Laurels, Part 2

General Andrew Sullivan had never been angrier in his life. “Permission to speak freely, sir.”

Shirish paused for a moment as he considered the request. He knew Sullivan’s reputation for heated clashes and harsh talk. Were it not for that, Sullivan might possibly have had a third star by now. Of course, letting Sullivan vent now might save a lot of trouble further down the line. Nobody else could see or hear so it wouldn’t be detrimental to the crew if anything…impolitic was said. “Permission granted.”

“Where do you get off taking my ship?” Sullivan snarled through clenched teeth.

Shirish mulled over the question. He knew from reading Sullivan’s file that he was incredibly aggressive, the primary trait that had propelled him to this position. He also had a certain charmed fortune about him. Sullivan was often in the right place at the right time to benefit from the mistakes or misfortunes of others. The real question was whether he merely capitalized on opportunities or created them. Shirish’s guess was ruthless capitalization. Sullivan seemed too hot-headed to “create” opportunities without being seen and anticipated. But what Shirish did not have to guess about, seeing Sullivan’s young (for a general) hulking frame towering over him, was that Sullivan was a strong believer in the art of intimidation. Shirish thought that things like that were left behind in college fraternities or the barracks rooms of military academies. Of the possible stances he could take in replying to the question, counter-intimidation seemed the best way to proceed. He would have to break Sullivan and do it fast.

Shirish extended a finger and poked it to Sullivan’s chest. “Number one: the Winfield Scott is not ‘your’ ship. It is Earthforce’s ship. And it is under the command of whomever it is assigned to!”

Shirish extended a second finger and poked them into Sullivan’s chest. “Number two: that’s a bold question to ask considering I have four stars on my shoulders and you have only two!”

Shirish extended a third finger and poked them all into Sullivan’s chest. “Number three: my orders come directly yes I said DIRECTLY from the PRESIDENT! Therefore, the fleet is my fleet and the Scott is MY ship! Are we clear, Major General?”

Sullivan narrowed his eyes as his jaw twitched. His shoulders relaxed slightly. “Who did I piss off this time, then?”

Shirish might have breathed a sigh of relief if he didn’t think it would undermine his posture. “It’s not about you. It’s about our orders and the mission.”

“That’s bull and you know it. It’s always about politics.”

Shirish maintained his dominance. “Sir.”

Sullivan gazed back. “That’s bull and you know it, Sir.”

Shirish wielded the stick and it seemed to be working. Time to offer the carrot. “It is politics, Major General, but not the kind you think.” He softened his tone. “Look, I know you’re thinking about your career here. This assignment is a big feather in your cap and now it looks like someone else is going to get the credit. I’m sorry for that, but, once again, it has nothing to do with you or me. I didn’t make the orders. I’m just following them.”

The anger abated in Sullivan’s eyes just a little bit. Shirish’s acting job was successful. Time to reinforce everything. Shirish backed away out of Sullivan’s face and sat down behind the ready room desk. Remove the immediate threat and subtly maintain dominance... “Besides, I’ll probably be spending most of my time chained to a desk. You’re the one who’s going to be riding fire. I know I don’t have to tell you the importance of engaging the enemy but I give you my word: you do well in this and I’ll make it the goal of the rest of my career to get you that third star. Are we clear?”

Sullivan knew it was too late to win this one. He held his contempt and let go of a “Yes, sir.”

“Excellent. Make preparations for the fleet to jump. As soon as the scout telemetry comes in, I want us underway. Dismissed.” Shirish took a datapad and began reviewing consumption logs, taking his eyes from Sullivan.

Sullivan closed the door behind him, gave orders to bridge personnel and then went down the hall to cool himself down. It didn’t work. His thoughts were racing and gave him no solace. Damn fossils! I follow orders and I suffer. I work hard and they get the credit. This is my command. I earned it! And what? Does Gonzales think I’m stupid? ‘Rest of my career to get you a third star’ my ass! He’s a relic! How long until he retires? A year? Two? I’m sick of all these old men in my way! I’ll have a third star and it won’t be from you! You’ll screw up and when I come to the rescue, I’ll have it…SIR!

Laurels, Part 1

“Amazing, isn’t she?”

Shirish looked at the bridge view screen like a child seeing his heart’s desire for the first time, eyes wide and mouth agape. “I’ve read all the reports and schematics, but in my dreams, I never imagined…”

Captain Nagumo ordered the Minotaur to pull alongside the Winfield Scott. “Quite a far cry from the old days, wouldn’t you say, sir?”

“Are you kidding?” Shirish replied. “For a couple of years, there was concern I could never go back to Earth because of all the time I spent commanding zero-g warships. Now I’m walking inside instead of floating around. And I’m still not quite used to it.”

“I understand that some of the early graviton generation tech went into the Scott’s construction so at full centrifugal turn, gravity is almost Earth normal inside. Of course, this is from before we got gravity tech from the ISA.”

“Still, Captain, there’s little to rival human ingenuity. Two centuries ago we were still stuck on Earth and now we’re…”

The comms officer interrupted. “Captain, we have an incoming transmission from Earthdome.” The young officer listened to an earpiece for a moment before continuing. “It’s for General Gonzales, Priority...Ultraviolet.”

“General, my ready room is at your disposal.”

“Thank you, Captain.” The General stepped into the sparse office and stood before the screen, taking a moment to straighten and brush the wrinkles from his jacket before he spoke. “This is General Gonzales. Accept incoming message.” He did not expect to see the Seal of the President. As many times as he had met or spoken with various Presidents, he was always a little nervous. Especially with President Luchenko. Of course, that had less to do with her position and more to do with the slight crush he had on her. Yes, he was getting old, but he could still appreciate a pretty woman. And Minifred, his wife, thought it was both funny and cute that her “rival” was the President, of all people. Strangely, Shirish had always thought Luchenko’s features were a little more Polish than Russian, but he had never had the opportunity to inquire about that. Whenever he spoke to the President, there were always more important things to discuss.

Luchenko’s face came into view. “Good day, General. How are you doing?” she said with that lovely accent of hers.

“I am doing well, Madame President. And yourself? Enjoying being able to govern instead of campaigning?”

“I am doing well, and it is refreshing to do actual work. Thank you for asking.”

“How may I serve you today, Madame President?”

“I am aware that you are planning to announce your intention to retire on your return to Earth.”

Shirish was a bit surprised that she was aware but he had not kept it secret. “That is true, Ma’am. I think forty years is long enough. Besides, I promised my wife a honeymoon thirty-eight years ago and I think she’s starting to get surly about it.”

“General, I need you to perform one last mission on Earth’s behalf. You will take command of the Expulsion Fleet and drive the Vorlons and the Shadows away.”

Shirish furrowed his brow. “Madame President, with all due respect, is this a good idea? I haven’t been in direct command of assets in over a decade. Wouldn’t Ryan or Touelle or Lefcourt be better choices for this assignment?”

