The fleetwide alert tone sounded on nine Perseus command nets at once. A moment later, Argent’s second watch Signals officer keyed the voice channels.

“Attention all stations. Attention all stations. This is Argent Force Command on priority frequency. Engage battle conference on this channel and stand by for a message from the Flag.”

Hundreds of viewscreens on nine ships snapped to life with a high resolution and high contrast version of DSS Argent’s crest. Once all stations had acknowledged, the images of the skippers of the other ships in Jason Hunter’s strike force were arranged in a grid and displayed on all the secondary screens.

The tenth ship did not respond. Hunter turned in his chair and motioned to the Signals board operator. “Raise the Dunkerque as soon as possible. They may be getting interference from the asteroid field.”

After waiting the customary few seconds for the conference net to synchronize, the Signals operator nodded.

“Good morning, boys and girls. It’s time for us to put our plan into action, such as it is. King Two is twenty minutes behind us, and although they are still running with drive fields up, I expect it won’t be long before they start trying to close the distance. They know what happened the last time they fired on my ship without provocation, so I expect they’ll be loaded for bear and ready for anything.”

Commander Hunter spoke up. “I presume we’ll be running for the same waypoints to come around on the high side of the Steel Wheel?”

The tactical plot replaced the video grid momentarily. “Correct. We will run at standard configurations to point Uniform Tango, then launch skirmishers, drop our fields and make a continuous acceleration run for Victory Tango. If we time it right and keep a tight formation, we should reach point Whiskey Tango in about fourteen hours. By then I expect one or more of our landing parties will have secured the battle station, and we’ll have it out on the east beach about one megaclick from the gun. Commander Flynn?”

“Sir?” Raymond Flynn responded from the bridge of the Constellation.

“Commander Hunter tells me you and Commander Harcourt are our long-range combat specialists. What are your recommendations for dealing with our opponents?”

“Our advantages offset whether we stay at range or close, sir,” Harcourt replied from DSS Ajax’s weapons bay. Behind him crews worked frantically, preparing his tough little ship’s sophisticated anti-missile hardware. “King Two has the advantage in long-range firepower and strike capabilities. We’re better suited for a bar fight.”

“Explain.”

“I’m vaguely familiar with Task Force Poseidon. The Kingsblade anchors a team of three specialized capital missile platforms. Their screening vessels are there to keep those bigger ships alive so they can do what they do best. Orca and Task Force Hades do roughly the same thing, except they send fighters instead of missiles. If they get both formations close enough, they’ll eventually wear us down with numbers. One at a time, they’re manageable.”

“They can outgun us, and since they’ve got a huge standoff arsenal, they don’t have to outrun us. They can just rotate fighter strikes and hope a lucky torpedo hit penetrates our anti-fighter screen,” Flynn added. “It should be noted Kingsblade and her group can outrun the Orca’s formation. The heavy carriers in Orca’s class just aren’t set up for running and gunning.”

“So the operative question becomes: Is there any way to split that force between here and Whiskey Tango?” Commander Teller asked from aboard the Spruance.

“Not likely unless we split ours,” Commander Hunter replied. “Or if they are reckless enough to send one of their capital platforms after Dunkerque and the battle station. As long as they stick together, they have the advantage at range.”

“Then perhaps we should re-consider closing range and taking them on head to head?” Jason said.

“Bold, but risky,” Harcourt replied. “Even though I doubt they would be prepared for it, and even though I estimate we could score mission kills on at least two of their missile cruisers, I’m forced to agree with Commander Hunter. The Agamemnon was one thing. Those two beasts out there are firepower-packed blocks of muscle and angry. The Kingsblade has a gigantic main battery designed for planetary assaults. She could get a half-dozen alpha strikes off in the time it would take to close range. The only ship in our formation that can take that kind of punishment is Argent, and with all due respect, that’s why yours is the last ship they’ll target.”

“So we’re back to the original plan,” Hunter began. “Go “round the horn and hope one of their capital formations breaks off to race through the asteroid field and try to cut us off.”

“And hope we can survive whatever they throw at us in the next fourteen hours,” Jayce concluded.

“If only we had a bigger diversion than just the Dunkerque,” Jason muttered.