Disclaimer: I do not own Zootopia or any of it characters, they all belong to Disney. I do not own The Walking Dead or any of its characters, they all belong to AMC and Robert Kirkman. I do not own Destroyermen or any of its characters, they all belong to Taylor Anderson.
Escape from Hell?
Chapter 9
General Chiang Kai-shek, leader of the Republic of China, read the report from his Ambassador in London and was surprised that the war ended in Europe so suddenly. He wasn't at all surprised that it had ended, but just in the way it had. The Soviet Union had been defeated and the Germans and the Allies had reached a truce. Not that he'd minded the disillusion of the Soviet Union since it would stop the flow of arms to the Communists in China. The report went on to explain that Adolf Hitler had died from a stroke and afterwards the German Army had seized control of the country. Then the all the top Nazis in the German government and military were removed and Germany was declared a republic.
With Hitler gone the German generals who were then in charge had been able to make the necessary military decisions on how best to defend Germany. They unilaterally withdrew from France and fortified themselves behind the Rhine River. That had Erwin Rommel's name written all over it, he thought and smiled. Then seemly out of blue another force that had defeated the Russians had allied with them. The next part of the report, describing the German's new allies, he read several times before handing that particular page to his wife, Soong Mei-ling. If the Ambassador hadn't sent along pictures he would've thought the man had been imbibing in some of the more potent British liquors.
Humans, intelligent Animals, and sapient dinosaurs from three other versions of Earth were a bit hard to believe, but then there were the pictures. He glanced over from time to time while she read and saw her eyebrows climb. When she'd finished that page he handed her the pictures. As she went through them looked at one a moment longer than the others and then after she finished she went back and retrieved that particular one. She studied it and he glanced over and smiled.
"He's the military leader of the Animals from Earth 2," he said and Mei-ling smiled.
"He's a beautiful Cheetah."
"I agree, but I think you might want tell him that he's handsome instead."
"Oh, am I coming along to this meeting?"
"Of course," he said and put a hand on hers. "You're my best advisor."
"Well then my advice to you is to let me greet him first," she said and General Chiang laughed.
General Chiang had heard that the Germans had been working on jets, but of course he'd never actually seen one until now. Then again who knew that such a large aircraft could hover in midair like a hummingbird and then land vertically? As it settled the engines began to spin down and a ramp at the rear lowered. His mouth formed an 'O' when he saw what it contained.
"They brought along their own escorts," Mei-ling said as the first of the jet fighters were being rolled down the ramp to the concrete taxiway. "Let's have a look."
She started forward and after a few seconds General Chiang, his security guards, and his other military advisors hurried to catch up. They reached her just as two German officers and their security personnel met them halfway. They all saluted.
"Field Marshall Erwin Rommel," he said in English, clicking his heels, and General Chiang returned the salute. "May I introduce Field Marshall Walter Model."
Field Marshall Model put out a hand and General Chiang took it and shook. Then Field Marshall Rommel did the same.
"I think we'll have to stay with English since neither of us speak Chinese and I doubt any of your people speak German," Walter said and shrugged.
"I could translate," a feminine voice said from behind them, "and I'm fluent Mandarin, Cantonese, German, English, Zootopian, and a number of others."
"You're a deer!" said one of General Chiang's security men in the Xiang dialect.
"And proud of it!" she said in the same language and man laughed.
Of course none of the others knew the language as the two continued oblivious to anyone else.
"Rachael," Walter said twice, before finally getting her attention, "maybe you could speak a language that we can all understand."
"Sorry, I hadn't spoken Xiang in so long I just got carried away," she said and her ears turned red. She said the rest first in Mandarin and then German. "As soon as they have the fighters unloaded and ready to fly we'll be ready to go." She looked back as the last plane touched the concrete. "Well it looks like we can board now." She turned and started toward the plane. "Please follow me."
They followed and Walter walked beside General Chiang.
"Your English is better than mine," Walter said and the General glanced at him.
"You're quite understandable."
"Rachael's been teaching me."
"She seems to be an interesting person."
"You know she actually runs my army," he said and chuckled. "I'm just the Field Marshal."
"I know what you mean."
"I heard that!" Rachael and Mei-ling said simultaneously and both men winced.
"Well at least it's the truth," Rachael said and Mei-ling smiled.
When they reached that top of the ramp General Chiang looked at the cavernous space.
"Where are the seats?" Mei-ling asked.
"Upstairs," the Deer said.
"Upstairs!?" General Chiang and Mei-ling said simultaneously.
"Oh yes," she said and smiled. "Please follow me."
She led them to an elevator, pushed the button, and the doors opened a moment later.
"General, Mei-ling," she said and moved aside and then everyone else moved forward. "This elevator isn't quite large enough for everyone. I send it back." Two of General Chiang's security men entered as did both Field Marshals, two of their security men, and Rachael herself. "Every inhale." Everyone laughed as she pushed the button and ten seconds later the doors opened. "You can let it out now." Rachael was first out with the others on her heels. "Let me show you to your cabin, General Chiang, Mei-ling."
"Cabin!?" both General Chiang and Mei-ling said.
"Oh yes," she said and pushed the down button. "Please follow me."
She led the group passed other doors and toward the back of the plane. They stopped at a pair of double doors.
"Your cabin," Rachael said and opened them.
The General's security went in first and returned two minutes later after inspecting the rooms.
"This looks larger than our room at home," Mei-ling said.
"We just want you to be comfortable," she said and smiled. "We have a long flight and we have to make a stop before we head back."
"Where?" Mei-ling asked.
"Indochina."
Ho Chi Minh looked at the man who'd contacted him about this meeting and then three Black Leopards that had accompanied him. They'd tracked him and his Vietminh guerrillas down northeast of Hanoi. At first he'd though the man was a spy for either the Vichy French or Japanese, but then he introduced the first of the Leopards. He'd explained that the war in Europe was over and the Germans and the Allies had reached a truce. Then he told him that the Soviet Union was no more and smiled at the look on Ho Chi Minh's face. The Animals he'd explained had come from another version of Earth as had he, but not the same one. He wouldn't have believed any of it until the Leopard began speaking Vietnamese.
She told him that her people would soon invade Northern China to drive out the Japanese and hopefully they would convince the Americans and British to invade southern China and Indochina too. Of course he quickly understood that they wanted him to help them do just that. They also told him regardless of what happened at the meeting they would support him and his people with his war with the Japanese. Without Soviet Union his source of weapons would dry up and he doubted the Chinese communists would be of any help to him either. He had a feeling that when they invaded China the communists there would be 'no more' too. What else could he do, but accept their offer?
