Blood and Iron: The Conquests of the Chancellor

[MTB4884]

April 2, 250 BC

General Sanjay Singh of the Indian Army surveyed the ground in front of his forces. He had crossed the plains south of the German city of Mustang and was headed north. The walls of the city itself could be barely glimpsed through the morning haze some 2 or 3 klicks to the north.

This is almost too quiet. Four years ago when we sent our forces through this area to fight the northern barbarians, the Germans had scouts watching us the whole time. Now, there is nothing. Either the Germans are up to something, or they are stretched too thin and do not have the troops to keep watch on us.

He remembered the orders that he had received in Bhopal. He and his men were to march north through the Turkish lands in order to attack the barbarians in the unclaimed wilderness between Turkmenistan and Germany. The Turks had agreed to a right of passage, and so he and his men had passed easily through the Turkish lands on their way north.

So now I have to march through potentially enemy territory with a division of warriors and a division of archers. I only get to fight in mortal combat with the barbarians if I can make it past the Germans.

“General! A horse rider has arrived with new orders!”

“Finally!” The general had been expecting news from Dehli for weeks now. It would be nice if we had enough horses to actually field a proper combat division instead of only a few for sending messages. The rider saluted him and gave him a sealed envelope.

“Get some rations, soldier. I have no spare horses at the moment, so rest with us for a bit before you return south.”

The general opened the letter and read its contents with growing alarm.

“General Sanjay Singh:

War with Germany has been declared as of March 2nd. You will immediately do as much damage to enemy roads, farms, etc. as you can consistent with the safety of your soldiers. Return south to Indian territory.

(Signed)
Mahatma Gandhi
Prime Minister of the Republic of India

We are completely exposed here. No hills, no forests, nowhere to hide. Maybe the Germans here at Mustang have not heard the news of the war. Does our glorious Mahatma realize the danger he has put us in?

He looked up at the now looming bulk of the Mustang city walls just over a klick away. The morning haze burned off, and he could even make out the great southern gate of the city. The gate, to his surprise, seemed to be open.

Surely the Germans have already seen us. Why would their gates be opened? Unless...

The sound of unfamiliar clarion calls answered his unspoken question. He could see what looked like a great cloud of dust headed right for him. A moment later he recognized the sounds of hundreds, if not thousands, of hooves pounding into the ground. There was at least a full division of German knights charging at his position.

The Indian general reacted quickly. “Archers! Volley fire now!” Each archer tried to stand next to his fellow soldiers in a line and fired his bow towards the oncoming enemy. There simply was not enough time and not enough cover. Few of the shots even hit the rapidly moving knights, and most that did were simply brushed aside by the armor and shields of the enemy. The Indian General had time for one last tactical thought before the first wave of German knights crashed into his defenses. If we can delay the knights long enough, perhaps at least some of my men can escape to the south.

The lines of soldiers met with a great crash of iron and hooves against bronze and flesh. The first wave of knights swept past his archers like a great river around a rock. Of the thousand archers in his division, perhaps one in five had survived to fire a second volley.

As the second wave of knights charged with sword and flail, the general flung his spear with all his force against an oncoming German knight. His adversary barely flinched as the spear bounced harmlessly off the armor and raised his sword to strike.

Gandhi, you have doom--

 

[MTB4884]

April 3, 250 BC

Vice Chancellor Konrad von Bismarck waited in the antechamber of the Imperial Palace's infirmary. He had spent most of the day waiting here, after the election of the previous day. His advisors had warned him that the Chancellor would almost certainly die soon.

Finally, the inner door opened and a grave-faced doctor emerged.

“I am sorry, sir. The Chancellor is gone.”

Vice Chancellor Konrad von Bismarck nodded. He had expected this news for the last week. His father had deteriorated quickly after the news of the unexpected Indian war.

Minister von Clauswitz came in to the antechamber. He bowed to Konrad and said. “Sir, you are the Chancellor now.”

Konrad did not reply for a moment. I, the new Chancellor? I would gladly trade places with the humblest commoner if it would only bring back my father.

“Forgive me, my Chancellor, but there are things that must be done now.”

“Yes..Minister. Have we heard from von Spee yet?”

Von Clauswitz had taken breath to reply when the Domestic Minister entered in a great rush. “Congratulations, sir! I have just come from the Imperial Elections Office, and we have projected that the Imperial Party will easily win the Chancellorship again.” Only then did he notice the grave faces in the room and asked. “What has happened? Did the Chancellor...”

“Yes, Minister von Spee. My father passed away a few minutes ago.”

“I grieve for him, my Chancellor. We have a contingency plan for this, as you know.”

“Thank you, Minister. Please return to the office and prepare the necessary notifications. I will give the traditional acceptance speech, and announce a week of national mourning, at the Reichstag Chamber at noon tomorrow.”

“At once, my Chancellor.” Minister von Spee left as quickly as he had arrived.

“My Chancellor, may I be so bold as to make a suggestion or two. You have a staff whose job it is to handle...situations like this. Your father's illness has given us enough time to make many preparations. We need you, and Germany needs you, especially in this time of war.”

“As usual, you are right, Minister.” The Chancellor shuddered for a moment. “I will expect you and and the Domestic Minister here at 8:00 tomorrow morning to go over the details.”

“As you wish, my Chancellor.”

 

[MTB4884]

June 1, 250 BC

Grosbruckner Heinrich IV held out the massive leather bible for the new Chancellor as he completed the formal oath of office. “Konrad von Bismarck, do you solemnly swear, before God and your fellow countrymen, to preserve and defend the German nation against all enemies, foreign, and domestic?”

“I do.”

“Then, by the power invested in me by the free people of Germany, I hereby solemnify your election as Chancellor of the Imperial German Empire. Congratulations, my Chancellor.” The assembled delegates and honored guests stood and applauded their new ruler, as was customary on these occasions..

Chancellor Konrad von Bismarck shook hands with the Grosbruckner. “Thank you.” He turned to the podium as the guests settled back into their seats.

“It has been the custom of the newly elected Chancellor to give a short speech after his inauguration setting forth some of the priorities and goals he had for the German people for the next six years. I intend to continue that tradition as best I can.

“First, I wish to thank the 87% of the German people who voted for the Imperial Party in this last election. The support of the German people has been of great value to me personally in this difficult time. My only regret is that my father could not be here to give this speech in my place.

Second, I wish to address a concern I have heard recently concerning the small minority of Germans who support other candidates. I had the honour under my father's administration of working with many good people in opposition parties. My administration will remain committed to listening to good, constructive ideas for the benefit of all Germans, even if the source is not the Imperial Party.

