IX The Leberecht, The Atago, and The Galleons - 1

*"There might be a few parts where I had labeled or had done something wrong concerning the parts of a ship, be it a gun or multiple guns, turrets and the use of something; but hey, I ain't doin allat."

---

It's been two days after the meeting discussing the Shadow Operation, and since then, Hierd had made advances to expand his navy's potential. During the battle of the capital, the K-3 sloops did well enough, but the very fact that it suffered damages was enough for Hierd to act.

*CLICK ON COMMENT IMAGE FOR HASEL PORT LOCATION

"I call it Hasel Port." Hierd touched the red-marked point on the map, "This new port will house the new warships that will be arriving, the Leberecht Maaas and a new one, The Atago Class heavy cruiser."

"Finally the Leberect Maaas!" Said happily by Adelheid. "But this... Atago-class 'heavy cruiser,' lord, I suspect it is ways more powerful than the K-3s and even the leberect?"

"You are right on that, however in many ways, the Maaas could be better than the Atago, as heavy cruisers are bigger, heavier, and destroyers are lighter, smaller. The Maaas imploys... Underwater charges to hit a ship from afar."

"And the Atago class has more guns I presume?"

"That and, more technology overall to detect enemies kilometers upon kilometers far. They have different uses, Adelheid, and these new warships will become the main way we defeat all the other ships in the world." He slammed his hands on the wooden table. "Now, lets get working!" 

---

At the being constructed upon port, there were hundreds of trucks, soldiers, and construction workers doing well on all their parts. Each pier was made with wood still, but the vast majority of it was made using cement. 

The architects devised probably the largest port in the lands. For almost the whole shore was laid down with wood and cement. Fifty piers with each having a length of about fifty meters, to house the ships, there were a multitude of chains and mooring lines as well as pier posts. And using Pomlik's help, magical orbs were placed all around acting as light for when the night strikes. 

Construction went as well as could be, completion was thought to be a month, maybe even a year for the good old architects of Easel, but Unchean's architects and engineers proved them wrong. Recieving a radio call at the third day of construction, Hierd picked it up from his manor and to his shock he heard Pomlik's voice saying; "Lord! The port is done! You should come see it now, the men are holding a celebratory feast, big too I see."

"That's great, that's great! I'll be there tommorow morning." Hierd hung the call. 

"Celebratory feast!? How in the hell am I gonna spawn the two warships now that there are drunkards there? Maybe they'll be gone by midnight when I'll come."

He stood up from his desk, pushing the wooden chair into it. At the sound of a knock, he walked towards the door. "Yes?"

It was a young second lieutenant who knocked. He bowed before saying; "T-the maids, lord, have p-prepared, y-your breakfast."

"Oh? Thank you, you may go back to your post."

The lieutenant bowed again and slowly turned around, marching to whence he came. 

"What makes them so scared of me?" Hierd walked out his room, shutting the door then headed for the stairs down. "From the inside, I'm just your average Joe, well I haven't been really 'showing' that inside to the others. Actually, I understand." He turned a sharp right and opened the door to the dining room. 

Marisse was already enjoying her meal at the other end of the table, and to the sit adjacent to her, sat an unrecognizable man. The maids bowed to Hierd and offered the front seat with a delectable meal awaiting to be eaten. As he sat down; "I barely recognized you, duke of Krimvald." 

He was thirty-ish though was clean shaven, and had the same red hair as the rest of the royal bloodline. "Please, Chancellor; you may call me as Grieg." He has less bandages than before, and, wearing a sharp suit, he looked to be back in business.

"It's been two days since your Hazel port's construction." Started Marisse. "And you wanted to dock two bigger ships. I believe their names are the Leberecht Maaas? And the Atago. Your country sure does have a knack at pequilarly hard to pronounce names."

Hierd chuckled. "It's actually done, completed, the port. And by tommorow they'll be there, those two warships."

The princess's eyes turned slit. "By tommorow they'll be there. If that was the case, this German continent would be near, but no. East of Unchean, beyond the sea is the kingdom of Hesia. If Germany was further down, then I guess that'd be the reason, but for their warships not to be spotted by some man in the past... No. This Hierd..."

