Paris Temps

[maddox]

A few weeks later, another set of horsedrawn carriages arrive at the site of Gravelines temporary base.

The big burlap sacks in the back are bulging , but ain't heavy compared to the size.
The markings "Kussensloop, groen op groen, model Durone. 50 stuks "
Some of the bags also have the marking "sac de sable en vert"

The quartermasters delegate the 100's of big sacks to the tents acting as supply depots, more specicly the almost empty tents acting as sandbag depot.  Huge piles of sand are next to these, surrounded by willow branches to avoid sagging.

After a while, bags come out again and details of men are looking strangely at the green bags. Not the classic burlap, but a much finer weave and a softer fabric....  the sergeants shout the orders, and the men start filling the sacks with sand. But not without making jokes.

A few days later.

Sergeant, Why isn't that shelter finished?
Sorry sir, but the allotment of sandbags is finished for this shelter. We're waiting on the quartermaster to release an additional 200 to finish this.

200 bags to short?  Are the bags to small?

No lieutenant.  They are according the size specifications. We just don't have enough.

Why?

I do not know, we recieved our burlap bags and started filling those green sandbags that come in those.
We just didn't have enough sandbags.

Where are the burlap bags?

The quartermaster took them back in when I asked for an additional 200 sandbags, or 4 of the big burlap bags.

When  did you request this?

Yesterday Lieutenant. We should recieve the bags any moment now.

I'll get to the bottom to this.

A bit later ,the Depot.

Yes lieutenant, we'll open a few bags for you.  But according to us,  the supplier is correct.

After opening a few burlap bags and counting the contents, all contain 50 green on green linen bags, all nicely inside the size specifications placed on a sandbag.

[The Rock Doctor]

Note to self:  build up domestic sand bag industry.

[Carthaginian]

All across the UNK... just change the names to protect the Guilty

"Margret! Where on EARTH did you get that skirt!"
"I made it, Henrietta! don't you just ADORE it? It's fine French linen, and isn't the color just gorgeous!"
"That is HARDLY what I was referring to, Margret- it's SCANDALOUS! I mean, it's got to be at least an inch above your knee and so tight across the backside; hardly the thing a good Christian woman would wear. I can't be seen with you if you are wearing that."
"Well, that's not precisely my fault, Henrietta. You see, Joshua sent me this wonderful fabric from France- his unit was deployed there last month- but it was a very strange length. This was the longest skirt I could make from it without piecing... and that would have ruined it."
"It's temptation incarnate, Margret- imagine what the men will be thinking when they can see your entire calf! What on EARTH would Carlton say were he still alive?"
*Margret reflects on her statement for a moment*
"I believe he would have said 'Nice gams, darling... wonder if they look that good all the way to the top'."
"MARGRET!!! How positively lewd!"
"Well, Henrietta... there is only one way to find out what people will think. If you will excuse me, I have shopping to do- with or without you. Lock the door before you leave, dear."
*And with that, she walks out the door. Henrrieta looks about for a moment, lost, and then goes to the kitchen for a glass of water. On the table, she sees her friends sewing kit and what looks to be a pair of green on green pillowcases, made of the same fabric.*



"Shelly! Dearest, we have a package from Robert!"
"Well, hurry up and open it... I simply can't wait to see what he has sent us from France!"
"Er... Shelly, dear... uhm... could you come here for a minute? I really don't know what it is."
*a few moments later, his wife enters the room*
"Pillowcases? What in the devil- why would he be sneding pillowcases? AH! Here's a note!"
*The note reads: 'Dear Mom and Dad, here's a small gift from me and the French Army. You wouldn't believe what they wanted us to do with them, so I won't even bother. I just remembered Mom saying something about wanting some new table clothes for the end tables in the den and figured that this fabric might be nice. If you don't mind piecing, I can send more for something bigger later. Love, Robby'*



"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!"
"Thank you children... and thank you, love."
*choruses of 'Open your present Daddy' come form the half-dozen children*
"Darling... how could we afford this; how... what?"
"That's my secret Douglas... you just enjoy the shirt; Oh, and here is a letter form Jeremy. He says France is beautiful!"
*inside the shirt, a hand lettered tag is sewn- it says 'with love form all of us, especially Jeremy'*

[The Rock Doctor]

Ah, so...

