Fourth Vector Ch. 43

Greg chuckled. "Spoken like a true brother. No, I still wish to marry her. In fact, that's what I wanted to discuss more."

"Oh?" asked Jack. "In what regard?"

Greg swallowed heavily. "We're going to have to leave Kalmar soon to confront Bancroft. It might not be tomorrow or next week or next month, but it is coming. You know it as well as I do. I don't want to leave Kalmar again without Vera being my wife. With your permission, I'd like to marry Vera as soon as we can do so."

Jack let out a wry smile. "What has you in such a hurry?"

"I think you can tie it back to your previous statement about perpetual war," said Greg. "It's very likely many are going to die in this next war. Personally, I don't want to die without making her my wife. I don't want to regret that I didn't do it sooner, especially if the end does find me sooner than expected."

That was a heavy sentiment and it gave Jack a lot to think about. In a weird way, it was also why he was still onboard with the idea of getting Abigail pregnant. If he were to die in this next war, at least Abigail would have their child to remember him by. With Greg's reasoning, it sounded like he was also on the same wavelength.

"I can understand that feeling well," said Jack finally. "And I'm in full agreement. You have my blessing. You can get married as quickly as you'd like."

Greg had barely let out a smile when the door to the study crashed open. Vera rushed in with the world's largest smile and embraced her brother with all the enthusiasm she could muster.

"Oh, thank you, Jack," she gushed. "Thank you, thank you, thank you."

Jack started to laugh. "What in the world, Vera? Were you listening at the door?"

She nodded her head. "I hope you don't mind but we've been meaning to talk to you about this for sometime. It just so happened to be on the day that Greg got back that we decided to move forward with it."

"You've been talking about this for some time then?" asked Jack.

Vera nodded. "For a long time," she answered as her eyes met Greg's. "I want to marry him, Jack. I want him to be mine forever."

Greg's ears went red at that statement, and it gave Jack a good chuckle.

"No reason for me to stand in the way of true love then," said Jack. "You can marry as soon as you like."

Vera hugged him again. "I owe you one, Jack. Seriously, I do. When you say soon, do you mean like . . . tomorrow?"

Jack laughed even harder. "You two really are in a hurry, aren't you?"

"We've just put it off for so long because of the war," replied Greg. "Now that we're both here, it seems like a good idea to finally get it out of the way."

"That's entirely fine, and we can help you plan a ceremony," promised Jack. "But let's just wait until after the council, all right? Let's let that have our full focus, and then once it's over, we'll attend to your wedding. Deal?"

Vera couldn't stop smiling. "You have yourself a deal, Jack."

*****

"Fire the main guns again. I want to experience it one more time."

Bancroft was grinning like a young officer for the first time in decades. The captain of the ship obeyed the order without a second thought, giving the order to his division head. Within a matter of minutes, the ship buckled as another thunderous salvo erupted from her guns and shot over the horizon.

Of all the ships in the Javan Navy, this one had the most firepower. She combined the two critical aspects that defined how useful a ship could be in battle—firepower and speed. That she was able to send such ordnance while cruising at near full speed—a speed that put her on par with his lighter cruisers—was nothing short of remarkable.

"This is just excellent," gushed Bancroft as he clasped his hands together. "These ships are a marvel. I can't wait to see them in battle."

The captain bowed his head. "I'm so glad you were pleased with the demonstration, Your Imperial Majesty. It's an honor to show off my new ship to you."

"It's my hope that you use this ship to destroy those Fourthie savages," said Bancroft with a stern look. "This ship is deadlier than any other ship afloat. With the three other battlecruisers in this class, you'll destroy what remains of the traitor, Jack Easterbrook, and his rebel fleet."

The captain nodded his head but said nothing else. It took another hour before they arrived back at Belfort harbor, and Bancroft descended from the mighty battlecruiser to the main harbor, where he was met with his imperial guard as well as Clark. Bancroft stood back and marveled at the ship, which was now ready to take on its first mission. His eyes were attracted to the side of the hull, where the ship's name was proudly displayed.

TheRevenge was the first of the four ships in her class. And she was aptly named for the revenge that Bancroft was going to take against his former protege. There was nothing else like her afloat, and Bancroft was sure that with theRevenge-class leading the charge, he would quickly bring Easterbrook to heel.

