[Germania – Berun]
Judge Richter was having dinner with his son and Degurechaff and the mood was merry, especially for the Judge.
He laughed and slapped the table. "I wish I could have seen his face! I knew Bruning couldn't force that old lion to knuckle under. Didn't I tell you, Dirk? Ha ha ha!"
His son smiled but didn't comment directly. "More Käsespätzle, Colonel?"
She patted her lips with a napkin. "I'd love to indulge in another serving but, since I've left the front lines, my appetite has reduced somewhat. And it's been many months since I've used that rank. Surely you can use my name now?"
He shook his head. "No matter how far from combat I am, I'm still a Captain and you're still a Colonel to me." Dirk's eyes got a faraway look. "I remember that day in the Rhine when I first saw the 203rd like it was just this morning. We were getting hammered and if there was a patch of miserable mud that wasn't stained with blood, I didn't see it. We had to hold our position because of course we had to. And their mages! They devastated us... absolutely unstoppable except from an accidental hit from mortar fire." He chuckled, "There's another thing I never saw!"
Tanya grinned. "I told my men that if they were ever hit by mortar fire, they should hope it kills them because they would have to face me otherwise!"
The man nodded knowingly and continued his story. "We were going to die and soon. There wasn't a man in my platoon that didn't have their wills made and then..." he paused emotionally. "And then I saw the mages, our mages overhead and heard that sweet order to clear the theater I felt hope for the first time. We listened to you almost begging them to just go home and leave our land and could feel your sincerity. Then when you drove them from the field, we too were released from death. But more importantly, from fear. From that day onward, I never again felt the terror like I did then and that helped me survive every battle after that. So, forgive me this, but you image in my heart is indelible."
"Who am I to ask you to change your heart? Too much was taken from us, I won't begrudge you this." She laughed softly, "But that only applies if that Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte I see over there is part of dinner. I saved room and I'll fight you here and now if it isn't!"
"But of course!" The judge raised a finger but a servant was already moving to cut and distribute the dessert.
While that occurred, Tanya said, "I have to thank you again for your election idea. The government was going to be a continual problem for me and this is quite the trick! Now all I have to do is complete it. That, however, depends on the voters."
He chuckled. "That is so insignificant that it's not worth mentioning. You have a much larger issue, and possibly the only one that matters. Let's go over the basic steps. You need to announce your presence, you need to sway the voters to your side, and then you need to garner the votes. Recognition, persuasion, and consummation."
"Simple, but broadly accurate."
"So, your foes might be slow, but they'll figure this out, too. Where do you think they are going to attack you?"
She tapped her dessert fork on the table in thought. "That is a good point. A very good point. I have to thank you for this insight though it will mean I'll be very busy for awhile!"
"Too busy for another cup of coffee?"
She chuckled. "Never!"
* * *
[Germania – Berun – suburbs]
Professur Heidl, having finished the latest stage of the project, had given the exhausted grad students some time off. Likewise, he spent time relaxing and occasionally pulling together the research for the presentation for the upcoming paper. The general outline was ready and the rest was verifying the logic and double-checking calculations.
His colleague, Wagner, had a much easier time as a historian rather than a economist as his work was mostly done. Given that, he was planning his next project and was scratching away on one of a pile of notebooks that he used to organize his thoughts.
Since they were collaborating, Wagner was relaxing in Heidl's house as he worked and they met together during mealtimes to talk and share their progress.
"How's the draft coming?" Heidl asked over dinner. "It seems like you've been inspired lately."
"Oh, swimmingly! I'm outlining Degurechaff's history as a holistic work, rather than analytical and adding her post-war activities to highlight how her philosophy is unchanged."
"A common philosophy? Does such a thing apply between war and peacetime activities?"
"Certainly it does. Philosophy guides one's life. How it manifests depends on the situation."
"So how would you sum her way of doing things... or her philosophy as you say?"
"If I had to pick a historic figure she's closest to? I'd say... hmmm... mind you, this is separate from goals or morals, just generally how she does things."
"With a build up like that, you have me quite curious!"
"Then I'd say the nearest model is Genghis Khan."
"Genghis Khan? The Mongol marauder? While they are both have great military achievements, she's hardly some Oriental butcher!" From previous conversation, he had heard a lot about this ancient warlord.
"You see, that's why you have to look at goals as well as how they do things. Temujin's goals were land, conquering populations, and domination. Hers were primarily around defense and rebuilding the nation."
"Then why do you say they are so similar?"
"It's the way they are willing to break the status quo as if it doesn't exist. He conquered a great portion of the known world but made no move to impose religious beliefs or greatly change the cultures of the conquered areas. This was unheard of at the time! Notice that even areas Degurechaff 'conquered', she made no attempt at retribution and even now happily trades with nations that were treating her as the some great devil to be destroyed. Both he and she are ardent believers in meritocracy. Did you know his chief strategic advisor was a blacksmith he found? He was so impressed by the man's intellect, that he raised him up and he helped found their empire."
He got excited as he continued the comparisons. "Both, in their own way, revolutionized warfare, but they also promoted peacetime improvements. Temujin established the first international postal service, encouraged research, and was in favor of trade over conquest. Tanya's achievements post-war can be easily compared to his favorably but they are quite similar. Both looked for the best way to make things work and ignored past precedent to make it happen."
"So... excepting the massacres, wife stealing, and so on, they are pretty similar? I guess I can see that."
"Trust me, it's a matter of perspective. Genghis Khan is a revered name in the East. All excesses aside, he was one of the, no, was THE most influential person in the centuries before and after his life." He pointed at his friend with his fork. "Degurechaff is the same. Her wartime achievements are nothing compared to her peacetime ones. Your research is showing that! Temujin lived to be 65 and Tanya has been a businesswoman for a less than 3 years. How will the world change after FIFTY years?"
Heidl laughed! "If I were her business rival, I think I'd prefer Mongol hordes!"
* * *
[Germania – Berun – TvD backup headquarters]
Tanya looked over her closest advisors that evening. "Again, I'm sorry for calling you during your evening off but something has come up that we need to deal with for our campaign. I was talking to Judge Richter and he really opened my eyes on how we organize our efforts."
