Good to see new update.
I hope our heroes manage to get out again.
And condolences about you mom.
I hope our heroes manage to get out again.
And condolences about you mom.
-
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Hi legu, and welcome out of Lurkdom! No, you haven't misssed anything. Whatever Fu was planning to do with the orb, he hasn't done yet. Let's just say that there is extremely long-term foreshadowing going on in this AAR. So good catch!Hey Yogi. I have been reading your "Master Plan of Fu Manchu" and this since the beginning. Well written, I think.I'm just reading through it all again and remembered that in The Master Plan Fu said, just after gaining The Orb, that with it his "ultimate victory" would be assured. Is he planning on using it or have I missed something?
Now this is very odd. I went back to early EOFM and found some of those missing pics were deleted from my imageshack account! (others were forgotten hotlinks
o) There were two of the Dreamland monsters which might have been copyrighted materials and removed for that reason, so those I haven't put back up - they were actually not in accordance with the format anyway, which is one intro pic per post and mostly nothing more. But also gone was a map of Pan-Asia made by yours truly, and other generic pictures also hosted on imageshack.I've put a few back up and replaced others with better pics (see the Lubyanka raid for example) but I have by no means gone through the entire AAR. Any pointers to pages with missing images would be most welcome!
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List of Missing images from
Master Plan of Fu Manchu
Page 1, The Scotland Yard.
Page 6, Avro Anson.
Page 8, 7.92 mm MG34.
Page 16, Sir Dennis Nayland Smith (Jeremy Brett), The Peninsula Hotel in Hong Kong.
Page 18, British Prime Minister Sir Stanley Baldwin, Madame Kai-Chek with General Chennault in a garden.
Page 19, General Hata
Page 21, The launch
Page 22, Emperor Kang Te of Manchukuo, The Dowager Empress Tzu Hsi
Page 27, Colonel Franz Ritter
Page 29, Hermann Göring, Walter Schellenberg
Page 32, A map of the China-Japan War, picture of Indy
Page 33, Allan Thompson (What comic is this from? Looks like it's Captain Haddock from Tintin. Oh boy, how much have I read and watched them)
Page 36, The Iron Cross, 2nd Class
Page 38, The Orb shows the galaxy
Page 41, Cathedral in Cologne, Nicolai Ivanovich Yezhov
Page 44, Wewelsburg Castle (This one's in colour)
Master Plan of Fu Manchu
Page 1, The Scotland Yard.
Page 6, Avro Anson.
Page 8, 7.92 mm MG34.
Page 16, Sir Dennis Nayland Smith (Jeremy Brett
), The Peninsula Hotel in Hong Kong.Page 18, British Prime Minister Sir Stanley Baldwin, Madame Kai-Chek with General Chennault in a garden.
Page 19, General Hata
Page 21, The launch
Page 22, Emperor Kang Te of Manchukuo, The Dowager Empress Tzu Hsi
Page 27, Colonel Franz Ritter
Page 29, Hermann Göring, Walter Schellenberg
Page 32, A map of the China-Japan War, picture of Indy
Page 33, Allan Thompson (What comic is this from? Looks like it's Captain Haddock from Tintin. Oh boy, how much have I read and watched them
)Page 36, The Iron Cross, 2nd Class
Page 38, The Orb shows the galaxy
Page 41, Cathedral in Cologne, Nicolai Ivanovich Yezhov
Page 44, Wewelsburg Castle (This one's in colour)
Last edited:
List of Missing images from
Master Plan of Fu Manchu
Page 1, The Scotland Yard.
Page 6, Avro Anson.
Page 8, 7.92 mm MG34.
Page 16, Sir Dennis Nayland Smith (Jeremy Brett
Page 18, British Prime Minister Sir Stanley Baldwin, Madame Kai-Chek with General Chennault in a garden.
