"My Kaiser, the news blackouts continue...  as per your orders."

The very starched uniformed man saluted the younger gentleman that was finishing putting on his own very formal outfit before the full length mirror.  Servants scurried about to help him get ready.

"Thank you captain, good work in keeping the wireless communications to a minimum on this."

"Sir, we can't keep this kind of information away from the subjects."

"And what do you think I should do captain?"  the young former prince walked over and put his hand on the uniformed man's shoulder, "Look at what we have endured... coups, a fleet in tatters, wars starting across the ocean, and... now this?  What confidence would I..."

"I understand..."

The prince smiled a bit as his eyebrow raised a bit.

"You do?  Well then...  what do you say about this?"

"Announce it.  The military command knows... as does certain members of the Reichstag... it is time."

The prince closed his eyes for a second and pressed his fingers into his forehead.

"You're right.  It is time to make my ascension official.  Gather the ones who will spread the word..."

"Immediately my Kaiser."

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July 10, 1912

In an press conference today, the Kronprinz Eitel Friedrich came before the assembled masses to announce a dark day in the Deutcher Kaiserreich Brandenburg with the passing of Kaiser Wilhelm II in a terrible boating incident a month ago.  The crowd was naturally in an uproar as the prince tried to calm the crowd and after a moment, they came back in line.  He proceeded to announce that his father... no... that father of the entire DKB has been take from them and while the murderers of their Kaiser are still unknown, that very unknown factor was what kept him from announcing it till now... out of respect to the nation's passed father... and that he will ascend to the throne properly within the week and do his best to continue the works his father had started.

-------------------------------------------

"What is this?  The Kaiser is dead?"

The second telegraph operator at the naval base sat up as another chain of communiques came through.

"That is important but I think you need to run this to the base commander, seems that we have new orders coming in..."

"Oh my... Immediately sir."

 :o I think the correct response for me would be:

Oh S***!

I wonder who will be blamed for the assasination.

*chuckles*

Its always the Mossad....  ::)

Mossad agents acting as New Swiss?

Iberians would be better targets for the Mossad than Germans.

The Zionites suspect Iberian agents acting like Mossad...

In an office in Kaiwera...

"So it's confirmed, then."

"Yes, Majesty. An actual accident, so far as we can tell."

"Pity. His son isn't so stupid, or so foolish."

"Or at least not so insecure."

"That will make things more difficult. Ah, well. We'll deal with it."

"Yes, Majesty."

El Presidente Jorge Martinez y Garcia sends condolences on behalf of the entire Naciones Unidas. And while our nations have not seen eye to eye in the past he wishes Prince Frederick well. All flags have been ordered to half mast for the next week.

The Baltic Confederation is hereby expressing its condolence over the departure of Kaiser Wilhelm and express the wish that this sad occasion will open up the opportunity to the normalize the relations between the D.K.B. and the Confederation.
signed :
President of the Baltic Confederation: Jonas Silbertann   

It is with great emotion that the People of Peru has learned the tragical death of Kaiser.

The President of the Republic, Fernando Moreno, the members of the assembly and all Peruvians present its condoleance to the Government and people of Deutcher Kaiserreich Brandenburg .

The Empire of Italia and the People of Rome offer their condolences to the People of the DKB on the passing of such great leader.  The Bishop of Rome will hold a mass to commemorate his passing in the Cathedral of St. Peter.

The CSA would like to join the heartfelt expressions of condolences to the DKB. The President was an admirer of your lost leader's adventurous spirit. We hope only that the people of the DKB may find comfort in his memory.

Many thanks for the warm wishes and support in the days since the announcement and many apologies for the lack of communication of what is transpiring within out borders.  While the official laying to rest of the body of our fallen leader was done quietly during the cover-up...  I mean the quiet investigation period, a period of public mourning and visitation of the tomb complex near the family estates along with the estate grounds being open to the public for a month to make up for the delay.  Any leaders and nobles making the long trek to our homelands to show respect will be given proper lodgings befitting such guests within the estates... as per our soon to be crowned heir.  The official coronation will take place the weekend following the end of visitations.  More information will be made as it is deemed pertinent by the government or by special request.

Chief Adjutant to the Heir,
Hans Gunsche

Dispatch orders for the 3rd Unterseeboot flotilla of the Indischerflotte came in on the 1st of September with instructions for the U-5 class boats to prepare to set sail on extended maneuvers to monitor the unfolding events and shipping occurring in the north due to the Crusade.

September 3rd

Sitting deep in the water tied to one of the main piers, a larger freighter finishes loading.  Oil lines top off the fuel bunkers as cranes lower in the last massive pressure tanks.  A rather stiff looking officer watches over it all while flipping through his reports, cautiously hoping for the best.  The older captain walked up behind him.

"It will be good to see Europe again, won't it..."

"Yes, it will be.  I heard Austria is rather nice this time of year...  was planning to catch an opera."

"With the crusade going?"

"That shouldn't disrupt the arts now, will it?"

"Well, hopefully not.  I could take in a bit of a vacation...  especially if we have to go around the cape..."

"Its bad enough we have to go south of Australia...  You sure the cargo holds will not be damaged."

"I have been a captain in these waters for years...  if something like a southern storm will claim my freighter, it is going to have to be a big one."

"You are sure optimistic..."

"Of course...  now excuse me, I have to finish running over things with the watch officers.  See you on board good sir."

The freighter bound for the Habsburg homelands continued its work to make sail with the coming day.

September 4th

The Deutcher Kaiserreich Brandenburg would like to announce a long term project to link willing nations into a network of zeppelin to facilitate an easier transfer of people between the participating nations.  The D.K.B. is making the first step to show its dedication to this new project by expanding its zeppelin yards and hangars on a number of islands within the Pacific and Indian oceans with the coming year's budget.