Got a bit behind because of finals week, but don't think I didn't notice the Trotsky meme.
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At least you got it first. I initially thought it was just a random guy with glasses and messy hair.
Preacher, Part 2
Angela’s office, Constantinople – October 5, 1994, 4:00 PM
The phone rang, and Angela paused her Walkman.
“Got something, Anders?” she said.
“Well, Angie, that second officer is still in a coma, so I don’t think we can count on him to give us an answer,” Anders said.
“I’m going over these reports you faxed me,” Angela said, “They’re incredible.”
“Well, the military already sent troops into radioactive mushroom clouds, so I guess they figured they had to top themselves, right?” Anders said.
“Sleep eradication still doesn’t explain the shooting of those two officers, or the anomalous autopsy results on Willig and Dr. Gerhard,” Angela said, “Or why there’s an implant that looks quite similar to the one we found in Max Fenig and ‘Ragnar Sigeric’.”
“Well, I learned something at Dr. Gerhard’s clinic,” Anders said, “About what happens to a person’s cortex when you stimulate it with electricity.”
“They experience mild visual and auditory hallucinations,” Angela said, “Any first year med student could tell you that.”
“Well, what if that stimulus were to come from a remote source?” Anders said. “What if Kurt somehow developed the ability to project his unconscious? The implant might have provided electrical stimulations for Kurt’s brain, making him experience hallucinations. Maybe he learned to control it and project those hallucinations into others.
“Are you suggesting Kurt killed these people with telepathic images?” Angela asked.
“Think about it, Angie,” Anders said, “In all those years without REM sleep, maybe Kurt learned how to control the implant, instead of the implant controlling him, granting him the power to experience what he wants. And what if, through this mastery, he developed the ability to externalize what he experiences and project it onto others. I think Nikolai Tesla was interested in wireless electricity transmission decades ago. Maybe Kurt figured it out and is now projecting his electrical stimulations onto his victims.”
“Even if you’re right, you’ll have a much better chance of finding Kurt if you work up a profile and try to surmise his next move,” Angela said.
“Alright, I’ll sharpen my pencils and I’ll see you later,” Anders said, “I’ll be right there, Novak.”
“Pavel’s with you?” Angela said. “Where are you going?”
“We’re going to check out another member of Kurt’s squad from Siam and see if he can tell us anything about Kurt,” Anders said.
“Sounds like you’re getting along with Pavel,” Angela said, “After what he went through, I thought he wouldn’t open up that quickly.”
“From what you told me, I thought he was going to have the same trauma you did, only worse,” Anders said, “But he’s alright, it turns out. He could use a little more seasoning and some wardrobe advice, but he’s a lot more open to extreme possibilities than…”
“Than I was?” Angela said.
“…than I assumed he would be,” Anders said.
“Must be nice not having your cousin questioning your every move, poking holes in all your beloved theories,” Angela said.
“Oh yeah, it’s, it’s great,” Anders said, “I’m surprised I put up with you so long, Angie.”
“You’d better go,” Angela said, “I’ll read over this report again and see what else I can find.”
“Sure,” Anders said, “I’ll leave you to it.”
Anders hung up.
Mundi Diner, Sachsenhausen – 5:15 PM
Anders and Pavel walked into the diner and approached a man working at the counter.
“Salvatore Matola?” Anders asked, holding up his badge.
Salvatore spun around. “You going to shoot me? You going to kill me?”
Anders pointed at his badge. “We’re with the Athanatoi. We just want to ask you some questions. Why’d you think we were going to kill you?”
Salvatore shrugged. “Don’t know.”
Pavel looked at a newspaper on the counter. “You know about Willig and Gerhard.”
“I read about it in the paper,” Salvatore said, “I guess they’re finally killin’ us all off.”
“Who?” Anders asked. “Hey Sal, can you spare a few minutes?”
“I guess so,” Savatore said, “I got a break comin’ up. Spare a few minutes. I guess. They said it’s be like living two lifetimes. At---at first, that’s what it was like. Not having to sleep at all made us feel like nothin’ could touch us, you know? We’d do 24 hour patrols, night ambushes, take out Karl’s foxholes, you know, and that type of thing. We felt invincible.”
“And you never got tired?” Pavel asked.
“No,” Salvatore said, “Not so that we had to sleep. And then, nothing that the pills couldn’t fix.”
“Serotonin?” Anders asked.
“Yeah,” Salvatore said, tapping his neck, “All thanks to the gizmo they put in our necks.”
“How long did this go on?” Anders asked.
“Quite a while, I’d say,” Salvatore said, “Quite a while until we stopped taking orders from the company commander in Bangkok.”
“You mean the entire squad went AWOL?” Pavel asked.
“Yeah, somethin’ like that,” Salvatore said.
“Well, then who did you take orders from?” Anders asked.
“We just made up missions as we went along, until it didn’t matter anymore who we were killing,” Salvatore said, “And not just the Chaw Thai. Farmers too. And not just the men, but the women and children too. Outside of Lopburi, there was this school, they were just kids.”
“No one ever tried to stop you?” Pavel asked.
“No, sir,” Salvatore said, “We were the Marines’ star squadron. Over four thousand kills among the thirteen of us…you can’t just withdraw them from combat and discipline them without angering a lot of people at the top. And though we weren’t sure who, we were sure we had friends in high places.”
“We suspect Augustus Kurt may be behind the murders of Willig and Gerhard,” Anders said.
“Preacher?” Salvatore said. “That’s what we used to call him on account that he was always reading from his Bible, saying this and that about the Book of Revelations. Sayin’ that we’ll have to pay for what we were doin'. That’s what he said back then, that’s what he’s sayin’.”
“But why Dr. Gerhard?” Anders asked. “He was never in Siam, and he wasn’t even part of your squadron.”
“Sure he was,” Salvatore said, “He made us what we are. Him and Dr. Gerardi.”
“Who’s Gerardi?” Pavel asked.
“The other Doc,” Salvatore said, “The one who did the surgeries on us, gave us the implants. It’s because of him I haven’t slept a night in 24 years.”
Friedensbrücke (Freedom Bridge) Expressway – 5:30 PM
Anders sighed. The one day he finally got to drive on an assignment, he got stuck in traffic. He glanced over at Pavel, reading a file, and imagined Angela sitting there, laughing at him.
“I hate rush hour,” he said.
“Don’t we all?” Pavel said. “Welcome to Frankfurt. Anyways, why are we going after this Gerardi guy?”
