Or, give Kat something like a 50's tech Hayabusa with a dual beta-mag fed MP's?
Stupid Luck and Happenstance, Thread II
- Thread starter Peabody-Martini
- Start date
Part 69, Chapter 1012
Chapter One Thousand Twelve
12th May 1953
Kiel
Recruiting goals of the Kaiserliche Marine for the first quarter of the year had been surpassed, which meant that Jacob was pleasantly surprised. The voyage of the SMS Bremen, the publicity of the combat mission in the Mexican Campaign and the film depicting the Battle of Vladivostok, that had been released the prior summer, had all helped. It was noticeable that many of the recruits were clamoring for the Fleet Air Command which was a desirable outcome. There was even talk of doing a film based on the Battle of the South China Sea which would be interesting.
Another thing that he had done which was bearing fruit was offering assessment and classes for Sailors wanting to learn about nuclear power, both to serve the weapons and the reactors. The Luftwaffe had swiftly followed suit, but because they already dominated the field they didn’t need to put in a lot of effort. Still, the Navy was carving out a valuable space for its future and Albrecht von Richthofen as a candidate in Atgeir program was another part of that future. Jacob had worked for years to get a number of Naval Pilots into that program. With how strenuous the selection process had been it was a miracle that one of Jacob’s people was in the final dozen. As Jacob saw it, it was all about profile and achievements.
That was something that the current makeup of the High Command didn’t understand, not yet anyway. Just how fickle the public could be. South Africa and now Mexico had basically been colonial wars. Sure, the bulk of their forces had pulled out once the shooting stopped but there were hard limits of what was possible. How long until they found themselves in a situation like the British in Africa? Unwilling to leave a place they never should have been in the first place? Those were the questions that haunted Jacob. He was also aware of how he remained an outsider despite his lofty position. He had told Fritz Halder and Emil von Holz that he was only as good as his latest gamble. The two of them had made a point of telling him that he should not be antagonizing the Americans without giving him any orders. They didn’t want to paint themselves into a corner that would involve squashing Jacob like a bug, so they had settled for giving him what was clearly a warning instead. Did they think that the actions of the Luftwaffe over the last decade were any less provocative?
Jacob turned and looked down into the drydock where the latest ship was in for refit, the SMS Prinzessin Victoria. Hopefully in the future she would provide a counter to the hubris that Jacob was forced admit that even he was guilty of. The three Princesses operated by the Kaiserliche Marine and Joint Medical Corps were considered to be the most successful public relations effort of the Fleet, steaming to be on the scene of natural disasters or epidemics all over the world. They were certainly greeted in ports of call with the sort of celebration that Jacob couldn’t recall any battleship receiving. How many Battleships received Papal visits with the ship and crew being blessed? Still the hospital ships were expensive. The field of medical science was advancing so fast that when the SMS Prinzessin Kristina had been in for refit her engineering spaces and systems might have needed refurbishment but her medical facilities had needed to be completely redone. The Kristina was only a decade old.
Potsdam
It wasn’t fair, Kiki thought to herself as she tried to sort her thoughts by sawing away at the strings of her viola. She had been perfectly content with her life and then she had to get older which had ruined everything. It means that you’re a woman, was how her mother had put it and Kiki was given no choice in the matter. Now, days later life was back to normal, or at least as normal as it ever got, sort of.
Her mother had called in Gräfin Katherine, who Kiki had been learning was very human and extremely fallible, and Kiki had been forced to conclude that she was the absolute worst person to talk personal matters with. She knew that Kat meant well but to have to listen to the realities of her existence made Kiki wish she could close her ears. Learning that Kat had tried to ignore that whole aspect of her life unless she had no other choice for years. The reasons why had been horrific, Kat had told her the things that had not been in her biography and told her about how she had eventually met someone gentle and persistent enough to help her get past that.
