Retribution (The Federation Reborn Book 3) (39 page)

The other staff members gaped in disbelief.

“Good analysis, Sedrick,” the admiral said. “That explains how they were anticipating Fourth Fleet,” he growled.

Catherine blinked then nodded slowly. It did fit. The captains didn't seem to agree with the assessment. As the sound of protests began to climb, the admiral slapped his hand on the table top to get their attention once more. Abruptly the room quieted.

“What, remember who we're dealing with!” he scolded, looking around the compartment. “Irons has proven he's got the full tech package! And damn the man, he's producing far faster than we've expected. I'm
tired
of underestimating him!”

Commodore Eichmann was the first to parse out the implications. “So they can communicate near real time with systems. So …”

“So it means they can call home and get reinforcements sent to Protodon. They can send a warning, do all sorts of things we won't like in the slightest,” Catherine stated.

“All the more reason to take them out now, sir. We get in with a short jump, bypass their fixed defenses, and then take out White and his mobile forces. Then pound the fixed defenses until they surrender or are taken out. Then set up to take out any reinforcements that come our way,” Admiral Adkin said stubbornly.

“Without any means to make good our losses or damage beyond what the crews can manage and what we can cobble up from the fleet train,” Catherine stated. “We'd have to send wounded ships, crew, and empty ships all the way to Dead Drop. I doubt they can do much there; we all saw the yard modules. They are a ghost town. They don't have the personnel to handle lengthy complex repairs, nor the extra material to plug in, nor the personnel to make up our losses.”

“Which means they'll pass them on to Garth or to home. The same for couriers,” Commodore Eichmann agreed with a nod to the princess. “We only have so many couriers to spare; once we use them, they'll take months to get back to us. They have to rendezvous too, which could be hit or miss if we're pushed back. When they do get back, they'll need to be serviced and refueled, which will draw down on the fleet's limited supplies. Do we fall back as well? I'm not sure the emperor will support that, sir,” he warned, eying Catherine.

All eyes fell to the princess in their midst. She seemed to take it in stride.

“I make the call,” Admiral De Gaulte said quietly. The eyes returned to him. “It's my decision. I won't waste this fleet. But I agree; I can't just fall back out of fear.”

The compartment was quiet. Finally, Admiral Adkin cleared his throat. “So sir, what should we do?”

“I'm still considering my options. You are correct to point out that we need to get in fast before they can reinforce. Right now I am leaning to scouting Protodon, though. We need to go in eyes open, not blind.” That earned a grudging nod from many in the room. “I intend to get my toe wet in B-95a3, see what is there, then decide if I want to go further. Most likely we'll chase White out of Protodon if he doesn't have the fixed defenses in B-95a3 to back his damaged ships up. I wouldn't be too surprised if he falls back to Protodon right off, but he might not.” He grimaced. “I already sent a courier with the latest news to Dead Drop. They are to pass it on and get back to us in B-95a3.”

“And if we're not there, sir?” Sedrick asked.

“We'll leave a buoy telling them where to go,” the admiral said mildly. “In the meantime, I think we need a small task force to explore Nuevo Madrid. We need to know. I'm thinking a division to scout it. They are to make contact if possible, avoid any combat, and get the word back to us.”

“Aye, sir.”

“In the meantime, we're going to make as many repairs as we can. You already know that I've split the fleet train. I'm giving you an extra three days to get your ships turned around. Make the most of it,” Admiral De Gaulte growled.

“All this is going to take time, sir. We'll be sitting here while they are rushing reinforcements to Protodon,” Admiral Adkin warned.

“I'm aware of that,” the admiral said mildly. “I'll consider my options in more detail tonight. For the moment, I'm not going off half-cocked.”

“Aye aye, sir,” Commodore Eichmann said.

“Dismissed then gentlemen, ladies,” the admiral said quietly as he took his seat once more. Quietly the men and women in the compartment filed out until only he and the two flag officers remained.

“Sir?”

“What is it, Vale?” he asked.

“For the record, I back your scouting option, especially since we now know how powerful a fighting force they can build. But we need to stop them. Bottle them up, break them. We need to … to stop them before they make something we can't handle.”

“Agreed,” Harold murmured.

“I know. That's what scares me, that urge to go in knowing that and letting it guide me instead of listening to the senses and training I usually rely on,” Admiral De Gaulte said, looking into the plot as if to gather his thoughts. “And yes, I know about the political ramifications. I'm not retreating. I'm hoping that my couriers will light a fire under someone's ass, and they'll send us more reinforcements. Hopefully fast, but I know how glacial some things can take.”

Harold grimaced. “You're worried that they'll react in panic?”

Admiral Adkin grunted. “If you are thinking stand shoulder to shoulder in Home Fleet, I doubt it. I doubt it very much.”

“But it is a possibility, to turtle. I'm actually hoping the Feds do that. That they pull back into Protodon or all the way back to Antigua and Pyrax. Bottle them up while home ships us some more forces to finish the job,” Admiral De Gaulte growled.

“But you don't think it's likely any time soon,” Commodore Eichmann pressed.

Admiral De Gaulte snorted. “You saw what was in Garth and Dead Drop, what do you think? They are in the middle of refitting the Home Fleet while also splitting it to send forces to secure
El Dorado
and also sending out forces for the grand conquest,” the admiral said in disgust. “We've built up this strength only to fritter it away when it seems it is most needed,” he said.

“And now we're at the whim of politics and politicians?” Vale asked.

“And time. Always time. An ancient wise Terran said to ask for anything but time. He was right,” Admiral De Gaulte said gruffly.

:::{)(}:::

“He's lost his nerve,” O'Shanasae said in a soft aside as the meeting concluded. “Scouting Protodon first? Come on,” the man said, shaking his head.