“Kurt sees himself as a kind of avenging angel,” Anders said, “In his mind, everyone responsible for the atrocities, whether directly or indirectly, must be punished. Taking accountability to the extreme when the military couldn’t even hold everybody who did Tha Mai accountable.”
“Yeah, but why now?” Pavel asked. “Why after all these years?”
“Lopburi was one of the bloodiest and horrifying massacres of the war,” Anders said, “Over 300 children slaughtered. But unlike Tha Mai, no soldiers were ever charged. The 24th anniversary of the massacre was two days ago.”
Anders’ phone rang.
“Go ahead, Angie,” he said.
“I think I found the Franz Gerardi you’re looking for,” Angela said, “He’s a professor of neurosurgery at Hikma University.”
“Do you have his number in Baghdad?” Anders asked.
“Yes, except he’s coming to Frankfurt for Gerhard’s funeral, tonight,” Angela said, “He’s arriving at the Otto and Edith Frank Hauptbahnhof on the 7:30 train.”
“Try to have a photo waiting at the security desk so we know who we’re looking for, okay?” Anders said.
“Got it,” Angela said.
Otto and Edith Frank Hauptbahnhof – 7:35 PM
Anders and Pavel pulled up to the station and ran to the security desk, where the guard handed them Gerardi’s photo. Then they rushed into the station and towards the platform where his train was stopping.
“Stay here, I’ll cover you on the side,” Anders said.
Pavel nodded and stayed back while Anders approached the train. As the passengers disembarked from the train, he thought he saw a man who looked like Gerardi and another man approaching him. Anders drew his gun.
“Imperial Agent!” he shouted. “Drop your weapon, Kurt!”
Anders fired four shots, but he lost sight of both men. He felt Pavel shaking his shoulder.
“Anders!” he shouted.
“Gerardi!” Anders said. “Where is he?”
“He’s not here,” Pavel said.
“But I saw him,” Anders said.
“Anders, you were shouting and waving your gun around, but Gerardi never showed,” Pavel said, “Fortunately you didn’t shoot and cause a panic.”
“No, Gerardi was here, and so was Kurt,” Anders said, “We just missed them.”
“Anders, if they had been here, I would have seen it,” Pavel said, “I’m telling you, they weren’t here.”
They went back to the security desk and sat down in front of the CCTV screens.
“Okay, let’s start with a small window of time, say 1935 to 1945,” Anders told the guard, “If you don’t find anything in that time frame, then open it up one minute at a time. With all these cameras, we should be able to see something.”
“Can we talk for a second?” Pavel asked.
“What’s the problem?” Anders said.
“You still haven’t answered my question,” Pavel said, “What happened?”
“I told you, I thought I saw Gerardi,” Anders said.
“Come on, you almost killed somebody back there,” Pavel said, “We both know I’m covering for you by keeping it between us.”
“I can hear you, you know,” the guard added.
“Alright, what do you want to know?” Anders said.
“What’s the truth?” Pavel asked. “There are things you’re not telling me that I need to know.”
“It’s just that my ideas usually aren’t very popular, even in my own family,” Anders said.
“I told you, I want to believe,” Pavel said, “To borrow one of your catchphrases. But I need a place to start.”
“I think Kurt possesses the ability to make people experience things, to generate illusions that are so convincing they can kill,” Anders said, “Because of an implant in his head made with 1970s technology that removes the need to sleep and made him into a remorseless killing machine. How’s that for a theory?”
“Puts a whole new spin on virtual reality, but at least it begins to explain things,” Pavel said.
“Yeah, that’s a little spooky, but see this car in the upper right corner?” the guard said, pointing to one screen.
“Yeah,” Anders said.
“It wasn’t there five minutes ago,” the guard said.
“Where is this?” Anders asked.
“Track 17,” the guard said, “It’s a restricted part of the station.”
Track 17 – 8:00 PM
Gerardi struggled against the ropes that bound him to a chair as Augustus walked around him.
“What are you doing?” Gerardi said. “This is insane. You can’t do this to me. You can’t hold me responsible. I was following orders, just like you.”
“The lord hates the lying tongue,” Augustus said, “You speak the words of the Angeloi. They said they were just following orders in the Holocaust.”
“It’s the truth,” Gerardi said.
Augustus punched him in the face. “The truth is what you did to us. What you made us do.”
“No one made you do anything,” Gerardi said, “You volunteered.”
Augustus took Gerardi’s glasses off. “The righteous shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance.”
Gerardi struggled again. “Who is it? Who’s there?”
“He shall wash his feet in the wicked,” Augustus said.
“Who is it?” Gerardi said. “I can’t see without my glasses!”
“You don’t need to see to know who it is,” Augustus said, “You know who it is!”
Gerardi looked around and saw military surgeons surround him. They picked up scalpels.
“You shall pay as the judge has determined,” Augustus said, “We shall give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn. Wound for wound, strike for strike. As he has disfigured a man, so shall he be disfigured. And he who kills a man shall be put to death.”
The surgeons cut into Gerardi’s neck. Gerardi screamed in agony.
Meanwhile, Anders and Pavel searched the place, sweeping the area with their flashlights. After several minutes, they found Gerardi lying on the ground. There was a large gash in his neck, but Anders still felt a pulse.
“He’s still alive,” Anders said, “Pavel, put pressure on the wound on the back of his neck and radio for help. NOW!”
Pavel took out his radio and tied a tourniquet to Gerardi’s neck. “This is Agent Novak requesting emergency assistance. My location is track 17 in the Hauptbahnhof.”
Continuing through the track, Anders found Augustus standing by a hole in the wall. Six feet below was a pile of concrete, rebar, and steel pylons. Anders drew his gun.
“Step away from the edge,” he said, “Corporal Kurt, I’m an imperial agent, now please, step back from the edge.”
Augustus turned around. “Go ahead, shoot me.”
“That’s not why I’m here,” Anders said, “I’m putting down my gun. I just want to talk to you for a few minutes, after that, you’re free to do whatever you want.”
“I’m tired,” Augustus said.
“I know,” Anders said, “The implant.”
“Nah, man, you don’t know,” Augustus said, “You have no idea.”
“One minute is all I’m asking,” Anders said.
“One minute is more than I can give,” Augustus said, “My blood’s boilin’ in my veins. I can feel the air stingin’ on my skin.”
“What the military did to you was wrong, but your testimony can help,” Anders said.
“They cut out a part of my brain,” Augustus said, “Put something in me. They made me into somebody else. I can never get back what they took away from me, and I’m going to stop them from taking anything more.”
Pavel walked into the room and raised his gun. Anders turned and looked at him.
