“Although I haven't explicitly ruled out that possibility, I plan to do what I can to bring those resources back to Lashmere with us when we leave.”
Hanlon suppressed the urge to make a joke about the situation and instead said, “I don't suppose it would be possible to waylay the salvage ship before it makes the return trip to the alliance base. The only problem then would be how we get aboard the salvage ship in the first place.”
Drogue nodded slightly. “That's a good idea, Captain.”
Their conversation was cut short by an alert chime. Hanlon said, “Time to begin the exercise, Admiral.”
“Very well. Make course zero-seven-three by zero-zero-zero, ahead two thirds.”
The formation turned onto its new heading and moved toward the outermost planet in the alliance system. The planet was simulating a crab outpost and offensive weapons emplacement.
Drogue said, “Begin attack on enemy installation, Miss Kelper.”
“Aye, sir.” Kelper turned her attention to the weapons array and began firing the forward energy canons.
Watkins said, “Simulation responding as programmed. Error packets are already being sent along the data network. It'll be impossible for the alliance systems engineers to miss them. Crab defensive force is moving into our sensor range from behind the planet. Six ships, corvette class.”
Hanlon said, “Detach the Poniard, Dirk, and Saber to meet the defensive force per our plan.”
“Aye, ma'am,” Watkins said.
The battle unfolded in excruciating detail on the forward display. While the alliance didn't place the kind of emphasis on weaponry or defensive systems as humans did, their sensors and tactical displays were excellent. The three destroyer formation moved out to meet the alliance ships simulating crab defenders. The trio of ships drove straight in towards the simulated crabs, completely exposing their bows to the full armament of the opposing force. Even alliance tacticians couldn't miss the opportunity to meet a fraction of the offensive and defensive capacities presented by a bow on aspect compared to the angled approach the alliance ships were optimized for. Without the changes to the energy canons, there was no need to approach the force bow on. The seconds ticked by slowly until simulated damage reports began coming in from the destroyers.
“Sir, Poniard disabled, Dirk is destroyed, and Saber is retreating with heavy damage and casualties,” Watkins said.
“Understood,” Drogue said. “Looks like the first step is in place. Lieutenant, once Saber is back in formation, turn all three ships to optimal aspect and let's punch the alliance in the nose one more time before we're destroyed as well.”
“Aye, sir,” Watkins said.
“Miss Kelper, what's the status of the enemy installation on the planet?” Drogue asked.
“Their armor and defensive fire are still highly effective with our current parameters, admiral. I estimate two point one hours until we can defeat their defenses at this time.”
“Time until Saber returns to formation?”
“Thirty-three minutes, sir,” Hanlon said. “It's going exactly to plan.”
Drogue nodded. He watched the plot silently for a moment and then said, “Miss Kelper, break off the attack. Helm, begin maneuvering to intercept Saber. We'll provide defensive fire and escort out of the combat area.”
“Aye, sir. Coming to two-six-nine by zero-one-five. Speed, sir?”
“All engines to ahead full, Drogue said.
“Ahead full, aye, sir.” The young enlisted man who was operating the ship's helm worked his controls smoothly and competently. “Engines are now answering ahead full.”
Hanlon watched the planet slide away from them on the forward display and the formation of the Broadsword and Rapier move to meet the stricken Saber.
Hanlon said, “Miss Kelper, prepare a launch of six torpedoes. One for each of the opposing ships chasing the Saber.”
“Aye, sir,” Kelper said. After a moment she said, “Torpedoes ready, sir.”
“Launch at optimal range, Lieutenant.”
Hanlon cocked her head at the order. A torpedo launch was likely to destroy the opposing force, turning their current plan on its ear. She wondered what the admiral was planning.
Drogue said, “I think we've proved our point, no need to completely lose the match. Don't you agree, Captain?”
“Of course, sir.”
