Page 58 of Clan and Command

Days swept by. Piras was kept busy at headquarters with the war. He tended to the daily issues that cropped up in the sector he was in charge of, examining reports, approving or countermanding plans put forth by the captains who reported to him, and issuing strategies of his own.

Kila stayed on board his ship, ostensibly readying for his upcoming tour. The destroyer’s orders would take it to the battle front near the border with Galactic Council space. Kila commed a couple of times to check in with Piras, but they kept their exchanges brief and impersonal. Because of that, Piras heard little of Lokmi, though Kila did once say his chief engineer was making good time with upgrades. The warmth with which he spoke told the Dramok things were going well between the two men.

He wished he was on board with them, enjoying their company. He reminded himself that if things went well, he soon would be. He tried not to think too much about what had to happen in order for that to occur. Kila had not given him any hint of what Sitrel’s reaction had been when he’d handed over the latest information.

Things were busy, but Piras had the feeling he was marking time. Waiting.

He was buried in reports one day when his com went off with the beeping pattern that signaled an urgent official call. Piras picked it up to hear a recorded message summoning him to the Fleet Admiral’s conference chamber right away.

He paused long enough to shut down his computer. Then he rushed out the door, joining a stream of other members of High Command heading for Hobato’s chambers. Something big was afoot, and his heart sped up in anticipation.

Rear Admiral Critan, one of the older gossips Piras tended to avoid, fell into step with him. “Hobato’s not wasting time. The reports started rolling in a few minutes ago.”

Piras grunted noncommittally. He had sent his aide Gim off on the usual spate of errands, so it was no surprise he’d not yet been informed that trouble had started. He could well guess at the nature of the emergency, however.

Critan’s grizzled face was hectic with rage as he whispered to Piras about what was happening. Right away, Piras realized that he’d been right in supposing Maf’s diversion had begun. The blowup of sudden attacks wasn’t exactly according to the plan Kila had passed on to Sitrel, but one target and the overall strategy was Piras’s.

He tried to ignore the gnawing disquiet in his guts as he entered Hobato’s conference room and took a seat in a hoverchair at the great U-shaped table. Holographic vid monitors were clicking on over the table and along the walls. Critan ceased speaking as he joined in on the silent as the gathering admirals looked over the reports, stats, and vid feeds from the newest battleground of Kalquor’s civil war.

They didn’t have much time to take the situation in. Admiral Hobato’s arrival heralded an immediate beginning to the meeting. The room’s sound-blocker hummed to life.

The Fleet Admiral’s lined face was grim as he faced them from the bend of the table. “As you can see from the feeds, the defensive grids around Haven and Rokan Colonies have come under attack by the Basma’s fleet. It is a substantial force, one that is testing the strength of our defenses there.”

Piras’s gaze strayed to the vid footage of Kalquorian destroyers fighting destroyers. He scowled to see Critan’s blather had been right: the Basma’s forces were attacking the defenses of the Rokan Mining Colony, which Piras had suggested…and civilian Haven Colony.

Damn that fanatical asshole of a bigot Maf.He seethed with impotent rage.

Piras had pinpointed Rokan for obvious reasons. First of all, should Maf’s forces win it, it would be a small boon to the Basma’s depleted pocketbook. Secondly, it had a tiny Kalquorian population due to most of the mining work being mechanized. The casualties, if any, would be few to that colony. Most importantly, it lay in the opposite direction of the route an attack fleet would take to Laro Station.

Haven Colony, however, was worthless as a strategic target to the Basma. Its one recommendation was its proximity to Rokan, making it a kind of two-for-one deal. It made no real sense to expend the effort needed to take it, not a tiny farming planet. Only fanaticism against Haven’s blend of Earther and Kalquorian populations could have driven Maf’s attack against its protectors.

It was fearsome to think that Maf despised the mingling of the races enough to order such an attack even as a diversion. At the same time, Piras counted it as a weakness, potential for Maf’s undoing.

Hobato’s tone was heavy. “The two colonies are in danger of falling to the Basma, though we believe they can hold out for a few days with the defenses we have in place. We have scrambled all available fighting vessels to push back the aggressors. Rel Station will lead the charge since it’s closest.”

Piras’s ears perked up at the words allavailable fighting vessels. “What of those guarding Kalquor? And the borders of the Empire space we still hold?”

“We are maintaining an adequate presence in those areas. Between this attack and concentrating so many of his resources on holding what he’s already gained, I feel the Basma cannot threaten the home world. As for our borders, the area closest to the Galactic Council remains of paramount concern. The usual contingent supports the lanes to and from Joshada.”

“Did no one notice this bunch disengaging from their fleet to launch the attack? How was this managed?” Piras seethed.

“They are cloaking their vessels and scrambling our sensors, apparently. The enemy ships that remain near the Galactic Council shipping lanes could be sending out ghosts…signal echoes that make it appear to our instruments that they still have as many ships as ever in the area.”

Tranis, sitting near the curved portion of the table, leaned forward. “What of our ships along the border with Bi’is?”

Piras was glad someone else had asked the question he needed answered most. If he’d had to bring it up after already voicing irritation, it might have appeared he was challenging Hobato. He did not want to appear to be an agitator. Not this early in the game.

“As always, the Bi’isil border is supported against attacks from their kingdom. It would be nice if we were on good terms with our neighbor—” he managed a half-smile for the disbelieving snorts and snickers “—yes, of course that is too much to ask. As they have not shown any inclination to take advantage of our divided empire, we stay the course where that border is concerned.”

Piras had not believed the fleet would relax their defenses of that region. It was no matter; he’d planned for that contingency all along. Indeed, it had been his hope that nothing would change on the Bi’is border; it reassured him that High Command didn’t believe Maf would attack the region.

It was also a relief to hear the border would continue to be held strong, except where Maf would gain control once Laro Station was overcome. Piras believed Bi’is was content to bide their time anyway, particularly in light of their trade agreement with Maf.

He had little doubt that Bi’is would take advantage later, if they got the chance. One way or the other, they would strike at the Kalquorian Empire, probably following the civil unrest. They might even wait until the very end, once the warring Kalquorians had weakened themselves. As a strategist, Piras knew it was what he would do.

The idea made him sick. Yet Piras knew he must for now forget the alien enemy. He could fight only one war at a time.

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