she added, and pointed a finger toward Alphons and Adrianna.
Immediately, the rear admirals passed the command to the commodores.
The Kirmler captain tapped the envoy’s shoulder and pointed at the bridge monitors that had displayed travelers in close quarters for days. The views were empty, replaced with dark fields and twinkling stars. There were also the occasional glints of a battleship or Tridents in the distance.
The envoy was taken aback by the speed with which the admiral’s order was translated into action. It caused him to momentarily reconsider his course of action. But the thought was fleeting.
<Lydia, initiate the conference with the Kirmler cluster,> Ellie sent quickly.
<Audio online, Admiral,> Lydia sent. <Any visuals?>
Ellie considered her options and found none viable. <Can’t think of anything appropriate, Lydia,> Ellie sent.
Lydia chose to improvise, and she sent images from the fleet’s telemetry database. The nine bridge crews and envoys of the Kirmler wedge were treated to sharp views of the planet and their ships. Most couldn’t perceive of the tech that had captured the clarity of the images.
Hector confirmed to Ellie that the travelers had given the battleships plenty of space.
<This is Admiral Thompson,> Ellie sent. <I’ve been speaking with the Kirmler envoy. At his request, I’ve ordered my fighters to withdraw a safe distance from your ships. You’re clear to reverse your orientation. It’s our hope that you intend to leave the system directly and peacefully.>
“Now look who’s making a threat,” the Kirmler accused.
<Not a threat, Envoy,> Ellie sent. <It’s a promise. We won’t tolerate any interference in the negotiations. I’m making a one-time offer to every envoy and captain within these two clusters. If you either leave the system peacefully or choose to remain and cooperate, you can join in the distribution of tech. Think of what that would mean to your citizens. However, if you fail to leave the system peacefully, then we’re prepared to deploy the same weapon that was used against Commander Zoza’s ship, with two corrections.>
“What corrections?” the Kirmler captain asked, which earned him a scowl from the envoy.
Lydia instantly switched the bridge displays to the view from Hector, who was capturing Ellie’s fierce grin. <We’re prepared for the worst case, which we believe will be the formation of a wedge.>
It was the Kirmler captain’s turn to scowl at the envoy, as if he was guilty of leaking his plans.
<I’ve ordered that our weapons be increased in power,> Ellie continued. <In addition, we’ll release multiple weapons to ensure that your ships are rendered inert.>
“But if you fire on all of us, we won’t have resources to rescue the destroyed ships,” a captain objected vociferously. “Even if your forces attempt to take our crews off their ships, there won’t be time to remove more than a small portion of us. Afterward, those who have been rescued would be stranded on Toral and subject to Talusian animosity.”
<Then there’s every reason to accept my offer to participate in the tech transfer,> Ellie sent. <The choice is yours. It’s time to put aside your anger and build a different future.>
“Envoys,” the Kirmler envoy announced forcefully, “depart the ring and proceed as we discussed.”
Then the Omnians watched the envoys depart their bridges.
Ellie regarded the images of the various bridges for a moment longer. Then she requested the conference call end. <Lydia, communicate with the sister who handled the translations for the Kirmler cluster. I want to know what she saw after the envoys left the bridges.>
<Anything specific, Admiral, on what you wish her to report?> Lydia inquired.
<General observations,> Ellie replied.
Lydia took her time communicating with the sister, who offered generous and inconsequential details. <I believe the admiral witnessed something in the actions of the captains or the crews that has led her to suspect the envoys’ grips on their leadership,> she explained.
<In that regard,> the sister replied, <when the Kirmler announced they were to proceed as planned, most of the captains evinced signs of hesitation and doubt.>
Lydia had what she needed and reported the sister’s comments to Ellie.
Ellie tucked that information away. It could play a significant role in the forthcoming action.
“I’ll want two things,” Ellie said to the SADEs who sat at the table with her. “From you, Hector, I want a constant feed of the wire model technique that you use. I need to observe the action of the Kirmler and his associates’ ships. Lydia, I want surreptitious monitoring of the nine bridges. You need to cue me whenever you see something that warrants my attention.”
