Blood and Iron: The Conquests of the Chancellor

March 3, 210 BC

Mahatma Gandhi called the meeting of his chief advisors to order. “I will ask the military advisor for an update on the progress of the war with Germany.”

The military advisor handed the question from his leader. “O great Mahatma, I expect an aviary message within the week from the commander of our forces approaching Dacca. I must remind you that a complete report will take another month to get here, due to the lack of proper roads through the Persian lands.”

The Mahatma sighed at this report. “Sometimes I think it would have been better to simply conquer Persia, rather than sign a right of passage through her territory.” At the look from his military advisor, he added “I know, I know. We cannot afford the troops, especially with the war with Germany.”

“That is so, O great Mahatma. There is also the matter of India's reputation with her neighbors and the other nations of the world.”

“I suppose it will take even longer to get information from Patalipurta, for the same reasons.”

“That is so, O great Mahatma. The message has to pass through hostile territory and Turkish territory, as well as Persian lands. It will probably be late April or early May before we have a full report from Patalipurta.”

“Very well, minister. Do you have anything else to report?”

“Yes, O great Mahatma. We have received confirmation from our agents in Bhopal and Abydos that the German galley Wotan's Spear did arrive in Abydos last summer. Our agent in Abydos helped the crew to escape after the Egyptians discovered that the former Arabian leader was aboard.”

“Interesting. It seems that there is something to this theoretical science of 'espionage' after all. It is a pity that we do not have a complete understanding of this science yet. What do you recommend we do about this, minister?”

“I recommend we keep matters as they are. It is unlikely that the Wotan's Spear will attack any of our forces, or raid any of our lands, as long as we continue to supply the ship.”

“Let me get this straight, minister. There is a German warship out there, armed to the teeth, and all we have to do to keep her from attacking our forces is give her a few supplies?”

“The Wotan's Spear has known about the war with Germany for a year now, and yet has not attacked any of our units in all that time. We could order the Agra and Rajput to attack her, but we would risk our own warships and crews.”

“Very well. I will trust your judgment, minister. Is there any objection from the council?” The domestic minister raised his hand.

“I have a question, rather than an objection as such. Do the Germans know exactly what happened to their warship in Abydos?”

The military minister handled the question. “We do not believe so. We cannot absolutely confirm this, of course, but it is unlikely that the Egyptians have contacted the Germans directly and admitted that their warship was in an Egyptian port, but escaped. We know that relations between Egypt and Germany had deteriorated considerably even before the current war, and so the Germans will probably be very angry with Egypt if they do find out what actually happened.”

“This must be why a true understanding of espionage is a generation away.” mused the Mahatma. “This stuff gives me a headache when I try to keep track of it all. Let us get back to the main topic, however. Is there anything else to report about the war with Germany?”

“We are sending every available unit west to the German front. The morale of our people remains high, despite the loss of our western cities to the German invaders.”

“Very good, minister. Please keep us informed if the situation changes. Meeting adjourned.” All stood as the Mahatma left the council meeting room.
 
March 10, 190 BC

Chancellor Bismarck called the War Council to order. “I will ask the Military Minister to brief us about the situation in Patalipurta and Dacca, and about the progress of the search for the Wotan's Spear.”

Military Minister von Clauswitz handled the briefing. “My Chancellor and fellow ministers, I have just received word this morning about the battle at Dacca. I am able to report that a great battle took place almost three weeks ago just east of Dacca. I am pleased to report that our forces have won a major victory. The Indian invasion force, all twelve divisions strong, has been completely destroyed. Thanks to the brilliant tactics of Field Marshall Stavros, none of our knight divisions were lost. Several of our knight divisions are badly damaged and will need time to heal and refit.” The normally stolid ministers smiled at the news of the German victory.

“Our knights were successful at Patalipurta in defeating the Indians, but at a terrible cost. We estimate that at least three divisions of Indian swordsmen were wiped out. We lost two knight divisions in the battle, and three others are damaged to various degrees. Two more knight divisions are on the way to Patalipurta to reinforce the garrison there.”

There was a silence for a long moment which was finally broken by the Chancellor. “I will announce the battles of Patalipurta and Dacca to the Reichstag and the German people tomorrow. How will our people reach to all this?”

The Domestic Minister handled this question. “Chancellor, the German people are not the fools some take them for. They realize that casualties are inevitable. Your overall support remains very high, with some 80 to 85% of our people supporting you and your policies.”

The Chancellor looked unusually grave at this. “I doubt that is much comfort to the families of the knight divisions who will never come home again.”

The Military Minister responded after another long silence. “They will understand that we are fighting a dangerous, highly skilled enemy that chose to declare war on us. Our people, and rightly so, will blame the Indians for the war. I must also point out that we have done far more damage to the Indians than they have inflicted on us.”

“You are right, Minister. Do we know how many more divisions the Indians have in Persia and in Turkish lands to threaten our captured territories?”

“Not precisely, Chancellor. We do know that there are at least three divisions headed south towards Patalipurta which are still in Turkish territory and another six headed west that are in Persian lands.”

“Have we heard anything from the Indians regarding a peace treaty?”

Foreign Minister von Ribbentrop handled this question. He had recovered from his illness the previous summer, though he was not the hale and hearty man the Council was used to. “We have not heard anything at all from the Indians directly, Chancellor. The Indians may well be open to a peace agreement under the circumstances.”

“Are there any objections to contacting the Indians about a peace treaty?”

The Military Minister spoke out. “Chancellor, I object to this approach. We still need to capture the Persian's sole city and rebuild it as a German fortress. Bluntly stated, the Indians are losing the war. I remind you and the Council that the Indians actually started this war, and so the German people are still in favor of continuing the war. The Indians have lost no less than fifteen divisions in these two battles alone, and the effect upon Indian morale is no doubt far more serious than the loss of two divisions is for us.”

He paused for a moment. “I grieve for the loss of life as much as anyone here at this table. I believe that their sacrifice may well be in vain unless we finish the job we set out to do.

“Those are good points, Minister. We shall continue the war, then.”

The Foreign Minister spoke next. “There is another matter that I must bring to the Council's attention. We have a report that the Wotan's Spear did pull into the Egyptian harbor at Abydos some time late last summer. However, the report claims that the Egyptians attempted to capture the ship and its priceless maps. Fortunately, the crew were able to escape with their ship and are now at large somewhere in the Persian Gulf area.”

The Chancellor leaped to his feet in a great rage. “WHAT!?! Those Egyptian !@#$ broke their word and tried to capture the Wotan's Spear for themselves? Do they not realize that this is an act of war against us?”

Minister von Ribbentrop held his ground. “I suppose I shall have to reveal more details about this particular report. We have a copy in Egyptian of what purports to be a message from the governor of Abydos to his superiors in Thebes stating that the Wotan's Spear had arrived. The ship also had Sheik Sadim and another Arabian on board, and this may have been what prompted the Egyptians to attempt the ship's capture.”

“Interestingly enough, it is not clear that this message actually made it to Thebes. Our ambassador to Egypt has not reported any disciplinary action taken in this matter, nor has he reported that the ship made it to Abydos. The Egyptians have not formally approached us about any of this, as you all know.”

“Were those @#$ Indians involved? Did they put the Egyptians up to this treachery?”

“We do not know for certain, Chancellor. I would caution you and the Council that we have not been able to independently confirm this yet. We are of course working on that, and I will notify the Council immediately if this can be confirmed. This also explains why the Egyptians have not approached us about the galley in months.”

The Domestic Minister raised his hand. “One question. How do we know that the ship escaped from Abydos, assuming the reports you mentioned are accurate?”

“We also have a copy of a request that the governor of Abydos made for money and materials to replace the barrier at the harbor entrance. The official reason given is that a dhow broke loose and destroyed the original barrier.”

“Perhaps I am dense, but I do not see the connection.”

“Egyptian dhows are fairly small vessels. They do not have the speed or mass to cause the significant damage described in the governor's request. Only a larger vessel, such as a galley or caravel, can smash such a barrier. It is also unlikely that even a galley or caravel could destroy the barrier by accident. We know that the Egyptians have no such large vessels based in Abydos. This is all circumstantial, of course, but it does support the theory that the Wotan's Spear did indeed make it to Abydos and later broke out to avoid capture.”

