Fourth Vector Ch. 49

"There's always the possibility of taking over Bancroft's factories, no?" suggested Bill. "Take over his output and our supply lines become less vulnerable as a result."

Jack's head tilted from side to side. "Yes and no. Yes, that might be accurate in the near short term, but our men would have to learn different planes and we'd have to worry about other factors like sabotage or labor to keep the factories running while we control them. My treasury is strained enough as it is without adding thousands of Javan citizens to the payroll just to finance my weapons of war. Not to say that I wouldn't do it if the situation called for it, but it would be my last option frankly."

"Well, let's hope then that Percy Bancroft doesn't have that much to throw at you before this war is over," said Walt before changing his tone. "Perhaps this will work like the last time the Javan continent was invaded from the west."

"The last time?" asked Bill, raising an eyebrow before he turned to Jack. "Isn't that what you told me about the Javan creation myth? That of the Ancestors?"

Jack nodded. "I'm surprised you remembered that. But yes, I believe that's what Walt is talking about. In fact, much of that myth is centered around Lockhaven."

"Centered around, hell, Jack, itis in Lockhaven," said Walt with a laugh. "Bill, at one time Lockhaven was the principal city of the Javan people. Legend has it that the Ancestors of old, those that came across the sea with blonde hair and blue eyes found an indigenous people here, the People of the Lake. It was their mating that created the Javan people that we know today. In a way, we're almost like distant cousins."

"Blonde hair would almost certainly suggest Galician ancestry," said Bill. "Very interesting. But approximately what was the timetable of this landing? How long ago?"

"Two thousand years is the most quoted figure," said Jack. "At least that's what it was when I was growing up. Although some scholars have placed it later than that."

"Later would be my guess," said Bill. "Two thousand years ago, Galicia was hardly a country. Not quite the time for explorers unless someone got terribly lost on a fishing expedition."

"Still though, it is quite fascinating when you think about it," said Walt. "Once more, the people from the West are here to put their imprint on Javan history. If you have time, Bill, I'll have to show you the actual lake that was the center of culture of the People of the Lake. Well, we're not exactly sure if it isthe lake per se but most scholars now have accepted it because it fits with what we have written down about it."

"You're a man of history then, Walt?" asked Bill before he leaned in to elbow Jack in the side. "I can see now why you wanted me to meet him."

Jack grinned. "Do I know you, Bill, or do I know you?"

Bill chuckled. "So from my understanding, Lockhaven was once the capital of the Javan peoples? Long ago?"

"That is correct," answered Walt. "For the first century of our existence as a people, the Javan tribe was centered here in the northwestern part of the continent around our chief city. The Tyroleans were independent far to our south as well as Thessaly far to the east, but the land around Belfort was mostly occupied by primitive tribes. It was Javan expansion south to conquer those tribes under the Javan banner and once the entire continent was united, Belfort was created as a more centralized capital that was much easier to reach for the conquered Thessalians and Tyroleans. And that, in a nutshell, is a very brief history of the Javan continent."

"That is utterly fascinating," said Bill, his mouth hanging open. "I'd like to discuss this more with you when you have the chance. Jack can attest how much I love world history but I have to admit we know very little about your lands. The chance to write some of it down would be priceless for me."

"Write it down?" asked Walt while waving his hand. "I wouldn't even ask you to do that. I have books that you'll have to take with you. Lots of books frankly but I don't think that Jack would like if I filled up half your warship with books."

"If we could keep it to an acceptable medium, I have no objections," said Jack, chuckling.

"Well, there you go," said Walt. "How about it, Bill? Would you like a few books for light reading? Perhaps you can take them back to your homeland once this is all over?"

Bill couldn't help the grin that planted on his face. "I'd like that very much."

The two men started chattering away like long-lost friends, mostly while Jack was content to listen. He didn't mind being the silent partner in the interaction but everything changed when Ben once again interrupted their conversation somewhere around the time of of the First Tyrolean Invasion.

"Jack, Bill's runner has just arrived," said Ben. "General Culver is back from his flight. He's located the Javan Army."

