December 2, 1944, Notre-Dame de Paris, Paris, France - The Coronation
It was the day of the coronation. Hogan, who had been ruling for a few months now, under the regnal name Arthur (which had legendary ties), found out from Schultz and Klink that he had not only been proclaimed Emperor of Germany, but also Emperor of the French, with Hogan becoming the first monarch of Germany and France since Kaiser Wilhelm II in 1888 and French Emperor Napoleon III in 1852. Hogan knew he had to go to Notre Dame, to be crowned Emperor of the two nations. He intended to follow in the footsteps of Napoleon I, who was crowned there 140 years before him.
Many were in attendance for the coronation. British King George VI, Arthur's parents, Prime Minister Churchill, President Roosevelt, who had just been re-elected for a fourth term. General De Gaulle was in attendance, as were members of the Bonaparte dynasty. Arthur's intention is to eventually restore the Bonapartes to power, upon finding out members of that dynasty were at the Coronation. Colonel Louis LeBeau was also in attendance as was Colonel Andrew Carter and Group Captain Peter Newkirk. Brigadier General James Kinchloe could not attend, however, as he was really busy with his assignments.
Arthur/Robert made it quite clear that Joseph Stalin couldn't attend. He also made it clear that Marya couldn't attend, as he was quite annoyed by her, and despite her helping the Underground with many missions, he did not like her. He shuddered remembering the times she kissed him. He didn't want her there. He said to himself. He hated Communists, and although Marya was a "White Russian" as she claimed, he didn't like how she almost got his operation exposed time and time again. Arthur awoke at 8:00 AM to the sound of gun salutes. Arrangements had been made with the Vatican for the Pope to attend, and as Pope Pius VII had done with Napoleon; Hand Arthur the crown so he could crown himself.
At 11:00 AM, Arthur left the Palace of Versailles. He wished it could have been the Tuileries Palace that he left, but Arthur/Hogan knew that it was destroyed in the late 19th century. Thousands looked on as Arthur set out towards the Notre Dame Cathedral. As for the ceremony itself, it began at 9:00 AM. Arthur/Hogan was nervous as he began walking into the cathedral. The Papal procession had begun at 9 AM, when the Papal Procession started from the palace of Versailles, like it did from the Tuileries in 1804, only 140 years prior.
Pope Pius XII took his seat on a throne that, like in 1804, was near the high altar. Arthur/Hogan wore coronation robes similar to Napoleon's. The coronation was basically a mirror-copy of Napoleon's coronation, when the coronation proper began with the singing of the same hymn, Veni Creator Spiritus, followed by the versicle, "Lord, send forth your Spirit" and response, "And renew the face of the earth" and the collect for the Feast of Pentecost, "God, who has taught the hearts of your faithful by sending them the light of your Holy Spirit,..." After this the prayer, "Almighty, everlasting God, the Creator of all..." occurred. Arthur/Robert Hogan prayed during this. During the Litany of the Saints, the Emperor remained seated, only kneeling for special petitions. Emperor Arthur/Robert Hogan was anointed on his head and on both hands with chrism, the Emperor with the prayers, "God, the Son of God..." and "God who established Hazael over Syria...",
Arthur/Robert Hogan's imperial regalia was blessed. He smiled because it turned out that everyone was right; That he ought to be a monarch. The Roman formula Accipe coronam was omitted like Napoleon's coronation as Arthur/Hogan made his decision to crown himself, just as Napoleon decided to crown himself on that fateful day a century and 40 years prior.
"May God confirm you to the thrones of blessed France and Germany and may Christ give you to rule with him in his eternal kingdom. Vivat imperator in aeternum!". Pope Pius XII said and proclaimed to Arthur/Robert Hogan, during his enshrinement. This was echoed by the full choirs in a Vivat, and then followed minutes later by "Te Deum".
Afterwards, the newly appointed herald of arms, Colonel LeBeau, proclaimed loudly: "Le trois fois glorieux et trois fois auguste empereur Arthur est couronné et intronisé. Longue vie à l'empereur!" (1) LeBeau quoted the same words from Napoleon's herald of arms, only 'Napoleon' was replaced with 'Arthur'.