By now the Chancellor had calmed down a bit. “How exactly do we know all of this, Minister? I cannot accuse the Egyptians of any of this without absolute proof.”

“We have an agent in Bhopal who was able to intercept the documents I spoke of. We cannot easily make this information public, or reveal it to the Egyptians without endangering our agent, since it was not obtained through formal channels. We are doing our best, but there is much of the science of what our Ministry calls 'espionage' that is not well understood at this time.”

“I suppose it would do no good to get the Egyptian ambassador in here to ask him about any of this.”

“I do not believe that would be helpful, Chancellor. First, we have no way of knowing whether the Ambassador has even been informed about any of this. Second, even if he has been informed, he has undoubtedly been ordered not to reveal any of it to us under any circumstances and to deny it if questioned. Finally, it is possible that this is some sort of Egyptian trick to make us reveal our agent.”

“That is logical, Minister. Please continue your efforts to confirm this report. Is there anything else?”

“Yes, Chancellor. Our settlers are still moving towards Persia. We will be sending workers to build a road east of Dacca to the Persian capital. We are sending all available knight divisions to the Indian frontier. The Indians are doubtless sending what forces they have as well."

“I see. Please keep us informed if there are any changes. Is there anything else before we adjourn?” No one raised any other points, so the Chancellor continued. “Meeting adjourned.” All stood as the Chancellor left the War Council chamber.
 
May 23, 190 BC

General Franz Schmitt of the 2nd Tikal knights was headed south with his men. The 1st Tikal knights had vanished without a trace in the depths of the Central American jungle two years ago. The scouts he had sent ahead had not yet reported back.

Truly this is a horrible place, even if there were no barbarians to worry about. It is always hot and humid, and there are just too many bugs and spiders, let alone all the huge snakes.

Ahead, the canopy of thick jungle thinned out, revealing a large, flat plain. Here and there were small pools of water. Many of them bubbled and steamed as if heated by some unseen infernal fire far below. He called out to his men..

“Stay away from these pools, everyone. God only knows what would happen if someone fell in.” He could smell the distinctive odor of sulfur as he and his men ventured on. Even the grass seemed withered and blasted as the 2nd Tikal pressed on. I have my orders, but sometimes I think it would be the better course to simply let the barbarians keep this worthless, blasted land.

It was almost a relief when the knights reached the other side of the plain and saw the jungle canopy begin to form. The trees were sparse near the plain, but quickly built up into the same thick jungles they had passed through earlier.

Suddenly the General head the distinctive call of his scouts just ahead. “Column, halt!” The General went forward alone.

Three of his scouts emerged from behind trees a mere dozen yards away. You could hide a corps in these jungles at need. “Your report, gentlemen?”

“We found the barbarian camp. They appear to be a barbarian chief unit, just beyond that ridge a klick or so ahead.”

“Excellent. This time we will surprise them!”

An hour later, after much quiet maneuvering, the thousand knights of 2nd Tikal were in position. The barbarian camp was some 100 meters on the other side of the ridge. Fortunately they had not set up sentries or any sort of organized defenses, as any competent general would have ordered for a German camp.

“For Bismarck, Germany, and the 1st Tikal! CHARGE!” A familiar clarion call sounded in the jungle as the thousand German knights charged over the hill towards their barbarian adversaries. The barbarians did their best to fight hand to hand as they tried to make a stand.

The fighting was intense and brutal. Simple bravery and raw courage were not enough against a disciplined armored fighting force, and one by one the barbarian chiefs fell. The chiefs did not yield and would not surrender. It look just over an hour for the last to fall to the German onslaught.

General Schmitt consulted his regimental colonels after the battle was over. Perhaps a score of German knights had fallen in the battle. The dented shields and armor of many of the knights served as mute testimony of the ferocity of the barbarian defenders.

“I want a squad of knights to escort the wounded back to Panama Canal. The rest of us will camp on the other side of the ridge, and send out scouts to locate the main force of the enemy.”

“Surely this was the main force, General.” objected one commander.

“I am certain the 1st Tikal felt the same way, once. The barbarians died because they did not post sentries and scouts. I have no intention of repeating that mistake.”

“Yes, sir!”
 
OOS: I should mention how barbarians work in Kal-El's Test of Time mod. In North and South America the player will encounter berserkers, with a 5 attack and 2 defense and 2 hp, and chiefs, with a 3 attack, 2 defense and 10 hp. The camps typically have one barbarian warrior with 1 attack, 1 defense and 2 hp. There are a few named barbarian chiefs in North America with higher hp, and one unique unit which may eventually show up much later in this story. There are barbarian horsemen in Asia, but the Germans do not encounter them often in this story.

Next up: Intrigue in Delhi and the 2nd Tikal encounters the main barbarian force.
 
June 1st, 190 BC

Ambassador Karkan of the Republic of Turkey had worked in Delhi for nearly four years. He had arrived six months before the Indians declared war on Germany. His chief aide knocked on his door.

“Your Excellency, a special delivery parcel arrived for you.” He handed the ambassador an envelope with the seal of the Imperial Sultanate.

The ambassador nodded, and his aide left at once. He opened the parcel and pulled out the note inside, which read:

“Dear Ambassador Karkan,

We have received a report from Berlin that the Germans fought a major battle with the Indians just east of Dacca in February. The Germans claim that the Indian attack force was wiped out to the last man. Can you confirm this from the Indians?

(signed)
Sultan Achmed Timur-Lenk

Interesting. I shall have to make another trip to the marketplace. Ambassador Karkan carefully wrapped his turban as he prepared to leave the embassy grounds in Delhi. The Turkish Ambassador had his methods of gauging the mood of the people in his host country.

There were, of course, the usual occasions of state, where he could speak with members of the Mahatma's staff and receive carefully phrased replies in return. He could spend the rest of his days going to these meetings and never find anything other than what the Indians wanted him to know.

The ambassador had learned that the best way to read the people was to go out to them and listen to what they had to say. Officially, he was headed to the marketplace to purchase a few supplies for the embassy. The embassy staff had been reduced in size since the outbreak of war between India and Germany, so this was not the difficult task it might have been in peacetime. He knew to keep his eyes and ears open as he went through the marketplace.

Lately he had noticed a subtle change in the marketplace during these trips. Three years ago, when the war first broke out, the Indians were one and all behind their leadership. Anything that seemed remotely German was considered suspect at best and destroyed at worst. A mob had destroyed the beer master stalls with fire, and forced the shopkeepers to literally run for their lives with what little they could carry.

The quick loss of the eastern provinces of the Republic was troubling, but even that did not dent the Mahatma's popularity among the people. As far as the Ambassador could tell, most of the public blamed Germany for the war and for the rise in prices of wine and incense as the native suppliers took advantage of the sudden monopolies they enjoyed. The sellers of wine and meats and incense seemed as cheerful as ever. Certainly they were ready to take his rupees in trade quickly enough.

“I have not heard from Vijay since February.” “That is when I heard from my son”. The ambasador realized that he had overheard some version of these remarks three times today. The Indian mail service is not very swift, but even they have limits. He remembered that it used to take two weeks for news to get from Dacca to Delhi before the war.

So what does this mean? The ambassador knew that going to the Republican Domestic Ministry was a pure waste of time. The official line was that the Indians were sending troops west, with the gracious cooperation of Turkey and Persia, to defeat the savage German hordes. A large force was variously reported to be headed to Dacca, Bhopal, Patalipurta, or all three at once to liberate them from the German occupation.

What if the Germans defeated the Indian assault force as they claimed? He realized that would explain a lot of what he was seeing as he purchased a parcel of incense for the embassy. I still need more proof before I can tell the Sultan about this.

The last stop the ambassador made was at a particular rug merchant's shop near the north end of the market. The ambassador had arranged behind the scenes to pay the shopkeeper's gambling debts in exchange for information useful to the Turkish Empire. He had never met the shopkeeper in person before. The ambassador patiently waited until the shop was otherwise empty, and then spoke to the shopkeeper.

“Do you have any Turkish rugs in stock?”

The shopkeeper pointed to the walls. “I have many such, noble sir. Did you have a particular rug in mind?”

