Fall Orange Palme

[Borys]

 I.

13 September 1903
aboard SMS Paderborn-Delbrück, at dawn, transiting Indispensable Strait, course 285, speed 10 knots

"Beautiful sight, isn't it, Herr Kapitan?"

Kapitan zur See Kurt Franz nodded at the lookout in agreement. His ship, the (virtually) brand-new Paderborn-Delbrück, was leading the two Kaiser Freidrich III-class battleships of First Battle Group - the class vessel and Kaiser Wilhelm der Große - through Indispensable Strait, approaching Honiara, the capital of the Spanish-held territory. Following the battlewagons were two kleiner kreuzers, Gazelle and Nymphe, with four of the GTB-1898 type torpedobooten flanking the line.

A few hours before he had met with his fellow battleship captains, von Müller and Wallman, to review their orders. He had understood that his ship, returning from its delivery at Easter Island from the Rohirrm who had captured it from the Anahuac in their war a few years back, and then reconstructed it to the specifications of the Deutsches Kaiserreich Brandenburg, was to act as the key in a "special operation" against the Spanish - pardon, People's Empire of Sovereign Nations - government that was holding the islands.

The Reich had missed a golden oppertunity to seize the islands earlier during the Spanish Civil War, having been fully occupied "cleaning house" internally, the von Bülow scandal having come at a most unoppertune moment. Now the war was over, but the monarcho-communists in Madrid were still virtually ignoring their Pacific colonies, leaving them low-hanging fruit for those who wanted to seize them. A few months prior, the Abwehr had contacted the governor, a Señor Lorca, and propsed that he change his allegiance to Brandenburg - in exchange for a Germanic noble title, among other things - and, an agent had reported, he had been willing to accept. Unfortunatly, one of his aides observed Lorca preparing the reply and intercepted it before it could be sent. Not long afterwards Juan Marcos was declared the govenor of the Spanish Solomon Islands, with his predecessor having suffered a sudden crainal hemorrhage.

It had taken a few months to set up the reply, but the DKB had decided to make the case that the new governor had "murdered a Brandenburgian citizen in cold blood", and Franz's task force was to be the instrument by which its displeasure was to be felt. Their orders were to steam into Honaria's port and send a messenger ashore with an ultimatum, demanding the surrender of the Spanish Solomon Islands to the Second German Reich.

If it was accepted, a new governor would be installed and the Reich would have gained a few thousand new citizens. If not...well, there were contingencies for that, ranging from a simple brute-force attack by the ships' complements of Sturmtruppen to a rather elaborate bluff...
   
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swamphen    
Posted: Oct 29 2006, 02:15 PM


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II.

13 September 1903
aboard SMS Paderborn-Delbrück, entering harbour, Honaria, Guadalcanal, Spanish Solomon Islands

"Four ships in harbour, Kapitan."

"Identify!"

The prospect of naval resistance had been considered remote. Spain had always considered its Pacific colonies as the low men on the totem pole when it came to aquatic defense, the PESN even more so. There were expected to be a few old, old gunboats, but little more.

"Two old gunboats, Herr Kapitan, looks like one might have some steam up." The lookout, a grizzled old petty officer, squinted through the field glasses. "Gut Himmel, that's a Tigre-class cruiser! I thought they were all razor blades!"

"Threat assessment?"

"Should be neligible, Herr Kapitan." Nevertheless he studied it carefully, it wouldn't pay to make a mistake now. "Sir, my guess is he's been abandoned. Lots of growth on the anchor chain, he's probably aground too if I miss my guess." Swinging the glasses further, a frown crossed the petty officer's face. "New Swiss destroyer. Fritz class."

Kapitan Franz frowned. The Swiss, despite their recent..."territorial troubles" were just as belligerant as always. Supposedly they'd agreed that the islands they'd seized in the recent war, the northern Spanish Solomons, were to be theirs and they wouldn't bother Brandenburg if it wanted to bite off the rest. But would this capitan have gotten the message? "Keep an eye on him."

