Blast from the past. Fortress Bugio.

[maddox]

When the communist revolt in Portugal erupted, the Portugese king, already in weak health pleaded for support with the UNK.  The UNK then asked France, what wasn't happy with the red tide next door either, to act jointly to stem this precursor of the Great Political plague of 1905.

14 march 1903

Estuary of the Taag river,  2200h.  Slowly the search lights of the grand fleet sweep the dark waters, to avoid surpises by communist torpedo boats.
The fortress of Bugio standing out as a black shadow in the dark of night, until Terrible's flank erupts in flames and debris.  Mine or Torpedo, the night doesn't reveal a clue, but the reaction is horrible, crews tired and frustrated by the long waiting pull the lanyards, electrical signals command huge shells to fly and create havoc.

The  feeble old muzzle loaders in the small sandbar fortress return fire but again darkness isn't anyone's ally. After a gunfire exchange both parties stop wasting ammunition.

Terrible, badly hurt, crew fighting a raging fire amidships limps away from the scene,  PC Guychen escorting the large ship.

Admiral's quarters BB Vertite, Admiral Dilige gives the orders to load green shells and bombard the fortress into submission at dawn.

****************************
Dawn , march 15 1903.

The defenders of Bugio ,tired, but confident that their fortress will weather the storm, after the bad shooting of the battleships last night.

Vertite unleashes its devils, the big 305mm guns spit out thunderous flames and dark smoke, 4 shells sail over the fortress and explode in the ocean.  None of the other ships fire.

None of the guns of Bugio can reach the battleship, and after a few shots, the defenders opt for conservation of ammunition.

The next series of shells erupt and this time a huge gout of sand is thrown up on the fortress walls .

In the turrets, green painted shells are loaded, the gun crews extremely concentrated . The next salvo fired, 2 of the shells now impact on the sandbar, and a sickly green-yellow cloud erupts from the small craters.

The soft breeze carries this cloud over the walls.

The next salvos just repeat this performance and after 5 salvos with the green shells, 8 hits on the small fortress have created hell on earth.

The tide was running out and the boat slowly made its way against the current. But finally it hit the sand surrounding the pockmarked fort. The party, mostly composed of officers, marched quickly towards the walls of Bugio. No shots had been fired at the approaching boat, so none were expected now. They spied the entrance, on top of a flight of stairs, the door being just above the high water mark.
Dead eyes on faces sticking out of gun ports had followed their approach.
It stank. They first smelt the overpowering stench when they walked up to the door. The entrance was open, as there was a corpse sprawled across the threshold. It was clear from the man's position that he was part of the group, which had rushed the gate and managed to unbolt it. But they all died moments after prying open the door, which their combined bodyweights then pushed, open. After the vomit and coughed up phlegm had filtered down, the bottom-most body had been squeezed out on those revolting lubricants, thrusting its contorted face to greet the perpetuators.
The dead all had their faces twisted by pain, their bodies thrown about in violent death throes. All were blue in the face from asphyxia and had puddles of vomit and blood specked drool under their open mouths. The eyes were blood-shot and bulging.
After making their slippery routed over the bodies most of the party retched. No change in smell was noted. Wide eyed with sick fascination over what they had seen and eager to see more they light up their lamps. One however had enough – muttering ,,Mon dieu! Mon dieu!" the officer staggered out of the building.
The others continued on their discovery tour.
Few of the corpses were at their battle stations. The dead, all with blood shot bulging eyes, blood specked vomit and phlegm around them, seemed to be concentrated around windows, gun ports, fire slits – Where they hoped that the fresh sea breeze would have pity on their burning eyes. Where they hoped to bring relief to their burning, heaving, water filling lungs. None had the serenity of death on them – all had open mouths, with faces frozen into masks of horror and pain.
In the dank stench the visitors soon numbed to the sight of horrible death and began to pick out only extreme cases. Here an officer under the wall, with no face and half head left - his brain splattered around – he had shot himself out of pain. Under the stairs a soldier who had broken his leg and crawled away, the fractured bone making a blood-filled rut in the dust. There a soldier who had ripped out his eyes and had crawled around in a circle before finally succumbing to the death bringing cough.
And the flies were already there, buzzing around everything that was damp and smelly and slimy ...

The speaker Anibal Ferreira was pale, visibly shaken. One of the loudest "socialismo ou morte!" leaders. His beard, jet black in the morning, now seemed to show some silvery strands.
His spoke with his head down, shaking it from time to, as if saying "no", or wishing to clear his head of something.
- "Camaradas, we have to surrender. The French monsters have shown me the insides of the Bugio. A slaughterhouse looks like a dollhouse compared to what I had seen there ... I cannot yet speak about it, after I leave the room ask Jose Cardoso about it - he was there with me, and he seems to have better nerves than I. The horrors the French had comitted on our lands during the time of Napolean are nothing. They had gone from bad to worse. They gassed our boys there. Yes, gassed them like rats in the sewer. And they will do the same to other forts. And they will do the same to the city. Yes, they will kill all - working man, woman and child here, and bring back Carlos to rule over the corpses covered with ... No, I can't speak about it. I will go now. Before anybody votes no - go vist Bugio first.

This text by Borys

[maddox]

Rimauld- the minister of Foreign affairs- wanted to expose DeCreme-Minister of Defence- as incompetent, and paid an Anuhuac priest to gather piratical forces to hunt the waters around Clipperton. the most worthless piece of real estate far away from France, what was sure not to be patroled. This was obvious to read in the French navy's operational planning.
So in the end, the 2 pirate ships sunk at Clipperton were Anuhuac ships, but paid with French money. The Anuhuac warships Rohan encountered there were just Anuhuacs hunting Rohirrim-as they could read this in the newspapers as well-. The merchant captured there was an hired ACM, also paid by the priest, with French money. The priest himself never knew where the money came from. The agent who delivered the funds was posing as a wealthy low noble, very devoted to the gods.

This means no official dealing is done between France and the Anuhuac Empire concerning the regilious raiders around Clipperton, and the posing agent wasn't stupid enough to have a papertrail.

DeCreme is no fool, and he knew he couldn't send a French warship to Clipperton without looking incompetent. So he hired the Russian Cruiser Diana.

This is told to the world, and in itself, nothing wrong with it.

The next step was the New Swiss annexation of Clipperton. If NS had held to its original timing, namely months in stead of weeks, the whole island and coastal waters would been a vast minefield.
DeCreme paid the Anuhuacs for that. They hired tramps to do that. It got dangerous when Rohan started looking around. But a few letters of privateering and being in French pay did solve that nicely. Nothing more than the French consulate in The Anuhuac capital writing these.

Again, maybe unethical, but also, DeCreme did warn Rohan about this operation when it got potential to harm Rohan.

After NS got a lease on Clipperton, thanks to the  bribes given to Rimauld, but kept insulting France with the Piracy accusations.
DeCreme was furious and paid the Anuhuac again to shoot at the NS troops on Clipperton. The payment for this raid was the cargo of the "pirated" freigther Cognille.

Unethical? Maybe. Effective, no .
Also, even if the Ministry of Defence left a papertrail in the Anuhuac Empire that could be followed. There is some cloak and dagger to it, but nothing that would concern Rohan. The only ones that could get furious about that, and DeCreme would love nothing better, is New Swiss.

About Neptune.

Sometime when this was happening DeCreme got an idea. Faking a lost warship-Neptune-,and burying the expenses to let this travel to the Pacific, together with the 3 sloops, in the naval base building.
If anyone would have asked, they could have found out that none of the sailors on Neptune were married. Except the few that made land on Corsica, bringing the tide of woe about the loss of Neptune.
Job of this small squadron was to give New Swiss what they accused France off. Piracy.
But with a twist, no plundering or looting, as less damage as possible and only when no chance on discovery. No civilian casualties. The people captured are to be transported as soon as possible to the Hotel Bonaparte at Tahiti.And at all times being treated as honored guests

This is again a bit cloak and dagger, but with a solid reasoning. 
If New Swiss dedicates forces to search out the Ghost Ship, what only harrases New Swiss shipping, they can't use those forces to fight against the Caliphates convoys to Firenj.

******************************************************************


The end of the Ghost ship.
Captain Mendez minus a leg and an eye will return with his collier and 2 TB's

It seems they encountred the ACM fleet shortly after they recoaled the  French BB Neptune and the 3 sloops with her.
Now,  Captain Mendez could  convince the  recoaling fleet about the ACM crumbling and the intentions of New Swiss.  But didn't  know to well what to do with the fact that  the Ghostships is a French BB on a spree to cause havoc under the merchant shipping on the Pacific.

The Captain of Hawai made up his mind and suggested  to go back to Neptune and convince her the troubles between France and NS are over, so his orders are out of date.

So they all sailed to the small French flottilla.  Unfortunatly, the French captain is a real "Orders are orders" man and he asked, and then demanded the ACM ships to leave .  The shouting was still going on
When a very nervous crewmember on Neptune dropped a 5.51" shell. It exploded and destroyed the gun. But alas, that  started a shooting war at very close range. The heavy French guns  couldn't depres enough, and therefor reduced the upper works of Hawai and one of the cruisers to rubbish, destroying  the  guns as well.
The 70mm QF guns  shot the bridge off Captain Mendez ship ,and hurting him grievously. His superb crew destroyed the sloop Galilee in record time, pumping her full of 6" shells before they could do anything else. the resulting magazine hit was spectacular.
The  ACM TB's did make an attack run, and  scored 4 hits on Neptune, who wallowed and sank soon after. But not after her good shooting sank the TPC's.
So, what is left, the 2 French sloops Linois and Lavoisier, the second (empty) collier and the 4 TB's slugged it out for , and the TB's out of Torpedo's made a run for it. But alas, the French gunnery proved good and 2 of the fleeing small ships didn't escape. A circling torpedo from the salvo on Neptune hit the second collier, and the ensuing very heavy coal dust explosion ripped the ship into little pieces.

The 2 French sloops didn't pursue the running TB's nor fired on the  collier of Cptn Mendez what was slipping away from the battle-the first  mate wasn't as brave as his captain it seems. 
But the French sloops picked up every survivior and set sail to Tahiti.

BB Hawai was not firing-by lack of working guns- and making slow speed away from the battle but not following the collier.Seemingly without manouverability.

[Borys]

This is a gentle reminder that Glorious France can be nasty. Very nasty ....

[maddox]

Oh, didn't notice that...

But not only France has a way.

Hell hath no fury worse than a Woman scorned.

Eye witness report of Räner Tolex, New swiss marine

For days we were in Hong Kong.  An empty city.
Next to no indigious people in what was a teeming anthill of islands sampans and junks lashed together. A network of small boats ferrying people and goods between the islands.

My fellow New Swiss who lived in this normaly sparkling gem of trade did tell me about the good days, not even a year ago, Traders all over the world loading and unloading goods, merchants doing good business, the hardworking Chinese laborers having incredible rates of productivity in the small factories.

But, when the troubles about Macau started, the rumors got flying. The Empress was less than thrilled about this ,and ordered a torough examination of the taxes and tariffs. Suddenly Hong Kong was under a microscope. That friendly rice and snackseller on the corner still smiling and overly eager started prying for information, that "rare" Chinese policeman in New Swiss service started asking questions and upholding the law selectively.
Many small things changed overnight. It was felt that distrust shrouded Hong Kong. More muggings, rapes, arsons and acts of random violence were reported, the wispers on the wall did say "boxers".

Then the exodus started. In a fortnight all the Middle Kingdoms nationals working hard in the treaty port disappeared. During the same time Rumors about extortion by the Middle Kingdom started to rear the heads. Foreigners, the cowardly French as first, left. The merchant shipping disappeared. The Middle Kingdom naval ships, those paragons of obsolence, got more active in pestering and diverting ships, reducing trade  next to nothing.

