It's valid, although from the Germans's viewpoint, the P-38 it's only good to this point to be sent straight to the scrap heap, be melted and sent to MAKE can openers from its steel....
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Stupid Luck and Happenstance.
- Thread starter Peabody-Martini
- Start date
1) Thank God there are NO German special forces in earshot.
2) Ask her if she's completely insane.
Part 62, Chapter 875
Chapter Eight Hundred Seventy-Five
5th December 1950
Havana, Cuba
The bar had closed a couple hours earlier, but Doug was sitting on the balcony watching the ocean as first signs of sunrise appeared in the eastern sky. The bartender had sold him the bottle before closing, one of the good things about Cuba was that the rum was cheap. The result was that Doug was able to maintain enough of a buzz to avoid deeper thought. It wasn’t working though.
“Your mother had to be sedated, I hope you’re pleased with yourself” Malcolm said joining Doug on the balcony, “I’ve been trying to get her to get help on her own. You know that?”
“You know as well as I do that she wasn’t going to seek help without a kick to the head” Doug said, “When Kat learned that everyone was coming to Havana she said that I needed to…”
“Stop” Malcolm said, “Just stop Douglas, the fact that you and your wife planned this ambush is not something that I need to be reminded of. You used to know how to be tactful.”
“The Soviet Front burnt that out of me, I guess” Doug replied.
“More like the people who surrounded you. From what I’ve seen the Mischners don’t beat around the bush” Malcolm said as he took the bottle from Doug and took a drink. “You earned the respect of that outfit you were with, even if you weren’t one of them. I heard reports of you being there in the middle of the fighting, all the way from Silesia to Moscow.”
Doug just shrugged.
“Johannes von Mischner is known for being a tough customer” Malcolm said, “He wouldn’t have tolerated you marrying his sister without that respect.”
“Like if she would have given him a say on the matter.”
“Still, you and Katherine kept her pregnancy secret last summer when we were there” Malcolm said, “You came directly after her last night. That seems to be the path of most confrontation.”
“That was not the intention” Doug said, “Kat is terrified and in denial. She was putting in twelve-hour days on behalf of the Kaiserin just a couple weeks ago until she had to have her doctor order her to stop.”
“Are you kidding?” Malcolm asked.
“No, it’s why she didn’t come with me. She’s having to have a specialist stand over her at all times to get her to take care of herself.”
“If that is what it takes, I guess.”
“She didn’t want to hear the sort of comments Mama’am was going to make that was why she told me not to say anything” Doug said, “She accuses Kat of promiscuity when the truth is that it took Kat years to be able to trust me enough to not flinch away when I touch her. Kat still has rules about how I can approach her, never from behind or by surprise, because she fears that she might hurt me.”
“And if Margot asked anything questioning the legitimacy of your child?” Malcolm asked.
“Kat would have cut her throat before she completed the sentence.”
New York City, New York
“This is a bit too rich, Mrs. Ashworth” Gia said as she looked at one of the dishes on the breakfast table, “A lot more sugar and salt than I’m used to. Is this made from cream?”
“Really?” Penelope replied, “I suppose there is a reason you’re so thin.”
Gia had never thought of it that way.
The prior afternoon Gia had found herself nodding off as she had listened to the others discuss the plans for what she would need to be doing in the coming weeks and months. Hubert Ashworth had noticed and had her sent to his house. Waking up in the Brownstone after sleeping for almost twelve hours. Now, she was discussing the differences between the breakfast here and the one that she might have enjoyed at home with Penelope Ashworth, Hubert’s wife who was at least twenty years younger than him. Gia had stopped being annoyed by the ways of powerful men long ago when she had realized that she would be constantly annoyed if she did that.
“You made the front page, Jehane” Hubert said walking in.
Penelope took the newspaper from him, “Not a bad picture” She said, before handing Gia the paper. It was her coming down the movable staircase, to her shock she looked like the sort of glamourous figure Jack had tried to say she was.
Grand Duchess Jehane Alexandra Lukichna of Russia Arrives in America Read the headline, to her relief it was below the fold.
“There are a number of social invitations as well” Hubert said, “The only one that we should respond to right away is the one from the Russian Society, they are seldom inclined to take no for an answer.”
Before Gia had left Berlin, Kira had arranged for her to be briefed by the BND regarding what she could expect here in America. She had been expressly warned about groups like the very one that Hubert had just mentioned. Those founded by anti-Bolsheviks and exiles from the White factions. They had their own interests and agendas that where not necessarily in line with her own.
“I heard you say last night that you expect this to last for months” Gia said, “My adopted sister is expecting a baby in February, we need to arrange for me to be there for her.”
“I’m sure that it could be arranged” Hubert said, “A question that I have for you, that you fell asleep before you could answer. You abandoned your studies to come here.”
Gia hated that she had needed to do that.
“I did, midway through the winter term” Gia answered, “Again.”
