Eyes of Tomorrow (Duchy of Terra Book 9) by Glynn Stewart (best e book reader TXT) 📕

of information and an extended deployment cycle,” Tidirok announced. “It would take far too long to move the combined fleet to intercept any movement by the Infinite.

“We have established a list of most likely targets that will be distributed as part of a smaller briefing package for you to provide your officers,” the Voice continued. “The critical point is that we will be moving the combined fleet forward to the edge of the Astoroko Nebula, the Trey-Four-Five-Nine System.

“Trey-Four-Five-Nine is on the Laian side of the Dead Zone, and we judge it is a central location among the potential target sites for the Infinite movements. It does not currently have any infrastructure, so we will be dependent for some time on the Republic fleet train, but the position will allow us to maneuver to intercept as quickly as possible.”

Rin wasn’t familiar with the Trey-459 System, but he heard Morgan inhale sharply at the name. He didn’t really have a chance to ask her more as the briefing continued.

“Once in position at Trey-Four-Five-Nine, we will deploy roughly one-quarter of our escorts to expand the sensor screen across the Astoroko Nebula. We will also be coordinating with Ren and Wendira defensive forces to expand sensor networks on other sections of the nebula and maintain a linked network for rapid detection of Infinite movement.”

Rin knew Morgan well enough to guess that her sudden stillness wasn’t a good sign.

“However, we will be maintaining a full concentration of the capital ships of all three fleets in preparation for a major attack by the Infinite. As you will see in your briefing packets, we expect to face this enemy with a significant tonnage disadvantage but an overall firepower equivalency.

“We have grounds to believe that their larger bioforms will be lacking in long-range arsenals and we will be able to control the range of any major engagement to our favor. Based on those projections, the plan is to use the combined fleet as a central force that will move against and crush the next Infinite excursion from the Astoroko Nebula.

“Whatever their next move is, they will meet the massed forces of these fleets. The battle to come will not be easy,” Tidirok warned. “The enemy does possess more longer-ranged firepower than we like, and estimates of their close-range weapons remain terrifying.

“But we will engage them, and we will be victorious. And then we will do the same to the expedition and the expedition after that. We will restore containment until such time as we have gathered sufficient allies to move against and neutralize the Infinite…for good.”

Rin carefully followed Morgan out of the conference and back to her office. He paused at her door, willing to give her her privacy if she needed it, but she gestured for him to enter. The door slid shut behind him and he heard a ping as the security system engaged.

“I’m guessing that wasn’t what you expected,” he said quietly.

“The analysis we sent in basically concluded that Trey-Four-Five-Nine and the rest of the Dead Zone systems were basically a lost cause,” Morgan told him. “We couldn’t detect or maneuver in such a way as to reliably prevent the Infinite from securing raw resources, so we needed to assess our vulnerabilities.

“That’s factored into this plan in that they’re positioned the fleet on the Laian border, but it still leaves us five cycles, at least, away from several of the systems where the Republic is most vulnerable.”

She shook her head.

“I’m assuming both Tidirok and Ronoxosh have their own analysis teams assessing the Infinite threat and objectives,” she told him. “I don’t know what those teams are saying, but I think they’re focusing on the raw-resource side of things.”

“I don’t follow?” Rin admitted.

“We keep thinking that the Infinite need more resources, because they’re trapped in the Astoroko Nebula,” Morgan said after a moment. “Except that the nebula itself is basically a gold mine of what they need. It’s not dense or easily accessible, but there’s more raw resources in the nebula than there are in any star system.

“But for us, or a force operating with a tech base familiar to us, those raw resources are all but useless, so we started with the assumption that they’d want to go after a system for raw resources. Except…if they’re going to do that, Rin, they’ve already done it.”

“So, what do you think they’re going to do?”

“I don’t know,” she admitted. “If they don’t need resources…they’re either going for threat elimination or data. That means there’s a decent chance they’re going to come right at the combined fleet with every Category Six and Seven they can squeeze through a hyper portal.”

“So, if we move closer, we make the combined fleet a target?” Rin asked. That seemed…unwise.

“We have to move closer,” she admitted. “And I don’t know what the right answer is, Rin, but I do know that we can’t waste our time guarding dead rocks that might be useful for raw materials. There’s too many of them out there.

“So, if we’re going to sit the fleet somewhere, we should sit it somewhere that needs defending. If Tohrohsail was closer to the Nebula, for example, I’d say we were actually well positioned here.

“The Laian and Wendira analysis teams are thinking about how to hurt the Infinite…not about how the Infinite can hurt us,” Morgan guessed. “Rin…I’m half-convinced they’re just watching for us to bring a fleet in so that they know where the threat is.

“So they can squish it.”

“What do we do?” Rin asked.

She sighed.

“Nothing. I follow orders,” she told him. “I’ll make my arguments to Tan!Shallegh again, but I’d guess I’ve already convinced him. We just needed to convince Ronoxosh and Tidirok, and we failed.”

“So, we move forward, we get closer to the enemy and we see what happens,” Rin told her. “They’ll see the same things you do in time, right?”

“I don’t think the combined fleet can stop them,” she whispered. “I think all we’re doing is buying time, and if we screw it up, we