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Chapter Thirty: Losers' Club
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Berlin – Prussian Kingdom
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7th June 1827
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- What's that?
As usual Friedrich Wilhelm's voice was intermingled with annoyance. Probably because he was annoyed. As in always annoyed. Or frustrated…
- That's an impact crater, said Carl August (the fourteenth) of Sweden with as gentle a voice as possible.
He had spent the last two days listening to his host, Friedrich Wilhelm -the third- complaining about his awful economic, political, strategic and personal situation.
Franz -the second- who had been Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire and who was no longer important enough to even be called a King, squirmed at the picture.
- And what impacted there?
- Well, said Carl August taking another picture out of his folder. That's a picture of the same place a day before said impact.
Friedrich Wilhelm and Franz spent the next two minutes comparing the two pictures.
- You are sure that those show the same place?
- Look at the background. They were taken from the same hill at around ten miles form the impact. And if it is not totally similar it is because the hill in question was in the range of the impact. In fact, the small hill no longer exists. It has been erased like the rest of the area…
Friedrich Wilhelm frowned at the most recent picture and let out a long sigh.
- What impacted?
- I have no idea, answered Carl August. This place is at the center of a ten-thousand-acre field of old lava flows I lease to Great Britain. It is a real desert with a very thick lava cover the Royal Air Force uses to test their latest ammunitions.
He snickered.
- Having them there has two advantages, it earns me a few thousand pounds a year and it gives me a very easy way to survey what Grand Great Britain is able to do with their new flying inventions.
- Did they test Ares up there?
- No, Ares was too Top Secret to show to the world before they used it.
Franz looked another time at the picture and grumbled.
- How deep is the center of the crater?
- What you see is a fifty-two-yards deep hole in what was until the impact the most sturdy basalt of Iceland.
- You have pictures of what impacted?
Carl August shook his head.
- I should have had, but the hidden camera was at the top of the hill. It didn't survive the impact and since I didn't want to have said camera discovered by the place's warden it was a mechanical one. No means to broadcast what happened.
- How many bombs did they use…
- If I can trust the people who live just at the border of the field and who are paid by me to always look at what happens in their neighbors' field, it was one very fast object coming directly from above.
He took another picture out of his folder.
- Two hours later we've got visitors…
The new picture was showing four Gyrocopters making a pass over the impact crater.
- They have spent around an hour flying over the zone -probably taking thousands of pictures- before one of the gyros landed and they came out…
Another picture was presented and both Kings had no problem to recognize the men jumping out of the flying machine.
- That's d'Arcy, hissed Franz of Austria.
- And that's Charles Bingley, added Friedrich Wilhelm. What did they want…?
Carl August who had shown said pictures to his best scientists of the Stockholm University had no problem to answer.
- They were there to evaluate the real force of their last invention, what my scientist who had read about it in Bingley's publications and who love those fucking acronyms call an OBRO, a.k.a. an orbital bombardment rod!
- Orbital bombardment rod?
- Gustaf Erick Pash, my main scientific engineer, believes it is a rod -what he calls a huge metal arrow- that is shot out of a spaceship in orbit and that tumbles down at an ever-increasing speed until it collides with the ground where the rod disintegrates because all its kinetic energy is diffused into its target, a.k.a. the ground it hits. Ground that is shaken in such a way that a real Earthquake would look like a quiet rumble.
He tapped the first picture, that with the crater.
- With those impressing and scaring results.
Friedrich Wilhelm and Franz looked at each other.
- Bei allen Götter, grumbled the Austrian would-be Emperor, wo werden sie halt machen? (By all Gods where will they stop?)
Carl Gustav, who quite enjoyed the present situation, took another document out of his folder. This time it was a map. A map of a part of the Central Plateau where the rod had impacted.
- I wouldn't want to add another layer of dread but I need to show you something.
He opened the map and a square delineated in red appeared.
- This red square is the land I lease to the GGB's Royal Air force.
He pointed at a red dot.
- That's where the rod impacted. Now look where the exact center of the square is!
For a few long seconds both men searched the map for what wasn't clearly visible.
But for…
- It impacted at the exact center, whispered Franz.
- Or at such a small distance that it isn't visible on a map of such small definition, added Carl Gustav.
