“The Joint Chief’s now accept the truth that the Krall have had many thousands of years of warfare. They can incrementally improve their ground attacks as much as needed, for as long as we can fulfill our role of killing off their less skilled novices. However, they don’t appear as skilled at Space warfare. At least the jury-rigged Worm missiles and kamikaze attacks suggest there’s a gap we can exploit there.
“Per your own analysis Admiral Mauss, we can nullify their advanced White Out warning by Jumping from so close that they can’t predict when or where we will emerge. You have made sure the Worms will be little threat this time. You determined the dispersed attack we made last time played to their strengths of individual ship against ship fighting. The combined fleet defenses this time should keep the Worms away and the group random movements of the entire fleet will make suicide attacks less successful. If they try those anyway, the Clanships will often miss their targets and emerge in the midst of a hornet’s nest of concentrated fire. As you said, you will avoid the orbital platforms. The only question mark is the ungainly looking Eight Balls, which you will have to adjust to when they go active.”
With a sour look, Mauss nodded. “Yes Mam, as you say, the only question mark is self-propelled dense matter balls that we can’t make ourselves and don’t know what they do. In addition, we don’t really know the firepower capability of the platforms. Our new heavier fire-and-forget missiles have to get past those platforms and Clanships to reach targets on the planet, and we will have to retarget many of the missiles on the balls and platforms as well as the orbiting Clanships. The Clanships and single ships normally exit White Outs in stealth mode, which we can’t fully match with our ships, and we can’t get radar reflections from the strange quantum controlled outer skins of theirs. We don’t know why they didn’t use stealth last time. Yet, you think all we need to worry about are the Eight Balls.”
There was a threatening tone to the Chairfem’s reply. “Admiral, are you prepared to conduct this mission?”
“Yes Mam, as much as we can be prepared, and I am more prepared than anyone you might send in my place. We have to test the enemy again, but I don’t want unrealistic expectations placed on the outcome. I’m hopeful we can hurt them, but I’m afraid that the hurt we receive in return will be as out of proportion as every confrontation we have ever had with the Krall.
“When Poldark killed nearly forty percent of a four Clanship raiding force several months ago, they killed over eight hundred of the two thousand plus raiders. The media and our government trumpeted that as a great success. You, the Poldark government, and I know that it came at the expense of three thousand two hundred civilian deaths, and two thousand six hundred casualties in their armored quick reaction forces. A mere seven to one loss ratio has somehow become a measure of our success. I pray we measure the fleet’s success this time differently than that. I will do my best to make it so.”
“I trust that you will Admiral. I saw your staff uploading the new data for your AI’s database on the fast courier waiting for you as I passed the security post. At least I’m confident the media will not know about your mission in advance this time. When do you Jump for Rhama?”
“I leave as soon as we are done here, Mam. I will need a day at Rhama to adjust the fleet’s actions for the White Out at K1, and retarget some of the missiles with contingencies if the orbiting Clanships and platforms go into stealth mode.”
“Very well, Admiral. Good luck to you. I will see you for the mission debrief.” They shook hands.
****
Stanford took a break from campaign strategy meetings and recording short Tri-Vid messages. “Jean, I hate the necessities of political life. I made politics my career, but the things required to run a successful race have nothing to do with being successful in office. I was forced to drag the Joint Chiefs here just for the photo op of recording their entering the Presidential Palace to talk to me. I’m worried sick about risking the entire fleet on this mission and I’d have preferred a less public venue to find out what they really think of the risks.”
“Char, the military, except for the Army of course, see this strike as the best chance to hurt the Krall and slow them down. Besides, it isn’t the entire fleet. The two Carriers and the Patrol Boats aren’t going, so they won’t just stand off and watch this time.”
Stanford grimaced at the attempt at humor. “Right. Well, the Army wanted the fighters as ground support if we can ever manage to get the carriers to a planet where a raid is also happening. Only two carriers to support the hundred fifty-one planets the Krall have hit to date.
“Jean, I have to admit I rubber stamped the Navy’s proposal this time because they want redemption, and I need the political points of showing that we are striking back. They really do seem to have found ways to counter what went wrong on Deep Lance. I expect losses and so do they, but the chance to hit the Krall hard may be too tempting, an illusion.
“Tonight I focused on looking Presidential for the cameras, with the Cabinet and Joint Chief’s used as a backdrop. I didn’t even question them this time because I didn’t want a record of any doubts to appear in public. What was the ship count this time for this task force? I had specifically intended to ask that of Admiral Mauss because she is such a cool confident presence to show to the public, and she wasn’t even with them.”
“I asked about her Char, and it seems they had a squadron of recon drones just returning from K1 with the final pre mission intelligence. Mauss wanted to go over that personally. However, I have the briefing paper they left with us, to fill out the mission commentary on the edited news clips.”
“God! I’d better at least know what we are risking with my approval. Kindly tell me what fleet elements we are sending, other than the two carriers, their one hundred fifty fighters, and the twenty patrol boats that are not going.”
“Wow, you did remember some trivia. Let me tell you the important crap you forgot.”
They had a stress-relieving laugh before Anderfem listed the fleet elements by category.
