"How can you possibly beat them to Quesann?"
"Gentlemen, for such astute businessmen I find it hard to believe that you started a war without even knowing your enemy's strengths. I assure you that I will be back at Quesann long before the remnants of your fleet arrive and I will easily destroy those ships that refuse to peacefully turn back. Then I shall decide whether or not to return here and punish this new treachery. Be sure to carry out the other instructions I gave you or my return with a task force to lay waste to your planet is assured. Good day."
The Council seal replaced the image of Jenetta, leaving the ministers confused with her statement about not knowing the enemy's strength.
"What did she mean, Ambello?" Minister Valhallo asked. "What strengths was she talking about?"
"I'm sure I don't know."
"That appears obvious. This venture was your idea, and now we are ruined. You most of all."
"Me?"
"Of course. You guaranteed the venture would be a success or you would reimburse the treasury for the loss. Do you have enough to pay for this debacle?"
"You can't seriously expect me to pay for everything."
"I do. That was the agreement. Everyone here was a witness. At least you have one thing in your favor."
"What's that?"
"The Galactic Alliance forbids slavery, so after all your assets are sold off, you needn't fear being sold to recover the balance."
Neddowo stiffened and paled as he stared wide-eyed at his fellow council members. With the loss of his fortune, they no longer feared him. He could not remember ever feeling so powerless and vulnerable.
* * *
On board the Colorado, Keith Kanes looked at Jenetta and grinned. "Did you clear the annexation of the Uthlaro Dominion territory with the Galactic Alliance Council?"
"No, not yet, but I don't see what choice we have. It's the only way we can keep them in check."
"You used that argument with the Milori and the Tsgardi annexations."
"And it's even more true with the Uthlaro. I've seen fanaticism, but never anything like these beings. We were unable to capture a single one alive from among all of the ships we fought. They're not going to stop, just as Maxxiloth would never have stopped. The Tsgardi probably would have stopped, but their annexation was punishment for having enslaved the Flordaryn people for so long." Jenetta sighed. "In the end we might very well have to return and lay waste to this planet. It might be the only way to finally end the conflict."
"We probably could have gotten one of the Uthlaro crewmen alive if we really wanted one."
"I wasn't willing to sacrifice a single one of my people just to get a live Uthlaro, especially after they murdered the rescue party from the Nile."
Keith nodded, then said, "Uh, you didn't believe the Prime Minister, did you?"
"About not being able to recall the fleet? No, of course not. They're still hoping their fleet will destroy us. I decided that rather than making an issue of that point now, I would allow them to openly surrender and publicly announce their acceptance of the annexation. If they continue to plot against our control, I still have the option of coming down hard on them."
"You don't seem too concerned about their fleet."
"Oh, but I am. I'm not concerned about the outcome of the battle. The information we got from the Hudeera enabled us to whittle their numbers down enough that I'm confident we'll defeat them now. But I'm very concerned for the Space Command lives that will be lost aboard our older ships that don't have the protection of the Dakinium."
"There always seems to be someone looking for a fight, but after the Uthlaro are finally put down we should be able to rest for a while."
"I certainly hope so, Keith. Too many good people were lost when we fought the Milori and I was hoping we'd never have to face another formidable foe in my lifetime."
"How are you going to handle your new territory? Region Two was already more than twice as large as Region One. With the Tsgardi and Uthlaro territory, it's almost four times as large."
Jenetta sucked in her breath and let it out quickly. "I haven't really worked that out yet," Jenetta said, grinning. "We hadn't even begun to get a handle on things before the THUG invasion started and I had to drop all my plans in order to fight the Tsgardi. One thing we've learned, however, is that the DS ships will be invaluable. With a few hundred, I could have had Region Two in shape in no time, as least enough to ensure it didn't sink into complete anarchy. I suppose I'll need a thousand now. The Admiralty Board is not going to be pleased with me. I can hear Hubera already."
