Stupid Luck and Happenstance, Thread III
- Thread starter Peabody-Martini
- Start date
TA: "... , in fact, Furstin von Mischner has just booked tickets there herself!"
W: "Oh... well... perhaps a skiing holiday in Norway, then?"
(Sorry, couldn't resist.)
For some reason, I am reminded of the Shultz clan. Speaking of which, whatever happened to the cousins? Last I remember, one was progressing through the ranks of the Marine Infantry ala Uncle Tilo, while the other had invalided out and had begun a wonderful career in the field of unexploded postal ordnance.
And then they find out that Sigi is both a combat helicopter gunship pilot and a Raumsfahrerin (?), slated to command the moon landing mission to boot. Jaws should drop. But not, perhaps, as far as they would if Kiki's FSR CO turned out to be of African descent.
Next up, ship & submarine launched cruise missiles and ship mounted SAMs. As for torpedo boats, I'd say Louis will probably be an advocate for phasing torpedoes out of service for the surface fleet in favour of SSMs, due to greater stand-off range and speed of missiles.
Or, alternatively...
Emil and Maria arrive in a Travel Agent’s office, carrying a large sack.
TA: How can I help you?
E: Well, we wanted to book a flight and a two-week stay in the quietest...
M: Dullest...
E: ...most unlikely place to have anything dangerous or crazy happen...
M: *indicates sack* ...and send her there.
E: She really needs a holiday.
TA: ...one two week stay in Wolverhampton coming up.
What did Wolverhampton ever do to you? WE ALL KNOW what happens whenever someone is sent, or goes, to someplace quiet in this saga.
Besides, we have the League of Extraordinary Communities, aka the Trinity of Tedium to choose from: Dull, Scotland; Boring, Oregon; and Bland, New South Wales.
Next thing you know, the bicycle manufacturers are going on strike....
Some German's are going to plan their holiday destinations according to the movements of the Hohenzollern family.
Inside Germany and with the older generation is mostly safe. Being where the younger generation is when they are outside of Germany should be seen as "Here be Dragons" territory and should get an automatic travel advisory by the foreign office.
Inside Germany and with the older generation is mostly safe. Being where the younger generation is when they are outside of Germany should be seen as "Here be Dragons" territory and should get an automatic travel advisory by the foreign office.
Part 108, Chapter 1757
Chapter One Thousand Seven Hundred Fifty-Seven
28th September 1966
Laupheim, Württemberg
It was mostly exasperation, but everyone had decided that they needed a break before something untoward happened. A 24-hour liberty had been had declared to give everyone time to cool down. Parker had come to understand that it had to do with a philosophical conundrum. Both his people and the Hellcats had been told throughout their training that they were the absolute best at what they did. Now they were faced with the prospect of working with another outfit that had also been told the same thing. They both couldn’t be right. None of that was helped by the fact that Green Beret had been told the that the Hellcats were their principle adversaries. Still, the Krauts being Krauts meant that they were too professional and stubborn to react when provoked and Parker’s men were aggravated by that very lack of a reaction to at times clear provocation. In their thinking, if you have a beef with someone you pick a fight and afterwards get a beer or three so there were no hard feelings. It sounded insane, but for the most part it worked.
Something different would need to be done this time.
Everyone taking a break for a day so that they could blow off some steam seemed like a good idea in the meantime. The trouble was that there wasn’t a whole lot to do in Laupheim itself. Most of the men had gone to the theater to watch a movie that they might have watched back in the States a couple months earlier and Parker had warned them to be on their best behavior. That left him walking around the old market town, window shopping for lack of anything better to do. Looking into a store front, he saw several televisions tuned into the same station, a news program showing events in the Balkans. Heavy fighting in Albania. Then it shifted to Greek Antonia and what looked like a battle going on there. Parker’s understanding was that he would eventually be sent to bring the man who had made all this possible as soon as intelligence nailed down exactly where he was. It seemed that in real life, no matter how much someone played the role of a Bond villain there were no bases hidden in volcanos or secret armies and their motive wasn’t world domination but greed. Intelligence was saying that the same Jorge Arbusto who caused the bloodbath in Mexico had sold weapons to both sides of the current conflict and needed to be stopped. If Parker were being cynical, he might assume that Arbusto had outlived his usefulness to the CIA. People like Parker were getting sent in to put him out of business to send a message to others in that line of work not to step out of line.
