Fourth Vector Ch. 31

Chapter 31: Hell Unleashed

Author's Note: There's some brief anal and a forced sex scene in this chapter. Please skip over if that's not your thing.

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Jack arrived in Apulia to find a nation on the verge of defeat.

Just off the northern coast of the country, the mighty Galician task force floated in shallow waters. It was set up in battle formation due to the near certainty that Swabian forces were nearby. That morning they saw no evidence of a Swabian threat, but just as worryingly, they saw no evidence of Apulian defenders.

Across the short stretch of sea, the Apulian city of Arezzo stood proudly on a rocky promontory that jutted out into the ocean. The city, once a bastion of the fishing industry which dominated this portion of Apulia, was on the verge of disaster. Despite the green and yellow Apulian flag flying from the highest masts, Arezzo appeared to be awaiting the fate of the rest of Apulia.

Jack couldn't say he blamed them. The entire country had fallen so fast that they probably felt assured of the same destiny. The two smaller islands of Apulia fell to the Swabians within the first week. The main island, which held the capital city of Marmora as well as Arezzo, was invaded next.

Just days ago, Jack received word that Marmora had fallen. Arezzo was the last free city of any significance in Apulia.

Jack couldn't let the city fall. To do so would be to lose the entire Slot—the vital communication link between his forces and the ones still fighting on Picardy. It also removed any semblance of an Apulian army (wherever they might be) from the list of forces that could resist the Swabians.

Lastly, it put the country of Samara in jeopardy, and even now, Jack could look behind him to see that country's distant shores on the other side of the narrow inlet of the Slot.

He had to get his forces on land to set up a defense.

"What are you thinking, Jack?" asked Bill Calland, who was standing next to him on the bridge of theVisby.

Bill had been Jack's able lieutenant ever since the action in Kalmar. Despite knowing how Kat felt about the Callands, Jack had grown to like the man. He was remarkably sage for his years, knowing more about Galicia and her people than just about anyone else. He was good company in just about any instance, and Jack appreciated his friendly and knowledgeable nature. He also seemed most invested in Jack's success, no doubt from his role in putting Eric Rosdahl in the regency all those years ago.

"Do you see that small rocky neck that leads outside the city?" asked Jack as he handed the older man his binoculars. "There are no buildings there except for an old guard fortification. All I can see are boulders and a small road that connects the city to the rest of the mainland. It's a perfect area to coordinate a defense."

Bill looked over the rocky neck before putting the binoculars down. "It might be the best chance we have at holding off the Swabians. A smaller force could hold that neck for a long time, especially with naval support."

"Something tells me that you'll have plenty of naval support," added Admiral Russell Taylor, standing on Jack's other side.

The admiral was one who Jack was growing to like more each day. Their initial meeting had been a standoff when Russell had to be convinced of Jack's true identity. Ever since that day, he'd been loyal, forthcoming, and just as knowledgeable as Bill. It also helped that Russell was a fellow naval officer, and Jack found out that he'd been in that role for the greater part of ten years. If he were in Java, he would be a rival to McKenzie or Reynolds, or perhaps even Bancroft. The fact that Jack had the exclusive use of the man was a boon for his cause.

"Have any more ships defected to our side?" asked Jack to the admiral.

Russell grinned. "There's a small convoy inbound right now. Should be here in another day or so. Same excuse as the others."

Jack couldn't help but smile. Ever since the action in Kalmar, Galician ships and soldiers were swarming to find him. The battle in the Galician capital proved without a doubt that the Galician King was still alive, and many in the armed forces suddenly found that their oath to serve the crown of the country had a new meaning.

It couldn't come at a more welcome time. The forces that Jack had in his corner, while growing by the day, were still woefully small when compared to what the Swabians had in just Apulia alone. All reports were of a Swabian force in the neighborhood of twenty thousand on the main island alone. At the current time, Jack had just over nine hundred soldiers with which to defend Arezzo. With the Apulian Army being in shambles, they were going to need all the help they could get.

"Hopefully they have more soldiers with them," chimed in Colonel Lindell "Lindy" Wilson who was standing a short distance away. "My men are good but even they can't hold back the whole Swabian Army by themselves."

