Do You Know What I Know: a Holiday Timeline

[spanishspy]

Santa Claus wished he wasn't familiar with warfare. The thing was that he had unfortunately been dragged into one war (and one smaller conflict that you could call a war) before and wished not to do it again. Nevertheless, the bullets that he heard outside the Stocking were giving him deja vu.

Rifles and machine guns sent their bullets and rounds whirring through the air. As they did, Santa and Candycane pulled their sleigh behind the line established by the army.

One of the other sleighs had prepared a turret, armed with the same cannon a human tank was, and was aimed, but did not fire, at the intruders.

"Mr. Claus!" came an elf soldier, who saluted. "Lieutenant Midwinter at your service, sir! I am the commanding officer in charge of our current deployment."

"Lieutenant, I would like to speak with these rebels personally. Provide me an escort."

"Are you sure, sir? They could kill you!"

Claus glared at Midwinter. "I said, provide me an escort."

"Yes, sir." Midwinter barked to his men, "provide a cordon around Claus. He intends to speak to them!"

They did so. Claus' red hat was visible even above the elves with their guns; it helped that Claus was a foot taller than his guardians. Candycane merely nodded and followed them, his own gun in tow.

The gunfire from the rebels stopped. He could hear their guns being thrown to the ground.

Their leader stepped forward. "We were instructed to not harm Santa Claus himself. Therefore, we surrender."

[lordroel]

Dec 10, 2017 6:14:09 GMT spanishspy said:

"We were instructed to not harm Santa Claus himself. Therefore, we surrender."

That was quick.

[stevep]

Dec 10, 2017 9:51:34 GMT lordroel said:

Dec 10, 2017 6:14:09 GMT spanishspy said:

"We were instructed to not harm Santa Claus himself. Therefore, we surrender."

That was quick.

  And intriguing.  So whatever the people behind this are planning their not totally opposed to Santa and the current system.

  Possibly trying to influence humanity by blackmail in some way?  Do what we say or all your dirty secrets get out?  Although would that many politicians, especially in the SU bother that much?

[spanishspy]

"Our troops outside are surrendering. As you said, they weren't to harm Claus."

Poleman braced for impact. He knew Baubler was not inclined to take opposition to his schemes lightly, but this was indeed what he had ordered.

"So our first plan did not succeed. Clearly, our own initial assessment won't work. Nevertheless, we will not let ourselves and our culture become replaced by nihilism." He turned to Poleman. "Radio to Mr. Confectioner that the sleighs need to launch at this instant. All three!"

"Yes sir!" replied Poleman. Other rebel elves handed him a radio. "Group F, launch all sleighs. You know the drill."

"And the rest of you! Take all the punchcards you can. Get the charges ready. We need to get out of here."

...

"Livingston Baubler?" asked Santa Claus.

"Yes, Mr. Claus. He's the one who ordered us to seize the facility. He's the one in charge." The elf paused. "And he is the one that will succeed."

Claus scowled. "I knew he was up to something," remarked Candycane. "You think someone who gets so mad at committee meetings about continuing deliveries to the Soviet Union would not be planning such a thing?"

Baubler, Claus remembered, was a skilled bureaucrat. He was in the foreign ministry, under Candycane. He kept the naughty and nice records, as well as access to a computer that could read the cards, under wraps from that ministry specifically because of him.

Back during the last war, Baubler had brought up several objections to helping the Soviet Union because they were an "atheist" power. They opposed the idea of Christmas, he said, and therefore they deserved no help from them. Nevertheless, he did a lot of work with the Western Allies, and made sure that the sleighs over Britain, and those that bombed Germany, were in the air. That was how he was promoted to Deputy Foreign Minister, something he had been peeved about. He wanted that Foreign Minister post.

"So what is his plan?" asked Claus to the rebel, who seemed to be in charge.

"He hasn't told me much, and what he did tell, he told me not to tell you. But he also told me not to kill you."

The argument went on for a while.

"Mr. Claus?" asked Candycane, "I hate to interrupt, but look up. There's something you might want to see."

Claus looked upward.

Three sleighs had taken off into the sky, to where he did not know.

But they were going in three separate directions.

[lordroel]

Dec 11, 2017 2:59:42 GMT spanishspy said:

But they were going in three separate directions.

Wonder where they are going to.