These thoughts continued and a few minutes later a noise began from the north and began to grow in intensity. Twenty seconds later two aircraft flew overheard to fast that he barely caught a glimpse of them. A few minutes later the sun was blotted out and a huge aircraft hovered above them. He covered his ears and watched the other man tapped the keys on a handheld device. Then the aircraft began to settle to the ground in the recently cleared area. After it touched down the engines spun down and then there complete silence in the forest.
For a moment he wondered if they might've heard it in Hanoi and chuckled. Then a ramp began to lower and after it touched the ground several men and a Deer came walking toward him.
"You're a Deer," he said in Vietnamese.
"I've been told that before," she said in French and smiled. "You must be Uncle Ho."
"I am," he said and returned her smile.
"I'm Rachael," she said and held out a hand. "So which language would you prefer?"
"Let's stay with French then," she said as he took her hand.
"OK," she said and returned his smile. "This is Field Marshal Erwin Rommel." The Vietnamese leader eyebrows rose as extend a hand and the German Field Marshal shook it. "And this is Field Marshal Walter Model."
They also shook hands also.
"I'm glad you've accepted our offer to attend this meeting," Rommel said.
"I want the Japanese out my country."
"I know how you feel," He said. "I certainly wouldn't want the Russians in mine."
"Tell me how you defeated them."
"That's a long story and we have a long flight ahead of us," the he said and put a hand on Vietnamese leader's shoulder.
The Vietnamese leader stopped at the top of the ramp for a few seconds and looked at the enormous enclosed cargo space.
"This is our largest cargo plane," Rachael explained, "and it's able to hold four jet fighters, eight tanks, or five hundred soldiers. Please follow me." Soon enough they stood before the elevator and she pushed the button. "I'll take you and your men to your cabins. You and your men may shower and change clothes. Dinner will be in two hours."
"Sounds like one of those fancy bourgeois hotels in Hanoi," Ho Chi Minh said and smiled.
"But with wings," she said and he laughed. Then the elevator doors opened. "I don't think we'll all fit, but I'll come back down and get the others." Five minutes later they all stood on the upper deck. "Follow me."
"It's actually cool!" he said as they stopped at the first door.
"Seems like we have another advantage over those bourgeois hotels in Hanoi," she said and winked at him. "This cabin will sleep all four of you as will the others." She opened the door and followed them in. "I'll come get you at before dinner. We're having German, French, Vietnamese, and Chinese tonight."
"Thank you."
"We'll see you later," she said and pulled the door shut.
He and his men looked around the cabin and found the four small bedrooms, a closet with clothes of various sizes, and the bath room. He ran the water in the sink and it was actually hot! Then looked at the shower stall and read the sign on the door which was in Vietnamese – please limit to five minutes. This was something he fully wanted to take advantage of and soon did.
Rachael looked Walter up and down and smiled.
"You look quite handsome," she said and picked a bit of lint off his uniform.
"And you look quite lovely," he said and reached for her.
She took a step back.
"I just got my fur just the way I want it and I don't you messing it up."
"I helped too."
"And it took half an hour longer than usual."
"I didn't hear any complaints."
Her ear turned pink and he chuckled.
"Dinner should be interesting," she said, changing the subject.
"You didn't tell our Vietnamese guests that General Chiang was aboard."
"No, I didn't, did I," she said and smiled. "I need to get back to kitchen."
He stepped close, but this time she didn't shy away. He gently hugged her and kissed her cheek. Then he held her out a arms length.
"You still look perfect," he said and she giggled.
General Chiang entered the reception room with Mei-ling and scanned it. He zeroed in on one man and smiled. Then he escorted his wife to the bar where two Field Marshals were waiting for their drinks.
"Gentlemen," he said in English.
"Enjoying the flight?" Walter asked.
"It's much quieter than I expected," Mei-ling said. "Where's Rachael?"
"Still in the kitchen putting the finishing touches on dinner."
General Chiang heard a slightly raised voice from across the room. The enemy had spotted him and all had to do was wait till they came to him. A few moments later the sound of footfalls came to his ears and he smiled.
"General Chiang."
"Ho Chi Minh," he said and turned to the man. "I'm glad to finally meet you."
"I didn't expect to see you here," he said in Chinese.
"I did expect to see you," he said and smiled. The Vietnamese leader frowned. "How are doing with the Japanese and French?"
"About as well as you are with the Japanese and communists."
"But with the Soviets gone I'm certainly doing better than you," he said and smiled again. "Very soon the Allies are going shift all their focus here to the China and the Pacific since the war in Europe is now over." The Vietnamese leader grimaced and General Chiang continued to smile. "Maybe at this meeting you can make a deal the Allies and Germans to help you. In fact when we begin to push west I'll even send some of my men into Indochina to lend you a hand."
Ho Chi Minh grimaced again and General Chiang felt his wife's hand on his arm.
"The purpose of this meeting is to plan on how we defeat the Japanese," Mei-ling said and squeezed her husband's arm, "and to rebuild our counties once that's done."
"Madam, you're quite correct," Ho Chi Minh said.
"As she always is."
"So we're already discussing how to rebuild once the war is over," Rachael said, only catching the last part of the conversation.
"What do you know of such things!" the Vietnamese said still feeling stung from General Chiang's barbs.
"Sir, my entire world was destroyed," she said matter-of-factly. "Fortunately we knew about it a year and half a head of time and a Rabbit, Fox, and Gazelle found a portal to another version of Earth. We had to move our entire population of nine billion Animals and our entire infrastructure to that Earth. Then we had to rebuild our civilization while fighting against an enemy that didn't care how many they lost just to get to us! That took the next ten years! Then after we cleared the last island of the enemy that same Rabbit found another portal to a third version of Earth, but on this one dinosaurs never went extinct and some of them evolved to become intelligent."
"Fortunately there were humans and species of evolved Lemurs inhabiting that Earth. Soon we were fighting three wars simultaneously against the Grik – the evolved dinosaurs, the Holy Domination – a bunch of human religious lunatics, and the League of Tripoli – a group of Fascists from a complete different version of Earth. We eventually defeated them all."
