P.D. 952
Pieces in Motion
In Dominion of Unified Citizenry Space
Through the observation bubble, Michael Hudis watched in grim satisfaction as the armada passed before him. Eight-five ships: one battleship, twenty missile cruisers, ten energy weapon cruisers (nicknamed “Beamers,” he recalled), thirty destroyers, miscellaneous frigates and support vessels…and two carriers, each carrying fifty chemical fuel fighters. Each fighter could carry three ship-killer missiles.
And best of all, the damn Vickies had no idea they existed. All of the ships had been built at the Dominion’s secret ship yard, hidden from prying eyes in a dust cloud a full thirty days’ travel from the Dominion home planet of Timor. Construction of the ship yard had begun six months after the humiliating defeat at Windsor. For fifteen long years the Vickies had strutted and crowed about Windsor. Now it was their turn. Beware the wrath of a patient man, Hudis thought. And piss on you, Admiral Skiffington.
The armada lumbered by, turning away from the Unity and gathering speed toward Sybil Head, two months distant. The armada would not pass through any of the principal wormholes, but would follow the old trade route, following a wormhole trail unused now since it was so much shorter to travel through Victorian space and its precious wormholes. They should not meet anyone, but if they did, Admiral Mello was under strict orders to destroy them so that no word could be passed, no warning given.
Once at Sybil Head, the armada would turn toward Cape Breton, where it would pick up additional support ships, make any repairs necessary, and then proceed through the Cape Breton-Victoria wormhole into Vickie space. Exactly three months from now, the armada would reach the Victorian home world of Cornwall.
“You should be proud of yourself, Michael. Everything is going exactly as you planned.”
Hudis inclined his head to the man beside him. Anthony Nasto, the Citizen Director, the most powerful man in the Dominion. Soon to be the most powerful man in the occupied universe. “Thank you, Citizen Director,” he replied. Hudis repressed a smile; he could still remember giving Tony Nasto a bloody nose on a dusty elementary school playground. Well, things change. Now it was “Citizen Director,” even when they were alone. “Admiral Mello’s task force will be under strict radio silence until he reaches Victorian space, then he will broadcast the code word. In the meantime, Admiral Kaeser’s task force is finishing its shake down of the new crews. About two more months should do it, I think. Admiral Kaeser’s task force will be ready to go as soon as the Victorian Second Fleet departs for Tilleke.
“And the commandos?” asked Nasto.
“They are almost finished training. In two months they will board three different freighters and move to the target. They will be in place and ready when Citizen Admiral Mello’s task force approaches. And, of course, once the battle begins, we will put the Dragon Teeth in place as well.” The Dragon Teeth would be the Dominion cork in the Victorian bottle, he thought
Nasto nodded in satisfaction. “And the Tilleke?”
Hudis shrugged. “So far, playing the role assigned to them.” He took a deep breath and blew it out forcefully. “The Emperor is the wild card; gives me the willies, to tell you the truth. He doesn’t seem to have much of a fleet, but he is very confident.”
“Have we found out anything about his new weapon?”
Hudis shook his head in annoyance. “No, and they aren’t telling us anything either. I don’t like it, not a bit.”
“Well,” Nasto said philosophically. “If everything goes well, it won’t matter what the Tilleke do, will it? All they need to do is lure the Vickie Second Fleet away from Victoria; we’ll do the rest. And has our beloved Admiral Skiffington taken the bait?”
Hudis smiled in satisfaction. “The Intelligence Directorate reports that the Vickie Third Fleet is moving to Windsor and should arrive within the month. There are signs that Second Fleet is preparing to relocate to Victoria. As we had hoped, the Vickies will use Second Fleet when war erupts between Arcadia and Tilleke, leaving our target defended by the First Fleet only.”
Nasto frowned. “But their Second Fleet isn’t moving to Gilead? If they positioned themselves forward to Gilead, it could cause problems.”
“We don’t think they’ll do that. Remember, Citizen Director, if they keep Second Fleet near the entrance to the Victoria-Gilead wormhole, they can cross Gilead and be in Tilleke space in two days.”
“As long as they use the Second Fleet,” Nasto replied. “We need Second Fleet to leave Victorian space. If they get chewed up by the Tilleke, all the better…”
Hudis shrugged. “The one thing we can count on is Victorian arrogance and pride,” he said confidently. “The Arcadians have been telling the Vickies that they don’t need any help from them. It stings the Vickie’s pride. Once the shooting starts and the Arcadians cry for help, the Vickies will be eager to show the galaxy that they are the ones who can set things right. They’ll go in, all right, and they’ll go in force.
“And then we’ll have them.”