Chapter 217: The Navy's Third Faction
Charles finished his breakfast in his usual manner, downing his glass of milk in one gulp. Camille had long made him accustomed to drinking milk at every meal; at this point, not finishing it felt incomplete.
Setting the glass down, Charles resumed the previous topic of conversation. "I'm guessing, you think the army and the navy differ because of the issue of construction timelines."
The navy's construction cycles were lengthy; a single warship took years to complete. Thus, testing the viability of a concept could take years—possibly even longer if there were no wars during that time. The army, on the other hand, worked in much shorter cycles. For example, a prototype tank with a tractor chassis and armor plating could be assembled in a couple of weeks. If urgently needed in combat, production could ramp up, and results would be evident within a month.
"No, Major," Tijani replied, shaking his head. "That's not the main reason. The army has a stubborn streak. They often cling to outdated ideas, unable to distinguish right from wrong, or are simply unwilling to admit their mistakes due to pride, fame, or other personal interests."
This was certainly true. Many knew that the doctrine of continuous offense was flawed, yet they refused to admit it. The same could be said for the bright red trousers and hats—everyone knew they were ill-suited for battle. Soldiers had been desperate for a change, yet the uniforms remained until they were finally phased out after a year.
And changing uniforms was a relatively easy and inexpensive task, requiring only a color swap. Yet they had refused to make the change.
"Then why?" Charles asked.
Tijani, looking very much like a starving man, had started on another slice of pizza, and he responded between bites, "Because of you, Major."
Charles, his face impassive, responded, "No need to flatter me over the rescue, General. As a soldier, you should understand—it was my duty. You don't owe me anything."
"I know," Tijani answered calmly. "But that's just how I feel."
Seeing Charles's skepticism, Tijani continued, "Major, you've consistently proven yourself right, even when going against prevailing opinions. You're not only right every time—you're miles ahead. From the tank to the rocket plane, to the machine-gun aircraft, and most recently the 'Charles A1' tank's performance in battle. Do you know what this means?"
Tijani looked at Charles, holding up his slice of pizza. "You're unifying the army's equipment. Soon enough, people will just come to accept it as fact: Charles is always right. They'll believe that even if you handed a soldier a revolver, he could win the battle with it."
Tijani finished his pizza, making his final point. "And when that time comes, there won't be any debate over which equipment to choose. There will only be one choice: Charles's equipment."
Charles chuckled. "You're far too naive. You're completely overlooking Schneider…"
Suddenly, Charles sensed something. He looked up at Tijani. "You're not just here on your own behalf, are you?"
Tijani gave a slight smile. "You could say that, or you could say I am."
…
Tijani was telling the truth.
When he returned to Paris after the rescue, his first thought was to visit Charles. But he felt nervous, unsure of how to go about it.
This was uncharted territory for him—Tijani didn't even know why he felt nervous. But deep down, he feared Charles might dismiss him as a "waste of space."
How would he explain his visit? Would it be too forward to take up Charles's time?
At that moment, Welles approached Tijani, his face devoid of expression. "I need you to go speak with Charles, Tijani. Perhaps this will be the only useful thing you do for the army."
…
Charles now understood that Tijani was acting as a bridge between himself and Welles.
Welles owned the Brest Shipyard and, in theory, couldn't have extensive personal connections with Charles. But Tijani was different. As a member of the military, and specifically the army, a brigadier general just rescued by Charles could easily visit him under the guise of expressing gratitude. It was natural, even expected, for them to become friends.
"What does Welles want?" Charles asked.
He understood that Welles wouldn't support him without reason. Business was all about profit.
Wiping his mouth with a napkin, Tijani replied, "An answer. He hopes you can resolve the navy's uncertainty. The shipyard's direction is directly tied to the navy's sense of purpose. My father believes that with your military insight, you might help guide the shipyard out of its predicament."
He paused and added thoughtfully, "Actually, I think he himself is somewhat lost."
The "uncertainty" Tijani referred to had two meanings. It was about the shipyard's future, but it also reflected Welles's uncertainty in his relationship with Charles. If Charles offered little or no assistance to the shipyard, Welles's support for him would likely remain superficial.
Charles took a moment to consider. He knew it would be advantageous to win over Welles to avoid a disadvantageous position in parliament against Schneider and Grevy.
Finally, he nodded. "But if I give you an answer, will you be able to persuade both the Green Water Navy and the traditionalists?"
"That's our problem," Tijani replied. "But at least with a clear direction, the shipyard wouldn't be forced into every twist and turn the navy throws at it."
Charles nodded. Indeed, knowing the direction was vital for any enterprise. With insight into future needs, Welles could focus resources on targeted research and development.
Naval development required foresight, planning years, if not decades, into the future. A misstep could leave them lagging behind, with wasted resources and sunk costs. Furthermore, Charles's research in the army would never conflict with Welles's shipbuilding, and his "flashes of inspiration" could even help Welles outpace his competitor, Schneider.
This was why Welles needed Charles, and it was the foundation for their potential partnership.
Charles realized he was at the threshold of influencing France's military procurement. At the very least, he was negotiating with Welles, owner of the shipyard.
With that decision made, Charles asked, "Earlier, you mentioned that the navy has two factions?"
"Yes, the Green Water Navy and the traditionalists," Tijani replied casually.
"What if both are wrong and there's a third path?" Charles asked, his tone light.
Tijani chuckled. "There isn't a third path, Major…"
But then he stopped short, realizing what Charles was implying. "Are you saying that neither faction is the future?"
Charles gave a slight nod.
"But…why?" Tijani was puzzled. "And what exactly is the third faction?"
Charles answered calmly, "The Green Water Navy's torpedo boats, while theoretically effective, are limited to coastal waters. Traditional battleships, on the other hand, may be heavily armed and armored, but they lack speed. The third faction would combine the strengths of both."
Tijani's eyes widened as he realized the answer. He exclaimed, "The destroyer—the third faction is the torpedo boat destroyer!"
(End of chapter)
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