When Ellie finished, she leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms. “So it begins,” she commented quietly to herself. Having lost her appetite, she pushed her tray away and signaled a server to collect it.
The pair of SADEs and the pair of rear admirals silently commiserated with one another.
“Lydia,” Ellie continued, as many of the humans’ unfinished meals were collected, “have the sisters evacuate the remaining envoys and Sargut’s administration.”
Ellie left the dining room in the company of the SADEs, but she failed to reach her suite.
Lydia had held up a hand to halt their walk, and she said, “Admiral, you’ll probably want to take this call on the bridge.”
Then Ellie and the SADEs made a quick turn and headed for the bridge.
“The call is from Miriamette, Admiral,” Lydia explained, “but it concerns the president.”
<Greetings, Admiral,> Miriamette said, when Lydia relayed the link. <I’ll provide you a vid and audio link for your conversation with President Sargut. He doesn’t wish to communicate by implant for this conversation.>
Ellie chose to speak too, and Hector accommodated her, when they gained the bridge.
“Greetings, President Sargut. How fares the evacuation?” Ellie said.
“I’ve requested Commander Quizra inform his party that the members are to gather their possessions,” Sargut said, staring into Miriamette’s eyes. “Miriamelle tells me that they should be off the planet within the hour.”
“And you and your staff?” Ellie inquired.
“The same is true for most of my administration,” Sargut replied. “They’ve been told to pack light and are chagrined to leave much of their possessions behind.”
“With fortune, President Sargut, they’ll be returning to their homes within a day or two,” Ellie said. “You did say most of your staff. Are there individuals who are seeking shelter in faraway locations?”
“I’m not leaving, Admiral,” Sargut said firmly, “and my team has chosen to stay with me.”
“President Sargut, we don’t know if we can halt every missile a wedge might launch at the planet,” Ellie argued.
“I’m well aware of a wedge’s capability to launch,” Sargut said.
Ellie could see the warming in his ridges. She was reminded that Sargut had commanded the Talusian wedge when his ships took Toral from Artifice.
“Admiral, this planet is my responsibility,” Sargut continued. “There isn’t time or capacity to lift everyone safely off the surface. Many sisters occupy construction vehicles, and we’d require a large window of time to recover and transfer them into avatars that we can lift. Then we have tens of thousands of Toralians, who’ve settled this planet. These individuals require the presence of their president. If they can’t be evacuated, then I must stay with them.”
Ellie’s arguments evaporated. “President Sargut, although I’m saddened to hear your decision, I can’t say that I wouldn’t be doing the same if I was in your soft boots.”
Sargut’s whistle issued through his pointed teeth, and his wings fluttered. The admiral’s reference to the nature of Toralian boots eased his tension, and the heat in his ridges was mitigated.
“On another note, President Sargut, it sounds as if Artifice is secure,” Ellie said. “The envoys a
nd the captains of the potential second wedge have taken pains to assure me that they won’t launch missiles. Although, they’ll make it appear to the Kirmler wedge as if they’re prepared to participate in the plan.”
“At least, there’s some good news,” Sargut remarked. “Now, we only have to preserve the planet.”
The conference call was closed, and Ellie clicked on a link that Hector had provided her. In her implant, the wire model bloomed. It was a real-time telemetry transfer that enabled her to watch the movement of ships. She sought a command chair, sat down, and watched events unfurl.
Seventeen battleships were underway. Hector had provided their trajectories. Nine straight red lines intersected, as did eight curved ones on the other side of the planet.
Ellie thought of one idea she hadn’t considered, and she reached out for Lydia. <For my edification, Lydia, please assure me that the battleships of the Kirmler and his cohorts don’t require a common vector to exit the system.>
<Checking, Admiral,> Lydia sent, while she contacted the Sisterhood. Moments later, she sent, <Negative, Admiral, the vectors should spread about thirty-six degrees on the ecliptic and an average of eighteen degrees above and below the ecliptic.>
<Thank you, Lydia,> Ellie sent, and she returned to watching the seventeen battleships converge into two wedges. She saw no excuse for the formations. It was evident that the Kirmler envoy’s intrigue was unfolding.
