“Glad to have you, Ensign,” Greg said sincerely. “You’ve done very well.” He grinned. “My orders were to arrest you or hug you—at my discretion. We’ve already sorted that out. But where’s Lieutenant Reynolds?” Greg remembered Fred as the youngest member of Walker’s crew, joining her at the advanced age of seventeen. He doubted he was twenty yet.
“He’s aboard Ol’ Zaack, the Nussies call her,” Kari said offhandedly. “Their flaag-ship. Playin’ with his raa-dio. Gen-raal Shinya has a raa-dio tower in the mountains at Chim-bo-raazo, er some such, an’ there’s traaffic all the time. Stuff’s goin’ on.” She added significantly, then shrugged. “We’ll tell you all about it when we get to Saan-ti-aago.”
Willis smiled at the meeting as several of his crew came aboard, mostly dressed as he, but a couple wore straw hats and white roundabouts. Then he nodded aft at Matarife. “Speaking of pleasant surprises, seeing that villainous brute apprehended is certainly one. Like many of the latest old-style Dom frigates, she can show our steamers her heels with a favorable wind. Steamers’re rather heavier, you see, and screw propellers make them somewhat crank when not engaged.” He pursed his lips. “Lieutenant Reynolds says your sailing steamers aren’t so handicapped,” he probed. “Perhaps a matter of design?”
“That may be, Captain Willis,” Greg admitted noncommittally, “but I can’t speak from experience.”
Willis didn’t press. “And Matarife, in particular, has behaved rather badly,” he said, returning to the subject of the prize.
“By consorting with representatives of the League?” Greg probed.
Willis frowned. “So you know. Having taken her, of course you do. Yes, that—and other things.” He gazed about, apparently pleased by what he saw. “Your ship’s a beauty. The very pinnacle of the last age—I mean no offense!” he hastened to add. “I often yearn for the days before those hot, smoky machines filled our ships! And you caught Matarife quite handily, avoiding a mauling as well.”
“Donaghey’s a fast sailor, sir, and my heart agrees with you. But in a world of steamers . . .” He shrugged. “We didn’t have to catch Matarife, though. She sort of sailed into our arms. I don’t think she expected us,” he added wryly. “The same with the League destroyer Antúnez.”
Willis looked surprised. “We’ve heard of that ship,” he allowed, “though we didn’t know her name. Fishermen reported her haunting the windward isles a few weeks ago, and I understand she’s astonishingly fast. From their description, Mr. Reynolds declared she’s much like your Walker. But . . . however did you escape? She’s never fired on any of our ships, but I’m given to understand your Alliance and the League are not on the best of terms.”
“We sank her,” Greg stated simply.
Willis blinked, incredulous. “Did you, by God!”
“Yes,” Greg declared unequivocally, eyes narrowing at Willis’s tone. “And come to find out, she was looking for us all along, to keep us from meeting you. We’ve got about fifty of her people aboard, and Matarife’s surviving crew is secured below her decks. I’d ask if you might take custody . . . if I knew what would happen to them.”
“Sank her,” Willis mused, shaking his head, disbelief swept away by Greg’s straightforward manner and the mention of prisoners. “How . . . ?” He stopped himself. “That is to say, may I ask how you accomplished that?” He took a long breath, realizing he may have offended, and reproduced his engaging smile. “Answer or not as you please. I didn’t mean to question you. It seems Mr. Reynolds and Miss Faask,” he said, bowing to Kari, “actually understated your resourcefulness. Not that I doubted them, in all honesty.” He seemed to shake himself. “In answer to your request, I’m afraid I can’t commit my government in regard to your League prisoners. They’re not our enemies, and please God that remains the case.” He frowned. “I suppose we might harbor them, as a neutral.” His expression brightened once more. “But the Doms we’ll certainly take. Their officers will be exchanged, if they desire. It’s the only way to save any of ours in enemy hands, though it’s fairly unusual and difficult to arrange. And their desire for exchange often passes upon reflection. The ordinary seamen are usually decent fellows, wholly ignorant of anything beyond the duty they’re raised to perform. And quite amazingly, beyond their fear and its representatives and capricious brutalities, they know little about the abominable cult that rules their lives. Once they recover from the shock that we won’t mistreat or kill them, they often find employment in our fisheries or merchant marine. A few even join our navy, though they know better than most what will happen if they’re captured.” He looked at Matarife once more. “What will you do with your prize?” he inquired. “I only ask because I can imagine several ways she might be wonderfully useful, and I’m sure my government would be delighted to purchase her.”
