She handed the Noth Plan over to Sir Martyn. He started to read the translation and his eyebrows lifted sharply. He looked at her and then started reading more closely. “If I read this correctly, then any acceptance by us of the Armistice signed in London would be meaningless. The Germans are going to invade us anyway, and all dropping out of the war would achieve would be to deprive us of any chance we might have of defending ourselves.”
“Certainly, I would not place any great faith in German expressions of good intentions.”
“On that, we may agree. Madam Ambassador, we need to see Lord Linlithgow immediately. May I impose upon you to wait here until I can arrange a meeting? It should only be a few minutes.”
“Well, it’s a very courageous plan.” General Auchinleck put the Noth Plan down with a certain degree of reluctance. “Our people have confirmed the authenticity of this report and the accuracy of the translations?”
“Our experts here have checked the translation and it is accurate. Authenticating the document will take longer, but Sir Josiah’s people in Bangkok have done so and are prepared to vouch for it. That is not the question though. What I must know is, does this represent a practical plan?”
“In the final analysis, this is what Alexander did. The invasion of India part anyway. I would say that our SS Standartenführer Odwin Noth is a keen student of history. To attempt this with a modern army would be an operation fraught with peril, but I would hesitate to say it could not be done. I would merely say that I would not like to be the officer commanded to undertake it.”
“But it is practical?”
“It would require skills of the highest order and an unprecedented effort. I do not say that it could not be done, but I doubt any country’s ability to undertake this kind of operation. Of course, a political leadership that believes will is a substitute for capability may well be tempted by it.” Auchinleck thought carefully. “No, it is not a practical plan, but that does not mean that it does not represent German intentions or that they will not try it.”
Lord Linlithgow thought carefully. “Madam Ambassador, you have done us a great service by bringing this plan to us. I would like to ask how you acquired it, along with one or two other documents you have sent us of late, but to do so might cause embarrassment. I will ask instead, what do you seek in exchange for this service?”
The Ambassador leaned forward in her seat. “Something very simple. At the moment, the administration in Washington views my country with great disfavor. Why, we cannot tell; but we believe they misunderstand our efforts to modernize our country and stand on our own feet as members of the international community. We believe that Secretary of State Cordell Hull has misinterpreted these as being a move towards a fascist style of government. Nothing could be further from the truth. We see America, not Germany, as the example to be emulated. But, American policy towards us may yet force us into associating with powers we view with distaste. We would ask you to use your good offices to intercede with the Americans, to speak with them and to invite Secretary Hull to our country so that he may meet with our leaders and see for himself that, far from tending to fascism, it is to his country’s standards of freedom and free enterprise that we aspire.”
Lord Linlithgow spoke with gravity. “In as much as we are able, we will do as you ask. Whether it has the results that you desire, we cannot guarantee. As to the Noth plan, we will watch German actions. If they show German intentions are directed to this region, then we must assume that the others projected by SS Standartenführer Odwin Noth will follow.”
“Two stuffed animals! We intercept a ship loaded to the gunwales with whisky and all you manage to bring back are two stuffed animals? Is this proper hospitality to our undersea friend here?” Kapitän zur See Bernhard Rogge was only partly simulating anger at the news. A supply of good whisky would have been a valuable contributor to morale upon his ship. The rage was partly feigned though. He and his ship were in an awkward position. The British capitulation had left them stranded in a world where they weren’t quite certain who was the enemy and who was not. By an ironic turn of fate, they were in much the same position as their intended prey.
“The Captain of the Kemmendine claimed to be a British ship carrying a British bonded cargo to Burma. He refused to breach the bond on that cargo.”
“Good for him.” Rogge felt nothing but respect for a man who would continue with his duty under such threatening circumstances. Lying under the six 5.9-inch guns carried by Atlantis was the epitome of threatening.
“I felt so too, Sir. And in view of our orders not to interfere with British ships or cargoes, I accepted his refusal. He did give us these two stuffed animals though. A personal gift, he said.”
“How kind of him. We’ll hang one of them in the wardroom where we will admire him while we drink glasses of water. Take them below, Lieutenant.”
“Otto, my apologies. I am afraid a stuffed animal and oil fuel is all we can offer you at this time. And some fresh food, of course.”
Captain Otto Kretschmer nodded in appreciation of the efforts that had been made on his behalf. A raider depended upon stealth and unpredictability for its success. Compelling one to be at a specific point at a given time was a serious threat to its survival. The problem was that his U-99 was low on fuel. Not getting resupplied meant not getting home. A few weeks earlier, when U-99 had set out on her maiden voyage, the idea of operating in the Indian Ocean had a hypnotic fascination. It would force the British to spread their anti-submarine forces over a huge area, weakening their power in the vital North Atlantic. Then, the Armistice had been signed and British ships were off-limits.
Captain Rogge returned to studying his charts. The truth was that the presence of both Atlantis and U-99 out here was fundamentally pointless. Atlantis was doing little more than mark time while the world situation tried to resolve itself. U-99 just wanted to go home. Rogge decided that his highest priority now was keeping out of people’s way while the naval command in Berlin decided what he should do next. “Otto, good luck on your voyage home and give our love to the Fatherland. Helm, as soon as U-99 is clear, steer one-eight-zero. We’ll head due south for a day or two.”
Rogge returned to his bridge wing and looked out across the sea, allowing the movement of his ship and the sound of his engines to sooth him. He watched U-99 pull away and then slip beneath the waves. He didn’t envy her the long, dangerous voyage home. The truth was that he wasn’t sure if he wanted to go back to Germany at all. He had an uneasy feeling that the new Germany was no place for an honorable man. Lulled into near-sleep by the timeless rhythm of the sea, he very nearly didn’t notice the smudge of black smoke upon the horizon. To his relief, he was still able to sound the alert before the lookouts spotted the new arrival. At first, he expected the distant smoke to vanish as the other ship went on its way. Those hopes proved fruitless. The cloud grew in size and was soon unmistakable. The other ship was steering a course that would bring her very close to Atlantis.