Straits of Hell

Book 10: Destroyermen

by Taylor Anderson

Genres: War & Military; Alternative History sci-fi; Military Sci-Fi

Synopsis

Matt Reddy's old Asiatic Fleet destroyer USS Walker has been mysteriously transported to an alternate version of earth. Here WWII is no longer raging, and Reddy and his crew have been trying to find a new place for themselves in this strange new world.




Now, along with the felinoid Lemurians and Imperial allies, they fight to keep the reptilian Grik, a race growing in supremacy, from reconquering the Lemurians' ancestral home on Madagascar. Reddy and his crew are exhausted, far from reinforcements, and wildly outnumbered. As for the fate of the Americas, Don Hernan and the evil Dominion have gathered to annihilate the forces behind the walls of Fort Defiance as a shadowy power with an agenda all its own rises with chilling resolve.




As the war teeters on a knife-edge, a tipping point may have been reached at last-and cold steel and hot-blooded valor will remain the ultimate weapons.

Release date: May 5, 2015

Publisher: Ace

Print pages: 448

Sample

THE DESTROYERMEN SERIES

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

CAST OF CHARACTERS

(The following does not necessarily reflect initial or even final deployments, but only those most pertinent to the events described.)

See index for details of ships and equipment specifications.

Note:

(L)—Lemurians, or Mi-Anakka (People) are bipedal, somewhat felinoid folk with large eyes, fur, and expressive but nonprehensile tails. They are highly intelligent, social, and dexterous. It has been proposed that they are descended from the giant lemurs of Madagascar.

(G)—Grik, or Ghaarrichk’k, are bipedal reptilians reminiscent of various Mesozoic dromaeosaurids. Covered with fine downy fur, males develop bristly crests and tail plumage, and retain formidable teeth and claws. Grik society consists of two distinct classes, the ruling or industrious Hij, and the worker-warrior Uul. The basic Grik-like form is ubiquitous, and serves as a foundation for numerous unassociated races and species.

At “Grik City” Madagascar

USS Walker (DD-163)

Lt. Cmdr. Matthew Patrick Reddy, USNR—Commanding. CINCAF—(Commander in Chief of All Allied Forces).

Cmdr. Brad “Spanky” McFarlane—Exec. Minister of Naval Engineering.

Cmdr. Bernard Sandison—Torpedo Officer and Minister of Experimental Ordnance.

Lt. Tab-At, “Tabby” (L)—Engineering Officer.

Lt. Sonny Campeti—Gunnery Officer.

Lt. Ed Palmer—Signals.

Surgeon Lieutenant Pam Cross

Cmdr. Simon Herring—Office of Strategic Intelligence (OSI).

Ensign Laar-Baa-Ra (L)—PB-1B “Nancy” pilot.

Chief Quartermaster Patrick “Paddy” Rosen—Acting First Officer.

Chief Boatswain’s Mate Jeek (L)—Former Crew Chief, “Special Air Division.”

Chief Engineer Isak Reuben—One of the “original” Mice.

Gunner’s Mate Pak-Ras-Ar, “Pack Rat” (L)

Earl Lanier—Cook.

Johnny Parks—Machinist’s Mate.

Juan Marcos—Officer’s Steward.

Wallace Fairchild—Sonarman—Anti–Mountain Fish Countermeasures—(AMF-DIC).

Min-Sakir, “Minnie”(L)—Bridge Talker.

Leftenant Doocy Meek—British sailor and former POW (WWI). Now liaison for the Republic of Real People.

Corporal Neely—Imperial Marine Bugler.

Salissa Battle Group

USNRS Salissa “Big Sal” (CV-1)

Admiral Keje-Fris-Ar (L)

Atlaan-Fas (L)—Commanding.

Lt. Sandy Newman—Exec.

1st Naval Air Wing

Captain Jis-Tikkar, “Tikker” (L)—“COFO” (Commander of Flight Operations); 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Bomb Squadron, and 1st and 2nd Pursuit Squadrons aboard Salissa (CV-1).

