The Prussian calvary music that he had heard came from four elevated speakers, strategically mounted in each of the room’s corners. Kromer recognized the piece as the Fehrbellin calvary march.
Certainly never expecting to hear such inspiring music in this isolated location, he handed the young servant his jacket and gloves. As she left the room, he took a position beside the fireplace. With his gaze still riveted on the extraordinary view, he wondered when his host would join him. Thus, he was taken completely by surprise when one of the high155 backed chairs began to turn. Seated here all the time, with his line of sight also turned to the fjord and the mountains beyond, was the so-called Director of the Rio de la Plata coal company’s North Cape operation: Herr Otto Koch.
The bald septuagenerian faced his newly arrived guest and slowly stood. There was genuine delight in the old man’s wrinkled face as he removed his monocle and straightened his black ascot and red velvet smoking jacket.
“Captain Kromer, how very good it is to see you once again. Welcome to my humble abode here on the top of the world. I do hope that your trip was a smooth one.”
“It was well worth the effort, just to see your face once more, Herr Koch,” returned Kromer as he stepped forward to take his host’s firm, warm handshake.
As the two embraced, they were joined by a fully grown, black German shepherd. The dog seemed jealous of the attention that his master was displaying toward this stranger, and did his best to get between them.
“Come now, Beowulf,” admonished Koch.
“I imagine that you too would like to meet my good friend, Charles Kromer.”
As the dog obediently sat, Kromer bent down to greet it.
“Hello, Beowulf” The German shepherd instantly offered its paw, which Kromer took in his hand and lightly shook.
“It’s a pleasure meeting you too, Beowulf,” mocked Kromer.
“How very unusual. He seems to genuinely like you,” observed Otto Koch.
“And don’t think that Beowulf offers his paw to just anyone. On the contrary. That dog’s been with me for over a decade, and I can count on one hand the number of strangers he’s taken to so readily.”
While playfully scratching the shepherd’s ears, Kromer replied.
“I once had a dog much like Beowulf, when I was a lad growing up in Munich.
I called him Fritz, and we were the best of friends.
What wonderful hikes in the woods we had together.”
“There’s nothing like a good German shepherd if you want a loyal companion,” said Koch.
“Old Beowulf first came to me as a pup, when I was living in Paraguay. He seemed to love the South American jungle, though this cold weather seems to suit him much better. The only trouble is that now he has no more jungle creatures to play with.”
“I don’t suppose that polar bears make very good playmates,” returned Kromer.
His host grinned.
“No they don’t, Captain. Now please have a seat. Perhaps you’ll be so good as to join me for some tea.”
Without waiting for a response, Koch clapped his hands two times and called out lightly, “Lottie, we’ll have our tea now.”
By the time the two were settled in their chairs, the serving girl appeared pushing a silver cart, which she positioned between them. The cart was filled with assorted pastries and finger sandwiches.
“I do hope that you had some of that delicious black forest ham left, Lottie,” anticipated Koch.
“There was just enough for two sandwiches, sir,” returned the servant politely.
“I also included several filled with smoked Arctic char, norwegian salmon, and of course, your favorite braunschweiger. The tea is jasmine, and there’s some peppermint schnapps on the lower shelf.”
“Wonderful, Lottie,” said Koch.
“It seems you’ve managed to once again make do in this frozen wilderness just as if you were back home in Stuttgart.
You’re a gem, my dear.”
The servant blushed with this unexpected compliment, and left after pouring their tea.
“If I was only a few years younger,” whispered Koch as he watched the shapely woman exit.
“But now it seems that the only thing which gives me real physical pleasure is my appetite. Now, I insist that you try some of that ham, and then you must take one of those pastries. They’re Sacher tortes, flown in all the way from Vienna.”
“You don’t have to twist my arm,” said Charles Kromer as he reached for a plate.
“I haven’t eaten since I was on the plane last night, and that was somewhere over northern Norway.”
He chose a ham sandwich and one filled with bright orange salmon and creamed cheese. Otto Koch also picked the ham, though his other selection was the braunschweiger, of which he took two.
One of these smoked liverwurst sandwiches he fed to Beowulf, while the other he kept for himself.
“My, this ham is delicious,” admitted Kromer between bites.
“I told you that you wouldn’t be disappointed,” reminded his host, who was working away on his braunschweiger.
As the two ate, the boat on which Charles Kromer had arrived could be seen leaving on the waters below. Otto Koch pointed to the sturdy craft and commented.
“Ah, there goes the Weser back to Longyearben.
I’m afraid that’s the last we’ll see of her until the spring thaw.”
“So I understand,” replied Kromer.
“The ice is already closing in, and it was a challenge just to round North Cape.”
Otto Koch took a sip of tea and caught his guest’s eye.
“We’re only expecting one more surface vessel before we close our dock for the season. This ship will be coming in from Tromso in another three days. After that, our only contact with the outside world will be by helicopter. Of course, we could always utilize the services of a vessel that could go under the ice.”
Charles Kromer took this as the hint it was meant to be and put down the tea cup that he had been drinking from.
“Herr Koch, please excuse me if I’m speaking out of line, but I was expecting to find much different facilities here. Has there been a change in plans of which I wasn’t informed, or perhaps the pen is located somewhere else?”
“Whatever makes you say that?” asked the old man, who flashed the same devilish expression that his ex-shipmate Hans Kurtz had displayed earlier.
“I don’t mean to keep you intentionally in the dark, Captain. The time will soon be right for me to reveal our entire operation. But until then, relax, enjoy the food, and know that even as we speak, our great dream is one step closer to its ultimate realization.”
“But where in the world is U-3313?” blurted Kromer passionately.
“After all, isn’t that why I’ve been called here?”
Otto Koch put down his plate and smiled.
“I admire your straightforwardness, Captain. It is a trait that many would do well to learn. But in this instance, I assure you that your concerns are totally unnecessary. U-3313 is closer to you than you would ever dream possible. I am proud to report that its refitting is proceeding right on schedule. The necessary parts and personnel have been arriving since summer, and by the time the final piece of the puzzle is conveyed here, your new command will be seaworthy.”
“Is this missing element the gold?” guessed Kromer.
Otto Koch shook his head.