“We have confirmed that it is truly Keller?” Kier fought to keep her tone level and professional as she addressed the Director of Ural.
It would not do to raise her voice to her commanding officer, the System Commander. Even remotely, insofar as she stood on her command deck and he was on the Starbase. Even as correct as Kier had proven to be when she doubted the man’s original plans.
That he was distant kin of her clan crèche did not help. As Director of Ural Starbase, Xi Ulan Atah Ahn had ordered her to remain in-system against the next foolish attack from Fribourg, when she should have been patrolling the sector. Keller could not have just pounced on Trusski without extensive scouting. Steadfast at Dawn could have been there. Could have driven the barbarians home with their tails between their legs, or hounded them into the chasm of starless darkness, into which they might have gotten lost and never returned.
A Flying Dutchman to haunt the modern age.
Ahn paused for a moment before he spoke, aware of the immense rage threatening to engulf Kier. And how much she was in the right.
“Elements within the Empire took it upon themselves to attempt an assassination of Admiral Wachturm,” Ahn said in a voice striving to placate. “They were found out, and eliminated, captured, or driven to escape.”
He paused again, but Kier held her peace.
“We are effectively blind, Xi Derag Ahma Kier,” he continued. “Until we rebuild our capabilities, we are forced to respond, rather than act. I do have one bit of good news, however.”
“And that would be?” she parried, barely mollified by the realization that he was in as precarious a position as she.
“According to the agent who brought us the report, Keller is aboard the vessel known as Auberon, a Star Controller, and had only seven escorts of a size smaller than Hammerheads. Auberon is a carrier, like a Carcharias, but instead of three Hammerheads, she carries roughly two dozen individual fighter craft.”
“This is meant to improve my humor?” Kier asked with a razor-thin edge.
“According to our intelligence, Aquitaine fighters rely on missiles for their offense,” Ahn said. “Plus the ship-borne weapons known as Primary beams, which are also based on an ammunition model of combat, rather than energy. Keller is many light-centuries from any base that could resupply her, and since Imperial weapons are different, this is significant.”
Kier felt some of the rage abate. Keller had made a masterful move, striking so deep and threatening Trusski’s peace of mind.
Rattling the cages of our souls.
Keller had a reputation as a capable commander, but logistics would be her undoing.
It would, however, be an expensive campaign. Steadfast at Dawn could not simply pounce on Keller’s force. The woman would be expecting that, which was why she had withdrawn after leaving behind a Scholar to establish some level of diplomatic communication.
No, Keller must be drawn into a protracted campaign. Hit and fade, but done with the intent of wearing down her stores. Buran’s vessels used no ammunition, excepting only the new stealth-strike variant of the Roughshark, such as the one that had bombed St. Legier.
And would have escaped, but for Jessica Keller.
Ahn must have seen the fire bank in Kier’s eyes. That much was obvious from the way his image relaxed.
“Will Steadfast at Dawn be sufficient?” he asked in a quieter voice.
Kier did the math in her head. That left Traveler into Darkness to command the local forces as Nightmaster, with one Megaladon to serve as Skymaster, plus the various Makos, Threshers, and Roughsharks that made up the local Warmaster contingent.
If it was a bluff on Keller’s part, a feint to allow Fribourg to launch another assault, Ural was still a mighty castle, Chéngbǎo, to hold back the tide.
“It is,” she replied.
Keller had issued a challenge to single combat. Xi Derag Ahma Kier would honor that.
And destroy her.