- How far could they have been from the center of the square?
- If I can trust Pash, twelve yards would be the greatest distance. And it really isn't so important since…
He took out another map with the same square and a huge circle drawn around his center.
- …This is the surface of the plateau where Pash estimates that no not-reinforced building would have been utterly destroyed. As in smashed, crushed, crumbled, flattened…
He took out a last map. This time it was a map of Stockholm with a circle drawn on the Swedish Capital City.
- In my Hubris I've decided that the center of impact would have been the Royal Palace. As you can see the whole city would have been within the lethal range of the rod. My City would have been destroyed.
He snickered and shook his head.
- Let's welcome the next generation of Weapons of mass Destruction, gentlemen. And I don't know for you, but I, for my part, I'm not pleased at all with what that WMD means for us and the world.
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Kyoto – Empire of Nippon
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10th June 1827
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- What's that, my friend?
Kokaku-Tenno was sitting in his favorite garden looking at the flowers the wind was moving with grace all around him.
The birds were singing and basking in the sun and his musicians' music was giving him a very welcome sensation of peace and serenity.
Shenji Hogukawa had arrived, placed a roll of paper in front of him and taken his place not really but almost facing him.
- That's the Dageblade, your Divine Majesty. A Swedish Newspaper.
The Tenno smiled at his servant, friend and main advisor.
- You are lucky that I take a fierce interest in what happens in the world and so I know where Sweden is, but knowing that I also know that what happens in Sweden has very few chances to has an impact on us…
Shenji Hogukawa smiled at his friend and ruler.
- I'm always surprised with your Divine Majesty's insight! Your choice of words is, in this current situation, quite extraordinary.
Tokaku-Tenno stopped looking at the birds and turned towards Shenji.
- What is it, Shenji? What is plaguing you?
- There is an article within the Newspaper that needs our attention.
- Ours or mine?
- I wouldn't want to look like I'm exaggerating but I think this article should be read by everybody and especially by all those who currently still believe that they have a say in this world's affairs.
Tokaku-Tenno let out a long sigh and shook his head.
- What happened in Sweden that has transformed you into a philosopher?
- I always was a Philosopher but since I know that you prefer Poetry to Philosophy, I was discreet. Out of respect for my Master's opinion.
The Tenno took a few seconds to ensure that his mood was still on the serene side of life and, then, asked again.
- Must I repeat my question Shenji?
- No, answered Shenji, I remember your question and I will answer it even if I'm a little anxious that…
- Shenji!
- Grand Great Britain has just invented a way to erase a town or a city anywhere in the world just by hurling a metal rod towards the ground from orbit.
Tokaku-Tenno took a long breath.
- I suppose you've verified the information?
- I did indeed and I was able to find corroborating information at the King of Sweden's Palace. Our Ambassador there could join a meeting where Carl XIV August accepted to show to the gathered Ambassadors the documents he had in his possession. It seems to be the truth. The British Air Force -or since there is such a thing- the British Space Force has tested what they call an OBRO, a.k.a. an orbital bombardment rod, somewhere on a sparsely occupied Island in the North or Europe. The rod was launched from orbit and hit the targeted point with an accuracy of more or less ten yards.
He pointed at the pond in the Garden.
- One of their Spaceships could target the pond and the sent rod would hit somewhere within this Garden.
- With what effect?
- Total destruction of everything around this Garden, probably to the Kinkaju-Ji.
There was a long silence and the smile on the Tenno's face finally disappeared.
- It seems that you did succeed in destroying my good mood.
- It never was my intention, but you needed to know that those Westerners are not stopping in their race to Mankind's destruction.
- Let's not place on them a blame we share, my friend. Destroying our fellow Human Beings has been a very common pastime for at least the last two or three thousand years all over the world.
- But never to such extend.
The Tenno nodded while frowning at the newspaper.
- And that information has been freely published in a Swedish Paper?
- Indeed, and everything the journalist has written has been corroborated by the King of Sweden. The Brits do, effectively, have another means to destroy who they want when they want…
Tokaku-Tenno frowned at his advisor.
- Do you have an idea about the why?
- The why? The why for what?