<Alphons, Adrianna,> Ellie sent, <activate the dissolution of the ring and set up the twin interdicting rings that we planned. Communicate to the commanders and captains not to race to their positions. Make it smooth and orderly.>
Ellie felt a touch on her forearm, and she opened her eyes. A smiling server handed her a mug of thé.
“Thank you,” Ellie murmured. She accepted the mug, took a sip, set it aside, and closed her eyes.
The planet’s ring dissolved, as battleships and Tridents left their stations.
Ellie searched the ring carefully to see if any of the envoys’ ships remained on station. That’s surprising, she thought. Every envoy’s battleship was taking part in the interception of potential launches.
<Hector, are the ships occupying the correct positions?> Ellie asked. She was concerned that the rings were well formed.
Steady, Ellie thought. Hector’s response reminded her that if a ship was out of position, the SADE would correct it. She was overreacting. In her defense, she’d commanded a fleet that had fought hard to maintain the independence of the Talus system. It had cost her command many lives and ships. She didn’t intend to lose the Talusian home world now to some disgruntled envoys seeking revenge.
As the Omnians had anticipated, the wedges formed. Ellie took brief breaks for the facilities and food. Then she continually returned to her command chair.
The interception rings had formed too, and Ellie contacted Taralum.
<Greetings, Admiral,> Georgette replied. <I presume you wish to speak to the commander. Please wait while I disturb her.>
Georgette quietly entered the commander’s quarters. She had learned to speak softly to waken Taralum. When she did, the commander’s eyes opened and blinked twice.
Taralum released her feet on the support bar, opened her wings, and dropped to the deck with a practiced half somersault. Her tender feet hit a thick pad. Then she curled her long toes under her feet and slipped on a pair of oversized soft boots.
<Yes, Georgette,> Taralum sent. She was attempting to use her implant at every opportunity.
<Admiral Thompson requests your attention,> Georgette sent in reply.
<Let’s try this,> Taralum sent.
<Admiral, you’ll be speaking directly to Taralum,> Georgette sent. <I’ll be monitoring the conversation in the event that the commander needs assistance.>
<Greetings, Commander Taralum,> Ellie sent.
<Admiral,> Taralum replied.
<Commander, I need your advice. It concerns the opening of missile ports, when battleships face each other,> Ellie sent. <I want to be careful not to escalate matters between the Kirmler wedge and our friendlies.>
<Astute question,> Taralum sent. <Ports communicate intent.>
<Should our rings open their ports first? Or would that escalate the wedge’s response?> Ellie asked.
<... need to visit the bridge,> Taralum sent.
The commander’s thought was incomplete, and Georgette asked, <What do you need, Commander?>
<Distances to wedges,> Taralum sent.
Georgette checked Trident telemetry located in each defensive ring. She determined the distances in kilometers to the wedges’ lead ships. Then she converted them to the Toralian measurement system.
<Battleships are close, Admiral,> Taralum sent. The next thought wavered, and Ellie asked her to repeat.
<Ships are too close,> Taralum sent. <... expected to open ports.>
<Do I understand you correctly, Commander?> Ellie sent. <The ships are near enough that the opening of missile ports is expected.>
<Correct, Admiral,> Taralum sent.
<Thank you, Commander,> Ellie sent, and closed the link.
<Why do some thoughts not send completely?> Taralum sent to Georgette.
<It takes practice, Commander,> Georgette replied. <Your thoughts wavered, and the implant tried to respond to you.>
<Respond to what?> Taralum sent.
<Who or what did you think of while conversing with the admiral?> Georgette asked.
<It was brief, but ... oh, I see,> Taralum replied. She realized that the images of several other individuals had crossed her mind. That’s what had confused the implant’s comm application. The app would have been unable to locate the Toralians who Taralum’s mind had seen. They were all dead.
