The Atlantropa Articles

by Cody Franklin

  “So what are you people then if you are not Jews?”

  “We are Alearab,” he says. “Our…people line the…great basin…what used…to be…the sea…the sea your…people took away…”

  “Now wait a second,” Ulric cuts in, “we took away the sea for the good of the world. For peace.”

  “Peace?” Haroun questions, “my people…tell how…when the sea disappeared…chaos reigned…children starved…entire communities vanished…wars erupted…perhaps it was peace for you…but it destroyed us…”

  “Your region has always been at war,” Ulric says, “don’t blame that on us.”

  The old man laughs once more.

  “All regions have been…at war…that is what…man does…but…when the sea went away…it was not…just war…it was genocide against…my people…genocide and anarchy for all people…over any water that was left…but in the end…it did not matter…as we were left to the sand…now we barely survive…you ask why they raid your towers…it is because war is all they know.…”

  “Was raping and killing our people all your people know too?” I mutter, my frustration growing.

  Haroun looks at me and his head sinks into his lap.

  “Barbarity is…what the caliphate has brought us…what they do to…your people…they do to ours all the time…your dams brought the caliphate…that…symbol…” Haroun points to the swastika on Ulric, “has brought the caliphate on us…you destroyed…our way of life…thousands of years ago. Just…as our soul died…you…killed…your own soul…you abandoned the son of Allah…abandoned the soul of Europe…gave into…immorality…and arrogance…in the end…all of us…wither like the sea…now both our people…rot in the desert.”

  “What bullshit. The desert is the best thing to happen to me. The dams saved Europe. Why are we still listening to this shit?”

  “The dams saved Europe,” Ulric says. “Our people fought a horrendous war over resources and power. Adolf Hitler, the Eternal Führer, constructed the Atlantropan dams to bring an era of peace. All united under the Reich soon after, that was the real soul of Europe. There hasn’t been fighting between our people since. The desert was a side effect, but it wasn’t like we could just destroy what brought us all together. The dams create energy for all Europeans. They keep the peace.”

  “Dams destroy…both souls…you both are product of desert…product of the evil that has…corrupted…your people…corrupted my people…the raids are because of those vile dams…you are a result of those dams.”

  I take out my knife but before I can reach for the calm man, a voice blares in my headset.

  “Captain you are needed urgently on the Bridge.”

  Ulric and I look at each other. I quickly get up and begin sprinting toward the deck. Once there, as I put my helmet back on and peer over the side, I take in the full view of something else. It’s another ship.

  Reinforcements

  It couldn’t be. We were all looking out of the window, silent.

  “What the hell is that?” Witzel asks. Nobody responds. We all knew perfectly well what it was. It was another ship, and one so close to the other one. Why were they so close to each other?

  “It’s a damn hunter pack,” I conclude. “They’re scouting out this area for easy pickings.”

  “Fuck,” Volker responds, running his hands through his hair.

  I go to the radio again for confirmation, just to make sure that this isn’t one of our ships. “Howling Dark to Eagle Nest #13, do you have any friendly vessels in the area?” I ask into the radio. Flames from the downed smaller enemy ship flicker in the distance. The familiar crackling of radio silence follows as the female voice once again confirms, “No Howling Dark you are the only vessel in the area.”

  Of course. I hang up communications with the Eagle Nest and switch to our deck down below.

  “Status on the fire,” I ask.

  “Doesn’t seem to be much damage sir,” a voice responds, “we doused the fire and it looks like it just needs some patchwork. No major hull damage.”

  I hang up.

  “Alright,” I announce to the Bridge crew, “I say, since we’ve probably already been spotted, we should start the festivities off first.”

  Everyone nods in agreement, even a shaken Ulric, and Volker turns the ship. Once again it careens, this time into the center of the dissipating storm, right toward our new arrival.