Jack nodded. "More soldiers would be needed. Any news if this convoy is more than just sailors and ships?"

Russell shrugged. "I've heard there's some soldiers aboard but no more details than that were given. Even if it was another regiment coming to us, we'd still be light in forces."

"We'll just have to make due with what we have then," said Jack. "Anything is better than nothing, especially on terrain that favors a defender."

"The men of the 7th will make any Swabian invader pay heavily for the ground he tries to take," said Lindy proudly. "They'll find Arezzo a tough nut to crack indeed."

Jack grinned at the man. "Remind me to introduce you to a few friends of mine when the time comes. I know two Javan marines that I think you'd get along with splendidly."

"Marines, eh?" asked Lindy. "Maybe they should spend some time with my men and we can teach them proper soldiering."

Jack laughed at that one as he imagined the looks on Greg and Dustin's faces at anyone trying to teach them "proper soldiering." Rather than respond, he turned to look back at the city. If it needed to be defended, now was the best time of any to get started.

"Go ahead and get the men ashore," said Jack to Lindy and Russell. "I'll come with you once we invest the city. Since there's no signs of the Apulian Army, there shouldn't be any resistance. I'd like to not have any instances of friendly fire, especially since I doubt the Apulians will be expecting us."

"I'm sure they've been watching our ships though," said Russell. "They'll know who we are by the flag we're flying. My hope is that it'll be a warm reception. Their other option is a lot less pleasant."

"We can all hope," said Jack. "I'll let the men be the spearhead. and I'll follow you to shore as soon as you're established. Let's get moving."

Russell and Lindy promptly saluted and then started to execute the orders. Just below them on the main deck of theVisby, the Galician soldiers of the 7th Regiment could be seen picking up their gear and moving in ordered waves toward the closest launch boats. With only nine hundred of them, the men of Hemswell's Faithful would have to be sent in three waves. Jack wanted the first wave to concentrate on securing a safe beachhead before they could determine if anyone was going to offer resistance. When that beachhead was secure, they would move to occupy the rest of the city as well as the rocky neck where they would make their defense.

"What about me?" asked Bill with a small smile after the two others had walked away. "Am I permitted to come with you or do you want me to stay on the ship?"

"You'll come with me if you want," said Jack. "Besides, I'd rather grown accustomed to our evening chats."

Bill started to chuckle. "As have I."

Those evening chats were something that Jack considered his own history lessons. He usually sat down with Bill as the sun set and tried to soak in every bit of information about Galicia that the older man could offer. Bill's wisdom of his country's history was second to none, and already Jack was feeling better about his knowledge of his homeland.

There was something else that still played on his mind, something that only Bill would know.

"Have you heard anything from the Apulian Director yet?" asked Jack, referencing the elected head of state for the entire country. "Does he know that we're outside of Arezzo?"

Bill shook his head. "My dispatches haven't been answered. I'm not sure if they just aren't responding or whether they've even received them. I have to imagine that most of their machines were captured when Marmora fell. It could be that he knows and doesn't have a way to dispatch back to us or he may not know at all."

Jack pursed his lips. "I'd like to know where he's going. I can only imagine he'd retreat in this direction to Arezzo but without knowing more, we're fighting blind. I'd also like it if he knew we were here to help. I don't want him thinking that we're another enemy that's here to occupy his soil."

"I'm sure he'll get the gist of things when he sees who we are," said Bill. "The alliance between Galicia and Apulia goes back many, many centuries. He'll need to just see you and see the flag, and he'll realize we're here to help. Hopefully, that is." Bill stopped speaking and for a moment, Jack got the impression that he knew more than what he was letting on. He chose not to press the subject.

Jack nodded, finding truth in his earlier words. "Well then, let's get going. I'd like to be in defensive positions by nightfall."

Jack and Bill grabbed their things while the first wave made its way to shore. He watched from the bridge with Russell while those first boats soon touched solid ground and the Galician men established a firm beachhead. Once they were secure, Jack caught the second wave with the men while Bill came along with the third and final wave.

