Stupid Luck and Happenstance, Thread II
- Thread starter Peabody-Martini
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Really? I can't. Not even a little bit. Neither of them answer to him and direct confrontation is overwhelmingly not his style.
FBKampfer
Banned
Not to mention Nancy has access to people who buy ink by the barrel, head of the OKW, the fucking Kaiserin, Tilo has a rout to the Emperor if his dad is known.
If either of them really kick up a fuss, Jacob is either helpless or at risk of losing his job depending.
Like I really don't understand where everyone imagines Jacob to be this powerful force of nature. Especially when it comes to the other main characters, he's either of the wrong nationality, wrong branch of service, or actually a pretty small fish in their pond.
Even amongst the enemy, his reputation is half of what they're fighting. Fleet maneuvers are nothing new, and he's simply excelled at taking technology into account more than being a brilliant tactician.
If either of them really kick up a fuss, Jacob is either helpless or at risk of losing his job depending.
Like I really don't understand where everyone imagines Jacob to be this powerful force of nature. Especially when it comes to the other main characters, he's either of the wrong nationality, wrong branch of service, or actually a pretty small fish in their pond.
Even amongst the enemy, his reputation is half of what they're fighting. Fleet maneuvers are nothing new, and he's simply excelled at taking technology into account more than being a brilliant tactician.
Jacob has become a powerful force of nature because of his ability to crack codes, even from his earliest days in the Navy, he's used technology to aid that as it has developed, and as he has risen through the ranks on merit, (and by knowing where the bodies are buried and how to use that information), the level of his targets has risen too.
Jacob's strategies have been excellent simply because has more data than the opposition and can process it faster to formulate the correct approach and react to changes faster.
As per Sun Tzu's Art of War "win the battle before it has begun".
He's also a creature of his time. A new Jacob will not happen. He's driven, and remains driven by knowing that he has to be twice as good at least as everybody else to get 4/5ths of the respect he's due. This comes from growing up in a time where anti-Semitism was not only utterly rife, but considered a good and perfectly natural thing.
ITTL the world has moved past that now, so the new Jacob won't have the same experiences and so won't be as driven as Jacob was.
Having his reputation doesn't hurt either, it's a help for him.
With Tilo's father now sidelined and Nancy apparently becoming a German subject there is nothing to prevent them from getting back together except their egos and hurt feelings, now the question is how do we get them together again?
Well we could let Peabody-Martini tell us, but where is the fun in that?
But the Grand Admiral has a problem with the image that the Marine Infantry has and that has hurt them and has resulted in their budget being repeatedly cut.
Like I posted before, Nancy is contacted by the Grand Admiral to provide solutions to that problem with her knowledge and experience with the USMC, and Tilo is assigned to work with her.
Then we get to plan a wedding.
Well we could let Peabody-Martini tell us, but where is the fun in that?
But the Grand Admiral has a problem with the image that the Marine Infantry has and that has hurt them and has resulted in their budget being repeatedly cut.
Like I posted before, Nancy is contacted by the Grand Admiral to provide solutions to that problem with her knowledge and experience with the USMC, and Tilo is assigned to work with her.
Then we get to plan a wedding.
Part 76, Chapter 1129
Chapter One Thousand One Hundred Twenty-Nine
20th April 1955
Old City, Jerusalem
Katherine had said that she hated this place as soon as the helicopters had landed.
It was worse than the Medieval cities in Germany from a security standpoint. The advance teams had discovered that they simply could not cover every corner on the narrow streets that twisted and turned in a three-dimensional maze. The masonry walls that would stop everything shy of heavy artillery were making Katherine deeply agitated as well. She had said as much when she had gone over the situation with Kiki’s father. From the Landing Zone to the Old City they had been in a convoy of vehicles with eight-wheeled armored cars leading and trailing. The British Army was out in force, but no one knew if that was a help or a hindrance. Among the various factions within the Mandate, mutual dislike of the British was one of the few things that they all agreed on. It all made Kiki wonder why they had gone ahead with this whole thing.
