CIRCLES OF TIME: The Great War
-by: the Yarnspinner-
the_yarnspinner@yahoo.com
http://strands-of-moonlight.my3gb.com
-or- http://strands-of-moonlight.6te.net
Rated: PG-13> Chapter 3 - The Steady Drum <
With July of 1914 drawing to a close, Europe sat balanced on a razor's edge, as the public waited to learn if the conflict in the Balkans would escalate. Meanwhile, frantic activity prevailed in each of the major European capitals.
In Berlin, despite his earlier saber-rattling and assurances of complete support for Austria-Hungary, Kaiser Wilhelm II was now growing cautious, as was his cousin in St. Petersburg, Tsar Nicholas II. The two monarchs exchanged messages, hoping unrealistically to confine the conflict to Serbia. Wilhelm urged restraint on the Austrians, calling on them to stop after crossing the Danube and occupying Belgrade.
In St. Petersburg, Nicholas proposed a scheme of partial mobilization, hoping to avoid provoking Germany. His military chiefs protested, certain the Germans would move anyway, and fearing that their forces would be unprepared. Under such pressure, the weak-willed Nicholas yielded, signing an order for full mobilization on July 29. Another exchange of telegrams between Wilhelm and Nicholas, with the Kaiser claiming to offer mediation and a way for Russia to avoid a large-scale war, led Nicholas to change his mind, canceling the mobilization order later that evening. Foreign Minister Sazonov went to work on the Tsar the next day, spelling out a long list of fears, with the result that Nicholas once again issued a full mobilization order.
A similar contest of wills was underway in Berlin, where General Helmuth von Moltke, the chief of the General Staff, was growing increasingly alarmed at the prospect of any delay that might throw off the Schlieffen plan timetable, while the chancellor, Theobald von Bethmann Hollweg, echoed the Kaiser in urging caution. So exacting was the German timetable that even a few days could prove critical, and now Moltke learned that the Austrians were deploying only a minimal covering force to guard against a Russian attack, prompting him, entirely on his own initiative to urge the Austrians to full mobilization against the Russians. The news from St. Petersburg that Russian mobilization would begin on July 31 was just what Moltke wanted to hear, cutting the political ground out from under those urging moderation. Germany quickly dispatched ultimatums to Russia, demanding a suspension of mobilization, and to France, demanding assurances of French neutrality in the event of a Russo-German war.
In Paris, there was no serious thought of not standing by their Russian allies. In fact, General Joseph Joffre, the chief of staff, plagued with fears of German units already assembling at their jumping off points while his own were still scattered about at peacetime stations, sent a frantic note to the Minister of War, warning that each day's delay was to concede "15 to 25 kilometers" to the enemy. The cabinet debated Joffre's arguments the next morning, August 1, with President Raymond Poincare issuing the mobilization order. By chance, the German mobilization order followed that of France by barely an hour.
Germany declared war on Russia that day, although Nicholas II still hoped that war could be averted. Wilhelm II clung to similar hopes, instructing Moltke to cancel the attack in the West and redeploy the army to Poland. An appalled Moltke protested that it would take months to accomplish such a transfer, and would leave Germany's western frontier exposed. Wilhelm bowed under the weight of Moltke's argument, surrendering his last hope of narrowing the extent of the war.
In London, the government was torn as both France and Germany demanded to know Britain's intentions. Winston Churchill, First Lord of the Admiralty, had ordered the fleet to sea as a precaution, but the rest of Britain's military was largely unprepared. The Entente Cordiale between Great Britain and France had only brought about cooperation between the two countries, but did not commit Britain to entering the conflict. Only the Treaty of London of 1839, guaranteeing Belgian neutrality, could force Britain into the war. On August 2, Germany demanded that Belgium grant free passage to its troops marching to attack France. When the Belgian government refused, German forces invaded, while delivering their formal declaration of war to France on Monday, August 3. On August 4, Britain issued an ultimatum to Germany, demanding an end to military operations against Belgium by midnight. When that demand went unanswered, Great Britain declared war.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
In Havana, the Paladin team monitored events closely, both as reported in newspapers around the world, and from their sources at the highest levels of each of the major powers.
