Chapter 47: Deja Vu

Just a little more than two weeks after departing the Picard city of Zarah, Jack stood on the prow of the Destiny looking due east.

Though the skies were vivid blue and the waters calm and sparkling, he could see nothing but an endless horizon as far as the eye could see. His own view was misleading.

Somewhere just on the horizon, the naval base of Quiller’s Cove beckoned his force to come closer. The master of the base, Commodore Stanhope Lucas, had sent a coded message to him on a private comm line with an invitation to Quiller’s Cove, an act of gross treason if discovered by Bancroft and his forces.

Jack knew why Lucas had acted the way he did. There was no love lost between Lucas and Bancroft, rivals of several decades going back to when Jack was just a boy. Bancroft usually had the upper hand in that quarrel, relegating Lucas to the backwater naval station without the chance of coming home.

It was this heavy-handed sleight that opened the door for Jack to gain Lucas’ loyalty. And although he couldn’t exactly count on Lucas as an ally just yet, he at least knew he wouldn’t be an enemy.

And that meant denying the base to Javan forces who were still more than two weeks out from Quiller’s according to Lucas.

Jack sighed briefly as he thought about the final war being upon them. Somewhere out there, the grandest Javan fleet that had ever set sail was waiting for him. It was full of ships that he was very familiar with, and staffed by officers that he’d once commanded. Many of those men celebrated his name after the Battle of Aberdeen, when the fleet achieved its decisive victory over the Occitanian force blockading it.

How fortunes had changed. Not quite three years after the battle, Jack was coming once more to meet that fleet as an enemy instead of a commander.

Was he ready for that action? Was he ready to treat his former comrades as foes?

At least he knew his fleet was as prepared as could be for the action in front of them. The grand armada of the Western nations stretched out for miles behind him, led by their dazzling warships with their powerful gun barrels pointed to the sky. Jack commanded a force that was made of nearly thirty-six battleships and some fifty cruisers, the largest such fleet he’d ever seen assembled in one place. Amongst those ships were eighty smaller vessels as well as the first dedicated aircraft carrier in history, the Centurion.

It was a fleet that dwarfed the size of the Javan fleet that was present at the Battle of Aberdeen. It was also one made of many nations, with the Galicians and the Swabians providing the most ships of the total.

It was also the first time that the Galicians and the Swabians had operated as part of the same alliance, uniting their forces for their first joint operation in their histories.

Their cooperation was duly needed. Though Jack still didn’t have official numbers, he estimated the Javan fleet in front of him had a slight edge in terms of overall firepower. The Javans would be able to field nearly forty battleships by his calculations, along with a greater host of smaller ships. Like his force, it was also the greatest naval fleet assembled in Javan history, and it was bred for one explicit purpose—the destruction of Jack and the conquest of the entire Fourth Vector.

It was a mission that he couldn’t allow to succeed.

Though outnumbered in firepower and suffering from longer supply lines, Jack had a few advantages that he hoped would tip the balance of power.

One was his number of airplanes. The Centurion was packed with naval airpower, with nearly eighty planes stuffed on its decks and in the hangar below. Twenty of those planes had recently joined the fleet after an emergency levy from Carinthia to replace those lost in the storm. The rest of his airpower was in the form of seaplanes attached to the various ships in his fleet, and with the recent advances in technology, Jack hoped to have a distinct advantage by controlling the skies above the seas.

Another advantage was his stockpiles of Sorellan fire. Recently replenished after a brief stop in Sorella, Jack had the stores distributed to his most powerful ships. Though the fire wouldn’t strike a killing blow against the ships in Bancroft’s navy, they would incinerate the crews unfortunate enough to be caught in the blast range.

The last advantage that Jack could count on was the moral superiority of his cause. Every nation in the Western alliance had joined together to fight against Bancroft, a tyrant seeking to rob them of their way of life and turn them into nothing more than slaves meant to power the Javan war machine. Jack’s people were fighting for their freedom—freedom from an overseas emperor who thought nothing of their customs, their histories, their families, or their desires to live lives of their own choosing.

It was an incredibly strong motivator. These men had to win or their way of life would die. On the other hand, Bancroft’s men were fighting for plunder and riches. They were fighting for resources that could be stripped from the West in order to power Java’s industries at home.