“Yes. I was looking for a rug that depicted the Great Wall of Berlin.” The ambassador selected this code phrase to indicate the country he needed information from.

The shopkeeper paused for a moment. This man is probably a Turkish agent. I have to make certain. “That is an unusual item. I may have such a rug in the back.” Both men went to the back, where the shopkeeper, looking carefully at his visitor, asked him, “How high is the wall?”

“The wall is as high as the Pythias has foretold.” The shopkeeper seemed to relax as the Ambassador completed the countersign. “What do you wish to know?”

“The Germans and the Indians have fought a great battle near Dacca recently. I need to know what happened.”

“I do not know exactly what happened. I know that there has been no contact with the Indian assault force in almost three months. My brother in Perseopolis has not reported any sightings of injured Indian troops entering Persia from the west.”

“Have there been any sighting of German troops in Persia?”

“My brother has not reported any.”

Interesting. Perhaps the Indians at least delayed a German invasion? “Thank you, shopkeeper. You have been very helpful.”
 
July 5, 190 BC

Sgt. Gunter Bock of the 2nd Tikal waited at the southern edge of the German encampment for his relief to show up. He had been on post for three hours, waiting for barbarians who had not shown up in more than a month.

Dawn was a pale sliver of light in the eastern sky when he first heard the noises. At first he thought it was simply an animal. By now Sgt. Bock was all too familiar with the sounds in the jungle, and he realized that much of the background sounds had ceased. This is always how the barbarians show up in the stories back home. It is simply too quiet.

He saw a shadow, nothing more, quickly passing between himself and the dawn. He might have missed it, but for the four others that quickly followed. God in Heaven, the barbarians are here! Fortunately they had not yet spotted him. Sgt. Bock quickly mounted his horse and rode back to the camp to warn the rest of the division.

The camp was soon alerted and raced to the earthworks that General Schmitt had ordered dug on the hill. The base of the hill was soon alive with at least a full division of barbarian berserkers.. The berserkers yelled a hideous war cry, which was immediately taken up by thousands of voices deeper in the thick jungles, and charged at the prepared German knight defenders with their stone axes and obsidian war clubs.

The berserkers were soon forced into a relatively narrow area as they charged up the hill towards the waiting defenders. A new clarion call sounded in the jungles as the knights charged from the flanks. Once more the clash of iron and hooves against stone and flesh sounded in the jungle as the line of German knights crashed into the barbarian horde. The barbarians kept coming even under withering attack from the prepared Germans. A full division of barbarians quickly fell, with few casualties among the German knights.

The next hours were a confused nightmare for the Germans. There seemed to be an endless supply of barbarians shrieking and shouting in their unknown tongue as they vainly tried to pierce the German defenses. The barbarians simply kept coming, with no thought of surrender or retreat despite their terrible losses. Slowly but steadily the knights were forced to give ground, and had less and less room to mount a charge at their enemies.

By eight o'clock the knights had been driven halfway to the summit of the hill. There were still nearly a division of bersekers left, but for the first time the tired German knights saw the last of the barbarian berserkers leave the jungle with none to replace them. There was a great cheer among the knights as they charged once more at their barbarian enemies. It took two more charges, but finally the last of the berserkers lay dead. Five full divisions of barbarian bersekers had attacked the 2nd Tikal, and were now scattered in lifeless lumps over the slopes on the hill like dead leaves after a windstorm. There was a brief moment when the Germans thought it was all over.

The German elation was to be short-lived. The unmistakable sounds of thousands of marching footsteps reached the Germans as the first of the barbarian chiefs marched into view at the base of the hill. These barbarians carried huge wooden shields backed with animal hide and massive war clubs. Again the eerie war cry of the barbarians started from the front ranks and spread backwards into the jungle, as the waves of barbarians charged up the hill littered with thousands of their own dead.

The next hour was another nightmare for the Germans. The barbarian chiefs did not seem to do as much damage individually as the barbarian berserkers, but were much harder to stop. The Germans charges left barbarian chiefs injured but not killed or maimed as the berserkers had been. The knights were quickly pushed back up the hill.

Once more fatigue and exhaustion proved as dangerous to the German defenders as the barbarian chiefs themselves. The Germans were losing a knight or two at each charge, and by now only half of the original thousand knights remained to face the barbarian chief horde.

General Schmitt had developed a plan for this situation. He called out “Squad defense! Squad defense!” His men formed up into paired squads of twenty men each. While one squad charged, the other retreated and regrouped. The squads would then switch places as the division gradually retreated north back into the jungles towards Tikal. I may not be able to stop them entirely, but I can sting them and move, and gradually weaken the barbarian horde. I will make them pay for every meter of ground they take!

The knights proceeded to retreat back down the hill and reform at the northern edge some 100 meters into the jungle. The remaining barbarian chiefs quickly raced to the top of the hill and ran down the far side after the retreating knights on horseback.

This time a running battle took place as the knights carried out their fighting retreat. The dense jungle made surrounding the knights an impossibility as long as they kept on the move. The dash and retreat tactics of the knights allowed them a precious few minutes of rest at a time, while the barbarians had no such respite.

By three o'clock the battle had finally began to turn in favor of the Germans. The remaining knights reached the desolate plain they had crossed earlier. General Schmitt, his left arm broken by a barbarian spear thrust, decided to play his final card. “Massed formation! Massed formation!”

The German survivors, less than half of the original thousand knights, rode 400 meters into the plain and once more formed up into a single group. There was a moment that the German survivors would remember for many years afterwards as the last of the barbarian chiefs ran onto the plain.

Just over a division of barbarian chiefs had made it all the way to the plain in pursuit of the German knights. Three full divisions of barbarian chiefs were now scattered in a grim line following the retreating knights. The barbarian chiefs shouted their eerie war cry as they charged on with a single-minded purpose to wipe the remaining knights off the face of the earth.

The General cried out. “For Bismarck and for Germany! CHARGE!”

The next thirty minutes proved decisive. The knights were once more on open ground, where they could use their traditional tactics of charging and wheeling to their advantage. The barbarians who had made it this far were weary and exhausted from the seemingly endless battle and chase. The last of the barbarian chiefs fell as the first stars were appearing in the skies overhead.

The knights retreated into the northern jungle to regroup. Perhaps one in three of the original force still rode, and of the survivors few had escaped the battle uninjured.

“Your orders, sir?”

“We will return to Tikal to refit and heal. I think we finally found and defeated the main force of the barbarian enemy this time.”
 
August 10, 190 BC

Mother Agnes sat behind her new desk in her tiny office at the new Missionaries of Charity convent in Dacca. Why would anyone object so to the idea of a soup kitchen for the poor here in Dacca? It seemed that the former Indian governor Sanjay Karlnesh had a considerable objection to the idea.

“The issue is not just the soup kitchen! The German authorities will not let any of our people return to the main Indian lands east of Persia. If you really wanted to help the Indian people, you would let them go!”

“Unfortunately, I am not in charge of the city leadership. Governor Reinhardt is the man to whom you should address this. The war between the Germans and the Indians has caused great hardships for both sides, especially for the poor.”

“I have spoken to Governor Reinhardt. He claims that he wants to prevent Indian partisans from entering or leaving Dacca, and refuses to let my people go.”

“Then that is the end of that matter. I have no ability to overrule the governor in this matter. All I can do is to try to make the best of a bad situation and help as best I can. That is why this soup kitchen is needed.”

“There is also the matter of the menu of the kitchen, Mother Agnes. I am told that you will be serving meat at the soup kitchen! This is an insult to Hindus!”

Oh please! “The soup kitchen will be open to all, Hindu or Christian or any other faith, who are in need. Starving people need food, period. The soup kitchen is not intended to insult Hindus.”

“Besides, the kitchen will operate on what we call a buffet line. We will have pots of various vegetables, noodles, bread and meats, depending on what supplies are readily available. If a Hindu or any one else does not want a particular vegetable, or meat, or other item, he or she can simply skip it and move on to the next pot. The Missionaries of Charity order has similar soup kitchens in Bhopal and Patalipurta, and they seem to be working well to feed those who are truly in need.”

'It was better before the war, when we could grow our own food and no one ever needed a soup kitchen. This war has done so much harm to our people.”

“Again, that is why the soup kitchen is needed here in Dacca. We have set this up so that the poor can receive the food they need.”

