Ohrdruff, Thüringen, Sigmarstag, 30. Sigmarszeit
The 13th Demi-Brigades barracks were a hive of activity. Everybody was busy with last-minute preparations and anybody who had nothing special to do tried to hide so that the always eager noncoms would not find them something to do. The latter would be a problem as everybody tried to look their best. Today was a special day for the 13th Demi-Brigade as it was not only their special holiday but also the first parade of any kind since the unit had been declared operational a month ago.
One of the noncoms was taking his time in his small room to adjust his uniform for the last time. The dress uniform was a light grey with red epaulettes and a darker grey belt. That was already adjusted and James Andrea Corradi placed the white kepi on his black hair. A critical view in the mirror showed a well-trained man of nearly 1.8 meters with the typical features of a North Italian. James was quite proud of the uniform and what it stood for, justly so. Less than one in eight applicants to the Legion had made the selection and initial training. He had done well but was also aware that his early promotion had a lot to do with the fact that he came from a technological society, something the legion was currently short of. His squad had two Imperials, two Bretons and no less than three Norscans. At first there had been some tensions about this mix, but the hard training had provided a common enemy in the shape of their drill sergeants. Yet while the freshly-baked legionaries were becoming proficient soldiers the nuances of modern gear still escaped them. That he spoke French and Italian had helped with the Bretons and Tileans and when he did not fuck up visibly enough he got his promotion.
An hour later found him in the front of his squad, standing at attention when Colonel Thiery spoke about the day most precious for the new unit.
"In a different universe on a different world less than sixty opposed to a whole army. Its numbers crushed them. Life rather than courage abandoned these soldiers. The date of this battle was the 30th April 1863, the place a village called Camerone and the soldiers were the soldiers of the 3rd Company of the 1st Battalion of the Foreign legion led by Captain Danjou. Today we celebrate their eternal memory…"
When the new Foreign Legion was set up it had been clear that this unit would need their own culture and traditions to accommodate the many soldiers from vastly different backgrounds. Rather than try something new enough former Legionaries had been found in Germany to found their own version of the famed unit. The Legion was about to be sent to Araby to secure the oil fields there and it was fitting they could celebrate Camerone Day before that.
School of the Reik, Berlin, same day
Valten wedged his huge frame into one of the frail-seeming chairs that ringed the lecture hall. Law might not be his favorite subject, but he already knew how important at least some knowledge would be sooner or later. When the professor entered the pulpit the usual small talk vanished completely. Not because Professor Libsch was such a gifted orator, which he was not, but as he speaking so quietly that even the smallest of whispers would make it impossible for a group of students to hear him at all.
Still, the lecturer had practiced law as a judge for quite some time and was always good for an anecdote or two.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, today is the day I introduce civil law. Less than a year ago, the Empire had an assortment of local laws, traditions and bylaws that varied from region to region. As Empirewide trade has increased so much and new forms of trades and association are on the rise Emperor Karl-Franz enacted the new Civil Law six months ago.
The good news is that you will not need to study a separate law for Germany as the Empire has taken the Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch, Germany`s civil, law lock, stock and barrel. They are in a good tradition as countries like Japan, Taiwan or Brazil did the same. It is a good, precise and clear law and it may be the only law where at least one paragraph rhymes in hexameter…
Bahnhof (Railway station) Soest, Germany, 10. Brunntag Jahrdrang
Florian Schneider was not a jealous man and knew that the guy, who had taken the spotlight beside his fiancee, would soon be gone. At the moment, a crowd ringed the two returning soldiers on the track platform, eagerly listening to the stories told by them.
Some, but few people among the crowd looked less happy and more angry at them, damnable "peaceniks". Denouncing the soldiers, spoiling the return to their loved ones, by people who would scream up first, if the soldiers would not be here to defend Germany. In the packed railway station, the first few returning soldiers to Soest had to endure shouting by the "Peace Brigade". Fortunately the years on this new world had changed many things and the crowd awaiting the soldiers embarking the train had thrown out most of the rabble. Still, sometimes a few could sneak in again, due to mass of people in the station.
