Stupid Luck and Happenstance, Thread II
- Thread starter Peabody-Martini
- Start date
The humanity of the characters is by far this story's greatest strength. You buy them as living breathing people as opposed to just characters.
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It's sort of funny how it works. When I first did the character bibles, Emil Holz, Augustus Lang and Walter Horst came first about five years ago. I've been living with them since then but exactly how they related to the point of departure hadn't gelled yet. Next came, Hans Mischner, Jost Schultz and Soren Yount. The entire scene in the rail yard where they were introduced was actually written before I started on the rest of the timeline. The problem with Hans Mischner was that he is a bit too vanilla, he needed something to put him in motion beyond just getting branded a screw up. The result was that a foil was needed, Otto Mischner came about that way and Katherine was intended to be a go between. As the consequences of Otto's actions piled up in the outline it became clear that it would be the innocent who would be forced to pay a heavy price. Kat's sour attitude, relentless drive and the fact that she refuses to be ignored, both as a character and strangely in people's reactions in the posts. The problem I swiftly realized is that she is a moody, temperamental bitch and was proud of it, she needed someone to counter that, Helene entered the scene as Kat's polar opposite and Gerta was there to keep them from getting too full of themselves.
Funny how that works. I wrote a 100k-word SF novel starting with a scene where a Queen is raging about a bunch of Bad Guys who tried assaulting the palace. They wound up setting off a Big Bomb that damaged the palace and critically wounded her favorite young female security guard (and the youngest prince's Romance Interest). The bomb left a crater and she was
ranting about she was going to fill it with the heads of everyone involved.
I wound up working in both directions from that - took about a year working most evenings.
Part 72, Chapter 1050
Chapter One Thousand Fifty
7th March 1954
Berlin
“At least you made it this year” Petia said with delight as they walked into the park where a boisterous festival was happening.
Gia and Anya were flanked by Gia’s body guards though from the reaction that Gia was receiving from the crowd around them was one almost entirely of love as word had spread quickly that Grand Duchess Alexandra was here. Petia had been inviting Gia to Maslenitsa for years but fear of exposure and her own inclination to avoid crowds had always kept her away. Today was the Sunday of Forgiveness and now with Anya in her life Gia felt obligated to attend.
“Here to cause trouble Sasha?” Gia heard a familiar voice say and she saw General Dmitri Malama walked up to them. “The young men have already been fighting, one of the most beautiful women in Berlin showing up will just make matters worse.”
“Where is she?” Gia asked.
The General laughed at that. “And who is this?” Dmitri asked looking at Anya.
“My ward, Anya Maksimova” Gia replied then turning to Anya, “Anya this is Dmitri Malama, one of my mother’s suitors before she left Russia.”
Dmitri smiled and tipped his hat to Anya, “You missed the fun earlier, the bear got drunk and decided that he wasn’t interested in the festivities anymore” He said, “He’s sleeping it off under the stage.”
“Why is the bear sleeping under the stage?” Anya asked.
“I cannot guess what a bear might be thinking” Dmitri said as they walked towards a cordoned off pavilion within the festival, “But something you should always remember is that bears sleep wherever they want.”
Gia saw Raisa, Dmitri’s wife watching them. While she had never warmed to Gia she wasn’t as openly hostile as when she feared that Gia might catch her husband’s eye as a romantic partner. It was a bit absurd, Gia might have been Dmitri’s daughter if things had happened differently. As they entered the pavilion Gia found a drink thrust into her hands and she was welcomed by these people who were mostly staff from the Russian Embassy and the more well to do of the Russian expatriates.
“Here to see the burning of the Lady?” Raisa asked as Gia sat down.
“Yes” Gia replied.
“I can’t imagine that there are too many people you should ask forgiveness from” Tanya, Dmitri’s daughter said.
“You would be amazed” Gia replied, “I’m not nearly as perfect as I am made out to be.”
“There are also the people who have wronged you” Dmitri said.
“I would imagine that would take weeks” Raisa said.
“No” Gia replied, “Being angry takes too much effort, I’m not interested in that anymore. I said my peace with those who deserved it a long time ago.”