There is also the matter of the war with India. In view of the immense national interest in the subject, I have approved a proposal to create an Office of War Information which will provide accurate news of the progress of the war. This Office will be under the leadership of the Vice Chancellor, Ludwig von Tirpitz, assuming of course that the 175 Imperial Party members of the 200 seat Reichstag vote to confirm him for the post.” The Chancellor paused as a small wave of polite laughter went through the crowd.

“Finally, I shall give a brief update myself of the progress of the war with India. I am able to report to the German people that the Indian invaders who threatened Mustang have been defeated. I can also report that our forces, in defending the German nation, have not violated the territory of the Turks. I have asked the Foreign Minister to give my formal assurances to the Turkish Sultan that the German people have no designs on the Turkish lands, and that any trespass into Turkish territory by our forces is purely accidental.”

“Our forces have won two other major victories. The Indian cities of Bhopal and Patalipurta have been captured by German knights. The Indian city of Dacca is now under siege by our forces. More than a quarter of a million people have been liberated from Indian tyranny and are now part of the greater German Empire!

I am pleased to report that all this has been accomplished without raising taxes or imposing undue conscription upon the German people. It is my belief that the Indian attack on Germany has caused enough problems for our people as it is, and I see no reason at this time to add to their burdens for the sake of the war.”

“Thank you and God bless Germany!”

 

[MTB4884]

June 2, 250 BC

Mother Agnes of the Missionaries of Charity approached the inner doors of the main audience chamber of the Grosbruckner. The chief guard nodded to her.

“Welcome, Mother Agnes. Please come in. The Grosbruckner is expecting you.”

It might be nice if I knew why the Grosbruckner specifically asked me to come here. She entered the inner audience chamber. As she approached the Grosbruckner on his throne, she knelt and kissed his signet ring.

“How may I serve, Your Holiness?”

“Thank you for coming, Mother Agnes. I need to establish the Church's presence in the captured Indian cities of Bhopal and Patalipurta.”

“But..but Your Holiness, what about the Knights Templar?”

The Grosbruckner sighed. “Sadly, the Knights Templar are not sufficient for the task at hand. The order has done wonders for the spiritual needs of the German knights and soldiers, and have helped in the immediate aftermath of battle. They have no real experience in the more long term tasks of rebuilding a shattered city's schools and temples. The Church needs your order of sisters to begin these tasks, in order to free the Knights Templar to perform their primary mission.”

“But why our order, Your Holiness? Surely the more numerous Holy Name sisters would be better suited for this task.”

“In one sense you are right, Mother Agnes. However, I was particularly thinking of your experience in caring for the poor in several of India's largest cities. You and your order are unique in that regard. You also speak Hindi, and so can speak with those you would serve. Finally, you have earned the trust and respect of the former Indian ambassador to Germany. There is no one else who has all these qualifications.”

“Almost anyone else would believe that the recommendation of an ambassador of a country at war with Germany should not be taken too seriously. What will this do to the reputation of the Missionaries of Charity among the German people?”

“There may be some resentment in some quarters, yes. Some may even believe that you are giving aid and comfort to enemies of Germany. However, it is our responsibility to do what is right and proper. It is often the case, as you know, that the right thing to do is not the popular thing to do. This is even more true in such times as we live in now during this war with India.”

“There is another matter to consider in this regard. The German military is prepared to assist you with funds, labor, and materials in this work. They do have an interest in making the people in these captured cities happy to prevent rebellion and additional strife. I am certain that many in the military would prefer a more brutal solution to this issue. You and the Knights Templar may literally be the only reason why the cities are not simply razed and rebuilt as wholly German cities.”

“I see. I would be honored to accept whatever humble role you believe my order is qualified for, Your Holiness.”

“Thank you, Mother Agnes. There is a supply caravan leaving for Bhopal tomorrow morning, and I would like you to accompany them. My staff will give you an authorization letter that should enable you to get started with this difficult mission.”

“There is one final matter to consider. The Vice Chancellor had a rather absurd idea of naming the next German warship built after you, in appreciation for your willingness to take on this task. I am not particularly comfortable with naming a German warship after a living German nun, but I will not absolutely forbid this if that is your wish.”

“That is very kind of the Vice Chancellor. If I may be permitted to voice my own preference, I should like to have the ship named after my nephew, Captain Wilhelm Tell. I know this honour would mean far more to him than it would to me. It would also be a fine reward for his remarkable longbow shot which made it possible to negotiate the surrender of the Indian embassy without loss of life on either side.”

“I see. I will convey your wishes to the Vice Chancellor. Thank you again for coming and for agreeing to this difficult task. Please do not hesitate to contact me or my staff if there is anything we can do to assist you. You and your nuns will be in our prayers.”

 

[MTB4884]

June 4th, 250 BC

“Ambassador Tarkan, thank you for coming. I trust you are feeling better these days?”

“It is always a pleasure to visit your court, Chancellor. And yes, I am much better now, thank you. I regret that my illness prevented me from attending your inauguration in person.

“I see. Well, on to business. The Indians have declared war on the peaceful people of Germany three months ago, as you well know. My military staff tell me that there are numerous Indian divisions hiding in Turkish territory at the moment. The initial invasion which brought about the start of the war came from within Turkish territory.”

The Turkish ambassador's face hardened at the blunt words of the German Chancellor. “Am I to understand that the Germans are blaming us for the actions of the Indians?”

“No. The Indians alone are responsible for starting this war. My concern is exactly as I have stated. Large numbers of Indian soldiers in your territory are a potential threat to both Germany and Turkmenistan. The Germans and the Turks have been friendly ever since our peoples met, and it is not in Germany's interest to see the Turks threatened by the Indian menace as well.”

“That is quite generous of you, Chancellor. I believe I can safely say that the Turkish people have no quarrel with you and yours. The wise and benevolent Sultan decided to permit the free passage of the Indian troops to fight the barbarian menace in the far north. The Indians have done no harm to the Turkish people as of yet, though the Sultan has his eye on them.”

“I see. One thing more, Ambassador.” The Chancellor handed the Ambassador a handwritten note written on the finest Bavarian cream paper. “I promised you a written letter confirming the German Empire's peaceful intentions towards Turkmenistan. There has been one major battle south of our city of Mustang, and there are at least three other Indian divisions on the Turkish side of the border. I have ordered the German troops in the area to take a defensive posture only for the moment, and not to attack Indian units on your side of the border. You have my word as Chancellor that I will immediately take action if it is discovered that any German units have accidentally trespassed into your territory.”

“That is very generous of you, Chancellor. I will send a full report and this letter to the Sultan immediately. It will of course take two or three weeks to reach Samarkand. I will be certain to forward any reply of the illustrious Sultan to you forthwith.”

