Fourth Vector Ch. 21

"I surely hope it won't come to that," said Jack before taking a deep breath. "But you have my permission to do so in case they put our relationship with the Picards in jeopardy."

"I can imagine that might lead to a quick recall back to Java if it did," said Greg with a low whistle.

"Not if I had anything to say about it. The good thing about it is that I'll be in Java where I can intervene on your behalf," said Jack. "But I'd rather not go there if we didn't have to. I just want you to know where my thoughts on the matter were. These alliances are too important to allow them to be treated in such a fashion."

"I don't imagine these viceroys travel alone," said Greg. "What do you want me to do if they show up with their own protection? Soldiers? Marines?"

"Use your best judgment," said Jack after some thought. "I'm sorry I can't tell you exactly what to do but they are still our countrymen, no matter how misguided they are. You're just going to have to go with your gut. Especially yours, not Dustin's," Jack added as an afterthought.

Greg started to chuckle. "That should go without saying."

"I just wanted to make sure," said Jack, joining him in a laugh.

As they continued talking that night, it became ever more apparent to Jack just how strong the relationship between Vera and Greg was becoming. For something that had appeared almost out of nowhere, it had definitely taken Jack by surprise. Yet as he watched the two of them sit together and talk for the rest of the evening, one thing became obvious—he was going to have to start thinking of Greg and Vera as one instead of two.

*****

Heron enjoyed his breakfast that morning more so than any in the last couple weeks. It could have been due to the company but Melora's presence at the table had been a staple for months now. It could also have been due to the fact he was requested down at the port for an exciting demonstration, but then again he had no idea what to expect, and therefore it added no particular flavor to his meal.

No, the real reason he enjoyed breakfast so much this morning was due to the fresh fruit that had made its way to his table. Just the previous day, his stores had been resupplied with fresh bananas, and two of them graced his plate this morning. They were sweet and delicious, and the aftertaste it left in his mouth was enough to make him savor each bite.

He even enjoyed the sight of Melora and her banana, and he focused on the sight of her sliding it past her lips. It was definitely meant for his attention, and the throaty giggle she let out afterwards made his trousers stir with happiness.

"You're going to be the death of me, young lady," said Heron finally, shaking his head playfully.

"Oh, but what a fun death it'll be," she shot back before she reached out to squeeze his hand.

Sometimes he had a hard time believing that such a younger and obviously attractive woman would be all his, but every morning when he awoke to see her lithe and soft body next to his, it put an extra pep in his step for the rest of the day.

And that included his near daily visits with the Javan viceroy.

Lucius Grant had proved that his first visit to Sorella had been no fluke of bad luck. His haughty attitude and feelings of superiority heavily coated all his dealings with Heron, to the point that the king rarely left a meeting without a throbbing headache from grinding his teeth too much.

And now Jack Easterbrook was telling him to hold on while he sought guidance on the matter. Heron had just awoken this morning when Nikias placed the dispatch in his hand from the Javan commodore, and his feelings on the matter had hardly changed. Heron didn't know how he could be expected to hold on any longer. He'd already seen far too much of the viceroy, and he greatly preferred to see the man aboard the fastest ship out of Sorella.

The whole ordeal put their very alliance in jeopardy, and Heron strongly considered pulling out of his deal with Jack, so bad were the interactions with the official arm of the Javan government.

Yet he would permit Jack the extra time to bring about a satisfactory change to the situation. He owed him as much for helping to end the civil war with his brother.

"How long are you going to be at port today, dear" asked Melora, disturbing him from his thoughts. "All day, or just for the morning?"

Heron shrugged. "I'm not sure. Andros was particularly vague in his message, only telling me that he wished to give me a demonstration. Knowing Andros, that could last until nightfall with his enthusiasm."

"Well, if you're going to be late for dinner, just send a rider ahead, please?"

Heron leaned forward and kissed her tenderly. "Of course. I should get going. I'll see you in a few hours, my love."

They kissed one more time before Heron left their dining room and made his way out to the stables. A servant had his carriage ready to go and they soon left his capital city along the northern road to the main port. It took just short of an hour to get there, time that he usually didn't mind because of the beautiful scenery of the Sorellan countryside.