Bancroft walked over to Clark with the smile still displayed prominently on his face. Clark's face was the same neutral that it always was, and Bancroft couldn't resist the urge to poke fun at him.

"Why the long face, Clark?" asked Bancroft as he gestured to the ship behind him. "How can you not be in a good mood after seeing such a vessel? This ship is going to make our enemies tremble!"

Clark's eyes briefly flickered to theRevenge but they soon came back to Bancroft. There was just no interest in the ship there. Bancroft suspected it was the reason why Clark was always a desk officer and not a field one. He just didn't have that sheer appreciation for a good piece of machinery.

"I'm glad you're satisfied with the latest addition to the fleet," replied Clark quietly.

Bancroft rolled his eyes. He raised his hand and slapped the back of Clark's head. It was a move of total disrespect but it was one that he'd visited on Clark several times in recent memory. Clark gritted his teeth at the public insult but said nothing.

"Honestly, Clark, there are times when I think you're losing your marbles," said Bancroft with a shake of the head. "You can manage a little more enthusiasm than that, can't you?"

Clark said nothing except he continued to rub the back of his head where he'd been struck. Bancroft almost wished that Clark had the stones to stand up to him. He almost wished the man would strike back, or at very least, issue a public rebuke.

Yet, Clark would do no such thing. Ever the loyal number two, Clark held his tongue. It was the same reason why Clark was always behind a desk. Clark could only shine brightly if he had a more public figure standing in front of him to take the credit.

Without Bancroft, Clark was nothing.

"Come on, let's go back to the palace," said Bancroft. "Or else I'm going to stand here all day and marvel at this incredible piece of weaponry."

Clark followed silently, keeping only a few paces behind Bancroft as they exited the harbor. It was exactly where the man was supposed to be.

No matter how badly he treated Clark, his loyal deputy would always remain in his footsteps.

What a comforting thought that was.

*****

As pleasant as it was to listen to Vera and Greg talk about their upcoming nuptials, there was still a shadow cast on the rest of the day about the council with all the heads of state. Jack set the start of the meeting for three o'clock in one of the grand meeting halls of the Castle. This particular hall was shrouded in natural light. Tall windows that reached all the way to the ceiling on either side of the long main table gave the room an outdoor feeling. Jack hoped that the clear skies and perfect weather in Kalmar that day would help to put his allies in a cooperative mood.

As Jack settled into his seat at the middle of the table, his people were the first to arrive. Galicia would have six occupants on the council (without counting Jack as the natural leader of the West). Those occupants would be Abigail and Kat in their role as queens and Greg and Russ as the respective leaders of the Galician armed forces. The two others would be Vera, as she was technically still second in line for the throne after John, and lastly, Bill, as Jack's preeminent advisor.

Jack's wives flanked him on either side, while Greg and Vera sat next to Abigail and Russ and Bill sat next to Kat. Jack was pleased to see Kat giggle at a joke that Bill made as he sat down, knowing that their working relationship had come full circle since that time when Kat was once Regent.

"Are we ready for this?" asked Jack to the rest of the group before the others arrived. "Are we ready to make our argument? Can we convince them to go back to war?"

No one wanted to answer the question willingly, but it was Vera who spoke first. "We have to, Jack. We don't have any other options."

Jack couldn't have agreed more. The task in front of them was enormous and that became ever more apparent as their respective allies began to filter into the room. The first to enter was Nikias and Elektra, and they took their seats near the far end of the table. After them went Gaius of Naxos, Masud of Andalucia, and then Hendrick of Samara. While the first four entrants seemed to be in good (if not curious) spirits, it was the next arrivals that told Jack something was immediately off.

Aedan and Ciara took their seats next, and the King of Picardy looked far from pleased. He settled his gaze on Jack while crossing his arms, and Jack suspected already that Aedan had a bone to pick. His behavior seemed to be matched when Reina entered the room, followed by Santino. It became clear to Jack that Santino had let some of the other allies know about the news regarding Swabia.

This was most illustrated when Ambros entered the room as the last official guest. There was a gasp from several of those near the end of the table, and Jack suspected that they were the only ones not in the know.

