Or just skip that, go for a classic. The Milward Brick. All you need is a newspaper....
Stupid Luck and Happenstance, Thread II
- Thread starter Peabody-Martini
- Start date
A cricket ball works better than a bar of soap. Bit tricky to explain one away in Germany though.
Part 70, Chapter 1026
Chapter One Thousand Twenty-Six
2nd August 1953
Potsdam
“Let me be the first the wish you a happy birthday Katherine” Kira said.
“Thank you” Kat replied, “Now about Jonas Salk.”
She had been trying to steer the conversation back to the articles she had been reading about an effective Polio vaccine that the American Researcher had announced. Kat felt that the Order of Louise, with its ongoing work in charities and humanities, was perfectly positioned to reach out to the University of Pittsburgh get around the ongoing bother of International politics and the American Government’s stubbornness. As the Grand Mistress of the Order, any decisions on the matter would have to go through Kira.
Kira however, wanted to talk about other things first. Kat knew that it reflected how Kira was happy about what she regarded as successful mission to Japan by Kat. She had retrieved the dog and started an important dialog.
“I also heard about what your University is up to as well” Kira said, “Do you have an opinion?”
“It certainly changes things” Kat replied, knowing that was an understatement. Her Alma Mater had been included in the massive restructuring of the Universities of Berlin into one of the largest institutions of higher learning in the world. Friedrich Wilhelm University was going to be one component of that larger system. While the move did nothing to reduce the stature of the University, as Kat had said, it was a big change. The name of the new University system was supposed to be voted on by the Students and the Alumni in the coming weeks. Kira hadn’t been the only one to ask Kat’s opinion on the matter in recent days.
“Now, Katherine, this whole Salk matter, is it really as important as you say it is?” Kira asked.
Kat almost exclaimed her relief aloud.
“Yes” Kat said calmly, “I think it is something that we need to be involved in.”
“Good” Kira said, “At the next quarterly meeting it will be on the agenda.”
That was it? Kat figured that Kira would need more persuasion.
“I got the impression from Kristina that the girls are disappointed” Kira said.
“There just hasn’t been time to arrange for them to do anything this summer” Kat replied.
“They understand. Besides, there are worse things than to having Marcella and Aurora staying with Kristina. The other girls have been coming here over holiday, necessary activities were arranged. Jehane stepped into your place, which was nice of her.”
“What have they been doing?” Kat asked, almost afraid to find out. What had been deemed necessary?
“Etiquette, deportment and dancing” Kira replied.
“Have they decided that they are being punished for something yet?”
Kira looked at Kat with a touch of annoyance, “That was what Kristina said about it” she replied.
“I do have some good news then” Kat said, “I’ve arranged to a guest instructor to come from Japan to give them exactly what they think they want, and have it become their worst nightmare.”
“That should be a wonderful learning experience for them” Kira said, she was unsure if Katherine was joking or not. The girls under her tutelage were learning a great deal.
Langley, Virginia
“Are you sure about this man?” Jackson Grey was asked, “He doesn’t even have a High School Diploma.”
“Getting him an equivalent degree won’t be a problem” Grey said, “But what John Casey brings to the table is more important than what’s on paper. I saw him in Mexico leading the charge up that mountain.”
“We normally only accept College Graduates.”
“And how has that been working out for us?” Grey asked, “Our dear friends in Europe are absolutely ruthless as recent events have shown. We recruit a certain type of person, they know it and they can play them like a fiddle.”
“There is also the matter of his ethical lapses.”
“We do not need another Choir boy” Grey replied, “Casey drinks and gets in road races when he gets bored.”
That earned Grey a dirty look from his superior. Throwing a term like Choir boy around was a reminder of some recruitment practices of the OSS and now the CIA that had resulted in criticism that was being leveled against them. If the letters CIA did come to stand for “Christians In Action” as had been joked, started reflecting the mindset of the Agency as an institution, then London and Berlin would thank them for making their lives so much easier. If promotions and assignments started depending on attending the right church as opposed to actual ability, then they had already fumbled the ball. It was bad enough how the FBI and State had gone after people with questionable grandparents. That had probably cost them some of their most knowledgeable people.
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As Jonny drove through the gate he heard the sound of the Ford’s engine reverberating off the guard shack. The guard was less than impressed by any of it. Jonny had spent the last few days driving across the country. He had been given an address in Northern Virginia with no explanations. Typical of this sort of thing, he had been that he could be here, or he could take his chances with the Courts in Sonoma County. He knew this wasn’t the 10th and everyone he called didn’t seem to know what he might have gotten himself roped into. Other than it was worth springing him from County, that is.
