Chapter 2

The North Sea, somewhere off the coast of Denmark

The moon was coming out and it made the sea look like it was a mirror, only to be broken by the waves of the Northern Star.  Lord Blackthorn was looking over the sea.  He did so enjoy the sea ever since his father took him out on the Trans-Atlantic merchant ships between England and America.  But he could hardly enjoy the seas now, because he had spent half the time checking his pocket watch to see what time it was.

“It’s almost that time.  Soon my dream will become a reality.”  Lord Blackthorn turned away to see several figures standing behind him.  One had lit a cigar and was carrying something that looked like a fuel tank on his back and was holding some sort of gun that was connected to it.  The second figure was wearing some kind of suit that covered him or her completely from head to toe with goggles covering the eyes and he/she had a nozzle strapped to the right and what looked like a cannon on the left arm.

The third individual was also covered head to toe, except for his eyes which were pale blue.  The fourth figure had no problem hiding his identity.  He was Japanese and was wearing what was called a shozoku.  Japanese wasn’t Lord Blackthorn’s specialty, but he knew enough of this warrior to know he was deadly and had his own reasons for joining the Black Skull Society’s efforts.

The fifth individual was a woman with night black hair and lipstick, dressed in what looked like a leather chest guard with spider webbing sleeves and leg stockings.  Blackthorn was told little of her, except the fact that she would prove quite useful when it came to asking people questions.  The last member of this special group was unfortunately not present, due to the fact that he was quite a large and had to be put in the cargo hold.  The crew could still it roaring in the hold and few people dared to go near it.

Lord Blackthorn had already seen that individual.  He was known as Steel Monger.  A scientific experiment that had been conducted by another renowned scientist for the purposes of conducting an experiment, but was taken at the last moment by the Society, so that they could attempt to fuse flesh with metal and turn him into something of a walking juggernaut.  Truly was it considered a marvel of modern science and a positive step in modernizing the way wars would be fought in future wars.

After thinking about the creature he put himself back in the moment.  “You all know what needs to be done?”  The Japanese came forward “We know what needs to be done Blackthorn san.”  Blackthorn nodded his head “Then let’s go over it again” he walked over towards a map of the Danish/Prussian coastline.  “Here’s were the city of Greydorf is.  It’s a naval base of operations for the Prussian Empire.  When we attack it, they think it’s us, the Blood Knights.  Now Hideo” He addressed the Japanese individual.

“You are to scour the roofs and watch out for anything that might interfere with the operation.” Hideo bowed in acknowledgement.  “Duchess and Fallion” he said to the female and the cloaked individual “You are to plant the bombs at these exact locations” he pointed to various locations marked with a red X.  “Here at the market square, then here at the civilian residences and then finally the city offices.  The best place to start planting bombs would be the market square, its closer to the drop-off point right here.”  He pointed to a tip.  “This is where the lighthouse is, kill the troops there if you must, but don’t delay.  Hideo will get off with you, but he go ahead of you to make sure no-one is up ahead to interfere.”

“When you’re finished planting the bombs, meet us at the secondary objective and we will proceed from there.”  Blackthorn looked up “I don’t have to tell you that this part of the mission involves complete stealth.  But I don’t think that we be a problem for the three of you.”  Blackthorn then turned to the other two individuals.  “Ivan and Plague both of you and Steel Monger are to remain with me until the bombs go off, when they do, you reap as much death and destruction as you want”  The man named Ivan smiled at such a notion as he re-lit another one of his cigars; the one called Plague-master nodded his head in agreement.  “When this is all over I guarantee you, that you will all have what you want just as I will have what I want.”  Blackthorn smiled as he looked back at the North Sea.  “Soon the world will be set ablaze with war and her Majesty’s government will have no choice but to turn to me for help.”  He laughed evilly.

***********************************************************************

Another ship was slowly, yet steadily following the Northern Star to its destination.  It had the markings of a merchant ship, but in truth it was a mobile base of operations for a very secret organization within the Prussian military.  A lone individual was standing out on the bow with a pair of binoculars, watching the Northern Star.  “Ain’t you tired yet hon?”  Helga turned around to see a woman.  It was Sheila, also called Lady-Deadeye.  She had her cowboy hat on and her duster jacket was open revealing an athletically fit woman wearing a white sleeveless cut-off shirt and jeans that had some holes in it.  She was said by many to be the toughest women in the American west.

“You ain’t gonna be worth squat if you tire yourself out like that.  I’m gonna take over now whether you want to or not, okay hon? It sounded more like a demand not a request but more politely.  “I guess your right Sheila.” Helga handed over the binoculars and began walking past Sheila when a giant of a man came out from the cabin.  “Are you alright Frau Braun?” the giant asked.

