This is the third story in a series. The others are in separate posts entitled:
#1 - America: In Peril
#2 - America: Balance of Power
The story so far: Anna Roosevelt Mölders has unsuccessfully tried to convince her father, the President of America, to declare war on the Iroquois Confederacy of Six Nations in support of Deutschland. As news of the President's refusal to honour the mutual protection pact reaches Deutschland, Chancellor Bismarck authorizes a mysterious plan against the Iroquois Confederacy and America which is further twisted by Ambassador Heinrich von Klein in his coveting of Anna.
Blue (North) = Deutschland
Blue (South) = Deutschland (conquered Azteca mainland)
Cyan = America
Dark Green = Azteca
Light Green = Persia
Orange = United Kingdom
Pink = France
Purple = Iroquois Confederacy of Six Nations
Red = Babylon
America: One Fateful Day
Charles River Valley near Boston, America.
The desert was about a day's ride to the north from here. Beyond that lay the city of San Francisco and then the harsh Deutschland badlands and then finally Berlin itself. Hadawa'ko had never seen Berlin for himself, but his maps showed that it rested at the juncture of three mighty rivers and it was said to be a thriving if somewhat uninspired capital. The Deutsch cities were places of business and industry with a decidedly utilitarian architecture rather than the grandeur of Salamanca. Or at least that is what he heard. Perhaps the Iroquois Army would make it to Berlin and he would see for himself one day. Hadawa'ko preferred his small wooded town of Caughnawaga and in his mind Berlin probably was no different than Akwesasne, Niagara Falls, Philadelphia, Boston or any of the other large filthy cities he had visited. They seemed to exist only to churn out black soot and were filled with people living all squashed together in tiny homes. Even this chilly mountain camp that he and his small band of men had called home for the past month was probably more desirable.
It was a clear morning and the sun was still climbing so the side of the mountain facing his opponents was in shadow. Hadawa'ko hiked to the most forward of the observation points that his team of rangers had designated. Being just above the tree line, Hadawa'ko had a clear line of sight to the valley below and the road that ran north towards San Francisco past his position at Flint Peak. Hadawa'ko sat down on a boulder, took out a pencil and a notepad from his pack, and extended the spyglass to see what the Deutsch riflemen were doing today. Hadawa'ko's rangers had reported on the movements of Deutsch units in the area since the war started a couple weeks ago yet this was the first time he had encountered Deutsch troops seemingly in no hurry to join the battle at Bremen. In fact, this was the third day since they made camp and they made no show of preparing to leave this morning. Comprised of just six men, the Deutsch troops were not large enough to be a regular unit of riflemen and Hadawa'ko had to wonder if they were military men at all. Yet, what else could a band of armed Germans in American territory close to a battle front be doing?
Hadawa'ko panned the spyglass to the left and focused on a figure emerging from one of the tents. Startled by what he saw, Hadawa'ko removed his eye from the telescope to quickly scan the horizon to verify that no others had arrived while he had been focused on the Deutsch encampment. The grasslands in the valley were still quiet and as empty of traffic as when he sat down. What was going on here? Hadawa'ko re-acquired the figure with the spyglass and confirmed what he saw the first time was real. After studying the situation for a moment longer he got packed his things and hurried back to his own camp to discuss his observations with his men. The Deutsch were preparing for something. What Hadawa'ko did not understand was why they were now dressed as Iroquois mounted warriors.
----
Chingachgook exhaled a puff of cigar smoke and said, “Sneak attack.” The big Oneida man was a little too fond of cheap English tobacco products. Normally Hadawa'ko did not allow him to smoke lest the smell give their position away to an enemy. However, they were ordered not to engage any enemies and Hadawa'ko had relaxed the rule. It was still a foul habit though.
“Some kind of attack. Although I'm not sure about the sneaking part. Why would they bother dressing like Iroquois unless they thought they'd be seen?,” said Hadawa'ko waving away smoke hoping Chingachgook would take the hint. “The real question is what the target is, where, and when. Since they've been here for two days already without pretending to be Iroquois I'm guessing that 'when' is today. And because we're at least three days ride away from the front I would guess that 'where' must be nearby.”