* * *
"Good morning," Admiral Moore said as he opened the special meeting of the Admiralty Board in their meeting hall on Earth. From his place at the center of the horseshoe-shaped table, he could see that everyone was anxious to receive the news from Region Two, even Admiral Hubera.
"Let's begin by reviewing the message received from Admiral Carver overnight." Admiral Moore said after the preliminary processes of reading previous minutes and the like had been handled. He nodded to his clerk and the full-wall monitor illuminated with the image of Jenetta.
As the message ended, Admiral Hubera said, "Is she insane? We can't annex the Uthlaro Dominion. We don't have enough ships to staff Region One. Moreover, she just finished annexing the Tsgardi territory. What is she trying to do, annex the entire quadrant?" His comments brought chuckles from around the room. "I'm serious," Hubera said loudly. "This isn't a laughing matter."
"Donald, you heard her arguments as well as we did," Admiral Platt said. "Do you feel we should just leave their territory and wait for them to start preparing for war with us again? As it is, they've refused to even recall their fleet. They're still hoping it can unseat us in Region Two. This is the most formidable enemy we've ever fought and we'll have to watch them very closely in the future."
"Alright, Evelyn, suppose you tell me just how we do that. We simply don't have the resources. As it is, we're giving Carver every single ship we're able to produce. How are we going to secure another territory the size of Region One?"
"I don't know yet, Donald. I suppose Admiral Carver's fleet will have to patrol both territories. Our primary concern is that the Uthlaro not be able to rebuild their war machine."
"We'll have to find a way," Admiral Moore said. "Initially, Admiral Carver will be responsible for the new territory because she's the only one with the resources to do it. Eventually we'll have to redraw the regional borders to create three areas that are more equally sized. We'll also have to establish a new command structure to govern Region Three."
"But what of Carver?" Admiral Hubera asked. "She wasn't authorized to annex more territory. I think her title has gone to her head. She shouldn't even be the military governor of Region Two. She doesn't have the experience and she needs someone to keep her in line. She has to stop annexing territories!"
"Are you volunteering for the job, Donald?" Admiral Hillaire taunted with a dead serious look on his face.
"You think I couldn't do it?"
"That's not an answer, but I'm willing to put my money where my mouth is. I nominate Donald for the post of Military Governor in Region Three."
Admiral Hubera blanched slightly as he groped for words and a way out. Finally he said, "How am I supposed to govern a territory without any ships?"
"I further propose," Admiral Hillaire said, "Admiral Hubera be given a number of ships equal to Admiral Carver's Fleet."
"And how do you propose I tame a territory the size of Region One with a hundred tiny ships? Admiral Hubera asked.
"Admiral Carver just defeated four interstellar powers with far less than that."
"Okay," Admiral Moore said, "let's get back to business. Arnold's nomination and proposal is permanently tabled because Admiral Hubera isn't qualified."
"Now wait a minute, Richard, I'm as qualified as Admiral Carver. I can do anything she can do."
"Donald, you're a valuable member of the service, but you're not a line officer.
You've never commanded a ship, much less a ship in battle. You've never been a base commander because you're not a line officer. According to Space Command Regulations, you're not eligible to assume either the role of Military Governor or Fleet Commander."
"Oh, well, I suppose you're right, according to the book."
Admiral Hillaire didn't say a word, but couldn't resist a smirk.
* * *
The small SC task force reached Quesann two months and four days after leaving the Uthlarigasset system. Jenetta smiled when she saw the picket line of new DS ships at the outer perimeter of the solar system. The new destroyers and cruisers were not radically different from the previous classes of ships, but their black Dakinium hull couldn't hide the fact that some modifications had been made. Jenetta looked forward to taking a tour of the new destroyers and cruisers at the earliest opportunity.
