Campaign Updates

[Kurt (OP)]

Month 115, Day 8, Moskva system, Combined Human Fleets
Admiral grimaced and punched in the command to link with General Semenov’s command ship.  A few seconds later the view screen at his station lit with General Semenov’s habitually frowning face.  “General, I’m afraid I have bad news.  Two of my battlecruisers, the Canada and the India, are in the initial phases of engine burnout.  They will have to reduce speed soon.   As we are nearly to our target, I recommend slowing the entire fleet to mask the damage to the two battlecruisers.   What is the status of your fleet?”

General Semenov nodded.  “We have no new burnouts at this time.  Two escort class units suffered burnouts prior to this, but because of their higher base speed have been able to maintain the fleet speed so far.”  The Soviet General frowned in thought.  “If it was anything other than battlecruisers, I would recommend leaving them behind, but that is one third of your battlecruiser strength.”  He sighed heavily.  “And in truth, I do not know what we hope to accomplish at this point.  The Rehorish either have some way to deal with our DSB-L’s or they intend to bull through them, but in either case they will reach the warp point and be able to deal with the defenses long before we can reach the area, whether we slow down or not.  I’ve been considering recommending that we stop now, and perhaps even turn away and begin increasing the range between the fleets, given the almost certainty that they will soon be able to link up with the D’Bringi.”

Admiral Ruston was silent for a moment, considering, and then nodded.  “Very well, I’ll order a halt here, and we’ll see what the Rehorish are up to.”

The Combined Fleets slowed to a halt two light minutes from the warp point, finally reducing the strain on the engines of the two fleets.  The fact that only four ships suffered burnouts was a near miracle, given the strain that they had been under.  It took another ten minutes for the Rehorish fleet to close on the warp point.  The Rehorish fleet continued on at full military speed, and at no time during the pursuit had their drive fields waivered.  It seemed that whatever the Rehorish were, they were excellent engineers. 

Suddenly, as the Rehorish fleet launched a swarm of small craft, all of which plunged into the fields of DSB-L’s surrounding the warp point.  The Combined Fleet’s sensors couldn’t determine the type of small craft, but considering the explosions that began rippling through the DSB-L’s, it was soon apparent that the Rehorish had deployed assault shuttles to attack the laser buoys.  It took just almost seven minutes before the explosions died out, and then a clutch of CD’s were launched from the Rehorish fleet and disappeared through the warp point.  Soon thereafter the D’Bringi and T’Pau fleets began jumping into the system.  Long before that the Human fleets had turned for the warp point to the Solar system and began retreating.  They were now out-massed by almost 50%, and the Rehorish fleet was a complete unknown in terms of capabilities. 

Combined Human Fleets: 9xBC, 21xCA, 3xCL, 3xDD, 8xCT, 9xES
Combined Alien Fleets: 3xBC, 27xCA, 24xCL, 15xDD, 10xCT

Shortly after the Rehorish and D’Bringi fleets were united they turned in pursuit of the human fleets, and almost immediately accelerated to full military speed. 

General Semenov’s face appeared on Admiral Ruston’s monitor.  “They are going to catch us.”

Admiral Ruston grimaced.  The Russian general’s tone was flat, but it felt like an accusation all the same.  Still, he wasn’t wrong.  “I know.  We have two choices.  We can turn and fight, here, with our whole strength, or we can run for home.”  He didn’t want to leave ships behind, to be destroyed in hopeless fights with the D’Bringi and their allies.  He didn’t want to watch his fleet melt away, over the next four days it would take to run to the home system at full military speed, never knowing which ship would suffer an engine casualty and fall behind.  But the alternative…

“We cannot fight them here.”  Again, the Russian general’s statement was flat and without tone.  A mere statement of fact.  “If you commit to battle here, we will lose, and the home system will be open and vulnerable.  If we retreat, and save what we can, then we will be able to mount a credible defense at the warp point, and stop them there.  And, once we build up our strength, we will be able to push them back.”

Admiral Ruston knew the personal consequences of such a disastrous retreat might be dire, but he pushed that thought out of his head, willing himself to focus on the strategic situation and put his personal fortunes away.  “We are going to lose ships.”

Now it was the Russian’s turn to grimace.  “Yes.  But not so many as we would lose if we fight here.”  The doubt and indecision were clear on the Coalition admiral’s face, and the Russian general spoke before the other could get anything out.  “I know the position you are in.  I know it perhaps better than anyone.  There will be those who sit safe in offices on Earth, who will criticize you.  They may demote you, or cashier you for this.  Believe me, I know.  Other, who never faced danger or enemy fire, will call you a coward, and hint behind your back that you ran when you should have stood.  Believe me, I know.  But you must focus on what is best for the men and women of this fleet, and for the future of our nations.  Your personal welfare, or reputation, cannot stand against that. 

Admiral Ruston looked at his Russian counterpart for a moment.  General Semenov had been arrested by the previous Russian government, and it was pretty clear that he had only been rehabilitated to serve in the demeaning position of second in command to a senior Coalition officer.  All for making smart choices and saving as much of his fleet as he could.  Admiral Ruston turned slightly to look at the force comparison he had up on his other monitor.  The disparity was significant.  Finally, he nodded.  “You are right.  There is no choice, really.  Prepare to move to full military speed.  I’m going to contact the commanding officers of the Canada and the India.”

General Semenov frowned in thought.  “Those two battlecruisers can’t run with us, with their engine damage, but they can inflict damage on the aliens before they are destroyed.  If they are going to be destroyed anyway, isn’t it better to inflict some damage before the end?”

Admiral Ruston shook his head.  “I won’t order their crews to sacrifice themselves.”  He hesitated, thinking quickly.  “But I will ask for volunteers.”

General Semenov nodded.  “I will prepare my fleet.”

Admiral Ruston set up a three-way comm channel with the commanders of the battlecruisers India and Canada.  Both captains refused to leave their ships, and insisted on being allowed to lead an attack, as their ships could not flee with the rest of the fleet.  In the end, it was decided that 60% of the crews of both ships would be lifted off and transferred to the other ships in the fleet, and the two battlecruisers would turn back and engage the oncoming alien fleet. 

A short time later the preparations were made, the crews were transferred, and the two big Coalition ships turned back towards the oncoming enemy.  The rest of the human ships accelerated to full military speed, leaving the two ships behind. 

The two Coalition battlecruisers were running towards the approaching alien fleets at their best system-cruising speed, while the aliens were approaching at full military speed.  It took twenty-eight minutes for the two groups to close to combat range.  Once they were approaching capital missile range, the two Coalition ships accelerated to full military speed.  While the damage they had suffered from straining their engines prevented them from running at full military speed for long periods, they could still manage it for short periods.  And neither captain believed their ship will still be operational at the end of this particular battle, so conserving their engines was the last thing on their minds.  The human ships edged into capital missile range at 1830 hours, and they immediately launched a salvo, targeted on a D’Bringi BC.  The two human ships launched a total of twelve capital missiles at the D’Bringi BC.  Four maintained target lock, and one slipped through point defense fire to hit the alien ship’s shields.  The D’Bringi battlecruisers returned fire, slipping three capital missiles past the Canada’s point defense to knock down her shields.  A single D’Bringi heavy cruiser also joined in, launching six capital missiles at the India.  One managed to penetrate her active defenses and impact on her shields. 

The alien fleet continued to forge ahead, while the two human battlecruisers suddenly decelerated and began diverting engine power to drive field modulations intend to make them harder targets.  The two human battlecruiser’s internally launched missiles were joined by nine additional missiles launched from their XO racks, for a total of 21 capital missiles targeted on the same D’Bringi BC.  The D’Bringi BC targeted by the missiles launched an EDM in its own defense, but five human capital missiles got through its defensive fire and hit the ship’s naked drive field, stripping away most of its armor.  The D’Bringi battlecruiser group replied in kind, launching 34 CM’s from their internal launchers and external racks.  Between the engine modulations and the two EDM’s launched by the Canada, only two CM’s hit the desperately evading BC.  The D’Bringi heavy cruiser also targeted the Canada with its internal and external launchers, but didn’t manage to get any missiles past the battlecruiser’s defenses. 

The two Coalition battlecruisers now accelerated away from the oncoming D’Bringi fleet, but their need to keep the alien ships out of their blind spot meant that the aliens could creep closer every second.  The next exchange of fire took place at five point five light seconds, and this time the human ships weren’t modulating their drive fields and the Canada had used up its EDM’s.  Of the missiles launched by the D’Bringi BC group and the heavy cruiser, six managed to penetrate the Canada’s defenses, stripping her armor and destroying her datalink system.  The human BC’s return fire penetrated the D’Bringi BC’s armor as well, knocking it out of its data group as well. 

The human BC’s continued to run ahead of the alien fleets, but the range was dropping.   The damaged D’Bringi BC turned away, refusing battle and moving out of range quickly.  And here, finally, the human ships, which had performed so well, stumbled.  The two D’Bringi BC’s still firing within their datagroup slipped five missiles past the Canada’s faltering defenses, destroying three engine rooms and staggering the big ship.  The return fire from the two human BC’s was unfocused and failed to penetrate the D’Bringi BC’s point defense fire, and the D’Bringi CA managed to slip another capital missile past the Canada’s defenses and destroyed a fourth engine room.   

The crippled Canada fell behind her consort, slowed to a third of her normal speed.  The D’Bringi capital missile ships focused their fire on the India, while every other ship within range fired their beam weapons and standard missiles at the hapless Canada.  The India focused her fire on the D’Bringi capital missile-armed cruiser, slipping a single missile past her defenses, while the two remaining D’Bringi battlecruisers and the D’Bringi heavy cruiser returned fire, hitting with five capital missiles, stripping the India of her shields and a good part of her armor.  The Canada joined in, and managed to get four hits on the D’Bringi cruiser, but failed to penetrate her passive defenses.  Two D’Bringi heavy cruisers opened fire on the Canada with standard missiles, but failed to score any hits. 