A map of the area was at the center of the gathered rangers. This was American territory and no military targets were charted nor were any other Iroquois troops in the region as far as they knew. Chingachgook kept on smoking and said, “Doesn't make much sense. The idiots are wearing mounted warrior uniforms? Hasn't been operational units dressed like that for years. Wouldn't fool our guys.”
“Then they weren't meant to be seen by Iroquois military,” said Deganawida. “Perhaps a civilian or....” The quiet son of an Iroquois Chieftain, Deganawida, was the smartest of the group if not the best fighter. He thought for a moment and then asked, “How would you describe an Aztec warrior?”
Chingachgook laughed, “Crazies running around with axes and hammers with feather helmets and jaguar skins.”
“And what would a French soldier look like?” continued Deganawida looking at Hadawa'ko.
"Like American musket men, but with sillier pants tucked into their boots and pink coats,” replied Hadawa'ko. He was starting to understand, “And what would an Iroquois soldier look like?”
Deganawida replied sarcastically, “Like rifle wielding Germans in ceremonial headgear and deerskin pants.” More seriously he concluded, “Whatever the target is, these Germans want to make it absolutely clear that Iroquois were involved. Off-hand I'd say we're about to be blamed for something.”
----
The carriage jostled down the road recklessly as the four stallions pulling it were desperately urged on by one of the drivers. To Anna, the descending Iroquois war cries were the most frightening and guttural noise that she had ever heard a human utter. Even worse, they were coming for her. The imperial carriage drivers had spotted them breaking across the grasslands only minutes ago and immediately recognized that they were on a course to intercept the carriage. However, even at full speed it was unlikely that they would be able to outrun the Iroquois warriors. Emil, the second driver, suddenly pitched open a roof panel that Anna did not even realize was there. Without taking his eyes from the incoming Iroquois now coming into rifle range Emil yelled to Anna, “There are two pistols in a wood box inside the chest underneath the seat. Give them to me! Hurry!”
Anna scattered the blankets and provisions in the chest around the carriage and produced the box. A volley of shots slammed into the carriage just as she retrieved the two revolvers and ammunition causing wood to splinter and Anna to dive to the floor. Anna wanted to crawl under the blankets, but willed herself to get back up to hand the pistols to Emil. The weapons immediately fell back to the carriage floor. Emil's hands hung from lifelessly swaying arms. Anna screamed.
Another round of bullets hitting the carriage brought her back to reality. For once in her life she was glad to have married a career military man as Frederick had long taught her how to load and use firearms. She hiked up her long dress and slid one revolver into her stockings. For later she thought. With the front of the carriage at her back she held the revolver extended from her body with both hands and tried to steady herself. It was much easier in the backyard of their estate than in a wildly tossing carriage. She wondered if she would ever see her home again as the first Iroquois came into sight in the left window.
Anna shot rapidly sending shattered glass into the compartment and apparently hitting either the man or the horse he was on as the both disappeared from sight. Her ears rang and gun smoke stung her eyes. A rider unseen behind the carriage but nearby was barking out orders in a language she did not understand. Anna let loose with a second flurry of shots upon seeing an Iroquois' brilliant red and white head gear race by the right side. Click. Click. Click. The revolver was empty and Anna looked panicked on hands and knees for the box with the extra rounds. There! It had slid towards the far rear left corner of the carriage under the seat.
The carriage swung violently right and a colliding thud shook the cabin. Iroquois and horse alike cried out and the carriage tipped precariously as the rear right wheel rode over something solid. Anna was immediately hurled left against the carriage door which flew open against her weight. An airborne Anna flew clear of the road and a downed Iroquois warrior before impacting ground, rolling, and skidding painfully to a stop. Stunned though she was, Anna saw that the carriage either had not noticed her sudden ejection or did not care to stop if it did. Anna tried to call out, but it hurt to draw a breath and she could taste blood. She looked up at the Iroquois gathering over her.