[spanishspy]

Dec 11, 2017 4:42:03 GMT lordroel said:

Dec 11, 2017 2:59:42 GMT spanishspy said:

But they were going in three separate directions.

Wonder where they are going to.

That's for me to write and you to find out. 

[lordroel]

Dec 11, 2017 6:10:21 GMT spanishspy said:

Dec 11, 2017 4:42:03 GMT lordroel said:

Wonder where they are going to.

That's for me to write and you to find out. 

That i will.

[stevep]

Dec 11, 2017 2:59:42 GMT spanishspy said:

"Our troops outside are surrendering. As you said, they weren't to harm Claus."

Poleman braced for impact. He knew Baubler was not inclined to take opposition to his schemes lightly, but this was indeed what he had ordered.

"So our first plan did not succeed. Clearly, our own initial assessment won't work. Nevertheless, we will not let ourselves and our culture become replaced by nihilism." He turned to Poleman. "Radio to Mr. Confectioner that the sleighs need to launch at this instant. All three!"

"Yes sir!" replied Poleman. Other rebel elves handed him a radio. "Group F, launch all sleighs. You know the drill."

"And the rest of you! Take all the punchcards you can. Get the charges ready. We need to get out of here."

...

"Livingston Baubler?" asked Santa Claus.

"Yes, Mr. Claus. He's the one who ordered us to seize the facility. He's the one in charge." The elf paused. "And he is the one that will succeed."

Claus scowled. "I knew he was up to something," remarked Candycane. "You think someone who gets so mad at committee meetings about continuing deliveries to the Soviet Union would not be planning such a thing?"

Baubler, Claus remembered, was a skilled bureaucrat. He was in the foreign ministry, under Candycane. He kept the naughty and nice records, as well as access to a computer that could read the cards, under wraps from that ministry specifically because of him.

Back during the last war, Baubler had brought up several objections to helping the Soviet Union because they were an "atheist" power. They opposed the idea of Christmas, he said, and therefore they deserved no help from them. Nevertheless, he did a lot of work with the Western Allies, and made sure that the sleighs over Britain, and those that bombed Germany, were in the air. That was how he was promoted to Deputy Foreign Minister, something he had been peeved about. He wanted that Foreign Minister post.

"So what is his plan?" asked Claus to the rebel, who seemed to be in charge.

"He hasn't told me much, and what he did tell, he told me not to tell you. But he also told me not to kill you."

The argument went on for a while.

"Mr. Claus?" asked Candycane, "I hate to interrupt, but look up. There's something you might want to see."

Claus looked upward.

Three sleighs had taken off into the sky, to where he did not know.

But they were going in three separate directions.

  Now that's an interesting section.  That Santa would continue to support the SU, especially if the traditional 'support' of supplying Christmas gifts to children is one thing.  That he actually had sledges bombing Germany, presumably not with toys is a different matter.  This also sets a precedent.  What does/did he do during other brutal regimes or not and why?

  We also now know that Baubler's primary motivation seems to be an opposition to the SU. 

  Guessing that the three sleighs are an attempt to confuse their opponents as to where either the chief rebels and/or the information they were after are going and make it easier for them to get away.  Especially since I have the feeling all three are feints. 

[spanishspy]

Dec 11, 2017 17:06:56 GMT stevep said:

Dec 11, 2017 2:59:42 GMT spanishspy said:

"Our troops outside are surrendering. As you said, they weren't to harm Claus."

Poleman braced for impact. He knew Baubler was not inclined to take opposition to his schemes lightly, but this was indeed what he had ordered.

"So our first plan did not succeed. Clearly, our own initial assessment won't work. Nevertheless, we will not let ourselves and our culture become replaced by nihilism." He turned to Poleman. "Radio to Mr. Confectioner that the sleighs need to launch at this instant. All three!"

"Yes sir!" replied Poleman. Other rebel elves handed him a radio. "Group F, launch all sleighs. You know the drill."

"And the rest of you! Take all the punchcards you can. Get the charges ready. We need to get out of here."

...

"Livingston Baubler?" asked Santa Claus.

"Yes, Mr. Claus. He's the one who ordered us to seize the facility. He's the one in charge." The elf paused. "And he is the one that will succeed."

