But should he do it even then? Geary took another look at the disorganization spreading through the Syndic flotilla’s formation. Even if the Syndic warships totally lost their order, though, they would still be too tough for Duellos to break. But an attack by Duellos could have the opposite result. “Captain Duellos, this is Admiral Geary. Reduce your closing rate on the Syndic flotilla. The Syndics are engaging in internal debates, and if you hit them, it may resolve those debates quickly in favor of dealing with a common enemy. I want you to slow down enough to be ready to hit them from one side at the same time as the rest of the fleet approaches on the other side. I emphasize that this order does not indicate any lack of confidence in you or your ships. Monitor the Syndic flotilla closely, and if you see what you believe to be an important opportunity, you are authorized to use your discretion in taking action before the rest of the fleet reaches engagement range. Geary out.”
Updates were coming in from Duellos’s ships, most of which had sustained only minor damage, and from Agile, detailing the much more extensive damage she had taken. Geary bit back a curse as he read the data, then called Tanuki. “Captain Smyth, I want one of your auxiliaries ready to head for Agile as soon as we eliminate the threat from the Syndic flotilla. I need Agile able to maneuver again as soon as possible.”
Smyth’s reply appeared several seconds later. “I understand you want Agile to be sprightly once again. I’ll send Witch, sir, but I’m not liking what Agile is sending about her structural damage. It may be more than any of my auxiliaries can handle.”
“Understood.” Geary settled down in his seat, glowering at his display. “The people who approve stupid designs for warships should be required to ride those warships into battle.”
Desjani twisted her mouth. “Agile got shot up that badly because of what a fleet officer did.”
“We don’t know yet why Adroit changed course.”
“Aren’t we receiving status updates from Adroit?”
“Yes, we are.”
“Have any of those updates reported problems with the maneuvering systems?” Desjani pressed.
“No. The course change was the result of a helm order being entered. I just don’t know why that change was made.”
“Does it matter?” She paused before speaking slowly. “I read about Beowulf, about Kattnig’s other recent actions, and I thought, why is an officer who has fought such hard and bloody battles acting like a brand-new ensign who is talking big because he’s secretly unsure of how he’ll do in a real fight?”
“I know. It doesn’t sound like the same officer.”
“Maybe he’s not the same officer,” Desjani continued in a very low voice. “Maybe he’s seen too much blood, lost too many ships. Maybe Beowulf was one brutal fight too many, and he couldn’t stand it anymore. It happens.”
Geary stared at her. “I thought the fleet medical teams could spot that.”
“Not always. It’s just like an interrogation cell, which just tells you what someone believes is true. If someone convinces themselves that they’re fine, that’s how it shows up.”
She shook her head. “Maybe Kattnig didn’t really know, maybe he just suspected that he’d lost his nerve. But we lost at least one ship because of what he did. Maybe two.”
“We still don’t—” He looked away.
“Captain Duellos has temporary tactical command over Adroit, but he does not have the authority to relieve Kattnig of command and order him placed in protective confinement. You do. You need to do that now.”
Geary swung his head to glare at Desjani. “It would take an hour for that order to reach them. Why are you so eager to hammer Kattnig? The man has an outstanding record. The fleet medical staff cleared him.”
“He had an outstanding record. If he was pushed too far, it was his responsibility to recognize that fact, before it cost lives.”
“If he’s relieved now, it will be the same in most people’s eyes as if I’d declared him guilty of cowardice before the enemy! Why do you want to judge so quickly and destroy a man who has given so much to the Alliance?” His tone grew heated.
Desjani’s eyes flared, and she leaned close, inside his privacy field, her face reddening, whispering fiercely. “He’s already destroyed, Admiral Geary. You know what this fleet is like. You know how we think. Do you still not understand something so basic? Kattnig is publicly disgraced. He avoided battle. Officers and sailors died because of his actions. But he is not a pompous, oblivious fool like Numos. Kattnig knows what he did. He knows how everyone will look at him. He knows the fate that awaits him. What will an honorable man who faces such a fate do, a man already pushed past his limit?”
Her meaning finally hit him. “He needs to be relieved and arrested to protect him from himself.”
“Yes, Admiral Geary. And you had better never again even imply that I would ever seek the destruction of a good officer!” She leaned back abruptly, out of the privacy field, staring angrily at her display.
Geary tried to relax himself, then called Adroit. “Captain Kattnig is hereby relieved of duty and ordered placed in protective confinement. Adroit’s executive officer is to assume temporary command pending further notice.” Ending the transmission, he gritted his teeth. “I’m sorry, Captain Desjani. I shouldn’t have said that. It was unprofessional of me to accuse you of such a thing and unjustified by everything I know about you.”
Desjani just nodded, her eyes still fixed straight ahead.
“One of these days, I’ll learn to listen to you the first time you tell me something I need to know.”
Her face relaxed a bit. “I’ll believe it when I see it.”
“Do you think the order will get to Adroit in time?”
“No. I hope I’m wrong.”
“I don’t think you are.” They sat silently for a while then, watching the formations of warships slowly converge on their displays.
They were closing on both the Syndic flotilla and the Alliance strike force at a combined velocity of close to point two five light speed. As a result it only took a long hour and a half before they saw Duellos slowing his strike force in response to Geary’s orders. As the strike force settled onto its new vector, Desjani nodded approvingly. “If nothing changes, the strike force will hit the flotilla at almost the same instant we do.”
The Syndics hadn’t fallen apart, but neither had they tightened up their formation again. They hung on their current vector, heading steadily toward the primary inhabited world and a much earlier rendezvous with the Alliance fleet. “What’s he planning?” Desjani wondered. “Blowing past us like he did the strike force and continuing on to wipe out the new Executive Council?”
“The new Executive Council won’t be that easy to find and hit since they have an entire planet to hide on.” Geary rested his chin on one hand, thinking. “Rione suggested that CEO Shalin personally wants me dead and defeated.”
“That’s not exactly an impressive insight, sir.”
He decided against addressing that comment directly. “The point is, maybe he’s planning on trying to beat me.”
Desjani considered that, then nodded. “It’s possible. The last time he faced this fleet commanded by you, we lost … a battle cruiser.”