“Yeah, I guess they will. If I can’t talk to any admirals, at least with these orders we can get the fleet back in shape as fast as possible. Can I oversee that with the automated systems available?”
Desjani shook her head. “That’s too many worms crawling in too many directions. Just tracking repairs on the capital ships is going to be hard. Keeping a handle on work being done on the destroyers is going to be a nightmare given how many there are and how little time we have. Even with every automated assistant available, you’ll still need human assistance in tracking things. I recommend drawing on some of the engineering officers on the auxiliaries, but with Dauntless not facing the immediate prospect of battle, I can second you a few officers to help out here.”
“That won’t be a problem?”
“Not at all, sir,” Desjani assured him. “My junior officers love extra challenges.” The edges of her lips quivered, but she managed to suppress a smile.
“I bet they do. I know how much I loved them when I was a junior officer.” Geary stared at the stars, trying to get his mind around everything that needed to be done. “Is there anything else?”
“We’ve confirmed that a basic form of Captain Cresida’s safe-fail system has been installed already on the hypernet gate here. The more sophisticated version is being prepared. We can’t know how the information package Cresida put together is being received in other star systems, but the quick response here is a good sign. The safe-fail design should be spreading exponentially through the hypernet, and from what we’ve seen in public sources within this star system the images from Lakota are scaring the hell out of people.”
“Good. Very good. What about the Syndic hypernet key?”
“It’s off Dauntless and was delivered to a key-fabrication facility on the habitable world here. They should be duplicating it as we speak.”
He shook his head. “I can’t believe we got it here. But we’re going to need that Syndic hypernet key.”
“Which is why we’re going to get it back,” Desjani added, earning an approving look from Geary. “Once all of the manufacturing data has been confirmed, they’ll be returning the Syndic hypernet key to Dauntless. Estimated time to return is thirty-six hours. We won’t have to keep its location on board a secret anymore, because the Alliance will be able to build as many copies as we want. But we’ll have the original again.”
“That’s great. I was afraid I’d have to kick up a storm to get the thing back.” He looked down, steeling himself for the next question. “There haven’t been any other messages for me?”
“No, sir. The only messages we’ve received from Dreadnaught were official status updates. Sir.” Geary glanced over at her. “She needs time. Jane Geary has to adjust to everything. Then she’ll respond to your personal messages.”
He closed his eyes for a moment. “We may not have a lot of time.”
“Everyone knows that, including her. Remember that Michael Geary had weeks to learn to deal with the fact that you were still alive before you first spoke with him.”
Geary opened his eyes but kept them on the stars. “And he still hated me.”
“Not at the end! You told me that. I have had communications from Dreadnaught monitored in a few unauthorized ways, and I know her commanding officer has been contacting some of the other commanding officers in this fleet. Officers whom Jane Geary knows. Officers whom know you. They’ll be telling her about you, about who you really are. Give her time, and she will contact you.”
“Those other officers are telling her that I left her brother in the Syndic home star system, and that he’s likely dead.”
Desjani took a step closer, her voice getting sharper. “Jane Geary is a fleet officer. She knew the risks as well as the rest of us, the same risks we all run. She can’t blame you for her brother’s death in combat, if that happened.”
He breathed a short, sad laugh. “You’re assuming she’s going to address the issue logically.”
“And may the living stars forbid that any Geary act logically!” Desjani shook her head. “Biologically you’re younger than she is even though you’re her great-uncle. You’re the mountain that has shadowed her entire life. Give her time. ”
“Okay. It’s not like I won’t have plenty to keep me busy while I wait.”
“That’s right.” Desjani looked around. “Do you want me to bring the junior officers to your stateroom so you can start coordinating repair and resupply activity? There’s room here.”
“Sure. How soon?”
“Give me half an hour to find a couple of junior officers who seem underemployed.” She studied him for a moment. “Have you prayed to your ancestors yet on Jaylen Cresida’s behalf?”
Geary felt a stab of guilt. With so much else going on, that had kept being forgotten or pushed aside.
“Not formally, no.”
“Why don’t you go down to the places of worship and do that while you’re waiting for me to get back here?”
The suggestion sounded more like an order, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t a good idea and an overdue obligation. For Jaylen Cresida in particular, and for a lot of other sailors who had fallen in this latest engagement. “Yes. I’ll do that.” He headed for the hatch along with her. Desjani faced him before walking away, though. “We’re still going back, right?”
“As soon as we can,” Geary agreed. “If I can get approval for it.” He remembered Rione’s words, which summarized the situation perfectly. “We have to win swiftly, or we won’t win at all.”
“Then we’ll win swiftly.”
“Yeah. We will.”
Or die trying.
APPENDIX
The Alliance Fleet
CAPTAIN JOHN GEARY,
Commanding (acting)
As reorganized following the losses suffered immediately prior to Captain Geary assuming command in the Syndic home system.
Ship names in bold are those lost in action, with the name of the star system of their loss given afterward.
SECOND BATTLESHIP DIVISION
Gallant
Indomitable
Glorious
Magnificent
FOURTH BATTLESHIP DIVISION
Warrior (lost at Lakota II)
Triumph (lost at Vidha)
Vengeance
Revenge
THIRD BATTLESHIP DIVISION
Paladin (lost at Lakota)
Orion
Majestic (lost at Lakota II)
Conqueror
FIFTH BATTLESHIP DIVISION
Fearless
Resolution
Redoubtable
Warspite
SEVENTH BATTLESHIP DIVISION
Indefatigable (lost at Lakota)
Audacious (lost at Lakota)
Defiant (lost at Lakota)
TENTH BATTLESHIP DIVISION
Colossus
Amazon
Spartan
Guardian
FIRST BATTLE CRUISER DIVISION