Brandenburg ploy March 1901

[Borys]

swamphen     
Posted: Jan 20 2006, 11:13 PM


Großeadmiral Sumpfhühn
*

Group: Head of State
Posts: 1,298
Member No.: 23
Joined: 29-January 05



   
Of course, you only know about this OOC. Your IC avatars know no-tink! No-tink!!

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

sometime in late March

Ernst Pieklring was nervous. He had been ever since that monster battleship had emerged from the fog far, far too close to his little fishing craft. He'd been nervous ever since agreeing to sell the one, grainy photograph of the levithian to the local paper. That had been his mistake; he'd been contacted by the Admiralstab the very next day, told that he was "requested" to meet with them regarding the ship, and he'd been nervous ever since.

The fact that none other than Großeadmiral Baron von Letters himself was present at the debriefing certainly didn't help.

Kommodore von Hoban, who had been assigned as chief officer of the "Pieklring Mystery Ship Case", looked up from the notes he had been taking.

"Herr Pieklring, are you absolutely sure regarding this sketch? The turrets?"

"Ja, there were four turrets, and the second one was set so it could fire over the first." Pieklring had sketched an outline of the ghostly vessel, as his memory had recorded more detail than had his camera. "The third one looked similar but was well forwards of the aftmost turret."

"Hmm. Were there any identifying markings? Flags? Lights?"

"Ja, there was a flag. It was too foggy to be sure of its pattern, but it appeared to be a red sunburst."

The Baron, who had been silent until now, remained so, but his raised eyebrow spoke volumes.

"And the size," von Hoban continued, not showing if he had noticed anyting unusual, "are you sure? The fog -"

"Ja, ja! I know fog! This ship was huge! Twice the size of any warship I have seen before! And such a mast!"

"Indeed. Most impractical." And most ugly, too, thought von Hoban. "Well, Herr Pieklring, I believe that will be all. Please tell no-one of this meeting."

"But the newspaper - "

"Has published am altered photograph next to a sea-monster story. No proof, either true or false." He paused. "Dismissed."

Piekelring looked prepared to argue - did the Kreigsmarine think it could paint him as a drunken liar? - but he felt the Baron's gaze upon him, and instead he scampered from the room like a mouse upon spotting the farmer's wife.

The Baron stirred. "I tend to believe him. He is not the sort to make up such a story for personal profit."

von Hoban nodded. "But who could create such a ship? Only the French - "

"Not French. Not ugly enough." That drew a chuckle. "Aside from that ghastly pagoda, of course. But the flag?" asked the Baron. "Red? Sunburst on white?"

"The Eastern Kingdom?"

"Not likely. That mast looks like something Oriental, true, and the flag - assuming Herr Pieklring saw the colours wrong in the fog - could match, but they don't have the ability to build such an advanced vessel. Too big, too expensive."

There was a long pause, as the two men studied the image, like a map to hidden treasure. "There's been studies," von Hoban finally said, "about such arrangements. The Rohirrim are reportedly considering such a layout. But to think that someone's actually gone and built one..."

"Heads will roll in the Abwehr, I'm sure," the Baron agreed. "And we must begin to seriously reconsider our future building plans. Such a powerful vessel on the loose...and if there's more..." He paused, then pulled out a cigar. "But of course, if we can keep this as a sea story and nothing more, we - along with Rohan, of course - can possibly get a jump on everyone else." He lit the cigar with a flourish. "All the main guns the same size, twice the forwards firepower, and if we can combine it with high speed..."

von Hoban nodded as he selected a cigar for himself. "Germania will rule the wave."

"Oh, I'm sure the New Swiss will love to get their grubby paws on anything we come up with." The Baron chuckled again. "Make sure this gets to the Wissenstab at once, and that Dipl-Ing von Zinobop knows to keep everyone's mouths shut..."
   
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Desertfox    
Posted: Jan 22 2006, 04:34 PM


Commander Johann Wyss
*

Group: Head of State
Posts: 1,101
Member No.: 41
Joined: 5-March 05



   
QUOTE
Of course, you only know about this OOC. Your IC avatars know no-tink! No-tink!!
Hey! No fair!

Very interesting. Now how could I get my hands on a Kongo? Hmm...


QUOTE
"Oh, I'm sure the New Swiss will love to get their grubby paws on anything we come up with." The Baron chuckled again. "Make sure this gets to the Wissenstab at once, and that Dipl-Ing von Zinobop knows to keep everyone's mouths shut..."
*rubs hands* I see the SSS will be quite busy.