Part 82, Chapter 1256
Chapter One Thousand Two Hundred Fifty-Six
21st December 1957
Cuxhaven
According to Doctor Holz it was guilt that was driving her actions. Knowing that Ilse had been living as an orphan, suffering through abuse and neglect at different turns while she had living family members just blocks away was one of the few things that Kat felt weighed on her conscience. Whatever the reason, Kat had been told to butt out by Ilse, with Doug and Aunt Marcella telling her that she needed to listen for once.
That last part had hit close to home. Kat had been trying to get Kiki to listen to her. If she was the refusing to listen herself then what sort of example was she setting? After Ilse had quickly bounced back after coming home Kat had held her tongue. She still had her misgivings, but Kat made sure that Ilse knew that for Kat to maintain her silence, Ilse needed to agree that she would tell her if anything was wrong.
As for Kiki, Kat had figured out a way to keep her out of trouble at home at least. She had encouraged Josefine and Tatiana to spend as much time as they could with their “Big Sister” Kristina. Despite Kiki’s tendency to want to blow up her life lately, having Jo and Tat along for whatever she might do had forced her into a position of responsibility. Kiki’s own sense of duty made it difficult to walk away from the younger girls. Petia was also keeping an eye on the three of them, that made it so that Kiki wouldn’t have a chance to get in or cause any trouble. The fact that Petia seemed to know every trick that a young woman might made Kat wonder what a young Petia Fydorova might have been up to a few decades earlier. Probably just as well. As if Kiki didn’t have enough on her plate, her sisters had been caught in the act of stealing the answers of an upcoming examination at the same Gymnasia that Kiki attended. It might have ended there except Marie and Victoria had attempted to play the “Imperial Princess” card to get out of that mess. That had backfired spectacularly and even Kiki was under new scrutiny as a result, at a time when she really didn’t need it.
That was why Kat had been at first uncomfortable in going with Doug to a Christmas party that Nancy and Tilo were hosting in Cuxhaven. Doug had told her that there would always be something considering who she was dealing with and she needed to take a few hours away before the von Preussen family drove her insane. Or at least more insane than she already was.
Being on a Naval Base was certainly a new experience for Kat. It was also interesting to see how Nancy had adjusted. There was an international flavor to this place, particularly among the wives of the Marine Infantry and Naval Personnel who came from all over the globe. Nancy fit in perfectly with that odd assortment.
On a sour note though, was the presence of Tilo’s nephews. Kat remembered Erik and Karl from an encounter a few years earlier. The vicious minded little boys had grown into boorish young men. Hardly a surprise considering who their Grandfather was. It was a bit disappointing that they seemed to have inherited none of Johann Schultz’s ruthless cunning. It was also noticeable that they were staying as far from Kat as they could without actually leaving the house. There were times when having the right sort of bad reputation worked wonders.
Washington D.C.
“It would be like the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff making a comment like that” The National Security Advisor said.
That was a bit of a surprise. The division of the Central Intelligence Agency that monitored German television had stumbled across a brief comment made by Field Marshal von Holz at their equivalent of a Veteran’s Day Parade. The Field Marshal who was the Head of the German Armed Forces was an elusive character. He seldom appeared before the Press and when he did, he got people’s attention. Emil von Holz didn’t look like much, middle-aged, wearing the field uniform of a German Paratrooper. Only the Grand Cross of the Pour le Mérite that he wore, the absolute highest award for gallantry and historically only awarded to Generals who had destroyed another Army in the field suggested that he was anything out of the ordinary. Averell Harriman could see the truth behind the comment that the German Field Marshal had made. Still though…
“What do we know about this man?” Averell asked, “An American General would not have said that because people might call him a peacenik.”
That resulted in snickering around the room. Many Americans had this idea that the German Army was the brutal led by the effete. Those who had seen them close up in Mexico had a different impression but not enough to push that stereotype aside.
“Anyone who read the intelligence report on Emil von Holz would not think that way Sir” The National Security Advisor replied, “He felt free to make that comment because he has the standing to make it.”
“Meaning?” Averell asked.
“That man has overseen the decimation of entire nations and incinerated whole cities” The National Security Advisor said, “Ask the Russians or the Japanese how much of a peacenik Field Marshal von Holz is.”