Then Kat had said the worst thing that Kiki could imagine. That someday she would meet someone and not have nearly the obstacles that Kat had. The whole thing was horrendous, Kiki thought as she continued playing. She had abandoned the sheet music several minutes earlier and was just playing whatever came to mind. She remembered the class where she had been lectured about how everything worked. She had laughed with Zella and Aurora afterwards about how ridiculous it all seemed. Now, with the inescapable implications of why she had three brothers and two sisters staring her in the face, it didn’t seem so funny.
12th May 1953
Kiel
Recruiting goals of the Kaiserliche Marine for the first quarter of the year had been surpassed, which meant that Jacob was pleasantly surprised. The voyage of the SMS Bremen, the publicity of the combat mission in the Mexican Campaign and the film depicting the Battle of Vladivostok, that had been released the prior summer, had all helped. It was noticeable that many of the recruits were clamoring for the Fleet Air Command which was a desirable outcome. There was even talk of doing a film based on the Battle of the South China Sea which would be interesting.
Another thing that he had done which was bearing fruit was offering assessment and classes for Sailors wanting to learn about nuclear power, both to serve the weapons and the reactors. The Luftwaffe had swiftly followed suit, but because they already dominated the field they didn’t need to put in a lot of effort. Still, the Navy was carving out a valuable space for its future and Albrecht von Richthofen as a candidate in Atgeir program was another part of that future. Jacob had worked for years to get a number of Naval Pilots into that program. With how strenuous the selection process had been it was a miracle that one of Jacob’s people was in the final dozen. As Jacob saw it, it was all about profile and achievements.
That was something that the current makeup of the High Command didn’t understand, not yet anyway. Just how fickle the public could be. South Africa and now Mexico had basically been colonial wars. Sure, the bulk of their forces had pulled out once the shooting stopped but there were hard limits of what was possible. How long until they found themselves in a situation like the British in Africa? Unwilling to leave a place they never should have been in the first place? Those were the questions that haunted Jacob. He was also aware of how he remained an outsider despite his lofty position. He had told Fritz Halder and Emil von Holz that he was only as good as his latest gamble. The two of them had made a point of telling him that he should not be antagonizing the Americans without giving him any orders. They didn’t want to paint themselves into a corner that would involve squashing Jacob like a bug, so they had settled for giving him what was clearly a warning instead. Did they think that the actions of the Luftwaffe over the last decade were any less provocative?
Jacob turned and looked down into the drydock where the latest ship was in for refit, the SMS Prinzessin Victoria. Hopefully in the future she would provide a counter to the hubris that Jacob was forced admit that even he was guilty of. The three Princesses operated by the Kaiserliche Marine and Joint Medical Corps were considered to be the most successful public relations effort of the Fleet, steaming to be on the scene of natural disasters or epidemics all over the world. They were certainly greeted in ports of call with the sort of celebration that Jacob couldn’t recall any battleship receiving. How many Battleships received Papal visits with the ship and crew being blessed? Still the hospital ships were expensive. The field of medical science was advancing so fast that when the SMS Prinzessin Kristina had been in for refit her engineering spaces and systems might have needed refurbishment but her medical facilities had needed to be completely redone. The Kristina was only a decade old.
Potsdam
It wasn’t fair, Kiki thought to herself as she tried to sort her thoughts by sawing away at the strings of her viola. She had been perfectly content with her life and then she had to get older which had ruined everything. It means that you’re a woman, was how her mother had put it and Kiki was given no choice in the matter. Now, days later life was back to normal, or at least as normal as it ever got, sort of.
Her mother had called in Gräfin Katherine, who Kiki had been learning was very human and extremely fallible, and Kiki had been forced to conclude that she was the absolute worst person to talk personal matters with. She knew that Kat meant well but to have to listen to the realities of her existence made Kiki wish she could close her ears. Learning that Kat had tried to ignore that whole aspect of her life unless she had no other choice for years. The reasons why had been horrific, Kat had told her the things that had not been in her biography and told her about how she had eventually met someone gentle and persistent enough to help her get past that.
