So long.
It's a nice counter to all of the hyper toxic masculinity the committee encourages and celebrates and Josh internalizes.
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I always enjoy the moments of this AAR where we flashback to old scenes from a different perspective, so this update with Wilhelmina is quite welcome. Plus it's great to see Otto again, even if it's just a flashback.
What's not welcome is the rise of tensions between the Reich and India. I must say it was quite smart to develop a contingency plan for the event of the Reich going rogue, but I worry about how destructive a conflict between the Reich and India, two nations that process nuclear weapons (althrough the Reich can counter nuclear attacks with SVI) and have populations in the billions, would be. Henrich is right to worry, but it seems the jingoism of the rest of the Committee will get the Hohenzollernverse to end up like the Annionverse. It is ironic how India is the more sane country of the two considering events from like a hundred years ago tho.
I take it we will go back to see what the Nullification Law after Jacob's death did in later updates, since this update didn't mention it.
What's not welcome is the rise of tensions between the Reich and India. I must say it was quite smart to develop a contingency plan for the event of the Reich going rogue, but I worry about how destructive a conflict between the Reich and India, two nations that process nuclear weapons (althrough the Reich can counter nuclear attacks with SVI) and have populations in the billions, would be. Henrich is right to worry, but it seems the jingoism of the rest of the Committee will get the Hohenzollernverse to end up like the Annionverse. It is ironic how India is the more sane country of the two considering events from like a hundred years ago tho.
I take it we will go back to see what the Nullification Law after Jacob's death did in later updates, since this update didn't mention it.
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I liked rewriting this scene from Wilhelmina's perspective and adding more content for Zita, who I think was sorely missing from the story her whole life. More Otto is always a plus.
From my last estimate, if you took all of the primary Schengen members (Scandinavia, Lithuania, Russia, Yavdi, Persia, Afghanistan, Turkestan, India, Mali, Ethiopia, and East Africa) and combined their military strengths, it would only be marginally bigger than India's military alone, and even that pales in comparison to the Roman military juggernaut. Nukes wouldn't even be necessary because the Reich could overwhelm any Schengen member (if not all of them together) with unmatched manpower and firepower. As is Roman tradition.
Not exactly. I mostly left it up to the imagination because I wanted to focus on other things in the next few updates. We'll occasionally hear about what's going on in Africa in the background.
Man it's so nice to see most of the old characters again, especially Otto, just another constant reminder that their stories are already over. Also I don't like that tone Elias has on 'putting India in their place', what a foolish notion. And I fear this might break the centuries old alliance between the two nations, lord help us all if all those friendship that have been built up since the days of Saint Willhelmina come crashing down just because of one man's madness.
Contingency Plan Saffron
Brandenburg Palace - August 7
“In light of the ongoing injustices happening in Europe, I can no longer remain silent,” Jayasimha said, “The Reich of today is not the Reich I grew up hearing about. These past few years have reminded many of my fellow citizens of the rise of the Rasas, which has deeply worried me. It’s time we took bold action to address this change in behavior. That is why today, I declare, with a heavy heart, that India will be withdrawing from the Schengen Pact. Although we will maintain the ancient treaty of friendship between the Hohenzollern and Paramara families, we cannot in good conscience remain militarily aligned with a regime that is becoming increasingly hostile to the citizens it is supposed to protect. All Roman troops in India are hereby ordered to leave within the month, or they will be forcibly evicted. I have already gone over this with General Ha—”
Elias pounded his desk and turned off the TV. “That idiot thinks he can make a fool out of me!”
“In all fairness, he’s well within his rights to expel our troops, as we're legally just guests in India,” Wilhelm Karl said.
“Don’t lecture me on fairness, Guglielmo,” Elias said, “What I want you to do now is punish him for his insolence!”
“I don’t know what’s gotten into your head, but he’s not a Roman citizen,” Wilhelm Karl said, “He’s a fellow emperor.”
“I don’t care if he’s a street rat or goddamn Julius Caesar!” Elias said. “He thinks he can take advantage of our nation. He is wrong. Now punish him!”
“You’re way out of your mind,” Wilhelm Karl said, “I may have had my share of disagreements with Jayasimha, but I am not invading India.”
“I don’t think you have a right or a choice to lecture me, considering what I can do,” Elias said, “Now be a good boy and PLAY YOUR PART!”
Wilhelm Karl glared at him.