“What’s the world coming to?” Parker heard a voice ask.
Looking over he saw that it was the German woman, the Lieutenant Colonel with the unpronounceable name. She had come it the airfield in Laupheim for unknown reasons a few days earlier and had drawn a lot of speculation. Parker had listened to a whole lot of it. Today, she was in civilian clothes and was wearing her hair down, unlike severe braid that almost all the German women he had seen preferred when they didn’t have it cut short. Though he wasn’t trying to look he could see that the dress she was wearing showed off a pair of rather nice legs. She was apparently at loose ends like he was. Something about her was familiar but he couldn’t put a finger on what it was.
“My friend Jonny would have said that everyone goes nuts from time to time Oberstlieutenant Grimmelshausen” Parker replied. She winced when he said it, so he was certain that he must have butchered it.
“Just call me Sigi” She said, “It is much easier, and I don’t want to think about work today.”
“You and me both” Parker said as they fell into step walking down the street. “If we really are outside of work, you should call me Jay then.”
“Jay?” Sigi asked.
“Short for Jamison” Parker replied, she smiled at that.
They were silent for a few minutes.
“The world is so much more peaceful from outer space” Sigi said, “All blue, with clouds and the oceans.”
That was when it hit him, she had been all over the news seven or eight years earlier as the first woman in orbit. No wonder she had seemed familiar.
“You really have seen that?” Parker asked, “The Earth from orbit.”
“Yes” Sigi replied, “If only everyone could see it, they would see that there were no borders either and all the excuses we use to divide ourselves are so petty.”
She got rather intense as she had said that, and Parker just stared at her.
“I apologize” Sigi said, “I get a bit maudlin on days like today.”
“Is today something special?” Parker asked.
“My birthday” Sigi answered, “Twenty-nine years on this planet and a few days off it.”
“That makes you extremely young for a Light Colonel” Parker said.
“Go into orbit and then fly an attack helicopter in Korea destroying dozens of Panzers and other assorted Chinese vehicles. You would be astonished at what that will do for your career” Sigi said, “What happened to us not thinking about work?”
“Good point” Parker said, “What brought you to Laupheim?”
“I’m visiting Kiki” Sigi said, “And that is my excuse for getting as far away from Peenemünde as I can get.”
“Does that mean that you are another heiress?” Parker asked, knowing who Kiki was.
“No, we served in the same unit in Korea” Sigi said, “Her FSR team was attached to the 5th Helicopter Wing. And the only thing that I will inherit is an old, half-ruined house when my mother dies. I ought to have just enough money to pay off her creditors after I get the insurance check after I torch the place.”
“You would burn down your parent’s house for the insurance money?” Parker asked.
“In fairness, I have wanted to do that since I was twelve for free” Sigi said with a laugh.
“What would your father say?” Parker asked.
“I have no clue” Sigi replied, “The only thing I have of him was series of letters between him and my mother where he basically tells her to have me aborted. My mother said that they didn’t talk again after that.”
“Is that a joke?” Parker asked, astonished that she could be so flip about something like that.
“No” Sigi said, “Fürstin Katherine told me that his wife had to be restrained because she wanted to cut his testicles off before his funeral and send him off to eternity that way because of how he fucked around.”
“I take it that his wife wasn’t your mother?” Parker asked.
“What do you think?” Sigi asked in reply.
28th September 1966
Laupheim, Württemberg
It was mostly exasperation, but everyone had decided that they needed a break before something untoward happened. A 24-hour liberty had been had declared to give everyone time to cool down. Parker had come to understand that it had to do with a philosophical conundrum. Both his people and the Hellcats had been told throughout their training that they were the absolute best at what they did. Now they were faced with the prospect of working with another outfit that had also been told the same thing. They both couldn’t be right. None of that was helped by the fact that Green Beret had been told the that the Hellcats were their principle adversaries. Still, the Krauts being Krauts meant that they were too professional and stubborn to react when provoked and Parker’s men were aggravated by that very lack of a reaction to at times clear provocation. In their thinking, if you have a beef with someone you pick a fight and afterwards get a beer or three so there were no hard feelings. It sounded insane, but for the most part it worked.
Something different would need to be done this time.