Since Aedan, Reina, and Santino gave no reaction to Ambros' presence, his suspicion seemed to be confirmed.

"Welcome to Kalmar," said Jack once the door was closed. "And welcome to my council. I appreciate that all of you were willing to come to Galicia at once to discuss this most serious task in front of us. I'm thankful that I can count on the support and brotherhood of such a diverse array of allies and partners."

Jack's first statement was meant to truly kick off the council and disarm those who might want to start off on the wrong foot. Unfortunately, it didn't quite do that.

"Jack, I'd like to know how we can have a council today," said Aedan as he pointed over to Ambros on the far side of the table. "Especially with our enemy sharing the same space as us. What kind of joke is this?"

Jack shook his head. "It's no joke. I've asked King Ambros here to be present on this council since this threat affects all of us, Swabia included."

You would have thought Jack had just insulted all of their mothers. Aedan leapt to his feet while Santino looked around the room, nodding his head as if to say 'I told you so.'

"King Ambros?" asked a heated Aedan as his nostrils flared. "Jack, I'd like to know what the hell you're doing. This cannot be allowed to stand!"

Aedan's move and sudden outburst peeved Jack. At one time, all the people in this room acknowledged that Jack, as the Galician King, was the overlord of all the Western countries. That Aedan was now challenging his authority in front of the rest of the allies was unacceptable.

"Have a seat, Aedan," said Jack coolly. "I've extended you the courtesy of an invitation to my home. You can at least do the same by giving me the chance to explain my rationale without jumping down my throat."

Any other man would have stormed out of the room. Jack could tell that Aedan was fuming about the public rebuke but the Picard King had left him no other option. The rest of the council watched Aedan silently as if to determine what he was going to do.

Jack watched as the vein on the side of Aedan's neck throbbed. He truly seemed on the verge of another outburst when Jack saw Ciara's hand reach up and yank Aedan back to the table.

"Please proceed, Jack," said Ciara calmly. "We can at least permit you the courtesy of an explanation for this most unusual event."

Even Ciara, acting in her usual role as peacemaker, had serious doubts about Ambros at the table. Yet, it was her coolness that allowed Jack to regain control.

"Thank you, Ciara," replied Jack in a more measured tone. "As I look around the room, I see there are no surprises today. You already know the words that I'm about to speak so I won't sugarcoat them. Just this morning, I promoted Ambros into a new position as the King of Swabia. The empire has been abolished per the terms of our peace agreement. However, Ambros has shown me that he has not only the capacity to lead men but the intelligence to lead them well. For that reason, he has my confidence as the next Swabian head of state."

"I can understand that, Jack," said Nikias from the side of the room. "Nobody here expected the Swabians to be leaderless. Someone was always going to fill the void that Avila left. But I think most of us here are wondering why he's here. Why can't he go off on his own and rule Swabia as he wants? As long as they keep to themselves and abide by the peace agreement, why do they need to be a party to this alliance?"

"An excellent question," chirped Reina. "One that I'd like to hear an answer to."

"The simple answer is because there is a threat that's far greater than Swabia could ever be. And it's a threat that's been made to everyone in this room, not just me and certainly not just Galicia," explained Jack. "And if we're going to have a chance of standing up to this threat, we're going to have to work together."

"You're talking about Java, aren't you?" asked Ciara, still keeping a hold on her husband's emotions. "The place where you were raised?"

"What does Java have to do with all of us?" asked Gaius.

"You may not have much of an interest in Java or the nations across the great ocean," said Jack. "But I can assure you that they have an interest in you. It was only a recent event that saw the three traditional eastern nations united under one power structure. What used to be the nations of Java, Ruthenia, and Occitania now is just the Javan Empire. It's ruled by a man that I know well—a man that has let ultimate power go to his head and twist away what was left of his humanity. He won't stop until he has complete subjugation of the entire world. Those of us here in the West are the only peoples that he hasn't conquered under his banner. Do not think that we will escape his threat. He is coming for us."

"Is he coming for us or is he coming foryou?" asked Aedan, no longer able to hold his tongue. "That's a big difference, Jack. From what I've heard, this is something that's your trouble, not the trouble of the entire alliance."