In a private room of a small, exclusive restaurant, Setsuna and Daniel sat at a table with Esteban, the casino manager, and Esteban's wife, Rosa.
"Have there been any new developments on the search?" Rosa asked.
"Nothing significant," Setsuna said. "It's only been a week. We have begun to locate a number of collection points, but it's still too soon to expect to find any of the storage centers, I'm afraid."
"We know the collection of energy has begun, which means all we can do is wait," Daniel added.
"Yes. And the Order must be looking on developments with some optimism," Esteban said. "The German advance seems to be getting hung up among the Belgian forts."
Daniel nodded. "For the moment, at least. But we understand the Germans are bringing up some of the new heavy Austrian artillery. With those they can batter the forts into submission."
"It seems the war is being met with great popular enthusiasm," Rosa said.
"Yes. In Paris, the announcement was met with cheering throngs crying 'on to Berlin'. Most of the people see it as a great patriotic adventure, and they've been told it will all be over very quickly," Esteban said.
"Huge crowds turned out in Berlin, as well," Daniel said. "Among the young reservists, there is tremendous fear that the war will be over before they receive their call up."
"But what happens when the predictions of quick victory prove wrong? And how do they keep up popular support when the casualties start to mount?" Rosa asked. "My uncle was a conscript in the Spanish army here in Cuba during the war with the Americans. He said it was no adventure."
"Very true," Daniel agreed. "People have forgotten the words of the American General William Tecumseh Sherman."
"War is hell," Esteban quoted.
"Politicians don't want to tell their voters that because they've gone so long proclaiming the greatness of their respective nations, while the military chiefs have staked their careers on war plans that promise quick and easy victories," Daniel said. "Once the war starts to drag on and the cost goes up, the politicians will be loath to accept anything less than total victory, since they won't want to have to go tell their voters that their sons died for no real purpose."
"The spread of democracy in some of the combatant nations will make this a very different war," Setsuna said.
"Yes," said Daniel. "I believe it was in 1901. Winston Churchill, then a newly elected Member of Parliament, warned his colleagues that the wars of peoples would be much bloodier than the wars of kings. In the days of kings, war was basically a gentleman's game. After a few battles, one side or the other would ask for terms, some territory would exchange hands, and both sides would then begin preparing for the next war. But now, the decisions of war and peace are, in many cases, in the hands of the people whose sons will do the fighting and dying."
"In other words, the insult must be repaid," Esteban said with a knowing smile.
Just then, a waiter approached, stopping a discreet distance away, knowing that Senor Esteban's guests always demanded privacy. A plainclothes casino security guard stood in the doorway, watching closely. Esteban raised his hand and motioned for the waiter to approach.
"Telephone call for you, Senor," the waiter said. "The man said it was urgent."
"Thank you," Esteban said, rising to his feet.
"The manager's office is available for you to take the call, Senor," the waiter added.
Esteban nodded, motioning to the guard at the door, and walking with him toward the office.
"They seem to treat him with considerable deference," Setsuna observed.
"Yes," Rosa said. "They know him as manager of the casino, and know that all the casinos here are owned by powerful groups who pay considerable bribes to the government to operate without interference. For this reason, the police will usually look the other way when casino security needs to deal with... troublemakers."
"I suppose it is a useful cover," Daniel said.
"Indeed. And, of course, the position of manager would usually go to an Anglo. Thus, everyone assumes he must have particularly special connections with the 'owners'."
"Present the unusual in such a way that it seems perfectly normal," said Setsuna. "That is the key to any successful deception."
Esteban returned moments later.
"Anything serious?" Daniel asked.
"I don't think so," Esteban replied. "It was a security matter at the casino. They notify me when something comes up that isn't routine."
"What did come up?" Setsuna asked.