August 8
“Just two hours ago, I received word from the General Staff that Indian special forces attempted to storm the Roman military base in Delhi and arrest the soldiers within, with the help of the treasonous Roman general in charge,” Wilhelm Karl said, “When our troops refused to leave, the Indians opened fire, killing ten Romans, and the general defected to the enemy. In light of this terrible tragedy, I asked His Majesty the Samrat Chakravartin to apologize for the incident and order his troops to stand down. No apology has been received from Delhi, nor has the traitor been deported to our jurisdiction. So I am invoking the Chao Praya Resolution. All Roman troops and associated military contractors in India are hereby authorized to use deadly force to protect our properties from further reprisals, until the Indian government admits its wrongdoing and accepts my generous offer.”
While a playback of the speech played on a TV, Heinrich entered the situation room. It was empty, aside from Wilhelm Karl.
“Were you followed?” Wilhelm Karl said.
“No,” Heinrich said.
“Good,” Wilhelm Karl said, “I had Colonel Wassermann check for any bugs here. We’re clean.”
Heinrich took a seat. “What did you want to talk about? The mess in India?”
“No, no,” Wilhelm Karl said, “The elephant in the room, Elias Anhorn.”
“What about that man?” Heinrich said.
“He’s crazy,” Wilhelm Karl said, “And he has to go.”
“On that I agree,” Heinrich said.
“Oh, thank God!” Wilhelm Karl said. “I thought you were one of his lackeys. Or that he got to you already. And that I’d have to arrest or kill you.”
“Why are you so scared of him?” Heinrich said.
“Promise me what I’m about to tell you never leaves this room,” Wilhelm Karl said.
“On my honor, sir,” Heinrich said.
“Anhorn has dirt on me,” Wilhelm Karl said, “Alleged proof I and many of my ancestors going back to the Anarchy are illegitimate. If released, it would destroy the monarchy.”
Heinrich processed the information. “I see.”
“What, you’re not panicking or freaking out, like Francesca did?” Wilhelm Karl said.
“No, I’ve heard way crazier stuff,” Heinrich said, “This does explain why you granted all of Anhorn’s requests no matter how crazy.”
“I suspect he’s blackmailed many other people too,” Wilhelm Karl said, “Like Folger.”
“What is his goal with all this?” Heinrich said.
“I don’t know, but I don’t like this one bit,” Wilhelm Karl said, “He ordered me to pick a fight with our oldest ally. As we speak, SVI is razing downtown Delhi from space. Not to mention everything he’s done at home. I may have wanted control, and I may have wanted the Diet to respect me, but I never asked for any of this! Something must be done, before it’s too late for us.”
“What are you getting at?” Heinrich said.
“I’m suggesting we take bold action,” Wilhelm Karl said.
“Kill Anhorn?” Heinrich said.
“No, he’s probably planned for that,” Wilhelm Karl said, “Knowing him, he’d release all of the leverage he has if he’s killed. No, we need to neutralize the leverage before doing so. And we need him alive so we can bring him to justice. Death would be too easy of an escape for him.”
“We should start by neutralizing your blackmail,” Heinrich said.
“Exactly,” Wilhelm Karl said, “I need proof I and my ancestors are legitimate. I’ve been trying to dig up info for months, but I hit a dead end. Wassermann and his Varangians are attracting too much scrutiny under the new Watchtower programs.”
He handed Heinrich the family chronicles of the Anatolian branch of the Hohenzollerns.
“Look here,” he said, “There’s a discrepancy in the twelfth century. I need you to go fill in the gaps for me. Can you do that?”
“Sir, I’m not sure I’m the best person to ask for the job,” Heinrich said.
“Maybe that’s true,” Wilhelm Karl said, “But you’re the only person I can trust. Francesca? She’s been drinking herself silly these last few months. Wilhelm Jr.? I love my son, but he can’t tell flattery from praise, let alone play undercover detective in a hostile regime. Little Willie? I’m not getting her involved in this for her own good. But you, the Megas Domestikos, and a committee member? They wouldn’t suspect you.”
He held out his hand.
“So, what do you say, Heinrich?” Wilhelm Karl said. “Will you help me save us all?”
Heinrich looked at the hand for a second, knowing everything he would do from this point on stemmed from this moment. He had sworn an oath to both Otto and Wilhelm Karl and made a promise to Elias too. Now each oath required him to betray the other two. He had to decide which one was worth upholding. The oath to the late Otto, which wanted him to protect his nation above all else? To the current Kaiser, to set him on the right path? Or to Elias, to reform a broken system and save the nation from ruin? Wait, was there even a difference between the goals of each oath? Could he fulfill them all while also going against Elias? No, Elias had to go down and he had to go soon, or else they would all fall. He could handle Wilhelm Karl after Elias was dealt with. And this time in a strictly legal manner.
