If Visha's arrival attracted attention, Tanya's demanded it. Her every footstep echoed as if a giant were walking with terrible weight. The observers felt a sense of dread overtake them and those who were leaving, left quickly, while those outside hurriedly decided not to enter. One guard instinctively reached for his gun but one glance from her caused him to stumble back and almost fall down only to be saved when he collided with a wall.
She smiled and the expression so frightened them, that one teller fainted dead off, his falling body making quite the clatter as the tray of coins he was carrying spilled everywhere.
No one stooped to pick them up.
"Where is Herr Meier?" When no one moved, she pointed at one man and said. "You!"
"Y-y-yes?"
"Take me to Meier. Now."
The man nearly ran off with Tanya walking leisurely behind him – boots on marble, her cane swinging in her grip. Even the untrained eye saw it more as a weapon than any kind of crutch for the warrior that walked amongst them. Few dared look but all knew she was there.
The entire bank listened to her bootheels go down the hall, none brave enough to interrupt that ominous metronome. She threw open the doors to the conference room and they hit the walls like Thor's hammer, sending a thunderous boom through the building. "I have arrived. I trust to good news?"
Visha just shook her head as she got up to stand by her men. "He says it's not here."
Tanya stood over the still-seated banker. "Herr Meier. Wait, your given name is Conrad, yes? Conrad, let's take a walk to the vaults. As a customer, we obviously have a right to see our vault, right?"
"Y-yes, President von Degurechaff." He didn't move.
"Now, Conrad."
The man shot up... an action he was unfamiliar with. He stumbled to an elevator only to be surrounded by mercenaries. Oh God, why didn't I walk down the stairs! He ignored the fact that the last time he took stairs, he was in university.
"Keep going, Conrad." She encouraged him as the elevator doors opened. "I'm sure you know the way. Please, take me to my gold." The man's eyes darted around as she kept her eyes on his face. He let out a gasp, when she put a hand on his arm. "Steady, Conrad, steady."
They came to a vault door and he wiped his face with an already-soaked handkerchief. "Here it is. Of course, only you have the key and combination both. But nothing has been placed inside, Madame President, I swear it!"
"Oh Conrad, Conrad. Things that are empty, can always be filled." She stared at him while Visha turned one key and Meier fumblingly turned the other key. Tanya herself spun the dial and pulled open the door (a task that normally took two grown men to do easily). As promised, when they turned the light on, the vault was starkly empty.
"There. You see? Please, please can we go now?" He turned to go but two sets of steely hands held him place. Older they might be, but the veterans' arms were little weakened by age.
"Tut-tut, Conrad. Now we need to fill the vault. I assure you, we are not leaving until I'm satisfied."
He looked into her steady eyes and could easily imagine them staring just as calmly as she shut the vault door... with him inside!
She walked back down the hallway, Visha beside her, Conrad being pulled behind them. She walked confidently until she stopped next to an unmarked wall. "Visha, tell me, do you smell anything?"
"Smell?" She sniffed the air and got a puzzled look on her face. "Paint?"
The banker managed to choke out. "W-we painted down here recently."
Tanya grinned, "I'm sure you have, I'm sure you have." She looked at the wall and then suddenly shouted! The wall dented as if a wrecking ball had slammed into it! Cracks spread in a circular pattern.
"Wait, what? Stop!" Meier looked scared, panicked and was only prevented from moving by those restraining him.
Tanya took a deep breath and shouted again! The plaster and laths exploded in all directions except toward her. Normally dust would billow but the plaster merely broke into pieces. Behind the wall was a short corridor with several vaults that had been hidden from view. "Oh, what's this? Now if I were a gambler, I'd say that if I wanted to find my gold, it would all be in the biggest vault. But as I abhor taking chances, it's probably best if I tear them all open."
"Please! These are just our secret vaults! Nothing here is yours!"
"Nothing yet, Conrad, nothing yet. But if I can't find my items here, I don't mind taking the equivalent in exchange. Life is about trades, is it not?"
"It doesn't matter anyway," he said, slumping, only kept upright by the ex soldiers. "You can't break into them, no one can."
She was suddenly directly in his face but he couldn't back away from her. "Are you so sure about that? Would you be willing to bet your life?"
"P-please..."
"Point out the right one, Conrad. Otherwise I tear them all open."
He indicated the one on the end. "But I don't have the keys or the combination. Not to these vaults."
"Did I say I needed them, hmm?"
Tanya looked at the door and put her hand on the cold steel. She 'tapped' it with a bit of mana and felt it vibrate. I haven't tried this on anything so large, but it should work in principle. I'm no Ella Fitzgerald but then again, she's no Tanya von Degurechaff!
After having felt out the door she started to sing a low tone, lower than anyone thought she could go. It built in intensity second by second, apparently to no effect.
Visha hustled everyone out of the short corridor but they stayed just outside so they could see what was happening.
Her 'song' was building in power and they heard a high-pitched screeching sound, just outside of hearing range, that set their teeth on edge, like something was screaming. Tanya sang louder and louder and the others saw the vault door start to shake! More plaster rained down from the surrounding walls and light fixtures popped and went out all up and down the basement level. With one final, ear-piercing cry, the door shattered! A ton and half of fine steel crumbled and fell to the ground in large pieces.
Amazingly, the light inside the vault still worked. In the middle of the floor were very familiar sealed steel crates. Apparently, they hadn't even had time to break into them. "Visha?"
The woman came up and inventoried the crates efficiently. "All here, ma'am. They don't look to be opened."
"Good, move them to our vault." She turned her attention to Meier and gently patted his cheek. "So, Conrad, mind telling me why my possessions are locked inside someone else's vault, behind a fake wall, hmmm?"
"You can't prove those are yours! This is just theft!"
Tanay sighed and pulled out a knife from her belt. It was eighteen inches long and a dull black color that didn't reflect light at all except for the tiniest glint off the razor edge.
Meier's courage, or greed, ran out and he almost began to cry.
With one swipe, Tanya's blade cut the end off of a crate, the steel not even slowing down her arm in the slightest. She reached into the packing straw and pulled out a bar of metal. There was a particular luster to gold that no other metal could match. "Oh, can't prove that it's mine?" She held up the bar and then flipped it around.
Stamped into the bar was the TvD logo and a serial number. "Is it common for your bank to use my company's symbol to mark your gold, hmmm?" She got closer to his face, "Well, is it, Conrad?"
Finally broken, he collapsed and confessed the entire scheme.
"W-we heard you were going to transport gold looted in the war to our vaults. We thought if it went missing, stolen by outlaws, you wouldn't even be able to protest since you stole it originally." The man swallowed heavily. "Aden said we would be patriots if we took the shipment and hid it and then we could find out who it belonged to afterwards and return it to the victims."
