Libert nodded. “That is possible. But for the present, I intend to maintain my posture of limited committment.”
“You’ve avoided formally declaring war on us. And we haven’t declared war on you.”
“You maintain my political enemies.”
John nodded. “However, General Gerard is dead. So are many of his troops.” Used up in stopping the first terrible impact of the war’s opening offensive, and ground down since while Santander’s army gained experience and built numbers. “If you earn sufficient gratitude, we won’t insist on a change of regime as part of the postwar settlement.”
“If you win.”
“If you stay on the fence too long, we won’t have any reason not to include you with the Chosen on the chopping block.”
For the first time in the interview, Libert smiled. “A matter of delicate timing, no? Late enough that I am not caught supporting the losing side by miscalculation; early enough so that my assistance is of crucial value and I retain bargaining power.”
John’s face remained expressionless, a trick he’d learned in a lifetime of intelligence work and political negotiation. Murderous little shit, he thought.
But don’t underestimate him, Raj cautioned.
John nodded. “Now, assuming that the military situation shifts so that the Land is teetering on the edge,” he said, “what terms would you suggest for giving them a push?”
“As a hypothetical situation?” Libert began. “Perhaps . . .”
* * *
“”Ten-hut.”
“Gentlemen,” Jeffrey Farr said, laying his uniform cap and swagger stick on the table at the head of the room. “At ease.”
The officers of the First Marine Division sat, everyone from the battalion commanders on up. They were a hard-bitten lot; most of them had been in the regular service before the war. All of them had seen action since then, in the Confrontation Lane and in countless pinprick raids along the Chosen-held coasts, or with the cross-Gut raid to destroy the Land’s fortress. The Marine division was all-volunteer, too. Before the war that hadn’t meant so much, but in the three years since the Land assault on the Confrontation Line, it meant that the Marines got the pick of the crop—those not content to wait for their call-up, the men who wanted to fight.
“Gentlemen, as you’re all aware, we’ve been training for a large-scale amphibious assault.”
Nods. A lot had been learned from the assault across the Gut: new equipment, new tactics.
“All of you know the official story—that we’ve been preparing for further extensive spoiling operations on selected coastal targets. A few of you know the objective behind that: seizing Barclon and establishing a bridgehead for the new First Army Corps behind the Land lines on the southern lobe.”
A low murmur ran through the assembled officers. That was supposed to be deeply secret.
“Gentlemen, you are now to be told the real objective for which we’ve been training. That objective is part of an attack whose aim is to break the Chosen forever and end the war. I hope I don’t have to emphasize exactly how crucial it is that this be kept secret; that’s why you’re only being told two weeks ahead. That leaves you short of time, I know. You’re also forbidden—strictly forbidden—to tell anyone not in this room at this moment. That includes your junior officers, your wives, your best friends, and your confessors. Anyone who does, even inadvertantly, will be cashiered and shot. Is that understood?”
The Marine officers were leaning forward now, tense and ready.
Jeffrey turned to the easel and stripped off the cloth covering. “Our objective is”—he tapped with the pointer—”the western shore of the old Imperial territories, at the southern entrance to the Passage. Where the war began, nearly twenty years ago—really began, not just the latest phase when the Republic came into it openly. Corona.”
Hardly a rustle from his audience. Jeffrey grinned tautly. “I know what you must be thinking. The Chosen caught the Imperials with their thumbs up their bums and their minds in neutral, there. The Chosen aren’t slackers and idiots, and they’ve had eighteen years to prepare.”
He swept the pointer from Corona, up the valley of the Pada, through the Sierran Mountains and down into the Union. “But they also have all this to hold, and thanks to the native inhabitants and our encouragement, it’s all in a state of revolt or incipient revolt. We’ve managed to free up twenty-five divisions from the Confrontation Line, and they’re stripping everything they can from the Empire for line-of-communications security and to build a field army to match that. The Chosen empire is like a clam: hard on the outside, soft and chewy inside . . . and if we can punch though at the right point, it’ll slide right down our throats.”