by Chris Hechtl
While the Neowolf did that, Admiral Irons ordered all loading on the four carriers—the CFV Vishal and three CVs Lexington, Essex, and Stinger—to be expedited. They were to take on all available antimatter ordinance as well.
One battle cruiser squadron, one CruRon, two DesRons, two additional CLVs, as well as a host of support ships raced to complete their own loading and get underway. Orders flashed out through the ansible to all ships in transit to speed up and redeploy to the war front if possible. All crew leaves were canceled.
Like ripples in a pond the orders sent out shockwaves through the fleet. The deployment was roughly a third of First Fleet's ships. Everyone knew something was up, but they were too busy to spend much time asking questions. They also knew better than to say anything publicly.
Orders were dispatched through the ansible to others to prepare for expeditious movement.
While he did that, Admiral Sienkov and ONI began pouring over the latest ansible data, in some cases pulling it from the buffers as the information came in.
~~~^~~~
Once the Admiralty had the initial report from Second Fleet, Admiral Irons called a cabinet meeting to brief the cabinet about the latest turn of battle. “Not again,” Emily sighed in resignation.
“Just when we think we've got them on the ropes …,” Iab agreed, flashing his simian teeth for a moment in disgust.
“The enemy is going to fight to survive just like us. We never promised it would be easy. But it will get done,” Admiral Irons said firmly, letting a little command voice leach in for effect. He noted those in the room sat up straighter for it. “It is going to be this way, a see-saw battle over every star system until one side or the other commits enough forces and force multipliers to break the stalemate. At the moment, we're attritioning each other,” Admiral Irons stated. “I hate it. This isn't what I'd planned, but it is the reality we are in. No plan survives contact with the enemy, obviously," the admiral said bitterly as if to himself. He shook himself and then shrugged. "We'll deal with it.”
Iab paused and then turned to wrinkle his nose in question at the admiral. “Sir?”
Admiral Irons shot a look at Sprite who was giving him a reproving look at the distraction. He shrugged it off. She crossed her arms, but he dove in anyway. “At the time we started in on Antigua, I had thought we'd have some time. That there would be a delay, quite possibly years. I have a tendency to turtle. To fight defensively. My original plan was to sit and build up a massive fleet, a onetime knockout punch. It would have surrendered the initiative, but I was confident we could have absorbed their attacks. But then I went to Lemnos and plans changed.”
“And things changed, sir?” George Custard prodded when the admiral fell silent. A few of the people in the room grew restive, looking at the admiral.
“Yes,” Admiral Irons said, staring at the window. It was a simulation of a rain storm on the ground. “Admirals White and Subert wanted to kick off early. They weren't the only ones. Amadeus wanted to get in, hit them hard, throw them off balance, and fight them as far away from our population centers as possible. To take the battle to them, not fight defensively. To free everyone we could while we could.”
His expression worked again and then he shrugged. “As I said, I'm a turtle; I tend to think in engineering and defensive terms.” He smiled and looked back at them. “I would have set up heavy defenses, let them come to us, and then break their teeth on our fortresses and stuff. But there was the chance they'd get in to too many places.”
“I see, sir,” Moira said quietly.
Admiral Irons shook himself. “There are arguments for and against both approaches. It doesn't matter. We're committed now,” Admiral Irons stated, looking at Yorgi and the other officers in the room. Sprite nodded.
“Exactly. We have to remember the enemy wishes to win and live just as we do. They will keep committing forces, reacting as we do. As it is, we have some edges, but it is hard to effectively use them since we can't build up enough quantity to have an overwhelming advantage,” Sprite stated.
“But Bek will make up some of the difference, right?” Iab asked hopefully, looking at the two flag officers in the room and then Moira and Sprite.
“Some. We still do not know what the enemy has in reserve, not fully,” Yorgi cautioned. “We're getting dribs and drabs from Bek. They are also far away from the front line. Horath is a few jumps away from the front so they can reinforce faster.”
