Stupid Luck and Happenstance, Thread II
- Thread starter Peabody-Martini
- Start date
It seems a bit more like projection from Kiki.
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That's what I like most about Peabody-Martini's characters. He doesn't Disneyfy. Characters get to experience real life with all of its Joy's and sorrows.
Wikipedia says the diseases was named before the PoD for this timeline and I don't think much happened to make anyone use a different name.
Why do you think that Ben had the reaction that he did? Kiki has far more in common with her older brothers than she is prepared to admit.
While Kiki is more grounded in reality then her OTL and ITTL contemporaries, she still is a Princess and all that goes with it, and there are many things that ordinary people do that they take for normal that Kiki thinks is special and ordinary people thinks that there are things that someone like Kiki takes for granted which would be great if they were able to have or do.
Too bad no one has ever came up with a story where a Prince or a Princess finds someone who is a commoner and looks exactly like them and they trade places and they experience how each other lives.
Part 99, Chapter 1576
Chapter One Thousand Five Hundred Seventy-Six
4th July 1963
Potsdam
It had started simply enough, like how she had expected in the past. Kiki needed to be cleared medically before she could return to the 5th KHF and the FSR, Berg had clearly had other plans though. After she had concluded the annual examination, she had confronted Kiki directly about the events over the prior years and how she had depended on dumb luck to avoid any serious consequences from her actions. It was long past time that Kiki stopped behaving like a naïve little girl who expected others to think for her and acted like an adult. While none of what she said was wrong, Berg’s delivery was about as subtle as a howitzer.
Kiki remembered how things had played out. She had not been thinking clearly right up until she had found herself sitting on the edge of Ben’s bed and was only wearing her socks and realizing that preventive measures were needed. She supposed that she had Ben’s father to thank for that. Otherwise that night having other, much less happy outcomes would have been a possibility. He had insisted that his son have a box of condoms. Berg’s take on that was that Kiki lucked out, even though sex was as natural as breathing, so was conception and childbirth. If things had played out differently, then there was a chance that Kiki might have had to make some very difficult decisions. While the stigma of single motherhood had faded over the previous twenty years, the press would have gleefully torn her to shreds over it because she was different. Knocking “Princess Kristina” off her pedestal would sell at least a million magazines. For the political right, Kiki would become a dream come true as they denounced her as embodying everything that was wrong with contemporary life according to them. Or the alternative. Berg had pointed out that she could tell Kiki the steps needed to perform a surgical abortion by rote in her sleep, having performed enough of them on women who were smarter than Kiki. Then Berg had heaped Kiki with a bunch of pamphlets explaining what her options were and told her to take her reproductive health seriously.
Kiki had defended the actions of Nora Berg many times over the last few years. Today though, she had gotten a full dose of Berg at her worst, going after what she viewed as ignorance in the bluntest manner possible. The worst part was that Kiki recognized Berg’s tactics as being similar to what Kiki had done to her younger sister and she found that embarrassing after she had a chance to think about it. Once on the way back to the Summer Residence, Kiki had realized that she owed Vicky an apology but every time she started to say it, she found that it impossible to get the words out of her mouth.
Unsure about just who to turn to. Doctor Glas was unavailable, so eventually Kiki had talked to the one person who she thought might help her sort it out and not be too judgmental in the process having been a professional in the field of human interactions. Her stepmother Charlotte.
Kiki had told her the entire story, leaving some details out. Charlotte did not need to know the real reason why Kiki felt she needed to apologize to Vicky, for example. For almost an hour Charlotte listened to Kiki as she explained just how much of a complicated mess she had made of her personal life. How she was forced to play a role of perfect respectability around her boyfriend that had been false for a long time.
Charlotte’s reaction to all of it had been measured. “I think that your father is aware of the realities of modern life and is more openminded than you give him credit for” Was the first thing that Charlotte had said. “However, you probably should wait to tell him about the extent of your relationship with Benjamin. Most men are ticklish about these matters. Your father might take it out on Ben if you aren’t careful.”