Page 19, General Hata
Page 21, The launch
Page 22, Emperor Kang Te of Manchukuo, The Dowager Empress Tzu Hsi
Page 27, Colonel Franz Ritter
Page 29, Hermann Göring, Walter Schellenberg
Page 32, A map of the China-Japan War, picture of Indy
Page 33, Allan Thompson (What comic is this from? Looks like it's Captain Haddock from Tintin. Oh boy, how much have i read and watched them
Page 36, The Iron Cross, 2nd Class
Page 38, The Orb shows the galaxy
Page 41, Cathedral in Cologne, Nicolai Ivanovich Yezhov
Page 44, Wewelsburg Castle (This one's in colour)
OK, all these missing pics have now been replaced either with the original or an equivalent pic I found more suitable. The most notable change is that I replaced the Jeremy Brett as Holmes pic that was to represent Nayland Smith with another, more suitable portrait. This was mostly because this was more close to how I imagined Nayland Smith, but also because the person in question is none other than Sax Rohmer, original creator of Fu Manchu and Nayland Smith.
I had to re-read this AAR all from the beginning to get the complete gist and I've not gotten bored yet! Great writing Yogi...
P.S. If you publish this, can I get a complimentary copy?
P.S. If you publish this, can I get a complimentary copy?
Thanks DeatEateR. This will never be published, I'm afraid. Too many copyright issues, without even considering Paradox rights. But you can always print out a version of the PDF, makes for much easier reading.I had to re-read this AAR all from the beginning to get the complete gist and I've not gotten bored yet! Great writing Yogi...
P.S. If you publish this, can I get a complimentary copy?
And now, it's about time for an update! Back to Duhrn and his plotting...
RSHA Headquarters, Wilhelmstrasse
Greater German Reich
Tuesday, August 26th 1940
Obersturmbannführer Günther Duhrn held up a hand to shut his secretary up as he listened frowning to the Großdeutscher Rundfunk news broadcast.
“… and Archangelsk is now firmly in the hands of the brave troops of Generaloberst Ritter von Leeb. With this, the Red Banner White Sea Fleet has been robbed of its last port. In the Army Group South sector, fighting continues around the Russian industrial town of Saratov, with the Red Army suffering grievous casualties. From the American front; after their capture yesterday’s of Vancouver in Canada, Pan-Asian forces have today set foot on Vancouver Island. The Canadian High Command reports that all their forces have been successfully evacuated from the untenable position with minimal losses. Expeditionary German and American forces bloodily repulsed an enemy assault in the vicinity of Abilene, Texas. Thus concludes the daily report from the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht.
Now over to international affairs; The Kingdom of the Netherlands, represented by foreign minister Van Kleffens today signed a formal military alliance with the Greater German Reich and Great Britain. The Dutch move came after this morning’s declaration of war against the Pan-Asian Empire motivated by attacks on the colonies in Dutch East Indies. The Reich Minister of Foreign Affairs Joachim von Ribbentrop congratulated the Dutch on their decision in a statement made at the Dutch embassy after the signing.
And now the sports. In the German Cup, Vienna defeated Manheim two to nil--“
Duhrn switched off the radio making a sour face. ‘Despite our victories in Russia, I fear the war is not going well, Patti.’
The secretary, chosen as much for her youthful and exuberant charms as for her ability as a typist, smiled at the comment.
‘Surely not, Obersturmbannführer. We must maintain faith in the final victory!’
‘But of course, my dear. Now, you said someone was here to meet me?’
Duhrn made a point of treating his secretary with kindness. He knew only too well how disastrous disloyalty could be in such a close, if insignificant assistant. If he rightly guessed the identity of his visitor, Reinhard Heydrich was about to learn that lesson the hard way.
‘Yes, Obersturmbannführer. Herr Werner Backe, of the RSHA Staff accounting department' the lovely Patricia reported dutifully. A glimmer of mischief shone in her eyes as she pushed away a loose lock of hair from her face and added ‘Are we being audited, Obersturmbannführer?’
Duhrn allowed himself a crooked half-smile. That would be the day. ‘Please have him come in.’
Backe was a stocky, middle-aged fellow with a receding hairline and a crumpled business suit. He was sweating profusely even before Patricia, her blouse with one less button closed than was really proper, showed him to a chair in front of Duhrn’s monumental desk. That was another boon with a secretary like her. She confused his visitors, took away their focus. Backe fell for it, big time. Duhrn capitalized on his confusion and pounced the moment the accountant had taken his seat.