Florian had feared the worst when he had taken Sylvia into his arms again and felt more than saw the activists in the first row of the people ringing them. But the insults did not come. It sure was partly the special vibe surrounding members of the Rattentöter (Rat Killers), the unofficial nickname of soldiers who had gone down into the deepest levels of Skavenblight, which made them shut up. But maybe even more it was the presence of the second soldier, who was here on a one day visit on invitation by Silvia´s parents and himself. The tall man´s branch designation showed the "Halo-Eye", the sign of a German Kriegshexer (War sorcerer). Even without this it was obvious. His blue eyes shone attractively, but too brightly to be natural.
Florian thought that the decorations on Silvia´s and Günter Koch´s, as the sorcerer was named, uniforms did their part too. As survivors of the most vicious fighting in the damned Skaven city both were highly decorated. Silvia, his other half, had been given the Ehrenkreuz für Tapferkeit (Honour Cross for Bravery), Bundesverdienstkreuz 1. Klasse (Federal Order of Merit first Class), the Skavenblight Kampfmedallie (Combat Medal), the NRW Rettungsmedallie (Rescue Medal), while it was unlanded, Silvia was a now a Freifrau (female Baron) of the Empire and last but not least, she had gotten the Gromril-Amboß in Bronze (Gromril Amboss in bronze) from the Dwarven contingent.
Günter Koch too had gotten the Honour Cross for Bravery, the Order of Merit first Class, the Skavenblight Combat Medal and had been made a Freiherr (male Baron) of the Empire, but then it changed. Since Günter lived in the Palatinate, he had gotten the Rescue medal of his Federal State and since the Dawi had some "complications" with non-Runesmith magicians, the sorcerer had "only" gotten the lowest level of bravery decoration, the Gromril Nugget. This was offset by
another decoration he got, the Nachtsonne von Sylvanien (Nightsun of Sylvania).
What made Florian happy as well was the fact that Silvia had not been changed by the fighting as much as the famous Wolfpack was. He had seen an interview with Ulrich Stoiber on TV and it was obvious that "something" had happened.
Florian could not speak for the sorcerer, he did not know him much, but beside the magical signs, his body at least was still normal. While Silvia and Günter told the fascinated crowd the officially approved war stories they lived through, Florian knew more truth. He still had sometimes a nightmare from what she had told him by satellite phone. One event had been burned into his brain the most.
"Flori, I was mortally wounded by that strike, I knew I was going to die. I saw myself racing towards a bright light, when I suddenly felt yanked back into the hellish pain of my shattered chest. From far away I heard a voice saying or screaming, I do not know the melee was so loud and fierce, that enough was enough. Too many good people had to die because of this mutated rat scum! Not anymore! There will be no dying on my watch for the rest of this damned war! Renner, bring me some rats or let them through to here!
The pull from the brightness was still very strong, I was hurting badly, when that hurt began to recede. I don´t know how time had passed when I could really see again. Günter, err Hauptmann (Captain) Koch had one of his hands on my chest, strange lights and arcs crackling around his arm, the colour of his face fluctuating between normal and chalk-white in rapid change.
One of the Skaven near us was decomposing before my eyes, while at the same time my wound was rapidly healing. Once during this brutal fight, he stopped for a moment to fire purple-black lightning into the Rats´ ranks. Günter- he seved my life, maybe even brought me back..."
Florian Schneider was very glad to have Sylvia back, but he did not know what to think of the sorcerer until they met about an hour earlier. Günter Koch did not look like he had imagined him. The man from the Palatinate was really tall, a bit on the meager side, pale-skinned, attractive blue-eyed with dark-blond hair. He had so far a nice disposition. A bit shy, but still jovial personality. Nothing that would let somebody think about the magic he seemed to possess, the carnage he at times had made among the Rats, the Skeletons he could command...
Günter Koch was a poster-child of the proverb: Beware the nice ones!
