Milor!

by Thomas DePrima

  "Over the past several weeks I've dispatched half a dozen small ships that will function as observation posts, and we've been in constant communication with Jeff Crosby on the Ottawa, plotting his course to Stewart precisely; very precisely. The ships we're using for observation posts, were commandeered when we secured this base from the Raiders. They're of little use as fighting vessels because their hull protection is limited. We know that at least one Milori ship is currently pursuing the Ottawa, but how many other ships are still following is unknown because of the Milori tactic of following in a precise line behind the lead ship to confuse the quarry. My plan is to use the main weakness of that tactic against them.

  "We're assuming that the lead Milori ship intends to follow the Ottawa right up to the border. If they assume that we'll be there to meet them in force, their plan may be to split off the other ships in an effort to outflank us before reaching it. The observation ships are arraying themselves perpendicular to the Ottawa's current path, forty-billion kilometers apart. Each will deploy four DDG satellites on either flank. That will extend their normal DeTect range from four to twenty-billion km. They'll be far enough from the course of the Ottawa that the Milori ships won't see them, but if there are Milori on the flanks, they'll show up on the DeTect systems in the observation ships. The way our OPs are spread out, we can watch a two-hundred-forty-billion kilometer wide swath of space across the path of the Ottawa.

  "Here's the basic plan that I've come up with. Computer, display the hologram that you created for me earlier today, Carver-zero-one." An almost blank, holographic projection appeared in the center of the table. It contained a single straight line in white. "This line represents the flight path of the Ottawa. Instead of meeting the Milori at the inner border, we'll meet them twenty light-years inside the Frontier. If we're lucky, we'll catch them well before they expect us and we'll have them off guard. The area that I've chosen is considerably distant from any solar systems, and well off the normal routes that commercial traffic follow. At best, it sees only sporadic traffic. We'll be able to identify any passing ships that might send a message, jam their IDS communications, and hold them until after the confrontation.

  "In order to engage the Milori, they must be operating at sub-light speeds. To slow them down, we'll use the Raider hardware that we acquired when we took this base. As you know, the Raiders would place electronic equipment in the path of freighters and passenger ships that would project an electronic grid over thousands of kilometers. The grid causes collision avoidance computers to believe there are hard contacts directly in the flight path. The computer then shuts down the FTL Drive to protect the ship. Using six of these electronic systems, we can create a narrow grid work cage, one kilometer wide by one kilometer high and two hundred kilometers long. Computer, show the first grid image." A boxlike grid work consisting of four very elongated sides appeared on the holographic image around the white line. A blue dot appeared on the white line, with sixteen yellow dots aligned in a row directly behind it. As they watched, the seventeen dots moved along the line until they were inside the grid work box. "The Ottawa will be following a radio beacon signal that will take it through the precise center of the grid box. The Milori should follow directly behind. We'll activate the front end of the box as soon as the Ottawa, represented by the blue dot, approaches the front of the invisible cage. Computer, advance image." A grid appeared along the front and rear ends of the box. The Ottawa flew through the front end grid as though it wasn't there. "The Ottawa's ACS will ignore the grid, but the FTL engines of the Milori should shut down immediately, and won't reset because the six sides of the cage will appear to be solid to their anti-collision system. The Milori DeTect systems will 'see' the framework of the grid and show them that they don't even have room to maneuver.

  "We'll be waiting out of sight, and I'll call for the surrender of the Milori ships. I really don't expect them to comply, but they'll be unable to engage their Light Speed engines if our information about their ships is accurate. The grid won't affect our ships, because they'll be using a rotating frequency ship protection code calibrated to ignore it. The code used for this engagement will be 'Alpha Sixteen'.

  "Despite what their systems are telling them, the Milori will probably attempt to maneuver using thrusters as soon as we've trapped them, or they may simply disengage their Anti-Collision Systems. But if they approach the sides of the cage, they'll discover the newly designed proximity fusion mines that we'll have laid along all four sides and both ends. Computer, insert the mines in the holographic image." The image lit up with innumerous red dots around all six sides of the grid work cage. "The ends of the box won't be mined at first, but as soon as the Milori have entered and the grid box has closed, the new mines will quickly self-position themselves to seal both openings. Our ships, including the Ottawa, won't detonate the mines because of the rotating frequency ship protection code, so our only danger will be from the Milori laser weapons and torpedoes.

  "The Milori might try to target the mines, in an effort to open a path out of the cage, but the new mines are coated in a black, energy dampening material that doesn't reflect a sensor signal. They're almost impossible to spot in the blackness of open space. Besides, the Milori will be busy trying to avoid our fire while trying to target us. Our new mines are electronically linked. Their programming will automatically attempt to close any gaps opened in the barrier by detonated mines. We'll circle the cage targeting the trapped ships until they surrender or can no longer return fire. But it won't be like shooting fish in a barrel because these fish will be shooting back."

  Jenetta paused to catch her breath. None of the captains had yet said a word.

  "That's the basic plan that I've come up with. This is your opportunity to poke holes in it, or present a better one. Anybody?"

  "What happens if the Milori don't follow the Ottawa into the trap?" Captain Pope of the Geneva asked.