“Thank you again for coming, Ambassador. If your or the Sultan have any other concerns about these matters, please do not hesitate to contact me.”

“I shall do so, Chancellor.” With that the Turkish Ambassador bowed to the German Chancellor and strode out of the Imperial Palace audience chamber.

 

[MTB4884]

October 1st, 250 BC

Excerpt from History of the Medieval German Navy, Karl Waldschmidt, Vol. 2, p. 106, Waldsee Press, Leipzig, 920.

“The crew of the Wotan's Spear were able to repair the damage after the battle with the barbarian vessel off Madagascar and continued their voyage north up the east coast of Africa. The ship was just south of the Horn of Africa at the start of the first Indian war. By this time the ship was better known from the Wagnerian opera of the same name as a mysterious ghost ship than for her actual history.”

Captain Vijay looked out over the foredeck of the Indian caravel Rajput. He had just dropped off a load of settlers in the unexplored continent of Africa and was headed back home. There was a light haze in the distance, and dark clouds to the northeast indicated a squall was approaching.

The captain was uneasy on what should have been a routine trip. He had been warned by his older brother, the current ambassador to Germany, that a war with Germany was probable. Fortunately the Germans had no ships in this part of the world, as far as anyone knew.

“Captain! Sail on the southern horizon!”

“Identify them! Are they barbarians?”

“Not barbarians, sir! Their flag is blue!”

“Germans! How can they have a ship here? Their homeland is far away in Europe?” The captain thought for a moment, then called up to the crow's nest. “Keep them in sight. I will be right back. Helm, full starboard rudder! Put us on an intercept course with the Germans!

“Full starboard rudder, aye!”

The captain went to his cabin and unlocked a small drawer in the back of his closet. Inside were his official orders and a book detailing known foreign ships. He took the book and relocked the drawer, then came topside.

“Can you see any pennants?”

“No, sir! Just the blue mainsail!”

Captain Vijay searched through his identification book. There were references to Eqyptian galleys, but no listing for German ships. Everyone of course had heard the legends of the famous ghost ship Wotan's Spear, which had disappeared years ago without trace from the other side of Africa. He had heard this story from this brother as well.

“Can you see any damage to the mainsail?”

“Yes, sir! It looks like the mainsail has been patched many times.”

The captain felt a cold chill down the back of his neck for a moment. That IS the ghost ship Wotan's Spear! We have to get out of here! “Helm, hard about! Set course for Indian territory! All rowers to their stations!”

The helmsman saw the look on his captain's face. “Coming about now, captain!”

“What is it, captain? What is that ship?”

“That is the Wotan's Spear. It is the infamous ghost ship from the legends! Think about it, men. How else could a real German ship get all the way here?”

The crew quickly manned their stations. No one aboard wanted to get any closer to a ghost ship then necessary. Only the first mate had the courage to speak out to the captain. “What about the squall, sir?”

“I would sooner face a dozen storms than one ghost ship.”

 

[MTB4884]

February 1, 230 BC

General Stavros waited in his siege trench east of the enemy city of Dacca for the signal to attack. The winter rains had started early this year, and had created a vast sea of mud that prevented a proper charge by the German knight divisions arrayed outside the city. Fortunately for the Germans, the last two days had been bright and clear, and most of the mud had now dried out.

Field Marshall Hengest, now in his seventies, had devised a plan to take advantage of the enforced delay. The 1st Corps was on its way from the captured city of Patalipurta, and was scheduled to attack today. General Stavros and the rest of the 2nd Leipzig were to wait until the defenders had rushed to the west side to repel their attack, and then attack from the eastern side of the city.

The general had realized one flaw in this plan. I and my men have to stand around waiting for someone else to begin the attack. I cannot even afford to look fidgety lest it lower the morale of my knights. Already it was nearly noon, and the warmth of the spring day quickly made wearing armor more and more difficult. Thank God we are not trying to do this in summertime.

Finally, he and his men heard familiar clarion calls. The 1st Corps were late, but they were finally attacking the western side of the city. The general called out to his men. “Steady on, men. We must wait for the assault call. It will not be long now.”

The men of the 2nd Leipzig waited for what seemed an eternity as their armor grew ever warmer. They were close enough to Dacca to see nervous defenders leaving their posts to defend their homes and their city from the German attack. They knew that each defender leaving to fend off the 1st Corps meant one less defender left to stop their own attack. Soon none of the Indian defenders that had to be there could be seen.

The clarion signal for the 2nd Leipzig to attack came almost as a surprise. Tired and thirsty knights vaulted into their saddles with the ease of years of practice, and set off for the city. They reached the eastern gates without incident, and quickly pulled them down with massed lines of ropes and the brute force of their steeds. The knights poured into the city like water from a great pitcher.

They saw a milling crowd of Indian civilians. Most fled back into the city at the approach of the German knights. The few that tried to resist were quickly cut down with sword and flail as the knights pressed into the heart of the city.

Soon the knights were at the main square of the city. Perhaps a hundred Indian defenders were left, armed with whatever implements they could find. General Stavros had actually taken breath to shout the command to charge when he saw a single woman with a truce flag walk from the midst of the remaining defenders. He realized that she was wearing the simple blue and white habit of the Missionaries of Charity as he rode up to confront her.

“I am General Ernst Stavros of the 2nd Leipzig knights. Who are you, Sister?”

“I am Sister Marlena of the Missionaries of Charity, General. I would like to negotiate the surrender of what is left of Dacca. The governor here does not speak German, unfortunately.”

“Very well, Sister. Tell the Indian governor to have his men lay down their arms and surrender at once. Otherwise I will order my knights to charge and cut down every last one of them.”

“I will tell him of your demand, General.” A short, wizened man came up and spoke rapidly to Sister Marlena in Hindi. She replied in kind, and then addressed the general.

“The governor asks what will happen to his people if they surrender.”

“My orders from Field Marshall Hengest are simple, Sister. This city will become part of the German Empire. The Indian citizens who surrender peacefully will live, and will be treated as well as practicable. Those who do not surrender will die.” He raised his arm and gestured quickly. The hundreds of German knights behind him drew their swords as one man and held them aloft, waiting for the general's next order.

Sister Marlena turned to the Indian governor and spoke a few sentences in Hindi. He turned and gestured to someone on the roof of the central hall. He then turned and spoke a few words to the Sister. All could see that the purple and white flag of the Indians was being lowered from the flagstaff.

“He says that he will fight no more forever, General.”

 

[MTB4884]

February 2, 230 BC

“My Chancellor, may I present the leader of the great Arabian people, Sheik Abu el-Sadim.”