And so, while he was indebted to the sorcerer for the life of his future wife, Florian was a bit glad that soon Günter Koch would travel on to his home
DLR Airship "Enterprise", close to Algrab Mountains, Southlands, Markttag 32. Sigmarszeit
The spacious room was used as a mess, for assemblies, as a cinema, for lectures and as now as a briefing room. It was huge for anything that flew, sparsely equipped with lightweight furniture and offered a breathtaking view through the panorama windows in one wall. Currently the view was the steppe and desert that was Arabia which slowly rolled with the airships cruising speed.
Nahib el Harum de Harsch watched the diverse group that had assembled around the table and marveled at the twisted path of fate that had brought him into this flying palace.
A year ago he had been a proud and experienced Caravan Boss and Trader, six months ago he had been destitute and bankrupt when the Undead had attacked a Caravan he had invested into too much "en masse" and now he was engaged as native guide and translator for nearly 2000 Euros a month.
At the head of the table sat Captain Katrin Jennewein, a compact 40-year old officer who seemed more than a little competent despite being female. Nahib had already learned that voicing that was an extremely bad idea. To her left was Caner Calp, a swarthy ex-army warrant whom the trader would have hired in a second as caravan guard in his old days. He commanded the few armed guards the "Zeppelin" had, followed by Thomas Phillip who was heading the airships small plane group. On the other side of the table were Theodor Plank who headed the scientists on board. He had brought his assistant, a stunning blonde by the name of Sabine Neun with him. Nahib had been sure she would have gone for a pretty penny in one of the Sultan`s markets until he saw her take down a careless pocket thief in the Suk of El Shamab.
The wall on opposite site showed a couple of pictures that seemed to be taken from another flier. Captain Jennewein opened the briefing.
"What you see in these pics are recent takes by a Kondor flight. They show a very isolated Oasis at the foothills of the Algrab range. It has an Arab settlement, but does not seem to lie close to any established Caravan trail. Normally we would not have bothered, but the irrigation systems seem remarkably advanced. Yesterday we had Mr. Phillip take a closer look and more interesting things emerged. Here you can see the yoke used on the oxen-it is more elaborate than anything we have seen in such settlement. Normally the farmers around here tie the plow or cart to the horns-this is more efficient.
Then this shows a waterwheel of a design that we have never seen in Araby and this here could be an elaborate scheme for waste disposal. All in this means this settlement is more advanced than it should be, especially given its secluded nature. Since one of the goals of this mission is looking for "Waratah" survivors we have additional motivation to have a closer look.
Before we do anything more we will send an exploration team. Herr Zoltan, please detail two men to accompany the group. Professor Plank-please provide one person. Master Nahib, you are needed for translation. You will launch in two hours, contact the local people and do a first assessment. Be back before nightfall, we will establish further studies after your report."
"Captain, I have to protest-how can we make an assessment when I can only send one scientist?"
"Professor-there are only 6 places in the plane and we have to have both a security team and a translator. This is mostly to see if we can establish closer contact, for that this one of your team should be sufficient. You cannot report when you are dead."
"There is no proven threat from these people, why should their first impression of us be armed guards?"
"Because they are not proven to be safe either Professor."
"I still protest."
"So noted. Any other questions? No? Get to it."
Two hours later Nahib went into the huge room that lay sternwards of the living quarters in the front of the Zeppelin. He could still not get used to how big this thing was. In some ways it was like a soap bubble-huge for its weight, beautiful and fragile. But by the Sheik`s beard-this thing was huge. The room he had just entered was more than 50 meters long, as broad as the airship and impressed the hell even out of the Germans who were supposedly used to such things. He had been told that it was normally used to transport freight, but on such a mission as this one it was used differently.
It contained a lowerable platform that could be used to transfer goods or people from and to the ground as well as two planes that hung from the ceiling and could be moved into the slipstream on crane arms through a trapdoor. For whatever reason the Germans who worked here called it the "transporter room" even when the Captain insisted to call it a hangar.