Everyone taking a break for a day so that they could blow off some steam seemed like a good idea in the meantime. The trouble was that there wasn’t a whole lot to do in Laupheim itself. Most of the men had gone to the theater to watch a movie that they might have watched back in the States a couple months earlier and Parker had warned them to be on their best behavior. That left him walking around the old market town, window shopping for lack of anything better to do. Looking into a store front, he saw several televisions tuned into the same station, a news program showing events in the Balkans. Heavy fighting in Albania. Then it shifted to Greek Antonia and what looked like a battle going on there. Parker’s understanding was that he would eventually be sent to bring the man who had made all this possible as soon as intelligence nailed down exactly where he was. It seemed that in real life, no matter how much someone played the role of a Bond villain there were no bases hidden in volcanos or secret armies and their motive wasn’t world domination but greed. Intelligence was saying that the same Jorge Arbusto who caused the bloodbath in Mexico had sold weapons to both sides of the current conflict and needed to be stopped. If Parker were being cynical, he might assume that Arbusto had outlived his usefulness to the CIA. People like Parker were getting sent in to put him out of business to send a message to others in that line of work not to step out of line.
“What’s the world coming to?” Parker heard a voice ask.
Looking over he saw that it was the German woman, the Lieutenant Colonel with the unpronounceable name. She had come it the airfield in Laupheim for unknown reasons a few days earlier and had drawn a lot of speculation. Parker had listened to a whole lot of it. Today, she was in civilian clothes and was wearing her hair down, unlike severe braid that almost all the German women he had seen preferred when they didn’t have it cut short. Though he wasn’t trying to look he could see that the dress she was wearing showed off a pair of rather nice legs. She was apparently at loose ends like he was. Something about her was familiar but he couldn’t put a finger on what it was.
“My friend Jonny would have said that everyone goes nuts from time to time Oberstlieutenant Grimmelshausen” Parker replied. She winced when he said it, so he was certain that he must have butchered it.
“Just call me Sigi” She said, “It is much easier, and I don’t want to think about work today.”
“You and me both” Parker said as they fell into step walking down the street. “If we really are outside of work, you should call me Jay then.”
“Jay?” Sigi asked.
“Short for Jamison” Parker replied, she smiled at that.
They were silent for a few minutes.
“The world is so much more peaceful from outer space” Sigi said, “All blue, with clouds and the oceans.”
That was when it hit him, she had been all over the news seven or eight years earlier as the first woman in orbit. No wonder she had seemed familiar.
“You really have seen that?” Parker asked, “The Earth from orbit.”
“Yes” Sigi replied, “If only everyone could see it, they would see that there were no borders either and all the excuses we use to divide ourselves are so petty.”
She got rather intense as she had said that, and Parker just stared at her.
“I apologize” Sigi said, “I get a bit maudlin on days like today.”
“Is today something special?” Parker asked.
“My birthday” Sigi answered, “Twenty-nine years on this planet and a few days off it.”
“That makes you extremely young for a Light Colonel” Parker said.
“Go into orbit and then fly an attack helicopter in Korea destroying dozens of Panzers and other assorted Chinese vehicles. You would be astonished at what that will do for your career” Sigi said, “What happened to us not thinking about work?”
“Good point” Parker said, “What brought you to Laupheim?”
“I’m visiting Kiki” Sigi said, “And that is my excuse for getting as far away from Peenemünde as I can get.”
“Does that mean that you are another heiress?” Parker asked, knowing who Kiki was.
“No, we served in the same unit in Korea” Sigi said, “Her FSR team was attached to the 5th Helicopter Wing. And the only thing that I will inherit is an old, half-ruined house when my mother dies. I ought to have just enough money to pay off her creditors after I get the insurance check after I torch the place.”
“You would burn down your parent’s house for the insurance money?” Parker asked.
“In fairness, I have wanted to do that since I was twelve for free” Sigi said with a laugh.
“What would your father say?” Parker asked.
“I have no clue” Sigi replied, “The only thing I have of him was series of letters between him and my mother where he basically tells her to have me aborted. My mother said that they didn’t talk again after that.”
“Is that a joke?” Parker asked, astonished that she could be so flip about something like that.
“No” Sigi said, “Fürstin Katherine told me that his wife had to be restrained because she wanted to cut his testicles off before his funeral and send him off to eternity that way because of how he fucked around.”
“I take it that his wife wasn’t your mother?” Parker asked.
“What do you think?” Sigi asked in reply.
