The Lost Fleet – Dauntless

Sarcasm definitely didn’t become Co-President Rione, Geary decided. “Locally, yes. When we entered jump, the Syndics were focused on trying to stop or slow some of our big units long enough for their big ships to catch up and destroy them. But the situation will be different on the other side of the jump if the Syndics come through right behind us. They’re all strung out. Their light stuff would run head-on into our main strength. We could send our own slow units on ahead while our best ships stayed at the jump exit and trashed the light Syndic ships as they came through.” He paused, then shook his head. “No, they won’t have followed us through immediately. They’ll have to take time to reform their forces. They can’t make a jump in that wall formation of theirs because it’s spread so wide the outer portions wouldn’t be within the jump point. They’ll call back the HuKs and other light units, get the heavies rearranged, and then…”

She raised one eyebrow. “Then?”

“That’s a big question.” Geary looked at her, trying to figure out if he could trust Rione or her judgments. Trust them or not, she may think of something I haven’t. “I’d like your thoughts on something.”

Rione gave him a guarded look, her skepticism still obvious. “My thoughts.”

“Yes. On what we do next.”

“Then before you say anything else, let me say this. Don’t misjudge your strength, Captain Geary.”

He frowned, feeling the weakness in his body, resenting that weakness and Rione’s apparent allusion to it. “What exactly does that mean? I’m physically capable of-”

“No. Not your personal strength. The strength of this fleet.” Rione waved one hand dismissively toward the depiction of the Alliance fleet. “Those give you a surface picture. They don’t tell you what’s inside.”

“Are you saying I can’t trust my information?”

“The information on the fleet is accurate as far as it goes.” She gestured again in apparent frustration. “I don’t know the right word to describe the problem. This fleet is like a piece of metal that seems very strong. But when struck, it breaks fairly easily. Do you understand?”

He did. “Brittle. You’re saying the fleet’s brittle. Strong-looking but too easily shattered by a blow. Is that right?”

Rione appeared surprised. “That’s exactly what I meant.”

“But not physical weakness. Not flaws in ship construction or weaponry.”

“I begin to feel certain you know that is not what I’m referring to.”

And I begin to feel certain there’s more to you than meets the eye, Co-President Rione. “I appreciate your assessment.”

“You don’t seem to be startled by it. Frankly, I thought you’d react angrily.”

Geary gave her an obviously false smile. “I like surprising people.” Which is one reason why I won’t tell you that I’ve no intention of letting this fleet stay brittle if I can help it. Metal can be reforged, tempered. So can this fleet. I hope. Though whether I or anybody else could succeed in doing that under these conditions is another question. “I’ve been trying to get to know-” He almost said “these people” before checking himself. “This fleet. They’re good, but as I was told some time back”-a little more than a week ago-“they’re tired.”

“This isn’t the type of tiredness that can be cured by a good night’s sleep, Captain Geary.”

“I know that, Madam Co-President.”

“If you commit these ships to a major battle, even under the conditions you describe, they may fail you.”

Geary looked down and bit his lip. That’s exactly what I’m afraid of, but I don’t know what she might repeat to others. “I don’t intend seeking a major fleet engagement at this time.”

“That is not a reassuring statement. It is critically important to the Alliance, as well as to the Callas Republic and the Rift Federation, that these ships return to Alliance space!”

“I know that, Madam Co-President.”

“We must avoid losing more ships.”

Geary glowered at her. “Madam Co-President, contrary to whatever you appear to believe, I am not in the habit of spending ships and the lives of sailors as if they were loose change rattling around in my pocket.” Her eyes narrowed, but Rione stayed silent for the moment. “I don’t intend to seek out a fleet engagement. I have no idea whether or not the Syndics will be able to force such an action. But I will do all I can to maximize the odds in our favor, no matter what.”

Rione stayed silent a little longer before answering. “That’s hardly a promise, Captain Geary.”

“I don’t make promises I can’t keep. I can’t control what the Syndics do, and I can’t be certain what kind of situations we’ll face. Surely you understand military realities enough to know that sometimes units must be risked?”

“Units like Repulse?”

Geary glared at her. “Yes,” he rasped.