"Visha, do you hear this? What's our top three sources of this gold?"
"Yes ma'am. That would be retirement funds from veterans and other investors. Followed by profits from Zart and sales of your albums. Ballpoint pens may be passing them soon, though."
She looked down at the banker. "Let's be clear... I can track every pfennig from where I got it to where it is now. I thought that Waldstatte would be a good, safe place to keep our profits to protect my fellow veterans who want to retire comfortably. I'm very... disappointed."
Meier didn't know how to answer that. What do you do if you disappoint the Devil?
"Visha, the document."
She pulled out a receipt. "Here's a receipt to indicate the arrival of our delivery. Please sign here." She also produced a pen and handed it to him.
He signed it with difficultly on the floor where he was sitting. The receipt he handed back was in a hand shaking so much that the paper rattled audibly.
"Ahem!"
"Ah!"
"My pen?" Visha held out her hand until he returned it. She frowned and then wiped the sweat off of it before putting it back in her pocket.
Just then a pompous-looking man with the local police came storming in. "What is the meaning of this, this, this robbery! Officers, take this criminal to jail immediately! Shoot her if she resists!"
Meier blanched and tried to stop him but was ignored.
"Robbery, is it?" Tanya shook her head, sadly, not threatening at all. "I'm afraid, he's right."
"You see?! She admits it... do your duty!" The policemen, not as ignorant as most, were very reluctant to approach one of the war's most decorated, and notorious, warriors.
"Oh, I didn't mean ME. Officers, if I can show the bank president a little something, I think we can clear all this up."
"Harumph. Doubtful, you murdering, thieving, strumpet. Highly doubtful!"
Meier hid his face, not willing to watch what was about to happen.
Out of sight of the police officers, Tanya showed him videos of the surviving bandits and who hired them. This was followed by Meier's confession and how the gold bars were uniquely stamped. "Now... whatever your name is... I think we can agree that showing this information to the honorable men of the law is not in your best interest?" As his face drained of color, she tapped the side of her chin with one finger and looked up in thought. "Oh, even better, what if the WORLD saw these videos and found out that the safety of their funds is not so safe in Waldstatte?"
She got closer and whispered in his ear. "If the country takes a hit to its wonderful neutral reputation, then the banks will bleed. And if the banks bleed, ZKB will be crippled. And if ZKB is crippled, what oh what will happen to its president?"
Tanya had forgotten about Switzerland's spotty record for honesty in her old world but was quite willing to learn from that mistake.
One officer eventually asked, "Is anything wrong Herr Keller?"
"No! Ahem, no, no all is well. This was simply a mistake. My friend von Degurechaff was helping to test our security systems and I forgot that was today. Hahaha! Please, please, this matter has been blown up too much. Let us treat you to lunch, yes, lunch! Meier, take these officers to lunch in the finest restaurant, no expense spared! Again, my apologies!"
"Well... if there's no problem."
Tanya nodded, "It is as he says. He was just about to pay us for our services. I believe it was 100,000 swiss francs in gold, right?"
"One hundred! Ah, ah, I mean yes, that was the right amount. I'll be sure to pay."
"Oh, President Keller, it's best to pay for services immediately. We can wait, right?" She smiled at the officers and sat on a crate, crossing her legs, apparently willing to wait all day.
Keller tried to indicate to Meier to take the policemen our of the vault but he just pretended not to see the sign. Finally, lacking any other option, he got a clerk to bring a cart loaded with several hundred pounds of gold coins.
One officer tilted back his hat, impressed. "Goodness! Security services pay well!"
Tanya shrugged. "If you protecting millions it's worth it to spend thousands. Would you believe, they thought steel only this thick and a flimsy fake wall would keep criminals out?" She shared a laugh with them while Keller looked apoplectic.
After the additional gold was stored (and a proper receipt received), Tanya said, "I believe Herr Keller invited us all to lunch, yes?" She went outside and sent a brilliant green and red firework into the sky. Within minutes, all the members of both strike forces had gathered. "Come, boys, we're going to the best restaurant in the city!" She bowed her head slightly to the policemen. "If you could lead the way?"
The less senior seemed that he might object or demur, but the elder stopped him. "I believe our lunch break can be taken now. Besides, how often do you get a chance to eat with a living legend?"
Tanya, Visha, their men, two policemen and a thoroughly subdued Conrad occupied the entire second floor of the restaurant, normally reserved for large parties or special events. In the end, enough food and wine flowed that it started to challenge how much she had gotten for her 'security advice'.
Tanya toasted. "My friends and comrades... good job! Remember that we work hard, get paid, and enjoy the rewards. That is essential to civilization, essential to prosperity, and essential to peace. So lift your glasses with the peace-loving people of the world and rejoice!"
They cheered and downed their drinks with gusto!
* * *
Visha sat with her drink, a dangerously subtle akavit that challenged even the mage's notoriously high alcohol tolerance. "Ah, Tanya, that was so scary!"
The diminutive leader drank her coffee (a fine brew made with an expensive bean that the restaurant managed to procure) and grinned. "I told you it would work, right? One has to present a dangerous face to those types. By using me as an even bigger threat, it set up my entrance perfectly."
"Even when I knew you were doing it, I found it creepy. What did you call that again?"
"Infrasound. Low level vibrations you can't hear but make you feel like something weird is going on. It's fairly useless by itself but if someone's been prepped psychologically, it can have a great impact." She sipped her coffee while thinking. "We should also practice 'good mage, bad mage' in the future. A wonderful interrogation technique."
Visha blinked, "It isn't, ummm, painful, is it?"
Tanya grinned. "Not physically... not even mentally, but we are about perfect for it."
"And I'm the good mage?" she asked a bit hesitantly.
"Yes, yes you are." They clinked cups and Tanya finished her coffee. "Speaking of bad mages, we have to spoil the party and get these rowdies back to Berun."
She stood up and announced powerfully but not loudly, "All right! You've had your fun and not it's time to go home. Please thank your host and get back to the transports." She clapped her hands twice.
There was some good-natured grumbling as the men pulled themselves together. There was a general round of applause for Meier that he was in no state to appreciate. He had drunk a lot himself, much like a condemned man would indulge before execution.
Visha piped up, "And there'll be a bonus for everyone for your work, so let's make haste!"
This perked them up and they left with good time.
"Despite problems, we came out with quite the profit. Oh, here's Hammerschmidt... let's see what he has to say."
The ex-banker had arrived late as he was handling matters in town. "We've processed the paperwork for the rewards for the bandits. Quite a sum because there were bounties from several countries. If you could manage this every week or so, you'd be a millionaire in no time at all."
