"The Syndics can move faster than us, Captain Casia. They have the advantage of a hypernet they can use." Why did he have to explain something so simple?

Commander Yin spoke up again as if she had been encouraged by some sign Geary had missed. "Returning this fleet to Alliance s.p.a.ce as quickly as possible is critical to the war effort," she noted as if uttering a profound observation.

"If this fleet doesn't survive to reach Alliance s.p.a.ce," Captain Duellos drawled, "it won't do much for the war effort."

"We're fighting our way home," Captain Desjani added with a glare at Yin. "We're inflicting damage on the Syndics every step of the way home."

Instead of replying, Commander Yin bent one corner of her mouth as she looked at Desjani, as if her words were somehow amusing. Desjani obviously caught the expression, too, her face hardening. But before she could say anything else, Captain Tulev spoke up. "We're also tying up most of the Syndic fleet trying to find us and stop us," Tulev tossed in blandly. "They can't take advantage of our absence from Alliance s.p.a.ce to attack the Alliance, because they need to use almost everything they have to hunt us."

Commander Yin glanced around, didn't see whatever she was looking for, and subsided with a dark expression.

It was past time to say something to remind everyone that they were part of the same fleet. "The Alliance needs us home," Geary stated in a quiet voice that required all of the other officers to listen closely. "The Alliance ships that didn't accompany this fleet and are now holding off the Syndics are surely counting on us getting back. The Syndics are just as desperately trying to stop us from getting home. Every day this fleet continues to operate behind Syndic lines is a victory for the Alliance and a defeat for the Syndics. When we get home, we'll do so with our heads held high and with a Syndic fleet that's a lot smaller, thanks to the victories we've already won and will continue to win. Our ancestors will be proud of us." He paused. Everyone was watching him, but there didn't seem to be anything else he should add. "Thank you. You'll get maneuvering orders for the jump to Sendai within the hour."

The images of ship commanders disappeared like a flurry of soap bubbles vanishing under a strong wind. Captain Desjani, still glowering toward the place where Commander Yin had appeared to be seated, stood up and with a mumbled, "Excuse me, sir," quickly departed the room.

That left one image still seated, now leaning back, boots resting on the table surface. If he hadn't known it was a projection reflecting the actions of a man on another ship, Geary would have sworn the other officer was actually here with him. "Captain Duellos," Geary greeted the image of the man. "Thanks for staying."

Duellos's virtual presence smiled. "It's not that much of a hardship."

"I'm still grateful." Geary sat down again and sighed. "There were a couple of things I wanted to ask you."

"Is something wrong? Or perhaps I should ask, is something else wrong?"

Geary made a twisted smile, and he nodded to acknowledge the point. "Nothing that didn't come up at the meeting, I think."

"The usual subsurface intrigue and counterproductive debate," Duellos observed, examining his fingernails.

"Yeah." Routine not-quite-disrespectful-or-mutinous behavior from some of the fleet's officers. "I am curious about something."

The figure of Duellos stood up, walked over to the seat opposite Geary, and sat down. "Policy issues? Personnel?"

"Both. First, what can you tell me about Captain Casia?"

Duellos's lip curled. "An officer of very modest gifts, so modest that he was even outshone by Captain Numos. Are you wondering why he was so big a pain at the last fleet conference and now this one?"

"Yeah."

"Because both Numos and Captain Faresa are currently under arrest. That leaves an abuse-of-power vacuum within the Third Battleship Division," Duellos noted. "As you may have guessed, that division has been a dumping ground for problem commanding officers."

Geary pondered that. In his time, with so few capital ships available, the idea of devoting a division of battleships to isolating problem officers would have been unthinkable. "How serious a problem is Casia?"

"Hard to say," Duellos admitted, his image frowning. "Alone, he's most likely to do damage by messing up badly. But if he serves as a rallying point for those who want to contest your command, he could be a dangerous figurehead for more capable officers who want to keep their true motivations hidden."

Unfortunately, that a.s.sessment matched Geary's worst fears. "Would you feel comfortable speculating on who those other officers might be?"

Duellos let his discomfort show. "I would prefer not to do so, sir. If I had evidence or direct knowledge, it would be one thing. But I'm very hesitant to accuse others based on speculation."

"I understand. Frankly, I don't want to be the sort of commander who tries to spy out subordinates who might be troublemakers." He'd never imagined being that kind of commander, actually, because a century ago the fleet's culture wouldn't have accepted such behavior.

"It's not exactly unheard of," Duellos suggested. "As I'm sure you've figured out by now, you're going against the common practice for a fleet commander by not conducting espionage against your own subordinate commanders to find out who can be trusted and who cannot."

For some reason, that brought an ironic smile to Geary's lips. "A century ago a fleet commander was expected to be qualified to make such judgments without spying on subordinates."

"A simpler time. Like much else, current practice is excused by the fact that we're in a war for survival."

"It makes a great excuse, doesn't it? But I can't imagine our ancestors look upon it with favor." Geary shook his head. "I refuse to conduct a witch hunt among my officers."

