Stupid Luck and Happenstance, Thread II
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Part 81, Chapter 1237
Chapter One Thousand Two Hundred Thirty-Seven
1st September 1957
Berlin
The wedding was nice enough, though Kat got the impression that Ilse would have been quite happy to have forgone the formal keeping up appearances portion of it, the ceremony and reception. The Graf for his part had caused a rare moment of agreement between Helene, Caecilia and Sonje Louise. They had been unable to understand how he had been far more supportive of Ilse than he had ever been of them. Kat thought she understood though. While the Graf could be harsh with his own children, they had grown up with every advantage in life and the expectations that had gone with it. Ilse had none of those advantages and the only expectation that anyone had of her was that she might one day follow her mother into an early grave in a potter’s field. She also bonded with the Graf over a shared love of the natural world, which was something that among his children only Helene had ever shown a whole lot of interest. The Graf had stepped into the role of father of the bride while his younger brother had stood in for him with Albrecht.
Now, with her marriage to Albrecht, Ilse had become the sort of Daughter-in-Law that many would have thought the Richthofen family would never except. The dark truth was that they had already seen the sort who many believed that they would have excepted, Lothar’s disastrous marriage. Kat had never met her, but the description that Helene had given had been of an aristocratic doormat who had turned to pills the same way that Lothar had turned to drink. Eventually, she had tired of Lothar and ran off with her riding instructor. Later on, after Lothar had his misadventure and ended up under the wheels of the Kiev Express, Helene had run into Lothar’s ex-wife and she was terribly upset because she had divorced Lothar and they had no children together, so she wouldn’t be entitled to any portion of the Richthofen Estate. The detail that her ex-husband was dead had not even entered her thinking. Such a delightful woman.
Now the reception was in full swing and Kat was dancing with Douglas while catching glimpses of Ilse and Albrecht, they were the center of attention as they should be. They both looked happy and that was something that Kat hoped would be lasting. In a few days Albrecht would be going to Cam Ranh to oversee the development of a training facility there. For someone with Ilse’s interests the jungles and oceans of South-East were truly a paradise. It was all that Kat could possibly have wished for her sister, she deserved more than anyone else that Kat knew to have things go her way for a change.
A glance at their table revealed that Kiki was still in her chair sulking. She had been like this all week since the boy across the alley had figured out that she was a Princess. Kat had talked to her a few times, mostly just listened. She hadn’t said so, but Kat knew that it was inevitable that Benjamin was going to eventually figure that out. She was also aware that Kiki had been enjoying herself as she had pretended that she was somewhat normal. The truth was that Kiki had a staggering amount to learn if she was ever going to lead a somewhat normal life. She was somewhat ignorant about certain things and badly mistaken about others. Kat knew what it was like to be Kiki’s age and how easily one could adopt and then discard personas. Eventually, Kat had discovered that the only person she was really fooling was herself.
Kat knew that she had to be patient with Kiki and her theatrics. Still, there had been a few times when she had felt the frustration boiling over. In the manner of teenage girls since the dawn of time, everything was the end of the world. Kat had seen that dozens of times with her other girls as they were growing up. She also expected it with Josefine in a couple years and with Tatiana eventually. She had mentioned that to Aunt Marcella who had just laughed as if Kat had told her the funniest thing she had ever heard. Starting tomorrow Kat expected that being found out would be the least of Kiki’s worries. Against all advice, she was still insisting on accelerating her education with the idea of completing two year’s worth of learning in one term. The Headmistress of Kiki’s gymnasia had told Kat that while she was welcome to try but didn’t think that it was feasible, and that Kiki was going to fall short. Kat had recently read an article about an out of control nuclear reaction, the process called meltdown. It sounded a lot like what was being anticipated with Kiki over the coming months. Either her mind or body was going fail her, either way Kat was prepared for it and if she played it correctly then Kiki would learn a valuable lesson.
There was also Benjamin to consider. Kat had spotted him on the roof of his parent’s house a few times. While he knew better than to point that telescope towards Kat’s house, he was still looking to see if the light was on in Kiki’s room. Kat had deliberately scared him with that file and had included a reference to Quartum. That operation was a matter historical record now. Few though, knew exactly who had been among the thousands of personnel involved with the project. Ben’s father had been just one of them and Kat had done that to see if the boy could keep a secret.