In that regard, the Western alliance had every ounce of moral superiority over their enemy.

Jack hoped his advantages would be enough. There was nothing that was more at stake than their freedom, and he couldn’t allow Bancroft to take it away.

He would not allow his people to become slaves.

“Jack?”

Distracted from his inner thoughts, he turned to see Abigail making her way toward the bow. Shunning her silken queen’s robes, Abigail was dressed in the uniform of a Galician commodore today, a sharp look that made her look both imposing and sexy at the same time.

She stopped when she reached him, her hand resting against his back.

“You’ve been gone for some time,” she said. “Are you okay? What are you thinking about?”

Jack knew better than to lie to his wife. “Just what’s on the other side of that horizon.”

“Do you mean Quiller’s Cove? Or Java?”

Jack smirked. “Both, quite frankly. And the fact that the Javan fleet is somewhere in between.”

“At least we’re getting to Quiller’s first, Jack. We can deny that to our enemy.”

“True, but what kind of reception will we get from Lucas? Lucas has made it a point that he’s not an enemy but will he be a friend? What about the forces under his command? Even if Lucas is friendly, will they obey his orders?”

“What will be, will be, Jack. You know that. There’s no sense worrying about it now.”

Jack turned to look at his wife, her face unusually serene and calm. Pregnancy had been good to Abigail so far. Though she was just over two months pregnant, she’d displayed a remarkable change since then.

Gone was the anxious Abigail of recent months, nervous and fretting constantly about her inability to become pregnant.

It was replaced by a calm and confident Abigail, thoroughly tranquil now that she felt her long-awaited goal had been achieved.

It was a quite curious change of pace, and Jack welcomed the changes in his brunette wife.

“Pregnancy has been great to you,” he joked. “You’re quite unflappable now.”

Abigail let out a shy smile as her hand rested over her stomach. It was still too early to show, but Jack noticed that she quite enjoyed drawing attention to her midsection these days.

Almost as if she wanted the world to watch her belly grow alongside her.

“I just mean that I have every confidence that we’re going to succeed,” she replied finally. “And it all starts with Quiller’s and Lucas. I am looking forward to seeing him again.”

“I am too, although I have to wonder if he’ll be any different than before. The last time we saw him, we both fought on the same team. Will our changing fortunes necessitate a change in reception?”

“I don’t think that Lucas is that petty, Jack. He’s not Bancroft.”

“No, but he’ll have his own interests as well. And he’s about to be squeezed between two unstoppable forces, both of which could spell serious trouble if he picks the wrong side. I wouldn’t want to be in his shoes right now.”

“It seems to me then that his choice is easy.”

Jack raised an eyebrow. “How do you figure?”

Abigail smiled. “Well, if there’s the chance of trouble with either force that is approaching, at least the smart thing to do is to ally with the one that gives you the best chance for a better life. We can do that. If Bancroft wins, Lucas dies at Quiller’s Cove an old man without ever seeing his home again. If we win, we can give him something he truly wants—a return to his home.”

Abigail’s words made sense, and Jack found himself nodding along to them. His side had so much more to offer Lucas that he hoped the commodore would see that upon Jack’s arrival.

Still, Jack would count on nothing until he knew definitively where Lucas stood.

To that end, Jack wasn’t surprised when Twitch came up behind them immediately after, offering the customary salute as soon as he stopped.

“Jack, we’re within range of Quiller’s Cove,” said Twitch. “Our planes launched from the Centurion confirm the base is mostly unguarded except for a few light cruisers and destroyers. The Javan fleet is nowhere in sight. From the looks of things, we aren’t meeting a hostile reception.”

“Excellent, Twitch. I still want the fleet in battle-stations during our approach. I want the harbor at Quiller’s completely covered, and I want regular patrols of the north, east, and south grids out from Quiller’s. I don’t want to be caught by surprise by the enemy until we can confirm friendly activity at the base.”

Twitch nodded and was soon moving back to the bridge. “I’ll let them know, sir.”

The next three hours were a very anxious time for just about everyone. For the Javans on the Destiny, this was the first brush with their own countrymen that could lead to actual fighting. As Jack looked around the bridge, he noticed his divisional officers all wore uncertain expressions, with many of them hoping for the same thing—to not have to fight against their own people today.

