Koratin nodded. «I told him it was madness when I learned his scheme. I even sent three trusted servants to warn you, but they were caught and killed. The palace guard came for me then, but my retainers held them off.» He smiled crookedly. «If not for your timely arrival and the chaos that ensued, I would be dead. How delightfully ironic!»
Rolak barked a laugh. «You always were amazingly skilled at survival, Koratin!»
Koratin bowed. «As you can see, it’s a useful skill.» His face turned grim. «Is it true? The Grik will return?»
«It is true.»
«I feared as much. I feared for my younglings — for all the younglings of our people — but the king would not listen. He does not believe the old stories» — he nodded respectfully at Chack" that for our salvation the sea folk have preserved!»
«Fear still, Koratin. The danger is greater than you imagine. We must all leave this place and become beggars in the north. The sea folk will succor us, but they need our arms more than our bellies, so all who go must be willing to fight, and provocations won’t occur.»
Koratin was stunned. «But what of our walls? Can we not hold here if the sea folk come to our aid?»
«No.» Rolak nodded toward Matt, who stood listening. «Cap-i-taan Reddy has told me how it must be and I believe him.»
Koratin turned to look at Matt for the first time. His stare was an appraising one. «So that is the great tail-less leader of the sea folk,» he said. «I suspected as much.» He bowed low to the captain.
«Where’s Rasik?» Matt demanded, eyes flashing.
«In his palace, lord. Yonder.» Koratin pointed at the imposing structure beyond the plaza. «He has almost four hundred guards. Quite fanatical, I’m afraid. It will be difficult and costly to storm.»
For a long while, Matt said nothing while those nearby waited for his decision. His expression seemed almost yearning as his eyes bored into the palace walls.
«No, it won’t,» he said at last. Rolak cocked his head and looked at Matt with a questioning blink. «We’re not going to storm it. Oh, don’t get me wrong — there’s nothing I’d rather do than bring the guns in and blow it down around him, and that’s what we’d do if we had the time. We’d take our time!» he snarled. Calming, he clasped his hands behind his back. «But we don’t have the luxury of time, and I’m not going to waste lives getting the little bastard the old-fashioned way. Chack and his Marines will see that no one gets out while you begin evacuating the city.»
Chack was confused and surprised. He was first and foremost a destroyerman, after all, and Donaghey was one of his clan. Surely the captain wouldn’t leave his death un-avenged — not after he had been willing to break the alliance that morning to take the city. «But what about the king, Captain?» he prodded. «What are we going to do about hime to ive liberators, bent on saving the people of this world from the depredations of a remorseless foe. They were leaving as destroyers, causing more harm than the Grik had yet managed.
With a surprised thankfulness that he couldn’t express, he felt Sandra’s hand find his in the darkness and he squeezed it gently before letting go. She’d been more reserved toward him that day than their «agreement» required and he still wondered why. Then he looked at Mallory. The young aviator’s face glowed grimly in the reflected light. He’d spoken little since he arrived, only confirming with a nod that the dispatch was entirely accurate. There was no mistake. He stood there now, holding Revenge’s log in both hands like a sacred treasure. Matt would read it later, when his attention could be spared from the decisions at hand. Right now it would just be too much. He would share it with Keje when the two of them could quietly mourn their dead alone. He cleared his throat. «So, are they Japs, Mr. Mallory? Did you get close enough to see?»
«I guess they probably are. We saw the flags for sure.» He grunted. «And then they started shooting at us. The first air burst we saw, we got the hell out.»
Matt nodded, deciding not to chastise the flier for the risk he’d taken. «Lucky they didn’t let you get closer before they opened fire. Sounds like they got anxious.»
«Yes, sir. They must’ve been pretty surprised to see us too.»
Matt rubbed his forehead. «Maybe not. We’ve been transmitting in the clear all this time. Maybe they’ve been reading our mail. Any transmission at all would’ve warned them we were here. If they’ve been listening in, they may even know where Baalkpan is,» he added darkly. «And if that’s the case, we won’t know until they’re almost here whether they’re all coming here or they mean to dispatch forces to both places.» He ground his teeth. «Damn.»
«I’d think Amagi would go wherever she thought Walker was, Captain,» Mallory speculated.
