Authors: Taylor Anderson
“That would afford us a number of advantages,” Jenks agreed. “Combined with the captured maps and charts, we finally managed to take a few Dom officers on the other islands, who were willing to tell us what they could in exchange for honorable surrender.” He glowered. “Not that they deserved it after what they did to our fishermen living there! Feeding them to their damned dragons . . .” He shook himself. “Well, I doubt they had much choice. None of the senior officers were taken, and at least the junior ones demonstrated some basic humanity for the men under their command. In any event, where before we knew only a few of their port cities and had only the most basic charts of their coast, we now have a greater grasp of the scope and geography of the Dominion than ever before. We even know approximately where their capital, this Templo de los Papas, lies.” He frowned. “Nowhere near where we’d
thought
it was!”
He pointed to the new map Alexander had prepared and placed in the room. The Temple of the Popes, the holiest place in all the Dominion and seat of its wicked power, was not shown in the Valley of Mexico, as had been so long assumed, but in the vicinity of a much larger valley, or plain, in the north of the South American continent. Orrin and Shinya called it Venezuela, and the maps of Jenks’s ancestors called the region the Viceroyalties of New Granada and Peru. The exact location of the capital city wasn’t marked, apparently beyond the scope of the map, to the east.
“We always tried to be careful about revealing too much about the Empire to strangers,” Jenks said ironically, “but then allowed a Dom presence there! The Company was largely behind that, as it turns out, for motives of its own, but the fact remains that we never learned much about the Dominion beyond the few ports they allowed us access to. Sadly, Company influence wasn’t the only reason we failed in that respect; for far too long, we felt safe surrounded by our vast ocean, and frankly, simply didn’t care. Without this latest intelligence, our disinterest would’ve returned to roost, as it were, and we still wouldn’t know enough to launch a major operation, even if we already had the means. Now I think we do.”
“Perhaps,” Shinya said cautiously, gazing at the map of an empire extending from a strangely shaped Baja Peninsula in the north, as far south as Valparaiso. It hugged the Andes back northward until it sprawled eastward across Colombia and Venezuela. From there, it included all of Central America up to what was described as a terrible desert stretching as far north as where the mouth of the Rio Grande probably was—if the trend of major rivers being approximately where they were expected to be continued. For some reason, the Doms claimed the apparent desert sweeping west, northwest from there—all the way to the proposed American Navy base at San Diego. Beyond that, except for Imperial outposts in California, nothing was shown.
“But even with the captured maps and information we’ve gathered from prisoners, our map remains glaringly, apparently
deliberately
incomplete,” Shinya continued. “Particularly regarding the region around Panama and Costa Rica. We have our own maps, from the old world, that might help in general ways, but we all know there are often significant differences.” He shrugged. “
Why
does that place, of all others—even the general location of their
capital
—remain mysterious?”
“I don’t know,” Jenks confessed. He looked at Colonel Alexander, and the garrison commander shook his head.
“I believe the prisoners told us what they could,” Alexander insisted. “Why not? They’re dead to their country, by the act of surrender, and we secured no high-ranking officers. The junior officers, though intelligent and professional, are not well educated beyond their duties. Even the rank-and-file Dom is a good soldier, certainly, but has been deliberately kept ignorant of the most basic things. Much like the Grik, if I understand the latest theories,” he added oddly.
“Well, I wish we had some of their
naval
officers to question,” Governor Humphries brooded. “They’d
have
to know the coast of their own land, surely.” He looked at Lelaa. “Please do try to acquire some of them for us. Won’t you, Lady Admiral? That . . . mysterious region seems to beg our most ardent attention.” There were nods. Lelaa looked at him and smiled, glad the man who reminded her so much of Courtney Bradford seemed to have recovered his wits.
“We know where most of their port cities are now,” Jenks said. “And I rather doubt the ones we already knew are the most important, or they’d never have allowed us there in the first place.” Absently, he twisted his mustaches. “As Admiral Lelaa suggests, all their ports, important or not, should be our focus now . . . for another reason beyond those she mentioned. One thing we’re fairly sure of—and our new map confirms—is that the Doms have few roads beyond this coastal highway that stretches such a distance.” He pointed. “Like the Grik in that respect, they rely tremendously on coastal shipping, not only for commerce, but apparently even communication. A campaign like Admiral Lelaa suggests would not only further secure us, as well as all Imperial holdings, here, but might also isolate large parts of the Dominion from itself.”