"They port tommorow you say?" Questioned the duke. "Chancellor, Germany'd have to be pretty close if that were the case."

Hierd abruptly stopped eating. "Secrets shall stay secrets." 

The room was silent. And the two were suspicious. 

( * )

"What! in the goodness damned!" Jack yelled out in disbelief, putting his hands ways above his head.

"I cannot believe it." Pomlik stared with almost jelous-looking eyes. The gentle rise of the bows, the large guns on the two ships, and most definitely their huge sizes. The Atago was noticeble longer, a hundred meters longer than the Leberect. And it's large size made everyone in the port shudder in fear. 

The sailors were told to gather in the port, exactly two-thousand sailors were there. And now, they were about to embark the two most dangerous ships of their time. "Well may I be damned!" Jack joyously said. "I have the big ship, Sir Adelheid may have the small one."

"Bu-" Adelheid said, being cut off.

"I heard yee'd researched much bout' that destroyer, so makes sense you'll be her captain!"

A sigh of defeat. 

"Come now, no need for quarrel." Hierd added. "As Adelheid indeed read back to back the inner workings of the Leberecht, it makes sense why he'll be comandeering it. Now. The Atago is a different beast. For she requires seven hundred sailors, the Maaas requires but three hundred. Under three weeks, I want you to be familiarize yourselves with the two warships. You shall conduct naval drills in the sea, and soon enough, every sailor, every man in the two ships, shall have heard what bombardment really is!"

The horde of sailors were boarding the Atago, the two twin guns on the bow really giving them a foreboding feeling. And it's height made them feel like they were atop a galleon. They were overly joyous, so would men to such a beautiful creation. And by an hour later, the two warships were full of sailors raring to race to the sea. 

"I have read front to back that manual, and standing upon this bridge, it is like using a new blade of an old deprecated one." Adelheid smiled, looking at the empty dock, with only Pomlik and Hierd standing looking at the two ships.

"I want those stacks screaming smoke!" Yelled Adelheid behind him.

"Yes sir!" 

The mooring lines snapped and the ships unanchorced, the anchors reaching up to the front of the bow, the rise of the iron giants, water sliding off was a mezmorizing sight akin to a waterfall in Hierd's eyes.

There was a roar of flame and fire as fuel pumped in the warships's systems. And by another moment, smoke rose from both their two funnels. "She's a roarin' alright!" Jack hit the steering wheel to reverse the ship. Adelheid doing the same.

As the two ships rushed out of the clutches of the pier, Jack hit immidiately to the fastest gear. Turning hard starboard, the Atago ran ferociously towards the rough sea, the water seemingly being cut by the sheer speed of the ship crashing on the water surface. 

Adelheid wasn't all showy, turning portside slowly and easing himself to full speed towards the sea. Atago and Leberect had about the same speed, Atago being fourty mph, higher than Maaas's thirty. But from the sea, no matter their speed, they two were ferocious beasts. 

Hierd called his squad in to hand him a radio. Connecting, he said; "Have a feel for her systems, I want every sailor to experience firing her guns. And I want there to be a fusilade of hellfire being fired out onto the rough seas."

"Yes, lord."

( * )

*Report 1 IMAGE*

The Maaas had shorter turrets than the Atago's which was far away, yet still it was more enormous than theirs. Adelheid gave an order. "The lord wishes we bring hell to the ocean! Keep on to the boilers, sailors at the bottom-most deck, but I want every and each gun here, shooting!"

As the order travelled around, bells had rung and guns were being loaded in. This was not the first rodeo for the sailors, they've had their experience with the K-3, the Maaas was longer, indeed, so was the amount of guns and firepower, but in heart, the two were the same.

It was hot that day, and any deck that wasn't the main one was for sure to be boiling. The sailors were already steaming hot, and as they loaded the guns, they were in need of some air. In bounds, sailors took turns churning in the boilers and going to the main deck to cool off with the breeze of the sea. 

