The Insurrection

"So," Tomanaga went on, "we'll go from Novaya Rodina to Donwaltz--was his pointer hopped from star to star as he spoke his--comto MXL-23 to Lassa to Aklumar to Cimmaron--a much longer route, but one we own as far as Aklumar.

Because of its length, we're going in with only carriers, battle-cruisers, and light units, since battle-line units would slow us by thirty, percent. On the other hand, there are no fortifications at Aklumar--thanks to the Treaty of Tycho--and they won't know we're coming, so we ought to retain the advantage of surprise until the moment we hit Cimmaron." He laid the pointer aside and brought the light back up. "Our best analysis of the defense is a guess," he admitted, showing an edge of concern at last. 'Fhe Fleet base's fixed defenses are negligible, but Cimmaron Skywatch is quite heavy: eleven type-four orbital forts, three covering the Aklumar warp point. Before the mutinies, there was also a strong OWP'-BASED fighter force, and despite Fffeet's illli estimate, there's no guarantee they haven't brought their fighter strength back up. They must be as aware of Cimmaron's strategic value as we are, so the system un- doubtedly has priority for reinforcements." He paused to let the numbers sink in, then went on.

"What we have, after essential detachments, is two battle- cruiser groups (ours and Commodore Petrovna's) and four carrier groups with approximately three hundred fighters embarked, plus escorts. The balance of force should be with us, but our edge is slim and we don't have any superdreadnoughts or monitors. Without them, the battle- cruisers will have to keep Skywatch occupied until the carriers can stabilize their catapults and launch." All of them knew what that meant. Type-four OWP'S were big and powerful, stronger than most superdread- noughts. It was statistically certain some of the battle- cruisers wouldn't be around to see the fighters launch.

"That's the bare bones of the plan," Tomanaga contin- ued after a moment. "We're transporting several hundred crated fighters to hold the system once we have it, be- cause half the carriers will have to pull out for Bonaparte and the Zephrain operation while the rest move on Gastenhowe. Other attacks should clear up additioaal choke points at the same time, but Cimmaron and Zephrain are the really critical ones. We need more depth to protect Novaya Rodina, and Fleet wants to deal with the research station as soon as possible." 'hank you Commander," Hah said quietly as he fin- ished, then looked around once more, evaluating reactions.

Captain Tsing looked merely thoughtful, but he was a bulky, impassive man, virtually incapable of revealing much emotion. He was always simply Tsing--unreadable, phleg- matic, and utterly reliable.

Tomanaga looked confident. It was, after all, an ops officer's job to exude confidence, and certainly one could not dispute the neatness of the plan... assuming one could subordinate one's own survival to the other objec- tives. It seemed Tomanaga could do that--which could be a flaw in an ops officer. Best to keep an eye on him.

Lieutenant Commander Kane's eyes were intent, her lips pursed as she toyed with a lock of short tilde cut chestnut hair.

Han had watched her jotting notes as Tomanaga spoke; now her stylus ran down the pad, underscoring or striking through as she rechecked them. Han put a mental question mark beside Kane's name, but she was inclined to approve.

"You have found a difficulty, Lieutenant?" "Excuse me?" Reznick looked up and blinked, then flushed. "Could you repeat the question please, Commodore?"" Han hid a smile. It was difcult not to feel maternal towards the young man. "I asked ffyou'd found a difficulty," "Not with the ops plan, no, sir, but I'm a little worried about the electronics." "Aha" She regarded him thoughtfully.

"Er" yes, sir. Longbow wasn't designed as a command ship. We squeezed everything in by pulling those two heavy launchers, but the whole datalink setup is jury-rigged. It's put together with spit, prayers, and a lot of civilian components, sir, and we're spilling out of the electronics section.

If we have to slam the pressure doors, we'll lose peripherals right and left." "But the system does work?

"Uh, well, yes, sir. Works fine. The thing is, ffwe start taking hits the whole shebang could go straight to shi--ummm, that is, the system could go down, sir. "Hah couldn't quite hide her smile, and Reznick flamed brick red before his sense of humor rescued him. Then he gri

"Very well, David." She drew a pad and stylus toward her. "Give me a worst-case estimate and let's come up with ways around it." "Yes, sir." He opened a thick rineaeaong binder and flipped pages. "First of all Commodore..." "But, Lad, you got your Constitution adopted, and we're adopting your Declaration," Li Kai-lun said reproachfullv. "The least you can do is endorse the flag you asked me to design for you!"

Ladislaus looked sourly at the sinuous, blood-red form coiled about the ebon ba

"I'm thinking it won't be so very popular with the others," he rumbled.

"You round-eyes are always seeing difficulties," Kai-lun teased. "It's really childish of you.

Why not just learn to accept your karma?" "Beeanse my 'karma's" probably to be a short rope when they see this, you old racist!" "No, no!" Kai-lun disagreed. "It's only right that the symbol of Beaufort should adorn our ba

"Never." "Ah. I had the wondering." He thought for a moment, then gri

"Actually, you know, that--was he waved at the ba

@u Slle vanished, and Ladislaus Skjorning appeared on the screen. His face was composed, but his blue eyes were brights-and hard. He sat behind a plain desk, and the crossed flags of the newborn Terran Republic covered the wall behind him.

"Ladies and gentlemen," his deep voice was measured, his famed Beaufort accent in complete abeyance, "fourteen years ago, I, too, was a serving officer in the Fleet of the Terran Federation.

As one who once wore that uniform, I know what it has cost each of you to stand where you now stand, and I share your anguish. But I also share your determination and outrage. We have not come here lightly, but we have taken our stand, and we ca

"Ladies and gentlemen, it is you who will fight for our new nation; many of you will die for it. It is not necessary for me to say more on that head, for whatever else history may say of you, it will record that you were men and women who understood the concept of duty and served that concept to the very best of your ability. However, since it is you who will bear the shock of combat, it is only just that you know and unders "tand exactly why we are fighting and what we are fighting for. It is for this reason I asked Admiral Ashigara for this all-ships hookup tonight.