Chancellor Bismarck stood to greet his distinguished foreign visitor. “May the blessings of the Almighty fall upon the noble Arabian travelers to our humble capital.”

“And may the favor of Allah the All-Seeing come to this magnificent palace of the mighty leader of the great German people.”

“Thank you, Sheik Sadim. Please, let us sit down and be comfortable. Hans! Some..apple juice for our distinguished guests!”

“That is most kind of you, Chancellor.” As Hans returned with goblets of apple juice, he added: “So, what can the Arabian people do for the mighty German nation?”

“To business, then. It has come to my attention that the Arabians have traded with most of the great powers of the world, and have detailed maps of much territory of Africa and Asia which is unknown to the German people. I would like to know what the great Arabian people desire in exchange for a copy of these maps. I am prepared to offer you much valuable knowledge in return.”

“That is quite generous of you, Chancellor Bismarck. There are two areas of knowledge we desire from the Germans. First, we wish to know the secret of riding the noble beasts of the plains. We hope to obtain herds of these horses for ourselves from...other channels shortly.”

“Second, the Arabian people are hampered in their trading efforts by our lack of the knowledge of the science of numbers. Our wise men believe that we could be much more successful if we could obtain this knowledge from the great German people. I have ordered my wise men to make an exact copy of the maps of the known world, and I have this copy with my retinue now.”

“I am pleased to hear that, Sheik Sadim. That is what Foreign Minister von Ribbentrop reported when this conference was set up. I am prepared to send back with you two dozen scholars from the Imperial Academy of Sciences. They will set up a temporary academy in Mecca to train your own wise men in the knowledge of mathematics and horseback riding. The Arabian copy of the Stone of Translation should be more than sufficient to deal with the language barriers between German and Arabic. All that is needed is for both of us to sign a treaty to that effect.

“It is a sign of the favor of Allah that our two nations can come together in such a manner. I am certain that our respective staffs can write such a treaty quickly.” He raised his goblet and added: “To the agreement!”

“To the agreement!” Both leaders clinked goblets and drank.

“There is one other issue to mention, Sheik Sadim. As you may, or may not know, there is an ancient German custom at ceremonies such as this. I have a small gift for you as a token of the historic agreement between us.” At a gesture, Hans wheeled in a small crate.

“This is one of Germany's newest inventions. We call it a ****oo clock. It uses the principles of mathematics to show the current time.”

“Fascinating! So you do not use hourglasses for this purpose?”

“Soon they will be completely obsolete. There is another, more whimsical purpose to the clock, as you will see.” Hans, at a nod from his leader, activated the clock. A musical chime sounded, and a small door in the face of the clock flew open. A wooden bird emerged and sounded “****oo! ****oo!”. The bird retreated as quickly as it had emerged, and the door slammed closed.

“How charming! This will hang in a place of honour in my palace in Mecca.” Gesturing to an aide, the Sheik continued. “We of the Arabs have a similar custom.” At a nod from his leader, the aide handed the Chancellor a small scroll.

“This is a translation into German of part of the logbook of the Indian caravel Rajput. We were able to obtain the Hindi original as well for your wise men to study. The captain describes an encounter with what he calls a ghost ship, which sailed under a tattered blue flag with no pennants.”

Chancellor Bismarck thought for a moment, and then realized what ship his guest was referring to. “The Wotan's Spear?!? Our exploration galley still sails the sea after all these years?”

“The Indians may be foolish enough to believe in some sort of ghost ship nonsense. I think it is much more likely that the ship made it around Africa. The skill and resourcefulness of German sailors is well known. The maps we are providing as part of the treaty should give more information. The Wotan's Spear should be close to Egyptian territory. I know that you and Cleopatra are not the best of friends right now. I will gladly help with the safe return of the gallant crew of your ship.”

“Truly this is astonishing news, Sheik Sadim. I will have my diplomats contact the Eqyptians at once. You and your retinue will be our honored guests at the Imperial Palace while the final details of the treaty are worked out.”

“That is most kind of you, Chancellor Bismarck."

 

[MTB4884]

March 1, 230 BC

Chancellor Bismarck called the meeting of the Ministry Council to order. “I will ask the Military Minister and the Foreign Minister to brief the Council on the progress of the Indian war and the current status of negotiations with the Egyptians.”

Minister von Clauswitz took the first part of the briefing. He pulled down a chart of the map of the city of Dacca and the surrounding area. “I am pleased to report to the Council that our forces have captured the city of Dacca with minimal German casualties. Marshall Hengest's plan to use the 1st Corps for the initial assault was completely successful. Special mention should also be made of a German nun by the name of Sister Marlena who was instrumental in negotiating the final surrender of the Indian governor of the city.” Even the normally stolid and impassive Council broke out into smiles at this news.

“Our settlers are on the way to the front now. It will take quite some time to get all of them in position to enter Persian territory, however. The plan is to leave 5 knight divisions in Patalipurta to deal with the numerous Indian divisions in the hinterlands and in the Turkish territory just beyond the city. We will leave the two swordsmen divisions in Bhopal. The rest of the divisions and the 1st Corps will occupy Dacca. We are training knight divisions in cities throughout the Empire and sending them to the Indian front. We will attack the Persian capital once the settlers are in place to rebuild the city as a German fortress.”

“How are our own people reacting to the war?”

“I am pleased to state that your support among the German people remains at very high levels. We estimate that your approval rating is at 85% overall.”

“Is there anything in the war that is not going well?”

“Not exactly, my Chancellor. My concern is the numerous war elephant divisions of the Indians in Turkish territory. The loss of even one of our divisions to the Indian war elephants might trigger a Golden Age of prosperity and invention for the Indians. We could face a more dangerous enemy than ever before.”

“I see. Is it still your opinion that we should fight the war ourselves, without allying the Turks to our cause?”

“It is, my Chancellor. One difficulty is precisely the large numbers of Indian divisions in Turkish territory. The Turks are not anxious to suddenly fight them deep inside their own borders, for obvious reasons. I will leave additional information on this point to my colleague in the Foreign Ministry.”

“Very well. Is there anyone who wishes to go on record as voting to ask the Turks for help in the war?” No one was willing to challenge the Military Minister on this point, as the Chancellor soon realized. “Then we will continue our military policy unchanged for the moment. I will ask you to keep us informed of the ongoing situation.”

“It shall be done, my Chancellor.”

The Chancellor now turned to his Foreign Minister. “There is something else I wanted to ask you, before we get into the current situation with the Egyptians. How are we going to explain attacking the Persians to the German people?”