  "My entire plan revolves around them adhering to their reported tactic of always following one another in a straight line until they encounter the enemy. This plan wouldn't work with any other enemy that we've ever fought. And if they deviate from that tactic, we'll be left to fight them conventionally. Since the new proximity mines won't explode if our ships come close, or even have contact with them, our goal will then become to draw or drive the Milori ships into and through the minefield, repeatedly if possible. They'll also have to contend with the electronic grid, which, again, won't affect our ships."

  "What happens if the Milori drop back before reaching our position?" Captain Novak of the Asuncion asked.

  "We change roles and pursue. Our goal is to drive them out of the Frontier Zone by whatever means necessary."

  "Suppose their plan is to draw us into a trap, Admiral?" Captain Payton of the Thor asked.

  "Every battle is fluid, and we'll have to adjust to whatever is thrown at us. We're all familiar with the quote by Prussian General Count Helmuth von Moltke that 'no plan survives contact with the enemy.' He also wrote, 'you may be sure that of the three courses open to the enemy, he will always choose the fourth.' I'm open to any other alternatives, and you've all had time to think about this. What would you do?"

  "We could also seed the area along the cage sides with limpet mines," Captain Debra Goran of the Beijing said. "As we spring the trap, we activate the limpets. They'll then seek out the mass of any ship nearby and attach themselves. If the Milori still want a fight, we send the detonate signal."

  "Yes, that could work," Jenetta said, as she thought, "but it might alert the Milori to the presence of the cage. The energy dampening coating on the new one-meter mines gives them such a tiny footprint that DeTect equipment can't pick them up. The limpet mines are uncoated. Although small, they're identifiable on DeTect screens at close range. If the Milori see them, and avoid entering the cage, our entire plan is ruined. I think we should stay with just the new fusion mines. Good idea, though. Thank you, Debra. Anyone else?"

  "I like your plan, Admiral
," Captain Gavin said. "It's very innovative for a battle in open space. I hope that it works, but what if the Milori attempt to outflank us, as you speculated?"

  "Same basic plan. We try to draw them through the minefield while engaging them. But if we can't trap them in the grid work cage, I'm not expecting anything other than a real slugfest. Even if the trap is successful, we may only be able to destroy half a dozen of their ships with the mines. Eventually the surviving ships might get free of the entrapping minefield and do their best to destroy us. So we'll have to move swiftly and decisively while we still have them ensnared with limited maneuverability. The better-trained crews, and better-armed and protected ships, will have the best chance of surviving this battle. I'm projecting possible losses of as high as fifty percent, but I don't believe there's any question about us winning the day."

  "Only fifty percent?" Captain Powers said. "That might be a bit optimistic, from what I've heard about their ferocity in battle."

  "Perhaps. But I know that our people are the best trained in the galaxy. We'll be bloodied, but we'll win."

  "The ships behind the Ottawa haven't closed on it," Captain Novak said. "Perhaps they don't want a fight. Perhaps they're only trying to chase us out of the Frontier Zone."

  "The Frontier Zone is Galactic Alliance territory and we're not going to simply cede it to an invading force that has engaged in saber rattling. They might not have closed on the Ottawa because we all know the dangers of trying to destroy a ship traveling faster than light. If they attempted to pass the Ottawa, Jeff Crosby would simply have shut down his ACS, leaving the extremely dangerous maneuver of an envelope merge the only possible alternative. And with their tactic of following directly behind the leader, the slightest error in judgment could destroy their entire task force. I believe they haven't closed simply because they don't have an easy way of stopping the Ottawa."

  "Admiral," Captain Powers said thoughtfully, "what if we don't send in the ships after the Milori are caught in your cage? Each battleship carries a hundred and twenty-five fighters. Between the four battleships, we'll have five hundred fighters available, and the cruisers and destroyers can add another three hundred or so. Like our warships, our fighters would be safe from our minefield, so they could enter the cage and attack the Milori like a swarm of bees. If they can't get the job done with their lasers and rockets, we could then still attack with the ships while they withdraw."

  Jenetta stared at the holographic image for a few seconds as she thought. "The fighters don't have much clout. If the Milori are as dangerous as everyone predicts, they might simply sweep the fighters away in the blink of an eye. I hate to think about wasting our people in a useless gesture. On the other hand, if the Milori see our fighters flying through the minefield without incident, they might begin to think it's now safe for them as well and do the work for us. Okay, we'll commence the attack that way and modify it if they're not sufficiently effective. Good suggestion, Steve. Any other ideas? Anyone?"

  Everyone was staring at the holographic image as they considered various offensive tactics.

  "Admiral," Captain Gavin said, "when we were trying to crack open Raider Three, Keith Kanes told us about a new weapon that had been developed, but not tested. It was housed in a standard torpedo casing."

  "You mean the WOLaR bomb?"

  "WOLaR?"

  "Weapon of Last Resort."

  "Yes," he said chuckling, "that sounds like what was discussed."

  "It's been tested and put into production. We have ten in our torpedo armory."

  "Let's take a few with us," Captain Gavin said.

