Stupid Luck and Happenstance, Thread III
- Thread starter Peabody-Martini
- Start date
While we the Readers want to see Margot get her (desirable) comeuppance, Margot may just come out ahead over Kat this time.
First after all the salacious articles about the "Extracurricular Activities" that took place at the '72 Munich Olympic Village, Margot is going to be praised for taking in three young members of the German Olympic Team (even through it was Kat's idea) and maybe a Human-Interest newspaper article has been written that puts Margot in a good light.
Second her son Douglas is getting great critical reviews of the photos he has been taking, and more importantly, people are talking about him and his own achievements without making any references to Kat, and that would make Margot's little heart very glad.
Third if there is a Victory Party for Sophie and a "Wait till Next Time" party for Niko held at her house, it will be a Kat style party with everybody invited, but Margot will get the credit for hosting the party as the guests will include the King and Queen of Silesia, the Commandant of the German Marine Infantry and his wife, the head of the Imperial Family Press Office, and then there the Legendary Red Baron who has become a cultural icon to a new generation because of his imaginary battles with a comic strip dog.
Plus, if there is a party, there could be some surprising drop-in guests such as the King and Queen of Bohemia and maybe the Bohemian Queen's mother just may show up.
First after all the salacious articles about the "Extracurricular Activities" that took place at the '72 Munich Olympic Village, Margot is going to be praised for taking in three young members of the German Olympic Team (even through it was Kat's idea) and maybe a Human-Interest newspaper article has been written that puts Margot in a good light.
Second her son Douglas is getting great critical reviews of the photos he has been taking, and more importantly, people are talking about him and his own achievements without making any references to Kat, and that would make Margot's little heart very glad.
Third if there is a Victory Party for Sophie and a "Wait till Next Time" party for Niko held at her house, it will be a Kat style party with everybody invited, but Margot will get the credit for hosting the party as the guests will include the King and Queen of Silesia, the Commandant of the German Marine Infantry and his wife, the head of the Imperial Family Press Office, and then there the Legendary Red Baron who has become a cultural icon to a new generation because of his imaginary battles with a comic strip dog.
Plus, if there is a party, there could be some surprising drop-in guests such as the King and Queen of Bohemia and maybe the Bohemian Queen's mother just may show up.
The German Olympic Sport Federation Badge/Medal, though in 1976 it would have been just DSB.
Part 143, Chapter 2574
Chapter Two Thousand Five Hundred Seventy-Four
25th July 1976
Montreal, Canada
It was a party celebrating Sophie’s win and bidding Niko a better next time and the house was crowded. It being a Sunday, Sabastian had been given the opportunity to get a bit of rest after the relentless training schedule that he had been subjected to.
There was an incredible amount of irony in what had happened to Margot over the last several days. She wanted to be the center of attention, able to throw her weight around and be well regarded even if it was in a relatively small place like Montreal. And she had gotten exactly that. However, in process she had her home invaded and occupied by those she had long regarded as enemies. First there was the good press Margot had gotten for opening her house to three young athletes to help keep them out of trouble after the rumors regarding some of the things that had happened in the Olympic Village in Munich four years earlier. But it was after that when things had gone sideways.
Margot had been subtly pushing Marie Alexandra to introduce her to Queen Elizabeth of the British Empire because of what that audience would do for her social standing. All while not knowing that she had been the subject of gossip between Elizabeth, Suga, and Marie’s mother for years. It seemed that because of that Elizabeth wanted nothing to do with Margot even while the rest of the world had beaten a path to her door. Even if this was largely because of the presence of her Marie. This was because Marie had been tasked with minding Sophie and Nadia Comaneci, both of whom had suddenly become international celebrities because of their performance in their respective Olympic events. Perhaps Margot could have handled Michael of Bohemia and his wife Alberta showing up, but the German Kaiserin and the families of Nikolaus and Sabastian had proven to be a bit too much and not just because Suga was Japanese.