"Jawohl, Herr Kapitan. No other military vessels present."

A signalman spoke up. "Herr Kapitan, we're being hailed by the," he coughed slightly, "harbour fort". 'Fort' was a far too glorious name for the collection of brick buildings; Kapitan Franz thought the Heer's Fort Zinderneuf of Ost Afrikan tent fame would prove sturdier.

"Send a reply that we will be sending a boat ashore with an importnat message for Governor Marcos. And keep an eye on that bloody Swissman!"
   
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swamphen    
Posted: Oct 29 2006, 08:42 PM


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III.

13 September 1903
Honaria, Guadalcanal, Spanish Solomon Islands

Korvettenkapitan Kurt Steintz watched the small, blustering Spaniard who had been sent to meet them at the harbour. In a small whaleboat under a white flag, they'd sailed in from Paderborn-Delbrück to deliver a message to Governor Marcos. However this man (probably on orders from the Governor, Steintz mused) was ranting and raving about the 'gross violation of Spanish territory' and hadn't yet let them get a word in edgewise...

Finally Steintz cleared his throat and interrupted the man. "Señor," he said in impeccable Spanish - one reason he'd been picked for this mission - "you should be thankful that Lieutenant Bornholdt here," he nodded torwards one of his three "escorts", "doesn't understand your language. He tends to be a bit...touchy with regards to insults of his ancestry."

The officer in question was, as per the planned 'act', ostentatiously resting his hand on the butt of his Luger. The Spaniard considered this for a moment, then spoke in a much calmer tone. "What is your business here, German?"

"We have a very important message for Governor Marcos, directly from the Kaiser himself."

"I'm afraid Governor Marcos is a busy man, señor, so if you could give this message to me - "

"No, I'm afraid he needs to see this immediately." Steintz theatrically sighed. "It is of the utmost importance that we personally deliver it personally, right now.

The Spaniard's eyes narrowed. "Señor, I would suggest that you accompany me..."

Sighing again, Steintz turned to Bornholdt. "Lieutnant, what was the time limit we gave Kapitan Franz?"

"Two hours, Herr Kapitan."

"And how long has it been?"

"Fourty-five minutes, Herr Kapitan." Bornholdt was eyeing their "host" as if he was a particulary interesting specimen of dust mite.

"Tsk tsk," Steintz turned back to the now-squriming socalist. "I don't think we want to be around here an hour and fifteen minutes from now, Lieutnant."

"Ja, Herr Kapitan."

The Spanish emissary interrupted. "And what's so important that happens then that has you so concerned, eh?"

Steintz leaned forwards and whispered in the man's ear. His eyes went wide, then in a much subdued and shaky voice, he turned away. "Follow me. I will take you to the governor now."

Smiling, Steintz motioned for his men to follow him. Sometimes, he thought, that pig Agrival's pronouncements could actually be of some use...
   
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swamphen    
Posted: Oct 29 2006, 08:43 PM


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IV.

13 September 1903
Govenor's Mansion, Honaria, Guadalcanal, Spanish Solomon Islands

"Governor Marcos, I presume?"

"Si, and you must be the Kapitan Steintz that has the garrison in a uproar." Juan Marcos, hard-line Communist and Governor-by-murder of the Spanish Solomon Islands, smiled. "Please sit, would you like a drink? Schnapps perhaps?"

Korvettenkapitan Kurt Steintz did not sit, and neither did his escorts. "No, Herr Marcos. I am here to deliver a personal message to you from His Highness, Kaiser Wilhelm the Second, by the Grace of God German Emp -"

"Emperor, king, etc., blah blah blah" Marcos interrupted. "All you royalists are alike. Loving your titles, your noble words..."

"Are you not loyal to King Juan?"

