important role in what would now happen aboard the battlecruiser Kirov. Fedorov passed a sleepless night, slipping in and out of dreams, waking up and thinking all he had just experienced was just a bad nightmare, until he heard the voice of Chief Orlov on the ship’s intercom, summoning the crew to the morning shift. A feeling of fear and alarm jangled his nerves when he again realized where he was, an old soul on a new ship, a changeling spirit, spared from the wrath of Paradox, and given this new life.
Will this happen again and again, he wondered? He thought of all that might lay before him, and the daunting challenges he now faced. First off, how could he convince the Admiral and Captain Karpov that the ship moved in time? That should be much easier now, he thought.
I did it before, and even when I wasn’t entirely sure of what was happening myself. So now, with all I know, it should be easier to prove my case. I must find a way to speak with the Admiral. Karpov will be very difficult at first, but I know how I convinced him before, and maybe those same old tricks will work again.
Can I just come out with it? Of course not. They’ll think I was absolutely insane, particularly after that fall I took and all the time I spent in sick bay. No. I must be very cautious at the outset, and very clever. I must wait as evidence begins to present itself, and then interpret that evidence as I did before. Yet the situation is very perilous now. Beginnings are always chancy affairs. Last time, we encountered that British task force, though that isn’t likely now. Nothing in my Chronology of the War at Sea is likely to be reliable, though that remains to be seen.
From what I gathered with Nikolin, the German fleet made it to France—at least Hindenburg did. That will mean Admiral Tovey and Home Fleet will most likely be standing a watch against any further breakout attempt. Those ports are right on Britain’s life line to the Middle East. It will probably mean the British bases in the Azores will become the center of gravity for Home Fleet now, and not Scapa Flow. So I must look for news from there, and perhaps I can find a way to contact Admiral Tovey. The important thing at the outset is to prevent this ship from reflexively engaging the British as we did the last time. Tovey is the key to that.
As he made his way to the bridge, his feet felt leaden, his body and soul weighted with the burden of being the only man on the ship that knew what was really happening. Up the last stairway and through the hatch he went, easily adopting his old role as navigator, for in truth his Captain’s hat had never fit him all that well.
“Fedorov,” said Orlov, seeing him come on the bridge. “Sleep well with Zolkin last night?” He chuckled with that, winking at Samsonov.
Fedorov gave him a peremptory salute. And made for his post, warily looking about to see who was on duty. He eyed Nikolin, who had also just taken his station, and gave him a silent nod of his head. The junior Lieutenant began checking his equipment, doing all the routine things he would normally accomplish as he started his shift. But as he put on his headset, he gave Fedorov another look, and the two men passed a knowing glance. There was a question in his eyes, and Fedorov gave him a quiet nod in the affirmative. Karpov wasn’t on the bridge yet, nor the Admiral, and Fedorov hoped Nikolin might get that message out on the coded ship-to-ship channel and learn something.
He heard Nikolin speaking quietly on his headset microphone, sending out a standard ‘all ships’ hail, and awaiting a reply. Orlov inclined his head, and thought he would see what Nikolin was doing, drifting over from the CIC where he often hovered with Samsonov.
“Ready with your report, Nikolin?”
“Sir? You mean on the radio transmission intercepts? Yes sir.”
“Good, because the Admiral will want to know everything as soon as he arrives. And you Fedorov? Is Petrov’s manual plot correct?”
“It is, sir. I have us still circling at 10 knots over Slava’s last reported position.”
“Today we get the submersible down for a good look at the sea floor. Alright, be sharp. Karpov will be here soon as well.”