- The why they let us know that they have that new weapon at their disposal, my friend. Wouldn't it be smarter, in a military way of thinking, to maintain the strictest of secret around said ORBO?
- OBRO, your Divine Majesty, and I think they never intended to let the secret leak. It just happened to have been witnessed by outsiders…
Tokaku-Tenno shook his head.
- Do you really believe such a thing, Shenji my friend?
- Why shouldn't I? Such things happen.
- You were in Beijing at my daughter's wedding, weren't you?
- I was.
- And you have seen d'Arcysan, the man who looks like a Westerner but who thinks like a Chinese… The father of Ro Sunteu, Yonglin's Emperor's ninth wife?
- I did and I even spoke with him. His Japanese is exceptional. I wouldn't have thought that a Westerner could master our language in such a way.
- Did he give you the impression that he was a fool or a man who makes easy to avoid mistakes?
Shenji took a few seconds to remember what he had spoken about with said d'Arcysan.
- No, he didn't, said he finally. But even people like him have underlings. And some underlings make mistakes.
Tokaku-Tenno pointed at the huge map of the world hanging at a wall of the central pavilion of the Garden.
- Remember the size of the British Not Empire? Do you believe that they do not have a place like the place in Sweden where they made the test of their OBRO…
Shenji didn't try to correct his friend a second time. Either his mind was stuck on OBRO or the man was goading him…
- More than one probably. They do have the whole North of the American continent. There are with certainty places as sparsely inhabited that are owned by the British.
- And still they chose to do it in Sweden?
- The Icelandic test area is nearer from Scotland's Scapa Flow Naval base. That's why the Air Force uses it to test their ammunition.
- Is Iceland nearer than America when shooting from orbit?
- I would have to ask an astronomer but I would think that no is the evident answer.
- And still they used the Icelandic test area… What does it tell us about d'Arcysan's goal?
Shenjio pointed at the paper.
- He wanted us to know…
- He wanted the whole world to know, Shenji! And if I have to use your own eagerness to tell me, I'd bet that, as we speak, the whole world knows or will soon know.
Shenji forced himself to think outside of the box…
- Would they want to warn us?
- Warning us is not what I believe he wants, my friend. Or should I say that he doesn't want to warn us about his possibilities. I've met the young King-Emperor of the British non-Empire. A very cool and polite young man who knows his worth and who, by what I have been able to judge, has been taught by a Master in diplomacy. He has Spaceships in orbit and at least the French are working like Demons to join them there. Who would you see using those rods to impose their will?
- I'm quite sure the French would do it… And so, would the Ottomans…
- Without hesitating for more than a second.
Once more Tokaku-Tenno pointed at the newspaper.
- And now, thanks to that nosy Swedish journalist, everybody knows that having Spaceships in orbit is a major threat for everybody who does not have his finger at the trigger in orbit.
- They will…
He stopped. No, they wouldn't panic. They would feverishly think about ways to restrain GBB's possibilities to weaponize the Space surrounding Earth. And by restraining the GBB they would restrain everybody. And what they would never have accepted had they already been at the orbital trigger, they would push because they felt threatened and defenseless.
- Are they really so smart, Mohoritosan?
- I think so, said Tokaku-Tenno. I think so. And I'm very glad that they use their brains to restrain the use of weapons and not the reverse.
He smiled at his friend.
- You know what you need to do?
- Howl with the scared wolves?
- Indeed, my friend, indeed, let's howl.
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Madrid - Escorial
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10th June 1827
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- We should inform him, don't you think?
Roberto Mureno y Diaz Solumbra looked at his Boss and couldn't hide his anxiety.
- Inform him about what?
Clearly de Godoy wasn't of Roberto's opinion.
- He's our King, he needs to know that the Brits have yet another method to destroy their enemies.
- Are we the Brits' enemies?
Roberto shook his head.
- Not yet…
- And with what we know about William the Fourth he won't be anyone's enemy if he isn't attacked. So, no need to add to our King's current real problems another one that won't probably ever be one.
Roberto couldn't help but shoot an unfriendly look towards his friend and boss.
- Is it not our duty to give our King all the relevant news we get? And I do believe that another way to eradicate half of Humankind is important enough to inform him.
Manuel let out a long sigh.
