Fourth Vector Ch. 40

If this wasn't the final battle, then what was? And Jack still didn't feel like he was off the hook yet for the prophecy. Out there somewhere was a foe that he still needed to beat. And doing so might just bring about his death.

Those morbid thoughts were pushed to the back of his mind as he returned to his command tent in the city of Castus. Kat came barreling into his arms, kissing him desperately as she hugged him as tight as her arms could muster.

"Thank the gods you're still alive," she said with a sigh of relief.

Judging by her words alone, she had been thinking much the same thing about him.

"It looks like there's not much left to do here in Swabia," said Jack as he looked at her. "We just need to march up the coast and take Dagobern."

Kat beamed with a smile. "And you'll be remembered as one of the best kings of Galicia in the process. Maybe even called Jack the Great like a few of your ancestors."

Jack started to laugh. "I don't feel very great right now. And this campaign was very much touch-and-go for the vast majority of it. I'll just be happy to make it out of here alive."

Kat pressed in for another tight hug but he knew right away why she didn't respond.

When she pulled away again, she had some news of her own.

"Abigail checked in with me not too long ago," started Kat. "Apparently, you've been sent a secret dispatch that she received on theDestiny."

"A secret dispatch?" asked Jack with an arched eyebrow. "From who?"

"Commodore Lucas," replied Kat. "I guess he went to great trouble to keep it a secret. He wants to give you fair warning. He said the war in Java is finally over. Ruthenia and Occitania have been beaten and subjugated."

"That is interesting news," said Jack. "And I see now why he wanted to keep it quiet. That could be a problem for us eventually. Without Bancroft's attention split on Ruthenia and Occitania, he could very well look to cause trouble in the West."

"That's what Abigail thinks," said Kat. "Surely he wouldn't be that reckless to start another war though, right?"

Jack shrugged. "He was reckless enough to try to have me killed. It's why I'm so worried about Jocelyn and her family. I hope that Thomas and theStingray are making good progress."

"I guess with one enemy being defeated, there's always another looming in the distance," said Jack after a few moments of silence.

Kat could only kiss him. "Maybe not tonight. Let's just celebrate your victory tonight and not worry about tomorrow, okay?"

That was easy enough for him to do. Kat was soon pulling him down onto the bed, and for the next hour, they forgot anything else that wasn't related to each other's bodies.

*****

The next morning, Jack set about getting the army prepared to depart Castus. There was much to do but the first person he went to see in the morning was none other than Lindy, who was still recovering in the makeshift field hospital outside the city.

"You gave us all a scare yesterday, Lindy," said Jack as he moved closer to the colonel's bedside. Lindy's leg was wrapped up tight and elevated to stop the bleeding.

"You would think I walked around the battlefield with a sign that said 'shoot me' painted right on my chest," growled Lindy as he scratched the open flesh near the bandage. "I can't even count how many times I've been wounded since I met you!"

Jack started to chuckle. "You do seem to have had bad luck ever since we met. Perhaps I ought to let you retire. I hear there's no shootings in civilian life."

The color drained out of Lindy's face. "You wouldn't! You know how much I love being in the army!"

"Nah, I wouldn't do that to you, Lindy," said Jack jokingly. "Doing so might just kill you and we can't have that. Not when I need my newest general back on the field."

"Well, that's a relief to hear, I--"

Lindy stumbled as he finally processed Jack's words. His hand darted out to grab Jack's wrist. "Did I hear you say general?"

Jack nodded. "I've been talking with your officers. They say much of the success yesterday was due to your speed, organization, and tactics in assaulting that reserve formation of Swabians. That formation could have caused us serious issues if left unattended. For that reason, and a whole host of others, I'm promoting you effective immediately. Congratulations, General!"

Jack hadn't known Lindy to be much for the emotional side of things but to his surprise, Lindy's eyes welled up and several tears fell down his cheek.

"This is the honor of my life, Jack," said a choked-up Lindy. "A general? Me? That is simply incredible. I can't thank you enough."

