…Kamina, Togoland 3 August 1914…
– one day before Jane's jungle call to Jack-
On the jungle's edge, Tarzan, Armand and one of the remaining spies were moving stealthily in the tree limbs, overlooking the guards and the radio station. The French Special Forces had been in the area undetected for several days, exploiting the fact that Tarzan taught them that most humans were very two dimensional – people never looked above them for threats. The radio station operators were a little way into the jungle, near the clearing for the station, jabbering with the head guard excitedly, showing him and several others the paper tapes. Armand and Tarzan had heard all the announcements over the past few days. It was all bad news.
The crisis had unexpectedly begun with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie, heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary, by Gavrilo Princip, a member of the extreme "Young Bosnia" separatist movement in Sarajevo, Bosnia on 28 June, about the time the French Special Forces left Nigeria. The event, while tragic and certainly a crime, should have never led to the level of war, but international tensions led to citizen uprisings against the Serbs and ultimatums that caused Austria-Hungary to declare war on Serbia on 28 July. Russia mobilized its forces in defense of its ally Serbia and would not relent against German warnings to stand down, so Germany declared war on Russia 1 August. German forces invaded Luxemburg and were marching toward Belgium. France had been still an observer so Jacot could not act.
Until today.
Gunter told the gathering of guards, "Because French forces acted to defend Luxemburg and Belgium against our movements, the homeland has declared war on France. The British have threatened to enter the war in 24 hours if our forces don't stand down."
The guard scoffed, "Well, that will never happen now that France and Germany are at war. What about Togoland Governor Von Doring's proposal for neutrality to avoid war?"
Karl-Heinz observed, "I haven't heard anything."
The guard stated, "OK. We will continue to keep the guard up round the clock. No one will get through our defenses, I assure you."
Gunter responded, "As you advised us, we're going back in and locking the place down. We'll update you whenever there are any changes."
Armand and Tarzan exchanged looks of real satisfaction. They were already through the Germans' defenses. The two men took off silently much deeper into the jungle with the rest of the French squad to tell them of the latest. They left a spy behind to continue to monitor activities. With France officially at war with Germany, it would not be long before they would begin. All that was needed was the first gunshot from the French and British forces that would be engaging the Kamina defenders from the south.
…Deep in the Land of the Mangani 4 August…
Jeanne and Jack rushed over to Archimedes and Kala, both of whom heard the message from Jane, and were already saying goodbye.
Archimedes said sadly as he held her shoulders, "Kala, dear, you need to stay with the family. You'll be safer here."
A tear formed in her eye, "I know, Porter. But I'm worried about you. You know how much I hate men with guns. I can't bear to lose you too. Now there will be many hunting you, not the Mangani."
Porter scoffed, "I'll be back Kala. I was a sharpshooter in the Zulu Wars. I can defend the family."
She just rolled her eyes at him, "Well you told me before that was 35 rainy seasons ago and you were a young man."
He chuckled, "Well Kala dear, I'm still young at heart."
She laughed with him. She knew that for a fact with the way he doted on her all the time. And especially those precious few times when they were truly alone.
Porter nuzzled Kala as a gorilla mate would do, and turned his attention to Jeanne and Jack, "All right children, it's time to go. We need to find out what's going on and how to defend the treehouse. This is such a bother, though. I'd give anything to be defending Castle Greystoke's stone ramparts rather than a wooden treehouse. It wasn't designed to fight a war."
Jack encouraged the elderly man, "We'll do what we can, Grandpa."
"That we will, my boy," and ruffled his dreadlocks and patted Jeanne on her shoulders, and she grinned back at the old man.
Given their worry about the impact of the war on their families, the children were very anxious to get back with their mothers and Lily. Jack flew through the jungle on the vines with Jeanne riding piggyback on him. The pair was mostly silent, with her clutching him tightly the whole way so he could concentrate and maneuver as fast as he needed to. Even with the serious nature of their return requiring such urgency, it was always exhilarating riding with Jack. On his back, she could feel nearly every muscle in his body flex, and looking over his shoulder, she had a perfect view of the way ahead.
