Against the Tide Imperial: The Struggle for Ceylon (The Usurper's War: An Alternative World War II B by James Young (story reading txt) 📕

an airfield was an asshole,” Sam replied. “Of course, he got burnt to a crisp later, so there’s some balance in the world.”

Adam didn’t ask for an explanation as he watched the transport’s door open.

Whomever it is, clearly they know how to make an entrance.

The whomever in question, one Admiral Thomas Dunlap, did indeed know ‘how to make an entrance.’ With a briefcase full of operational plans and communications tightly in his hand as the Douglas’ exit hatch opened, Dunlap spared a moment to think of the long, insane path to this point.

Well Ernest, you son-of-a-bitch, I hope you’re seeing this front and center from your spit in Hell. Looks like this “elephant” not only came back from the graveyard, but is about to go out and try to win this damn war.

“Sir, I really wish you’d let me actually be your aide,” Commander Frederick Powers observed. Like his admiral, Commander Powers was dressed in spotless, starched whites, his submariner’s dolphins gleaming as the two men stepped onto the tarmac. The tall, gangly man’s blue eyes met his admiral’s green ones.

“God gave me two hands so I could carry my own briefcase, Fred,” Admiral Dunlap replied. He glanced over to the hangar in front of them, seeing a group of officers standing around a dark blue FM-2 Wildcat. Glancing to his right, Admiral Dunlap saw a group of four cars pull onto the edge of the runway then start racing towards them.

“I don’t think Vice Admiral Halsey is going to be happy with you,” Commander Powers observed.

“Bill Halsey is about to have the weight of an entire theater lifted off his shoulders,” Dunlap replied. “I’ll be lucky if he doesn’t try to kiss me like a long lost bride.”

“Thank you, sir, for that truly terrifying visual,” Powers replied.

“Let’s go talk to some Marines, shall we?”

With the rhetorical question, Dunlap set off for the hangar. He watched as the group of officers first stared at him in shock, then looked at the balding, stout officer they were all standing around. As he got closer, Dunlap realized the middle officer was not actually short, he just appeared that way standing next to the two hulking men on either side of him.

Is it just me or do three of these men look related?

“Group attention!” the senior officer said. Something about his face seemed familiar.

“Good afternoon gentlemen,” Dunlap said, returning the Marine major’s salute. “What unit is this?”

“VMF-21, sir,” the major replied. “I’m the squadron commander, Major Haynes.”

That’s how I know him. He’s the squadron commander that busted Bowles’ kid in the chops for screwing another officer’s wife.

“Well you’re a long way from Pensacola, major,” Dunlap observed, smiling and extending his hand. He could see that Major Haynes looked confused as to how Dunlap knew who he was or why there was a four-star admiral inside of his hangar.

“I go where the Marines send me, sir,” Major Haynes stated as he shook the admiral’s hand, then gestured at his companions. “Sir, this is Captain Sam Cobb, his brother David, and his younger brother Lieutenant Nick Cobb,”

So they are all related.

“Your poor mother must be worried sick,” Admiral Dunlap observed as he looked the three men over. “Are there any of you left back home?”

A brief moment of worry crossed all three men’s faces.

“No, sir,” David replied. “Our brother Eric is aboard Yorktown and our sister works for the library downtown.”

Dunlap saw the other Captain Cobb give his brother a sideways glance, like he knew something that Sam did not. Before Dunlap could ask any more questions, however, they were interrupted by rapidly approaching footsteps.

“Admiral Dunlap, sir, I think your pilot can’t read a map,” Vice Admiral Halsey said as he came walking up. The man’s craggy face was split into a cautious smile, and he saluted Dunlap as the man turned around.

“My pilot can read a map just fine, Bill,” Dunlap replied with a broad grin. “You know I hate pomp and circumstance.”

“And love surprises,” Vice Admiral Halsey replied, his face also breaking into a grin. “Which, sir, you might want to come with me, as it appears Vice Admiral Fletcher is about to spring one.”

The three Cobb brothers’ expressions all perked at Halsey’s comment.

This isn’t the place to have a conversation if we don’t word spreading from here to Honolulu by nightfall.

“We can talk on the way back to headquarters, Bill,” Dunlap said. “Commander Powers, get Major Haynes’ and these men’s information. They’re cordially invited to dinner tonight at my quarters.”

There were various degrees of concern on the three Cobb brothers’ faces, while Major Haynes looked nonplussed. Indeed, if Dunlap didn’t know better, he would have sworn the youngest Cobb brother looked almost panic stricken.

I feel like I’m missing something, but Commander Powers can figure it out, Dunlap thought. I don’t expect to get blown off by some lieutenant unless he’s literally getting married.

As Commander Powers started taking down the requisite information, Admiral Dunlap turned and walked towards Vice Admiral Halsey’s waiting vehicle. Halsey’s aide stood by as the two flag officers slipped into the Packard, then closed the door behind them.

“I suppose there’s a good reason you wanted me to land out here, Bill?” Dunlap said once they started to pull away. “Because my pilot isn’t looking forward to getting back out.”

Vice Admiral Halsey’s face dropped the façade of optimism it had borne previously.

“I think ol’ Black Jack has dropped the ball out in the Indian Ocean,” Halsey said, fists clenched and eyes narrowed.

“Is that because he has actually done something wrong or because you want to be out there instead of him, Bill?” Dunlap asked quietly. Halsey, clearly set to launch into a tirade of Fletcher’s sins, stopped.

“Before I left Washington, Secretary Knox let me in on the orders he had Admiral Stark dispatch along with the Bonhomme Richard and Independence,” Admiral Dunlap said. “Given the damage to the Essex, Wasp, and Ranger at the Battle of Iceland, he was not comfortable with basically denuding the Atlantic Fleet of its