“The issue here is time. We have begun to receive intelligence from our forward scouts reporting both Drazi and Narn communications. If they are already there, we need to engage as soon as possible. It would take weeks to get any of the others to where you are right now. We are officially working with the ISA on this project, but it is essential that Earthforce be the ones to drive away the Shadows and Vorlons. So you are perfect for this, General.”

Shirish thought for a moment and put two and two together. She wants them gone and to be able to say that we drove them all off and if it all goes badly, I’m a good scapegoat because I’m retiring anyway. Political brinksmanship disguised as military action… “Madame President, I will carry out your orders to the best of my ability. I will require my staff and official orders to come through channels, but, that aside, we will be under way in 24 hours.”

“Very good, General. I knew I could rely on you. And remember, let nothing stand in your way. Earth must end this threat in a way that speaks to both the Ancient races and the other galactic powers.”

“Consider it done, Ma’am.”

“God’s speed and good luck to you, General. Luchenko out.”

The screen went dead. Shirish sat down in a slump and closed his eyes. Six thousand souls in my hands against God only knows what force more technologically advanced than anything I can imagine. What good can I possibly do against that? And thoughts flooded from his memory…

Carstairs said “I think you're a good officer. If you weren't, I wouldn't have requested you.”
Doctor Marengo said “If you can survive this, you can survive anything.”
Bobby said “You should be leading this mission.”
President Luchenko said “I knew I could rely on you.”
And Minnie held his cheek. “You’ll always come back to me.”

The General burst from the office onto the bridge. “Captain Nagumo, have a shuttle prepped ASAP and inform General Sullivan that I am coming over.”

Nagumo began giving supplemental orders as The General looked back to the Winfield Scott. “He’ll want to know why, sir.”

Shirish shot a glance of annoyance to Nagumo and then put his gaze back on the Scott. “Tell him I have one more victory to win.”

The Past Looms, The Future Beckons

General Shirish Gonzalez read from a datapad as he was being shuttled over. Often, he would rest easy and enjoy these little shuttle trips. He so rarely got out into space any more, which was ironic because that is how he made his name in Earthforce. For him, the ships were no longer engines of destruction. They weren’t even pieces on a board anymore. The General saw them in a different light these days. They were instruments of political will. They were the loudspeakers of Earth and the good fence that made for good neighbors. And when Earth’s fence was tested, those ships danced a dark tango in the Court of Mars. Shirish cracked a smile. He was glad that wasn’t a bartender. If I mixed drinks, he thought, like I mix metaphors, I would surely have trouble making a living. He felt the light shudder of the dock clamps and knew the Minotaur had been reached. He stowed the datapad in a pocket and began to stand in anticipation of final procedures and debarking.

The shuttle doors opened to the sound of a boatswain’s whistle’s high, rising and descending pitch. “General on deck!” The honor guard snapped to attention, five on each side. The dress uniformed Command staff stood to attention as the Captain stepped forward and offered a salute. “Welcome aboard, General!” Shirish returned the salute, suppressing a sigh and the urge to roll his eyes. Ceremony was essential to discipline and morale, therefore stay galley had to be endured, but that didn’t mean he had to like it. His mind stepped back and let scripted responses take over. He noted the names -Captain Nagumo, Commander Gonzales, Doctor Eames, Chief Carroll – and made the appropriate responses. Ceremony was served and niceties were exchanged as they had been a thousand times before. When the Captain offered a tour, Shirish’s mind returned to the fore now that thought was required.

“I would be happy to inspect the Minotaur, but I have to contact Earthdome. Would it be an inconvenience to delay the tour?”

“Of course, sir. At your earliest convenience, General.”

“Thank you, Captain.” The Earthdome contact line worked every time. “Can you spare your XO to show me to my quarters?”

“Yes, sir. You have the liberty of the ship. If there is anything you need, please do not hesitate let me know.”

“Thank you, Captain.” Shirish gave an order to the shuttle pilot and turned to the Commander. “After you, Commander Gon-za-les.”

The XO led Shirish through dimly lit hallways. “Why do you let them butcher our name like that, Bobby?” Shirish asked.

“Because, sir, it’s easier. I say it properly and everyone thinks I’m your son.”

Shirish chuckled. “There’s a reason for that, son.”

Robert Gonzales turned to his father. “You should be leading this mission.”

“I am old. Exploration like this is a young man’s game. Besides, I haven’t commanded an expeditionary force in over a decade.”

“There’s nobody more experienced in extended campaigns like this than you are.”

“Nonsense. Thirty-five years ago, I was good in battle. Fifteen years ago, I was a master of logistics. Today, I’m the undisputed expert on the art of testifying before subcommittees. I’m not the man for this.“

The two officers and porter reached a stateroom and entered. The porter left bags where instructed and scurried out before Robert continued. “And you think Sullivan is?”

From another junior officer, Shirish might have mentioned the insubordinate tone of that comment. But he and Robert had wrangled over so many subjects over the years, yet Robert still did his duty. He could give his son latitude. “Is this a question of his ability or his role in the civil war?”

Son looked father in the eye. “You know what he did.”

The father returned the look. “He followed the orders of his chain of command. If I were as judgmental as you, I might take you to task for siding with Sheridan.”

“Sheridan did what nobody else on Earth was willing to do!”

“Even if that’s true, it is not the role of the military to rebel. Clark was the constitutionally legal President…”

“Assassinating Santiago and subverting the Constitution is legal now?”

Shirish began to speak then held back his words for a moment before speaking again. “Bobby, I endure the Athenian wrestling match of politics all the time. Can I get away from it for a little while with my son?”

Robert relented. “Sorry, dad.”

“Thank you. And, just between us, Sullivan was chosen because of the black project work he was over back then. I know you’ve all been briefed on the mission parameters. Vorlons and Shadows? Sullivan has more experience with Shadow technology than anyone outside of the eggheads following along. And nobody knows anything about Vorlons. So right now he’s the best man for the job.”

“That’s a nice, rational piece of cold logic.”

“More like a rationalization, but it’s not wrong. And that’s neither here nor there. I’m just here to see my boy and get a ride to the Scott’s shakedown and maybe, if I’m lucky, see the Charybdis again..”

Robert sat in a chair. “That must be really exciting for you. I know how hard you pushed to get the Scott named.”

Shirish looked out a porthole into the vastness of the stars beyond. “Sometimes I think back to the first time I floated down the Charybdis’ halls and wonder if that wasn’t the happiest time of my life. Of course, we were young then and didn’t know as much as we do now about what’s out there. And she wasn’t the equal of the Omega by any means, but back then…” His voice trailed off into memory.

Robert smiled. “I know, Dad. I read the book.”

Shirish shot a quick grin back. “So you’re one of the ten people who bought it!”

“You know, I once had a professor at the Academy ask if he could meet you. He said he wanted to talk to you about that first meeting on the Scott with Carstairs and Cargano and Kallis.”