“She’s not for sale,” Greg replied, “but I’ve had a few ideas myself. Between us, I bet we can come up with something interesting to use her for.”
Captain Willis smiled, recognizing that Greg knew he might sail both ships without assistance, but couldn’t fight either if he did. At the same time, he wanted to keep a controlling interest in his prize. After a lifetime dealing with the bureaucracy of his own navy, he could only applaud the young officer’s prudence.
“So, what now?” Greg asked, eager to proceed.
“If you please, we’ll steer for Santiago. Commodore Semmes awaits you there, and we look for Admiral Duncan to arrive any day with the entire Caribbean squadron.” He glanced fondly at Kari. “Your countrymen have convinced us that a golden opportunity lies before us, to crush the evil Dominion at last, and the consensus of my navy, sir—finally, I must say—is that there is not a moment to lose.”
CAST OF CHARACTERS
(L)—Lemurian, or Mi-Anakka
(G)—Grik, or Ghaarrichk’k
Operation Outhouse Rat
Lt. Cmdr. Matthew Patrick Reddy, USNR—CINCAF (Commander in Chief of All Allied Forces).
First Fleet Elements
USS Walker (DD-163)
Lt. Cmdr. Matthew Patrick Reddy, USNR
Cmdr. Brad “Spanky” McFarlane—XO, Minister of Naval Engineering.
Cmdr. Bernard Sandison—Torpedo Officer, Minister of Experimental Ordnance.
Lt. Tab-At “Tabby” (L)—Engineering Officer.
Lt. Sonny Campeti—Gunnery Officer.
Lt. Ed Palmer—Signals.
Surgeon Lieutenant Pam Cross
Chief Quartermaster Patrick “Paddy” Rosen—First Officer.
Chief Boatswain’s Mate Jeek (L)—Former crew chief, Special Air Division.
Chief Engineer Isak Reuben—One of the original Mice.
Gunner’s Mate Pak-Ras-Ar, “Pack Rat” (L)
Earl Lanier—Cook.
Juan Marcos—Officer’s Steward.
Wallace Fairchild—Sonarman, Anti-Mountain Fish Countermeasures (AMF-DIC).
Min-Sakir “Minnie” (L)—Bridge talker.
Corporal Neely—Imperial Marine and bugler assigned to Walker.
USS James Ellis (DD-21)
Cmdr. Perry Brister
Lt. Rolando “Ronson” Rodriguez—XO.
Lt. (jg) Jeff Brooks—Sound Man, Anti-Mountain Fish Countermeasures (AMF-DIC).
Lt. (jg) Paul Stites—Gunnery Officer.
Lt. (jg) Johnny Parks—Engineering Officer.
Chief Bosun’s Mate Carl Bashear
Taarba-Kaar “Tabasco” (L)—Cook.
Salissa Battlegroup
Admiral Keje-Fris-Ar (L)
USNR Salissa (Big Sal, CV-1)
Captain Atlaan-Fas (L)
Lt. Sandy Newman—XO.
1st Naval Air Wing
Captain Jis-Tikkar “Tikker” (L)—Commander of Flight Operations (COFO), 1st, 2nd, 3rd Bomb Squadrons, 1st, 2nd Pursuit Squadrons, 1 x P-40E floatplane.
USS Tarakaan Island (SPD-3)
In self-propelled dry dock.
Frigates (DDs) Attached
Des-Ron 6
USS Tassat**
Captain Jarrik-Fas (L)
Lt. Stanly Raj—Impie XO.