  “Focus our main guns onto them, and fire when we are in range,” I order. As the orange fog evaporates to reveal the clear blue sky of the Kiln, the Scavenger vessel becomes fully revealed. It is perhaps a kilometer or so away, yet the striking golden chassis of its hull is in full view. It glimmers like a gold coin left on a clean sidewalk in Germania. Stealth was never really the Scavengers’ tactic, which is why this ambush was so unexpected. Guess that was why they relied on using the dust storm for cover.

  As we come closer, the ship begins to shine brighter as the sun reflects off its turning body. They have noticed we are careening for them. Looks like we’re in for a match.

  “We’re in range, sir,” Witzel confirms, and I nod my head.

  “Open fire with the main cannons,” I state, still glaring at the obnoxious shining beacon against everything the Reich stands for. I’ve heard reports of when these ships would form fleets and attempt to attack the Nests. The attacks would usually always fail, but it was said there was nothing quite like seeing a couple dozen of those gleaming vessels barreling toward an innocent Nest.

  The large silver cannons at the front of the deck aim themselves toward the distant golden ship and explode into a puff of black smoke and flames. Our ship rocks backward just slightly from the momentum, yet we push forward. With the storm now in our wake, a fully clear arena has been realized. On this white landscape there is only our ship and theirs.

  White sand rises as the rounds splash around the Scavenger ship. One, two, three, yet there is no fire, and the ship carries on.

  Smoke rises quickly from the enemy ship, yet it isn’t because of our rounds, they are retaliating. We don’t alter our course. We need to get in better range, for now it will simply be a game of who can connect the first shot, and Scavengers rarely are the ones to connect first.

  There is a screech, followed by a deep thump. The ground to our port side explodes and sand splatters down onto the deck. Another round hurls right above the ship, missing it entirely. Those were pitiful shots.

  Ulric sits in his chair, fidgeting. I know that he wants nothing more than to press a button and obliterate the ship from the air, yet I’m confident we won’t need that. This is a match, and I set the rules. The rules are that this ship will only need the weapons it brought with it.

  Half a kilometer away now. I can begin to make out the spirals that jut upward on the gold ship. They’re much like the towers on the Howling Dark, however they are more like tentpoles. They hold up a large canopy of white and orange. All Scavenger ships have canopies. People theorize this is for shade, but I believe it’s mostly for camouflage. Not camouflage from people on the ground, they paint their ships gold so that’s out of the question, but camouflage from satellites.

  The Reich controls space. Aegir Drops, colonies on other worlds, all of that. The most technological civilization on Earth which can bomb people from beyond the atmosphere, and yet, because of those damn canopies, the Scavenger ships blend right into the vast desert. We are practically blind to when a raid will show up to an Eagle Nest on the border until it is already there. Even with all of our technology, we are bested by a well-colored rug.

  We fire another volley. The front of the golden ship opens up as a round slams right into it. An eruption of flames and metal bits scatter out into the white ground below, however, the ship continues moving. Another round grazes the side but plops right outside. The third misses entirely.

  They’re coming closer.
/>   “How many more rounds do we have in those main guns?” I ask Volker.

  “We have enough for two more volleys, sir,” he responds.

  “Fuck,” I curse under my breath, “really wish we could bring more ammunition on the journey.”

  “We all do, sir,” Witzel replies.

  “Why can’t you have more ammunition?” Ulric asks me.

  “Because we don’t have enough storage. We need room for the cargo, food, water, other supplies, and so ammunition is purely for defensive purposes,” I answer, putting my hand to my brow.

  “So why can’t I just call in the Aegir Drop then?” he insists.

  “Because we haven’t run out of ammo yet now have we?”

  More rounds go screeching over our heads. One lands to our starboard side, rocking the ship and me along with it. The second hits right in front of the ship and we travel through smoke and the falling sand.

  “Have the rounds been loaded yet?” I ask.

  “Almost,” Volker replies looking over the dashboard.

  “How often does this happen?” Ulric asks, looking at the glinting ship traveling ever closer.

  “Every few trips or so, nothing to worry about,” I reassure.