Nikolaus’ grandfather just happened to be one of the most recognizable men in the world and was well known to be an unapologetic Nationalist. Sabastian’s father was the highest-ranking member of the German Marines as well as part of the Naval High Command in Kiel. There was that wild girl who was the ward of the Richthofen family. Mathilda Auer’s unabashed perspective on the world and beliefs which she claimed were those of Pre-Christian Germany, which was debatable, but it violently clashed with Margot’s more Catholic than the Pope stance on such matters. Finally there were Anna and Gretchen, Sabastian’s younger sisters who seemed to have inherited the Schultz family’s tendency towards being the nexus of complete chaos and Margot had made herself a common enemy by suggesting that neither of them were “Good girls” within their hearing and Marie knew instantly that was a huge mistake. Aunt Nancy was keeping tight rein on her daughters, but Marie knew that they were just waiting for a chance to make Margot eat her words.
Margot looked like she was about to have a nervous breakdown as Michael took over the parlor to hold an impromptu presentation ceremony to take the chance to award Niko, Bas, and Sophie among others the German Sports Badge in his brother’s place. It awarding those was something that Michael had done at every Olympics to not just members of the German team, but anyone else who wanted one as well. The German Sports Federation still needed to approve the awarding, but Michael could take care of that with a phone call. It was felt that just getting to the Summer Games was enough to get them the award in Gold.
Marie watched this with detached amusement as everyone had gone into the formal dining room for luncheon that had been planned for that day. Her grandmother had gotten more or less what she had wanted out of the Montreal Olympics and was completely miserable as a result. Marie figured that there was a lesson she should be learning from this. Seeing how her mother seemed to be enjoying how Margot’s focus was elsewhere, Marie figured that was who she would probably need to ask and hopefully as far from her grandmother’s ears as possible.
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Something about the interaction between Sabastian’s father and Henriette’s own was, to use that right word, strange. It was like if they had known each other, if only by reputation, for a long time. She had suspected for years that her father was far more than just an Insurance Salesman. Sabastian’s father was in the German Navy’s Marines but was known for being far more than that. A published author who had written several books about Buddhism, Moral Philosophy, and his own adventures in the Far East, Dietrich “Tilo” Schultz was a figure who got your attention.
It had been when Henriette had gone looking for her father for her mother when she had heard the men talking on the back porch smoking cigars and had overheard the words “Jay Tee Two” used followed by laughter. Despite not knowing the context, something about the way Tilo said them suggested that was something which she was not supposed to know. Beyond Sir Malcolm and Tilo Schultz, there was also Niko’s father and grandfather were also present. Bert Lane seemed perfectly comfortable in this circle.
“Yes, Henni?” Henriette’s father asked when he saw her.
“Mom told me to tell you that they are serving cake” Henriette said, “And every one of you too I guess.”
“Thank you” Bert said, “Tell your mother I’ll be along.”
There was something about her father as he spoke to her… Like if there was a side to him she didn’t know.
Pushing that out of her mind, she retreated back to the kitchen and the comfortable familiar.
25th July 1976
Montreal, Canada
It was a party celebrating Sophie’s win and bidding Niko a better next time and the house was crowded. It being a Sunday, Sabastian had been given the opportunity to get a bit of rest after the relentless training schedule that he had been subjected to.
There was an incredible amount of irony in what had happened to Margot over the last several days. She wanted to be the center of attention, able to throw her weight around and be well regarded even if it was in a relatively small place like Montreal. And she had gotten exactly that. However, in process she had her home invaded and occupied by those she had long regarded as enemies. First there was the good press Margot had gotten for opening her house to three young athletes to help keep them out of trouble after the rumors regarding some of the things that had happened in the Olympic Village in Munich four years earlier. But it was after that when things had gone sideways.