2nd August 1953
Potsdam
“Let me be the first the wish you a happy birthday Katherine” Kira said.
“Thank you” Kat replied, “Now about Jonas Salk.”
She had been trying to steer the conversation back to the articles she had been reading about an effective Polio vaccine that the American Researcher had announced. Kat felt that the Order of Louise, with its ongoing work in charities and humanities, was perfectly positioned to reach out to the University of Pittsburgh get around the ongoing bother of International politics and the American Government’s stubbornness. As the Grand Mistress of the Order, any decisions on the matter would have to go through Kira.
Kira however, wanted to talk about other things first. Kat knew that it reflected how Kira was happy about what she regarded as successful mission to Japan by Kat. She had retrieved the dog and started an important dialog.
“I also heard about what your University is up to as well” Kira said, “Do you have an opinion?”
“It certainly changes things” Kat replied, knowing that was an understatement. Her Alma Mater had been included in the massive restructuring of the Universities of Berlin into one of the largest institutions of higher learning in the world. Friedrich Wilhelm University was going to be one component of that larger system. While the move did nothing to reduce the stature of the University, as Kat had said, it was a big change. The name of the new University system was supposed to be voted on by the Students and the Alumni in the coming weeks. Kira hadn’t been the only one to ask Kat’s opinion on the matter in recent days.
“Now, Katherine, this whole Salk matter, is it really as important as you say it is?” Kira asked.
Kat almost exclaimed her relief aloud.
“Yes” Kat said calmly, “I think it is something that we need to be involved in.”
“Good” Kira said, “At the next quarterly meeting it will be on the agenda.”
That was it? Kat figured that Kira would need more persuasion.
“I got the impression from Kristina that the girls are disappointed” Kira said.
“There just hasn’t been time to arrange for them to do anything this summer” Kat replied.
“They understand. Besides, there are worse things than to having Marcella and Aurora staying with Kristina. The other girls have been coming here over holiday, necessary activities were arranged. Jehane stepped into your place, which was nice of her.”
“What have they been doing?” Kat asked, almost afraid to find out. What had been deemed necessary?
“Etiquette, deportment and dancing” Kira replied.
“Have they decided that they are being punished for something yet?”
Kira looked at Kat with a touch of annoyance, “That was what Kristina said about it” she replied.
“I do have some good news then” Kat said, “I’ve arranged to a guest instructor to come from Japan to give them exactly what they think they want, and have it become their worst nightmare.”
“That should be a wonderful learning experience for them” Kira said, she was unsure if Katherine was joking or not. The girls under her tutelage were learning a great deal.
Langley, Virginia
“Are you sure about this man?” Jackson Grey was asked, “He doesn’t even have a High School Diploma.”
“Getting him an equivalent degree won’t be a problem” Grey said, “But what John Casey brings to the table is more important than what’s on paper. I saw him in Mexico leading the charge up that mountain.”
“We normally only accept College Graduates.”
“And how has that been working out for us?” Grey asked, “Our dear friends in Europe are absolutely ruthless as recent events have shown. We recruit a certain type of person, they know it and they can play them like a fiddle.”
“There is also the matter of his ethical lapses.”
“We do not need another Choir boy” Grey replied, “Casey drinks and gets in road races when he gets bored.”
That earned Grey a dirty look from his superior. Throwing a term like Choir boy around was a reminder of some recruitment practices of the OSS and now the CIA that had resulted in criticism that was being leveled against them. If the letters CIA did come to stand for “Christians In Action” as had been joked, started reflecting the mindset of the Agency as an institution, then London and Berlin would thank them for making their lives so much easier. If promotions and assignments started depending on attending the right church as opposed to actual ability, then they had already fumbled the ball. It was bad enough how the FBI and State had gone after people with questionable grandparents. That had probably cost them some of their most knowledgeable people.
----------------------------------------------------------------
As Jonny drove through the gate he heard the sound of the Ford’s engine reverberating off the guard shack. The guard was less than impressed by any of it. Jonny had spent the last few days driving across the country. He had been given an address in Northern Virginia with no explanations. Typical of this sort of thing, he had been that he could be here, or he could take his chances with the Courts in Sonoma County. He knew this wasn’t the 10th and everyone he called didn’t seem to know what he might have gotten himself roped into. Other than it was worth springing him from County, that is.