The Canada continued to fall behind the India.  The India was four point five light seconds from the alien fleets when the next exchange of fire occurred, while the Canada had slipped back to just two point seven five light seconds from the alien fleets.  The India hit the D’Bringi capital missile armed heavy cruiser with another missile, causing it to release a streamer of atmosphere from an opening in its armor.  Before the Canada could fire, though, a D’Bringi cruiser group opened fire with a combination of standard missiles, force beams, and energy pulse cannons.  Several of the standard missiles and four force beams ripped into the Canada, destroying another engine room and several missile launchers.  The faltering human BC managed to get off a ragged salvo at the D’Bringi capital missile armed heavy cruiser, but missed.  That would be the Canada’s last salvo.  The rest of the D’Bringi fleet pounded the Canada with their force beams, leaving little but a single drive room and life support.  For some reason the T’Pau and the Rehorish refrained from firing on the hulk of the Canada.  Before they could change their minds, a wave of life pods raced away from the crippled ship, followed by an explosion that consumed the remainder of the ship. 

The D’Bringi now focused on the India, which was now four light seconds from the combined alien fleets.  The India got its next salvo off before the aliens, but the damaged D’Bringi heavy cruiser it had been focusing on had turned away and was running, and was opening the range.  The longer range threw off the India’s targeting, and ship didn’t manage to get any hits with this salvo.  The D’Bringi heavy cruiser was luckier, slipping two capital missiles past the India’s defenses and punching a hole in her armor.  Next, the D’Bringi capital and standard missile armed ships scored multiple hits on the faltering battlecruiser, destroying five engine rooms and half of her missile launchers.  It was clear the India’s time had come.  Before the aliens could reload their weapons, the India self-destructed after a wave of life pods raced away from the doomed ship. 

The alien fleets forged ahead, unwavering in their pursuit of the withdrawing human fleets.  Two Rehorish destroyers lingered at the battle site, to pick up survivors, then raced back to the fleet.  The two damaged D’Bringi ships, a battlecruiser and a heavy cruiser, turned back towards the warp point, weakening the alien fleets, at least a bit. 

[Kurt (OP)]

Month 115, Day 9, Moskva system, Pursuit Day 1
“Admiral, incoming comms from General Semenov.”

Admiral Ruston felt a pit open up in his stomach, but kept his feelings from his face.  The stress of this pursuit was getting to everyone, him included, and his crew didn’t need to see their admiral worried and stressed out.   “Very well, put him through to my monitor.”

A second later General Semenov appeared on his monitor.  He looked even more grim than usual.  “We are about to lose the Riga and the Kronstadt.  Their engineers report they will suffer drive failures within the hour.  An escort has suffered an engine casualty as well, but will be able to maintain fleet speed, at least for now.”

Admiral Ruston knew the answer, but had to ask anyway.  “Are they sure?”

General Semenov grimaced.  “Yes.  I had my engineer check their engine status.  There is no mistake.”

“Damn it.”  Admiral Ruston searched his memory for the stats related to the two ships.  The Riga was a heavy cruiser equipped with advanced standard missile launchers, while the Kronstadt was a light cruiser equipped with gun/missile launchers.  After a few seconds he shook his head.  “We’ll evacuate the crews and scuttle the ships.”

General Semenov stared at the fleet commander for a few seconds.  “They might be able to inflict damage on the alien fleet before being destroyed.”

Admiral Ruston nodded.  “Maybe.  But the D’Bringi battlecruisers still out-range them, and will be able to destroy them without coming into their range at all.  Should we throw away your crews, to no gain?”

General Semenov shook his head.  “Of course not!  But, even if they just absorb D’Bringi missiles, they will be doing us a service.  The D’Bringi are at the end of a long supply chain.  Every missile they fire at these two ships will be a missile they won’t have available for the coming battles.”

Admiral Ruston thought about if for a few seconds, but then shook his head again.  “No, I will not trade human lives for a few missiles.  Set scuttling charges and evacuate the ships.”

General Semenov actually looked relieved.  “As you say.”  The screen flickered out.”

Fifteen minutes later, with the crews safely dispersed to other fleet units, the two Russian cruisers self-destructed.  The alien fleets showed no signs of burnouts or other issues, and continued pursuing the human fleets. 

[Kurt (OP)]

Month 115, Day 10, Moskva system, Pursuit Day 2
This time it was Admiral Ruston that initiated the contact.  “General, we are going to lose one of our heavy cruisers shortly.  What is the status of your fleet?”

General Semenov shook his head.  “We have bad news.  The battlecruiser Ordzhonikidze will lose an engine room shortly.  There is nothing we can do.  A second escort has also suffered an engine failure, but will be able to maintain fleet speed.”

Admiral Ruston shook his head.  “We cannot continue to lose cruisers at this rate!”

General Semenov nodded.  “This is ruinous, but we are more than halfway to our goal.  Now, we must prepare.  The commander of the Ordzhonikidze has volunteered to take his ship into the throat of the aliens.  Will your cruiser accompany him?”

Admiral Ruston nodded.  “I’ve already spoken to Captain Lemaire.  They will go into battle with your ship.  We are evacuating nonessential crew as we speak.”

General Semenov nodded.  “Very good.  Perhaps we were wrong about the bravery of the Coalition.  Your ships have acquitted themselves well.”

Admiral Ruston smiled.  It was a tired, ghastly sort of smile, but it was a smile.  “We fight for our survival now, old friend.”

“Yes, we do.  It is good that you realize that.  I will prepare our ship.”

Five minutes later the Russian BC and the Coalition CA turned back towards their relentless pursuers, and began their run.  Once again it took nearly a half hour before the two human ships reached weapons range of the enemy fleet.  This time, the two human ships didn’t turn away, and instead plunged ahead, directly towards the alien fleet, only turning after they were within capital missile range.  The first exchange of fire took place at five point two five light seconds range, just beyond standard missile range.  The Russian BC targeted one of the two remaining D’Bringi battlecruisers, and flushed its XO racks, sending a total of eleven capital missiles at the alien BC.  The D’Bringi ship launched an EDM and filled the space between it and the oncoming missiles with point defense fire.  Only one human missile got through the defenses to impact against the D’Bringi ship’s shields.  In return, the two D’Bringi battlecruisers launched fourteen capital missiles from their internal launchers, and managed to get three hits, knocking down the Russian ship’s shields. 

The human ships allowed the alien fleets to close on them, while keeping the aliens out of their blind spots, bringing the Coalition heavy cruiser into firing range with the distance between the two groups of ships now down to four light seconds.  The D’Bringi battlecruisers fired first, punching four capital missiles through the Russian BC’s defenses and scouring her armor.  In response, the Russian BC punched two missiles through the D’Bringi BC’s defenses, knocking out her shields and lightly damaging her armor.  Two D’Bringi heavy cruisers opened fire with standard missiles, getting six hits and further degrading the Russian BC’s armor.  For the first time the Coalition heavy cruiser joined the battle, launching thirteen standard missiles from her internal and external launchers, getting two hits on the D’Bringi BC. 

The alien fleets continued to close while the human ships tried to keep the range open, but their need to keep the aliens out of their blind spot forced the human ships to turn, causing them to slip closer to the alien fleets.  At three point seven five light seconds, they were now within extreme force beam range, and the rest of the D’Bringi fleet joined their fire to their missile ships.  The Russian BC fired first, getting a single hit on the same D’Bringi BC.  The two D’Bringi BC’s returned fire, punching four capital missiles through the Russian ship’s defenses and getting a single hit with their force beams.  The resulting damage eliminated the Russian ship’s armor and destroyed an engine room.  The Coalition heavy cruiser launched its missiles against the same D’Bringi BC, and got a single hit on her armor.  A D’Bringi heavy cruiser group opened fire with standard missiles and force beams, scoring eleven hits on the hapless Russian BC, destroying four more engine rooms.  The rest of the D’Bringi fleet opened fire with their force beams as well, destroying much of the Russian BC’s armaments.  Then, much to the surprise of the humans, the cruisers of the Rehorish fleet opened fire on the Coalition heavy cruiser, which had remained untouched until now.  Each Rehorish cruiser fired three force beams, and, amazingly, most of them hit their targets.  By the time the fifteen Rehorish heavy cruisers had fired, the Coalition ship was reduced to an engine room, crew quarters, and a magazine. 

The crews of both human ships abandoned their ships and shortly thereafter the two ships exploded.  They had managed to inflict moderate armor damage on one D’Bringi BC.  Interestingly enough, shortly after the battle a T’Pau heavy cruiser and a Rehorish heavy cruiser fell out of formation and turned back towards the warp point to Leningrad, both moving at a reduced speed. 

[Kurt (OP)]

Month 115, Day 11, Moskva system, Pursuit Day 3
“We are losing two light cruisers today.  One of our destroyers and a corvette has lost an engine as well, but will be able to keep up with the rest of the fleet.  What is the status of your fleet?”  This constant litany of losses was becoming disturbingly routine.  Admiral Ruston’s face was haggard with concern for the constant attrition his fleet was suffering. 

General Semenov nodded.  “We have survived the day with no engine casualties.”  He grimaced.  “The randomness of this is galling.  I must admit, not knowing what to expect makes the anticipation that much sharper.”

Admiral Ruston nodded.  “I am ordering the crews of the light cruisers to abandon ship after setting scuttling charges.  They will accomplish nothing trying to attack the aliens.” 

General Semenov grimaced, but then nodded in assent.  “I agree.  We have wasted enough lives in this nightmare.”  Silence fell for a second, as the two commanders considered their losses.  Then General Semenov looked up.  “This is nearly over, Jonas.  We will almost certainly lose no more ships before reaching the warp point tomorrow.”

“Thank god.”  The two nodded and closed the comms channel. 

The human fleet forged ahead, towards its goal of escape from the system.  Behind them, two more Rehorish heavy cruisers suffered engine damage and turned away, towards the Leningrad system. 

[Kurt (OP)]

Month 115, Day 12, Moskva system, Pursuit Day 4
The human fleets reached the warp point to the Solar system and jumped through in good order, suffering no more engine casualties before making transit.  A Coalition light cruiser and a corvette suffered engine damage later in the day, as did a Russian cruiser, but by then they were safe in the Solar System.  Admiral Ruston made the decision to keep the ships that had suffered engine damage at the warp point, instead of sending them back for repairs.  They were still combat-capable and would be needed at the warp point if the aliens attacked. 

