''Exchange broadsides as we pass.'' Kris called up a draft plan on her board. Twenty thousand klicks out was when the 6-inch laser started to get accurate, and the pulse lasers on the Wasp and Resolute began to have any effect. Today, that range was irrelevant. With the planet limiting their line of sight in orbit, they'd be swapping lasers at point-blank range. But then she'd known she was in deep trouble when she took this job.
''Steve, I really need to be on my own way sometime today. Penny, Drago, stretch it out like we planned. I'll join later.''
''Roger,'' came back at Kris. The two ships that had flown in close formation with the station while it did its wandering, now changed orbit. With a bit of luck, they'd confuse Hank.
''We think we've released the attachments that were holding you. Try that back out again. But real careful,'' Steve said.
''Our helmsman will try.''
It didn't work. Worse, Kris felt a wind on her face that stirred ugly memories. She mashed her comm button. ''All hands. Look around your area. We may have a small hole in the hull.''
''Yes, ma'am, we do,'' came a tense, if eager young voice. ''Laser Bay 1. We're working on it. Didn't want to bother you.''
''Bother me. How big is it?''
''Not much, ma'am. Just a split seam where the ice got shoved back. We've got goo on it and are putting a solid patch on top of that. We shouldn't be losing any more air.''
Kris did not need the old seams on this tub unzipping from nap to chaps. ''Keep on it. Are you folks in suits?''
''No, ma'am.''
''Get in them.'' Kris paused, then switched comm to the station. ''Steve, I'm holed and leaking air. I'm not in any position to try to muscle my way out. You've got to cut me loose, or I shoot my way out. You see another option?''
''There is one. Chief Gentle wants to blow the tie-downs.''
''Chief Gentle wants to blow me out!''
''Yeah, I always got a kick out of having a demolition expert with that name. Really does fit the man. You game?''
Kris glanced at sensors. Hank was about an hour out. If everyone stayed where they were, they'd have a shooting pass at each other just as he came into orbit. ''Let's try the boom.''
Then, switching back to ship. ''All hands. They're going to try to blow the tie-downs holding us. If you're forward, either get in a space suit or lay aft. I don't want to use our survival pods this early. Let's dog all airtight hatches and pray.''
''Steve, give me a ten count before you pop us.''
''I'm a minute away from doing that.'' A very long minute.
''Helm, I want you to give us another boost when he hits zero. If those tie-downs need any extra help, let's give it.''
''But what about our seam forward?''
''It's my job to worry about that. You worry about making sure we don't slam into anything hard as we get out of here.''
The helm leaned over his board, muttering something about being glad he wasn't a part of that woman's Navy. He liked worrying about what he wanted to worry about. Which reminded Kris she commanded a collection of volunteers, not sworn sailors.
Hold together, she prayed, for both ship and crew.
''Here's your count. Ten. Nine. Eight. Seven. Six. Five. Four.''
''Helm stand by.''
''Two. One.''
''Power!'' Kris ordered.
The hull shook and groaned. Then the Patton threw them forward as she backed away from the station.
''Damage control reports,'' Kris demanded. Her board lit up in only one place. Laser Bay 1 had popped its patch. They were working to replace it. The hole was no larger. Here and there, minor things had broken, but she noticed that now Lasers 8 and 9 were taking a charge and Lasers 1 and 6 had joined 7 off-line.
The temptation to boost for Jump Point Alpha flitted across Kris's mind, but she had a promise to keep to Ron. And Longknifes never ran and she wasn't going to start any new traditions. She angled the Patton to put it in the lead of the other ships, and made ready to receive Hank's greeting.
''We could come in high and slash the station to ribbons on our first pass,'' Commodore Peterwald said, studying the flag captain's battle board.
''That would eliminate one of our threats,'' Captain Slovo agreed. ''However, it would let those three ships maneuver up our tail and take slices out of our vulnerable engines. And your father might prefer to get this planet with a working station.''
''It won't survive long in that orbit.''
''Yes, but just as they moved it down, we can move it up.''
''So you suggest we go straight for Longknife and her junkyard collection. I like that.''
That wasn't exactly what Captain Slovo had intended. And he certainly wasn't happy to have his commander disparaging the enemy he faced. Military history was full of too many ragtag-and-bobtail forces that won against the odds. Not a few of those stories had a Longknife in them. ''If we use a slightly higher orbit, we'll be moving slower and have targets longer.''
''Make it so, Captain,'' Commodore Peterwald said, preening at the prospects of a quick, overwhelming victory.
Damage control was just getting air back into Laser Bay 1 as Kris boosted the Patton into the lead position of her tiny squadron. She wanted to ask the other ships how their guns were doing, but she suspected their communications—a hurried lash-up—were compromised. Hopefully the others were in better shape than the Patton. Kris now had four lasers down.
Worse, the initial reports from observers on the other side of Chance said that Hank's squadron was coming in low, maybe making a play for the station. Kris and Steve had bet that logic, or at least profit motive, would aim Hank at her warships, not the commercially valuable station. Kris gritted her teeth and kept her money on her bet. All it would take was a slight change in course and deceleration and the squadron would ride right down her throat. That was what Captain Slovo would do. Who's calling the shots over there.
Then the update came in from the other side of Chance and Kris smiled. ''They're coming in high, folks,'' she announced on ship net. ''Gunnery, if you're ever going to get those lasers up, now would be very appreciated.''
Jack settled into a station close to Kris as she ordered the Patton to begin defensive rotation. Ice protected the ship, but lasers burned through ice fast. So big warships spun along their long axis twenty times a minute, hoping to spin new, undamaged ice into a laser hit before it burned into the hull. Sometimes it worked.
Now, Jack converted the junior sensor station to a general overview. About the same time, Kris tapped her own board and turned it from a captain's General Overview to Gunnery Central. No one on this boat had her experience shooting other ships. She'd have to wear two hats today. Fortunately, Jack was willing to share one hat with her. Sulwan would manage decoys as well as back up the helm. Lots of double hats.
But Kris had a third hat. She tapped the comm button, brought it up on guard channel, and said, ''Hank, we've got to talk.''
''No we don't,'' Hank replied. No surprise.
''I really think we do.''
''Why? So you can mess with my head?''
That was true, but not what Kris wanted to talk about. ''I don't think us fighting is a very good idea.''
''I think this is a great idea, Longknife. I've got you.''
''And have you thought through what you've got?''
''I've got you.''
''That boy isn't much for thinking, is he?'' Jack whispered.
''Okay, Hank, let's follow that thought. Now that you have things the way you want, will you bombard the cities below? You going to enjoy killing me?''
''Don't mess with me, Kris. You've lost. They've lost. They'll have to give up or I will bombard them. And you better run or surrender.''
''That's where you need to think, Hank. I've got three ships ready to fight you. Three ships that won't run while there's a shot left in them. Below are folks that will fight you. Stand up fights when they can; snipe at you from behind trees if they have to. You've got us, but we've got you, too. You can't win.''