He went to the plane that had been moved above the trapdoor already and went over the very small bridge that connected the floor with the plane. Asking himself if the triangle that the pilot had drawn on the door was a ward of protection he got himself a place in the last row of seats and pulled himself tight. The rest of the group went in as well and their gear found place in various nooks and crannies. The former trader half listened to the chatter between the pilot and unseen people whose voices could be heard somehow. And then came the moment that he dreaded. The door under the plane opened up and revealed the landscape hundreds of meters below them. After a moment the plane was lowered into the air below the Zeppelin and the slightly jerky sinking movement made his stomach turn in unfunny ways.
Once in the air the plane`s engine started, the prop started to spin-and then the plane dropped. Dropped for some 20 meters before flying stable again and making everybody but the pilot jump.
Once the plane had settled in the flight was short and Phillip circled a field that he had chosen as a landing strip. Finding nothing that could stop them he settled the plane into a pretty jarring landing which shortened the landing run and reduced the chances to find something that could snag the landing gear.
Nahib watched the two guards who went out of the plane first and only moved out of the plane when he saw their signal that this would be safe. Happy to have his feet on firm ground again he watched the wall that ringed the settlement for a moment. Just when he thought he would have to make for the Gate a small party went out to meet them. Clad in off-white robes and headscarves against the ever-present sun they carried spears and kept something like formation but did not appear overly threatening.
An elderly man separated himself from the group and Nahib met him half-way, hoping that the armored vest he had under his robes was as good as the Germans claimed.
"Peace be upon you honored elder, may your life be long and fruitful. I am Nahib el Harum de Harsch, these are Thomas Phillip and Sabine Neun and their guards of the Allemani. They are on a mission to gather wisdom and I translate for them."
"And peace upon you travelers. I am Anwar al-Harad. What brings the riders of such mythical transportation to our humble settlement."
"The allemani, whose coin I take are a strange people. They have great curiosity in all things and see your beautiful village with great interest. They have seen some of your inventions and want to bask in your wisdom."
"People who travel in a flying whale and land without a magic carpet are interested in our ways. That is a miracle to behold, were it true."
"They also search for the descendants of people like themselves whom they believe stranded in these parts of the world more than a hundred years ago. Maybe you have heard about such people of fair skin and often yellow hair, very gifted in all things mechanical?"
"Now this is a curious thing you should discuss with the chairman."
"Pardon me, honored Anwar, but I have in my old age not heard you well. Did you say Chairman?"
"Yes wise Nahib. In other tribes he would be called Chieftain but here he is called Chairman. He can tell you himself. For the Moment please feel welcome in Asrar."
The group of Germans and Nahib was taken into the middle of the small spear carrying guard and got themselves a look at the settlement. It was not long before the Germans started pointing small boxes at everything to take picture and talked about everything they saw in German. It was close enough to Reiksspiel that Nahib could understand the gist of the conversation.
They commented on things that were quite normal-and on some things he had not noticed at all. They were right, the normal stench of Night Soil was nearly not noticeable, the alleys well-made and the carts used by the people of a curious design.
One thing they missed so he joined in. "Fräulein Neun-excuse me Frau Neun-there is another interesting thing. There are fewer children than usual in such a settlement, but they seem to be better fed and more healthy than usual."
"Thank you Nahib-do you think you can ask this "Chairman" about this?"
"I will try my best."
They arrived at a three-story building that was opposite to the market square. White-washed and decorated with beautiful mosaics it gave the Germans pause.
"Thomas, do you see this too?"
"Yes, very strange."
"What is strange honored Pilot?"
"You see this thing above the entrance. That mosaic looks like it is three of our letters-"IBT"-but you use a different script here. Do you have any idea about that."
"No Pilot Phillips-I have not seen such before. I will endeavor to find out."
They were led into a busy palace which seemed to combine the usual ceremonial places with rooms surprisingly close to offices and were put into a large room that contained no throne but a huge desk with a comfortable chair behind it. On the ceiling a huge fan was moving forwards and back, undoubtedly pulled by a boy in a nearby room.