The ride to the shore was a quiet one. Jack felt the bobbing of the waves with the soldiers of the 7th, many of whom were starting to become known to him by name. They'd gotten over their initial fascination with him quickly when it became apparent that there was a lot of fighting ahead, but Jack relished the idea of having them on his side. Many of them reminded him of the Javan marines still fighting on Picardy—professional, capable, and calm under fire.

As they neared the city, it wasn't hard to tell that Arezzo had ancient roots. The city was a mix of old and new. Old stone fortifications stood next to more modern warehouses. Cannons from a bygone era were still parked in the same spots as the last time they were used, overshadowed by large apartment buildings and eateries. Even with the bright blue skies and the crystal clear waters, it was apparent that a dark shadow was over the city. Now the center of Apulian resistance, it was bound to become the target of much fighting in the days ahead.

Jack's boat stopped once the keel hit the sand and all the men filed out. From there, Jack could see where Lindy had established a basic command post as the soldiers pushed inward toward the city. There were two main initiatives at the moment. One group was pushing in toward the center of the city to make sure there were no lingering threats. The other group was heading toward the rocky neck to begin defensive positions.

Jack attached himself to the group that was making for the neck. He even had a rifle with him, which unfortunately wasn't the reliable NT-12 from Java. The Galician equivalent was called Bornmount V1 Rifle and it operated in a very similar way. It was a semiautomatic and it carried a ten round clip. Once fired, it was remarkably similar to the NT-12 and Jack was immediately comfortable with it. Lindy had even told him there was a V2 version in the works that was fully automatic and Jack made a note to get his hands on one when the time came.

With all the tension in the ranks about making the landing, it was a rather uneventful affair. There were no Apulian soldiers in the city, and most of the citizens were content to stare at Jack and his men as they passed. Many sheltered in their own buildings until the Galicians went away while just a handful of older folks stared down the army as if to determine if they were friend or foe.

None of it spilled into open fighting for which Jack was thankful. The men moved through the ancient city until coming to the rocky promontory that connected it to the rest of the mainland. It was here that Jack had to smile when he first appraised the neck from this distance.

It was a defender's dream. Almost half a mile of rocky terrain that was no more than a couple hundred feet wide at most. Through this terrain, a road ran right up the center, dominated by higher ground on each side. Jack envisioned overlapping fields of fire on either side of the road as well as multiple defensive lines for reinforcements. The best part about it was the approach from the other side of the neck, on the mainland side. It was flat and barren, with over half of it dominated by a tidal estuary that reduced the amount of solid ground for half of the day.

Even with our small numbers, we can save this city, thought Jack.We can check the Swabians here.

By nightfall, the first semblance of a defensive line had already been established. All the men of the 7th were in the city, and the fleet was positioned just outside to offer naval support if it was deemed necessary. There was no word on the approach of the Swabians or the Apulians so Jack made his way into the middle of the city to make his quarters.

An old town hall formed the nucleus of Jack's headquarters in the city, and he took a second floor room as his own personal quarters, appropriating a cot from the soldiers and using one of the desks already available. That was where he was found by Bill for the resumption of their nightly talks.

"It's a whole lot different being on dry land again," said Bill as he took a seat across from Jack. "I'd almost gotten used to having to stabilize myself every time the ship rocked."

Jack chuckled. "And I find myself in the opposite position. I'd rather be out on the open waves more than anything and all this dry land seems to mess with my senses."

"See, that right there is the Galician in you talking," said Bill with a point of the finger. "Despite your upbringing, you couldn't stop the effect of your homeland on your inner psyche."

"Trust me, I've been dealing with the effects of my homeland all my life," said Jack. "No one that I grew up with had blond hair but me. That took a lot of getting used to and got me in more than a few fights during my schooling years."

Bill shook his head. "I would sure like to see this Java of yours someday. Of course, we always heard about Java growing up but it was more myth than reality."

"And we heard about the Fourth Vector as well, but in a very abridged sort of way," replied Jack. "The founders of the Javan country were called the Ancestors. They were all blond and blue-eyed. They mixed with a native people called the People of the Lake to form the modern day Javans. Although there are many in Java who don't know the name Galicia, the Ancestors were quite clearly Galicians from long ago."