----
Chingachgook continued to study the scene of the attempted carriage hijacking from their mountain perch and called back to his compatriots, “Looks like they're actually headed back to camp with the girl. I wonder who she is to be worth this much trouble.”
“Someone important,” replied Hadawa'ko checking the tension in his composite bow. “That carriage had the Imperial Deutschland crest and that means government official.”
“I didn't' know the Germans let women work in the government,” said Chingachgook continuing to monitor the situation. “The guy that got clipped by the carriage looks pretty banged up plus the guy whose horse fell on him. I don't think they're going to do much fighting.”
Hadawa'ko took took aim with a flight arrow and released it in one smooth motion. It struck the trunk of a pine tree squarely some 30 metres away. While equipped with modern firearms, the Iroquois rangers were almost always highly proficient with bows for stealthy strikes. “That'll going to even the odds somewhat then. Let's try not to get too many kills. At least one of these guys have to survive to bring the message back to whomever sent them on this mission.”
Deganawida still seemed skeptical, “This is foolish and none of our business Hadawa'ko. It's kidnapping. If Chief Igoo were to find out...”
Chingachgook slapped Deganawida in the back, “We'll just cut him in!” He winked at Hadawa'ko who simply shook his head and smiled. Chingachgook explained it frankly to Deganawida, “We already talked about this. We ain't all Chieftains' sons. Being a ranger pays okay, but when the war's over I've still got a family to look after and Hadawa'ko here doesn't want to work in no factory. We sell this little lady back to the Germans and we're set for life. Hell we're probably helping her out. All we want is a fair reward. Who knows what those guys are planning on doing with her. She's probably safer with us. I mean her own people attacked her. Leave now if you want, but don't back out on us once you're committed.” Chingachgook gave him a solemn look that was shared by Hadawa'ko.
No matter how Chingachgook put it this seemed like kidnapping. Although technically since the Iroquois were at war with Deutschland she could be considered a prisoner of war. Ransoming was accepted practice by Iroquois law. Or at least it used to be. It was shaky reasoning at best, but abandoning comrades-in-arms in enemy action was almost equally distasteful. He did feel kind of sorry for the woman. There was one other option though that Hadawa'ko and Chingachgook had not considered that could probably fetch them a handsome amount of money and yet maintain honour in the transaction. Deganawida proposed his alternative.
----
It was twilight by the time the German party made it back to camp. A forlorn Anna, her hands bound and mouth gagged, rode silently on top of a mount lead by one of her captors. Though still garbed in the Iroquois outfits, the Germans did not bother to maintain the pretense of being Iroquois cavalry once Anna was captured. At first, Anna was relieved to find that her captors were not the cannibalistic blood thirsty Iroquois warriors they presented themselves as, but then the dread returned as not one of her abductors would speak with her about their intentions.
When they stopped the tallest and brawniest of them came to help her off her horse. He picked her up with both the effort and the manner of a father lifting a three year old child into the air. He set her down firmly. Anna immediately wrenched to her left side in pain and let out a gagged cry. Something was seriously wrong with her after having been thrown from the carriage. She put a worried hand on her gently, but noticeably swelling stomach, hoping her unborn child was fairing better. At six feet tall Anna did not frequently have to look up to anyone, but this she did and saw the big tall man looking rather guilty and confused at Anna's pain. The scruffy haired one who had tied her up earlier had walked over and surveyed her in a way that Anna did not care for. He brushed hair from her face, “I can see why Heinrich would want this one.” Anna thought of the revolver still tucked in her stockings as the man's hand wandered.
The two wounded men were retired to tents for rest and treatment while their leader, a young yet weathered faced man, ordered the big tall man to start a fire. He stormed up to the scruffy man and pushed him away from Anna shouting, “What the hell are you doing?”
The scruffy man straightened himself out and indignantly said, “Just checking out what we risked our lives for here. Whose going to know if we have a little fun before handing her over?”