"Then another portal was found and we came to this version of Earth and found the Russian murdering captured German prisoners! We found the prison camps where the Germans were being held and freed them. Then we found others that contained political prisoners and we freed them too. Near all of the camps we found mass graves! Those freed people wanted to fight back and free the rest of the peoples of the Soviet Union. So people from Earth 2 and Earth 3 came to help and build another army with Field Marshals Rommel and Model, who'd defected from League of Tripoli, to lead it. One army captured Moscow and Leningrad led by Field Marshal Model. Field Marshals Rommel trapped the Red Army between his and the German Army of this world in Poland and Romania, and a third army pushed east and took control of Siberia. The Soviet Union collapsed."
"The Allies were held at the Rhine and we and the Germans offered them a truce which they accepted." By this time she was poking Ho Chi Minh in the chest with each and every word. "So don't think I don't know anything about war. Dinner is served damn it! Follow me!"
She turned on her heel and everyone followed. General Chiang looked at his wife and raised an eyebrow.
"Please don't ever let her get angry with me."
Mei-ling only nodded and then smiled.
General Chiang woke and stretched, feeling his wife snuggled against him.
"So you're finally awake," she said.
"Yes."
"I thought you might sleep all day after the dinner, the party afterwards, and other things."
He smiled and hugged his wife and then she turned and kissed him.
"We'd better get up," he said and stretched. "We ought to be landing in Chongqing to refuel in a few hours."
"That's odd," she said and touched him arm. "For the last half an hour we've been slowing and it feels like we're getting lower."
He got out of bed and looked out the small window and saw high mountains. He frowned and they quickly dressed. They hurried to the dining room and found a number of people eating breakfast. They saw Rachael and sat down across from her.
"Good morning General Chiang, Mei-ling," she said and smiled. "I hope you hungry we have blueberry pancakes, but you'd better hurry. We land in Lhasa in about forty minutes."
"Lhasa!?"
General Chiang and his wife watched from the dining room as their plane flew over the city and then lightly touched down at the airport. For a moment he thought about how handy these planes would be to set troops and their equipment down far behind enemy lines. He suspected that's one of reasons the Germans and Animals had defeated the Soviets in such a short time. Within a week they would start arriving in western China from Europe regardless of what the Americans, British, or French did. He smiled and then remembered this little detour to Lhasa.
He frowned and began to rise only to feel Mei-ling's hand on his arm.
"Let's just finish breakfast," she said and patted his hand. "I'm sure Field Marshal Rommel or Model will be along soon enough to speak to us."
Fifteen minutes later Walter sat beside the Deer.
"General Chiang, the Dalai Lama will be here in half an hour."
"I hope he's not coming with us to the meeting," he said and stared at the Field Marshal. "He's only ten year old boy."
"No sir," Walter said and chuckled. "He just wants to see this plane and the Animals. His government is sending a delegation which will travel with us."
"I just wonder how they found out about the meeting."
"We're trying to get all the leaders from every country in Asia to come to this meeting," Rachael said and winked, "or at least all the ones fighting the Japanese. You might be surprised whose going to be there."
"I already was."
"Trust me sir, you certainly won't be the only one."
As the cargo ramp touched the ground General Chiang saw the Dalai Lama and his entourage along with two Rabbits, a Fox, a Gazelle, a Lizard, and several humans, one who stood much taller than all the others.
"Judy! Nick! Maria! Jill!"
The Deer rushed past and the Animals met her half way. The Dalai Lama came forward holding the other much taller Rabbit's hand. General Chiang and Mei-ling soon stood before them.
"Your Holiness," he said in Mandarin and the boy looked at the Rabbit and spoke.
"He says that he's glad to meet you and welcomes you to Tibet," she said and extended a hand to the General. "My name is Jill."
"So you speak Mandarin and Tibetan."
"I'm very good with languages and speak quite a few," she said, lifting the boy into her arms, and then walked toward the aircraft. "Even more than a certain Deer I know." They heard a snort from the Deer and the Rabbit smiled. "He really wants to see the plane."
Thousands of miles to the west the city of Tokyo slept, but it wasn't a natural one. In the darkness an hour earlier nineteen bombers flew high over the city and dropped their bombs. These particular bombs didn't contain high explosives, but a gas that had put everyone and everything to sleep for thirty miles around the city center. An hour later other planes flew over the city, taking pictures, sampling the air, and making sure the gas had completely dissipated. Now that it was safe to do so several dozen other smaller planes flew over the city and hovered over the Imperial Palace. Then they lightly touched down outside its walls.
Admiral Yamamoto thought flying in these jet aircraft was an interesting experience. Idly he wondered how hard it would be to learn how to fly one. He smiled and looked over to Emperor Hisahito and Princess Toshi.
"It doesn't really look all that different," the Emperor said.
"Nothing ever changes here," Princess Toshi said and sighed.
"Except the occupants," the Emperor said and the Princess rolled her eyes.
"It's now safe for us to enter," Ben said, looking at both the Admiral and the Emperor. "Your people work well together. Although some were still are a bit reluctant to enter the imperial place proper."
"As they there were also on Earth 2," Hisahito said and chuckled.
"Come," Ben said and led them through the palace to sleeping Emperor's bedroom. "Please wake them."
One of the medics gave Emperor Hirohito and Empress Kōjun the antidote and within five minutes their eyes began to flutter open.
The first thing Emperor Hirohito saw the Admiral Yamamoto standing that end of his bed speaking to younger man. I'm dead, he thought until he touched his wife's arm. In death he doubted they would have the same warm flesh. Then he looked into his wife's eyes and helped her sit up.
"Admiral Yamamoto," he said and the man looked at him for a moment and then cast his eyes down.
"Yes, my Emperor."
"I thought you were dead."
"Sir, that will take a bit of explaining," he said and smiled. "Your staff will soon be awake and will attend you. Where do you wish to meet?"
"Who is this younger man," he asked, ignoring the question. "He looks very familiar."
"That sir will take a bit of explaining also."
Seven other known versions of Earth and the possibility of an infinite number, he thought. He didn't believe it until he saw and spoke to the Animals. He touched Ben's fur and looked into the Cheetah's intelligent golden eyes. He'd asked questions and Ben had answered him as the Admiral translated. Then he thought of the most important question.
"Why are you here?"
"To end the war without a great many more people dying," Ben said.
"Sir, you must know that Japan has lost the war," Admiral Yamamoto said and the Emperor sat back in his chair. "It's only a matter of time."
