(Transcribed from Petty Officer Caine's coded log after the Iron Rhine Affair):
20 July, 1870
Maj. LeFountaine signalled from shore need to consult with Commander. LeFountaine and Belgian artillary soldier rowed out, bringing Hauptmann* Wagner. Wagner's insignia indicates 32nd Siege Artillery Brigade. Last report remember reading, Prussian army has 31 Artillary brigades. Presumably new division kept under wraps along with new gun.
Wagner is highest ranking officer found alive thus far. Formally offered brigade's surrender and his personal parole. Commander Wooster graciously allowed him to keep his sword. Messages sent to Prussian Embassy that brigade has been captured and offered medical aid.
Wooster and LeFountaine discussed arrangements for field hospital. Doctors from nearby communities have offered assistance. Warehouse near train station is being converted to shelter the wounded.
LeFountaine and his prisoner returned to shore.
Cargo barges from south beginning to arrive. Commander sent two of the boys out in the dinghy to measure how much of the canal remains navigable. News to be sent up and down canal.
Disturbance on shore brought to my attention by Commander. Young woman finding with large man. Stabbed man in chest. Man still moving. Took dinghy to shore and rushed to her aid.
Arrive in time to see woman, armed now with sword, decapitate man with single blow. Commander attempted to congratulate. Middle-aged gentlemen stepped from shadows and introduced self. Prof. Emile Crimine, of the Order of St. Jerome. Girl introduced as his student and assistant, Magda. Before further information could be gained, noticed headless body was crawling toward head.
Before self or Magda could reach body, Commander shot head out of body's grasp. Surriptitiously asked Magda, if she was the Slayer. Answered in the positive. Body still moving, clearly undead creature. Assisted slayer. Slayer cut off both arms--which continued moving on their own. Pinned one to ground with dagger. Slayer pinned the other with sword.
Crimine pointed out body no longer moving, though hands and arms still struggled. Commander had retrieved head from bushes, suggested we find iron boxes to lock separated body parts into.
Slayer obtained second sword from Crimine. Crimine took hold of sword pinning arm to ground. Slayer sliced arm into smaller pieces. Hand ceased moving once separated from arm at wrist. eventually determined that metal bracelets key to trouble.
Locked sliced wrists with bracelets into box. Piled rest of body parts in one place, doused with kerosene. Lit.
Commander attempted to become acquainted with Slayer. Slayer speaks no english. French only slightly better than Wooster's. German and Turkish both excellent. Speaks to Crimine in Rumanian. Note: should brush up on Rumanian soonest chance. Took opportunity to explain to Crimine we are acquainted with Order of St. Jerome. Crimine explained Slayer summoned to London by Council to deal with demonic troubles in New World. Passenger train one of several stuck here because of destroyed bridge. Slayer had recognized vampire stalking train station, and followed here.
Slayer brought to our attention that vampire not burning. Flames consumed clothing, but the body seems unharmed. Sent soldier to find more kerosene. Commander noticed small box attached to charred remains of vampire's belt. Picked up box without protection. Seems to have avoided serious burning. Appears to be Prussian dispatch box. Locked and too hot to handle at moment. Wrapped and set aside for later.
More kerosene did not seem to help. Flames burn bright and hot, but body not consumed. Crimine did magic, determined that mystical connection between armbands and separated body parts still active. Believes body will attent to reassemble itself if given chance. Central symbol on bracelets similar to Seal of Soloman, comman in Jewish and Arabic folklore. Other seals and symbols mix of arabic, egyptian, latin, french.
Messenger from LeFountaine brings news higher ranking Prussian officer conscious. Demands to speak with Commander. Proceed with Commander to warehouse/hospital.
Recognize Obster"* von Feder immediately. Commander doesn't recognize him. He doesn't recognize Wooster, at first. Begins to make demands, accusations of uncivilized treatment. Has nerve to accuse Britain of violating neutrality of Belgium. Commander seemed more amused than insulted. Explained orders from Commodore Moriarty to place self at disposal of King Leopold II -- Leopold signed order sending us here. von Feder apoplectic--refuses to surrender to Wooster. Wooster finally recognizes von Feder as former aide to Hans Bopp, when all served together in Crimea. Directed me to explain terms. Since von Feder has compound fracture of in both legs and left arm, as well as serious head injury, not likely von Feder can do anything about situation.
Tiring of von Feder's tantrum, Commander Wooster announced we were leaving. Upon exit, Commander made witty allusion to von Feder's days as Bopp's aide.
Took opportunity to show Commander crates of shells for large gun. Examined numbering system of boxes, shells. Wooster noticed subtle increase in diameter of shell as numbers progress. Smallest approx 8 1/4 inch, largest nearly 10 1/4 inches. Shells weigh more than 250 pounds each. Puzzled over system for some time. Commander asked if more than one big gun nearby -- or perhaps interchangable barrels. Realized significance: heat generated by amount of gun cotton needed to loft such heavy shells nearly sufficient to melt gunmetal -- barrel must change size with each firing. Would explain equipment in other cargo car -- large boring device to re-machine barrel when needed.
