Makarovia? Where The Hell Is That? Freshman Year - 24. Chapter 24

We did locate a computer that was being used by an office that used a CPU with the disk port. I quickly accessed the files on the diskettes, which, thank God, weren’t encrypted. The computer had internet access, so I emailed all the files to myself. Once that was done, I turned to Peter.

“I promised to tell you now,” I said. “I know it’s still daylight…”

Peter grinned sadly, but I saw it in his eyes. “…but you want me.” He nodded leaning in kissing me gently. “I need you right now, too.”

Again, we knew each other and right now…we needed the comfort of that one person in our lives that we loved. He took my hand and we both headed for our bedroom. In the privacy there, we slowly undressed each other and those probing kisses were more…loving. No urgency. The idea of bottoming never was questioned. I did gladly for him and he did gladly for me. Both of us knew the other was loved. I love passion, but right now, just being close to Peter was all I needed. Yes, I needed him as much as he needed me. We just needed our time to simply…touch. Once we were both satisfied…for now, he said.

“I love you, Eric,” Peter said again.

“I love you, Peter.” My fingers in his hair.

“I was thinking…we need a memorial.” Peter said propping on his hand and looking down at me.

“Okay.” I nodded. “For Makarovia?”

He looked a little surprised. “Sure. Don’t they deserve one?”

“I do.” I nodded. “What this country did was nothing short of miraculous. They hid, clothed and fed those people who came here, but it should celebrate the many sacrifices of the people here and those had to flee.”

Peter nodded as he thought. “How about one that…mourns those that were needlessly lost to us. A memorial that celebrates those that got here and the ones that welcomed them once they did get here?”

I grinned at him. “Sure, that sounds great!” I pulled him back to close the gap again. “We need to find an artist.”

Peter rolled his eyes. “Where will we find a gay artist!? That will be hard.”

“We could advertise for one?”

“Advertise?” Peter chuckled. “We’ll have crazy people respond!”

“And someone that won’t be.” I smiled as he began kissing along my jaw again as he continued to my neck where he knew my…places I preferred. I knew his, too. My arms went around him again pulling him tighter to me again. “But right now…I don’t care.” My hand pulling his head closer as he worked on my neck where I liked.

Peter chuckled. “You do care.” He sat up a little.

“Not right now,” I said pulling him for a more consuming kiss which he just laughed and willingly returned. “I’m kind of…distracted, but don’t stop!” I rolled us so I was on top. “Now, it’s my turn.” I grinned bringing his arms up and quickly traced a trail up from the soft skin below his armpit up through the hairs making him yelp a laugh, but he didn’t move. “I absolutely adore you, Peter.”

Peter nodded a smile. “Only about half as much as I adore you.”

Then…we had our passionate sex! Just because you came once or even twice, doesn’t mean you’re done. You just have to work harder, but I don’t mind that!

I stayed in our room to use our computer to go over what I’d copied from the diskettes and sent to myself and there were more letters and other things. Images, pictures of the men and women…sorry again, but most of them were men, there were some women, but, just a few. A lot of memory was used, but I found an inventory! There were recordings! Audio, but recordings and even where they were! I let out an excited cry, but were these tapes still there? “I love you, Henry Brown! Wherever you are!” There was a location in the archives and a number. The man was organized! Racing down the hall I went in the archives and searched the number labels and found the shelf with boxes. Numbers were what they were in most languages, so I understood. I opened one…and groaned at what I saw. It was recorded on one of those big recorders with the bigger audio tapes? Reel to reel? Magnetic audio tapes? Everything audio or musical now was digital. It was done in the fifties? Now, did we still have a tape recorder to play these on? I hated not knowing where things were! I looked for someone to ask but ended up back in Olek’s office. I smiled when I entered the door. Two similar black heads of hair bent over a map on Olek’s desk, looking at a map.

“Two Ivanov men with their heads together,” I said grinning. “The world as we know it will vanish.”

Olek looked up and smiled. “How’s it going with all the research?”

I grinned. “Pretty good!” I nodded. “You don’t have access to one of those old reel tape recorders? Something else they recycled in Makarovia?”

Olek smiled but shook his head. “Sorry. I’m sure we have one. I can ask.”

Peter looked up quickly. “There are tapes?”

I nodded. “Interviews, pictures of the people are on the diskettes…” I grinned. “And labeled!” I held up a box to show the tapes. “But these, I’m interested in. To hear it in their own voices.”

“Why? You don’t speak German.” Peter chuckled.

“I’ll learn!” I said. “But to hear the timbre and inflection. To hear the pain in their voice. I don’t want to, but I think it’s important to feel the pain as much as possible. The voices will do that.”