Finally, the quiet island of Quiller’s Cove became visible a short while later. Jack watched the island from afar, keeping his binoculars glued to his face. In the air above them, the planes from the Centurion flew regular missions over the naval base, keeping a firm superiority of the skies and alerting Jack’s forces to any changes.

So far, everything was quiet.

“Jack, nothing to report on these last runs,” radioed Dustin from his position on the Centurion. They are alert but don’t seem to be rushing to contest our arrival. It’s extremely quiet over there.”

“Copy that, thanks Dustin,” replied Jack before he looked over at Stephanie, divisional head for operations aboard the Destiny. “Stephanie, change our comm line to Quiller’s channel. I’m going to speak to them.”

“You got it, Jack,” said Stephanie who quickly performed the task. “You’re ready to go now.”

Jack brought his radio back to his mouth. “Quiller’s Cove Naval Station, this is the voice of Jack Kincardine, King of Galicia and Overlord of the Western alliance. You may remember me as Admiral Jack Easterbrook, formerly of the Javan Empire. My forces have surrounded Quiller’s Cove and the ships under my command have their guns trained on the base. We have complete control of the skies as well. I will give no order to fire as long as your forces don’t give me a reason to commence hostilities. You have the next fifteen minutes to unconditionally surrender to my forces, and as long as my terms are honored, I will not harm a single man. Your fifteen minutes starts now.”

Jack lowered his radio and sighed as he watched the naval base through his binoculars once more. His proclamation was more harsh than he would have liked, especially with Lucas’ message of non-hostility from two weeks ago, however, Jack had to be certain that they understood the significance of the situation around them.

Resistance would be incredibly foolish. And though Jack knew that Lucas didn’t want to fight him, he had to persuade the other officers that there was no use in resisting his forces.

He just hoped that his hard message wouldn’t provoke them to resistance anyway.

Jack was grateful when a response came back within a few minutes.

“Jack, this is Commodore Stanhope Lucas, commanding officer of the Javan naval base of Quiller’s Cove. At the present time, I’ve instructed the forces under my command not to resist any landing by your forces. You will see that I’ve given orders to have a white flag raised over my headquarters as well as the harbor. We do not desire any hostilities.”

Lucas’ speech was formal but necessary. Despite their relationship going back years, there were many ears that were listening to their conversation, and it had to be totally clear what was being asked of the naval base and what was given.

However, Jack couldn’t help the smile that appeared on his lips after listening to what Lucas had to say, especially once he was able to verify the white flags flying over Quiller’s Cove.

“Aye, Commodore Lucas, we will hold you to your word. I’m sending forces ashore now to take over the harbor and the fortress as well as to occupy the town. Tell your men to stand down and they will suffer no consequences. Once I’m certain that Quiller’s Cove is secure, I will meet you ashore.”

“Sounds good, Jack,” replied Lucas in a more informal tone. “Welcome home, my old friend.”

Jack turned to look at Greg, who was seated a short distance away on the bridge.

“Go ahead and give the order to launch. Let the first waves occupy the town. The rest of the army will follow.”

“You got it, Jack.”

For the next hour, the first wave of soldiers climbed into their launch boats and made for shore. The Galician marines were the first to make landfall on Javan soil after entering the harbor and sailing past two small light cruisers that were part of the garrison. They were watched by the untrusting eyes of the Javan garrison, many of whom were probably thinking that the world had turned upside down.

“I have to wonder what those Javans are thinking over there,” said Jack to Kat. “I bet they never imagined a day when the Fourthies were coming to invade them.”

Kat smiled. “Wait until they see who commands all those Fourthies. They’re really going to be confused when they see a former Javan admiral at their head.”

Jack chuckled. “Right you are about that.”

It took a solid two hours for the first wave to secure the base completely. Once Jack had confirmation that not a single Javan was left in a position to cause any harm, he gave orders for the fleet to enter the harbor and anchor where they could find space. Although Quiller’s had command of a splendid natural harbor, there was no way that most of his ships could find dock space. For that reason, only a select few, including the troop ships, were given priority to anchor at the docks while the rest anchored out in the deeper part of the harbor.