"One of the croupiers spotted a card professional," Esteban explained. "We always bounce them right away. But this time, the guards found what may be a talisman."
"An agent of the Order?" Daniel asked, leaning forward and his voice hushed.
"I doubt it," Esteban replied, with a slight shake of the head. "There are a number of possible explanations, and the talisman, if that's what it is, was passive."
"Passive?" Daniel asked.
"It means simply that the talisman was not radiating energy," Setsuna explained. "That would preclude the possibility of it being a transmitter to relay any evidence of magic energies back to the Order."
"Exactly," Esteban agreed. "But to avoid taking any chances, we're going to ship him out."
"Ship him out?" Setsuna asked.
"In a few days he will turn up in New York, apparently recovering from the combination of a severe hangover and a severe beating, with little memory of the past week or so. The police will dismiss him as a drunk who was robbed," Esteban explained.
"Is that all necessary?" Setsuna asked.
"As you said before, it is about presenting it in a way that seems normal to anyone who would be looking for him," Rosa said.
"Indeed. And it maintains our image among the other casinos," Esteban said. "Their managements also deal harshly with certain types of troublemakers."
"If you say so," Setsuna replied.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The stars shone overhead and the soft breeze blew in the gentle fragrance of the sea as Daniel and Setsuna walked along the street.
"Such a lovely night," Daniel said. "It's hard to believe that in Europe, young men are killing each other."
Setsuna nodded. "I'm afraid it's not the first time... and it won't be the last."
"Now that's a depressing thought," Daniel said. "It would be nice to think, if this thing proves as bloody as we expect, that mankind would finally learn its lesson."
"Some people will cling to that hope, blinding themselves to reality for a full generation," she said.
"Let me guess... Reality eventually hits them hard," he said.
She nodded, remaining silent.
He glanced over at her thoughtfully. "I have a question," he finally said.
"What is it?"
"I hope this isn't too personal, but how do you endure the solitude of your duty, being alone for centuries?" he asked.
"Well... I'm not sure I can answer that," she replied.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to intrude," he said.
"No. That's not it," she said. "It's more a question of presenting it to you in a way that you would be able to understand."
"I'm... not sure I follow you."
"Your normal state of existence is within the continuum of time. You experience time as linear, with the past setting the scene for the present, which leads to the future," she said.
"And your 'normal state of existence' is different?" he asked.
"Yes. You exist within time. When I am at the gateway, I am outside time, which means I don't experience a passage of time in the way you do," she explained.
He nodded, considering what she had said. "But that still doesn't answer how you handle the solitary nature of your duty."
"It is just that. Duty," she said. "I have a special ability, which gives me a special responsibility. Just as you have."
"Yes. I'm a fourth generation wizard. I grew up learning about the Order, and the danger they posed," he said.
"So you willingly embraced that responsibility."
"That's right," he said. "But as you said, I have a special ability. People like Esteban and his wife have no such special abilities. I've always thought they were truly the brave ones."
"Just because they lack special abilities doesn't mean they have any less desire to protect their world," she said. "Esteban knows what is at stake just as well as you do. And you must admit, the Paladins could accomplish very little if they had to rely solely on their wizards. You are too few in number to do everything that needs to be done."
"True," he conceded. "Virtually everything we know about what is happening in each of the combatant governments comes from mortals like Esteban who happen to be in key positions."
"And those individuals are running a double risk," Setsuna pointed out. "Not only is there the danger of being discovered by the Order, but if their own government discovers them passing on information, especially in war time, they would be condemned as spies."
He nodded.
Ahead of them was a grand manor house, set back behind a high wall. It had been a city home for one of the sugar plantation owners. This particular planter fled to Spain with the outbreak of the Spanish-American War that brought about Cuban independence. The home went through several owners before the Paladins purchased it as part of their casino operation cover.
They stopped at the gate and rang the bell. A servant emerged from the small gate house, while a spell scanned them. The servant opened the gate, and they entered. The wall formed a perimeter for a highly intricate magic field that effectively blocked intruders while at the same time being very inconspicuous to all but the most deliberate efforts to locate it.