"Out here?" Marcos sneered. "Here the true Socialist Revolution can begin! Yes! It will start here, in this very office. For now, I say, Juan is King, God save the King!" Marcos spit into a wastebasket. "But soon, soon my friends, we will see the Revolution, the true People's Revolution! And - "

"And you will be the first against the wall when it comes," Steintz cut the Govenor off. "Because the revolution does indeed start here and now. The 'revolution' that will see you dragged back to Brandenburg in chains for trial for the murder of a German citizen."

Marcos seemed genuinely taken aback. "What? There have been no - "

"When he agreed to our proposal, Governor Lorca became a citizen of the Reich - a Markgraf no less. The Kaiser does not take the murder of his noble subjects lightly."

"What? I stopped - "

"The Abwehr has eyes everywhere, Herr Marcos." Steintz smiled. He produced a small bundle of papers and dropped them on the Governor's desk. "I would suggest you sign those promptly. You don't want to wait another, oh, twenty minutes or so."

Marcos eyed the papers as if they were a coiled cobra. "And what, exactly, would I be signing?"

"Aside from your own arrest warrant that is? Well that's the second thing in there, the first is your changing allegiance."

"WHAT?"

"You will sign a statement renouncing all ties between the People's Empire of Sovereign Nations - " Steintz made it sound like a dirty word " - and the Solomon Islands. This statement further recognises the Solomon Islands as being under the sole and supreme soverignity of the Deutsches Kaiserreich Brandenburg, and that they swear complete and total loyalty to Kaiser Wilhelm II."

"And what if I refuse, hmm?" Marcos smiled. "Your precious Kaiser can't help you here."

Stenitz gave a feral grin. "In fifteen minutes, if we have not checked in with a positive report, His Germanic Majesty's Ship Paderborn-Delbrück will begin a bombardment of the harbour, *ahem* fortifications. Using a little something, ah, 'borrowed' from the French."

The colour drained from Marcos' face. "You wouldn't."

"Would we?"

"No! You are bluffing!" Marcos slammed his fist on his desk in anger. "I will not hand over the jewels of the Pacific to monarchistic swine such as you!" He began opening a drawer. "In fact I - "

BLAM

Two aides rushed into the room as the corpse of Juan Marcos dropped to the floor. Steintz turned to Bornholdt. "Now was that really necessary, Lieutnant?"

"He was going for a pistol, Herr Kapitan," Bornholdt waved his smoking Luger torwards the ashen-faced aides. "I could not allow any threats to your person."

"Good thinking, Lieutnant," Steintz smiled. "Now then," he turned back torwards the Spaniards. "Who is in charge here with this schwinehund dead?"

"Er - " One of the aides, wearing a naval uniform, stammered. "I - I think that would be me, Señor, ah, Herr Kapitan."

"And you would be?"

"Ah, Teniente Inigo Montoya, sir."

"Well, Teniente, I think this makes you the Acting Military Governor of the Spanish Solomon Islands, yes?"

"Yes sir."

Steintz, relieved that he hadn't had to deal with his 'greengas' bluff being called, flipped open the papers, pointed torwards the base of one page and pulled out a pen. "Sign here, please."
   
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Ithekro    
Posted: Oct 29 2006, 09:36 PM


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(Snerk! Acting Military Governor Inigo Montoya. Got to be one of the best names in the world.)

   
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Maddox    
Posted: Oct 29 2006, 10:18 PM


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Cleaned up a bit
   
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swamphen    
Posted: Oct 29 2006, 11:08 PM


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V.

13 September 1903
aboard SMS Paderborn-Delbrück, at anchor, Honaria, Guadalcanal, Spanish - no, Deutsch Solomon Islands

Kapitan zur See Karl Franz nodded as the green flare rose above the harbourfront. On the battleships and kleiner kreuzers, Sturmtruppen sergeants barked orders to their men, scrambling down into whaleboats to head ahore and establish proper Germanic law and order.

He turned as his executive officer, Fregattenkapitan Heinrich Rosenburg, stepped onto the bridge with an odd look on his face. "Herr Kapitan. The plumbing in this ship is certainly noisy, isn't it?"

