General Mari coughed quietly. “But didn’t you once say, Admiral, that those systems were extremely important to the security of Sondak?”
“I certainly did, General Mari, but perhaps I should continue with the whole plan we have devised so that you see how it all fits together.”
“By all means.” Stonefield’s tone indicated an impatience with the interruptions.
As Mica watched her father’s carefully controlled reaction, she suddenly aware of how old he looked. Not old, just tired, she thought, as though it was somehow wrong to think of him as getting old.
“Thank you, sir,” Gilbert had hoped his old friend Stonefield would be working with him in this meeting, but with Stony one could never be sure until the shields were down.
“The third, and final goal of this plan is to make the Ukes believe that we suffered fewer losses than they think they caused with their surprise attacks.
“Consequently, the essence of our proposal is fairly simple. We suggest that the main battle groups from CENFLEET, POLFLEET, and HOMFLEET set up skirmish sectors –“
Several gasps broke his concentration for a moment, but he continued. “Set up skirmish sectors along the most likely routes of Uke attack. This will include subspace detection screening as well as widespread standard operations to include –“
“That’s insane,” Avitor Hilldill whispered, but everyone in the room heard him.
“Perhaps, Avitor,” Gilbert said before anyone else could speak, “but it is our opinion that the Ukes will believe exactly the same thing.”
“But sir, if it doesn’t work…if we should fail in this, then the path would be open to the heart of Sondak.”
“No doubt, Avitor, no doubt. But if we leave our forces scattered as they are, the Ukes are quite capable of punching holes through them at will. Better that we make a stand around the Matthews system than to stretch ourselves so thinly as to have no real defense at all.”
“Suppose they don’t attack the Matthews system?” General Mari asked. He had a nightmare vision of Uke forces circling around Matthews. “Suppose they bypass Matthews and strike the First Fringe systems? Do you realize the resources we’d lose, not to mention the blow that would be to morale?”
“Every plan has its risks, General,” Gilbert said calmly, “and so far this isn’t even a plan. It’s just a proposal. But if the Ukes were foolish enough to do what you suggested while we had our combined battlegroups at Matthews, then the heart of the U.C.S. would be open to us. I suspect we would give them better than we got from them.”
“What makes you so sure they’ll strike Matthews anyway?” Admiral Eresser asked. It was the first time she had spoken and all heads turned in her direction. “Oh, I know we have Commander Rochmon’s intercepts, and I’ve read the decoded Q-2 reports from their group leaders, but how do we know all of this isn’t just a ruse?”
“Perhaps I should answer that, Admiral,” Rochmon said. “It’s more than just reports, ma’am. When we broke the Q-2 code, we tapped into their routine traffic as well, all the forcekeeping information which gives them daily status on all their ships and personnel. The Ukes are very systematic about all that, Admiral. Very systematic. There hasn’t been time to translate all of their messages, but constant throughout what we have translated is their massing of two main battle fleets, the smaller one under the command of Kuskuvyet, and the other under an unnamed commander that we believe will be Charltos.”
“Would they dare risk him in battle?” Hilldill asked.
Hilldill had been following Charltos’s career almost as long as Rochmon had, and Rochmon knew the question was very valid. “I don’t think it’s a question of dare,” Rochmon said. “I think it’s a question of Uke tradition. The planner of the battle is required by tradition to participate. I’m betting my credits on Charltos, because Kuskuvyet is a political commander, not a military one.”
“And you believe this battle fleet with the mystery commander will attack Matthews system?”
“If they don’t, General, they will have wasted a lot of time and effort getting ready to do it. But I’ll tell you what the biggest clue is, sir. The A-fleet – that’s what we call the big one – the A-fleet is drawing more than its share of medium-range attack ships. We did some quick figuring and decided that the only reason those ships would be needed was if the Ukes had a base from which to use them. And the only suitable base which would give them the ability to attack systems over half the length of the First Fringe is Reckynop.”
Mica had heard this line of reasoning earlier in the day, but she enjoyed hearing Rochmon present it again in front of the Joint Chiefs.
“If they control Reckynop, they can harass twenty major systems and another fifteen smaller ones from there. No other location gives them that kind of ability.” Rochmon looked around the table and saw the looks of concern. “Sorry, Admiral Gilbert. Perhaps I’ve said too much.” Abruptly he sat down, knowing he had left Admiral Gilbert back in the position of authority.
“Not at all, Commander.” Gilbert wanted to slap his former protégé on the back with joy. If the Joint Chiefs weren’t convinced now that Matthews system needed defending, nothing he could add was going to impress them.
“How detailed are your plans, Admiral Gilbert?” Stonefield asked after a long pause.
“Not nearly as much as they should be, sir. There was no way, of course, that I could keep up with our current situation while on my way here, so by necessity I had to make certain assumptions which proved invalid once I arrived. However,” he added quickly, “it would not take long to formulate the specifics once we had the proper authorization.”
“Thank you, Josiah,” Stonefield said as he shifted the focus of the meeting to himself. “I’m sure there are a great number of questions we could ask – and no doubt will ask if we approve this course of action. But for the moment, I think you and Commander Rochmon have laid the situation out for us fairly well.