The news about the failed negotiations triggered anxiety and the influx of soldiers, like me, changed the sight of the city.  
Streets empty, except patrolling squads, the noises of building being reinforced with sandbags and  windows carpented shut.  The few bars and pubs still open did brisk business on the soldiers that got leave.  

The eviction notice was expected, but we all were confident that our military might and modern weapons were more than a match to the Middle Kingdom medieval manpower heavy armies. The heavy gatling guns, the lighter, more manouvrable Maxims and the artillery would make minced meat out of the hordes we expected to run down from the hills, carrying rafts and other floating devices. We tought we were lucky with the soft winter, the sea would be our ally.

The weeks eviction notice did start a small exodus, but not compared to the disappearance of the indiginous people.

On the night between 6 and 7 march I had watch duty. I heard something as a rolling thunder exactly at midnight, as the noise suppressed the bell tolling in a church not far away. The next second I saw flashes at the Middle kingdom fortress nearby.  
Splashes in the bay did tell me that it wasn't fireworks and I dove for cover and started the alarm sequence. Then the storm came in. For a few seconds the wistling and  booming of large shells was cacaphonious. Then silence, the fortress guns still blazing away like there was no tomorrow. Our artillery started to shoot back at the fortress. But aiming on muzzle flashes at night isn't easy. But we were trained and we could see impacts on the fortress.
Then the thunder started again, and due to a strange effect we could see dimly a yellow lightning over the hilltops surrounding the bay, more than 10 km away. The city started exploding all over .

From my watch position I could see houses on fire, and still the fortress guns fired, but none seemed to be aimed at my position. Most shots seem to land in water, but were destroying houses and workshops too.

A more  ragged,longer sounding pail of thunder rumbled, and everyone dove for cover.This was a salvo drawn out over a minute, and seemingly better aimed.

One of our artilery emplacements got hit, and the ready munition added a contrepoint to the crescendo of explosions.

After hours of continious bombardments and starting fires all over the city, refugees came to our base, to seek shelter.

The bombardment kept going on,civilians and soldiers together trying to extinguish fires, sometimes with succes, other times the  firefighters would get shredded by the next salvo boring in on the city. Acts of heroïsme were normal. But the bombardment kept on. The morning came and the devastation already was obvious.
Now the shells started to fall more accurate and if the devil played with us the fortress, even with a heavy damaged wall and revetments, started to aim at our artillery. With succes.
By noon a spark of hope  was send around. One of the small Battleships of those butchers was seen exploding.

Still the bombarment kept going on, now full time, shells impacting so that the  explosion of one wasn't gone as the next exploded. . All over the city fires raged, people tried to get to shelter, but no shelter was found.  Some basements used as shelter were below sealevel, and the cursed grenades did breach the walls keeping the water out,sending out the people into the rain of Shells. Our revetments and sandbag reinforced building  already endured a hit of a big shell, but it just passed trough, to explode in the street, leaving a very small crater. But not without decapitating our first sergeant.

And still those shells landed over the city.
A small ship tried to escape from port, but got targeted by the fortress and destroyed in the first legue.



The fires raging over the city , not fought anymore by the volunteers ravaged island after island. People on those islands tried to flee with the few boats still available, some even diving into the freezing waters. On of those swimmers made it to our encampment. His back horrible burned and slashed with shrapnell wonds. The poor guy was taken in by our hospics and taken care off. Another hit  shook the building, this one exploding  on the place where I did duty last night, the sandbag shelter splashed around, the roof of the building partialy collapsed, dust showering all of us.
The command came to retreat into the basement and reinforce the ceiling, Also, to let any civilian in to get as much shelter as possible.



The cursed gooks still shoot. Our shelter heavy damaged, I see the arm of a girl sticking out of a pile of rubble. Half of my squad is missing, some ran away in terror, straight into inferno. Others got killed when trying to save civilians, reduced to mutilated corpses, flung back to walls in ruin.  One of the last telegraph messages did bring the message that one outposts tried to surrender, raising a white flag, to be demolished in seconds.

Daybreak,the pounding stopped suddenly.
The people in my ruined shelter rush to entrance and start digging us out.
A feeble sun, filtring trough smoke, the acrid smell of fire assaults our nose, ears ringing in silence.
The devastation we see is like inferno, one of the women collapses, sobbing in the rust and rubble what was once a 5 storied brick and concrete building, our base. The swimmer, brought out, on his belly on a stretcher wispers "water" and a jerk, head lolling, eyes gleen the glazed stare of death.

Addendum.
This wholesale massacre was started by the ACM sale of Macao.
This sale of leased territory to the NS triggered a responce from the MK, as the Empress Dowager Cixi and her daughter Longyu felt that selling Macao was not permittable. Asking the NS to give it back and take the loss wasn't met with a friendly yes. Meantime all eyes cast evil glances on the dissappearing ACM.

A conference was called , but that failed, by the constantly hardening of the MK's demands and the ego of the New Swiss.

[maddox]

A short story by Phoenix.....

Little towns and hamlets, but peaceful ?

Troops on patrols trying to catch some sleep at night... but suddenly RAT-TAT-RAT-TAT-TAT ! There must have been hundreds of small explosions like a machine-gun volley and they wake up the patrol in full alarm. When they check for wounded, nothing, not a single one of the soldiers have been hit by whatever that might have been. Circling out wider from the camp's perimeter a sentry discovered a heap of red paper in tatters and a crossbow bolt... fireworks. Nothing but simple stupid fireworks.
Wearily the men try to go back to sleep. But then in the midst of their encampment RAT-TAT-RAT-TAT-TAT RAT-RAT-RAT-TAT ! Again ? But you cannot take the risk, get up, arm yourself and stand ready to shoot. some shoot in frustration at the darkness around them but they find nothing at all. Then they try to go back to sleep again.
By the morning all are bleary-eyed and yawning, but the march must go on.
And then comes, inevitably, a new evening. The soldiers make their camp, nervous and tired. They set out sentries and the rest go to sleep. Then, a shriek and that dreaded RAT-TAT-RAT-TAT-TAT again. When the noise has ended and the troops try to tally, they miss one man. But find him in his fox-hole, with a crossbow bolt sticking through his head or what was left of it, and red shreds of paper draped over his shoulders like an macaber garland.
When they return to base each and every one of them refuses to go out again. Even their officers would rather be shot than sent out on patrol again. One saying: "You can find a bugger with a crossbow and hack him to pieces, but there are just too many of them yellow devils !"

[maddox]

Cleaning up the old Nverse info I have left on my computer, I found a few stories back.

This one explaining the undying Hatred of Monarchist China towards New Switserland.

HORROR OF HORRORS: THE EMPEROR ABDUCTED !!!
-- EMPRESS DOWAGER TZU HSI DYING --

Just when one thinks a depraved people could not sink deeper the unspeakable happened: last night New Swiss assassins managed to enter the Forbidden City once more in order to ply their deadly trade. Despite higher security they did manage to kill a large number of guards and eunuchs, and reach the Imperial Palaces where they broke into His Imperial Majesty's appartments in the Palace of Heavenly Purity and took Him away from His faithful servants. Needless to say the devils had to literally wade over the dead bodies of these loyal servants and guards but their valliant self-sacrifice could not keep the devils from taking their Youthful Charge and whisking His Imperial Majesty away to places unknown and horrors unimagenable.
Other assassins breached the Sacred Rooms of Her Most Serene Majesty Empress Dowager Tzu Hsi and did their deadly handiwork there. True to Her Majesty's Most Revered Ancestry Of Warriors Of Renown She immediately picked up a sword from the dead hand of a eunuch and defended Her Imperial Person wich courage and honour such as the Hallowed Halls of the Forbidden City have seldom seen. But Her Great Heart could not for long withstand the raging Power of Her Righteous Wrath and as guards came pouring in to Her Majesty's rescue She had collapsed.
Now Her Most Serene Majesty Empress Dowager Tzu Hsi lies in the Hall of Earthly Peace, the finest doctors giving Her Majesty the best care, but who can heal a Broken Heart ? The Light Of Her Life is gone, the 5-year old Treasure of the Middle Kingdom has been taken and must be feared dead. He was as a Son to Her, the Warm Live-Giving Sun of Her Aging Years.
But how bitter more must feel His Imperial Majesty's Mother, Her Most Serene Majesty Empress Dowager Longyu ?
The Government was called to the Palace of Supreme Harmony this morning, where they trembled at the magnificient sight of Motherly Rage Incarnate. Her Most Serene Majesty Empress Dowager Longyu has spoken to them thus: "Most insidious demons have dared to breach the Hallowed Walls of the Forbidden City again, shame on the guards' commanders !!
But more shame on the denizens of the terrible demon's liar called New Switzerland. These yang quizi did not join their peers in honourable battle. No ! They choose instead to sneak like thieves in the night and that speaks volumes of the character of the New Swiss leaders who have sent these fiends on their evil errand.
How have they dared to attack a Venerable Frail Old Lady in Her quarters ? What further dire mishaps would have befallen Her in their hands if She had not fought like A Dragon and the Eunuchs and Guards not rallied to Her aid ? But now the Dragon Lady lies dying and Her children weep and rage.
Attacking an Old Venerable Widow in Her appartments may be gruesome enough, but their other deed demands the very Wrath Of Heavens. Your Imperial Lord, My Son, has been taken from His Palace and is now gone. THEY HAVE TAKEN A 5-YEAR OLD CHILD OUT OF HIS BED ! My Heart shudders as only a Mother's Heart can at the thought of the pain and distress He must be feeling for sure. He may be the Dragon, but He is young and vulnerable. Hence the reason why these fiends from Hell have taken Him away. They could not face the Dragon Lady and so they took the Hatchling. Most shameful !! Most low !! Most atrocious !!
This, Grand Secretaries of the Middle Kingdom, this is the final blow that shatters Imperial Leniency. And thus let these words from my lips be sent to the New Swiss devils: "You have forfeited your right to live on this earth and under the Heavens. You will be eradicated from this existence, all of you, your soldiers, your leaders, your men, your women, your old and your young. You may have succeeded in killing the Dragon Lady, we know not yet. You may harm or kill the Emperor and your evil demise will be razed until no sign of its former existence can be found by all of posterity !
Beware, for you have aroused the Ire of the Tiger Lady and She defends Her Cubs most ferociously. Surely you will come to know She will avenge the taking of a Cub, and not rest until Her Cub is safe once more. Fear Her wrath for it is your Doom !"
And, shaking, the Grand Secretaries kow-towed and left in silence. When exposed by such rage words of mere mortals cannot survive being uttered.
And such is the Imperial Command to the Sons and Daughters of the Dragon Throne:
Raise ! Raise and rally ! Death to the yang quizi who dared touch The Emperor ! DEATH TO THEM ALL !!!

[maddox]

Yet another bit of history, and one not mentioned a lot.

During the build of the Darien and the Great Canal, a lot of cloak and dagger was going on. A covered war in all but name was raging. Plots and counterplots made, in the end only resulting in a lot of grief and 2 finished canals.

The preface of this part of that covered war is the war prisoner transport from the Middle Kingdom to Gran Colombia. 1000's of New Swiss  tumbless soldiers happy enough to get away from those murderous and barbaric Chinese tortures.
France got wind of it, and dispatched a small taskforce to capture the transports, and divert them to the Great Canal, also a hungry maw ,greedy for fresh bodies.

The clash.

Early morning 16 january 1903, a sweltering  equatorial wintermorning,  Gloire and Lavoisier can pinpoint the location of the GC slavefleet by radio triangulation .  The ships steam up with course set to meet the GC flottila at noon, with the sun as far as possible at their backs.

