“OK, bring them over then.”
Felis did not recognise either of the two. The first was introduced as ex Colonel (Col) Bonitis Chennig. He was getting on in years but had a spark in his eyes that struck Felis in a good way. The second was ex Commodore Rotina Wislitus. She looked younger and reminded Felis of his aunty.
“Yes Sir” said Bonitis “my last posting was Chief of Staff to the 2nd Sniltus Bde.”
“That must have been a long time ago.”
“Eleven years.”
“Wasn’t it overrun on Gunmeyan?”
“Six months after I retired Sir.”
Felis noted the change in expression on Bonitis. ‘Obviously a sore point’ thought Felis. “How fit are you?”
“Well, let’s say I’m probably best suited to a staff role than command” responded Bonitis with a bit of a smile.
“OK and what about you Rotina?” asked Felis.
“I’m still fighting fit Sir” said the middle aged rogan. “But my specialty is in logistics. I was the Log officer at Cheklin High Command for four years till ‘09.”
“If you don’t mind me saying so, you don’t look old enough for retirement.”
“Why thank you Sir. No I resigned…personal matters. But I’m more than ready and willing to serve.” She scanned the room quickly and then added “It doesn’t look like you have a lot of experience here Sir.”
Felis smiled “No we don’t. OK you’re hired Rotina. Take charge of logistics. Just about all the defence batteries and fighter squadrons have come over to us. They are your number one priority for logistic support. You need to get in touch with the missile facilities and ensure they ramp up production. Oh and find some transport for the 3rd Ecrustian Bde.”
Rotina responded with a big smile and a hearty “Yes Sir.”
“Bonitis” said Felis “I could really do with some help controlling our ground forces. Can you handle Ground Ops under Commander Balun here?”
“Certainly” said Bonitis.
“Mmm…” said Felis as he pondered something.
“Is there a problem?” asked Bonitis.
“No, not at all” said Felis. He called Kraag over and introduced him to the new staffers. “Kraag I see a real problem here don’t you?”
Kraag looked at him without a clue. Then he twigged. “I’d be more than happy to serve under the Colonel.”
“No Kraag that won’t do” said Felis. Kraag was confounded. “But we have to do something about your rank don’t we?” Kraag was still not catching on. “Commodore is the appropriate rank don’t you think?”
“What me?” asked Kraag.
“Yes you.”
Kraag beamed a huge smile.
“You know I quite like this part” said Felis with a grin.
Chapter 51. Washington DC 1500, 15 September
Julian Morrow went straight back to his office after the cabinet had decided on the PME submission. Obeida and Glen were waiting for him. They both tried to look detached as Julian entered the ante room where they were waiting. He motioned to them to follow as he marched straight into his office.
“Right, Cabinet approved option C, full disclosure.”
“Wow” said a surprised Obeida.
Glen just nodded with a serious face. He had already accepted his role in this whole endeavour and realised the significance of what he, in part, was setting in train. He wasn’t surprised by the cabinet’s decision. To him it made sense. What the enemy thought of their motives was largely irrelevant to him. He knew he was doing it for the right reasons.
“But only if we have to” added Julian.
“So everything is still Top Secret till things go pear shape” said Obeida.
“That’s about it” said Julian. “OK you have your funding, the ships you need and the green light to use the site. I know you can’t guarantee a set date, but this time next year will most likely be too late. Just go like the clappers will you?”
Obeida smiled as she stood up. “You betcha!” she said. “Come on Glen, we’re out of here.”
Julian sank back into his chair after they exited. He gave a smile to himself. ‘I do like the way she gets on with things.’
Chapter 52. Neeblo 1830, 15 September
Felis and Evie were dining together in the old factory cafeteria, now pressed back into service. His communicator rang and he quickly picked it up. It was the watch officer. “Incoming ships Sir, lots of them.”
“I’m on my way” he responded and terminated the call. “We need to move now.” With the siren blazing they ran across to the operations room. Felis said “Make sure Meelanda’s safe!”
“Yes but you stay safe too” said Evie as she trotted off to Meelanda’s quarters.
Felis plonked himself down into his seat in the operations room and quickly scanned the holo taking in the pertinent facts.
Kraag who had been taking a shower came running in with a towel around him and clutching his clothes. With no sense of embarrassment he quickly dried himself. Under any other circumstances that would have garnered some attention but not now. “What’s happening up there?” he asked as he pulled on his trousers.
1st Lt Selinta Wisorium, the young watch officer blurted out “We’ve identified seven caps, 11 lights and a carrier warped in 2.2 million kilometres away here” and she highlighted the icons on the holo. She dared to peek at Kraag, caught his eye as he was glancing at the holo, then she averted her gaze back to her terminal. “That carrier is the Batlasan, Sir, 1st RIF.” She cast another quick glance at Kraag as he pulled on his top.
“Why so far away?” asked Kraag, now pulling on his boots.
Selinta hadn’t really thought about that. Felis jumped in. “You will find that Admiral Titlun is very methodical. He takes few risks and likes to be very economical with his resources” said Felis. “I served under him for three years. He doesn’t throw away the lives of his subordinates if he can afford it. That makes him popular with his troops but don’t be fooled. He’s absolutely ruthless. Right now he’s playing it safe just in case the local defences have turned. Wasn’t that wise of him?”