"And rather opinionated, it would seem." Franz insisted that the 'voices in the head' were gas bubbles trapped in the pipes; a few of the low-ranking crew members, however, were insisting that the rumours that the ship was haunted were true. Something for the yard to look at when they arrived in Rabaul... "It appears that our demands have been agreed to."

"Any news on the Swissman?"

"It appears he has been raising steam over the past hour, but..." Franz trailed off and frowned as he saw a small group of men running along the docks towards the New Swiss destroyer tied up there. "Hmmm. What are they up to now?" They headed out onto the bridge wing where the lookout had the "big eyes" trained on the vessel of interest. "Herr Kapitan, it appears the Swissman is casting off."

"That would figure. Signals! To First Torpedo, upanchor and prepare for action." The Brandenburgian warships had moored in the deep part of the harbour. The battleships were in line, "P.D." in front and the two Kaiser Freidrich III-class ships behind. The kleiner kreuzers had anchored between the battleships and the port - and the Fritz-class destroyer - while the GTBs had tied up outside. "Wonder what took him so long?"

"Probably had to roust their kapitan from the clutches of the locals." That drew a chuckle. "He's turning away from the dock, Herr Kapitan. Wait, a signal lamp." The lookout frowned. 'To German Battleships. State your intentions' - ?"

"Bloody imperious Swiss." Franz shook his head. "Signals! To the Swissman. 'Please state your intentions in Deutsch Solomon Islands waters'." He chuckled. "That should get his attention."

There was a pause as the signal lamp flashed. "No reply, Herr Kapitan..."

"Signals to First Battle and Third Scouting. 'Upanchor immediately. Prepare for action'. To First Torpedo. 'Intercept Swiss vessel'. To the Swissman. 'State your intentions now'."

More flashes as the anchor chains began to clank. Franz found himself wishing that "Petey"'s secondary armament had been mounted; to 'save logistical problems' the 180mm and 150mm guns were to be mounted in Rabaul...

The Swiss destroyer was abeam them now, heading out of the harbour. Then it began to turn, to aim behind them... "He's acting suspisciously, isn't he, Number One?"

"Ja, Herr Kapitan."

"Suspisciously enough. Have Bruno turret load HE and track him. Signals. To the Swissman. 'Heave to and prepare to be boarded'!"

"Do we have that authority?"

"I say we do, and as commander of this force that's all I need. What's he doing now?"

The destroyer had turned again, away from the approaching GTBs - and directly torwards the battleships...
   

[Borys]

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swamphen    
Posted: Oct 29 2006, 11:10 PM


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VI.

13 September 1903
aboard SMS Paderborn-Delbrück, course ?, speed somewhere south of 1 knot, Honaria, Guadalcanal, Deutsch Solomon Islands

"He's launching torpedoes! Torpedes in the water!"

Franz swore. Trapped in the harbour between the crazy Swissman and the shore... "Open fire!"

Bruno turret spoke promptly, its 13-inch shells landing well past the attacking destroyer. There was a clatter as the Hotchkiss guns opened up in a desperate attempt to prematurly detonate the approaching 'tin fish'; they were promptly drowned out as the other battleships began firing their 240mm and 150mm guns and the Gazelle-class kreuzers added their 105mm guns to the barrage.

As shells began to turn the sea white around the now-attempting-to-escape New Swiss vessel, there was a blast as one of the torpedoes detonated, either hit by a 1-pounder Hotchkiss shell or striking the bottom. Three more tracks approached the battleline; Kapitan zur See Karl Franz would have sworn that they were all pointing directly at him. The first passed astern of Paderborn-Delbrück, heading torwards a muddy spot in the shoreline...

CLAAANG!

A small column of water rose astern as a torpedo struck home - but failed to detonate, its compressed-air flask rupturing. The fourth torpedo of the spread passed underneath the battleship; a moment later there was a thundering detonation as a waterspout lifted alongside Nymphe's bow. As it fell, the stricken cruiser began to turn torwards shore, her captian obviously intending to beach her.