As they reached the porch, he stopped, turning to look back up at the night sky once more.
"Is anything wrong?" she asked.
He thought for a moment. "Once more, I have to hope I'm not intruding, but I also have to wonder what sort of a risk you're taking? I assume there's more to it than just stopping the Order from bringing Metallia to Earth too soon."
"You know my particularly responsibility," she said. "I should think that would make it fairly obvious."
"You must maintain the proper flow of time. I understand that. Peter explained that that was what brought you here. But when you stopped the attack on Princip and allowed him to murder the Archduke, you knew what would happen, didn't you?"
"Yes," she answered quietly.
He turned to look at her, seeing her now staring vacantly off into the distance. Understanding began to dawn on him as he recalled how often it had been drilled into him in his apprenticeship that he must be prepared to stand by and do nothing when others were in need in order to protect the mission of the Paladins. He stepped toward her and laid a hand gently on her shoulder. "You've always observed events from a distance, standing at the gateway of time, and perhaps just making brief interventions to keep things in order. But now, duty compels you to stay involved until the Order is stopped."
"The Order must be stopped," she declared. "There is no power now on Earth that can defeat Metallia if the Order should succeed."
"So I understand," he said. "But a war has just started, and the Order has laid the groundwork over the last sixty years to make this one particularly bloody. You've said the war must occur, so this time you have to stay involved to make sure everything goes the way it's supposed to."
She remained silent.
"Your concern is being able to suppress personal feelings when there is so much death and destruction going on around you," he said. "I understand some of what that's like. Every Paladin wizard faces the same circumstances on a fairly regular basis."
"Thank you," she said. "But a certain degree of reserve is a necessity for 'the solitary one', remember?"
"You can observe all periods in time from the gateway, right?"
"Yes, that's true," she said.
"Then at least part of your solitude is self-imposed, Setsuna," he said.
"Perhaps. But it can also be something of a necessity, to avoid becoming personally involved," she replied. "Good night, Daniel."
"Good night, Setsuna."
He watched as she walked inside, pulling the door closed behind her.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
It was August 25. Eric and Bernardo were on the outskirts of the Belgian university town of Louvain, investigating a collection point. They were joined by Heinrich, another mortal Paladin, who served as a lieutenant in the German army.
"How is the fight going from your perspective?" Eric asked.
"Our superiors continue to insist victory is ours, but I have noticed some of the orders have become more frantic," Heinrich replied.
"What about the men in your unit?" Eric asked.
"We remain very optimistic, although there is some frustration that we haven't reached France yet. Our unit was very late in being called up. But the hardest blow to morale are the reports of these damnable francs-tireurs."
"Francs-tireurs?" Bernardo asked.
"Irregulars operating behind the lines, carrying out acts of resistance and sabotage," Eric explained. "There are a number of stories of francs-tireurs operating behind the German lines in the war of 1870."
Heinrich nodded with a distasteful scowl. "We've received more warnings than I can count about francs-tireurs. Some of my men are so jumpy because of it, that they shoot at shadows."
"The Belgian government insists that these were just army stragglers returning to their units," Eric said.
"Indeed? I haven't had a direct encounter with any of the francs-tireurs, but once we have been compelled to take military action, we have the right to put down any acts of rebellion," Heinrich said.
"I thought you and comrades-in-arms were marching to fight the French, not the Belgians," Bernardo said.
"The Belgians could, and should, have simply stood aside and allowed us to march through to give France her just desserts," Heinrich insisted.
"Could you stand by if a foreign army marched through your home region?" Eric asked. "Could your men?"
Heinrich fell silent for a moment. "No," he finally admitted. "They would want to fight, and as an officer, it would be my duty to stand with them."
"No doubt, many Belgians feel the same," Eric said.
"What do you do if you capture one of these francs-tireurs?" Bernardo asked.
"Our orders are explicit. Saboteurs and those who rebel are to be executed," Heinrich answered.