- It will add too much stress to his already frantic mindset. He's not in good health and he spends his time fearing our Northern neighbor's invasion. Why should we increase his anxiety with bad news that are not relevant for Spain?
- Because he is the King and because he needs to know it to make the best decisions?
- The best decisions of a scared man won't be good decisions, Roberto! We need him quiet and only mildly anxious. What do you believe will happen if he hears about the British orbital bombardment capacities?
Roberto refused to answer. He feared his King's reactions, but he was also very aware that it wasn't his or de Godoy's job to hide the truth -any truth- from their King.
- He'll lose it, said finally de Godoy answering his own question. He's been at the brink of losing it for years now and these last months haven't seen any improvement of his mental health.
He shook his head.
- He doesn't age well; you've seen it like everybody else… We cannot afford to have his mental health faltering even more. For now, he's still able to play his role when in public. Thank God he loves being in public and showing himself to the people gives him great satisfaction. But, you know like I do that his sense of balance is more than unhinged. We can't afford to let his fears take the better of him. At least not until he's chosen a Heir.
- It doesn't look like he's about to do something like that. I was there the last time you tried to convince him! Must I remind you that it didn't go well at all.
De Godoy nodded discreetly. It had been a bad day…
- He's certain that the only thing that holds back all those who want his throne is their infighting. He's convinced that, would he have a Heir, said Heir would want to kill him immediately.
Roberto shot a heavy glance in his boss' direction.
By all the Saints he was tempted to kill him each time he witnessed one of his foolish reactions.
- No, said de Godoy. We cannot afford to let news of that sort destroy his fragile inner balance and push him over the edge. He's not at his best right now but it is enough to hold the Empire together. Even the South American would-be rebels who gather around that traitor Bolivar prefer Carlos and his weaknesses to Napoleon's strengths and Fouché's recklessness. The Texas and Florida incidents has been enough to make them understand that the French have the means -and the will- to grab each and every little scrap of land that leaves the Spanish fold. Napoleon is determined to be true to his word when it comes to Spain. But he considers that everything that is neither under Spanish nor British rule is free game…
Roberto could only agree.
The only reason the traitorous rebels Bolivar has gathered around him hadn't, yet, launched a major insurrection was because of Napoleon's ruthlessness when it came to deal with what he called the spreading of insurrection. Two days after the Florida rebels had stood up to oust the Spanish governor, five thousand French Paratrooper had jumped over San Agustin in the middle of the night. It had taken the French two hours to crush the rebellion, mop up the rebels, shoot the leaders and annex the Province.
Of course, Carlos and de Godoy had protested and asked for the return of Florida to the Crown, but Napoleon's answer had been short and unyielding. And rude. When his troops had taken Florida, it was no longer a Spanish Colony but, as the constitution of the Free State of Florida had asserted 'an independent free Republic' no longer ruled by Spain and his wicked ruler. Since it has also been a focus of insurgent activities the French Consulate couldn't bear in the immediate vicinity of not yet really pacified possessions, and since, clearly, Spain was no longer able to defend what it owned once upon a time, the French intervention had been deemed necessary.
The insurgents, those who hadn't been immediately shot, hadn't liked at all the arrival of Fouché and his Special Police Force. But, at least, they hadn't had to endure it for a very long time.
Normally all sane American subject of the Spanish Crown should have understood what they risked should they secede.
But some were clearly dumber than others. With the Texans as world champions who four years later, had launched an insurrection of their own. Had followed two years of bloody skirmishes between under-equipped and badly commanded regular Spanish troops and the Texan Guerilleros. Two years of mutual exaction and bloodshed.
Two years that had ended with a Spanish defeat and the proclamation of the Texan Free Republic.
Texan Free Republic that had lasted exactly two months and ten days.
When Napoleon declared that the Consulate couldn't accept a nest of insurgent activities in the vicinity of their most important American City and Trade Post.
The same day, after only a few weeks of Texan Freedom, the French had marched in and had given the Texan rebels lessons about how experienced anti-guerilla forces could deal with badly equipped foes who wanted to use asymmetrical warfare against a standing army.
