The Lost Fleet – Dauntless

Geary indicated the stars again. “We’ve been beat up, and the Syndics have us badly outnumbered. But the Syndic fleet doesn’t have an infinite number of ships. The more they divide what they’ve got to try to catch us, the better the odds we’ll face if they do catch us. Here,” he pointed to Yuon. “They need to put enough ships there to at least hurt us a lot more if we go through that system. But they also need to put ships into Voss to protect against that possibility. And they’ve got to keep the pressure on us, which means a strong force pursuing us through Corvus.”

“I see. That leaves little for Kaliban. If you’re right. But how sure can you be that the Syndics will disregard the chance you’ll go to Kaliban?”

“I don’t think they’ll disregard it,” Geary corrected. “I think they’ll consider it by far the least likely objective for us, and they’ll regard it as much less critical a matter than if we went to Yuon or Voss. Going to either of those stars would create an immediate problem for the Syndics. If we go to Kaliban, we’re still a problem, but one they’ll think leaves them time to deal with us.” He stared down at the representation of Kaliban. I just wish I knew what the Syndics had at Kaliban. The little intelligence we have is more than a half-century old. Hell, I wish I knew what they had at Corvus.

“Why are you explaining this to me?”

He glanced at her. “As I said, I want your opinion.”

“You sound like you’ve already made up your mind.”

He tried not to sound irritated. “No. I’m trying to formulate a plan, and I’m thinking through options. You have a different way of looking at things, so I value your impressions.”

For a moment, Geary could swear Rione looked slightly amused. “Then I tell you that I’d go through Yuon.”

“I see-”

“I’m not finished. I’d go through Yuon. But what you’ve said is true, and I myself warned you that we must avoid a major battle. I now believe as you do that Kaliban will be the best option.”

Geary gave her a wry smile. “Then may I assume the ships of the Republic and the Rift will follow my orders and go to Kaliban?”

“Yes, Captain Geary.” Her expression shifted. “Getting the rest of the Alliance fleet to go there will be your task alone, I’m afraid.”

She thinks that’ll be a problem. I hadn’t thought that far. The fleet’s ship commanders followed me out of the Syndic home system. But they were facing imminent death, and even then some of them wanted to debate things.

And they’re all tired and want to get home.

Rione was once more apparently studying the starscape. “I regret to say I know little of your personal life, Captain Geary. Did you leave anyone behind?”

He pondered the question. “It depends how you mean that. My father and mother were still alive. My brother was married. He didn’t have any kids, yet, though.” Funny how he could say that and somehow emotionally divorce it from the image of the older man who’d been his brother’s grandson, and who’d died on the Repulse.

“No life partner?”

“No.” He realized she was looking at him and wondered how a one-word answer could reveal so much to her. “Nothing that worked out.”

“A blessing, perhaps?”

“In light of what happened to me, yeah.” Geary shook his head. “I always thought they’d have finally figured out how to extend the lifespan by now.”

“Alas, no.” Rione was, to all appearances, studying the starscape again as she spoke. “You know what’s happened every time they’ve tried. Nature will let us keep humans healthy and strong nearly up to the end, but come the end still does, even though scientists have taken the human body apart down to the quantum level and rebuilt it in an effort to change that.”

Geary, feeling tired again, sat down and leaned back, closing his eyes for a moment. “It’s enough to give someone religion.”

“It’s certainly enough to make someone think about it.” She glanced at Geary. “Is there an ancestral home?”

“Not unless they’ve built one since the last time I was back.”

“Where will you go when we return to Alliance space?”

“I don’t know.” He stared at nothing, his mind wandering. “There’s somebody I need to look up on the Dreadnought, wherever that ship is.”

Rione didn’t mask her surprise. “You know someone on a ship back in Alliance space?”

“Not really. I have a message for her, though, that somebody asked me to deliver.” Geary brooded on that for a moment while Rione waited, then shrugged. “After that, maybe I’ll go to Kosatka.”

“Kosatka?”

“It was a nice place, once. I hear it’s still nice.”

“Kosatka,” Rione repeated. “I do not think your fate lies on Kosatka, Captain Geary.”

“Do you foretell the future as well as read minds?”

“All I read are people, Captain.” Co-President Rione walked back to the hatch, pausing in the entrance. “Thank you for your time, and for your confidences.”

“You’re welcome.” He half-rose as she left, then sat back down heavily, weary once again and wondering why his stomach felt so tight.

“KALIBAN?” Captain Desjani stared at Geary. “But the way home lies through Yuon.”