1st September 1957
Berlin
The wedding was nice enough, though Kat got the impression that Ilse would have been quite happy to have forgone the formal keeping up appearances portion of it, the ceremony and reception. The Graf for his part had caused a rare moment of agreement between Helene, Caecilia and Sonje Louise. They had been unable to understand how he had been far more supportive of Ilse than he had ever been of them. Kat thought she understood though. While the Graf could be harsh with his own children, they had grown up with every advantage in life and the expectations that had gone with it. Ilse had none of those advantages and the only expectation that anyone had of her was that she might one day follow her mother into an early grave in a potter’s field. She also bonded with the Graf over a shared love of the natural world, which was something that among his children only Helene had ever shown a whole lot of interest. The Graf had stepped into the role of father of the bride while his younger brother had stood in for him with Albrecht.
Now, with her marriage to Albrecht, Ilse had become the sort of Daughter-in-Law that many would have thought the Richthofen family would never except. The dark truth was that they had already seen the sort who many believed that they would have excepted, Lothar’s disastrous marriage. Kat had never met her, but the description that Helene had given had been of an aristocratic doormat who had turned to pills the same way that Lothar had turned to drink. Eventually, she had tired of Lothar and ran off with her riding instructor. Later on, after Lothar had his misadventure and ended up under the wheels of the Kiev Express, Helene had run into Lothar’s ex-wife and she was terribly upset because she had divorced Lothar and they had no children together, so she wouldn’t be entitled to any portion of the Richthofen Estate. The detail that her ex-husband was dead had not even entered her thinking. Such a delightful woman.
Now the reception was in full swing and Kat was dancing with Douglas while catching glimpses of Ilse and Albrecht, they were the center of attention as they should be. They both looked happy and that was something that Kat hoped would be lasting. In a few days Albrecht would be going to Cam Ranh to oversee the development of a training facility there. For someone with Ilse’s interests the jungles and oceans of South-East were truly a paradise. It was all that Kat could possibly have wished for her sister, she deserved more than anyone else that Kat knew to have things go her way for a change.
A glance at their table revealed that Kiki was still in her chair sulking. She had been like this all week since the boy across the alley had figured out that she was a Princess. Kat had talked to her a few times, mostly just listened. She hadn’t said so, but Kat knew that it was inevitable that Benjamin was going to eventually figure that out. She was also aware that Kiki had been enjoying herself as she had pretended that she was somewhat normal. The truth was that Kiki had a staggering amount to learn if she was ever going to lead a somewhat normal life. She was somewhat ignorant about certain things and badly mistaken about others. Kat knew what it was like to be Kiki’s age and how easily one could adopt and then discard personas. Eventually, Kat had discovered that the only person she was really fooling was herself.
Kat knew that she had to be patient with Kiki and her theatrics. Still, there had been a few times when she had felt the frustration boiling over. In the manner of teenage girls since the dawn of time, everything was the end of the world. Kat had seen that dozens of times with her other girls as they were growing up. She also expected it with Josefine in a couple years and with Tatiana eventually. She had mentioned that to Aunt Marcella who had just laughed as if Kat had told her the funniest thing she had ever heard. Starting tomorrow Kat expected that being found out would be the least of Kiki’s worries. Against all advice, she was still insisting on accelerating her education with the idea of completing two year’s worth of learning in one term. The Headmistress of Kiki’s gymnasia had told Kat that while she was welcome to try but didn’t think that it was feasible, and that Kiki was going to fall short. Kat had recently read an article about an out of control nuclear reaction, the process called meltdown. It sounded a lot like what was being anticipated with Kiki over the coming months. Either her mind or body was going fail her, either way Kat was prepared for it and if she played it correctly then Kiki would learn a valuable lesson.
There was also Benjamin to consider. Kat had spotted him on the roof of his parent’s house a few times. While he knew better than to point that telescope towards Kat’s house, he was still looking to see if the light was on in Kiki’s room. Kat had deliberately scared him with that file and had included a reference to Quartum. That operation was a matter historical record now. Few though, knew exactly who had been among the thousands of personnel involved with the project. Ben’s father had been just one of them and Kat had done that to see if the boy could keep a secret.