"Yes, I know," he said and looked at his 'grandson.' "And Japan lost the war on your Earth too."
"Yes, but to me that was almost eighty years ago."
"And only your Earth Japan was winning the war," he said and looked at the Admiral.
"Yes sir, but things were a great deal different."
"Germany winning the war in 1916 and the Americans and Japan never getting involved."
"Yes sir."
"And you want me to come with you to this meeting."
"Yes sir."
"I don't want any more of my people to die either," he said and looked out across the garden. "We never should've started this war and I should've listened to my Admiral Yamamoto." He looked back at both men again. "When do we leave?"
Their aircraft flew though the portal and landed. Emperor Hirohito and his Empress with their staff trailing behind walked down the cargo ramp and saw the two suns in the sky. The one from his Earth was just touching the horizon while the other from Earth 3 was just disappearing behind the portal.
"That is truly a wonder," he said.
The Admiral translated.
"You know I thought exactly the same thing the first time I saw it," Ben said and chuckled. A minute later three command cars pulled up and stopped. Their drivers got out and opened the doors. "I'll take you and your staff to a house we've built to you."
"You built us a house!" Empress Kōjun exclaimed and then bowed. "Forgive me. I didn't mean to interrupt."
"No need."
"I thought you might put us in something a bit more secure."
"You'll have guards of course, but none of the other people from your Earth know you're here YET."
"Then it'll be a surprise."
"Definitely sir," he said and smiled. "Most definitely."
Ben and his staff arrived twenty minutes before the meeting was to begin and then he sat to watch as the other delegations did also. They each greeted him and he wondered how they would react to Emperor Hirohito's presence. Probably not particularly well, he thought and sighed. He continued to watch and wait which he, being an apex predator, was quite good at.
"Gentlemen," he said and stood, getting their attention. "It's time to get started, but there has been a development that might just shorten the war." Everyone in the room looked to him expectantly. "We have several more guests."
The door opened and Emperors Hirohito and Hisahito entered followed by Admiral Yamamoto and his staff. For about ten seconds there was complete silence while the Japanese delegation seated themselves. Then the shouting started.
"Silence!" Ben bellowed and there was silence. He looked around the room at a number of wide eyed humans. On the far side of the room he saw another Cheetah who fur was fluffed out and muzzle was pulled back, exposing all its teeth. He and the guard locked eyes and after a few seconds the female Cheetah relaxed and then winked. Be looked back at the humans and willed himself to be calm. "Now I shall introduce the Japanese delegation!" He saw the humans flinch and took a deep breath. At the far end of the table both General Halik and the Lemurians looked somewhat amused. "First, I know you recognize Emperor Hirohito and beside him is Emperor Hisahito from Earth 2. This is Admiral Yamamoto that we spoke of at the previous meeting who is from a version of Earth that we don't have direct access to. Now let's begin. General Halik."
"We would like you to stop bombing Japan," he said, looking at the American delegation. Courtney Bradford translated.
"Why?" General Douglas MacArthur asked.
"Currently all you're doing now is moving around the rubble and killing innocent Japanese civilians," the Grik general said. "I think that this one thing would make it far simpler to negotiate a ceasefire."
"We need to keep up the pressure on Japan."
"Sir, the Japanese Emperor is sitting across the table from you," Ben said and leaned toward the American General.
"I doubt the most of the Japanese military would honor any deal we made here."
Ben look at the Japanese Emperor and the man sighed.
"He may be correct," the Emperor said and sighed again. "Technically I'm commander of the Japanese armed forces, but actually I'm more of a figurehead."
"What if you spoke to let's say individual Japanese military commanders here in China," Ben said and glanced at General Chiang. "Would they agree to a ceasefire and in time a surrender or simply a withdraw back to the Japanese home islands?"
"Possibly."
"We need to continue our bombing campaign!" MacArthur said.
"Do you think you'll frighten those men into surrendering," the Emperor said and then rubbed his hands across his face. "They'll fight you to the last man, woman, and child to take as many of you with them as the can."
"There are other plans being prepared," General Eisenhower said.
"I assume you mean the Manhattan project," Emperor Hisahito said and saw the surprise on the American General's face. "Yes, of course we know about it. It happened on my Earth almost eighty years ago."
"We had observers near Alamogordo and had a satellite in orbit tasked to watch your first test," Ben said and smiled at the general's discomfiture. "We also know your other two atomic bombs are on their way to Tinian."
"That a secret," Eisenhower said.
"To me its history," Emperor Hisahito said and smiled.
"We will not allow that weapon to be used on Japan," General Halik said.
"You will not allow!" General MacArthur almost shouted.
"General Eisenhower, please contact President Roosevelt and have that ship return to the United States, General Halik said, ignoring MacArthur.
"Or," General Eisenhower said.
"By tomorrow that ship will be sitting on the bottom of the Pacific Ocean."
"That action could start a war."
"We started a war with the Soviet Union and remember how that turned out for them."
"That meeting went about as well as I expected," Ben said as Emperor Hisahito sipped his sake.
"I think you and Halik handled them quite well."
"I agree," Emperor Hirohito said and poured himself a bit more.
"Can't they see that killing innocent civilians is wrong?"
"Ben, too many of them have simply lost themselves in wanting revenge," Hisahito said and took another sip of sake. "What you and Halik said will give them pause."
"God, I hope so," Ben said and signed
"We'll see how tomorrow's meeting goes," Hirohito said.
Then next day they reassembled in the same conference room. General Halik looked at General Eisenhower.
"The ship's reversed course and is returning to San Diego."
"We know," Halik said, "and we'll track it till it reaches there."
"The President has agreed and restricted our bombing campaign to military targets only."
"Good," Ben said and smiled. "We know you've assembled a large force to invade Japan. We like you to land those troops in southern China and push north and move south into Indochina."
He looked at Ho Chi Minh.
"We shall provide guides to lead your men to all the Japanese bases."
"I also still have men fighting in southern China," General Chiang said, "and they will join you as soon as you reach them."
"We're ready in Siberia to invade northern China," General Halik said. "I shall personally lead that army myself."
"And some of our troops will begin arriving in western China in the next few days," General Guderian said, "along with Field Marshals Rommel and Model armies from Eastern Europe, but the majority of my German army will remain in Germany to begin rebuilding."
"Sir, President Roosevelt has authorized me to offer our help to rebuild Germany," General Eisenhower said.