Jack took care not to get too far ahead of Archimedes swinging along with them. In the past ten years he'd dropped over 30 pounds, and while still somewhat rotund, he'd gained substantial upper body strength which made swinging over long distances easier for him. His remaining thinning hair, shaggy eyelashes, profusely thick mustache, and all of his body hair was completely silver gray-white, which contrasted sharply against his totally tan body. The Professor had become a rather handsome elderly man and was a unique specimen among the Mangani. To Kala, he was her 'special' Silverback.
Upon their arrival at the treehouse, they immediately saw the worry on Josephine's and Jane's faces, so the children hugged their mothers and Lily, which relieved them that the family was reunited. Jane hugged her father as tightly as her baby bump would permit. She made sure that he could easily feel the twins move within her at his request.
Jane sighed in happiness as he smiled her, feeling them flutter, "Oh Daddy, I am so glad to have you here."
With that twinkle in his eye for his daughter, he praised her, "I'm glad to be back. You're looking the radiant young mother as ever, Jane. It seems my next two grandchildren are very busy. But how are you doing, my dear? I'm so pleased you have the family's special gift of twins. But I know it's hard on you."
Jane sighed a bit, "They never sleep at the same time, Daddy. One's always up and moving, but I've adjusted. Otherwise I'm fine. But Daddy, I'm enormous already," emphasizing her girth with her hands and arms spread across the skin of her stretched stomach and her sagging, enlarged breasts.
She lamented, "How can Tarzan and you even stand to look at me?"
Porter's answer was simple, "Because like Tarzan says, you're beautiful pregnant, we both love you, and you're bringing two wonderful new children into this world for all of us to love."
"Oh… well then…" she blushed.
Archimedes hugged her again for reassurance and gave her a fatherly kiss on the cheek. She leaked some pre-milk on him. She was a little embarrassed, though it happened in the previous two pregnancies, and he was as used to it happening as Tarzan was. He was very proud of his little girl all grown up to be a four-time mother, and gave her a supportive smile, just holding her hands.
"And they're coming sooner than we think," he kidded. They had a good chuckle.
With their tender reunion complete, and because of the expediency needed, introductions were quick.
"So true, Daddy. And now, I'd like you to meet Josephine Jacot, wife of the French Commander."
He bowed graciously and took her hand formally, "Madame Jacot, it's a pleasure. It was even more a pleasure looking after your daughter for the past week and half. She is very charming and so well mannered. She was quite helpful to the Mangani. She acted and spoke just like any one of them, and you would have been very proud. My congratulations to you and your husband on your coming new blessing."
The lavish praise of Jeanne made the little girl blush. Jack and Jeanne exchanged pleasant glances.
"I am pleased to make your acquaintance, Baron Porter. And thank you," Josephine bowed back to the mannerly Professor.
Being able to greet other humans in a natural state was getting much easier for her. To Josephine, he seemed like the perfect jolly, gentlemanly white-haired grandfather, and was good looking for a elderly man. Living in the jungle had been kind to him.
The children remained reserved. The joy they would have had from their time with the Mangani was muted by worry about the war, and its effects on their fathers they loved.
But as everyone rested and had something to eat, they relaxed a little. Over the meal, the kids did explain their time with the Mangani. Archimedes again bragged to the mothers about Jack and Jeanne and their 'splendid behavior' there, especially his grandson's gracious hosting and care of Jeanne the entire time of her first encounter with the entire ape family. Josephine stroked her daughter's long hair and smiled with pride. The stories of how the children interacted with the apes and with many other animals were fascinating to Josephine. Josephine had come to realize that the scientists' theories of animals not being sentient were completely wrong.
The meal was about over, ever since they got home, both women noted that Jack and Jeanne were emotionally and physically closer than ever before. Something needed to be said, so with only a little prompt by Archimedes he asked, "Don't you have something important to say to your mothers?"
Holding hands and smiling at their mothers, and then giving a tender glance at each other, Jack explained, "Aunt Terk helped us learn how much we love each other."
Jane rolled her eyes, remembering her own encounters with Terk about her own sometimes difficult courtship with Tarzan, "Aunt Terk has a way of making people see what's obvious."
Lily clapped her hands in happiness for her brother and 'big sister' who was one step closer to being her big sister-in-law someday, and squeezed them both.
Both mothers were overjoyed, knowing this only confirmed the truth, but now it was time for them to give the children 'the talk' that was long overdue because of the months of excitement as Jack and Jeanne discovered their true relationship. The women had talked about this while the children were gone.
