To the Sound of the Guns

[Robert Laurel]

Reboot. World War One tech. Dreadnoughts and primitive heavier-than-air aircraft. Dreadnoughts. Primitive telephones. Telegraph. Primitive radio. Use of ter'angreals  to provide electricity and clean water to all. Extensive railroads. Primitive automobiles.

 

Tar Valon is London. Caemlyn is Paris. Manetheren is U.S. Illian is Berlin. Shaara is China/Japan.

 

Robert Laurel is C-in-C of the Army and Minister of War. He is married to the Amyrlin Seat.

 

Delia Trakand is the Dragon Empress and the Amyrlin Seat. She is expecting her first child, a daughter.

 

Elaine Treherne is the Minister if Intelligence. Chief Spy. River Tam without the issues.

[Robert Laurel]

Robert got up at the crack of dawn, as was his habit since he joined the army. His wife, Delia, was still snoring gently, her chest rising and falling. He dressed quickly in his uniform, and shrugged his Sam Browne belt into place with his sword and pistol. He stepped out into the hallway, gently shutting the door behind him. He made his way to the dining where a generous breakfast has been set for him. Eating quickly, he got up from the table and headed to his off in the Ministry of War, on the same level of the White Tower. The outer office was already busy with activity. He reached the door to his inner office and saw that Elaine Treherne, the Minister of Intelligence, was waiting to give him his daily morning briefing. She would give it to Delia later. She had a worried look on her face.

[Robert Laurel]

Robert arched his eyebrows. "Give",  he demanded.

 

"We've lost track of the Seanchan and Sharan fleets. Plus I've heard of a huge force of zeppelins they've been building. At least five hundred. And my two most productive rings in Illian have been rolled up. Gone. It took me years to get them in place. Plus the Seanchan army have been moving a huge amount of supplies and munitions towards the Murandy border. And they've stepped patrolling. I think they're coming".

 

Robert frowned. Ever since the passing of the last of Mat and Tuon's descendants the Seanchan had been sounding more and more bellicose. Plus they and Shara had signed an alliance.

 

"I'll talk with Delia after you've briefed her", Robert said. "We should seriously calling up the Territorials and the Yeomanry. I'll call Jack down in Tear and tell him to be on the alert". Jack Williams was the commander-in-chief of the fleet.

 

[Robert Laurel]

Three weeks later.

 

Almost a thousand miles to the south here stood isolated in the forest, a series of hue clearings containing hundreds of sheds. Workers were pulling them out and helping to launch them into  the air. Overhead hundreds circled silently, waiting for their sisters. Under cover of night they would be  headed north to Tar Valon, one thousand in number, driven and concealed by the power. This would only work once. Tar Va;on was much more advanced in heavier than air aircraft which would make short work of the airships. The targets were the rail yards and arms factories just north of the city. The attack was supposed to take place at midnight just fie minutes after the formal declaration of war

[Robert Laurel]

To the south of Tear, the combined Seachan and Sharaan fleets moved into positions under cover darkness, concealed from the watching balloons that were pulled down at dusk. Sixteen dreadnoughts screened by cruisers and destroyers. balloons went out from each battle wagon, each carrying observers with powerful nightglasses. This had been long rehearsed out of sight of land. The aim was to inflight as much damage as possible to the Tar Valon fleet. They also carried white phosphorus shell to destroy the huge oil refinery there.

Edited December 14, 2021 by Robert Laurel

[Robert Laurel]

Five miles from the Murandy border, cunningly hiding from any observers, sat massive 8-ich siege mortars, preparing to fire at the stroke of midnight. They were dug into deep firing pits mounted on massive springs to absorb the recoil. They could fire every thirty minutes. They would blast the bunkers and fortifications of the defense works into oblivion.

[Robert Laurel]

The telephone rang in Delia and Robert's bedchamber. It was a line that was supposed to be used only in extreme emergency. "Hello" came from a sleepy Delia. Then she sat up straight in shock. She turned to her husband. "Sharra and Seanchan have declared war as of midnight. Five minutes from now." Robert was out of the bed instantly, shouting for his orderly as Delia was calling for her maids.