“Again?” When Penelope asked that Gia realized she had said that last part aloud.
“I spent a term in a Russian convent caring for orphans” Gia said, that was a bit embarrassing. Especially because that was how Kira had punished her for running off.
“Really” Hubert asked surprised, “Why didn’t you say anything about that sooner?”
Because she hated being Saint Alexandra, Gia thought to herself but didn’t say aloud.
“She’s modest, Hubert” Penelope said, “And if she needs to continue her education here then I’m sure arrangements can be made.”
Greta had told her once that sometimes she needed to just let people think what they wanted to. This was one of those times and if she could go to university here and not lose any more time then that would suit her well.
5th December 1950
Havana, Cuba
The bar had closed a couple hours earlier, but Doug was sitting on the balcony watching the ocean as first signs of sunrise appeared in the eastern sky. The bartender had sold him the bottle before closing, one of the good things about Cuba was that the rum was cheap. The result was that Doug was able to maintain enough of a buzz to avoid deeper thought. It wasn’t working though.
“Your mother had to be sedated, I hope you’re pleased with yourself” Malcolm said joining Doug on the balcony, “I’ve been trying to get her to get help on her own. You know that?”
“You know as well as I do that she wasn’t going to seek help without a kick to the head” Doug said, “When Kat learned that everyone was coming to Havana she said that I needed to…”
“Stop” Malcolm said, “Just stop Douglas, the fact that you and your wife planned this ambush is not something that I need to be reminded of. You used to know how to be tactful.”
“The Soviet Front burnt that out of me, I guess” Doug replied.
“More like the people who surrounded you. From what I’ve seen the Mischners don’t beat around the bush” Malcolm said as he took the bottle from Doug and took a drink. “You earned the respect of that outfit you were with, even if you weren’t one of them. I heard reports of you being there in the middle of the fighting, all the way from Silesia to Moscow.”
Doug just shrugged.
“Johannes von Mischner is known for being a tough customer” Malcolm said, “He wouldn’t have tolerated you marrying his sister without that respect.”
“Like if she would have given him a say on the matter.”
“Still, you and Katherine kept her pregnancy secret last summer when we were there” Malcolm said, “You came directly after her last night. That seems to be the path of most confrontation.”
“That was not the intention” Doug said, “Kat is terrified and in denial. She was putting in twelve-hour days on behalf of the Kaiserin just a couple weeks ago until she had to have her doctor order her to stop.”
“Are you kidding?” Malcolm asked.
“No, it’s why she didn’t come with me. She’s having to have a specialist stand over her at all times to get her to take care of herself.”
“If that is what it takes, I guess.”
“She didn’t want to hear the sort of comments Mama’am was going to make that was why she told me not to say anything” Doug said, “She accuses Kat of promiscuity when the truth is that it took Kat years to be able to trust me enough to not flinch away when I touch her. Kat still has rules about how I can approach her, never from behind or by surprise, because she fears that she might hurt me.”
“And if Margot asked anything questioning the legitimacy of your child?” Malcolm asked.
“Kat would have cut her throat before she completed the sentence.”
New York City, New York
“This is a bit too rich, Mrs. Ashworth” Gia said as she looked at one of the dishes on the breakfast table, “A lot more sugar and salt than I’m used to. Is this made from cream?”
“Really?” Penelope replied, “I suppose there is a reason you’re so thin.”
Gia had never thought of it that way.
The prior afternoon Gia had found herself nodding off as she had listened to the others discuss the plans for what she would need to be doing in the coming weeks and months. Hubert Ashworth had noticed and had her sent to his house. Waking up in the Brownstone after sleeping for almost twelve hours. Now, she was discussing the differences between the breakfast here and the one that she might have enjoyed at home with Penelope Ashworth, Hubert’s wife who was at least twenty years younger than him. Gia had stopped being annoyed by the ways of powerful men long ago when she had realized that she would be constantly annoyed if she did that.
“You made the front page, Jehane” Hubert said walking in.
Penelope took the newspaper from him, “Not a bad picture” She said, before handing Gia the paper. It was her coming down the movable staircase, to her shock she looked like the sort of glamourous figure Jack had tried to say she was.
Grand Duchess Jehane Alexandra Lukichna of Russia Arrives in America Read the headline, to her relief it was below the fold.
“There are a number of social invitations as well” Hubert said, “The only one that we should respond to right away is the one from the Russian Society, they are seldom inclined to take no for an answer.”
Before Gia had left Berlin, Kira had arranged for her to be briefed by the BND regarding what she could expect here in America. She had been expressly warned about groups like the very one that Hubert had just mentioned. Those founded by anti-Bolsheviks and exiles from the White factions. They had their own interests and agendas that where not necessarily in line with her own.
“I heard you say last night that you expect this to last for months” Gia said, “My adopted sister is expecting a baby in February, we need to arrange for me to be there for her.”
“I’m sure that it could be arranged” Hubert said, “A question that I have for you, that you fell asleep before you could answer. You abandoned your studies to come here.”