Then Kat had said the worst thing that Kiki could imagine. That someday she would meet someone and not have nearly the obstacles that Kat had. The whole thing was horrendous, Kiki thought as she continued playing. She had abandoned the sheet music several minutes earlier and was just playing whatever came to mind. She remembered the class where she had been lectured about how everything worked. She had laughed with Zella and Aurora afterwards about how ridiculous it all seemed. Now, with the inescapable implications of why she had three brothers and two sisters staring her in the face, it didn’t seem so funny.
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Pretty easy to get away from what's bugging you with that power to weight ratio...
Grand Admiral von Schmidt biggest fear should be that the beancounters in the Reichstag, the Chancellor's office, and the Defense Ministry are going to look favorably on any possible treaty that restricts the size of the World's navies.
IOTL every treaty on arms limitations and restrictions had more to do with cutting back on money that was being spent on weapons systems then it was on reducing tensions and instability.
The four biggest powers right now ITTL are Germany, United States, Great Britain, and France, and Great Britain and France are having problems with the desire of their colonies wanting to break free from their control and they would welcome anything that would limits Germany so they don't get in to a spending race they can not afford to get in to.
The United States with its capacity for growth not yet fully reached, may be very reluctant to sign any treaty until it has met and surpassed Germany, has a lot of domestic problems of it own and may agree to some sort of formula that allows for a bigger build up of their navy but at a much slower pace in return for restrictions on Germany.
Germany stands on top of the world right now and it faces no credible threats from anyone at the present time and the politicians could see the budget of the navy as being bloated as good source of money for either domestic spending by the left or to cut taxes by the right, may see such a treaty as the perfect way to fulfill their ambitions.
The Grand Admiral being a long term thinker should have a plan that lays out to the politicians that shows a reasonable budget for the future, and that there is no reasons for Germany to get in a spending race as they will have a right size navy that is no more or no less than they will need.
IOTL every treaty on arms limitations and restrictions had more to do with cutting back on money that was being spent on weapons systems then it was on reducing tensions and instability.
The four biggest powers right now ITTL are Germany, United States, Great Britain, and France, and Great Britain and France are having problems with the desire of their colonies wanting to break free from their control and they would welcome anything that would limits Germany so they don't get in to a spending race they can not afford to get in to.
The United States with its capacity for growth not yet fully reached, may be very reluctant to sign any treaty until it has met and surpassed Germany, has a lot of domestic problems of it own and may agree to some sort of formula that allows for a bigger build up of their navy but at a much slower pace in return for restrictions on Germany.
Germany stands on top of the world right now and it faces no credible threats from anyone at the present time and the politicians could see the budget of the navy as being bloated as good source of money for either domestic spending by the left or to cut taxes by the right, may see such a treaty as the perfect way to fulfill their ambitions.
The Grand Admiral being a long term thinker should have a plan that lays out to the politicians that shows a reasonable budget for the future, and that there is no reasons for Germany to get in a spending race as they will have a right size navy that is no more or no less than they will need.
Unlikely, as certainly Von Schmidt ALREADY had in accounting for the likely reduction in size of the World Fleets and was the mind behind the early slashing of the building of more Battleships and heavy conventional units except for a few, transferring the money into starting the building of Carriers and smaller escorts for one side, what its at long term cheaper than keeping a line fleet of Battleships, and Cruisers working and the Technological work that has resulted into the Bremen, the first of an entirely new kind of Strategic asset, and a cornerstone of the future Deterrence Police of the German Empire.
In fact I can imagine a very grim conference of the British Admiralty in Whitehall, as the conclusion of a study of the Bremen's travel tells them that the Germans now have the perfect weapon to make ANY further aggressive war against them a losing proposal, as unlike the British and American nuclear weapons, they WON'T keep in a single site that you can watch or be warned, nor you can see them coming until the Submarine has been given the order to fire them.
In a world where the Bremen exists, in short words, the needs for Battleships or Heavy units becomes further meaningless, specially as the Carriers are becoming increasingly obvious as superior units in hindsight with the technological advances in the Air.
