Slow Moving Tide

The Kreussian forces slowly moved toward Connaissance. The new tanks were powerful but heavily consumed fuel and water. because of that, Gorki was forced to slow his army's movement to twenty miles per day and establish hardened supply lines which mean breaking his army up every hundred miles and leaving a portion to defend these supply depots. The supplies would fill one depot which would then in turn supply the depot in front of it until supplies reached the front. By the time Gorki had his troops within scouting range of Connaissance, another three months had passed.

Nicolas paced back and forth in his tent as Gorki walked in, "Gorki, my friend. Do we have word from the Airships yet?"

Gorki shook his head, "No, they should just about getting within range of our previous battle about now. With luck, they will engage the airship from Connaissance and bring it down."

Nicolas nodded and then asked, "Do you think it was a mistake letting them get so far ahead of the rest of the army?"

Gorki shook his head, "I sent a single ship to scout, we need to know what we are facing before we commit our troops to battle. I want to avoid the senseless losses your previous general forced on our men."

Nicolas raised an eyebrow, "Then you think our intelligence about Connaissance is wrong?"

Gorki shook his head, "I think our intelligence is old. A lot could have happened in the six months since then."

Nicolas smiled and said, "I will trust your mind, Gorki. I want this victory, but not at the cost of losing my new army."

Gorki nodded and said, "That's why I have been building these bunkers here. If we do need to fight a war, we need these defensive positions to fall back to if our intelligence is flawed. I am taking no chances. We know they have a strong air defense, but we know nothing of their ground strength."

"Once we get past Connaissance, the entire south will fall one nation at a time. All we need is supplies to keep our momentum." Nicolas grinned.

*****

Captain Alyen was sipping a cup of tea on the bridge of the William Smith when one of the spotters called out, "Unidentified airship one hundred to the northwest." Captain Alyen pulled out his spyglass and then frowned.

"Bring us to hailing distance, ready all weapons." Captain Alyen calmly gave his orders, "William, send to command, spotted one airship from the northwest."

As the great ship moved to intercept the much smaller incoming airship another spotter called out, "Unidentified target is firing on us!"

Captain Alyen frowned and barked out, "Fire on that airship, bring them down!"

Two of the ship to ship cannons fired on the little scout one of the shots hitting with deadly accuracy while the second shot passed harmlessly to the side. The enemy airship exploded in an intense ball of fire that could be seen for hundreds of miles. Gorki pulled out his spyglass looking that direction from the ground not seeing anything.

Captain Alyen turned to his first officer, "William, do we have orders from command?"

The ruggedly good looking William Axe smiled and said, "They say to hold our position in the case that was a scout. They are sending us back up."

Captain Alyen frowned and said, "Very well. If they just let us go, we could end this war right now, and get back to enjoying lazy days of giving beautiful Empresses joy rides all over the continent."

William laughed and said, "You are singing a different tune now, Sir, I seem to recall you ordering us to keep her off your bridge."

Captain Alyen gave him a side glare and then said, "Bring us back to our patrol course, spotters, dedicate one man to this area."

*****

Gorki waited patiently, "Any word from the scouts?"

A soldier came running, "Sir! Scout two reports Scout three was destroyed by an enemy airship!" Nicolas stared at Gorki with huge eyes.

Gorki nodded and said, "Bring all the scouts back, we'll be going with Operation Turtle." Gorki shrugged at Nicolas and said, "This is why I held us back."

Nicolas wiped the sweat from his brow, "If I had overridden your plan it would have ended just like last time. Thank you, Gorki."

Gorki walked over to the sand table and pointed out a path that took them through the Holy Chadtom Empire, "This will be our route. We'll send a decoy guerilla force this way.." He pointed to the coast, "The tanks and our main body of troops will be moving the other way. We'll set up temporary bunkers every five miles. From this point on, we'll be fighting for every mile we get. We can't let the airship cut off our supply lines or are catch our main force on the road. So we are going to stagger our march, one squad at a time, no one will be bunched up together."

*****

Roger, Andrew, Danny, and Jon stood around a map in Jon's office as Jon explained, "The William Smith met the enemy airship here, two hours ago. I put them back on patrol until we could the new destroyer Independence out with them. The new Dreadnaught Theodore Jones and the Zealous I'd like to leave on their normal assigned duty patrols in case of attack from the south or the east."

Roger nodded in agreement, "Andrew, how long would it take us to get ground forces back there?"

Andrew pointed on the map, "Thanks to the new dam road, we can get a convoy of fast cars back there in twelve hours. No more than ten thousand troops. In order to bring the entire north army, we'd be looking at three days."