«Maybe. If they know where we are. I wonder if they do?» He paused for a moment and then answered his own question. «Probably. The lizards certainly know we’re here.» He scratched the stubble on his chin. «But they may not know there are two of us. Anyway, that answers my question. We have to assume the Japs know, and the last I heard, they don’t like us very much. If they figure we’re evacuating for Baalkpan they might try to get between us. Make us come to them.» He shook his head. «It’ll be tough to do at eight knots. I wonder why they’re so slow? Amagi used to make over thirty.»
«Only as fast as the slowest ship?» Bradford opined.
«Yeah, but the lizards are faster than that. unless maybe Amagi is the slowest ship! You’re sure it was coal smoke you saw?»
«Positive.»
«That may be why we haven’t seen her till now — they’ve been converting her boilers. Coal’s a lot more efficient than wood, but not as good as oil. Shorter range and a fair cut in speed. Still.»
«Damage,» Sandra said suddenly. «We’ve all been thinking of Amagi only in terms of firepower. That’s a pretty one-sided comparison. But remember, as bad as she roughed us up, Walker and Mahan got in some pretty good licks. Maybe enough that she nearly did sink!»
«Right,» Matt breathed. «We know how tough it’s been for us to make repairs. Just think of all the problems they’ll have had to face! Every pies. He is a Jaap. You are the sworn enemy of his emperor, and so, in the collective eyes of his people, you are evil. He knows that is not the case. In your eyes, his people are evil. Not just because they support the Grik, but because they attacked you in the world you came from. I’ve seen how quick you are to anger in the face of such a thing. But in spite of whether you or I — or even he — believes his people in this world are on the side of evil, he cannot believe that all of them are evil.»
«What will he do?» Matt asked, alarmed. Not because he believed Shinya would turn on them, but because he had, after all, become such an integral part of Walker’s family — not to mention the war effort as a whole — and he was worried about him.
The lights of their «allies’ " ships were all around them on the broad expanse of the sea, clustered about them as if shepherding them along. That infuriated Kurokawa more than anything else. Amagi was the most powerful ship in the world. By rights, she should be leading this task force — not groping along trying to keep up. The Grik had slowed their advance so Amagi could remain with the fleet, but «keeping up» wasn’t what he wanted to do.
Sato glanced at the captain and noticed with a rush of alarm that he was moving in his direction. He braced himself for the onslaught. To his surprise, the captain’s voice was quiet, even mild when he spoke.
«I hope you are feeling better, Commander Okada.»
Sato gulped and bowed his head slightly. «Yes, Captain. Much better, thank you. It must have been something I ate.»
«Of course. I know you are not timid.» The captain’s face clouded slightly. «Either in the face of the enemy, or my own.»
«It is my duty to advise you, sir.»
«It is your duty to obey me!» Kurokawa snapped.
«I have always obeyed.»
The captain’s face clouded still more but, forcibly, he pushed back the threatening storm. When he spoke again, his voice was
controlled once more. «Very well. Since you see it as your duty to advise me, how" would you do so now?»
Sato looked at the captain, appalled. It was the first time since Kurokawa assumed command that he’d ever asked anyone what they thought. That might be entirely appropriate under most circumstances, but since the Strange Storm, things had been anything but normal. Still, for Kurokawa to actually ask, let alone care, what Sato thought about their situation was most uncharacteristic. It was probably a trap. Something to get him to commit to a course of insubordination.
«On what subject would you seek my advice?» he asked carefully.
«Ah. Of course. I assumed you would have a differing opinion than I on everything we have done. I was correct. Your reports seethe with discontent! Let us limit our discussion to strategy so I might get some sleep tonight!» His face became grim. «I am frustrated with these barbaric ‘allies’ of ours, as you know. Dreadful creatures, but useful.»
Sato had to suppress a shudder at the thought of the Grik. They’d encountered them first at Singapore when they went there for repairs after their battle with the retreating American force. It was then that they discovered something extraordinary had happened to them. Singapore wasn’t there! In its place was only a strange village of some sort with a harbor filled with sailing ships — which had attacked them immediately and as apparently automatically as a disturbed hive of bees. Throughout the day and night they fought, killing thousands of the hideous creatures, which continued the assault even as Amagi tried to steam away. But the ship had been too badly damaged by the American destroyers and it couldn’t outrun the red-hulled ships.