  “It’s loaded, sir, ready to fire on your say,” Witzel confirms.

  I hold my hand up, keeping my eyes on the ship. It’s coming so close that the details on the bow are becoming distinguishable. Intricate patterns of diamonds and curves cover the rusting golden husk. Green flags flutter on the bowsprit.

  “Fire,” I mutter.

  In a certain, explosive roar, more black smoke cascades out of the cannons sending the rounds flying across the desert. Not even a second later, one of them slices into the canopy. The white tarp shreds apart from the impact and flies into the air, left behind in the vessel’s wake. Yet there is no explosion. Another plunges into the side and combusts in a cloud of fire. The ship still continues onward. The third plummets in front of the bow, creating a cloud of dust which the ship sails right through.

  It was hit but isn’t going down.

  They respond in kind, yet their rounds land around us as well. They are too close now to use the main cannons. We’re almost face-to-face. They are only a couple hundred meters from us now. Quarter of a kilometer now.

  “Stop,” I order. “We need to salvage the last rounds. Turn us around. We’re going to use the side cannons.”

  “Side cannons?” Ulric yells, “Let me just use the Drop!”

  “Get back in your seat and let us handle this!” I erupt in a belligerent yell. “Our sides are far better protected than theirs. They can’t penetrate our armor. There is no better plan.”

  “There is a better plan. Let me do my job.”

  “And let me do mine! We don’t need the Drop. We’re protected.”

  “You can’t be certain of that! This isn’t about your fucking ego!”

  “I can be certain I don’t need a space savior to do my duty. And I’m certain I don’t need you lecturing me. That was not a part of the agreement. I will destroy that book if you are insubordinate one more time. I am perfectly capable of destroying a Scavenger ship by my own hand and I don’t need a strike from the heavens to do it.”

  “You are going to get us killed because of this egotistical bullshit,” he retorts.

  Ulric goes toppling backward as my fist connects with the side of his cheek. Volker and Witzel watch wide-eyed as my brother lands squarely on the metal floor. I turn to them and bark.

  “We’re going to fire at them! Turn this fucking vessel,” I command, my blood becoming as hot as the desert outside, sweat trickles down my forehead.

  “Sir,” Witzel says, “I think he’s right. We should just call in the Drop.”

  “You’ve never been uncertain of that before Witzel,” I yell, “only reason I’m not throwing him overboard is because he’s my brother, don’t tempt me.”

  “Sir…”

  The Howling Dark spins around, its main cannons facing away and its side cannons now facing the golden ship starboard. The Scavengers are barreling toward us. I can’t let them get any closer, and I can’t let them chase us.

  I don’t need a fucking Drop to do the job of a competent captain. Using my binoculars, I can see the bodies of the hundred or so savages scurrying about on the golden vessel. They are all covered in brown and red rags with makeshift metal slats covering any exposed skin. Even Scavengers have makeshift armor.

  Their deck is dirtied and rusted. Large spindles that now hold only tattered remains of their ruined canopy spring out of the deck. Tiny cracks ring out, it’s almost like rocks are being thrown at the ship. Men on our deck duck and scramble about. The ship is still far smaller than our own; I would guess it goes right up to the treads.

  They’re shooting at us. My men begin retaliating in kind. Five hundred meters. There is an open fire-fight between our two vessels. Islands in a sea of death. We have the elevation advantage, being able to shoot down at them.

  One of my men stiffens up and collapses onto the floor. More rally behind him, and take cover among the cargo and walled sides of the ship.

  Bullets zip and crack, bouncing off of the metallic tower as we loom over the golden ship. Some of the Scavengers keel over as they are hit by our better marksmen. It’s a war zone. The men on the side guns remain composed, however, ducked down and ready for the word. I just need their ship to get a tad closer so we can get the perfect shot.

  “Sir, if we don’t fire now…” Volker says.

  “Wait,” I emphasize. “We only have one chance at this.”

