Ernst had gone to great lengths to change Rudolf's fate. He was genuinely curious about the future. In any case, however Rudolf changed, it would have little effect on his plans to develop East Africa. The true consequences would not become apparent until after the First World War.
Someone in his previous life had said that the Austro-Hungarian Empire was Franz's empire alone. That was indeed quite reasonable; the empire's founding and downfall were both intimately tied to Franz.
In any event, the Austro-Hungarian Empire simply could not have a future. With that dualist system of government, only Franz could keep it under control. A split was bound to happen sooner or later.
Camel bells drifted in from afar. A camel caravan appeared upon Kenya's horizon, not especially large, with a little over twenty camels.
The lead camel walked gracefully over the sandy ground, its rider swaying rhythmically forward and back with each step.
He wore a Mexican-style straw hat, a specially made pale-yellow Prussian military uniform, and a Prussian Dreyse rifle slung across his back.
The soldier riding the second camel also bore a lion banner of the Hechingen Royal Family. These features marked them as a regular armed unit of the East African colony.
Militiamen could not get the most advanced Dreyse rifles. They still used muzzle-loading flintlocks that had to be loaded with gunpowder from the front.
Pale-yellow uniforms were also rarely seen in Africa. Ernst had specially put them out to tender at factories in Germany. The Prussian Army had always operated in Europe and had never equipped clothing meant for tropical desert conditions.
Africa was already hot, and because of its plateau terrain, most regions were intensely sun-scorched. The desert regions of Northern Kenya were even more so.
Thus, straw hats were now being