The stocky man behind it was also clad in a robe but had ditched his headscarf. His skin was surprisingly light for an Arab and he seemed genuinely pleased to meet the Visitors.
"I am Insar Riddle af Harve, welcome to our humble abode honored visitors. My house is your house, feel at home."
Tea was passed out, small gifts exchanged and admired and lots of polite and meaningless conversation ensued. It took nearly an hour to get to the point of the matter.
"Yes, beautiful Sabine, we once had a visitor who looked a bit like your people. A little more than three score years ago he appeared here after having wandered in from the desert. He was old already then, but our healers could rescue him and he learned our language after a while.
He was full of wisdom and showed us many wonderful things. The Water Wheel, the correct way of trash disposal, to cook our water before drinking and the yoke, Population Control-he had a great mind. He also taught us that slavery is an evil thing and to honor the workers.
Alas he was an old man and still longed for his home that he could never reach again. Despite the best we could do he passed away after ten years surrounded by his comrades, his wives and his children. I am proud to be one of his descendants."
"Can you tell us more about him-like his name?"
"Oh, I can show you the relics, maybe they can hold your interest."
"Please show them honored Chairman"
The ringing of a bell brought a beautiful assistant to the office and she returned with an elaborately carved chest minutes later. Opened very carefully it revealed several items that Nahib could not immediately identify, even when they looked a bit like things used by the Allemani.
"Am I allowed to look at this?"
"Please do Mrs. Neun."
Nahib watched the scientist remove a small, yellowed card from the box on which a picture and some alien script could be seen.
"Let's see-Michigan Department of Motor Vehicles-one of you guys know a Jimmy Hoffa?"
Munster, Königstag, 2. Sommerzeit
Ulrich Stoiber made his way between all the low-slung brick walled tank garages that took up a large part of the Munster barracks. He no longer needed to look at people`s faces to see that the new Ulrich was less accepted than the old one. "Thanks" to that bloody TV reporter everybody knew about the Wolfpack`s eyes. The stupid Witchhunter and his henchmen they had encountered on the train from Middenheim had not helped things either. The picture of Frank holding up said worthy one armed at the throat had been retweeted about a bazillon times. A good thing that the picture did not carry the sound, the Darth Vader imitation had been credible-and scary.
Still, they were respected for what they had done in downtown Skavenblight, that had to be sufficient for now. Presently the tanker was far more interested in what he was about to see. Oberst Grube had been a little cryptic and Ulrich was interesting in what the Bundeswehr had planned for the Wolfpack. A couple of years before they would have probably been honorably discharged, these days soldiers who knew how to fight were a more valuable commodity.
The garage in front of him was no different from the dozens that were around them, but a closer look reveal a couple of cameras. He and his two crews were led in through a small door set into the huge gate that closed the building to the front. They were greeted by the Oberst and a few civilian representatives. Ulrich had made ten times sure that his crews would conform to military etiquette-about the last thing they needed was a "renegade" reputation.
Still it was quite hard not to be distracted by the two vehicles that dominated the room. They were undoubtedly tanks, but the Wolfpack had never seen their likes before.
"So Oberleutnant Stoiber, I gave you to Mr. Müller of KMW, he can explain to you what the two tanks here are about."
"Hello Oberleutnant, let me take the opportunity to say that I deeply respect what you have been doing in downstairs Skavenblight. I am pretty sure that my nephew would not have gotten out of that hellhole if you would not have slowed down that abomination"
"Thank you Mr. Müller, it is good to hear the sacrifices our comrades made are appreciated. So-what have you cooked up here."
"Ah well, what we have here are two-well let us call them proof-of concept vehicles than real prototypes. We made them for the competition that Porsche won, but as we both know they got picked for the Tiger.