“And who pays for all this, Mother Agnes?”

“Most of the food in the other soup kitchens is donated. I believe that Governor Reinhardt has arranged for additional food shipments to be sent to Dacca for this purpose staring in early September. We do not charge the poor for the food, since by definition they cannot pay for it. We do have donation boxes for obvious reasons, and there are many in Germany who give generously to this and other charitable causes.”

The former governor sat back in his seat for a moment. “I suppose you are right, Mother Agnes. At least the Indian civilians here in Dacca will no longer starve once the soup kitchen is finished.” He stood up suddenly. “I do appreciate the work you are doing for my former people. I wish that it was not necessary.”

“It is most necessary, as you know all too well. It is part of the duties of our order to care for all those in need as best we can.”
 
January 15, 170 BC

Mahatma Gandhi called the meeting of the war council to order. “I will ask the new military minister to brief us on the progress of the war with Germany.”

The new minister did his best not to flinch. “We are continuing to send every available unit west to the German front. There is one division of swordsmen approaching Patalipurta, and three more are on the way through Turkish territory through the north. Eight Indian divisions are now in Persia on their way to Dacca, with more following.”

“We lost fifteen divisions last year against the Germans! If we cannot defeat the Germans with fifteen divisions, what hope do we have with only eleven or twelve?”

The military minister tried not to overtly react to his angry leader. “I must point out that the German advance against the Indian heartland has stalled. As far as we know, the Germans have not even bothered to send any units into Persian territory against us. Our attacks have obviously disrupted the German plans against us. That gives us more time to train and equip more divisions and to reinforce the defenses of our heartland cities.”

“We do have a plan. The Germans will have to build a road through Persia to supply their forces for any attack against the Indian heartland. I have ordered the Indian divisions in Persia to send out scouts to look for any such worker crews. Once we locate them, we can send our divisions to attack the vulnerable workers. “

“Our troops will also have the advantage of terrain. Much of the territory of western Persia is steep, rugged mountains unsuitable for knight charges. Our troops will have a much easier time defending against German counterattacks than on the flat plains of Dacca, for example.”

The angry leader conceded the point. “Very well. See to it that these forces do a better job against those infidel Germans or you may find yourself sharing the fate of your predecessor!”

The Mahatma now turned his attention to the foreign minister. “What about Egypt? Are they willing to ally with us against Germany?”

This time it was the foreign minister who seemed nervous. “I regret that the Egyptians are much less willing to help us than previously. They have no love for the Germans, certainly, but they have a growing fear of them. ”

“The good news is that our ambassador to Samarkhand reported that Sultan Timur-Lenk signed the renewal of the right of passage for our troops late last month. The formal treaty should arrive sometime next week. The Persians have also signed the right of passage agreement for our forces. We know that the Germans do not have such agreements with either nation.”

“At least that is good news. I suppose you are right that we are doing all that can be done to fight off the German hordes. Is there anything else to report?” No one said anything, so the Mahatma continued, “Meeting adjourned.” All stood as their leader left the council meeting chamber.
 
March 10, 170 BC

Excerpt from Tactical History of the Indo-German War, p. 142, Franz Reichert, Ritter Press, Cologne, 320.

“Perhaps the best way to illustrate the effect of these tactics on the battlefield is to quote General Teutoberg's own report after the futile Indian attack on March 10, 170. 'Indian attack on Patalipurta today. The Indians lost a thousand swordsmen, while we lost four knights.'”

General Teutoberg looked out from the northern ramparts of Patalipurta towards the great forest which now bore his name. His scouts had reported that a division of Indian swordsmen was on their way to the city. This time he had put his foot down and argued with Field Marshall Stavros about how to proceed. The General, after much argument, had finally gotten approval to defend the city his way.

His first action had been to clear a space of 400 meters from the edge of the city to the forest. He did not want any Indian partisans to be able to sneak in and out of the city unobserved, and it gave his men plenty of time to see any attacking Indians and properly defend themselves behind the walls of Patalipurta.

He waited for nearly an hour before he saw his scouts ride from the edge of the forest as fast as they could towards the city. It was only a few minutes before they reached him with their report.

“The Indians are right behind us, sir. They will be here in less than an hour.”

“Excellent. Your reward, gentlemen, will be to see how we shall welcome them to our city!” He turned to his aide. “I want the longbowmen to stand by, and I want the 3rd Viennese to lead the sortie out of the gates.”

“Yes, sir!” The aide vanished to carry out his orders.

The vanguard of the Indian assault force appeared at the edge of the forest. They saw the north gate of the city wide open, and quickly charged towards the seemingly unprepared city. The General waited until the Indians were 100 meters away and closing, and then raised the Imperial German flag high. The scouts leaned over the wall as much as they dared to see what would happen.

Two regiments of German longbowmen stood up as one man and fired at the oncoming Indians. The unprepared swordsmen soon faced a hail of deadly meter-long arrows that sliced through their leather armor like a hot knife through butter. The Indian vanguard fell to the earth in a matter of seconds as the ranks behind looked on in terror at the sudden onslaught.

The Indian general quickly realized that his assault was doomed from the start. An unfamiliar clarion call sounded, and the Indians began to retreat back to the safety of the forest. The General raised the weathered standard of the 3rd Viennese himself.

A familiar clarion note sounded, and the 3rd Viennese poured out of the city in pursuit of the fleeing Indians. The longbowmen fired one final volley and fell silent as the Indians fled out of longbow range while their knight brethren charged.

The final struggle was brutal but mercifully swift. The Indians were now outnumbered, and had no chance to outrun fresh knights on horseback after their exhausting march to Patalipurta and the initial charge at the city. Less than a score of swordsmen reached the forest alive out of the thousand men who had attacked the city a few minutes before, pursued by a full division of German knights.

The General's chief aide returned less than an hour later and saluted. “Sir, we have destroyed the last of the Indian attackers.”

“Excellent. What are our casualties?”

“Only four, sir.”

“Four, you said?” His aide nodded in confirmation.

“I am going to enjoy writing the report of this battle to the Field Marshall!”
 
April 7, 170 BC

Excerpt from History of the Medieval German Navy, Karl Waldschmidt, Vol. 2, p. 44, Waldsee Press, Berlin, 920.

“The Wilhelm Tell set out in April 170 to do battle with the pirate frigate Turgeis the Viking in the rich fishing grounds east of Amsterdam. The caravel had been refitted to carry an entire regiment of longbowmen and another of swordsmen. The Turgeis had been heavily damaged by German catapult fire, but was still a dangerous fighting ship at the time of the battle. The frigate was spotted by a German coastwatcher on April 6th headed towards Amsterdam and news of her location was quickly signaled to the Wilhelm Tell.”

Captain Franz Schuler of the GNS Wilhelm Tell looked out over the relatively calm waters of the Baltic Sea. He knew that the pirate frigate was somewhere nearby.

“Captain! Sail on the starboard bow! The pirates!”

“Helm! Five points to starboard! All longbowmen forward!”

“Five points to starboard, aye!” The helmsman turned the great wheel as the German caravel steered to starboard. Soon all aboard could see the approaching pirate frigate.

“All boarding teams stand by! Bring the pitch pots forward!” Sailors carried large fifteen liter pots, filled with pitch and lighted by torches, into their assigned positions. Casks of sand were also set out in case one of the pots overturned.

Once more the lookout in the crow's nest cried out. “The black flag, sir!” Every man aboard the Wilhelm Tell gripped his weapon a little tighter as they remembered the grim meaning of the enemy ship's flag. No quarter given, none to be received. This will be a fight to the death.

The pirate frigate was rapidly growing larger as the two ships sailed directly towards one another. Captain Schuler could see the hastily patched planking and ragged sails of the enemy. Thank God for the catapulters! I would hate to fight such a monster if she were intact! As the frigate closed to 400 meters, the captain saw the enemy turn to port to unleash a broadside against the Wilhelm Tell.

“Helm! Fifteen points to starboard!” I hope this works, for all our sakes! The captain realized that few Germans alive today had ever been this close to a pirate frigate and lived to tell the tale.

