Kris Longknife 13 - Unrelenting (37 page)

Each of the three wolf packs had several.

The gravity anomaly detectors said they were dense. Likely tens of meters of thick basalt and granite. There were also lasers deep down under all that stone and water. The reactors were smaller and spread well apart. They were likely shielded with more rock.

How long the frigates would have to fire at these heavies to blow away one that just blasted through a jump was a test Miyoshi would not leave to his small divisions.

Admiral Miyoshi gathered his data on those battering rams and checked out the other approaching warships. They, too, were heavier, with more and denser rock. Done, he ordered retreat.

Bethea and Kitano arrived just in time to join him in abandoning the system.

They were holding now, one jump out from System X. Unless Kris had orders to the contrary, they’d withdraw as soon as the mother ships and battering rams came up and were ready to force the jump.

Kris examined the data and sent an order for Admiral Benson to send to Kitano by the fastest courier. “Admiral Kitano, you take command. Continue the withdrawal. Imperative the fleets not be lost.”

“So, now, what do we do?” Kris muttered, as Jack peered over her shoulder at the ugly-looking situation board. “Here I’d been thinking of taking a break. Giving shore leave to my fleet to throw a bash, drink some beer.”

“It never slows down,” Jack said.

Kris shook her head. “And now the aliens can force any jump. It’s only a matter of time before they outflank us, surround us, and wipe us out.”

Jack said nothing.

Kris shook her head. “Against one of them, we win. Against three, maybe four if they finally pull in the one I didn’t go after, I have no idea what we do.”

“Well, it looks like we better start doing it.”

“Yeah.”

They docked on Cannopus Station just as the
Mercury
came through Beta Jump. “Kitano is withdrawing the fleets to System X. What are her orders?”

System X had too many ways out that led to the Alwa system. Once the aliens got there, there would be plenty of resources for them to refuel, restock, and maybe build more warships, fast movers, even battering rams. The survey of the system had identified asteroids rich in uranium, something mentioned in the old stories of forbidden atomics.

Kris would have given her right arm to keep the aliens from System X, but she could think of no way to stop them now.

“Tell Kitano to picket the four jumps out of System X that lead to Alwa with a division each and bring the rest of the fleet home. They’ve been run hard and fought well. They need some yard time before we take our next swing.”

“I’ll carry that word,” the skipper of the
Mercury
said, swung around the nearest gas giant, and headed right back out.

Then it got worse. The jump buoys two systems out from Alwa reported reactors. Lots of reactors. Reactors off the buoy’s scale.

“Four wolf packs, and they’re getting reinforcements!” Kris wanted to weep.

“Even the aliens’ fast suicide boats haven’t jumped ten picketed systems,” Jack pointed out. “Let’s say we don’t panic until we see whether they’re getting reinforcements or we are.”

“Nelly, how long before we get better information?”

“A day, Kris.”

“Okay. I don’t panic for twenty-four hours.”

It was like waiting for Christmas. Only this Santa might have presents for her . . . or a death warrant.

Kris checked in with Doc Meade to verify that her gallivanting around the universe at four gees hadn’t harmed her or baby.

“I wouldn’t have thought those high-gee stations were that good,” Doc Meade observed.

“I and my children were constantly observing each of the pregnant women on
Wasp
. We adjusted them in real time,” Nelly said proudly.

“I hope the
Princess Royal
’s and
Lion
’s pregger detachment are as well taken care of.”

“I passed my app to their main computer before they sailed. If those computers had enough excess capacity, they should.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Kris and Doc Meade asked at the same time.

“You two had enough to worry about,” Nelly answered.

“The women were free to ask for shore duty,” Kris said.

“I wonder why none have,” Doc Meade said.

“I don’t think they want to leave their shipmates in a jam,” Nelly said. “I’m a computer, but I understand loyalty.”

“Yes, you do,” Kris agreed.

“So, I hear we got company coming,” the doc told Kris.

“Which company?”

“We all know about System X. It’s the next system over that has everyone abuzz. Anything you want to tell your doc?”

“You know more than I do. All I know is the tiny bit that’s official. No doubt the grapevine knows more.”