For the Destiny though, Jack instructed her to berth at the same spot Jack found her when he took command of the ship three years ago. As the mighty cruiser slipped into her berth, Jack looked out on the dock and remembered looking up at the ship for the first time.

It was the scene of another first as well—his first sight of Abigail.

Jack wasn’t the only one with the memory of past times. Abigail pulled Kat over to point at the same spot on the dock that he’d just been looking at.

“Right there,” said Abigail proudly. “That’s the spot where Jack and I met.”

Kat couldn’t help but giggle. “Are you forgetting that I’ve been here before? You told me that the last time we were here.”

Abigail turned red. “Oh, right. I forgot about that.”

Jack pulled both of his wives to him. “I love you both,” he said, chuckling to himself.

As soon as the Destiny came to a rest against the dock, Jack watched as a small honor guard appeared at the end of the harbor, closest to the gates. There weren’t many actual soldiers there, and one of them even carried a white flag so as not to alert Jack’s forces to any suspicions. At the end of the honor guard was none other than Commodore Lucas himself.

“There’s the man we need to see,” said Jack, as he gestured to Lucas. “Come on, let’s go out to meet him.”

As Jack walked down the gangplank, his own honor guard assembled, one that was much larger than Lucas’. Not only did he have an escort of Galician marines, but he also had his security detail led by Ben Torben, putting a formidable ring of steel around the Galician monarch.

In the inner circle, Jack had those most important to him. Kat, Abigail, Vera, Greg, and Bill followed behind him as he closed the distance between himself and Lucas. The other Galician officers of the fleet such as Lindy, Russ, and Dustin, were comfortable on the Centurion and would come ashore when they were able. The same could be said about the other heads of state like Aedan, Reina, Santino, and Ambros.

There was a moment of tension as the Galicians and the Javans came face-to-face, and for a brief moment, Jack wasn’t sure if the Javans would hold to the terms of the surrender.

His worries were premature. The Javans of the honor guard soon parted ways, and for the first time in two years, Jack grasped the hand of his old friend, Commodore Lucas.

“You haven’t aged a day, Jack,” said Lucas with a hearty grin as he then inspected Jack’s head. “And funny, I don’t see any horns on your head. By what Bancroft has been saying, I fully expected that to be the case.”

Jack chuckled along as he shook the other man’s hand. “It’s great to see you again, Stan. Are you well? How’s life been treating you?”

“No better or no worse than before. Although, Java seems to be a lot different these days, Jack. You got out just in time.”

“From what I hear, you’re not the only one with that opinion.”

“We’ll talk more about it later,” said Lucas as his eyes swept over to the other Javans in Jack’s force. “Abigail Wainwright, it’s a pleasure to see you again.”

Abigail beamed with a smile. “Actually, it’s Abigail Kincardine now. Jack and I are married.”

Lucas raised an eyebrow as he looked over at Jack. “At some point, you’re going to have to tell me where this Kincardine name came from.”

“Believe me, there’s a long story in there somewhere,” answered Jack.

After shaking hands with Abigail, Lucas turned his attention to Greg. “Major Vaughn, well met indeed.”

“I’m afraid Abigail isn’t the only one with a change,” said Greg as he shook Lucas’ hand. “It’s General Vaughn now.”

“You and your people are full of surprises today,” said Lucas with a hearty chuckle. His eyes then fell on Kat. “My dear, I remember you from the last time you were here. From the looks of things, you had your child.”

“Yes, he’s quite the terror on two legs now,” replied Kat. “And fortunately for me, I’ve passed the pregnancy mantle over to Abigail.”

Lucas’ eyes flickered to Abigail as his expression turned to shock. “You? You’re pregnant?”

“Close your mouth, Stan,” said Abigail with a giggle. “You make it sound like the sun just rose at midnight.”

“I just didn’t expect it,” he said before his eyes centered on Jack. “It seems we have much to catch up on! Come, let’s go to my headquarters.”

“Before we do, can you tell me where the Javan fleet is currently?” asked Jack. “I have scouts out watching all the approaches to Quiller’s Cove and we see nothing. According to what you told me though, they should still be two weeks out?”

Lucas nodded. “Aye, Jack. Our old friend Nick Reynolds is still some distance away.”

