"As told in the old Terran tale, someone must say that the Emperor has no clothes! You tell me of civil wars in all the Houses, yet I only see House Davion moving like an agroreaper through the Capellan Confederation. If we do not act to stem the tide now, when will we act? What will be too much?"
Primus Julian Tiepolo looked over at Precentor Sian. "In your estimation, when will the situation stabilize itself?"
Villius Tejh pressed his lips together in a flat line as he considered the question. "I calculate that Davion will have exhausted his supplies by the start of the new year. He will, no doubt, reinforce the worlds he has taken, but I cannot see him extending himself in more than one or two more waves, taking perhaps another dozen worlds total."
Precentor Sian hesitated, then continued at a gesture from the Primus. "I should add that if Colonel Ridzik survives the siege of Tikonov and manages to drive out the Davion forces, he may attempt to declare the Commonality independent. In that event, I would heartily recommend extending our influence and aid to ensure his success."
The Primus looked at Huthrin Vandel. "Does Precentor Sian's assessment coincide with yours, Precentor New Avalon?"
Vandel nodded solemnly. "Yes, Primus, I believe we will see two more waves, then a cessation of hostilities. Davion will have enough worlds with which to reward his mercenaries. Anything more than that and the mere effort of garrisoning the worlds will become more than he can handle."
Vandel nodded to Precentor Sian. "In addition, Primus, I would voice my support for Precentor Sian's recommendation that we welcome an independent Tikonov."
Myndo growled with irritation. "Again you avoid my question. How much is too much? When do we act?"
Vandel grinned cruelly. "If Davion's forces get as far as Sarna, that is when we make our move."
Fury flashed through Myndo's eyes as she watched the other Precentors react to Vandel's suggestion. I ask for a serious discussion and I get nonsense. Vandel knows, given what was said, that Sarna is utterly out of reach. Still, they have given me something."Very well, Primus, I amend my motion as follows: ComStar will place House Davion, its allies, vassals, and agents under a complete and total Interdiction when House Davion troops attack Sarna."
Myndo smiled as each Precentor nodded silently in agreement with the motion. Now that it has passed, all I have to do is somehow prompt Hanse Davion to strike at Sarna and so trigger the fall of his empire.She looked around at her fellow Precentors. With only these fools to oppose me, there is no doubt: Blake's will be done!
46
Sian
Sian Commonality, Capellan Confederation
21 December 3028
Justin Xiang shut his eyes, deeply fatigued from a job whose demands never seemed to give him a moment's respite. I've not had more than six hours sleep in any one stretch since the Davion invasion began. And that was on the trip back to Sian— after spending twelve hours analyzing dishes for their "secret messages."He looked up at Tsen Shang and read the same physical and emotional exhaustion in his aide's brown eyes.
Between them sat a glowing holographic projection of the Capellan Confederation's holdings. What had begun as a chop across Tikonov's throat had widened on both sides. Half the Tikonov Commonality had been either conquered or was currently besieged by Davion forces. All the loyal worlds glowed with a savage green light, while the worlds taken in each successful wave of Davion assault burned in ever deepening shades of blue.
Tsen Shang pointed at the cerulean light that represented Tikonov. "Your estimates of Davion actions check out, Citizen. The Crucis Lancer Regimental Combat Teams have spread out and hit six targets in the third wave. On Menker and Achernar, they face nothing but militia ..."
"Great. Just great." Justin forced a weak smile. "I suppose we can console ourselves that they will capture no supplies."
Shang shrugged. "Face it. They won't expend any either." He pointed a long-nailed finger at the verdant world called Tigress. "House Hiritsu might do some damage, but that world's lost. Davion tossed two RCTs at it."
Justin massaged his right temple. "As I see it, even with this latest wave, we've still got one shot at stopping the Federated Suns. As you've suggested all along, all we have to do is hit the staging bases. If we can capture—or at least destroy—the Davion supply bases, it'll cut off support. We'll not be able to turn around and force the troops out, but we'll get the time we need to recover."
Shang sighed loudly enough to fill the small, dark chamber with the sound of his frustration. "But how do we get the Chancellor to listen? You heard him last time I broached the subject of sending out strike forces. 'We must crush the invader here, Citizen Shang. We must feed their flesh to our worlds so that what the enemy has made barren will flourish again.' He's obsessed with his dream of being the new Star League's First Lord—so much that he can't see his realm collapsing around his ears."
Tsen looked away. "I've even tried to get Romano to speak to him on behalf of my plan, but ever since the First Kearny Highlanders took off from Highspire, she's been in a nasty frame of mind."
"She should have known the First Kearny would head out as soon as they got the news about the Second Kearny getting hit on Jonathan. All the Northwind Highlander regiments feel a kinship with each other. I suspect it's only Pavel Ridzik's presence on Elgin that keeps McCormack's Fusiliers from running off to avenge Marion's Highlanders."
Shang nodded. "Well, they were wiped out without a trace. The Third Davion Guards RCT is nasty."
Justin backed away from the table and slumped down at the hase of the cool, sound-baffling black tiles. He pulled his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. "I guess we'll have to beard the Diablo in his den. You said Michael's latest information packet contained data that confirmed your earlier guesses?"
"I'm a bit uneasy about trusting the data. Michael did tell us what the troop assignments were for Galahad '28, but he didn't know the assignments were changed via sealed orders sent out from New Avalon. How much can we trust him or his information?"
Justin chewed his lower lip before replying, and when he did, liis voice sounded more tired than ever. "Well, we've had a couple of hints that he's undervaluing his own troop strengths, but those fictions are easy enough to correct. I don't trust him as far us I could throw the Chancellor's throne. Yet, Michael's not attacked us, despite having the resources to do so. He's keeping up his end of the bargain."
Shang, leaning heavily on the wartable, nodded with resignation. "True enough. Davion's maintained a two-month per wave schedule. The troop movements show something of a regular schedule for resupply, but most of the supplies go out in preparation for the next wave. This fourth wave, we both agree, should head out in early February."
"And that means Davion's larders will have to be full by the middle of January," Justin reflected. "And his storehouses are well behind his lines. That means that, in his arrogance, Hanse Davion believes them to be beyond our reach."
The conversation between the two Maskirovka analysts died as the room's only door whisked silently into the ceiling. A shaft of yellow light poured around the slump-shouldered silhouette of Maximilian Liao. A spear of lights fragmented into rainbow shards, reflected from a holodisc. Liao looked up as Justin rose from the floor, then nodded. "Good. You're both here. Citizen Shang," he said, extending the disk toward Shang. "View this!"