“On my honor,” he said, shaking it.
There was no going back.
Delhi - August 25
“We’re approaching the drop zone!” Kurt shouted. “Get ready!”
Josh checked his gun once more. The plane rocked once more, and he heard the sound of something exploding outside.
“Our escort drones will buy us some time,” Gustav said, “Make it count!”
Josh and the other men in his squad lined up. The bay door opened, filling the cargo bay with cold wind. Josh hoped his parachute was still working. Then they jumped out of the plane. The wind whipped past Josh’s face as he quickly descended from the sky. Below him, he could see the burning neighborhoods of downtown Delhi. His Panopticon outlined the trajectories of missiles and marked explosions and areas of combat, as well as his landing spot. Occasionally, a beam of energy lanced down from far above and struck a target on the ground, obliterating it in an instant. It all felt so exhilarating for him. He had been waiting for something like this since East Africa, and his work at home was nothing to be satisfied about.
When he reached the correct altitude, he deployed his parachute to slow his fall. Then he unslung his gun and began shooting at targets on the ground, his Panopticon marking each target with a red dot. As each dot disappeared, he felt a surge of dopamine course through him, rewarding him. A minute later, his feet hit the ground. Oh, how he missed the ground. He took off his parachute harness and stretched. He had been cramped in that plane for several hours on the flight from Arabia, which was longer than usual because Persia refused to let them use its airports and airspace. Perfidious Persia. They had to be put in their place next.
Gunshots rang out nearby, the Panopticon reducing their volume so he could focus. The Panopticon identified the source of the gunfire, some Indians crouching behind a makeshift barricade on the other side of the deserted street. Josh quickly took cover behind a car and returned fire. One red dot disappeared. He felt a rush come on, like he was unstoppable. He left the cover of the car and charged the enemy barricade, letting out a primal scream as he emptied his cartridge into the surprised enemies. He heard a shout behind him and spun around just as an Indian ran up to him, hand reaching for a weapon. Josh quickly shot him in the head and then ducked into a nearby building. The enemies inside looked surprised to see him, but he shot them all before they had a chance to pick up weapons.
“Let’s move it!” Kurt said, “The boys at the base are waiting for us to close their flank!”
“Copy that,” Josh said, “On my way.”
The committee, Berlin - December 12
“Our operations in India are going well,” Heinrich reported, “The bases in Rangpur, Chitral, and Simla have been secured. Delhi still needs work.”
“I can spare some more drones to go with the new Argus contract,” Theodor said.
“No, I will not authorize the use of your ‘experimental’ weapons,” Elias said.
“Aw man!” Theodor said. “But they’re equalists!”
“And the UN is already breathing down our throats,” Elias said, “We’ll make do with SVI.”
“I say if the UN puts sanctions on us, we remind them just how much the world economy relies on us,” Josiah said, “We can afford some degree of autarky. They can’t.”
“I was already going to ask you to draw up a plan,” Elias said.
“And I’m already working on it,” Josiah said.
“Should we be worried about other UN actions?” Elias said.
“They can’t do anything against us, short of a Mitteleimerica-style military intervention,” Heinrich said, “Which is impossible. China is no longer a UN member, the Eimericans want to focus on the New World, Srivijaya has its neo-equalist insurgencies to worry about, and everyone else is too weak, even together, to do anything. They can try to expel us, but as long as Zhao is on our side on the Security Council, they can’t do a thing to stop us.”
“They can talk all they want about fake war crimes, but it’s all bark and no bite,” Josiah said.
“The leftists just love to cannibalize their own,” Theodor said.
“So we’re in the clear,” Elias said.
“Yes, we are,” Heinrich said.
Unfortunately.
Delhi - March 15, 2034
The squad camped in an alleyway and huddled in a circle. Kurt waved his hand, and Josh’s Panopticon put a map of a building in the center of the circle.
“This is the imperial palace,” Kurt said, “Home to House Paramara, Subhas Chandra Bose, Mohandas Gandhi, and now Pramila Jayapal, the left's chosen successor to the Neta. But we’re not here as tourists today. We are going to conquer this palace and end this war! For God and empire!”
“Yes sir!” the squad affirmed.
Two red dots appeared in the center of the palace.
“Thanks to our bee-class drones, these markers show the locations of Chancellor Jayapal and Samrat Chakravartin Jayasimha in real time,” Kurt said, “We’ve locked down the whole area, so they’re trapped in there. Your objective is to bring both to justice.”
“Acknowledged,” the squad replied.