“No doubt. Is it true that the jump buoy can’t make hide nor hair of the reactors?”

“Some of them,” Kris admitted. “I’m told that some of the reactors have a signature close to ours, but none of them fit anything we’ve got. Or had when the last ship headed this way.”

“You think it’s that something new I heard about?”

“That something new that you shouldn’t have heard about?” Kris asked right back.

“Yeah. Good grapevine. If only I could turn it into decent wine.”

“You get enough whine out of it,” Kris said.

“And she complains about my jokes,” Nelly complained.

“Enough, I’ve got more patients than you, and I need to see how our future moms made out on this bad trip. Nurse, help the admiral to get her feet back on the deck.”

“Coming, Doctor slave driver,” came from the hall.

“You get that sort of lip, too?”

“We never should have abolished the cat-o’-nine-tails,” the doc said.

Kris’s next stop was Admiral Benson. “Thanks for holding the fort while I was out blowing shit up.”

“You’re welcome, though for a while there, I was afraid someone was going to have fun blowing my shit up. It looks bad out around System X. I hear you did good.”

“Another base ship gone, but only eighty-two of the warships. No doubt the rest will sign on with the other base ship, and trot around to System X to stand in line to force us back.”

“There have been fewer suicide boats the last few days. You think they’ll fold their cards and try something more conventional?”

“Even when they stand up and fight, they’re using suicide tactics. Did you see my report about Marine grenade launchers taking down boarders? At least I’m thinking of them as boarders, though I assume if they get aboard, they’ll just blow a hole in the ship when they blow themselves away.”

“Don’t bet on it. If they can blow a hole in the ship, they can get inside. Your Marines may earn their pay the old-fashioned way.”

“Yeah. Tell me, how are your new frigates coming along?”

“We got two of the Victorious class fitting out. I’ve laid down
Courageous
and
Illustrious
in the docks they vacated.”

“You’re not closing up shop?”

“Why should I? The mines are still shipping ore. The fabs are still sending us what we need for ships. I intend to be hatching ships right up to the minute you tell us to down tools and fight those ships for our lives. Any idea when that will be?”

“Everyone wants to know. Would it bother you if I admitted I don’t know?”

“Nope, though it might worry me to think there is an honest Longknife in the batch.”

“I was born under a dark moon,” Kris said. “The black sheep of the family.”

“We all must bear our crosses. Speaking of which, I’ve got work to be attending to. Call me if you need me.”

“Don’t I always?” Kris said, and made her way to the meeting she dreaded.

She presented herself unannounced at the quarterdeck of the
George Washington
, but she doubted she was unexpected. The Officer of the Deck turned her over to an ensign, who headed off as if she already had specific orders for when the fleet’s admiral showed up.

Kris was glad for a native guide. While all the Rim-built frigates were laid out to a common scheme, Kris could have easily gotten lost among the
George Washington
’s twists and turns. The ensign brought Kris not to the admiral’s quarters, but to a door with CHIEF OF STAFF, TASK FORCE 7 painted on it. The ensign rapped once, was told “Enter,” and opened the door for Kris.

“Admiral commanding Alwa Sector, sir,” she said, waiting while Kris entered, then firmly shut the door behind her.

“Admiral, thank you for coming,” Captain Nottingham said, standing. “Computer, create a comfortable chair with leg support.”

The captain pointed Kris at a recliner that formed itself to her shape and began gently massaging her feet as she sat.

“The chair is patterned after one my wife liked when she was expecting,” the captain said, retaking his own seat. “I understand swelling of the legs is a bitch.”

“And was she a bitch?” Kris asked, remembering Admiral Yi’s own comments.

“My wife was the best thing that ever happened to me. Unfortunately, she died of a stroke shortly after our daughter’s birth.”

“I’m sorry for your loss,” Kris said, hating the automatic way the words came out.

“I likely would not have volunteered for this duty if she were still waiting for me at home, but you aren’t here to talk to me about my problems, are you, Admiral?”

“No.”

“He’s not a bad man, Admiral. Admiral Yi is a good administrator. He got this fleet into the shape it is. The shape you fought it last week. They’re good ships. Good crews.”

“Then what went wrong?”