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The politics and diplomacy needed to figure out where to place the guest tables must have been a huge undertaking, the need to place the Grand Admiral close enough to the Happy Couple but far away as possible from Graf von Richthofen must have been done by someone with a PhD in Geometry.
With no sign that the Kaiser was at the wedding I am going to presume that Kiki had to put on her Princess Kristina hat and act as the Family Official Representative.
With no sign that the Kaiser was at the wedding I am going to presume that Kiki had to put on her Princess Kristina hat and act as the Family Official Representative.
I'm busy imagining von Braun and the rest of the German space program getting derailed from their usual cosmological work for a week, or a month, working on this instead as a sort of perverse "gift" to Albrecht.
Nah, remember that the Graf started out as an old school cavalry officer.
Horse and all.
AFAIK that wasn't very unusual during the Early Days of aerial combat. If von Wolvogle had been 20 years younger I dare say he might have been one of them.
As I was rereading the first thread I realized that one way for President Harriman to get in the good graces of the German government is to return Heinz Thorwald"s riffle that was used in the attempt on President Truman.
By now all the appeals should have been heard and adjudicated and that means the United States has no real reason to hang on to the weapon.
All that is really necessary is for there to be is the chain of custody to be kept intact and the United States has the right to reexamine the weapon at any time under German supervision.
It should be done quietly and with no fanfare to show that the United States respects the service and memory of Heinz Thorwald and the help that the German government gave in arresting the members of "The Augusta Conspiracy".
By now all the appeals should have been heard and adjudicated and that means the United States has no real reason to hang on to the weapon.
All that is really necessary is for there to be is the chain of custody to be kept intact and the United States has the right to reexamine the weapon at any time under German supervision.
It should be done quietly and with no fanfare to show that the United States respects the service and memory of Heinz Thorwald and the help that the German government gave in arresting the members of "The Augusta Conspiracy".
Wouldn't that actually be a bad idea? First, Kat associates with lots of non-Vons so it wouldn't be a big deal in the first place. Second, there can't be a huge number of Vons out there to begin with and are there any Von Fischers? Kat and associates are watched enough by the press that someone showing up with an unknown noble name is going to throw up red flags. Lastly, even after all that Kat is known to take in girls who have had a rough life and a girl showing up in here entourage with a noble name would really have people wondering.
Here background would have to have some culture in it. After all, Kiki isn't going to pull off being a machinist's daughter from Bautzen. However, you don't need a title for that. People assuming she's probably from an up and coming family would be more than enough.
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I think that the press/reporters know, but they value their lives and/or balls more than to get an FrontPage article.
Part 81, Chapter 1238
Chapter Thousand Two Hundred Thirty-Eight
8th September 1957
Hanoi, Vietnam
For Ilse the flight from Germany to Vietnam had been exciting, but it had come following a sour note. Ilse loved her sister, Kat taking her in had been possibly the greatest moment of her life, it had certainly changed it for the better. However, there were times when Ilse grew frustrated with her. Kat couldn’t seem to mind her own business. When Ilse had been boarding the airplane, Kat had advised her that she needed to get used to living with Albrecht and to get their issues as a couple sorted before they went on to the next stages of their relationship, then she had handed Ilse a pamphlet detailing her options in detail and implying exactly what Kat had meant.
It hadn’t been until Ilse found her seat next to Albrecht that she had finally expressed her frustration with Kat and her intrusiveness. Albrecht had listened to Ilse before he answered her, “In fairness, Katherine is just looking out for you and she doesn’t know what you haven’t told her.”
That had quieted Ilse for a while. It was something that she had discussed at length with Albrecht when he had first proposed to her and had said nothing to anyone else, especially not Kat. Kat would have insisted that she have certain things medically confirmed, things that Ilse was unsure she could handle.
For years Ilse had been told by Doctors that they were unsure that she could ever have children due to continuing issues from trauma and malnutrition she had suffered in early childhood. Then over the last year Ilse had watched Leni’s struggles and constant disappointment in that regard. She was aware that Leni’s background was very similar to her own and Ilse didn’t want to go through that. She feared that was what the future would bring if she and Albrecht did try. Kat hadn’t realized it, but she had touched a raw nerve.
