and women of my Navy are doing theirs this minute; should they expect that I would do
any less than mine’
The hours dragged by, too, in the War Room as the two fleets slowly narrowed the gap
between them. The pirate armada continued to fly in its tight cluster formation, contrary
to all rules of custom and logic. Three-quarters of the high command voted to englobe.
To silence them, Benevenuto had simulations run in the war games computer. The result
of each simulation was the same: the computer also said to englobe.
“If we wait too much longer,” one admiral insisted, “they’ll break through our lines and we
won’t be able to englobe.” Benevenuto stood firm in his decision. The pirates’ cluster was
not an efficient attack formation. It was a feint, it had to be. He knew, as surely as he
drew breath, that englobing would be a tactical mistake of the worst order. Resolutely he
kept his ships aligned on a plane perpendicular to the cluster’s course, a wall that was
always between the invaders and the Earth. In the computer simulation, they watched
the lights representing the pirate armada approach the wall formed by Earth’s Navy.
Soon the two forces would be within firing range and the battle would begin in earnest.
The Empire ships on the wall near the point of contact would be able to fire at the
cluster, but those farther away would be out of range and ineffective. The cluster, like a
demolition ball, would punch right through the plane of defense and keep on going.
“Commence firing as soon as the cluster is within range,” Benevenuto ordered. “And tell
the defense to retreat, keeping a constant firing distance between our wall and their
cluster. Any ships in the center damaged or destroyed are to be replaced by vessels
from the periphery-but we stay, at all times, between Earth and the invading force.”
“Retreat is suicide!” Admiral Carswell cried. “We want to keep their ships as far from
Earth as possible. We must englobe and attack now.”
“May I remind you that we’re outnumbered, Admiral?” Benevenuto said calmly. “In our
present formation, all of our ships are between Earth and the enemy; if we were to
englobe, the majority of our ships would be on other sides, leaving only token resistance
in the enemy’s path. That cluster is not an attack formation. They’re only using it to draw
us into a globe so they can make their real move. Gentlemen and ladies, we will not be
drawn. We will force them to make their move first, even if it means strategic
withdrawal.”
The two fleets were now within firing range, and the simulation on the screen showed
that a fight was definitely taking place. It was still at a low level because only a few ships
were involved on either side. For the pirates, only their ships in the outer layer of the
cluster on the side facing the wall had any chance of hitting anything; and for the Navy,
only those ships at the contact point of the wall could fire back at the attackers. Slowly
the wall was pressed backwards toward the Earth as the pirate cluster, with its superior
numbers, pushed forward trying to break through the line of defense.
On Earth, the sun was setting on the western coast of North America as the formal
acceptance ceremony at Bloodstar Hall was drawing to a close. After the last oath of
fealty was given and acknowledged, it was customary for the new ruler to give a speech.
Edna had had a long one all prepared, but the situation now seemed to require her
presence elsewhere. She abandoned her prepared text and instead made a few
off-the-cuff remarks. She thanked all who had attended and all who wished her and the
Empire well. She praised her father for the wisdom and the peace that characterized his
reign, and made a solemn promise to do all within her power to continue in his course.
She concluded by asking for everyone’s courage and support during the Empire’s current
crisis-a request that startled her Galaxy-wide audience, since most people hadn’t known
there was a crisis. They were soon to learn otherwise.
The official ceremonies concluded, Edna swept out of Bloodstar Hall, trailing majesty
behind her like the train of her gown. Traditionally she should have taken the same horse
drawn coach back to the Imperial Palace where the Coronation Dinner and Ball were to
be held. Edna, however, had paid enough compromise to tradition today, and had no
patience for more while there was a war on. She and her father instead boarded the
official copter and sped back to the palace, where Edna announced that the celebrations
were postponed for a week during the emergency.
Once back in the palace, Edna and her father went directly to the Council Chamber,
where a direct link-up with Luna Base was already waiting for them. While Benevenuto
and his staff kept abreast of developments, a senior aide filled the new Empress in on
everything that had happened so far. The arguments for and against englobement were
summarized, and Edna listened gravely. Her father sat down beside her, out of camera
range, and squeezed her hand to give her confidence. The decisions were all hers to
make, now, but he let her know he was there to lend his opinion if needed.
When the situation had been summarized, Edna called Benevenuto over to the line to talk
personally. “Are you sure this cluster of theirs is just a feint?” she asked her Lord of the
Admiralty.
“They can’t attack Earth in that formation,” Benevenuto replied. “All their big firepower is
in the center; they haven’t enough artillery on the-surface of their sphere to do much
damage. They’re just trying to entice us into committing ourselves before making their
move.”
“The bulk of the advice seems to be in favor of englobement.
Benevenuto drew himself up proudly. “I can only go by the accumulated instincts of forty
years in the Navy. I’d stake my reputation on that opinion.”
“You are staking your reputation,” Edna said coolly, “and a whole lot more, besides. The
Empire itself may be riding on this battle.”
“All the more reason, Your Majesty, to act the way I know is right.”
“I’ll pray for both of us, Admiral. Carry on.”
The Empress broke the connection and turned to look at her father. The look of
imperious command she had affected for her officers’ sake was gone now, replaced by
one of indecision. “Did I do the right thing?” she asked.
“Time will tell you better than I can,” William Stanley said, putting an arm around her
shoulders to comfort her. “But I didn’t appoint Cesare Benevenuto Lord of the Admiralty
just because I liked his mustache. When you know someone’s an expert, you trust him in
his field of expertise.” He smiled. “If it’s any consolation, I would have done the same
thing you just did.” _
At Luna Base, Lord Admiral Benevenuto was unaware of this vote of Imperial confidence.
As minutes dragged into an hour, and then two, his problems only increased. The pirate
cluster was coming closer and closer to Earth’s orbit, and his wall of defense was
retreating at an equal pace. The enemy had made no move to disperse its cluster. More
and more of the admirals were crying for englobement. Computer simulations were
saying that englobement was the only strategy, and that its implementation was urgent.
Sweat was literally dripping off Benevenuto’s brow as he watched the points of light
move slowly across the display screen. Behind him, he knew, some of the admirals were
discussing the possibility of going to the Empress and asking that he be replaced by
someone more reasonable. He shut out those whispers, shut out the noises, shut out the
entire world except for those steady little lights in front of him. Make your move, he
implored the pirates. Break out of your thrice-damned cluster.
As though willing it had made it so, the cluster suddenly exploded on the screen, sending
pinpoint fragments of light in all directions. Each dot represented a ship, and their
numbers were beyond counting. Benevenuto almost collapsed with relief. His gamble had
paid off; the pirates had broken first.
The advantage of Benevenuto’s tactics now became apparent. If the Empire forces had
englobed the cluster they would, because of their smaller numbers, have had to space
themselves widely around the surface of their imaginary sphere. The sudden “explosion”
of the cluster would have been disastrous. Dozens, if not hundreds, of the attacking
vessels would have slipped through the lacy globe. Some, assuredly, would have been
destroyed, but the majority would have dispersed throughout space, and would have
outflanked the defenders. The Navy would be both outnumbered and outpositioned.
Benevenuto’s wall could do nothing to change the relative numbers, but it had prevented
the enemy from getting around the defense. Those members of the cluster who exploded