"I can't thank you enough," replied Jack. "If not for you, we might not have won yesterday. It's that kind of leadership that I need to see more of. If you get back on your feet soon enough, I might just let you lead the assault against Dagobern."

Lindy started moving immediately, no doubt in an effort to get out of bed. A laughing Jack had to steady him and let him know he still had time before that day came.

Not too much time though.

Once Jack had Lindy settled again, he left the hospital and moved over to the battlefield. This open area north of the city had become the largest prisoner-of-war camp anywhere in the world. Nearly sixty thousand Swabian soldiers were now contained in a small area the size of two square miles. The most pressing issue had been disarming all of them, and there remained not a single rifle in the entire area.

The next most important issue was making sure they stayed fed. Thankfully, the Swabian Army had been well-supplied with food, and Jack tapped into those stores to keep the army fed while they waited out the conclusion of the war.

There was another reason why he was here today, and that was to meet the general who almost pushed Jack out of Swabia.

Actually, it was more of a reunion than anything. Jack had met Ferberg once back in Dagobern when he was captured although the two men didn't actually converse. Rather, Ferberg worked in the background while Avila taunted Jack about his invasion plans for the West.

At least those plans had been fully and totally crushed.

For now though, General Ferberg was under guard, occupying a small tent of his own. He didn't look to be phased by his capture one bit when Jack stepped into the tent.

If anything, he looked to be somewhat relieved to sit out the rest of the war.

"Your reputation precedes you, Galician King," said Ferberg as he looked at Jack. "And I'd say you have better fortune now than the last time we met."

"The last time we met, I was a Swabian prisoner," said Jack. "Now you're my prisoner. I suppose there's some irony in that after all."

To his surprise, Ferberg actually let out a small smile. "I'd say that's pretty ironic."

"You gave us quite the fight, General," said Jack as he sat down in a spare chair across from Ferberg. "You had me doubting whether this invasion was the right move after all."

"It would appear that your doubts were wrong then," replied Ferberg. "And I must congratulate you on your victory. I have to know though--how did you get around my flank? I understand some seaborne troops got around us but that doesn't explain all of them."

"There's a hidden path along the rocky formation," explained Jack. "It's just wide enough to allow two men to walk abreast but it opened up directly behind you. No doubt it was created by a few shepherds at one point but it proved most useful for turning your flank."

Ferberg nodded his head. "That explains it then. I suppose you're lucky you found it then. A little longer and I would have broken your center."

"And our roles might very well be reversed again right now," said Jack.

"No doubt," replied Ferberg. "Well, you'll be off to Dagobern soon, I take it? Avila is not going to be pleased when he hears about this battle."

"Do you think he already knows?" asked Jack.

Ferberg shrugged. "I'm not sure. All of our communication equipment was captured with the rest of the army. I'm sure he'll figure it out when the governors of the cities let them know your army is on the march. Or when the survivors of my army that escaped destruction make their way back to Dagobern."

"Either way, I don't think Avila will have much of a force to contest the city with," said Jack. "It seems most of your army was down here."

Ferberg let out a small sigh. "You're correct in that matter. Avila grabbed every able-bodied man he could get his hands on. Even if he were to put together another force, it would be second-rate soldiers at best. And it would still take time. You could be in Dagobern in two weeks' time. Hardly enough for him to put together a new army."

"So what do you think he's going to do then?"

Ferberg spread his hands. "Your guess is as good as mine. After all, it's not going to be much of a problem any longer."

Jack gave him a funny look. "How do you figure that?"

Ferberg shrugged. "Are you not going to kill me?"

Jack hesitated for a brief moment. "Why would I kill you?"

"Whywouldn't you kill me?" asked Ferberg incredulously. "I'm an enemy general that has defeated you twice. Swabian custom is to put enemy commanders to death immediately. I figured you would be no different."

Jack shook his head. "You have a lot to learn about the way the rest of the world operates, General. Besides, I think you're more valuable to me alive than dead."

Ferberg raised an eyebrow. "How do you figure?"

"I could use someone who's familiar with the country and the terrain as we move closer to Dagobern. One of the key reasons you beat me at Sepolz and Murgullah was because your men knew the terrain much better than I did. I think you could be valuable if you were to be one of my advisors for the coming campaign against Dagobern."

