Now, where's that impossible nephew of mine? Engelbert Krieger asked as he closed the door behind him.
Onkel Engelbert? A little boy's head emerged from inside the corridor.
Ah, Hans, there you are.
You're here! Hans started racing towards his uncle mentioning a hug then stopped. I have something I want to show you.
Engelbert laughed as Hans shot past his father who was now coming down the corridor. Frederick Susman made way for his son and continued down the corridor, Engelbert! Nice of you to come visit. Please, sit.
Onkel, Onkel Look. Hans returned and handed Engelbert a spaceship toy. Isnt it awesome? Papa got me for my birthday. It's a Wrath.
Sure, Hans. It's beautiful! Now He stopped mid-sentence as the little one turned and ran back to his bedroom.
I have a Phantom too. Let me get it for you. The boy's voice came from inside his bedroom.
Does he ever stop? Engelbert asked.
Impossible, as you've said. Both laughed.
Fred, the military pilots are performing an air show of sorts today as a celebration to the war's end. I thought about taking Hans if you agree. He'd sure love it.
Fine with me, Engelbert. Your timing couldn't be better. Gertrud is out for the day and she won't return until later tonight.
I'll be back before she does.
You better be or there'll be hell to pay. Frederick produced an uptight chuckle, and then stood up. Hans? Come here, son. Your Onkel wants to tell you something... and went inside the house again.
Here Onkel, look. This one is the Phantom. Hans instructed as he handed another toy to Engelbert. He was already turning his back, probably to get another one, when his uncle held him by the hand.
Hans, what do you say you and me go to Hamburg and see the real thing? I mean, real Wraths and Phantoms.
The boy froze in place for a second and then turned back to face his uncle, blue eyes shooting sparks. Wow! Onkel He then held his smile and looked around. Just to realize his Mutter wasn't around to object.
Whoa! I can't hear this, Frederick protested from inside the bedroom.
Hans smile vanished. He then looked wide eyed back at his uncle as if begging him to intercede.
Now, Frederick, this isn't a big deal. I mean
I mean, Hamburg? Frederick interrupted, You'll end up getting me into some serious trouble someday, Engelbert!
He came back to the living room to find a boy and a grown man sharing the same puzzled face. No, you didn't understand me. I'm not listening to this. I know nothing about Hamburg. Frederick gave Hans a coat, a pair of shoes and a kiss. Now, you guys get going before I regret this.
“Hans, this is the Lorien. Onkel’s new transport.”
“Wow, Onkel. It’s a gigantic ship!”
Engelbert laughed. “Hardly gigantic, Hans. You’re just not used to seeing them so close to you. This one is actually quite small, but it will do for what I need her.” He patted the outer hull, “Maybe we’ll have a chance to see real gigantic ships at the air show,” then turned to Hans while entering the code to open the hatch. “Now enter.” He lifted the boy so he could reach it.
Hans disappeared inside. He ran back and forth the empty cargo hold. “Hello? Hello? Echo!”
Engelbert closed the hatch and moved to the pilot's seat. “Hans, I need a copilot. Come here.” With the crescendo of rushing little feet, he was surprised at how fast his nephew made it from the back of the cargo hold to the copilot’s seat.
“Here, Onkel!”
“No. Let me teach you how to properly behave in the military. Stand up.” Engelbert watched amused as the little boy assumed the seriousness of a little soldier. “Now, to show your respect to your superior officer, which is me, have your body straight, feet together, hands to your tighs. Now face me.” Little Hans obeyed. “Right. Have your hand real straight and put it in front of your forehead like this…” Engelbert waited, “Good! Now like this…” he demonstrated the military salute and the boy mimicked him perfectly. “Excellent! Now, go to the cargo hold and then come back to the bridge. Do everything like I taught you and present yourself like this: “Matrose Krieger reporting for duty, sir!””
Hans, enjoying the role play, did as told, “Matrose Krieger reporting for duty, sir!”