21st December 1957
Cuxhaven
According to Doctor Holz it was guilt that was driving her actions. Knowing that Ilse had been living as an orphan, suffering through abuse and neglect at different turns while she had living family members just blocks away was one of the few things that Kat felt weighed on her conscience. Whatever the reason, Kat had been told to butt out by Ilse, with Doug and Aunt Marcella telling her that she needed to listen for once.
That last part had hit close to home. Kat had been trying to get Kiki to listen to her. If she was the refusing to listen herself then what sort of example was she setting? After Ilse had quickly bounced back after coming home Kat had held her tongue. She still had her misgivings, but Kat made sure that Ilse knew that for Kat to maintain her silence, Ilse needed to agree that she would tell her if anything was wrong.
As for Kiki, Kat had figured out a way to keep her out of trouble at home at least. She had encouraged Josefine and Tatiana to spend as much time as they could with their “Big Sister” Kristina. Despite Kiki’s tendency to want to blow up her life lately, having Jo and Tat along for whatever she might do had forced her into a position of responsibility. Kiki’s own sense of duty made it difficult to walk away from the younger girls. Petia was also keeping an eye on the three of them, that made it so that Kiki wouldn’t have a chance to get in or cause any trouble. The fact that Petia seemed to know every trick that a young woman might made Kat wonder what a young Petia Fydorova might have been up to a few decades earlier. Probably just as well. As if Kiki didn’t have enough on her plate, her sisters had been caught in the act of stealing the answers of an upcoming examination at the same Gymnasia that Kiki attended. It might have ended there except Marie and Victoria had attempted to play the “Imperial Princess” card to get out of that mess. That had backfired spectacularly and even Kiki was under new scrutiny as a result, at a time when she really didn’t need it.
That was why Kat had been at first uncomfortable in going with Doug to a Christmas party that Nancy and Tilo were hosting in Cuxhaven. Doug had told her that there would always be something considering who she was dealing with and she needed to take a few hours away before the von Preussen family drove her insane. Or at least more insane than she already was.
Being on a Naval Base was certainly a new experience for Kat. It was also interesting to see how Nancy had adjusted. There was an international flavor to this place, particularly among the wives of the Marine Infantry and Naval Personnel who came from all over the globe. Nancy fit in perfectly with that odd assortment.
On a sour note though, was the presence of Tilo’s nephews. Kat remembered Erik and Karl from an encounter a few years earlier. The vicious minded little boys had grown into boorish young men. Hardly a surprise considering who their Grandfather was. It was a bit disappointing that they seemed to have inherited none of Johann Schultz’s ruthless cunning. It was also noticeable that they were staying as far from Kat as they could without actually leaving the house. There were times when having the right sort of bad reputation worked wonders.
Washington D.C.
“It would be like the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff making a comment like that” The National Security Advisor said.
That was a bit of a surprise. The division of the Central Intelligence Agency that monitored German television had stumbled across a brief comment made by Field Marshal von Holz at their equivalent of a Veteran’s Day Parade. The Field Marshal who was the Head of the German Armed Forces was an elusive character. He seldom appeared before the Press and when he did, he got people’s attention. Emil von Holz didn’t look like much, middle-aged, wearing the field uniform of a German Paratrooper. Only the Grand Cross of the Pour le Mérite that he wore, the absolute highest award for gallantry and historically only awarded to Generals who had destroyed another Army in the field suggested that he was anything out of the ordinary. Averell Harriman could see the truth behind the comment that the German Field Marshal had made. Still though…
“What do we know about this man?” Averell asked, “An American General would not have said that because people might call him a peacenik.”
That resulted in snickering around the room. Many Americans had this idea that the German Army was the brutal led by the effete. Those who had seen them close up in Mexico had a different impression but not enough to push that stereotype aside.
“Anyone who read the intelligence report on Emil von Holz would not think that way Sir” The National Security Advisor replied, “He felt free to make that comment because he has the standing to make it.”
“Meaning?” Averell asked.
“That man has overseen the decimation of entire nations and incinerated whole cities” The National Security Advisor said, “Ask the Russians or the Japanese how much of a peacenik Field Marshal von Holz is.”
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