Kiki had relived somewhat by that reaction until what Charlotte said next, “I think that Doctor Berg is a bit too emotionally involved in your care. While you obviously respect and admire her; she sees you as something of a surrogate daughter and some of the things that you do scare her. Her reaction is that of a mother who is concerned about a somewhat reckless and socially inept daughter. I think you should keep seeing Berg socially, but I also think you should find a different Doctor to see to your medical needs.”
“Nora has been my Doctor since since I was fifteen” Kiki had replied, “How will she react if I do that?”
“She will be hurt, there is no way around that” Charlotte replied, “At the same time, you will be acknowledging the nature of your relationship with her. That is something that will bring her a bit of joy once she gets past that hurt.”
That did make a lot of sense to Kiki. However, what did Charlotte mean by somewhat reckless and socially inept? Kiki was about to ask when Charlotte headed her off.
“What is it that you said to Victoria that you feel you owe her an apology for? Charlotte asked.
Kiki struggled to think of an answer that wouldn’t result in her having to apologize to Vicky for something else.
4th July 1963
Potsdam
It had started simply enough, like how she had expected in the past. Kiki needed to be cleared medically before she could return to the 5th KHF and the FSR, Berg had clearly had other plans though. After she had concluded the annual examination, she had confronted Kiki directly about the events over the prior years and how she had depended on dumb luck to avoid any serious consequences from her actions. It was long past time that Kiki stopped behaving like a naïve little girl who expected others to think for her and acted like an adult. While none of what she said was wrong, Berg’s delivery was about as subtle as a howitzer.
Kiki remembered how things had played out. She had not been thinking clearly right up until she had found herself sitting on the edge of Ben’s bed and was only wearing her socks and realizing that preventive measures were needed. She supposed that she had Ben’s father to thank for that. Otherwise that night having other, much less happy outcomes would have been a possibility. He had insisted that his son have a box of condoms. Berg’s take on that was that Kiki lucked out, even though sex was as natural as breathing, so was conception and childbirth. If things had played out differently, then there was a chance that Kiki might have had to make some very difficult decisions. While the stigma of single motherhood had faded over the previous twenty years, the press would have gleefully torn her to shreds over it because she was different. Knocking “Princess Kristina” off her pedestal would sell at least a million magazines. For the political right, Kiki would become a dream come true as they denounced her as embodying everything that was wrong with contemporary life according to them. Or the alternative. Berg had pointed out that she could tell Kiki the steps needed to perform a surgical abortion by rote in her sleep, having performed enough of them on women who were smarter than Kiki. Then Berg had heaped Kiki with a bunch of pamphlets explaining what her options were and told her to take her reproductive health seriously.
Kiki had defended the actions of Nora Berg many times over the last few years. Today though, she had gotten a full dose of Berg at her worst, going after what she viewed as ignorance in the bluntest manner possible. The worst part was that Kiki recognized Berg’s tactics as being similar to what Kiki had done to her younger sister and she found that embarrassing after she had a chance to think about it. Once on the way back to the Summer Residence, Kiki had realized that she owed Vicky an apology but every time she started to say it, she found that it impossible to get the words out of her mouth.
Unsure about just who to turn to. Doctor Glas was unavailable, so eventually Kiki had talked to the one person who she thought might help her sort it out and not be too judgmental in the process having been a professional in the field of human interactions. Her stepmother Charlotte.
Kiki had told her the entire story, leaving some details out. Charlotte did not need to know the real reason why Kiki felt she needed to apologize to Vicky, for example. For almost an hour Charlotte listened to Kiki as she explained just how much of a complicated mess she had made of her personal life. How she was forced to play a role of perfect respectability around her boyfriend that had been false for a long time.
Charlotte’s reaction to all of it had been measured. “I think that your father is aware of the realities of modern life and is more openminded than you give him credit for” Was the first thing that Charlotte had said. “However, you probably should wait to tell him about the extent of your relationship with Benjamin. Most men are ticklish about these matters. Your father might take it out on Ben if you aren’t careful.”