The Texans had been confident. They had beaten the Spanish regulars, hadn't they? But they soon noticed a little difference between Spanish armed peons and French experienced and ruthless soldiers who were under the command of some of the best officers the world had known. It didn't take them more than a week to discover that the French standing army had weapon-bristling airships that had spent the last five years crushing another guerilla in another desert. The Texan had paid with their lives the discovery that, from the sky, guerilla camps were extremely easy to spot and even easier to raze to the ground. Especially at night. The Berbers in the Sahara Desert, had they survived, could have given good advice about night camps and anti-spotting methods to the Texans but since they had been long dead, most of the Texan rebels paid their two months long liberty with their lives.
And so, Texas had been added to the French possessions in North America.
Now everybody, even Pigheaded and ambitious Bolivar who had dreamt himself the new King of South America, had a precise idea of what would happen each time a small part of South America's Vice Royalties would attempt to leave Spain's futile but benevolent Protection.
- I do agree with everything you say, Manuel, but it is each week more difficult to have him make sane decisions…
- I make all decisions, Roberto. He's just there to sign the decrees. And everybody knows it and likes it as it is. We just need him to remember to be the King and to act like a King. And he does that quite efficiently wouldn't you agree?
- I already said that I agree! But I also believe that we have reached the limit of what we are able to manage with a King who's no longer sane or even able to understand what happens around him. I don't begrudge you your current power and nobody out there even tries to replace you since you clearly work in everybody's interest, but he still is the King and he could become a risk for the Empire. What could we do if, out of a whim, he took it on himself to no longer ask for your support but get his mind to decide all by himself.
- Exactly and that's why I don't want to take the risk to unhinge him even a little more! In his present state he's not useful but neither is he a danger. He believes in me and believes in my honesty. I can't ask for more or I would risk destroying everything we've built to maintain some semblance of normalcy. He's not a good Monarch, I'll admit it, but as long as he's satisfied with just showing off, waving and being the King in appearances, I'm good!
Roberto couldn't help but sigh. He had a last argument, and that one would, perhaps, be able to convince his Boss.
- I've just heard that Jane Darcy the Younger was about to make the announcement of her engagement with Rodrigo Guzmann de Harrara. It seems that that ploy had, at least, come to fruition.
For the space of a second de Godoy's face was lit by a smile.
- Good, he's not the one I would have preferred but at least we've got ourselves an overture.
He looked at Roberto.
- Do we have a date for the wedding?
- Not yet I believe it will happen in September or October in Pemberley. Probably September to have access to the LIT possibilities before the beginning of the Semester. It will be a huge event and I'm quite sure that, because of the fiancé's origins, the King will be invited.
- We will have to prepare him… He hates journeys, you remember, and flying does not agree with his stomach.
Roberto nodded. He wasn't quite sure if the affair with the King's stomach wasn't an excuse to postpone as many journeys as possible but, from time to time he really did envy the British and French advisors. How satisfying it must be to have a sane and healthy Monarch!
- It will happen with or without him, said he.
- I know and it would be in everybody's interest if the fiancé and the King could meet and, with luck, sympathize.
- How many people will you send with the King?
- The ideal would be only his wife and half a dozen servants. We want the King to look at Rodrigo as the fellow Spaniard he can talk with. If too many of his courtiers are about, they will smother him and cut him from making the Fiancé's acquaintance.
- What about you?
- I will lobby to limit the Spanish guests to the Fiancé's family which is his father if I remember well and the King and Queen. Janet Darcy has no official Title, it will be a grand family affair but not a State wedding.
- Will they even invite King Carlos?
- I'll send word to Lady Lydia Gordon in order to ensure that an invitation goes His Majesty's way. I'm quite sure she will want to see the happy ending of our little plot.
He shook his head.
- I'm sure he will be invited, but I' not sure he will accept to go. Napoleon, being a member of the family, will surely be present, and His Majesty will know it. You know how he reacts to the First Consul's presence.
Roberto knew exactly how Carlos reacted to Napoleon's presence.
- I do and I don't see which arguments we could use to get him to accept the invitation. He hates traveling and if he knows that Napoleon will be there to loom over his shoulder, he will chicken out.
- I'm afraid that you are right, admitted Manuel. But I hope to be able to convince her Majesty the Queen. As I said it will be a family wedding and a good opportunity for her to speak with the Fiancée's Godmother. For years she's been ailing and the fact that she could meet the famous d'Arcy healer without any Spanish witnesses could be incentive enough. Nobody loves to suffer and the Queen has been suffering for years. That will be my opening. I'll look into it.
