Straits of Hell (53 page)

Orrin stifled a sad chuckle and sighed. “Okay. I guess I knew this was coming sooner or later, and at least you seem better prepared than I expected you'd be. I just wanted to make sure you really had a plan other than just flying off.” He gestured vaguely. “It's still not much of a plan,” he added sternly, “but the
Donaghey
angle, slim as it is, makes a difference.” He glanced at Seepy, then back at Fred and Kari. “I'll take the heat, try to lay it out better than you did. I'd just as soon they replace me anyway.” He shrugged. “Just a few things: First, don't be afraid to use your wireless. Tell us what you see as long as you can. Things may be different in the West, but there's absolutely no reason to think the Doms can pick you up. If you're determined to go on this suicide mission, might as well make the most of it and at least make it the deepest scout we've had. Second, you'll have an escort part of the way. Two planes that can carry enough fuel to replace the extra gas you're taking. There'll be two because I don't want anybody flying all alone over country you might've stirred up. And be extra careful wherever you set down,
because the area around any lake big enough to land a Nancy is liable to be crawling with Doms. Third, and most important, don't get caught. Period. And by that I mean don't let the Doms get their hands on your plane in one piece, whatever you do, and you can't let them take you for questioning. You know way too much.”

“Don't worry, Mr. Reddy,” Fred said softly. “After last time, we won't let them catch us. One way or another.”

Orrin nodded. “Okay. Then I've got just one more thing.” He waved at the lake beyond the hangar. The lake was just beginning to brighten, and the air above the water was becoming thick with flitting shapes. “Wait until after breakfast, then
Godspeed.”

American-Lemurian Ships and Equipment

USS
Walker
(DD-163)
—Wickes (Little) Class four-stack, or flush-deck, destroyer.
Twin screw, steam turbines, 1,200 tons, 314' x 30'. Top speed (as designed): 35 knots. 112 officers and enlisted (current) including Lemurians
(L) Armament: (Main)—3 x 4"-50 + 1 x 4"-50 dual purpose. Secondary—4 x 25 mm Type-96 AA, 4 x.50 cal MG, 2 x.30 cal MG. 40-60 Mk-6 (or “equivalent”) depth charges for 2 stern racks and 2 Y guns (with adapters). 2 x 21" triple-tube torpedo mounts. Impulse-activated catapult for PB-1B scout seaplane.

USS
Mahan
(DD-102)
—(Repair suspended at Madras). Wickes Class four-stack, or flush-deck, destroyer. Twin screw, steam turbines, 960 tons, 264' x 30' (as rebuilt). Top speed estimated at 25 knots. Rebuild has resulted in shortening, and removal of 2 funnels and 2 boilers. Otherwise, her armament and upgrades are the same as those of USS
Walker
.

USS
Santa Catalina
(CA-P-1)
—(Protected cruiser). (Initially under repair at Madras). Formerly general cargo. 8,000 tons, 420' x 53', triple-expansion steam, oil fired, 10 knots (as reconstructed). Retains significant cargo/troop capacity, and has a seaplane catapult with recovery booms aft. 240 officers and enlisted. Armament: 4 x 5.5" mounted in armored casemate. 2 x 4.7" DP in armored tubs. 1 x 10" breech-loading rifle (20' length) mounted on spring-assisted pneumatic recoil pivot.

Carriers

USNRS (US Navy Reserve Ship)
Salissa
,
“Big Sal”
(CV-1)—A
ircraft carrier/tender, converted from seagoing Lemurian Home. Single screw, triple-expansion steam, 13,000 tons, 1,009' x 200'. Armament: 2 x 5.5", 2 x 4.7" DP, 4 x twin mount 25 mm AA, 20 x 50 pdrs (as reduced). 50 aircraft.

USNRS
Arracca
(CV-3)—
Aircraft carrier/tender converted from seagoing Lemurian Home. Single screw, triple-expansion steam, 14,670 tons, 1009' x 210'. Armament: 2 x 4.7" DP, 50 x 50 pdrs. 50 aircraft.

USS
Maaka-Kakja
(CV-4)
—(Purpose-built aircraft carrier/tender). Specifications are similar to
Arracca
, but is capable of carrying upward of 80 aircraft—with some stowed in crates.

USS
Baalkpan Bay
(CV-5)
—(Purpose-built aircraft carrier/tender). First of a new class of smaller (850' x 150', 9,000 tons), faster (up to 15 knots), lightly armed (4 x Baalkpan Arsenal 4"-50 DP guns—2 amidships, 1 each forward and aft)—fleet carriers that can carry as many aircraft as
Maaka-Kakja
.

“Small Boys”

Frigates (DDs)

USS
Donaghey
(DD-2)
—Square rig sail only, 1200 tons, 168' x 33', 200 officers and enlisted. Sole survivor of first new construction. Armament: 24 x 18 pdrs, Y gun and depth charges.

*
Dowden
Class
—Square rig steamer, 1,500 tons, 12–15 knots, 185' x 34', 20 x 32 pdrs, Y gun and depth charges, 218 officers and enlisted.

