by Jay Allan
Barron sat down in his own chair as he listened. He was silent for a moment after Denisov had finished. The admiral had made sense, in a theoretical kind of way, but from what he’d heard of Gaston Villieneuve, convincing the homicidal psychopath of anything was going to be difficult.
And damned dangerous for whoever went.
“Do you really think that is possible, Admiral? Certainly, you know more of Mr. Villieneuve than I, but from what I’ve heard…” Barron let his words trail off.
“Likely, admiral, what you have heard is but the half of it. And, I suspect he has only become worse since the death of Ricard Lille. The assassin was his only true friend, the one person he ever trusted, or at least as close as he could come.
Barron didn’t say anything. The mention of Lille just made him think of Andi, and the fact that she was leaving in a few days. He’d tried to convince her not to go, but he couldn’t argue against her qualifications for the mission…and, in the end, he hadn’t had it in him to try to order her to stay.
“Nevertheless,” Denisov continued, “I believe I must try.”
“You?” Barron’s mind had wandered to Andi, but now it was back on Denisov with razor focus. “You can’t mean you are suggesting that you go yourself.”
“Of course. It is too dangerous to send anyone else…and I believe I can make the very best case for…”
“You can’t.” A pause. “Andrei, Villieneuve is as likely to have you executed on sight as he is to listen to the first word out of your mouth. You didn’t just defect, you took damned near the whole Union fleet with you. He must be beside himself. He already tried to have you killed once. Do you want to finish the job for him?”
“Of course, I understand the risks…but I led my people here, and I have a duty to them.”
“You have a duty to remain here with them, to go into battle with them. Would you leave them here to fight without you, to face the Hegemony forces without their leader?”
Or worse, to decide to pull out once you’re gone?
“Of course, I don’t want to leave them, but I don’t know who else could go. I wouldn’t send one of my officers to answer for what I have done, or to pay the price for their loyalty to me.”
Barron’s mind was racing. He couldn’t order Denisov to stay. The Union contingent’s position in the Alliance hierarchy was still a very gray area, and Denisov was both an officer in the Grand Alliance’s military structure and a member of the Council. Barron understood the admiral’s concerns. In Denisov’s position, he too, would want to go, to try to negotiate some way that his spacers could return home when the war was over. But he simply couldn’t let it happen.
“Perhaps we can come to another solution, Admiral. No one can replace you here. Your spacers followed you into this war, not any orders from the high command. We have no idea if they would even follow anyone else, and they deserve to have you with them. But perhaps there is someone else we can send to Montmirail.”
“I can’t order any of my officers to return, Admiral. It is too dangerous.”
“What about an ambassador?”
Denisov looked back, somewhat confused. “An ambassador?”
“Yes. Perhaps Gary Holsten can supply one of his people, one with significant knowledge of Union affairs, and experience in diplomacy. We could…persuade…the Council to appoint the emissary as a representative of the Grand Alliance, with full diplomatic privileges. There is no guarantee, of course, that Villieneuve will respect such credentials, but I think it’s a far better idea than sending an officer whose grizzly death the maniac has probably been fantasizing about for more than a year. Don’t you?”
Denisov looked down at the floor for a moment before returning his gaze to Barron. “I don’t like sending others to take risks in my place, Admiral.”
Barron almost smiled. “We’re like animals that way. It’s probably the hardest thing to do. But, tell me, Andrei, when was the last time you got to do something because you wanted to?”
* * *
“Admiral Barron, allow me to introduce you to Alexander Kerevsky. Alex is an old friend, and an ally in some…difficult…situations. He’s a rare breed, a man who has genuine experience both in diplomacy and espionage.” Gary Holsten turned and gestured toward the man standing at his side. “He also knew your grandfather, I believe.”
