Alptraum (Nightmare)

Alptraum (Nightmare)
An Alternative History Affair
By TekcoR

Fromm graciously dismissed both von Wren and me shortly after our formal introduction; mostly to my dismay. I thought that Fromm would be more interested in further briefing me to the necessities of performing my task as Chief of Staff. Nevertheless, my new adjutant and I followed our orders and left the room general’s room. Leaning against the wall opposite of the door was Rhiley, who raised his head to look up at the distraction caused by the opening door. His facial expression summed up the meeting; over so soon.

“Carry on,” were the first words out of my mouth, before even fully out of the room. Tradition is to be honored and I generally did not require family to perform the necessary military custom due to my rank; except when another officer was present with me. I generally pre-empted their required duty.

Rhiley went back to a relaxed position, though he did not lean against the wall now. “Lieutenant von Wren, this is Obergefreiter Rhiley Schnack, the personal driver of the Chief of Staff of the Reserve Army,” I said with a smile directed towards my nephew. “Rhiley, this is Lieutenant Frank von Wren, my adjutant assigned by General Fromm.” I turned my facial expression to the one that showed he was to be shown the full military customs; in turn Rhiley acknowledged with a barely noticeable nod of his head.

The two exchanged formalities; yet I believed von Wren knew more to the relationship than I had let on. He would eventually have to be formally notified; yet I decided to let him know at another time. An awkward moment followed for a handful of seconds before von Wren politely guided us through the halls and to the entrance of his office; a bit of way from Fromm’s. From the open door of Wren’s office the view inside was nothing of spectacular magnificence, only one portrait hung from the wall, and it was an unusual photo of the Führer before he came into power. I had seen it once before; countless years prior to our meeting; but never afterwards till then. Below the photo I noticed his desk, stacked full of papers and folders; of what material I could only imagine.

“Corporal,” he said rather bluntly. “The Colonel and I have some business to attend to, there is a desk and chair right there,” he said pointing to the desk that I didn’t notice as we were lead to my adjutant’s office.

I nodded to Rhiley, who had the expression on his face that he didn’t appreciate being ordered to in that tone. It would be something that I would have to adjust with my appointed colleague. I watched intently as I saw Rhiley at first stand still for another second before he backed away and moved towards the desk. He began the motion of lowering himself onto the chair as I was lead deeper into the relatively unknown room. Less than ten steps into the office I heard the door close. I gulped. I felt goose bumps on my arms, hidden luckily by the uniform. I had been lead into offices before, and had the door closed before me. It was a feeling that I never quite became comfortable with. Generally negative things are about to happen when one is lead into another person’s office and the door closes with a magnified thunder.


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Alptraum (Nightmare)
An Alternative History Affair
By TekcoR

“Sit down, Colonel,” my adjutant said seconds after leading me into the room, he stood behind his desk; which unnerved me further. I looked at him; my movements were blatant and calculated. The eloquent dance of our eye contact carried on for an enduring seven seconds before he sat down and readjusted his green eyes to look straight into mine. “Colonel,” he repeated, “There is no easy way to say this.” He let out a long sigh that revealed he spoke the truth.

He unfolded his arms in a deliberately slow movement and placed his palms down on his desk, shoulders width apart from each other. “I am involved in a group of individuals who seek to procure victory in an alternative method.” He stopped; I had a hunch that there was more to my new aide’s involvement than he initially let alone. It was fairly obvious. The air of the room was filled with the scent of nervousness. I felt slightly more in control of the situation, though still bitterly uncomfortable for I didn’t see a clear resolution.

He read my face and continued on. “I have been involved in this conversation since before the betrayal by the Soviet Union. The groups’ determination to achieve victory has been accelerated by recent events. There are members within the group that seek to carry out our discussions before they have been fully vetted out. It is quite a predicament. I find myself in a terrible situation.” He almost started crying, his palms off the desk, and half way between his face and their previous position.

I maintained my eye contact with von Wren, but did not speak. I pondered the implications, the meaning of the massive revelation that would be a valuable asset to me. I could turn in my new assistant, and be handsomely rewarded by the regime. Yet deep down, there were unresolved issues. It was no secret; I had heard countless plots and rumored attempts to remove the Führer one way or another. The fate of these people was pre-determined it seemed, within a matter of days generally, the Gestapo announced that several dissident military personnel, civilians, foreign fugitives or a combination of both or all three were arrested and never heard from again.

My mind, my years of service under the Führer instantly came to mind. I had now sworn abided and lived by the oath to him for close to seven years. The terms of service under the Führer was heavily outweighed by my oath to the former Weimar Republic; which I had seen abolished and replaced by the very man my assistant sought to do away with. I had seen a monumental head of state figure removed before when I was still a teenager fighting in the first war. I recalled the disheartening moment when I had heard about the forced abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm II.

I knew that like me, thousands of soldiers felt betrayed by the loss of the Kaiser, it was another injury to the insult that the war was being lost. I had grown up respecting the authority, the pomp and circumstance that the monarchy brought to the united Germany. Though my time under the direct service of the Kaiser’s military venture was short, mere months, I often reflected on those days when my youthful ambition got the best of me.

Though I knew the risk of removing a leader during a time of war and the consequences, I did not pursue the thought of arresting my assistant. Deep down, the feelings that I had suppressed often and with great difficulty at times were emerging with renewed vigor. I attempted to the best of my efforts to hide my feelings from my adjutant, but that was impossible. I looked him straight into the eyes.

“I am in.”

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