Lt. Araa-Faan (L)—Tikker’s Aryaalan Exec.

Frigates (DDs) attached: (Des-Ron 6)

USS Haakar-Faask**

Lt. Cmdr. Niaal-Ras-Kavaat (L)—Commanding.

USS Tassat**

Captain Jarrik-Fas (L)—Commanding.

Lt. Stanly Raj—“Impie” Exec.

USS Scott***

Cmdr. Muraak-Saanga (L)—Commanding. (Former Donaghey Exec and sailing master).

USS Nakja-Mur*

Lt. Naala-Araan [Cmdr. Cablaas-Rag-Laan (L) has been reassigned].

MTB-Ron-1 (Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron #1)—5xMTBs (#s 4, 7, 13, 15, 16).

Aef-M (Allied Expeditionary Force—Madagascar).

II Corps

General Queen Safir Maraan (L)—Commanding.

3rd Division

General Mersaak (L)—Commanding. “The 600” (B’mbaado Regiment composed of Silver and Black battalions), Exec 3rd Baalkpan, 3rd, 10th B’mbaado, 5th Sular, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines, 1st Sular.

6th Division

General Grisa—Commanding.

5th, 6th B’mbaado, 1st, 2nd, 9th Aryaal, 3rd Sular

1st Allied Raider Brigade (“Chack’s Raiders,” or “Chack’s Brigade”)

Lt. Col Chack-Sab-At (L)—Commanding—bosun’s mate (Marine Lt. Colonel).

21st (combined) Allied Regiment

Major Alistair Jindal—Commanding—Imperial Marine, and Chack’s nominal Exec.

1st and 2nd battalions of the 9th Maa-Ni-Laa, 2nd Battalion of the 1st Respite

7th (combined) Allied Regiment

Captain Risa Sab-At (L)—Commanding—(Chack’s sister).

2nd and 3rd battalions of the 19th Baalkpan, 1st Battalion of the 11th Imperial Marines

1st Cavalry Brigade

Lt. Colonel Saachic (L)—Commanding.

3rd and 6th Maa-ni-laa Cavalry

SMS Amerika

Kapitan Adler Von Melhausen—Commanding.

Kapitan Leutnant Becker Lange—Von Melhausen’s Exec.

Adar (L)—Chairman of the Grand Alliance (COTGA), and High Chief and Sky Priest of Baalkpan.

Surgeon Commander Sandra Tucker Reddy—Minister of Medicine, and wife of Captain Reddy.

Diania—Steward’s Assistant and Sandra’s friend and bodyguard.

Gunnery Sergeant Arnold Horn—USMC—formerly of the 4th Marines (US).

Lieutenant Toryu Miyata—formerly of Amagi.

MISSION TO MEET “ANCESTRAL” LEMURIANS:

Ensign Nathaniel Hardee—Commanding PT-7.

Courtney Bradford—Australian naturalist and engineer. Minister of Science for the Grand Alliance and Plenipotentiary at Large.

Chief Gunner’s Mate Dennis Silva

Lawrence “Larry the Lizard”—orange and brown tiger-striped Grik-like ex-Tagranesi (Sa’aaran).

Corporal Ian Miles—Formerly in 2nd of the 4th Marines.

The “Republic of Real People”

Caesar (Kaiser) Nig-Taak

General Marcus Kim—Military High Command.

TFG-2 (Task Force Garrett-2)
(Long-Range Reconnaissance and Exploration)

USS Donaghey (DD-2)

Cmdr. Greg Garrett—Commanding.

Lt. Saama-Kera, “Sammy” (L)—Exec.

Lt. (jg) Wendel “Smitty” Smith—Gunnery Officer.

Captain Bekiaa-Sab-At—Commanding Marines.

Chief Bosun’s Mate Jenaar-Laan

Inquisitor Kon-Choon—Director of Spies for the Republic of Real People.

