Orion Gambit - Traci Ganner series book 2

Orion Gambit - Ch 14

Chapter 14

Earth

The leadership of Third and Fourth Fleets gathered in the conference room aboard Thor. It was an uneasy alliance of brass that stared at each other across the long conference table. Acting Fleet Admiral Pirelli looked about him as the officers took their seats. He and Santos had already rehearsed the script, but they needed it to play out for the other officers.

“Admiral, we have received reports that the Orions are withdrawing toward their own star systems. In all likelihood, they have the first space marshal in Betelgeuse by now.”

“One step at a time, Sebastian,” Admiral Pirelli chided. “We now have the combined strength of Third and Fourth Fleets. The first marshal knew that if we could achieve this milestone, the time would be right for retaking Earth. Once we have done that, we can consolidate power and restore a fully functioning government. Until we achieve that, we have no business galloping after Orions.”

“But the Valdi are still in Sol. What are your plans for engaging them?” a young commodore asked. Grego was his name, Pirelli remembered. He was ambitious and obnoxious. From Grego’s point of view, he was one step closer to the top military post. Pirelli slowly turned to face him.

“We have two options on the table, Commodore Grego. Our first option is to coordinate a strike from both sides of Sol: one fleet from Alpha Centauri and the other from Vega. Our second option is to form a combined force and push our way into Sol.”

“If we combine forces into a single axis of attack, the Valdi will simply slip away from the undefended side of the system. We will continue to chase them around the stars until they are reinforced. In my mind, it makes sense to hit them from both sides and keep them in play.” Grego smiled his shark’s smile to punctuate his point.

Pirelli had called this conference to get the opinions of the senior officers, but Grego was using it as a power grab. The young commodore was looking around the table at the duke’s former officers—men that knew the Empire ran on fear as much as loyalty.

“I appreciate your appraisal of our first option. However, without additional arguments, I feel that our best option is to liberate Earth. Our people have been held hostage long enough.”

Grego sat back in his seat and shot glances around the table. He knew as well as Pirelli did that once they arrived at Earth, the entire fleet dynamic would change. As long as they were outside central Empire jurisdiction, they were autonomous, each commander in total command of his ship, his task group, his own small empire. If Grego played his cards right, he could step into the shoes recently vacated by the late Duke Mihialovich.

Pirelli knew this as well. Once the Council of Nobles convened and determined the proper line of authority—that of the nobility—the old order would be restored. It was not as clean, perhaps, but it also constituted the will of the Empire more precisely. He did not feel comfortable with the navy being the sole authoritative polity.  From his point of view, the navy existed to serve the will of a properly functioning government, even if that government ultimately served a single man. Pirelli, like the others seated around the table, knew that to serve the emperor was to serve the Empire. They were one and the same.

Pirelli also knew he was in a very delicate position. Although technically he was the senior officer present in this tangled web of power that had conveniently clustered in the Regulus star system, his fortunes could change just as quickly. Assassinations were the established norm where there were no checks and balances. And he was at the top of a very small list.

Unfortunately, he needed good commanders. Until proper order could be reestablished, the navy was not an extension of the government—it was the government. Without the proper men in command of these lethal killing machines, anarchy and open civil war would reign. Pirelli understood the power that Grego commanded, but he also knew that he would keep his task force in line. As long as the balance of power favored Pirelli, Grego would not openly oppose him.