[Desertfox]

Just wondering. Why the camo pattern? Isn't the French army going to go with those nice red pants?

[maddox]

Not camouflage at all Desertfox.  Checkers in this case, in subdued different green colors on 1 side and the other side is plain green. Geometrical paterns... Things you see on classic pillowcases.

And why green, and not the garish red, simple, mademoiselle Durone likes green, not red. Green is assorti to her eyes.

[maddox]

a bit later.

Paris, Ministery of Defence.

Jacque, this invoice, can that be correct?

No, it can't be. I can understand a tad more expensive sandbags, but 4 times more expensive, and signed by minister Lebrun, that has to be a mistake.  Untill we know more, keep this one under wraps.

Later that day, minister Lebrun reading memos.

MADEMOISELLE DURONE!!!!!
Can you come to the office, right now!

Mais ouis monsieur le ministre.

Can you explain this,mademoiselle Durone?

What is wrong with this? You asked me to outsource sandbags, and gave me a budget for it. According to this document its spot on the normal budget.

It's the normal budget for 6 milion sandbags, not 1.5 milion. And what does this part means. It's Dutch, that I know, but what does it say? And why is your name on it?
"30 000 grootverpakkingen :Kussensloop, groen op groen, model Durone. 50 stuks" 

It means 30 000 packages of 50 pillowcases, green on green, model Durone. Minister Lebrun

Why would they call it pillowcases, and not sandbags? And why green?

Because those are pillowcases, aren't they minister Lebrun. I can't understand why our soldiers have to sleep with their heads on uncolored burlap bags filled with sand.
So I ordered a softer fabric, and green was the nicest color the Dutch firm offered.

YOU backwards born fluffbrained daughter of a rich father. Now I understand why your father asked me a favor. THAT BUDGET WAS FOR SAND FILLED BAGS. Those bags are ment to be used as a kind of cheap, thick and sturdy brick. To protect our soldiers and the tools they use to defend us. Soldiers use a part of their backpack as pillow. Not an expensive extra they have to drag along with them

Oh, then I should cancel that order for 1 800 000 liter of compressed 800-900 in3/oz down feathers for those pillows?

*******************************************************************************************
One eye shrinks, the other one bulges. Minister Lebrun is almost steaming at the ears. His grey hair turning a shade paler, he starts to gather air for a bellow of apocalyptical proportion.

Mademoiselle Durone's  innocent emerald green eyes start to water, her lower lip quivering.


Who's going to prevail?

To be continued.

[The Rock Doctor]

At least the sand bags should be comfortable.

[Carthaginian]

*starts searching for a minor UNK noble with enough patience and pocket money to rescue the beautiful- if brainless- mademoiselle for a sure prison sentence*

[maddox]

Continued

A sudden calm strikes, the bellow swallowed, the red fuming anger disappating.
No male can't be untouched by such a display of innocence.

The mind of minister Lebrun racing.

_{How to solve this debacle, so it doesn't stick my department as a dogturd to an expensive shoe.  We can't unorder 1 500 000 pilow cases that are in progress of delivery, neither can we allow them to be used as sandbags. Le Monde would have a field day on that waste of tax payers money. And that in front of the UNK troops too, couldn't it be at a nice remote place, like Papeete. And if I sacrifice Durone, I probably lose her dads contributions. How? How? How? HOW?}
In a voice like a father who sees his grandson for the first time.

Mademoiselle Durone, can you get me a cup of tea please, I need to think about this for a moment.