“I think ‘knew’ is a bit of an overstatement. The admiral—your grandfather—was lecturing at the Academy during my first year. This was shortly before the Third Union war, and he left to return to active duty during my second year.” There was a pause, and an uncomfortable silence. The elder Barron had died in that conflict, and it was clear Kerevsky was concerned he’d touched on an unpleasant topic. “I am Alexander Kerevsky, Admiral Barron. It is a great pleasure to finally meet you. Your reputation has, of course, preceded you.” The diplomat, agent, whatever he was, extended his hand.
Barron reached out and shook with the visitor. “It is my pleasure as well, Ambassador Kerevsky.” The ‘ambassador’ part wasn’t formal, not yet at least, but Barron had no doubt, after the showdown with Clint Winters and himself, the Council wasn’t going to make an issue out of the totally rational idea of sending an emissary to the Union. “It is always a pleasure to meet someone who knew my grandfather. I’m afraid my memories of him are those of a child, more concerned with fishing and hiking in the woods than with his military tactics and his wisdom. Perhaps when this is all over, we can find time to sit and talk about him in some detail.”
“I would greatly enjoy that, Admiral.”
“As would I.” Barron turned toward Holsten before he continued. “I am sure Gary has given you the details, but I want to be sure you understand the risks. Gaston Villieneuve is unpredictable, and he is capable of doing almost anything. By all accounts, he is now the uncontested dictator of the Union, and the loss of so much of his fleet to Andrei Denisov’s defection has to have him in a volatile state.”
“You’re trying to tell me he’s as likely to clap me in irons or have me shot—or worse—the instant I debark. Yes, Gary was quite clear about that, though I daresay, I understood that from the instant he told me about the mission.”
“And you are still willing to go?”
“Of course, Admiral.” Kerevsky looked back at Barron for a few seconds. “It is a rational decision, I think. First, I daresay, Gaston Villieneuve, while unpredictable, is clearly an intelligent and capable man. Somehow, he managed to survive the turmoil after the last Union war, something no one else on the Presidium managed to do. He turned a desperate and dangerous situation around, and ended up more powerful than he was before. So, as brutal as he can be, he is clearly capable of adapting to reality. He tried to join with the Hegemony against us—also a move that made sense from his perspective—but they rebuffed him and tried to destroy his fleet. He knows that is no longer a viable course to pursue, and he must be equally aware that if the Hegemony defeats us, the Union will stand no chance.”
Barron looked back, wanting to say something, but not sure exactly what. Kerevsky’s points were valid, logical, clear…but Barron despised Villieneuve, and he had trouble imagining the Union leader as anything but the crazed psychopath his mind had created.
“Second, even if I am wrong, even if Villieneuve is not as rational as I imagine, if he is crazy now, and uncontrollably homicidal…do I risk any more than your spacers do? This is the most desperate fight the Confederation—the entire Rim—has every faced. Even as we sit here, the Confederation’s capital is occupied by an enemy, for the first time in its history. Megara didn’t even fall during the Cataclysm, and yet now it is controlled by the Hegemony. Is there risk in this mission? Certainly. I would be a fool to say otherwise. But if we can bring the Union in as a true member of the Grand Alliance, the benefits will far outweigh the dangers. Admiral Denisov may have brought a large number of ships, but there are more still in the Union, and while their industry doesn’t match ours, it is far from insubstantial. Never forget, t
he Union is almost twice the size of the Confederation. Can we afford to forgo the chance at adding that strength to our forces? A few diplomats enduring some level of danger seems like a small price to pay.” He paused, and then forced a smile, one Barron took as a bit of gallows humor. “It’s a good bet, don’t you think?”
Barron was impressed with the diplomat, though he realized he shouldn’t be surprised. He’d known Gary Holsten would find someone up to the job, and the ambassador seemed to have the good sense and intellect the mission required, and definitely the courage to take whatever risks were necessary.
“Very well, Ambassador. You may choose anyone you wish to bring along. I can assign you Marines for personal protection, but…”
“But there is little point. What would a dozen Marines, or even a thousand, do to protect me on Montmirail? No, I daresay you will have more vital uses for your warriors, Admiral. I would request one of the Torch transports, as it seems time is short, and the sooner I can get there, the better. But, besides a skeleton crew to fly the ship, I will take only my own small staff. I believe there is a significant chance of success…but clearly there is danger as well, and I see no need to risk anyone non-essential.”