"As has His Majesty's government," Field Marshall Montgomery said.
"Please tell President Roosevelt and Prime Minster Churchill that the German government accepts their kin offers."
"I've heard from some of my men behind the frontlines that the Japanese Army has withdrawn most of their best units back to the home islands to defend against your invasion," General Chiang said and smiled, looking at General Eisenhower. "If you agree to land your troops here in China you'll have a much less capable opponent."
"President Roosevelt has given me a free hand in military planning here in China."
Ben noticed that General MacArthur didn't look happy.
"Gentlemen before this goes any farther would you agree to let me try to negotiate a truce?" Emperor Hirohito asked. "At least here in China. I do know the commander-in-chief of the China Expeditionary Army personally."
"I would agree to that," General Chiang said as did the others.
The General woke and yawned. Then he sat back and saw the Emperor sitting in the chair on the other side of his desk. He was so surprised that for a few seconds he could only stare at the other man. Then gaining control of himself he stood and bowed, not meeting his Emperor's eyes.
"General Okamura, please sit," the Emperor said and he did as he was told. "Now please look at me."
"But..."
"Please look at me," the Emperor said again and the General complied. The Emperor smiled. "I guess you must be wondering why I'm here."
"Yes sir," he said hesitantly.
"I'm here to arrange a truce."
"A truce?"
"You know that the Soviet Union has been defeated and war in Europe is over."
"Yes sir."
"And there's troop buildup along China's northern border."
"I've sent reinforcements."
"There's also troops arriving from Europe in Western China."
"How do you know this?"
"Because I've seen it."
"I don't understand."
"I was taken from Tokyo by the people who defeated the Soviets and have met with the Americans, British, and others."
"You were kidnapped!" Okamura exclaimed and thought it odd the way he'd said others, "but I've heard nothing."
"Do you expect those idiots in Tokyo to announce it over the radio?!"
"Well no sir."
"If I ordered you to begin a ceasefire would you do it?"
"Yes sir," he said, but the Emperor could tell that he wasn't happy about it.
"I won't order you do that, but in a few days I'll ask you and your staff will meet with them," he said and smiled. "They will show you some things and I'll let you decide what to do." The leaned at bit closer. "General Okamura, believe me when I tell you Japan's going to lose this war."
A three days later General Okamura, his staff, and their guards arrived near the designated river junction two hundred miles behind their lines specified in the Emperor's instructions. They'd picked the spot well since there was nothing for thirty miles around. Five minutes before the meeting was set to begin they heard a noise growing in intensity from the west. Looking through a pair of field glasses he found three large aircraft which soon flew over them, then slowed and stopped in midair, and then slowly settled to the ground a half mile away. Their engines spooled down and then after a minute the cargo ramp on the middle aircraft lowered. Soldiers in body armor marched down the ramp and formed an honor guard at the bottom.
Then a command car rolled down the ramp and pulled up beside the Japanese delegation. The Emperor and another Japanese man stepped out.
"You may ride with us or in your own cars," the Emperor said, indicating the cars. "The meeting will be on the plane. There is not room for all your guards. Three of them can accompany you to the meeting room and the others can wait in the cargo bay with your cars or they may wait here."
The Japanese cars parked in the cavernous cargo bay and the Emperor led them to an elevator at the rear.
"The people you'll meet represent the Americans, British, Chinese, Germans, and people who defeated the Soviets," the Emperor said and smiled, "but not all of those people are human."
"Not human?" General Okamura said.
"They come several other versions of Earth," he said and saw their puzzled expressions. "I just wanted you to prepare yourselves."
The Emperor touched the button and the doors opened. The ten people crowed in with the Emperor and his companion last and ten seconds later the doors opened on the upper floor. He led them to the conference room and the human guards open the doors. The Japanese delegation stopped in its tracks and could only stare. Of course the Emperor knew this would happen and turned to them.
"General Okamura," he said and touched the other man's shoulder, "please take a seat." He indicated the seven chairs on this side of the table. "Your guards may stand behind you once the doors are shut."
They hesitantly entered and then Emperor sat first. The five men sat beside him and to General Okamura's surprise he recognized Admiral Yamamoto.
"Admiral, I thought you died two years ago!" General Okamura said, staring intently at the man.
"Your Admiral Yamamoto did die in 1943, but I'm from a version of Earth different than any other humans here other than my staff," he said and indicated the three officers sitting beside him. "I'm here to help you and the other people here better understand each other."
"As am I," said the man who accompanied the Emperor when they'd met.
"And sir you are?" General Okamura said, only now noticing that the man resembled the Emperor.
"My name Hisahito," he said and smiled, anticipating the reaction to his next words, "Emperor of Japan and Emperor Hirohito's grandson on Earth 2." He smiled at the reactions on his countrymen's faces. "Japan is also an ally of the United States and Great Britain on my Earth."
"How?"
"Japan lost this war and the Soviets turned on the Allies and Chinese Communists took over China," he said and glanced at General Chiang for a moment.
"Of course that won't happen here," Ben said and Hisahito translated. "As you know the Soviet Union is gone and we know the Chinese Communists have committed crimes against the Chinese people for the last two decades. They'll be facing trials for their crimes."
"As will certain Japanese who've also committed crimes against the Chinese people," General Chiang said, looking at the Japanese General. "We have a list of names and we ask you turn these men over to us once we've reached an agreement on a truce."
General Chiang saw several of the men on both sides of the table look uncomfortable with his pronouncement. He thought that was just too damn bad. These men had ordered the killing and some had even participated in those killings of Chinese civilians. He also knew for a fact that there was a special detachment that used Chinese civilians in scientific experiments.
"General Okamura, we've shown your Emperor what Japan faces and I know he wants this war to end," General Halik said, first looking first at the Japanese General and then at the Emperor. "So he hasn't he ordered you to..."
Courtney translated.
"I haven't," the Emperor said and looked at his General. "I wanted him to make up his own mind."
"Then the simplest thing to do would be to show him," Captain Reddy said.
"Did you have any problem contacting your headquarters?" Ben asked, taking a seat beside the Japanese General.
Hisahito translated.
"No, none at all," Okamura said and leaned a bit closer. "May I ask you a question?"
"You just did," he said and General laughed. "Of course."
"How can you talk?"
He thought of the many things he could say, but decided not to be a smartass.
"I think you might want to know why I'm intelligent."
"Yes, I suppose your right."