She pointed at a whiteboard that they had just installed in the new location. "Okay, we're brainstorming but we have limited time so I want you to take these to separate teams to do the work. Don't hold back any ideas, we'll clear out the chaff afterward." She wrote down the three headings: Recognition, Persuasion, Consummation.
"Recognition first. Everyone needs to hear about the Liberty Party. Visha, you and your team take this one. I don't care how silly the ideas are or what budget they might need."
"We'll get you a list!"
Tanya indicated assent. "I want the most creative people you have. Don't worry so much about promoting the Liberty Party, just get our name in front of them as soon as we can, no matter the means. No one has heard of us yet, so we need to be at LEAST in their minds as an option come the election."
Some of the listeners made a entry in their notepads but stayed focused on the presentation.
"Next is persuasion. This has two forks: likability and logic. We want to work on both because it's uncertain what will convince people. For long-term viability, engaging the electorate's intellect is best but we'll work on that more for the re-election. The Markt and Banking teams will be primarily in charge of this." She looked at the head of the first TanyaMarkt. "We want them to like us, even love us irrespective of what our exact theories are. This is a matter of trust that we, at the very least, have their best interests at heart."
"Yes ma'am!"
"Good, I'll be counting on you because I'm not very good at that. The Bankers... I want our policies to be bulletproof so that any argument they have against us can be hammered with facts, papers, research and logic. Work with friendly academics so we can get research papers published pronto. Doesn't matter which country; we'll translate them into Germanian. It might even go over better if the international community seems to support our ideas. Once you have the platform theories supported, boil them down into arguments that nearly anyone can understand and can be taught to our people for talking points."
"That's a tall order," Hammerschmidt commented.
"We don't expect them to engage in academic debates. They just need to be able to convey the basics in a clear and understandable fashion. If you can't make it simple enough to explain to your mother, then you need to work on the message more."
"My mother?"
Tanya rolled her eyes. "Anybody's mother. She can vote, right? We want her to know what she's voting for!"
"Of course! Even my Oma and Opa will be able to discuss it!"
She nodded. "The last team is also split into two groups. Once we have them with us emotionally and ideologically, then we need to get their votes. We need someone in every neighborhood who knows their neighbors and can get them to the polls. If they can't drive, we'll provide transportation. If they are forgetful, we'll remind them!" She tapped the whiteboard. "There's a powerful psychological effect we can take advantage of. If you ask someone if they will do something, that raises the chance they will do it. But if you can get them to commit to it, perhaps by asking WHEN they would like you to pick them up for voting, that's a higher level of engagement."
"That seems so... simple."
"It is quite simple. But just getting someone to say the words makes it more real in their head. It gets to the point where it becomes psychologically hard to NOT do something than to do it." She put her hands on the table, "The second part of this team is the most important. Getting enough votes isn't enough."
Even Visha was surprised by this and she generally knew what Tanya was hinting at. "It's not?"
"No... we have to make sure they are actually counted accurately. I expect the current administration to pull every trick they can think of. Certainly after we start polling higher than they expect. They will lie to voters, arrest our workers, shut down polling stations or replace the workers with their own people." Her voice rose sternly. "They are going to submit false ballots, misreport totals, and throw away good votes – either by invalidating them or literally throwing them away."
"Will they attack?" asked the head of the Silver Eagles.
"They'll likely try... either through intimidation or actual violence. But even if they don't, even if they have no plans to do this, we'll need to be ready." She clapped her hands once. "Okay, meet with your people tomorrow, not tonight! I want you start well rested." She motioned toward Visha. "Please stay... we need to talk further."
Without prompting, Visha started a pot of coffee as the others left. Before long, they were seated next to each other at the conference table. The two shared a comfortable moment of silence as they sipped their drinks.
Tanya put down her cup with a satisfied smile. "Have you heard from Erya?"
She shook her head. "Nothing substantial yet. But Agent A says things are going well."
"Good, no need to correct course, then. Despite what I said, we don't have the manpower to put eyes at every polling place. But with proper intelligence, we can make the most of what we have."
"It really is like wartime, is it not?"
"But with better food!" They shared a laugh at this as they remembered days where ANY food would have been welcome.
"How do you view the election turning out?" Visha asked with genuine curiosity. "I think we can get 20% to 30% and that puts us in a good position in any coalition government. There are a few parties, mostly those not in the current government, that would align with us and we'd have the majority position." She shook her head. "Some of them aren't exactly closely aligned with our beliefs. Frankly, most of them are rather fringe and we'd have to compromise."
"I find that rather unlikely."
"What? Do you think we'd have a hard time making a proper coalition?"
"Not at all. I think they would love to have us work with them. What's unlikely is that we'd have to compromise." She grinned in a way that would cause strong men to blanch if they saw it on a battlefield. "After all, if we get 51% of the vote, why compromise with anyone?"
Chapter 132 - Lies, Damned Lies
Chapter Text
[Germania]
With election day approaching, political bills were posted everywhere. The largest, most colorful, and most professional were for the Liberty Party. There was only one printer that could make such impressive posters and, since it was owned by TvD, the competition's offerings looked unimpressive. Like brilliant birds surrounded by dead branches before spring flowers have bloomed, they dominated every wall... and many conversations.
There were dozens of different designs and more coming out every few days so there was always something new, something to talk about. Maybe it was only a single word with a catchy image but it would set the tone of the day and spread like a rock in a pond, spreading ripples until the next stone appeared.
And it wasn't just posters! Die Wahrheit published editorials from the Liberty Party's point view but they also highlighted the beliefs, and failures, of the other parties. Separate from the editorials, however, were the news sections. Without fudging the truth in the slightest, they laid out the numerous failures of the administration and those that supported them.
But there were new methods and new avenues as well...
* * *
[Atlantic – Aboard the Kalipso]
The captain of the Kalipso was a happy man. He was fully booked for many months in advance, even the premium 'Degurechaff' cabin that was had the upgraded sound system and many pictures of the famous Ace. Why, I could rent the corridor outside her room and people wouldn't complain at all! Only his common sense reined in his greed when he momentarily pictured how much money that would produce.
His first mate came on deck to stand beside him as they looked over the ship, the calm sea and nearly cloudless sky. "You seem happy, Captain."