Barron was silent for a moment. Then he said, “I will send word to have a Torch prepared for you immediately. You can leave whenever you are ready. Good luck, Ambassador.” He reached out and grasped Kerevsky’s hand again. “Take care…and make it back as soon as you can, so we can have that talk about my grandfather.”
Chapter Fourteen
Orbital Platform Killian
Planet Craydon, Calvus System
Year 320 AC
“Captain Eaton, Tarsus has been fully serviced, along with the rest of your ships. Your fighter squadrons have been reinforced back to full strength, and you are cleared to depart at any time.”
Eaton listened to the maintenance supervisor intently, perhaps wincing slightly at the mention of the fighter squadrons. She’d lost a lot of her pilots on the last series of raiding missions, something that stood out all the more since her ships hadn’t closed to combat range themselves, and she’d only lost two other spacers, both to accidents.
However, the ‘cleared to depart’ bit really caught her by surprise. She didn’t have any orders yet, and with the preparations for the fleet’s attack on Megara, she’d just assumed her ships would be integrated into the main force structure.
“Sonya…” She recognized the voice immediately, but she was still startled when Admiral Barron walked out of the corridor right around the corner. She was about to reply, when Admiral Winters followed right behind.
She snapped to attention. “Admiral…and Admiral.”
“At ease, Sonya…I think we’ll leave formalities to the Council. They seem never to tire of wasting time. For now, we would like to have a word with you.”
“Of course, sir.” She was confused, the surprise far from having worn off, but she was curious, too.
“You know, of course, that we’re preparing to retake Megara.”
“Yes, sir. , of course.” She’d been surprised to be included in the small group of officers who’d been let in on the secret. It had been hard to think of anything else. Success might mean a real turning point in the war…and failure would almost certainly lead to final defeat.
“There’s no easy way to put this. I’ve known you for some time, and I respect and admire you…” Barron’s words made her feel good…save for the unspoken ‘but’ she could feel coming. “…but your task force will not be part of the attack.”
“Yes, of course, sir. Whatever you decide.” She tried to hide her disappointment, but Barron’s own expression told her she’d fallen well short.
“Sonya, this is no lack of confidence in you, I can assure you of that. There is no fight where I wouldn’t want you at my side. But I need you somewhere else.”
“Yes, Admiral, certainly.” She believed Barron. Despite the disappointment still hanging in her thoughts, she rationally knew Barron did believe in her, that whatever reason he had for excluding her task force from the invasion, it had nothing to do with a lack of confidence. Barron had long been her biggest supporter. He’d advanced her up the chain at an almost blinding pace, and she was the first to acknowledge she had no real place commanding sixteen ships. But, still, the thought of not being part of what could be the decisive battle, the long-awaited effort to reverse the course of the war…it was difficult to accept.
“I know this is hard, Sonya, believe me…no one understand that as well as I do. But we have to do everything we can to keep the planned attack secret from the enemy…until the last possible moment. We’ve had to pull ships away from the shipping raids to reinforce the main combat units, but if we stop hitting their cargo shipments entirely, they may see that as a red flag and know something is going on. If they decide we’re planning some kind of operation, it could cost us our surprise.”
“You want me to go back to the cargo raids?” She understood the logic, but the idea of blasting a handful of freighters while her comrades were fighting to retake the capital was a bitter pill to swallow.
“Yes…partly. I want you to go for several reasons. First, your raids have been by far the most successful. We’ve pulled so many ships back, I’m counting on you to disguise that fact, to hit them as hard and as often as possible, so they don’t notice they’re dealing with fewer attack forces.”
Sonya nodded. She understood, and despite her lingering disappointment, she was glad to hear Barron express his satisfaction with her operational results. Intellectually, she knew her task group had the highest kill rate of all the raiding forces, but it was still nice to hear.