“Excellent, Krieger! Assume your post.” Engelbert went on, “Now you say, “Jawohl!” with all your heart. Say it.”
“Jawohl!”
“Stand by for orders, Matrose Krieger.” Engelbert turned to the radio, “This is LPW-78T ‘Lorien’ to New Berlin’s flight control. Request permission to take off.”
“’Lorien’, this is New Berlin flight control. You are cleared for take off and have docking ring clearance.”
“Right, Krieger. See the three green buttons on top of those levers?” Engelbert pointed.
“Jawohl!”
“Push them now!“
As the boy pressed the buttons, the ship’s engines roared and shook the empty transport. Responsible for unleashing such raw power, Hans forgot the military act and couldn’t help displaying a broad smile.
The air show would be presented right above one of the more secluded airfields in Hamburg. There was at least one exemplar of every ship in the militarys arsenal, from the various fighters to the battleships down to the support crafts with the bigger ships open for public visiting. There was so many people gathered, the lower hills around the airfield were taken by families having picnics, children playing and people looking for a vantage point to see the upcoming show.
This was one of Rheinlands first major gatherings after the Nomad war. Even before the war, Rheinland passed through difficult times economically. With the attempted Nomad invasion and the Rheinland Military being used as the tip of the blade for that incursion, there was a great deal of grievance amongst the civilian population against the military and the government. The nation was in dire need of a fresh start.
The death of the former chancellor, marking the end of the war, did it for the government. New chancellor, Kristina Pryde, took on the leadership of the Rheinland state with a surprisingly positive acceptance by the people. For months her offices mandate was to use that leverage and make it for the military as well. The chancellor understood that the nation would never be whole if it didnt trust its protectors. After building up their image through publicity campaigns over that period, it came the time when she would present the population the reformed military.
A group of young men and women marched from behind the dais from where Chancellor Pryde was addressing the audience and presented themselves in front of it. All poster boys and girls in perfect military stance, even dressing newly designed uniforms.
People of Rheinland, I present to you your guardians. These are the young men and women who will dedicate their lives to protect you and our fatherland. Please welcome them wholeheartedly.
Despite the fact that the people gathered there were likely to be, in their majority, nationalists of Rheinland, even those were known to be wary of supporting the military. What could have become a very awkward and uncomfortable hiatus was interrupted by the boom of fighter engines coming in from the hill behind the podium. The public applauded.
Engelbert could see past it; past the display designed to grab the peoples attention and their hearts. Gathered away from the spotlights, he recognized some of the old faces from his military days. True enough, the old admiralty and high command staff were gone; either killed or went missing upon the decimation of the infested fleet. The ones replacing them now were the very few soldiers left untainted that occupied the middle ranks at the end of the war.
He also noticed though, that none of the younger pilots; the ones posing in front of the dais; wavered or changed their poise. Their expressions and manners were of resolved and dedicated people, even though the attentions werent on them anymore. That perception, more than anything else, convinced Engelbert that perhaps the military was indeed ready to recover its due stature.
Onkel, Onkel It started already! Engelbert was brought back from his thoughts by his nephews urges that he paid attention to the show.
The Chancellor took to herself the task of presenting the first attractions, Dear compatriots and visitors, if you pay attention to that hill over there, you will see both the Scharnhorst and the Tirpitz coming in very low. Those ships are but a part of Rheinlands pride. A pair of Rheinland Battleships crept in from behind the hills resembling two giant sized land tanks. The ships were so massive that from the distance it looked like they were only centimeters away from the ground.
As they neared the airfield and rose, a music marked by dark metals and deep, slow drums colored the background with a tension rising atmosphere. On their final approach to the airfield, the Tirpitz broke away. The Scharnhorst came closer and started a lazy turn that circled around the public. The Tirpitz maneuvered and followed suit the same circling pattern. Opposing each other, they looked like parts of a colossal sized childs mobile.