Ellie considered that directing battleship actions wasn’t her forte.
<Ready,> Lydia sent. <Although, the envoys or the captains might not be available.>
<Understood, Lydia. The watch officers can relay my orders,> Ellie sent. Her image on a side monitor indicated what was displayed on the ships’ bridges.
“This is Admiral Thompson,” Ellie began. “In the event we must deal with missile launches, Rear Admiral Adrianna Plummer will coordinate Trident forces within the Kirmler ring. Commander Taralum will direct the response of battleships in this ring. Rear Admiral Alphons Jagielski has command of the Tridents and battleships over the polar region. It’s hoped this collection of ships won’t see action.”
Ellie signaled Lydia, who closed the call. She returned to watching the wire model. The Boobaffle group of eight ships had rendezvoused, but they continued to sail outward. The Kirmler ships would require more time to come together, and Ellie took the opportunity to doze.
<Admiral,> Hector prompted gently, hours later.
Ellie snapped awake, croaked, “Status,” and then grabbed her water container to wet her throat.
“The battleships are decelerating and reversing orientation,” Hector said.
“As expected,” Ellie commented. She selected the link that Hector had sent and received a close telemetry view of a battleship. It was the Kirmler envoy’s ship, and it had taken the lead position, as the other battleships formed a tight wedge. She magnified her view to examine the ship’s missile ports. They were still closed.
It wasn’t long before Ellie received another link from Hector. This one came from Miriamette, who was hosting a call between President Sargut and the Kirmler envoy.
“I’ll make this short, Toralian,” the envoy said hostilely. “We’ve several demands. You’ll either immediately comply, or we’ll reduce your planet to ashes.”
“Save your fetid breath, Kirmler,” Sargut shot back. “Not only will I not comply with any of your demands, I don’t even want to hear them. End call.”
Ellie couldn’t help but chuck
le. “I think that was a lot shorter call than the Kirmler envoy intended,” she remarked to Hector and Lydia.
<Admiral, the Kirmler ship,> Lydia sent, and Ellie accepted the link. She had a view of the bridge. A captain stood in its center. He seemed to be the calm in the eye of a storm, which was the envoy pacing, pumping fists in the air, and railing, probably at Sargut.
<When necessary, Lydia, include a translation,> Ellie instructed. She was about to enjoy a bite of hot food that a server had just delivered, when she heard the Kirmler say, “Direct the captains to open their missile ports. We’ll teach the Toralians that they must accept the ultimate responsibility for the damages Artifice caused.”
<Étienne, status?> Ellie queried.
<Bay doors open, NNEMP weapons in place, ready for our run,> Étienne replied.
<Alain, status?> Ellie sent next.
<The same,> Alain replied.
Ellie’s left eyebrow tweaked upward. Of course, the twins were linked and prepared to communicate during every moment of their actions, she thought.
<Étienne, Alain, start your attack runs. Release your weapons only when you see missiles launched,> Ellie sent forcefully.
The sound of a voice yanked Ellie’s attention back to the Kirmler ship. Lydia was relaying a translation for her.
“The admiral warned us that she has Tridents positioned to annihilate our ships, if we fire,” the captain said.
“We’ve a duty to avenge our races,” the envoy shouted.
“At the expense of more of our citizens’ lives?” the captain demanded. “And how is wiping out another race any different than what Artifice did to many of us? Let’s forgive the Toralians, and take the admiral’s offer to take part in the sharing of Omnian tech.”
“Are you going to order the captains to open their missile ports, or do you need me to handle your duties?” the envoy snarled.
“I implore you, Envoy, to cease and desist from this course of action,” the captain said. “I’ve spoken to the other captains. They’re not in favor of your plan.”
The envoy closed tightly on the captain. He stood eye to eye with him. “How dare you take it upon yourself to speak to the captains. Any communications about the plan belong exclusively to the envoys,” he declared hotly.