The Lost Fleet Beyond the Frontier Invincible

“Staff infection,” Geary explained, using the standard fleet term for mandatory subroutines loaded into fleet systems to enforce headquarters rules and requirements. “The destroyers are getting down to seventy percent on fuel cells.”

“Oh, no,” Desjani said in a noticeably insincere way. “What will you do? Halt the battle? Ask the enigmas to hold off until we’re ready to fight in accordance with fleet regulations?”

“No.” Geary tapped his comm controls. “All units, this is Admiral Geary. I take full, personal responsibility for the fuel-cell levels on every ship of this fleet. You will continue operations under my express orders, here placed officially in the record.”

“You can get court-martialed for that, you know,” Desjani said.

“I’ve heard that.”

Desjani’s next statement was cut off by the appearance of Emissary Rione, striding down to stand next to Geary’s seat on the side away from Desjani. “What are you going to do?” Rione asked.

“Defeat the enigmas,” Geary said, his tone as short as his answer. “Which I think will be necessary.”

“And then? CEO Boyens will surely ask your assistance in ‘reestablishing order’ within this star system.”

“I can’t stop him from asking,” Geary said.

Rione glared at him. “Admiral, we need this star system. It is not only the gateway to enigma territory, but is also our only known connection to spider-wolf-controlled regions.”

“Believe me, Madam Emissary, I am abundantly aware of that.” Geary drummed his fingers on one armrest. “Are you about to tell me I have to help Boyens and the Syndicate government reassert control here?”

“I am telling you, Admiral, that there is already a major fight under way in this star system, one that could inflict serious collateral damage on everything here. A battle between Syndic loyalists and the rebel forces controlling this star system could easily cause even more damage. We do not need a star system blown apart by civil war and destroyed in the name of saving it from the enigmas.”

“Your concerns are noted, Madam Emissary,” Geary said, keeping his own tone of voice cool this time. “I will endeavor to ensure that any destruction is limited to things, people, and places that are not of any particular concern to the Alliance.”

Rione’s expression became like stone, but when she leaned in close to talk to him, her voice held plenty of emotion. “Dammit, listen to me, Black Jack. You may think that you can do anything you want right now, but the truth is that a wrong step could destroy everything.”

“I am very much aware of that,” Geary replied, keeping his own voice low. “I am also aware that the surest way to bring about a real mutiny in this fleet is to order my ships to assist the Syndicate Worlds in regaining control here. Even if I didn’t find that morally repugnant, my own fleet wouldn’t follow such orders, not even from Black Jack.”

She pointed a rigid finger at his display. “Have you wondered why Boyens is hanging around that hypernet gate, Admiral?”

“He’s there so that if the enigmas crush the locals, Boyens and his flotilla can pretend to put up a gallant fight, then hyper out of here,” Geary replied.

“That’s an option, but Boyens knows that hypernet gate has a safe-fail mechanism on it. He knows he could cause it to collapse without risking his own flotilla, and he has a battleship with him to bring that about if we don’t do as he wants.”

That was an ugly possibility. The hypernet gate at Midway was a critical element in the importance of this star system to the Alliance. If the Syndics lost control of the star system, they would have no reason to let that gate remain intact. “I can—” What? Threaten to attack an official Syndicate Worlds’ flotilla despite the peace treaty? Start the war again? How much enthusiasm would the war-weary populace of the Alliance have for that course of action?

“How do you know,” Rione pressed him with her words, “that the enigmas will attack when they see what you have here? Isn’t this a substantial force? More than they would want to face?”

“It’s not that substantial,” Geary said. “Not compared to them. A number of the warships in this force have also been battered in previous engagements, and the enigmas will be able to spot that damage. If they think—” He paused again as a new thought struck. “Captain Desjani, have we ever figured out just how much detail the enigmas can transmit using their faster-than-light communications?”