“Let’s get to it!” Kurt said.
The palace assault was led by a combination of regular military units from the Delhi base and Argus reinforcements. Roman armor and artillery pounded the ancient medieval walls to pieces, creating openings for the soldiers to storm through. Drones hovered overhead, identifying enemy locations and occasionally laying down suppressing fire. Josh advanced through the courtyard, gunning down anyone in his way. Dozens of Indians ran across the courtyard, trying to flank or charge him, but he disposed of them all the same. He loved the thrill of battle. The worst feeling was when he had to stop shooting to reload. That let a lot of targets get away.
The squad reached the edge of the courtyard. Gustav kicked down a door, and they entered the palace itself. Josh didn’t care for how the palace was decorated, only where the doors and hallways led to. He tossed grenades or fired his flamethrower into every room, eliminating possible threats before they could attack him or the squad. With their flanks covered by regular military units, they slowly advanced towards the bunker at the heart of the palace.
After an hour of excitement, they arrived at their destination. A large steel door marked the entrance to the bunker. Gustav placed several breaching charges on the door and detonated them. The door fell down, and the squad charged into the bunker. The enemies inside opened fire, killing several Romans, but Josh, letting out a vengeful scream, emptied his magazines in every direction possible, spraying the walls with blood. Within seconds, the threat was destroyed. Josh walked over the bodies covering the floor, shooting each twice in the head to be sure.
“Wait!” Gustav said.
“What do you mean wait?” Josh said. “They’re enemies. They have to die!”
“You killed Chancellor Jayapal,” Gustav said.
Josh finally noticed Chancellor Jayapal slumped over her desk. He didn’t feel anything. He had no regrets. That woman was the enemy. She was a leftist. She deserved to die.
“So what?” Josh said.
“Please don't kill Jayasimha, as we need him alive,” Kurt said.
They continued through the bunker, guns ready to shoot any hostiles. Josh's Panopticon switched to infrared mode, identifying several armed targets waiting behind a corner. Before the squad could come up with a plan, they surprisingly charged around the corner and opened fire. Several PMCs fell, and the rest took cover behind furniture and walls.
“You’re not getting to him!” someone’s voice said.
The Panopticon ran the audio through voice recognition software and returned a match: General Bill Hansen, commander of all Roman forces in India, the traitor who had backstabbed his own troops and defected to the enemy to shut down the bases. Rage welled up in Josh again. This man had put them through so much hardship. Why was he a general? Why didn't he support the troops? Why was he joining the enemy to kill his own countrymen? He was even worse than a leftist. He deserved only a traitor's fate.
Josh emerged from his hiding place and bellowed a loud war cry. Not expecting to hear such a yell, the soldiers around Bill hesitated, giving Josh an opening to charge. He let loose with his machine gun and its flamethrower attachment, mowing down or incinerating the soldiers in seconds. Bill raised his pistol and fired, but he had been forced to fall back due to the fire of Josh's flamethrower, and his bullet's barely missed Josh. The Panopticon indicated that there was a high probability he would have been hit had he not used the flamethrower. Josh returned fire, hitting him in the legs and arms and knocking his gun out of his hands. The squad quickly surrounded him.
“Anything you want to say, traitor?” Kurt said.
“I’m no traitor,” Bill said, “I'm a Roman patriot. I care for the well-being of my men. And when the committee decided to start a stupid war here allegedly for our sake, I couldn’t go along with it. India’s our oldest ally, for God’s sake!”
“If you support our troops, you would have supported the committee all the way, because they truly care for our brave men in uniform!” Kurt said.
“I’m supporting my troops by keeping them out of harm’s way,” Bill said, “And I’m doing what I can to help India.”
“So you admit you’re a traitor,” Josh said.
“If that’s what it is, then yes,” Kurt said, “One man’s patriot is another man’s traitor.”
“So be it,” Josh said.
He shot Bill in the head. “Traitors deserve only death.”
A minute later, the squad’s battering ram smashed open the door to Jayasimha’s room. Josh rushed inside and shot Jayasimha in both knees before he could react. The Samrat Chakravartin writhed on the floor, screaming in pain. Gustav held Josh back before he could set Jayasimha on fire with the flamethrower.
“That’s what you get for defying our empire!” Josh boasted. “Deus vult! Gott mit uns! Know your place, Rasa!”