Unseen, on the far side of the warp point, a D’Bringi battlecruiser and a Rehorish light cruiser suffered engine damage and turned to head back to the Leningrad system.  The pursuit was over, and humanity’s fleets were once again bottled up in the Solar System. 

On board the Rehorish and D’Bringi command ships, a conference was taking place.  The T’Pau were not invited.  Both participants, Cho-sho Banzan for the Rehorish and Clan Chief Fortress Breaker for the D’Bringi, were attending from their command ships via holographic interface.  This was, in part, for convenience’s sake, as both were busy organizing and integrating their fleets, but also, in truth, because neither was entirely comfortable placing themselves within the other’s control. 

Fortress Breaker, impetuous as always, started in almost as soon as the connection was made.  “We must attack now!  The humans are bottled up, and cut off from their colonial territories.  Weakened!  We must take advantage of this now, while they are off balance!”  Unable to contain himself, the D’Bringi clan chief had risen within the holographic conference room they inhabited, and had begun pacing. 

Cho-sho Banzan carefully controlled his antennae, keeping the disdain he felt for the barbarian in front of him to himself.  He did not know if the D’Bringi understood enough of Rehorish body language to interpret the signals the cant of his antennae would send to another Rehorish, but he intended to take no chances.  So impetuous!  “There is much to what you say.  The humans are off balance.  And, they are close to their shipyards, making it easier to repair their ships and replace their losses.  However, attacking now is impossible.”

Before the Rehorish admiral could continue, Fortress Breaker exploded.  “What!  What madness is this?  Impossible how?”  The D’Bringi war leader approached the table, leaning on it and attempting to loom over the smaller Rehorish admiral.  The effect was somewhat less than he desired, given the holographic setting. 

Cho-sho Banzan was used to D’Bringi outbursts, and viewed them much as he did the storm squalls in his birth territory on Rehorish Prime.  The squalls would come on suddenly, and then disappear just as suddenly, leaving little evidence that they had been there.  The D’Bringi that he had worked with during the ambush of the Soviet fleet in the opening round of the war had been much the same, temperamental and impetuous, but reasonable once the initial outburst faded.  “I am under specific orders from my government to delay assaulting the human’s home system until reinforcements arrive.”  The D’Bringi leader opened his mouth, but before he could speak Banzan continued.  “Significant reinforcements are en route and will arrive in approximately thirty days.  I cannot launch an assault until then.”

“Thirty days?  That is an eternity!  The human fleets will grow in that time, and ours will not, aside from your ‘reinforcements’!”  Fortress Breaker knew, but could not say in front of his ‘ally’, that his reinforcements had been diverted to deal with a disturbance on the border with their new allies, the Mintek.  He had not been told what the disturbance was, but he had been the Clan Chief of Clan T’Chau for decades, and he knew his fellow clan chiefs.  If they had diverted vital reinforcements from his fleet, then the situation was indeed serious.  The same message that had informed him of the diversion had pressured him to launch an assault on the humans as soon as possible, so as to end the war and enable the fleet to return to D’Bringi space.  Fortress Breaker took a deep breath and sat down.  “Allowing the human fleets to recover and grow stronger is unwise.  We must act!”

“Actually, I agree with you, to an extent.  However, a delay of one month will not be fatal.  The humans will not be able to repair their damaged ships in that time, and any newly constructed ships that join their fleet will be barely combat-effective as they will still be shaking down when we launch our attack.  In any case, I have little choice in this matter.  I must wait for the reinforcements before attacking.”  In truth, Banzan knew that his orders to wait were a recommendation more than an absolute order, as they must be for a fleet commander so far from home.  However, he agreed with the intent of the orders.  The reinforcement group was not large, compared to the strength he and Clan Chief Fortress Breaker had gathered here already, but the six heavy cruisers in the reinforcement group were the Rehorish fleet’s first long-range missile equipped units, and while they would not be overwhelmingly useful in a warp point assault into the human’s home system, they would be very useful to counterbalance the D’Bringi fleet’s long-ranged cruisers and battlecruisers.  From the first moments of their alliance with the D’Bringi, the admirals of the Rehorish Naval HQ had distrusted the motives and intent of the D’Bringi, suspecting that the D’Bringi intended to weaken them in combat with the humans in preparation for betrayal and conquest after the fall of the humans.  After his experience with the D’Bringi he had come to believe that they had no such intentions, but he couldn’t rule them out and agreed with Naval HQ’s precautions.  There were also darker rumors of the intentions of his own government towards their D’Bringi allies, and, while he had no evidence, such things were not unknown in Rehorish history.  In any case, given such doubts and uncertainties, he was inclined to delay the attack, at least for a short time, until his reinforcements arrived.  He couldn’t shake a nagging worry that the D’Bringi admiral was right, delaying was a mistake. 

The D’Bringi clan chief rose again and started pacing, considering the other’s words.   “More time to prepare, train, and integrate our fleets will be valuable, I cannot deny it.  This is a mistake, though.”  The D’Bringi clan chief opened his mouth to say more, but then turned away.  As he turned, he faded from the holographic room, leaving Cho-sho Banzan alone with his thoughts.  The attack would be delayed. 

[Kurt (OP)]

Month 115, Day 19, Solar System
General Semenov and Admiral Ruston remained in command of their fleets, in spite of some within their respective high commands who had loudly advocated for their removal for incompetence after being forced back to the Solar System.  They both suspected that their continued status as fleet commanders relied more upon their respective fleet HQ’s being reluctant to rock the boat with the aliens literally on their doorstep.  Their experience in the Moskva system, particularly during the long retreat, had forged a bond between the two men, as well as a greater appreciation for the differing strengths of their respective forces. 

After seven days without an attack by the alien forces on the far side of the warp point, the two commanders made the decision to dispatch all damaged units back to the Earth for repairs, including the ships that had merely suffered minor engine damage during the long retreat.  While those units were technically fully combat capable on the tactical scale, on the strategic-system scale they were a liability, and would slow the fleet down at a critical time, if the upcoming battle became one of maneuver rather than brute force.  In exchange, the Russian and Coalition warships orbiting the Earth would be dispatched to the warp point to reinforce them.  It wasn’t a fair exchange, as only minor forces were left in Earth’s orbit at this point, but anything would help. 

Month 115, Day 20
The Mintek missions to the five new planets were received in very different ways.  On the D’Bringi colony planet in the Jerothal system, the mission succeeded in establishing embassies and missions in the major cities.  On the planets of the two D’Bringi conquered subject races, the Torqual and the Doraz, the combined Mintek and D’Bringi missions were able to slip into the general population and begin establishing footholds amongst the D’Bringi occupation forces and their civilian support structure.  In both cases the Mintek immediately began outreach programs to the conquered races, with the help of the D’Bringi who were supposed to be ensuring their fidelity to their conquerors.  In the Boche system, the D’Bringi and Mintek missionaries were able to land on the T’Pau colony world and begin similar outreach efforts to the T’Pau residents, however, the T’Pau, having gained some limited independence from the D’Bringi, were somewhat reluctant to leap towards this new outreach effort, and the Mintek efforts yielded only minimal initial results.  The T’Pau high command, concerned about how this might affect their relationship with their conquerors, dithered for a full ten days before informing the D’Bringi military in the T’Pau system about the presence of Mintek in the system. 

In the Kumamoto system, the Mintek effort went disastrously wrong.  The Kumamoto system was a Rehorish colonial system, and in fact was the system the Rehorish bought from the D’Bringi Expanses.  It possessed no less than five habitable type “T” planets, all of which were almost useless to the D’Bringi, but which were immensely valuable to the Rehorish.  The Rehorish, who while they were allied to the D’Bringi, were still somewhat standoffish and disdainful of their allies, and so they monitored every ship that entered their systems.  Thus, while D’Bringi ships were allowed into the system to conduct trade, they were watched closely by the Rehorish internal security services.  And so it was that when the D’Bringi freighter moved into orbit and sent shuttles down to the smallest and poorest of the five colonies in the system, as it was considered the best place for them to start their mission of spreading the Truth, the shuttles were met on the ground by armed troops and the entire mission was arrested and interned.  Initially they claimed to be simple traders, with the Mintek being traders from another race allied with the D’Bringi, however, that stance was broken down rapidly by the Rehorish interrogators and their true mission was revealed.  The local security chief immediately sent a warning to the home system, and increased the watchfulness of his forces across the system. 

[Kurt (OP)]

Month 116, Day 1
The D’Bringi launch two additional mobile shipyards this month, and complete repairs on a heavy cruiser and a corvette.  In addition, a number of minefields are completed in the orbital yards, as are components for the establishment of an ICN.  The ICN buoys are immediately shipped out to every D’Bringi-controlled system within four jumps of the home world. 

The Rehorish yards complete construction of three heavy cruisers armed with standard missile launchers, as well as three corvettes.  In addition, a new repair ship is launched. 

The T’Pau government completes construction on a new orbital shipyard, and begins research into HT 6. 

The Coalition colonial yards over New Plymouth in the Epsilon Eridani system launch six BS0’s to bolster their warp point defenses, and the Earth yards complete 100 laser buoys. 

The Russian orbital yards complete construction on six assault light cruisers of varying designs.  These ships immediately move to reinforce the fleets at the warp point to Moskva. 

Turn 116, Day 1, D’Bringi Prime
“What?”  Burning Blade, Clan Chief of Clan B’Regest and the only Clan Chief still on D’Bringi Prime, looked at Keeper-Cleric Half-Hand in shock.

“It is true.  My agents among the T’Pau confirm it.  The Mintek have sent agents, ‘Seekers of Truth’, they call them, to the T’Pau colony world in the Boche system.  They are accompanied by clan-less D’Bringi who advocate for them.  Because there are D’Bringi with them, the T’Pau government is reluctant to deal with them, and has asked for our assistance.”  The leader of the Keepers leaned forward, watching the other leader carefully.   

Burning Blade rose and began pacing, much like a trapped animal.  “This is bad.  We had no idea they had penetrated so far.”

“So, you are aware of the problem with the Mintek?  And where is Skull Splitter?  Are my reports true, has he taken command of the reinforcement group?  What are his intentions?”  The Keeper’s eyes were glittering with unspoken suspicions. 