Torpedoes were tremendously powerful, featuring focused nuclear blasts that could penetrate all but the heaviest armor in a single shot. The downside to torpedoes was that they were slow, easily tracked and destroyed. Defensive systems designed to intercept shots from weapons fired at up to one tenth the speed of light made short work of dispatching torpedoes that flew far more slowly. The only way to make them effective was to launch them in a way that prevented their detection. The weapons could then coast on their inertia and only begin using their drives once they were too close to be intercepted.
“Sir, torpedoes away. I don't think the defending force detected them,” Kelper said.
“Very well. Put torpedo status on the forward display.”
Six orange lines appeared on the tactical overlay, all tracking for a different ship. Hanlon watched silently for a few seconds when, as one, all six defending ships turned their courses to avoid the torpedoes.
Hanlon slapped the arm of her command chair. “If we light off the torpedo drives, they'll pick them up and destroy them immediately.” Hanlon sighed. “It was worth a try, sir.”
Drogue said, “Don't worry, Captain. Even though we lose this small skirmish, we've proved the strength of our modifications in the previous two exercises. We know the systems work even if the alliance doesn't believe us. Prepare for energy weapons engagement. Close to maximum weapons range and turn to present forty-five degree aspect, starboard side.”
“Aye, sir,” Hanlon said. “Saber is coming into formation now.”
The bridge crew watched as the Saber came towards them. Suddenly, it flipped end for end and began thrusting along the same vector the Broadsword and Rapier were on. Drogue quirked an eyebrow and said, “Nice maneuver.”
“We're at max firing range, now, sir,” Hanlon said.
“Engage as ordered, Captain,” Drogue said.
The three remaining ships turned and began firing. With the Broadsword in the mix, the level of simulated offensive fire was much higher. The corvettes, already damaged by the previous engagement were quickly destroyed. The victory wasn't without cost, however. All six corvettes had focused their fire on the Saber, 'destroying' the already heavily damaged ship.
Drogue took the loss stoically. “Return to planetary bombardment. We still have a system to pacify.”
“Aye, sir,” Hanlon said.
Broadsword and Rapier turned to re-engage the planetary installation. Watkins said, “New contact coming from behind the planet's third moon, sir. Looks like four destroyer class ships.”
“Tactical analysis, Mister Watkins,” Hanlon said.
“In our current state, they're more than a match for us. I recommend we evade and escape.”
“I agree. Come to course zero-six-five by two-two-zero. That will drop us below the plane of the ecliptic and away from any of the planetary bodies in the area.”
Kelper said, “I'm getting a launch signal from the tactical sensors, sir. Looks like they're trying to get us with torpedoes before we can open range.”
“Focus the aft point defense on them as they approach. Alter our course to maximize run time before the torpedoes can catch us.”
“Aye sir, recommend course two-zero-zero by zero one-five,” Kelper said.
You heard her, helm,” Hanlon said. “All engines ahead flank.”
“Aye, ma'am,” the helmsman said.
Drogue and Hanlon studied the tactical display as the ships steadied on their new course and increased their speed to maximum.
“We're going to pass pretty close to that asteroidal moon, sir,” Hanlon said.
“That's where the rest of them will be
, Captain. Look at this. We could avoid the situation by making a ninety degree course change to head below the plane of the ecliptic again. The problem with that is the alliance will just settle in behind us and call our retreat a defeat.”
“So we charge into their teeth and take as many out as possible, sir?”
“Too bad we don't have torpedoes that are harder to detect... or a compliment of Rampart's drones.”
“Work with what you have, Captain,” Drogue said. “How would you maximize our survivability if Ktenu comes out from behind that asteroid with a squadron of battleships?”
“I'd use the interlocking defensive fire from Broadsword and Rapier and put the battleships on our rear quarter. I would run the engines past design specs to get as much speed as possible and to minimize engagement time. A pair of battleships is far outside what we can handle. It's also far outside the specifications of what the system we're supposedly attacking has as well, sir.”
“I'm in agreement with you, Captain, but Ktenu has shown little willingness to stick to the rules. I suspect that's because he thinks we've been cheating all along.”