Arthur/Robert Hogan had no eagle standards like Napoleon did when he distributed him, but Arthur began making plans for their creation. In the meantime, business was booming again with the Schatze Toy Company. The factory was completely repaired and now running again. In the meantime, Anneliese Klink was spending time with her step mother, Lotte.
"Mother, can we go see Robert Hogan?" Anneliese asked Lotte. This surprised Lotte in a way. She, herself, had not seen him ever since that one time at Stalag 13, when General Burkhalter tried and failed to hook his sister up with Wilhelm Klink, with Klink ultimately marrying Lotte instead. Lotte wasn't sure what she'd say in reply to Anneliese.
"Sure, I guess. Where is he now?" Lotte asked Anneliese. "He is in Paris, France, at the Palace of Versailles." Lotte knew they probably would take too long to get there, but they decided to head there anyways. "Alright..let's go." And so Lotte and Anneliese set off for Paris, with the intention of seeing Arthur/Robert Hogan again. Things were much different this time around clearly. Arthur/Robert Hogan would be different from the last time they saw him.
He wondered what he'd do now. After all, he was Emperor of two countries, and quite clearly he had a lot of work, and by that, a lot of work to really do. So, he got at it and began making preparations for the reconstruction of the Tuileries Palace, which were wrongfully burned by the Paris Commune. Arthur/Robert Hogan hated Bismarck, considerably because he was against Catholics.
Arthur/Robert Hogan didn't think much about it, and he went to sleep in the Palace of Versailles. A short time later, he'd find himself in France, but it was much different. It was Paris as it was in the year 1808, shortly before the Peninsular War. Arthur walked through the town. People seemed to look at him for some reason. Arthur didn't understand really, why he was there in that specific year, or there at all, even.
"Hello there, Monsieur Arthur." A man said to him. Arthur didn't recognize who it was, however. At least, not until he turned around to face the newly crowned Emperor of France, and not until he came out of the shadows into Arthur's sight. "You? Please tell me, why am I here?" Arthur asked. He wondered why he was having this dream.
"Well, you became Emperor of the French. My country hasn't had an Emperor since my nephew, who served longer but still failed in the end, where his son could've become Emperor in 1873 when he passed from this Earth. You see, Arthur, or Robert Hogan as that is your real name, The Soviets plan to do something terrible. They feel..let's just say, Animosity towards you for not allowing Joseph Stalin to come to your coronation. Do you see where I'm coming with this?"
Arthur/Robert Hogan understood what he meant. "They want to overthrow me and fully establish Communism in Europe, huh?" The former French Emperor nodded to Arthur, responding. "Indeed, they do. Over in China right now, Japan is currently occupying China. There is also a Chinese Civil War going on. If Japan loses to the US, that will open up to the Communists ultimately defeating the Kuomintang and establishing a People's Republic. This is why the United States and Japan need to sign a treaty."
"If I do this, then Communism will be forced to a stalemate, you believe?" Arthur/Robert Hogan asked. "The war has been going on since 1927. Chiang Kai-Shek made a huge mistake with the Shanghai massacre, Hogan. Mao Zedong is a horrible man." Hogan nodded. "If Communism wins in China..a Cultural Revolution will happen that will kill millions..Christians and other religious people will be killed alike for the bogus "subversion of state power" charge. China will attempt to attack the ROC which will by this point have been confined to Taiwan. You must not let Mao Zedong win."
Arthur/Robert Hogan was shocked. At that moment, the man disappeared and Hogan woke up sweating. He managed to go back to sleep though, however. He had a long night of rest to get through. In the meantime, he had a long time of ruling ahead of him, assuming he wouldn't make any fatal mistakes that could bring the monarchy down again. Arthur admired Wilhelm II, but Arthur knew that Wilhelm II screwed up badly towards the end of his reign.
Arthur kept the Stalags within Germany operating, as he liked the idea of open prisons. Of course, though, he made sure the fences were replaced with strong concrete walls with rebar, as well as tons of barbed wire on it, knowing some prisoners would try to escape. If they did, well, into the cold, dark, closed prisons they go. Arthur felt that open prisons would help rehabilitate prisoners. Wilhelm Klink retained his position as Kommandant, having been promoted to General by Arthur at this point, finally giving Klink what he had wanted for so long.
