"We are about to engage an enemy who possesses a technology incalculably ahead of our own, and of unknown strength and retaliatory capability. But against that we have two factors in our favor that could redress the balance-time and preparedness. We are in a position to move now, while all our intelligence from the Thuriens leads us to believe that the enemy is not. Our strategy is therefore based on exploiting these factors to the fullest. We will forego detailed planning and rely heavily on the initiative of local commanders in order to move fast and aim at total devastation of the enemy in a single, surprise, all-out, lightning strike with no compromises. This is not a time to ponder about morality. We might not have a second chance."
A Russian general leaned forward and took it from there. "The opening phase of the assault is designated OXBOW. Fifteen long-range radiation projectors will commence area-obliteration of selected targets on Jevlen, firing from one million miles standoff behind screens of destroyers and close-support tactical units. Five more will be held in reserve at ten million miles. The bombardment is intended to draw and engage the defensive forces while the spearheads move in to commence operations around the planet itself."
A European Air Force chief continued, "Phase BANSHEE will begin with a high-level sweep of Jevlenese near-space to clear it of all enemy hardware. This will be followed immediately by rapid deployment of a mixed-strike orbital system to neutralize major military installations and observed ground concentrations. A secondary force will concentrate on population centers and administrative focal points to dislocate the defenses by creating panic and disrupting communications. Simultaneously, lower-altitude intercept units and killsats will contest Jevlenese air space, with carrier-based tactical groups operating in selective ground-strike and counterfire roles. Our objective here is to gain complete control above the surface within twelve hours of the spearheads going in. The codeword CLAYMORE will be issued upon the successful completion of this phase."
A Chinese general summed up the last part. "When CLAYMORE is declared, conditions will have been established to permit the seizure of bridgeheads on the surface. This phase is designated DRAGON. The first descents will be made by remote-controlled decoy landers to enable surviving defensive installations to be identified and destroyed by a portion of the orbital bombardment groups held in reserve for that purpose. The remaining orbiting groups will redeploy to provide close-support fire for the landings, and the carrier groups assigned to ground suppression will commence launching aircraft. When descent corridors have been cleared, the ground forces will be landed initially at twelve strategic points. Details of those operations are currently being finalized with the respective bridgehead commanders. Strategic bombardment from high level will continue throughout to prevent the defenses from concentrating on the landing areas."
"That concludes the overview," Gearvey said. "Individual unit assignments, timetabling, and call signs will follow immediately. Remain on standby."
"What do you think?" Caldwell asked as the image cut out.
"I’m impressed," Heller said. "It’d sure scare the hell out of me."
"Horrifying," Calazar pronounced numbly. "It is just as well that you did not go with the Shapieron. We would never have conceived anything like that."
Danchekker did not seem completely happy. "It still doesn’t contain the sense of urgency that we have to convey," he said. "It doesn’t mention any specific dates."
"I did that on purpose," Caldwell told him. "If we’re going to be credible, we’d have to allow Earth ships months to get out of the solar system. The best thing seemed to be to leave it uncertain. What other way is there?"
"I don’t know, but I still don’t like it," Danchekker said.
Nobody spoke for a few seconds, then Morizal said, "Well, we’ve already got the Thuriens providing the transfer ports outside the solar system. We could take it a step further and have the Terran vessels fitted with Thurien-supplied h-grid boosters. That way we could get them out of the solar system in a day."
"A whole fleet?" Heller said dubiously. "Could a whole fleet be fitted out that quickly?"
"Conceivably yes," Morizal replied. "It’s quite a simple job. With unlimited assistance from Ganymean engineers, it would be feasible."
"How does that sound?" Caldwell asked, looking at Danchekker.
"It sounds more like what we want," Danchekker agreed, nodding.
"Suppose I change the last part to this," VISAR offered. The image reappeared and showed General Gearvey again, just about to sum up.
"That concludes the overview," he said. "There are no major revisions to the schedule to report. The h-beam boosters are currently being fitted by the Thuriens, and the first assault elements should commence moving out from Earth, on time, at eighteen hundred hours today. Current indications are that the full force will complete its assembly outside the enemy star system three days from now as planned. The force will then reenter h-space and be accelerated to reexit into normal space at a velocity that will move it to Jevlen in twenty-two hours. Therefore we should be going into action four days from now. Good luck to you all. Individual unit assignments, timetabling, and call signs will follow immediately. Remain on standby." The image vanished.
"Excellent," Danchekker murmured.
"The next thing I need to start working on is some surveillance data from Earth to back it all up," VISAR said. "But first I need some reference information on contemporary Terran military hardware and installations. Can you get it beamed in through McClusky?"
"Give me a line," Caldwell said. "I’ll get something moving right away." He turned his head away and stared grimly for a few seconds at another view, constructed from VISAR’s locally collected data, of the pattern of Jevlenese warships positioned around Thurien. "Any news about the Shapieron yet?" he asked.
"Nothing," VISAR told him. Its tone was neutral.
An image in the form of a frame enclosing the features of the controller at McClusky appeared in the air a few feet in front of Caldwell’s face. Caldwell turned his head away from the view of the Jevlenese threat and returned his attention to the matter at hand.
Chapter Thirty-Three
"Damn! Damn! Damn!" Niels Sverenssen hammered savagely at the touchboard of the datagrid terminal, then brought his fist down heavily on top of the unit as the screen remained dead. He turned away and marched furiously toward the L-shaped central room. "Vickers!" he shouted. "Where are you, for God’s sake? I thought those confounded dataphone people were supposed to be here by now."
Vickers, the heavily built and swarthy chief of Sverenssen’s domestic staff, appeared from one of the passages. "I only returned ten minutes ago. They said they’d be right over."
"Well, why aren’t they?" Sverenssen demanded irritably. "I have calls waiting that must be made immediately. The service must be restored at once."
Vickers shrugged. "I already told ’em that. What else was I supposed to do?"
Sverenssen began massaging a fist with his other hand and pacing to and fro, cursing beneath his breath. "Why do such things always have to happen at a time like this? What kinds of buffoon are unable to maintain a simple communications service competently? Oh, the whole thing is intolerable!"
The first faint hum of an approaching aircar drifted in from the direction of the window. Vickers cocked his head to listen for a second, then walked over to peer out through one of the sliding glass panels that formed part of a wall. "It’s a cab," he said over his shoulder, "coming down over the roof." They heard the cab land on the other side of the house, in the front driveway. The door chime sounded shortly afterward, followed by the footsteps of one of the maids as she hurried to the front hallway. He heard a muted exchange of female voices, and a few moments later the maid ushered in a smiling Lyn Garland. Sverenssen’s mouth dropped open in a mixture of surprise and dismay.