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THOUGH EL BAHARI HAD been expecting another update on the Thor's Hammer situation, she had not expected it to be so detailed. Or so shocking.
"And she was reading directly from the Constitution?"
"Yes," said Ironhorse. "I got a copy and confirmed for myself. Section four, subsection G, clause seventeen, if you want to see for yourself."
"No, it's fine," she said, leaning her head against the bulkhead. "I believe you."
Taking a deep breath, el Bahari suddenly found her quarters far too small, the Vimy Ridge much too far away from Thor's Hammer.
"What do you want to do?" asked Ironhorse after a few moments of silence.
"We knew this was a possibility and we planned for it," she said, closing her eyes.
She didn't say that they hadn't planned for it so soon, but she didn't have to.
"We planned for it, yeah," said Ironhorse. "But we aren't fully prepared for it. Not everything is in place to deal with this right now, Amira."
A soft beep came from her tablet, another connection request on her encrypted channels. Upshaw.
"Upshaw is requesting a connection."
"What will you tell her?"
"Nothing," said el Bahari. "She's unstable. If she finds out Khaifa is thinking about invoking the QH clause, she'll round up Khaifa, Babacar and Ven Der Berg and there will be more show trials and executions and then it will be outright civil war."
"You don't think we're headed in that direction already?"
"Not if things can be handled... properly."
"Meaning your way."
"Meaning logically," she said, more sharply than was likely required. "As opposed to being based on paranoia or a need for revenge. I have to go."
She didn't wait for an acknowledgement before terminating the connection and accepting Upshaw's.
"What took you so long?" demanded the Deputy Prime Minister.
"Don't be so fucking stupid," snapped el Bahari. "I'm the XO of a naval vessel, I'm not at your beck and call. That's what you have Vossek for. What do you want?"
There was silence for a moment and it made el Bahari feel good to imagine Upshaw stewing at her comments, looking for a way to dispute them and realising that the naval officer was correct.
"Vossek has reported back from the moon of Casandra Hajek," said Upshaw, her voice tight. "You're not there."
"We've been delayed. We ran into a ril-galas ship, a type we'd never seen before. One of our engines was damaged," she said, making it up as she went. "Repairs have only just now been completed—we've been back on course for less than twenty minutes."
Every so often, it amazed el Bahari how fluid her lies had become. How well one could flow into the other and how she somehow managed to keep them all straight.
"We've now lost contact with the Adirondack," said Upshaw. "They were in pursuit of the pirate ship that raided Duster's Range, the Azathoth's Tongue-"
"Azrael's Tear."
"Its name is inconsequential."
"It successfully raided one of your most secure R&D facilities. I'd hardly call that inconsequential."
She shouldn't have said it, but she found she rather enjoyed baiting the woman.
"Vossek pursued them as they left Hajek," said Upshaw, biting off each word as if the conversation were now causing her physical pain. "He reported an udukiin vessel entering the area and we have had no contact since."
"Then he's probably dead."
"Your flippancy is becoming-"
"It is not flippancy, Bianca—it is realism. Vossek ordered the Adirondack into the Udukiin Priex, knowing full well how they react to such incursions. Not only that, but he began firing his weapons in close proximity to the udukiin home world. The only surprising thing, if the udukiin have tracked down and destroyed the Adirondack, would be that it took them this long to do it. What Vossek did was at best fatally irresponsible and at worst an act of war."
Again, el Bahari closed the connection without waiting for a response. If Upshaw complained, she could realistically claim that she had been called away to tend to her duties. It was partially true—Radko had arranged a substantial strategy meeting to incorporate their newly acquired assets into the attack plan against the Hornet's Nest.
As was expected, Admiral Zhang was the last to arrive. His security team had had a difficult time understanding that the Vimy Ridge was not, in fact, a hostile ship anymore and that when Radko personally guaranteed Zhang's safety, he'd meant it. But the Admiral did finally arrive, two armed marines at his side, and took his place among the rest of the senior officers clustered around the sand table.