Eight plumes of smoke formed over the frigate's starboard side as she opened fire on the German caravel at perhaps 250 meters. A few moments later all aboard the Wilhelm Tell heard the sounds of distant thunder. Captain Schuler had only time to shout “Brace for impact!” before the caravel was hit.

A ragged hole appeared in the caravel's mainsail with a great ripping sound. A second shot crashed into the quarterdeck aft, ripping a hole into the hold just below. Two splashes to port and three to starboard appeared at almost the same moment. The Wilhelm Tell lurched suddenly to starboard, as the captain turned to see what had happened.

The helmsman was lying on the deck, either stunned or dying. The wheel he had been holding was now a shattered, broken wreck from the eighth shot of the enemy frigate.

“All longbowmen, fire at will! Boarding parties, stand by!”

More than a hundred arrows lashed out at the pirates as the longbowmen fired back at the enemy ship. Thirty had been specially coated with flaming pitch for this very moment.

The effect on the pirates, even at this range, was dramatic. Men cried out in pain as they fell from the rigging, while others were forced to dive for cover from the German volley. Two of the arrows hit the center sail, which quickly began to burn like an enormous torch in the afternoon light.

We still have to board them. “Secure portside rowers! Half speed on starboard rowers only!” The German ship began to pivot as the starboard rowers corrected the Wilhelm Tell's turn to starboard as the pirate ship loomed barely 30 meters away.

The two ships crashed together with a jarring bump, instead of the ramming Captain Schuler had intended. “Boarding parties, ATTACK!”

There was a final terrible roar as the pirate frigate fired one last volley at point-blank range. This only added to the confusion as the regiment of German swordmen charged aboard the pirate vessel. In moments there was savage hand-to-hand fighting on the deck of the pirate frigate.

The Germans had all heard the stories of the ruthless ferocity of the pirates since they were children. They had also been raised on the heroic stories of the Wotan's Spear and her battles against the dread pirates off the Norman coast, and enraged by the damage and casualties to their own ship. The pirates fought valiantly but were quickly pushed back. Many pirates managed to hold their own against the German swordsmen only to be cut down by a well-aimed longbow shot. Numerous fires aboard the frigate wreathed the fighting crews in dense, black smoke.

Near the end there was a knot of perhaps a score of pirates fighting near the forecastle of the pirate frigate. There was an open door behind them leading down into the depths of the ship. Suddenly, the pirate leader, realizing that there was no escape for himself or his crew, shouted “I will take you with me!” He then threw a burning plank behind him through the door.

There was an enormous roaring noise like the end of the world as the doorway was filled with a massive ball of fire. The sound was loud enough to be heard in Amsterdam some eight klicks away. Most of the forecastle, already wreathed in smoke and fire, burst into flame at once. The German survivors, stunned and deafened by the fearsome blast, turned and ran for their lives back to the safety of their own caravel in an eerie silence as the fire quickly spread aboard the frigate.

The captain could barely hear himself shout, and he quickly realized that most of his surviving crew were similarly affected as they struggled to free the ship from the burning hulk of the pirate frigate. The next few seconds seemed to last for hours as axes severed boarding grapples and lines and the Wilhelm Tell slowly pulled free.

The casks of sand aboard now proved their worth as the crew worked frantically to extinguish the fires forward. A gentle northwest breeze filled the sails as the badly damaged caravel was blown towards the safety of Amsterdam.

By dawn the next morning the situation had stabilized as the Wilhelm Tell limped into Amsterdam harbor. Most of the crew had regained their hearing, and a new helmsman's wheel had been jury-rigged in place. The mizzen mast had been snapped in two like a twig. There was serious flooding in the starboard holds, but the ship's carpenters were able to temporarily plug the holes. Scorch marks and burn scars along the starboard bow planking showed how close the Wilhelm Tell came to going down with the pirates to the bottom of the Baltic Sea.

There were many casualties among the crew, and nearly half of the 200 swordsmen who boarded the pirate frigate never returned. Many of the survivors had serious wounds or serious burns or both.

The harbormaster was waiting once the ship was finally docked. “God in Heaven, Captain, what happened out there?”

“We fought and sank the pirate frigate. I fear the Wilhelm Tell will need months in drydock before she is fit to sail again.”
 
May 10, 170 BC

Chancellor Bismarck called the meeting of the War Council to order. “I will ask the Military Minister to brief us on the state of the war with India.”

Minister von Clauswitz addressed the meeting. “We are currently refitting the knight divisions damaged in last year's battle at Dacca. The Indians were foolish enough to send one swordsman division against Patalipurta, and General Teutoberg was able to destroy it with only four German casualties.”

“Our scouts report three more swordsman divisions and 3 archer divisions approaching Patalipurta and and another two divisions of swordsmen approaching Dacca. We are also building a roadway east of Dacca towards the Persian capital. Our settlers are now southeast of Dacca and just west of the Persian mountain, where they will stay while the assault force that will attack Persia is readied. This may also have the effect of luring the Indians out of the eastern mountains, where our forces can more easily fight them. I will warn you and the War Council that we do not have complete information of the exact number and composition of the enemy forces.”

“What are our defenses in Patalipurta?”

“We have five knight divisions and 1st Corps now defending the city. 1st Corps took serious losses in the battle at Dacca, and is now at about 60% of full strength. There is some risk, but we think that will be sufficient to stop the Indians if they choose to attack the city immediately.”

“I see." The Chancellor paused for a moment. "What about the northern pirates near Amsterdam?”

“We have received a report that the Wilhelm Tell was able to engage and sink the pirate frigate near Amsterdam. More than a hundred German sailors and soldiers gave their lives for the Empire in the battle. The ship itself was badly damaged in the battle, and it will take at least a year to refit and repair her.”

“Do the pirates have any more frigates in the area?”

“No, Chancellor. At least, we have not spotted any more. There are more than a dozen heavy pirate galleys in the general area, but these are much weaker than the massive frigates. The good news is that Amsterdam now has access to the rich fishing grounds in the western Baltic Sea.”

“That is good news. Is there anything else to report before we adjourn?” To most of the War Council's surprise, the Science Minister, Horst von Neumann, raised his hand.

“We at the Imperial Science Academy have been studying the weapons of the pirate frigates. We believe that they use a strange alchemical substance, which we have named 'gunpowder', that has many amazing qualities. At present we are studying the science of chemistry, and we expect to have that completed in 4 years time.”

“It would be nice to be able to outfit our navy with this 'gunpowder'. Keep at it, and let us know how the research is going. I suspect that we may have a choice of sciences to learn once we know the secrets of chemistry. Meeting adjourned.” All stood as the Chancellor left the War Council meeting chamber.
 
October 11, 170 BC

Shah Darius IV was nervous as he and his retinue approached Dacca. It is bad enough that the Indians believe they can send a score of divisions through Persian lands whenever they feel like it. Now the Germans are reported to have men in our western territories. He had decided to set out with a small retinue to speak with the German governor in Dacca.

He knew that the Indian right of passage granted by his father was a mere formality. He had only been eight at the time, but he remembered the arrogance of the Indian ambassador who insisted that the treaty be signed. His father had warned him when he ascended to the throne that the Indians were perfectly capable of conquering the peaceful Persians lands if they resisted.

His chief military advisor had pointed out the burial cairns as they passed by on the western side of the Euphrates on their way to Dacca. Then there really was a great battle here, despite what the Indians had claimed.

“O Magnificent Shah, the Germans are sending a squad to meet us.”, said his military advisor. Sure enough, a rapidly moving dust cloud showed the location of the oncoming German force.

“Remember my orders, everyone. I want no obvious weapons displayed or used unless the Germans simply attack us. Faveed, I will need you here to speak to the German leader.”

The German squad quickly rode up on their barded steeds. The squad leader, with his armor shining in the autumn sun, barked out an ominous sounding phrase in his native German. “He says that we must identify ourselves at once.”, translated Faveed.

“Tell him who we are, and ask to speak to the governor in Dacca.” Faveed turned to the squad leader and said something guttural, and received a few equally ominous sounding words in reply. “He says to follow him to the Dacca city hall, and not to try any tricks.”

“Tell him we would be happy to follow him to speak to the governor.” Faveed said something else in German to the squad leader, who simply turned around and shouted an order to his men. The squad of German knights headed back to Dacca, with the Persians following.