  “They’re going to ram into us.”

  “Just…a few more…”

  I see out of the corner of my eye that Ulric is dusting himself off.

  “You’re mad,” he mutters, “if we die, it’s on your hands.”

  “If our Reich engineering doesn’t save us, and we die. We die honorably.”

  “Why do you refuse to allow me to call it in?”

  “Because I’m not a coward.”

  “Coward?!”

  Four hundred meters. Three hundred… Two hundred…

  “Fire.” I mutter.

  The cannons sound and our ship is lifted up momentarily on its side. A plume of smoke overtakes the Bridge’s windows, followed by the unmistakable cry of steel shattering apart. All on the Bridge are tossed into the air and fall back down with a thud. I collect myself quickly and gaze out the window.

  Through the smoke, a warm glow flickers. The distinct shockwave of an expanding explosion graces my ears. As the fog dissipates, everything is revealed. I look on to the Scavenger vessel. One of the spindles has collapsed into a canyon that has now been carved into the middle of the vessel. It is practically split in half by the barrage. Somehow the ship is still moving on its treads, despite the inferno raging on it. Scavenger bodies tumble into the hole, and off the ship on fire. Black smoke churns across the deck as the ship continues on, a husk of its former self.

  “Sir,” Volker says quietly.

  “We did it,” I respond.

  “We’ve taken damage.”

  I put down the binoculars to see our deck riddled with holes and caked with flames. Blood has been splattered amongst the crumpled bodies of men still holding their weapons. I can’t see the bowsprit. All there is is a short metal stick instead of the long, jutting sword.

  Long ravines are carved deep into the metal where the Scavenger’s rounds skimmed past. My heart sinks. They did penetrate. At least, on the deck they did.

  “What is the damage?” I ask, blankly.

  Volker looks over the numerous blinking alerts.

  “We took some damage in the engine room, the bow deck is heavily damaged, we lost the bowsprit, and…”

  “And what…”

  “And it seems like they damaged
one of the treads.”

  “How? They have weak cannons…how the hell did they hurt the treads?”

  “Lucky shot, I suppose…”

  “They were missing all those shots before…”

  “I don’t know what to say sir…”

  “Fucking…will it hold?”

  “I don’t know sir…they are supposed to handle anything, even enemy fire…I haven’t dealt with something like this before.”

  “It’s coming…” Ulric mutters, touching a cheek now turning purple.

  I let out a yell in frustration.

  “Fire again!” I order.

  “No need,” Ulric says.

  I turn to see him speaking into a small radio. He is looking at the dashboard with our coordinates, is whispering something about his Knighthood, and then…he says, “Aegir.”

  More rounds fly past our tower. The fucking ship is still not dead. My heart simply feels empty, and my mind is wrapped in nothing but the deep well of defeat.

  “I’m sorry,” Ulric tells me quietly. “I know you wanted it to go differently.”

  “Drowned like a fish, I suppose,” I mutter, running my hands across my sweating face.

  Above our heads, I hear a distinct boom. It isn’t the sound of a round flying past our head. The roar only gets louder, deeper, more distinct, as if something was falling toward us.

  One hundred meters.

  I look outside as the towering blazing ship still moves with all its strength toward us. Scavengers fall off the side of it, and yet it’s not stopping. And then, it does.

  In a moment, it explodes into a puff of sand and smoke. We are all lifted off our feet once more, and the windows around us shatter. Sand blasts into the Bridge along with the scalding Kiln air. The entire ship rocks to one side, almost feeling like it will tip over, yet instead it flops back on two treads with a mighty crunch.

  I spit up blood as I lift myself up on the floor littered with broken glass. Howling winds surround me as I feel my bare skin begin to burn. I crawl slowly to pick up my helmet on the other side of the room, gasping for proper air. On my stomach, I place my helmet onto my head. The satisfactory pressurized heave of the suit releases fresh, breathable, and cold air into my lungs. Lying there for a second, I take in my surroundings.