"I find that utterly fascinating," said Bill. "Someday, we'll have to dive deeper into these foundation myths. I've always found them to be extremely interesting no matter the country."

"With all that you've told me about Galicia, it's about time that I've repaid the favor," said Jack with a chuckle.

"Trust me, you won't have anything to repay if we can get you back in Galicia and on your throne," said Bill with a knowing look. "It's about time someone made Eric Rosdahl pay for all the suffering that he's caused."

"I'd also like to see it happen for how he's treated his cousin," added Jack before putting his hand up. "Not that it includes present company, mind you."

Bill actually managed to look embarrassed. "Not exactly my finest hour, the way I treated Katherine. And one that I hope gets made right."

"It definitely took some convincing on behalf of Will," said Jack. "But I think she's come around. At least, she was when I last saw her, which was so many months ago now."

Jack let out a heavy sigh. If he only knew when he might see Kat again, it might make this whole task a lot less bleak. He missed Kat and Abigail beyond words, and it was their faces that he saw each night before he fell asleep.

"It must be hell to be away from the mother of your child," said Bill, reading Jack's thoughts.

"That's one way to put it," agreed Jack. "My biggest question is when I'll see them again."

Bill nodded and then smiled. "I remember how Lisa was when she was pregnant with Will. She was fussy, always hungry, and shall we say she was quite insatiable in certain departments."

Jack raised an eyebrow. "I think I get what you're saying. You're also not making me feel any better about this."

Bill started to laugh. "I'm sorry, my friend. Sometimes laughter is the only thing we have to disguise our current predicament. When we were under house arrest, it was all we could do to keep ourselves entertained. Somehow, it made our situation more manageable."

"Maybe you're right, Bill. Maybe now we might need anything we can take to make our current fortunes seem better than they are."

Bill gave him a somber look. "Aye, we have to look for the light in dark times. And this is certainly a dark time."

There was silence for a moment. Bill took a long drink of a cup of water before looking back at Jack. "You didn't want me to come here to listen to an old man postulate. What's on your mind this evening, Jack?"

"Oh, I rather enjoy your postulating," quipped Jack. "There's a lot of knowledge in your head, Bill. I like hearing what you have to say."

Bill laughed. "If only Lisa could hear you say that. She thinks I often don't know when to stop running my mouth. It's a good thing she's still on theVisby!"

"I'll be sure to tell her the next time I see her," said Jack.

"Be sure to do so. You should receive an interesting result!"

Both men chuckled to themselves for a moment until Jack was the first to recover his composure.

"Tell me something, Bill. What did you know about the royal family? About my family in particular. You've told me much about Galicia's actual history but not much about the actual kings and queens of old. What did you know about them?"

Bill let out a deep sigh. "Bits and pieces unfortunately. It shouldn't surprise you that the regents went out of their way to keep information about your family out of reach from the majority of our people. Most Galicians are told the names of the last king and queen, Robert and Elizabeth, as well as their son, Richard. Of course, there was a baby as well, one that wasn't alive long enough to be named. Or rather, so we all assumed."

"From what Kat has told me," said Jack, "that baby was my great-great-great-great-great grandfather. Raised in secrecy."

Bill reached up to rub his beard. "Yes, I suppose that's about the only way that could work. Of course, I didn't know anything of your family's history after the last king since we all assumed you were dead. But the kings before Robert were legendary in their own rights."

"Like who? Tell me about them?"

"Did Kat ever tell you about King Stephen the Great?"

Jack shook his head.

"I'm surprised by that but perhaps it didn't come up in the context," said Bill. "Stephen the Great was the king who won the Fourth Swabian War. He personally led the charge that defeated the Swabians outside of Dagobern, ending the siege of the capital and winning the war. Stephen was also the last king that was powerful enough to have two wives. His land wife was Queen Sydney and his sea wife was Queen Rochelle."

"How did that work in regards to the heir to the throne?" asked Jack. "Does land or sea take precedence?"