March 24, 1946

Munich, Germany, American Zone of Occupation

"Welcome back, General," said the Corporal manning the front desk. "Congratulations! Missed you around here."

"Thanks, Corporal. Anything important happen while I was State-side?" asked the General, setting down his briefcase and signing in.

"Nothing spectacular," replied the Corporal, handing the General a security pass.

"Right then, carry on," said the General, picking up his case and heading for his office. His heels made soft clicking noises on the tile floor of the hall as he walked. People came to attention as he passed, showing their respects to the Occupational Commander of Bavaria.

He arrived at his office and greeted his WAC Sergeant who was busy typing at her desk in the front office.

"Good to have you back, sir," said the Sergeant. "And congratulations. Your new ribbon looks quite spectacular."

"Thanks, Sergeant," replied the General, wondering how many more times today he would have to go through a similar conversation. "Corporal Collins said all was quiet while I was gone?"

"For the most part, sir. There's a brief summary on your desk of everything that happened while you were away. The new Captain is here and waiting for you. Shall I have him brought to your office?"

"Give me ten minutes to get settled and then bring him in," replied the General,

Entering his office, the General hung his cover on the coat rack just inside the door and put his briefcase down on his desk, opening it and removing a healthy stack of file folders barely managing to contain their papers. Moving the empty case to the floor, the General sorted the dossiers into several different piles. He found the report the Sergeant had said was waiting for him and scanned it briefly. She had been right, nothing unusual had occurred while he was away. He put the folder off to the side to study in detail later.

A knock sounded at the door, followed by the Sergeant poking her head in.

"Settled sir?" she asked.

"As good as it's going to get for now. Show him in and make sure we get coffee," replied the General.

"Yes, sir." The Sergeant opened the door fully and spoke to the Captain. "The General will see you now, sir."

The Captain nodded his thanks to the Sergeant, who closed the door behind him. The Captain snapped to attention in front of the General's desk.

"Captain Andrew Carter reports to Major General Hogan, sir!" he barked.

Hogan chucked at the formality. "At ease Captain," he said, "and have a seat." As Carter sat down, Hogan continued, "Congratulations Carter. Making Captain is quite an accomplishment."

"I couldn't have done it without you sir, recommending me for Officer training and all," replied Carter modestly.

"Having command for over a month at camp and then running a mission to rescue your CO meant it wasn't difficult to get you in and fast track your training. I hope you aren't regretting not getting your druggists degree."

"Not so far, sir, but it is only my first day on the job." The two men chuckled. "Being a druggist would have been okay, but everyone coming out of the service seems to be going to university and getting in would have been difficult, not to mention expensive."

"Don't put yourself down, Carter. You would have made it if you had put your mind to it."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, but when you said you'd take me on as your aide if I would complete the required courses, it wasn't hard to make a decision." Carter shifted in his chair. "I guess congratulations are in order for you too, sir. How was your trip?"

"The worst part of flying back and forth over the Atlantic is not being able to pilot the plane," said Hogan with a grin, then he sighed. "Even without this little problem, the US Army Air Force tends to frown on its Generals piloting their own aircraft," he continued, indicating his left hand which was slightly deformed and showed signs of scarring. Hogan had come to terms with the fact his pinkie and ring fingers no longer moved the way they should, the result of a run-in with Soviet soldiers at the end of the war last year. He was actually pleased to have regained as much use of it as he had, the result of corrective surgery in the summer of '45 followed by months of exercises to regain the muscle control.

The WAC Sergeant chose this moment to appear with their coffees. Handing one to each officer, she quickly retreated to the outer office, shutting the door behind her as she went.

"I bet they do. But the ceremony?" prompted Carter, taking a sip and wincing as it burned his tongue.

"All nice and proper, long and boring. The President made a speech, I said a few words and then he hung the bit of jewellery around my neck. And pictures galore. Thought my face was going to crack from having to smile so much," moaned Hogan modestly.

"Sir, I'd hardly call the Medal of Honor a 'piece of jewellery'. It's the highest military decoration anyone can earn for bravery and gallantry at the risk of your life above and beyond the call of duty."

"Carter, I know what it was for, I just don't want to dwell on why I was chosen to receive it," replied Hogan seriously, hugging his coffee cup for warmth as a sudden chill swept through his body.

"I guess it has been almost a year, hasn't it?" said Carter thoughtfully. "You're not still having nightmares are you?" he asked, concern showing plainly on his features.