The committee - May 2
“The last few months have been terrible for our nation,” India's new chancellor Banda Ahluwalia said, “Our people are still mourning the losses we suffered at the hands of our attackers. We…we never expected something like this to happen to us. Delhi is in ruins. Thousands are dead or crippled for life. Chancellor Jayapal is dead, and His Majesty likely will never walk again. But the truth is clear. The Reich did this to us. We thought they were our allies. We thought they were our friends. We fought together for many centuries against common foes, in the service of common goals. They helped save us from the Rasas a century ago, and we in turn helped them against the Soviets. Because that's what friends do. But now…now they rampaged through our nation bombing and shooting our people like dogs. The Reich today is not the Reich we once knew. And as long as that is true, we can’t pretend like it’s business as usual. Which is why today I am announcing, with a very heavy and reluctant heart, India’s permanent withdrawal from the Schengen Pact and the severing of all diplomatic ties with the Reich. We will also be imposing sanctions on all of the members of the committee we hold responsible for the atrocities in Delhi…”
Elias scoffed and turned off the TV. “Ha! I don’t own anything in India.”
“I already closed my branches and fired everyone employed there, no severance needed,” Theodor said.
“They can bark all they want, but nothing they do is going to put a dent in our economy one bit,” Josiah said.
“We don’t need their kind,” Theodor said, “I keep telling you, we should’ve just kept going and finish the job. Wipe them all out with my 'experimental' weapons. We’d be doing the world a favor. And it would be the perfect business opportunity for Tesla Dynamic.”
“And I keep telling you, Theodor, this is not the right time,” Elias said, “Need I remind you all of the other Schengen members have withdrawn as well?”
“Bah, who cares about them?” Theodor said. “The only country that matters is us! We are the Reich! We are Romans! The bringers and defenders of civilization, the chosen people of God, creators of capitalism, the most important if not only contributors to human progress! They should know their place.”
“I think you should leave the military matters to me, as the Megas Domestikos,” Heinrich said, “You should focus on matters at home.”
“Right, the Reichstag examinations,” Elias said.
“I say we cancel them,” Theodor said.
“No,” Elias said, “Not yet.”
“We already canceled the Reichsrat examinations, why not the Reichstag ones too?” Josiah said.
“Because we promised the people we’d restore them,” Elias said.
“Since when have promises stopped you from doing something?” Theodor said. “You always just took what you wanted.”
“Don't worry, I have a plan in place,” Elias said.
- 1
Elias & co. continue to wield economic and military power like a pair of hammers, how troubling. Perhaps the Reich's Stellaris origin will not be "Prosperous Unification" but rather "Post-Apocalyptic"...
Elias keeps on trying to put a square peg into a round hole and tries to mold the hole to his incredibly stupid will. Imagine sending this to Dan Crenshaw however.
Welp, there goes a thousand year Roman-Indian alliance, and I’m pretty all of the Reich’s other allies have turned their backs to it. I get the feeling that even if and when the Comitee is overthrown, the attorcities the Reich has committed will be so unforgivable that that the damage to the Reich’s dipolatic reputation will be severe. It will be hard for the Indians to forgive the Romans for crippling their emperor and killing their chancellor after all. I just hope the Hindutuva don’t take advantage of this chaos and break of the Indian-Roman alliance.
At least Henrich realizes how far gone Elias has gone and is working with Wilhelm Karl to stop him. Henrich’s been feeling conflicted about his promises and what he’s done on the Committee, let’s hope he doesn’t end up like Jacob before Henrich works out a plan with Wihelm Karl to take down Elias.
Meanwhile, Josh is still a complete lunatic. For all of his hate of equalists, he does have at least one thing in common with Valentin, and that’s a bloodlust and love for combat.
At least Henrich realizes how far gone Elias has gone and is working with Wilhelm Karl to stop him. Henrich’s been feeling conflicted about his promises and what he’s done on the Committee, let’s hope he doesn’t end up like Jacob before Henrich works out a plan with Wihelm Karl to take down Elias.
Meanwhile, Josh is still a complete lunatic. For all of his hate of equalists, he does have at least one thing in common with Valentin, and that’s a bloodlust and love for combat.
Probably, the usual sci fi trope of a peaceful unification of humanity into an interstellar government is looking more and more unlikely as we go on. Then again, we got the Eimerican Federation, Srivijaya and the Central Asian Confederation despite decades or centuries of conflict in those regions, so maybe there’s still hope.
Relations with India may well never recover, but at least Heinrich represents some hope in destroying the blackmail.
Oh no, if the real Dam Crenshaw sees this I can’t imagine the very real outrage that would be directed against me. That would be terrifying.
No way the other Schengen members aren’t going to turn a blind eye to this. There will be massive consequences for the Reich, even if it breaks free of the committee. This isn’t something that can be easily apologized for. The Indians certainly won’t forget this incident.