Now it was the captain’s turn to lean back in his chair. “Jim is very knowledgeable about ships, war, and how they’ve been fought for three thousand years of human history. He used to talk to the wardroom for hours, dissecting this or that battle down to the slightest detail upon which victory turned. His knowledge was impressive.”

Kris nodded, allowing the man to praise Caesar. This could not go on forever.

“We talked about the Battle of Hastings just before our first battle. Do you know it?”

“I have a sketchy idea. The Norman conquest of England back on Earth?” Kris said.

I CAN GIVE YOU A FULL BRIEFING, Nelly thought.

DOWN, NELLY, IT’S THE CAPTAIN’S STORY.

“Hastings turned on the Norman heavy cavalry riding down the Saxon heavy infantry. The infantry mistook a feigned retreat by the horsemen for a full retreat. They came off a strong
position and were ridden down by the heavy horse for that mistake. Jim thought we were the heavy horse, and we could ride down the weaker alien ships. That was what he was doing. He’d charge them, they’d break, then we’d slaughter them in the rout. Hastings all over again.”

“But our alien ‘heavy infantry’ were not on bad ground and had more fight in them,” Kris pointed out.

“Yes, Admiral. Jim was . . . dismayed at what happened. He managed to hold it together through the fight, but he got more silent as the days went by.”

Kris had wondered who held Yi together. Still, she would not fault the captain his loyalty.

“He hardly said a word after your briefing,” the captain said.

“He didn’t say a word
at
the briefing,” Kris pointed out.

“None of us did. We know our desperate situation. If the aliens were foolish enough to split their forces and overextend themselves, you wanted to cut out a section that was overexposed. I was all for it. I assumed Jim was, too. It bothered me he didn’t mention that the aliens had split their forces, but I figured it was more of the thoughtful face he was giving us.

“His silence got worse as we followed you. When it was time to order the task force through the jump, he just waved his hand. Once through, he only stared at the screen. When you gave us our orders, he leaned over and lost his lunch. I knew then that I had to do something. I gave orders for the task force to deploy as you ordered, then called Commodore Pavlenski and told him the admiral was indisposed. If I didn’t know him better, I’d say there was panic in Paulo’s voice. He said, no, he couldn’t take command as we were going into battle. The task force expected the flagship to lead. He’d follow my orders.”

Kris ventured an “Interesting.”

“Pedro Cochrane and Yusuf Suluc are young and hard charges. I’m not surprised they asked for two more divisions and a task force of their own. Paulo was always happy to stand in Jim’s shadow.”

“And when Admiral Yi’s shadow vanished?” Kris asked.

“I think he found the sunshine blinding.”

“You say Admiral Yi is a good administrator. Would you say the same for Commodore Pavlenski?”

“Yes. If they’d stayed on Earth, both would have retired with four stars.”

“And no battle experience,” Kris said, dryly.

“Regretfully, yes. It’s been a long peace.”

“So I’ve heard. Would you have a problem taking command of BatRon 10?”

“No, ma’am.”

“Do you have any suggestion for command of BatRon 11?”

“I’d reach down to the skipper of the
King George V
, Admiral. All of the division commanders are good men. They’ll follow orders, but if they have to
make
them under the pressure of battle, I would not expect the orders to be good.”

“We just had a battle,” Kris pointed out.

“Once you made the initial deployment and call to charge around them, not through them, like I expected, like I think Jim expected and was terrified of, it was not so much a battle as a rout. An execution.”

“My thoughts, exactly,” Kris admitted.

Kris eyed the overhead, seeing her very thin chain of command. Captain Hans Zermatt had fought in the First Battle of Alwa, but as a division commander. His division had been broken up until recently, leaving him doing admin legwork for Admiral Benson. Commander Becky Kaeyat commanded her ship and squadron well, but she was green.

“Captain, I’m promoting you to commodore as of now. Nelly, cut the paperwork. You’ve got command of BatRon 10. Who gets Task Force 7 is something I’ll need to think about before we sail next, and rest assured, we will sail before too long.”

“What will you do with Admiral Yi?”

“I think we can find an administrative position for him. God knows, we need more of a shore establishment than we’ve got.”