“And you still say that you aren’t her Sasha?” Raisa replied.
“What do you mean?” Gia asked.
Before Gia could get an answer Petia and Anya rejoined them at the table.
“Find something good?” Gia asked Anya who had a full mouth.
Anya grinned, and Gia saw bits of blini with jam and cheese stuck in her teeth.
“Don’t be rude” Gia said, as Anya kept chewing and looking entirely too self-satisfied.
“We need to work on the girl’s manners” Petia said.
“Yes” Gia agreed, as Anya realized belatedly that she had pushed things a touch too far.
Fort Cronkhite, Marine Headlands, California
“We seem to have been forgotten here” Parker said as he was sweeping out one of the repair bays that was covered in sawdust that had been put down to soak up spilled motor oil.
“Enough” Jonny said, “You need to stop complaining about that.”
“Easy for you to say” Parker said, “You aren’t the one at the bottom of the manure heap.”
In the true theater of the absurd, Jonny had been promoted to First Sergeant at the end of January. The Colonel had taken him aside and said that despite his misguided attempt to be a civilian the year before he would be going places in the Army. Somehow, the Colonel found out that he had been arrested in Sonoma County and had agreed to reenter the Army as opposed to the likely destinations of San Quinton or Folsom, he had said that in was God’s way of letting him know where he belonged by giving him a second chance. He had then said that Jonny getting his High School diploma opened up a whole lot of possibilities for him if he asked. Jonny was quite sure that the CIA would not be thrilled if he took up the Colonel on that.
“I earned these stripes in Mexico” Jonny said, “And there is something that you need to remember.”
Jonny stepped in close to Parker, he was aware that in any Army base secrets were nearly impossible to keep. If more than one other person heard something, then everyone would know in an hour. He wanted this to stay between the two of them.
“Your whining is going to get your ass kicked” Jonny said as he cornered Parker in the bay “The people who set all of this up know that wherever we go next the story has to be air tight. And if you blow this I’ll be fine with staying here. You on the other hand, if you are stupid enough to mention where we were last then your next stop will be Napa State Hospital.”
Jonny had no idea if that was true or not, but he had heard dark rumors about what the CIA and the OSS before it did with its people who had become problems. Judging by Parker’s reaction, he had heard the same rumors.
That was when Parker was saved by the Captain walking through the motor pool. He saw Jonny glaring at a shaken looking Parker. “Carry on Sarge” The Captain said and then he just kept on walking.
“What the…” Parker muttered.
“What that was is another lesson about how the real-world works” Jonny said flatly.
7th March 1954
Berlin
“At least you made it this year” Petia said with delight as they walked into the park where a boisterous festival was happening.
Gia and Anya were flanked by Gia’s body guards though from the reaction that Gia was receiving from the crowd around them was one almost entirely of love as word had spread quickly that Grand Duchess Alexandra was here. Petia had been inviting Gia to Maslenitsa for years but fear of exposure and her own inclination to avoid crowds had always kept her away. Today was the Sunday of Forgiveness and now with Anya in her life Gia felt obligated to attend.
“Here to cause trouble Sasha?” Gia heard a familiar voice say and she saw General Dmitri Malama walked up to them. “The young men have already been fighting, one of the most beautiful women in Berlin showing up will just make matters worse.”
“Where is she?” Gia asked.
The General laughed at that. “And who is this?” Dmitri asked looking at Anya.
“My ward, Anya Maksimova” Gia replied then turning to Anya, “Anya this is Dmitri Malama, one of my mother’s suitors before she left Russia.”
Dmitri smiled and tipped his hat to Anya, “You missed the fun earlier, the bear got drunk and decided that he wasn’t interested in the festivities anymore” He said, “He’s sleeping it off under the stage.”
“Why is the bear sleeping under the stage?” Anya asked.
“I cannot guess what a bear might be thinking” Dmitri said as they walked towards a cordoned off pavilion within the festival, “But something you should always remember is that bears sleep wherever they want.”
