Fourth Vector Ch. 30

It was a costly morning for Galicia. Her land forces had taken quite the beating as well, suffering nearly a regiment's worth of casualties from the forces still loyal to Eric Rosdahl. Of the thousand men of the 7th Regiment at the start of the morning, there were now slightly more than nine hundred available with them on the deck of theVisby, a terrible casualty rate for one morning of fighting. Lindy soon joined them on the bridge, and despite it being a foreign vessel, Jack immediately felt at home at once again being in command of a task force.

Within the hour, the task force was free of Kalmar harbor and putting some distance between themselves and the forces of Eric Rosdahl. Jack finally lost sight of the city around eleven in the morning, and the task force was able to come off battle-stations for the first time since sunrise.

With the threat of force diminishing, Jack was brought together for a much needed conversation with some of his newest allies. He was brought down to Taylor's personal quarters, alongside Lindy, Bill and Lisa, and together they sat down to plot out the next course of action. Despite the severity of the events of the morning, the meeting started on a more lighthearted note.

"You know, if anyone told me when I woke up this morning that I'd be fighting a battle and then put on a squadron out of Kalmar, I would've told them they were nuts," said Lindy as he rubbed at his eyes with his fingers.

Admiral Taylor actually cracked a smile. "I think we've all had a moment this morning where everything we believe in was put to the test."

"I'll say," said Bill. "And despite the odds against us, we actually managed to get out of Kalmar. No small feat, I might add, especially since we started the day with just three of my personal guards."

"A testament to your leadership skills, Bill," added Jack. "I can see now where your son gets his strength of will."

Both Bill and Lisa put on fond smiles at that mention of their son. "I hope to see him again sometime soon," said Lisa. "But that also puts up a good question. Where is our destination? Where are we to go?"

It was one without an easy answer but Jack was the first one to speak up and take a swing at it.

"We could always go to Picardy," he said, appraising their faces for their feelings. "All the rest of my forces are there, including my task force and my naval infantry. The army that we've forged with the alliance of Carinthia and Picardy is still fighting in Daban. I can count on King Aedan as a good friend to our cause, one that would be loyal to us. Also present in the country is your son, Will, and I'm sure you'd be happy to see him again. As are a few people of great importance to me. Picardy is a likely choice."

Jack didn't expect the lukewarm response that he received.

"Picardy might be a bit troublesome," said Taylor, broaching the subject lightly. "We'd have to cross the entire inner sea, one which is teeming with Swabian forces right now from the invasions. I'd suggest we send a message to King Aedan and find out how his forces stand but reaching them might be troublesome with the wider war that's going on."

"You mentioned the wider war," said Jack to Taylor. "What have you heard? I know the Swabians planned to strike out in several directions but has that occurred?"

Taylor nodded. "We've been receiving cryptic dispatches from our liaison in Apulia, an ambassador that was put up in Marmora at great expense to the navy. It was only necessary that we do so because Eric Rosdahl was preventing news of the wider world from getting out. It was he who first reported that the Swabians had landed on the southernmost island of Apulia, capturing the city of Monticello before moving to the western island and capturing the city of Pescia. With two of the three islands down, they've now landed a force on the main island and are approaching Marmora."

"In your opinion, do the Apulians stand a chance?" asked Jack. "I know they've only recently built up their army again, but can they hold the Swabians back?"

Lindy was the one to answer that one. "I'm afraid not. The Apulians certainly have the heart but they've long forgotten how to be soldiers. They should never have abolished their army and reconstituting it is something that can't happen overnight. It takes years to build an army, train it, and properly equip it. Against a Swabian force, they aren't likely to hold for very long."

Taylor nodded and added to that. "That is what our liaison is saying as well. He doesn't expect them to hold Marmora, and frankly, neither does the Apulian Director, their elected leader. He's already made his intentions known that he's going to proceed to the northwest corner of the island and hold out some kind of resistance there centered around the city of Arezzo. Arezzo also happens to be our closest friendly port of call. It's a couple hundred miles away from Marmora, and we could be there in a few days."

"I have no problem with fighting Swabians, but what would we fight them with?" asked Lindy. "We have a single battered regiment with us. We won't be able to hold off a Swabian army with less than a thousand men. We might be better off staying on the water."

"Ordinarily, I'd agree with you," said Taylor. "But Arezzo is a city that would be quite easy to defend, even for a few men. The city is surrounded by water on all but one side, similar to Kalmar. There's a narrow neck that connects it to the rest of the mainland, and the neck is rocky and slopes uphill into the city. It's a prime defensive area, and one that even the novice soldiers of Apulia can make work for them."

"It's also the last outpost of the Apulians," said Jack.

"And if Apulia falls, Galicia will be nearly cut off from the rest of the West," chimed in Bill. "Apulia cannot fall. If the Swabian forces are allowed to take position of the entire Slot between Apulia and Samara, they'll be in prime position to strike out in any direction. They'll also permanently block us off from Carinthia and Picardy should they choose to work with us."

"We need to find out the situation on Picardy," said Jack. "It was stable when I left but that was two months ago. We need to make sure they can continue to hold out if we decide to land in Apulia. Apulia certainly sounds like it's in dire need."