In Indiaa

Allied Expeditionary Force (North)

General of the Army and Marines Pete Alden—Commanding. Former sergeant in USS Houston Marine contingent.

I Corps

General Lord Muln-Rolak (L)—Commanding.

Hij Geerki—Rolak’s “pet” Grik, captured at Rangoon.

1st (Galla) Division

General Taa-leen (L)—Commanding.

Colonel Enaak (L) (5th Maa-ni-laa Cavalry)—Exec.

1st Marines, 5th, 6th, 7th, 10th Baalkpan

2nd Division

General Rin-Taaka-Ar (L)—Commanding.

Major Simon “Simy” Gutfeld (3rd Marines)—Exec.

1st, 2nd Maa-Ni-Laa, 4th, 6th, 7th Aryaal

III Corps

General Faan-Ma-Mar (L)—Commanding.

9th & 11th Divisions composed of the 2nd, 3rd Maa-ni-laa, 8th Baalkpan, 7th & 8th Maa-ni-la, 10th Aryaal

VI Corps

General Linnaa-Fas-Ra—Commanding.

The “Czech Legion”—Colonel Dalibor SVEC—Commanding. A near-division-level “cavalry” force of aging Czechs and Slovaks, and their continental Lemurian allies. They are militarily, if not politically, bound to the Grand Alliance.

Flynn Field—Primary Army/Navy air base in Indiaa, on the north shore of Lake Flynn, west of Madraas.

Colonel Ben Mallory—Commanding.

Lt. Cmdr. Mark Leedom—Exec.

4th 5th, 7th, 8th Bomb Squadrons (PB-1B Nancys), and 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th Pursuit Squadrons (P-1C Mosquito Hawks “Fleashooters”). The 3rd Pursuit Squadron is composed of 9 Army Air Corps P-40Es.

Lt. Walt “Jumbo” Fisher

Lt. (jg) Suaak-Pas-Ra “Soupy” (L)

Lt. Conrad Diebel

2nd Lt. Niaa-Saa “Shirley” (L)

S. Sergeant Cecil Dixon

At Madras (Indiaa)

First Fleet North

USS Santa Catalina (CAP-1)

Lt. Cmdr. Russ Chappelle—Commanding.

Lt. Michael “Mikey” Monk—Exec.

Lt. (jg) Dean Laney—Engineering Officer.

Surgeon Cmdr. Kathy McCoy

Stanley “Dobbin” Dobson—Chief Bosun’s Mate.

USS Mahan (DD-102)

Cmdr. Perry Brister—Commanding. Minister of Defensive and Industrial Works.

Lt. (jg) Jeff Brooks—Sonarman—Anti–Mountain Fish Countermeasures—(AMF-DIC).

Lt. (jg) Rolando “Ronson” Rodriguez—Chief Electrician.

Taarba-Kaar, “Tabasco” (L)—Cook.

Chief Bosun’s Mate Carl Bashear

Ensign Johnny Parks—Engineering Officer.

Ensign Paul Stites—Gunnery Officer.

Arracca Battle Group

USNRS Arracca (CV-3)

Tassanna-Ay-Arracca (L), High Chief—Commanding.

5th Naval Air Wing

Frigates (DDs) attached: (Des-Ron 9)

USS Kas-Ra-Ar**—Captain Mescus-Ricum (L)—Commanding.

USS Ramic-Sa-Ar*

USS Felts**

USS Naga***

USS Bowles***

USS Saak-Fas***

USS Clark**

At Baalkpan

Cmdr. Alan Letts—Chief of Staff, Minister of Industry and the Division of Strategic Logistics. Acting “Chairman” of the Grand Alliance.

Cmdr. Steve “Sparks” Riggs—Minister of Communications and Electrical Contrivances.

Lord Bolton Forester—Imperial Ambassador.

Lt. Bachman—Forester’s aide.

