Chapter 12: Battle

The officer at the lectern cleared his throat. "Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to welcome the alleged saviour of one of our colonies." They all glanced at Tristan, their expressions stern and unsmiling. "I have been ordered to give a detailed deposition of the Sicceian forces and our home fleet, and hand command to our guest."

Tristan stifled a gasp turning it to a cough, his heart skipped a beat. Command! No wonder there was an atmosphere. They were all silently looking at him. His hands felt cold and clammy, his mind raced. It was obvious they didn't want or trust some unknown alien from no one knew where just taking over their fighting forces. They only had the word of a few colonists regarding his capabilities. Clayandra patted his knee, and he jumped at the sudden and unexpected touch.

The officer continued, "The Sicceian fleet consists of eighty capital ships and their escorts. They are holding above an asteroid on which they have been building a supply base." The screen behind the officer lit up and showed long-range pictures of the fleet and the supply base. Tristan noted the fleet was held in tight formation, the largest ships at the centre. There were some small ships on the asteroid's surface, but it looked as though most were in the formation. "The Sicceians out number our home fleet almost four to one. We believe the base will be used to supply ground forces for an attack on Mylia once our fleet is destroyed."

The officer paused. Tristan glanced from the screen to his face. He was looking at Tristan with a faint, resigned smile, just lifting the corners of his mouth. They have given up, waiting for the inevitable.

Tristan clenched his fists on his lap trying to calm his racing pulse. I need a plan quickly. The sudden silence was broken by Clayandra scraping her chair as she stood, leaning forward hands planted firmly on the table.

"Admiral! I don't like your attitude" Tristan looked at her, she was shaking, her voice hard. "With Tristan's help we will prevail."

The faint smile vanished from the admiral's lips, and his shoulders slumped. "Yes, Your Highness, of course."

She turned to Tristan, moderating her voice. "They will listen to your plan."

Tristan swallowed. Plan? What plan? He had to stall, give himself time to think. "Do the Sicceians send out patrols?" He held his voice calm. Questions would give him some time, perhaps they will trigger something, anything.

"They have a small number of fighters they use to patrol the nearby area, but otherwise, no, they do not."

Still complacent and secure in their superiority, Tristan thought. "How many ships do you have available?"

The officer sighed. "We have twenty-two fully operational capital ships, and about ten in need of some repair or the other."

"How many fighters or smaller ships do you have that are operational?" Tristan asked.

"We have about 150 fully operational small ships and fighters," the officer replied.

Tristan nodded, looking at the tightly packed Sicceian fleet on the screen an idea forming in his mind. "How near are they to completing the base?"

"We believe that they will be ready in seven to ten days," one of the other officers replied.

"Can your scientists and engineers replicate the Sicceian computer system on one of your capital ships that are in need of repair?" Tristan asked.

The officers in the room exchanged puzzled glances. Then one of them replied, "Yes of course, but what would be the use?"

"I need to remotely control the ships' systems; therefore, I have to have a Sicceian telepathic interface," Tristan replied. "It has to be a ship with a functioning Star Drive, but otherwise it doesn't need to be in good condition." The plan was taking shape in his mind as he spoke. "Do you have access to powerful explosives or large bombs?" The officers in the room looked at Tristan questioningly.

Tristan sighed and stood up. "Can I please come to the front and address the room?" The senior officer nodded and stepped to one side. Tristan walked to the lectern and faced the seated Mylian officers. "You are heavily outnumbered by the Sicceians, so you have to reduce the odds against you and ensure that they have to fight on your terms."

A movement caught his eye. Clayandra sat with a smile on her lips. "Us Tristan, us ... You are the commanding officer remember."

Tristan bowed his head to her and returned his attention to the rest of the room. "I'm sure you've noticed that the Sicceians have a habit of holding their fleets in tight formation. You -" He glanced at Clayandra. "- we are going to use that against them. The ship I need you to put the Sicceian computer interface in must be packed full of the most powerful explosives you have available."

Tristan paused for breath. "I will control the ship remotely and fire up the Star Drive with the system set to shutdown in the middle of the Sicceian fleet. I can make small adjustments to the ship's position then detonate the explosives in the centre of the closely packed Sicceian ships." A hand rose at the back of the room. "Yes?"

"I was told you have to be fairly close to access the Sicceian computers."

Tristan smiled. "You're correct. But the Sicceians are complacent, they don't send out regular patrols. The base is on the edge of a large asteroid field. A fleet of small ships could approach and hide close by with ease."

He turned his attention back to the rest of the seated officers. "The Sicceians will be caught by surprise and not have time to move or react. If the explosives you have are powerful enough, it should substantially reduce the odds against us. The lighter ships will be waiting and attack the remainder of the fleet from the cover of the asteroids. The Sicceians will have to go in amongst the asteroids to get at the attacking ships and their larger capital ships are then at a disadvantage manoeuvring within the confines of the asteroids. The smaller ships will have the advantage. At the same time, the main fleet will attack the remaining ships and the base."

Tristan paused.

"So, to summarise, I need one of the capital ships with minor damage to have its computer modified with a Sicceian interface and then filled with powerful explosives. The main fleet and all the available fighters and light ships must be prepared for battle and then we will deploy the fighters and small ships around behind the asteroid field, keeping them out of sensor range of the Sicceians. Once the ship explodes amongst the Sicceian fleet, the Mylian forces have to be ready to attack. We cannot give the Sicceians any time to recover, so speed and timing are important. Any questions?" Tristan looked round the room.

Clayandra was the first to break the silence. "Well I don't know why you are all still sitting here! I suggest you get to it and undertake what Tristan has requested." She glared around the room. "Now!"

They all filed out, leaving Clayandra and Tristan alone. She stood and walked over to him, a broad smile on her face. She reminded Tristan of a cat stalking its prey. He took a small backward step as she moved close. "Well, come along then, we had better go and ensure that everything is being done to your satisfaction." She almost purred the words.

Tristan smiled wryly, trying to shake off the impression he was the mouse. 'Umm ... OK, but I don't know my way round or where I'm supposed to go."

"Well just stay close to me, I will be your guide and aide." Her smile broadened, and Tristan suppressed a shudder; the mouse was caught. She turned to walk out of the conference room. "Follow me, Sir." She laughed and held out her hand.

The next few days went quickly. Clayandra stuck close by him, proving herself to be indispensable despite his misgivings. It was as if she had a split personality; with him she was flirty and giggly, but with everyone else she was in command, steel in her voice. She ensured that everything got done. Even the most senior officers jumped to it when she was there. Tristan was at a disadvantage, no one knew him other than the crew of 'his' Sicceian cruiser. The colonists he had rescued were dispersed across the planet.

By the morning of the fifth day everything was ready. Tristan had tested the computer system on the ship filled with the explosive devices, and everything worked to his satisfaction. The detonators were connected to the telepathic interface so he could trigger them as soon as the ship was in position. He would have preferred nuclear bombs, but they had been banned many centuries before and no one used them.