Burning Blade stopped pacing and turned towards the Keeper.  This was so much worse than he had feared.  It was time for the truth.  “Yes, you are correct.  Skull Splitter has taken command of the reinforcement group.  He intends to lead them to the Phyriseq system and will place the entire system under quarantine, to determine the truth of the situation and the loyalty of our forces there.”

Half-Hand stood and slammed his fist into the table.  “And you didn’t think to inform me!  Is it not the Keeper’s duty to defend the race?”  He paused, and his gaze sharpened.  “Or did you think the Keepers were involved?”

Burning Blade irritably swiped at the Keeper, as if to push away his suggestion.  “Of course, we suspected you, and Fortress Breaker as well.”  Seeing the look on the Keeper’s face, he continued on.  “Perhaps we should have brought you into this, but you must admit, such plots are not above the Great Clans, or even the Keepers.”

Half Hand stared at the clan chief for a few seconds, then shook his head in assent.  “You are not wrong, but the Keepers would not conspire with aliens.  If you had come to me, we could have assembled a better picture of what was going on.  As it is, I had to discover your plot when my sources began reporting that the reinforcement force was being diverted.  Once I discovered that, I was able to discover the reason for the diversion, and determine that my sources in the Phyriseq system had been silenced, something that should have come to my attention much sooner.”

“So, you were as unaware as we were?”  Burning Blade was incredulous.  The Keepers knew everything, or at least acted like they did.  And while he knew they really didn’t know everything, they knew a lot, enough that it was dangerous to assume they didn’t know any given fact. 

“No, I did not.  Currently, as you know, most of our resources are directed towards the war with the humans, and on watching the Rehorish.  The lack of reports from Phyriseq would have been noticed eventually, but had slipped from our notice for now.  That is going to change.  The Keepers will be sending a mission to T’Pau Prime, to investigate the Mintek and their D’Bringi helpers.  The initial reports state that the Mintek appear to be what they claim to be, religious pilgrims, intent on setting up churches and retreats.  That cannot be all that they are up to, and my people will determine their intent.”

“Skull Splitter’s force will arrive in Phyriseq in five days.  Then we will start getting answers.”

The Keeper merely looked at the clan chief for a few seconds, then nodded, signaling disagreement.  “We have a much larger problem.  If the Mintek have penetrated to the Boche system, what other systems within our territory have they reached?  The Rehorish colonies in the Rhoghan system are the same distance from Phyriseq as the Boche system, as are the home worlds for our conquered ‘allies’, the Doraz and the Torqual.”

Burning Blade stood in alarm.  “If there is a chance that the Mintek have reached the Rehorish colonies, we must warn the Rehorish government immediately!  We have no evidence that that Mintek mean harm, but it has been my experience that the Rehorish are touchy about their territory.  If they suspect that this is an attempt by us to undermine their government, it…”

The Keeper raised his hands in a gesture that meant, essentially, ‘what is, is’.  “They would almost certainly interpret this as an attempt by our government to undermine theirs.  It could threaten the alliance.  You must send a message to them immediately, warning of the incursions and reassuring them that we are acting to prevent future occurrences.”

Burning Blade gestured assent.  “It will be done, immediately.  And we must determine what the Mintek are trying to do.”  He paused, and then brought up the other issue that they had both been dancing around.  “What of the offensive into the human’s home system?  Can we trust the Rehorish?  And do we dare risk the losses we will certainly suffer, if we face a potential war with the Rehorish?”

The Keeper-Cleric lost his serene look, his face clouding as he considered the question.  “I contemplated this very question before coming here today.  Until we know the outcome in the Phyriseq system, and the true intentions of the Mintek, I do not think we can risk an assault and its attendant losses.”

Burning Blade looked troubled himself.  “Giving the humans time to recover is a mistake, but I cannot see another course at this point.  If the Mintek mean to attack, they are much closer to our home world than the humans.  I agree, we must delay the attack, at least for now, until we can determine the Mintek intentions.”

The Keeper stood.  “I will draft a recommendation for Fortress Breaker, along with all of the information we have so far.  Will you add your imprint?”

“Yes.  We must stand united.”

[Kurt (OP)]

Turn 116, Day 5, Rehorish Prime
The messages from the security services in the Kumamoto system arrived at the Rehorish home world on this date.  They immediately sent the Rehorish government into a panic.  This incursion into their primary colonial system by the D’Bringi and a hitherto unknown alien race was intolerable.  The ‘pilgrims’ captured by the security services in the Kumamoto system claimed that they did not represent the D’Bringi government, instead claiming to be ‘pilgrims of the Truth’, but this carried little weight with the Rehorish.  They were very proud of their society and civilization, and would brook no interference or subversion.  They had made this clear to the D’Bringi during the negotiations for their alliance, and now, it appeared, the D’Bringi had broken their agreements. 

After some deliberation, the Rehorish government took several actions.  The first was to order the Home Fleet to alert status, and to prepare to deploy to Kumamoto.  In addition, the Home Fleet was ordered to dispatch forces to reinforce the Kumamoto picket, which had been reduced to a single destroyer at the start of the war.  Then, a message was dispatched through the courier drone network through Rehorish space to the Grand Fleet, ordering them to delay assaulting the human home system, and to distance themselves from the D’Bringi fleet.  This message was sent with brief on the events to date, so that the fleet commanders could evaluate the situation with the D’Bringi fleet.  An assault could not be risked as long as the D’Bringi motives were in question.  It wasn’t clear if the message would reach the Grand fleet before the assault, as the actions of the fleets in the human inner systems were fluid and dependent on many factors.  Finally, the D’Bringi Ambassador was called to the Minister for Foreign Affairs offices and apprised of the situation.  The Rehorish Minister made it clear that the alliance between the D’Bringi and the Rehorish depended on the answer given by the D’Bringi for the incursion. 

[Kurt (OP)]

Month 116, Day 5, Chruqua System
“Transiting to Phyriseq in five…four…three…two…one…transit!”

Skull Splitter, Clan Chief of the K’Rorin Clan and commander of the task force currently jumping into the Phyriseq system, held on to his chair and tried to keep the contents of his stomach inside.  It seemed like the older he got, the worse transits affected him, and this one was no different. 

“Alert!  Sensors detect multiple drive fields located seven point five light seconds away, in-system!  They are stationary.”

Skull Splitter jumped to his feet, hiding a lurch as his balance almost failed him as a step forward, towards the plotting tank in the center of the bridge.  “Sensors!  I need everything you can tell me about those ships.  Helm, turn us away from the contacts, and open the range.  Comms, contact the other ships in the task force and pass on my orders, then establish contact with the unknowns.  ID ourselves and demand their identities under my authority.”

“Helm is responding.  We have maximum speed.”

“Sensors are stabilizing.  Fifteen seconds to long-range sensor activation.”

Skull Splitter stared at the tank as the rest of the task force entered behind his cruiser.  The drive field contact was an indistinct blob at the edge of their current detection radius, but as soon as the long-range sensors aboard the Keeper missile ships following his heavy cruisers activated, they’d know exactly what they faced.  There shouldn’t be anything here at the warp point.  The squadron assigned to border patrol duties was supposed to be split between Phyriseq colony and the warp point to Mintek space. 

Time passed slowly, but eventually the tank reset, and Skull Splitter could see that the indistinct blob had separated into three icons.  All three were showing D’Bringi ID codes, and were in fact identifying themselves as the border patrol squadron assigned to the system. 

“What in the names of all of the gods is going on in this system?”  Skull Splitter returned to his chair and sat down, then turned to the comms officer.  “Record a message for the Devastator!”  After a few seconds the comms officer nodded, and the light surrounding the camera pickup at his station turned green.  “Ship Leader Devastator, I am your clan chief.  You will explain why you have abandoned your post!  Immediately!”  He ended the recording, and nodded to the comms officer, who turned to his board to send the recording to the other ship.  The Devastator was one of his clan’s ships, the only Clan K’Rorin ship assigned to the border patrol squadron, and as a K’Rorin ship its commander answered to him first and foremost. 

Skull Splitter glared at the screen, waiting for a response.  The range to the Devastator was eight light seconds and increasing, so it would take at least sixteen seconds for a reply to return, plus however long it took to compose the response.  Thirty seconds passed before the screen lit to show a senior Ship Leader with K’Rorin flashes on his harness.  The Ship Leader was standing at rigid attention in front of the camera.  “Clan Chief!  You honor me by your presence!  But…I don’t understand why you say we are out of position.  We were ordered to assemble here three months ago.  This is our assigned position.”

Skull Splitter froze the image and peered at it intently for a time, trying to discern whether anything was out of place or unusual.  Failing to detect anything, he started the recorder again.  “You will stand to for boarding.  I will be coming aboard, with my guard, for an inspection of your command.  Your officers and senior ratings will present themselves at the boat bay for my personal inspection.  Skull Splitter out.”

He gestured for the message to be sent, then turned to the bridge crew.  “Close on the patrol squadron.  All ships are to be at combat status, defenses active, shields on.  I don’t know what is going on here, but we will get to the bottom of it.” 

The seven ships of the task force turned back towards the patrol squadron.  There were two more cruisers in Skull Splitter’s task force, but they were T’Chau and thus under suspicion, and so they had been left on the far side of the warp point until he could determine the situation in the system. 

In short order, Skull Splitter ad his guards had boarded the Devastator, where they were met by the officers and senior crew of the ship.  Everything was as expected, nothing was out of place or suspicious.  The ship’s commander voluntarily turned over his orders to redeploy to the warp point to the Chruqua system.  The orders had originated from the Phyriseq colony’s governor three months ago.  And while that personage didn’t have the authority to order warships about, he was a senior clan official, and the orders had carried the approvals of even more senior clan officials back on D’Bringi Prime.  At first glance those approvals looked official, but Skull Splitter knew that they were not.   No orders to reassign the squadron had come from the home world.  And because the orders originated from the Colonial Governor, Skull Splitter knew where to start.  First, though, there was the matter of the T’Chau. 

Even as Skull Splitter and his guards boarded the Devastator, Keeper Inquisitor teams were boarding the two T’Chau cruisers.  Their senior officers would be put to the question.  They would probably survive the experience, but their survival didn’t concern Skull Splitter, the truth was all he cared about now.  And Keeper Inquisitors were very experienced at extracting the truth. 