As her shuttle set down at the base's parade grounds, she could see the assembly waiting to welcome her. She would have preferred a quiet return using the shuttle pad within the palace grounds, but knew this was part of the job. Her small task force had, after all, destroyed hundreds of enemy ships and extracted an unconditional surrender from the Uthlaro, albeit a somewhat insincere one. She smiled as she stepped out of the shuttle and pretended to enjoy the band and cheering throngs.
The occasion called for more speeches and Jenetta gave as rousing a speech as she could, telling the crowd of the battle and the surrender of the Uthlaro. She didn't want to put a damper on the mood, but she felt she must remind this crowd of Space Command personnel that an enemy fleet who refused to acknowledge the surrender of their government was still proceeding towards Quesann. She again reminded everyone to use their duty hours to improve their knowledge and skills in preparation for the final battle. The latter part of her speech may have been a bit disconcerting, but you'd never know it from the enthusiasm of the crowd when she climbed into the driverless vehicle for the short trip to the governor's palace.
Knowing the approximate date when the enemy would arrive allowed the base to function normally while they waited, but everyone was counting down the days as time marched inexorably towards the showdown with the Uthlaro fleet.
* * *
Chapter Fifteen
~ May 23rd, 2284 ~
In May, twenty new scout-destroyers arrived, accompanied by three new DS Battleships of the new Ares class and two DS frigates of the new Franklin class. The DS Quartermaster ships were each making three runs a year now, but since the as-yet-uncompleted base was intended to be the central supply point for all of Region Two, it would need as much equipment, supplies, and ordnance as could be sent to it for years to come. All of the newly arriving ships were filled with supplies from bulkhead to bulkhead for the fifty-two day trip. Jenetta waited until all the ordnance and supplies had been transported down to the planet before shuttling up to visit an old friend aboard the Ares.
As Jenetta walked down the ramp from the open hatch of the shuttle, full honors were rendered. Captain Gavin stepped forward to greet her as she reached the bottom.
"Welcome aboard the Ares, Admiral."
"Thank you, Captain. Your new ship is a welcome addition to the Region Two fleet."
"Allow me to introduce my senior staff."
After the introductions were complete, Captain Gavin took Jenetta and her aide on a tour of the ship, ending up at the bridge.
"I believe you know my second officer," Captain Gavin said as the doors opened and they stepped inside. Since a ship's second officer is the watch officer on the third watch and should be sleeping at that hour, she was obviously waiting around for Jenetta's arrival. She immediately climbed down from the first officer's chair and came to attention with an 'Admiral on the bridge' announcement. Everyone not at a station came to attention.
"As you were," Jenetta said. "Welcome to Region Two, Commander Carver. I didn't know you had been reassigned."
"The posting came with my promotion, Admiral," Lt. Commander Eliza Carver said.
Captain Gavin was grinning like a satisfied customer in an orthodontist advertisement.
"I think I've been set up," Jenetta said.
"Just a small surprise, Admiral," Captain Gavin said. "We thought you'd be pleased."
"I am." Looking around the bridge, Jenetta said, "This is an unusual configuration. Why the rounded walls and domed overhead. Is there a special purpose?"
"There is indeed," Captain Gavin said. As he gestured to the tactical officer, the lights dimmed slightly and the walls and ceiling seemed to melt away. Space outside the ship could be seen in every direction she turned. It was like standing in an EVA suit on top of the ship despite the bridge being located in the center of the ship and separated from outside space by numerous decks, bulkheads, radiation shielding, and ship's armor. Only the consoles, chairs, bridge equipment, and floor remained fully visible.
"My God!" Jenetta said. "I hadn't heard about this. It's incredible."
"It's the latest advancement in SimWindow technology. The entire bridge can become transparent— even the deck, although that tends to disturb some individuals so we've only used it infrequently."
"Really! I'd love to see that if there's no one on the bridge who would be unduly disturbed."
Captain Gavin looked around at the crewmembers on the bridge, then nodded at the tac officer. Instantly the floor melted away, leaving only a grid-work of thin lines that allowed a visual reference for the deck beneath their feet. It was like being in a clear bubble. You could actually look down and see the planet below. The other ships in orbit were all visible now.