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Empress Kira should start thinking about turning the Order of Louise into a Non Government Organization and creating a foundation to provide things like clean water, vaccinations, emergency medical services around the world, this will enhance the prestige of the Imperial Family around the world.
John Casey is someone who will be able to blend in and get in places disguised as a janitor, maintenance worker, sanitation worker or anything else that the Choir Boys would other wise stand out like a sore thumb.
Hopefully the Salk Institute will still be located in La Jolla ITTL.
John Casey is someone who will be able to blend in and get in places disguised as a janitor, maintenance worker, sanitation worker or anything else that the Choir Boys would other wise stand out like a sore thumb.
Hopefully the Salk Institute will still be located in La Jolla ITTL.
Do you mean the slavs? They are no nomads nor from central Asia.
We'll see how the story goes, but I REALLY can't see John Casey as being a good spy. He doesn't seem to have the instinctive paranoia/suspicion that makes a good spy. He seems more like a "wet work" sort of agent
Actually, no. Before the invention of black powder, invasions off the Ukrainian Steppe were a regular occurrence as the result of one group pushing a group ahead of them while getting pushed themselves. The Huns were just one of several groups like this. The Goths and Vandals are believed to have come from the Baltic. At the same time too many seem to like the idea that the Western Slavs were basically historical roadkill constantly getting overrun. That always struck me as a bit lazy.
Part 70, Chapter 1027
Chapter One Thousand Twenty-Seven
3rd August 1953
Berlin
It was surprising that everyone here seemed so normal. Agnes Jensen didn’t know what she was expecting, something from the Addams family? The house was old, granted, but it hardly seemed dilapidated. It was also crowded. Nancy was living in one of the upstairs bedrooms while Anne, one of the other girls in the house had moved to a bedroom that had originally been the formal dining room when Nancy had arrived. Eha, a girl from Estonia who worked for Katherine as a Nanny, was upstairs in a room next to the nursery. Katherine and her husband Douglas, who to Agnes’ surprise was from Canada, owned the house and had a room upstairs. They had two small children, Tatiana and Malcolm. Ilse, who was Katherine’s younger sister, had a room in the attic as did Petia, the housekeeper. There was also a substantial number of young women and girls who were constantly coming and going. Agnes got the impression that Katherine liked the chaotic energy of this place, even if she kept busy elsewhere most of the time. It had come as a shock Agnes the first time she had seen Katherine leave for work wearing a blue military tunic and the longish black skirt that women in the German Army wore as uniforms. Apparently, that was no big deal because of the people in this house, all of them had careers unless they were still in school. In an act kindness, Katherine had arranged for her and Alan to stay at a hotel that was unbelievably luxurious.
Today, it there was a party going on, Katherine’s birthday and Agnes found herself sitting across from three girls in the parlor, Kiki, Zella and Aurora. Kiki struck Agnes as sort of bashful but inquisitive. Kiki had said that her father was a bigshot, so she had to be in the presence of bodyguards at all times. However, they were standing an unobtrusive distance away. Zella seemed like she was good girl but had a bad attitude. That was the impression that Agnes had because Zella would only speak to the other girls in German. Aurora, to Agnes’ astonishment was the daughter of Robert Capa and Gerda Taro, whose photographs Agnes was familiar with. They all belonged to the Girl Scout troop that Katherine volunteered to lead. The others were part of a group that had a name that Agnes couldn’t even began to pronounce that translated to the Sisterhood. What delighted Agnes was that they had stepped in and helped her daughter when she had needed it.
“You are Nancy’s mother?” Kiki asked.
“Yes” Agnes replied.
“You must be excited” Kiki said, “The film she worked on is going to be in theaters.”
“She didn’t mention that to me” Agnes said, “Just that she is working for Volkswagen.”
Kiki smiled, “The film is the result of this thing between UFA and VW” She said, “I heard a friend of my mother call it an atrocity.”
“What do you think it is?” Agnes asked.
“I don’t know” Kiki replied.
“It took her to Greece and she got to work with movie stars” Aurora said.
Zella said something in German that made both Kiki and Aurora look at her crossly. Agnes was a bit amused, Zella was pretending that she couldn’t understand when she talked to her directly, but Zella was following along with the conversation. It was the sort of mistake that otherwise clever girls might make.
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“Having them here for this wasn’t the plan” Nancy said.
