"Then going to Lakota is her decision?"

Backs stiffened all along the table. Geary had no difficulty measuring the reaction to that suggestion. He also knew that if Rione was going to object to the plan at this conference, she'd just been handed the perfect vehicle for doing that. "As I have stated before, Co-President Rione does not make decisions regarding the movements of this fleet," he stated firmly.

Rione spoke up, her voice flat. "As a member of the Alliance Senate, I have no command authority in this fleet, Captain Midea. Were you unaware of that?"

Midea's face reddened. "If Co-President Rione has a great deal of influence over the decisions of the commander of this fleet, it amounts to the same thing."

Rione smiled thinly. "I'm perfectly willing to swear on the honor of my ancestors that Captain Geary has rarely followed my advice regarding the movements of this fleet."

"The honor of a politician," someone muttered.

Some but not all of the commanding officers from the Callas Republic ships scowled. A number of other officers around the table reacted to the insult with small smiles. Most kept their expressions unrevealing.

Geary knew his own feelings were easy enough to read. "Does my honor satisfy anyone who doubts what Co-President Rione said?" he challenged. Rione hadn't used the opportunity to openly express her doubts in Geary's decision, leaving him both relieved and grateful.

Only silence answered him, until Captain Mosko spoke awkwardly. "You'd be expected to defend her, Captain Geary. Under the circ.u.mstances of your relationship. That's also the act of an honorable officer."

"Co-President Rione does not give orders to Captain Geary, and if she tried to do so, he wouldn't listen," Captain Desjani stated in a clear, emotionless voice. "That is my judgment from direct observation of Captain Geary on the bridge of Dauntless. I say this on my honor, and I trust no one believes that Co-President Rione and I have any relationship that would obligate me to defend her."

"You obviously feel obligated to defend Captain Geary," Captain Midea replied in a tone that implied that Desjani's obligation wasn't based on purely professional grounds.

Desjani turned a hard gaze on her fellow officer. "Captain Midea, I will defend any officer who can defeat our enemies, especially one who can do so as Captain Geary does. He is my fleet commander, and he has honor. My enemies are the Syndics and anyone who a.s.sists them."

The silence this time held an even sharper edge of tension. Captain Casia broke it, though with seeming reluctance to back Midea's intemperate words. "Discussion and debate among commanding officers are accepted within the fleet. They are not cause for accusations of treason."

"Did I accuse someone of treason?" Desjani asked.

Geary spoke in the awkward quiet that followed. "Open discussion and debate are accepted, though not once a course of action has been decided upon. I know there are some officers in this fleet who say things in private that they decline to repeat openly. I've said before and will repeat that I encourage suggestions and constructive comments, but I also repeat that as the commander of this fleet, I have the duty and responsibility to make the decisions and issue the orders."

Captain Badaya nodded. "That's what we've learned to expect of you," he stated with a scornful glance toward Casia. "If we can't use the hypernet gate at Lakota, what will be the next objective?"

Grateful for a chance to get back to discussing operational matters rather than real or imagined relationships, Geary gestured toward the display. "We'd have a couple of good options. Which way we go will depend partly on whatever we find in Lakota and how much combat results from that." He looked down the virtual length of the table toward Captain Tyrosian and the other auxiliaries' commanders. "Thanks to the outstanding efforts of our auxiliaries, we've been able to get fuel cell and expendable munitions stocks back up to decent levels, even though we're short of one hundred percent across the board. But doing that has used up a majority of the raw materials we've acquired to date. We'll need to find more to restock the bunkers in the auxiliaries. The urgency of that restocking will depend on how many fuel cells we have to burn at Lakota and how many weapons we have to expend."

"We seem to spend a great deal of time either guarding the auxiliaries or getting them restocked," Intrepid's commanding officer grumbled.

"If we didn't," Captain Duellos pointed out in a cheerful voice, "you'd be in a Syndic labor camp by now, since it's hard to fight without fuel or weapons."

The commander of Bracer nodded. "My ship took a lot of damage at Daiquon. The engineers have been working themselves to exhaustion helping us on the repairs. My crew and I are happy to continue escorting them while we're being brought back to fully operational status."

A number of officers looked toward Commander Yin and the acting commanding officers of Majestic and Warrior. All three battleships were having extensive damage repaired, and none of their commanding officers had spoken up for the auxiliaries. "We're grateful, too," Commander Suram of Warrior stated quickly. "We may be operational in time for Lakota."

