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Halsey was in Tallie’s cabin, leaning back in her chair, looking about as relaxed as she probably ever did, Tallie decided.
“I want you to always speak to me plainly, Captain. Of course, when others are around, you will remember protocol. But as in this case right now, when we are alone, you have my permission to speak without regard to rank.”
“Yes, Admiral,” Tallie said.
“We will soon be at Point Luck. We will have a brief rest, then press on at maximum speed.”
Halsey gazed into her coffee cup. Tallie wondered how many coffees she’d had already? That cup never seemed to be out of her hand.
“All these war game simulations. Tell me what you think?”
Tallie took a deep breath. She’d been wanting to broach the subject, and now was her chance.
“I was very impressed with the Restan squadron which rescued me and my First Officer. Their strategy, the disposition of their ships, the way they used them. It reminded me of, well, not to sound crazy, but how they must have hunted.”
Halsey looked up.
“That’s an excellent analogy. And I suppose our disposition reminds you of how humans hunted?”
“Well, yes! Now that you mention it! We cluster together, where they spread out and drive their prey into the waiting clutches of their sisters, or in this case, sister ships.”
Halsey nodded and took another big sip from the steaming mug.
“I’ve had the same thoughts. Yet both strategies work, wouldn’t you say? I mean here we are, and there they still are.”
Tallie nodded. “Yes, but which strategy will work against these Amferian devils?”
Halsey pointed her finger at Tallie. “That is the question.”
“Their strategy has worked once. Ours, well, no, it didn’t work...” Tallie’s voice trailed off, thinking of her ship and crew.
Halsey said nothing.
“Are we sure the idea of tying our ships together, with one ship controlling the others, is the right idea?”
“We are sure of nothing,” Halsey said. “In your case, the Jupiter was too far away to effectively fight your ship and it also.”
“Yes. It definitely delayed our reaction time. We were being hit before they knew it, and then it was too late.”
“Captain, you’ve been around the Restans far more than I have. They are a worthy ally, are they not?”
Tallie nodded vigorously. “As I heard someone say recently, I’d voyage into hell with them!”
Halsey actually laughed. “Yes, that was priceless, wasn’t it?”
Tallie allowed herself to smile back at the admiral.
“Unfortunately, we really are voyaging into hell, or a part of it, right now, and they are not with us.”
“Yes, I’ve wondered about that.”
Halsey shrugged. “So have I. It’s not that we don’t trust them, I think the reasoning is they may disagree with our mission.”
Before Tallie could answer, their communicators went off at the same time. Halsey was even faster than Tallie at drawing hers out.
“Oh my. Looks like it’s revenge time, Captain.”
Tallie stared at her screen. “Enemy ships closing fast,” it said. And suddenly she felt very afraid.
Halsey stood and noticed the look on Tallie’s face. She’d seen it before. Fear of failure. Fear of letting down her crew. Fear of dying.
“Captain. They know not what they are dealing with this time.”
Tallie stiffened into attention. “Yes, Admiral. Let’s show them we are the cure for their Victory Disease!”
Halsey had been heading out the door when she heard that. She stopped and turned. “I knew I was right about you! Very right! Let’s go give them a dose of their new reality!”
When they arrived at the main bridge, Tallie expected to see bedlam. Instead, everyone was quietly working at their stations, initiating the weapon systems, tracking the enemy. It looked like they were just running another simulation.
Yet this was no drill.
Captain Bowers greeted them. “Admiral, the enemy is approaching from our due north.”
Halsey nodded. “How many?”
“Four ships. But we are on alert, of course, for others perhaps coming from another direction. Their strategy with the Mars was to use decoys.”
Halsey looked around the bridge. “As soon as you detect other ships, we will direct our full strength on those. I have a gut feeling those ships on our north are in fact only decoys, even, perhaps, just simulated ships.”
Bowers hesitated. “But, Admiral, our war game simulations said that would be a losing strategy. Don’t you mean half of our ships?”
Halsey glared at him. “The hell with the war games. This is real now. I’m not dividing my force. Do it!”
Bowers nodded vigorously. “Thank you, Admiral. That is my strong feeling also. Now, with your permission...”
“Go fight your ship, Captain.”
Tallie felt a sense of pride and confidence wash over her. That’s why we will win, she told herself. Humans adapt, and learn, and correct.
But would the enemy?