“I told you that I don’t mind” Kat replied, “They finally have faces to match the names.”
“My God” Nancy muttered to herself as she saw who her mother was talking to in the parlor. “She has no idea.”
“It’s not that big of a deal” Kat said, “This will make it so that she will quite a story to tell when she gets back to Washington State.”
“Take this seriously” Nancy said.
“I am, it’s a good thing for the three of them to meet an average American” Kat said, “Kiki lives in a bubble and God only knows what Zella’s father fills her head up with.”
“I’m not an average American?” Nancy asked.
“You haven’t been an average American in an extremely long time” Kat replied.
Nancy saw Alan talking to Douglas in the Kitchen, that seemed safe enough. However, she needed to save her mother from further embarrassment.
“You three should see if you can help in the kitchen” Nancy said to the girls as she walked into the parlor. The three girls all had mixed reactions. For Kiki it was novelty, being asked to do something. For the other two it was prying them from an interesting conversation. Kiki getting up and walking towards the kitchen convinced the other two to follow.
“Nice girls” Nancy’s mother said, “Zella reminds me a bit of a tomboy I knew several years ago who was not quite as smart as she thought she was. What’s this about you going to Greece and working on a movie?”
“I was the representative from Volkswagen at filming” Nancy replied, “It was not the vacation that everyone seems to think it was.”
“Kiki was telling me about how a friend of her mother thinks that the film is an atrocity.”
“It’s a popcorn film with higher aspirations” Nancy said, “Critics argue that because most of the cars in the film are made by VW it’s a ninety-minute commercial. It doesn’t surprise me that Kiki’s mother knows someone who thinks that way, the Kaiserin is a patroness of the arts.”
“Excuse me, the what?” Nancy’s mother asked just as Stefan and Nizhoni walked through the door. “Who is that?”
Thankful for the distraction Nancy said, “That is Katherine’s younger brother, Stefan and his, we aren’t sure what Nizzi is, she would be his intended if he would ever get around to asking.”
Nancy looked at her mother, she had a slightly bewildered look on her face. “You know that the girl, Nizzi, looks a bit like someone from Coeur d'Alene.”
“I don’t know about that, but her father is a famous General” Nancy said, “Walter von Horst, the Michel Ney of the Twentieth Century.”
“What does that mean?”
“He started as an Infantry Private and is one of the highest-ranking Generals” Nancy said, then Emil and Maria walked in, “Those are Zella’s parents, Markgraf von Holz and Maria Acker, Maria is the Editor in Chief at the Berliner Daily and Emil is in the High Command of the German Military, very hush-hush.”
“I had no idea” Nancy heard her mother say, “Did you know that Aurora’s parents are famous photographers?”
“I am aware” Nancy replied.
3rd August 1953
Berlin
It was surprising that everyone here seemed so normal. Agnes Jensen didn’t know what she was expecting, something from the Addams family? The house was old, granted, but it hardly seemed dilapidated. It was also crowded. Nancy was living in one of the upstairs bedrooms while Anne, one of the other girls in the house had moved to a bedroom that had originally been the formal dining room when Nancy had arrived. Eha, a girl from Estonia who worked for Katherine as a Nanny, was upstairs in a room next to the nursery. Katherine and her husband Douglas, who to Agnes’ surprise was from Canada, owned the house and had a room upstairs. They had two small children, Tatiana and Malcolm. Ilse, who was Katherine’s younger sister, had a room in the attic as did Petia, the housekeeper. There was also a substantial number of young women and girls who were constantly coming and going. Agnes got the impression that Katherine liked the chaotic energy of this place, even if she kept busy elsewhere most of the time. It had come as a shock Agnes the first time she had seen Katherine leave for work wearing a blue military tunic and the longish black skirt that women in the German Army wore as uniforms. Apparently, that was no big deal because of the people in this house, all of them had careers unless they were still in school. In an act kindness, Katherine had arranged for her and Alan to stay at a hotel that was unbelievably luxurious.
Today, it there was a party going on, Katherine’s birthday and Agnes found herself sitting across from three girls in the parlor, Kiki, Zella and Aurora. Kiki struck Agnes as sort of bashful but inquisitive. Kiki had said that her father was a bigshot, so she had to be in the presence of bodyguards at all times. However, they were standing an unobtrusive distance away. Zella seemed like she was good girl but had a bad attitude. That was the impression that Agnes had because Zella would only speak to the other girls in German. Aurora, to Agnes’ astonishment was the daughter of Robert Capa and Gerda Taro, whose photographs Agnes was familiar with. They all belonged to the Girl Scout troop that Katherine volunteered to lead. The others were part of a group that had a name that Agnes couldn’t even began to pronounce that translated to the Sisterhood. What delighted Agnes was that they had stepped in and helped her daughter when she had needed it.