Tanya snorted. "Please. Like I want to spend my life chasing dangerous and heavily armed social rejects? My goal is to find a nice beach and sunbathe every day while reading."
Visha didn't believe it for a second... her boss was either working or helping the community (or the country or her comrades) every day. Even vacations were a foreign concept. "Tanya, why not take a vacation? This windfall is off budget. Surely it can be used as 'found money'?"
"That's... a great idea! Let's talk more in Berun!"
* * *
The meeting between Keller and Meier was more resigned than fiery. Oh, Keller had yelled at the top of his lungs for ninety minutes, but it was half-hearted toward the end. "So! What can we do about this?!"
Meier was still somewhat drunk (though sobered by the dressing down he had just received). "Herr Keller, I don't see any way. They had evidence – VIDEO evidence – of, of everything. Who thinks that far ahead? Crate markings, serial marked gold bars, detailed invoices of every item."
Keller collapsed in a chair. "Do you think she's lying?"
"About how she earned her money?" Meier thought long and hard. "I doubt it. She's likely the most dangerous person I know but she seems frighteningly honest. If she borrowed 5 marks, she'd return every pfennig. If she promised to cut off your head, she'd do that with a smile as well."
"Damn those bastards! They assured me that she'd have no recourse! That she was hording stolen riches! When I get... but, no. We can't do anything, we've been boxed in completely." He had lost money... a LOT of money but he was more rankled that someone had played on both his better nature and his greed at the same time. When took up the position as president, his predecessor had reminded him, We deal with saints and sinners, Keller, but we treat all honestly and hold our heads up. Remember that.
In the end, he hadn't remembered that very important advice. Even if his contact had been 100% right, he had almost led his bank to ruin... and possibly harmed the country.
Meier, who had spent the entire afternoon with Tanya had had a flash of insight. "President Keller. Maybe this isn't all bad?"
Desperate for any sign of good news, though doubtful, he said, "Go on."
"Even though we tried to rob her, she still left her funds in our care. Not without a 'fine', of sorts, but she's still willing to work with us." He stood up animatedly. "In a stunningly short amount of time, she has amassed so much wealth. Surely her future will be equally sanguine, yes? In spite of, no BECAUSE she has a hold over us..."
Keller, growing excited, completed the thought. "Because she has those damnable videos, she's more likely to work with us because we present no risk to her. Instead of pulling back, we should be her partner in the financial world! TvD is just a group of companies now, but is on the brink of becoming a massive international conglomerate... with the right help."
"Yes yes! That payment, though large, can we not think of it as a slap on the wrist? A reminder to behave? The necessary cost of riding this new wave of prosperity?"
"Meier, I'm glad you are using your head. You are in charge of the Degurechaff account. When she thinks of banking or finance anywhere, she should only think of ZKB." He stood up in a considerably better mood. "And once we are such close partners in the future, there'll be no advantage to harming us and we will be safe then. I was too swayed by emotion before! I'm going to let cool reason be my guide from now on." He smiled and patted the shorter man on the shoulder. "And, Meier. We're going to make a deal with the Devil, so make sure we hold up our side, eh?"
Chapter 39 - On the Road Again
Being X brooded on HIS throne (in a metaphysical sense since how mortals imagined HIM was hardly indicative of HIS true self). HE had made an error (not that HE would ever admit that)... in trying to push the Unbeliever to faith, HE had put her into a losing position... in a manner of speaking. With the end of the Great War, HE had won the battle but had lost HIS most valuable tool and nearly the greater conflict! Who would have thought that she would be more wily and much more in her element in defeat than in victory?
It was a galling realization, to be sure.
With the Holy Object locked away, and no conflicts currently, HIS influence on her had dropped remarkably. While powerful, there were limitations to be maintained, and HE couldn't act without care. Even now, the High Balance was tilting too much and HE would be forced to rely on subtle manipulations... never HIS strong suit.
HE looked at a chessboard (again, a wildly inaccurate metaphysical characterization of reality) and touched a piece ever so lightly. "There. MY will be done."
* * *
Tanya and Visha were poring over a map of Europe intently. There were pins stuck in several 'hot spots' and they were discussing it vigorously. Tanya tapped the map several times with a pointer. "East and North are obviously out of the question. Logistics are terrible and the weather abhorrent."
Visha nodded. "That applies to the west as well. The Commonwealth is, well, not ideal for this mission. Ispagna has gotten unstable. And the Unified States is too far away."
"I agree. Our only escape is to the south." She tapped firmly on the Kingdom of Ildoa. "There! We can escape this miserable winter and have our vacation!"
* * *
Of course, there were certain issues before both the president and vice-president could be away from the office for any length of time. But this when the genius of Tanya's management system really made itself known. A slave to the corporate rules in Japan, and quite skilled at navigating them, her new business structure was much simpler: find good people and give them the freedom to do their jobs.
Naturally, if someone did NOT perform, she had no issues about changing their roles or responsibilities. In this era without onerous workers' rights legislation, she was quite free to move people to the best tasks to match their skills. At first, she thought there would be resistance to these decisions, but her workers took their new duties in stride. Could it be that 'modern' workers were just that spoiled and entitled? Certainly the final moments of her last life lent credence to this theory!
In the end, they just needed to handle current issues and assign subordinates to keep track of the unexpected and call them if necessary. With their new funds, an international call or two would hardly dent their finances.
Visha looked at her open, and empty, luggage with a little frown. "What do I pack for a beach vacation?"
"Nothing."
"What?"
"Oh, take some toiletries, and maybe a single change of clothes, but let's just buy what we need when we get there." Her sensibilities as a modern traveler tended toward light rather than inclusive. "We're not invading the Russy Federation, just taking a few weeks off. They have launderers in Ildoa, do they not? We'll buy a few outfits and if there's absolutely something you want to keep, we can have it shipped back."
Tanya steeled herself for this. Germania was rather stodgy and, if history ran the same here, would be so for years to come. But Italy was sufficiently far away that she step outside of the common norms for a few days with none the wiser.
Visha nodded with greater and greater enthusiasm. "You're right! We can have a vacation, do some shopping, go to beaches, eat great food. We can do it all!" She pushed her big suitcase aside, grabbed a small valise and was packed inside of 15 minutes.
"That the spirit! We have a few hours before the train arrives, is there anything you need to do?"
"No, no actually. I left the extra time for packing and all that, but that's not necessary anymore."
"Why don't we get an early dinner then? Whatever food might be found around the train stations between here and there are unlikely to be better than what we can get in Berun."
"Mmmm. Okay."
Having left early, they were not available when a visitor arrived.