When the first glimpses of the smoke are seen, Gloire uses downpowered marconi to contact the GC ships, to stop them, for Anti piracy controls.  The Gran Colombians don't buy this ruse, and the liners scatter . 

Puerta Espana and Bucaramange, true to their origins of triggerhappy ships attack Gloire as most obvious targets.  Ignoring the 2000 tons sloops Linois and Lavoisier.

Weaving intricate assaultcourses, with the French ships trying to keep up with the most obvious liner, Puerta Espana can get in a torpedo attack on Gloire with 1 torpedo hitting the huge cruiser below the front turret.  By a miracle the magazine doesn't explode, and the mighty French Ship can keep up speed and fighting power (unknow to the Gran Colombian ships, the magazine is flooded, and the 275mm gun just has 4 rounds ready munition).
Unfortunatly, by getting so close Liniois can get in a fish of her own, striking the Puerta Espana amidships. With the only visible effect that she slows down to half speed and lists to port.
Bucaramange sees her sister in trouble and closes range, also trying a torpedo attack. But the 2 sloops are able to foil this, and the torpedo's all miss. 

Gloire, smelling a victory, orders the 2 sloops to get the liners, in the mean while dealing with the 2 pesky cruisers.  A slugfest at the range of 3 km is the result.  The 2 mighty 275mm already aiming at the poor Puerta Espana and the multitude of 140mm guns wreak havoc.  But she gives as good as she gets, and soon both ships are aflame.  The larger size of Gloire and the heavier main 275mm gun makes the difference, and when Puerta Espana slides down the waves, the damaged Bucaramange seeks refuge in the higher speed she now can make.
Seeing no way to resist the 2 huge guns of Gloire (alas, only the 1 aft  has ready munition)
Lavoisier signals that 1 liner is captured, because she couldn't run anymore with malfunctioning machines.

Linois, after hours of chasing can reach at last a second liner. But during the maneuvering to board the big ship, the captain of the liner sees an opportunity and rams the sloop. With the massive damage Linois recieves, she barely keeps afloat and signals for help.
The liner escapes.
Gloire replies and both ships limp towards the nearest French port in Polynesia.

Lavoisier, with her price, sails towards the destination in the east.

[maddox]

The battle at Malta.



After the reports of Merchant ships being plundered in the ACM harbor of Valletta, and the suddenly stopped diplomatic correspondence with the French diplomats in the Embassy, a scouting group of the French Mediterranean fleet was dispatched to check up with the situation.

They got a very warm welcom. The rather forcible stance of the ACM navy and a bit of unwillingness of the French commander to risk his ships in a uneven battle he retreated ,and got his report in at Marseilles as fast as possible.

The few lower-ranked ACM diplomats in the Embassy in Paris, and the ACM consul at Marseilles couldn't give any explanations as to why the previous good standing between France and the ACM did go down the drain so fast. And the strangely disappeared ambassador Gonzales with his direct aids didn't spell good news.

The decision to use the core of the Mediterranean Fleet to have a look, and to demand a full explanation of the ACM governement about their actions- or inaction- wasn't made easely, but Minister DeCreme, surprisingly backed up by his direct opponent Minister Rimauld, got the permission to use the Naval Force to further the safety in the homewaters of France.

The recently returned Battleships Megenta and Marceau formed the core of the expeditionary fleet, together with Battleship Hoche, recently refitted after long duty in the Brazillian waters and the costal battleship Bouvines. The French Navy felt confident that, even if the ACM would object and try to use force, this core of big guns together with enough screening elements to deter any TB attacks would give them pauze and rethink that idea.

The arrival at Valetta was almost anti-climatic. But the view the crows nests observers had wasn't very pleasant. The city itself had large scars of fires recently, several of the landmarks ruined. The harbor itself a shambles. At least 4 sunk merchants in the docks, blackened masts and burned hulls were observed with the powerfull telescopes the observers used. Loading equipment unused, no industrial activity. Only a handfull of old warships were to be seen in the harbor.

This information made Admiral Geroulx very wary about an ambush with the newer ACM warships.
Holding back the newer Megenta and Marceau to counter this potential ambush, Hoche and Bouvines advanced with a detachment of screening vessels.

No shots were fired, and the advance was unopposed by warships.
Until the costal fortresses opened fire. The coldbloodedness of the commander to allow the big gunned warships far in range payed off.
The bridge of Hoche was destroyed in the first seconds of the battle, and she steamed ahead, straight into the minefield protecting the Harbor. This proved to much for the big ship, and after striking 2 mines she sank upright very fast. Her upper works and 1 of the main gun barrels still out of the water. Lifeboats and rafts in the water around her.

This victory gave the ACM ships in the harbor the initiative to attack, and even the ancient and severely outclassed ironclad Hammerhead came out after the faster ships.

The screening elements of Hoche made a torpedo attack run, but this did prove an utter failure.  The sloops and the TB's made the mistake to make the attack in line of the narrow but dense
minefield. But also a mistake by the Torpedo Officer on the bearing and aiming of the torpedo's brought the already sunk Hoche in the line of fire. Yet this also forced Bouvinnes to evade the fishes. She came in range of the costal fortresses, and those didn't hesitate to shoot at the unlucky ship.
The exchange of fire was tremendous, and the tough little defence ship did give as good as she got. But alas, Fortresses don't sink when shot to pieces, and the size of the defensive structures are another advantage. Bouvinnes sunk barely an hour after Hoche.

The torpedo attack did more worse than good. The salvo of 24 torpedo's entered the minefield, 2 hit the already sunk Hoche and a tremendous explosion ripped the ship to pieces. Several lifeboats disappeared in this conflageration. Other torpedo's ran into mines, and the following shockwaves gellified  more  seamen trying to get ashore. One torpedo, put out of course ran into the coast, and the explosion made a piece of cliff tumble into the sea.
Non of the torpedo's did any damage to the assaulting fleet.

Admiral Geroulx, fuming at the incompetence displayed to the world, ordered the rest to start long range fire on the ACM ships.
Megenta scoring the longest ranged recorded hit, 12500 yards; on Hammerhead. The impact of the 275mm shell plunging through the upper deck proved deadly. The valiant ancient ship lost speed immediately, and slowely changed into a raging inferno.

The rest of the French fleet, refinding their hearts in this first demonstration of French power started pouring out shells, Megenta recording 6 shells a minute from the front main turret.
The ACM ships tried to return fire, but an obvious lack of experience, courage and capable commanders screwed up the entire assault, and the French made an easy victory over the outclassed ragtag outdated ACM fleet.

After the seabattle Admiral Geroulx turned his attention to the costal fortresses, and used his new-found long range capabilty with impressive results. The disadvantage of costal fortresses: they can't evade. But they are tough, very tough, and it took the help of the later arrived new costal battleship Henri IV, with her 2 305mm guns, to silence the fortresses. 

After the destruction of the ACM defence fleet and costal fortresses, French support vessels started to clean a path trough the minefield and under the watchful, even revengeful, eyes of Admiral Geroulx Megenta entered Valletta Harbor. But ever wary of the  never materializing ambush of the newer ACM warships.

French Zouaves from the ship compagnies made a corridor to the ACM headquarters, but seemingly these were deserted and pillaged earlier. Only the Accounting Office was in good order, yet it took serious negotiations from Admiral Geroulx to get the ACM soldiers who were defending their pay and provider to surrender. A spray of 305mm shells on a nearby building was the last straw they needed.

After this it became obvious that the ACM directors left weeks before France made a clear point about Malta. The Accounting Office has some proof that the top of the ACM made a run for it, after milking the ACM treasury and selling assets to anyone willing to pay: New Swiss, Abyssinia and Nigeria as foremost examples.

Malta, not capable to produce enough food for its inhabitants, was depending on import from abroad, but the last months this import dwindeled to a trickle, and only very wealthy citizens could afford to pay for enough food. This gave starts to riots and pillaging during october and november, and it were these riots that gave the reports about the merchants being plundered. Also, these large-scale riots are the reason of the destroyed landmarks, and the locked-in soldiers at the fortresses and the Accounting Office. They were reluctant to fire upon civilians and with no orders coming from the gouvernement, the commanders opted to close the gates and live on supplies until orders came.

Currently, French troops are cleaning out last stands, and "educating" misinformed ACM troops. This process proves very nasty in urban areas.

Maltese citizens fleeing warzones or starved towns and cities are sheltered and fed in French-built refugee camps around Valletta.

A military gouverner is dispatched to Malta to see how the future will go.
Due to this process, all shipping that normaly would go to Malta is diverted to Crete or Marseilles. 

Later on, Malta was appointed a protectorate of the Habsburgs.

[maddox]

Thanks to a visitor who was printing a part of the N2 archive, I re-found this coorperation between Bushranger , Ithekro and me.
After reading and adapting it to the Nverse III history, here is the result from ages ago.

Autumn 1903
For weeks the French merchant Profitable was crawling under a steelblue sky, just outside the 12 miles zone east of the entrance of the Darien Canal.

Always 2 men in the mast watching intently towards the canal, as if searching for something .
Others scrubing the decks, like the days before. And what they will do for the days to come.
Under the steel and pine decks more men are trying to find fresh air.

Watching a canal being dug by hand is about as exiting as watching the paint dry.

The only exitment in this tour of duty was the laughable piratical attack by a small fishingsloop. Those poor sods tried to enter the ship just prior to dawn, the classical time for such an action.
12 pirates armed with older pistols and long daggers, Best said, good try, no sigar. The 5 survivors were send to Haitï. Their own small vessel crewed with a pricecrew and after the return of these crewmembers the laughter about the pricemoney for the ship and the sentance for the pirates was good for another 3 days of fun and less boredom.


6 November, a foggy morning,
Mon Capitaine, I think we have visitors of the the large kind.

How do you mean  Matelot Gerard?

Aboard SMS Fürst Bismarck in the western Caribbean Sea, course 345, speed 10 knots

The last two days had produced only a handful of legitimate fishing craft and two honest freighters. Kapitan zur See Manfred Friedrich was beginning to wonder if they were hunting wild geese, and the French "spy freighters" they'd been asked to investigate were nothing but ripples on the water.

Dark and foggy morning
"Plume on the starboard bow, 020 relative, distance 7 miles, Kapitan."

Hmm, perhaps this would be their prey...

Capîtaine, our "ears" have detected the sound of a very large tripple expansion engine bearing 130°, distance 2 miles. The operator doesn't recognise any French,UKA, CSA,GC or Rohirrim vessel.

How did that ship come so close?

Sir, the fog obscured the visibility as well the moonless night. The wind reduced the operators capability to hear anything in that arc.

The captain grabbing the brass speaking horn, setting the machinetelegraph from slow to cruise speed
Cruise speed northeast. Add smoke to the fog, strike the and hope the fog holds for long enough to hide everything.
Sergeant, start packing, and get your men "in the suit". It's the Chartered pleasureboat" plan.

Why that plan capitaine? You know the men don't like that.

I know sergeant, but it is the best ruse we have, and if a "large VTE" of unknow class approaches I rather be a decadent French passenger carrying merchant, than a merchant with a too large crew of strong obviously trained and violent men.

Yes Capitaine, Plan "PD" activated.

Fürst Bismarck, course 005, speed 12 knots

They'd lost the contact's smoke plume in the fog, but Kapitan Freidrich had ordered a pursuit course anyway. He'd come aboard shortly after the Easter Island incident, his ship had a reputation for finding - and dealing with - trouble and he had to live up to that reputation.

"Sir, I think I have something! There's a thick spot in the fog, bearing 025 realtive - yes, Herr Kapitan! I see a vessel, approximate range 3.5 miles!"