“Novak, put down the gun and get out of here,” Anders said, “Novak, I said put down the gun and get out of here!”
“But he’s got a gun!” Pavel said.
Anders looked back at Augustus, but he only saw a Bible in his hands.
“Pavel, no!” Anders shouted.
Pavel shot Augustus twice, and he slumped over.
“Good-night,” Augustus muttered, before he exhaled his last breath.
“He had a gun,” Pavel said, “He was going to shoot you.”
Anders nodded. “You did the right thing.”
Heading back to their car, Anders reached under his seat to find the file was gone.
Angela’s office – 11:00 PM
Angela sighed. “They broke into my office. Went through my files, my computer...I came as soon as security called but the report was already gone.”
“Someone went through a lot of trouble stealing our copies to keep this a secret,” Anders said.
“Without that report as evidence, Dad’s not going to authorize an investigation,” Angela said, “Nor will Schulz. At least they didn't erase my Walkman tapes.”
“He said it’s never been more dangerous,” Anders said.
“Schulz?” Angela said.
“No, the man who leaked us the report,” Anders said, “The one who’s been helping us.”
“You actually met him,” Angela said, “Is it Uncle Conrad?”
“Nah,” Anders said, “But he said closing down the X-Division was just the beginning. That we’ve never been in greater danger.”
“Do you trust him?” Angela asked.
Conference Room, Omar Mukhtar Building
Pavel entered the conference room, where the smoking man sat with two other men in suits. As the smoking man exhaled another cloud of smoke, Pavel handed him the file.
“Do you know where he got this?” the smoking man asked.
“Not yet,” Pavel said, “But he got it. Which means he’s either found another source, or another source has found him. Sir, if I can recommend something, you’ll see that I have outlined several countermeasures I believe will be extremely effective.”
“What about Hansen?” the smoking man said.
“Reassigning them to other areas seems to have only strengthened their determination,” Pavel said, “Hansen’s a problem. Has too much of her father and grandfather in her. A much larger problem than you described.”
The smoking man put out his cigarette. “Every problem has a solution. We'll take care of it, as always.”
and repeat.No, I think you mean Christopher Lee.
Yep, it would be more reasonable for Trotsky to invade Europe due to his idea of a permanent revolution. Through I will say that the Red Alert squels were pretty over the top overall, the story of the first Red Alert (especially the Soviet campaign) was surprisingly dark (the very first mission of the soviet campaign involves Stalin ordering the player to commit a war crime/crime against humanity and exterminate an entire village of innocent civilians along with Resistance fighters) and actually propitiated Stalin´s personality and behavior well for the most part in my opinion. So I´m wondering how would Trotsky be portrayed in TTL´s Red Alert in place of Stalin? I´m thinking that his personality would be different from Stalin but he´d still use the same or similar methods to Stalin to establish a Totalitarian dictatorship in the end, especially since it was Trotsky who first proposed the implementations of Gulags and was brutal in his command of the Red Army in the Russian civil war in OTL. Through I´m sure if there would be still a cult of personality in the Soviet Commune like the Stalinist Soviet Union. Also I´m thinking that the story of the Red Alert sequels would be less campy than OTL and more serious, hopefully with EA (if they do still exist.
) would give Westwood studio and the other companies they own more creative freedom on their games than OTL (and thus we wouldn´t have so many franchises ruined by EA in TTL.) and I´m thinking that the camp of the Red Alert sequels would be toned down to a more serious form of satrie, used in a similar way to how the early Fallout games used humor to draw more emphasis to the serious moments. At least that´s how I think the story of Red Alert would go in TTL.
Trotsky and Molotov would basically use similar methods to Stalin, as here Trotsky also suggested the idea of gulags, while Molotov carried out the deromanization policies and the forced resettlement of many minorities. There might still be a cult of personality, but it would revolve around Molotov. And the sequels would of course be less campy.and repeat.
Yep, it would be more reasonable for Trotsky to invade Europe due to his idea of a permanent revolution. Through I will say that the Red Alert squels were pretty over the top overall, the story of the first Red Alert (especially the Soviet campaign) was surprisingly dark (the very first mission of the soviet campaign involves Stalin ordering the player to commit a war crime/crime against humanity and exterminate an entire village of innocent civilians along with Resistance fighters) and actually propitiated Stalin´s personality and behavior well for the most part in my opinion. So I´m wondering how would Trotsky be portrayed in TTL´s Red Alert in place of Stalin? I´m thinking that his personality would be different from Stalin but he´d still use the same or similar methods to Stalin to establish a Totalitarian dictatorship in the end, especially since it was Trotsky who first proposed the implementations of Gulags and was brutal in his command of the Red Army in the Russian civil war in OTL. Through I´m sure if there would be still a cult of personality in the Soviet Commune like the Stalinist Soviet Union. Also I´m thinking that the story of the Red Alert sequels would be less campy than OTL and more serious, hopefully with EA (if they do still exist.
As for EA, they simply don't exist. It doesn't help that I used to pass their headquarters all the time.
Did you hear the tragedy of Darth Hans the wise? It’s not a story the government would tell you (yes I know I’m using one of the good guys here for the Pelagius meme, but he was the best one I could choose since he’s dead and I already used him for prequel memes.).
God damnit Pavel! No wonder why Olga killed your parents you traitorous [REDACTED] Angeloi!
Was that too harsh? And I throught the guy Pavel met at the end of WW3 was Anders’s mysterious contact and not the smoking man! It’s nice that Anne’s parents got a dedication in the form of a railway station, I’m wondering what dedications Anne has gotten herself.
Also I just remember you used pictures of the Palace of Versailles for the Palace of Potsdam and I am wondering if Versallies still exists in this universe as a residence for the viecory of Gallia? Since a branch of the Hohenzollerns are viceroys of Gallia if I remember correctly, I hope that the pieces of art, relics and treasures of Potsdam and Brandenburg Palce were moved out to Versallies and the other palaces like Charlottenburg and the Great Palace, maybe with Versallies being built to mirror Potsdam to honor it if it was built later on in the Cold War. Has work begun on rebuilding Potsdam at this point since the parking lot that replaced it was destroyed by the war and I’m sure there are still photos and architectural plans left over before the Soviet era for when Potsdam was intact?
Also you mentioned the Wallhala in Victoria 2 being built to honor Romans and I remember it primarily honoring primaryly Germans so I’m wondering if it includes non German Romans like the Civil Rights leaders or the emperors of the previous Roman Empires? I think it would be a popular memorial and hall of frame but probably not a national symbol like Brandenburg was, through it would be nice if it was. I also the Scandiavns not being happy with the Wallhala back in Victoria 2 so I’m wondering how do they feel about it now? Maybe the Norse and the other Pagans can be included in the Wallhala for their influence on the Reich.