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Washington – Freedom of Thought Bookshop
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10th June 1827
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- You've read?
Aldus Brownley looked up from the newspapers he was reading and shook his head while looking at the owner of the Bookshop, Jonathan Bias.
- I've read a lot of things in my life, Jonathan, and considering my love for the written word I'd say that it is probable but without more details I will be forced to ask for more information…
Jonathan pointed a finger at the copy of the Washington Examiner who was, more or less, the favorite newspaper of all those who thought that the United States of America had still a chance to resurrect.
Since Jonathan Bias was the publisher and editor of said newspaper and since he was selling around ten thousand copies of the paper he had a rather good idea about the US popularity.
- The article page twelve. The one called God's Hammer…
Aldus nodded while making a worried face.
- That one I have, indeed, read. Frightening how many ways to exterminate Mankind the British seem to possess nowadays.
He took a long breath.
- Where did you find the specifics of the weapon?
- From sources in a Swedish Newspaper I receive daily. You know that I believe in multiple news sources. And this one was the only who spoke about those new ways to destroy Humanity.
Aldus couldn't help but smile at his friend and co-member of the American Republican Party.
- We have Spaceships, now, Jonathan.
- The Brits and the French have Spaceships, hissed Jonathan who was still very convinced that it would have been the USA who have become the next world power.
And it could, probably have happened, had not the Brits found a second revival.
- We are part of the GGB, Jonathan. And if you look at your economic pages, we, here in America, are almost as advanced as the Brits around London. Our people in New York, Boston and Philly have the same wages than their counterparts in London or Edinburgh. And that's almost twenty percent better than the French workers around Paris. A part of the Spaceships going into orbit have been built here, Jonathan. Even if you hate the thought, most of American are quite satisfied to be a part of the thriving and open-minded Work Power that William the Fourth rules.
He pointed at the back of the shop.
- Just look at what happens fifty miles South of here. The Southerners aren't as well treated as we are. Far from it. We have exactly the same rights as every other Citizen within any of the GGB countries. And our wives and daughters are definitely on the Brits' side.
- You know that the French and the Brits play a game to enslave the rest of the world. The world has become a family business. The Darcy-Buonaparte incorporated rules the world.
- How many ballots did you get last elections?
Less than two per cent of the American voters had voted for the ARP. And even with the local Chambers being voted with the fully proportional voting system, the Party had no elected member anywhere in the North.
- The Brits have a monopoly over information. Half the newspapers are Company owned.
- But the other half is privately owned and still they didn't support you or any other American splinter Party. The Brits gave no reason to our fellow Americans to hate or despise them. The Governors are locally elected, we have the same numbers of delegates in the House of Commons and since there are not enough American Nobles in the House of Lords, said American Nobles within the House of Lords have a vetoing right to stop a legislation they believe going against the interests of the North American Provinces. And while the veto is up the Houses are not allowed to rule over us until the King has investigated.
He snickered at his friend's grimace.
- One could say that the Brits are bending over backwards to prove us that they care about us.
- That's only a façade. The reality of their rule is God's Hammer! They prepare everything to be able to crush us should we not be obedient enough. They are Tyrants and Despots of the worst sort.
Aldus decided not to enter his friend's rambling session. Jonathan wasn't a bad guy but his opinion about the Brits and their occupation of the United States of America, even if they came only after having been called, was the second original sin. Nothing would ever convince him that it had been a good thing even if, for the common people, the women, the niggers and the Indians it had changed everything.
- That God's Hammer is, in my opinion, superfluous. The Ares and her sister-ships would have been enough to get every rebellion to be stopped. And they never even sent one over here until the French decided that New Orleans would be the Home Port of the Belenos. And Athena's Home Port is Denver which seems to show that they are not playing them against each other.
Jonathan snorted loudly.
- As I say the French and the Brits are together in this scam. It is a common plot to take over the world.
- If there was a common plot, the Hammer of God technology has just shown to the world who's the leader in the couple.
Jonathan's eyes began to shine.
- You believe that could shatter their association?