"What happens when those directly responsible for the sabotage cannot be apprehended?" Bernardo asked.
"Then we must regretfully take action against those in the area who have undoubtedly provided aid and comfort to these criminals," Heinrich said.
"Reprisals," Eric said quietly.
"In time of war, we do not have the luxury of time for a full-scale investigation, since our enemies will not stop their efforts while we search for the true culprits," Heinrich declared. "We have to maintain order, both for the safety of our soldiers and that of the civilians."
"Even if it means killing the innocent?" Bernardo persisted.
"No one is truly innocent in war," Heinrich said. "They've been told not to resist. And in any case, I have my orders."
Eric raised an eyebrow ironically. " 'Forward, the Light Brigade!' Was there a man dismay'd? Not tho' the soldier knew... Some one had blunder'd: Their's not to make reply, Their's not to reason why..."
"Their's but to do and die: Into the valley of Death... Rode the six hundred," Heinrich completed. "If ordered forward, my men and I are prepared to go, as is any true son of the Fatherland. But I also can say with confidence that no German officer would ever order such a damned fool charge as that one."
"But fighting this war only serves the cause of the Order," Bernardo objected.
"Then the Order must be made up of Frenchmen!" Heinrich said angrily. "For that is the only way that defeating their plans could require the destruction of Germany. That is what is at stake! Germany has lived for years with a French knife at its throat. My duty to the Kaiser is as strong as my duty to the Paladins. I cannot serve one while betraying the other."
In the distance, a volley of gunfire could be heard, followed by the boom of artillery. Heinrich jumped to his feet, just as a bugle began to sound.
"I suspect that is a call for you," Eric said to Heinrich.
"Yes. I must go," Heinrich replied, shaking their hands. "I just have one request."
"If it is within my power," Eric said.
"If my men and I should be killed in this war, please make certain that our deaths do not help that demon," he said.
"Of course," Eric said. "God go with you."
"And with you both," Heinrich said, turning and rushing back into town.
Eric and Bernardo made their way back to town on their own. In the center of town, they found soldiers forming up, their officers hurrying about anxiously.
The hoof beats of a horse at full gallop could be heard. "The French are here! The British are here! The francs-tireurs are here!" the rider yelled.
An officer motioned to the rider, who hurried over to deliver his full report. A wave of unease swept through the soldiers as the warning spread.
"This doesn't sound good," Eric muttered. "We'd better get out of here." He directed Bernardo down a side street.
"Could the French or the British be mounting an attack this far into Belgium, this soon?"
"No," Eric answered. "The sounds of gunfire are coming from the north. That means it could only be the Belgians attacking, from their stronghold around Antwerp... if it really is an attack."
" 'If it really is an attack'? You don't think this is a real attack?"
"Let's say I have some doubts," Eric said. "First off, I don't think the Belgian army is in a position to mount an offensive. Secondly, with all due respect to Heinrich and his men, these are reserve divisions that have never seen combat before."
"Which means what?"
"Heinrich already said his men were shooting at shadows. That could well be what happened here. A patrol to the north saw something moving and started shooting. By the time the message is relayed back here, reports of a skirmish have been turned into a full-scale attack. And inexperienced troops already on edge are thrown into a panic."
"We're not just going to leave these people to their fate, are we?" Bernardo asked. "We know what the Germans have done to other towns. Civilians have been massacred in the hundreds, with wide scale looting and burning."
"There is nothing we can do. We must be like the guardian of time, merely observing events but not interfering," Eric said.
"But we have the ability to save these people," Bernardo protested.
"Do we?" Eric countered. "And at what cost? What good would it serve to save a few hundred people for several days if it alerted the Order that we're on to them?"
"But we can't just stand by and do nothing!"
"We have our duty, Bernardo, even if it is unpleasant," Eric said. "Ours is not to reason why..."
"Damn Tennyson!" Bernardo exclaimed, slamming his fist against the wall in frustration. "How can you be so damn callous?"