“Alas yes” said Kraag tucking his top into his trousers.
“The Werensun has just warped away” advised a shocked Selinta. “The bloody cowards” she cursed.
“So we’re down to two caps and one frigate” said Kraag as he slid into his seat.
“And nine fighter squadrons plus 35 defence batteries. It’s not over by a long shot” said Felis. “Order our flotilla to go into geo over Lewista. Have the Dogon move to within supporting range of the Flotilla. Launch a cap of two fighter squadrons around them and rotate them as required. Hold fire on all batteries unless the enemy ships come within effective range. No speculative shooting.”
“They’re on the move Sir, coming our way” advised Selinta “ETA to engagement range of our flotilla is 9.4 hours. Why don’t they warp in?”
Kraag smiled “because he wants to build the pressure on those ship captains in the hope that more may opt to flee or join him.”
Felis nodded and added “Why risk losing ships when time and weak minds can deliver you your objective.”
“Right, I see” said Selinta.
“But we can use that time profitably” said Kraag “it’s time to implement those civil defence plans.”
The Batlasan began broadcasting a few minutes later calling on all military and government personnel to support the ‘legitimate authority’. Meelanda, Julian and Evie came in at that point and Meelanda said derisively “Legitimate authority indeed. Admiral Draag can we jam their broadcast?”
“We can certainly try. I think it will be a first for the Dogon though” said Felis. Meelanda looked puzzled. Felis smiled “they’re normally jamming stuff coming from the planet not the other way around.”
“Ah” said Meelanda.
“Anyway it will get harder as they get closer” he replied “the Batlasan has probably the most powerful transmitters anywhere in the galaxy. The
y will probably start jamming us soon too.”
“Do it anyway. We will need to counter that with our own broadcasts while we can. It’s going to be a busy day.”
“I have to counsel against you moving to Lewista. We may well come under bombardment once they get within range and the capital will be a definite target.”
Meelanda pondered that for a moment. “All right I’ll accept that advice but then I need to bring Hecto Tomuson and his public relations team here along with a selection of representatives from the media companies.”
“OK but do it now before they get in range” said Felis and with a smile added “I hear there are some impounded Likta hoppers at the spaceport.”
Meelanda smiled “good idea.”
Julian had been waiting for a break in the conversation. He now chimed in. “I need to get a message to the Phantom.”
“What, she is still here?” asked Kraag.
“I believe so” said Julian.
“Will she stay and fight with us?” asked Felis.
“She would if she had missiles.”
“What?” asked an incredulous Kraag. “You came here unarmed. You humans are either crazy or fools.”
“That will do Kraag” cautioned Felis.
“There was no other way. By now there should be a resupply at Qwantum. There are also the Resolute and two other stealth frigates plus the Maelstrom” The others looked puzzled. “You used to know her as the Mailon.”
“What you have the Mailon?” asked Kraag again confounded. “When were you going to tell us this?”
Felis gave Kraag a disapproving look. Kraag rolled his eyes.
“I have been a tad busy since I arrived here” said Julian. “Let’s leave that aside shall we. What is important right now is how best to deal with our pressing issue – the defence of Checklin.”
“Can we get them here? How long will it take?” asked Kraag.
“It’s not that simple” said Julian. “Their current mission is to secure Q2.”
“So why do you need to secure Q2?” asked Kraag.
Julian took a few minutes to give them a rundown on what had happened there ending with the most recent engagement with the two Imperial frigates. “So you see we have been expecting an even bigger imperial force arriving at any time. The Resolute, Tenacity and the Mailon…”
“Hold on” interjected Kraag “What is the Tenacity?” Felis gave him a warning look but Kraag ignored it, his focus was on Julian.
“The Tenacity is the Resolute’s sister ship. It’s brand new. As I was saying” said Julian giving Kraag a look which said don’t interrupt me again “the 17th Flotilla, our force over Q2, can resupply the Phantom. I propose we send the Phantom back, get it restocked and bring her and the Resolute back here.”
“Commodore” said Felis “is this not a case where we…how do you say…need to throw in the kitchen sink? Is not Cheklin more important that a dying system on the edge of the extended territories?”
Julian felt the heat rising up his neck. “We have made an undertaking with the Resistance on Q2 to provide security for them in exchange for them providing us with a staging base for the next twelve months. You have to realise that most of our fleet does not have the drive technology that your ships have. It’s only the Resolute and the new stealth ships that have that. So it takes us a long time to move here. Our main fleet is in warp now and scheduled to arrive at Q2 at the end of the month.”
Kraag could not help himself and interjected again “Surely they can wrest control of Q2 back from any hostile force that is likely to be there?”
“That may well be but we have given our word to your people on Q2 that in the interim we would protect them.”
“Well then you’re going to have to choose” said Kraag.
There were a few moments of awkward silence. Finally it was broken by Meelanda. “Commodore we too value commitments. I think a compromise can be reached here. What is the minimum force you can leave at Q2 to honour your commitments there?”