“My Chancellor and fellow ministers, we have given quite a lot of thought to this issue. The Persians have no real chance against a determined German assault, so there is little risk of a long, unpopular war. We believe the best defense against criticism is a good offense, to paraphrase a famous saying of my colleague.”

“To be specific, we will simply point out that at least a dozen different Indian troop divisions are now in Persian territory, with more on the way. All we have to do is to tell our people the literal truth about this, and the vast majority of our people will support an attack into Persia to stop that threat permanently.” The ministers of the Council nodded as the cold logic of the Foreign Minister's words sank in.

“What if we were to ally with the Persians against the Indians? They surely have no particular love for the Indians who roam their land.”

“I would not advise that, Chancellor. First, we will have to give something to Persia to get them to declare war against India. Second, the Indians have enough troops in Persia to conquer their single city. This also runs the risk of an Indian war elephant division winning an easy victory against Persia and beginning an Indian golden age. Finally, the reputation of Germany among the other nations of the world will suffer if our ally is destroyed in the war.

“That makes sense, Minister. Thank you for explaining all this. Now, back to Egypt. What is the current status of negotiations?”

“The Egyptians are proving most troublesome, my Chancellor. They are willing to send out what they call “search parties” to locate the Wotan's Spear. The main issue for the Egyptians is the maps and charts of the lands the ship has discovered. They want a copy of all the maps aboard the Wotan's Spear.”

The Chancellor's face hardened at this thought. “My father did not send that ship at great cost and sacrifice to explore the African coast only to have his son simply hand that dearly won knowledge over to the Egyptians. I am willing to consider offering them gold or perhaps an extra luxury or two, but not maps.”

“I doubt the Egyptians are willing to accept that, my Chancellor. The only other suggestion we have is for a personal meeting between yourself and Queen Cleopatra. My opposite number among the Egyptians did have one good idea about this. He suggested that you and Queen Cleopatra meet at a neutral site, such as the Arabian capital of Mecca.”

“Are the Arabs willing to go along with this, Minister?”

“We have not approached them yet, my Chancellor. I did not want to agree on your behalf to such a dangerous meeting with the Egyptians without your specific approval.”

“That is a risky move indeed. However, I believe that, as Chancellor, I owe it to the crew of the Wotan's Spear to at least try to help them. Contact the Arabs about this. If they are unwilling, try to set up the meeting in the city of Bhopal. Is there any objection among the Council to this plan?” No one objected, so the Chancellor continued. “Very good. Please keep us informed of the response of the Arabs and the Egyptians. Meeting adjourned.” All stood as the Chancellor left the Council meeting room.

 

[MTB4884]

March 6, 230 BC

The early spring morning was already growing hot in the tropical climate of the city of Panama Canal. The day watch stood at their posts on the eastern side of the city. The watch had been waiting for weeks for word from the 1st Panama Knights who had left in great triumph two months before to do battle with the savage barbarian tribes in the jungle. Previous attempts to make peaceful contact with the tribes had ended in complete failure.

Suddenly a single message rider came down from the eastern hills. He rode to the gate and said: “Hail, day watch. I am Captain Ernst Kijay, and I bring a message for Governor Berg.” The day watch opened the simple gate and let him in.

Captain Kijay stopped before the city hall of the outpost city. Governor Berg had noted his approach and came out to meet him. “Come inside to my office and tell me all about it.”

The message rider handed over a letter to the Governor after a quick cup of the refreshing local coffee. “General Byers ordered me to personally make certain you received this message. More details are in the report, but the short version is that we lost, Governor.”

Governor Berg turned pale at this news. “What happened? Where are the rest of the knights?”

“Most are probably dead, sir.” was the response of the rider. “At least some escaped to the southwest, but I do not know exactly how many.”

“How did this happen?”

Captain Kijay shuddered at the memory. “We knew going in that we would be outnumbered. We thought they had two or three thousand poorly equipped barbarians. Instead, there were at least ten or twelve thousand of them. They covered the mountain slope like a great wave as they poured out at us. We had nowhere to ride to. The jungle surrounded us on three sides, with a steep hill to the west.”

“They must have seen us, or known we were there, Governor. They came at us in a massed charge. Five of them fell for every German knight, and yet they kept coming. The General ordered me personally to bring the news back to you while there was still time. The 2nd regiment attacked on the left wing of the barbarians to give me a chance to get free and bring you word.”

“It is not your fault, young man. No one will blame you for this disaster. I will send word to Berlin and ask for reinforcements and additional help. We will train more knights and send them to finish the job.”

 

[MTB4884]

March 16, 230 BC

Excerpt from History of the Medieval German Navy, Karl Waldschmidt, Vol. 2, p. 10, Waldsee Press, Berlin, 920.

“The launch of the GNS Wilhelm Tell is unique in German naval history as the only time the living namesake of the ship participated in the launching. It is also the only time a German army officer has had a ship named after him. The launch itself took place without incident. Captain Tell gave a short speech, which is now sadly lost to history.”

Captain Wilhelm Tell had never been so afraid in his life. He was the guest of honour at the launching of the newest German warship. Thousands of people were gathered at the port of Amsterdam to watch. I would rather be at the Indian front or on post with the Imperial Guard where I belong.

The mayor was giving some long winded speech. Captain Tell heard perhaps one word in five as he waited for his cue. Maybe this is why Mother Agnes did not want the ship named after her. It had nothing to due with her humility, or politics, or not wanting a naval warship named after a nun. After what seemed an eternity, the mayor finally said: “And now, I will ask Captain Tell to launch the ship named in his honour!”

He took the specially prepared bottle of Hochrotwein and swung it with great force against the prow of the ship. The bottle shattered in a spray of wine and glass as the caravel slowly slid down the ways into the harbor.

He turned to the podium as the people of Amsterdam cheered the launching of Germany's newest warship. “Greetings, people of Amsterdam! I am a soldier for the Empire, not a statesman, so I am not used to speaking on such occasions.”

“I simply wanted to echo your mayor's point that it is only in a free and democratic society that a humble soldier such as myself could have a warship named in his honour. I am deeply grateful beyond my ability to express in words for this. Thank you.”

 

[MTB4884]

April 3rd, 230 BC

The Chancellor called the meeting of the War Council to order. “I will ask for a report from the Domestic Minister about the situation in Bhopal and Patalipurta, and an update on the progress of the Egyptian negotiations.”

The Domestic Minister, Gunter von Schnell, handled the first question. “The bad news is that riots have broken out in the city of Patalipurta. The presence of Indian partisans and line units near the city make it much harder for us to occupy the city. We request the sum of 100,000 marks to begin construction of an Imperial Library and a church in the city. It is also our belief that at least five knight divisions will also be needed to maintain control and defend the city from Indian counterattack.”