Kiki had relived somewhat by that reaction until what Charlotte said next, “I think that Doctor Berg is a bit too emotionally involved in your care. While you obviously respect and admire her; she sees you as something of a surrogate daughter and some of the things that you do scare her. Her reaction is that of a mother who is concerned about a somewhat reckless and socially inept daughter. I think you should keep seeing Berg socially, but I also think you should find a different Doctor to see to your medical needs.”
“Nora has been my Doctor since since I was fifteen” Kiki had replied, “How will she react if I do that?”
“She will be hurt, there is no way around that” Charlotte replied, “At the same time, you will be acknowledging the nature of your relationship with her. That is something that will bring her a bit of joy once she gets past that hurt.”
That did make a lot of sense to Kiki. However, what did Charlotte mean by somewhat reckless and socially inept? Kiki was about to ask when Charlotte headed her off.
“What is it that you said to Victoria that you feel you owe her an apology for? Charlotte asked.
Kiki struggled to think of an answer that wouldn’t result in her having to apologize to Vicky for something else.
Goodness, I remember reading TP&TP in the Sunday comic section of the newspaper as a squirt. IIRC, sometime in the very early 70's it was serialized in "graphic novels" … we called them "comic books" back in the day.
I am always fascinated by Kiki's relationships with the women around her, and apparently she had a good relationship with her mother Kira until Kiki started to assert her own personality and then the assassination attempt against Kira caused Kira to be more controlling which led to the fight between them and the subsequent exile and emotional abandonment by Kira.
Kat was the "Cool Aunt" to Kiki until Kat stepped over certain boundary lines with her and now Kiki is putting some distance between them.
Dr. Nora Berg was initially sceptical about Kiki desire to become a doctor and since then it has become more of a "Mother-Daughter" relationship instead of the mentorship that it started it out as.
Charlotte has become the wise older friend that has Kiki's back and has given Kiki advice without being judgemental.
Not to mention how Kiki has bonded almost instantly with Aunt Marcella, Agnes Jensen, and Olivia Anderson.
Kat was the "Cool Aunt" to Kiki until Kat stepped over certain boundary lines with her and now Kiki is putting some distance between them.
Dr. Nora Berg was initially sceptical about Kiki desire to become a doctor and since then it has become more of a "Mother-Daughter" relationship instead of the mentorship that it started it out as.
Charlotte has become the wise older friend that has Kiki's back and has given Kiki advice without being judgemental.
Not to mention how Kiki has bonded almost instantly with Aunt Marcella, Agnes Jensen, and Olivia Anderson.
A pretty good description of Kiki.
Also, Kiki kind of needs somebody to hammer in things for her. She's not one to easily take a hint.
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Ha, I have one of those right in front of me! And it is truly excellent.
Part 99, Chapter 1577
Chapter One Thousand Five Hundred Seventy-Seven
6th July 1963
Tempelhof, Berlin
The knock on the door wasn’t one that Doug was expecting when Petia told him that he was needed at the front door. He certainly recognized the man and woman who were standing there flanked by men who had to be secret service agents. He just wasn’t sure why they were here.
“Mister President, or is it Ambassador these days?” Doug asked.
Recently, Harry Truman had been appointed Ambassador-at-Large by the Harriman Administration and tasked with improving Trans-Atlantic relations. While things weren’t as bad as they had been a decade earlier, tensions still remained.
Harry just smiled. “So, the stories that I heard about the husband of the Tigress were true” He said.
“Exactly what did you hear?”
“That you were originally from Canada” Truman said as he looked at Marie who was watching him from the stairs.
“Katherine isn’t home” Doug said.
“Actually, we’re here to see Miss Lawniczak” Bess Truman said happily. “We missed her at the wedding last month and didn’t get a chance to speak with her and heard she was here, so we figured that we ought to look in. She seemed like a nice girl when we saw her just after Averell’s swearing in.”
Asia had barely made it to the first of the ceremonies and had not bothered to go to the reception. It was hardly a surprise that the Trumans had missed her in the vast crowd that had been packed into the cathedral.