Surgeon Cmdr. Karen Theimer Letts—Assistant Minister of Medicine.

“Pepper” (L)—Black-and-white Lemurian keeper of the “Castaway Cook,” (Busted Screw).

Leading Seaman Henry Stokes, HMAS Perth—Assistant Director of Office of Strategic Intelligence—(OSI).

Among the Khonashi (North Borno)

“King” Tony Scott

“Captain” I’joorka—Respected warrior and Scott’s friend.

Ensign Abel Cook—Commanding Allied Mission.

Imperial Midshipman Stuart Brassey

Moe the Hunter

Pokey—“Pet” Grik brass-picker.

Eastern Sea Campaign

High Admiral Harvey Jenks (CINCEAST)

Enchanted Isles

Sir Thomas Humphries—Imperial Governor at Albermarl.

Colonel Alexander—Garrison commander.

Second Fleet

USS Maaka-Kakja (CV-4)

Admiral Lelaa-Tal-Cleraan (L)—Commanding.

Lieutenant Tex Sheider (Sparks)—Exec.

Gilbert Yeager—Engineer; one of the “original” Mice.

3rd Naval Air Wing

(9th, 11th, 12th Bomb Squadrons & 7th, 10th Pursuit Squadrons.) (30 planes assembled, 30 unassembled)

2nd Lt. Orrin Reddy—COFO.

Sgt. Kuaar-Ran-Taak “Seepy” (L)—Reddy’s “backseater.”

Line of Battle

24 Imperial Ships of the Line Including:

HIMSs Mars*, Centurion*, Mithra

*Attached to TF-11 commanded by Imperial Admiral E. B. Hibbs

DDs (of note)

USS Mertz***

USS Tindal***

USS Finir-Pel***

Lt. Haan-Sor Plaar (L)—Commanding.

HIMS Achilles Lt. Grimsley—Commanding.

HIMS Icarus

Lt. Parr—Commanding.

USS Simms***

Lt. Ruik-Sor-Raa (L)—Commanding.

USS Pinaa-Tubo (Ammunition ship)

Lt. Radaa-Nin (L)—Commanding.

USS Pecos—Fleet Oiler.

USS Pucot—Fleet Oiler.

Second Fleet Expeditionary Force: (X Corps)—4 regiments Lemurian Army and Marines, 2 regiments “Frontier” troops, 5 regiments Imperial Marines—(3 Divisions) w/artillery train.

General Tomatsu Shinya—Commanding.

Colonel James Blair—Exec.

Major Dao Iverson—Commanding Second Battalion, 6th Imperial Marines.

Nurse Cmdr. Selass-Fris-Ar (L)—“Doc’selass” Daughter of Keje-Fris-Ar.

Capt. Blas-Ma-Ar “Blossom” (L)—Commanding 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marines.

Spon-Ar-Aak “Spook” (L)—Gunner’s Mate, and 1st Sgt. of “A” Company, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marines.

Lt. Staas-Fin “Finny” (L)—“C” Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Maa-ni-laa.

Lt. Faal-Pel “Stumpy” (L)—“A” Company, 1st Battalion, 8th Maa-ni-la. Former ordnance striker.

Lt. (jg) Fred Reynolds—Formerly Special Air Division—USS Walker.

Ensign Kari-Faask (L)—Reynolds’s friend and “backseater.”

Army of the Sisters

Saan-Kakja (L)—High Chief of Ma-ni-laa and all the Filpin Lands.

Governor-Empress Rebecca Anne McDonald

Sister Audry—Benedictine nun, and commander of El Vengadores de Dios, a regiment raised from penitent Dominion POWs on New Ireland.

Colonel Arano Garcia

Lt. Ezekial Krish

General Ansik-Talaa (L)—Filpin Scouts.

Sergeant “Lord” Koratin (L)—Marine protector and advisor to Sister Audry.