“The good news is that the Imperial Library has been completed in Bhopal. The reports of the garrison troops there are quite positive. The work of the Missionaries of Charity has been of great value in this effort. We request the sum of 60,000 marks to begin construction of a church in the city, and an additional two knight divisions to aid in reinforcing the city's defenses. Bhopal is on the Egyptian border, and we have received reports that at least some Indian divisions are in Egyptian territory and presumably headed back to the Bhopal area.”

“That is good news, Minister. Are there any objections to the Domestic Ministry's funding requests in this matter?” The Military Minister raised his hand for a moment. “Do we still have the funds to pay for all this?”

“The Reichstag approved a preliminary figure of 100,000 marks for civic buildings in captured Indian cities two weeks ago. We will need their approval for the larger sum, but that should not be a problem. The Empire has enough of a budget surplus to handle the rebuilding of the captured Indian cities.”

“Thank you for explaining that, Gunter. I withdraw my objection then.”

“So noted. I want to see the paperwork on this as soon as possible so we can get the Reichstag to confirm it.” Turning to the Foreign Minister, the Chancellor asked, “What is the status of the Egyptian negotiations?”

Foreign Minister von Ribbentrop spoke out for the first time. “The bad news is that there has been some sort of revolt or coup in Arabia. Sheik Sadim has been deposed, and the new ruler is a Sheik Abu Bakr. The Arabs are no longer willing to hold this meeting in their territory.”

Chancellor Bismarck's face hardened at this news. “What happened to the scholars we sent with Sheik Sadim?”

“The reports we have indicate that they are unharmed. The Arabs still want the knowledge of mathematics and horseback riding. The scholars are due to start the return journey to Germany on July 1st, according to the treaty.”

“I see. I will remember this for our future dealings with Arabia. Now, back to Egypt. Are the Egyptians willing to meet us at all?”

“That is the good news, my Chancellor. Queen Cleopatra is prepared to meet you in Bhopal in one month's time. We will need an interpreter or two, since the meeting will not take place in a capital city. The sticking point will probably be the issue of the maps of the land discovered by the Wotan's Spear.”

“Do we know what naval forces the Egyptians have along their southern coast?”

The Military Minister, at a nod from the Foreign Minister, handled the Chancellor's question. “The simple answer, my Chancellor, is that we do not know. We do know from contacts with the Arabs that the Indians have at least some naval forces in the general area, but we have no reports of any Egyptian warships. We know that at least two Egyptian galleys have been sunk fighting the pirates which prowl the eastern Mediterranean.”

“Can we confirm that the Egyptians have located the Wotan's Spear?”.

“The Egyptians claim to have sighted her off the Horn of Africa. We do not have tangible proof of this, however. We do not have a seaport in the area, as you know, so there is no easy way for us to make contact with the Wotan's Spear ourselves. The greatest dangers to the ship are the various Indian warships in the area. The galley has no way to know that Germany is at war with India, and so an astute Indian galley or caravel captain may try to make use of that to capture or sink the Wotan's Spear.” The War Council chamber seemed to grow colder as the assembled ministers contemplated the Military Minister's words.

“I see. I am in favor of at least meeting with Queen Cleopatra. All in favor?” No one dissented from the Chancellor, and so he continued, “Then the meeting is approved. Is there any other business before we adjourn?”

The Foreign Minister spoke up at this. “There is one other issue to bring before the Council. I spoke with the Turkish ambassador yesterday. He stated that the Indians have contacted the Turks recently. Apparently the Indians have captured Ambassador Mayecker and at least some of the German embassy staff, and wish to exchange them for the Indian ambassador and embassy staff in our custody. The transfer would take place in Turkish territory.”

“That is good news. I thought the Indians simply massacred the German embassy staff. I would rather have one good German back home where he belongs than ten Indians as prisoners.” The Chancellor paused for a moment to gauge the sentiment of the ministers. “Contact the Turks and get the prisoner exchange set up. Meeting adjourned.” All stood as the Chancellor left the Council chambers.

 

[MTB4884]

May 4th, 230 BC

Sultan Achmed Timur-Lenk anxiously awaited the return of his faithful vizier Jaffa el-Tarkaan with news of the impending prisoner exchange. The usual three guards had been replaced by fully two score of specially trained Janissary warriors, with massive, razor sharp scimitars and serious, unflinching expressions. Finally the vizier entered the ornate throne room of the palace.

“A thousand pardons for my tardiness, O benevolent Sultan,” said the vizier as he bowed to his ruler and master. “I rejoice, however, to tell you that the Indians have finally brought their prisoners to the palace for the exchange, and have agreed to the rules for the prisoner exchange.”

“Excellent, Jaffa!” The guards at the east and west doors to the throne room bowed at a signal from the vizier and undid the golden bars from the doors. The Indian group came from the east door, while the Germans entered from the western door.

Vizier Jaffa went to the center of the throne room and spoke to the assembled groups. “Welcome, prisoners of Germany and of India, to the palace of the great and powerful Sultan. I shall explain the procedure for the prisoner exchange.”

“The prisoners shall advance to the center, one person at a time. The Sultan shall choose which side shall begin first. The prisoner shall state his or her name and title for the record, and then continue to the opposite side. The Germans have brought 48 prisoners, while the Indians have but 18. The 30 additional prisoners on the German side shall be held in German custody pending the outcome of negotiations after the initial prisoner exchange is completed. The former Indian ambassador to Germany has selected the 18 prisoners which shall be exchanged at this time. Are there any questions before we proceed?” The throne room was silent for a long moment.

The Sultan stood from his throne. “Then, in the name of Allah, we shall proceed. The Indians shall begin with their first prisoner.”

An elderly German man walked to the center of the room and said, “Helmut Mayecker, former German ambassador to India..” He was soon followed by the 17 survivors of the former German embassy to India.

As the last prisoner, a former Imperial Guard, crossed over to the German side of the room, the Vizier stirred and said, “The Germans shall now send 18 prisoners, in the order determined by the former Indian ambassador to Germany.” The first prisoner was a tall, strongly built man who advanced to the center of the room and said, “Darjay Singh, Royal Guardsman.” The next fifteen prisoners made their way in turn to the Indian side.

The seventeenth prisoner proved to be a young boy, who walked nervously to the center of the room and said, “Sanjay, son of the former ambassador to Germany.” He glanced back once and went to the Indian side with his fellow former prisoners.