[Kurt (OP)]

Month 116, Day 6, Phyriseq system
The Inquisitors cleared the officers of the T’Chau cruisers, both those with the border patrol squadron and those assigned to Skull Splitter’s squadron, of suspicion.  The military, at least, remained loyal.  Skull Splitter combined the patrol squadron into his task force, and the twelve cruisers set out for the inner system and Phyriseq colony.  Their ETA was five days. 

Month 116, Day 10, Rehorish Prime
The D’Bringi Ambassador met with the Rehorish Foreign Minister on this date, on orders from his government.  Orders had arrived early on this day, direct from D’Bringi Prime, to reveal the existence of the Mintek and the D’Bringi relationship with them, and to reassure the Rehorish government of the D’Bringi Clan’s dismay over the incursion into Rehorish territory. 

The D’Bringi Ambassador’s words actually carried some weight with the Rehorish Minister, as there had not yet been time for the Rehorish protest to make it to D’Bringi Prime, and for a response to return, meaning that the D’Bringi government had sent this information to their Ambassador before the Rehorish protest reached them.  This went some ways towards diffusing the situation between the Rehorish and the D’Bringi, but the Rehorish were a suspicious people, and having betrayed their treaty with the humans, were naturally suspicious of others doing the same to them. 

In the meantime, the D’Bringi and Mintek ‘pilgrims’ had been arrested, isolated, and interrogations were continuing.   

Month 116, Day 11, Phyriseq colony
Skull Splitter’s task force split into four groups of three cruisers each and surrounded the D’Bringi colony planet.  Once they were all in place, Skull Splitter set up an open comms channel to the planet. 

“I am Skull Splitter, Clan Chief of the K’Rorin.  Under an agreement with Clan B’Regest, and the Keepers, I hereby announce that this colony is interdicted.  No travel off-planet will be allowed.  Both freighters in orbit will be quarantined until searched and cleared by my troops.  I require that the colonial governor present himself here, aboard my ship, for an accounting.  In the meantime, my troops will be landing to assume control of critical defense functions.  They have been ordered to have no contact with any resident of Phyriseq colony.  Any colonial resident that attempts to communicate with or otherwise contact K’Rorin troops will be arrested and interrogated.  That is all.  For now.”

Skull Splitter turned from the camera.  “You may begin your landings.  Let’s see how long it takes for the governor to come to me.”

[Kurt (OP)]

Month 116, Day 15, Duril/Moskva system
Nine Rehorish ships arrived at the warp point late in the day.  The reinforcement group consisted of six heavy cruisers and three light cruisers.  With the arrival of his reinforcements, Cho-sho Banzan was now ready to commit to the assault.  However, he discovered that his D’Bringi counterpart was now reluctant to proceed. 

“What do you mean, you now wish to wait?  Just yesterday you were pressing to attack immediately after my reinforcements arrived.  What has changed?”  Cho-sho Banzan was curious.  His intelligence report that afternoon had noted that the D’Bringi contingent of the fleet had received an unusually large number of CD’s earlier in the day.  It was rare for a day to go by without all three of the fleets clustered around the warp point getting at least one CD, however, receiving more than one at a time could indicate the importance of the message being carried, especially given the fact that one CD had enough storage capacity to contain any number of conceivable messages.  Sending so many CD’s at once indicated that whomever had sent them wanted to ensure that the message got through.

Clan Chief Fortress Breaker looked uncomfortable, but determined.  “I have been informed that there is a situation back home.  In the interest of our alliance, I have decided to turn over to you all of the information on this situation that I have been given, as it also affects your nation.”

Cho-sho Banzan leaned over his desk, staring into the camera intently.  “What is going on, Fortress Breaker?”

“Some time ago, we contacted an alien race.  They call themselves the Mintek.  By all accounts they are friendly, civilized, and readily agreed to establish trade relations with us.  They seemed to be the perfect neighbors.  However, our government recently determined that the Mintek had infiltrated our colony world adjacent to their home system, and was actively converting our people to their beliefs.  Why they are doing this, or what their ultimate goal is, we do not know.  Last month, my government dispatched a squadron to that system to determine the true situation, as information coming out of that system is unreliable at best.  Before the squadron arrived, though, we discovered that some of the Mintek, along with some of our people, tried to enter a T’Pau colony system.  Your colony system of Kumamoto is the same distance from our apparently subverted colony system as the T’Pau system, so my government fears that the Mintek may have tried to do the same to your system.  Warnings were sent to your government, and I was ordered to turn over this information to you in the interest of affirming our adherence to the alliance.  In any case, until the true situation with the Mintek, I have been ordered to assume a defensive stance and to avoid heavy casualties, as our forces may be needed closer to home.”

Of all of the things that the D’Bringi admiral could have said, Banzan had not anticipated this.  “That is quite a claim.  I anticipate looking over this information as soon as you send it over.”  It was interesting that he was hearing this from the D’Bringi, instead of his own government, but, the latest exchange of information with the D’Bringi had confirmed that their path back to their home world was slightly shorter than his path back to Rehorish Prime.  It was certainly possible that a message was making its way to him right now.  In the meantime, he could no more make the D’Bringi attack the human home system than they could make him do it, if he didn’t want to.  They would wait, and see what messages reached them from home. 

[Kurt (OP)]

Month 116, Day 16, Phyriseq colony
“Report, Chief Auditor.”  Skull Splitter settled back into his chair.  The auditors had been furiously busy for the last five days, and he was curious about what they had discovered. 

The B’Regest auditor looked uncertain and hesitated, but then plunged in.  “Esteemed clan chief.  First, I must again request that my people be allowed to relocate to the planetary surface and be allowed to interact with the local governmental officials.  It is very difficult for us to do our jobs this way, and has delayed what could be a straight forward process.”

“I understand the limitations of the current set up, but I’m afraid you will have to continue working from orbit with only limited and monitored interactions with the colonists.  I fear that something has subverted this colony, and until I know what has happened, I will not allow the infection to spread to my ships.  Or your auditors.  Is this understood.”

The Chief Auditor looked more confident now that she had been allowed to voice her concerns.  “We understand clearly, Clan Chief.  I merely wished to make sure that you understand our position.”

“Very well.  What have you discovered?”

“Nothing for sure, as yet, Clan Chief.”

Skull Splitter was astounded.  The auditors had been working furiously for five entire days, and they had found nothing.  A scowl slipped across his face.  “Nothing?”  The warning tone in his voice would have been clear to any of his subordinates. 

It was apparently lost on the auditor, who merely nodded.  “Nothing for sure, Clan Chief.  We are talking about a colony of over 14 million people.  My team, while it is relatively large compared to some audits I have participated in, will take some time to go through the records of the organizations on the colony world.  I do, however, have some preliminary notes on the progress of the audit that may be of interest.” 

Skull Splitter took a deep breath.  Clearly dealing with auditors was quite different from dealing with the military personnel he was more comfortable with.  “Continue.”

“Large sections of records appear to be missing, leaving us with large discrepancies we cannot account for.  This is common early in an audit; however, the missing records are missing on a larger scale than normally occurs.  This is the reason for my continued requests to relocate to the planetary surface.  As things stand now, we must send requests for records to the surface and depend on them to respond adequately.  Quite often, they do not give us what we request.  Sometimes they send other records, other times they send partial data-sets, and in some cases, they do not respond at all.”

Skull Splitter paused to think for a second.  “Are these evasions willful, or a sign of incompetence?”

The auditor frowned.  “Unknown at this time.  However, once it became clear that we had incomplete data, and that the people on the surface were less than responsive, I reviewed the log of our communications with them.  I have trained my people to be precise in their work, and I wanted to ensure that the problem was not on our side.  It is not.  My staff has been clear and concise in our requests, the problem is on their end.”

Skull Splitter was beginning to lose his patience with the situation.  The planetary governor was locked in a stateroom on board his cruiser, and had been subjected to several interrogations, none of which had revealed anything adverse.  Whether the man was behind what was going on or merely blind to it was unclear at this point, but so far nothing particularly incriminating had been found on the surface by his troops or intel teams either.  Aside from the fact that there were far more Mintek present than he was comfortable with, and that was not even disallowed under their current treaty with the Mintek.  Something was going on here, he could feel it, but so far it merely looked like the Mintek were friendly and making friends.  And converting people to their religion, of course.  A lot of people.  But as far as he could tell, their religion wasn’t particularly objectionable, and the D’Bringi Clans had long had a policy of letting the lower orders and clan-less worship whomever or whatever they chose, as long as it didn’t get in the way of the Clan’s interests.  Still, he had to resolve this, and sooner rather than later.  He couldn’t keep an entire colony planet shut down for months, and sooner or later the Mintek were going to start making inquiries about the welfare of their people in the colony.  “Redouble your efforts.  I want a list of names of the officials on the planet who are being obstructive, or who are providing inaccurate data, or who fail to respond to your requests.  We will begin investigations on the surface to discover their motivations.”

The auditor seemed satisfied.  “It will be done.  Accurate and timely responses are vital to our work.  If you can ensure those responses, then our efforts to get to the bottom of the problems below will be successful.”  She rose and left his office. 

Skull Splitter issued orders for his intel teams to investigate the list of names provided from the auditors, and ordered them to shift their focus from the upper levels of the government and clan corporations to the workers.  Sometimes the lowest saw the most, and many times they were willing to speak, if they felt something was wrong or they had been left out. 

Month 116, Day 17, Phyriseq Colony, 0800 hours
For the last thirty-six hours the group of two ships had been on the task force’s scanners.  They were Mintek civilian ships, identified by their transponders as freighters, and when contacted their captains had stated that they were part of the regular trade run.  Skull Splitter had declined to inform the Mintek captains about the presence of his task force, and instead all comms had been handled by the colony government, as normal, except, of course, it was his people handling the actual communications.   

Now the Mintek freighter group was approaching the point at which their limited sensors would reveal the presence of the D’Bringi task force.  When the ships reached ten light seconds range, Skull Splitter decided that total surprise was undesirable in this case.  “Send the message.” 