Shirish began to drown in memory. “I’m sure he did. There’s not an officer or academic who wouldn’t have wanted to be a fly on that bulkhead.” So many old friends gone. If it wasn’t the Dilgar, it was the Minbari. And those who survived, so many were lost in the Civil War. “It’s a terrible thing to grow old in our profession.” Shirish pulled out the datapad and turned back to Robert. “That’s why this is a young man’s game. You have duties to attend to. Give this to the Captain. He’s going to show it to you anyway so you can look at it, too.”

Robert stood and took the pad. “I’ll come see you again when I get off duty. Dinner tonight?”

“That sounds fine. See you then, Bobby.”

“See you then, Dad.” Robert walked out, closing the door behind him and stared at the datapad. Curiosity got the better of him. He touched a button and the screen sprang to life…


Resource Allocation, Expulsion Fleet:

EAS Winfield Scott - Omega Command Destroyer
EAS Ajax - Omega Destroyer
EAS Minotaur - Omega Destroyer
EAS Red Cliffs - Omega Pulse Destroyer
EAS Fairfax - Hyperion Cruiser
EAS Portsmouth - Hyperion Cruiser
EAS Wurzburg - Hyperion Cruiser
EAS Charybdis - Nova Dreadnought
EAS Viraat - Avenger Heavy Carrier
EAS Marco Polo- Explorer Survey Ship
EAS Murmansk - Hyperion Assault Cruiser
EAS Falcon - Oracle Scout Cruiser
EAS Miller - Oracle Scout Cruiser
EAS Panther - Oracle Scout Cruiser
EAS Tolliver - Oracle Scout Cruiser
EAS John Layton – Hermes Transport
EAS Barnardo O'Higgins – Hermes Transport

Alpha Wing –ThunderBolt Fury Wing
Beta Wing – ThunderBolt Fury Wing
Delta Wing –Badger Fury Wing
Zeta Wing – Badger Fury Wing

Reassignment

William Cargano hated being summoned. It didn't matter who did the calling, whether it was a higher ranking officer or an old friend. In this case it was both. So he gently walked down the hall toward the conference room. He didn't know why James summoned him there, but he still didn't like it.

As he opened the door, he was Admiral James Carstairs seated at the end, flanked by General Piotr Hrudek and Captain Shirish Gonzalez. Cargano also hated being the last person at a meeting. "I'm here, James. What's this all about?"

Carstairs face was blank. "This is an official function. Please report properly."

Cargano looked at all three men suspiciously. In three years of serving under Carstairs, he had never had to report formally. Eying the three officers, he thought to himself that these are, not counting himself, the three most senior officers in the Krish Fleet, exactly the men needed for a board or a court martial... Cargano snapped to attention and saluted. "Captain William Cargano reporting as ordered, sir."

Carstairs returned the salute. "As you were. Have you heard the news from Omelos?"

Cargano had been on patrol so communication had been sporadic for the last two weeks. "No, I haven't. Has something happened?"

"The good news," Carstairs began, "is that Omelos has fallen. The bad news is that the Dilgar managed to kill Hamato and several senior staff in the process."

"Then I am both happy and sad. Why have I been summoned here?"

Carstairs leaned forward. "Because I am not happy with your performance, Captain."

Cargano felt his blood being to boil. "What aspects of my performance have upset you, sir?"

Carstairs leaned forward into the daggers shooting out of Cargano's eyes. "Quite frankly, Captain, I think there are...better places for you than commanding a Nova."

"Are you demoting me, James? Are you serious?"

"Sir."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Are you demoting me, Sir."

Cargano began to grit his teeth. "Are you demoting me, Sir?"

"I think it's time to move you somewhere else."

Cargano glared at Cartairs for a moment. "And I suppose the orders have already come through."

"They have."

"You should have come to me like a man first. Fuck you, James." Cargano snapped back to attention. "Where have I been reassigned, sir?"

Carstairs point out the window. "There."

Cargano looked out the window to see an Orestes Battleship surrounded by repair scaffolding. "Executive Officer I assume, sir?"

"What do you think, General Cargano?"

"I think that you can go to..." Cargano's face softened as he thought for a moment. "Did you say 'General'?"

Hrudek burst into laughter. Gonzalez's smile was both embarrassed and amused. Carstairs tossed a small box at Cargano. "Gotcha, Bill!"

Cargano caught the box and opened it. Inside were two stars, each one rank insignia for a Rear General. "What the hell?"

"The promotion has been in the works for a while. With all the staff losses at Omelos, it got fast-tracked. And since a General needs a good ride, you are now the commanding officer of the Louis Davout, fresh from the front."

The tension in Cargano's face disappeared. "I... I don't know what to say."

Shirish, in a quiet but deferential voice replied. "Well, you could still tell Admiral Carstairs where to go..."

Three general officers burst into laughter.

Here Is The News

Carstairs reviewed the repair logs for the fleet. The lack of the third Nova left a hard stone in his stomach. Jeff could be an arrogant pain in the ass, but most truly good captains were. He could still see him sitting in the ready room on the Scott.

"If it makes it easier for Hamato to finish the war, it's completely worth it."

I hope you really felt that way, Jeff. The intercom chime interrupted Carstairs' thoughts. "Sir," the comm officer began, "General Rosales wishes to speak to you."

A small shudder ran down Carstairs' back. His commanding officer's CO and Executive officer of the Liberation Navy, answering directly to Hamato? Carstairs had long ago ceased to be worried about communications from top brass but he knew that this call would be either really good news or really bad news. There was only one way to find out. "Count to ten and then put him through to my screen." He turned his chair to face the screen, pulled the bottom of his jacket to straighten out the wrinkles, ran his hand through his hair and waited for the image to come through.

Herve Rosales' image formed from the static. "Good morning, Admiral Carstairs." he said, slightly rolling his Rs, revealing the accent of his native Spain. "I hope I'm not disturbing you."

"Not at all, sir. How can I be of assistance to you today?"

"Actually, I will be helping you, I think."

Wheels turned in Carstairs' head. "I don't follow you, sir."

"First, let me say that you have done an excellent job of tying the Dilgar up in the Krish System and the intelligence you have provided us has been of great value in the war effort."

Carstairs inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you, sir."

"For that, you are welcome. Even more importantly, little stands between us and Omelos. Preliminary strikes have already begun and we should begin the final assault within the next few days."

"That's wonderful, sir! Please confer my congratulations to Admiral Hamato."

With a slight smile beneath his this mustache, Rosales said "I shall do that. Unfortunately, I do not think that this news will be good for you."

"Sir?"

"Our scouts tracking their flagship, the Mancat class vessel 'Seat of Punishment', detected it jumping out of the system two hours ago. We have reason to believe that it is heading in your direction."