As for the Hindutva...oh boy.
And you all thought the Dandolo was going to destroy the Reich...
Unlike Valentin, though, he can barely control his bloodlust. He’s more like Dmitry in that way.
Hey, even in Star Trek it took World War III and hundreds of millions of deaths before humanity decided enough was enough, and the Federation itself took another hundred years.
Some things can’t be easily repaired, if they can even be repaired.
To Change Everything
Berlin - July 14
Jayasimha’s face appeared on the screen, surrounded by static. Although Wilhelmina could barely make out his head, she could tell he was sitting in a wheelchair, as his knees were useless.
“Hey—can—hear me?” Jayasimha said.
“You’re breaking up,” Wilhelmina said, “Sorry, it’s my Internet. They’ve been throttling my connection lately.”
“You—both,” Jayasimha said, “Though—connection is—worries.”
“I can tell,” Wilhelmina said, “Look, I’m so sorry about what’s happened. About your legs...”
“—your fault,” Jayasimha said, “—worry about it.”
“I get what you’re saying, but why do I feel like it’s still my fault?” Wilhelmina said. “I’m an imperial princess in my actions and character, if not in title and law. I could’ve ordered Argus back some way. Delhi and large swathes of India wouldn’t be under Roman occupation if I had just been more assertive or somehow convinced my uncle.”
“We—know your uncle is—the problem,” Jayasimha said.
“What makes you say that?” Wilhelmina said.
“—feeling—else—play here,” Jayasimha said.
“I get that feeling too at times,” Wilhelmina said, “Uncle Karl was always different from Mom or Uncle Georg, but I don’t believe he would do any of this.”
“Why?” Jayasimha said.
“The last time I saw him, it was when he kicked me out of the royal family,” Wilhelmina said, “He said something to me. ‘Please, for all of our sakes, you have to keep speaking out’. Why would he say that if he was responsible for everything? There has to be something more to this.”
“What—can—do about it?” Jayasimha said. “—prisoners—gilded cages—house—all of Delhi.”
“I have to at least speak out,” Wilhelmina said, “This country is being torn apart. No, the world is being torn apart again. It reminds me of when I was 3. The world was divided into three sides heading to war. All I could do was watch as the world was set on fire and thousands died because of madmen like Varennikov and Wilson. Now I’m older, and I see the same thing happening all over again. There’s still time for us to step back and stop this. Can’t we all see our similarities and not our differences?”
“—hope so,” Jayasimha said, “You know, the greatest—of this world is—of separation.”
“We’re all the same people, but we live as if we’re divided,” Wilhelmina said, “Someone in Thrace is the same as someone from Kyushu. We’re all human.”
“Hey, some—understand,” Jayasimha said, “Look—Africa.”
“They only joined with Abyssinia because they’re scared of us,” Wilhelmina said, “They’re scared of what the committee’s doing over the border.”
“Something—change,” Jayasimha said.
“I’m going to make sure of it,” Wilhelmina said.
“But—leave—” Jayasimha said.
“I’ll find a way,” Wilhelmina said, “I can’t stop. Not when things are like this. I won’t let them stop me from—”
The connection cut off.
“You have reached your alloted maximum meeting time for Female Version,” an automated voice said, “If you are a registered male, please upgrade to the premium version for an extra fifteen minutes.”
Wilhemina shook her head and clicked off her computer. She went the couch and lay down, closing her eyes to rest. What was she going to do, anyways? She had been confined to the house since her uncle’s visit. At least Franz could leave, albeit under heavy guard for his “protection against potential terrorist threats,” while Joseph had his own place now. Which meant she was the only one stuck here. Maybe she could have Franz speak on her behalf. No, that would just weaken her message, if not send a bad one. She had to do it herself. The Varangians assigned to guard the house were pretty nice people, all things considered. Maybe they wouldn’t mind if she just stepped onto the lawn every now and then.
Suddenly, images rushed through her mind. Was she dreaming? It didn’t feel like enough time to fall asleep, but then again, nobody knew exactly when they fell asleep. She was in a forest. Her clothes felt heavy and restrictive. She looked down and saw she was wearing armor and riding a horse. There were other soldiers marching behind her. All sorts of branches and leaves covered their armor. The path through the forest opened up, revealing a castle on a hill, defended by an enemy army flying banners bearing the insignia of an otter’s head. As soon as her army exited the forest, they brandished their swords and readied their pikes. Wilhelmina reached to her left and unsheathed her own sword, Enonon, whose blade gleamed in the light of the sun.