Margot had been subtly pushing Marie Alexandra to introduce her to Queen Elizabeth of the British Empire because of what that audience would do for her social standing. All while not knowing that she had been the subject of gossip between Elizabeth, Suga, and Marie’s mother for years. It seemed that because of that Elizabeth wanted nothing to do with Margot even while the rest of the world had beaten a path to her door. Even if this was largely because of the presence of her Marie. This was because Marie had been tasked with minding Sophie and Nadia Comaneci, both of whom had suddenly become international celebrities because of their performance in their respective Olympic events. Perhaps Margot could have handled Michael of Bohemia and his wife Alberta showing up, but the German Kaiserin and the families of Nikolaus and Sabastian had proven to be a bit too much and not just because Suga was Japanese.
Nikolaus’ grandfather just happened to be one of the most recognizable men in the world and was well known to be an unapologetic Nationalist. Sabastian’s father was the highest-ranking member of the German Marines as well as part of the Naval High Command in Kiel. There was that wild girl who was the ward of the Richthofen family. Mathilda Auer’s unabashed perspective on the world and beliefs which she claimed were those of Pre-Christian Germany, which was debatable, but it violently clashed with Margot’s more Catholic than the Pope stance on such matters. Finally there were Anna and Gretchen, Sabastian’s younger sisters who seemed to have inherited the Schultz family’s tendency towards being the nexus of complete chaos and Margot had made herself a common enemy by suggesting that neither of them were “Good girls” within their hearing and Marie knew instantly that was a huge mistake. Aunt Nancy was keeping tight rein on her daughters, but Marie knew that they were just waiting for a chance to make Margot eat her words.
Margot looked like she was about to have a nervous breakdown as Michael took over the parlor to hold an impromptu presentation ceremony to take the chance to award Niko, Bas, and Sophie among others the German Sports Badge in his brother’s place. It awarding those was something that Michael had done at every Olympics to not just members of the German team, but anyone else who wanted one as well. The German Sports Federation still needed to approve the awarding, but Michael could take care of that with a phone call. It was felt that just getting to the Summer Games was enough to get them the award in Gold.
Marie watched this with detached amusement as everyone had gone into the formal dining room for luncheon that had been planned for that day. Her grandmother had gotten more or less what she had wanted out of the Montreal Olympics and was completely miserable as a result. Marie figured that there was a lesson she should be learning from this. Seeing how her mother seemed to be enjoying how Margot’s focus was elsewhere, Marie figured that was who she would probably need to ask and hopefully as far from her grandmother’s ears as possible.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Something about the interaction between Sabastian’s father and Henriette’s own was, to use that right word, strange. It was like if they had known each other, if only by reputation, for a long time. She had suspected for years that her father was far more than just an Insurance Salesman. Sabastian’s father was in the German Navy’s Marines but was known for being far more than that. A published author who had written several books about Buddhism, Moral Philosophy, and his own adventures in the Far East, Dietrich “Tilo” Schultz was a figure who got your attention.
It had been when Henriette had gone looking for her father for her mother when she had heard the men talking on the back porch smoking cigars and had overheard the words “Jay Tee Two” used followed by laughter. Despite not knowing the context, something about the way Tilo said them suggested that was something which she was not supposed to know. Beyond Sir Malcolm and Tilo Schultz, there was also Niko’s father and grandfather were also present. Bert Lane seemed perfectly comfortable in this circle.
“Yes, Henni?” Henriette’s father asked when he saw her.
“Mom told me to tell you that they are serving cake” Henriette said, “And every one of you too I guess.”
“Thank you” Bert said, “Tell your mother I’ll be along.”
There was something about her father as he spoke to her… Like if there was a side to him she didn’t know.
Pushing that out of her mind, she retreated back to the kitchen and the comfortable familiar.
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I have an image of Henni turning to writing children's fiction about Grandpa Burt and Opa Tilo being retired super spies, (think Man from Great U. N. C. L. E.), who save the world from various plots and intrigues then get back in time for dinner at the nursing home and a weekend regaling the Grandkids with wild "stories"...