‘Would you mind stop ogling my secretary’?’
The nervous man’s head swivelled back from following Patricia’s swinging derriere as she walked away to focus on the terrible man in front of him. His eyes had the quality of those of a frightened rabbit suddenly discovering a fox. Duhrn wanted it that way.
‘No! I mean yes, off course! I mean, I assure you, Obersturmbannführer, I wasn’t…’
‘Shut up. Have you found out anything?’
‘Yes! Yes, I mean, you were right, there were hidden accounts. Procurement has been inflating certain big bills, 5% here, 10% there, no one becoming exorbitant. The balance adds up to several million Reich Mark.’
‘And they have been spent on what exactly?’
‘Mostly regular monthly payments. I’d guess at salaries, high ones. For what or to whom, I cannot tell.’ Seeing a frown appear on Duhrn’s smooth forehead, he hastened to add; ‘But I did find a name! The signature of the person authorizing the expenses. It’s Hauptsturmführer Franz Hess. He’s the commander of Sobótka, a KZ near Ostrowa in the Polish Generalgouvernament. Nothing untoward about it financially, regular funding. But its legitimate budget pales in comparison to these misappropriated funds.’
‘A KZ? What kind?’ Duhrn asked. ‘Forced labour? Political prisoners?’
‘It’s a rehabilitation and re-education camp, Obersturmbannführer. You know, those where we’re supposed to turn the Poles into proper Germans.’
‘I see. Thank you very much, Backe. You’ve been most helpful.’
The accountant didn’t seem too pleased. ‘If anyone ever finds out what I did…’ He left the sentence unfinished, but Duhrn promptly completed it.
‘-you’ll not live to see the inside of a KZ. Or have you forgotten about your nightly visitations?’
The accountant paled and fresh sweat broke out on his pasty forehead. ‘That horrible thing? How could I? Will it stop now, please? I’ve done everything I could for you!’
‘And you will again, whenever I tell you to. Or the creature will return. And this time it will do more than sit in a corner and stare at you.’
‘I’ll do whatever you say, Obersturmbannführer! I promise!’
‘See that you do. Now get out of my sight!’ Duhrn ordered coldly.
Duhrn waited until the hapless Backe had left with such hurry he didn’t even give the curvaceous secretary a second look.
‘Patti! Please book a military flight to Warsaw, myself and, let’s see, ten men should be enough. And cars for us once we get there. We’ll be travelling to a place near Ostrowa, on the Eastern Prussian border.’
She nodded. ‘For when, Obersturmbannführer Duhrn?’
‘As soon as possible, Patti. Someone has his fingers in my jar of cookies, and I intend to put a stop to it.’
Greater German Reich
Tuesday, August 26th 1940
Obersturmbannführer Günther Duhrn held up a hand to shut his secretary up as he listened frowning to the Großdeutscher Rundfunk news broadcast.
“… and Archangelsk is now firmly in the hands of the brave troops of Generaloberst Ritter von Leeb. With this, the Red Banner White Sea Fleet has been robbed of its last port. In the Army Group South sector, fighting continues around the Russian industrial town of Saratov, with the Red Army suffering grievous casualties. From the American front; after their capture yesterday’s of Vancouver in Canada, Pan-Asian forces have today set foot on Vancouver Island. The Canadian High Command reports that all their forces have been successfully evacuated from the untenable position with minimal losses. Expeditionary German and American forces bloodily repulsed an enemy assault in the vicinity of Abilene, Texas. Thus concludes the daily report from the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht.
Now over to international affairs; The Kingdom of the Netherlands, represented by foreign minister Van Kleffens today signed a formal military alliance with the Greater German Reich and Great Britain. The Dutch move came after this morning’s declaration of war against the Pan-Asian Empire motivated by attacks on the colonies in Dutch East Indies. The Reich Minister of Foreign Affairs Joachim von Ribbentrop congratulated the Dutch on their decision in a statement made at the Dutch embassy after the signing.