Duellos eyed Geary for a long moment. "And if the price for your honor is the loss of this fleet and the loss of the war for the Alliance?"

"Are you trying to convince me to act against my own officers based on suspicions?" Geary asked. "I'm surprised."

"And disappointed?" Duellos waved one hand in a dismissive gesture. "I happen to believe that if this fleet makes it home, it will be because we remembered the honor of our ancestors." His gaze shifted to the star field on one bulkhead. "It seems so obvious, really. Deplorable practices adopted during the last century were repeatedly declared necessary if regrettable in order to win the war. Oddly enough, we've yet to win. You'd think somebody would have asked before this why the regrettable but necessary measures haven't actually produced the promised results. Not until you came along and started us really thinking about it instead of just accepting it." Duellos sighed. "No, I'm just playing devil's advocate, Captain Geary. Every commander needs someone like that, don't they?"

"At least one," Geary agreed.

"And you have not only me but also Co-President Rione." Duellos gave Geary a speculative look. "How's that going? If I may ask."

"Your guess is as good as mine."

"She's a strong woman, and a hard woman, and as respected as any politician can be among the fleet."

"I have plenty of experience with the first two descriptions, and I don't doubt the last." Geary shrugged. "She's been distant since Ilion. I don't know why. She won't say."

"The commanders of ships from the Rift Federation and the Callas Republic have confided in me that Co-President Rione has been uncharacteristically disengaged lately," Duellos observed. "She seems to be more distant with them as well."

"That's odd." I've been a.s.suming I did something. But then why would Rione be acting the same way to the ships from her own republic? From all I've seen of her, Rione has a lot of personal concern for those ships and their crews. "I'll see what I can find out. It's certainly puzzling to see that kind of behavior from someone like Rione."

Duellos nodded.

"Speaking of puzzles, though, I've noticed something that I don't understand. My latest thorn in my side, Captain Casia, is a battleship commander," Geary noted.

"Yes," Duellos agreed, clearly wondering why Geary had brought that up.

"So are, or were, people like Numos, Faresa, and Kerestes. Meanwhile, I've got commanders like you, Desjani, Tulev, and Cresida who are excellent officers and all command battle cruisers." Duellos spread his hands in a self-mocking gesture of humility and nodded. "Why?"

"Why?" Duellos repeated, perplexed now.

"Why are my battleship commanders of lower quality than my battle cruiser commanders?" Geary asked bluntly.

Duellos had the look of a man who'd just been asked why s.p.a.ce was dark. "That's the way the fleet works. The most promising officers go to the battle cruisers. Those who aren't judged good enough to command battle cruisers go to battleships."

Geary waited, but Duellos seemed to think the arrangement didn't require further explanation. "Okay, that's how things work. But why? In my day, battleships were seen as the highest and most prestigious command. Battle cruisers were important, too, but ranked below battleships."

It may have been the first time that Geary actually startled Duellos. "Are you serious? But battleships are slow. Ponderous. They're powerful, but they don't lead the fleet into battle!"

"Lead the fleet?"

"Yes!" Duellos made a sweeping gesture. "Battle cruisers are fast. They lead the charges, they make the first contact with the enemy-"

"They die faster and more frequently because they lack the same level of protection that battleships have," Geary interrupted.

"Naturally," Duellos agreed, still seeming baffled. "We don't go into battle to hide behind armor. We go to fight. And the battle cruisers are in the forefront of the fight."

It suddenly made sense. A fleet culture that valued combat above everything else, that saw the highest virtue in coming to grips with the enemy as fast as possible, that had grown to disdain anything that could be called defensive in favor of always seeking to be on the attack. Of course the best officers would aspire to command the most offensive-oriented ships, and the least regarded officers would be sent to the ships that emphasized defensive capability along with their ma.s.sive armament.

But there was a serious problem with that way of thinking. Geary wondered if he had finally discovered one of the things that had worked to cripple leadership in the fleet. "Captain Duellos, think about what the fleet is doing. It's been putting its best officers on the ships most likely to die and keeping its worst officers on the ships that are most heavily protected. Doesn't that strike you as a fairly insane way of doing business in the long run?"

Duellos frowned in thought. "I hadn't considered it in that light. But the fleet needs its best in the fastest and less heavily armored ships. A less-capable officer can survive in a battleship because they're much harder to kill, you see."

Geary couldn't help a sudden laugh. "The system is designed to protect less capable officers?"

This time Duellos's frown was deeper. "I've never heard it put that way. The usual way of thinking is that the defenses of a battleship can compensate for any shortcomings in its commanding officer."

That almost made sense in a strange way. "Do the Syndics do the same thing?"

"I don't know," Duellos admitted. "I a.s.sume so."