Gia saw Raisa, Dmitri’s wife watching them. While she had never warmed to Gia she wasn’t as openly hostile as when she feared that Gia might catch her husband’s eye as a romantic partner. It was a bit absurd, Gia might have been Dmitri’s daughter if things had happened differently. As they entered the pavilion Gia found a drink thrust into her hands and she was welcomed by these people who were mostly staff from the Russian Embassy and the more well to do of the Russian expatriates.
“Here to see the burning of the Lady?” Raisa asked as Gia sat down.
“Yes” Gia replied.
“I can’t imagine that there are too many people you should ask forgiveness from” Tanya, Dmitri’s daughter said.
“You would be amazed” Gia replied, “I’m not nearly as perfect as I am made out to be.”
“There are also the people who have wronged you” Dmitri said.
“I would imagine that would take weeks” Raisa said.
“No” Gia replied, “Being angry takes too much effort, I’m not interested in that anymore. I said my peace with those who deserved it a long time ago.”
“And you still say that you aren’t her Sasha?” Raisa replied.
“What do you mean?” Gia asked.
Before Gia could get an answer Petia and Anya rejoined them at the table.
“Find something good?” Gia asked Anya who had a full mouth.
Anya grinned, and Gia saw bits of blini with jam and cheese stuck in her teeth.
“Don’t be rude” Gia said, as Anya kept chewing and looking entirely too self-satisfied.
“We need to work on the girl’s manners” Petia said.
“Yes” Gia agreed, as Anya realized belatedly that she had pushed things a touch too far.
Fort Cronkhite, Marine Headlands, California
“We seem to have been forgotten here” Parker said as he was sweeping out one of the repair bays that was covered in sawdust that had been put down to soak up spilled motor oil.
“Enough” Jonny said, “You need to stop complaining about that.”
“Easy for you to say” Parker said, “You aren’t the one at the bottom of the manure heap.”
In the true theater of the absurd, Jonny had been promoted to First Sergeant at the end of January. The Colonel had taken him aside and said that despite his misguided attempt to be a civilian the year before he would be going places in the Army. Somehow, the Colonel found out that he had been arrested in Sonoma County and had agreed to reenter the Army as opposed to the likely destinations of San Quinton or Folsom, he had said that in was God’s way of letting him know where he belonged by giving him a second chance. He had then said that Jonny getting his High School diploma opened up a whole lot of possibilities for him if he asked. Jonny was quite sure that the CIA would not be thrilled if he took up the Colonel on that.
“I earned these stripes in Mexico” Jonny said, “And there is something that you need to remember.”
Jonny stepped in close to Parker, he was aware that in any Army base secrets were nearly impossible to keep. If more than one other person heard something, then everyone would know in an hour. He wanted this to stay between the two of them.
“Your whining is going to get your ass kicked” Jonny said as he cornered Parker in the bay “The people who set all of this up know that wherever we go next the story has to be air tight. And if you blow this I’ll be fine with staying here. You on the other hand, if you are stupid enough to mention where we were last then your next stop will be Napa State Hospital.”
Jonny had no idea if that was true or not, but he had heard dark rumors about what the CIA and the OSS before it did with its people who had become problems. Judging by Parker’s reaction, he had heard the same rumors.
That was when Parker was saved by the Captain walking through the motor pool. He saw Jonny glaring at a shaken looking Parker. “Carry on Sarge” The Captain said and then he just kept on walking.
“What the…” Parker muttered.
“What that was is another lesson about how the real-world works” Jonny said flatly.
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Elizabeth Moon once described it as being a discovery writer. Having a detailed plan is good but, as in other things, no detailed plan survives contact with your characters.
As Mr Tyson said in another context "Everybody's got a strategy. And then they get hit"
That is a great term, and describes me.
I'm very familiar with that context...
Part 72, Chapter 1051
Chapter One Thousand Fifty-One
12th March 1954
Berlin
This wasn’t Pskov.
It wasn’t as if there weren’t reminders of that constantly for Anya. Sasha, or Gia as her closest friends called her for reasons that Anya was still trying to understand, had said that this city was magical, and it was. However, Anya had also learned that there was a hard reality here as well. She saw that there were a staggering number of people here, and many were far outside of her experience. That was part of what Sasha had been talking to her about. How she reacted to people and how she needed to learn not to say things that should never be repeated.