For a minute or two, they did just that, inspiring awe in the audience with their magnitude and proximity. Both ships opened hangar doors and the music stopped. For some seconds nothing happened.
A blast marked the start of a brighter music, punctuated by vivid tones of string instruments. Two smoke spilling Wraths left each one of the opposing battleships hangar bays and passed each other in a cork-screwing maneuver in the middle of the circle drawn by battleships. At each compass of the music, another two fighters did the same. When the Tirpitz and the Scharnhorst completed another half circle each, the drawing in the sky resembled that of a giant sized wheel or of an umbrella. The public applauded once more. The battleships left.
Seven fighters joined in a delta formation and flew past the public making curves and loops without losing the shape. After making a second pass over the airfield, the formation veered up and spread. The result was something that resembled a broad birds tail. As all of them lost speed due to the climb, all cut engines and fell spiraling. From the distance they looked like falling leaves. As the ships approached the ground, one could almost cut through the publics apprehension. It looked like theyd all crash, but once reaching a few hundred meters from the ground, all re-engaged engines and flew away; reassuming the formation after a few seconds and flying away. The crowd couldnt hold back the relief and cheered.
A pair of Wraths crossed the withdrawing formation. As the duo approached the crowd, one of them flipped and flew upside down while maintaining formation with the other one. The two pilots moved to put their ships a few meters one over the other and with a greenish sparkle of tractor beams the ships connected. They crossed over the airfield glued to one another, twisted and broke away after it.
A single Phantom came in a wide cork-screwing spiral. See, Hans? How that ship did that twisting move? Thats called a barrel roll. Not such an easy maneuver to perform correctly. Engelbert explained to little Hans over his shoulders. He continued, Most pilots will simply roll over their ships axis, but that isnt really a barrel roll. It`s called that because
Engelbert noticed Hans wasnt responding and hadnt said a word in minutes. He took the boy off of his shoulders and held him. Hans wouldnt take his eyes out of the flying ships. He was so marveled by them his mouth was open. Engelbert laughed to himself, Boy, youll be such a sucker for flying. Poor Gertrud.
The show went on with the military pilots performing a number of other inventive and impressive demonstrations.
Engelbert had taken his nephew to a nearby hill so the boy would have a better view of the action without him having to hold him up all the time. The air show had been over for a couple of hours, but they lingered there. Engelbert had decided to stay behind so he could enjoy the company of his nephew. Ever since he moved to Liberty, work had absorbed him so much he had few opportunities to visit his family and his land.
He had gotten Hans a model of Rheinland's Snubnose bomber. He watched the boy play with the model. Hans repeated the maneuvers he had seen during show and did his best to imitate the peculiar sound of the ship's engines. Engelbert patted Hans on the head and looked around. Most of the people were gone. Some families stayed behind. While adults went about collecting their belongings, children ran up and down the hills and played. A good number of people were still at the airfield. Support personnel tended the exposed ships, readying them for takeoff. Pilots were engaged in cheerful conversations amongst themselves. People took the opportunity to take a closer look at the remaining ships now that the place was less crowded.
"How did you like the show, Onkel?" Hans asked.
"Oh. I liked it very much, Hans." Engelbert turned back to his nephew. "How about you? Did you like it?"
"It was..." Hans paused thinking of a way to describe it, "...super awesome, Onkel! Thanks for bringing me."
A bomber group had just taken off, leaving the airfield. "Look, Hans! Off the bombers go. Here, let me have yours." Engelbert took the model and put it just right in front of his nephew eyes so it would look like the miniature ship belonged to the formation. Hans smiled and then yawned.
"Alright, little one..." Engelbert stood up with a grunt and turned to the boy. He realized they had spent the whole day there, his nephew was tired. "Time for us to go home."
"May we take a last look at the ships, Onkel?" Even though he had little juice to go on, Hans seemed decided to burn it all up there.
"Sure, fly-boy, but only if you can beat me to the airfield," Engelbert said as he patted Hans on the shoulder and started running.
