Bleak was roused from deep sleep by his SIMPA. Even given his enhanced powers of recovery he still felt weary and wondered how the men he’d been training were feeling.
‘Commander Nathanial to report to the bridge, report to the bridge.’
As he dressed Bleak knew this could only mean one thing the Confederation fleet had made its appearance. However, there were no calls to station, so at least an engagement wasn’t imminent. On the bridge Admiral Koerreg was sat in his command chair eyes fixed on the representation of the sector ahead of them. Bleak took it all in, his SIMPA updating him with the detail. ‘There’s a lot of them,’ he said.
‘And more appearing all the time,’ the admiral added.
Bleak studied the information for a few more seconds. ‘Yet they’re still three days out – being cautious?’
The admiral smiled. ‘Or they’re not in any hurry. They out number us three to one and out gun us five to one.’ What the admiral didn’t say was that most of the Confederation fleet would also have many more battle hardened men compared to their own raw recruits. He glanced across at Bleak. ‘My conference room now.’
‘Well, gentlemen,’ the admiral said to Bleak and the other commanders, whose holographic forms “sat” around the table, ‘our time is come. Impressions?’ The holographic figures looked at each other, none of them wanting to be the first to speak. They had all seen the data. Bleak could see despair in some of the younger and less experienced faces, resignation in others. Those that had taken part in previous large scale naval actions managed to hide their emotions.
Finally, the newly promoted Commander Parius aired the thought so many of them were thinking. ‘Forgive me, admiral, but the task looks…’ the man hesitated glancing to the figures either side of him before continuing. ‘It looks…’ he shook his head, ‘…difficult in the extreme.’
The admiral laughed. ‘Well put, commander. I think the word you were searching for though was, impossible.’ Admiral Koerreg held up a hand as the anxious young commander leaned forward to add to his words. ‘No, that’s alright, commander. You were simply being honest and echoing what all of us are thinking. But engage them we must and therefore we need a strategy.’ He glanced around the table before continuing. ‘Niias has come with what he believes is an overwhelming force and if I was in his position I would do the same. He will not waste effort on subtlety. He will simply try to overrun us, send everything he has to obliterate us in short order. Nor will he worry about our tactics, believing that sheer weight of numbers will be enough to secure victory.’ Bleak studied some of his fellow officers and it was clear in their eyes that they believed the same.
The admiral continued. ‘This, gentlemen is also his weakness.’ At the word ‘weakness’ a number of the younger commanders sat up a little straighter, a sliver of hope having been dangled in front of them. ‘It will be our job to deny them that quick victory. Our port and starboard wings will play hit and run with them, harry them then withdraw. You will sting them, annoy them and frustrate them. You will drive wedges into their tight, overconfident, formation. And then when they are in sufficient confusion, and the time is right, our centre will move in and take out their flagship, The Pride of Metrakis and Niias along with it.’ The admiral glanced around the table. ‘Any questions?’ Then just as one of the more senior commanders seemed about to speak, Admiral Koerreg concluded. ‘No? Thank you, gentlemen, your detailed orders will follow.’
When the final figure had winked out the admiral took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Opening them again he stared at Bleak. ‘Well, commander?’
‘You didn’t give Willan chance to speak.’
The admiral smiled. ‘You noticed that?’ The smile faded. ‘Willan is a wily old fox and I’m sure whatever he was going to raise I wouldn’t be able to answer. He knows that and will understand.’
‘And can it work?’
‘Do you have a better idea?’ the admiral snapped back.
Bleak straightened his back. ‘No, Sir. I’m sorry I didn’t mean to imply…’
The admiral’s smile returned and he patted Bleak’s arm. ‘No, I’m sorry, Davi. The books speak of the loneliness of command, they don’t know the half of it. Can it work? Perhaps. Niias has always been able to ignore tactics in favour of overwhelming fire power. That’s lazy thinking. Maybe this time his overconfidence will come back to bite him. What do you think?’
Bleak nodded. ‘But whatever happens the Pride of Metrakis will be heavily defended. The chances of even getting close will be…’ Bleak’s voiced tailed away.
Then admiral ran a hand through his greying hair. ‘Well, he’s certainly not going to make it easy for us. So?’
Bleak returned the admiral’s smile. ‘So, I think whatever the outcome we will make them pay a high price.’ As the admiral left the room, he gave Bleak a fatherly pat on the shoulder. As the door swished shut Bleak reflected that it was his job to try and minimise that price.