Stalag 13 wasn't going to reopen yet, however. Hogan had to clear up a matter between him, Klink, Schultz, and Langenscheidt. They did not know of the tunnel being there. At least, that's what he thinks. In the meantime, Stalag 13 was Klink's home, as well as the home of his brother and Klink's daughter Anneliese. Klink's wife, Lotte, lived somewhere else. Right now though Anneliese was with Lotte, and they were heading towards Paris, France.
A few hours later, the two arrived in Paris. They had to find somewhere to stay, after all. Freedom could be smelled through the air now, as Nazi Germany was no longer in existence. They decided to check into the same hotel Klink went to during his 7-day leave, a leave which Hogan ultimately made miserable to him as Klink was imprisoned by the Gestapo so Hogan could use a fake Himmler that Marya had hired so he could get the locations to the fighter bases.
9:AM
Arthur heard a knock on the door, as he got out of bed. "Sire?" Colonel LeBeau was standing guard outside the door. Arthur went to the door and opened it. "Lotte and Anneliese are here to see you sir." Arthur was surprised. He had not seen the two since Stalag 13 when World War II in Europe was still occurring. "Send them in, Arthur said to LeBeau." Then Lotte and Anneliese would enter the room just as Arthur finished getting dressed. He had not seen them since Stalag 13, shortly before the assassination of Adolf Hitler.
"Hogan!" Anneliese hurried into the room, hugging him tightly. The young Klink wondered why Hogan was dressed so elegantly. "Hogan? Why are you dressed like a King? Don't tell me you're a monarch-" Lotte cut him off. "He in fact is one, Anneliese. He is our Kaiser now, as well as Emperor of France." Hogan would correct Lotte. "Emperor of France, but my title is officially Emperor of the French." He simply stated to her and the others.
Anneliese was shocked. "Hogan! But you're not a member of the Hohenzollern dynasty." Arthur responded to her. "I was forced into it, Anneliese. I was forced into becoming Kaiser Arthur." Hogan said to her. "I am also a Catholic, so I'm not exactly a Lutheran." He explained to her, revealing that he is quite different from his predecessor. Hogan continued. "I am glad you have come to visit me, though, you two. I'm going to be heading to Japan in a few hours to negotiate a treaty between the US, Germany and Japan." He would regret saying this, however, as he managed to anger Anneliese Klink with those very words.
Suddenly, Arthur got slapped across the face by Anneliese. "WHAT?! ARE YOU INSANE, HOGAN?" Anneliese said, reminding Arthur of Kommandant Klink. "Imperial Japan is one of the most evil and vile regimes there is, Hogan. You go ahead with this treaty, and you will be complicit in their genocide." Hogan however shook his head as he spoke with Anneliese. He wanted to reason with her to listen to him.
"Look, Anneliese. It is only necessary, because I am against Communism. To defeat communism, we must side with Japan. We also need Chiang Kai-Shek to help us, too. In this instance, a treaty to end conflict between the two is a necessary evil to prevent a worser evil. You see, Anneliese, the Soviets are planning to invade; Napoleon Bonaparte himself informed me that this was going to happen, in a vision I had last night."
Anneliese Klink was disgusted with Arthur/Hogan. "You were like a big brother to me, Arthur. You were super kind to me and I even helped you achieve some underground missions from within the camp. I know that Communism is an evil ideology, but..you're helping out literal Fascists. Germany saw you as a hero in the end, Hogan. You're throwing it away now, it seems. You're just another disgusting ruler, it seems. You don't care. Fine. Go ahead, be friends with a genocidal maniac. You fought against Hitler, but..you don't care it seems."
Finally, Arthur/Hogan lost his temper. "SHUT UP, ANNELIESE! JUST SHUT THE HELL UP! Get out of my sight! You will not stop me! I am initiating a 10th crusade, and you cannot STOP ME! I will not let you intervene in my work to save the world from the evils of Communism." Hogan immediately realized what he said and quickly apologized. "I'm…sorry..Anneliese..that kind of anger I had hasn't been around since..my high school days." But the damage was already done. Anneliese stormed out of the room. Lotte came up to the Emperor, who was crying now.