Revenge's captain smiled. "The Fourth Division hasn't been the same without you." The smile faded. "We still owe the Syndics for Triumph. We'll be glad to have Warrior helping us pay them back some more."

Damage. Geary frowned down at the table, trying to recall the details of his most badly damaged ships. t.i.tan had repaired the mine damage it had suffered, and Warrior was coming along well, but both Orion and Majestic were still barely capable, and a number of lighter units were working hard to get back in shape. If he only had two months free of Syndic pursuit in a resource-rich star systemawith a dockyard availableaa big dockyardaI might as well wish for an unguarded Syndic hypernet gate. That's about as likely to happen. "We will continue paying back the Syndics," he added out loud. "The fleet will be adjusting its course for the jump point to Lakota. We'll enter the jump point a little slower than we did here and this time execute an immediate preplanned turn to port right out of the jump exit at Lakota to avoid any Syndic minefields. We'll be prepared again to fight coming out of jump, but I don't expect to encounter a very close blocking force at Lakota like we did here."

"Once the Syndics authorities here in Ixion report on how easily we wiped out the defenders of the jump point from Daiquon, I don't think the Syndic high command will be repeating that tactic," Tulev observed.

"They'll only repeat it if we're lucky," Geary replied, drawing some more smiles. "Are there any questions? Good. I'll see you all again in Lakota."

This time as the figures of the ship captains vanished rapidly, they left four figures in the conference room beside Geary. Captain Desjani, of course, but also Captains Badaya, Duellos, and Tyrosian.

Tyrosian gave surprised glances to Badaya and Duellos, then spoke rapidly. "I just wanted to thank you, Captain Geary, for appreciating the role we play. I've worked for a number of commanders who just see the difficulties auxiliaries create. It's good to work for someone who knows we're necessary."

"I'm very grateful to have Witch, t.i.tan, Jinn, and Goblin in the fleet," Geary a.s.sured her. "They're invaluable, and the efforts of their crews have been extraordinary. Please pa.s.s that on to those ships."

Tyrosian nodded, saluted hastily, then vanished.

Captain Badaya frowned toward Captain Desjani. "You shouldn't have to put up with nonsense like that from someone like Midea. Three years ago she almost got court-martialed for inappropriate behavior with her executive officer, and now she's publicly implying misconduct on your part."

Desjani made a face. "The words of someone like her don't bother me."

"The fleet would be better off if Midea were relieved of command," Badaya continued. "Unless she has a firm hand on her, Midea has always tended to impulsive actions without thinking them through. There wouldn't be much objection to be her being relieved, Captain Geary. She doesn't have a good reputation. But then neither does Captain Casia."

"Nor did Captain Numos," Duellos pointed out. "Yet many listened to him."

"That's so," Badaya admitted. "But the numbers of such officers are not increasing. I'm not the fleet commander, I don't presume to tell him what to do, but I just want him to know that he need not tolerate Midea's nonsense. And I did wish to express my regret to Captain Desjani, though I suppose there's worse fates than to be thought of as Captain Geary's choice."

Desjani flushed, clearly not pleased at the last comment, though Badaya didn't seem to notice. "Thank you, Captain Badaya," she stated without warmth.

Badaya smiled, saluted crisply, and then his image left as well.

Captain Desjani shook her head, then exhaled heavily. "I suppose I shouldn't be left alone with you, sir," she told Geary in an exasperated and angry voice, "so I'll depart before Captain Duellos does."

Duellos stepped forward. "Tanya, those who know you pay no attention to the rumors."

She nodded. "My thanks. But I still care what those who don't know me think." Saluting as well, Desjani walked quickly out of the room.

Geary gazed after her, his jaw tight. "She doesn't deserve that."

"No," Duellos agreed, "though, contrary to the opinion of Captain Badaya, getting rid of Captain Midea wouldn't improve things. I think it more likely that such an action would merely spread rumors that you'd tried to silence her for speaking up."

"You're probably right. That thing that Badaya said about her needing to be kept on a tight rein, does that match your impression?"

Duellos nodded. "Ironic, isn't it? Captain Numos, who impresses few people as a capable officer, managed to control Midea so well that her recklessness wasn't even apparent when he was in command of that battleship division."

"That is ironic. I never thought I'd have grounds for thinking Numos had any leadership skills." Geary exhaled heavily, looking back toward where Captain Desjani had sat. "How can I put a lid on those rumors? All I can think is that the best thing I can do for Desjani is to keep treating her like a fellow officer and nothing more."

