reply.
“Today is a day of fresh starts” Truman said, “I would suggest that you make the most of yours and head home on the first flight from New York. The new Administration will probably be better at playing the game than the previous ones have, you can pass that along to the Kaiser and tell him I said so.”
With that he rolled up the window and drove off leaving Miss Lawniczak there in the gathering dusk.
20th January 1957
Kyoto
It looked like several notebooks had exploded and there were books everywhere. It was a complete jumble, but Kiki was somehow able to keep track of where she had left everything. As Suga walked in she saw a stack of Latin and Greek textbooks by the door and other stacks that were sort of stacked by subject. Kiki had was seated at the low table with a World History textbook in front of her and she was scribbling in a notebook in the small, crabbed handwriting that she used. Anyone who saw that would instantly know why she needed glasses. One of the conditions that Kiki had on her was that she cleaned this mess up at the end of every study secession. Suga had no idea how she did that.
Suga had heard from her own teachers that they liked the work that Kiki was putting in and how it was an example for others to follow. Suga however knew what drove Kiki. Her ambitions, how people didn’t take her seriously because of who she was or assumed that she had used that to get advancement without actually having to earn it. At the same time Kiki was trying to carve out a place for herself in the world and for those very reasons felt like she had to be twice as good as everyone else. This wasn’t helped by her desire to join the German Medical Service as soon as she could legally do so. Kiki was putting in a staggering effort to complete her secondary education before then. In Suga’s opinion she also slowly killing herself with how hard she was pressing herself. It was small wonder that tempers had flared when Kiki’s mother had questioned her priorities.
“It’s time to eat” Suga said, she had to repeat herself a few times because Kiki shut out the world when she did this. She had ignored the attendants when they had come around minutes earlier and their instructions were to get Suga if Kiki did that. Otherwise she might forget to eat at all.
Kiki stopped what she was doing, took off her glasses and was rubbing her eyes. “So much to do” She said, “And time is running out.”
“Time is what you do with it” Suga replied, “The Cook has taken the time to prepare a meal that will bring you great joy, if you take the time to enjoy it.”
With that Kiki fixed Suga with a look, without her glasses it was easy to read the expression of annoyance over what Suga had just said. Freddy had sent Suga newspaper clippings over the years detailing his family, mostly he had pointed out all the things that Press got wrong. One thing that was consistent though was that Kiki was stern, serious little girl. Having interacted with her for the last several months Suga knew that was not who Kiki was, but it was easy to see how she had gotten that reputation.
“Very well” Kiki replied as she got up from the table, it was noticeable that she had left her glasses sitting on the history book. That was usually a sign that she was through with whatever she was doing for the day. She wasn’t blind without them by any means, just near-sighted. “Let me guess, fish again?”
“Tuna tonight” Suga replied as they walked towards the door, “Very different from the salmon yesterday.”
“Think I’ll just have extra noodles then” Kiki replied.
“The Cook might be offended” Suga replied, “So, you will need to have a nibble.”
“You don’t want to offend the person who makes your dinner” Kiki said, “Gräfin Katherine says that is one of the favorite expressions of her Aunt Marcella.”
“That is not the first time you’ve mentioned this Aunt of your protector” Suga replied, “She sounds very wise.”
“I guess” Kiki replied, “I’ve only met her a few times.”
“That is a shame” Suga said.
Washington D.C.
The morning had been full of goodbyes with the White House Staff followed by coffee with Averell Harriman and his wife Marie. Then he had gone into the Oval Office and finished the last few bits of paperwork and unfinished business of his Presidency. He received a call from the FBI Director asking what he wanted them to do regarding something that he had asked them to keep an eye out for. He told them to not bother, he would be free to take care of it himself that afternoon. Director Ness had asked him if that was wise.
Then, that was that. From there Truman had waited until it had come time for the Inauguration itself. As Harriman had been sworn into office along with his wife, his two daughters had been present with their families. It was funny how it had worked out with the Press not realizing that Harriman would be the first President who had been divorced until after he had won the election. A damn shame that the 1956 Election had been about the issues as opposed to the bullshit trivia that the Press loved to make elections about.
Afterwards, while the rest of the Capitol had been celebrating the Inauguration Truman loaded up his Chrysler and prepared to leave Washington for good. The Secret Service had been somewhat bewildered a few days earlier by his desire to drive himself home to Missouri, but Truman had stuck to his guns. A good thing to, he thought to himself as he drove to the bus station. Seated on the bench, was the young woman who he had told the Ness to keep an eye out for.
“Good evening, Miss Lawniczak?” Truman called out the window.
“What are you doing here Sir?” Miss Lawniczak asked as she cautiously approached the car.
“Bess and I are headed home for Independence” Truman said, “Taking the scenic route though.”
“You’re allowed to do that?”
“Yes” Truman replied as Bess looked curiously at the girl.
“Oh” Miss Lawniczak said in reply.
“Today is a day of fresh starts” Truman said, “I would suggest that you make the most of yours and head home on the first flight from New York. The new Administration will probably be better at playing the game than the previous ones have, you can pass that along to the Kaiser and tell him I said so.”
With that he rolled up the window and drove off leaving Miss Lawniczak there in the gathering dusk.
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"This 'Rear Area Recovery and Safety' function sounds good for the Crown Prince. Even if he is in the Pioneers, he won't be going forward with the SPs. It sounds very safe to me. We will send him there".
"Very good sir, I'll draft up the orders".
"Let me see, duties include clearing away old equipment and ordnance after making it safe, perfect, I don't see what could go wrong there"
[First day of training in the new unit].
"Welcome Gentlemen, as you know, you have volunteered for one of the hardest, most exacting and dangerous roles in the Heer, that of Bomb Disposal. You will make hundreds of mistakes here in training, because once you graduate and assigned to your unit, you will never make two mistakes. The first tends to prevent that..."
[Freddie perks up so much so that he is seen from orbit]