“Would Drew help you?” Olek asked.

“He’s in England!” I said.

“And?” Olek asked logically.

I did pout, a little. “I wanted to hear it now.”

“You have to wait,” Peter said chuckling. “But I’m sure if Drew can’t…though I know he will, this is that fay, fag and fairy shit he finds to report on and this is right up his alley.” He shrugged. “Or we wait until we get back to Northeastern and we have Dean Sutton handle it.”

I sighed and waved at the tapes. “These need to be digitally protected and preserved. Sealed.”

Olek nodded. “You’re right.” He waved at the map. “We’re scouting for some locations for the new generators.”

I nodded. “Sure, it’s our uranium. We should use it.” I walked over. “What size generator?”

“One big one would cover most of Makarovia, but we thought some small generators, one small one could provide power for about twenty thousand homes. There are some smaller communities we can combine on one reactor. We’ll begin construction soon, but most will have to wait until next year after the winter.”

I nodded. “I’ve heard they can be rough.”

“Wait. You’ll find out during Christmas break.” Olek chuckled. “We have the original power stations in Makarovia, like the one here is Stryia. The new power generators will have to be more distant from town.” He waved at the map. “We’ve got potential sites found, with surveys, we’ll find out this week.” Then he looked hesitantly at me. “Dr. Schneider and another associate will be joining us at dinner tonight.”

“The Germans.” I simply said with no enthusiasm.

Peter knew me well and stood up straighter. “Eric.” He said, not quite warningly.

“I know!” I said quickly. “They didn’t do it!” I nodded as I held my hand up to stop him from going on. “I know.” I couldn’t look at them now. My feelings were too new and still raw about the whole thing.

“They are part of the work crews to build the reactors.” Olek came from around the desk and turned me around. “I’m asking you to be there. Not as a king, but as my brother.” He smiled and looked me in the eyes. “I told Dr. Schneider about the written testimonials. I told Dr. Schneider how you were feeling right now…how I felt when I read them. Just, tell her. She’s very nice. She understands.”

“She?” Peter walked over to his brother. “You left that part out when you told me.”

Olek blushed knowing he had left it out. “I did? Well, she’s attractive.” He shrugged.

My eyebrows rose as I smiled at him. “She is?”

Olek shook his head and held his finger up almost in my face. “Don’t be hurrying me down the aisle, we just met!” He snickered. “But, I admit to wanting this to go well and see what can happen.” He nodded with another smile. “Her name’s Helga. Her associate is Georg Meier. You’ll get to know them and see not all Germans think the same way.”

He and Queen Alla’s reaction to me were surprising to me when we first met. I could at least give her a chance. That’s more than fair.

I nodded and hugged Olek. “I will, but I won’t say I won’t hope you go down the aisle soon, but it’s your choice.”

“Great!” Olek smiled.

“And I’ll be on my best behavior,” Peter promised with a smile I didn’t quite understand. He seemed to allude to something he and Olek knew.

Olek nodded. “In the past…I was about to go off to Switzerland for school, and…a girl I liked came over to say good-bye…”

I looked at Peter. “What did you do?”

Peter looked away. “I don’t remember.” He said smiling and I knew he was lying.

“Peter.”

“I was four!” Peter defended. “I was the little brother.”

“It was a mouse,” Olek said to me but was smiling at Peter. “Lowered on a string from above and dropped it down her blouse. Making her leave screaming!” Olek explained chuckling.

I grinned at Peter. “Shame on you.”

“I was four!!” Peter said again like that explained it, then folded his arms over his chest. “Besides, she wasn’t good enough for you, Olek. She had this weird laugh and…it wouldn’t have worked out between you.”

“She didn’t have the Little Brother’s Seal of Approval?” I asked.

Olek nodded. “I agree, she had visions of becoming a true Makarovian Queen.”

I looked surprised. “But you are basically Russian.” I pointed out. “I mean the family line is pretty much Russian. There are a lot of Russians all over Makarovia!” I had to admit, I was still cautious. “I’m very protective when it comes to people I care about…especially family…you are family.”

Peter chuckled. “He is…very protective.” He said coming up behind Olek and putting his arm around his brother’s shoulder as his eyes almost twinkled at me. “Remember Brad? At Jocks?” He said Jocks in English.

“He was an ass,” I growled.

“Jocks?” Olek repeated the word in English. “Not the man…oh, as in athletic supporters? The man athlete in the supporter and what’s supported! I get it!”

“Eric was impressed by General Hammond’s punch. I thought Eric was going to kill Brad.”

Olek chuckled. “Really?”