"Come to course 030 and go to full speed! Number One, call the crew to Action Stations please..."

"Sir?"

"Our information indicates that we are to take all precautions. This is good weather for pirates; I don't intend to be caught unprepared."

"Jawohl, Herr Kapitan!"

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

Stop making smoke, the fog is dispersing, no use to draw more attention.

From the look outs.
CONTACT, I see the fighting tops of a large warship,  DKB flag waving.

How's plan PD?

Implemented capitaine, the messhall looks like the Moulin Rouge, but after a real debauched night. We just added cognac to the fans for the messroom. It smells like the guys boozed for 10 days. I must say, the peacock tail is really a sight to be seen. But I pity Gerard, who's wearing it.

Are the "ears" hidden and boobytrapped? And how secure are the crates with the 25mm machineguns and 57mm QF? Is second squad up and ready in the coalbunker?The fishes loaded and ready?

The "ears" are packaged and ready to be dropped. I still don't like the 2 liters of Nitroglycerine, but the least disturbance will destroy everything inside the crate.
The guns are hidden, but manned. The 35 cm coalplates are in front of the shutes of coalbunker 3. The fake locks are secured and the men eager. And the fishes. 2 ready, and 2 ready to reload.

So, we can stand a casual visit from civilised people?

Yes capitaine, especialy when the "inspectors" find out we are loaded with wine, cognac and champagne, but are waiting on the agent in Gran Colombia to send us the payment.

Well done in the short time you had.Then, it's waiting if the DKB ship wants anything. For the same amount of trouble she's just passing by. Lookouts, any identification on the approaching vessel?

Fürst Bismarck, course 030, speed 16 knots

"Fog clearing, Herr Kapitan. He's French, sir. Merchie, looks like L'Enterprise type."

Kapitan Freidrich stepped out onto the bridge wing and raised his binoculars. French ships were, of course, to be expected in these waters, shuttling men and material from Hispanola to the "Grand Canal Project". There was no real reason why this vessel shouldn't be here.

Then why did he have such a bad feeling about this?

Perhaps it was the information from Rohan that had sent them on this "goodwill cruise", a personal request from their King to the Kaiser, to investigate what were suspected to be French intelligence-gathering vessels, snooping around where the Mark and the Colombians were battling the French in a canal-building race.

And they were a bit off the track one would expect between Port-au-Prince and the French Canal Zone. Even French merchant captains kept an eye on the bottom line, and the least fuel was burnt on the shortest distance between two points. And somehow, this vessel didn't look quite right. Freidrich couldn't put his finger on it, but there was something...

He stepped back onto the bridge. "Time to intercept?"

"Around five minutes, Herr Kapitan."

"Have the boarding party prepare for an inspection trip. Hotchkiss gunners prepare, if this is a trap it's a bloody good one but we're not taking chances. Anton turret, load common shell in case they require encouragement to stop. Are we within signaling range?"

"Still some fog, Herr Kapitan, but they should be able to see us."

"Gut. Signals, to the Frenchman. Query their identification."

Capitaine, the DKB vessel is a large cruiser, and they inquere our
identification and purpose in these waters.

Identify us then.
Speed to slow.

(flagweaving)

Chartered merchant SS Profitable, be welcome Fürst Bismarck.
How can we be of assistance?

Capitaine, how can we cope with that monster? We're not equipped against armoured cruisers 2 times as big as we are.

If all goes well, we don't have to. Otherwise, we'll have to destroy the "ears", and hope our gouvernement wants us back.

Fürst Bismarck, course 030, speed 14 knots, slowing

"Set course to come abeam of him and match his speed, please."

"Ja, Herr Kapitan. Lookouts report another plume to the north-west. They can't be sure at this distance but based on the data provided it's probably Queen Emeraldas."

The Rohirrim 'freighter', mused Kapitan Freidrich. At the moment there was no real need for any backup, but it was always good to have a friend in the area...

"Reply from the Frenchie, sir. 'Chartered merchant SS Profitable, be welcome Fürst Bismarck. How can we be of assistance?'"

"Signals, send 'We are investigating these waters for piracy by request of locals. Request to send officers aboard and check papers'."

Capitaine, Fürst Bismarck ask us to recieve officers for anti piracy control.

Welcome them on board, and extend the invitation to her captain. Our "charterer" is willing to trow a party in Fürst Bismarck honor.
(more flagweaving)
"Be welcome Fürst Bismarck. We gladly recieve your officers."

Matelot, get a crate of the chilled champagne, and bring it to the bridge. And 6 glasses. We'll give our guests a nice taste of French hospitability.

Oui mon capitaine.

And a small glass of brandy. I guess I can use a bit of "eau de vie" smell.
laughter over the bridge

Fürst Bismarck, course 030, speed 6 knots, slowing

"Herr Kapitan, they've - well, they've invited us aboard. Enthuiastically."

KzS Freidrich frowned. "I think I begin to smell a rat..."

Fürst Bismarck's XO shrugged. "Perhaps they really are innocent."

"Possible. But...that's not a stock L'Enterprise-class ship. He's modified. Subtly so, could easily be repairs, but..."

"But?"

"I have a bad feeling about this. Number One, have Rittmeister Lutz pick three of his best men and lead them across. They are to inspect Profitable's papers, and find something - anything - to use as a pretext for a thorough search. And I do mean thorough."


Capitaine, the Fürst is lowering a launch.

Bien, full stop, matelot - use a loading crane to lower a lifting palet and for good messure, the ropeladder too.

Capitaine, I do not like this situation. Why a DKB ship? And why would we hide our purpose? It's not that we have done anything that is not allowed.

Maître principal, revealing our purpose would embaress France, also, it would give any state the reason to suspect any of our merchants.
But if it comes to the boiling point, we'll raise the French naval flag and then we'll show those krauts what we are .

Ok mon Capitaine. I'll go and recieve the Brandenburgers.

Whaleboat, course between Fürst Bismarck and Profitable, speed 2 knots

Rittmeister Heinz Lutz of the Sturmtruppen eyed the French 'merchantman' he'd been tasked to inspect. Apparantly the Rohirrim were convinced that there were spy ships launching saboteurs at their and Grand Colombia's canals, and had for some reason asked the Reich to carry out inspections. Not that he minded the Caribbean trip, of course; their stay in Cartagena had been most pleasurable...

Snapping back to the present, he considered his orders. Apparantly Kapitan Freidrich was convinced that this Froggy tub was planning foul play. He was to inspect their papers, but instead of giving them a clean bill of health (regardless of the truth he was sure the perfidious Gauls would have credentials cleaner than the Kaiser's chalice) he was to use them to find an excuse for searching the vessel from stem to stern, looking for hidden compartments, evidence of "missing" men, military equipment...

They were alongside. Taking a deep breath, he grabbed the rope ladder and clambered aboard.

A tall, freshly shaven first mate awaits at the top of the ropeladder.


Bien venue à bord de navire Profitable Monsieur.
Coment est-ce que on peut vous servir?

A spotless clean vessel, freshly painted, a few sailors holystoning the wooden deck. Solidly lashed down deck cargo in wooden crates.
But laughter and lewd language emits from the open mess portholes. A faint smell of kiff and expensive booze wafting over the deck in the gentle morning breeze.

Meanwhile, on the Queen Emeraldas, course 315, speed 8 knots...

"Captain the fog is lifting."

The short captain looked over the railing, "Good, it seemed a bit unnatural."

From above was heard a cry, "Smoke on the horizon!"

The Bridge watch scanned to port, "Two of them sir, one is a warship for sure."

"Probably the Bismarck, we are expecting her to to be around these parts." The Captain looked carefully at the second flume, "I can't make her out from here, but some type of freighter."

"Should we alter course?"

"No. No we need to keep at what we are doing. Watch and wait."

Rittmeister Lutz greets the French mate.

Le bon jour à vous Monsieur. Il semble votre équipage a eu de bons temps. Si vous me prendriez au pont, s'il vous plaît?

The vessel seems to be of contrasts, the squeaky-clean outer appearance and the evidence of a night of hard partying inside...perhaps a little too much evidence...?

Vous souhaitez voir le Capitaine? S'il vous plaît me suivre.
Bushranger appolegises for the possible attrocious French, but online translators ain't up to par, yet.

Yes sir, I'll take you to the bridge, the captain should be there.
I must appolegise for our passengers. We got contracted by some industrialists for a "warm autumn in the best party enviroment of the world". They won't be sober untill they are back in France.

The route followed passes by the starboard portholes of the messroom. Of course, with all that laughter and screams of joy and satisfaction, who can't resist looking inside.
The scene looks like a roman party, as godless and decadent. naked or dressed up males in the prime of their life are boozing and smoking things unmentioned as if there is no tomorrow. A few of them even seem to have passed out in a puddle of puke. But the thing that shatters any confidence in this world is the guy with a huge peacock tail, worn without clothing.

Mon capitaine, Les Visiteurs.

[maddox]

Cutting up the Profitable story . It's getting long  :)

Rittmeister Lutz had eyed the...passengers...with contempt, and a fair bit of suspiscion. Even for Frenchmen, things seemed a bit excessive..."Good day mon capitan. I would request to see your ship's papers please, so we can quickly determine your status."

Captain Olein speaks only French, but the first mate is translating.

With pleasure Cavalier,
Taking out a large leather briefcase
Here we have the ownership papers, the safety inspection documents, the loading papers and of course ,the crew  manifest.
Do you need the passenger manifest too? You can imagine the gentlemen who are enjoying the finer points of life in the warm Caribbean have some interest in privacy.

Rittmeister Lutz accepts the bundle of papers.
The cargo manifest is dirty and a bit greasy, but readable. Main cargo is crates and crates of French wine, champagne and cognac. The main hold is refurbished as a cooled winecellar. The aft hold is stocked with canned delicatesses. The wine and champagne is for a Gran Colombian wine merchant.
The deckload crates are cristal and glass art connected to wine

The crew manifest lists several not so common persons, like a chef cook , a maitre d'hotel ,2 assistants and 3 waiters. 5 manservants and 2 ladies of obvious oriental origin, with job description "plongeuzes".
The ownership papers do tell the captain is sole owner, and was for the last 8 years- the same age as the ship.
Safety inspection was done the last time in Port Au Prince, and only 1 remark about a faulty loading crane was noted.

Can I offer you and your men breakfast? We have probably the best French cook this side of the world on board. And he , I believe, would enjoy making something more earthly.

The Rittmeister smiles. "Thank you, monsieur, but regretfully I must decline, as the bratwurst this morning was quite filling." His face becomes serious. Time for the song-and-dance to excuse an inspection. "Your papers are in order - as far as they go. But I am afraid that they seem to be slighly incomplete. I am familiar with vessels of this type," through blueprints of various French merchant types examined at the start of this mission in Dar-es-Salaam, when he'd asked how they'd been acquired he'd been told he didn't want to know, "and there are a few compartments, small ones of course but there nontheless, that I do not see listed here, either showing their cargo, or listed as empty." Lutz shakes his head theatrically. "This is irregular, highly irregular. And when combined with the lack of control of your passengers...ach. While I have no doubt of the fine and upstanding character of you and your crewmen, I am afraid that my orders, what with the recent spate of suspicious vessels in these waters, pirate sightings and whatnot, require me to conduct a thorough inspection of this vessel, to ensure that the cargo manifest is as advertised, and to ensure that the unlisted compartments are empty. After all, we wouldn't want someone to try slipping sea-mines into the area where the support ships for canal construction travel, would we?"

Cavalier, I take this as an insult.
My glorious ship Profitable is as she was build 8 years ago according to my specifications. No hidden compartiments, nor unused ones are on this ship.