Anya had looked at people from Africa or Korea with astonishment and had been amazed the differences in the people one might see walking past on a city street. Where she had gotten in trouble was when she had let her mouth run away from her. She found out that several of the people who were dear to Sasha happened to be Jewish she had said something unthinkingly had had left Sasha quivering with barely concealed anger and Sasha’s adopted sister Katherine… That woman had grown cold and scary. Anya had understood in that instant why they called her the Tigress, Anya had seen her herself reflected in those icy blue eyes and saw the potential for her own death there. It was horrifying.
In the days since Sasha had talked to her about how because it was now High Lent and Anya didn’t have a whole lot to atone for she should work on being a better person instead. Then Katherine had said that what she had said was offensive and made out of ignorance. Knowledge and experience were the only cure for that. Then Katherine had said to Sasha that she was aware of just how Anya could gain that knowledge and experience.
“Their names are Otto and Edith Frank” Sasha said, “You know Anne already, her older sister is Margot”
Anya gulped. Sasha had made it absolutely clear that she was not being given a choice in this matter.
“You are to be polite and respectful at all times while you are a guest in their house” Sasha said, “Repeat that back to me, so that I know you understand.”
“I’m to be polite and respectful while I am a guest in their house” Anya said back. It was Katherine’s idea with Anne’s help. Sasha and Anya were to be guests of the Franks for Shabbat Dinner.
As they were let into the townhouse Anya saw that Sasha was greeted warmly and then the man of the house, presumably Otto saw her.
“So, you’re the little anti-Semite who Annelies feels we can help save from the darkness of ignorance?” Otto asked, and Anya could feel her ears burning up. It was not like she had really hated anyone, she had spoken without being aware of the consequences. Now that she had been made to think about what had been said and been made to see how those words might affect others it seemed stupid and, to use that word that kept being thrown at her, ignorant. Also, speaking without thinking was something else that Sasha had said that they were going to have to work on.
“Be nice Poppa” Anne said, “I don’t think she knew how offensive what she said was, that’s just how things still are in Russia.”
“Not just Russia” Sasha said, “Kat said that when things are good no one minds who their neighbors are, but when things start to go bad all the old troubles will come back.”
“I think there is some truth to that” Otto said, “Even if I doubt that we’ll be seeing pogroms and passion plays tolerated here like they were a century ago.”
“My sister has never been optimistic about people” Sasha said.
“Not that anyone can blame her” Anne said, “But we are all capable of learning to be better.”
Anne had no idea what Sasha had said to Anya on the subject and that comment hadn’t been directed at her. Still, she felt like she was being looked at under a microscope even if no one was paying attention to her this second.
As Anne and Sasha continued the conversation they walked towards what was presumably the dining room.
“A man wiser than I am once said that an unexamined life is not worth living” Otto said to Anya, “It looks like you are getting an earlier start on that then most.”
Wunsdorf-Zossen
Coming home to his parent’s house had been agonizing because it had involved passing within a few kilometers of where Tilo knew Nancy was living. He had not heard from her in the months since he had seen her last, the weekend was supposed to have been a romantic start for them but from the instant Nancy had gotten off the train on Saturday morning right up until she had stormed out that evening things had gone from bad to worse as the argument had grown more intense. He found out later that she had waited all night in the train station rather then spending another moment with him.
Now tonight Tilo was having a family dinner with Lenz and Karin, his intended. It was noticeable that all he felt was envy and resentment towards his family tonight. Nancy had suspected that all lines of the BND-NAA activity led directly back to his father but had been reluctant to say anything because of her connection to him. If a year earlier she had pointed that to her superiors she would have remained golden, she hadn’t, and her entire life had been upended as a result. Now, Nancy couldn’t stand the sight of him because she blamed him for what happened. It wasn’t rational, but it just was what it was and there was nothing he could do about it.
12th March 1954
Berlin
This wasn’t Pskov.
It wasn’t as if there weren’t reminders of that constantly for Anya. Sasha, or Gia as her closest friends called her for reasons that Anya was still trying to understand, had said that this city was magical, and it was. However, Anya had also learned that there was a hard reality here as well. She saw that there were a staggering number of people here, and many were far outside of her experience. That was part of what Sasha had been talking to her about. How she reacted to people and how she needed to learn not to say things that should never be repeated.