Carstairs wheels began to spin again. "It's arrival in system would confirm my belief that the Dilgar are trying to relocate to this system. I had hoped to dislodge them from the planet I believe they have chosen with our last attack but we failed. I wanted to overwhelm them with our force but it was much more heavily defended than we had expected. While we did sizable damage to their forces, it was not as valuable as what we lost."

"Esto es la guerra. But this is both bad and good. If the forces around Omelos feel they have a way out, they may not fight like caged wolves to the death. Good for us but not so good for you."

Carstairs showed a confident smile, but inside he was quite concerned. "I don't suppose you could help us with that, sir?"

"As luck would have it, yes. With the help we've been getting from the worlds we have liberated, we have been able to free up other resources to send your way. We begin with some more Sagittari to replace the ones you have lost. Along with the engineers and tech upgrades, we will have you in better shape. If 'Seat of Punishment' arrives, you'll need it. That thing is a monster. And once we have pacified Omelos itself, we will be able to dispatch more forces from the fleet to aid you."

"Sir, permission to speak freely?"

Rosales leaned back. "Granted."

"Sir, if I remember the specs on the Mancat correctly, I'm not sure we have the firepower to destroy it. And with the Centauri here, I'm loath to commit too much of our forces lest we leave them masters of the system and two jumps from Earth."

"Patience, Admiral. Once Omelos is disposed of, we can turn our attentions to your little problem."

But would we survive our little problem? That remained to be seen. But Carstairs knew Omelos was the most important mission of all. "Understood, sir. We will maintain resistance until more forces can be sent to aid."

"Very good Admiral. Oh, and one last thing, would you pass a message to Captain Cargano the next time you see him? It is not important enough to tie up a channel."

"I'd be happy to, sir." It was a little unorthodox, but everyone passed messages back and forth this.

"Tell Bill I said Queen's Knight to King's four. And that I will mate him in nine moves. Anything else you would like to say, Admiral?"

"No, sir. I have much to prepare for."

"Then I will leave you to it. Good luck, Admiral Carstairs. May God be with you. Rosales out."

As the screen went dead, Carstairs sat back and closed his eyes. Losing a Nova is now, officially, the least of my worries...

…And A Time to Reap

Carstairs was lost inside his own head as he pondered the system map. The Centauri hold was growing stronger, he thought, but we must never lose sight of our real mission here. Much of the system fleet was tied up in constant chase and patrol thanks to Hrudek and between the repairs to the fleet, the fuel consumption of so many ships, the monotony of constant drilling and the pall of the defeat Earthforce had been handed, many things were in short supply, most importantly materiel and morale. The boys needed a win and needed it badly. Earth didn't need it as badly. The victories on the way to Omelos were racking up. But these men? You could see it in some of their eyes. Many accepted that you win some and you lose some, but the sting of being the superior force and losing was still fresh.

The one real coup, however, had been the capture of a Dilgar ship. Intel was still going over the information from the computers, but now Carstairs understood why the Dilgar were here.

They want planets in this system for colonization. That means one of two things. Either they are so certain of their victory against Earth and the other races that they're already planning more expansion or they're trying to get people off their homeworld in case they lose.

Wheels continued to turn in Carstairs' head.

The former seems unlikely based on the reports from the front. Maybe a little propaganda was mixed in but even the most conservative reading says we're winning and our allies' reports were backing that up. The latter seemed much more likely. If they're afraid of losing their homeworld to us, then no wonder they're trying to evacuate. They virus bomb worlds they take. In their minds, why wouldn't we do the same to them?

We know what they want. So now we must deny it to them. Carstairs spun his chair around and began typing. We must deny them…

The decision was clear. The die was cast.


"General, Admiral Carstairs wishes to speak to you." Hrudek groggily ran his hand through his hair and over the empty socket. He could still see in his mind the branch that cost him his eye at the age of 14. But if people wanted to believe it was a battle scar, let them. It made most men afraid to…inconvenience him, but not Carstairs. And only he would probably have the guts to call him in the middle of his sleep like this. Unless there was an actual emergency, of course. One could only hope not. There had been enough misfortune. And by "misfortune", Hrudek meant "incompetence". He slipped on an eyepatch and gruffly announced “Put him through.”

Carstairs face appeared on the monitor. "Good morning, General. I'm sorry to wake you, but your new orders were too important to allow them to wait."

Hrudek shook his head to wake himself more quickly. "What new orders?"

"I know you and Kallis have been planning to retake the garden world from the Centauri. The plan has changed. You will have a new target: Demeter."

Hrudek cocked his head. "The virus bombed planet? What good is it to us?"

"I'm broadcasting intel on a sub-channel. Look at it and hopefully you will understand. We're attacking it and taking it. There can be no other outcome. I'll even lead personally."

Hrudek gave a dismissive grunt. "Fine. What forces do you want back from me?"

"You misunderstand, General. Every ship in the system capable of fighting, yours included, will be involved in this action. Failure is not an option on this one."

"I didn't think you had the stones to make that sort of gamble and I question the wisdom of it anyway. What if we lose?"

"If we lose, we will hit it again and we will keep hitting it until we take it or a truly better option comes along. And as long as the Centauri keep the Garden, there is no other 'better' option."

Hrudek shifted uneasily. "What you describe is madness!"

"Read the intel. What I describe is strategy. You have your orders, General. Carstairs out."

That damnable bastard! Hrudek thought. He better damn well know what he's doing! Hrudek scanned the orders he was sent, forwarded them to section heads and then barked out for a com to Navigation. "Plot a course for Rendezvous Point Gamma at half speed. What's our ETA?"

"We...we won't have exact figures for a few minutes yet but about seven hours, sir."

"Fine. Have my adjutant wake me up in three and I want the section heads there waiting 10 minutes later. We are going to be hunting Dilgar."

"Sir! Yes, sir!" and the link went dead.

Hrudek took off the eyepatch and pulled the covers back over him. He damn well better know…

"We Regret To Inform You..."

Carstairs brow sagged as he read the fleet loss reports.

Captain Follitt of the Barber had four children back home in Melbourne.
Captain Katkov of the Savannah was leading his first command.
Captain Kelley of the Medusa had been a classically trained pianist.
Captain Rawls of the Norden spoke four languages.
Captain Allen of the Morgan collected Chinese pottery.

And they were all dead. They and most of their crews and so many others. So many young men and women... Fathers, mothers, sons and daughters all. Carstairs despised the form letters that Earthforce sent to the widows and children left behind and whenever possible, he would dictate something more personal to the families of those left behind. But how do you tell a man's wife or a woman's husband that their spouse is dead because of you sent them to die? What solace could they gain from knowing that you wish you could trade places with their dead? And, lastly, what of all the others? The ones he didn't know? All the nameless, faceless crewmen whose families would get nothing more than a form letter, a funeral and a flag?

Carstairs looked at the picture on his desk of his wife, daughter and granddaughter all posed together. Focusing on the little two-year old smile he thought to her. I will go to hell for all the death I have caused, but I will leave the galaxy safer to play in. I made that promise to your mother and I make that promise again to you.

