Star Wars_ The Black Fleet Crisis 03_ Tyrant's Test - Michael P. Kube-McDowell [28]
“It is possible that the Yevetha have additional vessels cached elsewhere—we hope to start reducing that uncertainty by expanding our surveys of the Cluster. But the biggest question mark—”
Grekk 9 interrupted the briefing at that point. “The Imperial shipyards. Where are the shipyards?”
“Yes, Commodore—you anticipate me. We don’t know where they are or what’s hiding in them. The probability is that the Yevetha have three operational Imperial shipyards, all of which may be continuing to produce copies of the Imperial ships in their inventory. Four instances of duplicate Star Destroyer ID profiles were recorded during the recon penetration.”
Carson spoke up. “Either they’re trying to throw us off, or they’re duplicating systems without understanding them.”
“We have an intelligence source that suggests the latter may be the case,” said Mauit’ta. “In any event, locating the shipyards is our number-one intelligence priority. And when located, the shipyards will be designated as primary targets.”
“What about the Fat Men?” asked Martaff. “Where are they being built? Given the numbers, we may need to worry more about them.”
“The thrustships appear to be built in surface yards, possibly on N’zoth only,” said Mauit’ta. “We’ve located two such yards, and those are designated priority point targets.”
“How do you intend to locate the Imperial yards?” asked Grekk 9.
A’baht interrupted at that point. “All of these issues can be addressed at a later time,” he said. “The point to impress on your crews is that the Yevetha cannot be taken lightly. Considering only their confirmed assets, they have more than sufficient strength to overwhelm a single task force.
“For that reason, I have ordered that the minimum division for the coming deployment will be two task forces. Token and Bellbright will be paired under Admiral Tolokus. Apex and Summer will combine under Commodore Carson. Gemstone will join Copperleaf, the flag task force, under Commodore Mirx. Are there any questions on that point?”
There were none. Joint task force operations were part of both the training and operational routine, and A’baht had left the natural and familiar pairings in place.
But the order itself underlined how seriously A’baht viewed the Yevetha threat. The commodores of the Fleet’s task forces were not accustomed to thinking of their commands as vulnerable. The typical composition of a twenty-one-vessel task force included a Star Destroyer or fleet carrier as flagship, two heavy cruisers and two assault carriers, four escort frigates, and five gunships—a fast, flexible, and formidable aggregation of firepower.
“What is our coming deployment?” asked Admiral Tolokus.
“I’m taking the fleet into the boundary systems of the Cluster,” said A’baht, turning his solemn and unblinking gaze toward the admiral. “The big parade is over. We’re going to make it as hard as we can for the Yevetha to keep track of us, while making it easier for us to keep track of them.
“That includes recon surveys in force, filling the Cluster with as many sensor buoys and probots as we can get, scattering ghost repeaters behind in systems we visit, and sending a squadron to Doornik Eleven-forty-two to look for a shipyard there,” he said. “We don’t currently have the authority to initiate action against the Yevetha, but we’re fully authorized to use all available force if they show up and try to interfere with our operations.
“In short, we’re going to stretch the principles of free navigation and legitimate self-defense as far as they’ll go,” said A’baht. “If our presence persuades the Yevetha to seek a diplomatic solution, that’ll be fine with us. But if they insist on war, we have to make certain we’re ready to make them regret their choice.”
A’baht swept