The vizier consulted his list. “The last prisoner is not the former ambassador to Germany, but listed as a..Sandira Vijay.” There was a quick murmur on both sides as a young girl of 10 or so walked to the center of the room. She hesitated for a moment, and then turned to the Sultan to the surprise of everyone. “Please, great Sultan, may I bring the homing pigeons back with me?”

Her father snapped, “Sandira! Be silent!” A wave of nervous laughter swept through the throne room as the German ambassador to Turkey spoke out. “O great Sultan, my instructions were only to release 18 prisoners at this initial exchange.”

The Sultan replied with quiet dignity. “Surely the mighty nation of Germany will not suffer harm from the loss of a few homing pigeons?” A second, much louder wave of laughter broke out as the now red-faced ambassador responded, “As a sign of cooperation with our Turkish neighbors and friends, I shall authorize the release of the birds to the care of the Indian embassy here in Turkey.”

The now delighted Sandira curtsied towards the German ambassador and the Sultan, adding, “Thank you so much!” She ran towards her brother and the other released prisoners as fast as she could.

The Sultan held up his hand, stopping his vizier for a moment. “I have one question for the former ambassador to Germany. Why is it that you put your children's names on the list of those to be exchanged but not your own?”

“O great Sultan, it is my duty as the former ambassador to render what assistance to my countrymen I can. I cannot shirk that duty and leave someone else in German custody in my place.”

The Sultan smiled at this. “The Mahatma is fortunate to have a man with your integrity in his service.” He paused for a moment. “The next part of the negotiations shall take place here in the Great Palace. Vizier Jaffa shall show both sides to their respective chambers. I urge both the Germans and the Indians to find a way to settle the matter of the exchange of the remaining 30 prisoners quickly."

 

[MTB4884]

May 2nd, 230 BC

The atmosphere at the meeting site in Bhopal was tense. Protocol permitted a total of ten guards on each side, and so ten senior troopers of the German Imperial Guard faced off with ten stern-faced officers of the Egyptian Madjai. Each side waited as best they could for the arrival of their respective leaders.

The chimes of the newly installed town clock finally sounded noon. The doors on opposite sides of the room opened, and Chancellor Konrad von Bismarck and Queen Cleopatra entered. Both sat at a central table, with seating for one aide each and a carafe of water and wine for each leader.

The Chancellor broke the ice after an awkward silence. He drew on his limited knowledge of the Queen's tongue and said, “Welcome to the city of Bhopal, Queen Cleopatra. Thank you for agreeing to this meeting.”

The Queen replied in fluent German, “The pleasure is mine, Chancellor. Shall we discuss business, then?”

The Chancellor returned with relief to his native tongue. “You honour me with your command of our language, Queen Cleopatra. To business, then. It is my understanding that the Eqyptians have located our long-lost exploration ship Wotan's Spear. I would like your help in returning the ship and her crew to Germany.”

“It is Egypt's pleasure to be of assistance in helping the gallant crew of your ship. There is of course the small matter of our costs in this venture. I do hope our two peoples can come to a reasonable understanding.”

“That is my wish as well, Queen Cleopatra.”

“I am certain your advisors have told you of Egypt's wishes in this matter. The maps of the African coast aboard the Wotan's Spear are of immense value. It would be a great pity if the Indian navy were to attack and sink the ship nearly within sight of safety, simply because we could not come to a reasonable agreement.”

“The Wotan's Spear has already proven herself in battle even before setting off on its current mission. Any Indian ship foolish enough to attack her will be in for the fight of their lives, and will likely end up at the bottom of the sea.”

“That is another reason why Egypt is asking for compensation for her assistance. We believe that the Indians know that your ship is in the general area. It could get quite dangerous for the Egyptian ships who make contact with the Wotan's Spear if an Indian warship intervenes.”

“The Mahatma would not be so foolish as to attack an Egyptian ship, especially one working with a German warship. He will be lucky to keep his throne at all after we get through with him.”

“It is my understanding that the Indians declared war on Germany, to the considerable surprise of your military officers. Are you willing to risk the Wotan's Spear and the lives of everyone aboard her on the Mahatma's rationality?” There was an intense silence for a moment before the Queen continued.

“I am not willing to risk an Egyptian ship and crew so easily. I do not think that the Mahatma would hesitate a moment in ordering the entire Indian navy to pursue and sink your ship if he felt it was necessary.”

“He would not gain an advantage if it becomes known that his fleet sank the Wotan's Spear, Queen Cleopatra. The ship has great sentimental value to the German people, as you no doubt know. The loss of the ship at the hands of the Indians would inspire all Germany to rise up and defeat them.”

“That, however, is not truly the point of this meeting. I am prepared to offer substantial recompense to you and the Egyptian people in return for the safe recovery of our ship.”

“What, then, is Germany's offer?”

“We know that the Egyptian nation, while vast and powerful, has no iron within her borders. We are prepared to provide iron to you for the next twenty years upon the safe return, intact and unharmed, of the Wotan's Spear and her cargo and crew to Germany.” There was a murmur of surprise among the Egyptians present who knew enough German to understand the Chancellor's offer.

“How much iron are we talking about, Chancellor?”

“I shall leave the exact specifics to our respective advisors. I believe we can spare enough iron to meet all your needs, within reason.” I shall have to thank Minister von Ribbentrop for this idea.

The Queen was silent for a moment, and then extended her right hand across the table. “Done.”

The Chancellor took it. “Done.”

 

[MTB4884]

June 4th, 230 BC

It was a bright and clear morning after a dark and stormy night for the crew of the Wotan's Spear. The great mainsail had been unfurled two hours ago as the crew worked on a thousand small tasks to repair the ship after the sudden squall of the previous night.

Captain Lutjens was overseeing the repairs to the mast when he heard a shout from the lookout. “Sail on the starboard bow!”

A battle is the last thing we need right now! thought the captain. Aloud he asked, “Can you identify them?”

“They are a small ship, with a single pink and white sail. It looks badly damaged, sir!”

Arabs? Have we finally reached civilized lands? “Helm, new course! Five points to starboard.”

“Five points to starboard, aye!”

Soon all aboard could see the Arabian vessel. The squall which had caused minor damage to the Wotan's Spear had obviously wreaked havoc aboard the smaller ship. Two men emerged as the German galley drew near.

“Hail!” cried one of the men in accented German. “Are you the Wotan's Spear?”

Captain Lutjens came to the rail and yelled back. “Aye! I am Captain Lutjens of the Imperial German Navy. Are you in need of assistance?”

The second Arab spoke to the first in his native tongue. There was a sudden cracking sound as if to answer the German captain's question, and the Arabian ship began to settle at the bow and list to starboard. “Aye, Captain Lutjens. Permission to come aboard?”