**
Haakar-Faask
Class—Square rig steamer, 15 knots, 1,600 tons, 200' x 36', 20 x 32 pdrs, Y gun and depth charges, 226 officers and enlisted.

***
Scott
Class
—Square rig steamer, 17 knots, 1,800 tons, 210' x 40', 20 x 50 pdrs, Y gun and depth charges, 260 officers and enlisted.

Corvettes (DEs)
—Captured Grik “Indiamen,” primarily of the earlier (lighter) design. Razeed to the gun deck, these are swift, agile, dedicated sailors with three masts and a square rig. 120-160' x 30-36', about 900
tons (tonnage varies depending largely on armament, which also varies from 10 to 24 guns that range in weight and bore diameter from 12–18 pdrs). Y gun and depth charges.

Auxiliaries
—Still largely composed of purpose-altered Grik “Indiamen,” small and large, and used as transports, oilers, tenders, and general cargo. A growing number of steam auxiliaries have joined the fleet, with dimensions and appearance similar to
Dowden
and
Haakar-Faask
Class DDs, but with lighter armament. Some fast clipper-shaped vessels are employed as long-range oilers. Fore and aft rigged feluccas remain in service as fast transports and scouts.
Respite Island
Class SPDs (self-propelled dry dock) are designed along similar lines to the new purpose-built carriers—inspired by the massive seagoing Lemurian Homes. They are intended as rapid deployment, heavy-lift dry docks, and for bulky transport.

USNRS—
Salaama-Na
Home
—(Unaltered—other than by emplacement of 50 x 50 pdrs). 1014' x 150', 8,600 tons. 3 tripod masts support semirigid “junklike” sails or “wings.” Top speed about 6 knots, but capable of short sprints up to 10 knots using 100 long sweeps. In addition to living space in the hull, there are three tall pagoda-like structures within the tripods that cumulatively accommodate up to 6,000 people.

Commodore (High Chief) Sor-Lomaak
(L)
—Commanding.

Woor-Na
Home
—Lightly armed (ten 32 pdrs) heavy transport, specifications as above.

Fristar
Home
—Nominally, if reluctantly Allied Home. Same basic specifications as
Salaama-Na
—as are all seagoing Lemurian Homes—but mounts only ten 32 pdrs.

Aircraft: P-40E Warhawk
—Allison V1710, V12, 1,150 hp. Max speed 360 mph, ceiling 29,000 ft. Crew: 1. Armament: Up to 6 x.50 cal Browning machine guns, and up to 1,000-lb bomb.
PB-1B “Nancy”—
“W/G” type, in-line 4 cyl 150 hp. Max speed 110 mph, max weight 1,900 lbs. Crew: 2. Armament: 400-lb bombs.
PB-2 “Buzzard”—
3 x “W/G” type, in-line 4 cyl 150 hp. Max speed 80 mph, max weight 3,000 lbs. Crew: 2, and up to 6 passengers. Armament: 600-lb bombs.
PB-5 “Clipper”—
4 x W/G type, in-line 4 cyl 150 hp. Max speed 90 mph, max weight 4,800
lbs. Crew: 3, and up to 8 passengers. Armament: 1,500-lb bombs.
PB-5B—
As above, but powered by 4 x MB 5 cyl, 254 hp radials. Max speed 125 mph, max weight 6,200 lbs. Crew: 3, and up to 10 passengers. Armament: 2,000-lb bombs.
P-1 Mosquito Hawk
or “Fleashooter”
—
MB 5 cyl radial 254 hp. Max speed 220 mph, max weight 1,220 lbs. Crew: 1. Armament: 2 x.45 cal “Blitzerbug” machine guns.
P-1B—
As above, but fitted for carrier ops.

Field Artillery
—
6 pdr
on split-trail “galloper” carriage—effective to about 1,500 yds, or 300 yds with canister.
12 pdr
on stock-trail carriage—effective to about 1,800 yds, or 300 yds with canister.
3" mortar
—effective to about 800 yds
4" mortar
—effective to about 1,500 yds.

Primary Small Arms
—Sword, spear, crossbow, longbow, grenades, bayonet, smoothbore musket (.60 cal), rifled musket (.50 cal), Allin-Silva breech-loading rifled conversion (.50-80 cal), Allin-Silva breech-loading smoothbore conversion (20 gauge), 1911 Colt and copies (.45 ACP), Blitzerbug SMG (.45 ACP).

Secondary Small Arms
—1903 Springfield (.30-06), 1898 Krag-Jorgensen (.30 US), 1918 BAR (.30-06), Thompson SMG (.45 ACP). (A small number of other firearms are available.)

Imperial Ships and Equipment

These fall into a number of categories, and though few share enough specifics to be described as classes, they can be grouped by basic sizes and capabilities. Most do share the fundamental similarity of being powered by steam-driven paddlewheels and a complete suit of sails.