With a glance of acknowledgement from Jane, Josephine cautioned, "Now that you know you love each other, children, it's time to accept how things are between you and not overdo it. We know all these new feelings are very exciting to you and you've expressed a lot of affection. But it is a very long journey yet to adulthood, with many responsibilities and sacrifices for each other along the way, especially as you get older, if you want to stay together."
Josephine felt like she had repeated exactly the same words her father used with her and Armand at age 10 in their own pivotal moment of realization.
It was Jane's turn, "So we are insisting that you don't rush things. Especially while our families are involved with the war effort. There is plenty of time to play and enjoy each other's company after the war is over. It's enough for now to know how you feel and be able to express it. And so Josephine and I are insisting on this: restraint and respect for each other is the most important thing from now on. You must accept our guidance as you go, so you'll always be a beautiful couple. Do you understand us? Will you do this?"
Jack and Jeanne exchanged looks of acceptance with each other and with their mothers, and said together, "Yes, we do. We will. We promise."
The four hugged. Josephine was quietly delighted that her daughter was in love with the son of an English Count, and prayed it would last, even if the Count's family and this boy lived an existence like no other family in this world as primitives in the jungle as well as dignified gentry in England. The Clayton's made life in the deep jungle seem as ordinary and normal as living on the streets of Paris. She felt that under Tarzan and Jane's care and guidance, the risk and danger to her daughter was minimized. In all the months they'd been in Africa, she'd never before felt that way, especially with the knowledge that Jeanne herself was handling this new life so easily.
"I'm glad you had such a good time. We may have to go back and live with the family for some time to survive the war. But not yet. We have to understand better what's going on. Come with us, kids and Daddy, to the Wireless room," said Jane.
The floor was strewn with paper tape. Much more than normal.
Jane was exasperated at the mess in front of them, "I can barely read most of this, Jack, but I do know the French and British are at war with Germany and its allies. You and Daddy know Morse Code much better than I do."
…
It took several hours to sort the start of the conflict out over a month of backlogged messages, and Jane blamed herself for not keeping better track of what was happening since they had returned. Jack and Archimedes transcribed many of the messages, including the ones Tarzan and Armand had eavesdropped on the Germans about the Archduke's assassination in June, the escalating crises in Serbia in July, and the progressive declarations of war among Russia, France, and England with Austria-Hungary and Germany in early August. All of Europe was aflame.
Josephine was horrified reading the transcribed messages Jack handed her and Jeanne to read, "How terrible for the Archduke and the Duchess. They were just visiting Sarajevo on holiday. Why would that horrible man do such a thing to a couple? A royal couple. The separatists have no respect for authority."
Jane added, "It's a shame that so many awful things have happened since. Going to war is not the answer."
Jack was just shaking his head. His tutor during their stays in England was teaching him European geography and history, "I know the Austrians would be very angry with the Serbs about the Duke, Grandpa, but none of the other attacks make sense."
Jeanne chimed in, "I agree with Jack. Luxemburg and Belgium don't want to fight anyone. They are so far away from the other countries. They are pretty places. Mama et Papa took me there on a family holiday two years ago."
Archimedes tried to explain it, "These countries are acting like family to each other. When one is threatened by an enemy, the other in the 'family of countries', called allies, stand up to defend themselves. Germany and Austria-Hungary are one 'family' and Russia, England, and France are the other. Because of their anger, we are fully engulfed in a worldwide war. I fear children that it will be very bad. Mankind has created many new horrible ways to kill each other."
Josephine was encouraged after reading another message, "Togoland's Governor wants to stay neutral and has proposed that to the French and English. Can the Count and Armand stay out of the battle and just come back home?"
Archimedes shook his head sadly, "I doubt that will happen. There is too much at stake here. Tarzan said Kamina's radiotelegraph directs the entire German war effort across Africa. Your husband's secret mission is to destroy it and have no one know who did it."
"Oh dear. Our daddies have to fight no matter what," said Jeanne, wringing her hands.
Jack's mind was reeling at this, "The entire world at war? How can that be, Grandpa? Aren't people smarter than that?"
Archimedes stated, "Men with a terrible conviction about what they believe are capable of justifying any violent act against those they oppose. And even those who love them. Tell them, Jane."