Yes! Now we won’t have all those video game franchises like Mass Effect or Red Alert ruined by EA!As for EA, they simply don't exist. It doesn't help that I used to pass their headquarters all the time.
I wonder what the video game industry will be like throgh when we get to the cultural updates in the 21st century?Sorry about the double posting but I forgot to include this point too and had to put in with the quote.
Also is there an equlievent to Hamilton in TTL, maybe Kaiser Sigisund in the Maximist war or Mitternich? I’m thinking that Hamilton could also work if it was rewritten to work with the Resortation of the Reich or the Sigisumd. Or maybe we can have a play or musical about Mansur Shah Mukhtar in the Fifty Years war since he was a important figure to Roman history and thus would probably work as an Alexander Hamilton equivalent. Just some suggestions.
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Ironic. He could save others from shady government assassins, but not himself.Did you hear the tragedy of Darth Hans the wise? It’s not a story the government would tell you (yes I know I’m using one of the good guys here for the Pelagius meme, but he was the best one I could choose since he’s dead and I already used him for prequel memes.).
I think you're a bit too harsh on him. It was Olga killing his parents which drove him to accept the smoking man's offer, not the other way around. And I thought the cigarettes the smoking man smoked in Part 64 made it quite obvious. Hans doesn't smoke, but I don't think I made that clear enough.God damnit Pavel! No wonder why Olga killed your parents you traitorous [REDACTED] Angeloi!
I did mention Anne refused to have her name listed on the Resistance memorial in Frankfurt, so she would want to stay away from any honors or dedications so as to not detract from the other Resistance fighters who fought in the war.It’s nice that Anne’s parents got a dedication in the form of a railway station, I’m wondering what dedications Anne has gotten herself.
By the way, if I wasn't clear enough in the story, the Otto and Edith Frank station is the same one Engelbert and Senator Otto traveled through in 1941 (where Otto and Edith had their last mission before they died).
The actual Versailles is still a small hunting lodge used as the vacation houses of the Gallic viceroys.
Most of them were moved out to the west during and after the war, but you can't save everything, as always.
There are photos of the interior, so I would assume Potsdam palace will be rebuilt over the next few years. Brandenburg Palace is in the same situation, both in this universe and in real life (I based Brandenburg Palace on the Berliner Stadtschloss, which was destroyed by the DDR in a public spectacle and is being rebuilt right now).
After the war, the Walhalla would be expanded to honor all Romans, not just Germans and nobility, so you'd see Abraham Green, Anne Frank, some of the Doukas emperors who ruled immediately prior to reunification, and others there. Not sure about the emperors of the First Roman Empire though, since they seem to have plenty of honors already in Rome.
It would be a big tourist trap, for sure, but nothing as iconic as the Brandenburg Gate and the Great Palace complex (and Restoration Island, once I get around to talking about it).
That was back when the Scandinavians took their heritage much more seriously. They still do, but this is ancient history, and they no longer hate the Reich. They've mostly forgiven the Romans for what they did and probably see the Walhalla as a place to promote Roman-Scandinavian friendship and Norse culture.
Ragnar Beck comes to mind as one Scandinavian who would definitely be included in the Walhalla.
When we get to 2017, we won't have the outrage over Star Wars Battlefront II, because Battlefront II (the remake) won't exist. Also, microtransactions and loot boxes are completely banned in the Reich, because why not. China, though, is a whole other story.Yes! Now we won’t have all those video game franchises like Mass Effect or Red Alert ruined by EA!
Metternich would be a better fit for Hamilton, since he was instrumental in building the modern Roman nation, reforming the Augustinian Code, setting up an international order that lasted until World War I, and ensuring Sigismund remained on the throne. Mansur Shah Mukhtar, though, is mostly remembered as the man who led the Inquisition in the Fifty Year's War and would probably be seen as a mass murderer for all of the heretic purging he ordered.Also is there an equlievent to Hamilton in TTL, maybe Kaiser Sigisund in the Maximist war or Mitternich? I’m thinking that Hamilton could also work if it was rewritten to work with the Resortation of the Reich or the Sigisumd. Or maybe we can have a play or musical about Mansur Shah Mukhtar in the Fifty Years war since he was a important figure to Roman history and thus would probably work as an Alexander Hamilton equivalent. Just some suggestions.
I'm surprised Anders didn't question the fact that Paval said he hadn't fired his gun after he apparently fired off four shots, although I imagine people would have been running and screaming if he had actually fired into a busy train station.
Well, he knows the guy he's looking for can what people perceive, so it's not a stretch to think his perception was changed. And yeah, people would've been panicking if he actually fired.
By the end of all of this, Anders and Angela will have encountered just about every sci-fi plot and be in desperate need of a vacation.
By the end of this, they'll probably become a sci-fi plot.
The Trials of Daniel Burkard, Part 1
Weissenberg, Bohemia – June 3, 1985, 10:30 PM
Daniel Burkard slept on his couch. His dog, meanwhile, ran into the kitchen and started eating the leftovers from his dinner, which still sat unwashed in the sink. His TV blared over the sounds of fighter jets flying and artillery guns booming in the distance.
“Halt, comrade! Find the capitalist!”
“Find the capitalist!”
“There, there, whoa! Who's this?”
The dog ran into the TV room, tearing down the sheets covering the windows and sniffing the couch around Daniel.
“There, there's been a mistake. My papers are here and in order!”
“Where is the Chairman?”
“In another Politburo meeting, comrade.”
“Enough! Bring my Kalashnikov.”
“Da, comrade.”
Gunfire erupted in the TV as the secret police executed the capitalist on the spot. The program ended with the usual fanfare of the Soviet and Bohemian-Slovakian national anthems, but before it ended, the TV went out. Static filled the screen, and the dog whimpered in fear. Outside, strange shadows wandered behind the window coverings. The dog growled softly before running out of the room. Suddenly, Daniel woke up, knowing they were there.
“It can't be,” he said.
He shook on his couch, trying to get up, but he couldn’t move. A bright white light shone through the covered windows, accompanied by a loud ringing. Silhouettes of strange humanoid creatures pressed up against the sheets.
“No, no!” he screamed. “Not again!”
He looked around and found aliens surrounding his bed, staring at him. Outside, his dog barked at a UFO hovering over his house.