And now the sports. In the German Cup, Vienna defeated Manheim two to nil--“
Duhrn switched off the radio making a sour face. ‘Despite our victories in Russia, I fear the war is not going well, Patti.’
The secretary, chosen as much for her youthful and exuberant charms as for her ability as a typist, smiled at the comment.
‘Surely not, Obersturmbannführer. We must maintain faith in the final victory!’
‘But of course, my dear. Now, you said someone was here to meet me?’
Duhrn made a point of treating his secretary with kindness. He knew only too well how disastrous disloyalty could be in such a close, if insignificant assistant. If he rightly guessed the identity of his visitor, Reinhard Heydrich was about to learn that lesson the hard way.
‘Yes, Obersturmbannführer. Herr Werner Backe, of the RSHA Staff accounting department' the lovely Patricia reported dutifully. A glimmer of mischief shone in her eyes as she pushed away a loose lock of hair from her face and added ‘Are we being audited, Obersturmbannführer?’
Duhrn allowed himself a crooked half-smile. That would be the day. ‘Please have him come in.’
Backe was a stocky, middle-aged fellow with a receding hairline and a crumpled business suit. He was sweating profusely even before Patricia, her blouse with one less button closed than was really proper, showed him to a chair in front of Duhrn’s monumental desk. That was another boon with a secretary like her. She confused his visitors, took away their focus. Backe fell for it, big time. Duhrn capitalized on his confusion and pounced the moment the accountant had taken his seat.
‘Would you mind stop ogling my secretary’?’
The nervous man’s head swivelled back from following Patricia’s swinging derriere as she walked away to focus on the terrible man in front of him. His eyes had the quality of those of a frightened rabbit suddenly discovering a fox. Duhrn wanted it that way.
‘No! I mean yes, off course! I mean, I assure you, Obersturmbannführer, I wasn’t…’
‘Shut up. Have you found out anything?’
‘Yes! Yes, I mean, you were right, there were hidden accounts. Procurement has been inflating certain big bills, 5% here, 10% there, no one becoming exorbitant. The balance adds up to several million Reich Mark.’
‘And they have been spent on what exactly?’
‘Mostly regular monthly payments. I’d guess at salaries, high ones. For what or to whom, I cannot tell.’ Seeing a frown appear on Duhrn’s smooth forehead, he hastened to add; ‘But I did find a name! The signature of the person authorizing the expenses. It’s Hauptsturmführer Franz Hess. He’s the commander of Sobótka, a KZ near Ostrowa in the Polish Generalgouvernament. Nothing untoward about it financially, regular funding. But its legitimate budget pales in comparison to these misappropriated funds.’
‘A KZ? What kind?’ Duhrn asked. ‘Forced labour? Political prisoners?’
‘It’s a rehabilitation and re-education camp, Obersturmbannführer. You know, those where we’re supposed to turn the Poles into proper Germans.’
‘I see. Thank you very much, Backe. You’ve been most helpful.’
The accountant didn’t seem too pleased. ‘If anyone ever finds out what I did…’ He left the sentence unfinished, but Duhrn promptly completed it.
‘-you’ll not live to see the inside of a KZ. Or have you forgotten about your nightly visitations?’
The accountant paled and fresh sweat broke out on his pasty forehead. ‘That horrible thing? How could I? Will it stop now, please? I’ve done everything I could for you!’
‘And you will again, whenever I tell you to. Or the creature will return. And this time it will do more than sit in a corner and stare at you.’
‘I’ll do whatever you say, Obersturmbannführer! I promise!’
‘See that you do. Now get out of my sight!’ Duhrn ordered coldly.
Duhrn waited until the hapless Backe had left with such hurry he didn’t even give the curvaceous secretary a second look.
‘Patti! Please book a military flight to Warsaw, myself and, let’s see, ten men should be enough. And cars for us once we get there. We’ll be travelling to a place near Ostrowa, on the Eastern Prussian border.’
She nodded. ‘For when, Obersturmbannführer Duhrn?’