"Rarely, although I've had a few more recently the closer we get to April," admitted Hogan. "I think this award thing has stirred it all up again, but this should be the final one – I hope."

Hogan had been on the receiving end of several medals and decorations – so many in fact Carter wondered how it would be possible to put any more ribbons on the front of the General's uniform. After the war had ended, all the members of the team had been presented with Distinguished Service Crosses in recognition of the constant danger and heroism they had displayed over the years while running the Operation. King George had made Hogan an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in a ceremony full of pomp and majesty. Not to be outdone, the French had presented Hogan with the French Croix de Guerre – for his acts of bravery and valor when aiding and supporting the Resistance. Hogan also received an oak cluster to add to his Purple Heart ribbon for the injury to his hand.

The Operation itself had been declassified in October of 1945, just prior to the beginning of the war trials in Nürnburg in November. The revelation brought instant fame to Hogan and his core team, much to their chagrin. They were all a great deal happier being the "Unsung Heroes" they used to go by on the BBC radio broadcasts. The Operation was made public in order to be able to submit evidence in the trials against Wolfgang Hochstetter and Wilhelm Klink. The fervour died down somewhat after Hogan received his second General's star, Klink received a commuted sentence to 1500 hours of community service work, and Hochstetter got 20 years in prison.

Now Hogan was stationed in Munich, the capital of Bavaria in West Germany. The country had been divided according to Operation Eclipse, with the United States controlling the region to the south. General Dwight D. Eisenhower was the Military Governor of the US Occupation Zone and based in Frankfurt Am Main. General George S. Patton had been appointed Occupational Commander of Bavaria under Eisenhower immediately following VE Day, and Hogan had been stationed under Patton until disaster struck on December 9, 1945. General Patton was involved in a car accident in Heidelburg, and he succumbed to his injuries on December 21st. Upon Patton's death, Hogan had retained the posting.

It was a good assignment, in the fact Hogan got to help the people he had been working with in and around Stalag 13, as Hammelburg was part of Bavaria. Munich, or München as the Germans called it, required a ton of rebuilding alone. It had been bombed seventy-one times over the six year period of World War II. Hogan found himself authorizing the reconstruction of bridges, buildings, and rail lines, many of which he was the one to order destroyed with Carter's explosives in the first place. Now Carter had come to help him finish the job of rebuilding.

"Well, if you ever need to talk about it, I'm about the only one you can't talk to sir," offered Carter. "Seeing as how you haven't already told me about the mission which never existed and all…" Carter winked.

Hogan shook his head and tried to think his way through what Carter had said. He gave up before it gave him a headache. Some things never change it seemed.

All traces of Erlich Strauss had been eliminated from history. It had taken a bit of work to ensure there were no lingering documents bearing Hogan's assumed name; from orders issued from the Reich Chancellery and Führerbunker, to the ledger at the Hotel Adlon. There was now no evidence Erlich Strauss had ever existed.

"Alright then Carter, let's see about getting you an office…"

The phone on the desk buzzed.

"Yes, Sergeant, what is it?" asked Hogan after pressing the proper button to activate the intercom.

"Phone call for you, sir. It's the British gentleman again, keeps insisting he has to talk to you and no one else," replied the WAC Sergeant from her desk outside Hogan's office.

"This the one whom you reported had called seventeen times while I was away?" asked Hogan.

"Correct, sir. Won't give his name, just that he is 'a long time friend of the Governor's' and must speak with you directly."

"Alright, then, put him through," agreed Hogan. Might as well see what this nut-job wants and get this over with.

Hogan snapped up the phone as soon as it began ringing. "Major General Hogan."

"Gov'na! Right pleasure to 'ear your voice at last. Been tryin' a dog's age to get through to ya," came the voice from the other end.

"Newkirk?" asked Hogan incredulously. He should have put two and two together from the 'Governor' comment the WAC made.

"Spot on, sir! 'ow you doin'? Rumour 'as it you got another bit o' the sparkle for your uniform, as if you needed any more. Congratulations!"

"Well, yes, I just got back from two weeks the States; that's why you haven't been able to reach me. I take it you've been trying for a while."

"Sounds like I started tryin' just after you left, trust me luck. 'ow was your trip?"

"Good. Finally snagged some furlough and spent five days at home with the folks before having to spend the rest of the time in meetings in Washington. Tom and Scott managed to be there at the same time too, so it was a major family reunion. First time we'd all been home together since before the war began."