“Something about that has been bothering me, sir.”
“What's that, Captain?”
“The alliance didn't hesitate to ignore the rules as soon as they thought we were doing it. It's almost like they expected us to cheat. It makes me wonder if the races of the alliance are dishonest or cheat at other things.”
Drogue pondered Hanlon's observations for a moment before responding. “Very insightful, Captain. You may be on to something there. I also wonder if they've been more suspicious of us because of humanity's history with the alliance. If they think we could turn on them at any moment and attempt to wipe them out, they may treat us that way.”
“I- ah, sir, there are before battleships coming out just as we expected.”
“Helm keep the throttle down. We're going to charge straight at them and then turn just as we enter maximum weapons range.”
“Aye, sir.”
Hanlon said, “Weapons range in two minutes, Admiral. I hope this satisfies their need to win against us.”
Drogue turned and gave Hanlon a penetrating stare. He held the look for long enough that Linis started to become uncomfortable. Just as she was about to say something, Drogue said, “Miss Hanlon, are you sure you aren't an intelligence analyst here on undercover assignment?”
“Sir?”
“Would you care to tell me why you think the alliance commander feels the need to win against us?”
“Well, I just figured since they defeated us five thousand years ago they would want to make sure they feel they're still in the superior position. If they felt we had surpassed them, they'd be in an impossible position. They're already under threat of extinction from the crabs. Perhaps they can't accept the idea their old enemy has grown and surpassed them. It would make them think they were between two implacable and superior enemies. With the ability for deceit they've already demonstrated, it seems that they have the ability to lie to themselves just as easily as they do to others. Following that line of thought, I just felt they wouldn't want to admit they were in such a potentially desperate position. They already showed us they believe they can use their defensive strategy to maintain moral superiority, and that will win them the day despite obvious evidence to the contrary.”
Drogue nodded and said, “Miss Kelper, weapons free, fire at will.”
“Fire at will, aye, sir,” Kelper said.
Hanlon turned and started giving her attention to the unfolding simulated combat. When Drogue tapped her on the shoulder. “You were saying, captain?”
“Oh, I thought we would be watching the battle, sir.”
“It's a foregone conclusion we will be defeated here, Captain. We may overfly them but, we'll be so badly damaged they'll just chase us down and destroy us. Once we're done with this simulation, we go back to the alliance space dock. Your insight makes a tremendous amount of sense. I want as much insight into Ktenu as I can get. I was thinking Ktenu was just arrogant. Actually, I thought the entire alliance military was just arrogant. Your idea makes a lot more sense than mine does. When we get back, I want to feel out Ktenu and his other commanders. I plan to force them into admitting they've committed an atrocity so they'll have to leave humanity alone for as long as they exist. Before I can get them into such a position, I need to understand their motivations as well as possible.
“If you have any other insight, please don't hesitate to share it with me, Captain. The alliance is already on the defensive, permanently, with the crabs. I intend to see them in the same place with us.” As he finished speaking, all lights on the bridge went out.
“We've been 'destroyed', sir,” Watkins said from the darkness. “We have an incoming comm request from Commander Ktenu, sir.”
“Put it up, Lieutenant.”
“Shall I override and bring the bridge lighting up first, sir?”
“No. Let him see us in the glow of our consoles.”
The display at the front of the bridge came on and showed Ktenu's broad, triangular face. The expression mimicked smug superiority to Hanlon's eyes. She waited for either Ktenu or Drogue to speak first. The seconds ticked by and Ktenu's smugness slowly gave way to irritation.
“Admiral Drogue. Your deception has been discovered. The data you input for the last simulation was poorly done. The simulation computer sent us correct data for your ship's hull strength. We know you've been manipulating the data during our exercises. I expect a full accounting for your actions when you return to space dock in the morning. Ktenu out.” The screen went blank again.
Hanlon said, “Sir, I have an idea.”
“Let's hear it, Captain.”