Two raps at the door. Carstairs knew who it was: another meeting he didn't want to have. He straightened his jacket, leafed through some papers to burn a few moments of time and exhaled. "Enter."

The door slid open to reveal a short, heavyset man with graying strands of hair hanging down over an eyepatch. Each step he made forward seemed to shake the room until he stopped at the edge of Carstairs desk and saluted. "General Piotr Hrudek reporting."

Carstairs noted the lack of a "sir" at the end of that last sentence and shot a salute back. "Welcome abord, Pete. I see they finally gave you a star." Carstairs remembered that ever since the Academy, Hrudek never liked being called "Pete".

Hrudek's eyes almost imperceptibly reacted and he replied in his gravelly not-quite-Polish/not-quite Ukranian accent. "Well, some people can't rely on being liked. Unlike you, we have to earn it." Their two eyes met and their stony, unmoving faces betrayed all the love and respect these two men had for each other.

Carstairs broke the silence. "Why are you here?"

"You asked for another Orestes so here I am."

"Most Orestes still have Captains, not Generals. Did they send you to replace me?"

Hrudek betrayed a hint of smile at the thought. "Not originally. But after that run-in with the Dilgar three days ago, who knows?"

The tension returned but Hrudek broke the silence this time. "You had a bad time. Today I take it easy on you."

Carstairs wasn't sure if that was sincere or meant to be a barb of some kind. He was sure that he didn't miss these verbal fencing matches. "Then say what you have to say."

Hrudek let go a little and began to speak more openly. "I'm here because the scope of things has changed a bit. Now that we're fighting two forces in this system, it has been decided to have two commands: one for the Dilgar and one for the Centauri."

'One for the Centauri' arched Carstairs brow. "Really? So Earth has decided to take the gloves off?"

"Yes." Hrudek replied. "Nobody in Earth Dome thought the Centauri would go to war over the actions of one House, especially for a system on the other side of Narn space. Through diplomatic channels, we have learned with more certainty that Centauri Prime will not significantly or militarily protest any actions against Centauri forces here. So we came to help you kick them out. You will remain in overall command but I will be in command of aggressive elements meant to drive out the Centauri specifically. After the incident with the Primus, there is much support back home for fighting them. And if we run into Dilgar, too, all the better."

"That's very forward thinking of Earth Dome." Carstairs didn't entirely buy it.

"It's not. I was sent to support before. This decision was transmitted to me this morning. You should have it through channels later today."

"Why didn't they send it to me first?"

Hrudek leaned forward with his stony grin. "Because I wanted to tell you myself."

Carstairs shifted uneasily in his chair. "This is insane, you know. Everything we waste against the Centauri is something we could use against the Dilgar."

Hrudek grew pensive for a minute. "True. But back home, people like the idea of driving the aliens away. Many people are happy to fight the Dilgar because it'll keep the other aliens from coming to Earth space as refugees. And the Centauri may look like us but they're nothing like us."

Carstairs betrayed a grin. "I have at least one commander who would beg to differ with you on that point."

"No matter. Many people back home want this, therefore Earth Dome wants it. Vox populi..."

Carstairs leaned forward. "Nobody ever finishes that quote. 'The voice of the people is the voice of God. But what if the people are mad?'"

Hrudek chuckled. "We are at war! Everyone is mad!"

Carstairs shifted uneasily again. He knew that the war had become a kind of fever for some. But it was a little distasteful to see it in someone so high up the Chain of Command. "Is there anything else?"

"Yes. I'm sorry you have to write all those letters." For one moment, Hrudek let an almost sympathetic feeling slip out. But only for a moment. "Next time, don't get beaten by Horatio Nelson!"

Carstairs needed no reminding how Napoleon's naval ambitions were destroyed by the same tactics the Dilgar used on him. "I am still in command here, General. When I want your advice, I shall ask for it. You may now leave my office."

"Yes, sir, Admiral, sir!" Hrudek stood, offered a half-hearted salute and turned his back on Carstairs as quickly as he could to leave.

The Moment

James Carstairs had seen many things in his life. He had seen the innards of cows burst from disease and stinking in the heat of the sun on his grandfather's farm. He had seen the light leave a man's eyes after being stabbed for the money in his pockets. He had ships burning in the void of space, set alight because a word from his mouth. But never in his life had he seen the pictures before him now. He had read of mad men doing such things but never in his life had he seen it with his own eyes.

Genocide. The systematic destruction of all life on a planet.

And the Dilgar did it.

This wasn't just propaganda. This wasn't just murder. This was...something else, something that he had no words for. And as he watched the last of the virus bombs fall on Demeter, he didn't know how to feel. What had he ever seen, ever experienced that could compare to this?

As the viewscreen went dark, he knew it had to be time. Something had to be done about the Dilgar and it had to be now.

The next report would present the opportunity he was looking for. The Delphi, which had sent back the pictures and readings from Demeter, followed the Dilgar to a point in deep space not far from the routes Earthforce had been using for shipping and resupply. The biggest massing of ships thus far seen was waiting for something to happen. Carstairs studied the reconnaissance information. The Dilgar had picked on a number of ships, but not badly enough to cause real damage to the effort. They were trying to get our attention. It was a trap. The Dilgar were setting a trap for Earthforce. This was the time to give them what they deserved.

Carstairs ran his finger down a list, choosing ships with the touch of a name from his datapad. When all was done, he had chosen much of the system fleet. With one slow, deep breath of finality he pressed the send button. He could see in his minds eye was happening outside his office. His adjutant would relay his orders to the War Room. Orders would start spitting out for all the ships. Logistics and transportation would be revised and rerouted. Officers and crew all over the system would begin rendezvousing with his at his location in 18 hours. And where would that location be? On the bridge of the Winfield Scott, waiting for the Dilgar to attack.


William Cargano, lying in (or rather tethered to) bed, drank his tea from a pouch. He hated pouches but, with no gravity, a teacup wouldn't work. A tragedy, he thought. A beautiful teacup wasn't just a receptacle of liquids but rather a work of art that made the experience more than jus...

His XO broke in on the intercom. "Sir, I'm sorry to disturb you, but we just received a message for you from Admiral Carstairs. 'The balloon has gone up', sir."

Cargano perked up his ears. "Timeframe?"

"Eighteen hours."

Cargano's eyes darted back and forth in thought for a second. "Relay full orders to my screen. Let the subordinate captains know I want both watches get 9 hours of sack time each. It'll probably be a while before they're going to get any real sleep. I also want readiness drills for every ship on each watch. Auxiliary instructions to come in four hours."

"Anything else, sir?"

"That is all. Cargano out." A button made the screen black out. Cargano knew that the details would be attended to. His crew was the model of efficiency and their attention to detail was exemplary. He even felt confident about getting a little sack time himself. He would need it, too. Contrary to popular belief, he was just a man.