Mais ouis minister Lebrun. Sugar and lime, as usual? (off she goes)

The racing brain again. Now cold and calculating.
_{Yes, I see a way out. First we rename the budget that little brainless brat spend on sandbags to what she ordered, pillow cases. That's part of the clothing budget. We'll have to resuffle that a bit. But after all, compared to the other expenses it's not a big deal.
On the already used green bags, I'll send that blonde bimbo to Gravelines, with written orders to the UNK commander there. Even better, I'll assign her to assist, as a secretary, the UNK/French military construction Team of the JAC base,}

Merci mademoiselle Durone. I seem to have made a mistake, and I shouldn't take that out on you.
My appolegies. But we'll have to "resque" the pillow cases, as the people at Gravelines are using them as sandbags, cheap building material.
The department of foreign affairs made a translation mistake in your letter to the Dutch supplier. So they did send the new pillowcases for the French army in burlap bags marked sac de sable.

But monsieur Lebrun, I did wrote the letter to NV Sioen, my Dutch is fine, thank you.

Moment mademoiselle, I'll explain this later.
Leave the simple business of resupply and aquisitions to the clerks who do that job for ages. You have other qualities.
For now it's enough that you listen and write down what I say you have to write down.First an internal memo,

"Jacques,  invoice  17 841 /16 is a case of mislabeling. The invoice will have to be deducted from the kazernes budget, not the field consumables. The sandbags aren't sandbags ,but fine pillowcases. Part of Mademoiselle Durone ' Army Moral Improvement Equipment proposal that was aproved."

Next memo to the depot masters in Gravelines. 

Halt all the use of the green linen sandbags. Redistribute 50 000 of the unused green linnen sandbags under the UNK troops, relabel those :" D'AMIE pillowcase".
The other bags to be send to the main depot of Fortress Sedan

And a personal assigment to you young lady.

Approval to develop a Ministry/Military liasons Civilian Female Uniform, part IV of the D'AMIE program.

Because you'll need it mademoiselle. Your care and concern for the troops welfare is touching.
Keep in mind, the uniform should be practical, and using the same colors the army does. But I think you have already ideas concerning that.
You have 2 weeks to get that done. My tailor will assist you with the mundane task of realising your vision. Here's his card.
After that you get a field assigment .
I want you to go to the Gravelines JAC base, and assist the team that is working there to get the job done.
Write down all the requests, and send them to me with your own recommendations.

[Kaiser Kirk]

Mademoiselle Durone's  innocent emerald green eyes start to water, her lower lip quivering.

That beast made her cry !

[maddox]

Mademoissele Durone's uniform.
Unfortunatly she made her selection based on the UNK uniforms she sees at the Gravelines JAC base.
The scandalous short skirt was selected to give as much freedom as possible , and to keep it mudfree at the hemline.

[maddox]

Sorry for the rather OOC style. I'm tired, but want to get it out before the weekend.the message could be modified afterwards.

French ambassadors, envoys and other important diplomatical personel have recieved orders from Paris.

Ask about the possiblity to have submarines build asap on foreign yards.

Capacity of the submarines :
4000 miles, 500 Tons 2 bow 2 stern tubes and 6 torps
1 70mm French gun and an edurance of 20 days.

The ships will be payed HY02 1916, a bonus for early delivery is an option.

[maddox]

April first 1916


Premier Galpoux of France asked the parliament the agreement on setting France on a wartime footing, to use the power of France to minimise the damages of the Kolkatan Caper.

Parliament demanded the concession that the active defensive corps in France won't be put on full mobilisation, and will stay in the peacetime active status.

This demand was met.

[maddox]

April 1916


The Netherlands, the Zuid-Willems vaart .
Our beloved lockkeeper and his friend having another conversation

Piet,  when was the last time you did see the Notre Dame?

Jan, that papist waste of money and gaudiness, I never have seen it, and will never see it in my life, except on pictures in the papers.

I mean the spits, one of those steamers.

I think that was 3 weeks ago. But now you mention it. Rose and Anjou are missing too.  Didn't those have a regular route here? Like delivering coal to Ome Niek in 's Hertogenbosch.

You see, those little soothspreaders are just to expensive. I bet my beard that they are already changing the steam engine to petrols.