Attached DDs:

HIMS Ulysses, Euripides, Tacitus

Enemies

General of the Sea Hisashi Kurokawa—Formerly of Japanese Imperial Navy battle cruiser Amagi. Self-proclaimed “Regent” and “Sire” of all India, but currently confined to Zanzibar.

General Orochi Niwa—friend and advisor to General Halik.

“General of the Sky” Hideki Muriname

“Lieutenant of the Sky” Iguri—Muriname’s Exec.

Signal Lt. Fukui

Cmdr. Riku—Ordnance.

Grik (Ghaarrichk’k)

Celestial Mother—Absolute, godlike ruler of all the Grik, regardless of the relationships between the various Regencies.

The Chooser—Highest member of his “order” at the court of the Celestial Mother. Prior to current policy, “choosers” selected those destined for life—or the cook pots—as well as those eligible for “elevation” to “Hij” status.

Ragak—Regent Consort of Sofesshk.

General Esshk—First General of all the Grik, and acting Champion Consort to the new Celestial Mother.

General Ign—Commander of Esshk’s “new” warriors.

General Halik—Elevated Uul sport fighter.

General Ugla, General Shlook—“Promising” Grik leaders under Halik’s command.

Holy Dominion

His Supreme Holiness, Messiah of Mexico, and by the Grace of God, Emperor of the World—“Dom Pope” and absolute ruler.

Don Hernan DeDivino Dicha—“Blood Cardinal” and new commander of the “Army of God.”

General Ghanan Nerino

League of Tripoli

Representatives at Zanzibar:

(French) Capitaine de Fregate Victor Gravois

Aspirant Gilles Babin

(Spanish) Commandante Fidel Morrillo

(Italian) Maggiore Antonio Rizzo

Teniente Francisco de Luca

(German) Oberleutnant Walbert Fiedler

 

 

 

 

If I have discovered one genuinely profound truth in all my travels and adventures, it is this: mercy is a moral construct that does not exist in nature. No unthinking (as we would define it) creature possesses the merest notion of mercy. Raw nature quite literally subscribes only to the “law of the jungle” in which creatures kill, or are killed, for food, territory, breeding opportunities, and, yes, even pleasure. Those on the world from whence we came who naively maintained that Man is the only animal that kills for pleasure are fools—who have never seen their beloved, sated house cat torment its prey in the most horrid fashion. Their little monster is not hungry, nor does it fear for its life. Its prey, a small bird or mouse, for example, threatens no competition for territory or breeding opportunities. Their sweet pet tortures and kills without pity for amusement alone. Some may call this “instinct,” but does that then mean that cruelty is “instinctive”?

Mercy is unknown in the animal kingdom, there or here. What predator will release its prey with a contrite countenance at the sound of a pitiful bleat or the panicked, hungry cries of its young that only it can tend? None whatsoever, for pity’s sake, even when to make the slightest effort to slaughter the now-doomed offspring would be the greatest kindness it could do them. And when one mistakenly ascribes benevolent intent to some beast in its natural habitat, what one truly sees is complacency and satiation, even fear of personal injury. It is surely not a moral choice to do no harm.

The notion of “mercy” began simply enough among humans, on our “old world,” and is perhaps best defined here as unexpectedly refraining from causing death or harm to another being that either “deserves” to die, or that it is in one’s nature—or best interest—to slay. The earliest mention of the word “mercy,” to my knowledge, comes to us from the Old Testament, when God spared Lot from the destruction he rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah. That, however, might be cynically explained as the practice, common at the time, of allowing a few witnesses of a terrible act or massacre to go forth and spread the word of what will happen to others who do not submit to, or obey, a conquering king, warlord—or God. I strive to resist cynicism of that sort as best I can, though the struggle does grow tedious at times. Still, I endeavor to adhere to my own considered definition of mercy, which, simply put, is to avoid killing anything, either beast or sentient being, just because it appears menacing. Some may, on occasion, disagree with my personal judgment regarding whether certain creatures “need” killing, and I confess I may have been mistaken a time or two, but death is so amazingly permanent that I do prefer to “err” on the side of mercy when I can.