Meanwhile the Swiss destroyer found itself in deep trouble as the enraged German gunners let fly with all they had. What they might have lacked in practice they more than made up for in enthuisiam; several flashes could be seen as shells struck home, and a large plume of blck smoke erupted from somewhere aft on the offending vessel. Finally, its speed falling off dramatically, it turned and beached itself near the harbour exit.
   
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Ithekro    
Posted: Oct 29 2006, 11:25 PM


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(Sure, take over the locals, then keep them awake with your racket. What's a Spaniard to do to get some sleep out in the Pacific with all these revolutions, and invasions, and counter-invasions....we need score cards just to see who we should be rooting for each passing hour. Oy!)
   
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Borys    
Posted: Oct 29 2006, 11:25 PM


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Ahoj!
1 - the Swiss kommandant IS crazy;
2 - torpedo passed beneath battleship, yet detonated against cruiser?

ADDED LATER
3 - the Swiss kommandant IS stupid - he commited an Act of War which might put his country at war;

Borys

This post has been edited by Borys on Oct 29 2006, 11:37 PM
   
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Ithekro    
Posted: Oct 30 2006, 12:28 AM


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(I'd say that is wasn't the fourth torpedo going under P.D. the hit the cruiser, but other torpedo entirely. And Swiss officers have never exactly be level headed thinkers. This is shown in the last war and the lead up to that war.)
   
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Maddox    
Posted: Oct 30 2006, 07:33 AM


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QUOTE (Borys @ Oct 29 2006, 11:25 PM)

A torpedo passed beneath battleship, yet detonated against cruiser?


That is not strange. In early WW II US torpedo's had severe flaws. Like a magnetic detonator failing to work, a gyroscope that could get out of alignment, a depthkeeper wavering wildly and to top it off, a mechanical detonator to heavy and pliable to work properly.
In effect, several cases are reported that torpedo's missed loaded Japanese tankers by diving below them, to resurface behind them.

Also, "Petey" is a battleship without secundaries, a partial crew, less load and after a long trip, into shallow waters. So if this ships is unbalasted and very lightly loaded, it is perfectly possible to draw less draught than a heavely loaded cruiser.
   
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Borys    
Posted: Oct 30 2006, 07:37 AM


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OK
   
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swamphen    
Posted: Oct 30 2006, 08:31 AM


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QUOTE (Borys @ Oct 29 2006, 11:25 PM)
1 - the Swiss kommandant IS crazy;

Drunk, actually...
(Epilogue in the works...)
   
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swamphen    
Posted: Oct 30 2006, 09:37 AM


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Epilogue.

26 September 1903
aboard SMS Paderborn-Delbrück, at anchor, Honaria, Guadalcanal, Spanish - no, Deutsch Solomon Islands

Kapitan zur See Kurt Franz sighed as they headed torwards the officers' lavatories. The past two weeks had been busy. The 'attack' by the New Swiss destroyer had sparked off a diplomatic row; from the questioning of survivors, it appeared that its captain had come aboard drunk as a skunk, and having lost a hand during the Swiss-Chinese War, had somehow decided that the German ships actually belonged to "those yellow devils". Any further speculation on the matter was, perhaps unfortunatly, rendered moot by the fact that the finis of the battle had been one of P.D.'s 13-inch shells bursting in the destroyer's bridge...

There had been some talk about perhaps salvaging the vessel, however Davy Jones had intervened. The ships' position on the beach had not been a stable one, and the tides quickly worked it loose, then drifting out to sea while slowly developing more and more of a list. The torpedoboot S92 had been ordered to deliver the coup de grace, two German torpedoes sending the one-time Swiss vessel to become a fish hotel.

Nymphe had been successfully beached in the harbour; fortunatly the tides were such that at low and mid-tide workers were able to improvise a temporary patch that would allow the kreuzer to limp back to Rabaul for proper repairs. Kronprinz Wilhelm had issued a demand that the Swiss foot the bill; only time would tell if they actually paid up.