Roger nodded and said, "Alright, put the fast attack unit back there for now. Together with the air units, we should be fine. Keep in mind if this is another force like last time, they will be prepared for our trick with the zealous. This will be the first true future war ever fought on Hanston. Have our boys prepare to fight it out from long range."

Andrew nodded, "We're going to keep them mobile as well. No formations. Our training with the knights went much better than I imagined. After seeing what the weapons were capable of most of the knights understood that we can't treat them like cold weapons."

Danny was picking his ear trying to look interested when he asked, "Has anyone notified Her Majesty?"

Roger nodded and said, "Thank you, Daniel, that's my next stop."

Jon thought for a moment and asked, "How did she know there would be an army from Kreussia coming and that they would have airships?"

Roger shrugged and said, "When it comes to Her Majesty, I try not to ask many questions. I am just thankful to be on her side."

Emily walked into the room and set down her hat and coat and said, "My intelligence sources cover the entire continent." She looked at the map and pointed to the road leading through the Holy Chadtom Empire, "This is where the war will be fought. Our Enemy will be using a new type of vehicle and won't take a chance on them being bogged down in the pass going through the eastern route. At most, they will send a small decoy force that way to trick our airships. Roger, have you already sent the fast cars over the dam road?"

Roger shook his head, "I was going to run that by you first."

Emily nodded and said, "I want you to send our forces through the Holy Chadtom Empire." She pointed to a spot just north of Diamondtown. "Here is where we will win or lose the war."

Roger looked unconvinced, "What if they do come through the pass?"

Emily turned to Jon and said, "I want the Zealous here with the Theodore." She tapped the area in front of the pass, "If they go where I think they'll be, I want those ships in position to cut off the retreat of the Kreussian army."

Roger nodded and said, "What about the possibility of a southern attack while we are up here?"

Emily shook her head and said, "I had Future War upgrade the southern defense line. Anyone coming from the Vernmont pass will be walking into a field of death. As for the east and west, I am gambling that our ships can get back to cover those areas if we need them."

Roger nodded and then asked, "These new vehicles, what are they, and why are you concerned about them?"

Emily took out a crudely made drawing and flattened it out over the map. "They are similar in concept to the original design of the Rhinocerous. They are meant to push through enemy forces while keeping the crew safe from our beehives. Knights, men at arms and archers would be powerless against them while they could fire at will from long range from safety inside." She looked at each of the men around the table and said, "My intelligence put their number around one hundred. This vehicle was designed to nullify the attacks from the Zealous. Since they are worried about the Zealous, we can assume they will also be spreading out their soldiers in order to limit the number of casualties from ariel bombardment."

Roger sucked in a breath and said, "Alright, we'll send the fast cars up there first, will we have assistance from the locals in building a line there?"

Emily nodded, "I sent a message to the Emperor, he is sending his forces there as well. They will already have obstacles and pit traps in place to halt the advance of these vehicles by the time our fast cars arrive." She turned to Andrew and asked, "How soon can we have the fast cars there and how long do you need to get a supply line set up?"

Andrew looked at the map and said, "The fast cars will need four days. I'll need to use the Independence to shuttle supplies and troops there as well."

Jon nodded and said, "I suggest using both destroyers to shuttle supplies, the dreadnaughts can cover these two routes long enough to get a destroyer there if needed."

Emily nodded and said, "Very well, make it happen." She grabbed her hat and coat and left just as she entered.

Danny shook his head, "Does she even really need us?"

*****

Percival bumped into Gertrude as he was walking out of the new rooftop office and said, "Pardon me, Lady Hassard."

Gertrude smiled at him and asked, "I heard you passed the Roland test?"

"I'm sorry?" Percival looked confused.

Gertrude chuckled and then asked him, "Are you satisfied with being a butler?"

Percival thought it was a strange question but he answered honestly, "Originally, I had thought to be a soldier, I applied and was dismissed because I didn't have the proper build to be a soldier according to the recruiter."

Gertrude nodded and then followed up the question, "How did you end up here of all places?"

Percival smiled and said, "After I left the recruiters office, I felt like I had nothing else I could possibly be good at. An elderly gentleman suggested I come here and apply for a job. He said to ask for Berty and next thing I know, I have a job here at the palace as Her Majesty's manservant."

Gertrude nodded and asked, "If you could be soldier still, would you keep this job or become a soldier?"

Percival smiled and said, "I suppose in a way, I am serving Her Majesty in any case. From what some of the butlers have said, it seems I am in harm's way in either job as well."

Gertrude nodded and agreed, "That's exactly right. What if I told you, there was a job that was better than being a soldier you could have from your position right here in the palace?"

Percival smiled and said, "I am here to serve Her Majesty in any position she feels I would be suited for, I suppose?"

Gertrude smiled and then said, "Tomorrow morning at sunrise, report to my office. You'll be starting some new training."