Weissenberg Correctional Treatment Center – October 7, 1994, 9:00 AM
A guard led Daniel, his arms immobilized by wrist restraints, past many of the other residents of the treatment center. The guard knocked on a door and opened it, bringing Daniel into what looked like an office. A doctor, Herman, turned around and stood up.
“Hello, Daniel,” Herman said, “Nice to see you.”
“Nice to see you too, Doc,” Daniel said.
Herman motioned to the guard, who left and closed the door.
“How are you feeling today?” Herman asked.
“Pretty good,” Daniel said.
“Why don't we sit down, Daniel?” Herman said. “I want to go over a few things with you.”
“Okay,” Daniel said.
They sat down.
“Now, uh, it says here that you've been refusing to take your medicine,” Herman said.
“I don't like the way it makes me feel,” Daniel said.
“Okay, alright, let's talk about that,” Herman said, “Because we give you that medicine for a reason, Daniel, because of your behavior.”
“I know, I know,” Daniel said.
“Because we don't want you to hurt anybody again,” Herman said.
Daniel nodded.
“You're still hearing voices?” Herman asked.
“I’m not crazy, Doc,” Daniel said, “Daniel Burkard’s not like these other guys.”
“No, everybody here is different,” Herman said.
“They're coming again,” Daniel said, “They're coming again, I can feel it. They're going to take Daniel Burkard to this place.”
“Nobody's coming, Daniel,” Herman said.
Daniel rocked in his chair. “Nobody can stop them.”
Herman reached for his desk. “I'm going to give you a shot. I think you just need some rest.”
He prepared a shot, but while his attention was diverted, Daniel noticed a pen on his desk.
“Now, this will make you sleep,” Herman said, “And you'll wake up and you will see that we didn't let anybody hurt you. Okay, Daniel?”
He turned around to see Daniel walking out the door.
“Daniel?” Herman said, walking after him.
Daniel ran down the hall and stabbed the pen into the guard’s neck. As the guard screamed and collapsed in pain, Daniel grabbed his gun and pointed it at everybody around him. He then aimed at Herman.
“Get away, get away!” he shouted. “Or I’ll kill him!”
Herman walked slowly towards him, hands raised.
“Put the gun down, Daniel,” he said.
“Give me the keys,” Daniel demanded.
“Daniel...” Herman said.
“Give me the damn keys!” Daniel shouted.
The alarm went off. Panicking, Daniel ran up to Herman and grabbed him, jamming his gun against Herman’s head.
“Either way, Doc, we're getting out of here together,” Daniel said, “You guys...do it now. Go! Go! Go!”
Omar Mukhtar Building Gym, Constantinople – 10:00 AM
Pavel walked around the swimming pool, watching Anders, wearing only a red speedo, do laps at a remarkable pace. Pavel ran to the end of the pool just as Anders reached it.
“Agent Humboldt!” he said.
Anders pulled himself out of the pool. “Pavel, what's up?”
“There's a situation going down,” Pavel said, “Schulz wants you out there right away.”
Anders got his towel and started walking with Pavel
“What kind of situation?” Anders asked.
“Hostage negotiation,” Pavel said.
“And he wants me?” Anders said.
“Yeah,” Pavel said.
“What for?” Anders said.
“The guy escaped a mental institution,” Pavel said, “He's got four people at gunpoint in an office building in Pressburg. Claims he's being controlled by aliens.”
Downtown Pressburg, Bohemia – 3:00 PM
Snipers sat on the roof of the building across the street from the Travel Time Travel Agency, pointing their guns. Police sirens blared. Police officers held back a gathering crowd, while tactical teams in riot gear lined up around the block. Anders and Pavel drove up. They got out and showed an officer their badges.
“Novak, Humboldt, Athanatoi,” Pavel said, “What's your handle?”
“Right that way, sir,” the officer said.
They ran into the building, where teams of Athanatoi agents sat at their stations, working hard. A woman, their leader, walked over to them and shook Anders’ hand.
“Agent Humboldt?” she asked.
“Yeah,” Anders said.
“Agent Louise Kazdan, negotiations commander,” Louise said, “Thanks for coming.”
“This is Agent Novak,” Anders said.
Pavel awkwardly waved his hand. “Uh, Ahoj.”
“Let me show you what we've got,” Louise said.
They walked over to a blackboard, which she spun around with help from a second agent. Written on the board were four words, in addition to some other things: honesty, containment, conciliation, and resolution.
“His name's Daniel Burkard,” Louise said, “He's armed with a nine millimeter Glock, one nine-round magazine. It is our belief he's prepared to use the gun and not afraid to die.”
“What does he want?” Anders asked.
“Safe passage for himself and his original hostage, a shrink named Herman,” Louise said.
“Passage to where?” Anders said.
“He's bent on taking the Doctor with him to an alien abduction site, only he can't quite remember where the site is so he stopped at this travel agency,” Louise said.
“Is he lucid?” Anders said.
“Yes, but he's off his medication so he's manic, ranting about scoop mark scars on his body, homing devices, and a lot of other nonsense,” Louise said.
“Like what?” Anders said.
“This whole alien abduction business, which I guess you know something about,” Louise said.
“Yeah, yeah, but I've never been in a hostage negotiation before,” Anders said.
“Oh, we'll take you through it,” Louise said, “Agent Raum is our advisory commander. He’s from ballistics, but he’s got experience in these situations. He and I will be coaching you.”
Raum waved his hand. “Ahoj.”
“What Herr Burkard needs right now is a friend, someone who appears to understand him and can appeal to his sense of reason,” Raum said.
Anders nodded.
“Do we know anything about his abduction experiences?” Anders said.
“You really believe in this stuff, Agent Humboldt?” Louise asked.
“Is that a problem?” Anders said.
“Well, I’ve got no problem with it if it helps us,” Louise said, “We're here to save lives. You'll begin negotiations immediately. Every three hours, we'll reevaluate your progress and let our tactical commander advise and update on the use of force.”
Raum, Pavel, and the other agents walked away.
“If this man is an abductee, I need to know more about him, his personal history,” Anders said, “Each abduction case is different.”
“That material's not been made available to us,” Louise said.
“And nobody's thought to call the hospital for records?” Anders said.
“Look, Agent Humboldt, the guy's a psycho,” Louise said, “Your object is to keep him on the phone with you. The longer you do, the more chance he's not going to kill anybody. We stop to do a Freudian analysis, next thing we know, we've got four dead hostages. So whatever crap you got to make up about space men or UFOs or people walking on moonbeams, just keep him on the phone and let us do the work.”
Travel Time Travel Agency - 3:15 PM
Boris sat on the floor, looking up at Daniel. His colleagues, Eva and Trude, quivered in their seats next to him. Dr. Herman struggled furiously in a chair, which he was tied to.
