“What are you puzzling over?” the rebel admiral asks the XO.
She points at the Destroyer, and then at a Merc Cruiser about 100km beyond it. “Our own Merc is likely, but not certain, to be available in a turn,” she says. “I am puzzling over which of these ships will help us the most.”
“If we bypass the Destroyer and hire the Merc,” the admiral warns, “the Blob captain will almost certainly assist Beatrix.”
“True,” says the XO, “but it will not cycle immediately, and the battle will almost certainly be finished before then.”
“What bases does Beatrix have operational?” asks the admiral.
“The Brain World is almost ready, and also a Mech World,” she replies. “Each with about a 50% chance of deploying immediately.”
“That Destroyer may prove the difference, then,” says the admiral, “if our own Merc can support it in destroying a base. Send the 'hauler after the Destroyer.”
The XO salutes. “Attack his Wheel, sir?” she asks.
The admiral nods at the green blip on the tactical display that represents the enemy Blob Carrier. The XO nods in return and gives the order.
“One last thing,” she says when she turns back to the admiral. “Our Battle Station. The enemy’s authority is 11. Do we require the Station’s defense? Or shall we convert it and attack, lowering his authority to 6?”
“Attack,” says the admiral. “Our authority is at 44 and we still have the Fortress to protect us. And tell the captain of the Battlecruiser that in the upcoming fight, we may need him to give his ship for the cause.”
He leaves the bridge to investigate the Survey Ship incident in person.