“I am fine Ulrich, just pre-mission jitters, nothing special.”  Ulrich didn’t seem convinced “You seemed troubled, it’s the man you liked isn’t it?”  Helga gave a nasty stare “Did Kurt tell you that?”  Ulrich shook his “Nope, Kurt told Harbin and then Harbin told me.  This is unlike you, your normally cold and calculating when it comes to doing missions.”  “I guess she might be losing her touch” a familiar voice said jokingly.  “That’s not funny Harbin” she snapped “and if you had any courage as a man, you’d face me.”  The man named Harbin stuck his head out smiling.

Harbin was an average built man, in his early twenties, with a pencil-thin moustache, a monocle over his left eye and was wearing an artillery corpsmen’s uniform which made sense considering that he served with the artillery units during the Franco-Prussian War.  “Just kidding Commander, you know that’s what I am good at” he said while smiling.

“I think we should get down to the mission Commander Braun" she nodded in agreement.  “Alright let’s go over the mission plan, Sheila you start" Sheila had just put some chewing tobacco in her mouth and she had spat some over the said of the boat.  “I get off at the drop-off point where Kurt will meet up me and then we mosey on over to town to see what’s up” she spat out some more tobacco.  “Harbin hon, would you be as kind to go next?”

“Of course milady” he said with a bow. “I will meet up with Kruger and his troops at the port, and then we’ll head to the base with a platoon of his men, to inform the base commander of the situation.  Though he may dispatch the troops to the city to protect the civilian population, the base is the mostly likely target and the city is a mere distraction.  That where’s Ulrich and the Commander will come in.”

Kruger was the officer-in-charge of the Wulfkorp regulars.  They weren’t as unique as the handful of members that made up the special force, but they were still necessary in order to protect the Prussian Empire and humanity.

“Ulrich” Harbin stated plainly “Your turn, Ulrich?” Harbin said looking at Ulrich.  Ulrich was breathing heavily and had a mean look on his face.  “Are you alright Ulrich?”  Helga asked with a look of concern.  Ulrich looked down at her.  “Steel Monger is going to be there.  I know it” he snarled.

Ulrich hated Steel Monger with a passion.  Back in 1863 when he was a captain of the 25^th heavy infantry regiment, he was given a mission during the short-live Prussian-Polish conflict.  A greedy Polish nobleman threatened to take the throne of Poland and declare war on Prussia.  His mission was to flank the nobleman’s troops and eliminate them.  What he didn’t know was that the nobleman’s troops were the Blood Knights, the very first time he encountered them.

Putting the soldiers to flight wasn’t a problem, until he appeared.  Steel Monger, a nightmare of flesh and metal fused together into one unspeakable evil.  Ulrich’s men tried their best to fight, but they were cut down by Steel Monger’s axe, claws and a weapon that Ulrich would learn was a grenade launcher.  Ulrich had been brutally scarred by Monger’s claws, but not killing him was a mistake.  Ulrich was later found by recon troops and woke up in a hospital.  He swore that he would one day he would kill Steel Monger and avenge his fallen comrades.

“Don’t let allow yourself to get blinded with rage” Helga stated “Think about the mission or many more people will die.”  Ulrich breathed a sigh of relief “Your right commander.”  Ulrich cleared his throat “My duty will be to take point and check to see if the area is secure.  Commander Von Braun will then take point and follow.  We shall then head to the town square and make sure to discourage the Knights from killing any civilians.”

There had been some arguments about letting Helga come along on the mission.  Not only about her youth and inexperience, but also because she was one of the Wulkorp’s top scientist and her getting personally involved in the mission.  She may have been a top rate fighter and expert with her newly developed rapid-fire crossbow, but people still had their doubts, except for those who had been assigned to her on missions.

The ships first mate came out from the cabin “The captain wishes to inform you that we’re almost at the destination.”  Helga acknowledged with a nod “Tell the captain that we will prepare immediately and then disembark.  Inform him to provide us with tactical support when he is signaled.”  The first mate saluted “Aye frau von Braun.”

Sheila, Ulrich and Harbin began heading into the ship, Sheila noticed that Helga wasn’t following.  “You are coming with us or not hon?”  She asked.  Helga turned around “I’ll join you shortly Sheila” Sheila shrugged and then went into the ship.

Helga was staring at the full moon, imagining Heinrich’s face on the moon.  “I am sorry that I didn’t wait for you, if I had known that you were doing for your family, I would have waited.”  She immediately dismissed that thought.  “Can’t think of this now, I got to think of the mission and nothing else.  Heinrich can handle himself.  I just hope that if comes down to saving him, I won’t be too late.”  With that thought put aside she followed her comrades into the ship’s bow to prepare for her next mission.