‘As soon as possible, Patti. Someone has his fingers in my jar of cookies, and I intend to put a stop to it.’
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I get the feeling he's more interested in the trouble he can make for others rather than the trouble others might make for him.
I don't remember: Does he want to become Führer of Germany or only the second man in the Reich (being of such modest character )?
)?
I don't remember: Does he want to become Führer of Germany or only the second man in the Reich (being of such modest character
I always see Dhurn's attitude towards Hitler to be like Mister Donovan from The Last Crusade, quote, "Nazis want to write themselves into the Grail legend, take on the world. Well, they're welcome to it. But I want the Grail itself, the cup that gives everlasting life. Hitler can have the world, but he can't take it with him. I'm going to be drinking my own health after he's gone the way of the Dodo."
Dhurn is sympathetic to the Nazi cause but I think he only wants temporal power to the point that it can facilitate his search for arcane knowledge. Asking whether Dhurn wants to become Fuhrer is like asking if an Olympic swimmer wants to win the World Cup. He's playing an entirely different sport.
Another great update fro the Master, good to see Durhn again and his investigation towards the other arcane peddler in the Reich.
ButI do wonder what creature Duhrn had conjured to watch at Backe?
ButI do wonder what creature Duhrn had conjured to watch at Backe?
Duhrn will once again go on a quest to confront some obscure things and gain more powers. In the end he might become an as horrific adversary as the devil doctor himself.
Brilliant unintended pun - Duhrn is suffering from a bad cold?:rofl:
influensa / influensal = the flu
influence / influential = what you mean!
I blame a thousand years of importing any word available into the English language
Obviously Duhrn is out to liquidate any amateur meddling by the other brances of the SS - but he's on a roll in terms of success at the moment. Surely it's time for him to face a bit of a slap in the face to his naked ambition.
Never worry, great old one, you will! True to my self-imposed rules, I'm one updated ahead of the story. In the next, which is massive, Duhrn travels to Sobótka and things come to a head...
Sounds like a parody of a Kennedy quote, doesn't it? But yeah, Duhrn IS trouble.dublish said:
Porkmann sums it up nicely. Duhrn doesn't want to supplant Hitler, he is in fact devoted to him. But he does aim to be the sole arbiter of all things supernatural in the Reich, a sort of Reich minister of the Paranormal or something like that. And live forever, of course.seboden said:
Spot on, Porkman, excellent caraterisation of our favourite sorcerer of Deutschland!Porkman said:
I'm sure Backe doesn't really care what name the thing is known under -- and neither should you! Let's just say that it would be seriously countproductive of a good night's sleep.Lurken said:
Yes, the sorcerer from Deutschland IS growing more powerful lately. Perhaps even too powerful!yourworstnightm said:
indeed. Organisationally, he's now the equal to the head of the Gestapo or of the SD, although he off course does not have resources of the same order of magnitude as they have.Korppi said:
Ah, the dramatic needs of the story! Cow in fear, Günther Duhrn! Not evn you can beat THAT!Derek Pullem said:
And now, back to White Sands, New Mexico!
White Sands, New Mexico
Imperial province of America, Pan-Asian Empire
Tuesday, August 26th 1940
The guards threw Buck into the cell and slammed the door shut behind him. Hannah looked at the pilot down her nose, disgust evident in the lines around her mouth.
‘That was quick. You sang, didn’t you?’
‘Like a canary’, he confirmed as he picked himself up from the dust to stand on his hands and knees. ‘Baby, I’m sorry but there are things I can stand and there are things I can’t.’
‘Obviously torture belongs to the latter category’, said Hannah. ‘Well, I don’t blame you. That electrocution device hurt as hell. I just figured you were a man, that’s all.’
‘Damnit, what I can’t stand is listening to you screaming your lungs out! I couldn’t let that fiend keep frying you!’ he protested hotly.
‘Oh, so now it’s my fault!’ she exploded. ‘I would not have said a word no matter what they did to you!’
‘Really?’
