Koban: The Mark of Koban (37 page)

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.