Upon his arrival at the port, he had a man waiting for him to bring him to the wharves where his engineer, Andros, could be found. Andros was standing proudly on the docks, his chest puffed out and a warm smile on his face as Heron approached him.

"Your Majesty, good morning!" called out the engineer. "Thank you for coming today!"

"I wouldn't want to miss this," said Heron in return. "Although what this is, I'm still not sure. What is it that you wanted to show me?"

Andros didn't answer, but instead he extended his arm to his side, pointing to something on the other side of the docks. Heron quickly craned his head over to see what he was pointing at, and his mouth soon fell open in response.

On the other side of the dock were two ironclad warships, their iron hulls glistening in the early morning sun.

"I finally have a design that will work," said Andros as he gazed upon their hulls. "The previous designs were too heavy, and caused the ships they were built on to sink. I've finally figured out the right ratio of iron to use to keep them afloat. What you're looking at right now is the flagship of the Sorellan Navy,Hera, as well as her sister ship,Elektra.

Heron was speechless. The ship he knew to be theHera looked nothing like what was now in front of him.Hera had been a great sailing vessel with three main masts and an all wooden hull. This ship was without a mast, and there wasn't a single sign of that wooden hull in sight.

"Great Malicoe, Andros, what have you done with her?" asked Heron. "TheHera looks so different!"

Andros grinned. "She's still under there, under all that iron, but there's a lot of wood directly under the iron. The first designs had the armor plating all the way down to the hull, which made them too heavy. This design has an outer layer of wood that is then finished with iron plating. We have iron on top of wood on top of wood. It doesn't add nearly as much weight and it doesn't compromise their fighting performance."

"How remarkable," said Heron as he examined her further. "What about her guns? Where did all her guns go?"

"We didn't need as many with this design," answered Andros. "But you can still see three guns on either side. We've also fixed a good portion of the iron to her bow, making her an excellent vessel for ramming. Our ancient ships used to ram as their primary method of attack. Once again, we'll go back to that tactic with these ships."

"That's assuming our enemies are wooden hulled though, right?" asked Heron. "I imagine she won't do too well against other metal vessels such as the Javans?"

"She won't do too well against the Javan warships that we know," said Andros. "But she'll do very well against nonmilitary targets that don't have such reinforced hulls."

As soon as he said that, a small thought crept into Heron's mind. The ship that Javan viceroy came aboard wasn't anything close to the type of warship that Jack had. Would that render it vulnerable to ramming? More importantly, why was he having such a thought about a country that was supposed to be his ally?

"Absolutely incredible, Andros," said Heron finally as he took in both ships. "How soon are they operational?"

"They are ready to go today, sire," said Andros proudly.

"Good," said Heron. "We just might have a need for them after all."

*****

The next morning, Jack readied to depart Picardy. The task force was fully supplied, and the majority of the marines were off the ships except for a small contingent of veterans that were returning home. As the sun rose on the eastern horizon, all that there was left to do was say goodbye to their hosts.

All six of them—Jack, Abigail, Kat, Dustin, Greg, and Vera—departed theDestiny one more time as they made their way to the palace. For three of them, it would be the last time they left the mighty cruiser for some time.

"I can't believe I'm finally coming off theDestiny," said Vera as they walked along Daban's quiet streets. "It just doesn't feel right."

"It's only temporary, right?" offered Kat as she looked back at her friend. Kat's face was particularly morose this morning. Apart from Jack and Abigail, Vera was her closest friend aboard, and the thought of spending many months parted probably wasn't a great one.

"Just temporary," Vera confirmed. "Just don't take too long in Java before you come back. All your friends will be waiting here."

Jack swallowed heavily without responding. He had no idea how long they would be in Java and away from Vera, Greg, and Dustin. He hoped that by leaving a portion of his forces here, he could make an argument for a quick return after the Occitanian blockade was broken.

If it can be broken, said a small voice in his mind.The Occitanian fleet is powerful. Who says you can break the blockade even with a full muster of the Javan fleet?

Jack shook such thoughts from his head. He didn't want to dwell on negative thoughts, even if they presented a genuine concern. All he wanted to focus on now was getting home quickly.