If you want to conduct a torough search for pirates, I have to ask you that this search will be conducted in Port au Prince or another French harbor. To avoid a fine DKB warship being accused of piracy or paranoïa.

On the cargo manifest, I don't see sea mines listed, nor do I see the infrastructure needed to lay sea mines. As a reserve Marine national officer I at least have the knowledge to see this vessel doesn't have minerails. Nor storage space big enough to put any useable and accessible amount of seamines.

If you really think that my vessel is a minedropping pirate, I would ask you to think about the effects of a mine on a price.

The holds are filled with wine and champagne, normaly meant for the Gran Colombian merchant Hernandez Lopez, who didn't pay his bill. As stated in the cargo manifest. We were here because of that , the waiting to get the payment. Our passengers are a stroke of luck, otherwise I would have made a serious loss loitering over here.

But to show you our good faith, I myself will give you a guided tour of this fine vessel. And I want you to point out hidden or unused compartiments.

Do you accept the proposal of a tour trough this magnificent merchant ship, or do we steam towards Port au Prince?

Or, is it worse, and did the international criminal Agrival get his claws on a large warship posing as a DKB ship? Are we already a price?

Thou doest protest too much, Lutz mused. "I am not making any accusations, Monsieur. It is simply that, in the vessels that I am familiar with, there are compartments that I do not see on this manifest. No insult was meant or intended, simply an observation that in these trying times we must be very careful. If you would be so kind as to allow a tour of your ship, we can quickly be finished and on our way."

In a French patois

First mate, Guide this man over the ship, don't forget to show him the main shaft tunnel or , especialy the coalbunkers. Also, get any of the sailors to talk to them, translate as elaborate as possible. And for good measure, break open deckcrate 6.

The captain takes the unobstructive snifter of cognac and downs it in 1

In German/comprehensible French.Sir, the capitain ordered me to show you everything of the ship. So I advise you to wear the coveralls I will give you and your men. Also, maybe a good idea to warn your commander that this could take a serious while. But that depends on your professionalisme and willingness for ghostchasing.

Lutz chuckles. "Monsieur, we are quite experienced at chasing ghosts lately." He turns to one of his men and speaks in German. "Leutnat der Hemd, please signal Fürst Bismarck that we are commencing inspection." Back to French: "We may commence at your leisure, Monsieur."


The inspection had so far turned up nothing wholly amiss. The machinery rooms had been squeaky-clean, the large triple-expansion engines well-maintained and oozing the promise of power. The chilled hold forwards had raised some eyebrows, being an innovation not yet found in German transports. The deck cargo had been mostly as advertised, although Lutz had noted that the crystal in one of the crate had been mostly filled with a fine power. Opium probably, he mused, although he said nothing; the drug had recently been restricted in Brandenburg, but he had no idea about its treatment by the French, and besides that wasn't why they were here.

Further back on the deck, he noticed a few bulky crates, seemingly fresher than the others, as if they hadn't been exposed to the weather for as long. And the Frenchies seemed to be stepping a little more carefully around them then perhaps was necessary. He motioned to Leutnant der Hemd to check them out.



MerdeMerdeMerde, why are those krauts milling nearby the "Ears"? How wel are they packed, how deep are they burried? Can't take any chances with that secret weapon

Cavalier, I think you mentioned hidden spaces and compartiments. Were do you hope them to be? I can garanty you that no hidden spaces are know to me.

(must mention the brown powder to the capitaine, that wasn't ment to be there, somebody is freelancing, and is bringing this operation into jeopardy. Luckely these are ignorant krauts, not UKA custom officers, who still have a large chip on the shoulder about smugglers.)
The captain is gazing down on the small group of inspectors, and is also not happy with the sidelong looks towards the crates with the "Ears". A gentle swing on the steering wheel, and Profitable is realigning herself , so the bow is in 30° of the armored cruiser. A subtile signal goes out to the crew. A few sailors start squabling and shouting, more noise comes from the messroom party.

Cavalier Lutz, I suggest we get out of sight, because our days of idleness waiting on the Gran Colombian merchant or his payment made the men irritable. And unfortunatly, most of our crew has mediterranian blood, so they get exited rather easely.


aboard Profitable:

"Monsieur, this ship is not as well known to me as your average French merchantman. I have not seen anything I would say for sure was a hidden compartment, but there are a few areas where I would wonder why there was seemingly wasted space. But that would be between you and the designer. However, I am curious about those fresh-looking crates over there."

aboard Fürst Bismarck, course 035, speed barely steerageway:

"Kapitan, the Frenchie's turning!"

Kapitan Freidrich snapped his binoculars to his eyes. Indeed, Profitable's - if that was his real name - bow was swinging about...across his own ship's bow...?!

"Looks like he's coming to 065, Herr Kapitan!"

"Anton turret, train on that ship's course, prepare warning shots! Bruno turret, load HE and train on that ship! Signals, interrogative, ask those bloody fools what's going on over there. And get me a report from Rittmeister Lutz!"

aboard Profitable:

Lutz frowned. "Monsieur, my men are well trained Sturmtruppen. I do not believe we need to be concerned with such rabble." The slightest quirk upwards of the lips: "Indeed, if you are concerned for your own safety, perhaps we can be of assistance?" The frown returned. "Regardless, I must ask why your ship is turning torwards mine..."

A shout from one of the other sturmtruppen. "Rittmeister, signals from Fürst Bismarck!"

Leutnat der Hemd began to turn away from his course torwards the crates, as the communications man it was his duty to see what their ship was requesting. Unfortunatly, one of the "brawling" Frenchmen bumped into him, sending him sprawling into the side of one of the crates...

Profitable, Bridge

Capitaine, Fürst asks what why we turn and their main front turret is aiming.

Ensign, answer " A drunken passenger wanted to be captain, he is removed from the bridge, will hold course"

The Fürst asks a report from their crew.

That will be done. Grabbing a shoutingcone.

"Cavalier, Your commander needs a report immediatly, report to the bridge immediatly."

Profitable, backdeck.

The DKB soldier is crashing in the side of the main "Ear" crate.
(merdemerdemerde, I hope the tubes won't be out of alignment")

In slow motion, the side ,hastely slammed shut before the inspection, falls open. The content, a strange contraption of steel ,brass and glass tubes is rather menacing. This thing is no common cargo for any freighter.

Rittmeister Lutz looks at the contents of the crate and raises an eyebrow. Noticing that Leutnat der Hemd is slightly dazed, he motions to one of the other men and begins speaking in German:

Oberleutnant Heinz, signal Fürst Bismarck please. 'Advanced apparatus concealed in crate. Investigating further.'

Lutz then turns to his escort and returns to French. "Monsieur, would you mind explaning the purpose of this apparatus? I am not an expert in the works of Markoni and Tesla, but I know cutting-edge electro-mechanical workings when I see them, and this is not something I would expect to see on a humble freighter. Rather, a military vessel..."

The first mate shouts in French.

Men , the open crate contains a bomb, get it overboard asap.
In German,
Sorry Cavalier, I do not know what that thing is, but I do not like bombs on the ship

6 crewmen heave and Splash, the open crate floats for a moment, and sinks in the blue waters of the Caribbean.

Cavalier, I'll have to search out where the crate came from and where it goes too. Could it be a poison gas bomb, like Agrival used in Moulin Rouge?

The brawl is spreading, the crew is avoiding the Soldiers, but conversation is difficult, as well conducting any further inspections.

BOOM, a smallish bubble errupts next to Profitable, and the ship shackes violently.
On the bridge, the captain speaks into a speaking tube.
Set Torpilles at 30°, range 450 yards, hold discharge untill the clock stops or I give another order.
A metronome is started next to the speaktube.
Ensign, warn the "passengers" to buckle up.


ommminous hummmmm

aboard Profitable:

Rittmeister Lutz frowns. "Monsieur, despite my lack of expertice in these areas, I do not believe that was a bomb. That was expensive electomechanical equipment, military-grade. Its presence on this ship regrettably casts serious doubts on the truth of your civilian status..."
BOOM
"...as does its destruct charge..."

aboard Fürst Bismarck:

BOOM
Kapitan Freidrich whipped his head around "What was that?!"

"Looks like something was dropped off of Profitable, it exploded about three minutes later."

Freidrich considered that, combined with the signal he'd received a moment before from Oberleutnant Heinz. "That's no merchie. Anton turret, reload with HE. Secondaries, load AP, just in case. Remember everybody, DO NOT FIRE WITHOUT MY ORDER!"

"Signals! To Profitable:"

French naval auxiliary, do you require assistance?

"Wireless to Queen Emeraldas and Calmacil:"

Have intercepted French-flagged merchantman Profitable. Boarding party reports advanced equipment. Crew scuttled crate and explosion followed. Vessel believed to be French navy auxiliary and supply ship for canal raids. Request stand by for assistance.

Meanwhile: onboard the Queen Emeraldas...
(Which is not yet equipped with a wireless)

"They are getting closer Captain. though now they are directly south of out position."

"But at least we can see them now."

"What was that noise?"

"Noise, sir? I heard nothing."

"Lookouts report a small water column next to the French vessel."

"Was there a muzzle flash from the Bismarck?"

"No, sir."

"Something is not right, bring us around, I though I heard something explode and the lookouts say they saw something that made a column of water. So let's go in and "ask if they require assistance."

"All hands, this is your Captain speaking, alert stations!"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile some distance away, on Calmacil, Combat Cruiser of the Mark...

"Sir. It seems we next can find these loitering French vessels when out warships are on patrol, yet out freighters encounter them from time to time."

"Yes Lieutenant. I'm sure the Marshalls have a plan inspect one if we find them in out waters."

"Wouldn't it be better to just look for one and board it, sir."

"I don't imagine the French government would take to kindly to such an act from us."

"What if we could..." the officer was cut-off by an Ensign running onto the bridge.

"Captain! A signal from the Bismarck. They request a stand by for assistance."

"Assistance with what, Ensign."

"A French merchantman, sir," the Ensign handed the Captain the message.

Have intercepted French-flagged merchantman Profitable. Boarding party reports advanced equipment. Crew scuttled crate and explosion followed. Vessel believed to be French navy auxiliary and supply ship for canal raids. Request stand by for assistance.

"Did they send their position?"

"Yes sir."

"Good, signal the engine room to set for full speed"

"Helm, bring us on course, best speed."....
She's less than three hours away.[/color]

Capitaine , We see smoke, another vessel is coming towards us, rather fast.


Merde, Merde MERDE, it was a trap. This will cost us dearly. FOR FRANCE COMBAT STATIONS.Dump the ears.

Answer to Furst Bismarck. " No assistance needed. Sending your crew back. Profitable out."
Engine room, full steam as soon as possible. Get ready to make smoke, a lot of it.

First mate, get those krauts of ship now. I don't want to kill more people than nessesary. Warn them not to go back to First Bismarck untill we are gone, whatever way that is.
Torpilles, get the reloads in the shackles.

Gun crews, load up, get ready.

The ship erupts in a flurry of activity. More smoke is coming out of the smokestack. Crewmembers are dumping crates, sinking and exploding.
The passengers, still smelling of alcohol and other stuff are getting in combat dress, showing legionair outfits of the 5th Corps metropolitan. More men than expected erupt from hatches, the French battle flag is being raised.

The larger crates drop a sidewall, and are showing heavy machineguns and quick fire guns.
Cavalier, I think we have to say farewell. Mon capitaine did orde me to escort you of our fine vessel. But do not return to Fürst Bismarck before we are gone, in whatever way possible. I wish we could have met in other circumstances.

On the Queen Emeraldas...

"Sir, the French ship is letting off a lot of smoke and there are more splashes according to the lookout."

"Has the vessel accelerated towards us?"

"She's slowed, might be moving in reverse."