“What are the Horathians producing? I remember reading something about they're now building ships? How is that possible?” Sandra'kall asked. The Centaurian's tentacles waved, briefly distorting her image but drawing attention to her.
Yorgi nodded. “I'll send you the brief again since you are the Secretary of Industry. Briefly, a lot of what we have is second and third hand information. It is also out of date,” he stressed. More than one person grimaced at that qualifier. “We don't know how their building rates have changed. For instance, we do know they are producing Apollo class corvettes as of ten years ago. That has been repeatedly confirmed. They were also working on Arboth class destroyers as well as unknown classes of cruisers, CEVs, and even battle cruisers. Now?” He shook his head. “We don't know. We don't have assets in there to find out.”
“How?” Sandra'kall asked.
He blinked in confusion. “How what?” he asked cautiously. Was she asking him how she knew this or how would they find out? He wasn't certain.
“How can they do that when no one could before? When they couldn't even do it before?” Iab demanded.
"Exactly," the Centaurian agreed.
Yorgi turned to Admiral Irons and lifted an eyebrow to him as if to ask the engineer in the group.
Admiral Irons drummed his fingers once and then came to a decision. It was easier than he'd thought. “El Dorado,” Admiral Irons replied.
“This is classified Level Deep Blue,” Sprite interjected.
Iab blinked brown eyes, apparently lost. “Sorry, what?”
Yorgi looked at Admiral Irons. Admiral Irons nodded once. “Read them in,” Admiral Irons said, sitting back.
“El Dorado is a code name, one meaning city of gold. In this case, a place where everything you want is. A place of untold riches, in this case keys and the means to build ships and technology that had been up until now, locked,” Yorgi stated. “We have several confirmations that they have found a damaged derelict battle moon in Sigma somewhere.”
There were gasps around the room, none of them feigned.
“Obviously this is classified. We don't want a panic. What we know about it is sketchy at best. It has been repeatedly confirmed though.”
“What he means is, we have confirmed that they have found something,” Admiral Irons stated firmly. “We are looking into where and exactly what it is. We doubt they can move it, but they can strip it of resources. Resources they can use as a turnkey upgrade to their existing industry. It levels the playing field significantly.”
“Oh, that's just peachy!” Emily said in despair. “So, they can get around the lockouts?! How? How is that even possible??”
“It appears so, but we don't know at what level. Coercion of any survivors might be involved.” Emily winced at that. “And remember, they've been pirates for centuries. Their ill-gotten gains have been funneled to Horath for that entire time period and quite possibly before it during the Xeno war. We know they have hefty stockpiles, entire orbital warehouse districts and bases chock filled with stuff from across the galaxy. Plus, a bone yard of ships they stole or salvaged,” Yorgi stated.
“In other words, they can build ships just from the components and ships they've got on hand. They can use civilian grade hyperdrives and nodes for instance,” Sprite stated. “We've noted that in the past several decades they've invested heavily in their industrial capacity, working on reverse engineering what they can and building and stockpiling those components. Nuts, bolts, basic parts, any little bit they can do without the need of a replicator.”
>
The Centaurian's holographic image gave a human style nod. As head of Industry, she well understood what Sprite was talking about.
“They have quite a stockpile. And we know they have captured planets. Some of them had industry. Not quite up to Antigua's level, but close enough to easily update them to make parts they need,” Yorgi stated, picking up the narrative again.
“Oh.”
“So, you are saying they are on par with us?” Emily asked carefully. “Thousands of ships?” she asked very carefully. “Capital ships?”
“As Yorgi pointed out, they've only just begun to produce Apollo class corvettes and releasing them for use on the war front. But small escort ships have no place in the wall of battle. They can act as scouts, pickets, and do other missions, but in fleet combat, it is the big boys that matter,” Admiral Irons stated. “We know they've been salvaging warships for centuries, but we don't know how many are ready for combat. Obviously, they've made an effort to rebuild them. Before though, those ships had no hyperdrives. They used a temporary one to get them to Horath and then pulled it to install in the next ship they found.”