---

"Sir!" A sailor yelled from behind Adelheid. "The main turrets and anti-air guns have been loaded, awaiting orders to fire!"

Adelheid looked straight on towards the blue horizon. "Give it twenty elevation at fifty degrees aiming starboard."

"Yes, sir!"

It took a second, but the order was radioed in. Down under the ship's main deck, the turret was being primed to fire, the round went up like a conveyor belt towards the upper turret, inputting the degrees and elevation, the turrets began to turn.

-10°- Slowly so,

-20°-

-30°- Keeping it's slow pace;

-40°- 

-50°-

It stopped methodically, then picked up after a second. The barrels began to rise, slowly yet percise it stopped after it hit the twentieth degree. An alarm rang along the bow, and the sailors ran away from the turrets. In groups, the men gathered to the ship's starboard, waiting for the barrels to fire. 

Click!

*BLOOOM!

A deafening noice! The combined boom of the five one-barrel turrets made the whole ship shake, the rough sea below the starboard was interupted by the sheer power that blasted off the six barrels made the leberect move a little. The sailors had their eyes for the horizon, all of them blocking the sun with their hands to see better without it's glares.

Waiting.

Waiting...

A splash!

The sailors cheered amongs't themselves. Young and old, they rejoiced in the sheer distance that shot was. "She's even better than I thought!" Adelheid smiled, removing his sailor hat and staring out the bridge's window. "You. I want all the guns shooting! I want her ammo to run to it's brink!" 

"Yes sir!" The sailor went down from the bridge, hurrying through masses of other sailors, shouting; 

"Make way! Make way!" Then coming upon a nice high platform on the ship, he shouted as loud as he could in the busy deck; "Everyone!" -They all went silent- "The captain wants to hail rain to the sky! To your battle stations, and fire high to the sky!"

"Yes sir!" They said excitedly; running off to the nearest anti-air gun. 

The Leberect has thirteen anti-air guns overall, but what it had more of was mines and depth charges. Atleast four people gathered at each gun, the rest of the crew maintained the six boilers down under as well as the five turrets.

There was a second of silence, the humming of the engine, the sea crashing on the iron hull, and the distinct sound of machinery moving. Aiming at their respective sides, the gunners aimed high, high above. (Far away from the Atago of course). Making it harder for the guns to have the off-chance of hitting the Atago, Adelheid steered the ship right, doing so, both the starboard and portside had no direct way of hitting Atago.

There was a silent countdown ticking in all the gunner's heads. Three. Two;

They pressed the triggers!

A clammor of bullets raged out the barrels in quick succession. With each bullet shooting out and towards the clouds at extreme speeds! 

The rage of sounds came to a halt, hearing the click and the absence of fire, the other sailors operating the anti-air quickly put rounds into the machine, feeding it then sent the gun roaring to life back again.

Joining in the action, the destroyer's turrets rang to life once more, this time; aiming at different directions and differing elevations. Then, without caution, the turrets blasted every which way. A lengthy reloading, then another barrage to that and this direction. 

Watching from up on the bridge, Adelheid was overjoyed as jets of water plummed up, near or far, the ship was a raging monster enjoying a trip across a lagoon. Were it not for the darkness of the sea, Adelheid expected fish lying in the waters to seize and die, the larger ones to be hit and go ballooning upwards!

Onboard the ship's bridge was sonar. Something Adelheid had yet to use before, but, upon realizing that they were nearing a dramatic rise of the sea, a reef maybe? Or may it be just weird underwater terrain. He stopped the ship. Nonetheless, it was time to test out the ship's torpedo tubes. Having sent an order to fire at the approximate angles it was at; [52° South]. (The ship's bow faces north).

The anti-air guns had finally silenced, too did the main turrets. And the sailors, alike the first firing of the main guns, were awaiting portside. They murmured to themselves about what'd happen, reaching conclusions out of fanatical young delusions. That the water would come up under the intense firepower, or that the ship'd rumble at the very least. 