Jack’s expression soured instantly. “Nick Reynolds is leading the fleet? You’re certain of that?”

“As certain as I can be. It seems that Reynolds is now Bancroft’s favorite. He’s gotten all the best assignments and this is the cherry on top of his cake. He is quite motivated to destroy you, Jack.”

“And I’d hoped that Bancroft might put McKenzie in charge,” Jack grumbled. “At least McKenzie might have mixed feelings about engaging with me.”

Lucas shook his head. “Funny you should mention McKenzie. He’s the one that sent the message to me about you. He’s also under house arrest.”

“House arrest? For what?”

Lucas patted Jack’s back. “Come. We have much to discuss. Let’s go to my office.”

“Sacked? How in the world can anyone sack Walt McKenzie? He’s the top admiral in Java.”

Lucas leaned back in his chair and shook his head. “There’s no room for any disobedience in Bancroft’s Java anymore. Bancroft wanted McKenzie to become the Viceroy of Occitania, and Walt said no. That was all it took. He was removed from his position and put under house arrest within the fortnight.”

Jack couldn’t help but shake his head as he looked out the window of Lucas’ third floor headquarters in Quiller’s Cove. Lucas’ office was extremely cramped, as not only were Greg, Vera, Abigail, Kat, and Bill inside with him, but also Lucas’ deputy, Lt. Settler. Lt. Settler certainly remembered Jack from his previous visits, as the two men certainly didn’t get started off on the right foot. Even now, Settler would barely look in his direction.

“But surely McKenzie wasn’t the only admiral that Bancroft could have chosen,” said Jack. “What about Admiral Jasper Strong? He was a fine naval officer as well. He’d have been better suited than Nick Reynolds.”

Lucas shook his head. “Admiral Strong doesn’t inspire much confidence in Bancroft. He’s currently posted with the occupational fleet in Montauban but there’s not much of a future there. For now though, it’s Reynolds.”

Jack shook his head and swore under his breath.

“Forgive me, Jack, but I’m surprised you’re this upset that it’s Reynolds,” said Lucas a moment later. “You and I both know him to be a second-rate officer. Isn’t it better that Reynolds is in charge and not a competent admiral like McKenzie or Strong?”

“No, and I’ll tell you why,” said Jack. “McKenzie or Strong could be counted on to fight with honor. They don’t need any dirty tricks in order to win because they are tactically brilliant. There’s also the question of my friendship with both of them that might make them unwilling to fight me, or give a full effort to any fight with me. Reynolds is different. Reynolds doesn’t fight with honor and he doesn’t have much in the way of ethics. He also hates me for some perceived slight from years ago, a hate that’s no doubt been nurtured by Bancroft. He’ll fight that much harder because of it. Reynolds is the last opponent I’d want to face.”

Lucas pursed his lips and started to nod. “I suppose you have a point there. Either way, it doesn’t look good for the developing situation, and that’s not even touching what’s going on in Java right now.”

“What is the situation in the country? We haven’t had much in the way of news in the past two years,” said Jack.

“Truthfully? It’s chaotic, Jack. The whole damn country is in turmoil. No matter what he does, Bancroft can’t help but piss off the people, with nearly all of them resentful and brimming with discontent.”

Jack’s eyes widened. “I figured it was bad but you make it sound like he’s about to be overthrown.”

“He could be,” said Lucas. “Though you won’t hear of it through the official news media, there’s a resistance group now in the heart of Belfort said to be led by an heir to the Bainbridge family himself. Troubling times, no doubt. Bancroft is sitting on a powder keg, and all it will take is one spark to blast the whole thing wide open.”

“Very interesting,” replied Jack. “This could be the opening we need.”

“And he’ll be in no position to contest our landing if he’s too busy fighting his own people,” added Bill, the first time he’d spoken up all meeting.

His words drew Lucas’ attention, who grinned after hearing it. “You must be another Galician by the looks of you.”

Jack chuckled. “Stan Lucas, meet Bill Calland. Bill is one of the leading lords in Galicia and my personal advisor in just about every matter.”

“A pleasure,” said Lucas before he turned his attention back to Jack. “I have to agree with your man there. Bancroft’s position is more tenuous than it looks.”