“Exactly,” Shinya suddenly enthused, “which might make it possible for us to stage smaller landings, to conquer the Dominion in detail!”
Jenks blinked. “That’s . . . a very distinct possibility! Certainly, once we learn more about their strategic stance and what targets would most thoroughly disrupt it, quick, destructive raids at the very least—much like Captain Reddy has proposed in the West—would be valuable in terms of intelligence for us, and confusion to the enemy.”
Orrin Reddy cleared his throat and everyone looked at him. “That’s swell,” he said, “and a good idea, but it’s going to be dangerous as hell. We don’t hold nearly as big an edge over the Doms on land as we do at sea and in the air. Our small arms are generally better, but not by a lot.” He looked at Jenks. “Imperial Marines still have flintlocks, for God’s sake, and none of the new breechloaders have made it out here yet. Who knows when—or if—we’ll get any of the new repeating carbines, those Blitzer Bugs they’re talking about. We’re a long way from home, and the more advanced weapons have been going to fight the Grik.” He paused, thoughtful, and everyone waited until he continued. “Captain Reddy’s plan is kind of based on a similar operation I told him about on our old world, and I’m sure something similar would drive the Doms nuts. We need to improve our recon regardless—that’s a fact. But they still have those damn Grikbird ‘dragons’—that can tear hell out of my planes.” He shrugged. “We’re better against ’em now, and if we ever get some of the new pursuit ships out of Baalkpan, I bet we can eventually get complete control of the air. As it is, though, we go in there with nothing but Nancys, we’re going to lose a lot of planes and pilots. The second time we go in, we’ll lose more. Eventually, if they ever figure out what we’re up to, they can throw a continent’s worth of ‘air’ at us all at once—and there goes
all
our planes.”
Shinya nodded solemnly. “Lieutenant Reddy is right. We must either plan a raid—a big one—that will destroy as much of the enemy’s industrial and strategic infrastructure as possible, and then get out, or we must discover if we can sustain a continental foothold that can survive independently of air support, for a short time, at least. Properly supplied, such a thorn in its side might draw a disproportionate amount of attention from the enemy.”
“You realize you’re suggesting
placing yourself
in the same position General Alden is in?” Jenks asked.
“Not at all,” Shinya denied. “We would have access to and control of the sea, for purposes of supply. And if we run into more than we can handle?” He shrugged. “We pull out under cover of darkness—and perhaps land again in a place the enemy has stripped of troops!”
Orrin nodded. “That could work. We’ll still need recon either way.”
“True,” agreed Lelaa, looking at the flyer. “Your Nancys are faster than Grikbirds. If you are just looking about, they should not catch you.”
“Yeah. And we can make it tough on the ones that try. We’re still going to lose guys and machines, though. If only we had just a
few
of those Blitzer Bugs—or some honest Thompsons, it would save a lot of lives.”
“What are the chances of that?” Jenks asked Lelaa. “Getting a rush shipment of those weapons for this operation?”
“Not good,” Lelaa replied, blinking disappointment. “They are only now tooling up to make them in Maa-ni-la, so all would have to come from Baalkpan. Even if they have them to spare, it would take months for them to arrive, unless . . .”
“Unless what?”
“Unless we could talk them into using one of the big Clippers.”
“Could one large plane carry enough of these Blitzer Bugs and the necessary ammunition to protect your aircraft?” Jenks asked Lieutenant Reddy.
Orrin considered again. “I honestly don’t know. I haven’t seen a Clipper before and don’t know the specs. I doubt one of the old ‘Buzzards’ could do it.”
“A Buzzard could not,” Lelaa stated firmly. “And even a Clipper could not possibly make it all the way here unless it carried so much fuel that there would be no capacity for cargo. A pointless gesture. But with the new facilities Sor-Lomaak raised at the islands called Midway, one
can
bring the weapons as far as New Britain. I understand there is already passenger service that far.” She looked at Jenks. “There are several islands between here and there that would have served us well just now.”
Jenks nodded grimly. “Tiny, barren, remote little things that would’ve been useful for tending seaplanes, I believe, but of no use otherwise, I fear. Now that the notion has struck us, we should certainly emplace such outposts. But the cart must precede the horse in this instance—if you’ll pardon the expression—and our tardy realization cannot benefit us in the very short term.”