*Report 2 IMAGE*

One of the quadruple tubes of torpedos opened up and, operating it, a sailor pushed a button and out came the torpedo, though only in glimpes, they noted that the torpedo's tip was gold in color, green in body and at it's back, propellors?

Was this a ship of it's own? They didn't know and stood watching above. Hanging by the ship's railings and looking down at the dark sea, they saw that indeed there was shallow land, red in color, it should be a reef. Sad for the animals, good for an experiment.

On it's tip were four prongs. As it neared the shallow reef;

Closer.

Closer now.

Touching! The four prongs bent back, and in a chain reaction, the torpedo burst open in a huge explosion!

It was instant, and from up above, a shockwave sent the ship back a few paces, and the few sailors who were hanging on the railings, got pushed back along the ship. It was an unexciting view from above, a pathetic circular blast, not being what they expected. Regaining a foot, the sailors once more stared at the shallow reef. Corpses of fish rose up along with a few bits of coral. 

"Though it may not be flashy, it certainly can damage anything from underwater, underwater being the place where our guns cannot reach, it is good that we this for protection." Adelheid commented, watching from his bridge post. "Now what is captain Jack doing?"

( * )

In radiant naval beauty. Sixty anti-air guns. Unbelievably much, varying in uses. Some being large artillery pieces, whilst some being just as long as the MG42. Captain Jack stood to watch the Leberect from his bridge. His quartermaster stood beside him, he being none other than;

"Farway." Jack asked for him.

"Aye, sir?"

"In need's ye to control me ship for'a while, I need's to see these guns up close!" He grinned from ear to ear, patting Farway on the back as he nodded. All giddy-like, he ran down the superstructure's painfully long stairway and onto the ship's mid-deck. He was greeted by the smell of brass and the smoke, as well as the sweat of hundreds of sailors working.

"Keep yer' goin men! You'all see'em Sir Adelheid performin' dem trick'sa his! We wouldn't wanna let down! Heave ho, men! Heave and ho!"

"Aye sir!" In seconds the sailors worked faster. And as time flew, it was now time to shoot the guns like the Leberect had done so a while ago. But with sixty anti air guns going off at once, it was going to be a firework display, and Jack was serving it full course. He flipped upon his trusty binoculars and looked at the docks, he saw Hierd observing it all on a seat. Almost motionless, with Pomlik beside him. Talking? He didn't know.

"Sir!"

Jack startled, let down his binoculars in a haste and looked behind him. "Goodness! Ye' bloody wench! You scared me there!"

The woman sailor's sweat quadrupled in amount. "S-sir. T-the."

"Ah! All is well, me's was just joking! Was I...?" Jack leaned in toward the sailor. "What is yer portin'?"

"Sir, the main turret'as been loaded full, and the anti-air's supplied. Full, captain." She bowed.

"Danke!" He cried aloud. "Return to ye post, and! Don't ye scare me agains!"

---

She supported five twin barreled turrets, three at the bow two at the stern, it was odd yet foreboding trio of turrets, making the front look as if there were spikes protruding forth. And the superstructure's tall sillhouete was outstandingly good at making someone fearful of the ship and what it could do. 

Jack opened the Bridge room's door, the quartermaster along with many others in it were manning the multitude of specks and spangs, the radar and the wiring, the wheel and the other machines, in all honesty, Jack hadn't a clue what they all did, only the wheel was his only friend in the complex jungle.

"I want to fire em straight ahead!" Jack said with a grin on his face. 

"Aye sir!" The bridge's sailors yelled out in unison.

She turned quite a bit, now her bow faced the north as did the Leberect, calling the engine's beck; the fires tuned down a little and the ship's speed turned to a staggeringly slow, almost a halt, in speed. Slowly, yet percise and methodically, the five turrets rotated in sync with each other, aiming starboard with an relatively low elevation. 

From the deck to the five turrets, Jack ordered for them to fire. 

An intercept! 

*Report 3 IMAGE*

The bridge's radio operator picked up the call, "This is Adelheid! We have spotted approaching vessels of unknown country origin, needing backup."