The worst it's that likely the British will be forced to either sell or outright send to the scrap yards most of their current fleet as in hindsight only the more modern Carriers, and the most recent Destroyers are useful for warfare against into what the Kaiserliche Marine it's transforming now.....
It's a painful choice, but needed, as otherwise the Royal Navy will be rather short of resources to enact the required changes to the Royal Navy to keep close to the top of the Technological race, one that they now grudgingly admit that the Kaiserliche Marine got to the top of it from the last five years......
In fact I can imagine a very grim conference of the British Admiralty in Whitehall, as the conclusion of a study of the Bremen's travel tells them that the Germans now have the perfect weapon to make ANY further aggressive war against them a losing proposal, as unlike the British and American nuclear weapons, they WON'T keep in a single site that you can watch or be warned, nor you can see them coming until the Submarine has been given the order to fire them.
In a world where the Bremen exists, in short words, the needs for Battleships or Heavy units becomes further meaningless, specially as the Carriers are becoming increasingly obvious as superior units in hindsight with the technological advances in the Air.
The worst it's that likely the British will be forced to either sell or outright send to the scrap yards most of their current fleet as in hindsight only the more modern Carriers, and the most recent Destroyers are useful for warfare against into what the Kaiserliche Marine it's transforming now.....
It's a painful choice, but needed, as otherwise the Royal Navy will be rather short of resources to enact the required changes to the Royal Navy to keep close to the top of the Technological race, one that they now grudgingly admit that the Kaiserliche Marine got to the top of it from the last five years......
Holyknight I have no disagreements with your insightful analysis, it is just I think that we are using different terminology to describe the same things.
From my interpretation of the the previous posts, von Schmidt scrapped or repurposed every older ship after the wars, he turned one of the older aircraft carriers into a scientific research vessel and the only new surface ships that were built was a few new destroyers and he concentrated on research and development of new technologies for the new nuclear navy he is building.
von Schmidt has a plan but the question is can be get it carried thru without the beancounters trying to cut it or the politicians interfering with the plan by putting unnecessary demands on it?
When it comes time for the existing battleships to under go repair and refitting, they are going to be decommissioned, sold for scrap, used for target practice, with only one of them being kept as a museum ship.
As for Great Britain and France, they are facing there own problems with the demand for decolonization and they will not be able to keep up.
The movement towards decolonization is an area that Germany and the United States will be in complete agreement of and will work together for.
From my interpretation of the the previous posts, von Schmidt scrapped or repurposed every older ship after the wars, he turned one of the older aircraft carriers into a scientific research vessel and the only new surface ships that were built was a few new destroyers and he concentrated on research and development of new technologies for the new nuclear navy he is building.
von Schmidt has a plan but the question is can be get it carried thru without the beancounters trying to cut it or the politicians interfering with the plan by putting unnecessary demands on it?
When it comes time for the existing battleships to under go repair and refitting, they are going to be decommissioned, sold for scrap, used for target practice, with only one of them being kept as a museum ship.
As for Great Britain and France, they are facing there own problems with the demand for decolonization and they will not be able to keep up.
The movement towards decolonization is an area that Germany and the United States will be in complete agreement of and will work together for.
@ejpsan I am not so sure that the bureaucrates will slash the Navy budget too much more. Imo it already has shrunk in the aftermatch of the Second World War and it is understood that the Armed Forces have safegurded Germany and Europe against threads. Add that the Empire has a long and successful tradition of the military and I think that the bureaucrates will think hard about how much they can shrink the armed forces. The Empire is surounded by other nations after all and has commitments around the globe.
As to your point to decolonisation, I am split. On the one hand cutting back France and Britian is good for the Empire, on the other hand they have to invest more into their Empires and shift focus away from Europe and the Empire. So both sides have a positive factor. And last, I think that the Empire, regardless of what it decieds to do, will be in clear favor of a gradual and orderly happening. As a pull back like OTL will disrupt useful contacts and economic ties, as well as allow unrest to emerge.