"Not fair, Onkel!" The boy raced after.
As they were reaching the bottom of the hill, Engelbert slowed his pace, pretending he was panting for breath, so Hans would win. "Alright, you win. We can see the ships."
But the kid never stopped racing and as Engelbert bent forward to fake loosing his breath, he lost sight of him.
"Hans?" Engelbert looked around trying to find his nephew. "Hans Krieger!" He yelled.
"Here, Onkel!" Hans showed up from behind a Wrath fighter. A pilot had her hand between the boy's shoulders, guiding him back to his uncle.
Engelbert breathed relieved. He knelled by his nephew and put his hands over the kids shoulders, "Guter Goettin, Hans! Don't scare me like that again." He took the boy's hand and raised to face the pilot, "Thank you so much. I..."
"Herr Krieger? Is that you?" Another voice interrupted from behind him.
Engelbert turned around to see who it was. "Herr Meier!" There was no hiding the emotion in his voice. He stopped short from hugging the man, grabbing both his shoulders with a broad smile in his face. "I can't believe it!"
"Neither can I, old friend," Meier said almost to himself, "this is a glorious day." He smiled back and dismissed the formalities, giving Engelbert a tight hug. He then withdrew from it, holding Engelbert by his shoulders and looking him straight in the eye, "Mein Goettin, Engelbert. I can't believe you've made it."
For a moment both men just looked at each other without saying a word, as if recalling events neither one of them wanted to say out loud.
Meier shook it and looked at Hans, "And who is this?"
Engelbert turned to Hans, picking up his model bomber. "Hans, this is Kapitaen Meier," he introduced, "Remember what I taught you about how to behave in the Kriegsmarine?"
"Yes, Onkel," Hans answered and then turned to Meier, "Matrose Krieger reporting for duty, sir!"
The boy's reaction was so unexpected and it had such heart into it, it was discomposing. The Kapitaen was startled into returning the salute in an appropriate fashion. "Jawohl, Herr Krieger!" Meier relaxed the military poise laughing at himself for being flustered by a little boy. He patted Hans on the head and said, "With soldiers like this one we can win a thousand wars. I expected no less from a son of yours, Engelbert."
Engelbert laughed. "He is my nephew, Herr Meier. My sister's son." He corrected.
""Krieger"?" Meier asked confused.
"Strong Rheinlander women," Engelbert explained with a shrug, "what can I say?"
"Indeed. Speaking of which, let me introduce you to Stabskapitanleutnant Hiltraud Kaiser. She led our Wraths flight group today."
"My congratulations, Frau Kaiser. Your group's performance was magnificent and inspiring."
"Vielen Dank, Herr Krieger."
"Frau Kaiser; Herr Engelbert Krieger, former Stabskapitanleutnant, is a war veteran of our Kriegsmarine. He and I, we have flown many missions together, isn't that so, Herr Krieger?"
"If you mean those deep space reconnaissance missions through which you slept in the back seat while I did the actual work, that's so." Engelbert joked.
Meier laughed. "Oh, don't you dare telling war stories outside of a bar."
"I'm sorry, Meier, but I'll have to decline today. I must take Hans back to his parents in New Berlin. I'll accept your invitation for another time."
"Fair enough, Krieger. You don't want me to spoil your reputation in front of the lady. We'll meet some other day then." Meier held Engelbert by the arm. "I'm very happy you've made it out of all that mess alive, Engelbert." He then turned to Hans. "I'm very pleased to meet you, Herr Matrose Krieger."
Both Meier and Kaiser walked away.
Engelbert made sure he didn't wake up Hans while he buckled the boy's seatbelts inside the Lorien's cockpit. He had carried his nephew all the way back to the ship. The boy felt asleep as soon as they left the airfield.
As Engelbert made the preparations to take off, Hans was stirring. He heard his nephew asking in his sleep, "Why did you leave the military, Onkel?"
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