Jane spent a long time explaining to Josephine and Jeanne their own ordeal of regaining the peerage from corruption within, her kidnapping and attempted murder and their near-death experiences in the power struggle for the Clayton industrial empire and peerage against members of their own family and ruthless employees.
Jeanne and Josephine sat in stunned silence. Jack had never heard the complete story of how his father took back a corrupt peerage that began with his paternal grandfather and grandmother being marooned a generation ago. He was too young to need to know or understand. Now he had to. It occurred to Jack that without his Grandfather and Grandmother Clayton's deaths, his father would never have become Tarzan the Lord of the Jungle, and he might have grown up as any typical child of gentry, just another son in a long line of Counts Greystoke. It was truly ironic. Jack decided that the life he had was much better, all because of the conspiracy against his Grandfather Clayton. He wouldn't have this life, his many animal friends, and he especially he wouldn't have Jeanne nor would have ever met her. It was worth all the loss and sacrifice. His mother could see him ponder all these thoughts, and gave a slight smile. He handled this heavy weight of knowledge well. Jeanne watched her boyfriend mull all of this carefully and held his hand in support.
Josephine was astonished at this tale, "This is like something out of a story book, Jane. You have many friends. You and Tarzan are so brave. We had no idea."
Jane smiled and held Josephine's hand, "This is a story we do not tell to anyone but to our closest friends, lest is happen again. With great wealth and great power comes great greed and envy from others who would have it for their own. Especially from the inside."
Jeanne was very worried, "But what now? What about Papa's and Count Clayton's mission with the men?"
Archimedes reassured the little girl, "They are supposed to be in absolute secrecy, so there will be no Wireless from them. If there is, their cover will be blown and they will be in great danger. They are only a dozen against hundreds or thousands, even though the German defenses in Togoland are only militia. But take heart, Jeanne, dear. Your father and his men are the most highly trained soldiers in the world, and Jack's father is like no other man on this earth. They will do this. But let's see what the conditions are around them, and how the battle is going."
She nodded bravely. Archimedes words only helped a little.
Jack added, "It will be tough for our dads. That radio station is well guarded. But out dads are great men. We should be brave for them."
Jeanne stuttered, "Y-y-yes, Jack, I know…"
She burst into tears. It was hard to comfort her, even rocking her gently in his arms, and he apologized for alarming her, for which she quickly forgave him. Jack found it hard to hold back his own fears and concerns about his father being in just as much danger with her father. His father was his hero and seemed to be invincible in everything he did no matter what the odds. Jack only felt better that Colonel Jacot seemed to be the best warrior of them all, and both he and his father worked extremely well together. Jack wondered if he would have to fight in a war someday and wondered how Jeanne and his future family with her would handle his absence.
Jeanne calmed a bit, wiped her tears, and asked her mother a very mature question, "Mama, how can you handle this pain this every time Papa goes into danger?"
Josephine took both of Jeanne's hands into hers and said reassuringly, "Faith, sweetheart. Faith and prayer that he will come home to us every time."
Jack spoke confidently, "Then this time we'll have faith that both come back safely."
Jeanne smiled with admiration at Jack. She felt better hearing both her mother's and his words. Jeanne knew she was surrounded by people who loved her.
Archimedes tried to focus everyone, "So let's get back to work here. There are still a lot of messages."
Jack and his grandfather spent hours looking at the messages and Jack often got on the generator bicycle to make sure the radiotelegraph was charged and receiving messages. Jeanne tried the cycle too. It was interesting, she really felt like she was helping, and she wanted the exercise. It was funny to pedal a bicycle that went nowhere and she made grimacing faces at Jack making it appear she was trying to run him over, which made him laugh and amused the adults. It was no secret how competitive the two were playing together. Jeanne also learned Morse Code and helped Jack transcribe the messages. Lily tried to help a little, but being so young her concentration level wandered and so she came and went.
The nine year olds matured quickly to the cruel realities of the real world reading messages of conflicts and casualties and damage. Fortunately these two were mature beyond their years and handled better than most children would.
But they were all exhausted. It was nearly midnight.
Seeing their exhaustion, Jane gently suggested, "It's late children; time for bed."
It was a restless night for everyone.
