The Landfall Campaign (The Nameless War) (4 page)

“
I see Admiral,
”
Clifton replied, pressing her fingers lips for a moment before speaking again.
“
In truth it is hard for any of us, any of us statesmen anyway, to truly grasp the magnitude of the threat we are facing. As nations, most of us have not faced a serious threat to our ways of life from anything other than our fellow humans in many decades. We have therefore perhaps been complacent in the face of external threats, forgetting that even the collective strength of all Earth
’
s nations still makes us only a secondary power in the galaxy. We accept therefore that our means are limited and our strategy must be governed by those limitations.
”
Clifton paused for a moment then continued.
“
However there is one topic which I believe the fleet is attempting to brush under the carpet: Landfall.
”

“
Our last communication from the colony stated that the population is being evacuated to the shelters and siege being prepared for,
”
Wingate said carefully.
“
However as of the last report, the planet has not been approached by any Nameless forces.
”

“
I believe those reports are subject to a transmission lag in the region of forty hours,
”
Clifton replied.

“
That is correct, Ma
’
am.
”

“
So we only know what is happening there nearly two days afterwards.
”

“
Correct Madam President. The transit time for a fast wing of armed ships between Earth and Landfall is a minimum of ten days. If the Nameless choose to move against the planet, we will not be able to get a fleet there quickly enough. But I would remind you that the planet is defended by one orbital fort and missile batteries capable of engaging orbiting starships.
”

“
At times anyway,
”
said the British Prime Minister Michael Layland.
“
My own military staff has made the point that unlike Earth
’
s, Landfall
’
s missile batteries do not cover the entire sky. While they would be able to protect the shelters from orbital bombardment, they are not capable of stopping a landing from being made elsewhere on the planet. And by elsewhere I mean within about a hundred kilometres of the shelters.
”

“
But they do cover the parts of the planet that will be sheltering the population,
”
Wingate replied,
“
and the ground forces stationed there are in turn capable of defending the launchers from a surface assault
”

“
There is that point. Certainly I agree Earth is the critical ground the Nameless must take to win and thus must be protected,
”
Clifton replied.
“
Do you believe the Nameless will assault Landfall?
”

Wingate and Lewis exchanged looks.

“
There are a number of scenarios in which we can envision the Nameless attacking Landfall,
”
Wingate replied.
“
The seizure of the planet could be a primary war aim. Alternatively they could do so to draw us out into a battle of attrition we are in no condition to fight.
”

“
Is there anything we can do to prevent this?
”
asked the Egy
ptian President
.

“
For the time being the fleet can stay clear of Landfall, not give the Nameless a reason to go there. In our judgement, Landfall is in itself a strategic irrelevance,
”
Wingate said.
“
The other course of action open to us is in the hands of yourselves, the national governments. The population of Landfall will be safe inside the shelters. The problem is, those shelters are not especially comfortable. If there is no immediate assault, there will be public pressure for a return to the separate colonies. It is our advice that this be resisted at all costs. With the population in the shelters, Landfall offers no soft targets. If people are allowed to return to the colonies, then they once again become vulnerable to attack. We would like individual governments to order their colony governors to keep their people in the shelters.
”

“
We will make sure that your advice is passed along to the relevant authorities Admiral, but obviously that is a decision for individual governments,
”
Clifton replied.
“
But what action does the fleet propose if Landfall does come under assault?
”

“
Primarily, that the planet defend itself,
”
he replied bluntly.

“
Admiral, there are over three million people on that planet,
”
Layland objected. A number of other council members nodded in support.

“
Respectfully Mister Prime Minister,
”
Lewis spoke before Wingate could make any reply,
“
there are over nine billion on this one.
”

That was certainly a good example of the Home Fleet
’
s Commander
’
s famous bluntness, Wingate thought to himself. It might be true but such statements were probably too brutal. Perhaps for once Lewis sensed this himself, for he added:
“
blockade runners should be able to get through though.
”

“
But if they fail, the fleet will find another way to support the planet,
”
Callahan added unexpectedly. Both Wingate and Lewis abruptly turned to look at the Secretary.

“
Do you have anything to add Admiral?
”
Clifton asked.

Wingate was aware that the Council members were watching him intently. Politicians could smell division at a thousand paces. They couldn
’
t afford to show disagreement at the fleet
’
s highest levels. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Lewis
’
s face. His expression had gone professionally blank.

