"Everything went well?" asked Axel, as Adelaide returned to the parking lot.

"Yup. What about you?" asked Adelaide.

"Everything went fine. I paid the tuition and the other fees. Shall we go and get lunch?" asked Axel.

"OK," said Adelaide, and entered the front passenger door.

Axel started the car, and they drove out of the campus.

"Where shall we go?" he asked Adelaide.

"Hmm, I suppose I should have a last peasant meal as a way of saying goodbye to my old life. Let's see what Downtown Boston has to offer," said Adelaide.

"OK," chuckled Axel, and started to drive towards the security checkpoint that separated the Sirius Zone from the rest of Boston and Massachusetts.

---

"So what peasant meal are you up for? Mc Donald's? Olive Garden?" asked Axel as they drove through Downtown Boston.

"Hmm, I think a Big Mac would be a good choice," said Adelaide.

"OK," said Axel, and started to change lanes, when the wailing and the flashing of a police siren sounded behind them.

"What the hell? I'm well within the speed limit," grumbled Axel, pulling over.

The police officer approached the Stormkreuzer, and Axel rolled down the window, and kept his hands on the steering wheel.

"Sir, I'm afraid you are violation of sections 7, 12 and 13 of the Massachusetts Environmental Protection Act. Please step out of the vehicle," instructed the officer.

"Would you clarify those sections I am in violation of officer?" asked Axel, his tone polite, but his hands trembled at the wheel.

"Section 7. Vehicle sound emissions may not exceed 65 decibels. Section 12, vehicle must be equipped with GPS, ADAS and provide driver telemetry to law enforcement. Section 13, vehicle must be certified as plug in hybrid electric or full electric," rattled off the officer, her hand on a pepper spray dispenser.

"I suppose this doesn't give me diplomatic immunity, does it?" asked Axel, showing her his German passport, but still not getting out of the car.

The officer raised her heavily pierced eyebrow at it.

"Do you have your asylum papers?" she asked him.

"Ah, my mistake. I believe I am in the wrong place. Just a minute Officer," said Axel.

With lightning-quick movements, he turned the ignition and floored the throttle.

The policewoman went for her pepper spray, but Axel had swerved into a U-turn and blasted past her parked electric police car.

"What the hell was that about?" asked Adelaide, as Axel sped towards the Sirius Zone.

"A peasant revolt if I ever saw one. I'm not about to stick around and find out if that dumbass law is legitimate," growled Axel, slipping into his native German in agitation.

The wail of the police siren behind them indicated that the chase was on.

"That little toy might have torque, but let's see if you've got top speed," growled Axel, clicking his paddle shifters, to keep the Stormkreuzer in the gear that offered maximum acceleration.

The Sirius Zone checkpoint was quickly coming up, and the SZPD officers manning the checkpoint lifted the security booms.

Axel's Stormkreuzer blew past the open checkpoint, which then went into lockdown mode, the booms closed, and spike strips deployed.

The Boston Police cars slowed down, and then turned back.

Axel slowed down and pulled over.

An SZPD officer approached his car.

"My apologies, Mr. Albrecht. We were not informed of the new law, or we would have warned you," he said, as Axel rolled down the window.

"It's all right. Will those idiots try to extradite me?" asked Axel.

"Not on our watch they won't. But I recommend that you travel only within the Sirius Zone for now," said the officer.

"OK, thank you, officer," said Axel, and started the car again.

"Well, so much for a peasant meal. Let's jump straight to the good stuff and go to Waffenstahl und Elfenbein," said Adelaide.

"All right, Waffenstahl und Elfenbein it is," chuckled Axel.

---

Waffenstahl und Elfenbein was one of the Sirius Zone's new German-cuisine restaurants, established as part of the cultural exchange program between the Sirius Zone Redevelopment Authority and the new Nationalist German government.

It featured a menu of traditional Prussian and Bavarian court dishes, with meats sourced from local artisanal farms - including boar and venison, and the finest selection of German wines and beers.

It's major selling point however, was the silverware.

The knives and forks true reconstructed Damascus steel - low temperature forged with molybdenum and vanadium to create the carbon nanotube and nanowires that gave it the characteristic "water swirl" pattern.

The plates and other cutlery were made from plasma baked porcelain, and the glassware was made from lab grown quartz crystal.

The precision perfectly encapsulated the ethos of its name - Waffenstahl und Elfenbein - "Weapon Steel and Ivory" - a nod to the strength and beauty of the materials used in its cutlery.