So. If mercy is not “natural,” then the question would seem to be: from what does it spring? The Grik did not know mercy, as a race, though General Halik once demonstrated surprising restraint when he agreed to an exchange of prisoners. Clearly, that was in his interest at the time, and one might argue that true mercy was no part of his equation. Or was it? Subsequent behavior, addressed later, may pose that question to readers again, or to philosophers of another, gentler time.

Lemurians did not show mercy to their enemies until we taught it to them—but do most understand it even yet? I wonder. Some do. Chack-Sab-At showed it to the beaten Doms on New Ireland, for example, when he had to be tempted to slaughter them all. But Chack was ever remarkable in many ways—and Doms were not Grik. What if they had been? Would any have been spared? Is mercy so selective? Once the most peaceful of races—with some interesting exceptions—Chack’s people embraced the warrior’s path so quickly and firmly that I still remain at somewhat of a loss to explain it. No doubt they were strongly influenced by self-preservation, the most powerful instinct of all, but their apparently latent talent for war, which we encouraged, argues vigorously for the thesis that their passivity was never instinctual and they were not always as peaceful as when we met—and as their only relatively recent histories suggest. Lemurians are generally good people who understand compassion and friendship, and who are amazingly tolerant of other races with which they share basic values. But I personally witnessed some few displays of what I considered quite uncharacteristic . . . harshness at the time; more like the aforementioned house cat than any thinking being. Granted, they’d had little enough “mercy” shown them across the ages, so the concept must have been difficult for them to grasp. I suspect many showed restraint toward their enemies when occasionally asked, at least at first, only to please us.

Apparently only my human friends from Walker, and then the Empire of the New Britain Isles, fully understood the concept of mercy in those early years to the point that they not only desired it for themselves but were willing to grant it on occasion. Does that mean that humans in general are more devoted to mercy? No. The people of the evil Dominion were human, just like us, but on the whole the “true believers” of their twisted faith behaved just as cruelly as the Grik. If anything, they were worse. And those who did learn mercy—and appreciated it when it was shown them—as evidenced by Arano Garcia and his troops, who swore their oaths to Sister Audry and Governor-Empress Rebecca McDonald, had to throw off entire lifetimes of indoctrination to accept mercy and learn what it was.

Could that be the trick, then? I have no doubt that mercy is a gift from God. He has surely shown me enough of it in my life! But does the understanding of mercy spring forth, fully formed, within our infant hearts? I think not. I have come to believe that no being is born to mercy, but to know it and show it to others, one must first discover it. Perhaps the example must come as God once demonstrated it to Lot. Indeed, the Grand Alliance, which now includes the Union that sprang from a portion of it, has embraced that method a time or two. I would hope it is still possible that the lesson might come as my loving mother gently gifted it to me. But either way, if instruction truly is the key, it may be that one day we can teach it all across this new world of ours to any being capable of inspiration . . . unless, of course, perpetually assailed as we are by merciless foes, we ultimately forget all about mercy ourselves.

CHAPTER 1

////// Zanzibar
Airfield #1
Near Menai Bay

“I am . . . uncomfortable with this meeting, my lord,” General of the Sky Hideki Muriname cautiously admitted to Hisashi Kurokawa. The small, narrow-faced, balding officer had been Amagi’s last surviving pilot for her sole remaining Type 95 floatplane, and he’d since created an air fleet of dirigibles and helped train countless aircrews for their Grik allies. He’d also been responsible for creating an entirely different—secret—air force for Hisashi Kurokawa, and the stress of that might have contributed more to his baldness than anything else. He gauged the reaction of the brooding . . . madman who stood beside him (even Muriname no longer doubted Kurokawa was mad), who had become, for all intents and purposes, his emperor on this world. A furious grimace split Kurokawa’s round face, and Muriname instinctively prepared for one of his leader’s signature vitriolic rants. Instead, he watched with mounting relief as Kurokawa visibly controlled his rage and his expression changed to a rational frown. Lately, he’d been managing that more often than not. Muriname had to admit that his lord, mad or not, was a brilliant man—and an extraordinarily capable survivor. That their current situation was so much better than he could’ve dared hope just a few short months before—almost entirely due to Kurokawa’s obsessive, manic determination—was conclusive proof of that. And for better or worse, Muriname knew his own destiny was irrevocably linked to Hisashi Kurokawa’s.