*****

The news from Dustin's flight spread quickly throughout Jack's army. Jack and Bill were the first to disseminate the news, followed by the army commanders as well as the other heads of state. At the current moment, Jack was in the middle of telling Reina all the details.

"Our planes have recorded meeting the main body of the Javan Army right around this part right here, not far off from Terminal Bay," said Jack, pointing out the geographical location on the map in front of them. The bay is roughly a hundred miles from Lockhaven so they are close enough to us that we'll need to get moving at once. I don't plan to let them close the distance and find us still here in Lockhaven."

Reina traced the route of the coastal road all the way up to Lockhaven. "How quickly would you guess they could move the distance between our current position and the bay? Days at most?"

Jack winced. "Maybe five days if they're really pushing it. They'll be exhausted at the end of the march though. Twenty miles a day for any army is a significant pace, especially without motorized help. If we start marching now, we can hope to catch them right in the middle, approximately here."

Jack pointed out a small Javan village called Mobust that was right near the coast. "This is not quite halfway but judging by their current speed, we could expect to meet here. Mobust is a lot closer to Lockhaven than it is to Terminal Bay so we'd have time to dig in and prepare the men for the battle to come. It's also not quite as flat as the rest of the coastal plain so it would be excellent ground for any defender."

Reina gave him a long look. "How do you feel about our chances? Good? You know what the Javans are capable of better than anyone else."

"Let's just say I wouldn't have brought us here if we didn't have a chance," said Jack. "We also have a few advantages that we can press home. We have superior airpower over the enemy as well as the tanks which we can use for shock and awe. One way or another, we'll prevail over Bancroft. I'm sure of it."

Reina seemed to accept that answer as relief flooded her face. Before she could ask another question though, Dustin found Jack and quickly entered the room, saluting as he came to a halt.

"There he is," said Jack, tapping the other man on the shoulder. "I've been giving out the news of your reconnaissance all morning. I'm glad you were able to catch up to me."

Dustin grinned at Jack but most tellingly, he shot a curious look to Reina that was mostly unreadable to Jack. It almost looked like something resembling... interest.

"I'm ready to go up again whenever you're ready," said Dustin, puffing out his chest for good measure. "I want to send up a few more squadrons so we can bomb the Javans as they move north. Hopefully that will slow them down a bit and let us have time to dig into our defensive position."

Jack found himself nodding. "That's an excellent idea. Take as many squadrons as you need but make sure you bring them back, got it? We can't afford to be wasteful with our planes."

A silly yet confident grin planted on his face. "Don't worry, Jack. My guys are the tip of the sword. We won't lose a single one."

With those words, he nodded his head at Jack first but more noticeably at Reina, offering a more exaggerated movement. At that point in time, it became beyond obvious what he was really doing, and that fact wasn't lost on Reina at all.

"By the gods, I think I just found my next husband," said Reina, fanning herself as Dustin walked away.

"Reina, do you know how many different men I've heard you say that about?" asked Jack playfully, shaking his head.

Reina bumped into his shoulder. "I mean it this time. The swagger on that man, I absolutely adore it." Her excitement faded briefly as she stuck out her lip. "Don't tell me some other woman has taken him already?"

"As far as I know, Dustin is unattached."

Reina made an excitable screech. "Not for very long if I have my way with it. Thank you, Jack. For the briefing firstly but secondly for the opportunity to pilfer another one of your officers."

Jack's eyes narrowed. "Another one? Just how many of my officers have you been with, Reina?"

Her cheeks turned rosy as she turned to walk away. "It's best not to answer that question. Talk to you soon, Jack!"

Jack could only chuckle as he shook his head. With Reina now gone, he could get back to making his rounds with the rest of the heads of state. Before he could go, he made a mental note to warn Dustin that he was now on Reina's radar, although, doing so would most certainly just egg him on even further. For a very brief moment, Jack pictured what might happen if the two of them were ever left alone together and he couldn't shake the idea fast enough.