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There is going to be a fight. In town. Parker & the CO of the KSK unit involved will do some screaming at their respective sergeants who will then go off to do some louder screaming of their own. Then Parker & the CO of the KSK unit involved, along with Kiki in her reluctant role of liaison, will have a meeting during which they will attempt to explain just what the fuck happened & what they intend to do about it. To Kat. Afterwards, Parker will ask his KSK counterpart & Kiki if Kat was a) serious, and b) how can she be so damn scary when she never once raised her voice. Cue looks of incredulous disbelief from the Germans.
Parker & Sigi, even if they just develop a friendship, will cause some amongst Parker's superiors (& his parents) to "have a cow". Others will see opportunity. Parker also seems to have realised, as Ritchie has noticed, that he has done screwed up with the whole liaising thing. His attitude has, in part, resulted raising the tensions between the US Green Berets & the KSK. As for his potential cynicism towards to why he suspects he has been sent to deal with Senor Arbusto, I'd say Jonny did a reasonable job training the rich college boy. I'd say the CIA told Jorge not to sell to either side, as they didn't want to get blamed for it, & got laughed at. They saw him as an easily controllable asset, he sees them as a potentially dangerous paycheck. As such, I don't think that the operation to take Senor Jorge Herberto Caminante Arbusto down will be quite as easy as some people in authority may think.
Unless, of course, he had the courtesy to be aboard one of the Q-Ships obliterated by Louis Jr. & the RN. (Oh, the conspiracy theories that could spin out over the years if that happened.)
Parker & Sigi, even if they just develop a friendship, will cause some amongst Parker's superiors (& his parents) to "have a cow". Others will see opportunity. Parker also seems to have realised, as Ritchie has noticed, that he has done screwed up with the whole liaising thing. His attitude has, in part, resulted raising the tensions between the US Green Berets & the KSK. As for his potential cynicism towards to why he suspects he has been sent to deal with Senor Arbusto, I'd say Jonny did a reasonable job training the rich college boy. I'd say the CIA told Jorge not to sell to either side, as they didn't want to get blamed for it, & got laughed at. They saw him as an easily controllable asset, he sees them as a potentially dangerous paycheck. As such, I don't think that the operation to take Senor Jorge Herberto Caminante Arbusto down will be quite as easy as some people in authority may think.
Unless, of course, he had the courtesy to be aboard one of the Q-Ships obliterated by Louis Jr. & the RN. (Oh, the conspiracy theories that could spin out over the years if that happened.)
While Parker seems to present to us a cynical side he is on the inside an idealist which explains why he went in the CIA in the first place and why he stays in.
Sigi with her description of the view of Earth from space has struck a chord with Parker that will help him lose that attitude that has made working with the Germans so difficult on his part.
As for the units themselves, maybe a friendly competitive series of events like obstacles course races, target shooting, and other military skills contests will bring both sides together.
As for Zella if her English-language skills are good enough ARD can make some good money by having her do an English-language version of her reports and sell them to an American television network for their news broadcasts.
Sigi with her description of the view of Earth from space has struck a chord with Parker that will help him lose that attitude that has made working with the Germans so difficult on his part.
As for the units themselves, maybe a friendly competitive series of events like obstacles course races, target shooting, and other military skills contests will bring both sides together.
As for Zella if her English-language skills are good enough ARD can make some good money by having her do an English-language version of her reports and sell them to an American television network for their news broadcasts.
I agree with Parker's idealism. It's why Jonny worked so hard to open his eyes to what was really going on with their job; he didn't want to see Parker get himself killed because he didn't understand what was going on.
For the units, I'd suggest pairing them up; one German/one Yank. Then set them those friendly challenges as pairs. That way they have to rely on cooperation with the foreigner that they've been paired with in order to succeed, instead of reinforcing the rivalry between the units.
I think her English skills are up to it, she has spent a few years covering the music scene (English bands), been to the States a couple of times (remember her visit to West Point?) and frequently practiced English with her friends. Speaking of which, we haven't heard from Aurora lately.
Even more fun if he's one of the survivors and is languishing in a German run prison cell when his identity is discovered.
In the old days, Schultz would have had a quiet chat with him, and Georg Walter Busch woud have found a new trade as a legitimate international dealer in scrap and reclaimed metals, (on a very short leash).
