Offices of the Supreme Council for the Preservation of the Faith, city of McNair, Commitment planet, Hammer of Kraa Worlds
Chief Councillor Jeremiah Polk sat back in his chair, stretching in yet another vain attempt to ease the kinks out of an aching back. His mood was foul. “Kraa’s blood,” he muttered. For once it would be good to have a day without crisis after crisis crashing onto his desk.
“Chief Councillor?” The diffident tones of his secretary broke into his thoughts.
“Yes, Singh.”
“Fleet Admiral Jorge is here, sir.”
“Ah, good. Send him in.”
The man ushered into his office was tall, his looks well served by his Spanish forebears. Once his face must have been classically handsome. Now it was deeply lined by the long hours and stress that went with every senior position in the Hammer Worlds.
Jorge looked nervous, his forehead slicked with a telltale sheen of sweat. That was not surprising, Polk thought as he waved Jorge into a seat. The man should be nervous. After all, it was only a matter of months since Polk, in the wake of the Hammer fleet’s pathetic response to the Fed’s attack on Hell’s Moons, had personally ordered the deaths of thousands of Jorge’s fellow officers, their bodies even now rotting in DocSec lime pits. Truth be known, Polk was reassured by fear. He liked being feared-very much.
Once Jorge was settled, Polk pinned him back in his chair with a long, unblinking stare. Polk was pleased to see the man actually push back a fraction as if trying to escape.
“So, Admiral,” Polk said eventually. “Let’s get on with it. The last time we met, I asked for a firm date for the start of Operation Cavalcade.”
Jorge nodded in agreement. “You did, Chief Councillor. I’ve scheduled a full Operation Cavalcade presentation for next week’s Defense Council, and I’ll be asking for formal approval to proceed with the operation then. If I get the goahead, the ships assigned to Cavalcade-”
“Those ships. Where are they now?”
“The shipbuilder handed over the converted ships on schedule. They are now in a Keradiniyan black weapons yard having their rail-gun systems fitted. We expect to take delivery of all six q-ships in late July.”
Polk looked pleased. “Good. I just hope your man. .”
“Monroe, Commodore Monroe.”
“Yes. Monroe. I just hope he can do the job.”
“He can, sir, and he will. I have every confidence in him.”
Polk stared at Jorge. “Yes,” he said. “I certainly hope so, for your sake. Continue.”
“As I was saying, provided I get approval to proceed, the ships assigned to Cavalcade will start interdicting FedWorld mership traffic to and from the Old Earth system from the end of August.”
Polk waved a hand dismissively. “You’ll get your approval, Admiral.”
Jorge sat back a bit; he looked relieved. For all his powers as the commander in chief of all Hammer defense forces-and those powers were huge-the Hammer was at heart a bureaucratic beast. Without the right bits of paper signed by the Defense Council, there were always limits to those powers.
“Okay, what else?”
“Nothing immediate, sir. I’ll have the plan for Operation Damascus. You’ll recall that’s the operation that will follow on from Cavalcade”-Polk nodded-“from Rear Admiral Keniko and his team next week. I’m happy with what I’ve seen so far. I’ll be looking to brief you within the next two weeks before going to the council.”
Polk was not able to restrain himself; a broad smile split his face wide open. Damascus was all about taking the fight back up to the Kraa-damned Feds. This time the Hammer would be on the offensive. This time they would win. “By Kraa, Admiral, I shall look forward to that. Make a time with Singh as you leave.”
“Thank you, sir.”