Its when Sir Malcolm, Tilo, Burt, Albrect, Opa Von R get each have someone officious showing up and asking for a private conversation while at the same time Kat has a certain person of Japanese ancestry asking Marie to have her Mother to please come outside for a short conversation that it is a case of Rotary Oscillator meeting a large amount of Fecal Matter in the neighbor hood of Montreal. Bonus points if the US screws it up.
By getting caught helping the Greeks committing a particularly odious war crime?
Worse is when it turns out to be an individual CIA officer who manages it, without approval, because the CIA at this stage, without the Cold War to give them the hard professional qnd oversight they have today, are still essentially a bunch of cowboys.
Once it gets out, it would humiliate the US government, but also cause all other agencies to review their procedures to ensure the same thing couldn't happen to them too.
This would likely cut the legs out from under David Stirling's shenanigans too.
Margot got what she wanted, but it came at a price: A "Kat" style party where everyone is invited no matter what their social rank is.
That means the Lanes are now in her home despite Margot's attempt to ostracize them from her social circle, instead they are treated with respect by people who have more real clout and social standing then she ever will.
Even worse for Margot, she is seeing her biggest "enemy" Kat just standing back and doing nothing but enjoying Margot's misery.
That means the Lanes are now in her home despite Margot's attempt to ostracize them from her social circle, instead they are treated with respect by people who have more real clout and social standing then she ever will.
Even worse for Margot, she is seeing her biggest "enemy" Kat just standing back and doing nothing but enjoying Margot's misery.
But the worst part for Margot is that she is relearning a painful lesson first taught to her by Kira: that Margot Blackwood is a small fish in a very small pond compared to her guests and the circles in which they travel. And her hated daughter-in-law is one of those very big fish.
Part 143, Chapter 2575
Chapter Two Thousand Five Hundred Seventy-Five
2nd August 1976
Montreal, Canada
It was like the party had ended and the guests were having trouble getting out the door even as the cleanup had begun when the Olympics ended on the first of August. The whole world had come to Montreal and now, getting a flight out of the city was a matter of waiting your turn. That meant that they were waiting a few days until the flight they had booked to take them home left. Not that Bas objected too much to spending an extra few days in Canada if going to see a movie with Henriette was something he got to do in the meantime. Things had gotten better at the Blackwood house since Mrs. Blackwood had locked herself in her bedroom and had only allowed her husband and housekeeper to speak with her. Marie, who actually lived there, said that this was probably the best outcome for everyone. Bas figured he would never understand the dynamic of that household.
Bas considered everything else that had happened over the past couple weeks as he walked down a pleasant tree-shaded suburban street. It was a summer weekday so other than the sound of children playing in the nearby park, distant traffic, and the buzzing of insects it was quiet. To Bas it should hardly be a surprise that it had turned out that Niko was incorrect about a few things. His mother had told him many times you love people because they are imperfect, not in spite of that and Niko was not perfect. It had turned out that Henriette wasn’t impressed by the Silver Medal that Bas had gotten, not in the least. He also didn’t understand Niko’s problem with Bruce Jenner. Sure, it had turned out that the American had beaten out Bas on points, but it was the same as what had happened to Niko, Bas was simply going against someone who did better than him that day. Hardly something to get sore over. Niko had basically implied just what he thought about Jenner a few times until Bas had told him to drop it already. While he liked his best friend’s loyalty, it wasn’t helpful.
The was also the weird sort of reaction that had happened when word got out that despite Sophie having brought a half-dozen bicycles to the Olympics, the one she had ridden to win a Gold Medal was generic, the frame bought from a wholesaler back in Berlin, Sophie suspected that it was originally been made by Brennabor but wasn’t really sure and comprised of parts from many of different sources with her using whatever was on hand that worked. Her other bicycles were of similar provenance. Bas understood that the bicycle manufacturers were hoping that they would find their name attached to her ride and had been sorely disappointed. Strangely, the answer was both yes and no. With frames by Diamant, Brennabor, or Rose, along with parts made mostly in Germany, Italy, or Japan.