Aldus shook his head.
- Not in the least, what it will provoke is an ugly race by everybody who believes to have the right to get his fingers on the trigger to build his own spaceships to get his own weapon of mass destruction.
Jonathan frowned at his friend.
- You really believe that?
- Of course, I believe it but they will soon discover that only the French have the beginning of the Tech to get up there. And once they know that they will all work towards the only realistic thing they can achieve…
- Which is?
- Making sure that Napoleon never gets up there with its own trigger.
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Peshawar - Pachtounistan
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13th June 1827
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- That wasn't an accident, son, that was a threat…
- How can what happened have been a threat? It was just the top of a mountain that fell because of a few very hot days. It happened before…
Armaghan Reeshteen let out a loud and exasperated sigh. How was it possible that Mohambar could be his son with that sort of mental deficiencies?
- You do remember that the mountains we are speaking about was the highest peak of the mountain ranges we rule?
- Of course, I do, but it is one mountain out of thousand, and we will have other rockfalls during this summer. Mountains live and die, father!
- This wasn't an accident, son this was a targeted demonstration of force. To impress us.
- Impress us by destroying the top of a mountain? How can they believe that topping one of our mountains would be considered as a threat?
- It is the symbol that is important, son. They just severed our highest mountain peak. Don't you get the message behind that?
Mohambar took the time to think. Clearly there was something more to that mountain top story than he had seen. Or his father wouldn't insist in such an obvious and obnoxious manner.
He wasn't the smartest keg in the box, he knew that. But he wasn't an idiot. He had inherited his mother's father's cunning. And his mother's patience. He never acted harshly and always took the time to think about the problem and to listen to his younger brothers.
And he always listened to his father's choice of words. His words were important. His father never used words at random.
A symbol associated with a threat. What else could they have done to send a message
Yes, they could have chosen another target…
- They could have targeted the Mountain over Peshawar. Or Peshawar itself...
His father's smile made him proud at himself.
I've thought of it!
- Exactly, son, they could have and by just severing our highest Mountain top they did send us a warning. They want us to know that they can target what they want whenever they want, and whenever they want! And remind us that we can do nothing to stop them.
Mohambar was tempted to protest. They had rockets, after all. Lots of Russian rockets they had bought from the late Czar's brother. They had the means to stop those obnoxious airships.
But since he wasn't sure why his father had been angry with him, he just grumbled a non-committal sound.
And plastered his angriest frown on his face.
Not that he was angry -he rarely was and always tried to smooth his way through problems- but because his father liked it when he looked angry.
Anger was something his father clearly awaited from his sons. All his sons. But he, who was the Heir, was even more expected to be angry! Angrier! The angriest! That's why Mohambar had trained a long time in front of his mirror. Giving his eyes the right angry tilt, had been a real problem.
Resolved problem now.
Time to react like an angry fool. He'll like it…
- Let's show them that Pashtun Warriors can't be threatened without consequences. Let's storm all the Outsiders' Embassies and kill a few dozens of them! We'll show them who's ruling in our Mountain ranges.
- Let's not be foolish, son. We are a little fish in a pond where sharks are fighting for dominance. Biting a shark will only force him to look in our direction and remind him that lots of small fish is a meal too.
- We are sharks too…
- Size matters when you are a shark, son. Even if we are a shark, and I agree with you, we are too small a shark to impress the big ones.
- A lot of small sharks should be able to run over an inattentive and arrogant shark who thinks he is unattainable…
- That's true but the little sharks are no longer numerous enough to be worthy foes. We've tried that with the Ottomans and we've lost… Luckily for us we are still a cruising shark, not a digested one like so many of those who fought at our side.
- So, we do not react?
- Of course, we react. They have destroyed our most important sacred mountain top! We must react. It is our duty.
- We had a sacred Mountain top?
- And we just lost it because those heathens respect nothing. It is time to fight for… A just compensation. I'm sure there's money to be made there. Let's convey an elders' meeting.
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Beijing – Darcy residence
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13th June 1827
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- Was that really necessary? Every house in the town has been damaged. Hundreds have been injured. Dozens died.
Ounnga wasn't satisfied and she had no qualm to show it to her husband and to her sister's father who was sitting on a window seat with his usual arrogant smile adorning his lips.