“We’re close enough,” she said, “Get ready for battle”
The soldiers abandoned their camouflage. Trumpets blared, and in opposition to the otter head insignia the other side flew, her flagbearers raised a familiar eagle insignia. Wilhelmina pointed Enonon at the enemy lines.
"Saints Wilhelmina and Gunhilda, grant us victory!" she shouted. "Charge!"
Wilhelmina shook awake.
“What…what was that?” she said.
Brandenburg Palace - August 23
Heinrich handed a sheet of paper to Wilhelm Karl.
“The results of the DNA test I had my contact run on Friedrich III,” he said, “Comparing it with the sample you provided, it checks out. You’re related to him.”
“To nobody’s surprise,” Wilhelm Karl said, “All we need now is a sample from Friedrich the Great to prove it.”
“That is unlikely,” Heinrich said, “They’ve beefed up security at the Potsdam crypt. I couldn’t get in.”
“Of course Elias would have expected this,” Wilhelm Karl said, “Can you trust your contact?”
“No reason to suspect them,” Heinrich said, “But until we can get into the crypt, I say we pursue our other lead.”
“The records?” Wilhelm Karl said.
“I’m going to be in Smyrna in November for a military conference,” Heinrich said, “They’re going to be discussing Kleinvenedig, India, and the Bhutan Paulluists. Should have enough time and reason to slip out and search for clues.”
“Sounds good,” Wilhelm Karl said.
“And you?” Heinrich said. “What can you do on your end?”
“Well, it seems the committee is preoccupied with the examinations,” Wilhelm Karl said.
“I heard the remnants of the other parties have joined forces in a grand coalition,” Heinrich said.
“They have,” Wilhelm Karl said, “And together they may have the support to win. Though I’m sure Elias has something up his sleeve. But I may be able to use them as a distraction.”
“For what?” Heinrich said.
“To investigate Elias Anhorn himself,” Wilhelm Karl said, “If he wants to dig up dirt on me, I’ll do the same back to him. I have an idea of where to look. You know the Hagia Sophia fire?”
“Yeah, a tragedy,” Heinrich said.
“A tragedy that seems all too coincidental,” Wilhelm Karl said, “Don’t you think it’s a little weird how Anhorn was on the scene to save the relics right after the fire started?”
“Huh, now that you mention it, that is suspicious,” Heinrich said.
“Unfortunately I can’t directly access the security footage,” Wilhelm Karl said, “Argus was responsible for security at the cathedral. But I may be able to pull some strings.”
“You’re the Kaiser,” Heinrich said, “You have ALL of the strings.”
“Remember, one wrong move, and we’re all screwed,” Wilhelm Karl said.
“You don’t have to warn me,” Heinrich said, “And to be clear, it’s mostly you, not me.”
“Yeah, say that again when word gets out there were never any Hohenzollerns for four centuries, by all means,” Wilhelm Karl said.
Frankfurt - September 16
“Begin test,” Theodor ordered.
A technician pushed a button. The test room in front of them whirred, throwing up targets, walls, and weapons to form a deadly obstacle course. A door opened, and in walked a machine that resembled a medium-sized dog. It had four steel legs, each with a “knee” joint and a “foot” with four “fingers.” The “body” was a sleek black box made of carbon fiber and kevlar. There was no “head,” only a triangular extension of the head. One red light could be seen behind a black plastic layer where the “face” would be. This was the Hellhound, the latest in Tesla Dynamic’s GrosHund line of autonomous land-based military drones, and it was Theodor’s favorite design of them all.
The test began. The targets began moving, while the weapons homed in on the Hellhound. The Hellhound charged into the obstacle course, its legs clacking against the tiles of the floor. It expertly navigated down hallways and around corners, maintaining its balance and speed no matter what happened. Guns and small rockets fired at it, but it dodged them all. A hatch on the back of the main body opened, and a small ball shot up. Rockets blasted out of the ball and homed in on all nearby targets, destroying them. The Hellhound climbed up a wall to reach a target that hadn’t been hit and pointed one leg at it. A gun mounted to the lower leg fired, hitting the target dead center. The threat neutralized, the Hellhound leaped across the top of the course, taking the most efficient route to each target and executing them with a brutal efficiency.
“This attempt is going much faster than the last one,” the technician said.
“It’s not over yet,” Theodor said.
One more target popped up near the end of the course. But the Hellhound had run out of ammunition by now. Instead, it ran up to the target and raised a leg. Long and sharp blades emerged from its fingers, which formed a cone and began spinning in place. The Hellhound aggressively stabbed the target several times until it was reduced to splinters.
