“Kris, there’s a movement developing among the smaller states to call for a conference in their Associated Peoples to talk to you,” Nelly said. “Are you willing to go down there?”
Kris raised an eyebrow, tossing the question to her brain trust.
Jack jumped in immediately, shaking his head. “I don’t like the idea of putting you down in the middle of that madhouse. We don’t know enough about them to know if marching in with a Marine honor guard would settle things down or start a fight, and I am so not letting you down there without the Marines.”
“No surprise there, Jack, and thank you,” Kris said, trying to make her words worth more than she knew they held. “What about the rest of you?”
There was a long pause before Jacques said, “I don’t want to get on the general’s wrong side. However, there are cultures where anyone not willing to speak face-to-face with their enemies is assumed to be lying. I’ve asked my computer to study what we know of these mad cats, and I’m afraid that I’m coming to the opinion that they are one of those cultures.”
Nelly took over the conversation at that point. “We have been examining their TV transmissions. They have some very interesting shows that I think would fit right in with what you humans call soap operas. They even sell soap and other beauty aids. That glossy coat question that got beamed up to us earlier was from one of them.”
“Nelly, is there a point in here somewhere?” Kris said.
“Yes. It may just be a product of their visual theater, but personal confrontation and reconciliation is the norm.”
“You’re basing your cultural intelligence on soap operas!” Penny said.
“It is not just their soap operas. They have movies. Historical pageants. All of them depend on this kind of eye-to-eye encounter.”
“Movies and soap operas,” Jack said with a rumbling sigh, “How can we go wrong?”
“It’s not like you humans broadcast scientific treatises on human conflict resolution on your day or night entertainment media,” Nelly said, sounding downright snappish.
“Okay, okay,” Kris said. “I have all of your input. We haven’t received an invitation to this talkathon. Let’s put this question off until then.”
Kris eyed her team. Jack was being Jack; he wanted her safe. He’d always wanted Kris Longknife safe. He didn’t seem any different now that he was arguing to keep his wife safe. Her science friends were giving her the best they had. It was a thin gruel at best. Still, she might have to base her decision on something that thin.
It was Nelly that bothered Kris. Nelly was starting to sound personally involved in the decisions she advocated. Was Kris’s computer beginning to show early signs of an ego?
Kris had been raised around big egos. Father used to grumble that he’d never met a politician who didn’t come with a bloated ego. Naturally, Father had one of the biggest Kris had ever known.
Grampa Trouble and Grampa Ray were legends. And, though Kris had missed them at first, they had the egos to go with the legend. She’d never seen the two of them go at it and hoped she never would.
But now it was Nelly. How big could a computer’s ego get? How much trouble could it cause?
Kris sighed . . . and went on to her next problem.
“Nelly, could you get the ship captains in a conference?”
“Immediately,” Nelly said, and hopped to it.
That’s it, Kris thought. Keep Nelly on specific things with specific solutions. Let’s keep the poor computer away from the value judgments where a flip of the coin is as good as anything else for conflict resolution.
In a moment, Captain Drago had joined them, and the other seven captains were watching from the wardroom’s own screen. Also watching were a lot of junior officers who were paying only partial attention to their meals as they watched the elephants go about deciding their fate.
“We have a battle to plan, as much as possible,” Kris said, without preamble. “From what we’ve seen of the aliens, they’ve adopted a line ahead, twenty-two ships long. I propose to fight them in a line ahead of seven ships. Endeavor, we’ll keep you in orbit around the planet.”
“Pardon me, ma’am, but we’d like to have a place in the fighting line, if we may,” said Captain O’dell.
She’d started life as a merchant-ship skipper, as had the Endeavor. Her ship only had six 18-inch lasers, three forward and three aft. That was intentional. Kris wanted the Endeavor to be as dangerous running as chasing.
“This is going to be a knock-down drag-out fight, Captain O’dell,” Kris said.
“I know, ma’am. Me and my crew know it will be, ma’am. But we’ve seen the inside of that damn pyramid. We’d all kind of like to get a chance to make our own statement that they ain’t gonna get our skulls for their horror house, if you know what I mean.”
“I think I do,” Kris said.
The crew thrown together for the Endeavor was a very mixed batch. Some merchant marine, some Navy, and a lot of the gun crews were Ostriches. If a crew such as that were voting for a fight, Kris had quite a team on her hands.
“Nelly, put our assumptions about the enemy up on the board.”
A line of twenty-two ships appeared on a second screen. It showed the aliens decelerating toward the cat planet. “Physics decrees that they must be braking as they come in on final approach. However, as we saw in the attack on the Hornet, they have learned to break a bit farther out and gain some tactical flexibility as they get in range. We’ll have to be prepared for that. Still, their tactical problem is governed by the laws of physics, and they can only get around them so much.”
Kris eyed Captain O’dell. “You will be in the lead position as we join the enemy in deceleration. I intend to use the moon to loop out to meet them, then fight it out with them in that final approach. Endeavor, you will be at the head of the line.”
Nelly added a name to the ship closest to the cat world. Endeavor.
“You know, ma’am, some might say we were at the end of the line.”