So if the USA start to demend things like that the Germans will IMO not go allong in all points.
And lastly the USA will also find itself with problems, as they are still dancing on the knifes edge of racial tension and that will sap focus and money away from international (Navy) spending. So we could see a deteriorating of the USNavy in powervs. the European Navies.
As to your point to decolonisation, I am split. On the one hand cutting back France and Britian is good for the Empire, on the other hand they have to invest more into their Empires and shift focus away from Europe and the Empire. So both sides have a positive factor. And last, I think that the Empire, regardless of what it decieds to do, will be in clear favor of a gradual and orderly happening. As a pull back like OTL will disrupt useful contacts and economic ties, as well as allow unrest to emerge.
So if the USA start to demend things like that the Germans will IMO not go allong in all points.
And lastly the USA will also find itself with problems, as they are still dancing on the knifes edge of racial tension and that will sap focus and money away from international (Navy) spending. So we could see a deteriorating of the USNavy in powervs. the European Navies.
The main point it's that you are saying something that Schmidt not only has already planned but it's well in effect from the middle of WWII here and forward.
The British already have a slight inkling of the middle and long term game of the Germans,... Namely investing in Countries, uplifting them, and in the process not only gaining money but ensuring a market that will be willing to keep doing Businesses with the German Empire out of honesty and fairness........
Not one shot fired, but at the same time that the French and British Colonial Empires are crumbling, the Germans through investment and supporting the Third World Countries to rise, are creating an empire of their own in the Economic and Commercial level.....
..... nd also this it will slowly start to hit the American Pockets at most levels , as they are started to be shunned, because for the Third World nations results far more profitable and beneficial at all terms to invite the Germans as they bring their associate investment to uplift the countries and turn them into productive commercial partners...... Partners that will expect honesty and fairness for those who want to make business with them... and will slam the door close when someone tries to fleece them... the usual American chicanery until most recently......
The Sixties are possibly going to see America taking a darker turn, in the hindsight of the rest of the world refusing to accept their usual business practices from the late fifties and resulting in a extended economic downturn as nations that once were buyers now become Producers and Competitors.... and again and again prefer to make Business with the Nation that made the effort to build their countries's economy and industry and from poverty raised them into nations that can call themselves civilized and with pride... Germany......
The British already have a slight inkling of the middle and long term game of the Germans,... Namely investing in Countries, uplifting them, and in the process not only gaining money but ensuring a market that will be willing to keep doing Businesses with the German Empire out of honesty and fairness........
Not one shot fired, but at the same time that the French and British Colonial Empires are crumbling, the Germans through investment and supporting the Third World Countries to rise, are creating an empire of their own in the Economic and Commercial level.....
..... nd also this it will slowly start to hit the American Pockets at most levels , as they are started to be shunned, because for the Third World nations results far more profitable and beneficial at all terms to invite the Germans as they bring their associate investment to uplift the countries and turn them into productive commercial partners...... Partners that will expect honesty and fairness for those who want to make business with them... and will slam the door close when someone tries to fleece them... the usual American chicanery until most recently......
The Sixties are possibly going to see America taking a darker turn, in the hindsight of the rest of the world refusing to accept their usual business practices from the late fifties and resulting in a extended economic downturn as nations that once were buyers now become Producers and Competitors.... and again and again prefer to make Business with the Nation that made the effort to build their countries's economy and industry and from poverty raised them into nations that can call themselves civilized and with pride... Germany......
Part 69, Chapter 1013
Chapter One Thousand Thirteen
24th May 1953
Potsdam
In all the years that Kat had known Kira she had never known the Empress to swear but as she discovered today, there really was an exception to everything.
“I’m sorry Katherine” Kira said when she finished, “But men are the stupidest creatures in all of creation sometimes.”
While Kat wasn’t inclined to disagree, she was still surprised by that outburst. “I take it you do not approve of the actions of the Greek Government?” She asked, at a loss for what else to say.
