Read Online Paradox Hour by John Schettler - Free Book Online Page A

now, to his surprise, Kapitan Heinrich saw an aircraft rise above the distant smoke, then another.
    That damn carrier is launching planes! Where are our own fighters? He could send a message and ask about that, but it would reveal his situation plainly to Lütjens, who would realize his Kapitan was not in compliance with his last order. Heinrich considered the consequences of that, and what might be gained if he maintained his turn and came around to continue the pursuit. With Schirmer still dueling with that last British cruiser, it would be some minutes before he could get around and fix his attention on the carrier again, and the action had seen his prey slip away over the horizon. But it was there. He had the speed to get after the damn thing, and clearly had the guns to sink it in due course. There was Gloucester , her speed down to no more than ten knots, and yet still afloat. He decided to claim his kill, report, and see if he could obtain permission to continue.
    “Torpedoes!” he said loudly. “Finish that cruiser!”
    Kaiser Wilhelm also had six 21-inch torpedo tubes, in two triple mounts to either side of the ship. He had come a full 180 degrees, and was lined up well for a good shot on Gloucester now. The three fish fired, and two would find their target.
    The resulting explosions would be enough to seal the fate of the light cruiser, battered by four heavy rounds, and now two good torpedo hits. Of the 807 men aboard, only 85 would get into the sea and survive in the wreckage.
    “Send to Lütjens. Sunk enemy cruiser and requesting permission to proceed against carrier on my horizon.” He folded his arms, looking at Schirmer now, who was beaming jubilantly with the performance of his guns.
    “We cannot spot the carrier through that smoke,” he said. Then the first of the Fulmars launched by Glorious came in low like an angry hornet from the hive, its guns blazing as Kaiser’s twenty 2cm AA guns got their chance to get into the action. They were joined by eight 3.7cm guns, and eight more bigger 10.5cm guns, a considerable flak defense for a single ship. The first Fulmar made its strafing run, but the second was blown out of the sky. Yet Heinrich knew the carrier would soon be launching everything it had, and the lumbering Swordfish torpedo bombers would be his next foe.
    For him the choice was simple. He could either obey his orders, break off, and find himself swatting at these British planes and dodging torpedoes for the next two hours, or he could go right to the source, here and now, and end this with Kaiser’s guns. He looked at the ships chronometer, seeing the time at 17:20 hours. Then he decided. He would obey his order, but ever so slowly.
    “Helm, come five points to starboard and ahead full.”
    He would come five points to starboard again in another five minutes, and make a slow turn while he continued to run for the enemy on the horizon. By his calculation, the greatest part of that slow arc would still see his guns in range of the enemy, and he would have his cake and hopefully eat it too. He had one last message to send— Coming round on 300. Enemy launching planes. Request fighter support . He knew he needed those Messerschmitts up there now, or his day would get very tiresome, very soon.
     
    * * *
     
    Aboard HMS Glorious , the news that Gloucester had been badly hit was not unexpected. Desperate times required desperate actions, and the first six Fulmars spotted on the aft deck roared right through the smoke and fire forward as they took off. They were going to be too late to help Gloucester , and could only make one angry pass at the enemy ship before climbing up to take station on overwatch. Now the torpedo planes of 823 Squadron were coming up on the elevator, and they would soon run the same gauntlet of fire and smoke, with the only headwind for takeoff being that provided by the carrier’s headlong rush at her top speed of nearly 30 knots.
    Wells could feel his pulse rising, and