"He didn't," Jorgensen said. "Two of his first prizes were TFNS Justicar and Hammurabi-convict ships. According to our survivors, that's where the bulk of his personnel come from."
"I see. And just who are these 'survivors,' Lieutenant?"
"There are seventeen, sir: seven men and ten women. The men worked in Siegfried's mining operations before the war, as did two of the women. The others were aboard ships Ruyard's men captured. I understand-" Jorgensen's plain face twisted with distaste "-that Ruyard intends to found a dynasty. He's been collecting women to 'entertain' his crews, but the prettiest of them are earmarked for his 'nobility.' "
A savage, inarticulate sound came from Han's officers.
"How did they escape?" Kollentai asked after a moment.
"The 'fleet' was out on a raid and they stole an ore shuttle in for repairs-it had a bad drive, but they preferred to take their chances. They made it through the warp point, but then their drive packed in. They drifted for over a month before activating their beacon."
"That," Onsbruck said quietly, "took guts."
"Indeed," Han agreed. "And thanks to them, we know one thing Irene hasn't mentioned yet." She smiled thinly at her subordinates. "This Ruyard doesn't trust any of his prisoners aboard ship for any reason."
"Now isn't that nice of him," Captain MacInnes said softly.
"I see your point, Admiral," Onsbruck said, "but even if we can blast them without worrying about civilian casualties, we have to be in range to do it. And we've got a problem there."
"Agreed." Han nodded with a tight smile. "Commander Kollentai and Commander Tomanaga have given the matter some thought, however. Bob?"
"Thank you, sir." Tomanaga faced Onsbruck, even though he was addressing them all. "Essentially, our problem is that although either one of our monitors outguns their entire 'fleet' by a factor of five, all of their ships are faster than we are."
"Exactly, Commander. So how do you propose to make them stand still for us?" Onsbruck could have sounded scornful, but he didn't.
"Commander Kollentai thought of the answer, sir. Deception mode ECM. We'll come in openly, but what they'll see will be two battlecruisers-da Silva and Eisenhower-and three destroyers-Shokaku, Black Widow, and Termite. Even though the 'battlecruisers' will out-mass anything they have, they won't expect any fighters and their total firepower will be far superior to what they believe we have."
"And if they send scouts out to check from close range?" Schwerin asked.
"According to the escapees, this Ruyard sticks with what works. He closes with his entire force before he drops his mask because his victims are less likely to balk if he gets in close, and, if they do, he's got the close-range firepower to deal with them. The chance to add two 'battlecruisers' to his force should suck him right in where we want him."
"But if it doesn't?" Schwerin pressed.
"Then we'll just have to do our best, sir. Their fighters can't run; they're restricted to Siegfried III. As for the mobile units, long-range strikes from Shokaku should nail at least both heavies before they can transit out. That's better than nothing, sir."
"But not enough." Han's voice drew all eyes back to her, and her face was as cold as her voice.
"We don't talk about it, ladies and gentlemen," she said, "but each of us-even those who only joined up after the mutinies-is here because we believe it is our duty to protect our worlds and our people. That is the only acceptable reason for wearing the uniform we wear, and it is also something which, I hope and believe, we continue to share with the TFN."
She looked at them. One or two looked a bit embarrassed-especially David Reznick-but no one disagreed.
"The commanders of these ships have violated that purpose. They are mass murderers and rapists, but they are also outlaws against us. Against this." She touched the collar of her uniform. "Against our honor."
She paused once more, and her eyes burned.
"No one-no one!-is entitled to do that. The law sets only one penalty for their actions, just as there is only one penalty which can wipe away the dishonor they have brought to our uniform."
She looked at her subordinates once more, seeing her own anger in their faces. Only Tomanaga seemed to fully understand the shame she felt, but all of them shared her fury.
"And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the penalty we will enforce upon them," she finished grimly. She leaned back, her face once more calm, her voice once more serene. "It is my intention to enter Siegfried and attack within the next six hours. Carry on, ladies and gentlemen."
"There, sir," Tomanaga murmured as the enemy light codes crept onto the plot. "Still at extreme range, but they're closing. . . ."
Han nodded, watching the light dots of the piratical cruisers drift slowly closer, the red bands of hostile ships flashing around them. She picked out both heavies and all three of the lights, accompanied by the white dots of four destroyers.
"Data base can't identify the heavies, sir," David Reznick reported. "They've been altered and refitted too much-looks like the missile armament must have been downgraded in favor of primaries, wherever they got them. But I've got good IDs on the lights: Phaeton, Agano, and Leipzig. Two of the tincans are Pike and Bengal, but we don't know the others. Range is fifty light-seconds and closing."
"Thank you, David. Try to raise them, please."
"Aye, aye, sir."
There was a brief silence in response to da Silva's hail, then the screen lit with the image of a thin-faced, scholarly looking man who matched the data base pictures of Arthur Ruyard.
"I am Rear Admiral Li Han, Terran Republican Navy, commanding Battlegroup Nineteen," Han told him. "And you are?"
"Commodore Dennis Khulman, commanding the Twentieth Cruiser Squadron," the thin-faced man replied after the inevitable transmission lag, and Han's eyes did not even a flicker at the lie.
"What brings you out here, Commodore?" she asked with just the right trace of curiosity.
"I was about to ask you that, sir." Ruyard/Khulman smiled. "We're on a standing patrol out of Klatzenberger by way of Tomaline, Admiral. And you?"
"Out of Novaya Rodina via Jansen, Schulman, and Kariphos," Han lied equally smoothly. "We didn't expect to see Republican units out this way."
"No, sir. We didn't either," Ruyard/Khulman agreed.
"Well, I suppose we'd better rendezvous and exchange news, Commodore," Han said, watching the other ships creep closer on her plot.
"Of course, sir. But you'll pardon me if I keep my shields up until we do?" Ruyard/Khulman allowed himself a deprecating shrug. "Can't be too careful out here, sir."
"I certainly agree, Commodore," Han smiled, black murder in her heart.
"Thank you, sir. I make our rendezvous in approximately eighteen minutes at our present speeds. Is that acceptable?"
"It is," Han nodded. "I'll expect you for dinner, Commodore."
"Thank you, sir. I'm looking forward to it."
Li Han cut the communication and smiled savagely at the blank screen.
"Fifteen light-seconds, sir," Reznick reported.
"Very well. When we drop to twelve light-seconds, cut the ECM."
"Cut the ECM, sir?" Reznick was startled into asking the question.
"That's correct, Lieutenant," Han said calmly. She wanted Ruyard to know what he faced. She punched up Shokaku. "Captain Onsbruck?"
"Sir?"
"Prepare to launch fighters when our ECM goes down."
"Aye, aye, sir!"
"Thank you."