USS Scott***
Cmdr. Muraak-Saanga (L)—Former Donaghey XO and sailing master.
USS Nakja-Mur*
Lt. Naala-Araan (L)
Des-Ron 10
USS Bowles***
USS Saak-Fas***
USS Clark**
MTB-Ron-1 (Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Number 1)
11 x MTBs (Numbers 4, 7, 13, 15, 16, 18–23)
Lieutenant Nat Hardee
Assault Force
1st Allied Raider Brigade—Chack’s Raiders or Chack’s Brigade.
Lt. Col. Chack-Sab-At (L)
Major Risa Sab-At (L)—XO, Chack’s sister.
21st (Combined) Allied Regiment
Major Alistair Jindal (Imperial Marine)—1st, 2nd
Battalions of the 9th Maa-ni-la, 2nd Battalion of the 1st Respite.
7th (Combined) Allied Regiment
Major Enrico Galay—Former corporal in the Philippine Scouts; 19th Baalkpan, 1st Battalion of the 11th Imperial Marines.
1st North Borno
Major I’joorka—Respected warrior and “King” Tony Scott’s friend.
Brevet Captain Abel Cook—1st Battalion.
Brevet Captain Stuart Brassey—2nd Battalion.
Sergeant Major “Moe” the Hunter
Independent Assignment
Chief Gunner’s Mate Dennis Silva
Lawrence “Larry the Lizard”—Orange and brown
tiger-striped Grik-like Sa’aaran.
Pokey—“Pet” Grik brass picker.
Land-Based Air
Mahe Field—Army/Navy Air Base Seychelles
Colonel Ben Mallory
3rd (Army) Pursuit Squadron (5 x P-40Es, 4 serviceable)—Remnants of 4th, 7th, 8th Bomb Squadrons, 5th, 6th, 14th Pursuit Squadrons
3rd Pursuiters
Lt. (jg) Suaak-Pas-Ra “Soupy” (L)
Lt. Conrad Diebel
2nd Lt. Niaa-Saa “Shirley” (L)
S. Sergeant Cecil Dixon
At Grik City, Mahe, and Comoros Islands
USS Madras (CV-8)—8th Naval Air Wing.
USS Andamaan—Protected Troopship Converted from a Grik BB.
Frigates (DDs) Attached
DES-Ron 9
USS Kas-Ra-Ar**
Captain Mescus-Ricum (L)
USS Ramic-Sa-Ar*
USS Felts**
USS Naga***
AEF-1 (First Fleet Allied Expeditionary Force)
General of the Army and Marines Pete Alden—Former sergeant in USS Houston Marine contingent.
Leftenant Doocy Meek—British sailor and former POW (WWI). Liaison for the Republic of Real People.
I Corps
General Lord Muln-Rolak (L)
1st (Galla) Division
General Taa-leen (L)
1st Marines, 5th, 6th, 7th, 10th Baalkpan
2nd Division
General Rin-Taaka-Ar (L)
1st, 2nd Maa-ni-la; 4th, 6th, 7th Aryaal
II Corps
General Queen Safir Maraan (L)
3rd Division
General Mersaak (L)
“The 600” (B’mbaado Regiment composed of “Silver” and “Black” Battalions); 3rd Baalkpan; 3rd, 10th B’mbaado; 5th Sular; 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines; 1st Sular
6th Division
General Grisa (L)
5th, 6th B’mbaado; 1st, 2nd, 9th Aryaal; 3rd Sular
1st Cavalry Brigade
Lt. Colonel Saachic (L)
3rd, 6th Maa-ni-la Cavalry
“Maroons”
Colonel Will
Consolidated Division of “Maroons,” Shee-Ree, and Allied Advisors
III Corps
General Faan-Ma-Mar (L)
9th & 11th Divisions
2nd, 3rd Maa-ni-la; 8th Baalkpan; 7th, 8th Maa-ni-la; 10th Aryaal
Hij Geerki (G)—Rolak’s “pet,” captured at Rangoon, now “mayor” of Grik POWs at Grik City.