“You are Nancy’s mother?” Kiki asked.
“Yes” Agnes replied.
“You must be excited” Kiki said, “The film she worked on is going to be in theaters.”
“She didn’t mention that to me” Agnes said, “Just that she is working for Volkswagen.”
Kiki smiled, “The film is the result of this thing between UFA and VW” She said, “I heard a friend of my mother call it an atrocity.”
“What do you think it is?” Agnes asked.
“I don’t know” Kiki replied.
“It took her to Greece and she got to work with movie stars” Aurora said.
Zella said something in German that made both Kiki and Aurora look at her crossly. Agnes was a bit amused, Zella was pretending that she couldn’t understand when she talked to her directly, but Zella was following along with the conversation. It was the sort of mistake that otherwise clever girls might make.
----------------------------------------------------------------
“Having them here for this wasn’t the plan” Nancy said.
“I told you that I don’t mind” Kat replied, “They finally have faces to match the names.”
“My God” Nancy muttered to herself as she saw who her mother was talking to in the parlor. “She has no idea.”
“It’s not that big of a deal” Kat said, “This will make it so that she will quite a story to tell when she gets back to Washington State.”
“Take this seriously” Nancy said.
“I am, it’s a good thing for the three of them to meet an average American” Kat said, “Kiki lives in a bubble and God only knows what Zella’s father fills her head up with.”
“I’m not an average American?” Nancy asked.
“You haven’t been an average American in an extremely long time” Kat replied.
Nancy saw Alan talking to Douglas in the Kitchen, that seemed safe enough. However, she needed to save her mother from further embarrassment.
“You three should see if you can help in the kitchen” Nancy said to the girls as she walked into the parlor. The three girls all had mixed reactions. For Kiki it was novelty, being asked to do something. For the other two it was prying them from an interesting conversation. Kiki getting up and walking towards the kitchen convinced the other two to follow.
“Nice girls” Nancy’s mother said, “Zella reminds me a bit of a tomboy I knew several years ago who was not quite as smart as she thought she was. What’s this about you going to Greece and working on a movie?”
“I was the representative from Volkswagen at filming” Nancy replied, “It was not the vacation that everyone seems to think it was.”
“Kiki was telling me about how a friend of her mother thinks that the film is an atrocity.”
“It’s a popcorn film with higher aspirations” Nancy said, “Critics argue that because most of the cars in the film are made by VW it’s a ninety-minute commercial. It doesn’t surprise me that Kiki’s mother knows someone who thinks that way, the Kaiserin is a patroness of the arts.”
“Excuse me, the what?” Nancy’s mother asked just as Stefan and Nizhoni walked through the door. “Who is that?”
Thankful for the distraction Nancy said, “That is Katherine’s younger brother, Stefan and his, we aren’t sure what Nizzi is, she would be his intended if he would ever get around to asking.”
Nancy looked at her mother, she had a slightly bewildered look on her face. “You know that the girl, Nizzi, looks a bit like someone from Coeur d'Alene.”
“I don’t know about that, but her father is a famous General” Nancy said, “Walter von Horst, the Michel Ney of the Twentieth Century.”
“What does that mean?”
“He started as an Infantry Private and is one of the highest-ranking Generals” Nancy said, then Emil and Maria walked in, “Those are Zella’s parents, Markgraf von Holz and Maria Acker, Maria is the Editor in Chief at the Berliner Daily and Emil is in the High Command of the German Military, very hush-hush.”
“I had no idea” Nancy heard her mother say, “Did you know that Aurora’s parents are famous photographers?”
“I am aware” Nancy replied.
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Or a person who has to concentrate to understand an only somewhat familiar language.
I am kind of thinking that this is Kat's way of getting back at Nancy for the movie, doing something very nice for her family just like Kat did in getting back at Schultz by having his family see him being acknowledged and honored in public for his service.
I am hoping that Nancy's mother gets an audience with the Empress for a few minutes and is able to clarify what is really going on with the "Kraut Scare" from an ordinary American perspective.