“Now it’s over,” Theodor said, “And as you can see, it was two seconds slower than last time. I think the response times aren’t fast enough. We will have to optimize the algorithm further.”
“Sir, I don’t think we can achieve further optimization,” the technician said.
So limited in thinking, this boy. Theodor knew it could be done. He said the same thing about the original algorithm and design of the Hellhound. He thought the 2022 model was the best they could do. But Theodor knew otherwise. After all, the other side had perfected the original model in 1996. Now Theodor had even better tools to work with.
“Continue optimizing,” Theodor said, “I want a noticeable improvement by the end of the week.”
“Noted,” the technician said, “Also, sir, a word if I may?”
“Yes?” Theodor said.
“I have certain…concerns about our recent developments on the smallpox research team,” the technician said, “The sample you provided is already more contagious than normal. We’re not even considering the new changes. What’s the point of all this?”
“Look, kid, you probably wouldn’t understand, even if it’s very obvious,” Theodor said, “The rest of the world is circling like vultures around us right now. Christendom is under siege from the barbarians, just as during the Thirteenth Century Crisis, just as during World War III. We need all the weapons we can get to defend ourselves. Now, this is just a precautionary measure to be used in the worst case scenario.”
“Like the nerve gas we’ve been quietly selling to the military?” the technician said.
“If you mention a single word of that to the public, I will make keeping your pitiful job the least of your worries,” Theodor said, “No, this biological agent is different. I intend to use it as a deterrent against our enemies. They will learn to show us some goddamn respect. Now, unless you have any concerns that are actually worth my time, I’ll be in my office.”
He went back to his office and sat down, leaning back and throwing his feet up on his desk. He casually reached into one of the drawers and took out a small temperature-controlled vial with a clear liquid inside. As he carelessly spun it around in his hand, he wondered how such a small object could cause so much suffering. This was a vial of smallpox. More specifically, a strain of smallpox endemic to the other side, where centuries of divergence led to immune systems and viruses developing differently, with disastrous results.
Over there, smallpox had brought down entire civilizations. The Triple Alliance had invaded their Europe as well, but there was no Sunrise Invasion. Rather, there was nobody to launch the Sunrise Invasion against. Smallpox was far more contagious and deadly than in his universe, and the immune systems of native Eimericans over there, unlike in his world, were far more susceptible to it. By the time their Reich arrived in the New World, all its explorers found were crumbling cities overrun by jungle and filled with thousands of skeletons. They had destroyed the scourge of Europe without even lifting a finger, allowing them to remake the New World in Christendom’s image. And they made the mistake of giving the last sample of smallpox in their world to Theodor, in a part of the data core not locked away by Mina’s meddling. It was easier to break into a physically locked safe than a computerized archive. Now he held in his hand the destroyer of civilizations, the direct cause of millions of deaths, and an end to the Triple Alliance more effective and total than a hundred Sunrise Invasions. It was all his now. The power to end millions of lives and whole civilizations, including a permanent end to the leftist menace.
“Yes…just a precautionary measure…” he said, “This is going to change everything.”
Isn't there a vaccine for smallpox? Or is this an übermensch version that can ignore all known vaccines?
The implication is this is too divergent from the Hohenzollernverse strain for existing vaccines to work.
Theodor is playing with fire, but the issue is that he doesn't really care if people get burned.
More like bigpox ba-dum-tss
Although, it is very worrying that Theodor continues military experimentations even though he already has the ultimate weapon. I suppose his new states will require new police forces without having to rely on people.
Although, it is very worrying that Theodor continues military experimentations even though he already has the ultimate weapon. I suppose his new states will require new police forces without having to rely on people.
Will no one rid us of this mad Tesla?! Nikola, the poor man is definitely rolling in his grave as to what his descendant is doing with his very company, poor man just wanted to invent electricity back then, now, well now the damn company CEO has the means to wipe out an entire population, nay a whole civilization. Yeah, I think all the events leading up to Stellaris is gonna be bloody than what I initially thought, not to mention Elias going mad with power, who would have thought eh? Power truly corrupts.
I get a very sinking feeling that that small pox vaccine is gonna cause a war, as to which unfortunate population gets it, well, I dread to see that update now. Willhelm Karl is on borrowed time. And so is Heinreich, hell every one that still are fighting against this madness is on borrowed time.
I get a very sinking feeling that that small pox vaccine is gonna cause a war, as to which unfortunate population gets it, well, I dread to see that update now. Willhelm Karl is on borrowed time. And so is Heinreich, hell every one that still are fighting against this madness is on borrowed time.