Fourth Vector Ch. 22

Kat nodded while Abigail offered a small wave. "Good luck. We miss you already."

Jack grinned. "Miss you both too."

As he turned on his heel, Jack stepped foot back on the Javan mainland for the first time in a year. He'd hoped that it would have felt better than it did, but perhaps the chance to see his old friends at naval headquarters would feel better. He squared his shoulders and walked toward the imposing building, hopeful of what was to come.

The naval headquarters building was exactly as he remembered it. The structure was, like the rest of Lockhaven, more glass than anything else. It was located not far from the docks, on a short clearing alongside other naval buildings and barracks. The headquarters stood about five stories high, the largest nerve center for the navy outside of Belfort and Aberdeen.

As soon as Jack stepped inside, the place was bustling with activity. Deputies hustled about the main hallways along with their busy secretaries, leaving no portion of the building with silence. Many of them were familiar faces, mainstays from all his years in the navy. Jack greeted one too many old friends, many of those he hadn't seen in years.

Jack was surprised to find the amount of attention he garnered from the second he stepped into the building. Not only from old friends, but from faces he didn't recognize either, all of them staring at him like he was some kind of demigod appearing from mythology. He'd expected a certain level of amazement at being the first person back from the Fourth Vector, but this almost seemed to take it to absurd levels.

After shaking hands with numerous officers, including a few admirals, Jack was finally shown into a private room where he was alone once more but not for long. About five minutes after his arrival, another familiar face entered.

Jack had last seen Rear Admiral Jason Clark about a year and a half ago, the last time he saw Admiral Bancroft, but his wasn't a face that he forgot easily. Clark was Bancroft's longtime deputy, a man whose very name signaled competence and loyalty. His hair was a lot grayer than Jack remembered, but the most disturbing thing about Clark's appearance was the look in his eyes.

It was almost like the spark of living had been entirely extinguished. Something about his face instantly filled Jack with feelings of dread, and he received the impression that not all was well in the country.

"Admiral, it's so nice to see you again," said Jack with a warm smile. "It's been way too long."

Clark offered a smile with his mouth but not with the rest of his face. "It's good to see you too, Jack. The admiral will be here with us shortly. I'm sure he's eager to meet with you."

"And how is Admiral Bancroft? Is he well?"

There was a look of momentarily disgust that passed by Clark's face. Jack only caught it for a second before it disappeared. "He is . . . increasingly . . . "

Clark never got a chance to finish his sentence. As his mouth hung open, the door to the room suddenly opened, and no other than Fleet Admiral Percival Bancroft entered the room.

Clark's mouth shut itself instantly, his words forever lost as Bancroft put on a warm grin and approached Jack.

"Jack, my boy, you have no idea how it warms my heart to see you again," said Bancroft, stopping right before him.

Jack offered him a crisp salute before taking the admiral's outstretched hand. "And you as well, Admiral. It's good to be home."

Jack felt the admiral's other arm snake around his back, giving him three hearty pats before he pulled away. Like Clark, Bancroft was also older than he remembered. The creases in his face cut deeper than before, and the hair at his temple was now fully silver without any specs of black. There was something else different about the way he carried himself, something that Jack couldn't quite figure out just yet.

"Look at you now. Commodore Easterbrook," said Bancroft with pride as he looked over Jack's uniform. "I remember when you were just a simple cadet back in the Academy. How many years has it been?"

"About eighteen now, sir," said Jack with a grin. "I entered the Academy right out of high school."

Bancroft's mouth dropped open. "Has it really been that long, Jack? I say that more for the years since your rate of promotion was certainly speedy enough. I don't know many thirty-six-year-old commodores."

Jack shook his head with humility. "Luckily for me, I've had the benefit of a great crew and even better ships under my command. It's made everything else easy."

Bancroft started to laugh. "You sound like a politician, Jack, especially with an answer like that. My guess is your time in the service has marked you for a political career. Ever thought about that?"

For a split-second, Jack's thoughts turned back to Galicia, but it wasn't a topic he wanted to bring up just yet, not during his first meeting with the man. This meeting was more superficial than most, and he didn't want to open that can of worms.

"I find a warship suits me just fine," answered Jack. "I think I'd leave politics to those with the temperament."