“That is an understatement” Kira replied.
The Government of Greece had opened a week-long event in Constantinople observing the 500th Anniversary of the fall of Constantinople to the Ottomans complete with street festivals and fireworks. Adding to the insanity was that hundreds of thousands of people had gone to the city in a pilgrimage from across Eastern Europe and Russia that was sanctioned by the Orthodox Church. It was only because the Turks were at war with Kurdistan that was preventing them from starting a new war with the Greeks. At the same time, there were also the ongoing messes in Palestine and Arabia. Kat had realized a long time ago that these were problems that would still be problems a century from now.
“Do you intend to do anything about it?” Kat asked.
“I’ll have a word with the Patriarch, but it’s not like I’ve a great deal of authority with that stubborn old goat” Kira replied, “Next story, please.”
“The last surviving Imperial Eunuch was poisoned in Beijing” Kat read aloud, “Field Marshal Chiang Kai-shek promises a full investigation.”
“Lead poisoning no doubt” Kira said, “With the Field Marshal holding the gun.”
“It doesn’t say what sort of poison it was” Kat replied, only to have Kira give her a look.
Kat was saved when a message was passed to her by one of the footmen. She didn’t say anything aloud, but there would be a minor annoyance to deal with when she got home. Some pests needed to be reminded about her boundaries.
“Is there something going on Katherine?” Kira asked.
“No, everything is fine” Kat replied as she made a mental list of a few items she was going to need to pick up from the armory on her way home.
“That’s good” Kira said, “Do you want to be around today for the rest of this conversation?”
Kat saw Antonia was here waiting to discuss the day’s politics and society. Kat knew that Kira was angling to one day have her be Antonia’s replacement. That was all she needed, to be the Chief Lady in Waiting in the Imperial Court. Her hope was that Antonia would outlive them all.
Berlin
Nancy was opening her mail when she found the birthday card from her mother. Her twenty-seventh birthday had come and gone, Nancy had hardly noticed. She had spent an hour and a half on a train going to Wolfsburg and then after working all day taking the train back. She had considered finding a place in the Wolfsburg, but she had realized that if she did that, it would be an admission of something. She just wasn’t sure about what yet. She continued to compile reports for VW, identifying those who could be persuaded and sending those on to the creative team to tailor advertisements for them.
On Sundays, Nancy was at loose ends, so she tried to catch up with all the things and that involved catching up with her mail. Then she found the birthday card. Bright, cheerful and completely damning. If Nancy hadn’t started drinking to inure herself to the difficulty of her life in Washington D.C. she wouldn’t have given Finley an excuse to shaft her. When she had opened her mail a week earlier she had received a letter from the U.S. State Department letting her know that while she had been cleared of the allegations against her, Nancy’s services were no longer needed by her country. It was all she could do not to start screaming. Now this, the birthday card.
“Why didn’t you tell us it was your birthday?” Petia asked when she saw it. “The girls would have loved to throw you a party.”
“That’s not what I needed” Nancy said as Petia sat down across the table from her.
“What did you need? To be alone and miserable?” Petia asked, “That has never worked for any of the women in this house. Did you think that you would be the exception?”
“What should I do instead?” Nancy asked.
Petia just shrugged. “You need to find what works for you before you get an ulcer like Katya, get panic attacks like Liza, or be trying to kill yourself like Lena” She said.
“Why do you do that?” Nancy asked.
“Do what?”
“Change everyone’s name when you talk about them?”
Petia smiled, “If you are going to be in my family then you should have proper names” She replied.
“Meaning Russian?” Nancy asked.
“It seemed like the least I could do” Petia said, “And your welcome, Anna.”
Petia was chuckling about that as she got back up and started working on something. Eha walked in with the twins and said something. Petia said something in rapid fire Russian to her in reply. Eha replied and Petia frowned. Nancy waited, wondering what was going on.
Then once Eha was gone Petia turned to her, “It seems that the foolish men who’ve been watching you have been getting careless if a girl like Eha can spot them” She said, “Deal with it before Katya does, she already has enough blood on her hands.”