Rerugen showed up at their main office after looking around the neighborhood briefly. He found that all the locals when the way there and, indeed, many were customers.. He had received an invitation to drop by whenever he wanted from Tanya but this first time he had taken advantage of it. The clerk at the front asked politely, "May I help you sir?"
"Good afternoon. Can you tell Tanya von Degurechaff that General Rerugen came by to visit?" Though he was in uniform, he didn't expect a civilian to know military ranks..
"Oh! Please come this way, General!" The woman led him to the offices on the upper floor to a pleasant meeting room. "Would you like some tea while I get the President?"
"Coffee, please, if that's no problem."
"No problem at all, sir. The President always has some available." She left to brew a cup while he looked around the room. It was an interesting mess, an obvious thumbnail sketch as to the current state of the business. One wall was entirely given over to small cards with little more on them but their name, who was in charge and a few words as to what they did. As a view into the workings of Degurechaff's head, it left him quite puzzled. He always imagined her as relentlessly focused on precise goals to the exclusion of all else but this, this glorious chaos defied what he though he knew.
Perhaps this is how she sees the world and it was only the extreme structure of the military that gave her actions a semblance of order. She's always been a big fan of rules, if only to figure out how to subvert them. Even at Brest, when she knew she could stop the war, she obeyed. In his darker moments, he wished she had been just a bit more bloodthirsty, a bit more rebellious. The celebrations they had after the fall of Paree... so pathetic in retrospect! What if victory had been their future and not the slow, grinding defeat the Empire had eventually succumbed to.
The woman returned with a pleasant-smelling tray with a cup of coffee and a few salty snacks. "It will be just a bit longer until I can locate the President, my apologies!"
"Again, this is just a... social visit of sorts. You don't have to go to all this effort." He glanced around the room. "Shouldn't you hide these company secrets from outsiders?"
The woman shook her head with a smile. "Oh no! There's a very short list of visitors that are to be given top hospitality and you're certainly on there. It's short enough that we have it memorized. The president said specifically that you can look at anything you want to or check the books if you like." She paused, "I'd have to get the accountant here for that thought."
"No, no that won't be necessary. If you have some time, could I just a ask a few questions? And please sit, I find it uncomfortable to look up all the time." He gave her a gentlemanly reason to relax she took it gracefully.
"So, do you like working here? How did that come about?"
"Well, sir, it was hard after the War. With my Viktor gone and no jobs to be had, I was rather desperate." She unconsciously rubbed her wedding ring with her right thumb. "But the president gives preference to widows and veterans, so I decided to put in an application and she hired me after just talking to me for a few minutes. As to how I like it, I'd have to say I couldn't be happier. Visha, I mean the vice-president, says I am a candidate to run a new store in the future as soon as an opportunity opens up. Imagine that!"
"What kind of questions did she ask you?"
"Oh, they were a little odd. She asked how I organized my day... with three kids, there's a lot to do! How I felt about the War, and women working... things like that."
He nodded. "How do you feel, then?"
She hesitated. "Well, the War devastated me. I thought I lost everything. I was bereft, down to just a few pfennigs and prices kept getting higher. But I told her when have women ever NOT worked? Taking care of your kids, cooking and cleaning, don't give you a paycheck but it's still work. And if I can do that, there's no reason I can't work for her, too. As soon as I said that, she hired me on the spot." She gave him a brilliant smile, the memories of hard times vanished from her face. "I don't blame the army... it wasn't their stupid decisions that made us lose. They fought hard and suffered and died like my Viktor. Not like those stupid politicians! If someone sensible had been in charge, the war would have been over in a trice all those poor boys would be home now."
Rerugen had to agree with her. If they had pulled back after giving Norden a quick lesson. If they had assaulted Brest or insisted on a true surrender. If they pulled back from the southern continent or sued for peace when they had the apparent upper hand... so many lost opportunities. He said gently, "Perhaps, someday, that spirit will reach them."
"It had better! Can you imagine another war as bad as that one?"
He tensed up and recalled how casually Degurechaff had accepted that possibility... even predicted it. "I can... a lot of us can. It should be our duty to make sure that never happens again."
"At least President Degurechaff is always thinking about the future! Just today, she was about logistics and where she'll go next."
"Did you say... logistics?"
She nodded, "Oh yes! It was right over..." She looked embarrassed. "Sorry, you can't see it from here, but there's a map in her office. It would probably mean more to you than to me. I'm quite the homebody!" She pointed at a door that just said 'President' on it in unornamented, strictly functional block text.
Just then a man poked his head in the room. "Oh, sorry! If you're not finished, I can come back later."
She glanced at Rerugen who waved her off gently. "Please, go back to your business. I'll just sit and think here for a bit. If someone could find out when von Degurechaff will return?"
The man said, "Give me a few minutes. I know someone who has that info." They left the military man alone in the conference room. "Well, she did say I'd have free access." He pushed open the unlocked door and immediately saw the large map on the wall. Europa lay spread before him with a bewildering variety of pins with tabs of various colors.
One stood out though. A large black pin, alone in splendorous glory, right in the middle of Berun.
The man came back then. "I'm sorry General. The President and Vice-President are going on a trip and left early."
"Oh? Where did they go?" he managed to get out, wondering where, or rather WHAT, they were surveilling.
"Ildoa, I believe. They left quite hurriedly and only took a small bag apiece." He looked puzzled. "I thought they would be gone for a few weeks. But, that means they might be back sooner once they are done."
"I see. Can you please inform me when they return?"
"Yes sir!" The man almost saluted and only then did Rerugen noticed that his right 'arm' was just a pinned-up sleeve.
"At ease, soldier. And thank you." He left quietly.
Chapter 40 - Sirene
After a pleasant dinner, Tanya and Visha boarded the train with first-class tickets at Tanya's insistence. It seems some of my most pleasant experiences in this life involve trains. I should really travel more in the future, if that's the case! After stowing their bags, they took their after dinner drinks in the rather luxurious dining car. She had countered Visha's reluctance to spending money firmly. "You said it yourself, this is 'found money' so why pinch pennies? We are here to have a good time and not worry about the bill."
Visha's argument melted away and she smiled brightly. "Okay. So no stress, no detailed plans, just having fun, yes?"
"Exactly. We aren't taking over Europa, just a tiny sandy bit of it, for a few weeks." She rubbed her hands together enthusiastically. "I can't remember the last time I had a real vacation where someone couldn't cancel it on a whim."
"Even when you have time off, you spend most of it reading or studying something. You're doing it right now!"