Eric stopped and seized Bernardo's jacket, glaring at him sternly. "Now, you listen! At the completion of your apprenticeship, you took an oath that included the possibility of standing by when the mission of the Paladins required it. If you're no longer willing to uphold that oath, then you'd better inform the Council of that, and they'll see to it that you're reassigned to tasks where you don't have to face this conflict. It's your choice."- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
For three days, Louvain, the "Oxford of Belgium", suffered the wrath of German retribution. The great library with its 230,000 volumes was burned to ashes, as was much of the town with its treasures of art and architecture. More than 200 people were killed, and some 42,000 evacuated at gunpoint.
The American diplomat, Hugh Gibson, visited to see the situation, which was already drawing loud condemnations internationally. Eric and Bernardo slipped back into town in the guise of war correspondents traveling with the ambassador. A German officer proudly conducted Gibson through the town.
"We shall wipe it out. Not one stone shall stand upon another! Not one, I tell you. We will teach them to respect Germany. For generations people will come here to see what we have done!" the officer declared. Gibson managed to maintain his diplomatic poker face, but, as they looked over the burned out remains, Eric could sense Bernardo seething with rage.
"There was nothing we could do," Eric said quietly.
"Really?!"
"Protecting them was not our responsibility," Eric said. "The Belgian army couldn't protect them because they have been compelled to withdraw. That leaves the obligation to the Germans, but there is nothing we can do if the German commanders don't uphold that duty, just as Heinrich is powerless to prevent his superiors from ordering him to commit acts that violate international rules of warfare which Germany has fully agreed to. If he refuses, he will be shot for refusing an order, and replaced by someone who will do it. Nothing is gained."
"If humanity is capable of this, maybe it would be better to just let Metallia win and be done with it all!" Bernardo said.
Eric slapped him hard across the face. "I don't want to hear another word like that! We Paladins exist to defend the right of ordinary people to live their lives as they see fit. We're not here to judge them, nor to try to protect them from themselves."
"But when innocent people are being slaughtered..."
"There is nothing we can do that will make it any better," Eric said sternly. "And we don't have the right to play God. That's the Order's way, not ours."
"So, now what do we do?" Bernardo asked sullenly.
"We maintain our cover as reporters, and leave with the ambassador's party. Then we report back what we've found."- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
In the Paladins' base beneath the Havana casino, on the afternoon of September 2, Daniel, Setsuna, and Esteban were joined by Peter, Samuel, Eric, and Albert. A large map of Europe was spread out on the center table, with small glowing points of energy indicating the position of the armies and all of the collection points they had identified. Photographs and stacks of papers were piled on surrounding tables, while several more localized maps were posted on an upright board.
"The current situation is mixed, to say the least," Samuel informed the others. "The German advance seems to be moving forward quite effectively, but the inherent weaknesses in their strategy remain."
"On both fronts, early difficulties have been overcome," Albert added. "In the East, the Austro-Hungarians are proving largely ineffective, but this was expected. The Russians moved up their forces much more quickly than had been anticipated, and launched a major offensive into East Prussia. The Germans, though significantly outnumbered, had the advantage of far better field command, throwing the Russians back in complete disarray. One of the Russian generals chose suicide over going back to face the Tsar in disgrace."
Samuel picked up several sheets of paper, stepped forward, and resumed the narrative. "In the West, the Germans, as you all know, became hung up among the Belgian forts, but once they brought up heavy siege artillery to break apart the forts, weight of numbers prevailed, forcing the Belgians to fall back to the port of Antwerp. The French, for their part, launched into their own plan, and marched into Alsace and Lorraine. That offensive quickly fell apart, however, as the shape of the German advance through Belgium became clear." He nodded to Albert, while waving a hand over the table.
"As you can see," Albert said. "The Germans began their sweeping movement through Belgium." The table was now showing the progression of that sweep. "The French began to redeploy, but failed to appreciate the full extent of the German movement. Furthermore, the French command had early on rejected the notion that the Germans would deploy their reserve at the opening of the offensive. The result has been that the French consistently find themselves outnumbered and outflanked. Despite this, the French have had numerous occasions where circumstances have favored the defense, but their commanders have failed to exploit these."