"Are we going to have to sit like this all night?" Boris complained.
Daniel shot him in the knee, and he screamed. The women gasped. Pointing his gun away, Daniel leaned over to him.
"I told you to shut up!" Daniel whispered loudly.
"We all have families, for God's sake!" Trude said.
"Daniel?" Herman said. "Don't hurt anyone. Please?"
Daniel grabbed Herman by the collar. "I'm not going to hurt you, Doc. Because this time, you're going with Daniel Burkard so you can see what it's like... that it's real!"
The phone rang.
---
In the Athanatoi office, Anders sat down and put headphones on. Louise and Raum put on their own headphones and turned on a recording device. After a few seconds, Daniel picked up.
"Daniel?" Anders asked.
"Yeah?" Daniel snapped.
"This is Special Agent Anders Humboldt," Anders said, reading the instructions on his notepad, "Look, I want to try to help you."
"Yeah?" Daniel said. "Well... we're just sitting here, waiting for, uh... travel plans."
"I think I know what you're going through, Daniel," Anders said, "I just want to make sure you get what you want and that..."
He looked at the blackboard. Louise pointed off each of the names, and Anders read them off.
"Boris, Eva, and Trude and Doctor Herman don't get hurt," Anders said.
"You know what I'm going through?!" Daniel screamed, his tone livid, "You think you know what Daniel Burkard's going through? You don't know Jan about it!"
Anders looked nervously at Louise. Taking a deep breath, he stood up.
"I know you're scared, Daniel, and that you'd like to see this all come out right," Anders said.
He heard footsteps on the other end. It sounded like Daniel was pacing.
"Yeah, right," Daniel said, "So they can... put me back in the nuthouse... where I belong!"
"We're only concerned about your safety, Daniel," Anders said, "You and the others."
Anders looked out the window and saw Daniel looking at him from across the street.
"Hey... what's your name?" Daniel said, walking away from the window. "Humboldt? I know the routine. Honesty... containment... conciliation."
Anders looked at Louise, who looked shocked.
"Am I missing something?" Daniel said, almost floating.
"You need someone to trust, Daniel," Anders said, "I know a lot of people who have been through similar experiences. Including my own family."
"You want to do something for me, Agent Humboldt?" Daniel said. "You keep your dogs on a leash."
Anders got up and approached Louise.
"You try to gas me out or do anything stupid...These people die. They're not taking me again. You got it? They can take somebody else!"
"Nobody's going to try anything, Daniel," Anders said.
"You better be sure." Daniel hung up.
Anders took off the headphones. "Who is this guy? He's Athanatoi, isn't he? Foreign Division undercover in the Occupied Territories?"
"KGB," Louise admitted, "We recruited him after Prague."
"And you didn't think to mention that?" Anders said.
"We disavowed him in 1982," Louise said, "Actually, the KGB did first after a botched operation in Dacia. Institutionalized on and off for over a decade. The war made things worse. It's beside the point."
"The point being that the bureau wants to minimize it's embarrassment, isn't that it?" Anders said. "That we can police our own."
"The Director would like it done as neatly and cleanly as possible," Louise said, "You know how she feels about Prague."
"Well, you're off to a hell of a start," Anders said.
"Negotiation is a process, Agent Humboldt," Louise said.
"Well, if you just wanted somebody to come down and read the script, you didn't have to bring me out," Anders said.
"This method has proven extremely successful in winning the hostage-taker's trust," Louise said.
"Were they all former KGB or Athanatoi?" Anders said. "No, no, that man is afraid. And the only way you're going to win his trust is by trying to understand what he's afraid of."
Raum tilted his head and sighed.
"Have you ever spoken to an abductee, Agent Kazdan?" Anders said. "There's plenty of them in the Occupied Territories. Heard them talk about having their brains sucked out through their nostril while being wide awake through the experience? Would you like to know what they do to a woman's ovaries?"
"Not particularly," Louise said, "It's not part of my job description."
"Well, then understand that you might have to alter your approach a little bit here," Anders said.
He walked out, pushing past Pavel. Louise took off her headphones as the other agents stirred and murmured.
"Is there anything I can do?" Pavel asked.
"Yeah, what's your name again?" Louise asked.
"Novak," Pavel said, "Grew up in Prague. Know this place. Maybe I can connect to him by speaking in Czech or something."
"Novak, got your notepad?" Louise asked.
Pavel immediately took out a notepad.
"Grande, two percent cappuccino with vanilla, Lombard style," Louise said, "Agent Raum?"
Raum waved it off. Louise walked away, and Pavel shoved the notepad back into his pocket, fuming a little.
Angela's office, Constantinople - 7:00 PM
"...of the hostages," the reporter said, "As you can see, Karl, the SWAT team has taken positions on all the surrounding buildings..."
The phone rang, and Angela picked it up.
"Hansen," she said.
"Angie, it's me," Anders said, "I'm in Bohemia."
"Yeah, I know," Angela said, "I've been watching it on TV. What's going on out there?"
"What's the media saying?" Anders said.
"CNN says an escaped mental patient is holding four people hostage in a travel agency in Pressburg," Angela said.
"Well, what they're not telling you is that he's a former KGB double agent for the Athanatoi Foreign Division who also claims to be an alien abductee," Anders said.
"Seriously?" Angela said. "The more we investigate these cases the more outlandish they sound."
"Anyways, his name's Daniel Burkard," Anders said, "Look, Angie, I'm busy right now, I need your help."
“Will my help get anybody shot?” Angela said.
“Not if it helps me stop this guy,” Anders said.
Angela walked over to her computer and booted it up.
"I need you to find out what happened to him," Anders said, "Anything, transcripts from therapy sessions, hypnotic regressions...Anything about his abduction experience."
Angela heard a thud and the agents murmuring. Anders cursed.
“What happened?” she said.
“The lights just went out here,” Anders said.
More lights went out, and the agents grew more agitated.
“Stay back!”
“Come on, we're losing power!”
“What the hell is going on?”
Eva screamed.
---
Pressburg
The only light came from the police car sirens outside.
“I’m going to have to call you back, Angie,” Anders said, hanging up.
“Tactical unit, what are you guys up to?” Raum said.
“Nothing, absolutely nothing sir,” the commander replied.
A bright light shone outside, filling the windows and forcing Anders to avert his eyes.
“Ah, what the?” the commander shouted.
The light faded, and a gunshot went off. The agents ducked behind their stations.