“Admiral Mauss will be on the Invincible as her flagship again, accompanied by the Indomitable, our other dreadnaught. The Mace and Gauntlet are fully repaired, and joined by Spear, Archer, Shield and Lancer in a six-element battleship division. We have eight battle cruisers, all part of a single division, as are the six ships of a heavy cruiser division. We have eighty-eight destroyers to screen them.
“All told, there are one hundred ten fighting ships total. The same number as we sent last time. Only we have no other reserves except what are currently under construction in the Rhama shipyards and on the yards on Earth and Mars. The orbital repair docks at Rhama are empty now, since every ship that we could repair or refurbish is ready and in the fleet.”
“Jean, I admit I don’t know fleet composition, but there were more divisions last time.”
“Char, the fleet was more dispersed last time and independent actions and maneuvers were anticipated by various divisions. It never happened. This time the fleet will stay together for mutual support, because Mauss doesn’t anticipate facing divisions of Krall fleet units, since they didn’t coordinate or fight that way last time. In theory a concentrated force will be more difficult for individual Clanships and single ships to attack, and if they penetrate with micro Jumps there will be fire coming from all sides.”
“I heard Admiral Hawthorne say they were holding Jump capability in reserve to return as a unit, all the way back to Rhama. If things go well, they may go down to pound the planet, and withdraw as the situation dictates. I like the optimism. I hope it isn’t misplaced.”
“Char, we have nearly all of our space borne forces invested this time, so it had better not be misplaced. Mauss elected to Jump back to Rhama simply to expedite quick repairs. The Krall haven’t raided any New Colony yet, and Rhama is the most populated and technically capable world close enough to the Krall incursion to repair ships quickly. When not repairing, they can actually build new ships. The Navy should
be able to have the damage repaired for follow-up action in a lot less time than after the previous attack.”
“Let us hope, Jean. Let us hope.”
****
Mauss had ordered the entire fleet to assume its globular attack formation, with the outer lighter ships screening the more vital heavy ships located in the center. The formation was oriented with all ships facing the same way, currently coasting sideways in concert, with clear firing lanes between them for their missile launches. The initial launch would be computer executed the instant the fleet performed its White Out, followed by two more salvos in the next ten seconds. Then the first fleet course shift would occur before the next three salvos were ready within thirty seconds.
The pre Jump movement of the combined fleet was designed so they would emerge with a Normal Space velocity that would match K1’s orbit around its star, appearing one thousand miles from the surface of K1 over the northern hemisphere. The fleet would emerge facing their opponents, already in a strong defensive formation.
In practice, the movement of the fleet had resembled a school of fish moving in tandem, except there were small and medium fish surrounding and protecting the larger sharks and killer whales nearer the globe’s center. While the direction of fleet course changes were random, the order to execute the turns were transmitted for several turns in advance, and timed to allow the missiles of the previous launch to clear the edge of the formation. With launch tubes mounted forward, aft, and at midship, the fleet elements could fire from any course ordered. The missiles were smart enough to adjust course to avoid accidental friendly hits due to course changes, but this would slow their acceleration towards the enemy.
Mauss linked to Captain Codry. "Megan, it looks like the fleet is trimmed up. A few of the destroyers, with less experienced crews were late to adjust, but Josie has coordinated with the other AI’s and I’ve turned over master control for the Jump to her. I assume you’ll get your wish this time, and get into the fight. We all get there at the same time, and the Krall will get less than fifteen seconds warning of the mass emerge.”
“Thanks, Admiral. I know how much the last retreat bothered you, without our getting an opportunity to go head to head with the Clanships. I hope we can knock hell out of the platforms, and then zap a few Clanships.”
The two dreadnaughts had the heaviest missiles, and the Invincible and Indomitable were taking on the eight orbital platforms that the computer predicted would be reachable from above the northern hemisphere of K1. The other eight platforms would eventually pass over the poles and come into range, one or two at a time, but targeting them would have to wait.
“Well we are the big guns, so I’m sure the Krall will want a piece of us. Josie is listening, of course, so I’m about to give her the time mark for the Jump. Josie, Jump us in sixty seconds from now!”
“Yes Mam. I passed the countdown to the other ships.”
“Thank you. Fleet Link please, Josie.”
“Ready Mam.”
“Attention, this is Admiral Mauss. Your AI’s have received the one-minute to Jump countdown. When we emerge in five days, let’s give them hell. I’ll see you all back here at Rhama. Good luck everyone. Mauss Out.”
Expecting them all to return was overly optimistic, but they were better prepared this time, mixing a stronger offense with a much-improved defense. The remaining forty-five seconds counted down, and then the fleet elements entered their individual Jump Holes on cue, winking out of Normal Space, within the heart of the Rhama system. Ostensibly, they were conducting yet another training exercise so Jumping out of the Rhama system was a common occurrence.
Scientists had not yet found a way to communicate between ships while in the Hole, but they believed there should be a way. They were trying to use something similar to the advance wave a massive ship generated while in Tachyon Space. For now, there would be no chance to talk ship to ship for the next five days, but each ship would be combat ready, launch tubes loaded, plasma chambers heated, lasers armed, all released to AI control for immediate fire control at White Out. Humans would be directing the AI’s to modify the battle plan, but the greatest targeting success in the last battle had been when the AI’s made the instantaneous decisions, following human guidance.