Finally, after they repelled what seemed like countless assaults, a single ship approached but did not attack. Negotiations were established and a bizarre alliance was struck. Amagi would join the creatures that attacked her so fanatically suly a stran furry folk that resided at sea on large ships, and in the Dutch East Indies. To make matters even more bizarre, the «tree folk» — he believed that was the best translation — seemed to have allied themselves with one of the American destroyers they’d been fighting when they were swallowed by the Strange Storm. It was that discovery, Sato thought, that finally drove Captain Kurokawa mad. If he’d ever had the intention of slipping away from the Grik, it had now certainly passed.
The captain blamed everything that had happened to them on the two destroyers that so arrogantly charged them right before the Strange Storm brought them here. Sato had been secretly stirred by the courage of their crews, but Kurokawa took their escape and the damage to his mighty ship quite personally. Each wound to the ship was matched by one to the captain’s pride. That two such outdated and dilapidated vessels could wreak such destruction on Amagi was as if house cats had savaged a tiger. And then, as if in punishment, Amagi was taken from the world she knew. That was the Americans’ fault too. The fact that one of the badly damaged destroyers still existed in this twisted world struck Kurokawa as a personal insult. He was now obsessed with its destruction in an almost Grik-like way, and if it took alliance with such unpleasant creatures to accomplish that goal, so be it.
«What can we do to increase our prestige among those monsters?» Kurokawa asked, waving toward the endless fleet beyond the glass windows of the bridge and returning Okada’s thoughts to the unusual conversation.
«Show ourselves to be even more vicious and contemptible than they are, I suspect,» Sato said bitterly. The captain considered his words.
«You may not be mistaken. We must put ourselves forward in battle, Commander Okada. Their commander must see our power for himself!» He clenched his fists at his side in frustration. «Which we cannot do if we are so slow!»
Sato tried to avert his captain’s mounting rage by changing the subject. «At least now we know the source of the radio transmissions we detected. Not two ships, but a single ship and a plane. The American flying-boat was unexpected.»
«Yes. It did a great deal of damage before it flew away.» Kurokawa’s features reddened. «If our antiaircraft defenses had been better prepared, we could have shot it down and we would not be having this conversation! The Grik would have certainly seen our worth!»
Sato quickly diverted the captain from attacking another part of the crew. «But the enemy ship did much more damage. I understand one of the Grik commanders was killed and his ship destroyed. The survivors of the raid on Surabaya were right about the cannons.»
«So it would seem.» Kurokawa hesitated. «The Grik will see Amagi’s worth if they face many more of those.» He glanced at the clock on the bulkhead. For the first time, Sato thought he saw nervousness behind the captain’s eyes. «Soon I must cross to the ‘flagship.’ "
Sato waited a moment before he spoke. «Must you take Captain Kaufman with you this time? He might be even more valuable to us now, and each time he is in the presence of those creatures, he. slips. a little more.»»
Kurokawa regarded him with a hard gaze. «Pity for the enemy, Commander Okada?»
Sato’s expression hardened as well. «Empathy for an officer who saw his crew eaten by our ‘allies,’ Captain Kurokawa. Even the Grik spoke highly of his bravery, after a fashion. He did not surrender; he was overwhelmed.»
Sato shuddered, and once more changed the subject. He was getting good at maneuvering the conversation to keep his commander’s temper in check. «Will you tell the Grik your assumptions based on all the radio traffic we intercepted? Before the enemy resumed transmitting in code?»
Kurokawa looked at him. «Of course. It is valuable information and they will see it as such.» He smiled. «That we’ve somehow divined it will surely raise us in their estimation.»
Sato took a deep breath and glanced around at the other men on the bridge. He knew they were straining to hear, but doubted they could understand much. In spite of that, he spoke barely above a whisper. «Before we reveal that we can send and receive messages over long distances, let alone where we think the American base might be, would it not be best to speak to the Americans first?»
Kurokawa’s eyes bulged and he screamed, «You would speak to the enemy?!»
