Scattered Suns - Kevin J. Anderson [105]
“And so far,” Antero added, “just throwing a lot of battleships at the hydrogues hasn’t helped much. Our weapons aren’t very effective against warglobes.”
The General bunched his fists and got up to pace the room, working his jaw. The grid admirals remained silent, seeing his emotions about to boil over and waiting to find out what he would do.
“Dammit!” he finally said. “I hate being reminded how utterly incapable we are of defending ourselves. What’s to keep the drogues from blasting Earth to splinters like they just did to Relleker? They know this is our capital. They’ve already sent an emissary here to kill King Frederick. What if a flare-up between the faeros and drogues occurs in the Earth’s sun?” He walked down the length of the table like a stalking predator, looking at the admirals as if they could answer him.
Admiral Eolus said, “We do have an emergency plan in place, should those things come directly to Earth, right?”
Lanyan had read the plan. “Oh, there’s one on paper. Considering that Earth is the most populated planet in the Hanseatic League, I do not have a high degree of confidence that the plan will be effective, beyond giving the billions of people something to do while the drogues destroy them.” He sat heavily.
Tabeguache tapped his fingertips on the tabletop. “Think about it. If the faeros can’t stop them, we certainly don’t stand a chance.”
“We do have the new rammer fleet,” Willis pointed out. “I’ve read the latest reports. Aren’t those ships almost finished?”
Lanyan said, “I’m issuing orders for the shipyards to triple the work crews and get those vessels completed. We need those defenses now, and I want them ready to launch right away. Highest priority. It’s the only way we can be ready to stand against any warglobes that come in. The Ildirans have already proved the method works. Now it’s time for us to do the same.”
“No argument from us, General,” said Antero. “We should get the Soldier compies in place now. As each rammer is completed, we can start loading it with its full robotic crew.”
Lanyan was pleased at last to be doing something. “And I will handpick the token crew of human officers. The next time the drogues show themselves, we’re going to hit them with everything we’ve got.”
Chapter 49—TASIA TAMBLYN
When she returned to Mars after escorting the Roamer detainees to Llaro, Tasia mentally prepared herself for tedious training exercises again. Seeing the prisoners seized during the provocative raids, as well as gleaning a few details about her family, had sharpened her disappointment and frustration. She wanted to be back home, to see Jess, to smell the cold ice beneath the crust of Plumas. And if she couldn’t have that, at least Tasia wanted to be out fighting the drogues!
She had undergone rigorous training and served to the absolute best of her ability. Now that the EDF had changed all the rules, changed the fight itself, Tasia knew she could break her oath with a clear conscience, take EA, steal a ship, and just leave, as bitter Crim Tylar had suggested. She had the option of abandoning the Earth Defense Forces, burning her uniform, and going back to live among the clans.
But if she simply changed her mind and deserted, the Eddies would denounce her as having been a Roamer spy all along. Smug Patrick Fitzpatrick III would probably come back from the grave just to say, “I told you so.” Worse, General Lanyan would use that as an excuse to crack down even more, impose penalties and harsh consequences on the Llaro detainees whom Tasia wanted to protect.
What was happening out there among the Roamers? With Rendezvous destroyed, where would the clans go? Cesca would probably try to draw them together, but how could she succeed when the EDF was hunting down every outpost, every habitation? Other than a few rumors she’d heard from Roberto Clarin, Tasia’s only source of information was the Big Goose’s one-sided news, which was sure to be far from accurate.
She just wanted to fight hydrogues. Was that so complicated?
As soon as Tasia checked in at the EDF