Battlegroup (StarFight Series Book 2) (21 page)

“I accept your estimate of our tactical and strategic situation,” Jacob said. “With your permission, Commander Branstead will continue her conversation with the captive wasps. What else do you wish done by Expedition StarFight ships?”

The muscles in his father’s jaw tightened. He leaned forward slightly. It was a look Jacob knew well. His father was going to give him an order that brooked no argument.

“The
Lepanto
and all other ships of the StarFight formation are hereby ordered to join my battle group at the point on the magnetosphere where the wasp ships left,” he said. “I propose to adopt formations and battle actions different than what you have done. The wasps are not stupid. The returning wasps will expect your group to still orbit above Valhalla, to protect that world the way you protected it during the last battle.” His father smiled in a way that had no humor. “Instead, our two battle groups will be arranged in battle formation at the exact spot where the wasps will exit Alcubierre space-time. With luck, many of their ships will be in range of our two antimatter cannons. With determination our groups will destroy a large number of wasp ships before they break arrival formation and move beyond the range of our beams.” His father looked down at the Black woman. “My XO, Commander Marjorie Jones, has developed a most attractive battle formation for our 21 ships. You and your ships will follow that plan.”

Jacob felt surprise leavened with relief. His father was not going to give him a verbal spanking in front of all the ship captains. Nor had the man said he had done wrong in allowing the wasp ship to get to planet three. And it was clear the ‘hero’ of the Callisto Conflict had studied the vid records brought to him by the
Ofira
. Which reminded him of a detail.

“Your order is accepted. The
Lepanto
and other ships in StarFight will shortly head out to rendezvous with you.” Jacob looked over to Louise. “Navigation, transmit the new coordinates for the wasp ship arrival and departure point to Fleet Admiral Renselaer.” Jacob looked up, meeting his father’s intense look. “Sir, earlier I ordered my Navigation Deck team to use all records of wasp ship arrival and departure to establish a tight X, Y, Z location of the wasp ship departure point. That location data is now being transmitted to you. It should allow our ships to get within 500 kilometers of the likely arrival point of the incoming wasp fleet.”

“Good.” His father looked aside, perhaps to his own Navigation station person. “It’s received. We will head for that exact coordinate point. Do you require further guidance?”

Jacob sucked in his breath. “I do. Will the
Ofira
return to the StarFight group? And why did Earth not send more Battlestars to Kepler 10?”

The captain below his father blinked quickly, then frowned. The XO was looking sideways, perhaps reviewing the several holos and videos he had sent their way. The man who had dominated him all his life sat back and looked impatient.

“The
Ofira
will return to the StarFight group. Captain Mansour was of good help when I presented my case to Earth Command for the sending of a relief fleet to Kepler 10.” His father paused, his face changing to a look of irritation. “When the
Ofira
arrived, there were only three Battlestars in Sol system. The
Atlantic
was out leading a group similar to StarFight in the hunt for new colony planets. Which left the
Midway
,
Actium
and
Trafalgar
available. The imagery of the meeting site destruction and that first attack on your group badly frightened the Unity politicians. They insisted on keeping two Battlestars at home to protect Earth, even though there is no way the wasps could know Sol’s location.” The admiral who had pushed him into the Stellar Academy gave a sigh that carried a hint of exasperation. “So I left with the
Midway
, the
Ofira
and eleven other ships. We came to you by way of the Kepler 78 colony, since it was possible wasp ships would already be in the Kepler 10 system. To date, no Earth ship has arrived here directly from Earth. And that is how we will keep things.”

Jacob’s mind filled briefly with the facts that Kepler 78 was 400 light years out from Earth, on roughly the same vector track as Kepler 10 and Kepler 22. All were part of the Cygnus constellation. The colony at Kepler 78 lived on an Earth-like world that lay in the middle of the G-type star’s liquid water ecozone. He nodded.

“Thank you for that information.” Jacob looked down to Alicia. “Commander Branstead, transmit to the
Midway
the most recent videos of our wasp captives, and your xenolinguist’s English-to-wasp vocabulary, along with the tech details of the pheromone speaker block.” He looked up. “Fleet Admiral Renselaer, perhaps your Science Deck people can add to the remarkable efforts of our Science Deck team.”

His father’s irritated look now changed to a thoughtful one that held a hint of approval. “I will convey that data to my Science Deck chief. It is always better to have more people working on such a unique problem.” He waved Jacob’s way, a gesture he knew meant approval. “The battles you and your ships fought were well done. The research of your Science Deck allows us an option to negotiate, once we bloody the . . . the antennae of these wasps.” The approval changed to a grim look. “However, the fact remains. The wasps carried out a sneak attack on your group’s senior officers, killing all of them, perhaps in the hope it would leave your ships uncertain and unprepared to fight back. Well, now they know humans can fight, and fight hard. They hit you with twelve ships. In exchange for the loss of two frigates, you have killed or damaged eight enemy ships. I like a four to one ratio. We may need that kind of result when the wasps return. And I like surprising the enemy in combat. Which is why our combined groups will fight in ways they have yet to experience. Carry out your orders.”

Jacob saluted his father. “This Battlestar and our fellow ships will join you within 52 hours. My staff are ready to respond to any inquiries from your staff.
Lepanto
out.”

His father’s image vanished.

On the wallscreen a new image appeared alongside the strip of other ship captains. It was the brown face and hawk-like eyes of Mansour. The Lebanese-American man looked tired.

“Arman, a hard trip back?”

He shook his head. “No. A very hard time in Sol system, having to sit at the side of your father as we were harangued by Unity politicians about why they just
had
to keep hold of two Battlestars and the bulk of the Star Navy. While the navy answers to President MacKenzie, he was clearly trying to reassure the other nations that make up the Unity. It was . . . tiresome to watch.”