Claus scowled. "I knew he was up to something," remarked Candycane. "You think someone who gets so mad at committee meetings about continuing deliveries to the Soviet Union would not be planning such a thing?"

Baubler, Claus remembered, was a skilled bureaucrat. He was in the foreign ministry, under Candycane. He kept the naughty and nice records, as well as access to a computer that could read the cards, under wraps from that ministry specifically because of him.

Back during the last war, Baubler had brought up several objections to helping the Soviet Union because they were an "atheist" power. They opposed the idea of Christmas, he said, and therefore they deserved no help from them. Nevertheless, he did a lot of work with the Western Allies, and made sure that the sleighs over Britain, and those that bombed Germany, were in the air. That was how he was promoted to Deputy Foreign Minister, something he had been peeved about. He wanted that Foreign Minister post.

"So what is his plan?" asked Claus to the rebel, who seemed to be in charge.

"He hasn't told me much, and what he did tell, he told me not to tell you. But he also told me not to kill you."

The argument went on for a while.

"Mr. Claus?" asked Candycane, "I hate to interrupt, but look up. There's something you might want to see."

Claus looked upward.

Three sleighs had taken off into the sky, to where he did not know.

But they were going in three separate directions.

  Now that's an interesting section.  That Santa would continue to support the SU, especially if the traditional 'support' of supplying Christmas gifts to children is one thing.  That he actually had sledges bombing Germany, presumably not with toys is a different matter.  This also sets a precedent.  What does/did he do during other brutal regimes or not and why?

  We also now know that Baubler's primary motivation seems to be an opposition to the SU. 

  Guessing that the three sleighs are an attempt to confuse their opponents as to where either the chief rebels and/or the information they were after are going and make it easier for them to get away.  Especially since I have the feeling all three are feints. 

The reference to Germany is a callback to one of my previous holiday timelines, called The Blazing Yule. It's on this site. 

Long story short is that the Luftwaffe shot down Santa's sleigh over Manchester during the Blitz. 

[lordroel]

Dec 11, 2017 19:07:37 GMT spanishspy said:

Long story short is that the Luftwaffe shot down Santa's sleigh over Manchester during the Blitz. 

Those monsters.

[spanishspy]

Dec 11, 2017 19:09:49 GMT lordroel said:

Dec 11, 2017 19:07:37 GMT spanishspy said:

Long story short is that the Luftwaffe shot down Santa's sleigh over Manchester during the Blitz. 

Those monsters.

Nazis are bastards, yes. 

[lordroel]

Dec 11, 2017 21:31:27 GMT spanishspy said:

Dec 11, 2017 19:09:49 GMT lordroel said:

Those monsters.

Nazis are bastards, yes. 

That is true.

[stevep]

Dec 11, 2017 21:31:27 GMT spanishspy said:

Dec 11, 2017 19:09:49 GMT lordroel said:

Those monsters.

Nazis are bastards, yes. 

  You do realise that is a gross insult to probably hundreds of millions of the world's population!   Including at least one frequent poster on this board.

[stevep]

Dec 11, 2017 19:07:37 GMT spanishspy said:

Dec 11, 2017 17:06:56 GMT stevep said:

  Now that's an interesting section.  That Santa would continue to support the SU, especially if the traditional 'support' of supplying Christmas gifts to children is one thing.  That he actually had sledges bombing Germany, presumably not with toys is a different matter.  This also sets a precedent.  What does/did he do during other brutal regimes or not and why?

  We also now know that Baubler's primary motivation seems to be an opposition to the SU. 

  Guessing that the three sleighs are an attempt to confuse their opponents as to where either the chief rebels and/or the information they were after are going and make it easier for them to get away.  Especially since I have the feeling all three are feints. 

The reference to Germany is a callback to one of my previous holiday timelines, called The Blazing Yule. It's on this site. 

Long story short is that the Luftwaffe shot down Santa's sleigh over Manchester during the Blitz.

 
 I can see why that could cause some upset.

[lordroel]

Dec 12, 2017 12:17:55 GMT stevep said:

Dec 11, 2017 21:31:27 GMT spanishspy said:

Nazis are bastards, yes. 

  You do realise that is a gross insult to probably hundreds of millions of the world's population!   Including at least one frequent poster on this board.

What do you mean with insult to probably hundreds of millions of the world's population! Including at least one frequent poster on this board.