The leader stepped forward until he was directly in the scruffy man's face, “You want to rape and pillage you go join the army, but as long as you're a mercenary in my company you will not so much as think a dirty thought unless you're being paid to do so!” He paused for a breath and then continued to berate the man, “It's a long way to Cologne and I will personally throw your privates to the Iroquois for dessert if you keep screwing things up!”
As if to punctuate the fury of the leader's words a shaft of wood suddenly embedded into the scruffy man's hip causing him to instantly collapse. By the time the confused leader had identified the tell-tale feathered arrow shaft on his fallen man, another found his thigh and a third arrow hit his opposite shoulder. The leader also dropped to the ground. Anna, having watched the deadly scene play out right in front of her eyes was astonished. Before she could even think of moving another flight of arrows found the big tall man and he too fell over.
Hadawa'ko, Chingachgook and Deganawida emerged from the nearby scrub bushes and grass. Chingachgook and Deganawida entered the camp with bows at ready just as the remaining German mercenary came out to check out the commotion. Hadawa'ko sent a warning shot whizzing by the mercenary's head causing him to first stop in his tracks and then surrendering once he saw his fallen partners. Hadawa'ko appreciated the irony of the situation as he strode up to Anna, cut her bonds, and said to Anna in passable German, “You are free to go.”
For a moment no one moved except the wounded. Hadawa'ko and Chingachgook looked skeptically at Deganawida. Anna removed her own gag and looked at the fallen mercenaries, then at her Iroquois liberators, and then surveyed the growing darkness around her. Deganawida started to move cautiously away from the camp. Hadawa'ko and Chingachgook followed. Anna, not sure what to make of any of this stood dumbfounded, but not wanting to be alone thought quickly and then decided to call out to the Iroquois, “Anschlag! I'm lost! I am wealthy and can pay you well if you guide me home.” Deganawida's smirk did not go unnoticed by his fellow rangers as Anna ran to catch up.
1 week later. Everywhere.
People around the world, in all nations, remember the day they read that America had declared war as the day when the world changed for them. After 5500 years of peace, war had come to the last place in the world that had seemed impregnable to strife. President Fraser Roosevelt's speech, circulated to newspapers around the world, recorded the sentiments the moment when history was forever altered:
“Since the founding of this great nation every generation of Americans lived their lives based on the guiding principle that peace – at any cost – is better than war. In a world where nations have fought each other with everything from spears to guns, Americans and only Americans entrusted their future to trade, technology, and education, with the fundamental belief that freedom and progress would win the day. Today, Newton's University draws the brightest minds of the world, as the Great Library of New York once did in antiquity. The spirit of our fore fathers is alive with us today and making this country great. More than ever America is the example to which the world aspires.”
“With that leadership, however, comes a responsibility. Decades ago, we Americans, in good faith and with open minds, swore to help defend our neighbours and great protector, the nation of Deutschland. We said, 'Americans are the defenders of peace and justice and will stand by Deutschland, our historical friends and allies, to resist any unprovoked attack by a hostile state.' As you have read, or perhaps even witnessed, in the previous weeks, the Iroquois Confederacy of Six Nations has used American soil from which to launch vicious attacks against Deutschland. Many Germans, including my own dear daughter, and several Americans have already lost their lives to the Iroquois attacks as the conflict continues to escalate.”
“As of this 09:00 this morning, America declared war on the Iroquois Confederacy of Six Nations. My fellow Americans, dark days are ahead of us, and in these times our industrious spirit will be sorely tested. We must not, indeed cannot, hide from this responsibility or the very foundation of American peace – the support of our German friends and allies - may never recover. War has come to America, yet let us show the world that on this one fateful day, the American resolve for the expansion of peace remains alive and grows stronger.”
Next: Tragedy in Miami! The Deutschland Chancellery conspiracy unravels. A dilemma for Anna. An unlikely American hero emerges.
Oh well, even characters people don't like have their place I suppose.