Ships of the Line
—About 180'–200' x 52'–58', 1,900–2,200 tons—50–80 x 30, 20 pdrs, 10 pdrs, 8 pdrs. (8 pdrs are more commonly used as field guns by the Empire). Speed, about 8–10 knots, 400–475 officers and enlisted.

Frigates
—About 160'–180' x 38'–44', 1,200–1,400 tons. 24–40 x 20–30 pdrs. Speed, about 13–15 knots, 275–350 officers and enlisted. Example: HIMS
Achilles
160' x 38', 1,300 tons, 26 x 20 pdrs.

Field Artillery
—8 pdr on split-trail carriage—effective to about 1,500 yds, or 600 yds with grapeshot.

Primary Small Arms
—Sword, smoothbore flintlock musket (.75 cal), bayonet, pistol (Imperial service pistols are of two varieties: cheaply made but robust Field and Sea Service weapons in.62 cal, and privately purchased officer's pistols that may be any caliber from about.40 to the service standard.

Republic Ships and Equipment

SMS
Amerika
—
German ocean liner converted to a commerce raider in WWI. 669' x 74', 22,000 tons. Twin screw, 18 knots, 215 officers and enlisted, with space for 2,500 passengers or troops.
Armament: 2 x 10.5 cm (4.1") SK L/40, 6 x MG08 (Maxim) machine guns, 8 x 57 mm.

Coastal and harbor defense vessels—
specifications unknown.
Aircraft?
Field artillery
—specifications unknown.
Primary small arms:
Sword, revolver, breech-loading bolt action, single-shot rifle (11.15 x 60R—.43 Mauser cal).
Secondary small arms:
M-1898 Mauser (8 x 57 mm), Mauser and Luger pistols, mostly in 7.65 cal.

Enemy Warships and Equipment

Grik

ArataAmagi
Class BBs (ironclad battleships)
—800' x 100', 26,000 tons. Twin screw, double-expansion steam, max speed 10 knots. Crew: 1300. Armament: 32 x 100 pdrs, 30 x 3" AA mortars.

Azuma
Class CAs (ironclad cruisers)
—300' x 37', about 3,800 tons. Twin screw, double-expansion steam, sail auxiliary, max speed 12 knots. Crew: 320 Armament: 20 x 40 or 14 x 100 pdrs. 4 x firebomb catapults.

Heavy “Indiaman” Class
—multipurpose transport/warships. Three masts, square rig, sail only. 180' x 38' about 1,100 tons (tonnage varies depending largely on armament, which also varies from 0 to 40 guns of various weights and bore diameters). The somewhat crude standard for Grik artillery is 2, 4, 9, 16, 40, 60, and now up to 100 pdrs, although the largest “Indiaman” guns are 40s. These ships have been seen to achieve about 14 knots in favorable winds. Light “Indiamen” (about 900 tons) are apparently no longer being made.

Giorsh—
Flagship of the Celestial Realm, now armed with 90 guns, from 16–40 pdrs.

Tatsuta
—Kurokawa's double-ended paddle/steam yacht.

Aircraft
—Hydrogen-filled rigid dirigibles or zeppelins. 300' x 48', 5 x 2 cyl 80-hp engines, max speed 60 mph. Useful lift 3,600 lbs. Crew: 16. Armament: 6 x 2 pdr swivel guns, bombs.

Field artillery
—The standard Grik field piece is a 9 pdr, but 4s and 16s are also used, with effective ranges of 1,200, 800, and 1,600 yds, respectively. Powder is satisfactory, but windage is often excessive, resulting in poor accuracy. Grik “field” firebomb throwers fling 10- and 25-lb bombs, depending on the size, for a range of 200 and 325 yds, respectively.

Primary small arms
—Teeth, claws, swords, spears, Japanese-style matchlock (
tanegashima
) muskets (roughly.80 cal).

Holy Dominion

Like Imperial vessels, Dominion warships fall into a number of categories that are difficult to describe as classes, but again, can be grouped by size and capability. Almost all known Dom warships remain dedicated sailors, but their steam-powered transports indicate they have taken steps forward. Despite their generally more primitive design, Dom warships run larger and more heavily armed than their Imperial counterparts.
Ships of the Line
—About 200' x 60', 3,400–3,800 tons. 64–98 x 24 pdrs, 16 pdrs, 9 pdrs. Speed, about 7–10 knots, 470–525 officers and enlisted.
Heavy Frigates (Cruisers)—
About 170' x 50', 1,400–1,600 tons. 34–50 x 24 pdrs, 9 pdrs. Speed, about 14 knots, 290–370 officers and enlisted.

Aircraft
—The Doms have no aircraft yet, but employ “dragons,” or “Grikbirds” for aerial attack.

Field Artillery
—9 pdrs on split-trail carriages—effective to about 1,500 yds, or 600 yds with grapeshot.

Primary small arms
—Sword, pike, plug bayonet, flintlock (patilla style) musket (.69 cal). Only officers and cavalry use pistols, which are often quite ornate and of various calibers.