Anya had looked at people from Africa or Korea with astonishment and had been amazed the differences in the people one might see walking past on a city street. Where she had gotten in trouble was when she had let her mouth run away from her. She found out that several of the people who were dear to Sasha happened to be Jewish she had said something unthinkingly had had left Sasha quivering with barely concealed anger and Sasha’s adopted sister Katherine… That woman had grown cold and scary. Anya had understood in that instant why they called her the Tigress, Anya had seen her herself reflected in those icy blue eyes and saw the potential for her own death there. It was horrifying.
In the days since Sasha had talked to her about how because it was now High Lent and Anya didn’t have a whole lot to atone for she should work on being a better person instead. Then Katherine had said that what she had said was offensive and made out of ignorance. Knowledge and experience were the only cure for that. Then Katherine had said to Sasha that she was aware of just how Anya could gain that knowledge and experience.
“Their names are Otto and Edith Frank” Sasha said, “You know Anne already, her older sister is Margot”
Anya gulped. Sasha had made it absolutely clear that she was not being given a choice in this matter.
“You are to be polite and respectful at all times while you are a guest in their house” Sasha said, “Repeat that back to me, so that I know you understand.”
“I’m to be polite and respectful while I am a guest in their house” Anya said back. It was Katherine’s idea with Anne’s help. Sasha and Anya were to be guests of the Franks for Shabbat Dinner.
As they were let into the townhouse Anya saw that Sasha was greeted warmly and then the man of the house, presumably Otto saw her.
“So, you’re the little anti-Semite who Annelies feels we can help save from the darkness of ignorance?” Otto asked, and Anya could feel her ears burning up. It was not like she had really hated anyone, she had spoken without being aware of the consequences. Now that she had been made to think about what had been said and been made to see how those words might affect others it seemed stupid and, to use that word that kept being thrown at her, ignorant. Also, speaking without thinking was something else that Sasha had said that they were going to have to work on.
“Be nice Poppa” Anne said, “I don’t think she knew how offensive what she said was, that’s just how things still are in Russia.”
“Not just Russia” Sasha said, “Kat said that when things are good no one minds who their neighbors are, but when things start to go bad all the old troubles will come back.”
“I think there is some truth to that” Otto said, “Even if I doubt that we’ll be seeing pogroms and passion plays tolerated here like they were a century ago.”
“My sister has never been optimistic about people” Sasha said.
“Not that anyone can blame her” Anne said, “But we are all capable of learning to be better.”
Anne had no idea what Sasha had said to Anya on the subject and that comment hadn’t been directed at her. Still, she felt like she was being looked at under a microscope even if no one was paying attention to her this second.
As Anne and Sasha continued the conversation they walked towards what was presumably the dining room.
“A man wiser than I am once said that an unexamined life is not worth living” Otto said to Anya, “It looks like you are getting an earlier start on that then most.”
Wunsdorf-Zossen
Coming home to his parent’s house had been agonizing because it had involved passing within a few kilometers of where Tilo knew Nancy was living. He had not heard from her in the months since he had seen her last, the weekend was supposed to have been a romantic start for them but from the instant Nancy had gotten off the train on Saturday morning right up until she had stormed out that evening things had gone from bad to worse as the argument had grown more intense. He found out later that she had waited all night in the train station rather then spending another moment with him.
Now tonight Tilo was having a family dinner with Lenz and Karin, his intended. It was noticeable that all he felt was envy and resentment towards his family tonight. Nancy had suspected that all lines of the BND-NAA activity led directly back to his father but had been reluctant to say anything because of her connection to him. If a year earlier she had pointed that to her superiors she would have remained golden, she hadn’t, and her entire life had been upended as a result. Now, Nancy couldn’t stand the sight of him because she blamed him for what happened. It wasn’t rational, but it just was what it was and there was nothing he could do about it.
That kind of Heartache is the one that often ignites REALLY DUMB ideas.... like accepting an invitation into the BND if only to distract yourself from said heartache....