"I don't like this. Has the Bismarck done anything yet?"

"Nothing to report yet."

"Sir, do you think it might be time?"

"Get the crews ready and in position, and have the engines brought to full, we might have to run that ship down."

"I don't think the Marshalls will like this, Captain."

"I doubt they will. Signal both ships and inquire if they need assistance."

"Yes, sir."

"All ahead flank, tell the crews to stand ready. Perpare to raise the standards if shots are fired."

The Queen Emeraldas began to accelerate towards the two vessels....

Capitaine, The other vessel is accelerating. Direct intercept course, she looks like a warship.

That does it, Full speed ahead. Signal Fürst Birmack that they better let us go or have to feel the bite of a French warship.

Flags weave .Fürst Bismarck, due circumstance we have to leave. Please do not obstruct us. We have means to defend us.

Cavalier, it's time to leave, I feel the engine picking up revolutions. If the speed gets to high, we can't get you into your boat.

 
Lutz shakes the First Mate's hand surprisingly warmly. "We all have our missions, monsieur. Bonjour!" He scrambles into the boat and begins barking orders as it is cut off.

aboard Fürst Bismarck:

"Herr Kapitan, our boat is away. Profitable is beginning to move away - the Frenchies are telling us to let them go or else."

Kapitan zur See Manfred Freidrich scowled at the French vessel as its true colours are shown. "Bloody lying Frogs! No, we're going to keep them right here so they can answer to the Mark about their little games with the canals, I'm sure our Colombian friends would like to ask a few questions too.
Signals! To Profitable!"
Agents of France have been conducting illegal activity in Rohirrim territorial waters. Your vessel prime suspect. Heave to or we will be forced to take action under our authority as an agent of Theocro King of the Mark.

"Anton turret! Lead them by 500 yards and fire a warning shot!"
The twin 240mm mount rotates to point slightly ahead of Proftiable.

BOOM-BOOM[/color]

Meanwhile on the Queen Emeraldas...

"Captain, the French vessel seems to be accelerating towards us now."

"Sounds like the Brandenburgians have discovered their game."
Flashes are seen in the distance.

"Bismarck has openned fire."

"That does it. Haul up the colors, we are officially a man-o-war now."

'Five years at sea, never able to engage the Anahuac raiders, for a time the guns were removed even to allow the Mark to have a secure and trustworthy transport. But with recent events they put the guns back on...and now it is time to use them.'

"Ironic"

"Sir?"

"A Letter of Marque and Reprisal, to be used against a French vessel after all these years."

"Yes, sir."

"Drop the covers, the Queen Emeraldas shall make to interdict."

The ports and crane dropped as the main and secondary batteries came to life. No wonder she looked ugly to the press recently...her guns and covers had been installed.

"Signal the French vessel that they would be wise to not anger the Brandenburgians so much, for their anger will be less than that of the Rohirrim."

Torpilles, 43°, Unleash the fishes.
57mm guns, concentrate on the sighting hoods of the front turret, blind those assholes.

Machineguns, concentrate on the Bridge.

Men, shoot at anything that moves nearby any gun on that ship

Machineroom, Smoke , and we'll need any millicalorie we can get from the boilers.

capitaine, can we use the cheap cognac to light the last boiler?

YES Use whatever you want. SPEED WE NEED

2 bubblelines erupt from the bow of Profitable. The 57mm guns chuck/chuck/chuck their shells to the great ship, the 25mm machineguns spray the bridge of Fürst Bismarck. The gunshots from the 7mm Lebels rapport in the intermezzo's.

The multitude of barrels on the Fürst are turning to pound Profitable, but the first crucial seconds are already creating a hell on earth.

The 2 torpedo's run straight to Fürst Birmarck.

"Sir, the Rohirrim ship has broken out a battle flag."

"Raise our own. Any response from the French?"

"No sir - "

CLANG-CLANG-CLANG-WHAAANG!-CLANG-WHAANG-PING-CLANG-PING-WHAAAANG

The barrage of machine-gun fire killed every man on the bridge except the quartermaster, who had been protected by the compass binnacle. 57mm shells slammed into the fo'c'stle and Anton turret; the former was rapidly chewed up, the latter was protected by its armour, however a shell burst near the sighting hood, blinding the aimer.

Bruno turret, however, had no such distraction, and neither did the casemated 150s.

BOOM-BOOM

CRACK-CRACKCRACKCRACKCRACK!

Then came the lookout's cry: "Torpedoes! Torpedos incoming!"

With the range so short, it was difficult to miss. Profitable was fitted with two 16-inch torpedo tubes, one on each beam. While a torpedo of that calibre was certainly capable of hurting the old armoured cruiser, ordinarily there would be little danger of a single hit causing critical damage. However, every now and again, a torpedoman gets lucky. And Profitable's torpedomen were lucky this day.

CRUUMMMP

The torpedo struck Fürst Bismarck on his port side, roughly in line with the forwards stack, and on the base of the armoured belt. The warhead punched through the hull below the belt, slamming into a nearly empty coal bunker. The coal dust immediately flashed, bursting the inner bulkhead, which resulted in the forwards boiler room being immolated. Hot gas and splinters from the torpedo, the coal, and the ruptured boiler sprayed throughout the compartment and lanced through steel walls into the surrounding rooms.

Directly forwards of the boilerroom on the port side was the powder room for the forwards 150mm secondaries.

Which ignited.

A part of the blast was channeled outwards through the forwards casemates, instantly incinerating the gunners there. However a large part of the shockwave pushed forwards and aft through the ship. Aft it vented into the mangled boilerroom, where water was already pouring through the hole in the ship's side. This allowed it to disspiate enough that the amidships secondary magazines, although they became very hot, did not explode.

The blast that pushed forwards, however, aided by the 150mm shells that were now cooking off, encountered the lower aft portion of Anton barbette. Like most vessels, the barbettes tapered below the armour belt, thinning from a maximum of eight inches to only three. The superheated debris punched through the armour and into Anton turret's powder stores.

Outside, all this following the torpedo hit had taken place in less than five seconds; the water plume from the hit was still washing off of the cruiser's decks.

Now a second plume rose, just forwards of the bridge; one of towering fire and flame.
OOC:
I rolled three dice. Dice #1 was hit location; it came up a '4', which ment forwards-amidships. Dice #2 came up a '2'. This meant that a GT was possible. Dice #3 was the decider, and it rolled a '6'...

...Twinkees anyone??

Machine room Profitable. Blang, Blang, Khatud, shudder, dust darting around, boiler number 3 spouting flames trough the stockers hatch, men screaming.

The Chief engineer opens a firehose and starts spraying the men who got licked, in the mean while shouting the others to keep shoveling coal.

The Capitain on the bridge. A bright light promises ethernal rest.

57mm post 1, shrapnell flying, crystal shards of the fake cargo ripping men to little bits, blood gushes from the decks

57mm post 3 . A 150mm shell scoopes out the full instalation.

25mm nests. The infernal DKB gunners seem to seek them out.

Torpedo room the torpedo's swinging in the shackles. A crewmember smashed , brains leaking out a flattened head.

The first mate, mouth open in horror . Pieces of steel and human wizz around, hot fumes embrace him.
The bridge disappears in smoke.

The  auxilary controles under the poop deck, I must get there....  There....

[maddox]

Fürst Bismarck, Bruno turret:

"Two loaded!"

"FIRE!"

BOOM-BOOM

Leutnat von Eschel had felt the shuddering of the vessel and heard the muffled roaring, felt the pulse of heat. He knew that barring a miracle his ship was doomed. But he had his duty, and his orders.

"Reload! Schnell! Move it, move it!"

Meanwhile on the Queen Emeraldas...distance 3.5 nautical miles (~6,482 meters or 7,089 yards), speed 19 knots, course 190.

"Any responce from the French vessel?"

"No Captain."

"Gunnery crews sight in on the French ship. Main battery prepare a warning shot."

BOOOOOM!

"The French ship and Bismarck are openin...."

CRUUMMMP-BOOOM!!
CRUUMMMP-BOOOM!!

"By Galdalf's beard!"

Bismarck visably moved from the explosions, colums of water, smoke, and flame rose from the proud Germanic vessel.

"Tell the Mains to forget the warning shot, aim true, and open fire!"

The once hidden main turret opened fire on the French vessel. Secondaries were not yet within effective range, but the casemased main battery on the port side also opened fire on the French vessel.

57mm post 2,

Merde, we get pounded.  Change  target  second main turret of that blasted  Prussian kraut.

25mm machine gun , front position.

Get that spotter clocked out, and take that spotlight with him.

Sniper lookout thinking " Merde, merde, Merde , that one, he's trying to extinguesh the fire- squeeze" BLAM

Waterspouts rising, A faint BOOM from the second vessel wafts between the ruckus.

First mate muttering I need to reach the aux room, I need to reach the aux

The bow erupts in flames, the chain lockers opened, the winches destroyed, a series of rivets popped out. In the torpedo room the crew, sweating achives the impossible task of popping in another fish. The second still swinging wildely on it's shortened chains.
Water starts trickling in by rents in the seams.

Machine room; the first crates of cognac arrive and the crew, dazed by the noise start trowing these into the already burning fireplaces. The blue flames dancing between the yellow-red of the antracite. Steam pressure is raising.

A great waterspout of starboard bow pushes Profitable on another course, the unguided rudder waving in the cavitating wake.

Fürst Bismarck, Bruno turret

BOOM-BOOM

"Reload!"

The hatch was slammed open and a soot-covered petty officer leaned in. "Sir! Sir, orders from the engineering officer, he's the senior survivour! Cease fire, all men are to work on fire and flood boundaries sir!"

There was only the briefest pause. "You heard the man! Move out, everybody out!"

They piled out of the turret into a Dantean inferno. Most of the ship forwards of the funnels was ablaze.

WHAAANG! A 57mm shell richocheted off the face of the just-abandoned turret.

There was a whizzzz sound as a bullet rushed past. "Over here Sir! Try to keep behind things, they've got snipers!"

A few men clustered around one of the aftmost 37mm Hotchkiss guns, swung it upwards and raked the French merchant cruiser's upperworks. A 25mm reply blew them apart.

Meanwhile of the Queen Emeraldas...(7 minutes away at closing speed.)

"The Bismarck doesn't looks so good."

"We can't do anything for her until that French ship is dealt with."

The main guns fired.

"Secondaries will engage at 4,500 yards."

"Yes, sir."

"Should we board her?"

"Not until her guns are silent, and even then I'm wary of that idea."

The mains fired again.

"Torpedo room. Load port torpedo tube and stand by."

"You mean to sink her?"

"I mean to be prepared to sink her if I have to do so."

The first mate , dodging trough wreckage reaches the auxilary room.

2 speaktubes are already whistling.

Machineroom, First mate here, report.
Boiler 3 is still out, we can make 95 rpm at best. Steam pressure is almost in the red.
Keep it up, and try to get boiler 3 fired. We will need every knot we can make

Torpedo's, report
We are making water, we can't keep up with the pumps, we'll have to abandon the compartiment.
Do not abandon, we have another enemy incoming... Load the second tube. I'll send men over with pumps.

BOOM, another hit amidships shatters the last remains of the upper works. The mast ,as in slow motion rips trough the rigging.

Meanwhile on the Queen Emeraldas...(5 minutes away at closing speed)

The Main Batteries fired.

"Helm bring us to starboard 45 degrees once we are at 4,500 yards. I do not want to get much closer than that. We've already seen she had torpedoes, and I don't intend to receive one from France."

"Sir."

"Have the secondaries on the port side attempt to knock out any remaining gun they have that is firing. If they have nothing left that is firing, start to signal them to surrender."

"Sir."