Again, Nancy felt like screaming. It wasn’t just enough to force her out. The cowboys were bothering her here too? Just what was she supposed to do about that.
24th May 1953
Potsdam
In all the years that Kat had known Kira she had never known the Empress to swear but as she discovered today, there really was an exception to everything.
“I’m sorry Katherine” Kira said when she finished, “But men are the stupidest creatures in all of creation sometimes.”
While Kat wasn’t inclined to disagree, she was still surprised by that outburst. “I take it you do not approve of the actions of the Greek Government?” She asked, at a loss for what else to say.
“That is an understatement” Kira replied.
The Government of Greece had opened a week-long event in Constantinople observing the 500th Anniversary of the fall of Constantinople to the Ottomans complete with street festivals and fireworks. Adding to the insanity was that hundreds of thousands of people had gone to the city in a pilgrimage from across Eastern Europe and Russia that was sanctioned by the Orthodox Church. It was only because the Turks were at war with Kurdistan that was preventing them from starting a new war with the Greeks. At the same time, there were also the ongoing messes in Palestine and Arabia. Kat had realized a long time ago that these were problems that would still be problems a century from now.
“Do you intend to do anything about it?” Kat asked.
“I’ll have a word with the Patriarch, but it’s not like I’ve a great deal of authority with that stubborn old goat” Kira replied, “Next story, please.”
“The last surviving Imperial Eunuch was poisoned in Beijing” Kat read aloud, “Field Marshal Chiang Kai-shek promises a full investigation.”
“Lead poisoning no doubt” Kira said, “With the Field Marshal holding the gun.”
“It doesn’t say what sort of poison it was” Kat replied, only to have Kira give her a look.
Kat was saved when a message was passed to her by one of the footmen. She didn’t say anything aloud, but there would be a minor annoyance to deal with when she got home. Some pests needed to be reminded about her boundaries.
“Is there something going on Katherine?” Kira asked.
“No, everything is fine” Kat replied as she made a mental list of a few items she was going to need to pick up from the armory on her way home.
“That’s good” Kira said, “Do you want to be around today for the rest of this conversation?”
Kat saw Antonia was here waiting to discuss the day’s politics and society. Kat knew that Kira was angling to one day have her be Antonia’s replacement. That was all she needed, to be the Chief Lady in Waiting in the Imperial Court. Her hope was that Antonia would outlive them all.
Berlin
Nancy was opening her mail when she found the birthday card from her mother. Her twenty-seventh birthday had come and gone, Nancy had hardly noticed. She had spent an hour and a half on a train going to Wolfsburg and then after working all day taking the train back. She had considered finding a place in the Wolfsburg, but she had realized that if she did that, it would be an admission of something. She just wasn’t sure about what yet. She continued to compile reports for VW, identifying those who could be persuaded and sending those on to the creative team to tailor advertisements for them.
On Sundays, Nancy was at loose ends, so she tried to catch up with all the things and that involved catching up with her mail. Then she found the birthday card. Bright, cheerful and completely damning. If Nancy hadn’t started drinking to inure herself to the difficulty of her life in Washington D.C. she wouldn’t have given Finley an excuse to shaft her. When she had opened her mail a week earlier she had received a letter from the U.S. State Department letting her know that while she had been cleared of the allegations against her, Nancy’s services were no longer needed by her country. It was all she could do not to start screaming. Now this, the birthday card.
“Why didn’t you tell us it was your birthday?” Petia asked when she saw it. “The girls would have loved to throw you a party.”
“That’s not what I needed” Nancy said as Petia sat down across the table from her.
“What did you need? To be alone and miserable?” Petia asked, “That has never worked for any of the women in this house. Did you think that you would be the exception?”
“What should I do instead?” Nancy asked.
Petia just shrugged. “You need to find what works for you before you get an ulcer like Katya, get panic attacks like Liza, or be trying to kill yourself like Lena” She said.