“Nice isn’t a word I would normally associate with Asia” Doug replied.
“What happened to her in Boston was a crime” Harry said, “I can see why she would still be angry about that whole mess.”
Doug knew that was a complete understatement. Asia had never really recovered from what had happened to her at Danvers and her anger at the United States bordered on the fanatical. The land of hypocrites where the everyone is free to starve, was how she liked to put it. She felt that agents of the U.S. Government were particularly reprehensible. They had broken the very rules they were supposed to enforce for the express purpose of hurting her as badly as they could. Harry Truman was a representative of that very system. He feared that Asia might react with rage if she saw him and in her present condition, it could end badly.
“I can take you upstairs to see Asia” Doug said, “You need to understand that she hardly says three words on a good day to anyone beyond those she is closest to.”
Doug thought that he saw something cross Harry’s face when he told him that and wondered exactly what might have happened to get that reaction. As he led them up the stairs, they passed Jo coming down. “This is Kat’s ward Josefine” Doug said, and he saw the look of dismay that passed between Harry and Bess. They knew exactly what Asia was and clearly thought that Jo was future cannon fodder in the hidden wars that Kat fought. It occurred to Doug that they might not be wrong.
Knocking on Asia’s door, Doug heard “LEAVE ME ALONE!” Shouted from the other side of the door in Polish.
It was one of the expressions in that language that he had become familiar with since Asia had moved in. Even if he didn’t understand it, the tone was unmistakable. Poking his head through the door, Doug saw that Asia was seated at the open windows like she preferred to do every afternoon. He got the impression that she wanted to be somewhere else and hated being heavily pregnant, much like Kat had been when she had been this far along. She was wearing a dressing gown over a flannel nightgown that had belonged to Kat when she was pregnant with Marie. It was about as presentable as Asia could be expected to be at this point.
“You have visitors” Doug said, and Asia gave him a resigned look as he stepped aside to let the Trumans into the bedroom. Doug had expected Asia to get angry when she saw them. Instead she started crying, leaving Doug confused.
“You tried to warn me” Asia said as she got to her feet. So, someone in America had done their best to help. Asia being Asia, she hadn’t listened.
“You don’t have to get up” Harry said as he tried to get her to go back to her chair. “We didn’t realize that you were in a family way.”
“The whole world will find out and have a whole lot to say about it soon enough” Asia said, “For a woman with my position in the Imperial Court it is entirely scandalous.”
Doug disagreed with that and thought that Asia was being a bit melodramatic. Asia was Kat’s successor as Mistress of Keys, a policy advisor and spymaster for the German Empress. Because of that, Doug doubted that anyone would really care about the legitimacy of her child.
“You’re not married?” Bess asked, “You didn’t ask the father to take responsibility?”
“That would make things worse” Asia replied.
Harry Truman didn’t look particularly thrilled by this latest turn.
Asia had not told a soul about who the father of her child was. Some of the things that she said though had suggested that he was someone who was distinguished, rich, powerful and married at the time that Asia had taken him as a lover. Kat probably knew more than that, but both of them apparently had good reason to keep it quiet.
6th July 1963
Tempelhof, Berlin
The knock on the door wasn’t one that Doug was expecting when Petia told him that he was needed at the front door. He certainly recognized the man and woman who were standing there flanked by men who had to be secret service agents. He just wasn’t sure why they were here.
“Mister President, or is it Ambassador these days?” Doug asked.
Recently, Harry Truman had been appointed Ambassador-at-Large by the Harriman Administration and tasked with improving Trans-Atlantic relations. While things weren’t as bad as they had been a decade earlier, tensions still remained.
Harry just smiled. “So, the stories that I heard about the husband of the Tigress were true” He said.
“Exactly what did you hear?”
“That you were originally from Canada” Truman said as he looked at Marie who was watching him from the stairs.
“Katherine isn’t home” Doug said.