The screen came back to life with orders and dispositions. His eyebrows arched with the fleet size. This offensive was a make or break proposition. If this battle failed, there wouldn't be much left to fight with. But they came to Krish to fight, not fly around and look pretty so war it would be.

Fleet Roster as follows:

Orestes Winfield Scott
Orestes Alexander Suvorov
Nova Chronos
Nova Medusa
Hyperion Delhi
Hyperion Richmond
Hyperion Veracruz
Hyperion Savannah
Hyperion Jakarta
Hyperion Stockholm
Hyperion Missile Marakesh
Hyperion Assault Guan Yu
Hyperion Assault Vostok
Avenger Mitchell
Artemis Escort Hawk
Artemis Escort Norden
Oracle Hind
Oracle Curran
Oracle Malachi
Sagittarius Morgan
Sagittarius Franklin
Sagittarius Barber
Sagittarius Mercury
Alpha Wing (Novas)
Beta Wing (Novas)

Provocation

"WHY AM I SITTING AROUND THIS GAS BAG?"

Admiral Carstairs knew as soon as he answered the call what he would hear. "You're performing invaluable picket duties for us and containing the Centauri at the same time." It was a hollow answer but it was, to some extent, true.

"Fine. Now why am I really here?" Captain Kallis' contempt for the mission oozed from the speaker.

Carstairs debated for a moment in his head and then gave a little more truth. "The Delphi just reported a massive movement of Dilgar force."

Kallis' tone changed. "The Delphi's still here? I haven't seen her in any of the fleet rosters."

"She's under orders to operate independently shadowing the Dilgar and keeping us appraised of their movements. Until she send us burst transmissions, I don't even know where she is. And since her captain keep on the move, I never know for long."

"Then where are the Dilgar going? And why aren't I getting ready to intercept them instead of running 'picket duty'?"

Carstairs punched a few keys and brought up a display as he answered. "They're not moving against us. They're moving against the planet designated 'Demeter'. They're hitting the Centauri."

"What a shame. Now I don't know who to root for."

Carstairs didn't like to delve into people's motivations. Doing so usually created problems whether it was enabling someone's worse demons or trying to use clever orders to manipulate fellow officers. But he had to know. "Jeff, it's never come up before, but what exactly is your problem with the Centauri?"

"Did you know that I am a noble?"

Carstairs was a bit stunned by the seeming irrelevance of the question. "No, I didn't."

"My full name is Jeffrey George Kallis Howard, Viscount of Morpeth. When my father dies, I will become Earl of Carlisle. And if you look further back in the family tree, you'll find barons and marquis, earls of Gallway and Orkney, dukes of Devonshire and Grafton and Norfolk. Hell, there are even a few German Elector Counts."

Carstairs didn't know how to reply. "I'm not seeing your point here."

Static flared for a moment. "...bauched ancestors, ruling the land because of the accomplishments of their grandfathers' gra...hers, went on to exploit people and resources all over the world; India, Africa, America, Australia and anywhere else th...ake a profit at the expense of others. Their noble blood gave them leave to do whatever they wanted to whomever they wished. And that is what you are dealing with when you face the Centauri. They would destroy us all to ensure their prosperity, exploit us to create their wealth. I know them all too well. My genealogy is littered with people like them. And the only way we will keep that from happening is to oppose them at every turn in every way. We always have to keep a knife at their throats because the Centauri will not hesitate to slit ours."

There was a long, uncomfortable moment of silence. "I see your point, Jeff."

"So, once again, why am I here with this token force?"

Carstairs decided to give as much truth as he could. "We decided to apply some pressure to the Centauri without being too provocative. A few ships to serve as a blockade and then we see who wins at Demeter."

"If you had given me more ships, we could have taken this world, James. Hell, with what you've given me, I can't even properly blockade. They're coming and going at will and they're not firing on us because we're not even a challenge."

"Hmmm. It was a calculated risk. If we keep them bottled up for a few days, we could move on Demeter before the winner can fortify. We even let them slow down and poach shipping in the hope of spreading them thinner. Besides, everyone else is out on other operations. By the time I get you something else, the chance will be lost. "

"We're losing a chance now."

Carstairs put his commanding officer voice on. "Captain Kallis, you have your orders. I expect you to abide by them. Carstairs out."


On the bridge of the Poseidon, Kallis fumed. Knowing what he did now, he wanted to just say "To hell with orders" and charge out to fight. Of course, that would make him like all the men he despised so very much. He would follow orders. He pressed a few buttons on his console to contact all the captains of the few ships he had. "Gentlemen, pull back the perimeter five klicks and maintain readiness. If any ship comes within range, intercept and fire upon it." A press of the mute button gave him a few seconds of privacy from his fleet. At that range, he thought, there's no way we could engage or catch the fast moving Centauri fleet. "No reason to actually upset the enemy." Kallis mumbled under his breath.

The XO piped up. "Did you say something, sir?"

"Nothing." Kallis replied, removing his finger from the button. "You have your orders. Kallis out." Another button press severed the connection. He gave a snort at the ridiculousness of it all. Some days he didn't even know why he came into work. He did his best imitation of Carstairs broad and flat American accent. "Good luck and good hunting."

Yamamoto's Admonition

Shirish sat stiffly in the chair as Carstairs reviewed data across the desk. Shirish was quite anxious and tried his best to hide it behind military bearing.

Carstairs put down the datapad and spoke. "Alright son, what's the problem?"

Shirish laid out the facts. "Sir, I failed in my mission. Not only did my group fail to hold the blocade firmly but they managed to get through with enough Quantium-40 to build a small fleet of jump engines."

"True. If you had to let something through, this wasn't the one to miss. But that's not what I'm talking about."

Shirish was confused. "I don't follow you, sir."

Carstairs was a good judge of people's emotions. He could read most people like a book and Gonzalez was in big print. "You think you're in trouble... That you're going to lose your command, don't you?"

Shirish looked down for a moment and took a deep breath before answering. "The blocade was my mission. It was my responsibility and I take full responsibility for failure."

Carstairs pursed his lips. "Are you familiar with World War Two, Gonzalez?"

Shirish was not a historian but he read a lot and knew enough to follow a conversation on the war. "Germany invaded Europe while Japan invaded China. Conquered France and bombed Britain until the United Stated entered the war. The United States used the first nukes on two Japanese cities."

"And do you know who Admiral Yamamoto was?"

"Japanese High Admiral, managed a number of strong victories and was assassinated by American forces?"

"Yes, him." Carstairs replied. "Yamamoto said something about war that has been my guiding philosophy when it comes to military strategy. He said 'War is a series of mistakes and the winner is the side which makes the fewest mistakes.' Do you know what that means?"

Shirish thought before he made his reply. "I made a mistake that has threatened this entire campaign."