Putting all thoughts aside, Jack was able to touch base with all the rest of the leaders that day before they were due to head out tomorrow. At various points in the day, he witnessed Dustin's planes flying on a southerly course, hopefully on track to slow down Bancroft's army until they could reach the village of Mobust.

Though Jack had heard of this settlement before, he'd never stepped foot there. Part of him wondered just what kind of reception they would find upon arrival, and whether or not they'd have enough time to dig in to make it defensible.

In all, it was time to get moving. Jack went back to his modest headquarters and prepared to depart with the army. In just a few short days, he would get his long-awaited battle with Bancroft.

Would he be ready for it?

*****

Admiral Jasper Strong of the Javan Navy was not in the best of moods.

For one, he hadn't had nearly enough caffeine that morning, and at this time of the day, he was already dealing with a headache. That problem could be solved with a couple pills but it did make Jasper incredibly short-tempered with most that came across him that morning.

The other reason was because he was now outside the peaceful harbor of Montauban in Occitanian, and his small naval force was heading south on new orders that had recently arrived from the Emperor.

Jasper couldn't help but scoff every time he thought about the word. At one time, Bancroft had been just his colleague instead of his emperor, a fellow naval commander with a bright future in front of him and the accolades of all his superiors.

Alas, he let all those accolades go to his head, and Bancroft turned into someone that was scarcely recognizable. He'd heard it said before that Occitanian mothers now used Bancroft's very name to frighten their children into good behavior, becoming a modern day boogeyman.

They at least had the advantage over Jasper. They didn't have to actually deal with the man.

There was a certain amount of ill feeling that came to him as he departed the chilly waters of Montauban. For one, Jasper had been hoping to sit out the rest of the war in relative obscurity. With most of the fighting already over in Occitania (save for the rebels in the countryside, but it wasn't like Jasper was the one fighting them), he was hopeful that he just might survive this war yet and get back to peacetime footing.

His illusions were completely shattered with this new order that beckoned him south, but it wasn't the idea of war that got him so worked up.

It was the idea of using his tiny force as an anvil against the force of Jack Easterbrook. Bancroft's idea was to crush Easterbrook between Jasper and Admiral Nick Reynolds, operating to the south, however, there was one critical flaw in that plan.

In order to squash anyone between them, there had to be the illusion of superiority in numbers.

And Jasper's force was anything but superior when compared with the numbers that Easterbrook had brought across the ocean.

He only had two measly battleships with him, and they weren't even Javan in design. They were two older vessels from Occitania, and their crews had agreed to fight for the Javans so that they could get a bonus in pay as well as an earlier discharge. Though their enthusiasm for going to war was noted, Jasper only wished he had something with a bit more firepower and a bit less dated.

With those two battleships were eight cruisers, and here at least he had the benefit of Javan construction to rely on. The newest cruiser,Marymount, was his flagship but it was still a good twelve years old and showing her age.

If this was what he hoped to pin against Jack Easterbrook, everyone was bound to be disappointed.

In fact, Jasper feared closing the trap around the Fourthie fleet too early, which would leave him at the mercy of Easterbrook before Reynolds could get into place. If that happened, his small force would surely get blown out of the water, putting to rest any plans of an early retirement for his mostly Occitanian crew.

Another reason why Jasper was down was because of who commanded the enemy fleet. At one time, he could count on Easterbrook to be a friend of his, as both of them were present at the same battery command more than a decade earlier before either of them became admirals. The Jack that he remembered was a talented officer with a penchant for aggression and a taste for attractive women--just the kind of man that endeared him to the common sailors.

And now Jack was supposedly his enemy and he was perched upon the largest invasion force of the Javan continent in its history. Fortunes change quickly in this day and age but even for a man like Jasper, it was hard to sift through the mental space to find a reason to fight against an old friend.

But then again, it wasn't like he could exactly refuse the order. Walt McKenzie had been sacked for just such an offense, and if someone like Walt could be sacked, then no one was truly safe.

Jasper's career depended upon him following orders, and that he would do, even if it split his soul in the process.

There was a knock at the door of Jasper's personal quarters, and he wasn't surprised to see a familiar face begging entry.