“We could send tenders—” Shinya began.
“We don’t have any to spare.” Orrin practically cut him off. “And even if we did, it would take the same weeks to get them to those little bumps in the water—I’ve seen ’em on the charts—that it would take a ship to get here from the New Britain Isles.” He shook his head. “Then a Clipper pilot would have to find the damn things! That’s asking too much. Most ’Cats didn’t even
believe
in this part of the world not long ago!”
That wasn’t exactly true. Lemurians always knew the world was round and must have a bottom. But based on their very literal concept of gravity—“Whatever it is, it always pulls down”—they’d believed you
could
fall off if you went too far from the “top,” which was obviously centered somewhere between their ancestral home of Madagascar and the Fil-pin Lands. For that reason, and because the notion that you wouldn’t fall off assailed some of their most closely held liturgy, many ’Cats back in Baalkpan, maybe even Adar himself, still had a hard time grasping the sheer distances involved in the conflict in the East. Most probably understood their teachings were a little off by now, but understanding and acceptance aren’t exactly the same things, and one didn’t inevitably lead to the other.
“Finding those little dots in so much empty sea is too damn much to ask of them,” Orrin continued. “Chances are we’d lose them—and the cargo we’d been waiting for.”
“Very possible,” Jenks agreed. “Perhaps at another time an attempt can be made, with picket ships lining the route. The planes that fly as far as my homeland are often in range of vessels passing below—or any number of convenient islands. So. It will still take some weeks to ship the weapons here, in our fastest steamers,” he calculated.
“Yes, but we will need to plan this operation well,” Shinya advised. “Months give the enemy too much time to surprise
us
, I fear. But weeks is a realistic time frame for our own planning and preparations—if we
can
get the weapons.”
“My boys’ll fly with or without them, so I’m in either way,” Orrin said softly, and Lelaa smiled to hear her COFO call
Maaka-Kakja
’s pilots “his” boys. Not too long ago he hadn’t even been sure this was his war. “I’d rather have ’em, though.”
Jenks looked at Governor Humphries. “It would seem, sir, we have the beginnings of a plan. I believe Admiral Lelaa can commence her part of it, the eradication of the Doms from the sea, almost immediately. General Shinya will plan various contingencies based on whatever reconnaissance Lieutenant Reddy can accomplish without unduly jeopardizing our air power. I will personally move heaven and earth to get these Blitzer Bugs here, and if—
when—
they arrive, the Third Air Wing should be able to provide more detailed information to General Shinya, and his operation will go forward as rapidly as possible after that, to maximize the element of surprise. Does that sound satisfactory to you, sir?”
“Most satisfactory!” Humphries beamed. “The sooner we strike those atrocious Doms, the happier I will be.” Then he cleared his throat and looked away. “And may God protect and keep you all.”
“Thank you, Your Excellency,” Lelaa said with sudden hesitation. “But there is yet another thing we must consider.”
Jenks raised his eyebrows at her.
“Chairman Adar may not release the weapons we desire for any number of excellent reasons, but he may also consider our strategy—and particularly General Shinya’s part—too risky. General Aalden’s setback in Indi-aa does not seem to have shaken Adar’s resolve, but it does appear to have made him feel he needs to exert greater central control over the war effort.”
“I understand that, but he’s not here,” Jenks replied.
“I don’t know if that matters, High Admiral. His new attitude does not reflect on the competence of any leader so much as his desire to take the consequences of any mistakes they make upon himself to spare them the recriminations and, yes, pain, of those consequences.”
“I don’t know, Adar,” Orrin injected darkly, “but that’s bull . . . BS.”
Jenks looked sharply at the Lieutenant. “I
do
know Chairman Adar, and he may be the most honorable being alive. He is misguided in this respect, however. If we, any of us, make poor decisions that cost lives, it is our duty to bear the burden for that. He cannot absolve us. He should
replace
us if our choices are bad enough, but just as Captain Reddy has said he cannot make all our decisions for us when he is so far away, neither can Chairman Adar. I repeat, he is not here.” Jenks twisted his mustaches again. “I will draft a summary of our strategy to be sent with our request. With the ships en route to relay the signal, we should have fairly rapid communications all the way to Baalkpan. I will do my best to convince him that
this
is what we should do
here
, now. If he objects, perhaps Captain Reddy can speak to him when
Walker
’s refit is complete and he steams to Baalkpan himself.”