As they neared the palace, the six of them became aware of a great commotion going on near the front entrance. It was only once they got closer that Jack could see what was essentially a parade of military men marching in full step with each other in front of the palace.

The men were an impressive lot, and their marching was carefully coordinated in a way that only meant it had been practiced nearly a thousand times. They moved not as individual men, but as one body as their legs extended out ten abreast and moved down the paved street of the city. Their uniforms were dark gray in the Carinthian style, and their helmets weren't much different from those of their Picard allies.

Watching this entire procession on the other side of the street were Reina and Aedan, both looking sublime in their full regal garments. Beside Aedan was tiny Ciara and the even tinier crown prince, no doubt seeing such a succession for the first time.

It was only once the parade was over that Jack and his group were able to cross the street and meet with the royals on the other side.

"There you are, Jack!" said Reina with a welcoming smile. "Did you manage to catch the show?"

Jack nodded. "I sure did. Your soldiers I'm guessing, Reina?"

"My men," she said proudly. "Those are the two regiments that just arrived. It's almost funny that they are just arriving today while their queen departs for home, but such is life."

"I didn't realize you were also leaving today," said Kat as she soon moved to embrace the Carinthian queen.

"Yes, yes, all my friends leave Picardy today," said Aedan from afar, as he and his family moved to close the distance. "I shall miss the company of all of you greatly."

"Now, now, Aedan, I'll just be across the strait if you need me," said Reina consolingly. "And now you have three regiments of my best men."

"And you have no idea how much we appreciate them," he added quickly. "They will be sorely needed in the coming weeks." He then turned to Jack. "All ready to head out then, are you?"

"We are, but we couldn't leave without saying goodbye first," said Jack. The two monarchs embraced like brothers. Jack was almost fearful that the nature of his return to Java had added an unnecessary layer of friction between him and the other royals, yet there was no indication of it this morning. Aedan gave him a genuine and unhappy goodbye, while Ciara could be spotted with tears in her eyes as she said goodbye to him, Abigail, and Kat.

"Keep us up to speed when you can," said Aedan to Jack. "Especially when you're coming back."

"Likewise, and let me know when you've killed the last Swabian in Picardy," said Jack with a wily smile.

Aedan chuckled. "I'm sure with your men being here, that day won't be too far off in the future."

"What's next for you now? Will you head south with the army?" asked Jack.

Aedan nodded. "I will. My forces and I will move out tomorrow while Ciara stays in Daban. With Reina's men and your marines, we now have a force that can go on the offensive. It will take us a week or two before we cover the ground out to Burwick, but I think that's where we'll get started."

"Well, I know our men are spoiling for a fight," said Jack as he gestured to the two marines.

"Spoiling is right," chirped up Greg. "We're ready and willing to get back into the thick of it."

Aedan grinned and then gently elbowed Jack in the stomach. "I like these men already."

"I didn't think you'd have any problems there," said Jack with a grin.

"It just won't be the same without you, Jack," said Aedan in a more serious tone. "Come back quickly, all right?"

Jack nodded. "I will come back as quickly as I can. You have my promise."

"Make sure you let us know all about little Davin as well," added Kat to Ciara as the two women embraced. "Spare no details, I want to know about every burp and hiccup!"

Ciara started to giggle. "You're going to get correspondence that is quite long then! I swear he gets hiccups like five times a day at this point."

"I don't care," replied Kat quickly as she grinned. "Send it anyway."

"Goodbye, my friend," said Ciara. "Keep yourselves safe and return to us soon." Ciara then repeated the same motion with Abigail as Jack then moved to Reina.

"Jack, you look absolutely dashing in that uniform this morning," said Reina with a flirtatious grin. "Are you sure that Kat and Abigail wouldn't excuse us for a private goodbye?"

Jack laughed as he hugged her. "Never change, Reina. You never cease to make me laugh and turn red at the same time."

"It's all part of my charm," said Reina as she squeezed him. "Now, we should probably part ways so your women can stop staring daggers at me."