"Main batteries will fire for effect. I want that ship to be dead in the water."

"Sir"

The Main Batteries fired again.

"Bring us to course 235, sir."

"Good. Bring us around them at distance no closer than 4,500 yards. By the time we come around their stern I want to be able to send over a boarding party."

"Sir."

"Secondaries. Open fire!"

The hammering of Profitable gets harder, now the unsurprised Rohirrim vessel gets more time to aim, and doesn't get any return fire. No gun emplacements are intact on Profitable..

A particular low 191 mm shot

The engine room erupts in flame, burning coal scatter trough the ruptured wall from , scalding steam from pipes boil the men alive in the path, the pristine, well oiled and powerfull engine starts making strange noises, steel on steel grinding, the low pressure piston trowing its rod around in the already cracked crankcase

Cast iron breaking up, the rankcase splitting, the rod still revolving around the still driven crankshaft. Pounding the bottom hullplates.

Water starts to enter the engine room. A badly burned man opens the steam vent with his last breath.

The destroyed steampipe going to the upper works vents into the ragged edged steel.

Engine room, Engine room, anyone!,  DAMN, that was it.

The last orders.  Set smokebombs, and try to get away unnoticed.
Set selfdestruct chargers set, I'll fire them when the time is ripe.
Abandon ship. For France.

Matelot, The DKB ship is immobile. We can get away in that quadrant. The Rohirrim AMC is holding distance.


Meanwhile on the Queen Emeraldas...(at 4,500 yards and circling around the Profitable).
The Main Batteries fire.

"She's not firing anymore, sir"

"Have the main batteries cease fire."

"Yes, sir."

"Keep us out of reasonable torpedo range as we go around."

"She's coming to a stop. I think the last shell hit their engine room."

"Good, once we are outside a reasonable fire arc of the torpedo tubes, bring us around to course 090."

"Sir."

"All guns cease fire and signal that ship to surrender and prepare to be boarded."

"Sir.

"If there is no responce from the French ship, fire a single main battery shot across her amidships, then signal again."

"Yes, sir."

"Signal the Bismarck. See what they need."

 
Thick black smoke billows from Profitable. The surviving crew is trowing floats overboard, and is lowering the last surviving boat under cover of this smoke.

Matelot Gerard is waiting untill the inevitable. The entering of the enemy of France. His hands trembling, but not making the contact that will blow up the once Glorious Profitable.


Meanwhile on the Queen Emeraldas...

"No response of any kind. She's smoking badly."

"I wonder how long until her powder magazine is hit by all the fires attached to that smoke."

The Queen Emeraldas pulled in behind the smoking vessel at a range of 3,000 yards.

"Shall I low the boat, sir?"

"Any sign of survivors?"

"The lookout though they saw people abandoning ship, but I can't see any sign of life on that ship through the smoke."

"Think there is anything worthwhile that can be salvaged from that burning wreck?"

"No, sir."

"Belay the boarding party. Bring us around to her starboard-aft side, 2,000 yards Get ready to lower boats for survivors and repair crews for the Bismarck."

"What about the Frenchman, sir."

"She should blow up on her own soon. If she doesn't...torpedo her."

"Sir?"

"She fought well, and she will die well. If you see survivors take them on board. Proof of the French ship's purpose will be with the Bismarck."

Aft, Fürst Bismarck:

The Chief Engineer paused for a breath, although the stifling heat and choking smoke made that difficult. The most immediate danger, the flooding, had been secured. He'd ordered the starboard secondary magazines flooded, and had had the casualties arranged aft on the starboard side. He'd managed to correct the list, even created a slight counter-list, the hole was now just below the waterline. The empty bunker was awash, but the shattered boilerroom was no longer in danger of flooding.

The fire was the biggest immediate problem now. They'd managed to keep it forwards of the front funnel, but everything forwards of that was still ablaze. Slow progess was being made forwards, but the deck was so hot it was impossible to do anything more than knock down the flames from a distance. He gave thanks that the aft boilers were still running, the crew stoking in shifts to barely stand the heat, so that they had water pressure.

The sound of the guns faded away; presumably the Rohirrim had sunk the froggy scum and would now be able to assist. He had no means of signaling; hopefully they'd see the obvious and start hosing down forwards. Afterwards he'd worry about warped and cracked keelplates...

His heart rose as the breeze shifted slightly, and revealed the Kreigsmarine battleflag, somebody had managed to hoist it just before things had gone pear-shaped, it was sooty and torn but still flew.

OOC A very convenient squall is helping the Fürst Bismarck defeating the fire forward. But also hiding the few surviving French legionairs and sailors in their escape.

Nobody will know that matelot Gerard opened the self destruct circuit himself, or that the blazing fires reached the flamable stores.

KABOOM

seconds pass, the cloud wafting away.

Boom Boom, Boomboom

Several underwater explosions mark their happening with waterspouts.

Profitable is no more.

Between the squall and the efforts of Queen Emeraldas, by the time Calmacil arrived two hours later Fürst Bismarck's fires were under control, although they were still smouldering belowdecks, and the horrible intermingled smells of molten metal and roasted flesh lingered throughout the area. For the next four hours after that the joint efforts of the three ships' crews managed to beat down the occasional flare-ups and determine that the Brandenburgian cruiser would, in fact, be capable of remaining afloat long enough to be towed into port in New Beleriand. The extent of structural damage from the magazine blast was difficult to determine due to the residual heat, however as long as undue strain was not placed on the forwards section it was determined to be acceptable. A towline was passed across from Calmacil to the stern of Fürst Bismarck, and at a speed of five knots the two vessels proceeded torwards Eglarest.

As they drew into the port, crowds gathered to watch the spectacle of the battered German heavy cruiser, towed by one of the Mark's mighty combat cruisers and followed by the slightly singed Queen Emeraldas, being brought to dock; rumours of a battle against piratical forces, perhaps even the dread Agrival, had spread like wildfire. As they approached, there was a flurry of signals between Fürst Bismarck and Calmacil, followed by a puff of smoke from the former's battered but intact after stack. A loud 'chunk' was heard as a German sailor swung a mighty axe at the tow-line, and a slight swirl of water from the cruiser's stern indicated that, no matter how bent and battered he might be, he was not broken, and would be completing this journey under his own power. Slowly and surely the blackened bow of Fürst Bismarck swung about and edged towards the wharves, crewmen waving away an approaching tugboat. With surprising grace the großer kreuzer maneuvered to the edge of a dock, and the lines were thrown across, securing him opposite the new Battlecruiser of the Mark Shadowfax, finishing his final voyage.

Survey Report of damage to Deutsches Kaiserreich Brandenburg großer kreuzer, Fürst Bismarck:

forwards:

Completely gutted by fire. All light-metal fixtures are melted; the structural steel shows signs of having been pushed to the brink of melting itself. Blast damage from the port forwards secondary magazine detonation is extensive and there is heavy damage from 57mm shellfire. Anton turret's roof belongs to Davy Jones; the turret and barbette interiors are completely gone. Belowdecks is the same. There's a nice hole just below the armour belt. The forwards boiler room is an utter ruin from blast, steam, and fire. And down at the very bottom of the ship, the keel itself is warped from heat and cracked nearly completely through from Anton magazine's blast.

midships:

Scorched forwards, slowly reducing as you go aft but the whole area has suffered from exposure to some serious heat. Heavy damage from 57mm and 25mm shells; virtually everything above-decks has been chewed up. Belowdecks, more fire/heat damage.

aft:

The paint is blistered, however this part of the ship escaped serious structural damage. Again, however, abovedecks is chewed up significantly; Bruno turret is dented in several places on the sides and shows at least a dozen marks on the front where the armour rejected 57mm shells. Belowdecks, it stinks of smoke and other things not best mentioned, and there is heavy soot damage

[maddox]

And now the real fun begins...

9 November 1903
Paris, France

The Brandenburgian Ambassador to France walked through the hallways torwards the Premier's office. In an oddity, he was not German. Many, many years ago, his people had lived in the Nipponese Islands, which were now the People's Republic of New Switzerland. The tales handed down from generation to generation told that the people had become wicked, and the gods had decided to punish them. The mighty volcanoes had roared, the land had been destroyed, many of the people had been killed. A few survived. Most of them had headed north-east and had founded what was now the Eastern Kingdom, the leading centre of Nipponese culture, the "New Japan". A few had headed south-west. They had long since been assimilated into China. But a small number had headed south-east, a few of their number remaining on the islands passed, but the leaders of the small flotilla of junks pressing onwards, seeking a place to start their lives afresh. They had found it in what would, in time, become known as the Bismarck Islands. The large, north-south island had been considered ideal, and they had settled in what became known as New Nippon. Their population always remained small, but they survived. In time the Normans came, and offered protection from the French, the Spaniards, and others who would seek to disturbe New Nippon's peaceful exsistance. The elders had agreed, but the Normans had not been wholly beneficient protectors. But the gods punished those who abused the privilidges dealt to them, and the Norman Empire had fallen. The Brandenburgers who had replaced them had suffered the same fate, but instead of the splintering of the Normans they had regrouped and stood firm. They had offered, not protection, but equality. The Nipponese would be given the same honours, the same oppertunities, as the Germans, the Normans, the Polynesians, and the other citizens of the Reich. How much of this was true altruisim and how much necessity, to secure the "home front" and establish a solid population base for the displaced Kaiserreich, was a subject for debate. However the Prussians had been true to their words. Many of the elite Sturntruppen were Nipponese, the spirit of the samurai not having been extinguished. And a few were in the diplomatic corps; he was one of them. In a way he was here as a poke in France's eye; that while the French preached "liberty, equality, fraternity" only Frenchmen could attain senior positions, while in the Reich, these were based on merit, not bloodlines.

All these thoughts were pushed aside as he arrived at the Premier's secretary's desk...

"Kanryu Takeda, Brandenburgian Ambassador to France, to see Premier Palpeté on urgent business."

Premier Palpaté's offices



Premier palpaté, The Deutsche Kaizerreigh Brandenburger ambassador Takeda seeks audience, and he stressed the urgency. The Emperors seal on his papers make it really import I dare to suggest.

Merde, already a new Brandenburgian envoy, and seeking a private audience. They know, the bastards. Profitable is gone, no evidence is found. According to Corporal Piere all crew members are accounted for. The survivors who reached our Battleship Iena all giver the same account.
Show Monsieur Takeda in, Desiré.

Good afternoon, Envoy Takeda, How can glorious France help you?[/i]

"Good day, Monsieur Premier. I hope you are well? I am here on behalf of my government to discuss the recent...incident, I believe you might call it, in the Caribbean Sea."

Also a good afternoon envoy Takeda,

I am aware that a Large Cruiser of the great Deutsche Kaizerreigh Brandenburg got a very bloody nose fighting an armed merchant posing as the good ship Profitable.

I assure you that France is seeking out the truth of this incident.

If Fürst Bismarck tangled with a pirate torpedo boat carrier, the real auxilary cruiser Profitable will return to Port Au prince in a few weeks, after her searchperiode for the evil Agrival and his bloody band of pirates and murderers.

I have to ordered a full recovery of the wreckage of the destroyed ship.
So, our embassies in the CSA , grand Colombia ,Rohan and the ACM will be warned to arrange the safekeeping of the wreckage site. Our fleet units in Port Au Prince will get the orders to steam to the spot of the incident. The Battleship Iena will be the core of this fleet.

I want to invite the DKB navy to join this mission, with as sole purpose to find out what happened. Especialy how a lightly armed pirate ship could almost sink a large warship. Again a demonstrations of Agrivals demonical cunning.