Ferberg didn't seem to know what to think. The general crossed his arms while his gaze flickered back and forth from Jack to the ground under his feet.

"Why would you trust someone like me?" asked Ferberg. "I could very well lead your army to ruin if I wanted to."

"Quite understandable," replied Jack. "Which is why you won't be taken off your leash just yet. But I'd like to see if you want a chance to prove yourself. If you prove useful to my army, I can see to it that you get certain privileges. One of them is not suffering in a prisoner of war camp for the duration of the war. Besides," said Jack with a small smile, "I don't get the impression that you enjoyed working under Avila that much."

"He is my emperor. I don't get a choice whether I like him or not," said a stiff Ferberg.

Jack shrugged. "Well, now you do. You don't have to tell me today. You can think about it a little bit. But I can recognize talent when I see it, General. And you're a talented military mind. When this conflict is over, Swabia is going to need help rebuilding and you just might be the man for the job."

Jack didn't let the general respond to that before he got up and left the tent. Before he left, Ferberg seemed to be seriously considering the offer, much to his surprise.

Jack hoped he took it. He needed someone local that could advise on the terrain of Swabia and prevent any further mishaps while they were in the country.

And if there was a single chance he could turn one of his biggest enemies into a potential ally, he would regard it as a victory worthy of mention alongside Castus.

That was the hope anyway.

*****

"Right this way, Your Imperial Majesty. I'm certain that you're about to have your breath taken away!"

Bancroft shuffled along as Clark trailed just behind him. "I'm looking forward to it, Director. We've been waiting some time for these ships."

The director from the country's largest shipbuilder, JN Ironworks, gave him a predator's smile. "I can assure you they will blow away your expectations. My team has been hard at work with their production. There won't be any ship quite like them anywhere in the world."

Despite the sycophantic behavior from the director, Bancroft was looking forward to seeing these new ships. Their keels had been laid before he even became emperor, back even before the war had started. Back then, these ships had been designed to serve in the next war, giving a decisive advantage to the Javans.

Well, the next war had come and gone and they were still yet to be completed. But now, Bancroft was anxious to see where the project stood.

And he gasped as he saw the first ship floating out in the bay.

"May I present the world's first battlecruiser," said the director proudly as he gestured out to the ship. "The latest in cutting edge naval technology."

She was one beautiful ship. Even though she was still fitting out, her design was entirely modern, becoming the first warship with anti-aircraft technology capable of shooting down enemy planes. Her armor was thick, almost as thick as a battleship's, and she sported three separate turrets each with three guns apiece capable of firing a sixteen-inch shell.

"They'll outshoot all the older battleships in your fleet," promised the director as he gestured to the turrets. "And they can even stand their ground against most of your more modern battleships as well, but that's leaving out the best part about the ships."

"What would that be?" asked Clark.

The director grinned. "Speed. They're faster than just about anything else except for destroyers. It's the reason we're calling them battlecruisers. They are truly a new evolution in ship design--faster than just about anything else and with maximum striking power. They'll be the most feared ships in your arsenal once they're fitted out and completed sea trials."

"And we'll have a class of four of them," added Bancroft to Clark. He then looked back over at the director. "How much longer until my navy can take receipt of them?"

"No more than ninety days, I can assure you," said the director. "You'll be most pleased with their performance. If you thought the Javan Navy was deadly before, just wait until you have all four of these battlecruisers on the prowl. You'll be invincible."

Bancroft grinned. "That's the idea, Director."

While Bancroft would have liked to have the ships while the war was still going on, it was of little consequence now. He could already see the next conflict on the horizon, and these ships would do nicely as they spearheaded Javan power across the world.

Mostly, Bancroft was thinking about the conquest of the Fourth Vector. And that would mean bringing Jack Easterbrook to his knees once and for all.

Bancroft had finally made up his mind about war, and much of that decision rested on the sedition of theStingray. After the entire crew had been put to death, Bancroft started to think about how he could hurt Jack the most. A war was the obvious answer but there remained other ways he could strike out to maximize pain.