I am hoping that Nancy's mother gets an audience with the Empress for a few minutes and is able to clarify what is really going on with the "Kraut Scare" from an ordinary American perspective.
So Agnes doesn't know who Kiki really is yet? Uh-oh.
Also, threadmark please?
Also, threadmark please?
Recently found this, been reading through the entire story (I'm "only" on Chapter 943). Fantastic work.
On thing I wanted to note though. The German APCs should not be able to take a hit from the Mexican 60mm rocket launchers. Every APC and IFV ever built, up until the late 80s/early 90s, was only good against machine-gun fire. The much-hated M113 actually had very thick armor with its 38mm of armor (albeit aluminum rather that steel)
The Mexicans are using what is implied to be a variant of the US 2.36" bazooka (M1/M1A1/M9/M9A1), which could penetrate 3"/76mm of armor in the basic version(M6A0-M2A2) and 4"/102mm in the later versions(M6A3-M6A4). OTL there was a version that did 5-5.5"/12-140mm in service just post-WW2(M6A5-M6A6). There was also a prototype round, the T59/T59E3 that did 8"/203mm (and one version had dual shaped charges), but I don't see it being developed ITTL and it was a super-obscure proto OTL anyways
Unless the APCs somehow have 4 inches of frontal (let alone side) armor they will be damaged, how badly depends mostly on what was on the other side of the armor.
Anyway, just wanted to point that out. Keep up the good work!
On thing I wanted to note though. The German APCs should not be able to take a hit from the Mexican 60mm rocket launchers. Every APC and IFV ever built, up until the late 80s/early 90s, was only good against machine-gun fire. The much-hated M113 actually had very thick armor with its 38mm of armor (albeit aluminum rather that steel)
The Mexicans are using what is implied to be a variant of the US 2.36" bazooka (M1/M1A1/M9/M9A1), which could penetrate 3"/76mm of armor in the basic version(M6A0-M2A2) and 4"/102mm in the later versions(M6A3-M6A4). OTL there was a version that did 5-5.5"/12-140mm in service just post-WW2(M6A5-M6A6). There was also a prototype round, the T59/T59E3 that did 8"/203mm (and one version had dual shaped charges), but I don't see it being developed ITTL and it was a super-obscure proto OTL anyways
Unless the APCs somehow have 4 inches of frontal (let alone side) armor they will be damaged, how badly depends mostly on what was on the other side of the armor.
Anyway, just wanted to point that out. Keep up the good work!
I thought about that, the SPz-4 ITTL has frontal armor of 50mm tilted back at a 45 degree angle with bed-spring or chicken-wire spacing. At the same time the problems with the early 60mm rockets were never really addressed and these are surplus that had been sitting on a shelf for years.
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I supposed that makes sense. The Bazooka's supposed issues with the T-34s in Korea OTL was bad ammo as well. Frontally I might buy it, but the rear?
Are the Germans still using Panzeshreck/faust derivatives? A scaled-down Pfaust/something like the M72 LAW should be super popular with the infantry. A 3-4kg disposable capable is wonderful for blowing up enemy positions, and you don't need to get as close before you do the "Always let Mr. Grenade through the door first" routine.
EDIT: And I'm finally caught up.
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Part 70, Chapter 1028
Chapter One Thousand Twenty-Eight
12th August 1953
Wunsdorf-Zossen
In the days since Oberst Gangl had been promoted Hans had been the acting CO of the 140th Souville and he had been informed that the Regiment was his if he wanted it. He had also been discovering that it was nothing but work for him. Now, he found himself with a bunch of green recruits that he was still trying to integrate with the Regiment as well as incorporating the lessons of Mexico. There was a bunch of new equipment that they were training with. Most notable was that the problems with the Panzerfaust 250 had supposedly been worked out. They were still seen as disposable, were thrown together as cheaply as possible and only needed to hold together for ten shots. The issues with the propellent being volatile in hot weather had been addressed, if Hans wanted to take the manufactures word for it. There was also a mountain of paperwork to dig through, the higher he rose the more of this it seemed there was. Division had just sent him back the re-revised absurdly named after-action report for the flooding in the Netherlands the prior winter. Yes, they were involved in the recovery effort. By the time they got there they were dealing with the aftermath.
“Hate to interrupt Sir” Hans heard the Unteroffizer who was one of the clerks who worked for Regiment Headquarters as he handed Hans a sheet of paper. “Division is preparing for movement.”