"Glad to 'ere it. You were long overdue to go 'ome and spend time with your family. Bet they gave you a real grand 'omecomin'. Anyway, sir, LeBeau and me need your 'elp."

"You're not in trouble with the law already are you?" asked Hogan suspiciously.

"You wound me, gov'na. No trouble at all, just need a wee favour," assured Newkirk.

"And what would that be?" asked Hogan, bracing himself.

"I need your approval on a bit of real estate LeBeau and me is lookin' to purchase."

"Why do you need my approval?" asked Hogan, puzzled.

"Well, it's in Germany," said Newkirk, as if that made everything perfectly clear.

"Germany," repeated Hogan, prompting Newkirk to explain further.

"Bavaria, to be precise and seein' as 'ow you're the bigwig in charge an' all…" hedged Newkirk.

"Where in Bavaria?" asked Hogan firmly.

"Oh, er, ah, 'ammelburg," stalled Newkirk, now having second thoughts about how his former CO was going to react.

"Hammelburg? Just what are you buying?" demanded Hogan.

There was a moment of silence which hung suspended like a drop of water from a leaky faucet just waiting to plummet to the sink below.

"Stalag 13." Newkirk dropped the bombshell and waited for the fallout.

Hogan was dumbfounded. "You want to buy Stalag 13? Whatever for? Didn't you have enough of the place during the war?"

"Well, now that you mention it, sir, LeBeau and I are feelin' a little 'omesick for the place," answered Newkirk.

"I thought you were going to open a pub in London after the war?" questioned Hogan.

"Well, I was, sir, but due to a few circumstances beyond me control, that just wasna goin' ta 'appen anytime in the near future."

"And LeBeau was planning on a restaurant in Paris, wasn't he?" continued Hogan, intent on his interrogation of his former Corporal.

"Now, you see, 'e's 'ad a bit o' difficulty in that regards too, sir," replied Newkirk.

"So what do you want Stalag 13 for?" Hogan kept up the onslaught of questions.

"It was Schultz's idea really…" Newkirk was hedging again.

"What was?" growled Hogan.

"Well, he sort of suggested we should all open a beer garden together after the war."

"When was that?" asked Hogan in surprise.

"Back in '43."

"'43! So you're buying Stalag 13 to open a beer garden? Newkirk, have you gone 'bloody crackers' as you've so often put it?" asked Hogan in exasperation.

"Sir, I am 'ighly offended you would think I've lost me marbles," replied Newkirk with a haughty air.

"Newkirk…" said Hogan in his voice which meant business. Newkirk still hadn't forgotten the look which went with it either and immediately spilled the entire story.

"Alright, sir. The plan is for LeBeau and me to purchase Stalag 13. We want to preserve the place and open it as a museum dedicated to Papa Bear and his Operation, complete with the Mess as LeBeau's restaurant, and an Officer's Club as me pub. Schultz wants to 'elp out as a tour guide and I was thinkin' maybe Colonel Klink could 'elp too as part of 'is community service work 'e 'as ta do as part o' 'is war crimes sentence. What do you think?" Newkirk held his breath as he waited for Hogan's answer.

"I still think you're crazy," replied Hogan rubbing his forehead to ward off a looming headache. He was beginning to wish he was still back home where he didn't have to deal with the outlandish ideas of his former team mates. "This is as convoluted as any of the plans I concocted for the Operation. You're sure this is what you want to do? Stalag 13 as a tourist spot? What in the world gave you that idea? I'm not sure the sightseeing business is going to be so hot over the next few years you know."

"Well, it started with all the people you kept showin' the Operation to: first it was Tom, then Klink, General Patton, 'ochstetter... I was jokin' with LeBeau that we should start chargin' admission. The idea came back to us when we both realized startin' our own places was goin' ta be nigh impossible. And poor Schultz, his toy company was flattened by bombers at the end of the war and he couldn't face rebuilding it.

"As for if it will work, I think it will. Curiosity will be a big part o' it, sir. Everyone will want to see where Papa Bear ran 'is famous Operation from. We can even open some of the barracks as 'otel rooms. We can run a school program and teach the children what it was like to be a POW or a guard. The 'ogan's 'eroes Experience. You'll see sir, it'll work."

"Alright. Sounds like you've thought a lot of it through. Send me the paper work and I'll get it approved for you, if you're certain this is what you both want," said Hogan, scribbling some notes on a pad beside the phone.

"It is, sir. Thank you, sir. You won't regret it!" exclaimed Newkirk.