Once she had gotten past her parting with Kat, Ilse had enjoyable flight. Landing in Vietnam though had been unlike anything she had ever experienced. Looking out the window of the car she had been amazed by the exotic city and the crush of humanity. There had been a few seconds when she had been walking from the airliner to the car that she had felt the fear of agoraphobia start to grip her mind. It was the first time that had happened in months. Albrecht had guided her to the car before she froze, something that she was grateful for.
“I think that you might be one of the few people I know who would be perfectly happy inside an Atgeir capsule” Albrecht had said.
Berlin
It was supposed to be a tribute, the elaborate hand-over ceremony where the Command of the First Foot Guard Regiment would change. All Kat wanted was to get over with it so that she could get on with her life. That was however not to be, Louis had one more errand that he wanted her to run in this capacity before she would be able to put it behind her. Having started this accidental career in the shadows, she would have preferred to have just left quietly. Instead, she had this big production to endure wearing an uncomfortable dress uniform and the medals that she personally despised. The result was that she was watching this event in a detached manner. Tomorrow she was going to fly to Washington D.C. so that she could retrieve Heinz Thorwald’s rifle. That was something that held far more significance, Thorwald had been there when she had first arrived in Wunsdorf and later on in Judenbach.
Looking over she saw that with the exception of Ilse, her entire family was here for this. Aunt Marcella, Douglas and the children, Hans and Helene along with their children, the rest of her brothers and their families. Hans had said that they were going to go out later to celebrate Kat’s impending freedom. The whole thing seemed surreal, being a part of one large extended family. Not that she was happy with all her guests. Nancy had brought Tilo along, Kat still couldn’t see what Nancy saw in him, but she was willing to overlook that in order to keep the peace. Kat had also caught a glimpse of Johann Schultz himself in a dark suit in the gallery. Working in the position that she had been offered as the Emperor’s Equerry and maintaining her position as Mistress of the Keys to some theoretical future Empress meant that Kat would never be entirely free of Schultz.
It was something Kat looked at that with considerable distaste, sort of like what she had found out when she had signed the documents that finalized her resignation as of 15th September 1957. She was subject to recall until her sixty-fourth birthday and while her Commission would be considered inactive, she would hold the rank of Generalmajor of Reserves until then. In 1984.
Tempelhof, Berlin
“Where is everyone?” Ben asked after Petia let him into the kitchen and he sat down across from Kiki. Petia went back to the stove. With almost everyone out of the house for the evening, most of the staff had taken advantage of the having the evening off and were elsewhere. Petia had seen it as a chance to cook something for herself and Kiki who was the only other person in the house.
“The Gräfin had to attend what she is calling a trial by ordeal” Kiki replied, “Douglas said that she is just being overly dramatic. Katherine is retiring from her Command to take on a different role in the Imperial Court.”
“You didn’t want to go?” Ben asked.
“No” Kiki replied with a heavy sigh, “My father is there, and I would have no idea what to say to him at this point.”
“Your father being Emperor Louis and all of that” Ben said with some trepidation.
“Don’t make it sound more serious than it is” Kiki replied, “He is my father yes, that is his title, but to me he is someone who tells silly jokes and would spend all his time tinkering with car engines or writing music if people let him.”
“I have a hard time picturing that” Ben replied.
“He’s been writing a composition that he says will be a tribute to my mother” Kiki replied, “I don’t know if anyone beside him will ever hear it though.”
Then after a long pause, “There is a formal dance that my school is putting on” Ben blurted out, “I wanted to know if you wanted to come, as my date.”
Kiki looked at Ben for a few seconds unsure of how to answer.
“I don’t know Ben” Kiki replied, “I would need to… Ouch!”
Kiki looked around for a few seconds in bewilderment. Ben was looking at her with a surprised look on his face, while trying not to laugh at the same time. Petia, who had just hit Kiki over the head with a wooden spoon just had a slight smile on her face.
“This nice boy finds the courage to ask you to go to a dance even with everything he knows about you” Petia said in Russian, “And you try to make up excuses to tell him no without telling him no.”
