Kiel, Naval base
Footsteps echoed through the hallway, rhythmic, slow, yet unwavering. Leather boots struck the stone floor in perfect cadence. It was the sound of two men advancing together, their shadows stretching long across the walls. Finally, they reached the end of the corridor, light spilling through the open door ahead.
Admiral Erich Raeder stood at the forefront. Behind him, a long, perfectly aligned row of officers faced a vast crowd of soldiers of the Kriegsmarine. They stood in immaculate formation, filling the entire dock from wall to wall.
Raeder cleared his throat and stepped toward the microphone.
"Welcome the Führer."
From behind the line of officers, a tall man emerged, his expression calm and unreadable. He walked past the officers in silence. One by one, they straightened instantly, raising their hands in salute, their ceremonial coats fluttering in the wind.
Raeder saluted as well, then stepped forward to shake Paul's hand.
Behind Paul, three massive German flags fluttered from tall flagpoles, their heavy fabric snapping in the sea wind.
"Sailors of the Kriegsmarine," Paul began, standing tall before the expectant ranks.
"We all live in a special time. A time essential not only for the Kriegsmarine, not only for Germany, but for the entire world. We live in an age of change and progression. Our enemies beyond our borders, across plains and mountains, across deserts and seas, have understood this well. Their threat must not be ignored."
"In our struggle against these enemies, Great Britain foremost among them, we have lost brave, irreplaceable men. Men who chose to embark on a nearly impossible mission. Their sacrifice will be remembered in the annals of our nation and our history."
"Albeit," he continued, his voice steady, "we now turn a new page."
"I am not here today only to mourn those who have fallen, but to answer those who caused their fall."
"Enemies of Germany, near and far. Today you may rejoice. But the attack on Scapa Flow has shown one thing above all else. You are vulnerable. You bleed. And Germany will not hesitate to strike."
"With this, I announce a new and extensive rearmament program for the German Kriegsmarine. For too long, we have slept in this regard. Now, we are awake."
"Let this be what our enemies remember. Their throne will not stand forever. It will be toppled."
For a heartbeat, silence reigned over the dock.
Then it came.
A thunderous roar erupted from the assembled sailors, a single voice born from thousands of throats. Boots stamped against the concrete in perfect unison, the sound rolling through the dock like distant artillery. Arms rose sharply to the brow in a crisp, disciplined military salute.
Paul smiled lightly. Not because of their devotion, but because of the surprise he was about to give them.
"Now," Paul raised his voice once more.
"Welcome another man who shares this mindset. Another face you may recognize. This is my second message to the world."
Slowly, an older man stepped forward, wearing a pristine military uniform. He passed the row of officers, many of whom widened their eyes in disbelief. Some of the older ones could not hide their emotions, tears welling as they recognized him.
The man limped slightly, a detail that did nothing to diminish his imposing, almost imperial presence.
Admiral Raeder drew in a sharp breath.
"Long live the Führer," he shouted, his voice ringing across the dock. "And long live the Kaiser. Long live Germany."
The words struck the assembled sailors like a shockwave, carrying with them the weight of history and the promise of something long thought buried.
Quietly, Wilhelm stepped beside Paul, both men now standing before the massive crowd, overlooking the assembled ranks below. They stood there alone, two figures at the summit, each fully aware of the weight that came with the pinnacle they had reached.
Their capes fluttered in the cold northern wind, heavy fabric moving in slow, deliberate waves.
It was a sight carved for legend.
With this day, Paul began to fully reform the German state, continuing a process he had already set in motion. He had appointed Erich von Manstein as Reichsmarschall of the Wehrmacht, Albert Kesselring as Reichsmarschall of the Luftwaffe, and Erich von Raeder as Reichsmarschall of the Kriegsmarine. Each would serve for a fixed term, ensuring rotation and preventing permanent consolidation of power. At the end of their term, Paul alone would decide whether they could continue in office or be replaced.
The decision had not been taken lightly. Paul had been forced into this arrangement, balancing absolute authority with institutional safeguards, in order to secure stability for the Reich.
Thus, a triangular system was formed. Power was concentrated along these three pillars, with Paul standing at their center.
The principle was simple and deliberate. Paul's authority as Führer remained intact. Each of his decisions was absolute.
But there was a condition.
If all three Reichsmarschalle stood united against a decision, they possessed the power to block it.
Not one.
Not two.
Only all three together.
It was a system designed for strength, balance, and restraint. And for the first time, Germany was ruled not by chaos or impulse, but by a structure that could challenge even the man at its core.
Paul could also fire a Reichsmarschall, yet he could only do so with the combined support of the other two, keeping the balance of power intact.
The Reichstag, still under reconstruction, was to remain in a state that mirrored its destruction, though it would look far more imposing and grand. It was to serve a purely symbolic role, much like Wilhelm himself. On paper, the Kaiser would become the head of the Reichstag and the government, yet the assembly existed merely to ratify laws rather than to create or block them.
Despite this total lack of genuine power, the reinstatement of Wilhelm successfully lured even the most stubborn monarchist hardliners to Paul's side.
Despite this lack of power, the reinstatement of Wilhelm successfully pulled even the most stubborn monarchist hardliners onto Paul's side. He would become, after all head of the Reichstag.
Through these calculated maneuvers, Germany officially became a constitutional monarchy once again after decades of turmoil and blood. Yet, behind the royal banners and the ancient titles, it was in truth an absolute military dictatorship.
It was a government of iron, wrapped in the velvet of tradition.[1]
"With this, Germany enters its next path," Paul said, signing the papers before him. He looked up into the dozens of faces, high-ranking officers and officials in his office.
Behind him stood Raeder, Manstein, and Kesselring, each signing one after another, their expressions unreadable, aware that their future now depended on the will of the man at the center.
Paul watched them with squinted eyes, folding his hands. He had silenced the voices that once cried for decentralization of power, he told them. Yet in truth, he had ensured that power would remain exactly where it belonged, tightly, entirely in his grasp.
The Gestapo and the Abwehr, soon to merge with the former, are directly under the Führer's control. Not to mention that Heydrich answers directly to me. Additionally, there remained the remnants of the SS, loyal through Werner. And Gustaf's Ghosts...
If any of them force my hand...
Germany does not lack talented generals, he thought, letting his mind roam while radiating a murderous intent to those around him.
-------------------------------------
Thank you all for the support! I appreciate every Power Stone, comment, and review.
[1] This perfectly captures the essence of the new government, in just one sentence