The Shah looked about carefully once they reached the city. He was dismayed to see the sheer numbers of German troops. He estimated they had passed at least eight full divisions, perhaps more, by the time they reached the governor's mansion in the center of town.

The squad leader turned about and said something to Faveed. “The squad leader asks that you and I follow him into the governor's mansion. The rest of us must stay here.”

“I expected as much, Faveed. Tell him we will comply.” The Shah and Faveed followed the squad leader into the mansion. They passed two sets of armed guards before they reached a foyer on the second floor. The squad leader said something else to Faveed, then knocked on the door and entered. “He asked us to wait here while he told the governor we were here.”

In less than a minute, the squad leader returned and spoke briefly to Faveed. “The Governor will see us now.”

“Excellent. Lead on, then.” The Shah followed Faveed and the squad leader into the Governor's office.

The Governor proved to be a middle-aged man about the Shah's height. He stood as the Persians entered the room and spoke in slightly accented Farsi. “Welcome to Dacca, gentlemen. I am Governor Reichert of the Imperial German Empire. How can I help you this day?”

The Shah was surprised that this German knew his language. “I am Shah Darius IV of the great and powerful Persian Empire. I am told that you have troops in my country without my permission. I ask you to remove them at once.”

The German looked a bit surprised at that. “Our troops have orders not to enter your territory without specific permission.” He pulled out a chart from his desk. “Could you tell me where these troops are, exactly?”

The Shah had never seen such a map. The Germans had detailed drawings on some sort of stiff material of the entire Persian Empire. The Germans have better maps of Persia than I do! It took him a few seconds to orient himself. “Here, just east of the Euphrates River mouth.”

“I see. We do have a few settlers in the general area. I will send word of your concern to my superiors in Berlin. Please tell your people, Shah Darius, that the Germans in the area will leave your territory shortly. As you may or may not know, the settlers are armed with surveying instruments, not weapons of war. They are not troops in the military sense of the word.”

“I see. I will accept your word on this matter, Governor Reichert, and return to Persepolis with the good news.” At a nod to his translator and aide, the Shah bowed and left the room at once.

“Governor, why did you lie to the Shah that the Germans would leave his territory?”, asked the squad leader, who had remained in the room during the Shah's visit.

The Governor smiled at that. “As it happens, I did not in fact lie to the Shah. Our territory will soon expand, and so the settlers the Shah complains of will then be in German territory, not Persian territory. I will send a message to Berlin about this, as I promised the Shah.”

“What about all the soldiers the Indians are sending through Persia?”

“We will deal with them soon enough. I have no doubt that once the road out of Dacca is complete, the 2nd Corps and most of the fifteen divisions here in Dacca will be ordered east. That will be the only way to stop the Indians sending troops against Dacca, and it will serve as a gateway to the Indian heartland.”
 
February 12, 150 BC

Excerpt from History of the First Indian War, Gunter Burkhardt, Vol. 1, p. 292-3, Knopf Press, Hamburg, 870.

"The next morning revealed the grim aftermath of the battle. Total Indian losses were estimated at 2700, of the three thousand archers who had attacked the city on the previous day. The Germans had managed to capture 150 prisoners. Perhaps 300 had escaped the deadly trap and the withering longbow fire and made it back to the Teutoberg Forest. Only 54 archers eventually made it to the relative safety of Turkish territory.

German casualties amounted to a total of 150 dead and another 120 wounded, some seriously. Once again, the tactics of General Teutoberg had been proven in combat."

General Teutoberg surveyed the forest north of Patalipurta which now bore his name. I think it was a mistake to let the 1st Corps leave for Dacca last week. Their scouts had reported three divisions of Indian archers on the way here. His instincts were to ride out at the head of the 3rd Viennese and bring the fight to the enemy, until he remembered what had happened two years ago when he had done just that. We will have to let the enemy come to us.

He had his men ready just inside the north gate of Patalipurta. Just like last year, he had deliberately left the gate open, as if the city was unprepared for an assault. His aide was waiting impatiently for his superior to issue orders. Sometimes I think the worst part of war is simply waiting around for something to happen. I have heard Minister von Clauswitz say that war is long periods of boredom, punctuated by moments of extreme terror, and now I believe he is correct.

Suddenly, his aide pointed into the forest some 400 meters away. “There, General!” Sure enough, the lead elements of the Indian assault force was headed right for the opened gate. “Wait for my signal! They must get closer!” The General gripped the signal flag and waited for a few more tense seconds.

The Indians, hardly believing their good fortune, were running toward the city as quickly as they could. It took just over a minute for them to reach a series of boulders deliberately placed exactly 100 meters away from the walls.

The General stood up, holding his division signal flag high. Two regiments of longbowmen saw his signal and loosed a barrage of arrows at the unprepared Indian archers. Some men fell quickly, pierced by a meter long shaft of iron-tipped wood. This time there were too many Indians and too few longbowmen to stop so easily. A few archers tried to stand and fire back, but their bows did not have the range and power of the longbowmen. The Germans had the cover of the city wall, and so even the well-aimed Indian shots rarely hit their marks.

The lead elements reached the gates. The General had expected this, and he readied a second signal flag. Welcome to Germany, you Indian scum!

The 3rd Viennese, 7th Berliners, and the 5th Leipzig were waiting on the inside of the wall. The knights charged with sword and flail, and a massive melee quickly broke out on the inside of the north gate. The archers, winded by the final footrace into the city, did not have the stamina they needed to properly defend themselves. Archer after archer went down under a brutal blow from a heavy flail or a deadly slice from German iron, while only a few knights and a horse here and there were pulled down.

The Indian commanders were thinking about sounding a retreat when the General, realizing that his plans had worked again, raised the second signal flag. Three specially prepared iron gates slammed to the ground from concealed positions in the upper works of the north gate in a matter of seconds, powered by ten ton slabs of local sandstone for counterweights. A few particularly unfortunate archers were crushed underneath the massive gates, and the rest were now trapped between the city wall and three divisions of German knights.

The battle quickly became a rout. Desperate archers managed to force the first gate aside by sheer physical force and determination as their fellows were slaughtered behind them. Two regiments or so of archers had not yet made it through the gates when the trap was closed, and now retreated towards the uncertain safety of the Teutoberg Forest to the north. More than a third were cut down by the longbowmen on the walls before they were able to run out of range.

The General raised the third and last signal flag. The 4th Constantinople knights were waiting a klick inside the forest, and had not yet taken part in the battle. The few hundred tired and shocked survivors of three archer divisions were quickly set upon by the fresh German knights, and one by one they fell. The pursuit only ended with nightfall.
 
February 21, 150 BC

Field Marshall Stavros of the 2nd Corps waited anxiously for the latest scouting report. He even paced the floor of his office in Dacca in his agitation.. He knew that the Indians had numerous units in the general area east of Dacca, and he hoped to whittle their numbers down a bit before committing to another major battle.

His aide knocked on the door. “Sir, the scouts from the north have returned.”

“Finally! Send them in at once!”

Two men entered the room. Both looked disheveled and weary, and barely resembled the disciplined German soldiers they in fact were. “Your report, gentlemen?”

The taller of the two men pulled out a military map of the area north of Dacca. “There is a division or so of swordsmen here, and another here. There is a war elephant division in these woods to the northeast here.”

“Perfect! Now we can fight these Indian scum on our terms, not theirs! Good work, men. Get cleaned up and get some chow. I want a full written report on my desk by 1900 hours. Dismissed.”

“Yes, sir!” Both men saluted and left the office at once.

Hmm...which units do I attack with 2nd Corps? He studied the military map left by the scouts, and carefully considered his options. I want to make sure the Corps is back in Dacca to defend the city, so we can only hit two of these divisions.

The war elephant unit was the most dangerous of the three, but fighting in the woods was always dangerous at the best of times. That is how we lost two entire knight divisions at Patalipurta, fighting in those woods. On the other hand, the war elephants would have to come out of the woods onto the Dacca plains to be a real threat to the city.

The swordsman divisions were on flat, level grounds that were once peaceful farmland before the war. I can take out both divisions with 2nd Corps easily and be back in Patalipurta before the rest of the Indians can get here. That also means two fewer divisions to deal with next spring. I think that is the better option.