Land-Based Air
Lt. Cmdr. Mark Leedom—Commander of Flight Operations (COFO) at Grik City.
Lt. Araa-Faan (L)—XO.
Lt. Walt “Jumbo” Fisher—Pat-Squad 22, Comoros
Islands.
TF Bottle Cap
Arracca Battlegroup
USNRS Arracca (CV-3)
Commodore Tassanna-Ay-Arracca (L)—High Chief, 5th Naval Air Wing.
USS Santa Catalina (CA-P-1)
Cmdr. Russ Chappelle
Lt. Michael “Mikey” Monk—XO.
Lt. (jg) Dean Laney—Engineering Officer.
Surgeon Cmdr. Kathy McCoy
Stanley “Dobbin” Dobson—Chief Bosun’s Mate.
Major Simon “Simy” Gutfeld—3rd Marine.
Prisoners of Kurokawa
Adar (L)—Former Chairman of the Grand Alliance (COTGA) and High Chief and Sky Priest of Baalkpan.
Surgeon Commander Sandra Tucker Reddy—Minister of Medicine, and wife of Captain Reddy.
Kapitan Leutnant Becher Lange—Former XO of SMS Amerika.
Diania—Steward’s Assistant and Sandra’s friend and bodyguard.
Gunnery Sergeant Arnold Horn USMC—Formerly of the 4th (US) Marines.
Ruffy and Eddie (L)—Republic sailors.
The Republic of Real People
Kaiser Nig-Taak (L)
General Marcus Kim—Military High Command.
Inquisitor Kon-Choon (L)—Director of Spies.
Courtney Bradford—Australian naturalist and engineer; Minister of Science and Plenipotentiary at Large for the Grand Alliance.
Captain (Brevet Major) Bekiaa-Sab-At (L)—Military liaison from the Grand Alliance and Legate under General Kim.
Optio Jack Meek—Bekiaa’s aide.
Prefect Bele—Bekiaa’s XO of the 23rd Legion.
TFG-2 (Task Force Garrett-2)
(Long Range Reconnaissance and Exploration)
USS Donaghey (DD-2)
Cmdr. Greg Garrett
Lt. Saama-Kera “Sammy” (L)—XO.
Lt. (jg) Wendel “Smitty” Smith—Gunnery Officer.
Lt. (jg) Mak-Araa (L)
Chief Bosun’s Mate Jenaar-Laan (L)
Surgeon Lt. (jg) Sori-Maai (L)
Marine Lieutenant Haana-Lin-Naar (L)
Major Tribune Pol-Heena (L)
Leutnant Koor-Susk (L)
Alferez (Ensign) Tomas Perez Mole—League prisoner (Spanish).
In Indiaa and Persia
Allied Expeditionary Force (North)
VI Corps
General Linnaa-Fas-Ra (L)
5th Maa-ni-la Cavalry
Detached Duty, shadowing General Halik
Colonel Enaak (L)
Czech Legion
The Czech Legion, or “Brotherhood of Volunteers” is a near-division-level cavalry force of aging Czechs, Slovaks, and their continental Lemurian allies, militarily—if not politically—bound to the Grand Alliance.
Colonel Dalibor Svec
At Madras (Indiaa)
USS Mahan (DD-102)
Repairs have resumed, with the arrival of a floating dry dock.
At Baalkpan
Cmdr. Alan Letts—Chairman of the United Homes and the Grand Alliance.
Leading Seaman Henry Stokes—Formerly of HMAS Perth; Director of Office of Strategic Intelligence (OSI).
Cmdr. Steve “Sparks” Riggs—Minister of Communications and Electrical Contrivances.
Lord Bolton Forester—Imperial Ambassador.
Lt. Bachman—Forester’s aide.
Surgeon Cmdr. Karen Theimer
Letts—Assistant Minister of Medicine.
Pepper (L)—Black-and-white Lemurian keeper of the “Castaway Cook” (Busted Screw).
Among the Khonashi (North Borno)
Devil's Due Page 55