“Get down, everybody get down!” Louise shouted, reaching for her walkie-talkie. “Backup from command. Shots have been fired. Locate and report. I repeat, locate and report.”
More shots rang out. Anders peered through the window, seeing Daniel shooting wildly, Eva screaming with each shot. Ambulances pulled up to the curb.
“We've lost our captured line,” Raum said.
“We have either four or five shots fired!” another agent shouted. “Repeat, we have either four or five shots fired!”
Anders approached Raum. “What's the number there?”
“[REDACTED]-2804,” Raum said.
Anders picked up the telephone and started dialing.
“Electrical substation blew,” Louise explained, “We've got no power up and down the block.”
Daniel picked up. “I told you.”
“Is everybody alright, Daniel?” Anders asked.
“You didn't believe me, did you?” Daniel said.
“No, I, I believe you,” Anders said, “I just need to know if...anybody's been shot.”
“I need towels!” Eva said. “Trude? Trude? He's going to bleed to death!”
“I guess we're going to need a doctor,” Daniel said.
---
8:00 PM
An agent turned on a small receiver and put it in Anders’ ear, while the tactical commander instructed him.
“Now, you'll have almost full ambient hearing loss in that ear,” the commander said, “Your sense of balance might be affected slightly, particularly if you have to move quickly or get into a physical situation. If you get trapped or held in the building for some reason, we'll be able to warn you if there's a tactical assault. Now remember, he's either got four or five rounds left.”
The commander adjusted Anders’ vest. “Now, there's a wireless mic hidden in the top of this flak jacket. Speaking in a normal tone of voice, we should be able to hear anything you say up to a hundred yards.”
Anders put his EMT shirt over it.
“Make every attempt to keep these devices concealed,” the commander said, “You put a normal telephone handset to that ear, it'll cause feedback and reveal that you're wired.”
Louise walked up to them. “You really want to do this?”
“Yeah,” Anders said.
They started walking out of the office.
“Your job will be to deliver medical help to the hostage,” Louise said, “Anything else there is just a bonus. You're to get in and get out. You are not to risk your life. Whatever you believe...”
“Don't jump into his delusion,” Anders said, “I can't negotiate if he thinks I believe him.”
“Right,” Louise said.
She pointed at the man standing next to her. “This is Agent Janus, he's a trained medic. He'll work on the hostage. You're to keep Daniel Burkard talking. Like I said, if he's talking, he's not going to shoot anybody including you.”
“Now, I've got three snipers out there,” the commander said, “Anything you can do to get him to the front door, all we need is one shot to the head and we’re done.”
Anders nodded, and he and Janus walked outside, towards the travel agency.
“Tac command, this is rooftop zero-two,” a sniper radioed, “I have them in sight. They're passing the fountain and approaching the front entrance now.”
Anders knocked on the door. Trude pulled open the shades.
“Just unlock the door and move back,” Daniel ordered.
Trude unlocked the door and sat down. Anders and Janus walked in.
“Daniel?” Anders asked.
Daniel, concealed in shadows in the back, aimed his gun at him. “Hands in the air!”
Anders put his hands up.
“Put the kit on the floor slowly,” Daniel ordered.
Janus put down his medical kit. Daniel stepped into the light.
“We're unarmed,” Anders said, “We just want to help the injured.”
“Over here,” Eva said.
Anders looked over at Eva, who tended to an unconscious Boris.
“Face the door!” Daniel said.
They did so, and Daniel patted them down, checking for wires.
“That's right,” he said, “Not armed, huh? You're Athanatoi, aren't you? Got a gun in the kit?”
“No,” Anders said.
“Are you wearing a wire?” Daniel asked.
“We're just here to help,” Anders said.
Daniel nodded and backed away. Anders and Janus turned around.
“Nobody's going to try anything, Daniel,” Anders said.
“That's right, good,” Louise said, “You want to work with him.”
“We just want to make sure no one else gets hurt,” Anders continued.
Janus walked over to Boris, while Daniel walked around Herman, still brandishing his gun.
“Just do your business and get out,” Daniel said.
“How's he doing?” Janus said.
“He's bad,” Eva said.
“Hi, my name is Janus,” Janus told Boris, “I'm a paramedic. Hold on, we're going to take care of you, okay?”
Anders turned to Daniel. “They want to work with you, Daniel, but you got to work with them. Why not let the others go?”
“Doc's going with me,” Daniel insisted.
“Then let the women go,” Anders said.
Daniel squeezed his gun tighter.
“Were they here, Daniel?” Anders asked. “The light... was that them?”
---
“Don't try and B.S. Daniel Burkard,” Daniel said, his gun arm shaking.
“Well, we lost time,” Anders said, “I checked my watch. Isn't that what happens? Time stops. Doesn’t it?”
Daniel remembered lying on his bed, screaming.
“Daniel?” Anders asked.
Daniel closed his eyes and remembered screaming loudly, a whirring noise around him and bright lights flickering. He looked to his right and saw aliens outside his window. He opened his eyes and breathed heavily, backing away.
“You're making it up,” he said.
“Isn't that what they've been saying to you, Daniel?” Anders said. “That you're making it up?”
“They say it's all inside my head,” Daniel said, “All they want to do is just give me more drugs.”
“I hear you, Daniel,” Anders said.
“You hear me 'cause I got a gun,” Daniel said.
“No, I believe your story,” Anders said.
Anders heard Louise sigh in agitation.
“No, you're feeding into his psychosis,” she said.
Anders ignored her. “I know you're afraid. I know the pain and the fear you must feel.”
“Just listen to me,” Louise said, “Don't try to identify with him.”
“I've talked to people, Daniel,” Anders said, “People just like you, and nobody wanted to believe the truth. I wanted to believe, and nobody would believe me.”
Daniel started relaxing, just as Janus tapped Anders on the shoulder.
“This man's going to die unless we get him to a hospital,” Janus said.
Janus walked back to Boris.
“Why don't you let him go, Daniel?” Anders said. “There's no reason this man has to die. Come on, Daniel. You've got the power. Let him go.”
Daniel stared into Anders’ eyes.
“Okay,” he said.
Anders smiled. “Good. You made the right choice. Now, we're just going to move him carefully to the door—”
“No!” Daniel shouted. “Glatzkopf can go. But you stay. I'm trading the bald man for you!”
“Scheiße!” Louise cursed. “Damn it!”
Janus walked out with Boris, and other agents ran over to help him. Meanwhile, Daniel tied Anders to a chair. Anders offered no resistance.
“Now, let's see how good a liar you are,” Daniel said.
“I'm telling the truth, Daniel,” Anders said.