“He has done no such thing,” Captain Knoll replied, equally tactful but with just a trace of heat in his tone of voice. “He's playing it
smart
. You don't get to flag rank by charging in recklessly and getting your ass shot off. He's right; we've done that too often. Now is the time to fight smart,” he finished.

Catherine was near enough to hear their exchange. When Captain O'Shanasae noticed , he looked up into her eyes in sudden fear. She nodded once but didn't say anything as she waited patiently for the admiral. Both men nodded and ducked away. Captain O'Shanasae gulped; clearly aware he'd stuck his foot in his mouth, which he had. Catherine wasn't ready to call him on it though. Covering for him might prove valuable leverage for her later.

When the flag officers left, she went back in to the compartment and started gathering up the tablets she'd distributed.

:::{)(}:::

Admiral De Gaulte stood near the window, one arm up on the casing to support his weight as he stared out into the void. When Catherine came in, she silently gauged his mood then placed her tablet on his desk. He noted her through the reflection in the glass.

When she went to retreat, he turned slightly. “Stay,” he said, turning his head slightly to see her out of the corner of his eye.

She stopped and turned. “Sir?”

“You think I've turned yellow?” he asked. “I know some are thinking it.”

“Sir, I think you are doing what you've taught us. To not jump in blindly. That's what the enemy wants. I for one am sick and tired of playing their game.”

“I too,” the admiral rumbled. He looked out into the void once more, and then turned slowly. “White is good. I'm trying to get a handle on him. He seemed reckless, but he backed off in our clash. I hadn't expected it to be honest.”

“We caught him off guard. He backed off to assess the situation.”

“That and he didn't have a lot of toys to call on. His toy box was back with his fleet train,” the admiral said with a snort. “He had a lot more firepower than I'd expected though. A lot more.”

“So did you, sir. I bet that figured into his calculations. No one wants to tangle with a dreadnaught, let alone a pair of them,” the princess stated with a feral smile. “The BCs would have been mincemeat, and he knew it. So he got clear.”

“Yes. And I let him. I should have pressed in then when he was off balance,” the admiral growled, clenching and unclenching his fist.

“We'll get another chance, sir. We can't dwell on the shoulda, oughta, couldas, and focus on what is in front of us now. Where we go from here,” Catherine emphasized.

“You think we should attack.”

“I think we need to let the empire know as you ordered, check Nuevo Madrid, and then scout Protodon without going in half-cocked. Beyond that, sir, it's up to you.”

“I'm curious,” the older man said, turning and then taking a seat behind the desk. “What would you do in my shoes?” he asked mildly.

“I'd do exactly what you've done so far, sir. I'd also scout. It might be … harsh politically to seem … less than willing to throw it all in and run a wounded inferior numbered enemy down right away, but that is armchair quarterbacking. We're the people on the spot; we are going to call them as we see them. I'll back your call, sir.”

“Thank you, Commander. Thank you,” the admiral murmured.

Chapter 16

Admiral Irons sat back and twisted his chair from side to side with his foot as he read a minor progress report. It might be minor he thought, but it was important. He smiled as he noted one of the few people involved, the name positively leapt off the page.

Warrant Officer Jethro McClintock and the newly-formed Cadre initiative. He shook his head as the weekly SITREP unfolded before him. He was fairly confident the black panther was well on his way to become a legend in both the Marines and Special OPS community.

He finished reading the basic report and then filed it under highly classified as usual. There were rumors swirling around about them in the net forums and media, but that was actually a good thing in his estimation. Sometimes it was good to have a boogeyman tucked away in his closet; one people knew was out there giving the enemy nightmares.

He'd been tempted to jump the gun and ship the small platoon off to Protodon once they'd passed their initial training and stood the first two squads up. But he'd listened to Major Joshua Lyon and held them back for more training.

After reading their weekly reports, he'd come to the conclusion that he was glad he had. Keeping them on Antigua had allowed them to train a new crop of potential Special OPS operators, while also allowing them to be loaned out to Marine Recon and the other training centers being stood up on the islands.

And keeping Jethro, now a Warrant Officer acting as a Drill Instructor, to train the next generation while also doing side work at the college and growing Marine training center was also important. Very few other non-sleeper Marines could attest to his combat experience.

The admiral shook his head. Eventually they'd have to go on; he knew that. Those involved also undoubtedly knew that. He'd planned to send them to Protodon, stage them there, maybe do some light work with the militia and Marines there, and then blood them in Nuevo Madrid as their baptism by fire.

Now that plan was in flux. The latest ONI report the analysts had generated pointed to a repair yard in Dead Drop and a minor yard in Garth. Most likely they'd shifted workers and priorities around to man
El Dorado
… but once word got back to the empire that he was in Antigua and when they got word of Second Fleet going on the offense in Nuevo Madrid, they'd fort up in both star systems, if Amadeus didn't stop them first.

He was of two minds about the idea. On the one hand, he agreed with Amadeus that hitting them hard and fast before they forted up would save lives. True. But also true was the strategy of bleeding them. Of drawing out the concentrated force they had in the home star system, this Home Fleet. In forcing them to redeploy penny packets that he could attrition or break. Defeat in detail.

And while they were doing that, they'd also call in every ship in the sector and perhaps neighboring sectors. That would make the job of hunting them down after Horath was broken much easier.

But there was a problem with that strategy; it rested on a few too many assumptions. Assumptions like that they'd send only a token force to defend Dead Drop, one he could break. They were going to redeploy; that matter was a given. And based on prior past acts they weren't shy about deploying a task force. Would they be foolish enough to underestimate the federation again? He wasn't sure.