Carstairs let out a disappointed huff of air. "No. It means mistakes happen. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose and you just have to keep going and try to win more than you lose. Every strategist has said it. Sun Tzu, Clausewitz, Eauclaire, Tsien Chin... They've all said it and it's as true today as it was for the Warring States or Renaissance Europe or the French Expansion or the War of the Rising Star. So why are you beating yourself up like this?"

Shirish furrowed his brow. "They're going to have more jump capable ships because I didn't stop them."

"No. They're going to have jump capable ships because they found a good supply of Quantium-40, put it on fast ships and managed to slip through a blockade hindered by radiant output from an ancient jump gate." Carstairs leaned forward. "And you didn't answer the question. Your ability in the captain's chair is almost without peer. You're competent and capable and a shark to be feared. Why are you beating yourself up like this? Why have you turned into a nervous Nancy all of a sudden?"

Shirish looked down at the floor. What can I say? he thought. How can I explain?

Carstairs knew it was time to back off a bit and act like the father and not the commanding officer. He leaned back in his chair. "Son, this is off the record, just between you and me. This isn't the Shirish Gonzalez in your record. What's going in there?"

There was silence for a minute as Shirish composed his thoughts. "Sir, when I take out a ship, I'm there and if I make a mistake, I pay for it along with my crew. I've never had the kind of command where I send people out to do things in my stead. I can risk myself but..." His words trailed off and he sat back as if a weight had been lifted from his chest.

Carstairs thought for a moment. "Do you know who Robert E. Lee was?"

"Confederate commander, American Civil War."

"Correct. He said something else I remember at times like this. 'A good general loves his army. A great general must be willing to send to death the very army that he loves.' I think you're a good officer. If you weren't, I wouldn't have requested you. But you're not a great officer yet. The war's not over so there's time and there's hope." Carstairs could see the gears of understanding turning behind Gonzalez's eyes. "Can you do the job, son? If you can't, let me know now."

Shirish understood. "Yes, sir. I can."

"Then go out and be great."

Shirish felt a little better. "Yes, sir."

Carstairs shifted in his chair. "Good. Now I've been thinking about the blockade. The energy field wreaks havoc with engines and weapons systems. We don't have enough ships to conduct the blockade from a longer distance so we're going to start having scouts closely watch what they're bringing in and follow their shipments. Something's going on here and we just don't know quite what. I want you to coordinate with the scout vessels and hunt down any of their incoming materiel. Try to keep out of the energy field whenever possible. Besides, they have a base close to it. Let them burn energy keeping it going that close to the gate."

"Understood, sir. And thank you for your confidence."

Carstairs cracked a smile. "You're welcome. You've earned it. Dismissed."

Shirish saluted and when it was returned, he turned and walked out of the office. He didn't make a mistake before and he wouldn't make a mistake again.

Carstairs sat back. I sure hope that fixes the kid. He pressed a button and brought up VicCom. "Give me the new consumption reports along with the projections and resource logs. And I want them by the time I get back from the head."

The voice acknowledged. "Yes, sir. Right away, sir."

He stood up but stopped at the window for a second. I've traded flying for paperwork, he thought. Glory for gravity. Maybe I made the mistake here...

We Walk Where Few Would Dare

Admiral Carstairs walked along the floor in his new office. Gravity was relatively weak, but it was there, thank Goodness. He stared out at the stars, lost in thought...

Victory Station had gone up far more quickly than he had even hoped. Then again, it wasn't hard to convince his superiors to build it either. The mining colony below offered an excellent source of raw materials for the war effort. The ship graveyard offered alien tech that the eggheads in Earthdome had never guessed at before. The pretty little garden world was nice (and that massive coltan deposit they stumbled upon was helpful in building the station generators) but the mines and the tech were more than worth investing in this station. Besides, when the war was over, a presence could be strategically useful against the Narn or any of the other worlds in this area of space that may decide to act up. Having a place to do repairs and refits and cycle crew off all the zero grav ships... It was win-win on every front.

The Centauri being here (despite Captain Kallis' feelings about them) was, until recently, win-win also. They had taken possession of two other planets in the system, keeping them out of Dilgar hands. Reconnaissance had also found that the Centauri had stopped Dilgar attempts to dominate the shipping lines that all three races were already using. Of course, the Centauri would eventually attempt to do the same. They had already shown their commitment by constructing their own base over the primary planet of this system. They intended to be here for the long haul and that could present a long term problem.

The Dilgar had chosen their position well. They had possession of the local jumpgate and built the base they brought to defend it. They don't have the ships to stand up to us, but they want this jumpgate pretty badly. This system must be really important to them. But what did they hope to gain? We and the Centauri have captured the most useful worlds in this system. The Dilgar beat Earthforce here but instead of taking a planet and defending it, they chose the jumpgate. They either want to bring something here or take something away. Whatever it is, they would have to be stopped if for no other reason than because the Dilgar want it. Blockading the jumpgate has been much easier because of the reinforcements from Earth and the new Nova fighters from Victory. But how to crack that station of theirs? Maybe a few more Orestes fr...

The familiar beeping of VicCom broke his concentration. "This is Carstairs. Go."

The Station's female communications officer appeared on screen. "Sir, we have received word from Captain Gonzalez that two Dilgar capital ships are attempting to run the blockade. He has sent forces to deter them."

"Hmmm." Carstairs could see why Gonzalez was sending this message, but what good was it if he wasn't reporting a result? "Acknowledge his message and tell him that we await his report on the outcome. Carstairs out."

"Yes, sir."

As her image faded from view, Carstairs was possessed with a new though: this kid is some kind of butcher in the Captain's chair. Why is he so...insecure?

To be continued...

A Council Of Captains

"Enter."

Shirish straightened his jacket, took a deep breath and opened the door. The office beyond was larger than his own ready room and the three men seated didn't get up because of the seat belts they were wearing. He floated in slowly and saluted at the edge of the desk. "Captain Shirish Gonzalez reporting as ordered, sir."

The man behind the desk saluted back. "A pleasure to meet you, Captain," Admiral Carstairs replied, "but you were asked here, not ordered here, so there's no reason to stand on ceremony." He nodded to the two other men seated across from him. "Captains Jeremy Kallis and Bill Cargano." The two nodded to the new arrival.

Cargano spoke up. "No offense, Gonzalez, but I expected you to be Hispanic, not Indian."

"Happens all the time, sir." Shirish replied. "My family picked up the name back when the Portuguese still owned Goa."

"My family made it's mark in Pondicherry. Small world I'd say, yes?" Kallis' Englishness radiated.

Before Shirish could respond, Cargano spoke up. "And I like Darjeeling tea. Now that we've all expressed our love for the Subcontinent, can we get to the matter at hand?"

Shirish let out a low "Yes, sir."

Cargano spoke again. "We're all Captains here. We know you're new, but you don't have to call us 'sir'." He motioned to Carstairs. "And that boy-lover least of all!", he said with a slight grin.