The comms officer nodded and punched in the code to send the warning message on its way.  The message ordered the Mintek ships to power down and standby for boarding and inspection, as allowed by the treaty between the two races.  Simultaneously with the dispatch of the message, the Devastator moved out of orbit and set out to rendezvous with the incoming Mintek ships.   

Seconds after receiving the message, the Mintek ships obediently dropped their drive fields, however, one also launched a CD which immediately raced back towards the warp point to Mintek territory.   There was nothing that Skull Splitter or his task force could do about the CD, so he let it go.  In any case, intercepting it, even in D’Bringi space, would be a violation of their treaty with the Mintek, and without knowing what was going on Skull Splitter was reluctant to rock the boat with the Mintek.  It was bad enough that he had diverted badly needed cruisers from the front lines.  Provoking a new war while the old one raged would be the height of folly. 

Ten minutes later, a message arrived from the commander of the Devastator.  “Clan Chief, we have boarded one of the freighters.  It is in fact a colony transport with freight capacity.  And it is currently carrying about twenty thousand people.  The bulk of the people on board are Mintek, but there are some D’Bringi amongst the complement, perhaps a thousand. The ship’s capacity is approximately 50,000.  We do not yet know what the other transport is carrying.  I am awaiting your orders.”

Skull Splitter sat back, lost in thought.  What in all of the god’s names was going on here?  He quickly came to a decision.  “Detain the ship and question the crew and passengers.  Lightly.  For now, they are our allies and we have no evidence of a treaty violation, although a population transfer on this scale is edging very close to the boundaries of the treaty.”  In truth he wasn’t sure that the treaty even gave limits for population transfers, because who would think it would need to limit such a thing?  “Inspect the cargo as well, and the ship’s records.  I want to know if there are arms on board, or any weaponry at all.  Select groups of the D’Bringi, particularly any mid or high-status clan members, and detain them aboard your ship for more intensive interrogation, but handle the Mintek with care.  The D’Bringi are ours, we can do with them as we like, but we will respect the treaty with the Mintek.   For now.  Skull Splitter out.”

Skull Splitter watched the icon for the Mintek CD speed away from the inner system.  It would take the CD approximately two and a half days to reach the warp point, and then at least some time for it to reach the Mintek capital.  Possibly not long, if the Mintek had light-speed comm buoys or ships on the far side of the warp point.  It would take a similar amount of time for a message with a protest of their actions to return, but if the Mintek sent ships to back up their protest it would take much longer, perhaps half of a month or so.   Either way, he had time to figure out what was going on, but not a lot of time. 

Just an hour later the lead auditor marched into his office.  She sat without asking for permission, and began speaking before he could get a word out.  “Clan Chief, I understand that you have detained a group of Mintek transports.  Is this true?”

Skull Splitter stared at her curiously.  “Yes, it is true.  They are approximately the size of a Clan Tal-Shok class freight transport, but unlike our transport they carry both colonists and freight.” 

The auditor nodded.  “That makes sense.  My people have uncovered a very disturbing situation in the colony.”  When Skull Splitter nodded for her to continue, she plunged ahead.  “The data continues to be disturbingly vague, but the data-flow from the ground has improved now that your people have become involved on the surface.  As the data-picture improves, so does our understanding of the situation below.  I am now certain that the data corruption we have encountered, and the difficulty obtaining data from the surface, is not mere incompetence but rather an organized effort to disrupt my investigation.  While we have not been able to discover what they are hiding, we have come across tantalizing hints.  Did you know that ‘trading fleets’ of Mintek transports of similar size and number to the ones you’ve detained have been coming to Phyriseq colony twice a month?  And that they don’t land at the capital?  I have records of their arrival, but not of their landing, or taking on or dropping off cargo.  Just their arrival and departure twice a month.” 

“What?  The treaty requires that all trade goods are transferred at the capital!”

“I know.  That is why we noted the landing patterns.  Or lack thereof.  Additionally, the colonial government was initially very reluctant to turn over any population data to my team.  Their compliance rate has improved markedly since you replaced the managers below with new people, but then we had the opposite problem of too much data, some of it conflicting.  One thing has become abundantly clear, though.  There aren’t enough people in this colony.”

Of all the things Skull Splitter had expected, that bald statement wasn’t one of them.  “What?  What do you mean?”

“The last census was conducted in Month 110, at which time the population of the Phyriseq colony was placed at slightly over 14 million.  According to the data reported to the home world, the Month 115 census for the Phyriseq colony placed the population at that time at 15.157 million, which would match almost exactly the expected growth rate for a colony of this size.  However, based on the limited data we have received from the surface, it appears that the colonial population has not increased at all, or may actually have decreased.”

Skull Splitter leaned forward intently.  “How sure are you about this?”

“We have limited facts, and are having to fill in too much information for a definitive determination.  However, when you put the facts we do have about the population numbers together with the fact that the Mintek are sending two groups of colony transports to our system every month, the picture is becoming clear.”

“It might interest you to know that I had my staff estimate how many colonists that group of transports could move per month.  One hundred thousand is the answer.  And they are sending two groups a month.”

The auditor nodded again.  “Two groups could move a million colonists in the five months between the census.”

“Yes, they could.”  Skull Splitter dismissed the auditor, and began issuing orders.  It was time to take the gloves off with the colonial government.  In spite of the increasingly clear treaty violations, he would still take a measured approach to the Mintek, but the D’Bringi knew their responsibilities to their clans and to the race.  If they had forgotten that, then it was time he reminded them.   Five minutes later the general commanding his ground troops and the leader of the Keeper Inquisitor Group were authorized to conduct large-scale interventions across the colony.  The leaders of every Mintek temple, whether they were Mintek or D’Bringi, were to be detained and interrogated.  He also authorized the arrest of most of the upper levels of the colonial government and the major clan corporations as well.  The gloves were coming off.   

[Kurt (OP)]

Month 116, Day 17, late in the day, Phyriseq system
The CD launched by the Mintek transport wasn’t actually headed for the warp point, although it was a reasonable assumption for Skull Splitter to make.  After all, he didn’t know about the Mintek fleet sitting ninety-six light minutes from the colony with its drive fields down.  Just a few minutes after the new day started, the CD dumped its messages to the fleet’s command ship and deactivated. 

After several minutes, the fleet activated its drive fields and set out towards the colony. 

Month 116, Day 18, Phyriseq system
The Mintek fleet was now just outside the 72 light minute detection bubble of the D’Bringi ships and colony in the inner system.   The fleet came to a halt before it crossed over the point at which the D’Bringi ships would detect them, and dropped their drive fields.  A lone ship, a battlecruiser, continued on into the inner system.   

Month 116, Day 19, Phyriseq colony
Skull Splitter jumped out of his rack the second his personal alarm began sounding.  A long life filled with both physical and political combat had enabled him to go from deep sleep to relative lucidity rapidly, and he demonstrated that now.  “What!”

The aide on his comm screen sent a view of the plot to his chief’s viewer instead of his face.  “Sir, we have a new drive field contact, in-bound on a direct bearing from the warp point to the Mintek system.  The contact is moving at the standard cruising speed for a cruiser class vessel.”

Skull Splitter’s eyes narrowed as he considered the plot.  The contact was right at the edge of visibility, too far out for them to gain any additional information.  And it was either a warship, or a very large freighter, based on the speed.  He quickly called up the course information for the CD launched by the Mintek transport on his wrist comp.  He grimaced.  The CD from the Mintek transport hadn’t had enough time to reach the warp point to the Mintek home system yet.  Which meant that this probable warship was either already in the Phyriseq system when the CD was launched, or it had been en route on unrelated business.  He knew which way he’d bet.   Given the fact that his border patrol squadron had been ordered away from the border, they had no idea how many Mintek ships were in the system.  His thoughts had gotten that far when his aide interrupted with new information.

“Sir, Mintek message incoming.”

“Route it here.”  Skull Splitter settled back into the chair at his desk, and waited as the system decrypted and interpreted the Mintek message.  Finally, the ‘wait’ sigil on the screen cleared, and a Mintek appeared before him.  “I am Strategos Neeron.  I have been dispatched to resolve the difficulties that appear to have arisen between our governments in a peaceful and mutually satisfactory manner.  I am proceeding to orbit of the Phyriseq colony; however, I am willing to meet with a D’Bringi representative in any location that you find suitable.  Until I receive a response, I will continue on my current heading.” 

Skull Splitter thought furiously.  The Mintek official sounded entirely reasonable, however, their actions to date were unreasonable, and arguably in violation of the treaty, or at the very least of the intent of the treaty.  Not to mention the fact that Neeron’s presence in a D’Bringi system in a warship was a clear violation of the treaty, D’Bringi sovereignty, and a provocation.  For all of Neeron’s seeming affability, he had the feeling that the situation was racing towards a confrontation that he did not want, but could not avoid.  After a few second’s consideration, he made up his mind and opened a link to his aide.  “Prepare the fleet to intercept the Mintek ship.  Send a message telling them that we will come out to meet them 36 light minutes from the colony.  I’m coming to the bridge.”

Five minutes later the task force left the colony, heading out to intercept the Mintek ship. 

Month 116, Day 20, Phyriseq system
The Mintek ship and the D’Bringi task force were now fifteen light seconds apart and holding position.  The D’Bringi task force had now gotten a better look at the Mintek ship, and based on its engine strength it was clearly a battlecruiser.  As a fifteen second light-speed delay between them would make a conversation difficult, the two leaders had agreed to board small craft and meet in between the two forces.  Skull-Splitter had boarded an assault shuttle carried by the Keeper battlecruiser that anchored his task force, while the Mintek Neeron was approaching in his own small craft.

As the two small craft approached each other, Skull Splitter was interested to note that Neeron’s craft was twice as large as his assault shuttle.  The D’Bringi shuttle’s sensors and computers weren’t effective enough to evaluate the capabilities of the larger craft, but it was apparent from the limited scans they had obtained as it approached that it was more heavily armed than their shuttle, and likely had a longer endurance.  The shuttle’s pilot also pointed out, as the Mintek craft came to a halt, that the alien craft appeared large enough that it might theoretically be able to make a transit through a warp point. 