"We don't really know," the Cheetah said and shrugged. "Why are humans intelligent and not chimpanzees or gorillas?"
"I have no idea."
"Maybe it's just the way God wanted it."
"Ben," the Rabbit said, entering the dining room and seeing her friend.
"How you doin'?" Nick said as they came over to the table.
"OK," he said and smiled. "Nick, Judy, please join us."
"Let us get some lunch and we'll be right back," she said and hurried to the serving line with her Fox right behind her.
"They're married," the Cheetah said and smiled at the expression the General's face.
"To each other?!"
"Yes," he said and smiled. "They actually were the first mixed species marriage on our world. I myself am married to..."
"Ben," Beth said, coming up behind him and hugging him.
She sat next to her Cheetah and then pulled his face down to kiss him.
"Your wife?"
"I am," she said and hugged him again. "I fell in love with the first time I saw him."
"Really," both Ben and Okamura said simultaneously.
Hisahito and Beth laughed and a few seconds later Judy and her Fox joined them.
"So what's funny?" Judy asked and Hisahito explained. "I knew that when it happened."
"And I remember when you fell in love with me," Nick said and pulled out the carrot pen. She growled and the pen quickly disappeared back where it came from. Then he smiled. "You know you love me."
"And some days I wonder why!"
"So they really are married," Okamura said and smiled.
Several hours later their aircraft landed at the greatly expanded Vladivostok airport. General Okamura stopped at the bottom of the ramp, watching the different types of aircraft taking off and landing. Although he was commander in chief of the Japanese army in China he was familiar enough with the aircraft that the Japanese air force used and from what he could see they'd be badly out classed. He'd heard that the Germans were developing jets and he assumed that the aircraft he'd flown in and the fighters he'd watched take off where exactly that. He shuddered to think what would happen if his air force if they went up against them.
"Would you like to see some of them up close?" Ben asked and Hisahito translated, pointing to a nearby hanger. "You could go for a ride in one."
He looked at the Cheetah.
"Really."
"Come with me," he said as the Japanese delegation followed.
General Halik and General Eisenhower stood at the top the ramp and watched them walk across the tarmac.
"You have a lot of faith in him," Eisenhower said.
"He led all the Animals in the war on Earth 3 and organized their mobilization here to fight the Soviets."
"What do you think will happen?"
"There's going to be a truce," Courtney said before Halik could answer, "but surrendering is a entirely different matter. The Japanese would lose face."
"Is that your opinion or General Halik's?"
"Sir, to be honest with you you're new to dealing with the Japanese," he said and Eisenhower raised an eyebrow. "I'm not just an interpreter for the General Halik. He has General Shinya, myself, and now Admiral Yamamoto to advise him."
He stopped and told the Grik General what he'd said.
"I have to agree with Courtney," he said, looking at the American General. "They've helped me greatly on this new Earth especially with the Soviets, Germans, and now the Chinese. We'll just have to see how things go."
General Okamura sat in the rear seat of the jet aircraft as it taxied to the runway. He knew the pilot Japanese and wondered which version of Japan the man came from.
"Are you in the Japanese Air Force?"
"No sir," he said as they reached the end of runway. "I'm in the Japanese Navy and originally I was assigned to the aircraft carrier JS Kaga."
"So you served under Admiral Yamamoto?"
"Yes, sir," he said and then spoke to the tower, asking for permission to take off. "The JS Kaga, JS Izumo, and their support ships were brought from Earth 2 to help fight the League of Tripoli."
"And you came from that version of Japan."
"Yes sir."
He'd spoken to Admiral Yamamoto on the flight here and they'd talked about the wars on Earth 3 and the Admiral's original Earth. The tower had cleared them for takeoff and the jet began to move down the runway.
Watching the scenery rush by faster and faster he forgot about his questions as felt himself being pushed back into his seat. Then the fighter lifted from the ground and climbed almost straight up. After a time be began to wonder when it would stop and after ten minutes the pressure lessened and they leveled off. He looked out and it was dark and then he looked down. He could actually see the curvature of the Earth!
"How high are we?"
"49,000 meters – almost in space," he said and laughed. "Let me give you a better look at the ground." He rotated the jet ninety degrees and the General looked down again. He could actually see the Japanese home islands – all of them! "Beautiful isn't it?"
"Yes," he said in awe. "How high can this jet fly?"
"60,000 meters, but we're almost out of fuel when we land so I try not to fly it over 50,000."
"So this jet is used for reconnaissance."
"Yes, but we use the satellites we have in orbit too," he said as they began to descend. "This type of plane would be used if we needed immediate reconnaissance on something specific and none of the satellites was in position."
"Does this jet carry weapons?"
"It can, but we have much better low level fighter bombers of that type of mission."
"Do you fly those?"
"I have, but it's much more fun to fly this," he said and they both laughed. "Next month a new version of this plane will come into service which will be able to fly directly into orbit, will be able to launch satellites, and make a powered return and land at any airport anywhere in the world with at least three thousand meter runway."
"And you're going to fly it?"
"I'm on the list as are a few others."
"I'd like to see it."
"And maybe take a ride?"
"Yes."
"I'll check when we get back," he said as the plane hit the thirty thousand meter mark.
Ben, General Okamura's staff, and his security were waiting as they taxied into the hanger. He helped the General out of the aircraft and then as they stepped outside a large helicopter landed two hundred feet away. The loading ramp dropped and Ben led the group walked aboard. Then they were seated, strapped in, and handed headsets. Ben and Hisahito showed them how to adjust the microphones.
"Can everyone hear me?" Hisahito asked and the other Japanese nodded. "Good. We'll be lifting in a moment and fly to several of our bases in the area."
The first one was nearby and it took only ten minutes before they overflew it. General Okamura saw the tanks first which were even larger than the Soviet ones he'd seen with a larger main gun. He counted and there were one hundred of them in a ten by ten square spaced far enough apart that the crews could easily board them or service them. Then as they circled the base he saw a second and third square. Then the helicopter slowed to a hover and touched down.
The ramp lowered and Ben and Hisahito led them out to waiting command cars.
"We're going give you a demonstration of our newest tanks," Ben announced to the group, "and some of our jets." The drive took only five minutes and ended at a firing range. The cars stopped beside twenty Soviet tanks. "General Okamura, do you recognize these?"
"Yes, Soviet T34s," he said and patted one's side.
"Please go ahead and exam them," Hisahito said and smiled. "The hatches are open. Has anyone served on tanks?"