“In space, it’s often hard to tell,” Kris said. “But that is your position. I intend to cross their T and concentrate our fire on the head of their line.”
“That means the ship that’s at the other end of the line could be in for a heap of trouble,” Captain Taussig said in a soft drawl. “Any of their other ships that get in range will be firing away at that poor soul.”
“It does look that way,” Kris admitted.
“May I claim the honor of that position for the Hornet, Admiral?”
“Are you sure it’s an honor you’re asking?” Kris said.
“It’s where I think we’d rather be, Kris. We got a bone to pick with these bastards. They clobbered the old Hornet. I want them to know they’ve been solidly stung in this next fight.”
Kris knew that Phil came from a long line of Navy heroes, going as far back as the wet Navy. She’d always thought it was a pain in the ass to be one of those damn Longknifes. Maybe she was seeing how hard it could be to bear another proud name.
“You will have that place, Captain Taussig.”
“Thank you, Admiral. I think my great-grandfather would be very proud.”
Yep, some names were just a pain in the butt.
“Which leaves the question of who gets the honor of the next hot spot in line,” said the skipper of the Constellation, Captain Sims.
Kris nodded. “I hope none of you will think me less courageous than those who have already spoken up, but General, please retrieve my cover from my quarters. Oh, and the printout Nelly’s making.”
WHAT PRINTOUT AM I MAKING?
ONE WITH ALL THE NAMES OF THE OTHER SIX SHIPS, WELL SPACED OUT SO WE CAN CUT THEM INTO SLIPS OF PAPER AND DRAW THEM FROM THE HAT.
COVER, Nelly corrected.
WHATEVER.
Jack returned with her cover, complete with admiral’s scrambled eggs. Nelly and Abby had had a ball constructing just the right gold braid for the bill of her hat.
Captain Drago produced
a pair of old-fashioned scissors from some drawer in the wardroom.
Scissors. What delightful old tech.
“I’ll have the lovely Amanda Kutter serve as our honest broker here. This sheet has the names of the other six ships of the squadron. Each of them capable of fighting just as well as the next and holding any place in our line.”
“Yes the paper does,” Amanda said, holding it up for all to see.
Kris handed her the scissors. “Cut the flimsy up and fold them over. Then put them in my cover.”
She did.
Kris stood and went to stand behind Amanda. She held the cover above the economist’s head. “Now draw out the name of the ship that will fight right behind Hornet.
“Constellation,” Amanda said as she opened the first slip and laid it on the table in front of her.
Captain Sims grinned proudly from his place on the screen.
“Royal,” Amanda read next.
Another skipper seemed just as glad.
“Wasp.”
Captain Drago’s grin was full of pride.
“Congress,” was followed by Intrepid. Bulwark would fight next to Endeavor.
“That, my good captains, is our fighting order. Captain Drago, please arrange for the ships to take their station in our new line.”
“And may God help us all,” Captain Drago was heard to mutter.
42
They made orbit, and then the problems started.
The squadron was in its second orbit, and the ships were busy maneuvering to get nose to nose and swap anchoring cables. Being at zero gravity, Kris was belted into her chair at her desk reading the latest set of guesses about the planet beneath her.
“Kris, three missiles have been launched at us,” Nelly reported curtly. “They are still in boost stage.”
“Shoot them down,” Kris ordered just as curtly.
Suddenly, the Wasp lurched as it brought its aft batteries to bear on the planet below.
“I’ve fired three aft lasers, just a short burst,” Nelly reported. “We hit all three.”
“What the hell is going on with my ship, Kris Longknife?” came as a bellow from the bridge.
“I take it, Nelly, that you didn’t inform Captain Drago of our little problem?”
“There wasn’t time, Kris. Is he mad at me?”
“No, he’s mad at me, Nelly. Are there any more launches?”
“No, Kris. But the missiles fired were atomic-tipped. One had a low-order explosion when it crashed. The others spewed radioactive plutonium.”
“Thank you, Nelly,” Kris said, as she undid her seat belt and pushed herself off for the bridge.
“Can I have my ship back, Your High-handedness?” Captain Drago said with a scowl.
“I’m sorry, Captain. Missiles were fired at us. I told Nelly to shoot them down quickly because they were still in boost phase and an easy target,” Kris said as she latched onto the back of the captain’s chair. “Next time, I’ll tell her to inform you and let you do it the proper Navy way.”
“The hard way,” the skipper said, and, if possible, his scowl got even deeper. “I hate to say this, but thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” Nelly said from Kris’s collarbone.
“So, what do we do about this greeting?” The captain asked.
“Nelly, which of the zones launched the rockets?”
“Do you remember that one I called Fearless Leader?”
“Yes.”
“It was definitely her.”
“Her?” the captain said, raising an eyebrow.
“Yes,” Nelly said. “We’ve come to find out that all the major zones are led by females of the species.”
“God help us,” Captain Drago said in full drama. “A planetful of Kris Longknifes. What sin could I have possibly committed in my previous life to deserve this?”
“Are we still over her territory?” Kris asked, ignoring the drama queen at her elbow.
“No, we’re far enough away from it that I don’t think we need fear shots from them,” Nelly replied.