"Another good answer." Bancroft shook his finger. "I knew I was right all the years ago to keep an eye on you. You'll be filling my shoes one day." Bancroft turned to look at Clark. "Isn't that right, Clark?"

Surprisingly, Clark barely moved. He remained silent, only offering a perfunctory and polite smile.

Bancroft didn't seem affected. He once more moved again to touch Jack's back. "Come, let's have a seat while we wait for our last guest. I want to hear all about your travels. You and your crew are the only ones to enter the Fourth Vector and live to tell about it. Tell me everything."

Jack didn't get a chance to ask who the new arrival might be. Soon he found himself bombarded with questions from Bancroft about his progress in the Vector. Many of them were only natural, the result of an intuitive mind. Others were more leading, making Jack wonder why he could possibly be asking such a thing.

"And these Andalucians? They are rather primitive, yes? Any warships of note? What about army size?" continued Bancroft as he seemed to add to his mental tally.

"For the most part, yes," confirmed Jack. "They don't have any warships of note, and most of their army has been decimated by the wars they fought against me. In any event, their primary weapon is the bow, and as you can imagine, it doesn't go too far against rifles."

Bancroft grinned. "Right you are, Jack. What about these Swabian characters you've mentioned in your reports? Are they quite the threat?"

Jack nodded. "I believe they are the primary threat throughout the West, more deadly than most."

Bancroft blinked several times. "I'm sorry, what is the West?"

"My apologies, sir," answered Jack. "I've been used to using their terminology for a while now. They refer to themselves as being part of the West, or as western countries. When I'm around them, I try not to refer to the area as the Vector."

The admiral let out an amused smile. "Surely, we don't want to offend the savages, I get it. I suppose they call us the East then?"

Jack nodded but his cheek flinched at the same time. "I really wouldn't call them savages, sir. Yes, some of them are still a century behind us in terms of technology, but the others are quite advanced. One of the last places I was at, Carinthia, has even mastered flight."

Bancroft gave him a disbelieving look. "We've mastered flight too, Jack. We've had gliders since before you were born."

Jack shook his head. "I mean controlled flight, sir. Using an engine and wings, as well as a pilot who can dictate where they want to go."

The admiral didn't look convinced. "Perhaps we'll have to spend more time on that later. I do find it hard to believe that two peoples separated by a vast ocean can be at similar points of development though."

Jack smiled. "What I've found in the Vector hasn't stopped surprising me since I first arrived. In many cases, I'd even call it life-changing." That was certainly an understatement, and it was about all the more he was willing to offer at the moment about the nature of his discovery about Galicia.

"Well, you seem to be the best man for the job then. It's why you must go back as soon as this business with the blockade is tidied up," said Bancroft as he leaned back in his chair. "We may even need you to help out in some of those colonies that you've already been through, like Sorella."

Jack flinched again. "About that, sir, I was hoping we might be able to talk more about it. Specifically calling them colonies. I was under the impression this mission was about forming alliances, not colonies."

For the first time that morning, Jack caught sight of a side of Bancroft he hadn't seen yet. A darker side that seemed to linger underneath the open pleasantness. "That's a peculiar situation, Jack. One that goes all the way to the top. I have to admit that I was as surprised as you, but that is the course that the emperor wants to dictate on this mission."

Jack pursed his lips. "I understand it's the emperor's call that's final, but I think we'll have a harder time finding new colonies. Nobody willingly goes into submission."

"Then you'll just have to keep disguising it as an alliance to make it easy on yourself," said Bancroft flatly.

Jack blinked. "That doesn't seem like the right thing to do. The countries where the viceroys have shown up are already upset about the treatment. I fear what will happen when the viceroys show up to the larger countries and what that might mean for our presence there—"

Bancroft held up his hand as there was a knock on the door. While Clark went for the door, Bancroft gave Jack an exasperated look. "We don't have time to discuss this now, Jack. Perhaps after the battle, I can give you a sympathetic ear, but our orders from the emperor are quite clear. You will do whatever is necessary to colonize these people."

Jack opened his mouth to protest but no words came out. Especially as the door to the room finally opened and a new officer stepped in.

"There he is, Rear Admiral Nick Reynolds," said Bancroft as he moved to stand.