The restaurant decor and construction reflected the same ethos: It was built from reinforced concrete which was clad in a granite block facade. Various Prussian, Bavarian and other Teutonic war banners hung from the walls. The interior was partitioned into dark rosewood dining booths, the tables were decked in heavy white satin, the chairs were upholstered in black leather.

Warm yellow light from large square OLED panels gave the restaurant an intimate and opulent atmosphere.

Axel and Adelaide seated themselves in a small table-for-two booth, and a smiling waitress approached them with menus.

"Would you like your service in English or German?" she asked them, defaulting to English.

"Let's go with German service. I'm feeling a little homesick," said Adelaide.

"Very good, ma'am" said the waitress, switching flawlessly to German.

"I'll have the venison roast with poached pears and cranberries," said Adelaide.

"That serves two, will you split?" asked the waitress.

"Yes," said Axel.

"To drink?" asked the waitress.

"Water," said Axel.

"Very well, one venison roast with poached pears and cranberries, and water" said the waitress, and left.

"Since you are feeling homesick, how about coming to Germany for Christmas and the winter break?" asked Axel.

"That's if Mom allows it. She's been mourning the loss of the Fatherland ever since the nationalist government took over. I think it is a net positive what Chancellor Liesel von Kleist is doing. We've been in the World War 2 doghouse long enough," said Adelaide with a sigh.

"Well, I'm sure she'll let you go," chuckled Axel.

"I can't believe you would have the nerve to show up at the lab and pull me out for lunch!" came the voice of Alexandria, which caused Axel and Adelaide to start in surprise.

Sure enough, Alexandria was being marched into the restaurant by Friedrich. Her heels beating an agitated rhythm on the polished black marble floor.

"Mom?" asked Adelaide, coming out of the dining booth to get a better look.

Alexandria stopped in her tracks.

"Adelaide?" she asked.

"Well, looks like we'll have a family dinner like old times," chuckled Friedrich as Axel came out of the booth as well.

"Fine," sighed Alexandria.

Friedrich spoke briefly with the waitress, and they were moved to a larger booth with a table set for four.

"Cousin Axel and I already ordered. What are you having?" asked Adelaide as the waitress approached them.

"I'll go with the Wiener Schnitzel," said Alexandria, although the tightening of her neck muscles belied the tension she felt.

"I'll have the Königsberger Klopse," said Friedrich.

"Very good," said the waitress and left.

"How much damage is this going to do to my wallet?" asked Alexandria, her voice tight.

"Zero. Because it's my treat," said Friedrich.

"Be a gracious lady and don't argue, Mom," said Adelaide as Alexandria opened her mouth to protest.

Alexandria exhaled sharply.

"I'm not liking this at all Adelaide. This isn't how normal people behave," she said.

"How about you get it into your head that we are not normal people? Normal people don't own nuclear energy companies and automotive companies," shot back Adelaide.

"This. This is what I wanted to get away from," sighed Alexandria.

"Fine. You can leave. I'll move in with Father," snapped Adelaide.

Tears started to well up in Alexandria's eyes.

"Is that how you think of me now? An obstacle?" she asked.

Adelaide softened, came around the table and gently hugged Alexandria.

"I'm happy and proud to be your daughter mom. But I want you to stop trying to make yourself a victim all the time. Please. Reconnect with Father," she said softly.

Alexandria shed a few silent tears as Adelaide hugged her.

"OK. I'll try," she said.

Adelaide let go of her, and resumed her seat.

"So, how did the orientation go?" asked Alexandria, gently wiping her tears and straightening up.

"It went OK. Although we ran into a little trouble with the Boston Police," said Adelaide.

"What?" asked Friedrich.

Axel recounted the stop and the chase back to the Sirius Zone.

"I see. Adelaide, I think I have realized what you're trying to say. I cannot afford the luxury of being a moderate. Fine, I'm picking my family over all else," said Alexandria.

She turned to Friedrich.

"Herr Friedrich, as soon as it is convenient. I would like for us to renew our marriage vows. And I intend to keep them this time," she said in formal German.

"Now, that is the Alexandria Messerschmitt that I married," said Friedrich.

The Waitress returned with their food and drinks.

"To a new beginning," said Friedrich raising his glass.

"A new beginning," chorused the others, and their quartz glasses clinked together like a resonant bell.