“What if we let the alliance believe what they want about us, give them the idea that we're just as crass and deceptive as they want us to be. Heck, it may even make them more comfortable with us.”
“Care to go into specifics?”
“Well, sir, here is what I was thinking...”
The five alliance already occupied the briefing room commandeers when Drogue and Hanlon entered. Behind Drogue and Hanlon were Lieutenants Watkins and Kelper. The two junior officers, left with no seating options, stood along the wall behind Drogue and Hanlon.
Hanlon took her data tablet and tapped the interface with the base main computer to input her briefing for the alliance commanders.
“You were not granted permission to bring other officers to this briefing, Admiral Drogue,” Ktenu said.
“It was not forbidden, either. Lieutenant Watkins is my science officer, and Lieutenant Kelper is my weapons officer. Their perspective may be required for the postmortem on this fiasco of an exercise series.”
“Postmortem?” Ktenu was obviously confused by the word. “Clarify yourself, Admiral.”
“I mean this exercise was dead before it began. Both of us set out to deceive each other. Our sensors from the first exercise indicate you labeled your capital ships as battlecruisers and battleships. Far in excess of the combat power your sensor estimates deem to be in the regular convoy.” Drogue paused for effect while Hanlon brought the sensor logs up on the briefing room screen. Drogue risked a glance over his shoulder and saw Watkins, apparently lost in scrolling through something on his data tablet. The man had proved his ability to infiltrate alliance computer systems once before, he hoped the man didn't get caught. Turning back, he saw Ktenu studying the data silently. “As you can see, Commander, your ships were given a massive tactical advantage even in the first simulation. Our manipulation of the simulator computer aboard our assigned ships is in response to your actions. What do you say to this, Commander?”
Ktenu made a strange chuffing noise in his throat before responding. The Gol commander moved back and forth as through he was unbalanced for a moment. The remaining commanders also had differing physical reactions to Drogues full on attack of alliance actions in the exercise.
“Admiral Drogue, we expected your kind wou
ld be unable to resist the urge to try to manipulate the exercise from the start. We, therefore, gave ourselves a reasonable enhancement of force based on our observations of human behavior. We did not understand how far humans would go to try to convince us of your supposed combat prowess.”
Hanlon felt herself bristling at the accusations Ktenu was spewing out. She leaned forward in her chair and opened her mouth to speak. Drogue was faster to respond, though.
“Commander, I object to your characterization of humans. Your attitude bespeaks of prejudice and lack of comprehension of our motives. We've only responded to your obvious inability to adhere to your own intelligence department's projections on crab strength in the three selected target systems. You either deceived us as to the strength of crab forces in these systems or you cheated first, before you had any idea how we would perform in the simulated attacks. We accept no responsibility for your deceptive natures.” Drogue leaned back in his chair, his face an impassive mask. He waited expectantly for Ktenu to respond to his argument.
“Admiral, your protestations may be logical to you, but we cannot allow you to gain the moral authority here. This is an alliance base. Our second largest base, as a matter of fact. It is only second to our main base. You will not usurp our authority here.”
Drogue and Hanlon exchanged confused looks.
“Commander Ktenu, are you insinuating that we're trying to take control of the alliance base in some way?”
“All authority is derived from moral superiority,” Ktenu said. “Your kind are adept at amassing authority, but you won't displace the command committee so easily. Your morality is demonstrably inferior to ours. Your willingness to attack those who have not yet attacked you is the first, and most egregious, of your moral inferiorities to the member races of the alliance.”
The Gol and Yaderiedea commanders rapped the table rapidly with the backs of their hands when Ktenu finished speaking. They gave the Hontoata and Unam commanders sharp stares until both joined in the rapid tapping of the table with the backs of their hands.
Ktenu's face took on a look of supreme smugness. “There, you see, Admiral? The committee has spoken. Our authority is unassailable by ones such as yourselves. Humans can never rival the morality of the five alliance races.”
A Faded Star Page 17