Jack stood as well, waiting and appraising Reynolds while Bancroft greeted him. Reynolds was about ten years older than Jack, but it didn't show much in his face. His jaw was jowly and his cheeks were spotted, but his eyes were cold, almost dark. When the man's gaze finally settled on Jack, he felt an immediate discomfort that wouldn't quite go away.

"I'm not sure if you men know each other, but we might as well get introductions out of the way now," said Bancroft as he gestured for them to close the distance. "Nick, this is Commodore Jack Easterbrook."

Jack extended his hand, which was taken in a tight grip by Reynolds. His cold eyes never left Jack's. "We meet at last, Jack Easterbrook. We have a lot to discuss."

"I've heard about your career, especially your command recently at Quiller's Cove," said Jack with a friendly tone. "I'm glad to meet you as well."

Jack almost took a step back as a momentary rage blazed in Reynolds' eyes. It was gone just as quickly as it arrived, but Jack had to wonder what it was all about. He remembered the warning given to him by both Commodore Lucas and Luke about Reynolds.

It appeared their warnings were likely to bear fruit.

"I'm glad you both are here, and I wanted to be the first one to tell you what was coming up next," said Bancroft as he gestured for the both of them to sit down. Jack took the seat he had previously, directly across from the admiral, but Reynolds continued to surprise. Instead of taking the clearly open seat next to Jack, he pulled another chair away from the table and sat just an arm's length beside Bancroft.

His disgust couldn't have been written any clearer onto his face, causing Jack to swallow heavily.

Unfortunately, it went entirely unnoticed by Bancroft.

"As you know, after the disastrous results of the initial Occitanian invasion, our priorities have shifted," stated Bancroft tactfully. "Thankfully, the emperor no longer wants to attempt another invasion until the bulk of the fleet at Aberdeen can escape the blockade. For that reason, full attention is being given to the navy for the sole purpose of getting our ships out of the city. I have called together all the warships we have that aren't in Aberdeen, and they are all in Lockhaven harbor. You two are the senior commanders of those forces."

Bancroft then turned to Jack. "Jack, as the leader of Task Force 21, you'll play an important role in the upcoming blockade. You'll receive no additional forces, but your command will be part of the western prong of attack."

The admiral then turned to look at Reynolds. "Nick here has assumed the command of Task Force 78, the remnants of which formed the old protection fleet for the original invasion."

"Henrik's command," said Jack quietly, to which Bancroft soon nodded.

"They will be better commanded by Nick here," said the admiral firmly. "Especially now that we've rooted that traitor out of our mist."

"Amen," added Nick quietly, his glare still locked on Jack. Jack forced himself to turn his attention back to Bancroft.

"Nick here will command the eastern prong, which is the main attacking force," said Bancroft. "Don't worry about the details, we'll go over this tomorrow in a formal war council. But you will both be joined by the main fleet with a pre-arranged signal. All of you will attack different sections of the Occitanian blockade and destroy it totally. Once the Occitanians see the blockade is broken in multiple sections, they'll have no choice but to pull back and regroup, allowing our fleet to muster as one."

Bancroft then took a deep breath, looking at the both of them. "In a nutshell, that is what's being asked of us. We'll coordinate our movements and develop the main plan tomorrow, but I wanted to make sure the both of you had a heads-up of what's to come."

"It sounds simple enough," said Nick, who had finally pried his eyes off of Jack. "We hit them at two spots and watch them disintegrate. The forces under my command will have no issue carrying out this order."

Bancroft gave him an appreciative nod. "Hence why you both were chosen for this mission. You've both demonstrated the ability to be superior officers, and frankly, you're future leaders of this navy. The next generation, if you will. It's for that reason and that reason alone that you've been given these high profile commands."

"Do you think our combined strength is sufficient to break the blockade?" asked Jack. "I know even in peacetime, the Occitanian fleet still outnumbered ours. Are we to expect superior forces when we get to Aberdeen?"

"Quite possibly, Jack," said Bancroft. "I'll be honest with you. We still expect to be outnumbered, but we're hoping that surprise and the actions of a few promising officers," Bancroft gestured to them both before he continued, "will make all the difference on this one. In any event, it has to make the difference."