These days, he woukd be transferred to Germany to stand trial for activities that impacted Germany, (of which every detail would be made public), before he would be extradited to a number of countries to stand trial before being sent very publicly back to America to stand trial there. Very much to the chargrin of the CIA...
It would be another poke of the American bear. A tiny poke, but these things build up after a while.
If he is currently but anonymously sitting in a prison cell in Trieste, I don't think he'd get back to the US. Assuming he doesn't suffer a mysterious accident, commit suicide while under constant observation, or just drop dead from either natural or "natural" causes, Senor Arbusto probably won't survive his time in Mexico. Far too many dead in that conflict.
If he wasn't aboard the Q-ships and he is successfully located, the chances are that Parker's boys are under orders, or soon will be, NOT to take him alive. There is no way the CIA will want him to spill the beans on their activities. This will, of course, cause issues with the Hellcats accompanying them on the joint mission, especially since their superiors really want to ask Jorge Arbusto some seriously pointed questions.
Just a thought, anyone else think Manfred & co. are tasked with observing wherever in Albania JHCA is hiding?
If he wasn't aboard the Q-ships and he is successfully located, the chances are that Parker's boys are under orders, or soon will be, NOT to take him alive. There is no way the CIA will want him to spill the beans on their activities. This will, of course, cause issues with the Hellcats accompanying them on the joint mission, especially since their superiors really want to ask Jorge Arbusto some seriously pointed questions.
Just a thought, anyone else think Manfred & co. are tasked with observing wherever in Albania JHCA is hiding?
I still think that there are other countries involved in wanting Senor Arbusto for their own reasons and that is why whoever finds and catch him are going to keep him alive as long as he is spilling the beans about other countries.
Another factor is that he has a lot of money in different banks around the world in numbered accounts (BTW all bank accounts are numbered accounts) that can be used as a slush fund for whatever intelligence agency that gets a hold of them so they can run operations with out any oversight by their respective governments.
Another factor is that he has a lot of money in different banks around the world in numbered accounts (BTW all bank accounts are numbered accounts) that can be used as a slush fund for whatever intelligence agency that gets a hold of them so they can run operations with out any oversight by their respective governments.
Sigi might want to be bit more careful about what she reveals to foreign intelligence assets.
It would be interesting to see what the American space program is doing and if there is currently anyone left not on board with the European program that might consider developing their own program in time.
It would be interesting to see what the American space program is doing and if there is currently anyone left not on board with the European program that might consider developing their own program in time.
Part 108, Chapter 1758
Chapter One Thousand Seven Hundred Fifty-Eight
29th September 1966
Laupheim, Württemberg
One of the first introductions to adult life for Parker had been rude awakenings as his roommates had gotten into some sort of jam in the early morning hours when he had been a student at Princeton University. Things had not changed as much as he might have thought as he had gone on to the CIA and the Army. This morning was no different as he woke up in an unfamiliar bed to Kristina and Sigi arguing with each other. It was only seven in the morning according to Parker’s watch.
That was when the events of the previous afternoon and the night before came back to him. Meeting Sigi in front of the store window with the televisions, an enjoyable conversation as they had walked around Laupheim. Diner with a couple bottles of wine and more conversation had followed. Sigi had told him all about what going into space and what had happened when she had returned to Earth, discovering that she was instantly a celebrity. Then they had gone back to the hotel she was staying with no real plans. After a nightcap in the bar they had gone up to her room and had engaged in other activities that didn’t involve conversation. That explained his currently unclothed state and where he was. It did not however explain what Kristina was doing in this room. After a minute, Kristina said something sharply and slammed the door on her way out.
“God, some of us are trying to sleep here” Parker said sitting up.
“Sorry about that” Sigi said, “Kiki thinks that I slept with you because I was lonely on my birthday.”
“Did you?” Parker asked, half afraid about what the answer would be.
“More like having an itch to scratch” Sigi said as she sat down on the edge of the bed, “I told her that and she stomped out. I think that it is mostly because it was with you.”
“I don’t see what any of this has to do with her” Parker said with a bit of indignity, he was wondering what had happened to his clothes. “What was she doing in here?”
“I had agreed to be present in a few hours when there is going to be a surprise inspection at the Airfield and KSK Depot to help her because she is afraid of how the state of things will reflect upon her” Sigi said, “I’m sure you have a good idea about how neurotic Kiki can get at times. Everything has to be perfect and she told me that the situation is far from perfect.”
