International

[Korpen]

Chartering a merchant on very short notice- in hours- will take 2 routes. Tramps without a job, or ships with a job. The tramps without a job won't be the best ships around, and the ships that have work won't be cheap. They have to make up for the lost client, potential fines, lost image, and lost time  unloading/reloading.

And, the ports you give ,Korpen, are not in the middle of coal rich enviroments.

South Sumatra has major coal deposits, i keep track of my colonies (but the deposits are young, so it is not the best coal in the world). I never said it would be cheap to charter, but like i wrote, money equals time, if you pay enough it can go fast.
But that would rule out any form of secrecy of course.

[maddox]

I do love the way you think Korpen.   
Can't wait untill those destroyers try to reach a good speed on low grade coal. The black corps in the stoke rooms will curse the  frugiality of their governement.

[Korpen]

I do love the way you think Korpen.   
Can't wait untill those destroyers try to reach a good speed on low grade coal. The black corps in the stoke rooms will curse the  frugiality of their governement.

Yes, but that is not MY problem. :)
And considering Batavia is one of the larger cities in Asia, it is possible to get better coal there (if necessary bribe you your to the naval stock there, but that would not improve the relations with the Netherlands).

[maddox]

March 17 1907 on SS Dali

Captain, we have those 2 big warships on our tail again.  And as before, only a glimpse was seen before they took a bit more distance. The guess is that their lookouts heve just that bit more range due the better binoculars and the higher vantage point? But why shadowing us?

First mate, I wish I knew. With our cargo, the addition of 2 escorting warships would be a good pirate deterent. If we would be traveling North American waters, I would say Captian Harlock was following us, to see if we're pirates, or if he knew about the cargo, as a lure. But alas, Agrival Lines aren't welcome in those waters atm.

That I never understood captian. What is going on?

Officialy, Our employer Agrival is being accused of being the worst criminal since Kaïn. At least by Rohan, DKB and a few others. France was a short time in the same position, but after the fall of El Dorado and the death of Premier Palpaté that changed.
Unofficialy, the rumors are that some of the merchant ships Agrival owns aren't merchants. But why he didn't send one of these with us, is another question then.
I myself can't find any fault in our employer. Our wages are among the best in the job, never got payed late. And the benefits he gives are also a good iniative to stay in his employ.

Probably jealousy of other shipping magnates then.

Must be something like that. But that doesn't change the fact we have 2 warships on our tail, ones that don't react on the signals we give, and stay just out of view. But in these waters, after us recoaling in Matara, they have to be French.  They probably did recoal in the big fleet base at Tricomalee and are following us again.

But why captain?

Thats easier to guess.  France is getting back on the feet after the turbulent 1905,and they want better relations with Firenj. What could result in a better relation with the Caliphate too.
What I don't understand is their reluctance to close up and sail in convoy.

*********************************************************************************

March 19 00 10 hours. On SS Silver Cloud. Bearing 135°

This is going to be fun. In a few hours we're going to cross the equator, and we have 3 pollywogs in our own ranks, and the passengers.

Hold your horses mate, the passengers are of a very strict faith, and they will not understand what's going on. We are blessed that their aren't any adult men amongs them. Because I have seen sailors being murdered because they talked to females. Or then piles of cloth you can call female.
Why do you think we have 4 nurses with us? And why these are armed?

Armed? I didn't knew that... And why? Also, good point, why 4 nurses? I know that 1 or 2 other ships have a ships doctor and a nurse. But those carry more passengers.

Its simple, you less than gifted shellback.  The faith of the passengers is the Islam. And that faith mandates that females only have social interaction with females of the family unprotected by the veil,and only can appear without that veil with to their husband and sons. It is a severe crime to talk to those females as non relative, that can be punished with death for the talker and the female.
That is why we aren't allowed to come close, and why Joe was flogged.
And that is why our employer has assigned 4 guards to ensure that those females won't come in contact with us. Each of the nurses do carry a concealed gun. And are instructed to use it if one of us is trying to get to "close". Joe was very lucky to be dragged to the captain and recieving a flogging.

How do you know all this?

I'm second mate, unmarried, and called a salty dog more than once. The passengers are off limits, but Nitika is a healty woman... I just leave the rest of the stuff to your imagination, Able seaman Green. And, this stays between us. Any rumor, any insinuation and you're up for a meeting with mister Plate.

Who's mister plate?And Nikita?

Nikita is the unofficial head of the nurses. And mister plate is the brother of mister Armor.  (showing his hands, what are tatoed with a patern of rivets, and kriss crossed with scars)

Oh, that Nikita. The one with the Russian accent, that very big woman with....  Oh ,man she's a head taller than you and probably 25 kg heavier.

;D  Yes.

[Desertfox]

Aboard the NSS Manta, Aka Pike, Aka Van der Dekken, Aka...

"Convoy sighted Captain. Four merchants ahead with what looks like two warships behind."

"Warships? keep us as far away as possible, our orders are too shadow and avoid detection. During the night we will take a closer look."