“We can manage that, Admiral. We were hesitant before to hit them too hard. Forcing them to more heavily escort their convoys would have been a short-term gain, but it could have just about shut us down, as well.”
“Well, now, anything you can get them to send after you is that much less we’ll face at Megara. That will be helpful, especially if they detach more anti-fighter escorts…” Barron paused. Eaton knew he was very aware of what increased enemy escort strength would do to her own green pilots. “I know it will be hard on you and your people, but your ships will probably do more good drawing off enemy warships than they would in the battle itself. At Megara, you can only fight in one place, but if you draw enemy strength off into three or four convoys, you’ll really help our fighter strikes in the main battle. You know as well as I do, getting Jake Stockton’s wings through the escort lines and to the enemy battleships is the key to victory.”
“Yes, sir…I know. And, I’ll do my best to give them a reason to send more ships to garrison the supply lines.” Eaton was still disappointed about missing the coming battle, but she understood what Barron wanted from her, and how important it was to the overall effort.
“I know you will.” Barron hesitated for a few seconds. Eaton could see there was something else, something he was reluctant to say.
“Sir?”
“Sonya, I know we’ve been choosing spots to hit the convoys, systems fairly far out from Megara. We wanted to hit them where they were most vulnerable, and where they couldn’t expect reinforcements from nearby systems. That was successful for the most part, but now I’d like you to…target the systems close to Olyus, no more than three jumps from Megara. You’re likely to run into increased levels of enemy patrols there, and you’ll have to be nimble…and keep your mother ships the hell way from any transit points on the direct route to Megara. I know it’s dangerous, and it’s likely to make your job a lot more difficult…and costly. But I’m banking on the fact that you’ll be able to get some decent intel on what they’ve got coming up. Our scouting patrols at the top end of their supply chain, near Dannith, have run into a lot more resistance in adjacent systems. We’re pretty much looking into a black hole as far as what reinforcements they’ve got coming up the line. Maybe you can get us a last-minute look…and shout out a warning about anything we’re
not expecting to find in Megara. Supplies are one thing, but if they’ve got a whole pack of battleships we’re not expecting, I need to know.”
“Of course, Admiral.” She still wished she was moving out with the fleet, but now she understood why Barron wanted her on the enemy supply lines…and just how much he was counting on her. She knew Jake Stockton’s people had flown scouting runs to the Olyus system and gathered what intel they could on what was already at Megara. Those efforts had been few and focused—too much activity would have risked letting on about the planned attack—but it was all Barron had to go on, and he had no way of knowing what reserves might be coming forward. At least until she was able to warn him of any unexpected enemy units.
“I’m giving you two of the Torch’s, Sonya. They’re the fastest things we’ve got—and these are just about the last ones still uncommitted. If you discover anything you think I need to know, send one immediately. We’ll leave coded signal buoys on the approach to Craydon once the fleet leaves. When you send someone back, give them the priority codes so they can figure out where to find us. Even if we’re about to transit into Olyus, it’s never too late for me to have the latest intel. Understood?”
“Yes, Admiral. Understood.” A pause. “When do you want me to leave, sir?” She knew the answer, even as the words slipped past her lips.
“As soon as possible. Your ships are ready to go. Do you think you can have your people in place by 0600 tomorrow?”
It was tight timing, and it didn’t leave a lot of time to prepare, much less to give her people a chance to say their goodbyes. But duty came first. “Yes, Admiral. I’ll make sure the task group is ready to depart at 0600.” She was already scheduling her time in her head, trying to cram three days of tasks into a few hours. She wouldn’t sleep, that was a dead certainty, but there was one thing apart from duty she was determined to do before she left…see her sister. Sara was an admiral, and there was little question she’d play a key part in the attack on Megara. Sonya knew her own mission carried greatly increased risks, and she couldn’t even imagine just how deadly and dangerous the assault on the capital would be. She didn’t want to think about the chances she and her sister would never see each other again…but she was damned sure going to find at least a few minutes before her group left.