The Field Marshall knew there would be another great battle at Dacca soon. I want the next battle to be on our terms, here at Dacca, where we can fight from behind walls and fortifications. Satisfied, he rang for his aide. “Yes, Marshall?”

“Call a meeting of the senior staff for 2000 hours tonight. We will ride in the morning and crush two Indian divisions before they can attack Dacca!”

“At once, Marshall!” His aide left to carry out his instructions.
 
November 2nd, 150 BC

A small crowd was beginning to gather at the Spanish War Memorial statue in Memorial Plaza in downtown Berlin. The bronze statue of a mounted knight, sword upraised high, gleamed in the late morning sun. The statue had been given its monthly cleaning two days earlier by the Imperial Maintenance staff, at the request of the opposition Social Democratic Party. The crowd of SDP members were now waiting for the planned noon speech of their leader. A wooden podium had been set up at the base of the statue. A squad of mounted Imperial Guardsmen watched, their faces hidden by mail and armor, at the edge of the Memorial Plaza.

The deep, booming chimes of GrosGunter sounded the noon hour from the hundred twenty meter bell tower some three blocks away. The Social Democratic candidate for the Chancellorship, Councilman Karl Kohl, walked to the podium as the last of the chimes died out into the distance. He looked out at the gathering, which now numbered some eight hundred.

“People of Germany! Today, at the official start of the campaign for the Chancellorship, I am proud to able to begin here at the Spanish War Memorial. Here, in this place, the soldiers of the Empire who gave their lives in the war of conquest against the Spanish are forever honored.”

“We are now facing a war in our own day against the Indians. This war has dwarfed the Spanish war we fought many years ago in its terrible costs in lives and treasure. We lost more soldiers in the first battle of Patalipurta alone than we did in the entire Spanish War.”

“I, too, have good reason to hate and fear the Indians. My brother commanded a regiment who fought at Patalipurta. He and his regiment were wiped out by the Indians in battle to the very last man. This war has left few in our great nation untouched by its destructive power.”

“I have had the honor of serving the citizens of Berlin and of Germany as a SDP Councilman in the Reichstag for the last ten years. I have received hundreds of letters over the last year from people all over Germany asking me to do something about the war.”

“Our armies were once the envy of the world in their fighting prowess. Our great nation was able to capture the western cities of India and free thousands from tyranny in the first two years of the war. I cheered, along with most of you no doubt, when Dacca fell to our gallant knights.”

“That was three years ago. What have our mighty armies done since? Have they captured any more Indian cities? No! Have they even gained a meter of ground against the enemy? No!”

“I shall tell you what has happened! There have been great defensive battles at Dacca and at Patalipurta as our knight forces have fought off Indian attacks. We send out the pride of German youth and courage to the Indian front, and they never return home again!”

“Who pays for all of this! I tell you that we, the patriots of Germany, pay the costs of the war. We pay every year in taxes, which are higher than they ought to be, to cover the costs of the troops fighting the war. We pay every year in higher prices for specialty goods which used to be freely available and now can only be found on the black market.”

“We pay in blood, in the mangled bodies of good German knights who have given the ultimate sacrifice and paid the final price with their own lives. We pay in the misery and pain of the families they have left behind. I know what the loss of my brother in battle did to my own family, and I know what it will continue to do to good German families all over the Empire unless we stop it!”

“And so I say to you and the German people that THIS WAR MUST END!” The crowd began to take up their leader's chant. Councilman Karl Kohl did not even notice the Imperial Guardsman who rode up to the podium until he was addressed.

“Councilman Kohl, may I see your permit to hold this meeting at the Memorial?”

He stared at the Guardsman in raw anger. “Who are you? What do you think you are doing, disrupting a legitimate meeting in such a fashion? I shall have you up on charges for this insult!”

The Guardsman replied impassively, “I take it, Councilman, that you in fact have no such permit? The Imperial Party filed a permit for a parade last week. They are on their way here now, and will arrive at any moment. As to my identity, I am Captain Wilhelm Tell of the Imperial Guard.”

The Councilman stared at his opponent. “I do not care if you are Chancellor Bismarck himself! I have a right to hold this meeting here! This is a blatant outrage, Captain!”

Most of the crowd was still chanting “This war must end!” and had not noticed the brief discussion. Captain Tell noticed a steady, rhythmic sound out of sync with the rest of the crowd. The street to the north was still clear. He looked to the south, and saw the vanguard banners of the Imperial Party parade headed to the Memorial. He saw to his horror that the first banner was for the Sons of the Spanish Conquest. My God, they will be here in seconds! I have to stop this now or there will be a riot the likes of which Berlin has never seen before!

Captain Tell realized he had few options left. He quickly signaled for the Guardsmen to move in, and turned back to Councilman Kohl. “I am sorry, but since you have no permit, it is my duty to order that this meeting be dispersed. You are under arrest.” He gripped the Councilman with his iron gauntlet.

“This is an outrage! Let go of me, you villa-”

The front ranks in the crowd saw their leader being manhandled by an Imperial Guardsman, and their fury was raised to new heights. At the same moment the vanguard of the Imperial Party parade, some fifteen thousand strong, entered the Memorial Plaza. The lead marchers, carrying the banners of the Sons of the Spanish Conquest, looked with growing anger at the SDP members already there. The rest of the Guardsmen were trying to get to the podium. There was an instant where the Memorial Plaza was a great tinderbox, ready for a match to strike.

A match was struck.

A stone whistled through the air, aimed at Captain Tell. The stone glanced off his helmet and struck Councilman Kohl full in the face, breaking his nose. As he reeled back, blood pouring from his injured face, the SDP supporters shouted in fury and charged the podium just as the other Guardsmen reached it. An answering, much louder shout of outrage came from the Imperial Party marchers as they rushed into the square.

Captain Tell shouted out, “Get Councilman Kohl out of here! Get backup!” A riot such as he had never imagined in his worst nightmares was breaking out. One of the mounted Guardsmen reached out and bodily swung the injured man onto his horse to ride out of the plaza. Another stone caught Captain Tell in the back of the head, and he knew no more.
 
OOS:

Thanks, tR1cKy! It is always nice to get positive feedback.

Next up: Captain Tell wakes up in the infirmary (you didn't think I'd kill him off that quickly, did you?) and Chancellor Bismarck responds to the riot.
 
November 3, 150 BC

Captain Wilhelm Tell woke up in an unfamiliar room. He had trouble focusing, and he had a pounding headache. It took a few moments for him to realize what must have happened. I must be in the infirmary.

A nursing Sister, wearing the garb of the Sisters of the Holy Name, entered his room. “Good morning, Captain Tell. How are you feeling today?”

“I feel as though I have been run over by an Indian war elephant, to be honest, Sister.”

The Sister smiled at him. “Are you up for a visit from your commanding officer?”

Not really was his instinctive thought, but aloud he said, “Certainly!” The Sister turned and left his room for a moment, and Colonel Karl Mohen strode in.

“I am very glad to see that you are still with us. It got ugly in the Memorial Plaza when the riot broke out.”

“Please, sir, what happened? I got hit early on and I do not remember anything until I woke up here.”

The Colonel looked grave for a moment. “We have not seen a riot such as this in Berlin in many years. We did get Councilman Kohl out, for what good it will do. We lost three Guardsmen in the riot, and a half dozen more were injured. The total death toll came to almost a hundred, with some two hundred injuries.”

“I am sorry, Colonel. I failed you and the Empire. I was actually off duty when I heard that the SDP was holding a meeting, and realized that the Imperial Party was scheduled to arrive there with their parade. I knew there would be trouble, and so I rode straight there from the training barracks.”

“Actually, you did not fail the Empire. You realized that two opposing groups wanted to rally at the Memorial Plaza at the same time. You did all that could be done to stop the riot, and your last order was to get Councilman Kohl clear.”

“Councilman Kohl should be put on trial for causing the riot! The blood of the dead in the riot is on his hands!”

“Chancellor Bismarck himself has ordered a formal investigation, but I doubt that the Councilman will face a trial on any of this. We do not want to make him into a martyr. He and his band of fools will suffer for all this, however. The Social Democratic Party will now be forever associated with violent rioting that nearly killed a genuine German hero, and the damage this incident will do to their reputation will take years to repair. Finally, he has the nastiest broken nose I have ever seen.”