"What's not to like?" He gave a chuckle that wouldn't have seemed out of place in pirates of old. "We bought out our partners before they realized we were sitting on a fortune. Ha ha ha! They were afraid of the cost of the repairs when every hole might have been made of solid gold... ha ha ha ha ha!"
The First Mate nodded. "You told them, so you did your part." Of course, you didn't try very HARD to convince them.
"That I did, that I did. Have you checked the weather reports today?"
"No, but is it really necessary?" He glanced at the clear air all the way to the horizon.
The captain was silent for awhile and then said, "You've never weathered a real blow on the open waters, have you? I mean a real storm that feels like it will break the seas and crack the firmament like a massive hammer that will sunder the entire world."
"I've experienced a storm or two but nothing like that."
"It humbles you. Reminds a man that he doesn't know everything and that there's always some surprise just over the horizon. Your eyes, no matter how good, no matter how tall your vantage, is limited. No wisdom, no experience can let you know everything. So let's not waste time and go find out if that hammer is waiting for us, eh?"
"Aye aye, Captain."
As it turned out, with a small change in heading, they only encountered the edge of some stormy weather but nothing they couldn't handle.
* * *
[Germania – Berun - German National Democratic Party HQ]
The leader of the GNDP was taking a break from going over reports to enjoy a long-delayed beer. Just as the stein was nearing his lips, an assistant rushed in.
"Ho, boss! I'm glad you aren't busy!"
He glared at the man and then at his beer and then back at the man. He put the stein down. "What have you got for me?"
"I have the latest polling numbers and I knew you'd want to see them."
"Oh, that is news! Let's take a look."
He handed over a stack of papers. "I haven't even looked at them myself."
"Well, then let's see!" He flipped through the report and went straight to the results page. "Hmmm... we're down from the last poll but not terribly much. The ICSP lost quite a few points. "
"We might have to bring in another party. They won't like that."
The leader shrugged. "Either they have the votes or not. If they don't, they have no complaints." He read down further. "Oh, what's this? The National People's Party down a full 9 points? That's pretty shocking for the leading party in the current government!"
The assistant rubbed his chin. "Perhaps the displeasure of the War is greater than we thought?"
He snorted. "Just since the last poll? No, it's something else." He flipped to the last page and his eyes opened in surprise. "What's this? How does 'Other/undecided' garner 19% of the vote?!"
"I'm not as familiar..."
"There are a plethora of smaller parties but it never tops 5% total!" He slammed the report down on the table. "What are those pollsters doing? When they saw results like this, they should have changed their poll! Go, go meet with them. Get a new poll ready! As fast as they can!"
"That will expensive. Our funds aren't limitless, sir."
"Going into the election without knowing who our opponent is, is even worse, don't you think? Now, off with you!"
The assistant stood up straighter, said "Sir!" and ran off.
The leader read through the report carefully, trying to find some clue while his beer slowly went flat, unattended. Nineteen percent? Preposterous!
* * *
[Albion – Haberdasher near Whitehall]
Mr. John was frustrated with the government that employed him. Of course, what employee was perfectly happy with their employer? In his case, however, he was a patriot and he was upset when mistakes were happening no matter his personal consequences. The fact that he had to pretend to sell hats for several weeks certainly didn't have any effect.
Probably.
The shop was clear except for him and his handler. "Why is Whitehall dropping the intelligence budget so much? Didn't they just get a big shipment of gold? Don't they realize that the War could have been completed years earlier if our intelligence service was more efficient, not smaller?" He held up his hand, stopping the other man from speaking. "No, don't answer, those where rhetorical questions and I know the answer."
"It's always about the budget."
"It's always about the budget until the bombs start dropping. Then they ask why we didn't see them coming." He rolled his eyes. "So, what's my next exciting adventure? Please tell me you're dropping me in the jungle somewhere or want me to cross Antarctica with a dog sled. Maybe going undercover at a leper colony? Please?"
"Not so lucky this time. Your favorite Ace is running for president."
"I realize that I'm not exactly stationed in Berun right now but I am a member of the Intelligence Department." He waved at a desk toward the back. "And I know how to read the newspapers." Despite his sarcasm, there was a tone of hope in his voice. Action, at last!
"It's good that you have energy. You remember that little play we funded?"
"How could I forget it? That production turned the tide of public opinion." Good work, that was. Doing a lot with a little should be in my job description.
"Take a trip back to the playwright and get him to make a sequel to Tatiana and Anthony. He's in Ispagna now, so it's not far."
"A sequel you say? How do you want to sway them this time? Admittedly, it was particularly effective before and we can't guarantee the same results again."
The handler looked embarrassed and hid it by trying on a different hat. "The higher ups don't care but they ask, ahem, that you make it 'marketable'."
"Marketable."
"Yes. You see, they've cut our budget again. And the only bright spot are the residuals from that play. So if we had a popular new play it would, errr, help the bottom line. So to speak."
"So the mission is to go to Ispagna, ride herd on the playwright until he creates something to make some cash and then I'll get to go back to my real work?"
"I believe you've summed it up neatly as usual."
Mr. John took off the coat that marked him as some kind of tradesman and stretched. "At least it's slightly better than going to a leper colony."
"Slightly?"
The agent stared at him. "Have you ever dealt with actors?"
* * *
[Germania]
Across the Fatherland, army surplus radios were sold to community centers, school and even bars or coffee shops. Once those ran out, they were followed by reasonably-priced new radio receivers. The new radios were well made with a wonderful sound quality.
A potential customer was looking at the sleek device, so different from the ruthlessly functional army models. She seemed pensive. "Is it complicated to operate? My friend has one of the older ones and her husband has to fiddle a lot to make it work."
The Markt employee smiled and pointed out a shiny anodized aluminum button. Its bright blue color was quite catch and it drew the eye. "On each of the new radios, there is a special setting that will tune the radio to a preset station. No matter where you are in the country, no matter the time of day, you could receive music, news and entertainment at the push of a button. Of course, there are other stations and you can set up other buttons to match them." She turned on the radio and there was a burst of static, then she stepped back. "Go ahead, give it a try!"
With a tentative finger, the customer gently pressed the blue button. Immediately music started coming out with a beautiful clarity, filling the shop with sound. A smooth baritone man's voice lifted the spirits of those in the in Markt.