…6 August at the Treehouse…
As the families had seen in some of the messages, in the days leading up to the conflict, not everyone was in agreement with the headline rush into the worldwide war. Africa was far away from the battle for Europe. The colonies of western Africa had enjoyed good relations and interdependencies for years, despite the differing countries owning the territory. Because of that, the German Military Governor of Togoland, Major Hans-George Von Doring, knowing he was surrounded by a formidable force of the British in the Ivory Coast and Nigeria, and the French in Dahomey, reached out to Governor W.C.F. Robertson of the Ivory Coast and his military commander Captain Frederick Bryant for neutrality and a pact of peace, under the terms of Congo Treaty enacted between the colonies that said the colonies wouldn't fight each other in the event of war in Europe. The Clayton's and Jacot's had seen his messages already.
Reading several of his subsequent messages of outreach for peace in the region since returning to the treehouse three days ago, Archimedes noted, "Von Doring is an honorable man. I hope they heed his proposal."
Archimedes harbored no ill will for the Germans and the Austrians, just for their nation's extreme leadership and motives for widespread conflict.
But as they got deeper into the message traffic of the day, they learned that the French and British colonial governments in Dahomey and the Ivory Coast dismissed the Von Doring's outreach to avoid bloodshed. They were directed by their central governments to declare war on Togoland. Some of the national leaders were friends and now were forced to fight. There was tremendous expression of regret between those friends, but out of duty to country they were compelled to do what they needed to do. While Germany was considered by France and England to be the belligerent nation starting the "war to end all wars" in Europe, Jeanne and Jack wondered why the allies turned down Von Doring's offer for peace in Africa. Archimedes had no answer for them.
Neither the French nor the English governments accepted the call for neutrality. In truth they were just as greedy as any other nation, wanting the vast resources in Togoland and desiring to annex the land into their colonies. War was the only way to get that. The message traffic revealed that the French and British forces were on the move.
…9 August 1914…
The messages were grim. The Togoland coastal port and capital city of Lome fell due to unexpectedly poor resistance by the Polizeitruppen militia against overwhelming forces of the British led by Captain Bryant and French led by Major Maroix, and Von Doring was a prisoner of war. Once the capital fell, the central train line and main road that ran up the center of Togoland was commandeered by the two allies. Their soldiers were preparing to head north. At the far end of the rail line was Kamina. .
…
The Clayton family was as prepared as they could be against unknown threats against the treehouse. Since returning to their jungle haven as the temporary head of the household, Jane was ever vigilant, and had set in motion their defense of the land of the Mangani and the treehouse and created a means for early warning of any approaching danger. While Jane had acquired a kind of sixth sense about pending danger, honed by a decade of jungle living with the apes and her husband and other animals, she took no chances. Through a series of jungle calls, she informed all the animals in their land to be cognizant of any sign of German forces coming through the jungle, and all agreed to spread the alarm should that happen. Jane's calls warned all the animals to stay far away from the treehouse, the coast, the Nigerian village, and to flee from the Germans at all costs. Most of the animals knew the differences between the French and English allies from the Germans by their uniforms and where they 'nested'. Any other large groups of armed 'outlanders' were to be considered invaders.
With each passing day, the children's fear of the war involving the Clayton's was more pervasive than ever before. As brave as everyone was, Lily just couldn't handle it. The thought of war and her dad coming to harm was frightening, especially the thought that soldiers might be in the jungle and could attack their treehouse home. Jeanne was better, but was fighting back the horrific memory of the attack on her home in Morocco, and her mom knew it. Lily's bedroom light was always left on, to comfort her from her night fears about the war, despite Jack and Jeanne being in the same room with her. Jack and Jeanne were silently happy for the small comfort of the night light too.
Lily hugged Jane and gave her a brave smile, "Thank you, Mommy. That's better."
"You're welcome, dear," she said, and got up, and said good night to Jack and Jeanne, already tucked into their separate beds after saying good night more discreetly to each other.
Jeanne thought there would be no harm in keeping the light on. That was an incorrect assumption.
…The Mangani Nest…
Terk, Kirok, and Kala looked at each other with nearly a dozen other adult gorillas gathered around them.
Kirok was really concerned as he cautioned the old ape, "Are you sure know what you're doing Kala?"
"Yes dear. Giving my family a better chance to live if something happens. You don't have to come with me. None of you do. I don't want any of you to come to harm. Tarzan and Jane and the kids have been so happy and richly blessed. I want them to be able to have a long life. This war could destroy all that and them too. I am an old ape and I've lived a good life. Life without Porter wouldn't really be a good life at all. I have to do something."