"Is that not what an alliance is?" asked Jack. "Do we not come to each other's aid, especially when one member is attacked? I can certainly remember spending time in all of your countries over the last couple years. Was I not there for you in your time of need? Will you not be there in mine?"

Silence greeted that statement, to which Jack was secretly pleased. Aedan's question irked him for the simple reason that Jack had shed blood in all of their countries. Now that the shoe was on the other foot, would they not do the same for him?

"What Jack says is true but it goes deeper than that," said Kat from Jack's side. "This isn't just a threat against Galicia. The Javan Emperor Bancroft has made his intentions known from the start. He regards the West as little more than a breeding ground for future colonies. His forces want to come here to disrupt your way of life and take your resources for his war machine. Do not think he would stop at just Galicia. He won't be satisfied until Picardy, Apulia, and even Swabia are under his dominion."

"Why don't we give him Swabia first?" asked Aedan ironically as he cast a glare in Ambros' direction. "That way, he can break his teeth on the island and remove that particular problem for us forever."

"He'll find considerable resistance to that idea if he did," challenged Ambros. "At least more resistance than he might find in Picardy."

Aedan leapt out of his chair. "Now see here, you Swabian dog, I won't be insulted by the likes of you!"

"Silence!" yelled Jack as he stood up from his chair. "Aedan, sit down! Ambros, return to your seat! This type of behavior helps no one but our enemies! They would like nothing more than to find us here squabbling like petty children! If we don't unite together, we will all perish. It's as sure as the sun rising in the east. There's not one country that can hope to stand against the likes of Java."

Aedan suddenly flinched as he resumed his seat, and it wasn't hard to see why. Apparently, Ciara pinched him hard enough to cause a reaction. On the other side of the table, Ambros crossed his arms, glaring at anyone who would meet his gaze.

"Jack, might I bring up something?" asked Hendrick, who had previously been quiet.

"Go ahead, Hendrick," said Jack.

"What proof do you have of this Javan threat?" asked Hendrick. "Have they made an attack on our forces? Have they declared war? What sign is there of their aggression?"

Jack didn't have to answer that because Kat did it for him.

"They've tried to kill Jack," she said quietly. "And they've succeeded in killing his adoptive sister and her family in the most gruesome way imaginable. Not only do we have a dispatch of their emperor declaring war on Jack, but they have also attacked one of our destroyers, putting the entire crew to death. Their intentions are quite clear."

A round of grumbling and whispers erupted at the news of the death of Jack's family, especially from those that didn't know the details beforehand.

"That's also missing the fact that they've sent viceroys to every country that started off in our alliance," said Jack as he gestured first to Nikias and then to Aedan. "When I fought for Java, they didn't regard the members of our alliance as natural partners. They saw every Western nation as another place they could exploit. It's one of the reasons why I've severed my ties with Java but don't fool yourselves into thinking this is just about me. Even if I weren't here, you'd all still be in danger."

"You bring up a good point though, Jack," said Santino. "You used to fight for Java. In fact, two of the people at your side are Javan themselves, are they not? This to me sounds like more of a civil conflict than something that involves all of us. This Bancroft person killed your sister, and you have my condolences about that, but he struck againstyour sister andyour ship, not ours. I'm not convinced that this threat is against all of us."

"He struck me because I was the first one he could reach," said Jack simply. "Don't ignore the fact that most of you have had no dealings with Java besides myself when I still fought for her. Aedan and Nikias can testify to the fact that I tried to shield them from the wicked things Java tried to do even back then."

"Jack speaks the truth," added Elektra. "I remember when the Javan viceroy showed up in our city. It was nasty business and it was only settled with Jack's intervention. If I remember right, he disobeyed direct orders to punish Sorella."

Jack nodded his head. "That's right. I would never punish an ally like that. That's where I'm different from Bancroft. For him, the ends justify the means. He has let power twist and corrupt his soul to the point where nothing else remains but a miserable, hollow shell. That's the kind of power you'd be going up against. A man obsessed with ultimate power, with the army and navy to take whatever land he wants by force. Is that someone you want to stand up against alone?"