Gia hated that she had needed to do that.
“I did, midway through the winter term” Gia answered, “Again.”
“Again?” When Penelope asked that Gia realized she had said that last part aloud.
“I spent a term in a Russian convent caring for orphans” Gia said, that was a bit embarrassing. Especially because that was how Kira had punished her for running off.
“Really” Hubert asked surprised, “Why didn’t you say anything about that sooner?”
Because she hated being Saint Alexandra, Gia thought to herself but didn’t say aloud.
“She’s modest, Hubert” Penelope said, “And if she needs to continue her education here then I’m sure arrangements can be made.”
Greta had told her once that sometimes she needed to just let people think what they wanted to. This was one of those times and if she could go to university here and not lose any more time then that would suit her well.
Nitpick:
You used the wrong German translation of Princess in this case.
Price/Princess is either Fürst/Fürstin or Prinz/Prinzessin.
Fürst/Fürstin is usually used for (formerly) reining princes and their spouses, while Prinzen/Prinzessinnen are the descendants of a reining prince.
Rule of thump:
Price/Princess of some place -> Fürst/Fürstin von some place,
Price/Princess given name -> Prinz/Prinzessin given name.
Quite the opposite, if you take the Price/Princess given name variant. A mere princes title was seen below the offspring of House Romanov (equivalent to the Archdukes of
House Habsburg)
Honestly, if anything, Doug was being pretty restrained, given what his mother was accusing his wife of. I mean, considering what she was calling her, well, most men I know probably would've just walked out of there, not had anything to do with her again.
Some thoughts on Gia in New York, she should be wary of the various White Russian groups some of them could be followers of Vladimir the Idiot, others could be claiming that Jehane is the legitimate ruler and IOTL the NKVD infiltrated some of these groups and if there is still an undiscovered NKVD agent around they might want to "Finish the Job".
Columbia and New York University are the obvious choices for Gia to continue her education, she could choose to go to City College as way to emphasize her working class Pankow roots.
It is Hockey season and the Canadians should be coming to town so go ahead and catch a game or two.
Columbia and New York University are the obvious choices for Gia to continue her education, she could choose to go to City College as way to emphasize her working class Pankow roots.
It is Hockey season and the Canadians should be coming to town so go ahead and catch a game or two.
After Kat's first trip to Canada (Part 41, Chapter 516):
“We don’t get to pick our families” Doug said, “Everyone knows that.”
“But still” Kat said, “At least I didn't kill anyone in Canada, that sort of was the goal.”
“Really?” Doug asked, “That’s a rather low bar to get over.”
“But still” Kat said, “At least I didn't kill anyone in Canada, that sort of was the goal.”
“Really?” Doug asked, “That’s a rather low bar to get over.”
“For you perhaps” Kat said with a smile, “I need to check on the girls and get ready for the rest of the term.”
I wonder what security has been arranged for Gia? I'd kinda expect a mixed platoon of the 1st Foot, 2nd Hussars and a few SKA. She and Georgy take suites in the center of one floor in a smaller hotel with the rest of the floor taken over for lawyers' offices and files, and the floors above and below full of guards.
Of course the New York Police Commissioner's dyspepsia would be back because everyone will be carrying guns (the Sullivan Law banned guns and brass knuckles). From what I can tell the Hussars would be okay carrying their sabres.
Of course the New York Police Commissioner's dyspepsia would be back because everyone will be carrying guns (the Sullivan Law banned guns and brass knuckles). From what I can tell the Hussars would be okay carrying their sabres.
That I was aware of, the line from Gia was supposed to reflect her own mindset, part of Jack's exasperation with her was that he knew that what she was saying boiled down the fact that she doesn't consider herself a Princess of any kind.
In fairness to Doug, that was before she really opened up to him about many of the things that she had done.
One of the viewpoint characters is going to get offered an extra five dollars a month...
Extra pay each month was what my Grandfather said convinced him to join the Airborne in 1942.
Which is something of a tradition in the military. Off the top of my head I can think of:
The British used the coolant water from their water-cooled machine guns to make tea. Sometimes firing off a belt for the heck of it to get their hot cup o'.
Vasiliy Stalin (yes, the son of THAT Stalin) was demoted after an incident when he and a deputy commander were wounded and their weapons engineer killed while rocket-fishing using military rockets (not all timers are equally precise. Especially under Soviet QC).
The Russians really like this. In 2008, some Russian soldiers used a tank to make a vodka run
US Soldiers in WW2 used their helmets (Separated from the liners) as pots, entrenching tools, and other things.
I think most soldiers make it something of a competition
I also recall hearing about how apparently some Sherman tanks would take out shells from their tank's shell locker, and put in some cognac, on the grounds of "This ammunition is no damn good anyway against a German tank. If the going got too rough, we could at least hide behind a building and break out the Cognac and at least ease some of the pain."