One of General Okamura's staff raised a hand.
"I was a driver," he said and smiled.
"Go on and have a look inside," Hisahito said and gave the man a little shove. He walked over and climbed into the lead tank and a minute later it roared to life. Then it rolled forward about ten feet and stopped. A few seconds later it shut down and the man climbed back out, smiling. "Want to take it home?" The man chuckled and went back to stand behind his General. "Let's get back in the cars and we'll go and watch a bit of target practice."
Five minutes later they pulled up beside a three newer and larger tanks with their waiting crews. Of course not all of them were human.
"Ben!"
The two ran up to him and saluted and he returned it.
"Stripes, Blacky, so you working on tanks now?"
"The war was over and we wanted to see this Earth with all the humans."
"They're Lemurians," General Okamura said.
"Yes," Ben said and patted Blacky shoulder. "They are the inhabitance of Earth 3. Remember there were some at the meeting."
"We have some Grik here too," Blacky said and winked, "and a lot of Animals and humans."
"The Grik aren't serving on the tanks crews, are they?"
"No," the female 'Cat said and laughed. "Even through the tanks are larger they still can fit through the hatches. A few are mechanics and the rest are guards." He looked at the General. "You can take a few minutes to look at these tanks too."
Ten minutes later the group reassembled.
"Let's get started," he said and looked at the tank crews.
They climbed into their tanks and Ben, Hisahito, and Japanese got back in the command cars and drove to an observation platform a safe distance away. Just as they stopped another helicopter landed nearby and a familiar couple walked down the ramp.
"General Chiang," Ben said, surprised, "and Mei-ling. I thought..."
"I changed my mind," he said and smiled, "and I brought you a surprise too."
One of Ben's eyebrows rose as Beth came strolling down the ramp with Judy, Nick, Dennis Silva, and Larry in tow.
"This is a surprise," the Cheetah said, looking at his mate. "So did you miss me or did you just want to have a look at the tanks?"
She looked thoughtful for a moment and smiled.
"The tanks," she said and her Cheetah laughed.
"We kinda wanted to see the new tanks too," Judy said and Nick rolled his eyes.
"Actually Larry and I wanted to take one for a spin," Dennis said.
"Then I'm driving," Larry said, looking at his best friend, and everyone laughed.
The first shell whistled in and blew the turret off the lead Soviet tank. General Chiang lowered his binoculars and looked at Ben and smiled. Then he looked at General Okamura and raised an eyebrow. A voice came over the loudspeaker.
"We shall hit the third tank back in the tracks, the sixth tank in the engine, and destroy the lead tank completely."
The three tanks fired nearly simultaneously and they targets were hit precisely as promised with predictable results.
"How can they be so accurate at that distance?" General Okamura asked.
"That will take a bit of explaining and your Japanese language does have all the words yet," Hisahito said.
"Yet?" the General said.
"Remember on my Earth is almost eighty years in the future," he explained, "and with new technology new words have been added to the language."
"Such as?"
"To answer your question the device the tanks use is called a laser range finder."
"That first word wasn't Japanese."
"No sir," he said and smiled. "Laser is an English acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. In other words it is coherent light fired at the tank which gives the distance. Then a machine on the tank uses that data to calculate the elevation of main gun and fires. It's accurate to within a few centimeters."
The General was quiet for a few seconds and spoke of the man on his staff. When they finished he turned back to the Japanese Emperor.
"And if the target tank is moving?"
Hisahito smiled.
"We thought you might ask that question so we've arranged another demonstration," he said and pointed to a different part of the test area. "Watch."
Another Soviet tank, but much larger rumpled onto the opposite side the field. It was traveling at it top speed of 37km/hr and was weaving back and forth.
"That's a Soviet JS-2," Hisahito said and signaled Ben. He spoke into his smart phone and their three tanks fired almost simultaneously several times. Their shells struck the Soviet tank and it came apart in a huge explosion. "Now our jets will attack the remaining tanks. They're called warthogs."
Ten seconds later the two aircraft passed low overhead and lined up on the remaining tanks. Then they opened fire and group heard a sound like ripping fabric. The Soviet tanks simply ceased to exist and then just to be thorough the aircraft made second pass.
"Let's go have a look at the results," Ben said and walked toward the cars.
After visiting several more bases over the next two days they flew to their next destination in western China. That evening General Okamura had a hard time sleeping after he watched video of the demonstrations several times. They'd given him a tablet computer and Hisahito had shown him how to use it, but it didn't just have videos of those demonstrations. It had actual combat footage and history of the fighting in the Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, and even some with the Americans, British, and French along the Rhine. He knew actual combat when he saw it and he doubted any of this could've been faked.
He knew in his heart that if Japanese Army fought this coalition they would lose and lose badly especially since most of his better units had been withdrawn to defend the home islands against a supposed American invasion. Now he suspected the Americans would invade China instead. Why fight on the Japanese home ground against must more experienced soldiers when you could fight against less experienced ones in a country where you'd much more room to maneuver. Once China was taken the Japanese home islands would be completely isolated from the rest of the world. He wasn't going to sacrifice men needlessly! Of course he could do nothing about the Japanese soldiers outside China, but he would inquire with the allies. He lay down again and closed his eyes, but sleep still wouldn't come. He let his mind drift and after a time an idea struck him. It was insane, but he needed to speak to the Emperor first. He looked at the clock and it wasn't that late after all.
Emperor Hirohito heard the knock on the door and went to answer it himself which in itself was a new experience for him. He opened it and was a bit surprised.
"My Emperor," he said and bowed, "I going to need your help."
Three months later Ben stood beside Halik and watched as the last of the Japanese Army units entered Manchuria. The American Army and Marines had landed in southern China and had followed the Japanese Army as they pulled back to the north. At that same time they entered Indochina and with the help of Ho Chi Minh's guides within the first month had first surrounded and then captured Hanoi. Then they begin to move south and east.
The army in western China under Field Marshal Rommel and Nationalist army under General Chiang moved east until they met the withdrawing Japanese Army and the territory controlled by the Chinese Communists. They first blocked the communists and with the help of the Halik's army entering China from Siberia they completely surrounded them. Then the communists were given a chance to surrender which they refused and then they attacked, trying to break out of their encirclement.
With their technical superiority the fighting lasted barely a week and when after the first three days they were given a second chance to surrender the communists refused. Once the communist's individual units lost communications with their leaders and the commanders of those units soon found their situation hopeless some of them did finally begin to surrender while others didn't and fought to the last man.