“Why do you do that?” Nancy asked.
“Do what?”
“Change everyone’s name when you talk about them?”
Petia smiled, “If you are going to be in my family then you should have proper names” She replied.
“Meaning Russian?” Nancy asked.
“It seemed like the least I could do” Petia said, “And your welcome, Anna.”
Petia was chuckling about that as she got back up and started working on something. Eha walked in with the twins and said something. Petia said something in rapid fire Russian to her in reply. Eha replied and Petia frowned. Nancy waited, wondering what was going on.
Then once Eha was gone Petia turned to her, “It seems that the foolish men who’ve been watching you have been getting careless if a girl like Eha can spot them” She said, “Deal with it before Katya does, she already has enough blood on her hands.”
Again, Nancy felt like screaming. It wasn’t just enough to force her out. The cowboys were bothering her here too? Just what was she supposed to do about that.
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Methinks that said cowboys are going to wake half naked in a prison cell and with a African German called Hans who needs to scratch a certain itch.....
US inteligence agents working in Berlin? Observing the home of a national hero and confidante of the Empress... international sh*tstorms are made out of this.
And potentially harasing someone who just got cleared by State for being a potential source.
Or utter mockery of the Americans when their "Agents" are captured, gone through hazing, tarred, feathered and then put in the Express Lufthansa to NY alongside the polite reminder that they are now Non-Grata individuals in Germany and will be sent to the Prison for Spying in sight the next time that they are found in German Territory.
Few things are more liable to cause a shitstorm than said agents being publicly sent to the US.
It is a mockery of the Americans's lack of a proper Intelligence Service, it also puts America itself in a shitstorm as likely Finley will be axed by something that certainly neither Truman nor Johnson greenlighted, while the President will forget the Axe and pull out the mechanic chainsaw in order to purge the remaining Cowboys in American Intelligence...
And finally this will cause a polarization of Germany and their Allied Nations against the US, something that will start to be seen in a more aggressive Commercial and Economic policy in the rest of the world in order to counter American interests......
If Finley is responsible (which is likely) he is in for a lot of trouble if Kat gets to his men before Nancy does. Nancy will just talk to warn them off. Kat on the other hand...
Would be funny if it was not Finley or any other agency but a couple of nice man working for American car manufacturer that see Nancy as a threat to their sales.
It is in Germany's best interest to keep this quiet as this may inflame the "Kraut Scare" and if this is a rogue operation this will give Truman even more leverage to clear out the deadwood in the American Intelligence agencies.
Now that Nancy has been cleared and if her work with Volkswagen becomes well known, there will be a large demand for her services by other International companies and the dump trucks full of money are going to go to her address.
The question of decolonization is whether or not Great Britain and France are resisting it, IOTL the United States held the purse strings and they were not willing to subsidize the continuing efforts to keep them, and ITTL the United States does not have anywhere near the same level of influence but the United States did divest itself of the Philippines and Germany is working to give the German Pacific Islands their own independence and that gives them both common ground to work together on this.
As for the Americans, the big issue is the racial problem and only by taking full measures and it doesn't flinch from inevitable backlash from Southern whites, that will go a long way in getting the United States on the right track for greatness.
Now that Nancy has been cleared and if her work with Volkswagen becomes well known, there will be a large demand for her services by other International companies and the dump trucks full of money are going to go to her address.
The question of decolonization is whether or not Great Britain and France are resisting it, IOTL the United States held the purse strings and they were not willing to subsidize the continuing efforts to keep them, and ITTL the United States does not have anywhere near the same level of influence but the United States did divest itself of the Philippines and Germany is working to give the German Pacific Islands their own independence and that gives them both common ground to work together on this.
As for the Americans, the big issue is the racial problem and only by taking full measures and it doesn't flinch from inevitable backlash from Southern whites, that will go a long way in getting the United States on the right track for greatness.
Which is a issue, as a country having a economic downturn and feeling they need to get some respect and glory once more, well.....