“Then broadcast this on the usual frequencies. ‘I have been fired upon with atomic missiles. I have destroyed them with more ease than you swat flies. Do you really want to go to war with us? We came here in peace to save you. Admiral Longknife sends.’ Let’s see what we hear from the rest of the crazy cats between now and the next time we pass over Fearless Leader’s domain.”
Kris shoved off from the skipper’s chair and headed back to her day quarters.
“So, do we continue to anchor?” Captain Drago asked.
Kris paused at the door to her quarters. She shook her head. “Beat to quarters and get ready for a fight. With luck, next time Nelly won’t have to step on your pride.”
The captain made a face, but he passed the order to the squadron.
Ships pulled away to get more maneuvering room. Crews settled down at their battle stations and made ready for whatever came next.
What came next was a flood of denials that anybody wanted to fight the squadron. They came from heads of states, including both of the two other major powers, as well as from movie stars, heads of major industrial combines, and the two kids that Kris had talked to.
Kris took their message personally.
“Please, listen to us,” Frodin said. Kris could almost hear the tears in his eyes. “My dad says no one wants war. Even my mother says it would be a bad idea.”
“And so do my folks,” Zeth put in. “It’s just that crazy tail over there. They’ve been trouble ever since she came to power. She doesn’t speak for the rest of us.”
“I’m coming to understand that,” Kris said. “I will handle this problem just between her and me.”
“Please do. The rest of us don’t want to have anything to do with it.”
Kris ended her radio session with the two kids. They might just be kids, but what they said was backed up with signals from 161 other countries. Only the Fearless Leader kept quiet.
The squadron was battle ready as its orbit swept toward the problem zone.
Missiles rose to meet them.
“Endeavor, engage the threats.”
“Engaged,” came back quickly and seven missile were lased before they could get out of boost phase. The last one was hardly off the ground. Two exploded, including the one that had just lifted off.
That might explain why no more were fired.
“Nelly, do we have a solid lock on just where Fearless Leader is hunkered down?”
“I am 99.999 percent sure I have her mountain dialed in, Kris.”
“Please pass it along to the other ships of the squadron. I want to give it a broadside from each ship. Full charge from the forward lasers, then flip ship and give it the aft batteries.”
“Orders passed.”
Around Kris, the Wasp swung down, pointing its nose at one particular mountain.
“Fire,” Kris ordered.
She felt nothing as six 20-inch lasers poured every joule of energy they stored into firing on one particular piece of real estate. Kris had once been too close to a building when Admiral Krätz, of mostly fond memory, lased it from space.
He hadn’t had anything like the ships she had.
The only sign Kris had that the forward batteries were empty was the Wasp’s swinging around to present her aft batteries.
Five seconds later, Captain Drago reported. “Broadside fired. Request permission to resume anchoring.”
“Permission granted. Keep an eye on that zone next time we pass it.”
“That I will do, Admiral. However, some cartographer needs to remeasure the height of that mountain. It ain’t what it used to be.”
“No doubt. I wonder how Fearless Leader is taking it.”
“We’ll know next pass.”
Next pass was uneventful.
Then, Kris found herself invited to a party.
43
“Well, Jack, it’s now official. I have been invited to the General Session of the Assoc
iated Peoples annual session. Apparently, it’s being held three months early just for little old me.”
Kris tried to keep a happy grin on her face. Unfortunately for the debutante in her past, she was none too sure she meant a word she said.
“Where is this shooting gallery going to be held?” Jack asked before Amanda, Penny, or their tagalongs could say a word.
“One of the largest cities on the planet. It’s located in the zone with the highest tech. The one that first contacted us.”
“And then proceeded to keep the bad news to itself,” Jacques pointed out.
“Has anything been heard from the people you lased from orbit?” Masao asked.
“Not so much as a peep,” Kris said. “And when we cross their territory, we are not even tracked by radar.”
“Total shutdown,” Penny said. “But I notice we’re still on alert.”
“It only takes a few seconds to turn a radar on, track us, and launch,” Jack pointed out.
“So, are you going down?” Amanda asked.
“The invitations from both of the major zones say their leaders will be there personally and wish ‘to speak to me eye to eye.’ That phrase may not mean what it says.”
“Or it can mean exactly what it says,” Jacques put in.
“Yes.”
“So what do we do?” Penny asked.
“We do what we always do,” Jack growled. “We keep her safe despite herself. Penny, you are the admiral’s coordinator with the local police. So get on the horn and talk to the local police. Coordinate. Me, I’m the chief of her security. I will be talking to the chief of the security details of these other two top cats and seeing what they’re doing to keep their primaries safe.”
General Montoya paused for a breath. “We are going down to talk with civilized people with the usual problems of organized civility. Honey,” Jack said, turning to Kris, “don’t wait up for me tonight. I may be dirtside for a day or two.”
“You’re not mad at me, are you, Jack?”
“No, love. You do what you do, and I do what I do. We knew it would be like this when we decided to share as much of our lives as we could.”
Kris blew him a kiss, but he and Penny were already having their computers hook them into what passed for a communications net dirtside.
Kris Longknife: Tenacious (Kris Longknife novellas Book 12) Page 26