The fleet admiral then took a labored breath before he resumed speaking. "I don't have to tell the both of you how much prestige we lost with the invasion debacle. Not only did we let two divisions get badly mauled, but a traitor was exposed within our midst. The navy is not well-thought of at the current time with leadership, so I'm being very honest when I say that this is a make-or-break opportunity for us. Failure isn't an option for this mission."

"My task force won't let you down, Admiral," said Nick, already aiming to be the kiss-ass that he had the reputation for. "We will see to it that Task Force 78 regains its honor."

Bancroft smiled gratefully. "I appreciate that, Nick. I know you both will do well. I just wanted to make sure you knew how many eyes are on this operation. If all goes to plan, I fully expect it to catapult your careers to the highest level. If it doesn't, well . . ." Bancroft stopped speaking and only shook his head regretfully.

The message couldn't have been more clear.

As Jack digested the task in front of him, Bancroft suddenly smacked his own knee. "Well, gentleman, I can't stay much longer. Clark and I need to be off. Remember, tomorrow's war council is at nine o'clock sharp. I will leave you with these briefings of the basic plan. Study them and prepare for more discussion in the morning."

Bancroft moved to stand, followed closely by Nick who seemed determined to play the man's shadow. Bancroft saluted them both before extending his hand. "Nick, always a pleasure." Bancroft then turned back to Jack and shook his hand with more enthusiasm. "Welcome home, Jack. We're glad to have you back."

It wasn't hard to see that Nick found Bancroft's lack of reply enraging, especially compared to the one Jack received. Even if it was satisfying to the smallest degree to see the kiss-ass being passed over, Jack knew it would only serve to raise the already existing tension between the two.

"Thank you, sir. Glad to be home," said Jack as he watched Bancroft and Clark head for the door.

Before he could slip out, he turned to the both of them. "It couldn't hurt if the two of you spend some time together today going over the details of your briefings. Coordination in this coming battle will be key. You'd be wise to spend that time in conference to work on your battle plan." Bancroft then grinned. "See you tomorrow."

Like that, the steward of the Javan Navy slipped out the door, leaving the two men alone together at last.

The silence in the room became deafening almost immediately. As Jack turned away from the door, he became aware that Reynolds' eyes were already burning a hole through the back of his head. He knew that confrontation was likely, but he also knew he'd have to develop some kind of working relationship with the man before they could relieve the blockade.

Until they could get to that point, they had to address the elephant in the room. It was better off to just get it over with.

"Admiral Reynolds, I'd like to talk to you about your time at Quiller's Cove," started Jack, bracing himself for the man's response.

Reynolds peered at him with a bloodthirsty stare. "Yes, Jack, let's talk about that. I've been meaning to ask you about the role you played in that whole ordeal for a long time now."

"I don't know what you mean," said Jack with a quick shake of the head. "I played no role."

"So you didn't go to Admiral Bancroft and request to be reinforced by the ships under my command?"

"I didn't ask for him to take any ships from your command," said Jack. "I requested reinforcements, and that's what was offered to me."

Reynolds sneered. "They were offered to you because they were the closest ships to your position. You knew my task force was at Quiller's, and you had to have known that's where they would draw them from."

Jack gave him a confused look. "I didn't maliciously intend to steal your ships, Admiral."

"I think you did, Easterbrook. I also think you did it because you wanted the glory of defeating the Occitanian task force that I'd already wounded. That should've been my victory, not yours."

"It was a Javan victory," corrected Jack. "Is that not good enough?"

Reynolds shook his head. "No, it's not. That should've gone to the superior officer. Were you not still a commander at the time of that battle?"

Jack raised his chin. "I was. And what of it?"

"And now you're a commodore. And you have the Naval Cross to boot. Some victory it was, Jack."

"You can believe what you want, Admiral," said Jack finally as he crossed his arms. "But this is entirely in your head. I have nothing against you."

"Well, I can't say the same for myself," said Reynolds with a frosty glare. "I think you've been out gallivanting in the Fourth Vector, attracting fame and fortune while the rest of us battle the Occitanians. As soon as I came back to Java, the first thing I hear on everyone's tongues are the exploits of Jack Easterbrook. You're famous in Java now, did you know that?"