The Heirs of Babylon Read Online Free PDF Page A

commander of the military, such as
    it was. And, so Kurt remembered, the twins had always
    been fat and old. The only change in them was their
    common, increasing baldness.

    Kurt hurriedly continued, "The best charts we have
    were captured with the ship at Anambas, of Australian
    and Indonesian waters. They're only forty years old. Yes,
    we can go on. The Kattegat and Skagerrak are safe
    enough, with care. Only the Channel should be dangerous.
    But I couldn't guarantee there'll be no more accidents. . . ."

    "Ranke," said Haber, shaking his head, "we all know the navigational situation is critical. You'll just have to make do till we join the Gathering. The High Command'11
    take care of us from there."

    Kurt forebore telling Haber what he thought of High
    Command at that moment. The Beck look of icewater and
    doom was standard, but the man had a knack for making
    it seem personal.

    The Captain shifted again, nodded to Haber, who said,
    "All right, Ranke, that'll be all. You said about what we expected. Oh, don't bother the charts. We'll want them
    later."

    Kurt returned the portfolio to the table, looked at
    Gregor. He took a keyring from his pocket. "Sir?"

    "I'll take care of it."

    Kurt dropped the keys on the portfolio, quickly left,
    sighing once through the door.

26
    Hans was still standing outside. His presence surprised
    Kurt. Also, his apparent friendliness as he asked, "What'd they decide?"

    Kurt studied his face. Hans seemed frightened. "Noth-
    ing yet. But I'll be surprised if we go home."

    "Oh."

    Kurt was two steps past the boatswain. The dull, flat,
    disappointed reply so astonished him that he turned back.
    "I thought you'd be happy, Hans."

    "Kurt, there's gung-ho, and there's gung-ho," Hans muttered, staring at the deck. Shadows veiled his expression.
    "There's the kind you put on in Kiel because your father's a Political Officer, and there's the kind you feel inside.
    There's the kind that makes you march on Victory Day,
    and the kind that makes you want to run for Telemark
    ... oh!"

    Wiedermann apparently realized he was speaking dan-
    gerously. His eyes widened slightly—hard to see them in
    the dark—and he backed a step away. Then he whirled
    and hurried forward, to the head of a ladder which led
    down to his compartment. Kurt shrugged and started aft.
    Though he had been given a powerful weapon, he soon
    forgot. He was not one to carry damning tales.

    "Go away, dammit!" Kurt growled. It seemed he had just gone to sleep, yet here was the messenger, telling him to relieve the watch. And he would not go away. "Dammit again!" Kurt sat up, bumping his head against the
    rack above. Its occupant growled and rolled over. Kurt
    dropped to the deck, grimacing as cold steel met his feet.
    He yanked his work uniform off a hook nearby, donned it,
    then went up a ladder to the head, to shave. Minutes later
    he passed through red battle-light-interrupted darkness, to the mess decks for a quick cup of ersatz coffee before
    going to the bridge.

    Jager was underway, moving slowly, as he had known
    since awakening. She was rolling heavily, steaming parallel to the swells. What direction was she running? North, into
    the Skagerrak? Or south, toward Kiel? For one unpatriot-
    ic moment, he hoped they were sailing home—but, when
    he looked over the helmsman's shoulder, that hope died.
    Course, 000°. He fought disappointment as he relieved his
    predecessor, Paul Milch.

    Hans arrived, relieved the boatswain of the watch. He
    too glanced at the steering compass and frowned. Curious,
    Kurt watched others of the oncoming watch. Otto showed
    the same momentary unhappiness, though Gregor, when

27
    he arrived to assume his duties as Officer of the Deck,
    merely shrugged. Of course, he had known already.

    Man after man, each reacted the same, with disappoint-
    ment quickly hidden. It made Kurt wonder. Just one day
    earlier many of these men had been eager to sail. Now
    they wanted to go home. The adventure was no