6.5 to 7.0 Magnitude Earthquake on West Coast of Greece, Units on Rapid Response standby in the 1st, 2nd and 5th A.O.K. are to prepare for deployment in Search and Rescue effort.
It was all Hans could do not to groan aloud, this was going to be just like the Netherlands.
It took several phone calls, but Hans was able to learn that the 4th Division was headed for a town called Zakynthos. Only that there wasn’t a whole lot of town left according to the initial reports. He then called Helene for an icy conversation, the reason why he thought he would be making a mistake if he took the 140th was right there in that conversation. She wasn’t happy about him getting deployed for the third time in the last year. Whenever the 4th had deployed, the 140th had led the way. And every time Hans got the impression that Helene was getting a hair closer to giving him the boot. That was all he needed. To find himself in the Bachelor Officer’s Quarters in his mid-thirties and having furious sister gunning for him. The most obnoxious part was that he would be living across the hall from Stefan, Hans figured that he would rather have Kat shoot him before he allowed that to happen.
The alternative was a Staff posting here in Wunsdorf. That might make Helene happy. It was unfortunately what was possibly the most boring thing he could find himself doing. These were thoughts that he knew he needed to push aside but he was finding it difficult this time.
Kappeln, Schleswig-Holstein
This place was beautiful, Agnes had to give it that. A picturesque town with fishing boats tied up along the bank of the narrow bay. As they walked down the waterside it was noticeable that the smell of fish was everywhere. She had the impression that this was not necessarily a tourist spot but very much the market town that the guidebook said it was. As in fish market.
Agnes had talked Nancy into driving her and Alan here after she had learned from official records that her mother had been born in this small town near the Baltic Sea. They had never known about this until Nancy had gotten caught up in the hysteria that had engulfed Washington D.C. Agnes would never say so, but she felt that her daughter was probably happier for it. The work Nancy was doing was interesting and she no longer had to work under a man who hated her. If the United States State Department was collectively too stupid to realize that she was a good person, then that was on them.
“Next is Haderslev” Alan said, “I was figuring that we could stop for lunch in Flensburg.”
Nancy gave him a dirty look.
“Don’t tease your sister like that” Agnes said, “Nancy is afraid that if we go into Flensburg that we’ll run into her beau and we’ll embarrass her.”
“This is the same one who Dad punched in the nose?” Alan asked.
“Yes, he is” Agnes said and earned a look for herself.
“It’s not that I am embarrassed by you” Nancy said, “I just cannot deal with that right now.”
“You are going to have to deal with it eventually” Agnes said.
“I’m happy with how things have been going for the last few months” Nancy replied, “And there are things about Tilo that I’ve no idea how to overcome.”
“Like what?” Agnes asked.
“You know that German Colonel in all the papers, the German spymaster?” Nancy asked.
“Yeah” Alan replied, “Like something from a James Bond movie.”
“No, Alan” Nancy said, “Ian Fleming based his book on real events, Katherine, Gia and yes, Johann Schultz, Tilo’s father, are actual people.”
Agnes had met Katherine and the young woman everyone called Gia. They seemed nice enough once you overlooked their personal histories. There had also been the rather disturbing aspect of meeting Princess Kristina. Agnes had thought Disney when it came to that sort of thing. A bashful, awkward intellectual, which is what Kiki was, seemed not to be what Disney would ever depict.
12th August 1953
Wunsdorf-Zossen
In the days since Oberst Gangl had been promoted Hans had been the acting CO of the 140th Souville and he had been informed that the Regiment was his if he wanted it. He had also been discovering that it was nothing but work for him. Now, he found himself with a bunch of green recruits that he was still trying to integrate with the Regiment as well as incorporating the lessons of Mexico. There was a bunch of new equipment that they were training with. Most notable was that the problems with the Panzerfaust 250 had supposedly been worked out. They were still seen as disposable, were thrown together as cheaply as possible and only needed to hold together for ten shots. The issues with the propellent being volatile in hot weather had been addressed, if Hans wanted to take the manufactures word for it. There was also a mountain of paperwork to dig through, the higher he rose the more of this it seemed there was. Division had just sent him back the re-revised absurdly named after-action report for the flooding in the Netherlands the prior winter. Yes, they were involved in the recovery effort. By the time they got there they were dealing with the aftermath.
“Hate to interrupt Sir” Hans heard the Unteroffizer who was one of the clerks who worked for Regiment Headquarters as he handed Hans a sheet of paper. “Division is preparing for movement.”