****
Kanpardi yielded to the joint clan council’s argument, with a cautionary warning. “It is true that the humans have made no new attack on our base since the failed raid. However, they retain a fleet as large as the previous one they sent. We have detected several of their small spy ships recently, proving they have not lost interest in our base. They should have learned from their mistakes, and I believe they will attack us again.
“Reducing the number of Clanships in orbit would permit humans greater opportunity to launch missiles at ground targets, which we cannot entirely defeat with only sixteen Clanships and the orbital defense stations. A single Clanship per station can’t do much to protect them if the humans launch many missiles at each. The ancient Malveran computers in the platforms are inferior to human computers. They have powerful plasma cannons but have slow targeting, just as the Malverans themselves reacted slowly. This is how we defeated and captured them in that war.”
Hardrol, leader of Tanga Clan, had been mostly listening to his aid, Parkoda. “The humans are cowardly. They fled from our counter attack before, and we now have three new weapons they have never faced. They will not return soon anyway. Parkoda knows humans well, and has just reminded me that he captured more of them alive than any Krall warrior. Their surrender to him is proof of their cowardice. Tanga clan wants our orbiting ships and crews available for the increased raids we plan. Waiting for a human attack that will never come is wasteful of our resources.”
Kanpardi shook his left shoulder in acknowledgement. “The joint council has agreed with you, and I will release the ships you want returned to your control. However, I have explained the weakness of the orbital stations. I remind you that the other two weapons were not effective when they were used against us, in long ago wars.
“Humans are proving to be worthy enemies, and adjust quickly to surprises. When the stations launch the small ‘Eaters,’ they will see them coming. The first ones may be successful in swallowing some of their ships, but they can avoid them after that, and Eaters are vulnerable from the side and behind. The ‘Hammer Balls’ are not quick to respond, and take time to build to high velocities or to make a turn. The humans could do much damage before these become effective, and Clanships will take time to reach orbit to face their fleet.”
Hardrol was first to speak again. “We will be warned in advance, as we were of their previous arrival, and Tanga clan maintains pilots in all of our grounded ships at all times. We will not be caught unprepared, as Dorbo clan was caught, with empty Clanships on the previous human raid.”
“I am not prolonging the debate, Hardrol, but as Gatrol of this first phase of our campaign, I advise the council of the risk I see in following the course ordered. I will do what the council has instructed me to do, but I will not accept the consequences of that unnecessary risk.”
Parkoda was at this lofty council meeting only because he was now an aid to his clan’s leader. He was resentful of Graka clan’s stealing the leading role in the start of the war from him and his clan. Kanpardi, Gatrol over all of war effort was of Graka clan, and thus a natural target of Tanga clan.
Parkoda took aim at that target. “Tanga clan is prepared to increase the size of our raids, and to attack the more populated human worlds. We need all of our Clanships. We will not be timid in pushing the humans to fight harder.”
Had Parkoda directly called Kanpardi or his clan timid, he would instantly find himself in a challenge to the death. Kanpardi was dangerously close to offering the challenge anyway, because the inference that he was timid was obvious, even if not stated. However, as Gatrol he could not offer a challenge to Parkoda, a subordinate, unless he gave up his position as war leader. No doubt, that was Hardrol’s intention in
allowing Parkoda to speak.
This clever insult was probably not Parkoda’s doing, since it could have no good outcome for his own future status. The sly move was certainly something Hardrol, a wily Tanga clan leader, could have suggested to slower-witted Parkoda.
If Parkoda had come right out and demanded the right to fight Kanpardi, the Krall equivalent to a general or admiral would be free to defend his honor without any risk to his leadership position. He ran the risk of dying in the fight of course, but a Krall never expected to lose. However, if Kanpardi did die, Tanga clan would try to nominate one of their own to become the next Gatrol.
If Kanpardi were provoked enough into making the challenge himself, he would have to step down first as Gatrol, leaving the same leadership vacuum, which Tanga clan would try to exploit. There was a possible advantage for Tanga clan either way if a challenge arose.
Kanpardi was too intelligent to let this shallow Tanga clan ploy derail his and his clan’s rise in status. He would maintain his place in the histories simply by avoiding a rash move. Parkoda was apparently too dense to understand that even if he won the fight he hoped to provoke, his personal climb in status would end because the joint council would never name him as Gatrol over all the Krall. Naturally, if he lost the fight his status hopes became irrelevant. Tanga clan clearly considered Parkoda’s future superfluous.
Kanpardi made a generous offer on his clan’s behalf that heightened his clan’s level of respect. “I will release your ships, and those of the other clans that do not wish to defend the sixteen orbital stations that protect our base. Graka clan will guard them from our enemies, even though it reduces our own raiders. We do not think our sixteen Clanships are too great a price to pay to guard the Great Path.”
Hardrol and the other clan leaders were more than willing to let Graka clan waste ships on what they considered pointless guard duty.
Koban: The Mark of Koban Page 27