"Eh? I guess you're right." She let the spoon she was levitating settle back onto the table. "The past year or so has convinced me that we take far too narrow a view on magic. A certain amount of that make sense. It might take years to teach someone that little trick but the right mage and an orb can learn to fly in a month. But outside of mana accumulation the orb provides, you can theoretically do anything without it you can with it."
"Is that how you could fly, or float, using those orbs in the Republic?"
She nodded. "I was ignoring the built-in spells and just using it like a power battery. Overcharging the shoe jewels let me move far beyond their capacity but all three were burnt out in the end because they weren't designed for it. They are great tools but they have pretty strict limitations."
The young mage waved her hand and the silverware began to dance on the table in neat formations before settling down again. "I think orbs are a great shortcut to power but they probably limit their wielders in the long run. The more I practice orbless magic, the stronger this feeling has gotten. It irks me that it's hard to compare such nebulous concepts as 'strength' empirically!"
"How do you stack up against the old you?"
Tanya laughed deprecatingly. "I could probably take on an average mage without much problem. Against someone with a type 97, I'd lose 7 out of ten times. Against ME with a type 97, I'd always lose without even considering the 95."
"How about against me?" Viktoriya asked impishly.
"You'd win well over 90% of the time. Don't ever underestimate how lethal you are! I have better discrimination and mobility but you actually rate higher than me in simple, raw power."
They kept their voices moderate, as they didn't want to announce to everyone who they were. To avoid attention, Tanya also was dressed conservatively in a long, heavy skirt, blouse and half jacket. Over it, however, she was trying out a new 'invention', the down jacket. In fact, it worked too well and she was forced to take it off after only her first cup of coffee on the heated train. It was thinner than the version she planned to sell soon. "As much as I appreciate these new jackets outside, they are quite impractical inside."
Visha had chosen not to wear hers today but had helped in the trial phases. "I wish we had these when we were in the Federation!"
"I think the military will pay through the nose for the down sleeping bags, too. Plus well-heeled adventurers, of course."
"It won't be of much use in Ildoa, though. Last report put the daytime temperatures at 80 this week. That rather defeats our goal of traveling light."
"Oh, didn't I show you the trick?" With deft hands, she folded and rolled the coat into a surprisingly tiny cylinder which she tied neatly with concealed straps. "This is why I think the bags will sell amazingly well. Light, warm, compact. It's perfect!"
"Expensive, though."
Tanya grinned, "As I said, perfect. The price will come down eventually but we've pre-ordered all the down from the top goose farms in the Empire and the Republic. I want to go overseas and tie up some more sources in the Unified States and Canadia, though."
Visha grinned like a schoolgirl about to receive a treat. "Oh, that sounds like fun!"
"My dear Ms. Serebryakov, the trip would be for business, of course."
"Oh, oh of course. And I'm SURE you'd never think about mixing in some sightseeing."
The Degurechaff realized that her vice president was right. They had had some terrible times but weren't they in the past? The world was weary of war and that gave her a bit of a buffer so why not spend more time relaxing, just like now? It would take years, if not decades to whip up more nonsense like the Great War and Being X was not exactly creative. Tanya had the sense that, though powerful, there were definitely limits on what he could do. So keep an eye out for trouble, yes. But living life like a paranoid recluse... hell no!
She could EASILY imagine letting just the possibility of Being X jumping out of the shadows like a second-rate villain in a third-rate film drive her to extreme reactions. What had Herbert said? "Living well is the best revenge" Of course, that pious fool probably meant knuckling under some higher power, but the more common reading fits the situation. It must kill him every time I'm eating well and drinking a fine roast rather than k-brot and ditch water. So, let's pursue our best revenge, then!
Of course, she still planned to shoot him through the skull if she got a chance. If that was just a second-best revenge, then so be it.
Having eaten, they just accepted light snacks offered and, of course, more coffee while they chatted. "Mmmm... this pot isn't bad. Yours is better, of course, but this is acceptable."
Visha looked briefly guilty that her commander was drinking inferior coffee but quipped, "Of course mine is better." She sipped it as well before adding cream and sugar. "Their water is too hot for the brewing and then they let it cool too much. The pastries are good, though!"
"I think your time on the front has dulled your taste for good food. These are too dry and too sweet. Gladieau's partner makes much better these days."
"I think they'll be getting married soon. She has that look in her eyes." She nodded knowingly.
Tanya knew that people got married, of course. In her past life, she had even planned to herself if she found a suitable partner. But the details of how and why any two particular people decided that were still a mystery to her. She had been tall, athletic, intelligent, objectively handsome, and had a wonderful career. The salaryman had been 'a catch' and he had intended to pursue a relationship after getting the next big promotion... which had been only a few months away! A few Omiai's, maybe a series of dates to confirm compatibility, and the deal would be struck.
But now?
As a pre-adult, wealthy, ex-soldier (and acquitted war criminal) who had no desire for men that she could detect, where did she fall? Anyone interested in her would likely be a gigolo-type or be warped in some way. Anyone she liked... who would that be?
Realizing that the conversation had lapsed, she responded gamely. "Well, I'll wait for the invitation, then. We'll need to get them something nice. Can you keep track of that?"
"Of course." Her eyes smiled at Tanya over her coffee. "We're you thinking about your own wedding?"
"What, no! Well, yes, but not..." She stopped herself firmly. "I was not thinking about any particular person or anything concrete on those lines."
"Hmmm... I suppose not. When would have had time to meet anyone? Everyone in our field, our former field, are older than us... usually much older if we take rank into account. I can't really see you with a non-com or an enlisted man and the officers are older than that on average. Surely there was someone in the Republic – or when you were in hiding -- that caught your eye?
Tanya thought to the one proposal she got... from a cheeky shepherd boy. "Absolutely not."
"Pity that. Now that you have the time and money, all your missing is a 'certain someone', hmmm?" Their relationship had progressed to the point where they could tease each other. Now that they were on a first-name basis, Visha felt closer to Tanya than even some of her cousins. "You have your 'von' so maybe a noble, hmmm?"
"The nobility are on their way out by treaty, though the trappings might hang around for awhile. Can you really see me with some feckless layabout?"
She laughed! "No, I guess not. Oh, what about someone in the entertainment field? A duet rather than solo? Some of them are quite young, comparatively, and quite handsome!"
Still at the end of the vaudeville era, and for the next few decades, entertainers were expected to be all-rounders. They could sing, dance and act... and physical attractiveness was quite common naturally. Objectively, it was a reasonable suggestion as they would be most understanding of her diverse career. "Visha... I truly am not thinking of anything like that now. In the unlikely chance that I meet someone that attracts my eye, I'll tell you first so you can give advice."
"Be sure of that!"
Tanya saw her uncharacteristically drinking coffee in the evening. "If you want to get a nightcap, it won't bother me. Though I am deprived, you shouldn't be bound by that."