  "It packs a lot of punch. There won't be much left of any ship that's hit, but we only have ten."

  "What would happen if we fired one into the center of a group of Milori ships, not aimed at any ship in particular?"

  "I see what you're getting at, Larry. If we could detonate it right in the center of the group, we might do quite a bit of damage. Of course, the enemy ships would have to be very close together for the weapon to have the desired effect. Any ship more than half a kilometer from the detonation point would probably only be scorched a bit."

  "From everything we've heard, the Milori like to fight in ultra-tight formations; wingtip to wingtip so to speak. It sounds ideal for this weapon."

  Jenetta stared at the holographic image. "We certainly can't fire them while our fighters are in there, and if we fire them before the action starts, every gunner in the Milori ships will be targeting them. As I see it, the entire task force would have to make a single pass first, firing as many torpedoes as possible, so as to distract attention away from the special torpedoes fired by the last ship."

  "We'll do quite a bit of damage with just our conventional fusion warheads during that single pass," Captain Yung of the Song said.

  "Yes, it might soften the enemy up a little for the fighters. Perhaps we won't even have to use the WOLaRs. Okay, we'll make that single pass. Good suggestion, Larry. The Prometheus will take the lead, firing as many torpedoes as possible, followed by each of the other ships on alternating sides of the cage, also firing as many torpedoes as possible. The last ship will be the Chiron, and by the time it begins its pass, the space inside and outside the cage should be alive with torpedoes heading for their targets. The Milori will only have limited maneuvering room, and they won't be able to evade the torpedoes without running into the mines, so their gunners will be busy trying to knock down the torpedoes. The Chiron will carry all our WOLaR weapons in his stern tubes. As he commences his run, he'll fire everything from his bow tubes, then empty his larboard tubes. He'll mop up by firing from his stern tubes after passing and identifying the tightest clusters of enemy ships. We'll have to assume that things will be a bit chaotic inside the cage by then and the Milori will be trying to use every bit of the two hundred kilometer length to avoid our fire. As soon as the last WOLaR torpedoes have detonated, we'll send in the fighters to see if they can drive or draw any remaining Milori ships through the minefield."

  Everyone stared at the holographic image in silence after Jenetta finished recapping the revised plan. Some were thinking about the plan, and others were thinking about the carnage that lay ahead.

  After a couple of minutes, Jenetta asked, "Any other suggestions or questions?"

  "What happens," Captain Novak asked, "if the Milori simply surrender after we spring the trap?"

  Jenetta thought for a few seconds before responding. "The idea hadn't even occurred to me. Like the Tsgardi, the Milori are renowned for fighting to the death. It seems unlikely that they'd surrender en masse like that, without even firing a shot, unless the enemy they're facing has overwhelmingly superior numbers or strength. If they do, we'll have a real dilemma on our hands. How do we take thousands of Milori POWs into custody and what do we do with them afterwards? I really don't know the answer at this point, but I think that the chance is so remote that we'll never have to worry about it."

  Silence again descended over the room until Jenetta said, "Is that it? Okay, that's our battle plan unless the Milori do something totally unexpected. Brief your senior staffs and prepare your crews. Each ship will receive as many mines as it can carry in its holds, and attach to exterior surfaces. We leave Stewart in six days. That will give us sufficient time to reach the selected battle site and deploy our mines. The Beijing will take responsibility for detaining any ships that we encounter within a billion kilometers of our trap. The WOLaR torpedoes will be delivered to the Chiron, along with their share of mines. All ships will be fully provisioned before departure. A copy of the vid log from today's meeting will be sent to Supreme Headquarters, and to each of the five GSC ships scheduled to arrive in time to meet the Milori so that they might prepare for the engagement. Thank you for your input. Dismissed."

  * * *

  The following days were extremely busy ones on the base. Jenetta named Captain Donovan from the JAG office to fill in as an interim base commander during her absence. Although JAG officers are not no
rmally included in the succession to base command, he was one of just two senior officers holding the rank of Captain; the other being a medical doctor. Donovan worked side by side with her for one-half of each day, with the other half spent preparing his own interim replacement in the JAG office.

  Jenetta, always besieged for interviews by the press, allowed the new representative of a news service to visit her in her office. Expecting a request for an interview, she was prepared to put him off until after the conflict.

  "Admiral, congratulations on your promotion."

  "Thank you, Mr. Kelleher. I really don't have time for any interviews right now."

  "I'm not here about getting an interview, Admiral."

  "What is it you want then?"

  "You'd have to be deaf, dumb, and blind not to notice that something big is coming down. I want my guys and gals to have access."

  "That's impossible. We're going into a dangerous situation."

  "What exactly are you facing?"

  "I can't tell you that— yet."

  "Whatever it is, you owe it to the people of the galaxy to have it covered by the press."

  "Will you keep what I'm about to say totally confidential?"

  "Yes, until whatever it is, is completely over."

  "Fair enough. I've estimated that we could suffer losses as high as fifty percent."

  "Fifty percent losses? Where are you going?"

  "To the border with the Frontier Zone, but I can't be any more specific than that."

  "Is it the Raiders again?"