Sato forced his voice to remain calm and low. «Captain, please! Let me speak!» he said. «First, would it not be best to conceal the technology of radio from. our ‘allies’ as long as we can? Once they know of its existence, we will have irretrievably lost an advantage. They will want its secrets and we will have difficulty withholding them.»
Taken aback, Kurokawa lowered his voice. «But what good is it to keep the secret? We have no one to talk to!»
«That may not always be the case! Besides, we have two aircraft of our own. The spotting planes! They have radios!»
Amagi had lost one of her spotting planes in the battle that brought her here — ironically when a Japanese dive bomber went out of control and crashed directly atop her amidships ten-inch turret, destroying it as well as the plane and catapult on top of it. But she still had two planes left. Both were obsolete, short-range biplanes. Nakajima Type 95 E8Ns, to be precise. They were single-engine affairs and carried one huge float under the fuselage and a couple of smaller ones under the wings. They were good, reliable, low-maintenance airplanes with all-metal structures covered by fabric. The two-man crew sat in individual open cockpits where they would never have to worry about being too comfortable to keep their eyes open. Perfect for observation planes. Probably the best kind of planes they could have right now, since they were so simple. But they were certainly not fighters.
Kurokawa still seethed constantly over the loss of their much more capable plane, the Aichi Type Zero E13A1 that had been turned into flaming confetti along with quite a lot of other very useful equipment, weapons, ammunition, and fuel — Kurokawa didn’t consider the men — when the crippled plane smashed into his ship. Okada mourned every scratch Amagi suffered and every life she lost, but practically speaking, under the circumstances, he’d trade the Type Zero for the Type 95s any day.
«True, but we have hardly any fuel for them,
» the captain snapped bitterly. He waved his hand. «Enough for a few short flights. Most of our reserve was destroyed by the Americans’ cowardly torpedo attack. And That Imbecile Who Crashed IThe officer said something in Japanese and the hatch was closed and secured. As always, now that they were alone, the officer wrinkled his nose at the stench from the other bucket, in the corner. Kaufman didn’t even notice the smell anymore. Still squinting, he hastily stood.
«Good morning, Captain Kaufman,» said the man in pleasant, if badly accented, English.
«Is it morning?» Kaufman asked eagerly.
«Yes. Just dawn.» Sato paused, watching the nervous twitch that had taken control of the prisoner’s pale, waxy face. That was new. «I have not come to take you to the Grik,» he hastily assured him. «You are well?»
Much of Kaufman’s tension ebbed, but the twitch remained. «I am, thank God. I mean, thank God.» He shuddered, and Sato nodded understanding.
«I too am glad,» he muttered. «But I have to ask you a question.»
Kaufman nodded and straightened his shoulders. «Of course.»
«Yesterday, our. the fleet we are a part of was involved in action with an enemy ship.» Kaufman tensed again and his expression was one of anguish. «It wasn’t the American destroyer,» Sato mercifully assured him. «It was a captured Grik vessel that the enemy had supplied with cannons. They were most effective. Many Grik ships were destroyed.» He paused and watched to see how Kaufman reacted to that. He wasn’t surprised to see a fragile smile and he had to struggle not to match it. «Regrettably, from an intelligence standpoint, the ship was destroyed. Nothing was recovered, but there is testimony from the survivors on nearby ships that there was one human, perhaps two, on board the enemy ship. We can only conclude they were countrymen of yours.» Sato hesitated when he saw the prisoner’s stricken look. «For that, you have my condolences. What I must ask you, however, is whether or not you were aware of the existence of an American flying-boat?»
Kaufman’s eyes went wide and, if anything, his twitch became more violent. He began scratching the left side of his face unconsciously. «Well, yes, I am. I mean, I was. You mean you’ve seen it?» Sato nodded and Captain Kaufman closed his eyes and smiled with genuine relief. «My God. So Mallory made it after all!» He stopped and looked at Commander Okada. «We found it on the beach. The plane, that is. It was shot up and half sunk, but Mallory and a couple other fellas got it flying. The Grik nearly got them! Anyway, I sent it on to Ceylon to bring out an escort for Mahan.» He stopped and his face was stricken. «But he couldn’t have gone to Ceylon. could he?»
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