The Communist leadership, finding that they were losing, attempted to sneak away by disguising themselves as ordinary Chinese citizens, but they were soon caught. Several drones had been tasked with keeping them under constant surveillance and the expedient of the 'real' ordinary Chinese citizens who'd lived under their harsh rule, pointing them out, helped greatly. Several of more important of them were brought to meet General Chiang and Field Marshal Rommel.
"Chairman Mao, are you being treated well?" General Chiang said and smiled.
"We were allies!" Mao shouted and lunged forward only to be stopped by his guards.
"You are correct – we were," Chiang said and smiled again. "I know once the war with the Japanese ended that you with the Soviet's help planned to take over China. But now the Soviet Union is gone."
"Lies!" Mao yelled.
"We could take you to Moscow," Rommel said in English and Chiang translated, "and you can see for yourself."
"I see you now allied yourself with the Nazis!"
"Hitler is dead as is Nazism," Rommel said and smiled. "And the war in China is over for both you and the Japanese."
"Wherever you send me I'll escape and come back to China!"
"Where you're going you'll never return to this Earth," Chiang said and smiled. "In fact after your trial I've arranged for you to spend the remainder of your life in the same place as Comrade Stalin."
"So you're just going to kill me!"
"No of course not," General Chiang said and then chuckled.
Field Marshal Model's army moved south and entered northern Burma, Thailand, and northeastern Vietnam. After a week of chasing the Japanese south they met the British Army in Burma and the Americans in western Vietnam. After two months of fighting the combined armies reached Bangkok, Phnom Penh, and Saigon. Two weeks later the Japanese Army simply ceased to be an effective fighting force and was soon reduced to using hit and run guerrilla raids. The larger cities were fairly safe since any Japanese soldier who attempted to enter was soon spotted by the local population. Most were lucky to be turned over to the allies while the others were found usually in much worse shape or simply dead.
Their next target would be the Dutch East Indies or as the local people called it - Indonesia. It consisted of hundreds of islands most of which were heavily forested. It was decided mostly by the Animals and Lemurians that this was a mission best suited for them. They'd simply blend in to the forest just like any other animal and give the Japanese a great many unexpected surprises.
The first of General Okamura's men landed in Hokkaido, the northern most of the Japanese home islands, with a bit of help from the allies. Being the least populated and thought by the Japanese military to least likely to be attacked they had very few soldiers stationed there. After a week the island had been completely occupied and the few Japanese soldiers who were there had joined them. It helped that the Emperor Hirohito had personally asked their commander for his help. Within the next two weeks with more of the allies' help the majority of Japanese Army in China had left.
They soon crossed the Tsugaru Strait to Honshu, the next island in the chain and largest of the Japanese home islands by area and also the most heavily populated. As General Okamura's army move south more soldiers joined them. General Okamura knew that sooner or later someone from the Dai Honei, Imperial General Headquarters, would make an appearance and one hundred and fifty kilometers north of Tokyo someone did – General Yoshijirō Umezu, Chief of the General Staff.
"General Okamura, why are you and you men here?" General Umezu asked.
"Because I ordered him to."
At the sound of the voice he knew well he turned and stared for a moment. Then he bowed deeply.
"My Emperor ...," he began.
"We currently have a truce at least in China," he said and stepped close of the other man, "and now Japan will surrender to the Allies."
And with those words the Second World War ended on Earth 4.
Eight months later Ben watched as the last defendant from the final war crimes trial was led from the courtroom to spend the rest of his life on one of a dozen island prisons setup on Earth 2. He stood and looked at his friends. Some had been witnesses while others had just had come to watch.
"Ben, I think you'll get another promotion for all you've done," Judy said and smiled.
"And you'll deserve it," Nick said, putting an arm around his bunny.
"The bunny's right," Dennis said and laughed at the look on the Rabbit's face. "What do you think Larry?"
"Yea, he did a good job," the Grik-like dinosaur said.
"Well I've got some time off," the Cheetah said to the group, "and I'm putting you all in for some too."
They cheered and patted the Cheetah on the back.
"So what you gonna do on your vacation?" Nick asked.
"Well I thought I'd go back to Earth 2 for a while," he said and scratched his chin. "Afterwards I'm still commander of our forces on Earth 3 and a lot of it that hasn't been explored."
"So this is where the portal was," Dennis said.
"It's still there," Ben corrected, "but unlike the other two it's only one way."
"We covered it with steel and concrete so when the asteroid stuck none of the explosion or whatever else would come through," Judy said and patted the concrete. "Ya know it feels kinda warm."
Everyone else touched it too.
"Sergeant," Ben shouted and the human came running. "I thought this was being monitored."
"Sir, I think up to about three or four year it was, but that was before my time," he said and shrugged.
"So is there anyone here who was?" Ben asked.
"Yes sir," the man said and smiled. "He retired about a year ago and he was here from the beginning. His place isn't too far."
"Can you call him?"
"Yes sir."
Thirty minutes later an old pickup pulled and an older man got out.
"John Smith," Judy said and ran to him.
"Judy Wilde," he said, squatting down and hugging her. He looked at Fox behind her. "Nick, how ya doin'?"
"Good," he said and smiled. "And you?"
"OK for an old man," he said and chuckled. "So the plug is gettin' warm." He led them to the monitoring station control room and began to flip switches. "I told them not to turn them off, but would they listen to an old man? No, of course not."
He sat at one of the work stations and booted up the computer. Then he brought up the program that read the temperature in the leads buried at different depths in the concrete. After watching several minutes the graphs showed a steady rise in temperature, warmer on the probes closer to the portal.
"I wonder what could cause this," Ben said to no one in particular.
John studied readings and queried the computer for projections.
"We'll know in about ten hours."
Five hours later the plug was glowing a cherry red and the area for a mile around had to be evacuated. An hour after that it began to melt and the first part of the portal was exposed. As predicted after ten hours what was left of the plug was a pool of liquid concrete and steel. Then ten minutes later an aircraft came through. It hovered and the portal began to glow, showing it true size. Then it began to rise, taking the portal with it and soon they both were out of sight.
"Now what?" Judy said, still looking into the sky.
"Your guesses are as good as mine," her Fox said.
In orbit the portal was now in position and it still glowed like a beacon as the first of the ragtag fleet passed through.