“Is that why you’ve thrown your fate in with the rest of us?” asked Jack quietly.

He almost expected Lucas not to answer the question head-on, but to his surprise, Lucas merely smiled. “Jack, I’ve been waiting nearly twenty-two years to put the screws to Percy Bancroft. You’ve given me the excuse I needed to do it, but if I blink, I might miss my chance. Java cannot carry on at this pace for long. Its armed forces are formidable, and that’s the reason why I think Bancroft is still able to hold it all together. If you can strike a blow that defeats them on land and on sea, I think you’ll find that his throne will be incredibly easy to topple.”

“Well, that’s comforting at least. Perhaps we only need to work on winning one or two fights,” said Bill.

“We shouldn’t count on it though,” added Jack. “We never want to underestimate Bancroft. The man will take it and use it against us. In any event, we should prepare for a drawn out war and not a quick victory. He’ll be expecting us for sure.”

“Oh, that he definitely is,” said Lucas. “But he knows nothing about when you’ll arrive. It’s for that reason that he dispatched Reynolds out here after so many months of no word.”

“So many months?” asked Jack. “We needed time to build up. We couldn’t just go to war as soon as he chopped my sister and her family to bits and dropped them on my doorstep.”

“I understand that, Jack, but what I’m referring to is that I think he hoped to bring the war to your doorstep sooner than now. Part of the reason why he hasn’t been able to is because of the situation in Tyrol.”

“Speaking of which, let’s talk about Tyrol for a second,” said Jack. “The last I heard, Tyrol was still nothing much more than a small-scale rebellion. The Javans haven’t had any problems in the past with putting down the generational Tyrolean rebellions but that appears to be different this time around.”

“Yes, because in the last few wars, the Tyroleans never had one central figure to unite around,” said Lucas. “That’s different in this war because they have a powerful leader at the forefront of their movement who is actually rather competent.”

Jack knew the name of the leader immediately.

“Trevor Downing.”

Lucas pointed his finger at Jack. “Correct. Not much is known about this Trevor Downing but he’s proven to be an incredible foe. The rumors that we hear is that he was a shopkeeper from before the war. Isn’t that ironic? The forces of the Javan Empire grinded to a halt by a mere shopkeeper?”

“Definitely something that no one would’ve been able to predict.”

“Right you are, Jack. In any event, The Tyroleans under Downing scored a devastating victory in the Wilds right next to Thessaly. What makes it more astounding is that from what I’ve gathered, they had their backs pressed against the wall and were ready for defeat.”

Jack gave him a strange look, which forced Lucas to back up.

“Forgive me, Jack, I forget that you haven’t lived under Bancroft’s regime for very long. Real news out of Java is hard to come by. Most of the headlines that we see are propaganda in some form or another. While it has always been like that to some degree in Java, it’s been greatly elevated under Bancroft’s watch. It used to be that military communications contained accurate information even if what was told to the common people was nothing short of bullshit. Now, even that’s not the case anymore. It’s incredibly difficult to make out what’s really happening during the war, and most of what I’ve figured out comes piecemeal from other sources. In this case, it comes from McKenzie.”

“How does McKenzie tie into all of this? What’s his role?”

“McKenzie is another one that reached out to me,” said Lucas. “And while he wouldn’t tell me his sources, it appears that he’s an agent of the Tyrolean resistance judging by what he has to offer. But what they are putting out to you is an offer of an alliance.”

“An alliance?” asked Jack with a raised eyebrow. “My forces aligned with Tyrol?”

“Correct. Though the Tyroleans are in a current position of strength, that could surely change if the Javans find a way to wrap up a number of the commitments they are currently in. The Tyroleans are only staying alive because Javan power is stretched so far. If the Javans could concentrate their forces, I don’t believe that Tyrol would last for a month. And of course, there is the logic in working with the enemy of their enemy.”

“The enemy of my enemy is my friend,” quoted Jack. “I could say that my forces could use an ally on the Javan mainland, if only to split Bancroft’s attention between two forces.”

“That’s precisely what the Tyroleans have in mind, Jack. McKenzie sees your two forces converging on Belfort like a vice grip, one from either direction with Bancroft caught in the middle. There’s no way a victory can’t be had in circumstances like that, even if Bancroft has greater forces.”