Takeda raises an eyebrow. "Regretfully we have no other vessels in the area, Fürst Bismarck was, as you know, on a goodwill cruise of the Caribbean when the regrettable incident occured. However we can detach some men from Bismarck's crew and we can attempt to obtain usage of the Rohirrim cruiser which brought their ship into harbour.

"I must also note that, while we have only the most basic information sent via telegraph, and many of the surviving officers were wounded and, of course, cannot provide full interviews, the information that we have does not entirely agree with what you have apparantly been told, Monsieur."

The ambassador opens his briefcase and withdraws a few sheets of paper. Closing the case, he offers the papers to the Premier.

Initial Inquiry Brief, loss of Großer Kreuzer Fürst Bismarck[/color]

Fürst Bismarck was ordered to conduct a Goodwill Cruise of the Caribbean Sea, including port visits in Dutch Suriname, Gran Colombia, Rohan, and the Confederate States of America, and to conduct anti-piracy patrols at the personal request to the Kaiser of Theocro King of Rohan. Special orders were given to investigate suspicious vessels loitering off Rohirrim and Colombian canal projects, with regard to history of sabotage of same and lack of same at French canal project.

(summary of intial cruise, nothing of note)

On 12 October, Fürst Bismarck reported encountering an armoured cruiser of the UKA type sold to China and Peru. Vessel was flying a Peruvian ensign and upon investigation appeared to be Peruvian crewed and legitimate. However the Peruvian crusier was last reported to be in Peru w/out engines. Inquiries to various naval departments in the region have produced absolutely no response.

(summary of initial Caribbean cruise, nothing to see here)

On 6 November, Fürst Bismarck encountered a French Merchant Vessel of what is described by Rittmeister Lutz, senior surviving officer interviewed, as a "modified L'Enterprise type", identifiying as "Profitable". Extent of modifications was not clear. Vessel was checked for papers and due to modifications search was conducted for missing compartments not on manifest. Despite apparant "Gentlemen's Party" charter search turned up nothing of incriminating interest until end when mysterious, fresh crates on deck were noted. Frenchmen seemed nervous when crates were approached; "drunken passengers" began troublemaking. Vessel swerved torwards Bismarck, claimed drunken passenger on bridge. Member of boarding party was hit and fell into crate. Crate fell open revealing apparatus of electromechanical vacuum tubes. Merchant vessel mate shouted orders and crate was shoved overboard. Mate claimed crate was Agrival bomb. Crate exploded few minutes after scuttling. Details lacking due to difficulties of description over telegraph but description by Lutz seemingly fits with Abwehr information regarding French Navy secret equipment known as "Ears". Mate than urged boarding party off, before leaving men wearing French military uniforms were observed exiting hatches. Men from Fürst Bismarck report additional crates on deck were opened revealing light and medium calibre guns. Further crates were scuttled and heard to explode. Vessel hoisted French naval flag and began to move off. Warning shot fired from Anton turret. Merchant vessel replied by raking Fürst Bismarck bridge with light calibre fire. Vessel launched torpedoes at Fürst Bismarck. Further details confused but appears medium calibre fire detonated secondary magazine as torpedo hit. Secondary magazine explosion detonated Anton turret magazine...

(Further sketchy details of fight not especially relevant)

Rohirrim cruiser sunk suspect vessel. Rohirrim believe vessel French Naval Disguised Cruiser; we find no reason or evidence to dispute this claim.

Monsieur Takeda, You suggest things that could very well could seen as an insult. You do not want to insult France. Nor does your Kaiser want you to do so.

I will discard the remarks about the Ears. So I won't make any remarks about radiowave eyes. In that respect we France, and the Kaiserreigh are even.

If Profitable is sunk by Fürst Bismarck, France will demand compensations. You do not sink friendly states auxilary cruisers. That could be seen as an act of war.
The same counts for the Rohirrim, who are , normaly, held in high esteem by France.
But I am sure Profitable will be in Port Au Prince on the set date, to be relieved by another vessel.

You mention sabotage at the canal projects, but not the Great Canal. We had our troubles, but after posting 2 corps Infantry  and 2 divisions of UNK marines those outside induced problems went away.
If the other canal projects devote the same kind of security, they wouldn't have problems too. Or maybe they could go the other way, and accept Agrivals protection insurance...
I know, it would be cheaper to give in on that criminals demands, but that would besmirch our honor. Maybe that others don't think that way.

(OOC information how this got in I can't remember)Now, there is one bit of information I would like to know more about. The Ex UKA County class armoured cruiser. Our sources of information in the rather secretive military dictatorship Peru indicate that the vessel was being scrapped. With als first actions removing the main gun emplacements, opening the deck and pulling the engines out.
If our sources are correct, Fürst Bismarck couldn't have met one of the 4 sisterships, as the 3 others are assuredly in the Middle Kingdom. There is 1 small possibility. If the Peruvians have exchanged the main guns and engines with their own in record time, and were doing long range tests in the wilder Atlantic. It is known that the Peruvians have copied UKA turbine tech. I would enjoy further conversation, but alas, I have a large country to lead. I hope you will keep me informed about the hunches the Deutsche Kaiserreigh Brandenburg gets about this incident. So we can clear the skies, and wipe any possible insults or mistakes that can lead to a war.

Desiré, Show envoy Takeda the exit please.
And I want minister Paixhans in my office, yesterday would have been better.

I anticipated this ,premier, and Minister Paixhans is under way.
(5 minutes later a couch stops and 1 hurried minister is admitted to the building)

Ah Paixhans, enter, take a seat, and a large cognac, you'll need it. Because France has yet another problem to be solved. You know Profitable?

Yes minister, it is one of the ships we have in the Caribean to keep a watch on the canal projects.

No longer dear Paixhans, no longer. I surpressed the news about her sinking by a combined action of DKB and Rohan. But she did give a large cruiser, named Fürst Bismarck a very bloody nose. So bloody she'll end up as scrap.
No, the big problems are in following order of importance;
Why didn't she sink the cruiser? The situation was favorable for her.
How can we avoid an international incident?
What are the options for the Canal "watch"?

Here are the reports from the surviving crew members. And the information we got from the DKB.

On the first question I can give you a honnest, painfull and expensive answer. I urged for the more extensive rebuild of the watch ships. Minister Dupré got your ear and you went for the cheap option. The only concession I could wrangle from you is the use of an movable ear installation, with as main selling point, the reuseablity on the other vessels.
My solution in this is simple, upgun and armor. Best is to build purpose build warships.

The second part of the first question is equaly easy to answer. If the Rohirrim ship wouldn't have been there Fürst Bismarck would have been sunk. Profitable did already way more better than anyone could hope for. A 6000 tons steam tramp kicking butt of a capital warship.

The international incident. I do not have any idea how to avoid the political fall out. You could ask Minister Capet for this.

The Canal watch, recall the ships, replace them with French warships, flying full colors. And send the interference teams over land. And now Premier, I want to go back to work.

Go then, but, on what are you working?

The new years eve party on Magnificent. We have to get her ready so her extra advantages aren't obvious.

After minister Paixhans leaves, the door of the large standing clock opens, and a slender ,wiry man steps out.

Premier, you are in great danger. That DKB envoy is dangerous. If he made another wrong movement, I would have killed him. I suggest you do not meet him in person anymore. Even better, write a very angry letter to the Emperor, to recall that assassin.

Doucement Agent Orange. You could better remind that Takeda that I also have my tricks and experience.
But yes, he's not an ambassador. He's a warning. And, I do like to know my enemies. Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.

Could be Premier, but I am charged with your safety.

I thank you for your concern. And step up the surveillance on certain individuals.

Desiré, can you come up and take the outlines of a letter to the Deutsche Kaiserreigh Emperor

November 11, 1903

The Kingdom of Rohan issues a formal complaint to the Republic of France over the Incident with the "Profitable". While the Beleriand Canal was not as often targeted as the Gran Columbian Canal, the suggestion that Legionnaires were involved in the plights of those within the "Western" Hemisphere outside French controlled land is not tolerable. While Rohan does not seek compensation for this incident, Rohan does suggest that vessels conduction similar operations to that of the "Profitable" near Rohirrim Waters will be subject to search or destruction by agents and warships of the Mark. While loitering and "partying" are not crimes, the suspected purpose of a covert armed French vessel near an area in competition with France that is under repeated attack is highly suspect. Removal of vessels conducting such actions would be advised, as would suggesting to civilian ship owners to not loiter near the canal zones without logging a form of intent with either the Kingdom of Rohan, or Government of Gran Columbia. This should reduce the chance for a similar incident from happening again in the future.

Meanwhile on the Queen Emeraldas...in port

November 9, 1903

The crews worked to patch up the holes caused by the few shells that managed to hit the Queen Emeraldas before the Frenchman went silent. Photographs were taken of the damage to the Emeraldas and the Bismarck. The black and white images told a grim story for the Bismarck. The vessel had been through Moria and back, but still floated. Local evaluation reports were showing that she should be written off as a total loss, taken out someplace and scuttled with honor. A few people suggested giving her a total reconstruction, but that would be extremely expensive, and still might not be practical.

"I assume our report has gone to the Brandenburgian embassy for transfere to France?"

"It has, Captain."

"Good, because the Bismarck's crew are the ones that saw everything. We just saw the ship, the colors it flew, and the damage it did."

"Do you think their were any survivors after she went up?"

"I don't know. That swall came up before the smoke cleared."

"The lookouts claim they saw boats in the mist heading away from us."

"But our boats didn't find anyone alive, just some bodies and debris."
(subject to change)
"We will ship what we have to wherever we need to ship it."

"Hmmm."

"Sir?"

"We did turn in our Letter to get money for our prize."

"We sank our prize."

"Yes, but bounties for hostile ships sunk is also on the contract."

"Well than I suppose the King owns us some money."

"Not a very good way to earn a profit. Let us only do that when it is requested of us."

"Yes, sir."

"I wonder what the King will do to compensate the Brandenburgians for their ship?"....

[maddox]

 December 1903

Telegrams to the respective French envoys in Brandenburg and Rohan.

Profitable returned 4 days overdue at Port Au Prince.

OOC, "Observers" in Port Au Prince do report the arrival of a merchant vessel, painted French naval colors, and equipped with 105 and 75 mm guns in hideable positions.

December 9, 1903

Rohan wonders about the probability of two "Profitables". One ship arrives late while the other sinks after fighting the good fight and crippling the Brandenburgian's largest cruiser. Reportedly the vessel that engaged the Brandenburgians flew a French national flag and battleflag. The Brandenburgians will have a better account of the ship's crew and passangers as Rohan would only have encounted the ship after combat was engaged. Debris that floated to the surface is still being looked over by Rohan. Papers, the flag in question, bodies, clothing, papers, and other debris. Rohan will investigate this incident while maintaining heavier patrols of the region in question. Rohan will also suggest that Gran Columbia do the same in order to keep local interests save from pirates, spys, and industrical sabators.


   
6 days after the sinking of Profitable battleship Iena and her escort is cruising over the international waters where she was sunk. After a forthnight, 2 workbarges arrive and diving bells are cast over the side. In search for the wreck.Mid december the wreck still isn't found.

Diplomatic dispatch to Gran Colombia.

Dear sir,

We regret to be forced to post a heavy fleet unit nearby your national waters. But you see the urgent reason to do so.  We all, of nations of good will, don't want to lose a piece of evidence that can lead to the capture of the arch criminal Agrival.

Minister Capet, in coorperation with Minister Paixhans.

[P3D]

Thanks to a visitor who was printing a part of the N2 archive...

Most probably a search engine bot.

[TexanCowboy]

How I found N3. I looked up "Dreadnought Cruisers" on the internet. The blog I linked to had a link to Sharpspring, which has a link to WW. While there, I saw a Tan post talking about Italia and his BB 1905. I clicked it, and I end up here.