Kiki had found it a relief to reach the Old City. In the open, the sun had beat down upon them and it had seemed like an incredibly hot day. It had basically still been winter at home when they had left, here it had seemed like summer. She couldn’t imagine what it would be like here in a few months.
“Don’t wander off Whippet” Freddy said, as they walked into the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Freddy was being Freddy again, Kiki wished that he would cut it out.
It wasn’t the first church that they had visited today, this one was supposedly built on the site of Jesus’ tomb and Kiki didn’t care. She wasn’t feeling well and had not even wanted to get out of bed that morning. Her mother had insisted that she come because it was about being seen. Fortunately, it was a weekday so there were only few tourists around who were looking at the Royal party with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension. The heavily armed guards from the First Foot saw to it that most of them were keeping their distance. It did however mean that the benches along some of the walls outside the dome with the rotunda. With the press swirling around her parents no one was paying attention her, that actually suited Kiki just fine.
“You know the German Crown Prince?” A woman asked in English with an accent that sounded incredibly strange to Kiki’s ears.
Kiki glared at the middle-aged woman, she looked like she came from Norway or Sweden but didn’t talk like someone from there. Worse, she didn’t seem to be put off by Kiki’s surly mood. The cow was sitting there with a vague smile on her face. Kiki realized that she was enraptured with this place. In many ways she envied people like this woman, Kiki looked around this place that should have been one of the holiest places of her own religion and she just felt nothing.
“I know him, yes” Kiki replied.
“He’s grown into such a handsome young man” The woman said, “I’ve seen photographs in magazines, but real life is completely different.”
“If you say so” Kiki said she had never seen what was so great about her older brother.
“The German Kaiser and Kaiserin were just here” The woman said, “But you are a part of the royal entourage? You must see them every day.”
“Yes” Kiki said.
“Have you ever been to Saint Cloud?” The woman asked, “In Minnesota.”
“I’ve never been to America” Kiki replied, “I take it that you are from there?”
“Oh, yes” The woman said, “I’m Olivia Anderson by the way, William, my husband went to find the men’s room and he’s going to meet me back here. This whole thing is an anniversary present he gave me.”
That was far more information than Kiki needed to know.
Kiki almost replied, then a wild thought occurred to her. This woman didn’t know her, and she remembered the how Katherine’s sister Ilse had been named. If Kiki had been born to an unknown mother in the same place…
“I’m Kiki von Fischer” Kiki said, for Fischer Island which sat in the center of Berlin. The place where she had been born, even if it was really in the palace. It seemed perfect.
“And how did you get to be a part of the entourage?” Olivia asked.
“My father is a General, Luftwaffe” Kiki replied. It was true, after fashion. When her father played at being the head of the military, he wore the grey-blue uniform of the Luftwaffe. “I’m an official friend and companion to Princess Kristina.”
“That makes you a very lucky girl Kiki” Olivia said, “I understand that some of young ladies with the entourage are real Princesses. Her for example.”
Kiki saw that Olivia was gesturing towards Anya and almost laughed. The truth was that over the last year the Russian girl had become a bit of a social butterfly and Anya actually looked like what people thought a princess should. Kiki had become ever more physically awkward during that time. She’d grown several centimeters and there had been other things that left her completely off balance. With her glasses and brown curls, no one in their right mind would think that she looked the part.
“That is Anya” Kiki said, “She is Grand Duchess Jehane Alexandra’s ward.”
Then Gia walked out of the tomb. A few paces behind her was that Russian Major who had been following her around for the last few days trying to convince her to dress and act like a proper woman of her station. Kiki considered that a bit too much of an ask, Gia was the sort who started trends as opposed to following them.
“Who is that?” Olivia asked.
“That is Jehane herself” Kiki replied.
“She is beautiful” Olivia said.
Then Katherine stepped out of one of the corridors, positioning herself where she could see Marie and Victoria as well as Kiki. She was wearing the military kit, flak vest, helmet and a submachine gun being held readily.
“My word?” Olivia said.
“That is Oberst Gräfin Katherine von Mischner” Kiki said, “She’s in charge of the First Foot Guard, they protect the Kaiser.”