Commander asked me to repeat estimate of amount of gun powder or gun cotton needed to launch shells. Found a piece of charcoal and did some calculations on the side of a crate. Pronounced estimate that gun could fire 40 miles. Agreed that the range did not seem impossible. Commander astonished anyone felt accurate enough to hit such a distant target. After some discussion, he realized that weapon could never be used for tactical strikes -- only really useful to destroy cities and undermine morale of civilians. Became quite upset that Prussians would contemplate such a strategy.
Commander advised searching other cars more closely. Minutes after separated, heard shout for Commander: seek cover, explosion. Heard sound of kerosene or something similar going up. Saw Commander running from cargo go. Ran for cover myself, repeating the warning in French.
Heard small explosion. Looked up from cover to see car in flames. Side door torn open. Asked nearby soldier which cars were loaded with gunpowder. Soldier indicated cars immediately behind burning car.
Ran to coupling between powder car and burning car. Device damaged--appeared to be sabotage. Commander reappeared with same idea. Suggested we move freight cars.
Remembered the LeFountaine had said three engines on train -- two at front wrecked on other side of canal. Third, at the rear, intact and now under guard. Suggested to Commander to take horse to rear of train and use engine to move powder cars.
Commander found horse and rode away. Continued hammering on coupling device. Made some progress. Sudden shudder in train as engine engaged at far end sufficent jar to finish decouple. Powder cars began moving away.
Went looking for horse to join Commander. Prof. Crimine stopped me to inform that Slayer had seen werewolf leap out of flaming car and run toward far end of train.
Hastened toward engine.
Train gaining speed. Passed dead body of Belgian soldier. Then passed dead body of train engineer. Nearly at Rhineland border when caught up with engine.
Could see Wooster inside, unconscious. Blood everywhere. Creature (large, furry, only vaguely man-shaped) in tattered remains Prussian uniform pinned to control panel, Commander's sword run through it. Slayer busy cutting head off creature. Shouted at Slayer to stop train. Slayer shouted back that werewolf first priority, injured second, train third. Shouted back that Prussian masters of werewolf also big priorty -- presence in Prussian territory not bode well for any of us.
Slayer confessed unfamiliar with train controls.
Tried to board engine. Borrowed horse refused to get close enough.
Shouted instructions to Slayer. Slayer pulled werewolf body free from controls. Found proper levers. Stopped train only two-three... perhaps four miles inside Prussian territory. Bandaged Wooster. Ascertained werewolf dead. Made hasty retreat back to Belgium. During retreat concocted cover story with Slayer: would tell all that gang of Prussian soldiers had set fire, attempted to stop Commander from moving gunpowder car away from fire.
By time returned story of near explosion has spread to nearby towns. Mayor of Hamont insisted Wooster taken to his home to recuperate. One advantage: easier in guest room for Prof. Crimine to perform healing rituals on Commander without raising suspicions. Crimine said would take Commander some hours to regain consciousness, even with magickal help.
Called away to deal with more problems. As dawn approached, boys on sloop noticed strange objects behind treeline of far shore. Balloons rose from treeline before teams could be sent to investigate. Cables ran from balloons to gun. By time arrived, Midshipman Kinkaid had already fired flare into air to illuminate area, then single rocket into first balloon. Explosion of hydrogen illuminated even better than flare. Recognized Dr. Fate and accomplice in third balloon. Kinkaid aimed and fired into second balloon as cables drew taut. Gun moved in canal, though unlikely two balloons would have provided sufficient lift to remove.
Fate and lackey frantically trying to disconnect third balloon from gun when Kinkaid fired third shot. Fate and lackey last seen in flaming gondola falling somewhere to the east. Send soldiers to search for survivors. Gun safely sunk back into canal. Had cables cut from gun.
Finally had time to open dispatch box. Message in code--variant of common Prussia cypher decoded before. When decoded quite disturbing: Emporer of France believed headed to Metz. Certain agents (including Schmidt) ordered to Metz, authorized to kill Emporer. Others ordered to assist with same.
Slayer wandered off while I was busy decoding. Returned to report that fire applied to vampire corpse after sunrise finally destroyed creature.
Two additional Belgian companies arrived -- one cavalry, one artillary--under command of General Baillaud. Baillaud quite experienced officer, much impressed by stories of Commander's bravery. Seems reluctant to take command. Made inquiries, discovered Baillaud's orders to reinforce our position, not explicitly to relieve Wooster, though could be interpreted that way.
Returned to mayor's home. Commander awake. Explain new situation, including message--with Wooster's permission brought Slayer and Professor in to explain about Schmidt, other agents, threat to Emporer. Slayer expressed immediate desire to find and destroy demonic agents of Prussia. Commander asks if any way we can get to Metz in time to warn authorities. Point out that North Canal connects to a tributary of the River Moselle. Sloop could easily navigate to port of Metz. Would require crossing Luxumberg, Prussian, and French territory. Also point out that our orders include trying to prevent war from broadening.
Wooster determined to get Slayer to Metz, prevent assassination of Emporer, stop Schmidt. He formally asked Baillaud to take command of situation here; Baillaud agreed.
Have loaded selves and more supplies on sloop. Navigated around train wreckage. We sail for Metz.
* Prussian military rank equivalent of Army's "Captain"
**Prussian military rank roughly equivalent of Colonel.
Proceed to A fight for their lives
Contents this page copyright 2004 by Gene Breshears. All Rights Reserved.