“It’s not like that” Kiki replied in the same language. Ben, who couldn’t understand any of that was just watching them.
“What is it like then?” Petia asked.
“I’ve things to do” Kiki said, “My studies.”
“Your studies will always be there” Petia said, “A night spent out is what you need, you might even find it enjoyable.”
Then Petia turned to Ben, “She will go with you, but you had better believe that this will need to be discussed with Katya” In a language that he could understand.
Ben looked overjoyed by this turn of events, Kiki was just confused by what was happening.
8th September 1957
Hanoi, Vietnam
For Ilse the flight from Germany to Vietnam had been exciting, but it had come following a sour note. Ilse loved her sister, Kat taking her in had been possibly the greatest moment of her life, it had certainly changed it for the better. However, there were times when Ilse grew frustrated with her. Kat couldn’t seem to mind her own business. When Ilse had been boarding the airplane, Kat had advised her that she needed to get used to living with Albrecht and to get their issues as a couple sorted before they went on to the next stages of their relationship, then she had handed Ilse a pamphlet detailing her options in detail and implying exactly what Kat had meant.
It hadn’t been until Ilse found her seat next to Albrecht that she had finally expressed her frustration with Kat and her intrusiveness. Albrecht had listened to Ilse before he answered her, “In fairness, Katherine is just looking out for you and she doesn’t know what you haven’t told her.”
That had quieted Ilse for a while. It was something that she had discussed at length with Albrecht when he had first proposed to her and had said nothing to anyone else, especially not Kat. Kat would have insisted that she have certain things medically confirmed, things that Ilse was unsure she could handle.
For years Ilse had been told by Doctors that they were unsure that she could ever have children due to continuing issues from trauma and malnutrition she had suffered in early childhood. Then over the last year Ilse had watched Leni’s struggles and constant disappointment in that regard. She was aware that Leni’s background was very similar to her own and Ilse didn’t want to go through that. She feared that was what the future would bring if she and Albrecht did try. Kat hadn’t realized it, but she had touched a raw nerve.
Once she had gotten past her parting with Kat, Ilse had enjoyable flight. Landing in Vietnam though had been unlike anything she had ever experienced. Looking out the window of the car she had been amazed by the exotic city and the crush of humanity. There had been a few seconds when she had been walking from the airliner to the car that she had felt the fear of agoraphobia start to grip her mind. It was the first time that had happened in months. Albrecht had guided her to the car before she froze, something that she was grateful for.
“I think that you might be one of the few people I know who would be perfectly happy inside an Atgeir capsule” Albrecht had said.
Berlin
It was supposed to be a tribute, the elaborate hand-over ceremony where the Command of the First Foot Guard Regiment would change. All Kat wanted was to get over with it so that she could get on with her life. That was however not to be, Louis had one more errand that he wanted her to run in this capacity before she would be able to put it behind her. Having started this accidental career in the shadows, she would have preferred to have just left quietly. Instead, she had this big production to endure wearing an uncomfortable dress uniform and the medals that she personally despised. The result was that she was watching this event in a detached manner. Tomorrow she was going to fly to Washington D.C. so that she could retrieve Heinz Thorwald’s rifle. That was something that held far more significance, Thorwald had been there when she had first arrived in Wunsdorf and later on in Judenbach.
Looking over she saw that with the exception of Ilse, her entire family was here for this. Aunt Marcella, Douglas and the children, Hans and Helene along with their children, the rest of her brothers and their families. Hans had said that they were going to go out later to celebrate Kat’s impending freedom. The whole thing seemed surreal, being a part of one large extended family. Not that she was happy with all her guests. Nancy had brought Tilo along, Kat still couldn’t see what Nancy saw in him, but she was willing to overlook that in order to keep the peace. Kat had also caught a glimpse of Johann Schultz himself in a dark suit in the gallery. Working in the position that she had been offered as the Emperor’s Equerry and maintaining her position as Mistress of the Keys to some theoretical future Empress meant that Kat would never be entirely free of Schultz.