He looked so hurt at that that all anger drained out of her. She knelt beside him. ‘Liebling, I’m so sorry but… no, I wouldn’t. I love you – but duty must always come first! I… I betrayed too many secrets when I was under the influence of Fah Lo Suee. Never again!’
He took her in his arms. ‘My hardass Oberst… well, don’t worry about it. I didn’t really know all that much about the YP-100. In fact, I think I learnt more than I gave away. The good Professor talks to himself, you see. When I described our accident, he muttered something about “inertial spin, typical for longitudinally imbalanced designs at transonic speeds”. I think they’ve encountered the same problem before. The Fu fighter is obviously their design answer.’
‘Very interesting- if we ever get out to report it.’
‘There is that’, he agreed. ‘Hey, what are they up to now?’
Buck and Hannah crowded at the small barred window of the cell. Outside a large truck drew a long trailer on which was mounted an odd upwards sloping rail. Another large truck drew up beside it and Professor Kanitatlan and a number of associates in white lab coats arrived in captured US army Jeeps. They immediately started to use a winch on the second truck to load a long, white, shark-like aircraft from the back of the truck onto the rail on the trailer. It had no visible cock-pit.
‘What the hell is that?’ Buck muttered. ‘It looks like some sort of miniature rocket plane!’
‘Oh Scheisse!’ Hannah whispered. ‘I’ve seen drawings that looked a lot like that! At Peenemünde, when… when I was with Dr von Braun! It’s a flying bomb! I remember he said that the major obstacle to building one was building a small and light enough jet engine. But Fu Manchu did it, using plans I provided him with! That thing… if it works it’s my fault!’
‘But how…’ Buck frowned. ‘But how the hell do they steer it to target?’
‘A gyroscopic autopilot of some kind, perhaps. Or radio beam guidance? Just keep it on course and the distance travelled is measured with a vane anemometer. Not very precise, but probably enough to hit a city, maybe even an airfield.’
They watched as the scientists poured over the flying bomb for a while, finally drawing back a hundred metres or so. There was a countdown in Mandarin, and a jet of flame appeared at the tail of the bomb. Amidst a cloud of dust and smoke, it rose of a pillar of fire, faster and faster. Buck and Hannah followed it as it climbed. Suddenly the fire died out, but the flying bomb didn’t slow down or drop. On the contrary, it continued to accelerate at a prodigious rate. Even at a distance, the scream from its engine was deafening.
‘Look at that thing go!’ Buck hissed.
The bomb disappeared in the distance, and soon a loud detonation came back from that direction.
‘Did it blow up?’ Hannah asked.
‘How should I know? Man, I’ve never seen anything accelerate like that. What kind of engine does that thing carry?’
Kanitatlan and his team of scientists returned to the base in their jeeps. Through the door of their cell, Hannah heard the base commander give orders in Mandarin. He probably had no idea that she could understand that language since her brainwashing by Fah Lo Suee, otherwise he might have been more guarded with his words. But what he said was this;
‘Transmit the calibration data to all Dragon bomb batteries, and request receipt confirmation. Nothing can go wrong tomorrow; the big push depends on it!’
She turned back to Buck. ‘Mein Gott! This was not a prototype flight, it was a calibration test! Buck, they have several batteries of these weapons and they’re going to use them tomorrow! We have to get out of here! We've got to warn them!’
Imperial province of America, Pan-Asian Empire
Tuesday, August 26th 1940
The guards threw Buck into the cell and slammed the door shut behind him. Hannah looked at the pilot down her nose, disgust evident in the lines around her mouth.
‘That was quick. You sang, didn’t you?’
‘Like a canary’, he confirmed as he picked himself up from the dust to stand on his hands and knees. ‘Baby, I’m sorry but there are things I can stand and there are things I can’t.’
‘Obviously torture belongs to the latter category’, said Hannah. ‘Well, I don’t blame you. That electrocution device hurt as hell. I just figured you were a man, that’s all.’
‘Damnit, what I can’t stand is listening to you screaming your lungs out! I couldn’t let that fiend keep frying you!’ he protested hotly.