Alan was a lieutenant that worked as the divisional officer of weaponry on theMarymount. He was twenty-five years of age and still about as green as they came.

He was also very close to Jasper, the one officer on theMarymount that he saw more than any others combined.

That was because Alan was also his son.

"Dad, do you have a minute?"

Jasper gestured for him to close the door quickly. "What have I told you about that before? When my door is open, it's Admiral Strong. Only when we're in private can you call me dad."

Alan let out an embarrassed smile about the mistake. He made sure the door was fully shut before speaking again. "Sorry, Dad."

"What do you need, Alan?"

The young man sat down in front of his desk and started to play with his thumbs. He was so much like Jasper at that age. As an officer, he still had much to learn but Jasper had some strings pulled to make sure his first assignment of any significance was on theMarymount. At least here he could keep an eye on the boy as well as guide him properly on the best ways to excel.

So far it had been paying off, even if it meant always paying attention to him.

"I was just listening to some of the men talk," said Alan, breaking his silence. "And I didn't really like what I heard."

"Did they know you were listening?"

Alan shook his head. "As far as I can tell, no."

Jasper chuckled. "Most men will say anything when they know one of their officers isn't listening. But they'll clam up the minute one walks into a room. Anyway, what did you hear that made you so nervous? We don't have a mutiny on our hands, do we?"

Alan shook his head. "Nothing like that, at least I don't think so. I'm just hearing... grumblings from the men. Many of them know who it is we're going to fight. They aren't too happy about it."

Jasper knew exactly why they wouldn't be happy but he asked the question anyway. "What are they saying? Why aren't they happy? Does it have to do with fighting one of our own?"

Alan winced. "Not so much that but they know how outnumbered we are, at least until we can link up with Admiral Reynolds. They are fearful of the Fourthie vessels and think we might be destroyed."

"I see," said Jasper. "And did you intervene at all? Say anything?"

His son shook his head. "No, I didn't. They moved on before I had a chance to do anything but I'm not sure what I would have said even if I did join the conversation. They're not wrong. The numbers of the enemy when compared to our own small force are substantial."

"Substantial, yes, but not impossible," said Jasper. "And even if they were, it's not their job to worry about them."

"Dad?"

Jasper stood up from his chair and approached the other side of his desk, sitting on top of it. "Alan, the men are always going to complain about anything and everything. It's part of what makes them sailors--a natural compulsion to gripe. They'll complain about hot weather in the summer and cold weather in the winter. They'll complain about a lack of women or too many women. They complain just to talk, and most of the time, you have to take what they're saying with a grain of salt."

Alan nodded his head as if he understood. "I get that but what if they have legitimate concerns? I don't relish the thought of a fight where we are substantially outnumbered."

"Neither do I but that's not for us to decide," replied Jasper. "These are our orders. We are to engage the enemy fleet. I am troubled too about their size and what that means for us but when the order comes down, we will salute and execute. That's our job, and as officers, that's the mentality we have to instill in our men. We won't like our orders most of the time, but we still have to follow them. And we still have to get our men to follow them as well. That's called leading by example."

"So I have to espouse those orders even if I don't believe in them personally?"

Jasper chuckled. "Welcome to leadership, my boy. Perhaps the Emperor is the only one that gets his way all the time but for all of us on the different rungs of leadership, we have to follow orders. Even the ones we don't believe in."

Alan made a face. "Does it ever get easier? Following orders you don't agree with?"

Jasper took a deep breath. "With age it gets easier. When you can understand the why behind an order, it gets easier, even if you don't personally agree with the execution. In the end, we all have a job to do. And we need to ensure that job is done properly."

Alan pursed his lips and thought about that for a moment before ultimately nodding his head. "I'm sorry for all the questions. I still feel very inexperienced about all of this. Like I don't know what I'm doing half the time."

Jasper grinned and put his hands on his son's shoulders. "We all had to start someplace, Alan. At one point in time, I was greener than you are right now. We learn. We adapt. We find mentors that can show us the way. Like thousands of naval officers that came before you, you will do the same. I have the utmost faith in you."