He wanted Jack to suffer. He wanted to bring him the greatest amount of pain for ever thinking to go against Bancroft in the first place but also for his stunt with theStingray.

If he destroyed Jack, then Bancroft could use the rest of the navy to take over the Fourth Vector. With the sheer amount of raw resources from the Vector, there was nothing stopping the Javan Empire from being the preeminent power in the entire world for centuries to come. Bancroft's name would be remembered for all time as the greatest Javan emperor--the one who'd truly conquered the world and destroyed all his enemies.

But first he had to destroy Jack. Destroying Easterbrook would put an end to the last obstacle in his path.

And he knew exactly how he was going to do that.

"Clark, I want you to execute that plan we discussed this morning," said Bancroft as they made their way back to the palace. "The one regarding Easterbrook."

Clark didn't respond right away but when he did, his voice was soft and uncertain. "You mean the one about his sister?"

Bancroft nodded. "Let's send Jack a message he won't ever forget."

*****

Jocelyn Hutton could have sworn she was being watched.

The mother of three was on her way home, and after passing by a dark alley, it appeared there was someone already there, watching her as if she'd been expected.

Jocelyn averted her eyes out of instinct but having the feeling of being watched caused her to look down the alleyway again.

This time, it was deserted. There wasn't a single soul around. The only living creature she saw was a cat rummaging through an upturned garbage can.

Jocelyn let out a sigh of relief. These last few months of living in Java had wrecked her anxiety and caused her to feel that calamity might be around every corner.

It wasn't hard to understand why. After all, her brother was one of the most wanted outlaws in the country. Jack Easterbrook was a traitor to the Javan Empire, and he'd caused his entire task force to mutiny against his mother country.

There was much that had changed in over a year and a half. Back then, Jack was a Javan hero, the victor of the Battle of Aberdeen and the protege of Admiral Bancroft. But ever since his falling out with Bancroft, Jack's star had increasingly fallen.

Now that Bancroft was emperor, he was determined to strike back at his one-time protege.

Jocelyn didn't believe the lies and the propaganda that her brother was some villainous traitor. She knew about his enmity with Bancroft before it was public knowledge as well as about his destiny in the Fourth Vector. Jack's life seemed determined for him long before he was born.

The only problem for her was being linked to him.

Ever since Bancroft had taken over as emperor, Jocelyn feared for her life. He'd already shown he was the type of leader that wasn't afraid to shed the blood of his own people if he thought it would bring him some advantage. Like the rest of the populace, Jocelyn feared seeing every new proscription list that came out, worrying that one day her name might appear on it.

Or even worse--the names of her family.

With a heavy sigh and quick footsteps, Jocelyn continued the walk back to their house. Daylight was fading quickly, and she disliked being outdoors at night due to the number of gangs that roamed the streets these days. Most of those games were looking for proscribed men but they were still a nuisance even in good behavior.

Jocelyn made it home to find her husband and her children already there. Roger was laying on the couch with his arm draped over his face. He cracked an eye when he heard her enter the room but it closed soon after.

Jocelyn knew why--he was dead tired from all the extra work at the munitions factory. Another new facet of Bancroft's rule was the industrial conscription that forced citizens into low-wage work for the state. It was explained as a temporary but necessary provision to ensure the war effort had all the labor required of it but with the war being over now for the last couple months, it still showed no end in sight.

It seemed the degradation of their lifestyle was set to continue for the time being.

Jocelyn worked in the kitchen making a meal for her children while they played about the room. At least the boys showed no signs of suffering under the new regime. They were still innocent and precocious, just like young boys should be.

Jocelyn hoped they would never lose that childlike quality.

Just before she could sit down herself, the doorbell to the house rang, which caused both Jocelyn and Roger to look at each other with apprehension. It was too late for visitors but judging by the number of times the bell was rung, the visitor had some urgency.

Jocelyn took a deep breath to steady her nerves and approached the door, opening it cautiously.

The small opening she made wasn't enough for the visitor. In an instant, two men crashed open the door, sending Jocelyn to the floor.