buy time so they could reorganize and concentrate on finishing their super carriers. They know that we now know and I guess that's where this bomb plot figured in, to decapitate our high command, sow confusion and then strike hard straight at Earth.'
'How long before that fleet could get here?'
'If they were fully ready to move, flank speed could put them across the Empire in twelve, fourteen days. From the frontier to Earth, another ten days. Even if we had full resistance up, I think those carriers could cut through inside of two and a half weeks from the time they cross the demilitarized zone. Remember, just before the armistice we wargamed that one out, the assumption of a surprise attack with our own defenses down. With these new carriers, it doesn't look good at all, sir.'
Grecko exhaled noisily.
'According to what Banbridge briefed me on just this morning, it'd be at least four months to bring the fleet back up to full pre-armistice strength.
'Damn all to hell,' he snapped.
The door to the small conference room opened and President Rodham stepped in, followed by Foreign Secretary Jamison.
Grecko stood up as did Tolwyn. Geoff still found the nickname 'Big Duke' amusing since Grecko barely stood over five two. His pugnaciousness, however, more than made up for his shortness and more than one Marine or fleeter had found himself on his back after making a comment.
'How are you doing, Duke?' Rodham asked, looking at the Marine general's torn and empty sleeve in surprise.
'Nothing like getting shot in a plastic arm. Didn't hurt a bit.'
Rodham nodded and then shifted his gaze to Tolwyn.
'What in hell are you doing here?' and his features went cold.
'He was here today as a personal guest of Admiral Banbridge when the explosion happened,' Duke replied.
'You have no security clearance,' Jamison shouted. 'Grecko, get this man the hell out of here right now! I wouldn't be surprised if it turned out that he had something to do with this bombing.'
'No, sir, he isn't moving.'
Jamison turned on Grecko in surprise.
'Rear Admiral Tolwyn,' and Geoff was surprised to hear Grecko use his official and former title, 'was acting under the direct orders of the Chief of Staff when he violated the cease fire order, with the intent of thus having a cover to subsequently engage in a covert operation.'
'If that bastard were alive right now, I'd see that he was stripped of his rank,' Jamison snarled.
Grecko stiffened.
'That bastard, as you call him, ma am, was my closest friend. I'd like to suggest, ma'am, that you go down to the morgue and tell what's left of him that he's a bastard.'
'General, would you explain Tolwyn's presence here?' Rodham asked, stepping between the two as Jamison leaned forward, ready to explode.
'The Chief of Staff suspected the armistice from the beginning, sir and asked Geoff to volunteer for a covert mission. If the mission were undertaken by someone already dishonorably discharged it would give us,' and he looked coldly at the President, 'plausible deniability if something went wrong. Geoff organized the transfer of some of our demobilized assets to the Landreich where the equipment could be kept on line and then went out on a deep reconnaissance mission inside the Kilrathi Empire. He returned from that mission and arrived here only minutes before the bomb went off.
'We've just received an official protest over that escapade,' Jamison snapped 'The Kilrathi are screaming their heads off claiming that five of their cruisers were hit in an unprovoked attack and destroyed.'
'What about Tarawa and Normandy?' Tolwyn asked anxiously.
'They claim they got one.'
'Not a bad exchange,' Grecko said dryly. The Kilrathi must be damned embarrassed, but Tarawa only reported three confirmed kills for the loss of Normandy and I'll take their word over the furballs'.'
'They're claiming the right, as provided in the armistice, to hunt the other one down and have requested information regarding the ship's location.'
Jamison looked over at Rodham who nodded sadly.
'The Kilrathi have demanded information regarding the ship's location and destination. If we refuse to provide that immediately, a condition of war might be declared.'
'Tell them to go burn in hell,' Grecko said.
'And besides,' Tolwyn said quietly, a smile creasing his features, 'those ships are not of Confederation registry.'
'Look, General, the armistice is hanging by a thread,' Rodham replied, ignoring Tolwyn. 'First the violation of their territory and then this terrorist bomb plot to kill the ambassador and make it look like the Cats did it by killing some of our people as well.'
'Are you trying to tell us that some of our own people did this bombing?' Tolwyn asked, incredulous that such a suggestion could even be made.
'Well, its one serious possibility,' Rodham replied, 'and we have to look at all angles.'
Tolwyn was about to come back with a rather angry and very obscene retort, but Grecko held his hand up for him to be silent
'Sir, I would appreciate it if you took a look at this holo display and the data printouts. We just received it as a burst signal relayed in from Tarawa less than a half hour ago. Their mission was to follow up our suspicions regarding Kilrathi construction inside the Hari sector,' and Grecko pointed to the three dimensional projection, in the middle of which floated the images of the Kilrathi super carriers.
Rodham went over and looked intently at the carriers, requesting that the computer rotate the images and then provide data on mass, length, armaments, and projected fighter carrying capacity.
Tolwyn watched the President closely and could detect a paling of his features and more surprisingly a nervous tic at the corner of his eye. It was obviously a hell of a shock for the President, but he had little sympathy for him at this moment, still remembering how not so long ago the head of the Chiefs of Staff, with tears of frustration in his eyes, begged for the armistice not to be signed, warning of what would be the end result. Noragami was now dead as a result.
'Is this genuine?' Rodham asked quietly, now examining the map which showed where the fleet was and projected times of arrival into Confederation territory if an offensive were launched.
'The data was burst signaled from Tarawa, located here,' and Grecko pointed at the map showing the last reported position of the carrier. 'The data was obtained from a deep reconnaissance probe which ventured into Hari space.'
'On whose orders?' Jamison asked. I was never informed of this escapade. Remember, I am the Foreign Minister and if you were contemplating a violation of the armistice I should have been informed.'
On the orders of the Chief of Staff,' Grecko said coldly, not even bothering to turn.
'Is there a chance this is falsified information?' Rodham asked, and Tolwyn could detect the slight note of hopefulness in his voice, as if wishing that the entire problem would, simply be shown to be a hoax.
'It was sent in personally by Admiral Vance Richards, sir, and that's good enough for me.
'Richards is out there — I thought he retired?'
Grecko merely smiled.
'What you've committed here is outright mutiny,' Jamison snarled. 'If the rest of the Joint Chiefs were not already dead I'd demand their resignations as I am now demanding yours.'
Grecko turned slowly and stared at Jamison.
'If you were not a lady,' he said coldly, 'I'd loosen your teeth for what you've done to us. If you want my resignation you can have it, but only after we have a full investigation of myself, the Joint Chiefs and more importantly of you. Would you care to see the file military intelligence has on you and your suspected cooperation with the Kilrathi in return for your son?'
Jamison turned towards the President.
'I want him fired as of this minute and Tolwyn here put in jail pending an investigation.'