Eric stepped forward. "I can confirm some of that. The Germans are moving just as fast as they can, sweeping the French before them. On both sides, you see only utter exhaustion, as men and horses have been driven on for days and weeks without any rest."
"Many of the French units have effectively broken, and are simply in outright flight. Only the fact that the Germans are advancing just as fast preserves the illusion that the French army is intact," Albert said.
"Is there any good news for the Allied side?" Peter asked.
"Yes," Samuel answered. "The British Expeditionary Force. Though made up of only one cavalry and four infantry divisions, it is the only all professional force on the continent. All of these men are experienced soldiers who have volunteered to serve king and country, and many of their officers have been under hostile fire before. In the defense of the Mons-Conde Canal, the BEF held off a considerably larger force of the German First Army, with the British rifles and superior marksmanship exacting a devastating toll against the German infantry. The BEF commander, Sir John French, made clear his intent to hold his ground, and could have blocked the German right wing, but the decision of General Lanrezac to withdraw his French Fifth Army from its positions on the BEF's right forced Field Marshal French to pull back."
"General Joffre, the head of the French Army, has been assembling every unit he can lay his hands on in front of Paris, at just the point where the German attack will happen to be at its weakest," Albert said. "Joffre's hope is that he will have a mass of force available to throw into any weak point in the German line he can identify."
"But he was handed a potential complication from Sir John French," Samuel added. "French had completely lost confidence in the French ability to fight, and began insisting that he must withdraw the BEF either south of Paris, or back to England, for extensive reinforcement."
"How did Joffre handle this?" Esteban asked.
"He didn't, at least not directly," Samuel said. "Joffre informed the French Prime Minister, Rene Viviani, who expressed his serious concerns to London, bringing a response from Lord Kitchener, the Secretary of State for War. In a series of telegrams, Kitchener demanded an explanation from French. When none came, he hurried to Paris and summoned French to the British embassy, where he laid down the law to the BEF commander, making it absolutely clear that the BEF was there to support their French allies to the fullest extent."
"And that brings us essentially up to date," Albert said. "The German advance continues, basically on momentum alone, and steadily outrunning its lines of supply, while the French and British are massing for a counter-attack."
"Right," said Peter. "And now that we know the front is approaching Paris, we know that a number of new collection points will be activated."
Samuel nodded and moved over to one of the smaller maps, showing a larger scale of the area immediately around Paris. Several red points formed around the city. "These are the prime suspects."
"Daniel and Setsuna, we need you to check these out, and if they really are collection points, to plant a monitor there," Peter said. "We've already placed monitors on several of the collection points farther north, and with these, we should be able to triangulate the location of the storage center the energy is being sent to."
"I think we can manage that," Setsuna said.
"When do we leave?" Daniel asked.
"As soon as possible," Peter said.
"But use caution," Samuel added. "You'll be in a restricted area. And the French constitution gives General Joffre, as military commander-in-chief, virtually absolute authority in the designated 'zone of the armies.' Not even the President of the Republic can overrule him. Our contacts in the French government won't be able to acknowledge you."
"We understand," Daniel said.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The next afternoon, Daniel and Setsuna crossed an open field, both cloaked from mortal detection. In the distance, the sound of artillery fire could be heard.
"Just up here," she said quietly, pointing ahead of them.
He nodded, following her. They found an old barn foundation, now largely overgrown. As she stood at the edge of the foundation, he moved around to the other side.
"This is definitely it," he said, moving back to her.
"Yes," she agreed. "We need to plant the monitor."
"Any suggestions?"
"I would think we could conceal it behind one of these old foundation stones," she said.
He pulled back one of the stones, then dug out a small space behind it. He then placed the small metal object in the space he had made, before putting the stone back in place.
She stood there, examining the energies around her. "It's transmitting properly," she said.