Jack, upon hearing the distress call, immidiately turned to halt the firing of the turrets, instead ordering for the turrets to go back to their natural positions. "Sir Adelheid! We's a comin' hang on me lad!"

There was brief chuckle from the other side; "Yes, captain Jack." 

The call cut. Immidiately, without even their captain's orders, an alarm rang across the whole of the Atago, the sailors have been trained before that alarms meant one of three things. The ship's damaged, the turrets are being shot, or that they were to go to their stations. And on context, the alarm meant only one thing.

The call cut and the Atago began to pick up speed, heading north where the Leberect was also heading. At top speed, the two ships made haste to the approaching small armada which was very obviously heading towards Unchean. The flag they flew was unrecognizable. Red and green?

They have yet to see such colors on a flag. In Adelheid's time, he had only learned of the flags of Krimvald's neighboring countries and at times some other Latessian countries. But this flag was all but unknown to him.

The sailors of both ships held their breath, battle was near and was unexpected, but they had weaponry vastly superior to the cannons of the ages, sure the dragoons may cause a hole or two, or that some magic may melt the steel off. But the two captains had not a qualm and kept the pace toward the ships.

The call opened again after minute or two, with a distressed Adelheid coming through.

"Galleons." He stated with a distinct frown. "About five galleons overall, their flag... I do not recognise it. It isn't Krimvaldian, neither Betelionic, and even if they were of some other country east of here, there is no way a country would come to another's country with galleons."

"I say Aye to that sir Adelheid." In a half-serious tone this time. "I betcha'dem the ones who sent those Dragoons!"

"The Hesian kingdom?" Adelheid questioned. "I don't deny that may be. Say; captain Jack, I'll hop over there and demand their intentions, if things go awry, we're counting on you, Jack, to act."

"Aye."

Adelheid pushed through the waters, his sailors aiming at the galleon and the main turrets; trained at the wooden ship. They were small, but there were small clipper-like ships behind the galleons. The ships had characteristically tall masts with large canvas sails. Hundreds of rope scattered about, Adelheid's quartermaster raveled his telescope; saw sailors with comfortable, noble-like clothing.

"From afar, the galleons are indeed scary." The quartermaster commented; still looking at the wooden ship. "Yet, as I look at the deck, it's a ship full of posh! Sir Adelheid, we's approaching a touring ship!" The bridge crew laughed heartily, yet Adelheid not even smiled. 

A sharp turn left and the two ships were now side by side a kilometer apart. The galleon seemed to cruise at four knots, going slower as the Leberect was ever closing the gap. Adelheid slowed the ship down to a measly ten knots. "I need to communicate with the ship." Adelheid thought, then an idea formed in his head.

"Open the spotlight, let's communicate with these guys." Adelheid ordered.

"But, captain. It is still day out." The quartermaster said.

"The light is powerful enough." He retorted.

*Report 4 IMAGE*

"Aye, captain." The quartermaster hit a button on the bridge's panel. It wasn't noticeable, but even in the afternoon sun, the water below reflected it's harsh brilliance. There two blinks of light, observing, the quartermaster saw the sailors aboard hurry to the masts, turning them back. 

Then at the highest point of the mast, a big white flag flew long the sails.

"The international peace flag." Commented the quartermaster. "They come in peace, captain; I say we go nearer flying a white flag as well."

"Do we even have such a thing?" Adelheid turned around. 

"I am sure their captain can see that we come in peace also. Our sailors have signed the traditional signs of peace throughout the seas!"

In the ocean silence, the two ships looked at each other with interest, Adelheid walked out the bridge and to the small bridge wing. To a sailor beside him; "My binoculars." The sailor went and came back with the pair, handing it to him; he focused his eyes on the frontmost galleon's quarterdeck. 

"They are wearing such sophisticated garments for the sea. I'm not witty enough to understand why." Adelheid smirked a little. 

"What do you think we do, captain?" The quartermaster questioned. 

"Get ahold of the lord, we do not proceed and we make them not proceed also from this moment on."

"Aye."