Jacob could guess it was worse than tiresome. Infuriating, perhaps, in view of the true combat Mansour and his people had witnessed as they did their share in the first battles against the wasps. “You and the
Ofira
did the essential. You got word to America and to the Unity government. I saw enough of that Unity jabber during my years at the Stellar Academy. Several of their pollies came and went, each expecting a ride on our orbital trainer. Do you need anything? We’ll join you and the other ships in two days time.”

Mansour shook his head. “The
Ofira
is in fine shape. We restocked all the missile loads and plasma canisters we used in Kepler 22. Though I must admit some of my people are homesick for the feel of a normal world. Like Valhalla. Were many hurt during the wasp attack?”

Jacob felt ghosts looking over his shoulder. “The colony lost 343 dead and 471 injured in lightning bomb hits on the outskirts of Stockholm. The two nukes launched by the single wasp ship that got past us blew up over forested terrain with no villages. The low casualty levels were due to the sharpshooting by Captain O’Sullivan’s proton laser people and the folks on Lieutenant Jefferson’s ship.”

Mansour and his XO, a Chinese-American man who looked to be in his thirties, both looked relieved. In the group of images that ran atop Jacob’s wallscreen, O’Sullivan now leaned forward, looking concerned.

“Captain Renselaer, I’ve enjoyed having your ships and their crews as visitors to our station and down to Valhalla. Some of them volunteered to help with recovery work. Which, as you saw when you and Lieutenant Stewart landed, was much appreciated by the mayor.” His ally looked aside at something in the orbital base’s com room, which held only him. “Our moving neutrino sensors show the Earth relief fleet moving toward the wasp exit point. Let’s hope you and they arrive there before new wasps show up.” Billy’s hazel eyes met Jacob’s. “Have a safe trip. And in case you wondered, the
Aldertag
is permanently attached to your group for as long as you need her.”

Jacob had wondered. It was good news. His battle group was back to nine ships strong. “Billy, thank you. Reassure the folks down on the ground that they will be protected. No matter what happens.”

O’Sullivan’s tanned face turned thoughtful. “I know that. Star Navy base
Green Hills
out.”

Which left the images of seven ship captains watching from the top of his wallscreen. “Captains, you heard it all. Make ready to follow the
Lepanto
out to meet Fleet Admiral Renselaer within ten minutes. Are your ships ready to hit ten psol?”

“The
Aldertag
is eager to meet up with the relief fleet,” said Joan Sunderland, her manner relaxed yet serious, as one would expect from the former occupier of Callisto and guardian of each of Earth’s colony worlds as they were established. “May I say that while I accept the fact that the admiral is in overall command of all ships, my crew and I will never forget how your
Lepanto
shielded us from multiple wasp beams. This frigate would not be here today if it were not for the actions of your Battlestar.”

Jacob felt both pleased and too much on the spot. Then again, maybe feeling both emotions was part of being a good captain. “Joan, thank you. I’m sure . . . my father the admiral has some creative ideas on future combat formations. We’ll learn them once we arrive and take up position.”

“So we will,” she said. “
Aldertag
out.”

Her image disappeared, leaving six more. They were the captains of the
Chesapeake, Hampton Roads, Tsushima Strait, Salamis, Philippine Sea
and
St. Mihiel
. Each had been silent during the contact with his father. What did they think of the takeover?

“Jacob,” called Rebecca Swanson. “This transfer of battle group control was to be expected. I was certain Earth Command would send an admiral of some sort to lead operations here. Just never thought Earth’s only fleet admiral would be the one chosen.”

“Me either,” growled George Wilcox, his bulldog face pulled into a scowl. “We Brits understand fearful pollies. Had plenty of them in the old EU, before it became the Unity. Your president did what he had to do.”

Joy held up both hands in a So What? gesture. “Well, I for one am glad we are being led by the Butcher of Callisto,” she said, using a term for his father that Jacob had only read about. “He’s a born fighter. He did right to space those miners who tossed the Star Navy into vacuum. And I for one like the idea of zapping the wasp fleet the second after it emerges from Alcubierre!”

“I fully agree,” Jacob said quickly, not wanting his loyal ship captains to think otherwise. “It is the reverse of what the wasps have seen me and this battle group do. If we are to defeat a larger force, which I fully expect will appear, we have to take battle formations they have not yet seen. Or make adaptations of what we’ve already done that are better than our past choices.”

“Captain Renselaer,” called Chatur Mehta from the
Salamis
. “Your battle formations here and in Kepler 22 are what kept so many ships alive and able to fight. I was wrong to not join you earlier. You have my full allegiance now.”

Jacob felt something he had rarely felt. An older man, a man with years of starship service, had just said Jacob had earned his respect. Had this feeling of . . . of respect been something he’d missed from his father? The man had given him approval in front of all the captains and before Gordon’s own Battlestar officers. Did his father respect him? Maybe he would find out once they arrived at the magnetosphere rendezvous.

“Chatur, I thank you. The rest of you, follow us.
Lepanto
out.”

The images of the other captains disappeared, leaving only black space and white stars filling the middle of the wallscreen. On the right and left sides were the earlier situational and sensor images. He looked ahead.

“Navigation, set us a vector for that wasp exit point. Gravity, adjust deck gravity and our inertial damper to handle ten percent of the speed of light. Life Support, warn all decks that we are moving out. Communications, maintain our All Ship video feed. Power, are our reactors ready to feed the thrusters?”

Maggie Lowenstein looked aside at one of her station holos. “All three fusion reactors are at Battle Condition One. Ready to feed power as demanded.”

Jacob liked what he was hearing. “Tactical, alert me to any new neutrino source appearance.”

“On watch for new sources,” said Rosemary.