“It was just a bloody nose, but if he put his hands on my future husband again and I would have killed him!” I hugged Olek again. “I worry about you. I want to see you find that one love.” I shrugged. “If it’s this Helga, fine. If not, there will be someone. I just don’t want you to go through life alone.”

Olek smiled. “I’m not alone. I have you two and Alla.”

I shoved him lightly. “You know what I mean.”

“I told him you still jerk off,” Peter said it so casually, not worried it would bother his brother when he told me.

Olek wasn’t bothered, in fact, he nodded. “Sure I do. I’m male.” He said simply.

I was the one shocked. “See!?” I hit Peter lightly. “We…just didn’t admit that so openly where I’m from!”

Olek nodded. “That is a little different here. My father did it.” He shrugged and chuckled at a memory. “I was twelve when I walked in walked in and caught him doing it. He wasn’t embarrassed at all. Of course, he stopped for the moment. He explained that’s what human males did. My mother had died and he had yet met Alla…” he shrugged again. “He explained that men get urges and this was the way we deal with tension and these urges. Then he asked me if I did it. I was twelve! Of course, I had.” Then Olek laughed. “He even recommended the right lotions and lubes! Told me if I had questions…ask him.”

I smiled even bigger. “Yep, I know I loved this family now!”

Queen Alla explained her absence a few days, saying she was getting help from some other doctor groups, while we weren’t a third world country, we just didn’t have the manpower or supplies, so they’d come and look at the people of Makarovia. We had doctors here, but not many. There were things like child immunizations and basic checkups…especially in the remoter areas, they needed more help. She was off doing that.

That evening, Peter and I were anxious to meet this Dr. Schneider. We gathered where we always did and had drinks before dinner. Very snooty, huh? Then Olek walked in.

Both Peter and I were stunned. Olek was handsome, that was not surprising, but he looked….dashing! His hair was combed and styled well, he was casual with a white shirt open at the collar and pressed white pants. Must mostly…he was very relaxed! He walked by to pour a drink for himself. As he passed us I smelled…a pleasing odor.

“Olek.” I grinned. “That’s a different cologne.”

Olek smiled as he poured his drink. “Do you like it?” He got close so we could smell it better.

“Very nice, brother.” Peter putting his arm around me. “Kind of makes me want to…have you try some.” He said almost in a growl to me.

“Maybe I’ll borrow some.” I smiled. “But promise you won’t.”

Olek was puzzled and frowned. “Why not?”

Now Peter blushed. “He likes my scent.”

Qlek’s smile grew. “You have a scent?”

I threw my hands out. “Okay, since we’re so open about other things in this family like jerking off…yes, he has a scent. It comes from his body hair…in places.” I raised my arm and pointed to my own armpit and down to my own crotch. “I like his natural scent, okay?”

Olek swallowed some of his drink and grinned. “Oh. Okay.”

It didn’t take long before a woman led two people into the room. One was a man in about his mid-thirties and blonde! I don’t need to tell you about that. Blue eyes. Tall at about six feet and thin in his nice blue suit. Not a bad looking man. The woman had to be Helga. She was pretty. I need to explain this…she was in her late thirties with dark brown hair and about five feet and eight inches tall. Green eyes. She was pretty. I would find out later, that she played it down! She wore glasses! Nothing against being able to see, but the frames were those bigger ones, brown and the style wasn’t bad, but it didn’t add to her face! Her hair was combed and clean, but not one of those complicated styles that woman have sometimes. She wore a little lipstick and maybe some eyeshadow, but that was it! Her dress was not bad, but…again…I would learn she learned to dress this way! She wanted people to listen to her, she was smart and not concentrating on her looks made people take her more seriously. I was beginning to like her! And she hadn’t even spoken yet! Then again, I liked the complications!

“Are we late, Your Majesty?” Helga asked in Makarovian! Well, it was more Ukrainian, but she was trying.

“Of course not, Dr. Schneider,” Olek said in English as he smiled coming to her, taking her hand, but hardly shaking it…more holding it. “It’s good to see you, but please. I’m Olek. We can drop the titles, okay? And since we’re all fluent in English?” He looked at the other man. “Do you speak English?”

The man gave a quick nod. “Of course, Your Majesty.”

Helga smiled and touched Georg. “This is Georg Meier, he’s one of my crew.” She waved at Olek. “This is King Olek Ivanov.”

The man shook Olek’s hand and gave a sharp bow of his head only Germans seemed to give. “It’s an honor, Your Majesty.” He knew Olek’s invitation to call him Olek was really for Helga.

Olek waved to us. “My brothers Peter Ivanov and his fiancé, Eric Richards.”

Helga shook both our hands but stopped when she got to me. “Your brother told me about what you found.” She said and I watched as emotion came on her face. Sorrow, regret and it was sincere. “I am so, so sorry about what my people did then. Nothing like that should have ever have happened.”