...Unforgettable
In every way
And forevermore
That's how you'll stay
That's why, darling, it's incredible
That someone so unforgettable
Thinks that I am unforgettable, too
A dignified woman's voice followed the song. "That was 'Unforgettable', written by Tanya von Degurechaff, performed by Philipp Bieler and the Liberty Players. The last hour was sponsored by Zart Industries and their new line of intimate apparel. Zart asks why can't comfort and fashion exist together... and at a reasonable price? When you shop, remember Zart: Made by women, for women. Coming next is news and weather but first the theme song of the Liberty Party that was released earlier this week. This is the first public broadcast of this song, A New Hope, so please enjoy!"
In the radio station, Frau Seidel was quietly listening to the orchestral piece contentedly. She had been asked to run the programming and announcements temporarily as Degurechaff would be quite busy with her campaign and had no time for piano lessons. Truth be told, she didn't mind at all and no longer considered herself 'just' an instructor and more a part of the greater team.
One of the interns, who would be taking over this duty, listened along with her. They had four songs queued so they had more than twenty minutes of music before they needed to get on the air again. "Oh, I quite like this one! I'm not one for orchestral music but it's quite rousing, isn't it?"
"All music is connected, Leni. If one song doesn't stir your soul, perhaps another one will. Are you not fond of music?"
The young woman laughed! "If I wasn't, this would be quite the terrible job!"
"As long as that's the case, you may find that you enjoy many different types. The more you study, the more you will see to appreciate."
"If you say so. You are the expert of course!" She listened some more, "So who wrote that piece? Maybe if I heard more from him, I think I could grow to like such work."
"You've probably heard of 'him' as 'he' is your employer?"
"Pardon me, Frau Seidel, you are saying the von Degurechaff also wrote this? I thought she only wrote popular music? How does she have the time?!" Leni just stared, gape-mouthed.
"She undoubtedly wrote it, as much as she did Degurechaff's March or Ode to Joy." She laughed softly. "Some of her biggest detractors are unironically also her biggest supporters. The praise her to the heavens for such works and then complain bitterly when she makes, as you say, popular music."
"She does make quite a bit of that. Why I'd wager she has at least two hundred songs to her name already."
The older woman shook her head. "You'd lose that bet... and badly."
"Oh, is it three? Four?" She kept raising the number but didn't get a positive response. "Well, how many is it?"
"Well over a thousand before I stopped counting." She laughed self-deprecatingly. "Every time I though I had a good total, I'd come across a dozen I had never heard about or she had just written that morning or had even given away without me realizing." Seidel made a helpless gesture. "It's as if she doesn't value the music at all or like they are pebbles beside the road and she can always just pick up a few more after giving them away."
"A thousand... that seems incredible." Leni grew thoughtful as she imagined that number and how much work it took. Then an idea occurred to her. "Wait, you said over a thousand when you stopped counting. When was that?"
The woman laughed! "Oh that was MONTHS ago! I honestly don't even have an estimate at this point!
Chapter 133 - Partnerships
[Germania – Berun]
With a half month left until the election, the various campaigns had hit a fever pitch just shy of election day itself. The slow building of support was now switching that support to enthusiasm and that enthusiasm to votes. Though a bit premature, there were already allegiances forming among the parties.
Behind the scenes, of course.
It took a discerning eye to weigh the public knowledge with the secret moves and it took a keen brain to sift through to find the truth. Lacking one or the other, most people just muddled along... like, for example, political commentators.
"So how do you view the election, Friedrich?" The reporter was asking his friend, unofficially, just to get anything he could. His usual sources had dried up or were just feeding him pre-packaged talking points.
The man sighed. "I'll set up a dart board and let YOU tell ME. It will probably be more accurate!"
"Surely, you must have some idea? That's your job, isn't it?"
"You want my take? Fine. But don't print it."
"Certainly!"
"The currently ruling NPP was the favored to win re-election with their current coalition. Assuming there aren't any major changes in the lineup, they will likely get a combined 60% total and Bruning will win re-election." He grunted and shifted in his chair. "That's the common belief with some evidence behind it."
The reporter jotted brief notes but didn't interrupt.
"But that's only assuming this is a normal election. Point. This is the first election after the Great War. Point. Bruning was appointed, not elected, so is it really a re-election? Point. The demographic shift after the loss of several millions of people cannot be understated. Point. There's the 'X' factor as well. Point!"
"X factor, is it?"
"The unknown in the equation, my friend. Two of the leading polling organizations had a twenty-three percent blank spot in their data. Anyone who thinks this election will like any in the past is delusional or drunk... likely both!"
"Come on, Friedrich! All this setup is nice but doesn't tell me anything."
"If -- and this is the untested 'if' -- that twenty percent is just random discontent, then it is not relevant and can be ignored. On the other hand, if it's a block supporting a new party, then it's going to be a force to be reckoned with."
"Oh ho!" His face was expectant, pen poised.
"I have a contact in one of the polling firms. They recent re-polled because they were getting unexpected results." He nailed his reporter friend with a steely eye. "And if a word of this leaks out, I'll accidentally trip you into the Danube and then accidentally hold your head underwater for a quarter hour."
"Yes, yes, yes..."
"Most of that 'other' vote is for the Liberty Party. There are really no undecideds this time around. The level of discontent is far more than they understand. The polls mostly asked who people were voting for and ignored why."
"Doesn't the who follow the why? People will vote for the party that aligns with their beliefs so they are pretty much the same, yes?"
"Not this time, no! My instinct is that when people are this unhappy, the rules of incumbancy are flipped. The current administration has to fight to win, instead of fighting not to lose. Right now, it's too late for more polls or to correct their models. In many ways, the die is already cast."
The reporter thought hard about this information while his friend pulled a medium sized box out of a cabinet. "So what you are saying is..."
He opened the case, showing a set of custom darts. "How about a game?"
* * *
[Germania]
Degurechaff had been quiet, very quiet, as the leader of a political party. There had been no big rallies, no rousing speeches, no parades thus far. Advertisements, quiet meetings and word-of-mouth had gradually spread the word and that word was 'liberty'.
That ended very abruptly a few weeks before election day.
Days before, a full page ad declared: Free concert and campaign rally! Celebrate truth and liberty with Tanya von Degurechaff! In smaller type below the banner text: Refreshments will be served and children welcome!