Julian realised he had to offer up something here. “I suppose we could get by with just two of our frigates there.”
Meelanda looked to Felis. “Good, then can you send the two caps and the Mailon here straight away. The Phantom can stay cloaked till they arrive. How long will it take your ships? I know the Mailon could do it in five days.”
“Yes five days” said Julian (he had no intention of giving away the fact that the Resolute and Tenacity could do it in less – there was some things you did not convey to a new and as yet untested ally) “plus two days for the message to get there and for them to respond to it.”
“So we need to hold out for a week” said Felis. “Please Commodore send your order.”
“Well it’s not that simple. I can’t countermand Admiral Yomoto’s direct order but I can make a recommendation to Captain Warner. It will then be up to him.” Julian was yet to receive notice that in fact Dave had been promoted to Commodore.
“Don’t you outrank a Captain?” challenged Kraag.
“Yes” said Julian feeling a little exasperated “but I am a political officer not an operational commander. I can recommend that Captain Warner changes his plan but it will be up to him to choose to do so.”
“Well then Commodore you had better be convincing” said Meelanda.
“Indeed.”
Chapter 53. Phantom over Cheklin 2000, 15 September
“At last” said Aubrey as she received Julian’s signal. When she opened the message she exclaimed out loud from her seat in the command centre “It’s a veritable tome.” She knew it would take her several minutes to read right through it.
She had stood the ship to as soon as they detected the imperialist fleet warping in. With only two missiles she knew she would have little to do but be a spectator. That fact grated in her craw.
She had initially assumed she would get a signal from the Commodore telling her to warp back to Q2 for resup, but as she read on she was surprised to see that instead he was going to be asking the Resolute et al to come here and that she would have to hang around and pray she remained undetected.
The Phantom was in geo above LZ Alpha and she assessed that the enemy fleet would probably arrive within effective range in seven or so hours. With that many ship and a coordinated ladar sweep there was a risk of being detected and she had already asked Alice to prepare two contingencies that would see them moving out and further away.
She finished the message wondering what Dave’s reaction would be when he received this message tomorrow. She remembered the last time Dave had deliberately disobeyed a direct order. But over Zuon it had been all his decision. At least now it was at the request of a Commodore. ‘No he’ll come’ she said to herself.
Part 2
Close Encounters
There comes a time when the dancing must stop
When to get a result you must commit the lot
Don’t hold back anything
Give it your all
It’s all or nothing
Winner takes all
Chapter 1. Batlasan in Sturam 2400, 15 September
For the last four hours Admiral Puros Titlun had been subjected to one broadcast after another detailing the statistics from his long career. The death toll of the latest campaign he had conducted in the conquered realms had now topped the 7 billion mark and they were attributing it all down to him.
Puros knew that it had all been necessary, all authorised and in his eyes justified. He had never been subjected to such indignity in his long and illustrious career. He couldn’t understand how he was not being afforded the respect he deserved from his own people, the people he had been fighting for all these years.
He had intended to take a few hours’ sleep before battle would be joined. But now he barked “How long till we get within jamming range?” He did not like the ‘three hours’ answer.
“Enough” he stated “Order the Clipsoon to stay with the transports. The rest of us will close at max impulse.
I want this finished.”
Chapter 2. Neeblo 0005, 16 September
Felis was sitting on the bed in Evie’s room when he got the call that the enemy has split and all the combat ships bar one were now racing towards them. “ETA?” he hailed back.
“0210 to effective range of our flotilla” replied Selinta.
“OK, I’m just having a break. I’ll be back in twenty.”
Selinta was surprised at how casual Felis seemed to be taking it all. It was true Felis had some other preoccupations right now – nice ones in the form of Evie Plentun – but Felis also knew that everything important had been decided upon. The civil defence measures were well underway. He had seven fighter squadrons on standby, the Dogon and his flotilla were ready and his batteries had already received extra stocks of missiles.
So there were no more decisions for him to make just yet. There was time for him to make other plans of a more personal nature. He put the communicator back down and picked up Evie’s hand. He began stroking it. Evie closed her eyes when he did it and he could tell from her expression that it gave her pleasure.
“Can a poor officer like me hold out hope of claiming this hand?” he asked in a soft voice that resonated with tenderness. She opened her eyes. They seemed to shine at him.
“I think you’ll find it’s already yours” and she leaned forward and kissed him gently. As she pulled back she could see that his face was lit up with a huge smile. “And I think you’ll find that Admirals get paid very well.” Felis broke out laughing.
Chapter 3. Phantom over Cheklin 0015, 16 September
“OK I believe you” said Aubrey to Alice (referring to the splitting of the enemy force). “Now that is very interesting” Aubrey tilted her head sideways while she focussed on the icons over the holo. Her analytical brain was functioning like a series of blades dissecting the factors. She brought her head back up into its normal vertical orientation and with a wry smile said “I think we have a golden opportunity here to actually hurt these bastards. Alice plot us an intercept course against those tail end charlies. Make sure it avoids the oncoming main enemy force.”
Resilience (Warner's World Book 6) Page 10