To Radko's immediate right stood Sigurdsson, Gholl Kai Rendrek and Jaeger at her side, the Admiral Rhekarr from the Ven Shakara and the commanding officers from the other two icaran ships, Captains Jerynaar and Locavara. Singh stood on his own, glaring at the sand table. El Bahari was next, directly across from Radko and positioned between the icarans and the trio from the Tianlong. Owens stood with her, and Cagliari, as the commander of the air group—or CAG—stood to Radko's left.
Hovering above the sand table was a holographic version of the Hornet's Nest.
Radko took a sip of tea as he mentally prepared himself. He couldn't remember what the tea was called—it was something Zhang had brought over from the Tianlong and had had his assistant prepare for the meeting—but he was glad to have it. What was it about having a cup of tea that just seemed to make everything easier? Looking around the table, he noticed that he wasn't the only one holding a steaming cup. Sigurdsson and Gholl each had one, as did Captain Locavara of the Ven Vaar, and Lieutenant Commander el Bahari.
"First off," said Radko. "I'd like to thank you all for being here. Every single one of you has taken great risks to stand where you are now and you've put aside many years' worth of hostility. The species and political factions represented around this table have given each other a lot of reasons for dislike and mistrust."
He paused and sipped his tea.
"However, that you are all willing to set that aside for the greater good gives me no small measure of hope for the future. A future in which maybe, just maybe, we can continue to work together instead of creating more reasons to stay apart."
There were a few nods around the table, but no one spoke.
"The Hornet's Nest," said Radko, nodding to the hologram. "We've all agreed that this installation is critical to the ril-galas presence here. It's a base of operations, a deployment centre, a supply depot, and based on our intel reports, it also appears to be a repair facility."
"And as such would be well-defended," said Gholl.
"Very much so," agreed el Bahari. She tapped a command into her tablet and a second group of holograms appeared with the Hornet's Nest, representing ril-galas armada deployment as of the latest reports from Commonwealth Intelligence. "As you can see, there is a substantial ril-galas military presence around the installation."
"But what you can also see," said Radko. "Is that they're as stupid as we are."
There was more than one confused frown at the table.
"Look at their deployment and tell me what you see."
They did and Cagliari was the first to clue in. He had assumed she would be, being a fighter pilot.
"Above and below," she said quietly.
"Exactly. When we fight our naval battles, either human on human or human on icaran, both sides approach the same way. We come in more or less level with each other and start hammering away with our cannons."
"The ril-galas are deploying as if they are ships on a sea," said Gholl.
It was a succinct way of putting it. The enemy ships were deploying from the midsection of the Hornet's Nest and staying largely within that same plane, choking up a straight-on approach but leaving the Hornet's Nest's uppermost and lowermost sections largely undefended—or, at least, seriously underdefended.
"A rapid approach, either from above or from below may catch them off-guard," said Zhang.
"Both," said Gholl.
"Half of our force attacks from above," said Rhekarr, stroking his chin. "And half from below."
Sigurdsson nodded.
"Make them divide their defense force," she said. "Do we think we'll get any help at all from Thor's Hammer? I mean, if they see us attacking, are they likely to launch any ships to help us, or at least distract some of the enemy?"
El Bahari pursed her lips and let out a small, dissatisfied grunt.
"From the Commonwealth forces, it's possible, but I wouldn't count on it. I feel confident in saying Admiral Mahoney would want to, but there is considerable resistance within the government to—and forgive me for using the term—kick the Hornet's Nest," El Bahari said then turned to Zhang. "What of the Soviets?"
"I cannot say," said Zhang. "I no longer have confidence in our leadership's ability to recognize an opportunity."
"The pirates will help," said Singh, slowly. "We are nothing if not acutely aware of when an opportunity to strike has presented itself. Though our firepower certainly cannot match that of the Commonwealth or Soviet navies."
"It's better than nothing," said Radko.
"Regardless of additional help," said Zhang. "The plan, I assume, is to hit with separate forces, one from above and one from below?"
Radko nodded.
"Exactly right, Admiral. The original plan was that Admiral Rhekarr and the Ven Shakara would lead the Leonid Gorshkov and the Azrael's Tear in one prong of the attack and the Vimy Ridge would lead the Ven Vaar and the Vor Rokhaar in the other. Obviously the plan has had to be adjusted a bit."