“Ober… what? Olivia asked, “Gray fin?”
“Sorry” Kiki said, “She’s a Countess and an Army Colonel.”
“Wow, impressive” Olivia said, “Are there others like her?”
“There’s Lieutenant Bäcker” Kiki said, “She’s my… er… The Kaiserin’s Aide-de-Camp and the Katherine’s protégée.”
“That’s very different” Olivia said, “I can’t wait to tell the garden club back home about this. They won’t believe it.”
20th April 1955
Old City, Jerusalem
Katherine had said that she hated this place as soon as the helicopters had landed.
It was worse than the Medieval cities in Germany from a security standpoint. The advance teams had discovered that they simply could not cover every corner on the narrow streets that twisted and turned in a three-dimensional maze. The masonry walls that would stop everything shy of heavy artillery were making Katherine deeply agitated as well. She had said as much when she had gone over the situation with Kiki’s father. From the Landing Zone to the Old City they had been in a convoy of vehicles with eight-wheeled armored cars leading and trailing. The British Army was out in force, but no one knew if that was a help or a hindrance. Among the various factions within the Mandate, mutual dislike of the British was one of the few things that they all agreed on. It all made Kiki wonder why they had gone ahead with this whole thing.
Kiki had found it a relief to reach the Old City. In the open, the sun had beat down upon them and it had seemed like an incredibly hot day. It had basically still been winter at home when they had left, here it had seemed like summer. She couldn’t imagine what it would be like here in a few months.
“Don’t wander off Whippet” Freddy said, as they walked into the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Freddy was being Freddy again, Kiki wished that he would cut it out.
It wasn’t the first church that they had visited today, this one was supposedly built on the site of Jesus’ tomb and Kiki didn’t care. She wasn’t feeling well and had not even wanted to get out of bed that morning. Her mother had insisted that she come because it was about being seen. Fortunately, it was a weekday so there were only few tourists around who were looking at the Royal party with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension. The heavily armed guards from the First Foot saw to it that most of them were keeping their distance. It did however mean that the benches along some of the walls outside the dome with the rotunda. With the press swirling around her parents no one was paying attention her, that actually suited Kiki just fine.
“You know the German Crown Prince?” A woman asked in English with an accent that sounded incredibly strange to Kiki’s ears.
Kiki glared at the middle-aged woman, she looked like she came from Norway or Sweden but didn’t talk like someone from there. Worse, she didn’t seem to be put off by Kiki’s surly mood. The cow was sitting there with a vague smile on her face. Kiki realized that she was enraptured with this place. In many ways she envied people like this woman, Kiki looked around this place that should have been one of the holiest places of her own religion and she just felt nothing.
“I know him, yes” Kiki replied.
“He’s grown into such a handsome young man” The woman said, “I’ve seen photographs in magazines, but real life is completely different.”
“If you say so” Kiki said she had never seen what was so great about her older brother.
“The German Kaiser and Kaiserin were just here” The woman said, “But you are a part of the royal entourage? You must see them every day.”
“Yes” Kiki said.
“Have you ever been to Saint Cloud?” The woman asked, “In Minnesota.”
“I’ve never been to America” Kiki replied, “I take it that you are from there?”
“Oh, yes” The woman said, “I’m Olivia Anderson by the way, William, my husband went to find the men’s room and he’s going to meet me back here. This whole thing is an anniversary present he gave me.”
That was far more information than Kiki needed to know.
Kiki almost replied, then a wild thought occurred to her. This woman didn’t know her, and she remembered the how Katherine’s sister Ilse had been named. If Kiki had been born to an unknown mother in the same place…
“I’m Kiki von Fischer” Kiki said, for Fischer Island which sat in the center of Berlin. The place where she had been born, even if it was really in the palace. It seemed perfect.
“And how did you get to be a part of the entourage?” Olivia asked.
“My father is a General, Luftwaffe” Kiki replied. It was true, after fashion. When her father played at being the head of the military, he wore the grey-blue uniform of the Luftwaffe. “I’m an official friend and companion to Princess Kristina.”