"I think so, though I don't believe it helped things when Badaya somewhat clumsily blessed the idea of her as your companion. Even though he didn't say it, having a politician at your side isn't nearly as desirable in the eyes of many."

"Who I have at my side is n.o.body's business but mine! As long as I'm behaving honorably and not violating regulations, that is," Geary added.

"I don't deny that. But you're not just any fleet commander, and politicians, even ones as upright as Co-President Rione is said to be, are not trusted. Those who think like Badaya doubtless see your leaving her in favor of Desjani as the best possible outcome, two fleet officers ruling the Alliance." Duellos paused before speaking again. "Would you do it?"

"What?" Geary stared at Duellos. "How can you even ask if I'd do that? I already said I wouldn't treat Desjani that way."

Duellos bent one corner of his mouth in a derisive smile. "Sorry. I accepted your statement about Captain Desjani. I was referring to the offer that Captain Badaya made to you recently."

"Oh." Geary's outrage subsided, and he shook his head. "No. I didn't and won't accept that offer, and I told him that. How many people know about it?"

"Probably every commanding officer in the fleet." Duellos gazed straight into Geary's eyes. "I'm glad you're so firm on the matter. I have my faults and my share of frustration with our political leaders, but I take my oath to the Alliance seriously. I couldn't support you in that. I'd have to oppose you."

Geary just nodded, thinking that of course Duellos would remain loyal to the government. "Is Badaya right? Would most of the fleet back such a move by me? I'm hoping you'll say no."

"Unfortunately, I can't say that. Most likely two-thirds of the fleet would accept you as dictator, though the exact reasons might vary from captain to captain." Duellos looked away for a moment. "And of those captains who wouldn't back the move, at least some would be deposed by their crews in favor of anyone you appointed."

Geary rubbed his forehead with both hands, trying to think. "I don't even want to ask Colonel Carabali for fear she'll believe I'm sounding her out."

"The Marines?" Duellos frowned in concentration. "Now, there's a wild card. Great personal loyalty to you, no doubt, but their loyalty to the Alliance is legendary." He shrugged. "It doesn't really matter. If the crews go for you, there aren't enough Marines to overwhelm them."

"I can't believe I'm talking about this." Geary shook his head, walking slowly to one side of the room and then back. He had to make a firm stand on this, both on the outside and in his own mind. "I won't accept Badaya's offer."

Duellos smiled. "Good. Not that I believed you would, but the stakes are so high, it feels comforting to be told so directly. I wouldn't want to be on the opposite side from you."

"That makes two of us," Geary replied with his own smile. "I think we'll always be on the same side."

"Tanya Desjani would follow you. She'd be torn, but she'd be loyal to you."

"Why are you telling me that?"

"Because I don't think you'd ever ask her to break her oath, and she surely wouldn't under any other conditions, but I wanted you to know that she would do what you asked."

"Thanks." Though Geary wasn't sure why Duellos had wanted him to know that. "How do you feel about going to Lakota now? Still worried?"

Duellos smiled slightly again. "Aren't you? It's a risk. Anyplace we go from here is a risk. I think it's a risk worth taking. Sooner or later, no matter how well we guess and plan, our luck will run out, and this fleet will find itself in serious trouble. We might as well die like warriors reaching for the stars rather than like mice hiding in shadows."

"Even if there's a lot of Syndics at Lakota, that doesn't mean this fleet will die."

"Hopefully not. But if it does, you've helped us even the odds after the disaster in the Syndic home system. If we take enough Syndics with us when we go, the Alliance will still have a chance." Duellos saluted. "I'll see you in Lakota."

"WE'VE got company, sir."

Geary jerked awake in his darkened stateroom at the sound of Desjani's voice, slapping the comm panel to acknowledge the message. "How many?"

"Eight Syndic capital ships have arrived in Ixion via the jump point from Dansik. Four battleships and four battle cruisers, accompanied by six heavy cruisers and a standard mix of light cruisers and HuKs. They're about two light-hours distant, relative bearing off of our starboard beam, moving at about point one light as of two hours ago."

"They've probably turned toward us since then."

"Yes, sir. Here it is. We're seeing the turn start now, but I don't think they'll try an intercept. We're four hours and ten minutes from arrival at the jump point to Lakota."