“I do have some good news for you.” The Colonel took a sheet of paper from his uniform pocket and stood at attention for a moment. “I shall read this to you.”

“To: Colonel Karl Mohen, 1st regiment, 15th Berlin Imperial Guards.
From: General Johann Burkholz

RE: Field promotion

I have received written authorization from Field Marshall Stavros concerning this matter. Captain Wilhelm Tell is to be given a field promotion to Colonel and assigned to the 1st regiment of the Berlin 15th Imperial Guard. You will have the rest of the year to break him in to his new duties. As you know, you are scheduled to be promoted to General and to take over the 15th upon my official retirement at the end of the year. The formal transfer ceremonies for yourself and Colonel Tell shall take place at that time, assuming Colonel Tell has sufficiently recovered from his injuries.

(Signed)
General Johann Burkholz
Commander, Berlin 15th Imperial Guard

I am being promoted? I failed to stop the riot! “I... do not understand, sir.”

“I think the explanation is actually fairly simple. You tried to stop a deadly riot at the risk of your life, and was seriously injured in the process."

“Sir, you know I am not really a hero. I simply did my duty to the Empire. In this case, I failed in my duty to prevent the riot.”

“It is not important that you failed, Wilhelm.”, said Colonel Mohen. “It is important that you tried, and you did your duty despite vocal opposition from Councilman Kohl. You and your men probably saved him from further injury or even death in the riot.”

“My men did that, sir. I was out cold during most of the actual rescue. Surely whoever it was who rode off with the Councilman is the real hero in this situation.”.

“I know who it was. He asked me not to reveal his name publicly, but rest assured he will be rewarded as well for his heroism. He asked for and got a transfer to a vacant post in Panama City, and will leave tomorrow morning.”

“There is one more duty to perform.” Colonel Mohen removed his iron rank insignia from his uniform lapel and carefully pinned them to the hospital gown. “By the express order and authority of General Burkholz, I hereby confer upon you, Colonel Tell, the office of Colonel. The German Empire salutes you.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“Get some rest, Colonel. I will be back in the morning.”

“Yes, sir.”
 
November 4, 150 BC

Chancellor Konrad von Bismarck walked out to the ornate platform which had been hastily set up in the Berlin Colosseum. The 45,000 seat Colosseum was filled to capacity with loyal supporters of the Imperial Party, who had been waiting patiently for the leader of the German Empire for the last hour. Tens of thousands more waited outside the gates, hoping to get at least a glimpse of their leader.

“People of Germany! It is my great honor and privilege to address you this day!”

“First, you all know about the recent riot here in Berlin. The thoughts and prayers of the German Empire are with those of us who lost loved ones in this tragic and pointless riot. I am pleased to report to you that Captain Wilhelm Tell, the hero of the Indian Embassy incident, survived his injuries during the riot he tried so hard to prevent. Rest assured that he will be rewarded once more for his heroism. ”

“There has long been a tradition in the German Empire of a free and open discussion of important issues of the day. There are, however, limits to this freedom. The death and destruction of the riot is a stark reminder of what happens when liberty of speech is transformed into a license to kill. Those who would misuse freedom to harm innocent Germans will face justice!”

“I have ordered the Domestic Ministry to launch an investigation into the precise cause of the recent riot, and to make recommendations for avoiding similar incidents in the future. I can tell you and the good people of Germany that the Social Democratic Party, if they are proven to be responsible for this riot, will be held fully accountable!” There was a great roar of approval from the vast crowd, and it was several minutes before the Chancellor could continue his speech.

“I have heard it said that the German people have suffered enough from the Indian War, and we should seek peace at once. I have heard it said that the German people are too weak and timid to continue the fight against the Indians, and so we should seek peace before it is too late. I have heard it said that the Indians have many divisions who are about to attack Dacca, and we must seek peace before the city is lost.”

“I will remind all of you and all the good people of the German Empire that we did not start this war. The Indians declared war on us more than five years ago. The Indians started this war because they thought we were weak and cowardly and would not stand up to their bullying ways.”

“The Indians shall learn that the German Empire is not made up of cowards and weakling fools! We have taken the fight to the enemy, and captured three of India's cities. Our army corps and our valiant knights have crushed more than twenty Indian divisions, the cream of the Indian fighting army. I say to you and the good German people that we are winning this war, and we shall use our advantage to continue the fight against the Indian invaders.”

“The Indians have numerous divisions moving through Persia to invade German territory and to attack Dacca. The Indians will discover that the same soldiers who crushed twelve divisions foolish enough to challenge us two years ago will fight again to hold what is now ours!” Again there was a massive roar of approval from the crowd.

“I know that the good German people are tired of seeing Indian invaders calmly marching through Persia in order to attack us. I call upon the Persian leader, Shah Darius IV, to end his dangerous and provocative policy of allowing Indian invaders to use his territory as a base to attack the German Empire. I will further warn him that grave consequences may occur if this call is not heeded!

“I have heard it said that we do not understand what it is to lose a soldier in wartime, and that we must listen to the relatives of our fallen soldiers and stop this war now, whatever the cost. I say to you and the good German people that I, personally, know all too well the terrible cost of this war. My father, the late Chancellor, never really recovered from the news of the Indian treachery. He died a month after the Indians declared war.”

“I have a simple message for those who believe that peace at any price is the only option. I believe that we betray the memory of our honored dead and the cause for which they gave their lives if we do not stay the course and see it through to the end.”

“The German people are not the weakling fools the Indians believe them to be. We know that we face a dangerous, ruthless enemy, and that casualties are inevitable. This will not be a quick and easy victory achieved without cost or sacrifice.”

“We all know that the good German people have paid a heavy price for the Indian treachery in this war. It is my grave duty to assure you and the German people that the Indians shall pay a far greater price for attacking the German Empire! There shall one day be an end to this war, but it shall be on our terms, not those of the enemy!”

A great cheer broke out at these words. The crowd continued to shout and yell as an ancient war chant began to gather momentum in the front ranks of the Colosseum. “Victory or Death! Victory or Death!”

“We shall prevail! Victory or Death!”, shouted the Chancellor as the chanting continued to gather strength. It was not long before 45,000 voices in the vast Berlin Colosseum were shouting “VICTORY OR DEATH! VICTORY OR DEATH!” The Chancellor had been briefed before his speech, but even he was surprised by the depth of feeling he had unleashed. The roar of the crowd seemed to shake the Colosseum to its foundations as they shouted to the very heavens.

That fool Kohl thought his pitiful handful of idiots were the voice of the people. THIS is the voice of the people!

“VICTORY OR DEATH! VICTORY OR DEATH! VICTORY OR DEATH!”
 
December 19, 150 BC

Captain Franz Burkhardt of the German galley Siegfried waited for the return of the longboat and the landing party. He stood at the banks of a small river with two other crewmen, keeping an eye out for the savage barbarians who might be lurking in the hills nearby. The ship had stopped to take on fresh water, and all aboard were ready for the Siegfried to resume her voyage mapping the South American coast.

There was a sudden commotion in the forest. The captain gripped his sword hilt as he waited to see what causing the disturbance. We might have to get out of here quickly if it is a barbarian patrol or worse.

The German waited for a few more tense seconds. Suddenly two men on horseback came out of the forest and stared with amazement at Captain Burkhardt and his men. “Are you Germans?”, asked the nearest rider.

“Yes! I am Captain Burkhardt of the Siegfried. Who are you?

“I am Captain Hans Schmidt of the 2nd Panamanian Knights. We are searching for a barbarian base that is believed to be in this general area. Are you the exploration ship that left Panama Canal ten years ago?”

“Yes. We have detailed maps of the South American coast. We did spot one barbarian base on the eastern coast of South America, but we have seen none on the west coast. Perhaps you could return to the Siegfried to help direct us back to Panama City.”

Captain Schmidt thought for a brief moment. “Agreed. Karl, I want you to ride back to Panama City. Check in with 3rd Panama and see if they have discovered anything.”

“Yes, sir!”, said the other knight, who quickly rode back into the jungle.

“So, what have we missed over the last ten years while we were charting South America?, asked Captain Burkhardt. His answer was a simple raised eyebrow and a single word. "Lots."
 
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