- Your Uncle was plotting against me, love. The only other choice at my disposal would have been to have him arrested, he and his whole household, and executed. I know that you are fond of our Aunt and that you would have been miffed to see her beheaded. So, the message came through without having to make it public. And it was an impressive example others will have no problem to understand.
Ounnga shot an angry glance at d'Arcy.
- Everybody plots in the Middle Kingdom. You could have avoided to bring it to Yonglin's attention!
- I could have but that Uncle of yours and me we had an old bill to settle. It pleases me to see him humbled. And I wanted to show my son-in-law our latest scientific breakthrough. We are now in a position that gives us a total superiority. There are no longer any defense against us…
She turned around and frowned at her husband.
- He is threatening us, too, don't you see it?
- Of course, he is, and I quite like it when he acts thus. It is our culture that speaks out and it makes me proud. But he doesn't threaten me more than he was doing last week or last month. You know about his Demons, don't you?
He snickered.
- Of course, you know! Don't you think that their existence is enough to remind me that, should he want me dead, he has every means at his disposal to do it?
He shrugged.
- Threats are normal when dealing with powerful people. Everybody threatens those they want to impress.
He pointed at the board where they had just seen a Rod coming from orbit hammer the Earth and provoke an Earthquake that destroyed most of their Uncle's Provincial Capital City. They had seen the waves in the ground appearing at the point of impact and rolling towards the fifty miles away City. Most of the impact's force had been sucked up by the Earth when the waves had arrived to the City but it had been enough to destroy all the stone and brick buildings and everything within the wood buildings.
- I will send my Army to help Uncle to rebuild his City and I will even finance half of it! But, when it is done, I will show him and all the other Provincial rulers the footage Father made available.
- And I have a few others to show, said d'Arcy… We have made half a dozen tests all over the world. And the places where we had our rods penetrate have been chosen with care.
- To send threats… hissed Ounnga.
- To send political messages, dear! There are people out there, who plot and believe that they can do it without having to pay the bills. We prefer to have them informed about the consequences their plotting could have for them and their people. And we have now a tool that gives us the means to remind them that we are all part of a thriving community who should remember that what happens in one house will have consequences all around them.
Ounnga pointed at the pictures…
- This is a weapon that puts every country on Earth at your mercy! You can destroy whatever you want whenever you want.
- I know, said d'Arcy with a smile, and I do intend to use the advantage it gives to those who have the means to master it to the bitter end.
This time it was Yonglin's turn to ask.
- What is it you want?
- I want everybody on Earth to understand what it really means to have somebody in orbit who knows exactly what advantage it has gotten him. And to shit themselves when they realize that there is no way for them to avoid anything coming down on them from orbit!
He smiled at Ounnga.
- I don't know why but I'm quite sure that, as we speak, everybody on Earth who knows about OBRO is frantically looking for ways to force Grand Great Britain to renounce to their advantage.
- And is there a way, asked Yonglin…
- Of course, there is, said d'Arcy with a satisfied smile. After all, Earth has the chance that the fingers on that trigger belong to the sanest, calmest and most reliable ruler to be in power.
He placed his hand on his breast.
- Which luckily for everybody living on that forsaken dirt ball are not my legacy to him but that of his mother and his mentor. Knowing those influences I'm quite sure that you don't need to be worried. He's not the sort of man who looks at ways to force himself in strangers' lives. As I see it there are ways, easy ways, that have already been found to compel him to renounce to the tremendous advantage Charles engineers and his smart researchers gave him. But if it will be easy, it won't be cheap, believe me! He's perhaps a good, tolerant man, but, thanks perhaps to me and my example, he is not a fool who ignores Mankind's baseness. He will surrender his power in this matter but not without being sure that nobody else will be able to take over.
Yonglin couldn't help but shake his head.
- I really hope so, d'Arcy! Because if I'm not worried while it is your son's finger that's on that trigger, my worry increases exponentially when I consider who else could put his or hers finger on it…
- And you are right to be worried, agreed d'Arcy. The only way to be sure that the finger on the trigger won't be that of a fool is to get rid of the trigger!
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Next chapter soon to come… A Chapter about how to get rid of a trigger
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