Page 3 - Carry a big stick... (scraped)

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Stahl addressed the council.

“I have dispatched Captain Hi and the Dominator, but even the Dominator will take a few weeks to get there. We am still engaged with the Pomyn and other GC thralls. There is of course the very likely possibility that Kermac and that unknown ally show up on this side.”

He paused and sat down.

Even after two minutes he did not say anything.

Admiral Nartl Gathu a gray Nul asked.”And what else, Sir?”

“Admiral Gathu, this is a meeting, a session. I want to hear your ideas and opinions.”

“We could recall the USS Raptor and the USS Dictator from Andromeda,”Suggested Admiral Xeetik of Andro II.”

Stahl waved his hand.”Took us more than three years to get them there. Besides if we can't handle the new enemy with what we have here, we are in more trouble than ever. The new enemy appears to have similar tech to us, but they are not indestructible.”

The Nul leaned back.”The five battleships held their own against superior numbers. Granted it might not turn out as the walk in the Ring park as you expected but I see no reason to panic just yet. We Nul faced that problem for centuries being your enemy.”

Stahl grinned.”Exactly.”

Just by Stahl sitting down and looking relaxed and encouraging dialog, the atmosphere begun to change. Admiral Loraone, another Saresii said.”We do not know the extend of the resources or the size of the new GC ally, and I am concerned the Kermac and the rest will gain access to this technology. But it took us decades to adopt the Seenian technology and get it in every ship. I am calling to planet bomb the living daylights out of every industrial center we know.”

He turned to Admiral Larson, the head of research and development.“How far are we into the Marantz project?”

“We towed that Seenian relict to Ross only a few years ago. It will be another twenty before we could think of deploying it.”

Admiral Strother commented“Well in that case it's just good old fashioned space battle.”

Commodore Sappap, who attended via Avatar all the way from Z-Point station unfolded his spidery fingers carefully.”I suggest we order and install a second pair of Tele Psi detectors at Z-Minus Station and go over that region with a fine tooth human hair arranging tool.”

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<p lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom:0cm">--””--

<p lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom:0cm">McElligott left the meeting after it was decided to step up recon in that region and deploy a few hundred of the Terran Mini Spheres for detailed Intel gathering.

<p lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom:0cm">An entire catalog of suggestions and measures had been compiled and none came from Stahl.

<p lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom:0cm">Of course it was only a start. The beings in the room were the top brass of the fleet, and none of them was stupid. It was just hard for seedlings to grow in the shadow of an oak tree.

<p lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom:0cm">He entered an IBT and smiled to himself as the intra building transport capsule carried him to his office and said to himself.”Maybe this was his chance to show the Union that he was more than a bureaucrat in a fancy uniform. He always criticized the Unions reliance on just the Translocator technology. The chances to run into an adversary against whom that weapon system was not effective always existed in his opinion. The discovery of the Mini Terrans to him was indisputable evidence others could develop the same technology.

<p lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom:0cm">On a shelf behind his desk was a shredded piece of metal. It belonged to the Seenian scout craft Eric Olafson, defeated so long ago. NAVINT had swept every square inch of space and that asteroid for Seenian relict and artifacts.

<p lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom:0cm">This chunk of Seenian armor skin was another reminder to him, that the original developers of that weapon weren't really completely gone. Eric found an entire depot filled with Seenian tech.

<p lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom:0cm">And it wasn't the only one. If there were two of them the chances there were more could not be ignored.

<p lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom:0cm">But then he was never a man who relied on just one solution or trusted one answer. He spend his considerable lifetime to prepare for every situation he could think of. A contingency plan for every problem. Some plans were simple, some could be initiated in moments notice. Others were as complex as the mechanics of a Swiss watch. Some took centuries to take shape.

<p lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom:0cm">Project Fish was one of those and it turned out perfect.

<p lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom:0cm">A touch of a button and the entire wall panel retracted into the floor. Revealing a floor to ceiling shelf with many thousand PDDs.

<p lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom:0cm">Stahl was in his element fighting the war, it was his duty to provide him with the tools.

<p lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom:0cm">Each PDD held the detailed instruction and information to one of his plans. Having the plans on individual PDDS, lessen the risk of theft, loss or damage. He kept a version of this data collection at any of his offices.

<p lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom:0cm">He pulled two PDD sat down behind his desk and said to his GalNet Terminal. “Secure connection to Mr. Schwartz please.”

<p lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom:0cm">It took only a moment and the CEO of SII industries appeared.”Good afternoon, Obrock. I expected your call after I the Assembly called to on a Imminent present.”

<p lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom:0cm">“Hello Rex, thanks for taking my call. Can you update me on project Foreseen?”

<p lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom:0cm">“She is ready for almost a year now, all we need is send her to Narth Station for the finishing touches.”

<p lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom:0cm">“I inform the Narth Supreme.”

<p lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom:0cm">“She's going to leave Ross Thorus by tonight. Mothermachine has to activate the AI first.”

<p lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom:0cm">“Thank you Rex, once she has made her debut, I am sure the Assembly sees the light and grants me the funds to pay back your investment.”

<p lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom:0cm">“It is not the first project I funded because I believe in it, I won't have to cut back on the sugar for my coffee just yet, even though the R&D costs alone exceeded almost five percent of my net worth. The patents and new technology will more than make up for it.”

<p lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom:0cm">He thanked the Mega tycoon.

<p lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom:0cm">After he disconnected, he made another call.”Fleet Personnel, I have a few important transfers to make...”

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<p lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom:0cm">–

<p lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom:0cm">

<p lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom:0cm">Einsiebnul, the Supreme Wizard of Kermac, lorded over the Command wizards that had gathered before his high chair. All the other chairs used to be part of the most important place of all, had been removed.

<p lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom:0cm">Despite the enormous successes of numerous battles won in the last four month and more and more GC ships featuring the new shields, despite the Teaness sending thousands of ships, troops and supplies he was not pleased, not that he was easy to please in the first time.

<p lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom:0cm">He listened to the success reports, each more encouraging than the other. It appeared that the front was now moving the other way. The mighty Devastator damaged had to flee after a heroic battle of combined Teaness and GC forces overwhelmed her.

<p lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom:0cm">It appeared that the Union was no longer invincible and a victory within reach.

<p lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom:0cm">Why would the Command Wizard of all Military tell him to consider sending a delegation to Pluribus and negotiate for peace?

<p lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom:0cm">Even if every thrall species and the last Teaness died to assure Kermac victory, why stop?

<p lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom:0cm">For thousands of years the Kermac lived under the tightest control, and now since he had swept away any vestiges of opposition in the form of other wizards and ministries and reformed the ministry of control and the Thought police into the Kermac Authority with him firmly on top.

<p lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom:0cm">Even to think such a suggestion could be interpreted as treason. Yet the Command Wizard mind was clearly convinced that Einsiebnul was the greatest Wizard of all Kermac history.