“Now, unless someone has further comment or objection, I think it is time we decided exactly what we are going to do about the Matthews system.”
“I do have one further question,” General Mari said, “but I am not sure this is where it fits in.”
“Go ahead, General.”
“What about Admiral Pajandcan’s report this morning, sir? If the Ukes have seeded the Matthews system with neutronic missiles, what effect should that have on our decision?”
“None,” Gilbert said quickly. “Sorry, sir,” he added with a nod to Stonefield. “It wasn’t my place to answer that question, but regardless of what lengths the Ukes are willing to go in the Matthews system, our decision should be made on what is best for Sondak.”
“And if they have seeded the system,” Stonefield said quietly, “that would probably be further confirmation of Commander Rochmon’s assessment of the situation. They would have to be pretty serious about wanting Reckynop in any condition in order to use neutronics. Does that satisfy you, Mari?”
“Yes, I suppose it does, and I have to admit that despite some serious reservations about stripping our active forces to defend Matthews, I think the defense itself is our best course of action.”
Mica and Rochmon shared a look that said they both knew how hard it had been for Mari to make that statement.
After a few minutes of further discussion, the Joint Chiefs voted six to one in favor of making the defense of Matthews system their first priority. Josiah Gilbert heaved an internal sigh of relief.
“So, Josiah,” Stonefield said almost informally, “you have our full resources at your disposal. How soon can you have a preliminary plan for us?”
“Two days, sir. Three at most.”
“Make it two, Josiah. We have no idea how much time we have before the Ukes strike.”
“Yes, sir.”
“And,” he said, leaning on his hands and facing the entire table, “I want recommendations from each of you as to who should command this combined battle fleet.”
For the
first time since the meeting had begun, Josiah Gilbert was caught by surprise. He had assumed that if they accepted his plan, he would be the battle fleet commander. But Stony certainly understood the politics of this decision much better than he did. Better to wait and see what happened than to say anything now, he thought.
“Then I think that concludes the major business of the day. Commander Rochmon, if you would escort Admiral Gilbert to your headquarters and help him in any way you can, we would all appreciate it.”
Mica followed Rochmon and her father out of the meeting room with a sense of pride in what she had witnessed. Her feeling was tempered by the understanding that Sondak was about to take a huge risk – and if their gamble did not pay off, her father’s career would go down in ruins. But when the door closed behind them and her father turned and held out his arms to her, nothing else in the universe mattered for the moment.
11
DURING HER WEEKS OF NEGOTIATING with Exeter the Castorian, Leri reviewed Cloise’s long history of petty mistreatment at the hands of Sondak’s economic pirates. She reminded him that only Cloise’s dependence on Sondak for the agricultural assistance now necessary to support Cloise’s growing population gave them reason to continue such a relationship.
Yet as Leri renewed her hate for Sondak and all humans, she also gained a great deal of respect for Exeter. She had to admit that the implacable crab definitely had traits worth admiring, and a better sense of humor than ten or twenty humans combined.
With a great concern that she not offend him, she had chosen the music for this season’s meeting very carefully – a subdued but uplifting piece by Shetotum with classical overtures that would give appropriate background to half a season’s conversation. If their meeting lasted longer than those ten hours, she had programmed the music to repeat.
Now as he faced her, she chose her words just as carefully as she had chosen the music and wished, not for the first time in the last few seasons, that her term as proctor was over.
“Despite your best efforts to intercede for Sondak, my gracious and intelligent friend, I am afraid we must decline this offer your human, uh, allies have described as their last. Better that they rob us of our atmosphere than of our honor.”
“But I still do not understand how your honor is at stake here, Proctor. I apologize for that, knowing it is a deficiency on my part, but since I have agreed to relay this message, it would behoove me to try one more time to comprehend exactly what your objections are.”
The music swelled just as Exeter finished speaking, and for a brief moment Leri suspected she had chosen poorly. However, before she could answer him, Ranas slithered into the chamber.
Ignoring Exeter, he slid up beside Leri and hissed, “They have begun.”
“Begun what? And why do you interrupt us like this?”
“The tankers have arrived. They have begun collecting.”
Leri stared at Exeter and saw that he had politely pulled his head back into his shell. “Exeter!” she screamed, sending a small fireball over his head for its dramatic effect, “I demand an explanation!”
His head popped out of his shell as though his tail had been stung. “Pardon, Proctor? An explanation for what?”
“Ranas informs me that the Sondak tankers have arrived and their collectors have already begun working.” She let the natural gruffness of her voice rise slightly as she spoke, hoping Exeter would sense her anger and dismay.
“But Proctor, that is within the limits of the previous agreement.”
“It certainly is not!” she screamed again. Her voice rose another octave, and a froth of fire sputtered from her mouth. “You will return to your treacherous human friends, now, and you will demand that they immediately cease their collection efforts. Otherwise all these negotiations end. Now. Forever. We have certain steps we can take to safeguard –“
“No, Leri.”