"Oh, I'm not. I just had a taste for this today. But Tanya, surely you know..."
"Know? Know what?"
"The legal drinking age in Ildoa is 16. AND military regulations no longer apply to you. So as soon as we cross the border..."
Tanya's eyes grew wider and wider. "I knew bringing you was the best decision I ever made!"
* * *
Operative T1 had felt the touch of providence.
As a good communist, he did not believe in God or any other supernatural entity. But all survivors of the battlefield did believe in luck and he felt was that luck was most certainly on his side this night. Patrols that should have spotted him were conveniently called away. Doors that should be locked were open to him. The one person he encountered, an accountant of some sort, was drunk and took the flimsiest excuse as fact.
His original goal abandoned, he followed his new instinct to an obscure and unadorned box in a little-visited storage room. There was no hint that anything of import lay inside and it was surprisingly small. Without taking time to inventory the contents, he just dumped them into his bag and returned the box to the shelf.
His trip out was equally without incident.
Comrade Pavel was debriefing V1 and P1 as he came in. "Were there any other problems?"
"None, comrade. The target and her assistant were not present at all and we were able to complete our mission."
"Excellent!" He turned toward T1. "And how about for you, comrade T1? Did you retrieve the documents?"
"No, they were not in the place indicated." He lied with the ease of long practice... a necessary survival trait in the Russy Federation. "But I discovered something even more valuable so I made the decision to return immediately." This was a risky move as punishments for failure ranged from demotion to a whimsically decided death if one was judged insufficiently patriotic. The only saving grace is if a greater success can be shown (or something that would particularly entice one's superior.)
This was both.
He showed Pavel what was in the satchel while blocking sight of it with his body. "Oh, yes, good decision indeed! Comrade Loria will be most pleased."
* * *
Tanya and Visha were greeted by sunny skies, the smell of the sea and the bustling sounds of Palermo. Despite being still 'technically' in winter, the weather was temperate and quite comfortable especially coming from snowy Berun. A short winter had led into a thoroughly pleasant spring and the town was buzzing with locals and tourists.
They weren't set up in the best hotel but it was just barely in second place. They had beaten the off-season seasonal vacationers by a bit but there were still plenty of people around. Tanya looked at the luxurious and bustling lobby and asked, "Well! How did you manage to get reservations here?" The pretty people, the wealthy people, and those who were in both camps were out in force.
"Actually, it was a happy accident. I was talking to President Keller and he told me he 'knew people' and arranged for our stay." She laughed, "Not for free though! But I understand that getting rooms here is almost impossible without deep connections."
"Well! Aden came through for us in a fine fashion."
"Aden?"
"Herr Keller. Aden Keller."
"His first name is Viktor, I'm fairly certain. I happened to spot a nameplate in the bank while I was waiting for you."
Tanya's mind went into high gear! If Meier hadn't been referring to Keller, who was he referring to? There was something rotten and she needed to get to the bottom of it.
Visha noticed the change in her expression immediately, even though most wouldn't have noticed. "What's wrong?"
"I made a silly miscalculation. I'm afraid we'll be quite busy soon." She shook her head in response to an unasked question. "Don't worry, we can finish our vacation first. After all, how often do we get to visit the sunny waters of Ildoa, hmmm?" On her mental to-do list, however, was the severe interrogation and possible elimination of one far-too-clever opponent.
They checked in and, despite their minimal luggage, the busboys were jockeying to escort the two to their room.
As predicted, they girls were able to get all the clothing they required from local shops. It was there that Tanya crossed a rubicon she had been dreading for years... she bought women's clothing for herself... when she wasn't being forced.
There comes a point where getting stared at just isn't worth sticking to what is comfortable, she sighed mentally. At least Visha is happy about this.
That was a monumentally profound understatement. She was ecstatic!
"We're going to make you look amazing. Amazing! With your skin and build, we can dress you nearly anything. You could pass from anyone five years younger or older with no problem." She looked at Tanya as if one her long-held dreams was finally coming true... and it was.
Degurechaff replied drolly, "I really have no desire to look eleven again. If you have to play dress up, let's make me older instead."
"Makeup too?" Her eyes sparkled!
"Please. No. I'm barely tolerating the change of clothing and you want to paint me, too? Besides, aren't we going to the beach?"
"We can't stay on the beach ALL the time. Besides, what the waters take away, can always be replaced."
"At night only. MAYBE. If only to convince sommeliers that I'm of age."
"I'll take that as a yes, then." They had their newfound loot delivered to their hotel, only reserving their new swimsuits and beach bags. While their outfits were not at all daring (from modern standards), rarely had Tanya exposed so much skin at one time. She reasoned that in her past life, she had frequently worn shorts and a t-shirt when working out and had as much coverage, on a percentage basis, as she did now.
A small, efficient taxi took them to the beach and they walked onto the sands with a fine diregard for the commotion their arrival caused. While the beachgoers were used to all manner of people, young, old, male, female, attractive and considerably less than attractive, they weren't ready for the northern beauties that came amongst them now. Pale skin, blue eyes and confident attitudes drew eyes wherever they went. Visha had picked a cute red swimsuit that became striped with pink around her hips. Tanya, with fewer choices due to her size and age, had finally settled for a simple blue outfit that resembled shorts on the bottom and a sleeveless top with small white polka dots.
Visha shielded her eyes, surprised that the sun was so bright even before spring was in full swing. "We should have gotten an umbrella. I can already feel the sun threatening to bake me!"
"Have no fear, my pale skinned comrade! Spread the towels out and I have a surprise for you."
She did so but said, "Pale? Me?! When I first met you I thought you looked like a vampire, but cuter, and even the Southern continent didn't put any tint on you."
The diminutive Colonel brought out three packages, two oblong and one round tin with no label. "These are the genius of our research division coming to fruition. The first are to cut glare and UV light." She passed one case to Visha who opened it to see a stylish pair of sunglasses. "We used celluloid with a polarizing filter for efficiency and weight. You still shouldn't stare directly at the sun, but anything else is fine. But it pales beside this marvel." She opened the tin and revealed a slightly pinkish cream.
Visha nose twitched slight. "What's that? It smells delicious!"
Tanya laughed! "I suppose it does. It's primarily made with petroleum jelly, cocoa butter and coconut oil. It's a sunscreen to protect our northern skins from this southern sun."
"Those guys are amazing... what will they make next?" She dipped her finger in the cream and rubbed it between two fingers. "Oh, it feels nice!"