“Granted!” A sailor threw a line to the stricken vessel. The two Arabs quickly scrambled aboard as their boat rolled to starboard and sank beneath the waves.

“Thank you, Captain! You and your crew have saved our lives! I am Sheik Sadim, sadly the former ruler of the Arabian people. This is Hassan, my last loyal subject.”

“Welcome aboard, Sheik Sadim. You and Hassan are the first civilized people we have encountered in a very long time.”

“Perhaps we could discuss a few things in your cabin, Captain. I will be happy to tell you what I know. There are also new dangers in these waters.”

“Follow me, then.” Captain Lutjens led his guests to his cabin.

“First, I rejoice to tell you that the Arabs and Germans are on good terms for now. I had the honour of visiting Chancellor Konrad von Bismarck a few months ago.”

“Chancellor Konrad? Did Chancellor Friedrich...”

“Yes, Captain. Chancellor Friedrich died last year."

“I grieve at that news, Sheik Sadim. I am glad to see that we and the Arabs are still on good terms.”

“I fear, however, that may be temporary, Captain. The usurper who stole my throne is much more hostile to Germany than I. It is a very long story.”

“I must warn you about another matter. The Indians have declared war on Germany. The Germans have captured the cities of Bhopal and Patalipurta, and were planning to attack the city of Dacca.”

Captain Lutjens looked grave at this news. “We have not encountered any Indian vessels in these waters. Our landing party encountered a group of Indian settlers last year, but they did not speak German, and we have no Hindi speakers aboard.”

“I have good news and bad news about the Indian ships, Captain. The bad news is the the Indians have several new warships in the general area. They have a new ship design, far beyond the capacity of our own shipwrights to build, which they call a caravel. It is larger than a galley, and has taller masts. They can spot smaller ships before they are seen themselves. We have reliable information that the Indians have spotted the Wotan's Spear last fall.”

“The good news is the Indians are afraid of this ship, Captain. At least one caravel captain thought that this was actually a ghost ship.”

“Ghost ship? I can assure you, Sheik Sadim, that I and my crew are very real. May I ask how you know about all this in the first place?”

“Simple, Captain. An agent of Arabia managed to obtain the logbook of the Indian caravel which spotted this ship last fall. It was named Raj-er, something.”

“Rajput, O great Sultan”, put in Hassan.

“Rajput, right. I gave the logbook to Chancellor Bismarck myself when we met in Berlin this spring. The German government knows that your ship still exists, and will be searching for you. However, they have no ports in these waters as far as I know.”

“I see. What about the Egyptians?”

The former Arabian leader scowled for a moment. “I fear the diplomatic situation between Germany and Egypt has deteriorated badly over the years. I still recall the look on the Chancellor's face when I suggested he ask them for help finding this ship.”

“There is more, Captain. I was in Berlin to negotiate with your Chancellor. He wanted the maps the Arabian people have compiled, and sent us scholars to teach our people the knowledge of mathematics and horseback riding in return.”

“I believe the Egyptians were unhappy that I had made this agreement with Germany. The usurper who stole my throne had Egyptian help in his evil plan. They saw a chance to cripple Arabia by helping the usurper.”

“This is not good news at all, Sheik Sadim. We cannot return to Germany the way we came. We cannot seek help from the Indians. We must risk the Egyptians despite your misgivings.”

“There is an alternative, Captain. The Indians maintain two outpost cities on the southern coast of the Arabian peninsula. I have maps of their precise location. You could simply raid them, or the farms near them, for the supplies your ship needs until peace is restored between India and Germany.”

“I signed on with the Imperial Navy many years ago to fight pirates. I am not eager to become one myself.”

“You are not pirates, Captain. You are supplying your ship and attacking an enemy at the same time. Is it not your duty to attack an enemy of Germany?”

“I must consider this carefully. I will have quarters assigned for you and Hassan. You will be our honoured guests for the time being. We will talk more of this soon.”

 

[Sparthage]

Checking back in after a month and I'm glad to see this continuing.

 

[MTB4884]

Welcome back, Sparthage! I hope to be able to read future installments of Celtic Fury soon as well.

 

[MTB4884]

July 23, 230 BC

Mahatma Gandhi called the meeting of his War Council to order. “I will ask the military advisor and the foreign advisor to brief us on the current situation in the war with Germany.”

The military minister spoke out first. “We are rushing every available offensive unit to the western front with Germany. There are numerous divisions in western Turkey which have been notified of the situation and are now headed towards the Patalipurta area. I expect a detailed report from our agent there within the next week or so.”

“What about our diplomatic mission to Turkey?”

The diplomatic minister handled this. “I regret to inform this Council that the Turks are not willing to assist us in our war with Germany. One reason is the sheer number of our units in their territory. The Turks are, however, willing to continue our treaty to give us free passage through their lands.”

“The Turks, unfortunately, do not believe that the Germans are a threat to them. The Germans do not have a right of passage with Turkey, but in most other respects the Germans and the Turks are closely allied. The good news is that Ambassador Selkurk has confirmed that the Turks will not aid the Germans against us.”

“Have the Germans asked the Turks for their help?”

“I must assume that they have, though we cannot confirm this.”

“What about the Egyptians? Their relations with the Germans have deteriorated markedly over the last decade or so.”

“The Egyptians are potentially interested in allying with us. However, they demand iron in exchange for declaring war on Germany.”

“I am not willing to give iron to the Egyptians. That is a decisive advantage in our favor if we ever go to war with them. I would consider offering them a technology that they do not currently possess. Make them an offer to that effect and report their response.”

“It shall be done, O wise Mahatma. There is another matter that I must tell you about. We have reports that Queen Cleopatra and Chancellor Bismarck met recently in Bhopal. We are working to discover what it is they agreed upon, if anything.”

“I see. Please follow up on that and keep me advised.” The Mahatma thought for a moment, and then turned to his domestic minister. “How are the Indian people reacting to the war and the loss of our western cities?”

“The people remain very supportive of you, O Mahatma. There is some discontent at the loss of three of our cities. We estimate that we can continue the war for years at this rate if need be.”

“That is the first good news I have heard today. We shall continue the war for now. Meeting adjourned.” All stood as the great Mahatma left the War Council meeting room.

 

[Princeof Persia]

Checking back in after a month and I'm glad to see this continuing.

He didn't die! (JK)

 

[MTB4884]

OOS:

For some reason the Indian caravels chose not to attack my galley even though it was within range. I tried to set up an in-story reason for this, as well as lay the groundwork for a future conflict or two for Germany. I probably should have put in this little OOS bit a few updates ago, but I thought this would be less distracting.

Next update coming right up.