“The Princess and the Pea?” Parker asked, only to have Sigi frown at him. There was something familiar about that, the same feeling from yesterday.
“You have gotten Kiki entirely wrong” Sigi replied, “She isn’t some spoiled little princess kept sequestered away. I’ve never met anyone so desperate for their life to have meaning.”
“She is also your friend” Parker said, figuring that was why Sigi felt compelled to defend Kristina.
“She is a bit more than that” Sigi said, “Those letters I told you about, she got them to me because she felt I deserved to know the truth.”
“And what is this about a surprise inspection?” Parker asked, changing the subject to something a bit more important at that moment. All he needed was for some high ranking notable to show up as his men were coming back from liberty after having engaged in God only knew what activity over the previous night. How was he going to explain everything that had happened to someone from State if they showed up?
“I don’t have many details” Sigi said getting up from the bed, “Just what Kiki was able to tell me.”
“I will need to get going then” Parker said getting out of bed, he found his trousers quickly, but the rest was elusive.
“This will help with that” Sigi said and she opened the curtains, flooding the room with light. He could see every detail of her clearly as she stood in the window, the yellow bathrobe and her still tousled hair. Studying her neck and jawline in this light, it hit him as she turned towards him that Sigi resembled Kristina. They were closely related.
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Pouring himself a cup of coffee in the Mess Hall was about all Ritchie could do. He felt like death after drinking with Huck, Mullens, and Kravitz the night before. A cheap, locally produced herbal liqueur had been readily available and they had matched shots until the bartender had thrown them out late the night before. Ritchie had hazy memories of singing along to the jukebox and it was a wonder they hadn’t woken up in the drunk tank. The others had all stayed in the barracks in hopes of sleeping off the worst of the hangover while Ritchie had gone for coffee and aspirin. It probably had not been the greatest choice.
Sitting down at one of the tables, Ritchie laid his head on his arms and waited for the pounding in his head to subside a bit. He was there for several minutes trying to ignore what was going on around him.
“Late night?” A voice asked.
“Just leave me the fuck alone” Ritchie replied, without thinking he had reverted to Californios Spanish.
“I haven’t heard that particular tongue in an extremely long time” The voice said, “I had heard that there were Americans visiting, it seems they have an Angeleno among them.”
Sitting up, Ritchie saw that it was an older gentleman with a smile on his face, he was wearing the blue Luftwaffe Class B Uniform with only a Flight Instructor’s badge and a Long Service medal pinned to it. He couldn’t see what rank the man held, but those two things suggested that it must be high up. Ritchie knew that Fort Drum got several older men like this every month or so. Seeking to recapture a piece of their youth by visiting the place that they had spent much of it.
“I’m surprised you recognized that Sir” Ritchie said, it sounded a lame to his ears.
“When I was your age, I spent a great deal of time in Hollywood” The old man said, “Dated movie stars, never was interested in being involved in movies though. I just liked being in the scene.”
“Living the dream?” Ritchie asked, his headache temporarily forgotten.
“Back then the new thing was talkies, if you would believe it.”
“That’s going pretty far back” Ritchie said.
“I know” The old man replied, “Years do get away from you. I’m waiting for my daughter who is serving here in the FSR.”
Ritchie took back his first thoughts about this man, he might have something interesting to say after all. Just then Parker walked in wearing wrinkled clothes with a lipstick stain on his collar. He took one look at who Ritchie was talking to and went white as a sheet.
29th September 1966
Laupheim, Württemberg
One of the first introductions to adult life for Parker had been rude awakenings as his roommates had gotten into some sort of jam in the early morning hours when he had been a student at Princeton University. Things had not changed as much as he might have thought as he had gone on to the CIA and the Army. This morning was no different as he woke up in an unfamiliar bed to Kristina and Sigi arguing with each other. It was only seven in the morning according to Parker’s watch.
That was when the events of the previous afternoon and the night before came back to him. Meeting Sigi in front of the store window with the televisions, an enjoyable conversation as they had walked around Laupheim. Diner with a couple bottles of wine and more conversation had followed. Sigi had told him all about what going into space and what had happened when she had returned to Earth, discovering that she was instantly a celebrity. Then they had gone back to the hotel she was staying with no real plans. After a nightcap in the bar they had gone up to her room and had engaged in other activities that didn’t involve conversation. That explained his currently unclothed state and where he was. It did not however explain what Kristina was doing in this room. After a minute, Kristina said something sharply and slammed the door on her way out.