The image was of a cheerful Tanya singing into a glowing microphone. Similar posters appeared in cities around Germania.
At the same time, hourly reminders on the radio proclaimed the series of concerts all over Germania, culminating in pre-election event in Berun. "Don't forget to check your calendars to see when your local concert will be. Remember to bring your hats and sunscreen as the day is going to be sunny! There will be activities for the kinder with staff to monitor them as well."
The announcer continued, "Everyone is welcome, no matter who you support. Come and enjoy a beautiful summer day with Tanya!"
All over Germania, people did check their calendars and, on impulse, decided that there was nothing to lose by taking a day off. As more and more people requested leave, businesses began to shut down for the unexpected holiday. When those enterprises took some time off, the companies that did business with them decided to do so as well. With so many parents telling schools that their children would be absent for a day, the schools closed that day to the cheers of the students!
[Germania – Düsseldorf]
Festive crowds surrounded the Schloss Benrath under a brilliant summer sun. The vacation palace had been built in the 1700s for Elector Palantine and his wife in a borough of Düsseldorf. The mirror-like surface of the water of the Spiegelweiher reflected the cheerful crowd from one side and the castle from the other.
The owners had done a favor for the last Kaiser (officially) in allowing the event to be held there but (unofficially) were in support of the Liberty Party's goals. Frederick and Margarete (Prince and Princess in other times) were quite welcoming of Tanya and treated her as an equal as they enjoyed tea (and coffee) the morning before the event.
Tanya sipped her coffee with manners born of her past life and solidified in this one. "Thank you for hosting our inaugural event. A good start makes a big difference to generate the proper momentum."
Margarete smiled. "If you hadn't decided to come here, we would have reached out to you." She was an elegant woman, not a raving beauty, but with ample grace and style.
"Oh? I hadn't realized that you were such fans of our platform. I'm flattered, truly."
Frederick said, "We're in line with your ideals, of course. Germanian strength without compromise, and also without the unnecessary and insane brinksmanship of the current administration." He snorted. "They got their noses bruised but there's no guarantee they wouldn't try again or something equally stupid. Such behavior with the life of the Fatherland at stake proves they are unworthy of the power they've been given."
His wife nodded. "It makes sense from a historic perspective as well."
"Historic? How so?" Tanya cocked her slightly to one side, causing a lone curl to bob on top of her head.
"The couple that built this estate were interested in the arts, among other things. Karl Philipp enhanced the economy and infrastructure and also supported research into the sciences. His wife supported culture and the arts, especially music. Elisabeth Auguste was a skilled composer and musician in her own right so she wasn't just an empty patron of the arts." She laughed self-deprecatingly. "I must admit that I lean more toward the 'patron' side but I do play the piano as well."
"That's quite the coincidence! I'm proud that you think my modest accomplishments are worthy."
Frederick tapped the sturdy table without making a sound as it was quite solid. "It was almost too coincidental. I hope you can forgive me but I had you investigated."
She put down her cup. "Investigated you say?" Her voice was noticeably cooler but her mind raced. What was he looking into? My war record? That's all public knowledge. That little incident at officer's school? There's no way he could find out about my past life! No one should know about Projekt Endkrieg, surely not that! What could he be talking about?!
"Frankly, you're too good!" He chuckled. "Your accomplishments in art, science, business, and war indicate proper breeding to the point that I thought we might be relatives!" Frederick shook his head. "Alas, your ancestry is opaque to the point of impossibility. We found the name of your father but, other than than the fact that he was a deceased soldier... nothing. There's even less about your mother. Other than the fact that everyone has to have a mother and a blonde woman claiming that relationship dropped you off at the orphanage... also nothing!"
Relieved that her real secrets weren't at risk, she gave a small smile and covered her emotions with another sip of coffee. "Oh? Well, that's interesting."
Margarete said. "You don't seem curious." It was a statement, not a question.
Tanya shrugged. "Not to be overly blunt, but what have they done for me? A man whose relationship with my mother was so shallow that all I received was a last name and entry into an orphanage for the children of veterans. A mother who, other than giving birth to me, took the first opportunity to relieve herself of the burden of motherhood. No, however I got here, I am my own person, not a combination of the passing drives of others." This absence of a past is probably some contrivance of Being X so that I would have no chance for support outside of his script. Not content to dump me in the middle of the war, he had to make me an orphan as well. Well, I managed to get a mother – of sorts – but of my own choice!
Frederick shook his head but didn't seem overly judgmental. "You might change your mind. Being without a past is like being a rootless tree. Do you mind if I continue to look into this?"
"If you wish. I know my past... anything before my birth is open to anyone if they wish. Nothing anyone can find will either encourage or embarrass me."
"I understand and respect your philosophy even if I don't share it. Either way, you have our support. Please do your best to get rid of that ridiculous man and his dangerous ideas."
"Oh, I will! Our polling and predictive models indicate that we will manage that at the very least." A grandfather clock chimed the hour. "Oh, pardon, that's my cue to get on stage. Thank you for your support and your hospitality." She finished the coffee with pleasure and put it gently on her saucer. She stood at the same time as Frederick and then shook hands.
"The pleasure has been ours! Please make some time to visit with us after you win." Margarete gave a slight bow and a friendly smile to the petite colonel as she left the room.
Her husband sat down after the farewell and said, "You seem quite confident about the election, my dear."
"Am I? I prefer to characterize myself as 'informed'."
* * *
[Germania – Berun – NPP headquarters]
Despite the upcoming election, Bruning still had the task of running the government. Perhaps now, more than ever, he had to show that all was well and he was the architect of that progress. "How goes the trade talks with Francois? With the repayment of the A and B bonds, I was hoping that they would be more lenient on their tariffs."
Albrecht waved a hand negligently. "It's hard since we don't have much leverage with them." He laughed wryly. "Were you expecting gratitude?"
"Hmph. Perhaps I was overly optimistic but it will work out. With our manufacturing on the rebound, they will want to avoid retaliatory tariffs and will bow to good sense soon. After all, they are our largest trading partners."
"But they consider themselves the senior member of we two, as you know. The word 'partner' sounds good when you have the power but it's not as good when you are on the other side." he chuckled. "Of course, truly being equals is quite impossible."