"Amazing," Jenetta said, grinning. "I love it, but I can see where it would disturb some people. Even though I know there are more than a dozen decks beneath this one, I'm almost afraid to walk around for fear I'll slip through one of the grid openings and wind up outside the ship. This would take a bit of getting used to."
Captain Gavin smiled. Nodding at the tac officer, the floor solidified again, but the walls and overhead remained transparent.
"Are the new frigates like this?" Jenetta asked Captain Gavin.
"Yes, they have the same basic design on a smaller scale."
"Wonderful. Let's talk in your briefing room, unless you have other marvels of technology to show me?"
"Well, there is one small feature you should see now. If you would follow me, Admiral?"
Captain Gavin led the way out of the bridge and to a lift. Down one deck and five-hundred meters towards the stern, a corridor guarded by two Marines required handprint verification to open the transparent polycarbonate security doors. They passed two solid doors on the sidewalls as they proceeded down the secure corridor.
"The doors on either side are Admiral's suites, should any be staying aboard," Captain Gavin said. Each contains a suite for an aide and another for a steward.
"You didn't bring me down her to see VIP quarters, did you?"
"No, ma'am. This is what I wanted to show you," he said as the doors at the end of the corridor opened."
The room was similar to the bridge.
"It's spacious for Auxiliary Command and Control," Jenetta said.
"AC&C is another deck down and forward of the bridge. This is the Flag bridge. It's similar to the Command bridge, but it has no helm, navigation, or engineering stations, and no fire-control stations. The tactical station is designed to accommodate just two tac officers. One can assess the current situation while another is plotting possible actions."
Jenetta looked around with a smile. "And it has the same transparent overhead, bulkhead, and deck capability?"
"Of course," Captain Gavin said smiling.
"This represents a significant departure from previous ship designs. Warships haven't had a Flag bridge since wet navy days."
"The designers have acknowledged the changing conditions that make such a bridge feasible and desirable. I think the images of you standing on the bridge of the Prometheus hanging onto my command chair for dear life during the engageme
nt with the first Milori invasion force had something to do with it. SHQ decided that an admiral commanding a task force should have a proper bridge of her own. Your refusal to displace either myself or my XO really had an effect."
"Neither Commander Ashraf nor myself could take your chairs. You were the two people responsible for fighting the enemy. We were only there as bystanders."
"Standers maybe, but hardly bystanders. But you won't have to stand in the future. As you can see," he said, gesturing toward six command-style chairs arranged in a slight arc that faced the full-bulkhead monitor at the front, "this bridge provides six chairs for the Admiral and a staff of five advisors. The Admiral can be concentrating on the overall battle while the captain is on the main bridge concerning himself or herself mainly with the actions of the ship. Every new battleship will have a Flag bridge— at least until the class is changed in fifteen or twenty years. SHQ realizes it was a bit shortsighted not to make provision for admirals to command in space. You're still our only battle-experienced Flag officer."
"I hope the need never arises again, but I agree that we must be prepared. Is there anything else to show me?"
"No," he said smiling, "I'm afraid everything else would seem anticlimactic now."
* * *
"Beverage, Admiral," Captain Gavin said as the briefing room doors closed behind them.
"Thank you, Larry. A mug of Columbian would hit the spot if you'll stop using my rank when addressing me behind closed doors."
"Of course, Jen," Captain Gavin said, as he prepared two mugs of coffee and carried them to his desk before taking his seat. Jenetta was already seated.
"This briefing room is every bit as great as your office on the Prometheus, but I think I preferred the honey-oak wall covering over this medium-walnut look."
"I liked the oak, but I also like this look. Perhaps I've just gotten used to it since I see it every day."
"Congratulations on getting the first ship in the new class. Larry. It's beautiful. And I'm sure it's as deadly as it appears."
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