“Actually, we’re here to see Miss Lawniczak” Bess Truman said happily. “We missed her at the wedding last month and didn’t get a chance to speak with her and heard she was here, so we figured that we ought to look in. She seemed like a nice girl when we saw her just after Averell’s swearing in.”
Asia had barely made it to the first of the ceremonies and had not bothered to go to the reception. It was hardly a surprise that the Trumans had missed her in the vast crowd that had been packed into the cathedral.
“Nice isn’t a word I would normally associate with Asia” Doug replied.
“What happened to her in Boston was a crime” Harry said, “I can see why she would still be angry about that whole mess.”
Doug knew that was a complete understatement. Asia had never really recovered from what had happened to her at Danvers and her anger at the United States bordered on the fanatical. The land of hypocrites where the everyone is free to starve, was how she liked to put it. She felt that agents of the U.S. Government were particularly reprehensible. They had broken the very rules they were supposed to enforce for the express purpose of hurting her as badly as they could. Harry Truman was a representative of that very system. He feared that Asia might react with rage if she saw him and in her present condition, it could end badly.
“I can take you upstairs to see Asia” Doug said, “You need to understand that she hardly says three words on a good day to anyone beyond those she is closest to.”
Doug thought that he saw something cross Harry’s face when he told him that and wondered exactly what might have happened to get that reaction. As he led them up the stairs, they passed Jo coming down. “This is Kat’s ward Josefine” Doug said, and he saw the look of dismay that passed between Harry and Bess. They knew exactly what Asia was and clearly thought that Jo was future cannon fodder in the hidden wars that Kat fought. It occurred to Doug that they might not be wrong.
Knocking on Asia’s door, Doug heard “LEAVE ME ALONE!” Shouted from the other side of the door in Polish.
It was one of the expressions in that language that he had become familiar with since Asia had moved in. Even if he didn’t understand it, the tone was unmistakable. Poking his head through the door, Doug saw that Asia was seated at the open windows like she preferred to do every afternoon. He got the impression that she wanted to be somewhere else and hated being heavily pregnant, much like Kat had been when she had been this far along. She was wearing a dressing gown over a flannel nightgown that had belonged to Kat when she was pregnant with Marie. It was about as presentable as Asia could be expected to be at this point.
“You have visitors” Doug said, and Asia gave him a resigned look as he stepped aside to let the Trumans into the bedroom. Doug had expected Asia to get angry when she saw them. Instead she started crying, leaving Doug confused.
“You tried to warn me” Asia said as she got to her feet. So, someone in America had done their best to help. Asia being Asia, she hadn’t listened.
“You don’t have to get up” Harry said as he tried to get her to go back to her chair. “We didn’t realize that you were in a family way.”
“The whole world will find out and have a whole lot to say about it soon enough” Asia said, “For a woman with my position in the Imperial Court it is entirely scandalous.”
Doug disagreed with that and thought that Asia was being a bit melodramatic. Asia was Kat’s successor as Mistress of Keys, a policy advisor and spymaster for the German Empress. Because of that, Doug doubted that anyone would really care about the legitimacy of her child.
“You’re not married?” Bess asked, “You didn’t ask the father to take responsibility?”
“That would make things worse” Asia replied.
Harry Truman didn’t look particularly thrilled by this latest turn.
Asia had not told a soul about who the father of her child was. Some of the things that she said though had suggested that he was someone who was distinguished, rich, powerful and married at the time that Asia had taken him as a lover. Kat probably knew more than that, but both of them apparently had good reason to keep it quiet.
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I could see Truman wanting to pose for pictures next to the weapon that used in the assassination attempt against him much to the dismay of Bess and repeating that he knew that it wasn't the Germans who were trying to kill him because if they were he would be dead.
I can also see him meeting with German veterans of the Great War also known outside the United States as World War I and exchanging war stories with each others.
I can also see him meeting with German veterans of the Great War also known outside the United States as World War I and exchanging war stories with each others.
Is it just me, or is it looking like Asia's lover is the same guy bankrolling Mithras/Lothar the Wannabe Jacobin?
Marc A
Marc A