If so, at least both sides had been working to wipe out their best officers as quickly as possible. Once again Geary wondered why an intelligent alien race would need to take measures against humanity when the human race kept demonstrating great skill and enthusiasm at working against itself. "At least now I understand something important. Just between you and me, I think this is a crazy way of doing things, but for now I obviously can't change it." If he kept losing battle cruisers, he'd also keep losing his best senior officers. But there wasn't any way he knew of to keep those battle cruisers out of combat when the fleet clashed with the Syndics. Even his best officers wouldn't accept that. It was too contrary to the way they'd been trained, the way they believed, the way they'd always fought. But I'd better think of a way to preserve my battle cruisers, or this fleet is doomed. "Is there anything else I should know that I haven't figured out already?"

Duellos frowned and seemed to hesitate. "You're aware that your opponents in the fleet continue to spread rumors in an attempt to diminish your standing."

"Yeah. Old news. Are they saying anything new?"

Another, deeper, frown. "I'm of two minds about telling you, Captain Geary. But you surely noticed the byplay between Captain Desjani and Commander Yin toward the end of the conference."

"Yes, I did. What was that?"

Duellos spoke with clear reluctance. "I doubt that Captain Desjani has heard, unless someone claiming to be a friend has pa.s.sed on the rumors, but you should probably be aware that some of the rumors claim that you and Captain Desjani enjoy a close relationship."

It was Geary's turn to frown. "I take it you mean something more than a close professional relationship."

Duellos nodded, his expression reflecting distaste at having to discuss the matter.

"Are they claiming I'm cheating on Rione? I thought the whole fleet knew about her."

"Apparently you're able to keep two women happy," Duellos replied, then quirked a sardonic smile. "One man allegedly able to keep the likes of Rione and Desjani contented. By all rights that should enhance your reputation, I'd think."

"It's not exactly funny," Geary responded.

"No. It implicates not just your honor but also Captain Desjani's, and for that matter Co-President Rione's." Duellos shrugged. "Anyone seen as your ally is fair game for those who oppose you."

"Including you?"

Duellos nodded silently, and Geary shook his head. "I shouldn't be surprised. But I'll watch my step with Desjani, ensuring there's nothing that even the most twisted mind could warp into some kind of improper action between us."

"Twisted minds are enormously inventive," Duellos pointed out. "If you were on my ship, they'd probably be spreading the same rumors about you and me."

"No offense, Captain Duellos, but you're not my type."

"None taken," Duellos replied with a grin. "Besides, my wife would look askance on such a relationship."

"Women can be like that," Geary agreed, recalling that Duellos had a family back in Alliance s.p.a.ce, then couldn't help a small, derisive smile. "For a guy allegedly with two women, I'm sure not getting lucky very often."

"Look at the bright side," Duellos offered. "If you really were cheating on Rione with Desjani, or vice versa, one or both of those women would surely kill you and laugh as they watched you die. Women can be like that, too."

"They can indeed. Especially women like Rione and Desjani. Thanks for the heads-up on those rumors. I don't want anyone's honor questioned on my account." Geary hesitated as another question came to mind along with memories of Rione. "That stuff that Captain Badaya brought up, about the hypernet gatesa"

Duellos nodded calmly. "We managed to defuse that."

"How much do you know about that?"

"Species extinction." Captain Duellos leaned back again, closing his eyes for a moment. "Supernovas or novas going off in every star system with a hypernet gate in it. Commander, pardon me, Captain Cresida has let a small group of us know of the potential threat. She antic.i.p.ated you might need backing up on the matter." Opening his eyes, Duellos gave Geary a serious look. "I hope you won't be angry with her. I think Cresida was wise to tell a few of us, as you saw during this conference when the subject came up."

"I did see that," Geary admitted. "You're right. She was smart to do it. I'm frankly afraid for anyone to know, but if we're to prevent the worst from happening, some people have to know."

"Who else have you told?"

"Only Co-President Rione."

"Ah. An Alliance senator." Duellos grimaced. "The Alliance Senate would vote to use the gates, to explode the ones within Syndic s.p.a.ce. You know that, don't you?"

"That's was Rione's a.s.sessment, too. And the Syndics would have time to figure out what we were doing and retaliate in kind."

Duellos nodded, suddenly looking older. "If you get this fleet home, you carry with it the knowledge to wipe out the human race."

"Yup." Geary slumped and rubbed his forehead. "Do you want to take over command?"

"Not on your life." Duellos's eyes strayed to the star display. "Perhaps the living stars have decided humanity is a hopeless case."

"The living stars didn't create the hypernet gates," Geary replied, his voice harsh.

"If they guided us, it's the same-"

"Someoneasomething else gave us that technology. I'm sure of it."

Duellos pondered the words for a long time before answering. "Some thing. Nonhuman?"

"That's my guess. Rione agrees with it. We think they're on the far side of Syndic s.p.a.ce."

"An interesting idea." Another long pause. "They gave us poison wrapped in candy and are just waiting for us to pop it into our mouths?"

"Maybe." Geary made a gesture toward the star display. "We can only guess at their motivations. They're right that humanity is just stupid enough to take their gift and wipe itself out, but they forgot something else about people."

Duellos raised a questioning eyebrow. "And that would be?"

"We hate being told what to do, and we're very unpredictable."

The other officer smiled. "True. May I share this information?"