"Good. Let's move on. We still want to set a monitor on at least one more site," he said.
"Right," she agreed.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
That night, Setsuna and Daniel were hunched over a table in their Paris hotel suite.
"Any luck with locating the storage center?" he asked.
She drew out lines on a map with a pencil and ruler that ran south and east from Paris. "We know the general direction," she said. "But the collection sites here are too close together. We won't be able to accurately locate the storage center until we have the directional information from the collection centers we're monitoring in Belgium and northern France."
Daniel wrote the compass headings in his notebook, then checked the readings from the collection point monitors, making notes of those. "These sites are already collecting a considerable amount of energy," he said.
"Yes. The front is moving steadily south, so they have more and more energy to collect."
He wrote some more notes in his book, then closed it and strapped it with a rubber band.
"Well, it looks like we may soon have some definite information on this," he said with a smile.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
On September 3, General Alexander von Kluck was ordered to lead the German First Army "in echelon" with General Karl von Bulow's Second Army in order to cut the French off from Paris. Kluck, whose army formed the German right flank, choose to follow his orders literally, sweeping wide to follow the retreating French Fifth Army across the Marne River. Two days later, as Kluck continued to drift wide to the right, Joffre had assembled a mass of force totaling 36 divisions in the area north of Paris, against less than thirty German divisions moving, for the most part, south and east.
The German chief of staff, Moltke, now ordered a reversal of the Schlieffen plan, abandoning the notion of an encirclement by First and Second Armies on the right wing. Instead, Kluck and Bulow were to stand on the defensive, while the armies on the left tried to close a trap. This played right into Joffre's hands.
On the morning of September 5, the 4th Reserve Corps covering Kluck's exposed flank encountered elements of the French Sixth Army. Deciding this posed a threat to the German flank, the corps commander, General von Gronau, ordered an attack, further stretching Kluck's line to the west as Kluck transferred additional units to bolster his flank. The cost of this decision was to widen the already broad gap that had opened between Kluck and Bulow.
Into this gap marched the British Expeditionary Force. Though still doubtful of the French Army's staying power, Field Marshal Sir John French, in an emotional meeting with Joffre, had promised "all man can do our fellows will do." The British attack sent alarm through the staffs of both Kluck and Bulow, their respective armies already heavily engaged with French forces and unable to spare enough troops to counter the BEF and close the gap.
On September 6, Bulow notified Moltke that he was compelled to fall back some ten miles to behind the Petit Morin River to seek more secure positions. This further widened the gap, giving the BEF and the French units hastily moving up in support a virtually clear road to the Marne River. Kluck was now still north of the Marne, while Bulow was south of it but falling back. Bulow's withdrawal threatened now to open another gap, this one on his left, where he was supposed to be connected to General von Hausen's Third Army. Kluck's First Army still advanced, enjoying an advantage of force against the French Sixth Army facing it. However, with the BEF advancing almost unopposed and Bulow falling back, Kluck's position was growing increasingly precarious. Though locally Kluck saw advantages, the German General Staff, looking at the overall situation, came to the conclusion that the positions of First, Second, and Third Armies could not be held against the Franco-British attack. As the General Staff review was underway, Bulow strongly recommended a withdrawal, even beginning to pull Second Army back still further on his own initiative. This decision forced the hands of Kluck and Hausen, compelling them to pull back as well. The formal order from Moltke soon followed, and the entire German line began an orderly retreat. Moltke was relieved of command on September 14, but his last order to the German armies was one of the most important, directing the German line to withdraw to the Aisne River and its tributaries, which were to be "fortified and defended." As the British and French advanced in pursuit, they would find the Germans securely dug in.< To be continued >
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Always remember, good gentles, that a yarnspinner works from and within existing legends and stories. The characters of "Sailor Moon" belong to others. In spinning my yarns, I do not seek to infringe on their rights of ownership, but merely to join with other fans to spread the legend still further. "The moonlight carries a message of love." Enjoy.-01.11.2001