Terk took the elderly ape's paw in hers, and insisted, "You aren't going to do this alone, Aunt Kala. Family always stands with family. No matter what."
Kirok picked up a large, heavy limb and tested its heft by swinging it over his head and crushing a nearby fallen melon.
"This will do," he said grimly.
…Off the coast of the land of the Mangani…
Jane and the animals had every eventuality covered for a German invasion through the jungle. The trouble was, the Germans didn't come through the jungle. The special gray U boat that had slowly made its way around western Africa now cruised off the coast of the land of the Mangani in sight of the shoreline in the deep darkness of the tropical ocean. Its low profile was invisible to anyone on the shoreline. The German Special Weapons and Tactics commander and a few of his top aides were on the deck trying to get some fresh air, and to feel less claustrophobic, and to discuss the already dire situation in Togoland.
The Exec Officer had all the messages from the sub's radio operator, "Hauptmann Schneider, this is very discouraging. Our forces are failing in Togoland. Lome has fallen, they have the Governor in custody, and the Brits and French are using the train to march up the middle of Togoland. Kamina cannot be allowed to fall, especially the radiotelegraph site."
Schneider reviewed the plan with his Executive Officer and the unit's Sergeant, "Take comfort, Von Goss. Hessian boots will trample Nigeria and Dahomey and retake Lome because of us. We're getting closer now, less than a day now to the Council of Chiefs' Village. Once we eliminate all the heads of the Nigerian tribes and annihilate the British garrison, the Nigerians will have no leaders and no protection. Any tribesmen left will flee into the jungle. Our forces in Kamerun will be free to march through Nigeria, crush the small French defenses in Dahomey, and retake our losses in Togoland by counterattacking from behind the French and British lines as they move north. They will be boxed in. They will have to fight for their lives, and won't take Kamina."
His Exec interrupted, "Begging your pardon sir, but aren't we in Nigeria already?"
"What do you mean Lt. Von Goss?"
The young German officer pointed to the horizon, "That light."
The Sergeant and Hauptmann both peered toward shore and saw it on the cliffs above the beaches.
Schneider squinted, and pulled out a spyglass, "That's definitely a light of some kind. It's not a wild fire."
Von Goss recommended, "Let's go ashore now. It could be a British advance guard post with a telegraph to alert the village. We need to silence it. We can go on foot after that and keep a stealthy approach. It's about 10 miles to the Council of Chiefs village by my reckoning on this map."
Marching on a trail on dry land sounded infinitely better than any more time cooped up on the sub.
The Sergeant suggested, "And we'll get a little practice with the weapon before we go into the capital to take out the Chiefs and British. It's not been fired in a couple of months. It needs to be operating perfectly before engaging the garrison. If we don't get them all at once, we'll lose. We are a dozen against hundreds."
"Great idea," smiled Schneider.
The U-boat's Kapitan was not really happy with the change in plan in the dead of the night, but the needs of the special weapon's unit had priority. Besides, he rationalized that being rid of the Army that he could get back to the real purpose of his U-boat. Schneider expressed his gratitude to the Kapitan for the months of transport and bade each other well.
Several small boats manned by the sailors embarked from the U boat to get the dozen men and their equipment ashore.
It was extremely late, and knew his men were tired, and they would need to be in top condition for the engagements to come, "We stay the night here on the beach. Get your rest. We investigate the light just before dawn before they put it out."
"Yes sir," said all the men in grateful chorus.
The sailors in the small boats left, and before turning in, Schneider and Von Goss watched the U boat turn around and head to its primarily mission of intercepting allied shipping. The Exec observed, "I never thought I would be so glad to get off that sardine can, sir."
"You've got that right, Von Goss. Our feet belong on dry land. We're the pride of the German Army with the latest technology. Now we get to prove it. The enemy will never know what hit them."
...
Author's Notes: One word about the situation: "uh-oh...!". (or is that two?) As stated before, the names of the civilian and military leaders are real, as are the dates and locations. The ERB/Disney canon characters, the other ERB characters I've reinterpreted, and my Tarzan-universe OC's are all playing within the framework of this real history story as it plays out. I'm also trying something I did at the beginning of my chronicle, by giving titles to the chapters for better reference and ... of course... to tease my dedicated readers with the content of the chapters :)