"No," Geary agreed. At point one light just covering two light-hours' distance would take twenty hours. Since the Syndics were coming toward the Alliance fleet at an angle as the Alliance ships kept moving, the distance to be covered would be even greater. "They'll trail us through whatever jump exit we use and come in behind us there." The enemy had been sighted, but there was absolutely nothing to do about it. Turning his own fleet to intercept the Syndics would be worse than useless, since the new flotilla would simply avoid action while awaiting more reinforcements. "Thanks for the information. Continue on course for the jump point to Lakota."

"Yes, sir," Desjani replied.

He lay back down, feeling guilty. Desjani was on the bridge, monitoring the situation and watching the enemy, while he was in his stateroom in bed. Of course there was nothing he could do on the bridge, but it still felt wrong.

One of Rione's hands snaked slowly over his chest. "They'll be coming after us to Lakota?" she murmured in his ear.

"Yeah. Sorry that woke you."

"That's all right. You'll probably have trouble getting back to sleep." Her hand slid lower. "There's no sense in wasting us both being awake, is there?"

News of Syndic warships arriving in this star system didn't seem to have upset Rione. Or maybe she was trying to distract him from his worries. Or maybe she was still very worried about what would happen at Lakota and really didn't want to waste any opportunities together.

After a few moments, he stopped caring about her motivation.

GEARY sat on the bridge of Dauntless, eyeing the display showing his fleet. He'd arranged it in an old formation known as Echo Five, consisting of five subformations resembling coins, each a disk facing forward with a little depth to it. Leading the fleet was Echo Five One, built around the remnants of Captain Cresida's Fifth Battle Cruiser Division plus the understrength Seventh Battle Cruiser Division. Two battle cruiser divisions totaling only five ships combined. That was depressing if he dared think about it. With the heavy cruisers, light cruisers, and destroyers attached, the vanguard had decent fighting capability.

On either side of the main body sat Echo Five Two and Five Three, Five Two containing the eight battle cruisers of the First and Second Divisions plus plenty of lighter units, while Five Three was built around the eight battleships of the Second and Fifth Divisions plus lighter support. In the rear of the fleet, Echo Five Five contained the four auxiliaries, the damaged warships with them including Warrior, Orion, and Majestic, plus Indefatigable, Defiant, and Audacious from the Seventh Battleship Division.

The remaining five battle cruisers, including Dauntless, the thirteen other battleships, and the two scout battleships, formed the core of the main body in Fox Five Four, the rest of the heavy cruisers, light cruisers, and destroyers escorting them. Taken all in all, the Alliance fleet should be able to handle anything it encountered coming out of the jump exit at Lakota.

"All units have slowed to point zero four light speed," Captain Desjani reported. "All units report prepared to jump."

Geary nodded slowly, hoping he wasn't finally making the mistake he'd dreaded since a.s.suming command of this fleet. "All units, be prepared for combat upon exiting jump at Lakota. All units, jump now."

EIGHT.

FIVE and a half days to Lakota. Another five and a half days of staring at the endless gray nothingness of jump s.p.a.ce.

"Are you all right?" Rione asked him.

"Worried," Geary replied, keeping his eyes on the display.

She sat down next to him, her own gaze going to the display. "So tell me, how was it in the lights of jump s.p.a.ce?"

"Very funny."

"I'm not entirely joking, you know." Rione took a deep breath. "Do you remember anything?"

He glanced at her. "You mean from survival sleep?"

"Yes. A hundred years. There aren't a lot of people who've been kept suspended that long and lived. Only one I know of, actually."

"Lucky me." Geary thought about the question. "I don't honestly know. Sometimes I think I remember dreams, but those could be memories of dreams before the battle at Grendel. I jumped into the escape pod as my ship was about to blow up without time to have thought about the battle or what had happened, and when the doctors in this fleet woke me up, it was as if I'd only been asleep for a few moments. I didn't believe them at first. Thought it was some Syndic trick. I couldn't believe that everyone I'd ever known was dead, everything I'd known lost a hundred years in the past."

"And then you found out you'd become Black Jack Geary, mythical hero of the Alliance," Rione added softly.

"Yeah. The only thing that saved me was having to take command of this fleet. It forced me to pull out of my defensive sh.e.l.l." He remembered the ice that had once filled him, the cold that had tried to wall out the world around him. "If not for thata" Geary shook his head.

"Lucky us, lucky you," Rione noted.