The Cod...err Carp...err Mata class cruiser heeled away from the incoming convoy. Speed was dropped to avoid smoke, and a new flag was hoisted.  She was now the Indian cruiser Akbar...

[maddox]

March 19 18 00

Capitaine, we have visitors bearing 50°, they turned away after being spotted.

They must have seen us, and if friendly, no reason to turn away. Helm, change course, 15° starboard, increase speed 18 kts, bring us up between the convoy and the visitors. Parallel course when we catch up. Equal speed at distance 8000 yards

Matelot, when we get confirmed visual, blink the convoy our identity.
Stop the Ritual of Crossing the Equator, we can do without those barrels of engine grease on the deck

[swamphen]

Should there be an...altercation...the Reich might find itself in a sticky position when it comes to a diplomatic response, due to the involvement of a certain Herr Mars...

[Ithekro]

(He does complicate things sometimes doesn't he?  ;D)

Should there be an incident, Rohan will have very little political interest in it since it takes place on the far side of the planet, and the parties involved are know to be adviserial towards each other.  (It might take a military interest as to the results and tactics used as a learning experiance.)

[Desertfox]

March 19th 1800

"Increasing smoke Captain, I'm sure they detected us."

"Time to sunset?"

"Seven minutes."

"Distance?"

"Estimated fifteen miles."

"Very well, hard to starboard course change 180, speed fourteen knots. That shouls take us out of their path, darkness is falling soon, they will lose us then."


March 18th

Prince William finaly smiled. The latest wireless had brought good news, there would be no need for deception. The convoy was on time and the latest intelligence made his job a whole lot easier. Captain Sparrow might not like the changes but then he was just a pawn. One day out of Keeling, two to three more days to go...

[maddox]

IC
March 19  18 05 hours

SS Dali

First mate, the 2 warships trailing us are making more smoke, I think we'll going to learn who they are, and how friendly.

Keep an eye on them, I'll send another lookout. There must be a reason why they stop trailing us.

18 20 hours

I know those ships, holy mother, first mate, you'll want the captain on the bridge. We have been followed by the 2 huge French cruisers.

WHAT? Why? How.... Oh shit, Captain!!!!!!!!

18 22 hours.. On the bridge of SS Dali.

First mate, you interrupted my dinner. Any explanation why?

Yes captain. I think we're toast. Those 2 ships that followed , those are the 2 fast French monstercruisers Terrible en Indomptable. And I can imagine only 1 reason for that.  We're as far as our trip will take us from land. And thats ideal to get our cargo.

There's something to that. Blink the others to get some distance. And be prepared to scatter. Get all the stokers ready to shovel as if their life depends on in. Something is going on, and I do not like it.

It's worse captain, our radio recieved messages, but they can't be read. And the transmitter is out, the last spare platines are gone. Our marconist believes those messages are coded. And only warships do that, and not without reason.

18 30 hours, Bridge of Terrible

Capitaine, the visitors dropped from sight. Still no confirmation of identity. But we recieved garbled marconi messages.  One of the signals had good strength, but was equaly unreadable.

That rules out a normal merchant, or a simple pirate. If the strong signal comes for the visitor.

The convoy is splitting up.... Only the lead ship, identified as SS Dali is keeping speed and course.

They come into heliograph distance. Blink them.

18 40 hours, Bridge of SS Dali

Captain, we got a lightmessage from the  MN cruiser Terrible. They are escorting us, and they spotted another ship that turned tail when they spotted us and the cruisers. They also ask to assemble the convoy again.

Do so. We don't want any trouble from those 2.

[maddox]

March 20 1907.  Dawn

SS Dali
Good morning captain. How can I serve breakfast?
Steward, I could use a strong coffee, bread and salted bacon, including the gravy.
And your "lemon juice"?
Of course steward. Of course.

I have to inform you that the passengers are afraid of the 2 French battleships that joined us.

Battleships?Oh, the 2 cruisers. I must admit, I slept better since I know those two bigger mothers are around

[Desertfox]

March 20

"Captain we are sure, the two warships have joined the convoy."

"Well that complicates stuff, bring us down a couple of knots, with dawn coming we can't risk detection. Whats the ETA for the New Amsterdam squadron?"

"ETA is 0400 tommorow morning. Captain Sparrow should show up later today..."

[P3D]

Could this be speed up a bit?

[Desertfox]

Well waiting on Maddox but I can speed it up a little.

"D***!" Captain Sparrow wasnt happy, not only the NSN but also the French where involved and the French had brought two armored cruisers. Now he was being asked to go by the convoy on broad daylight. Well at least some heavier NSN units where coming.

March 20, 2200 hrs

The 'merchant' ship 'Mary Celeste' slowly sailed along, a group of ships had just appeared in its path.

"Captain! Ships on the horizon!"

"Whats their course does it conflict with ours?"

"Working on it...no we will pass sometime before them."

"Slow down a bit we dont want that to happen..."   

[maddox]

March 22, Dawn

NM Terrible

Captain, multiple smokeplumes spotted. Ships on high speed, identification impossible.

Full speed, intercept course, whatever they are, they aren't needed with the convoy. Train guns as soon as possible.