Skull Splitter pushed that from his mind as the monitor in front of his station in the shuttle’s cramped interior lit up with Neeron’s face.  “Clan Chief Skull Splitter!  I am honored to appear before you.  I am Neeron, Strategos of the Mintek Union.  I have come before you to negotiate on behalf of my government, and to resolve any grievances you may have.”

“Grievances!  Your people have infiltrated our nation!  Subverted our people!  And you speak of grievances?” 

Neeron looked serious, which Skull Splitter found interesting as the D’Bringi and Mintek people had different ways of expressing that particular emotion.  “The Mintek government takes your concerns very seriously.  We may have failed to control the more…enthusiastic…elements of our population, and we would like to discuss to possibility of reparations from our government to atone for the excesses of our people.”

Skull Splitter settled back into his chair, surprised at this development.  In spite of his belligerence, he would go far to avoid a conflict at this point, but the Mintek being so…agreeable…was throwing him off.  This was not normal.  “Reparations would be welcome, but before we can move forward, agreements on the limitation of movement for Mintek within D’Bringi space will have to be clarified, and our people returned from where ever you have sent them.  We know that you have been taking large numbers of our colonists, and this is unacceptable.”

Neeron nodded.  “Your concern is understandable.  In addition to reparations, the Union would be more than willing to allow D’Bringi clan officials to inspect the new D’Bringi colony that has been set up for them on Mintek Tertius in our home system.  I assure you, the D’Bringi there are not only well treated, but are thriving in their new environment.  Any who wish to come are welcome.”

“No!  These are our people.  They do not belong there, they belong on our colonies, in our territory.  You had no right to take them!”  In spite of his belligerent tone, Skull-Splitter felt no heat, merely curiosity.  The belligerence was a necessary negotiating stance, nothing more.   

“Surely you cannot object to the education we are giving the D’Bringi that have decided, of their own, to travel to the new colony?  What harm have we inflicted on your government, your people?  These were the dregs of your society, the lowest of the low.  The clan-less petty laborers, outcasts, and the problematic petty criminals that plague every society.  They decided of their own free will to cast all of that away and learn a new way to become productive members of society.  Surely your own auditors have told you that in spite of their relocation they have continued to pay the required clan tithes, and indeed, that clan tithes for this colony and the Jerothal colony have increased over the last several months.  We have been scrupulous in adhering to the laws of the D’Bringi clans, even on the new colony on Mintek Tertius.  So, what, really, lies behind your complaints?”

Skull Splitter’s eyes narrowed.  So, this Neeron knew about the auditors going through the Phyriseq colony’s records?  He had wondered if the Mintek ship was receiving information from the colony, and it appeared that his suspicions were confirmed.  And, it was appearing more and more certain as Neeron talked that whatever was going on was part of a planned action by the Mintek government, rather than ‘enthusiastic citizens’, as Neeron had claimed.  “Very well.  I suggest we stop dancing around the issue.  My government finds the situation in this system unacceptable.  We require that you close all temples on Phyriseq colony, as well as any others on any colony in D’Bringi territory.  All Mintek citizens currently within D’Bringi territory will be withdrawn, immediately.  We will also require that in the future all trade transfers will be limited to one location that will be selected by my government.  This outpost will be the sole point of contact for our two races, until and unless further contact is negotiated between the two governments.   Finally, we require that all D’Bringi within the Mintek Union be returned to our custody within three months.  This is non-negotiable.  If you refuse, then I am authorized to cancel the trade treaty between our two nations, and will instead insist on only limited contact in the future.”  Skull Splitter watched the Mintek, interested in the changes that came over the alien.  He wasn’t familiar with Mintek facial expressions, as his race’s faces were covered in scales and relatively inflexible.  The Mintek were much like the humans, though, and their faces could express a wide range of emotions.  His desk comp had been loaded with their best information on the Mintek, and small data boxes were now appearing around the Mintek’s face, indicating that he was expressing unhappiness and stress.

“I am dismayed by your stance, Clan Chief.  This is not what we want.  The D’Bringi are a remarkable race, and we are learning so much from you.  We would not want our current level of intercourse to stop.”  The Mintek’s visage changed then, and the data boxes on Skull Splitter’s monitor indicated that he was now expressing stern determination.  “We cannot make you trade with us, however much we wish that condition to continue.  However, we cannot abandon the faithful D’Bringi that have been brought to the light of Union.  We will allow any D’Bringi within our territory to return to the D’Bringi Expanses, should they wish to do so, however, we will not force them, and to be honest, considering the way they were treated by your clans, I do not think many will elect to return to that life.  We will withdraw our people from your territory, if you require it, but we will require assurances that the faithful within your territory will be respected and granted the freedom to continue their belief as they see fit.  And I’m afraid that I will have to insist that such assurances be monitored by Mintek Seekers qualified to evaluate the true conditions amongst the faithful within your territories.”

Skull Splitter gaped at the monitor.  The sheer affrontery of this Mintek was shocking.  It had been a long time since the D’Bringi clans had had to deal with anything as primitive as religion, which had been a thing on D’Bringi Prime in ancient times but had faded away naturally as D’Bringi society advanced.  In truth, the clans had done much to aid that process, finding the old religions an impediment to their control of the masses, but in any case, no D’Bringi had worshiped something as primitive as a god in ages.  He found himself at a loss trying to believe what the Mintek was saying, and instead he could only feel that the Mintek was lying, using this situation to push for an advantage for his race and his government, and to continue the penetration of D’Bringi space.  The thought that the Mintek believed what he was saying was unthinkable.  Skull Splitter knew that he couldn’t risk another war, but he also could not allow this situation to continue, or allow what this Neeron was proposing.  “Unacceptable.  If that is your position, then I’m afraid that we must withdraw from the trade treaty.  Your people will be returned as soon as is possible.  I request that you return the D’Bringi you have taken, but if you are adamant in keeping them then I will not insist.  They, however, will be the last D’Bringi that you take.  Your ‘Seekers’ will have no access to our territory, this is unacceptable.  That would be an intolerable violation of our sovereignty, and we cannot allow it.”  Once again Skull Splitter had the feeling that the situation was slipping beyond his control, but he simply could not allow what the Mintek was requiring, even in the face of a two-front war. 

Neeron shook his head.  “This is your final decision?  I cannot change your mind?”

“No, I’m afraid you cannot, unless you are willing to agree to my conditions.”

Neeron turned from the pickup and gestured to someone off screen.  “Then I’m afraid our negotiations are over.  I am truly sorry that you cannot hear what I have to say.  We only care about the wellbeing of your race and people.  I am sorrowful that you do not.”

The large Mintek small craft turned away, and accelerated back towards the waiting battlecruiser.  Skull Splitter signaled his pilot to turn back as well.  Several minutes later the two small craft docked with their mother ships.  By the time Skull Splitter had made it to the bridge, the Mintek ship had turned and was moving away at maximum cruising speed.  After a moment’s thought, Skull Splitter ordered his task group to follow.  They were in D’Bringi Space, and he intended to ensure that they left. 

Just over a half hour later, a drive field contact appeared in front of the D’Bringi task group, approximately thirty-six light minutes away.  Skull Splitter did not believe in coincidences.  This was a Mintek fleet.  And, after checking, he confirmed that it was sitting just outside of the detection radius of the Phyriseq colony.  And, interestingly, whatever it was had activated its drives at right around the time it would have taken for a light-speed comms message to arrive from the Mintek battlecruiser ahead of them.  Skull Splitter ordered his fleet to continue shadowing the withdrawing Mintek battlecruiser. 

Month 116, Day 21, Phyriseq system
Skull Splitter willed his body to stillness as the databoxes on the main plot began filling with information.  They were finally close enough to the Mintek drive field contact to learn more about the composition of the squadron that they faced.  They had learned some time ago that the Mintek squadron was composed of eighteen ships, plus the battlecruiser that had come to meet them.  This outnumbered his task force of thirteen, and was concerning.  However, on the plus side, the approaching Mintek squadron was only moving at two-thirds of his current cruising speed, for some reason.  No one had been able to determine the reason for this, unless some of the Mintek ships were damaged.  One officer had suggested that the Mintek had built ships with slower top speeds in order to devote more mass to defenses and weapons, but this was generally regarded as a stupid approach to ship design. 

There were gasps around the heavy cruiser’s bridge as the new information was displayed.  The captain of the Indefatigable turned to the Clan Chief.  “Excellency, the enemy squadron is composed of six strength twenty drives, seven strength fifteen drives, and six strength seven drives.  All are military drives. 

Skull Splitter grunted.  So, seven battlecruisers and six destroyers.  But what were the strength twenties?  “Captain, any ideas on the strength twenties?”

“No, Excellency.  They match no known profile.”

Skull Splitter considered the situation for a moment.  He had ordered his task force to turn and run ahead of the Mintek squadron, keeping the range open for now, but he needed more information about what they faced.  “The squadron will come about and close on the Mintek force to ten light seconds range.”

“Very well.”  The Indefatigable’s commander turned away and began issuing orders. 

Skull Splitter watched as the two groups of ships closed.  Ten light seconds range would allow them to gather more information, but was still two and a half light seconds beyond the range of capital missiles, so they should be safe enough.  And unless the Mintek were deliberately going much slower than their actual top speed, he felt fairly confident that he could choose the range at which he followed, or fought, them.  Just then the plot chimed, signaling the fact that it was updating with new information. 

“Sir, we have confirmed seven battlecruisers and six destroyers, but the strength twenty drive fields belong to no known class.  Each of them is 60% larger than one of our battlecruisers.”  The captain sounded aghast. 

Skull Splitter had been leaning forward in his chair.  Now he settled back, lost in thought.  The Mintek had ships that were 60% larger than any warship in known space.  A ship like that could carry a lot of extra armor, shields, and weapons, and would be a formidable foe in battle.  He thought furiously as the D’Bringi ships turned and kept pace with the Mintek force, keeping the range at ten light seconds.  His force was the most advanced in the D’Bringi Expanse.  All of his cruisers, except the former border patrol squadron, were either new construction or had recently been refitted, and were of the latest designs with the latest weapons and defenses.  But they were out-massed by better than two to one, and those behemoths fielded by the Mintek were…concerning…to say the least, and would be of concern even if they weren’t so severely out-massed. 