“That makes you a very lucky girl Kiki” Olivia said, “I understand that some of young ladies with the entourage are real Princesses. Her for example.”
Kiki saw that Olivia was gesturing towards Anya and almost laughed. The truth was that over the last year the Russian girl had become a bit of a social butterfly and Anya actually looked like what people thought a princess should. Kiki had become ever more physically awkward during that time. She’d grown several centimeters and there had been other things that left her completely off balance. With her glasses and brown curls, no one in their right mind would think that she looked the part.
“That is Anya” Kiki said, “She is Grand Duchess Jehane Alexandra’s ward.”
Then Gia walked out of the tomb. A few paces behind her was that Russian Major who had been following her around for the last few days trying to convince her to dress and act like a proper woman of her station. Kiki considered that a bit too much of an ask, Gia was the sort who started trends as opposed to following them.
“Who is that?” Olivia asked.
“That is Jehane herself” Kiki replied.
“She is beautiful” Olivia said.
Then Katherine stepped out of one of the corridors, positioning herself where she could see Marie and Victoria as well as Kiki. She was wearing the military kit, flak vest, helmet and a submachine gun being held readily.
“My word?” Olivia said.
“That is Oberst Gräfin Katherine von Mischner” Kiki said, “She’s in charge of the First Foot Guard, they protect the Kaiser.”
“Ober… what? Olivia asked, “Gray fin?”
“Sorry” Kiki said, “She’s a Countess and an Army Colonel.”
“Wow, impressive” Olivia said, “Are there others like her?”
“There’s Lieutenant Bäcker” Kiki said, “She’s my… er… The Kaiserin’s Aide-de-Camp and the Katherine’s protégée.”
“That’s very different” Olivia said, “I can’t wait to tell the garden club back home about this. They won’t believe it.”
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Olivia Anderson. How typically American. Possibly suffering from a very mild form of Jerusalem syndrome
Haw-Haw she thinks that she is the Messiah when everybody knows that I am the Messiah.
My older cousin once back in the eighties told an American tourist (maintaining an admirably straight face) "Of course we have indoor bathrooms in Ireland. There's no other room in the house really suitable for raising the pigs in."
I've personally convinced several groups of them that Leprechauns were real, but they died in the Famine when we ate them out of desperation.
We have museums to them in Dublin as a token of remembrance of our greatest national shame.
Kiki seems to attract friendly middle aged American women who treat her like she is an ordinary girl, first with Agnes Jensen and now Mrs. Olivia Anderson of St. Cloud Minnesota.
Ms. Anderson is most likely to be a Lutheran of Scandinavian descent and thus presumably Pro-German, hopefully if she finds out who Kiki really is, Ms. Anderson will understand that the Princess just wanted to be treated like any other girl her age and will not be offended by the subterfuge.
The person in ShortsBelfast story sounds like they were in a rural area of Ireland and was looking at a farmhouse built before the turn of the Twentieth Century so that seems to me a legitimate question to ask.
The reason that American tourists are fun to screw with is that they have a tendency to take people at face value for the most part.
Ms. Anderson is most likely to be a Lutheran of Scandinavian descent and thus presumably Pro-German, hopefully if she finds out who Kiki really is, Ms. Anderson will understand that the Princess just wanted to be treated like any other girl her age and will not be offended by the subterfuge.
The person in ShortsBelfast story sounds like they were in a rural area of Ireland and was looking at a farmhouse built before the turn of the Twentieth Century so that seems to me a legitimate question to ask.
The reason that American tourists are fun to screw with is that they have a tendency to take people at face value for the most part.
Screwing with tourists is fun to do even as an American. Growing up in Amish Country had its perks, particularly providing inaccurate directions to New Yorkers or New Jerseyians.
Or NOT screwing with them, and letting them do it to themselves. In my experience, Europeans have no concept of the distances in the US.
Assume we have as a general rule. Even in small country towns.
There is one elderly lady in County Fermanagh who still lives in the house she was brought up in which has no running water -the newspapers run stories about her from time to time.