Knocking on the door of the Lane house, Bas saw that the housekeeper seemed happy as she let him in. The house had an open floorplan where the kitchen and parlor, living room here Bas corrected himself, were one big room with a vaulted ceiling. The formal dining room was beyond, but only separated by a set of French doors. To Bas’ right was Robert Lane’s home office and Bas could feel Bert’s eyes on him as he stood there awkwardly.
On Bert’s desk was an open folder with a pile of photographs, the one on top was of what looked like a dozen rangy looking men lying face down on a road somewhere with their hands cuffed behind their backs. Bert himself was signing several official looking forms before he looked up and saw Bas. Closing the folder and putting into a drawer of his desk, Bas heard Bert look the drawer before getting up. That was in keeping with something that his father had warned him about; that Robert Lane was not what he seemed and not underestimate him for a second.
“Pleased to see you again Sabastian” Bert said mildly as he shook Bas’ hand. “Henni told me to tell you that she is going to be down in a bit. That gives us a moment to talk.”
There was a story that Manny had told Niko and Bas about how Suse Rosa’s father had threatened to drive Panzers over him if he took advantage of his daughter. General von Knispel could make that happen too and no one would say word about it afterwards. Bas really didn’t want this to be one of those moments. Glancing up at the framed medals from Bert’s career in the Canadian Army, Bas could see that he had received most of the medals for bravery and service available to an Officer in the British Commonwealth as well as several from Allied countries. That was including the highly recognizable Knights Cross of the Iron Cross which was often given to Foreign Officers and Enlisted Ranks in the place of Royal House Orders because it sidestepped the issues of Social Class and Politics. There were campaign medals from the Soviet War, South Africa, Mexico, and Korea too. Henriette’s understanding was that he was retired and currently sold insurance. Those Medals and Orders told a different story. Someone like that never really retired, much less worked a pedestrian job in an office somewhere.
“My mother told me that that I should give Henriette the upmost respect” Bas replied. His mother had actually told him that because Henriette was a single mother, she would do what was best for Alice and Bas would have to respect that or else he would be given cause to instantly regret it.
“Good advice” Bert said, “You would be wise to remember it.”
2nd August 1976
Montreal, Canada
It was like the party had ended and the guests were having trouble getting out the door even as the cleanup had begun when the Olympics ended on the first of August. The whole world had come to Montreal and now, getting a flight out of the city was a matter of waiting your turn. That meant that they were waiting a few days until the flight they had booked to take them home left. Not that Bas objected too much to spending an extra few days in Canada if going to see a movie with Henriette was something he got to do in the meantime. Things had gotten better at the Blackwood house since Mrs. Blackwood had locked herself in her bedroom and had only allowed her husband and housekeeper to speak with her. Marie, who actually lived there, said that this was probably the best outcome for everyone. Bas figured he would never understand the dynamic of that household.
Bas considered everything else that had happened over the past couple weeks as he walked down a pleasant tree-shaded suburban street. It was a summer weekday so other than the sound of children playing in the nearby park, distant traffic, and the buzzing of insects it was quiet. To Bas it should hardly be a surprise that it had turned out that Niko was incorrect about a few things. His mother had told him many times you love people because they are imperfect, not in spite of that and Niko was not perfect. It had turned out that Henriette wasn’t impressed by the Silver Medal that Bas had gotten, not in the least. He also didn’t understand Niko’s problem with Bruce Jenner. Sure, it had turned out that the American had beaten out Bas on points, but it was the same as what had happened to Niko, Bas was simply going against someone who did better than him that day. Hardly something to get sore over. Niko had basically implied just what he thought about Jenner a few times until Bas had told him to drop it already. While he liked his best friend’s loyalty, it wasn’t helpful.