Muriname glanced back at the cloudy sky they’d been staring at all morning while Kurokawa contemplated a measured reply, dabbing at the sweat on his forehead with a brilliant white pocket handkerchief. He almost snorted at the sight of it. The Grik had never denied even the most frivolous requests by their Japanese benefactors during their association, and he’d used that openhandedness to amass far more than handkerchiefs on his “Sovereign Nest” of Zanzibar.

“I confess that I am . . . less than enthusiastic myself, General of the Sky Muriname,” Kurokawa finally said, affecting a mild tone. He’d continued using Muriname’s Grik title, just as he had his own, “General of the Sea.” He’d gotten used to it, and rather enjoyed it now. He still considered himself “Regent of All India” as well, but reasserting that—and more—would have to wait.

“We don’t need these strangers!” Commander Riku, head of Ordnance, flared. “We have our own army and navy now”—he bowed to Muriname—“and our own air fleet as well. All better than anything the Americans and their ape-man lackeys—or even the Grik—can muster!”

That was more than likely true, Kurokawa mused, but they’d believed that before. The 354 Japanese survivors of the battle cruiser Amagi now gathered on the island had supervised the construction of the Grik war machine from scratch. Since the Grik weren’t much interested in keeping records, all it had ever taken to shift untold tons of material, supplies, new machinery, and labor all over the place to build artillery, munitions, and mighty fleets of ships and dirigibles, was a Japanese project supervisor’s word, or short note. That such a large percentage of all that—in addition to what the “Jaaphs” overtly asked for—had quietly gone from the very beginning to Zanzibar would’ve come as a great surprise to First General Esshk and the Celestial Mother. Of course, Kurokawa had added even more to their hoard by intercepting every Grik ship and warrior sent to Madras to aid General Halik for the past several months, and without long-range communications, the Grik had no idea. The convoys had finally stopped, however, just a few weeks before, and that left him wondering whether the Grik had finally figured out what was happening—or if something else had occurred.

“Our new equipment and weapons should be better,” Lieutenant Iguri, Muriname’s Exec, agreed tightly. “But enough better? And largely manned by Grik who still think we aid their vile Celestial Mother!” He looked imploringly at Muriname. “And our pilots . . . !”

Kurokawa kept a placid face as he tamed another inner spike of fury at these men’s daring to question, or even discuss, his decisions. But he’d learned that the best way to keep and build their loyalty was to encourage them to invest themselves in his schemes. So long as they ultimately did what he wanted, he could control his anger and project an air of serene confidence. Let them dither and bicker all they wanted. He’d finally perfected the art of persuading men to believe he was wiser than they were yet truly respectful of their ideas. That way, even when he discarded their suggestions, they felt valued, as though they’d contributed and were involved.

“We must seek alliances,” Kurokawa declared. “Our power is great, but Lieutenant Iguri is correct: that’s largely due to the many Grik we control. The world is too large, and we are too few, to face it all alone,” he added with great solemnity. “These strangers do not threaten us—they can’t—but they might be of help.” He snorted. “And frankly, they have taunted us long enough with their cryptic messages and solicitations. It’s time we finally met.”

The discussion ended, as it should with such an absolute pronouncement, and the men stood beneath the broad pavilion on the jungle-bordered airstrip, silently sipping refreshments brought by Grik servants. The strip was one of