Three Kings

This, too, slackened the jaw of the Lieutenant as he clearly saw the single, brief burst of rattling fire, and noted how the tracer rounds found the plane with a precision that was astounding. One burst of fire-one plane down with a shattering explosion as the central nose engine on the three engine craft was blown apart with over thirty hits. Then it was over, and the light desert breeze slowly elongated the missile trails, smudging them into the azure blue sky as if nothing had happened.

The crews of HMS Invincible had also rushed to battle stations, but the guns barely had time to be manned and sighted before Kirov had settled the matter. The Lieutenant gave the Sergeant a wide eyed look, but was speechless.

An hour later Kirov was back in the Mediterranean, the Cauldron of Fire where they had fought the very same navy that now welcomed and embraced them. That had been in 1942, at a time when the British were desperately trying to sustain their embattled outpost in the Central Mediterranean at Malta. Kirov had tried to skirt the edge of Operation Pedestal, but was inevitably drawn into the battle as the ship tried to race for the bottleneck of the Alboran Sea near Gibraltar.

It was here that Volsky had been wounded just as the ship appeared in the Tyrrhenian Sea, and Fedorov had been so suddenly thrust into the position of command, the only man Volsky could trust at the time. It was here that Vladimir Karpov had tried to redeem himself while serving as Tactical Officer and Starpom under Fedorov when they were forced to fight their way out in a duel with the battleships Rodney and Nelson. And it was here that Admiral Volsky had made the surprising move to seek a parley with Admiral Tovey, the meeting that had spawned those haunting images that somehow found their way into this world, well before that time ever came in the war, even as they seemed to leave a subtle impression on Tovey himself-an unaccountable feeling of deja vu, blooming in the strands of his memory.

That was a mystery that had not yet been explained, and Fedorov was still thinking about it, and what it might mean. Now, however, they were soon thrust into the important meeting being convened here with the Theater Commanders, General Wavell, and Admiral Cunningham of the Easter Mediterranean Squadron.

They reached Alexandria, with more cheers and fanfare as the ships entered the harbor, this time with a gaggle of Hurricanes up on overwatch in the event the Italians had any more surprises planned. Volsky could have told them to save their fuel, for his radars would see any planes long before they could become a threat.

The meeting was to be held aboard HMS Invincible, at Admiral Tovey’s request, and when Admiral Volsky, Fedorov and Nikolin returned to that ship, they were escorted first to the officer’s ward room. There they found Admiral Tovey waiting to have a private chat before Wavell and Cunningham arrived.

“Well that certainly opened a few eyes,” said Tovey.

“It could not be avoided,” said Volsky. “Yet, the rumors of our weapons and capabilities may stand as a shield here now. I think the Italians will be more cautious should they contemplate another attack.”

“I understand,” said Tovey. “A most convincing display. I should dearly like to have a few of those rockets at hand myself.”

Volsky smiled. “Though we cannot give you missiles and bombs, we do have one other weapon that we are willing to freely share with you now, Admiral-information.”

Tovey nodded. “That would be most welcome.”

“Mister Fedorov here has a particular concern at the moment, as he believes that events are now coming to a head in North Africa. Fedorov?”

“Yes sir. It concerns the planned reinforcement of Greece. I must tell you that in our history this was seen as a great blunder that almost cost you the loss of Egypt. The campaign in Greece is a foregone conclusion. The Germans will apply overwhelming force there and defeat any effort to save the country. Anything you send will be evacuating within 30 days, and this also radically weakens your defense here to a point where Rommel will drive all the way to El Alamein within weeks.”

Tovey raised an eyebrow. “I’m told the Germans have already begun an offensive, but do not have any details.”

“We must find a way to convince General Wavell that Egypt should now be your primary concern, because we fear your enemies have already heard this same advice, and from another man who knows the full outcome of this war as it was once fought-Ivan Volkov.”

“Don’t worry,” said Tovey. “I hold some cards as well, and I have a lead that will likely convince Wavell to follow suit. The Germans led right into it by playing those two trump cards in Bismarck and Hindenburg. They slipped them into French ports, but things have changed, gentlemen, and I have a plan that I think will convince General Wavell to stand fast in the Western Desert.”