"As long as you don't. Keep me apprised of how it's going. I'd like to see the place before it opens – make sure you aren't exposing anything Classified."

"Will do sir. I'll get the papers to you within a fortnight. Goodbye sir, and thanks again!"

"Goodbye, Peter," said Hogan and hung up the phone. He sat back in his chair and tried to envision Stalag 13 as a tourist trap with throngs of people climbing up and down the bunk ladder and exploring the tunnels; dining in the Mess on LeBeau's apple strudel, Spam with Béarnaise sauce, or perhaps stroganoff, then having a pint at Newkirk's Officer's Club. Then he pictured Grade 6 students falling out for roll call after spending the night in a barracks on a school overnight trip, discovering what it was like to be a POW.

The more Hogan thought about it, the more he liked the idea. It gave him a warm feeling inside knowing the history would be preserved for generations to come. The opportunity would be there for those in the future to study the sacrifices made by so many for their freedom. Hopefully they would learn from the mistakes of the past and another war like this one would never happen again, thanks in part to Papa Bear's legacy. It wasn't what he had in mind when he had created the Operation, but it was an end result Major General Robert Hogan could accept with pride.

Hamburg,

"Waaahhhh! Waah! Waaahhhh!" The cries from the wooden cradle echoed through the tiny apartment over the main street butcher shop.

"Hush, hush, little one, everything's alright, Mutter's here," cooed his mother, picking up the wailing infant and soothing his cries with some milk. She watched her son as he drank his fill, marvelling in his soft skin, button nose, and large eyes that seemed to take in the entire world. He was perfect and she loved him with her entire being. Her eyes misted as she remembered his father and wondered what had happened to him when Berlin fell. He had been so brave, answering the Führer's summons and marching off to do his duty, defending the city so she had a chance to flee before the Russians came. That man had given her something precious her husband had not. Perhaps some day she would find him or learn of his fate, but for now, this tiny being was her whole life and she wouldn't trade him for the world.

The infant gave a tiny burp and burbled contentedly, settling in against his mother's chest to sleep as she moved back and forth in the rocking chair before the fire. She placed a soft kiss against his jet black hair and rested her cheek against his head. Rubbing his back, she murmured quietly, "Sleep now, my sweet little Erlich. Mama will keep you safe…"

The End

A/N: A fortnight is 2 weeks. Spam is made by Hormel.

Schultz's bier garten (beer garden) plan is from Season 1 episode 22, The Pizza Parlour.

Although we celebrate VE Day (May 8) as the end of WWII in Europe, and VJ Day (Sept 2) as the end of the war against Japan, the state of war was not lifted from Japan and Germany at that time in order to give a reason for occupational troops to be in these countries. Once the War Crimes Trials were over, the hostilities were seen as finished. Presidential Proclamation 2714, was signed by US President Harry S. Truman on December 31, 1946 to officially declare the cessation of all hostilities in World War II by American forces. This is the reason why the U.S. recognizes its World War II veterans as anyone who has served between the dates of December 7, 1941 and December 31, 1946.

The idea for Newkirk to preserve Stalag 13 stems directly from a real-life battle which happened in my town last fall – to prevent the demolition of the buildings which once were Camp 30, a German POW camp.

A big thank you to everyone who left a review, added Executions to their favourites, or just quietly enjoyed the story. A special thanks to Bits and Pieces, snooky-9093, and ColHogan for their contributions, suggestions, and encouragement. It's hard to believe it is finally over.

One final quiz about my original German characters; I borrowed their first names from the Von Trapp family children from Rogers and Hammerstein's The Sound of Music. See how many of these characters you can recall:

Liesl
Louisa
Kurt
Friedrich
Brigitta
Marta
Gretl

I also squeezed in Maria.

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Answers:

Liesl – waitress at the Bier Stube, killed in the air raid that destroys the restaurant
Louisa – Red Cross administrator who deals with Hochstetter's inquiry on Hogan's paperwork
Kurt – boy with anti-tank missile on the streets of Berlin, befriended by Carter
Friedrich – Luftwaffe adjutant who informs Hogan that Stalag 13 was liberated
Brigitta – café waitress at Hotel Adlon who spends the night with Strauss/Hogan and ends up a single mother
Marta – one of Hitler's secretaries
Gretl – Hochstetter's nurse in the Krankenhaus (hospital)
Maria – woman with daughter Hogan helps through the streets of Berlin to reach her uncle's house

Until next time, cheers and happy reading!
Oboe11