6.5 to 7.0 Magnitude Earthquake on West Coast of Greece, Units on Rapid Response standby in the 1st, 2nd and 5th A.O.K. are to prepare for deployment in Search and Rescue effort.
It was all Hans could do not to groan aloud, this was going to be just like the Netherlands.
It took several phone calls, but Hans was able to learn that the 4th Division was headed for a town called Zakynthos. Only that there wasn’t a whole lot of town left according to the initial reports. He then called Helene for an icy conversation, the reason why he thought he would be making a mistake if he took the 140th was right there in that conversation. She wasn’t happy about him getting deployed for the third time in the last year. Whenever the 4th had deployed, the 140th had led the way. And every time Hans got the impression that Helene was getting a hair closer to giving him the boot. That was all he needed. To find himself in the Bachelor Officer’s Quarters in his mid-thirties and having furious sister gunning for him. The most obnoxious part was that he would be living across the hall from Stefan, Hans figured that he would rather have Kat shoot him before he allowed that to happen.
The alternative was a Staff posting here in Wunsdorf. That might make Helene happy. It was unfortunately what was possibly the most boring thing he could find himself doing. These were thoughts that he knew he needed to push aside but he was finding it difficult this time.
Kappeln, Schleswig-Holstein
This place was beautiful, Agnes had to give it that. A picturesque town with fishing boats tied up along the bank of the narrow bay. As they walked down the waterside it was noticeable that the smell of fish was everywhere. She had the impression that this was not necessarily a tourist spot but very much the market town that the guidebook said it was. As in fish market.
Agnes had talked Nancy into driving her and Alan here after she had learned from official records that her mother had been born in this small town near the Baltic Sea. They had never known about this until Nancy had gotten caught up in the hysteria that had engulfed Washington D.C. Agnes would never say so, but she felt that her daughter was probably happier for it. The work Nancy was doing was interesting and she no longer had to work under a man who hated her. If the United States State Department was collectively too stupid to realize that she was a good person, then that was on them.
“Next is Haderslev” Alan said, “I was figuring that we could stop for lunch in Flensburg.”
Nancy gave him a dirty look.
“Don’t tease your sister like that” Agnes said, “Nancy is afraid that if we go into Flensburg that we’ll run into her beau and we’ll embarrass her.”
“This is the same one who Dad punched in the nose?” Alan asked.
“Yes, he is” Agnes said and earned a look for herself.
“It’s not that I am embarrassed by you” Nancy said, “I just cannot deal with that right now.”
“You are going to have to deal with it eventually” Agnes said.
“I’m happy with how things have been going for the last few months” Nancy replied, “And there are things about Tilo that I’ve no idea how to overcome.”
“Like what?” Agnes asked.
“You know that German Colonel in all the papers, the German spymaster?” Nancy asked.
“Yeah” Alan replied, “Like something from a James Bond movie.”
“No, Alan” Nancy said, “Ian Fleming based his book on real events, Katherine, Gia and yes, Johann Schultz, Tilo’s father, are actual people.”
Agnes had met Katherine and the young woman everyone called Gia. They seemed nice enough once you overlooked their personal histories. There had also been the rather disturbing aspect of meeting Princess Kristina. Agnes had thought Disney when it came to that sort of thing. A bashful, awkward intellectual, which is what Kiki was, seemed not to be what Disney would ever depict.
It looks like the Heer has to find away to rotate more units for deployments as it seems that officers like Hans and their families are getting burned out by the same units getting the call again and again.
Hans has to realize that sometimes boring is good and maybe he can find a project that will boost him up the ladder as the higher he goes there are less spots available for advancement.
Agnes, like Kat said is going to have a great story to tell when she goes home about meeting a princess who was just like a normal girl and nothing like what people would think that a princess would be.
Hans has to realize that sometimes boring is good and maybe he can find a project that will boost him up the ladder as the higher he goes there are less spots available for advancement.
Agnes, like Kat said is going to have a great story to tell when she goes home about meeting a princess who was just like a normal girl and nothing like what people would think that a princess would be.
Seriously, can we see what happened to Paul, if anything. I just want to see that for some reason.
That moment when your jaw hits the floor of the bottom deck of the parking garage you didn’t know was under. Oh, you mean that’s REAL and it’s THOSE people.
Just remember, Tilo Schultz father is an ATL version of Blofeld, but Blofeld analogy in this ATL is George H W Bush.