Chapter Two Thousand Eight Hundred and Twenty
5th April 1980
Miranda de Ebro, Spain
The annual Spring Exercises of European Defense Pact nations was being hosted by Spain this year and the forces involved had their headquarters in the small town of Miranda de Ebro. Beyond seeing that the names of places were familiar due to them being where events in the Spanish War decades earlier had played out, Niko had figured that Spain presented a whole host of problems that he had not encountered elsewhere.
It was Easter Sunday and that was a huge deal in a place like Spain. So Niko thought that he had lucked out when he had discovered that the taverna was open the day before because it had seemed like the whole country had shut down this week, today his luck had run out though. Everything was closed today and as a Junior Officer he was expected to be available in case any of the Generals needed anything. So Niko had tried to figure something else out only to get stuck with a bag of field rations, because the men who normally served in the mess hall had vanished for reasons that remained murky, and several hours to kill. His presence in Spain had been requested by the General of the Infantry Adam Bachmeier, the Overall Commander of the Exercise after his success last year. This year had turned out to be a bit more complicated though. He might have been appointed to be an aide of General Bachmeier, however he could the number of times he had seen the General since he had arrived in Spain on one hand. Not that it was a particular hardship though. For Niko it was a much-needed break for the constant training that he had been enduring ahead of the Summer Games.
Uncle Hans had told him all about Miranda de Ebro, how he had stayed here for a time during the Spanish War as the 2nd Army order to hold in place as they had been leapfrogged by the 5th Army. Rain and mud had figured heavily in Hans’ accounting. Often had needed to contend with the mud and the Brass had not been content unless their orders somehow resulted in him having to stand out in the rain all day. It wasn’t raining today, but the afternoons had been much warmer than Niko was used to this time of year. Finding a patch of shade under a tree by the river near the old bridge that had a very convenient bench at hand had been easy enough.
Watching Zwei contentedly munching on the contents of his feedbag, Niko knew that anyone who had ever spent any time around horses understood that they were basically a stomach on four legs. Niko wished that he had it so easy as he was using the can opener on his pocketknife to open a tin of the entrée from one of his ration packs, which was labeled Rindereintopf in an extreme case of optimism triumphing over sensibility. What it actually was, was mystery meat in sauce with potatoes and carrots. A separate tin in the same pack was labeled Kimchi that he had not opened yet. In theory the two were supposed to complement each other, but Niko knew from bitter experience that tended to lead to ruin. He knew that as soon as Zwei had his fill, he would need to make sure that the horse got water as well.
“They told me you were down here” A voice with an accent that was extremely unusual for Spain said, there was the sound of boot heels and clop of horses hooves. Niko knew who it was before he turned to look. Lieutenant James “Slick” Acree of the US Army’s 6th Air Cavalry Regiment, here with the other International Observers. Niko knew that he had volunteered for this because he got to play the role of an actual Cavalryman as opposed to being in a helicopter, leading what was basically a Light Infantry Platoon in Fort Riley, Kansas. “What’s this business of them making you a 1st LT?” Slick asked as he led his horse under the tree next to Zwei.
“Oberleutnant der Reserve” Niko corrected, “And these things happen.”
The Third Army Command had seen fit to promote Niko based on his time in the field and they had been extremely interested in his Academic Schedule. When he completed his Diplom in Military History, they wanted him at the Field Command School in Lichterfelde as soon as it could be arranged. When Niko’s Commission went active, they wanted him leading a Dragoon Company in the Panzer Corps. Opa, wherever he was, would be proud of that.
“Sort of like the clap?” Slick asked.
“I guess that is one way to put it” Niko said as he dug into the bag and tossed Slick one of the ration packs.
Slick being Slick, he immediately tore it open and found the chocolate bar. Like he had in the past, Slick told Niko all about the differences between the German chocolate bars made of dark chocolate and the Hershey bars back in the United States. Niko only half listened as he finish the tin he was eating from and was opening the kimchi. Then Slick said something interesting.
“This place reminds me of Northern California” Slick said, “Up near Redding.”
“All I know of California is what is in the movies” Niko replied. “Sun and surf, Valley girls.”
“That is a different part of the State” Slick replied as two teenaged girls came walking down the path next to river, followed by matron who looked with disdain at Niko and Slick. Slick smiled at the two girls and tipped his hat. They giggled as the matron gave him a withering look. Slick was chuckling at that as they kept walking past.
“Now you’re here Niko, Bruce around at all?” Slick asked.
“He’s still in England” Niko replied, “Training with the hope of beating me in Moscow this July, Modern Pentathlon and Fencing.”
“Pentathlon?” Slick asked, “Care to explain that.”