Meanwhile the 'occupation' of the Solomon Islands had been virtually painless. There had been a few minor incidents, but quick action by the Sturmtruppen had resulted in them all being resolved satisfactorily. A considerable stash of gold and silver bullion had been discovered in the Governor's Mansion and was to be sent back to the Reich; interestingly, nearly a quarter of the hoard wasn't Spanish, but New Swiss-minted...

A few days ago a liner had arrived from Neue Brandenburg carrying the territory's new governor. Heinrich Schnee had done a remarkable job in developing Königsland into a province, and he was now expected to work his magic again. The vessel would take Nymphe's wounded back to Neue Preussen along with a few Communist prisioners and the New Swiss crewmembers (who would be repatriated as soon as their government arranged for transport). Of the Spanish garrison on the islands, the majority had reqested to stay and had been granted Brandenburgian citizenship; Teniente Montoya had been commisioned as a Kreigsmarine Lieutnant and would act as Schnee's "local advisor". About 70 or so of the personnel had remained loyal to King Juan, however, and the Austrian government had offered transport, in the form of the kreuzer Kronstadt, to the Spanish Phillipines, an offer which had been taken up.

Which brought him to this little problem. He'd insisted there was no reason to do anything, that the 'plumbing problem' would be sorted out in the Rabaul docks. But his XO had insisted that if nothing else it would be good for morale; there had been a rising tide of discontent about the loud 'voice' coming from the heads and doing something, anything, about it was rapidly becoming an absolute necessity. The Austrian commander, Fregattenkapitan Baumundziege, had gotten wind of the issue, and had offered the services of his ship's 'clerical department'.

So Kapitan Franz watched as the little 'Austrian Circus' played out. Five crewmemembers from Kronstadt, who were devout Muslims, were on their prayer rugs on the deck directly above the heads, facing Mecca, chanting loudly. The two Maori who seemed to shadow Father Domeyko constantly were present in the room, the elder watching from the side with what could only be an amused look on his face, the other, the one who'd converted, following the priest around like a puppy, now vigoursly waving incense as the cleric began to chant in Latin.

The chant got louder and louder, then paused. Father Domeyko then spoke in a authoritative voice; "Shades of the grave, I banish thee by the power vested in me by the Holy Church! Claim this place no more! Leave the plumbing of this ship forever! Even so, I say onto thee..."

--

A deck below, a toothy grin spread, and a valve turned.

--

"...GET OUT!"

*glug**gurgle**GLUG**PTOOIE!*

A massive slug of "grey water" leapt out of the toilet bowl, landing squarly in Father Domeyko's face. His 'aide' leapt back with a cry, while the other Maori flung his war-axe at the offending commode, shattering it.

Fregattenkapitan Rosenburg leaned torwards Franz, whispering. "I've never seen a toilet spit that far before."

Father Domeyko looked down at the gray-green sluge running down his robes. "Please tell me this is just soul-dissolving ectoplasm..."

--

A deck below, a toothy grin remained as its owner listened to the uproar above. He decided he'd let them think they'd cast out the "voice in the pipes". After all, they'd be arriving in the enemy's country soon, very soon, and then he'd show them what an Anahuac master of the dark could do.

He rubbed the amulet on the chain around his neck and bowed his head. "O great Tzar-on...

[Borys]

Desertfox II     
Posted: Oct 30 2006, 09:51 AM


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The Swiss might be known for doing crazy things but attacking the entire KM isnt one of them. For that matter in none of the three wars NS has been in has NS been the aggressor. And a Swiss destroyer in Spanish waters? When Spain and NS are still officialy at war (with a cease fire). I think someone is trying to set NS up. It wont be the first time it has happened.
   
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swamphen    
Posted: Oct 30 2006, 09:54 AM


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(It was a P.D.R. of N.S. vessel with a drunken sailor at the conn...insisting those were the heathen Chinese out there in the harbour, "kill them, kill them all!" See the Brandenburg Gazette for "the rest of the story". wink.gif