I nodded and smiled at her. “I agree, but every country has things we have done in the past that we shouldn’t have. Our shame is slavery.”

Georg didn’t know about this. “What? What happened?”

So, I explained to him about the written testimonies and recordings the citizens of Makarovia had left when they fled Germany and Western Europe and finally told what happened. Georg’s eyes widened, then his eyebrows came together. He was getting angry.

“And what are you doing with these…testimonies?” Georg asked testily.

“They go on our new Website. The letters and pictures…names…” I answered. “I hope that even the verbal testimonies will go on there. I have recordings taken back then. Everyone can hear it in the people’s own voices.”

“Why!?” Georg balked.

“Because it happened!” I shot back. “Forgetting means it can happen again! It won’t if we remind people!”

Helga nodded. “I think that marvelous. I can’t express how despicable what they did was…words can’t even come close. I am so sorry.”

That’s when Georg shouted. “Warum entschuldigst du dich? Zu Ihnen!? Nichts geschah mit Ihnen, außerdem waren diese Männer kriminelle!”

Helga spun on Georg angrily. “English Georg!! I want you to say what you just said in English!!”

Georg turned away fuming, but he turned back. “I said, Why are you apologizing. Nothing happened to them, besides these men were criminals.”

Helga shook her head. “They were not criminals!! They were human beings!” She shook her head. “The reason you don’t see it is because it didn’t happen in your family. It did mine! Half of my cousins are Jewish!”

I groaned know she understood more than I did about the suffering. “The Jews; how many were killed?”

“Between five and six million,” Helga said sadly. “Nearly ten million taken to camps.”

I shook my head. “Five or six million deaths.” I shrugged. “We only had a hundred thousand.”

“But how many survived?” Helga asked, but didn’t wait for the answer. “Four thousand! That’s it! Not even half!!”

“So, you’re Jewish?” I asked grinning at the idea of adding that to the mixture of Makarovian blood of the royal line.

“Not a drop.” Helga sighed sadly. “My grandfather’s brother married a Jewish girl during those times. They hid her family once they started bringing them in and kept it secret from the SS. The next generations married others of the Hebrew faith. My Aunt, dad’s sister married a Jewish man.” She turned angrily to Georg. “Many of my cousins are Jewish!”

“But if this comes out, it will just bring shame to Germany!” Georg protested. “My father said all those in the concentration camps were criminals. Nobody around there knew what was going on in the camps.”

“BullSHIT!” Helga shouted back and even Georg backed away at the venomous look in her eyes. She learned that English very well. “They knew! They all knew. They knew the white grey stuff falling from the sky wasn’t snow! They most certainly knew, but they didn’t care, because it wasn’t about them.” She shook her head. “No. If you don’t want to be here, fine. I’m sure we can find someone else to help out. Those poor men that came here during that horrible time…thank GOD they had people willing to hide and shelter them. It will bring shame to Germany and Germany should be. I am German with no Jewish blood at all and I am very, very ashamed.” She waved at me and Peter. “These men are getting married, Georg. Is that a crime?”

The fear he could lose his job he didn’t answer honestly.

“I prefer truth, Georg,” I said quietly. “If you have a problem with it, just say so. You won’t be ousted from Makarovia because of what you think. You may be uncomfortable here as gays are everywhere in Makarovia, but pray like I do every day…Olek is here alive and well a while,” I looked at Olek, “and you better be.” I pointed at Olek who nodded smiling back with a little wave, “because if he isn’t.” I pointed to Peter. “He will be the one to speak to about anything Makarovian. Including the uranium.”

Georg swallowed audibly. “It’s just…not…natural.”

Peter nodded. “Then get to know us. You’ll see it’s very natural.”

“You don’t fit together,” Georg said.

Olek chuckled. “Then you really do need to get to know them, they do most definitely fit together.” Then he grinned as he would often understand what you said perfectly, but he would say it again saying what was really said. “Oh, you mean physically fit.” He shrugged. “To get that information, you will have to get to know them pretty damned well before they tell you that. I say they do from what I overhear occasionally.” He waved at us. “Only when passing by…twice…loud.”

Now, it was my turn to blush. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be.” Olek grinned. “I’m jealous!”

Helga turned to me. “If there’s anything I can help with…I know you don’t speak German, but I can help with the translations.” She offered. “I mean it. Anything at all needed.”

I did like her! Georg would be tough. I won David over because he was willing to change. Would Georg be willing to change? “Thank you,” I said and hugged her. You know I like those.

That evening Peter and I didn’t do anything but were ourselves. The touches and the occasional kiss. Georg would simply have to adjust.