“How could you ever know what Daniel Burkard’s been through?” Daniel said. “How could anyone know?”
“It happened to my sister,” Anders said, “It happened to a girl named Ruby Moreau. It happened to a KL pilot named Ruprecht Budahas. It happened to a UFO enthusiast named Max Fenig.”
“Don't you think you can lie to save their lives?!” Daniel screamed. “I want some honesty! I want some respect!”
Herman coughed in his gag. Anders nodded.
“I'm tired of all the B.S.!” Daniel shouted.
“How does it happen, Daniel?” Anders asked. “Driving in your car? Alone in bed at night? When do they come to you? You're paralyzed, aren't you? Unable to move. Sometimes, you can't even breathe. You feel an electric shock go through your body...and then they're there.”
“He's going to push him right over the edge,” Louise said, “I need a clear picture of what's going on in there. Agent Humboldt, you’re choosing a dangerous course.”
Anders ignored Louise.
“There are beings, aren't there, Daniel?” Anders asked. “Are they tall or small?”
Daniel gripped his head. “No! No!”
---
“Diminutive...” Anders said.
Daniel closed his eyes and tensed up as he remembered. Aliens pounded against his walls. The whirring intensified.
“They take you, Daniel, against your will,” Anders said.
“He's going to kill us...” Eva said.
“You're powerless,” Anders said, “Sometimes, you can't even speak. It's always the same, nobody can help you. Where do they take you, Daniel? Is there a ship? Do they take you to a ship, Daniel? How do you get there? Are you conscious or being transported?”
Daniel remembered. He remembered floating off his bed as the aliens surrounded him. His breathing was heavy, and his eyes were paralyzed at half open. The light engulfed them. Back in the office, he calmed down a little. He leaned against a desk cabinet.
“They're, uh... they're talking to Daniel Burkard,” he said, “But they don't speak. He can hear what they're saying. They can... read his mind.”
“That's right,” Anders said, “Abductees call it ‘mindscan’. It's like telepathy, but usually abductees claim this is accomplished by technology.”
“I'm telling 'em I don't want to go…” Daniel said. “But they never listen. I don’t think they know what I’m saying. They don’t speak German or anything.”
Eva had her head in her hands, while Trude listened calmly and intently.
“They know what I'm saying, though,” Daniel said, “But they just... go right on about their business.”
He pointed at Herman. “Tell him what their business is. Tell him.”
“They take you aboard the ship to perform the tests,” Anders said.
Daniel nodded slightly, breathing deeply. “They... drilled my teeth.”
He turned to Herman. “They drilled holes in my damn teeth!”
He remembered being aboard an alien ship. He was pinned down to a glass table with several white lines on it. His clothes had been replaced with a baggy white suit. Aliens, dressed in what looked like their equivalent of surgical garb, surrounded the table, holding what looked like medical equipment in their “hands.” A machine reached down and clamped over his mouth, forcing it open. A red light shone into his mouth, while another machine lowered down towards it as Daniel’s muffled screaming grew. The aliens watched as a small tube emerged from the machine and stopped a few inches about Daniel’s mouth. A red laser blasted into his mouth, and smoke poured out. He tried screaming, but he couldn’t.
I think it would be better for Anders if he ditched the Athanatoi and joined the inquisition. X-Divison was about tracking down signs of unexplained and supernatural phenomena (aliens count as supernatural) and the inquisition dealt with that on a regular basis for most of their history. Plus the inquisition probally wouldn’t be filled with complicated and shady consiacy like the Athanatoi and Anders would probably get more support from the inquisition since they deal with things (like Angels) that or more crazy than Anders can ever hope to think of.
The Inquisition mostly deals with things that can't be explained by scientific means (magic, monsters, spiritual beings, etc.). Aliens wouldn't fall under their jurisdiction, and Anders is driven by the search for aliens (the ghosts and supernatural stuff comes second) because of Annie. And most of the cases so far have been in the sci-fi camp and fall out of the Inquisition's jurisdiction. Though I will be having Anders meet some Inquisitors soon. And I will also explain why Anders would never meet the requirements to become an Inquisitor. A hint: one of those requirements is strong faith in any recognized religion.I think it would be better for Anders if he ditched the Athanatoi and joined the inquisition. X-Divison was about tracking down signs of unexplained and supernatural phenomena (aliens count as supernatural) and the inquisition dealt with that on a regular basis for most of their history. Plus the inquisition probally wouldn’t be filled with complicated and shady consiacy like the Athanatoi and Anders would probably get more support from the inquisition since they deal with things (like Angels) that or more crazy than Anders can ever hope to think of.
Edit: and I should add that if you think the Inquisition is more free of conspiracies than the Athanatoi, Hans was an Inquisitor during World War II.
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Alright, someone who has encountered aliens and is sane enough to talk to Anders. This hostage situation can still go sideways, but there's hope yet.
Considering how many times moonbeams have been mentioned so far, I wouldn’t be surprised if we eventually turn them into a meme in the future.
I wouldn't consider Daniel exactly sane.
It's more of a running gag from when Anders said he wanted to use that phrase at some point. Things sort of escalated from there.Considering how many times moonbeams have been mentioned so far, I wouldn’t be surprised if we eventually turn them into a meme in the future.
Anakin: Is there a way to learn this power?Ironic. He could save others from shady government assassins, but not himself.
Papaltine: Not from an RSB agent.
Now I´m picturing Konrad von Hapsburg signing a version of ¨You´ll be Back¨ in place of King George III and obsessing over the Reich.
That reminds me, how bloody was the Maximst War/First Roman civil war? I presume it was a lot bloodier than the American Civil War and most likely closer to OTL´s Taiping Rebellion in terms of casualties and death toll, so I´d estimate it to approximately close to 20-50 million, same with the Fifty Years war. Since WW2 already took 130-160 million casualties here, I´d guess the Second Roman civil war took up half of the casualties of WW2 overall. Also you mentioned that some of the Maximst (the members of the movement, not the family) practiced slavery in Victoria 2, so I´m wondering if movies like Twelve Years a Slave and other fiction about slavery would still exist here? I know that the Maxist were primarily about forcing a constitutional monarchy on the Reich, but since they were still nationalistic and highly xenophobic, I wonder if the Maximst wanted slavery as one of their issues and goals since I think there was still some opposition to the Kaisers abolishing it from nobles and nationalists and if slavery during the Maximst Wars was anything like Slavery in the pre civil war USA and CSA? Something tells me that the Maximsts implemented some form of apartheid or state supported segregation before they were overthrown by the Siegfriedists at least.
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