"As you say. You either are the one with the power or not." He glanced at the clock. "As exciting as this recap is..."
Albrecht stood up gracefully. "Say no more, say no more. I have my own duties to attend to of course." He retrieved his coat and hat and said, "Shall we meet for drinks later?"
"Unfortunately, I have meetings through the evening."
"No rest for the wicked, eh?" He left with his typical jaunty air.
Bruning turned to his paperwork for several hours until he heard a voice with a distinct Russy accent from behind him. "Comrade Bruning? I hope I'm not disturbing you unduly."
The Germanian turned in his swivel chair, eliciting a slight squeak. "How could you since I was waiting for you?"
The man was non-descript to a degree that it seemed he would fade away if you took your eyes off of him. His eyes were a dead grey, though, as if they belong to a lifeless doll. "Comrade Louis is... unhappy... with the rate of progress."
"The A bonds have already been paid in full. And the B-bonds will be delivered soon. Surely he can't be unhappy with this?"
"Given the amount of assistance we've provided and broken promises of the past, he suggests that a change of the agreement is in order."
Bruning frowned. "I am not to blame for what happened in Francois as you know."
"But you couldn't keep control of your own military, resulting in the loss of many Comrades." He shook his head. "We want to be good friends, da? So you should show more sincerity."
He ground his teeth. "What does Louis want?"
"Instead of coal or other equivalents, we want the B and C bonds to be paid in gold. Immediately after the election would be best."
"That much! Do you realize how much I'll have to divert for that?"
The other man just looked at him with his flat eyes.
"I can just swing it as long as I have an excuse. So how about a trade agreement? Ten years would be good with generous terms. That way I can justify the change in the payment schedule and even argue that it's a good deal all around?"
The other man paused and then said, "I'll take this to my superiors. I think they'll agree, though. We value our comrades and are always happy to help them."
Bruning smiled. "I look forward to working with my... Comrades. In fact, I will personally escort the gold to the Federation so I can cement the ties between our countries."
"I'll also ask about that. The more people exposed to a true paradise for the proletariat, the better. Until then." He slid out of sight, leaving Bruning alone again.
Hmph. Francois is large but the Federation is immense! We'll see who is the senior partner after this!
Chapter 134 - Another non-story chapter!
Another magical research chapter! You can skip this if you wish as it has almost no impact on the storyline but lays out my (deduced and decidedly non-canon) interpretations.
So, a quick background... do you know how radios work? If you know the gritty physics of it all, you can skip the next paragraph.
Basically, waves are emitted from the broadcasting towers, travel through space, and are picked up by receivers. (I say 'space' rather than 'air' because radio waves don't require air as a medium.) The important thing to note is that it takes energy to create these waves... those waves are actually energy traveling around. Literally, they are a form of light that our eyes can't detect. But they can be made and received. So what happens – very roughly! – is that the radio wave energy enters the receiver. Simple, yes? Energy is turned to radio waves, which travel around, and then the energy is absorbed by a receiver.
Now, let's consider magical energy. It mostly seems to follow a similar process. It's 'created' (I use this word very loosely here), sent to its destination, and the energy does whatever it was supposed to do. It's not exactly analogous, but close enough.
The point where they intersect is where it gets interesting. We know, canonically, that 'magical waves' can be detected. That's made clear in the OW, manga, and anime. So one wonders... how does that work? Those don't seem to be mages manning those devices, just normal operators like you would see hunting for radar blips or radio signals in our world.
So my theory is that the devices themselves can absorb and interpret the magical waves and then, like a radio or other detection device, amplify the signal using purely scientific means so that a normal person can see what is going on. This may seem like a minor point... so what if a 'mundane' device can detect magic? Radio waves have existed all around us even before we started emitting them on purpose – why not magic waves?
But the important thing to note is that the actual magical energy was absorbed somehow by the item. Yes, minute amounts presumably, but a magic energy to mundane energy conversion occurred without a mage being involved. This is interesting!
If one could find a source of magic, presumably, you could power a device with it. But, canonically, mana fixation is impossible except for a single item the Type-95. Now, there still might be non-technological magic items or sources of magic. Perhaps the 'mana fixation' ban was only for constructed items. At any rate, magical orbs do something very similar but the source of the magic is a person and not some inanimate object.
Okay, now we will go into non-canon territory. (Yup, all the above can be justified as reasonably canonical!)
In my story, mana has a solar origin but the atmosphere blocks direct application of mana directly to the planet. It is a diffuse force that mages are able to absorb from their environment. Mages are humans that have the ability to absorb and concentrate magic and then use it for a variety of things.
Now, what if a device had the ability to tap into that 'ambient magic'. It would likely be several orders of magnitude less energetic than a mage but, still, this isn't totally worthless. Our own modern society has almost made it a mandate to 'do more with less' when it comes to our lighting and electronics. Ultra-low power devices are starting to to be developed that are either partially or completely run off of ambient energy of one form another. Body heat, vibrations, and so on are all sources being used TODAY to do useful work. Of course, not to run cars or for industrial purposes! But for tiny things such as low-power microprocessors, magical energy might be ideal... and free!
And there's always the possibility that those magic absorbers could be made much more efficient. No magic would be stored (see No Mana Fixation above) but regular electricity generated by the system could be, of course. And many purposes don't require a lot of energy, just a small, steady supply.
The real question is whether you could turn mundane energy into magical energy? I wouldn't say it's a one way street but some things are harder than others. Various sources of energy will eventually turn into entropic heat, but going the other way is impossible (at least in net amounts). For now, let's just say it's inefficient and difficult. But why would you want to do that? Well, there are things that magic can do that it's hard for mundane energy to manage so it might be worth a ruinously poor efficiency under limited circumstances.
At any rate, you may see technologies come out of TvD labs based on this... someday!
Chapter 135 - Blind spot
[Germania – Munich – TvD Research Labs]
"How is that high priority matter coming along?" Lange asked one of the engineers. Normally, Degurechaff gave them free rein over their their work and what projects they worked on. Occasionally, though, she would request something specific and it would always turn into something amazing.
Schumacher nodded. "The materials team finally got the right coating for the plastic. That is, once the plastics team found a good formulation that doesn't stretch too much or is too brittle. You wouldn't think that would be so difficult!"