Both tanks have the same chassis, we took it from the Panzerhaubitze 2000 and modified it. It now has active suspension so you can higher and lower it in front and back as needed. The engine we took from the old VT-1 prototype, a turbocharged version of the old Leo 2 engine with 2200 horsepower. Armor is a 20% less than you are used at present, but it is modular and is optimized against magical attacks. The bottom and interior is optimized against IED since this will be the most creditable mundane attack for decades, we used what we learned with the Puma. Since weight is below 60 tons on both the tanks are quite responsive.
The one on your left is an MBT. The turret is in the back and is completely unmanned. Don`t look at me like that, most tankers are against it. Have a look at the new vision system before complaining for real, please.
The main gun is the 140 mm we ripped off that Leopard prototype, but mated to a band autoloader. As the turret is empty you get 45 reloads and it is seriously powerful. The coax is a 0.5" Rheinmetall-it fires far faster than the old Browning ones. It can elevate to 55 degree so you have some capability against airborne targets. You also retain the old remote control weapons station from your Leopard2A8 with the Grenade Launcher.
The one on you left was our take at an Air Defense Vehicle and it might still see the light of day. The turret has a 35 mm Millennium gun on the right side, it fires faster than the two guns on the Gepard combined. On the right side you have an armored launcher for 8 missiles. The radars are optimized against biologicals. Armor on the turret is a thinner as for the MBT, but should still be good for 99% of all threats out there."
Thirty minutes later the tank commander sat inside the tank and activated his new helmet for the first time. He had faced cultists, demons and even a god-now he flinched. The bloody tank around him had just disappeared. When he turned his head the picture moved-up, sideways, just downwards lay darkness. He had to turn his head very rapidly to make the picture jump and when he looked very closely he could see some off colors.
"Use that joystick to move the Comanders Vision Turret Oberleutnant and the coolie hat for zoom and frequency."
All of a sudden a square in the middle of his field of view had a slightly larger magnification and he found he could zoom in and out as well as switch to night vision and infrared.
"Wow, this is really good."
"Yes, with the new camera systems and enough processing power this is possible. You still need to get your head outside?"
"Yes, in case this breaks down."
"Oberleutnant, you have 16 cameras, two independent computers and the CVT-how can all of that break down at the same time?"
"You have not been in combat yet, haven`t you? Everything in possible there-or impossible, depending what will hurt you most."
"If so much breaks down you best skedaddle"
"Which I can do to the back only through that small tunnel-thanks loads."
"But at least you are inside a second armored shell. Very few things can penetrate that. Plus you got four drones now to show you what is about, a separate drone operator and a magical indicator. Come on, this is not a bad crate."
"Did not say so, I just wonder what I am supposed to fight in this thing."
"Best ask Oberst Grube, he had some ideas he did not want to divulge to me."
"Oh-Oh. Well something different: When can we give these Iron Pigs a spin."
"Later today."
"Yesssssss"
Penemünde Nord, Markttag 15. Sommerzeit
Ten people sat around the long table in the room with no windows. Nine were young, fit, healthy and moderately good-looking. One was on the wrong side of 50, pasty-faced from too many hours in windowless offices and overweight from too much junk food eaten in office.
He was chairing the meeting.
Olaf Merz was the Deputy Director of Germany`s space program, which meant he was the one formulating the decision that his boss signed off. The seven men and two women on the two sides of the table were the ones he had chosen to be the spear tips of this effort.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, let me congratulate you again to your selection. You are now officially Germany`s next astronauts and in a few years you will be the first to enter orbit in a spacecraft of our own devising.
You have also signed a statement of non-disclosure and these two facts allow me to give you a briefing that you direly need for your future duties.
Thumbing a remote control the picture behind him changed to the slightly fuzzy picture of a cylinder sprouting several rectangles against a black field with many bright stars. Everybody in the room recognized this pic, it had been all over the news a little more than a year ago.
"This is, as we all know, the object we know as Sage 1, likely a satellite left by the Old Ones. It is one of the reasons we always bring forward to justify our expenses to the public. If we are to seize and study it untold Inventions and Improvements would undoubtedly follow. Unfortunately this is not the only reason and we have taken great pains to keep some of our discoveries under tight control.