Skull Splitter thought for a time, as the two groups of ships ran towards the Phyriseq colony.  During this time the Mintek showed no signs of increasing speed, and did not deviate from their course towards the colony.  The large ships of the Mintek were concerning, but they clearly had weaknesses as well, chief among their weaknesses apparently being that they were slow.  Skull Splitter knew, from his discussions with the Clan’s shipbuilders, that hulls larger than battlecruisers were possible, but he and the other Clan Leaders had been reluctant to fund their development.  Speed was life for the clan fleets, and the shipbuilders had been clear that any hull larger than a battlecruiser would be slower, so the Clan Leaders had passed on funding development of the larger hulls.  It seemed that the Mintek had decided that the advantages of the larger hulls outweighed being slower, and had built and deployed them.  The Mintek force was formidable, but slow, giving him an advantage. 

“Captain, open the range to one light minute.  Once that is done, arrange a meeting for me with the senior clan representatives, and the Keeper-Commander of the battlecruiser.  Then, we need to send out warnings to the home world and the main fleet.”  In spite of being outnumbered, they still had many options.  In the meantime, the command ship spit out a number of CD’s.  The CD’s all headed for the jump point to the rest of the D’Bringi Expanses.

One hour later, after meeting with his subordinates, Skull Splitter issued his orders.  The D’Bringi force, which had been running ahead of the Mintek force, towards the Phyriseq colony, now turned 90 degrees and accelerated to its maximum cruising speed.  Initially the Mintek force continued towards the D’Bringi colony, however, when the D’Bringi fleet circled around the Mintek ships and set its course for the warp point to the Mintek home system, the Mintek fleet came about and began pursuing the D’Bringi force.  By then the D’Bringi task force had reduced its cruising speed to match that of the Mintek force, maintaining a one light minute separation.  Their ETA to the warp point to the Mintek home system was fourteen days.

Month 116, Day 22, Phyriseq System
The CD’s dispatched by Skull Splitter reached the warp point from the Phyriseq system to the Chruqua warp nexus.  Once through the warp point, they split into two groups, one headed towards the home world and the other towards the fleet on the front lines. 

[Kurt (OP)]

Month 116, Day 30, D’Bringi Home system
“And so, my inquisitors detained the entire group of Mintek and their D’Bringi followers that were sent to the T’Pau colonial system.  In addition, they have detained any T’Pau or D’Bringi that had any significant contact with them.  All have been questioned.  They appear to be exactly what they claim to be, religious missionaries intent on setting up temples in the T’Pau cities in their colony in the Boche system.  Their transports carried no weapons or other illicit materials, and their only violation of Expanse laws or customs is that this entire venture was undertaken in secrecy, without proper approvals.”

Burning Blade, Clan Chief of the B’Regest clan and the only major clan leader still in the home system, shook his head as the Keeper-Cleric filled him in on the situation on the T’Pau colonial system.  “This doesn’t seem too bad, except for the ongoing strangeness in the Phyriseq system, where Skull Splitter insists there is more going on than it appears on the surface.”

The Keeper-Cleric gestured in the negative.  “No!  This is bad.  It would be bad enough that they are attempting to subvert our people, but in sending a mission to the Rehorish and the T’Pau they are attempting to destabilize our entire alliance!  We must act, and act now!”

Burning Blade made his own gesture in negation.  “What would you have us do?  The entire force available to us in the home system amounts to two clan cruisers, and if I’m not mistaken you are limited to one battlecruiser, as well.”  Burning Blade rushed on before the other could speak.  “I know, we’ll have an additional three cruisers out of the yards in days, but that is still not a formidable force.  I repeat, what would you have us do?”

The Keeper-Cleric stood.  “I would have us do the only thing we can.  We must give all of the information that we have about the Mintek to the Rehorish, and inform them that a state of war now exists between the D’Bringi Expanses and the Mintek.  We must activate our alliance with them, and request that they send their reserve forces to the Chruqua nexus, to join with our forces.   Surely, they will see that the nexus is the critical point to be defended, as their colony, which is adjacent to the nexus as well, is threatened.   And we must prevail upon the T’Pau to send their reserves as well.  Everything must be sent to the Chruqua system!”

Burning Blade pondered this for a few seconds.  There was merit to what the Keeper was saying, but…  “What about our fleet facing the humans in the Duril system?  What of them?”

“They must remain in the system for now, keeping the humans bottled up.  Meanwhile, we rush everything we can find to reinforce Skull Splitter!”

Burning Blade had no better ideas, so he agreed.  “Very well.  It will be as you say.” 

The CD’s to the Rehorish and the T’Pau went out two hours later. 

The brand-new communications network set up by the Keepers functioned beautifully, getting the message to the T’Pau home world in a mere eight hours.  The message to the Rehorish had farther to go, and would reach the Rehorish home world in twenty-four hours.  The D’Bringi Alliance would be mobilized against the new threat. 

[Kurt (OP)]

Month 117
The Enlightened Union, allies of the Coalition, achieve IND-2 tech level this month.  The Union begins development of many of the systems that are now available to them, the cost of which is covered, in part, by a loan from the Coalition. 

The Coalition launches three CL’s and six battlecruisers, all of which begin working up in the inner system.  In addition, repairs are completed on a heavy cruiser, a destroyer, and two corvettes, all of which join the newly launched ships exercising in the inner system.   Finally, two new BS0’s were completed in the Epsilon Eridani system, and nine were launched in the Sligo system. 

The USSR launched four light cruisers and eight escorts, and completed repairs on two battlecruisers and four escorts. 

The D’Bringi launched one new heavy cruiser, completed repairs on a battlecruiser, two heavy cruisers, and a corvette, and finished refitting two heavy cruisers.   

The Tarek, in the Coalition Sligo system, send out expeditions to establish mining bases on four moons in their system, avoiding the Coalition colony. 

Month 117, Day 1, Rehorish Home World
The alert from the D’Bringi government arrived at the Rehorish home world on this date.  The message contained a full data-dump on the Mintek race and the warp link layout from Rehorish territory to the Mintek home system.  Interestingly, the Rehorish discovered that the D’Bringi colony system of Phyriseq, which was their contact point with the Mintek, also had a warp point link to a starless nexus that the D’Bringi had never bothered to survey.  This nexus was already known to the Rehorish, as it lay in the Soviet colonial territories and was under their control.  The Rehorish government decided to keep this interesting fact secret for now.  The Rehorish government had been suspicious of D’Bringi involvement with the Mintek after the incursion into their colonial system of Kumamoto, however, with this message the Rehorish were convinced that the D’Bringi were not plotting against them, but were rather the victims of subversion by the Mintek.  This was concerning, but the Rehorish government was not yet convinced that it was in their interests to start a war with yet another race.  However, given the proximity of the Kumamoto colonial system to the events transpiring in the D’Bringi Expanses, the Rehorish government decided to send a significant portion of their reserves to the D’Bringi Chruqua nexus to meet with the D’Bringi fleet, to determine the seriousness of the situation. 

The Rehorish Reserve Fleet consisted of six cruisers and three destroyers, and set out shortly after the message was received.  This left the Rehorish home system nearly stripped of ships.   

Month 117, Day 2, D’Bringi Prime and Duril System
CD’s from Skull Splitter arrived on this date at the D’Bringi home world and in the Duril system, location of the D’Bringi Forward Fleet. These CD’s brought the news that the D’Bringi were at war with the Mintek, and that a Mintek fleet had entered D’Bringi space.  Clan Chief Fortress Breaker, commander of the combined clan fleets that made up the Forward Fleet, immediately shared the information with his Rehorish counterpart.  At this point, the Rehorish fleet greatly out-massed the D’Bringi fleet, which had been much reduced first in battle against the humans, and then by the long pursuit.  Eight of his ships were awaiting repair in the Yeack (Leningrad) system, and another four had just completed repairs and were holding in the Yeack system as reserves, depending on the next decision he made. 

Fortress Breaker’s problem was that his forces were too weak, by themselves, to change the situation against the Mintek.  The Rehorish fleet, however, was most impressive, and was as yet largely undamaged by the war.  Based on Skull Splitter’s reports, he needed the Rehorish fleet to defeat the Mintek.  Therefore, he reached out to Cho-sho Banzan, to begin negotiations.  Much to his surprise, he found his fellow commander ahead of him.  The Rehorish fleet commander had received several communiques from his home world, warning of the Mintek threat, and ordering him to avoid significant losses until the new situation could be assessed.  In light of the new information from Clan Chief Skull Splitter, Cho-sho Banzan was inclined to agree to move to face this new threat in as expeditious manner as was possible.  There was one condition, though.  The Rehorish would insist on an agreement similar to the one they had with the D’Bringi concerning the humans.  The income derived from the conquest of the Mintek would be split between the two races 50-50.  He didn’t require Fortress Breaker to agree to this demand, as it was almost certainly under negotiation between their respective governments as they spoke, but he did want Fortress Breaker to be aware of the Rehorish conditions.  Fortress Breaker readily agreed to approve the Rehorish demand, as he was fairly sure his fellow clan chiefs would agree, but then they settled down to the real issue that faced them.   Should they withdraw all of their forces, or leave some to keep them bottled up in their home system.  They couldn’t afford to leave behind significant forces, as to do so would weaken them against the Mintek at a critical time, but if they didn’t leave any ships behind, the human scouts that still lurked in this system would alert the human fleets in their home system that the D’Bringi and Rehorish fleets had retreated.  If the humans followed quickly enough, they could shadow their fleet to the Yeack system, and perhaps, if they followed closely enough, even pursue them to their closed warp point and into D’Bringi space, which would be a disaster to rival the Mintek invasion. 

The two leaders discussed the situation for some time, then brought their respective staffs in on the question.  For two days they wrangled, trying out different approaches.  Finally, they made a decision.  Freighters began picking up the mines emplaced around the warp point to the human’s home system, and then the entire force set out for the Yeack system. 

The departing alien fleets were watched carefully by several Coalition scouts positioned to watch the space along the path between the warp point to the Solar System and the warp point to the Yeack system.  Those scouts sent messages to other scouts positioned just outside of sensor range of the warp point to the Solar system, and those scouts promptly launched CD’s which raced towards the warp point. 

Twelve hours later the CD’s from the scouts reached the WP to Sol and jumped through, without opposition.