It was something Kat looked at that with considerable distaste, sort of like what she had found out when she had signed the documents that finalized her resignation as of 15th September 1957. She was subject to recall until her sixty-fourth birthday and while her Commission would be considered inactive, she would hold the rank of Generalmajor of Reserves until then. In 1984.
Tempelhof, Berlin
“Where is everyone?” Ben asked after Petia let him into the kitchen and he sat down across from Kiki. Petia went back to the stove. With almost everyone out of the house for the evening, most of the staff had taken advantage of the having the evening off and were elsewhere. Petia had seen it as a chance to cook something for herself and Kiki who was the only other person in the house.
“The Gräfin had to attend what she is calling a trial by ordeal” Kiki replied, “Douglas said that she is just being overly dramatic. Katherine is retiring from her Command to take on a different role in the Imperial Court.”
“You didn’t want to go?” Ben asked.
“No” Kiki replied with a heavy sigh, “My father is there, and I would have no idea what to say to him at this point.”
“Your father being Emperor Louis and all of that” Ben said with some trepidation.
“Don’t make it sound more serious than it is” Kiki replied, “He is my father yes, that is his title, but to me he is someone who tells silly jokes and would spend all his time tinkering with car engines or writing music if people let him.”
“I have a hard time picturing that” Ben replied.
“He’s been writing a composition that he says will be a tribute to my mother” Kiki replied, “I don’t know if anyone beside him will ever hear it though.”
Then after a long pause, “There is a formal dance that my school is putting on” Ben blurted out, “I wanted to know if you wanted to come, as my date.”
Kiki looked at Ben for a few seconds unsure of how to answer.
“I don’t know Ben” Kiki replied, “I would need to… Ouch!”
Kiki looked around for a few seconds in bewilderment. Ben was looking at her with a surprised look on his face, while trying not to laugh at the same time. Petia, who had just hit Kiki over the head with a wooden spoon just had a slight smile on her face.
“This nice boy finds the courage to ask you to go to a dance even with everything he knows about you” Petia said in Russian, “And you try to make up excuses to tell him no without telling him no.”
“It’s not like that” Kiki replied in the same language. Ben, who couldn’t understand any of that was just watching them.
“What is it like then?” Petia asked.
“I’ve things to do” Kiki said, “My studies.”
“Your studies will always be there” Petia said, “A night spent out is what you need, you might even find it enjoyable.”
Then Petia turned to Ben, “She will go with you, but you had better believe that this will need to be discussed with Katya” In a language that he could understand.
Ben looked overjoyed by this turn of events, Kiki was just confused by what was happening.
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Don't mess with a Russian woman...ever...
I say that as a man married to a German woman.
I quickly found that German humor is no laughing matter.
I say that as a man married to a German woman.
I quickly found that German humor is no laughing matter.
P-M, she's retiring rather than resigning her commission, yes? IIRC, those who resign their commissions aren't on the hook for recall, and I'm pretty sure Kat's situation, as you wrote, was her retiring from active duty at the first opportunity.
Ben and Kiki, oh I don't know whether to ship this, or hope that both give it a go, only for them to realize it won't work, in a way where they truly part as friends and grow a lot from it, (the latter more because that implies you keep writing at this pace for quite a while longer.)
Ben and Kiki, oh I don't know whether to ship this, or hope that both give it a go, only for them to realize it won't work, in a way where they truly part as friends and grow a lot from it, (the latter more because that implies you keep writing at this pace for quite a while longer.)
This made me laugh! Though, it got me thinking, Ilse in TTL's ISS in a couple decades?
Ben is someone that my mother and sisters called a "Starter Boyfriend" something basic, safe, and reliable until they can handle something bigger and more powerful that needs more hand on maintenance.
Graf von Richthofen is going to be wanting our Happy Couple to start pumping out sons as soon as possible because in his mind that is all Albrecht is good for.
Hopefully everything goes smoothly when Kat gets the weapon and it is handled in a quiet manner, maybe Kat will get a personal message to pass on to the Kaiser.
Graf von Richthofen is going to be wanting our Happy Couple to start pumping out sons as soon as possible because in his mind that is all Albrecht is good for.
Hopefully everything goes smoothly when Kat gets the weapon and it is handled in a quiet manner, maybe Kat will get a personal message to pass on to the Kaiser.