“God, some of us are trying to sleep here” Parker said sitting up.
“Sorry about that” Sigi said, “Kiki thinks that I slept with you because I was lonely on my birthday.”
“Did you?” Parker asked, half afraid about what the answer would be.
“More like having an itch to scratch” Sigi said as she sat down on the edge of the bed, “I told her that and she stomped out. I think that it is mostly because it was with you.”
“I don’t see what any of this has to do with her” Parker said with a bit of indignity, he was wondering what had happened to his clothes. “What was she doing in here?”
“I had agreed to be present in a few hours when there is going to be a surprise inspection at the Airfield and KSK Depot to help her because she is afraid of how the state of things will reflect upon her” Sigi said, “I’m sure you have a good idea about how neurotic Kiki can get at times. Everything has to be perfect and she told me that the situation is far from perfect.”
“The Princess and the Pea?” Parker asked, only to have Sigi frown at him. There was something familiar about that, the same feeling from yesterday.
“You have gotten Kiki entirely wrong” Sigi replied, “She isn’t some spoiled little princess kept sequestered away. I’ve never met anyone so desperate for their life to have meaning.”
“She is also your friend” Parker said, figuring that was why Sigi felt compelled to defend Kristina.
“She is a bit more than that” Sigi said, “Those letters I told you about, she got them to me because she felt I deserved to know the truth.”
“And what is this about a surprise inspection?” Parker asked, changing the subject to something a bit more important at that moment. All he needed was for some high ranking notable to show up as his men were coming back from liberty after having engaged in God only knew what activity over the previous night. How was he going to explain everything that had happened to someone from State if they showed up?
“I don’t have many details” Sigi said getting up from the bed, “Just what Kiki was able to tell me.”
“I will need to get going then” Parker said getting out of bed, he found his trousers quickly, but the rest was elusive.
“This will help with that” Sigi said and she opened the curtains, flooding the room with light. He could see every detail of her clearly as she stood in the window, the yellow bathrobe and her still tousled hair. Studying her neck and jawline in this light, it hit him as she turned towards him that Sigi resembled Kristina. They were closely related.
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Pouring himself a cup of coffee in the Mess Hall was about all Ritchie could do. He felt like death after drinking with Huck, Mullens, and Kravitz the night before. A cheap, locally produced herbal liqueur had been readily available and they had matched shots until the bartender had thrown them out late the night before. Ritchie had hazy memories of singing along to the jukebox and it was a wonder they hadn’t woken up in the drunk tank. The others had all stayed in the barracks in hopes of sleeping off the worst of the hangover while Ritchie had gone for coffee and aspirin. It probably had not been the greatest choice.
Sitting down at one of the tables, Ritchie laid his head on his arms and waited for the pounding in his head to subside a bit. He was there for several minutes trying to ignore what was going on around him.
“Late night?” A voice asked.
“Just leave me the fuck alone” Ritchie replied, without thinking he had reverted to Californios Spanish.
“I haven’t heard that particular tongue in an extremely long time” The voice said, “I had heard that there were Americans visiting, it seems they have an Angeleno among them.”
Sitting up, Ritchie saw that it was an older gentleman with a smile on his face, he was wearing the blue Luftwaffe Class B Uniform with only a Flight Instructor’s badge and a Long Service medal pinned to it. He couldn’t see what rank the man held, but those two things suggested that it must be high up. Ritchie knew that Fort Drum got several older men like this every month or so. Seeking to recapture a piece of their youth by visiting the place that they had spent much of it.
“I’m surprised you recognized that Sir” Ritchie said, it sounded a lame to his ears.
“When I was your age, I spent a great deal of time in Hollywood” The old man said, “Dated movie stars, never was interested in being involved in movies though. I just liked being in the scene.”
“Living the dream?” Ritchie asked, his headache temporarily forgotten.
“Back then the new thing was talkies, if you would believe it.”
“That’s going pretty far back” Ritchie said.
“I know” The old man replied, “Years do get away from you. I’m waiting for my daughter who is serving here in the FSR.”
Ritchie took back his first thoughts about this man, he might have something interesting to say after all. Just then Parker walked in wearing wrinkled clothes with a lipstick stain on his collar. He took one look at who Ritchie was talking to and went white as a sheet.
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