Fourth Vector Ch. 48

Those destroyers didn't mount much of a fight. Those that were seaworthy sailed out of Lockhaven's harbor in a suicidal charge to protect their homeland. They were sunk before they got anywhere close to inflicting any damage.

"Unfortunate affair but it had to be done," mumbled Abigail, summing up the thoughts of those Javans within the Western force. "As long as they fight for Bancroft, I can't regard them as my countrymen."

Jack nodded, readily agreeing with her. Despite being Galician royalty, Jack couldn't help but think of the Javans as misaligned on the wrong side, fighting for an emperor that cared little for their lives. Once Bancroft was dead, Jack's quarrel with the Javan Empire would be over but until that time, he had to treat them like the reluctant enemy they really were.

As the light defense of Lockhaven was destroyed, the Western force moved closer to the city, spreading out to cover the harbor in force. No one dared enter the harbor yet in case the Javans had mined it but it was absolutely critical that the entire force was able to unload on Javan soil.

Once the transports were in range, the faithful order came to Jack.

"Ready to unload when you are, Jack," said Russ as he gestured to the city. "I bet the army will be happy to get off those transport ships."

Jack chuckled. "And I'll be happy that they arrived safely. Give the order, Russ. By nightfall, I want a significant portion of our force in the city.

Russ nodded his head. "Aye, Jack, we'll make it happen."

About forty minutes later, Jack watched as the first launch boats made their way to shore. It was a momentous event to witness.

For the first time, the nations of the West were invading the East. Jack's original mission had been completely turned upside down.

It was a symbol of their changed circumstances. A united West was now here on Javan soil to fight for their freedom.

And nothing was going to stand in their way.

*****

"Admiral Reynolds, sir! You have a dispatch from the Emperor!"

Nick fought the urge to groan at receiving yet another message from Bancroft. At the current moment, he was sitting at his desk in his personal quarters, his head in his hands. The last thing he wanted to think about was Bancroft, or what the content of the dispatch was.

No doubt it was to admonish him further for allowing the Fourthie force to close in on Lockhaven.

The problem, one which he hated to even admit, was that he'd been outmaneuvered by Easterbrook the entire way. It took most of the journey just to locate the transports, or at least where they were believed to be.

When they finally sprung the trap to attack those transports, they ran headlong into the full Fourthie battle fleet, which put up enough of an unexpected fight to force Nick to withdraw to the south.

Nick's run-in with the Fourthie fleet had put him into a dangerous position, where if the battle continued, there was a real chance he could lose several of his most potent ships, including theRevenge.

That was a problem because the last thing he wanted to do was lose several battleships, expensive pieces of military hardware as they were, in a battle that he hadn't chosen.

It went against everything he knew about fighting. The conditions that he expected when attacking those ships weren't there, so the wisest thing to do was to withdraw the force and fight again another day.

Nick let out another sigh. No matter what excuse he told himself, it didn't remove the stink of defeat from him. And now there was another dispatch from Bancroft sitting right in front of him. Nick picked it up to read it.

ATTN: ADMIRAL NICK REYNOLDS

COMMANDING OFFICER, JAVAN FLEET

YOU ARE TO RETREAT NO FURTHER. EASTERBROOK HAS BEEN SIGHTED OUTSIDE OF LOCKHAVEN AND HIS ARRIVAL THERE IS YOUR FAILURE, AND NO ONE ELSE'S. I'M SENDING REINFORCEMENTS DOWN FROM OCCITANIA. YOU WILL COORDINATE WITH THEM AND CRUSH THE FOURTHIE FLEET BETWEEN YOU. NO MORE EXCUSES, NICK. I COMMAND YOU TO THROW EVERYTHING YOU HAVE AGAINST THE FOURTHIE FLEET AND CRUSH IT.

IT WILL DO YOU WELL TO REMEMBER THE PRICE OF FAILURE.

EMPEROR PERCIVAL I BANCROFT

JAVAN EMPIRE

The message wasn't as bad as Nick thought. He half-expected the threats to come from Bancroft about failing to do his duty, and he knew that Bancroft would proscribe him if Nick gave him enough reason to do so.

The promising bit about the message was the arrival of the Occitania task force streaming down from the north. If Nick turned to the north now, he could surround Easterbrook on two sides and have the chance to crush him.

Glory could still be his.

And now Bancroft was telling him to take chains off. He had full permission to throw the entire fleet at Easterbrook and damn the consequences.

No, this message wasn't that bad at all.

Nick grabbed the radio on his desk. "Admiral Strange, come in."

"Strange here, sir."

"Turn the fleet around. We're going to make for Lockhaven with all possible speed."

Nick could hear the apprehension in Strange's voice. "Lockhaven, sir?"

"We're going to throw everything we have at Easterbrook and his Fourthies," replied Nick. "And this time, we're going to have some reinforcements."