Emily's image grimaced. “Oh. So, a sublight fleet up until this El Dorado? You were counting on their big boys staying at home until now?”
“Yes. They've become a lot more dangerous in a short period of time,” Sprite stated.
“So, what do we do?” Moira asked.
“We're going to have to commit more of our forces. We were building them up to a Sunday punch, a heavy force they wouldn't see coming. We were also keeping them in reserve here to train and to cover this star system. But, we can't wait. Not if we want to recapture the initiative. If we wait they could push Second Fleet all the way back. Quite possibly to Protodon and we'd have to fight for that territory all over again,” Admiral Irons stated flatly.
“Not to mention the people we've got invested in Nuevo Madrid. We have the time to pull them out, but we've liberated that world. We have a commitment to protect the people there,” Moira pointed out. She had just launched a state department mission there now that the Marines had cleared the way for them. “Our reputation is on the line. If we walk away now we would be destroying it.”
A few of the cabinet members hesitated before nodding in agreement.
“And they could choose to not do a direct assault but go around to Senka. We can't be strong everywhere,” Sprite stated. “The picket forces there can't handle a capital ship attack.”
Moira winced. She could already envision enduring calls from concerned Senka delegates, senators, and the governor. All demanding she do something and get the military to reinforce their star system to make it impregnable. Finding a way to explain the Admiralty's logic wasn't going to be easy. No, scratch that, explaining it wouldn't be hard. Getting them to accept it would be, she thought.
“So, if we get the ships moving now, you are saying they can cut them off and go back to a stalemate along the way?”
“Yes. Based on Admiral White's report the enemy has a lot of capital ships, but his carriers pounded two into debris with antimatter weapons. That might make them cautious,” Sprite stated.
“Might,” Emily stated, voice flat.
“Yes, might. I realize it is a qualifier, but it is all we have now,” Admiral Irons said with a pointed look at Emily to quell any more outbursts.
“If the carriers are what are needed, why not send them more?” Moira asked, looking from Yorgi to the other two officers.
“We intend to along with the capital ships. In fact, we already sent those that are available as some of you might know.” A few heads nodded around the table. “But it was antimatter weapons that got Second Fleet out of Dead Drop and made the enemy hesitate. And let's remember, the enemy committed one of their premier units, their vaunted Skull Squadron. They did a number on our people who weren't exactly fresh to begin with when the enemy reinforcements showed up,” Yorgi stated. “It's fighters and bombers that carry the antimatter to the enemy. Those have been torn up. No doubt they have taken the time to reforge themselves during the retreat transit time. We'll see what Admiral White has to say about committing them to further action.”
“It boils down to we're going to send whatever we can as quickly as we can. Anything in Protodon will be moving forward right off less a small picket. They'll have to move cautiously in case Second Fleet is bounced out,” Sprite stated. She was well aware that Admiral Pashenkov had already issued the orders to the forces in Protodon as well as left orders to each ansible for any passing military unit to expedite their movements.
“What about the enemy getting behind the lines and harassing shipping again?” Iab asked carefully. He looked around the room. “I mean, it's a real threat now, right?”
“It can't happen with Second Fleet in the way,” Yorgi stated. “We're now aware of that trick of bypassing the normal route by going through B-97b so Admiral White is setting up pickets to watch for it.”
“Okay, but what about coming in from the north through Sigma sector through Finagle and then up and around through Pi? Or hell, didn't we read about how they stole water dwellers from ET? What about a straight jump?” Iab persisted.
More than one person flinched around the table. There was a long brooding silence. Yorgi tapped his fingers on the table as he looked down and then over to Admiral Irons.
“All nasty thoughts that we're aware of,” Admiral Irons said carefully. “We have a small picket in star systems linking to Sigma and Pi. We also have a picket in Protodon. There is a carrier force, the Kittyhawk, moving to reinforce Second Fleet. They'll be watching for ships as well.”