‘Oh, so now it’s my fault!’ she exploded. ‘I would not have said a word no matter what they did to you!’
‘Really?’
He looked so hurt at that that all anger drained out of her. She knelt beside him. ‘Liebling, I’m so sorry but… no, I wouldn’t. I love you – but duty must always come first! I… I betrayed too many secrets when I was under the influence of Fah Lo Suee. Never again!’
He took her in his arms. ‘My hardass Oberst… well, don’t worry about it. I didn’t really know all that much about the YP-100. In fact, I think I learnt more than I gave away. The good Professor talks to himself, you see. When I described our accident, he muttered something about “inertial spin, typical for longitudinally imbalanced designs at transonic speeds”. I think they’ve encountered the same problem before. The Fu fighter is obviously their design answer.’
‘Very interesting- if we ever get out to report it.’
‘There is that’, he agreed. ‘Hey, what are they up to now?’
Buck and Hannah crowded at the small barred window of the cell. Outside a large truck drew a long trailer on which was mounted an odd upwards sloping rail. Another large truck drew up beside it and Professor Kanitatlan and a number of associates in white lab coats arrived in captured US army Jeeps. They immediately started to use a winch on the second truck to load a long, white, shark-like aircraft from the back of the truck onto the rail on the trailer. It had no visible cock-pit.
‘What the hell is that?’ Buck muttered. ‘It looks like some sort of miniature rocket plane!’
‘Oh Scheisse!’ Hannah whispered. ‘I’ve seen drawings that looked a lot like that! At Peenemünde, when… when I was with Dr von Braun! It’s a flying bomb! I remember he said that the major obstacle to building one was building a small and light enough jet engine. But Fu Manchu did it, using plans I provided him with! That thing… if it works it’s my fault!’
‘But how…’ Buck frowned. ‘But how the hell do they steer it to target?’
‘A gyroscopic autopilot of some kind, perhaps. Or radio beam guidance? Just keep it on course and the distance travelled is measured with a vane anemometer. Not very precise, but probably enough to hit a city, maybe even an airfield.’
They watched as the scientists poured over the flying bomb for a while, finally drawing back a hundred metres or so. There was a countdown in Mandarin, and a jet of flame appeared at the tail of the bomb. Amidst a cloud of dust and smoke, it rose of a pillar of fire, faster and faster. Buck and Hannah followed it as it climbed. Suddenly the fire died out, but the flying bomb didn’t slow down or drop. On the contrary, it continued to accelerate at a prodigious rate. Even at a distance, the scream from its engine was deafening.
‘Look at that thing go!’ Buck hissed.
The bomb disappeared in the distance, and soon a loud detonation came back from that direction.
‘Did it blow up?’ Hannah asked.
‘How should I know? Man, I’ve never seen anything accelerate like that. What kind of engine does that thing carry?’
Kanitatlan and his team of scientists returned to the base in their jeeps. Through the door of their cell, Hannah heard the base commander give orders in Mandarin. He probably had no idea that she could understand that language since her brainwashing by Fah Lo Suee, otherwise he might have been more guarded with his words. But what he said was this;
‘Transmit the calibration data to all Dragon bomb batteries, and request receipt confirmation. Nothing can go wrong tomorrow; the big push depends on it!’
She turned back to Buck. ‘Mein Gott! This was not a prototype flight, it was a calibration test! Buck, they have several batteries of these weapons and they’re going to use them tomorrow! We have to get out of here! We've got to warn them!’
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Let's pray to whatever gods might be sympatethic that Fu doesen't have nukes to put on those D1's.
No, no nukes. Or that project in the Dutch East Indies is superfluous.
I do wonder what Buck and Hanna can actually do about this even if they do warn the Americans. Surely the launch sites will be well defended by Fu fighters et al.
No, no nukes. Or that project in the Dutch East Indies is superfluous.
I do wonder what Buck and Hanna can actually do about this even if they do warn the Americans. Surely the launch sites will be well defended by Fu fighters et al.
Maybe Fu has read the Evil Overlord list and decided to make a few redundant facilities in case they'd be blown up by plucky british spies?