Jack turned to look at Kat and Abigail, who had mirrored expressions on their face as they regarded the Carinthian Queen. They were, of course, playful but it spoke to their true level of genuine affection to him.

"I'll be on the lookout for another handsome man to be your fourth husband, Reina," said Kat as the two hugged fiercely.

"Bring back a Javan then, will you? I'm in the mood for something exotic," said Reina.

"You know, my brothers are single," offered Abigail before she turned to look at Jack. "Maybe I should bring one of them along with us?"

Reina looked delighted. "How tall are they? Big, strapping lads, are they?"

Abigail nodded with a grin. "And in the navy too."

Reina let out an excited noise. "Bring back both then!"

All of them laughed together as the last bit of hugs and goodbyes were exchanged. All too soon it was over, and with one final wave to the royals, the six of them continued onward to the temporary barracks on the other side of town so that they could drop off Dustin, Greg, and Vera, and say one last goodbye to them as well.

"You know, I really like that Reina lady," said Dustin along the way before he turned to look at Abigail. "Are you serious about bringing your brothers?"

Abigail started to laugh. "Maybe—if I thought she wouldn't eat them alive. Reina has some very wild tastes. I'm not sure I should expose my family to all of that."

"Maybe she'll take a look into me then," said Dustin with a smirk. "If she's seeking wild, I'm as wild as they come!"

Both Kat and Vera started to snicker. "By all means, go ahead. At least it'll be entertaining," said Kat while struggling to stop laughing.

"If anything, I think you may have lost your chance, Dustin," said Abigail with a grin. "The queen is about to leave. You better hightail it to her ship if you want a chance to warm her sheets."

Dustin looked like he was seriously going to consider the matter for a second before he shook his head noncommittally. "It's all good. I'll win some more glory here in Picardy first. Then when I return a war hero, she won't be able to resist."

Greg patted his shoulder while struggling to keep a straight face. "Good luck with that!"

All too soon, they reached the open fairground where the Javan force had taken up residence. Immediately, Jack could see familiar faces—most of the men that had joined him in Andalucia—as they went about their daily tasks. Several of them were keeping fit by running around the grounds while others attended to their rifles, making sure they were clean and ready for action.

Jack had no hesitations about leaving them here in Picardy. In ironic fashion, the only thing he regretted was having to be parted from the bulk of them for so long. Despite having the original veterans with him, there was something immediately reassuring about having that many trained professionals ready at a moment's notice.

They wouldn't have escaped half the fights they'd been in without the quiet quality of the Javan marines, something that was never far from his mind.

"Well, this is it," said Jack ominously, as they reached the temporary quarters that would house the officers. They were a bit nicer than the ones occupied by the common marines, with a bathroom for each room and solid structures as opposed to the heavy tarps the marines had to make due with. "I guess this is where we have to leave you three."

Greg, Dustin, and Vera looked as upset about the fact as the rest of them felt. Soon all of them began to pair off to say their own goodbyes. For that reason, Jack got Dustin first.

"You know that you're Greg's second-in-command for this fight, right?" said Jack with a raised eyebrow. "Don't go doing something foolish like trying to conquer Swabia."

Dustin grinned. "That doesn't sound foolish at all. In fact, it sounds like a hell of a lot of fun!"

The two men embraced. "Keep an eye on Greg. When he gets in a fight, he tends to think about everything except for himself. He's got an extra reason to live for now." Jack pointed to Vera. "Don't let him do anything stupid either."

"Don't worry about either of us. Or your sister, Jack. We'll hold up our end of things, but don't expect me to save any Swabians for you. They're all mine!"

Jack chuckled. "I wouldn't expect anything different. Take care of yourself, Dustin."

"You too, Jack, you too."

Jack came to Vera next, and to no one's surprise, her eyes were already red. He watched as visible tears streamed down her cheeks before she slipped quickly into his embrace. "I miss you already," she said quietly as her voice whispered softly against his ear.

"I miss you too, Vera. You're just about the only family I have left these days. Be safe out here, okay?"

She nodded. "And you too. It just doesn't feel right knowing I won't be able to see you every day. We've come a long way together, haven't we?"

"We sure have. Sometimes, it's hard to remember that day back in Sorella when we first met."