“We don't know if they've put the surviving water dwellers to use or how many survived. We have some tentative numbers on the missing persons, and we know a few that are accounted for, but we don't know how many that got to Horath—if they even got there. Any sort of mischief could have happened along the way,” Yorgi stated.
“If they got there yet. Remember, water dwellers push a ship hard. If the ship isn't up to the demand, it can fail. And no matter how good your engineers and helm team are, if you break something you can't fix you are SOL. Or, if you do manage to salvage something, you are stuck at a slow pace,” the T'clock captain interjected in support.
“But we can't count on any of that, can we?” Emily asked.
“No,” Admiral Irons said. “We have to assume they got through. We don't know what they are doing with those people. Obviously, nothing good. But, remember, they'll only have a few, which means only a few ships can raid if they try it. And blind jumps are not for the faint of heart. It is a good way to throw away assets. Their recent experience with Fourth Fleet's retreat will remind them of that. You don't gamble a fleet like that.”
“But it was done before. Before the Xeno war. During the founding of the Federation …,” Lawrence Martindale said, sounding exasperated.
“That was as you said, before the war,” Captain Broken Antenna interjected before anyone else could. Captain Herschel nodded in agreement. “Now there are all sorts of problems. Hyper mines are one thing to contend with. The energy from destroyed stars and such, the changes to hyperspace, it's a mess. There is a reason people stick to the safe known travel routes,” the T'clock stated, waving her remaining antenna.
“Oh.”
“But you did it before. And we all take risks. Can they take the risk? Blaze a fresh trail?” Emily asked.
Admiral Irons spread his hands apart. “Anything is possible given the right navigation and helm team. We're working on it on our end. We know the enemy is now trying to do it too with their assault on ET,” he stated. There was a fresh round of grimaces at that reminder. “So, I think we need a break. But, to recap, we're going to stop the enemy. We're going to fight a fighting withdrawal if necessary, but the goal is to stop them cold before B-95a3.” Moira nodded in agreement. “Can I say without reservation that I have your support on this?”
Heads nodded around the table.
He
waited a moment and then nodded once himself. “Good. Let's adjourn for a moment and stretch. I need another cup of coffee and we all need to check on things in our domains anyway.” Emily chuckled but nodded.
~~~^~~~
Jeff Randall finished with overseeing FEMA's preparations for the latest hurricane and then turned to another headache. He had promised to help the children with homework. Ten minutes into it though and he was dazed and confused. He looked up to Sandra in alarm. “When did it get so hard? And aren't the girls too young to be doing Calculus? This is harder than budget negotiations!”
The girls just looked up and smirked at each other and then went back to work. Befuddling daddy was becoming a fun thing as they got closer to being teenagers.
His wife chuckled. “I know. They've outpaced me! I swear, teachers do it on purpose to either remind us parents to keep abreast of things or they do it to mess us up.”
He snorted. “Why not both?”
“True. They are pushing for the kids to learn sooner. I have to admit, they aren't doing the basics over and over and the kids seem really engaged. And it is preparing them for the future.”
He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her from behind, then kissed the crown of her head. “I guess it's okay then. If they can muddle through it, we can at least try.”
“Right. And there are homework help centers and nannies,” she teased.
“That too,” he replied with a squeeze and chuckle.
~~~^~~~
Governor Randall was surprised when Daffyd brought up some odd changes and some recent traffic the following morning. Ordinarily his office didn't deal with traffic issues on the planet. He was not sure why it was so important. “We've had an uptick in accidents recently,” Daffyd stated.
“I know,” the attorney general grumbled. Jeff was not sure why it got to his level until his attorney general mentioned that it involved the military and therefore the Federal investigators were involved.
“I don't get it. What's the hurry? Are they trying to get off world ahead of the next storm or something?” Daffyd asked with a shake of his head. “If they'd only slow down we'd have fewer problems! I heard that the spaceports are full. Every flight up has been booked by military personnel. They are taking priority and bumping other passengers from time to time. There has been some griping. It hasn't quite hit the media yet but give it time it will.”