"The Director is calling for any and all aid right now, even from the Samarans, which goes to show you how desperate they are," said Taylor. "If we can land our forces in Arezzo, we can bring our strength in ships against them more adequately."

It was at this point that Lisa spoke up for the first time. "I hear you gentlemen talk about Apulia, Picardy, and even Samara. What about Galicia? We've just managed to get out of our homeland by the skin of our teeth. Are we to abandon her so easily now? Are we going to let Eric Rosdahl win?"

It was a topic no one wanted to answer. Taylor looked uncomfortable as did Lindy. Bill stared at the table, not wanting to broach any kind of answer. Jack was the only one who was willing to attempt it.

"As much as I hate to say it, Galicia is going to have to wait for right now," said Jack. "We don't have much of an army, and we can't take on Eric Rosdahl without one. My feeling on having met the man is that he isn't going to send out his forces to join the Swabians anytime soon. He's not that outward looking to contemplate that. He'll wait for us to return. We should take this time to get some experience, bring on more men, and attempt to stop the Swabians. Only once we've halted their expansive march can we attempt to claim Galicia."

"As long as that's the plan," said Lisa quietly. "I don't want to be away from my home for very long. You may have only been to Galicia one time, but it is everything to us."

"Lisa," warned Bill, his voice low. "That's your king you're talking to."

"It's all right, Bill," said Jack, raising his hand. "Lisa, I sympathize with you. We'll focus on getting stronger first and then we'll make a plan to take Galicia from Eric Rosdahl. You have my word. I can't very well be a king without a country, can I?"

Lisa actually smiled. "Thank you, Your Majesty. It's going to take some time for me to get used to saying that, but I certainly am glad you're back. Galicia has been without a king for too long."

"Hear, hear," said Lindy while banging his fist against the table.

"She raises an interesting point," said Taylor with a smirk. "None of us alive remember the time when the kings reigned. I'm afraid we're all going to struggle when it comes to propriety around a king, Your Majesty."

"Propriety can wait for now," said Jack with a dismissive wave of his hand. "As some of you know, I didn't grow up in this life. I only found out about my Galician heritage recently when it was thrust on me out of the blue. I'm afraid I have a lot to learn about being a king. Hopefully, I can rely on all of you to help show me the way."

To his surprise, Bill actually stood up from the table. "I will help you to the best of my ability. I can promise you that. I've risked my life and even my family to set you free. With the last breath in my lungs, I swear fealty to you, my king. I will follow wherever you go and obey your commands. I will do all that's necessary to see our homeland freed of that arrogant tyrant, Eric Rosdahl. I am your man now, in this life and the next."

With those words, Bill actually took Jack's hand. He placed a kiss against the back of it and then knelt against the floor. It was a gesture that was wholly unexpected but it touched Jack in a way that he didn't expect. Knowing the recent turmoil the old man had been through, it brought a lump to his throat.

Bill was soon joined by his wife in the same gesture. "He speaks for both of us, Your Majesty." She joined him in kneeling on the floor.

She was then followed by Lindy. "My men and my life are yours to command, Your Majesty. I swear myself to your service."

And finally, Taylor moved with the others. "My ships and my life are yours to command as well. I'm your man from now until my end."

It was an overwhelming sight to see the four of them on the knees in front of him. It was also the first time he'd received the loyalty of actual Galicians other than Kat or Vera. Ever since he'd entered the Vector, the kingship of Galicia always seemed like an unattainable goal, one that was forever out of reach with so many lands to visit and enemies to fight. After the events of the last two months, Jack was now in command of actual Galicians, and he'd received the recognition that they knew who he was and they would fight for him.

It was a sobering experience, one that he wasn't likely to forget anytime soon.

It was also the first of many. In the coming days, Admiral Taylor reported the contact of many Galician vessels, several of whom had escaped from the main fleet in Austad. Reports of the action in Kalmar were starting to circulate the country, especially the part of a Galician king leading them in opposition to the regent.

"They want to come over to our forces," explained Admiral Taylor to Jack. "They've heard about the action in Kalmar, which everyone is calling a battle now. They know that you're with us and they know who you are. They want to fight for the king."

"How many ships are they bringing over?" asked Jack.

"Two cruisers for now," said Taylor. "But we might be hearing from more of them."

Jack smiled. "Two cruisers would go a long way."

"This might be a great thing," added Bill. "Those Galicians that felt the bond now know for sure what it is. I'd expect many of them to flock to our banners now that action has been raised."

"We could surely use all the help we can get," said Jack. "Fighting the Swabians and the loyalists under Rosdahl will be a daunting prospect indeed."

"One that we can do though," said Bill with determination. "Especially now that we've almost arrived at our destination."

He gestured out the bridge, where the land mass of Apulia awaited them. Just to the southeast was the city of Arezzo, now the last bastion of Apulian resistance since the news reached them that Marmora had fallen the day before.

"We should go ashore and make contact with them," said Jack with a firm glare. "Come on, it's time to take the first strike against the Swabians. We're going to give them a fight they won't soon forget."