The Lost Fleet: Beyond the Frontier: Guardian

Passageways and compartments that the day before had been filled with laughter and celebration would now be filled with officers and sailors racing to their combat stations. Real weapons would be powered up, real targets would be selected, and neither Jove’s trident nor Callisto’s bow would decide the result.

“All departments, report full combat readiness,” Lieutenant Castries said.

The image of Master Chief Gioninni appeared near Desjani. “Captain, as senior enlisted officer aboard the ship, I wish to suggest that you explain what’s going on. There are a lot of rumors flying, and with this being Sol, people are worried about different things than usual.”

“That’s a good suggestion, Master Chief,” Desjani approved. “Admiral Geary will address the crew.”

I will?

“Thank you, Captain.” Gioninni’s image vanished.

“Whenever you are ready, Admiral,” Desjani said, smiling at him.

“Thank you, Captain,” Geary said, deliberately echoing Gioninni. “Do you have a copy of what I was going to say? Because I seem to be having trouble recalling what it was.”

“No, but I remember the gist of it,” Desjani replied confidently, giving no hint that she was making it up as she went along. “Something about defending Sol and Old Earth against aggressors who have already targeted us.”

“Was that what it was?” Geary took a few moments to compose his thoughts. “The odds against us are awful, Tanya. How do I give the crew hope when they must be aware of that?”

“We don’t need hope,” she replied. “None of us hoped to survive the war with the Syndics, and none of us hoped to see the end of that war. We could hope to win each battle, but we’d fight like hell whether we thought we had a chance or not. Hope is for people who expect to see a better future. We stopped believing in that a long time ago and learned how to fight without that belief. Until you came. Haven’t you figured that out?”

He took a few seconds to reply. “I guess not.”

“Just tell everyone we didn’t choose this fight, but we’re going to win it.”

“All right.” Geary gestured to the comm watch-stander to have his voice broadcast everywhere on the ship except in the compartment where the senators were debating with each other and Rione. “This is Admiral Geary. As you may have heard, upon our arrival in Sol Star System, we discovered that one of the minor powers located in nearby star systems had violated the sanctity of Sol by stationing a flotilla of warships here. Those warships have threatened the people of Sol, and they have demanded that we surrender to them.

“The people of Sol have told us that they cannot defend themselves. We are being attacked, and those attacking us are also threatening Sol Star System and Old Earth. We did not seek a fight. We did not choose a fight. But because the aggressor warships here are blocking our route to the hypernet gate, threatening the Dancers, threatening Old Earth itself, and moving to intercept us, we have no choice but to fight. The odds do not favor us, but since we have to fight, we’re going to win.”

He could only hope that the bold shouts and cheers within Dauntless could not be heard by the senators, and if so, that the senators would think they were somehow related to the crossing-the-line celebration of the day before. “I guess that was good,” he told Tanya.

“It would have been better if you just said what I told you to say.”

“What I said was close to that.”

“You are not my editor, Admiral.” She tapped the arm of her chair lightly. “Half an hour to contact. The senators are probably going to notice when we start combat maneuvers.”

“Probably.” He left it at that.

“Another message from the other warships,” the comm watch-stander said.

Mister Medals appeared to be annoyed and a bit baffled, in the manner of someone who was so unused to being crossed that he didn’t quite know how to handle it. “You are quickly running out of time to comply with your instructions. I am not in the habit of repeating my directions. You are to drop your shields now and reduce your velocity now, or I will take any measures required to preserve the security and safety of Sol.”

Geary tapped his reply command. “I am not in the habit of accepting orders from a minor commander of minor forces representing a minor collection of star systems. You are to cease all offensive activity in this star system and you are to immediately change vectors to remove your ships from this star system by whichever means you choose. Sol cannot defend itself, but we can and will defend Sol as well as ourselves. Geary, out.”

Desjani gave him a grin. “I don’t think the senators would approve of that language.”

“No, they wouldn’t.” Could Rione keep them occupied until Dauntless was committed to the fight? The odds against them would get even worse if someone interfered with the plan they had come up with. “I just realized something.”

“Good or bad?”