The was also the weird sort of reaction that had happened when word got out that despite Sophie having brought a half-dozen bicycles to the Olympics, the one she had ridden to win a Gold Medal was generic, the frame bought from a wholesaler back in Berlin, Sophie suspected that it was originally been made by Brennabor but wasn’t really sure and comprised of parts from many of different sources with her using whatever was on hand that worked. Her other bicycles were of similar provenance. Bas understood that the bicycle manufacturers were hoping that they would find their name attached to her ride and had been sorely disappointed. Strangely, the answer was both yes and no. With frames by Diamant, Brennabor, or Rose, along with parts made mostly in Germany, Italy, or Japan.
Knocking on the door of the Lane house, Bas saw that the housekeeper seemed happy as she let him in. The house had an open floorplan where the kitchen and parlor, living room here Bas corrected himself, were one big room with a vaulted ceiling. The formal dining room was beyond, but only separated by a set of French doors. To Bas’ right was Robert Lane’s home office and Bas could feel Bert’s eyes on him as he stood there awkwardly.
On Bert’s desk was an open folder with a pile of photographs, the one on top was of what looked like a dozen rangy looking men lying face down on a road somewhere with their hands cuffed behind their backs. Bert himself was signing several official looking forms before he looked up and saw Bas. Closing the folder and putting into a drawer of his desk, Bas heard Bert look the drawer before getting up. That was in keeping with something that his father had warned him about; that Robert Lane was not what he seemed and not underestimate him for a second.
“Pleased to see you again Sabastian” Bert said mildly as he shook Bas’ hand. “Henni told me to tell you that she is going to be down in a bit. That gives us a moment to talk.”
There was a story that Manny had told Niko and Bas about how Suse Rosa’s father had threatened to drive Panzers over him if he took advantage of his daughter. General von Knispel could make that happen too and no one would say word about it afterwards. Bas really didn’t want this to be one of those moments. Glancing up at the framed medals from Bert’s career in the Canadian Army, Bas could see that he had received most of the medals for bravery and service available to an Officer in the British Commonwealth as well as several from Allied countries. That was including the highly recognizable Knights Cross of the Iron Cross which was often given to Foreign Officers and Enlisted Ranks in the place of Royal House Orders because it sidestepped the issues of Social Class and Politics. There were campaign medals from the Soviet War, South Africa, Mexico, and Korea too. Henriette’s understanding was that he was retired and currently sold insurance. Those Medals and Orders told a different story. Someone like that never really retired, much less worked a pedestrian job in an office somewhere.
“My mother told me that that I should give Henriette the upmost respect” Bas replied. His mother had actually told him that because Henriette was a single mother, she would do what was best for Alice and Bas would have to respect that or else he would be given cause to instantly regret it.
“Good advice” Bert said, “You would be wise to remember it.”
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If Niko had been there, he may have spotted similarities between the actions of, for example Chilean death squads he might have come acros in Argentina, and Greek rear area security squads which is what I suspect Bert's photos might be of...
To be fair to Niko, he didn't really think that Henni would be impressed by a medal. He was just trying to get Bas to focus on his event and it worked.
Niko's problem with Bruce Jenner is that he senses that Jenner is hiding something and, therefore, that Jenner can't be trusted.
Based on the fact that Bert has those photographs and files at home, I'm guessing that he either isn't fully involved in the Canadian intelligence services or that he runs them. If not fully involved, then its possible that he is investigating war crimes or other crimes against humanity.
And now I REALLY want to know what happened to his granddaughter's sperm donor. Luckily for Bas, and despite evidence to the contrary, he really does take after both his parents and not the greater Shultz clan. Also, Bert seems to like him.
I have a feeling Tilo has had a chance to talk with Bert and let him know that somethings would not bother him a bit if he had to do them as a concerned Father. Just give him a heads up before Nancy and Kat finds out, so depending on the transgression, he has time to make things better or prevent acts that might endanger him having grandchildren.