The next picture made everybody such in breath. It showed a similar cylinder, but this one ringed with more slender cylinders around them. Pointed at one end and with fins at the other their lethal purpose was just too easy to see.
"This is Sage 15, one of 5 such satellites that we have been able to find so far. One of these satellites is above Germany at nearly any hour and we are pretty sure that the thingies around it are KE weapons, practically nothing else makes sense. We estimate these weapons to have an energy of 2 Kilotons at the very least. What makes this into a real problem is that Sage 15 and two others have surface temperatures that we cannot explain by simple radiation. Something on these satellites is still active."
"I can see why we keep this secret-but what are we going to do about this?"
"Lieutenant Alpers, a very good question I cannot answer completely yet. The Bundeswehr is currently working with DASA to modify sounding rockets with a warhead so we can take the satellites if we need to. But as we do not know how the satellites might react this does not seem like the wisest choice to make. Instead we will send manned missions to non-threatening Sage satellites and will try to learn as much about them as possible. When we believe that this is enough we will tackle one of the KE-equipped ones that shows no activity and study it. With any luck we will learn how to take the rest out without unfortunate consequences.
I think you can all see now why a manned space program is not a waste of precious resources but a dire necessity, but please again remember that we cannot speak about this.
Now that this is settled let us talk about the broad outlay of the planned missions and the hardware for it. All of you are aware that "Greif 8" pushed nearly 40 tons of payload into a 250 kilometer orbit. That is quite a lot with a rocket with next to no cryogenic fuels and such a northerly starting platform and it was only possible due to the use of the Rune of Flying. This also gives us quite a mass budget, especially with the "Greif schwer" that we will test in a couple of months. With four boosters instead of two it will push the biggest payloads.
Since last year DASA constructs a spacecraft based on the Keppler ATV, this will be what will carry you to orbit.
Foreign Ministry, Berlin, Sigmarstag, 21. Sommerzeit
The office was huge, had ceiling-to-floor glass and was exquisitely furnished, which was hardly surprising for the office of Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the German foreign secretary. Since the Weltensprung and the last election he had seen some fascinating Ambassadors seeking confirmation in this room, but Tehentoto was surely taking the price. Looking like an uprights walking velociraptor that had no feathers and a little less teeth the Skink was guarded by towering Saurus warriors. Knowing that both were currently discretely targeted by high-powered rifles took some of the threat off, but their presence could not be denied.
"Tehentoto, I welcome you and your staff to Germany and hope that your Ambassadorship will be a long and fruitful one. Germany is very keen on cooperation and trade and we hope to accomplish much with your aid."
"SSteinmeier, it iss good to meet you finally. You have given uss good dwelling, thank you. We should sspeak further when ssettled."
"I am happy that you like it, we had to modify at short notice. One more ussue Tehentoto, usually ambassadors present a document from their governments that authorizes them to us. I am aware that having an embassy is a new thing to your people, so this does not need to be presented now."
"Quippu here"-The Skink presented the Foreign Secretary with a square piece of many threads that were intrically knotted and set with small stones. "Alsso have thiss."
The nictitating membranes closed in front of the Skins eyes and his posture became ridged. Steinmeier began to wonder about this when a moist smell laced with strange odors hit his nostrils. Then he was no longer in his office but standing on the cobbled floor of a huge temple. In front of him was a stair of several meters height that ended in a platform containing a throne. Any other details about this place ceased to matter when he saw the being on the throne. Looking like the biggest frog in the world it radiated a presence that could not be denied. When then huge eyes turned to him it was like looking into endless tunnels full of terrible secrets. The voice that filled his head bypassed such crutches as language and projected knowledge directly.
"He speaks for me. When needed I will speak through him."
And then he was back in his nice chair in the huge office. Even such an old pro as him needed some time before he could talk intelligently again.
"That is surely sufficient Tehentoto, thank you."