"There there…Arthur." She soothed him. "I know you have good intentions..and mean well for my country and France." Lotte held him in an embrace. "I'll go talk to Anneliese. Bye, your majesty." Lotte left as Anneliese was waiting in the car for her. Arthur/Robert Hogan sat down on his bed in pure sadness and other mixed emotions. "I hate him...I hate him..." Anneliese said in the car as Lotte entered to calm him down. "Shhh...Lotte...it's going to be okay..it's going to be alright..don't worry yourself..please."
"Your majesty..are you okay?" LeBeau came in, asking him. "No, LeBeau. I just exposed myself as a terrible per-" LeBeau cut him off, having overheard the entire thing. "No, no. You aren't. You're doing the right thing. Anneliese personally believes you shouldn't ally with Japan again, and while she may be right, it is necessary to prevent Communism from being fully established over all of China. She'll forgive you and apologize, I'm sure, sire." Arthur calmed down and looked at LeBeau, smiling. Then he got up, with everything packed. He was heading to meet with representatives of Japan. In the meantime, Anneliese and her mom Lotte were on the way back to Germany. Anneliese intended to tell her father Klink about what happened, but decided not to after Lotte calmed her down.
December 13, 1944, Muncie, Indiana, Jane Residence
He was going to confront her. He did not want to, but he had to, owing to what she sent to him back at Stalag 13. He was going to call her out for the "Dear John" letter she sent him. The Sioux native of Bullfrog, North Dakota was upset, angry and left restless. If he had to speak to the air raid warden that she was dating, so be it. He continued his walk towards the house. He was tearing up, as he ended up getting out of the camp in the end although he was no longer her girlfriend, who he carried to and from school every day, and they quite clearly were practically married.
His footsteps could be heard as he neared the household. Someone looked out the window. A woman in her 50s. She was surprised and waited behind the curtain. Then he reached the door, knocking on it. He held the "Dear John Letter" In his hand. He wondered if the air warden even knew or thought that it was right for his love to have done that to him. He could hear footsteps as he awaited someone to open the door. Then they did just that. They were happy. He had come back to see them. No, they weren't his ex-girlfriend, but the ex-girlfriend's mother.
"Andrew Carter! It's good to see you!" The woman said, hugging him. It was Elaine Jane, mother of his ex-girlfriend Mary Jane. Carter had to come there, of course. "I have unfinished business." Carter told her, as he showed her the dear john letter that Mary Jane had sent to him back in Stalag 13. "She sent this to me back in Stalag 13, when I loved her..and cared for her…" He told Elaine Jane. Carter teared up. "Where is that air raid warden?" He asked her.
"Actually, Carter..she hasn't dated him for a while. When he found out, he got upset at her for betraying you.." Elaine told Carter as Mary Jane came into the room. "Mom, who are you-" Mary stopped as she put her hand over her mouth. "C-Carter..what are you doing here?!" She asked him. Carter stared at her with eyes and eyebrows of hatred.. "I think it's obvious." He said to her, showing her "Dear John Letter". Mary Jane was shocked Carter still had that letter, but now he was really going to let her have it verbally.
"You do not realize how deeply you truly hurt me, Mary. I wanted to escape Stalag 13, which would have BLOWN the Underground operation going on there. I was engaging in acts of sabotage against Nazi Germany. You assumed..wrongly about me, that the relationship wouldn't be able to go on with me there. Now, my friend Colonel Hogan, is a GENERAL and now rules Germany and France under the name of Arthur. You had to hurt me this bad, huh?" Carter showed her his arms spread out like an eagle.
Mary Jane was crying now. "C-Carter..I'm sorry…I didn't know..this would..h..hurt you this deeply…." She said to him as he would cut her off, "Well it did. I'll be at my drugstore, if you want to truly talk to me." Carter, looking extremely broken, sad and depressed, would then leave the house. "Bye Elaine…bye…Mary." Carter walked off with his hands on his face, crying. He had done it. He finally confronted Mary Jane for what she had done.
Mary Jane simply went upstairs to her bedroom. "What have I done…what have I done?" She cried silently on her bed. "I loved Carter..and then I broke up with him for what?! For what?!" She cried as she had done something terrible. She will have to talk to Carter later if she has any chance of fixing their relationship.
(1) Le trois fois glorieux et trois fois auguste empereur Arthur est couronné et intronisé. Longue vie à l'empereur! - "The thrice glorious and thrice august Emperor Arthur is crowned and enthroned. Long live the Emperor!"