"Ah, I'm very impressed by those fellows! I couldn't handle all that stuff that deal without going half mad. Give me a precision instrument or an electronic device any day of the week."
"Funny you should say that. The piezo team could use some help now that we have the plastic ribbon issue mostly licked."
"Oh ho! That's the last phase, isn't it?"
"Yeah, the battery team was done months ago and we'll be moving toward full production on industrial and consumer cells even before the rest is wrapped into this project." He scratched the back of his head. "So many teams are working on this, I don't even know which budget to put it under!"
Lange laughed and patted him on the shoulder. "Does the Colonel worry so much about that? Just throw anything that doesn't fit elsewhere under EndKrieg since it's all moving toward that plan." He stood up and said, "Let's see if I can help out over there, eh?"
* * *
[Germania - Düsseldorf]
The festive atmosphere suffused the gathering, especially among the children. There were play areas set aside, supervised by watchful women, filled with numerous outdoor toys. The colorful plastic squirt guns were particularly popular as the kids ran around, enjoying the brilliant summer day and the fun water games. More than one adult looked interestedly (or enviously) but could not justify joining them.
A well-dressed man, in particular, was looking at the colored plastic toys used by the children as he wiped the sweat from his face with an already-damp handkerchief.
One of the staffers saw the look (and his sweat) and said, "If you are hot, sir, you should go to the rain tent or get a chilled drink." She looked at him carefully. "If you feel unwell, just move to one of the first aid stations."
"Rain tent?" He looked up. "But there isn't a cloud in the sky." The man spoke Germanian with a distinct American accent.
She laughed lightly. "No, no! The rain is inside of the tent. It's quite a bit cooler there!"
"Uh, thank you?"
"It's huge and hard to miss." She pointed over the heads of the crowd. "It's quite large and hard to miss. You can also listen for the thunder!"
Curious, he wandered over (getting a cool glass of beer on the way) and, indeed, saw a flickering light and heard a roll of thunder coming from a tent. Underneath people were looking around with bemused expressions or cheerful smiles. "Hrm? It's cooler under here?" It was certainly shadier but theat didn't explain the difference.
The lights flashed again and again there was sound of thunder (not so loud as to disturb anyone) and a fine mist was release high above. For the most part, it evaporated before reaching them, leaving nothing but cool air. "How clever! It seems obvious in retrospect." He spent a few minutes and finally moved out so that others could enjoy the atmosphere.
He looked around for a place to deposit his mug and saw a barrel with a pictograph of a glass with an arrow pointing downward. He hesitated to deposit the glass there, afraid of breaking it. Someone wandering by said cheerfully, "Just drop it in."
"What? Won't the glass break?"
"I was shocked, too, but it's some new kind of glass. Try it out!"
The man released his mug and winced as the sound of glass hitting glass occurred but... nothing else. He glanced inside and saw a the half-full barrel full of completely unharmed glasses. "Incredible!"
The other man nodded. "I'm not sure what they did, but these mugs are pretty amazing, eh?"
The older man just nodded. He had broken the lens on a pair of glasses recently but, thankfully, had a backup pair that he always took when he traveled. An unbreakable beer glass was one thing, they could be easily replaced, but his spectacles were a different matter!
As he was not a Germanian citizen and couldn't vote, he felt a touch guilty over partaking of the refreshments (despite the workers telling him not to bother), so he left a donation at the entrance as he left the palace grounds. His driver, a local man, met him nearby with his vehicle. "Where to next, sir?"
"Let's go back to the hotel." I need to have my secretary make me an appointment with TvD. I had heard they were advancing science tremendously and these are just their finished products!
"Yes sir, Mr. DuPont!"
Back at the rally, music was playing around the grounds as they got closer to the speeches. It was mostly popular music and, perhaps predictably, mostly from Tanya's label. There were posters everywhere which, while political, were colorful and attractive causing many people to ask where they could get copies for themselves.
In addition to a wide variety of beverages (mostly chilled fruit juices or water), there were convenient foods of all sorts.
Soft pretzels, several sorts of bratwurst in long buns and pork schnitzels were in abundance. For those with a sweet tooth, Lebkuchen, Berliners, and Bethmannchen were piled high on tables. Smaller treats were also available in the form of small Pfeffernüsse, Zimtsterne, and Vanillekipferl, the latter causing adults and children alike to lick the powdered sugar off of their fingers appreciatively.
A young couple got closer to the main stage (though there were speakers everywhere so you could hear the speeches from anywhere). The woman had a paper cup filled with Quarkbällchen, a pastry that resembled doughnut balls but were made with cheese and covered by cinnamon sugar. Her boyfriend didn't have as much of a sweet tooth so was enjoying his third crispy breaded schnitzel using folded paper to keep the oil off his hands. "These are pretty good! How's yours?"
"Mmmm, tasty tasty! But the Zimtsterne were even better... you should have had some!"
He chuckled and kissed a bit of sugar from the side of her mouth. "It felt weird to have those in summer."
"Don't be so picky!"
"Okay, I'll try one later... oh, I think it's starting!"
A handsome man stepped onto the platform as the stirring strains of A New Hope finished as he approached the microphone. He held up his hands and said, "Don't worry, I won't take too much of your day. We promised music and there's plenty more to come. We said there would be food and it's pretty tasty, eh?" Scattered cheers met this sally. "Now, some people have asked me, 'Do we have to pay for this?'. Now, that answer is, no, not in money. But we would like to ask for some of your time."
He adjusted his glasses and said, "I'm Ernst Durchdenwald and I'm a banker by trade but I also do accounting, some management and so on."
One man, who was a bit tipsy, called up to the stage. "Is this a speech or a job interview?" Several people chuckled while others hushed him.
Ernst grinned. "Maybe both? I'm just pointing this out as I'm not a politician of any sort. Just another citizen, volunteering my time for a cause I believe in. Honestly, I used to be so apolitical, I don't recall ever voting in an election but after the Great War, well, I knew I had to get involved." He looked out over the crowd. "I'm glad everyone is having a good time but I can't help but remember those who aren't here and how fragile this peace is." He lowered his voice, "And those responsible for it."