"They are clever, aren't they?" She didn't mention that while the sunglasses had been in development for awhile, she had told her researchers to fast-track the sunscreen development based on what she remembered from her past life. When they had decided to go on vacation someplace warm, she decided to push development of the mixture. "As it turns out, it only took a bit of experimentation to come up with the right mix. It's not as good protection as an overcoat, of course, but much more convenient for the beach."
The two slathered themselves with the sunscreen at Tanya's insistence. "We have plenty in the hotel, don't skimp."
The local wolves, who had been circling for awhile, apparently couldn't stand waiting any longer when the girls oiled their limbs thoroughly and prepared to sunbathe.
"Hey, ladies, you are here for good time, yes?" the taller of the two said in heavily accented Francois. He was dressed in the common bathing suit for men which, honestly, wasn't that different from the one for women except it was paradoxically tighter and more revealing on the sides. His friend was more tanned and muscular but slightly shorter.
Tanya looked at the unwelcome intrusion with a cold stare. She responded in the same language but with far more facility. "You've heard the phrase, 'there are a many fish in the ocean'? If you turn around and keep walking, you can verify its veracity."
Though he had a hard time following what she said, he understood her intent. A brief frown was washed away as he turned to Viktoriya. "This one, perhaps too young for fun? We know some nice clubs, very!" His friend nodded and repeated, "Very!"
Visha just sniffed and looked away. She had a rough knowledge of Francois, not nearly as good as the Colonel's, but his message was more than adequately conveyed by intonation and body language.
The man's face hardened at the double rejection and he reached out a hand to grab her arm only to find he couldn't breathe because Tanya's had struck a very accurate blow to his solar plexus. As he doubled over, face red, fighting for the tiniest bit of air, he learned that while being hit there was distressing, being hit there TWICE was at least ten times as bad.
His friend rushed over and learned the hard way there were much more painful places that a man can be injured, this time by Visha!
Spotting a distinctive uniform a ways down the beach, Tanya grabbed and pulled down the shorts of the second man (who was in no position to object or stop her) and yelled, "Polizia! Polizia!"
A policeman arrived quickly and asked, "Cosa c'è che non va, signorina?" He then noticed the half-naked man and his expression darkened. Their stammered objections held little water when their accusers were two girls, one CLEARLY underage. The officer tipped his hat to Tanya and Visha, perhaps taking just a second too long a look at the latter, and then dragged the hapless men off the beach.
As soon as they were gone, or perhaps when they were barely in earshot, Visha broke down in laughter!
Tanya dusted her hands together and sat back down. "It wasn't that funny."
"Oh but it was! What if the world knew that THE White Silver had called the police to protect her from randy beach flies?"
The colonel was about to say something, paused, and then just smiled. "I guess it WAS pretty funny."
After kicking off their sandals (they had rejected the knee-height 'swimming shoes' the clerk had tried to upsell), the two went into the water. This was when Visha revealed her surprise. "I grabbed a few of these from the R&D dept when we decided to come here."
"Those are... orbs?" The two devices looked somewhat different from each other but both were smaller than a regular orb, quite a bit flatter, and had obviously been ruggedized.
"Yes! There's an endless amount of experimental orbs as they tried to create the next generation after the type-97. Given a few more years, they might have come up with something truly interesting." She peeked at the stamped designations. "These are the 98SM3 and 98SM5, underwater models."
Tanya turned hers over in her hand and peered through the single glass lens. "Looks like two cores in there. What makes these interesting?"
"They stripped out most of the features and boosted others. They are mostly good for oxygen, pressure modulation, 'flying', temperature control, and mana shielding. And you can also hammer a nail with the casing without jarring the mechanism.
Tanya said wryly, "I guess that means Doktor Schugel had no part in their design, then."
"Want to go for a swim, then? A deeper one, that is."
"Naturally!" She took the 'orb' (which had a handy chain) and put it around her neck before slipping the body of the device under her swimsuit. "How deep are they good for?"
"The testing notes didn't have a maximum depth but they both had been used down to four hundred feet before the testers' ability to manage the mana requirements ran out."
Tanya pursed her lips. "The pressure/air regulation is designed to prevent the bends?"
Visha shook her head. "Of course you'd think of that. The first two models allowed pressurization and that meant lengthy depressurization. The later ones, such as these, simply prevent the swimmer from experiencing the pressure so no lengthy recovery time is needed."
"Clever. Well, let's give it a go, then!"
* * *
A somewhat disheveled and definitely drunk beach-goer was adding to his already impressive collection of empty glasses at a bar/restaurant near the ocean. He was normally disheveled, so this was nothing new. And, during this time of the day, he was normally drinking, so also not noteworthy. The fact that was actually drunk was quite unusual, though and the bartender made note of that. "Ah, Bruno, what is wrong? A failed romance? A venture not go well? Your wife didn't send your monthly check?"
Bruno glared at the man, and then sighed. "Lorenzo, you wound me! How could any of those be the case... well, perhaps the second but surely not the first or last! No, I drink because I think I'm losing my mind." Though quite intoxicated, you could not tell by his voice or demeanor.
The bartender cleared out half a dozen glasses and decided to water his next drink... whether he asked for it or not. "You live the crazy life, but you are the most sane person I know, so why do you say that?"
"I was on the beach, of course, to maintain my bronze and perhaps find an amenable companion for the next week." His skin WAS an admirably shade and it highlighted his well-toned and maintained body. "I spotted two glorious girls... one perhaps a bit young but the other just perfect." He sighed in remembrance. "They were like two snow flowers that finally were revealed to the sun! Gorgeous skin, blue eyes, glorious hair... one blonde and one close to it. Natural, I am certain."
"Sooooo... what then? Were they already taken and turned you down?"
"Please. When do I pick girls so poorly as that? To continue. A few of the local lotharios tried their luck." He snorted in contempt.
"Ah yes. So different from an artist such as yourself."
Bruno snorted. He didn't consider rabble like that even close to his stature. "The smaller one hit Edoardo in the stomach and his friend was kicked in a most unkind fashion before a constable dragged them off."
"Aaaaand, this was too shocking and drove you to drink?" Lorenzo smirked and gave his friend the watered whiskey.
"Nothing but insults today! No, of course not, I was intrigued! I could commiserate with their pain and then offer to show them around the Idolan nightlife."
"I thought you said one was too young?"
"Perhaps too young. Uncertainty is a glorious thing. But I digress. As I approached, they went for a swim... and never came back up."
"What?! Why didn't you help them, what about an ambulance?!"
"I know, I know! I thought they might need help as well but they didn't!"
"Huh?"
He emptied his drink in one go and signaled for another. "Lorenzo, do you believe in mermaids?"
"I only believe what I can see, my friend." He hesitated and refilled the glass with more of the same.