What are the odds of Tilo ending JUST in the middle of Argelia as the clusterfuck with the Frogs and independence it's kicking off there, or the Suez Channel screw up?
What are the odds of Tilo ending JUST in the middle of Argelia as the clusterfuck with the Frogs and independence it's kicking off there, or the Suez Channel screw up?
Between growing up in Stalinist Russia and the historic Anti-Semitism of the Russian Orthodox Church no one should be surprised by Anya's comments.
It would not surprise me in the least if as a way to unify Russia, Czar Grigory has given tacit approval to a campaign that is saying "Bolshevism was inflicted on Mother Russia by Cosmopolitans (Jews)" and when the death of Trotsky was announced there was violence directed against Jewish homes, businesses, and Synagogues.
Anya with her imagination should find herself gravitating towards Anne and learning how to put her stories down on paper to share them.
It would not surprise me in the least if as a way to unify Russia, Czar Grigory has given tacit approval to a campaign that is saying "Bolshevism was inflicted on Mother Russia by Cosmopolitans (Jews)" and when the death of Trotsky was announced there was violence directed against Jewish homes, businesses, and Synagogues.
Anya with her imagination should find herself gravitating towards Anne and learning how to put her stories down on paper to share them.
Part 72, Chapter 1052
Chapter One Thousand Fifty-Two
28th March 1954
Berlin
“It strikes me that the Pope should have known to keep his mouth shut” Kat said after she had finished reading the article, “Especially with everything that is going on with the Catholic Church.”
Pope Pius had put out a formal statement on “Sacred Virginity” that had caused Kat to get angry even though she wasn’t Catholic. Considering the things that had happened to her and what she had most of her girls tell her in confidence it had felt like punch to the gut. To have a willfully ignorant elderly man make a statement that suggested that…
“This upset you?” Kira asked, “Why?”
Kat realized belatedly that she probably should have kept her opinions to herself in this matter.
“It implies certain things” Kat replied, “About what gives us value and that some of us ever had a choice.”
“I see” Kira said, “You’ve not discussed this anyone else?”
“No” Kat replied, and she saw that Kira looked relieved. “And I’ve no intention to.”
“Good” Kira said, “The last thing we need is to have a repeat of the Irish mess that you were the cause of.”
That was untrue. Jack Kennedy had been the cause of that mess and Kat’s role had been in buying him time to get out of it without throwing a young woman to the wolves.
“The young woman in that, what ever became of her?” Kira asked.
“Sibéal had been living in Montreal” Kat answered, “She moved with her husband to Nova Scotia after she married and now has a new family. Two daughters according to her last letter.”
“I know it worked out that time” Kira said, “But I will not have you starting a war with the Vatican.”
“I fear that the Vatican has already started a war with its own people that has been going on for the last several years” Kat replied, “All without my help, though with what Ilse went through I have certainly wanted to inflict a lot of pain on some people in Berlin, Rome and other places.”
“How bad is it with your sister?” Kira asked.
“Ilse gets better for a while and then has a bad day” Kat said, “Usually in the form of a panic attack, the only good thing is that she can usually hold it together until she is no longer in a public space, then she is a complete wreck for the rest of the day.”
“You blame the Catholic Church for that?”
“No, not the entire Church” Kat replied, “Just a few individuals who out of neglect and malice managed to leave Ilse so traumatized that she can hardly function as an adult. The Church as an institution is shielding them.”
“Thank you” Kira said.
“What for?” Kat asked in reply.
“There was a time when you would have had a knife to the throat of Pope Pius until he agreed to do things your way” Kira said, “Apparently you’ve learned some discretion.”
“When have I ever attacked someone that high ranking directly?” Kat asked.
“There was what you did to Lavrentiy Beria” Kira said.
“I never laid a finger on him” Kat said.
“No, you didn’t” Kira said, “You made sure that his execution was an undignified nightmare after you got into his head in the moments leading up to it.”
“I would not have wanted go in there” Kat said making a face, “Inside Beria’s head would be a very gross place. I would have to put bullet through it and it would only be slightly less icky.”
“Regardless, Katherine” Kira said, “Whatever you did, never do that again.”