Carstairs quipped back. "There's only one boy I care about. That reminds me... How is your wife and my son?"

Shirish began to turn red as the laughter filled the room. "Besides, new or not, you're currently leading Earthforce in capital ship kills." Carstairs brought the room back to business. "Please. Have a seat, Captain Gonzalez."

Shirish buckled himself into the empty seat as Cargano passed him a datapad and Carstairs began to speak. "We have more intel from the Delphi."

Shirish spoke up. "The Delphi, sir?"

"That's the scout ship that's been following the Dilgar," Carstairs replied. "They have reported that the Cat-Faces are towing in a small space station. It's not big enough to supply from, but it can serve as a system-wide C&C so that's going to be a strategic target at first good opportunity. There's more information about it on your pads but that's not the real problem. Gonzalez?"

Shirish felt the weight of all their eyes on him. Carstairs was part of the first contact with the Narn, he thought. Kallis had been taking on raider bands for years. Cargano? They were using some of his orbital assaults for training at the Academy. What could I possibly report to these men? His wits returned and he opened his mouth to speak. "Forty-one hours ago, I received word from the Curran, the scout assigned to my battlegroup, that Centauri forces had been seen entering system."

Kallis was noticeably taken aback. "What are those vultures doing here?"

"Unknown, but we have verified that they are not bearing the Imperial Crest. Their markings indicate they belong to House Drusella."

"According to Earth," Carstairs interjected, "they're not here on official business. I think we have ourselves a loose cannon looking to make a buck."

"More like a buck and a half." Cargano replied studying the information Shirish had broadcast to their pads. "They came here with about as much as we've got."

Carstairs spoke again. "And that's why I've called you all here. The Centauri involvement complicates things a bit. The Dilgar are our primary concern but I don't want to start an interstellar incident, either."

Shirish spoke up again. "This could work to our advantage. If the Centauri allied with the Dilgar, they wouldn't have to come all the way here to cause trouble for Earthforce. They could just attack where we're not heavily defended to draw off forces. If it's just a lone wolf, they'd get in a lot of trouble for endangering a treaty between Centauri Prime and Earth. I believe you are correct that someone just spotted an opportunity and is trying to, as you all say, 'make a buck'."

"I told you they're Vultures."

"Hmmm. And that's why the plan is changing," Carstairs spoke. "Originally I was going to have two battle groups out hunting and harassing Dilgar until we could pack them all together and finish them off. Unfortunately, the Centauri could probably finish off the winner easily. Even if they are our friends, I don't want to leave them with a foothold two jumps from Earth."

"So we let the vultures pick at Dilgar and wipe up after?" Kallis asked.

"We would be served well to keep this long and drawn out. Every ship the Dilgar send here is a ship that's not on the front lines. And eventually the Centauri will lose their will if it drags on long enough. Not enough profit..." Cargano said.

Shirish was concerned. "That's a lot of men and ships we could lose if this goes on a long time."

Kallis retorted. "If it makes it easier for Hamato to finish the war, it's completely worth it."

"Agreed." Carstairs sat up a little straighter. "We're going to be playing a little fast and loose with battlegroup assignments since we're facing two different styles of warfare but the Dilgar are the primary threat and they're the ones we want. If you have to mix it up with the Centauri, do so and win, but come back alive. They're an annoyance, not the enemy." The finality of his words was apparent. "Anything else?"

The silence was palpable as Cargano spoke up. "Yes. Your face looks like the waste from a plasma reactor."

Laughter split the tension as Carstairs' datapad flew at Cargano. "Get out of my office, you guys!" Everyone unbuckled and began to float. "Oh, and Captains... Good luck and good hunting."

Earth Expeditionary Force, Krish System

Captains, I know your reassignments to this task force were sudden but time is of the essence. Nine days ago, a Dilgar fleet was spotted departing into hyperspace. One of our scouts managed to follow them to a previously unknown jumpgate in a system called Krish.

According to our allies, everything in the system was wiped out in a war a thousand years ago and there was no indication of a jumpgate even being active there until less than a month ago. If the Dilgar have found it, we cannot allow them to capitalize on that find. We have them on the ropes and a forward base this close to Earth could tie up Earthforce for months, possibly even a year, giving them time to regroup and renew offensives against several of our allies. We cannot let that happen and I have been tasked with just that mission. I have chosen you three because you are some of the most aggressive and successful captains we have out there and this is too important to have anyone but the best. If we fail, Earth herself will be in danger.

Captain Kallis, your battlegroup is as follows:

Nova Dreadnought – EAS Chronus
Hyperion Cruiser - EAS Delhi
Hyperion Cruiser - EAS Veracruz
Hyperion Assault Cruiser - EAS Houseman
Olympus Gunship – OLC-65G
Oracle Scout Cruiser – OSC-36
Tethys Missile Boat – TLP-532M
Tethys Laser Boat – TLP-387L

Captain Gonzalez, your battlegroup is as follows:

Nova Dreadnought – EAS Charybdis
Hyperion Cruiser - EAS Richmond
Hyperion Cruiser - EAS Khartoum
Hyperion Assault Cruiser – EAS Guan Yu
Olympus Gunship – OLC-62G
Oracle Scout Cruiser – OSC-56
Tethys Missile Boat – TLP-396M
Tethys Laser Boat – TLP-404L


You will both be the hunting arms of the fleet. Your jobs will be to find and engage the enemy and to harass them until the main body of the fleet can arrive to deliver the knockout blow.

Captain Cargano, your battlegroup is as follows:

Avenger Heavy Carrier – EAS Mitchell
Nova Dreadnought – EAS Poseidon
Hyperion Assault Cruiser - EAS Vostok
Hyperion Assault Cruiser - EAS Erinyes
Artemis Escort Frigate – AHF44-E
Artemis Escort Frigate – AHF76-E
Olympus Gunship – OLC-21G
Oracle Scout Cruiser – OSC-89
Sagittarius Cruiser - SSM-67
Sagittarius Cruiser - SSM-114
Sagittarius Cruiser - SSM-186
Sagittarius Cruiser - SSM-221
Tethys Missile Boat – TLP-217M
Tethys Missile Boat – TLP-323M
Tethys Laser Boat – TLP-441L
Tethys Laser Boat – TLP-632L
Hermes Transport – HTR-388
Hermes Transport – HTR-521
2 Nova Fury Wings (5 Flights each)

You will have the main body of the fleet and you will be tasked with coordinating with Kallis and Gonzalez to bring the Dilgar to heel. Preliminary intel on the system indicates there are currently several habitable worlds so have to assume that they will attempt to fortify at least one if not more. Your experience with planetary invasions will most likely be tested, Cargano.

I and my ship (Orestes Battleship – EAS Winfield Scott) will rendezvous with you all at the predetermined position in four days at the predetermined time. Until then, godspeed and good hunting.

Adm. James Carstairs
Earth Expeditionary Force