"Well, I swear they swam down through waters as clear as your best glasses and played underwater for a good hour. I saw it. They were moving and enjoying themselves the whole time. It was only when they swam out into deeper water that I came here."
The bartender was silent for awhile. "This is quite the odd event. Are you going to tell anyone? Maybe you should just go lie down and rest up. You'll feel better tomorrow."
Bruno looked at him, aghast. "What and miss the nightlife?!"
* * *
Thoroughly testing the new orbs was, in a word, delightful. Both women had had a very basic training course (basically, just how not to drown too quickly) but Tanya had a second lifetime behind her and plenty of practice in school and as part of her exercise routine. The orb took away all the inconveniences of swimming and she took to it like a pro immediately.
Viktoriya wasn't surprised. She literally assumed that the little Colonel could do anything unless proven otherwise. On the very short list of proven failing was anything 'girly'. Apparently being raised by nuns and the military didn't exactly give one a knack for femininity. At least for this subject, her natural genius didn't make up for the lack.
Tanya spoke with an assist from her orb. "If we marketed down a very stripped down model of these, it would be quite a boon for explorers, scientists and thrill-seekers. At least for mages."
Visha nodded. "I think so... this is so much fun! With image capturing spells, you can even do some underwater photography." True to her words, she had been capturing pictures
"Why stop there? Why not make movies? Can you imagine Verne's vision but done with actual underwater images?"
"I hear movies require a lot of people... that's a lot of mages."
"But with specialty orbs, the mana requirements can be arbitrarily low. Maybe one mage in ten has enough mana to be a combat mage... and it's even lower for women." She bit her nail and then got a disgusted look on her face as the flavor remind her she was underwater. "This will give the vast majority an option should they choose to use it. Besides... I think women are less suited for orb-based magic and are better at traditional forms."
"Oh?"
"I'm almost certain of it. Not lesser magic, but definitely different and requiring more time and discipline. No one explored that route because the onset of war demanded mages immediately. When I get a chance, I need to talk to some of these old school mages and see what they know." She vividly remembered her encounter with the American mage, her friend, and decided she needed to make time to see her even if it meant putting other projects on hold.
"We didn't encounter them during the War. How common could they be?"
"That is something I'd like to know as well. I strongly suspect that there aren't many and they avoid being too overt." She sighed, sending a cloud of bubbles out of her shield. "At any rate, shall we head back?"
They spent the next week relaxing, spending time on the beach, eating at all manner of fine restaurants and going shopping (mostly at Visha's insistence). After a few days though, they kept hearing a word said when they were near. Tanya, with her vastly improved hearing, heard it a LOT. "Sirene? Are they calling us sirens? Objectively, we are two attractive... women." Tanya had to steel herself to finish the sentence that included her in that category. "But we haven't lured any sailors to their doom that I know of."
Visha pondered this. "Aren't sirens depicted like mermaids? Maybe that's what it means in Ildoan?"
"Of course. I'm sure you're right and I should have caught that myself. I think our underwater explorations haven't been as subtle as we would have liked. Well, at least they don't seem hostile. Do you want to try a different town? We still haven't hit the big tourist spots."
"Maybe tomorrow? We still need to go to that fancy restaurant... the one with the wine cellar that everyone raves about."
"Mmmm, yes, good plan." She had been savoring her chance to drink wine and was more than ready for this evening. "Shall we be off, then?"
Visha glanced around. "They look so... expectant. It's a shame we can't give them a last show."
"Hmmm, I do know a few Ildoan songs." Tanya thought about her pathetic repertoire of Italian music. There was one that seemed to fit... "Okay, get our things packed and I'll give them a little show!"
There was a song that had been translated into several languages which is how the Salaryman stumbled across it. With her (currently) perfect music memory and her current studies in Ildoan, she had a good chance of doing it justice. The original was a love song to a girl, but the redone version that was popularized changed it a love of music and that seemed more appropriate. She half-climbed, half-floated up to the top of a rocky outcropping. In the late twentieth century, it would have been removed to make for a few more square meters of beach, but here it was left alone.
She immediately drew stares (more than they already had) and then started to sing Vivo per Lei with magical assistance that Andrea Bocelli would have killed to possess.
Vivo per lei da quando sai, La prima volta l'ho incontrata...
By the time they left, there wasn't a person on the entire beach that wasn't listening raptly.
* * *
That night, the two were dressed quite elegantly as expensive restaurants had expensive restaurant standards for their guests. Only after fighting with her own love of wine, did White Silver agree to Visha's makeup expertise. In the end, the younger girl looked years older than her actual age and quite aristocratic to boot. Certainly, the maitre'd didn't bat an eye when two well-dressed and wealthy young women came in and were escorted to their table.
The meal was superb. Even better than Tanya had expected. Their seafood dishes were as fresh as morning and cunningly prepared to maximize flavor without overwhelming the palate. So they could try more dishes, they just sampled a taste or two of each plate, which they shared, before moving on to the next one.
This was much how Tanya tried the wines. Her first sip of Amarone Della Valpolicella almost caused her taste buds to break into song on their own. It was all she could do to avoid drinking the whole glass. No, no, no, Tanya. Pace yourself!
After that she compared their Barbera d'Alba against their Barolo appreciating the strengths of both. "Ah, they are all so good!"
"How does a girl who's never drank before have such a taste for wine? Surely not under the nuns."
"Hardly. Even their communion wine was nine-tenths water." She sipped a Moscato to give her palate a break from the more complex vintages. "I just knew I would like it from years ago." She shrugged and didn't bother to try to explain.
Visha didn't mind finishing off the wine that Degurechaff didn't drink. While in the Rhine, they had even shared utensils or tin cups for efficiency when it was too much trouble to dig up two sets of flatware. Even though she was drinking ten times as much, she was completely unfazed by the amount she was consuming.
"That Russy blood of yours is frightening, Viktoriya Ivanovna Serebryakov."
"I'm not even a patch on my father, President Tanya von Degurechaff. He can drink vodka like it was water, no like it was air!"
The sommelier brought out two tiny flutes of Prosecco, a light, bubbly wine, perfect to finish off their meal. Though she had barely felt the alcohol before now, that last glass had made her a bit woozy. "Huh, I guess even that slow pace builds up. Pardon me, Visha, I'll be back in a minute."
"Do you want me to come with you?"
"No, no, just make sure you order us some dessert."
The feeling of tipsiness increased as she went to the bathroom. The room was sparkling and This is shameful... I've turned into quite the lightweight! Well, let's stop now rather than make a spectacle of myself. Her dazed brain barely wondered why the intoxicated feeling was increasing even when she wasn't drinking. That's odd...
She didn't remember anything after that.