“Considering that the Social Democrats are seriously considering banning Capital Punishment I may never get the chance” Kat said with a pout.
Kira didn’t try to conceal her annoyance with Kat. “I just hope that the next Mistress of the Keys doesn’t have your twisted sense of humor.”
That caught Kat short. If there were a new Mistress of the Keys, then what would she be doing?
----------------------------------------------------------------
Anne was typing at her desk while Anya fidgeted. This was Gia’s idea, having Anya spend time with her especially when Gia was needed elsewhere. Django Reinhardt had asked for Gia’s help as the ghostwriter of his autobiography. The famous bandleader and guitarist had weathered changing styles and tastes managing to stay on the cutting edge of Berlin’s Jazz scene, all while keeping that scene relevant. Then last year he had suffered a cerebral bleed and had nearly died. During the long recovery, Django had ended up reflecting on his artistic legacy and personal life. He had seen the need to secure both and had asked for Gia’s help a couple weeks earlier. That had turned out to be a fulltime job for length of the project and Django had apparently led quite an eventful life, so it was going to take a while. Anne paused her work when she saw that Anya had something to say.
“I saw the Archaeopteryx in a dream last night” Anya said, “He was very silly. I asked him if he was bird or a lizard and he said; No, I am me.”
Anne was intrigued by that even if she had no idea how Anya was able to pronounce that word. That was the fossil in the Museum of Natural History that Gia had said that Anya was very taken by. As Anya waited for Anne’s response she pushed her hair out of her eyes, it had finally grown long enough for that to be a problem. In the Convent orphanage where Anya had lived they had clipped her hair short as a preventive measure against lice. It was a shame because she was an otherwise pretty girl.
“What was his name?” Anne asked.
“He told me that he didn’t need a name” Anya said, “He knows who he is.”
“He sounds like a frustrating friend.”
“He’s not that bad once you get past the introductions” Anya replied with a slight smile.
28th March 1954
Berlin
“It strikes me that the Pope should have known to keep his mouth shut” Kat said after she had finished reading the article, “Especially with everything that is going on with the Catholic Church.”
Pope Pius had put out a formal statement on “Sacred Virginity” that had caused Kat to get angry even though she wasn’t Catholic. Considering the things that had happened to her and what she had most of her girls tell her in confidence it had felt like punch to the gut. To have a willfully ignorant elderly man make a statement that suggested that…
“This upset you?” Kira asked, “Why?”
Kat realized belatedly that she probably should have kept her opinions to herself in this matter.
“It implies certain things” Kat replied, “About what gives us value and that some of us ever had a choice.”
“I see” Kira said, “You’ve not discussed this anyone else?”
“No” Kat replied, and she saw that Kira looked relieved. “And I’ve no intention to.”
“Good” Kira said, “The last thing we need is to have a repeat of the Irish mess that you were the cause of.”
That was untrue. Jack Kennedy had been the cause of that mess and Kat’s role had been in buying him time to get out of it without throwing a young woman to the wolves.
“The young woman in that, what ever became of her?” Kira asked.
“Sibéal had been living in Montreal” Kat answered, “She moved with her husband to Nova Scotia after she married and now has a new family. Two daughters according to her last letter.”
“I know it worked out that time” Kira said, “But I will not have you starting a war with the Vatican.”
“I fear that the Vatican has already started a war with its own people that has been going on for the last several years” Kat replied, “All without my help, though with what Ilse went through I have certainly wanted to inflict a lot of pain on some people in Berlin, Rome and other places.”
“How bad is it with your sister?” Kira asked.
“Ilse gets better for a while and then has a bad day” Kat said, “Usually in the form of a panic attack, the only good thing is that she can usually hold it together until she is no longer in a public space, then she is a complete wreck for the rest of the day.”
“You blame the Catholic Church for that?”
“No, not the entire Church” Kat replied, “Just a few individuals who out of neglect and malice managed to leave Ilse so traumatized that she can hardly function as an adult. The Church as an institution is shielding them.”
“Thank you” Kira said.
“What for?” Kat asked in reply.
“There was a time when you would have had a knife to the throat of Pope Pius until he agreed to do things your way” Kira said, “Apparently you’ve learned some discretion.”