“Hush!” she hissed at Ranas. “As Proctor, it must be my decision.” She swiveled her long head back to Exeter. “Do you understand me, Castorian?”
“I understand only that you are upset, Proctor, and that there has been some misunderstanding –“
“There is no misunderstanding, Exeter. Tell them to stop, or we will ignite the surface.” There, she thought, I have said the magic words. Now let us see –
“Leri!” Ranas said in his most deeply anguished tones. “You cannot!”
“But I can. And I will.” I should have warned him, she thought, but now –
“It would kill us!”
“Hush, Ranas, and leave us. Your emotionalism disturbs me. We have ignited the surface before, and we can do it again. Let Sondak gather its methane elsewhere.” She had hoped he would understand what she was doing, but the fierce scent of disapproval from his skin told her otherwise.
Exeter made quiet chattering sounds to himself as Ranas slid suddenly out the back entrance of the chamber. “Forgive me, Proctor,” Exeter said finally, “but by your own records – the Isthian records – the last ignition of your atmosphere’s surface almost decimated your race.”
“So it did, Exeter the Castorian, and so it might again. But it also stopped another group of pirates, those who would have stolen an equally precious resources from us.”
The music swelled again, and Leri was not sure her tone had been quiet right, so she waited a moment for him to respond. When he didn’t, she spoke with all the sternness she could muster in her voice. “Go now, Exeter, before I lose patience.”
“As you will, Proctor. But may I return once they have ceased collecting your methane?”
His tone had altered also, but Leri had no idea what that signified. “Only if you return with guarantees,” she said quietly and with just the proper touch of sadness.
Exeter clacked something unintelligible with his claws over his head, as was his wont in taking leave of her, then scuttled from the chamber to the fading strains of Shetotum’s overture.
Leri was annoyed and distressed. She had fully expected Sondak to try something of this nature, and she was thoroughly prepared to lay her bluff on Exeter’s shell as soon as they did it. If Sondak’s tankers refused to stop collecting, she would order the surface ignited to prove her sincerity to them. What they could not know, of course, was that her own Isthian scientists had discovered a way to extinguish such fires.
Those were not the things which distressed her. Ranas upset her most – Ranas her beloved mate, father of her guplings, troubled emotionalist – Ranas who no longer held the center of her affections, who would be deeply hurt if he knew that the young Weecs had slithered into her chambers and into her heart. But Ranas presented the most complicated of her problems, so she pushed thoughts of him aside until she could meditate on him later with less distraction.
Another annoyance came with her vision of the future which had grown alternately cloudy and clear during her dealings with Exeter. She knew the vision was important. Yet she knew there was no way to force it into the open where she could better examine it and use it to guide her path.
The guplings were next, especially Voneri, the one she was now positive was possessed by Ambassador Fushtig’s soul. Custom demanded that she kill Voneri within the next ten seasons or acknowledge her right to live with whatever soul she possessed. Leri was still undecided about what to do, and Ranas had been little or no help with that serious concern either.
Last was her growing impatience with her duties as proctor. The vision showed her continuing with those duties, but Leri was no longer comfortable or content with what was demanded of her in this position. It was almost as though some external force demanded that she split herself in two, serving the vision with one part of herself and the rest of her life with the other.
Yet sometimes it was all she could do to serve one side.
Weecs represented part of her problems as well – and part of one possible solution. Their first meeting had been a wild intellectual affair at Lucase, where she had offered a pun in rebuttal to some laughing rema
rk of his one morning, and a full season later they had found themselves curled quietly together in the first green shades of dawn, laughing, talking and sharing a joy of discovery that Leri had never dared dream would happen to her again. Only as an afterthought had they drawn their tired bodies together and coupled, as though physically sealing the intellectual bond that had formed between them.
Leri had coupled with others outside the nest, others who had caught her fancy and been willing and available partners when she most needed their companionship to counterbalance Ranas’s sexual indifference. But never before Weecs had she felt such a tremendous sense of oneness, a sense she had dared not believe until the two of them had repeatedly reaffirmed not only their physical bond, but their intellectual one as well.
Yet Weecs lived halfway around the world, and he had no reason or resources to bring him closer where they might share in the delight of each other’s presence more frequently. And for all her power as proctor, Leri had yet to find a way to help him come which would not be transparent to anyone who examined it – but most of all, transparent to Ranas.
As her closest advisor, Ranas would be the first to understand that Weecs was something other than a young, ambitious historian come to watch The Proctor in action.
Leri uncoiled herself and stretched her long, narrow body, seeking physical relief from the tension. With a slight smile she pulled her body into an oval and scratched her shrinking teats, glad her daughters would soon be totally weaned.
Yes, Weecs did provide a possible answer. She could decline the automatic offer of continuation when it came, slide down from her office as proctor, make her apologies to Ranas, their families and friends, and flee to some remote place where she could reevaluate her life. If in time Weecs could join her there, so much the better. And if he could not…she refused to consider that possibility.
Weecs meant something to her that she had been afraid to admit even to herself, something which was more wonderful –
Double Spiral War Trilogy Page 12