He entered some data on his tablet which translated to small holographic versions of all their ships popping up above the sand table.
"With our new assets, the groups will be as follows... Admiral Rhekarr will still lead Alpha Group from the Ven Shakara and the Vimy Ridge still leads Beta Group," said Radko. As he continued to lay out the roster of the two group, each ship hologram slid under its commander as he read off the name. "Under Rhekarr, Alpha Group will be comprised of the Vor Rokhaar, the Ven Vaar, and the Tianlong. With the Vimy Ridge will be the Azrael's Tear, Her Glorious Vengeance, and Her Divine Retribution. Outlaw Squadron will be split equally between the Vimy Ridge, Her Glorious Vengeance, the Ven Shakara and the Ven Vaar."
The sand table display abruptly shifted to show the attack plan.
"In the initial attack run, all vessels will drive through to the Hornet's Nest," he said, the sand table displaying the attack in real time as he spoke. "Fighters will launch immediately upon engaging the enemy, but all capital ships will focus on the Hornet's Nest for first and second volley. We need this strike to be immediate and devastating. After that, Admiral Zhang I would like you to redirect the Tianlong to target the ril-galas vessels that will no doubt be trying to take us apart by that point. You're our most maneuverable capital ship, so it makes the most sense. Gholl, with the firepower you have, I would request that Her Glorious Vengeance do the same."
The Soviet and the udukiin both indicated their agreement.
"And what of the Azrael's Tear?" asked Singh.
The question was expected. The Tear was, after all, not sufficiently armoured to withstand sustained conventional weapon barrages from capital ships, let alone the energy beam weapons carried by ril-galas capital ships. But it had other advantages over their enemy.
"The Tear's agility is going to be her greatest asset, Captain," said Radko. "You will be our surgical strike missile boat. Get in, pick your target, fire off some missiles and get out. Repeat as often as you can, do as much damage as you can. The munitions stores of the Vimy Ridge can supply you with as many missiles as you can reasonably carry."
Singh nodded and as he did, Radko noticed el Bahari rubbing her chin deep in thought, her brow more creased than usual by a deep frown.
"Lieutenant Commander el Bahari, if you have a question, now would be the time."
She seemed almost surprised to be asked.
"Yes, Commander," she said, dropping her hand to her side and clearing her scowl. "Not all of us will survive this attack."
No one spoke. They didn't need to—they all knew this could be their last mission.
"As much as I'm loathe to bring this up... at what point do we retreat, should this go badly?"
"We don't."
El Bahari blinked and stared at him for a moment. Many others did as well, though Radko did notice that Rhekarr and Zhang simply nodded.
"I beg your pardon, Sir?" said Owens.
Radko sighed.
"This is the battle. It's this or it's nothing," he said shrugging. "I'm not trying to be dramatic, but we fight to the bitter end, win or lose, because we have to win."
"What about living to fight another day?" asked el Bahari.
By the way she asked it, Radko knew she already knew the answer. More importantly, he could tell she already agreed with the answer.
"Another day won't happen if we lose here. If we don't take out the Hornet's Nest, we will never be able to break the ril-galas. We will never free Earth. We are a food source to the ril-galas—how long do you think before they turn their focus from harvesting Earth to finding the last pockets of free humans?"
"And after that, how long before they increase their push into other areas?" said Rhekarr. "They already kill humans and icarans by the thousands every day. It is time to stop this."
"Should any of us reach the point where destruction of our ship is inevitable," said Singh. "That ship itself becomes a powerful weapon."
The assembled commanders nodded.
"Can I make a request?" said Sigurdsson.
Radko turned to her, a small smile on his face.
"Of course."
"I'd like for Her Glorious Vengeance to be our vanguard," she said, with Gholl beside her, nodding. "The udukiin have history with the ril-galas and when our battle group shows up, I want those fuckers to understand the shitstorm that's about to hit them."
"Psychological warfare," said Rhekarr approvingly. "They will very suddenly and very clearly realise that they are no longer fighting the war they thought they were fighting."
Placing a hand on Sigurdsson's shoulder, Radko nodded.
"Request granted. Let's make them shit their pants."