He cleared his throat, the smile coming back to his face. "At any rate! The Liberty Party wants to rein in the power of the central government... especially those currently in control. I think we all know that some terrible decisions were made and that they weren't made with the best of intentions. So a smaller, more responsive government that is our servant rather than our master. Germania survived but we paid a terrible price. We need to remember this always: Freedom is never free."
There was a moment of silence that was broken by the chords of an electric guitar, skillfully played like the lights coming on in a darkened house. Soon it was accompanied by a bass guitar, grounding the piece and giving it weight. A few measures later, the drums started with a sweet tenor completing the whole. It was obviously Tanya, but her voice had an edge, a drive that it normally lacked.
Waiting for the winds of change
To sweep the clouds away
Waiting for the rainbow's end
To cast its gold your way
Countless ways
You pass the days
She walked up the stage dressed in an attractive yellow summer dress with small blue blue ribbons around the hem. Tanya wasn't wearing a hat but did have a thin blue ribbon tying back her unruly hair which was styled just enough to keep it under control without looking like a 'hairdo'.
Waiting for someone to call
And turn your world around
Looking for an answer to
The question you have found
Looking for
An open door
Her voice swelled with this stanza, challenging the listeners, reminding them that passive acceptance was not enough.
You don't get something for nothing
You don't get freedom for free
You won't get wise
With the sleep still in your eyes
No matter what your dreams might be
What you own is your own kingdom
What you do is your own glory
What you love is your own power
What you live is your own story
In your head is the answer
Let it guide you along
Let your heart be the anchor
And the beat of your own song
The crowd applauded the new song! But there were a few people whose applause was muted and there were troubled faces here and there. "Thank you! I reiterate the promise... Not too many speeches today! If you want to know more, there are pamphlets, free ones, available at any booth that has merchandise." She gave a little laugh. "I'm sure you've heard the Liberty Party is a part of the next election and I'd like to be President. This is true. But I'd like you to vote for us because you believe in our ideals and our plans, not because you like my singing or because we make great pens!"
Now, everyone else laughed as well!
"In the end, the difference is simple. The current government is corrupt to the core. Their attempts to wrest a profit from that horrible War led to our defeat and the death of millions. Our party wants to put a leash on government and put it in YOUR hands. War is a last resort to protect the Fatherland not a tool for some fecklessly bureaucrats to play general from the safety of their luxurious Berun offices!" She clenched her fist and it shook with passion. "So many times we could have had peace! So many opportunities lost! The generals told them to stop the war! But they wanted more bloodshed, more victories on the graves of brave men, more more more!"
Not a person stirred, not a person spoke.
She became grave. "But there came a time... when there was no more. Our ammo depleted. Our coffers emptied. Our blood drained out on distant lands until there was nothing left. Only then, only when we could no longer lift our heads and the strength had left our arms, only then were they forced into what they call 'peace'."
Tanya looked out at the crowd, seemingly making eye contact with everyone there. "I'd like to remind everyone that surrender isn't peace, it's slavery with a different name. The current administration aren't leaders, they are the prison guards. Their job was to keep the prisoners quiet enough to keep working on the prison farms to send our produce to the masters." She gave a bitter smile. "You can't point at Francois, or Albion or even the Russy Federation and blame them. The fault is inside our border, right in the heart of the Empire. We have barely met those reparations but the government is already planning on spending that money! They borrowed and spent during the War and apparently it has become a habit. But whose money are they spending? And whose futures are they borrowing against?"
She paused and it was lost on no one that the one who had paid the reparations wasn't the government but instead this young woman in front of them. And it was true, the great problem of the reparations and resentment against the allied forces could hide any number of lesser problems. The government had announced all manner of new programs but without any details about how they would be funded.
"Well, that's enough gloomy talk... it's a beautiful day! I have a few new songs to share with you and," she sniffed the air, "Unless I'm mistaken, they chefs have a some Flammkuchen on the way to share with everyone soon!"
* * *
[Germania – Berun - GNDP headquarters]
More than a week before the vote, the leader of the GNDP has the new poll in front of him. The 'other' category had been replaced by specifics if the people had decided.
"As I thought, most of that was due to the Liberty Party. How could they have been so careless? As soon as the pollsters had seen such a large flaw, they should have regrouped."
Still, he felt like he was missing something... new parties came into existence all the time. Sometimes they even became important as this upstart was. It would shift the political landscape, to be sure, but not beyond recognition. The NPP would be expected to be the major player in the new government with a coalition formed with any number of willing partners.
But he felt like he was missing something, so he took with him after leaving the headquarters. He read it on the bus home, during dinner (to the displeasure of his wife), after dinner, and even in bed (to her greater displeasure!)
He started re-reading the methodology section which was professionally produced. He only trusted respected pollsters and everything seemed in order but his attention kept returning to that section. Something in the back of his head told him there was a problem there... but what?
Sighing, he put it aside and settled down to sleep after dousing the light.
His wife murmured, "Finally! Any longer, and I'd have you sleeping on the couch!"
He kissed the back of her head (the only side near him) and just said, "Sorry. No more bringing work to bed."
He couldn't make out her reply and tried to still his restless thoughts. Just as he was about to drift off, he thought of his wife of thirty years. It wasn't easy being a politician's wife in the best of times and their lives had been uncertain during the Great War. But he could see signs of prosperity coming as long as this post-war period was handled well. I don't know what I'd do without her! As long as she's on my side, I can never lose my way.
When he sat bolt upright a half hour later yelling, "That's it!" she did kick him to the living room... not that he could get any sleep that night. In the early morning hours, he finally got the polling organization to answer his calls and even could talk to the chief in charge of his project.
"Just one clarification, and this is vitally important! When you are polling a household, how do you conduct the questioning?"
The somewhat sleepy man answered promptly. "We talk to the head of household, ask them how they are likely to vote and then multiply by the number of eligible and likely voters."
The GNDP leader suppressed an urge to curse and asked, "So you don't poll the other people in the house? What if there are differing opinions?"
"Oh, that happens sometimes, but the methodology assumes households vote pretty much the same. We've found this to be quite consistent and errors tend to cancel each other out."
He threw away the report he was holding as worthless, though the man on the other end of the line couldn't see that. "Do all your competitors follow the same procedures?"
"Huh? Well, I can't know for sure, but it's likely. Our polls results are usually fairly close to each other."
So they are all careening into this election blind... and so are we!