“When have I ever attacked someone that high ranking directly?” Kat asked.
“There was what you did to Lavrentiy Beria” Kira said.
“I never laid a finger on him” Kat said.
“No, you didn’t” Kira said, “You made sure that his execution was an undignified nightmare after you got into his head in the moments leading up to it.”
“I would not have wanted go in there” Kat said making a face, “Inside Beria’s head would be a very gross place. I would have to put bullet through it and it would only be slightly less icky.”
“Regardless, Katherine” Kira said, “Whatever you did, never do that again.”
“Considering that the Social Democrats are seriously considering banning Capital Punishment I may never get the chance” Kat said with a pout.
Kira didn’t try to conceal her annoyance with Kat. “I just hope that the next Mistress of the Keys doesn’t have your twisted sense of humor.”
That caught Kat short. If there were a new Mistress of the Keys, then what would she be doing?
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Anne was typing at her desk while Anya fidgeted. This was Gia’s idea, having Anya spend time with her especially when Gia was needed elsewhere. Django Reinhardt had asked for Gia’s help as the ghostwriter of his autobiography. The famous bandleader and guitarist had weathered changing styles and tastes managing to stay on the cutting edge of Berlin’s Jazz scene, all while keeping that scene relevant. Then last year he had suffered a cerebral bleed and had nearly died. During the long recovery, Django had ended up reflecting on his artistic legacy and personal life. He had seen the need to secure both and had asked for Gia’s help a couple weeks earlier. That had turned out to be a fulltime job for length of the project and Django had apparently led quite an eventful life, so it was going to take a while. Anne paused her work when she saw that Anya had something to say.
“I saw the Archaeopteryx in a dream last night” Anya said, “He was very silly. I asked him if he was bird or a lizard and he said; No, I am me.”
Anne was intrigued by that even if she had no idea how Anya was able to pronounce that word. That was the fossil in the Museum of Natural History that Gia had said that Anya was very taken by. As Anya waited for Anne’s response she pushed her hair out of her eyes, it had finally grown long enough for that to be a problem. In the Convent orphanage where Anya had lived they had clipped her hair short as a preventive measure against lice. It was a shame because she was an otherwise pretty girl.
“What was his name?” Anne asked.
“He told me that he didn’t need a name” Anya said, “He knows who he is.”
“He sounds like a frustrating friend.”
“He’s not that bad once you get past the introductions” Anya replied with a slight smile.
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Ambassador to Australia? Fiji? (If it is independent, I have no clue on that front) Canada? Something nice and not stressful in a country where she can relax?
Actually, forgot her mother in law is in Canada. Scratch that one then, don't want a war breaking out because the Ambassador snapped and murdered a woman in front of witnesses.
I'd more likely guess that Kira might encourage Kat to take on a reduced portfolio, or retire, as her children get older. There are a lot of other bright young women in her service, she could have one take over part of Kat's role, whatever the most stressful part is, and instead leave Kat as a trusted confidant/advisor but without the whole "also runs the Empresses spy network" aspect.
Or it could all be nothing, as there will eventually be a new Mistress of the Keys. It might not happen until after both Kira and Kat are dead and buried (or cremated, don't ask me why but I see Kat choosing cremation) but there will be a new one and Kira might, shockingly, have said something she didn't care might cause stress to Kat, because it never entered her thought might do so.
Kira is a good person at her core, but she is an Empress and acts like one to a T.
That depends on that if Freddy and Suga do not confirm her in the position once Louis Ferdinand steps down due to age because if you think it, individuals with the sheer knowledge of the fields that Kat has, and the knowledge that she will DIE without hesitate if it meant to protect her charges.
For the Japanese it would be extremely comforting to know that the protection of their Princess it's in the hands of a bloodied Samurai.
In a level, the visit of Kat's Japanese counterpart was also a subtle way to verify the potential environment that Suga would come into in the following years.........
For the Japanese it would be extremely comforting to know that the protection of their Princess it's in the hands of a bloodied Samurai.
In a level, the visit of Kat's Japanese counterpart was also a subtle way to verify the potential environment that Suga would come into in the following years.........