“
No Madam President. If the Nameless continue to bypass Landfall we will keep our distance, if they mount a sustained attack, we will have to reconsider our options.
”

“
Very well, Admiral. I see no point in continuing this particular topic since it is very much dependent on future events. So unless anyone objects I
’
d like to move on. Anyone? No? Then moving on to the fleet
’
s plans for the stock hulls
…”

Wingate let out a heartfelt sigh of relief as the holograms of the Council members went dark. Around him people started to gather up their papers as they discussed the proceedings with their neighbours. The meeting had taken a little over four hours and covered a myriad of topics. The most important one was that the industrialised nations had accepted that their economies were going to have to go on a war footing, although it would be months before the benefit would be felt. The various national and commercial fleets were now mostly under Battle Fleet control, but making sure that their crews didn
’
t disappear dirtside, was now an extra headache.

“
Can everyone clear the room,
”
called out Lewis. He paused before adding in a louder voice:
“
now
!
”

No one needed a second invitation and within a few minutes it was just Wingate, Callahan, Fengzi and Lewis in the big room. Lewis stared impassively at the Secretary while the room was clearing out. As the big double doors closed behind the last officer, Lewis looked around to check no one else was present before speaking.

“
Could you run past me when exactly Landfall became a major priority?
”
he demanded.
“
I ask because I was given to believe that we all understood the defence of
this
planet is the main event.
”

“
It became a priority about the same time a senior White House official expressed concern about safety of the half million or so citizens they have there,
”
Callahan replied as he closed his briefcase with a snap.
“
It became more of a priority when I had similar conversations with government officials in New Delhi, Paris, London, Beijing and a half dozen or so other capitals. You may be willing to write Landfall off, but their electorates, and by extension their governments, aren
’
t. It would look like a defeat.
”

“
So would Earth being bombarded from orbit. And that will be a lot more likely if we have to make a futile attempt to mount a close defence of Landfall,
”
Lewis replied, his voice still dangerously calm.

“
That
’
s certainly an issue Paul but frankly, serious questions are being raised about the competence of the fleet.
”

Lewis shook his head and muttered something beneath his breath before replying.

“
From the usual suspects in the Pentagon I would guess.
”

“
If we could mount some localised offensives,
”
Fengzi spoke up for the first time,
“
win some small victories, it might do a lot to quieten the armchair admirals. In fact Landfall might provide those very victories.
”

“
I
’
m listening agog,
”
Lewis replied, not bothering now to keep the edge out of his voice.

“
Running convoys to Landfall would be a clear sign of intent and commitment to the colony,
”
Fengzi continued ignoring Lewis
’
s sarcasm.
“
It would also have the secondary benefit of drawing out the Nameless; bring them to where we can fight them.
”

“
Which completely ignores the fact that the Nameless have proven themselves to have long range targeting capabilities. At Alpha Centauri they chose to engage at short range, to hold us in combat,
”
Lewis replied.
“
There would be no advantage to them doing that again. They would be able to peg at us from ranges we could not match. They
’
d be expending ammunition, we
’
d be expending
ships
.
”

“
We could use fighters,
”
Fengzi began.
“
Akagi
and
Illustrious
…”

“…
are both part of the Home Fleet,
”
Lewis cut him off without apology.
“
We are not committing our remaining two fighter carriers to a meat grinder. Not to mention what are you convoying in? The shelters are stocked to be able to feed the population for at least twelve months.
”

“
If the planet is subject to assault then they will definitely need supplies, munitions and troops,
”
Fengzi countered.

“
Only if they come under attack. Consider also that if we start running in convoys, that by itself could provoke Nameless,
”
Lewis replied.
“
If there is one thing we can say for certain, it is that the Nameless aren
’
t afraid of a battle of attrition.
”

“
There
’
s no way we
’
re going to win with retreats and holding actions!
”
Fengzi responded angrily.
“
Sooner or later we are going to have to take the offensive.
”

“
If it
’
s sooner it
’
s likely to end badly,
”
Lewis shot back,
“
We have no reserves. Until we do, any offensive action is likely to class as a form of racial suicide!
”

“
Would the two of you stop!
”
Wingate cut them both off.
“
The last thing I need is the fleet
’
s two most senior field officers getting into a round of mud slinging,
”
he snapped at them before turning back the Secretary.
“
Daniel whatever else, we will not be the ones to open a second front. If the Nameless move on Landfall, then I accept, politically we have to support it as best we can without compromising the defence of Earth.
”