The Ascent

Chapter 24

"You're a natural," Chris said as we waited for the next meeting. The rest of the fleet had spent the remains of the night shift organizing their command structure. We'd had a head start, but I still got calls, mostly from the ship sub-commanders who had been promoted, who needed direction on how to deal with problems.

"I don't know," I shook my head. "They didn't teach this stuff at the academy."

"Which only goes to prove my point," Chris laughed. "You're a natural. If you had been a command officer, they would have ruined you."

I couldn't help but chuckle with him.

A lot of battlefield promotions were made, but the missing ranks were soon filled. Once the chains of command were re-established, the ships were gathered into a defensive formation. By the time of the big meeting, word had spread throughout the crews that Kennth Phon and the other commanders had come up with a plan to get everyone home. There was a noticeable air of excitement as every man and woman throughout the combined fleets connected with the virtual meeting place.

The new commanders were introduced to the crews, some routine matters of fleet operations were addressed, and then the senior commanders addressed the fleet.

"I don't have to tell you how difficult our position is," Commander Smith began. "We are now in an all-or-nothing situation. We face either a glorious victory or a glorious defeat. Whatever we do, we do not want to be taken alive. You don't want to know the kind of revenge the Cacks intend to take out on us, but you can be certain it's the sort of thing you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy. If we are going to die, we are going to go down fighting like warriors and not butchered like animals."

Commander Smith was obviously of the old do-or-die school. I hoped Commander Abrams would be a little more inspiring. When Smith had finished, Abrams addressed the crews.

"Whatever happens next, our fates are in the hands of the Maker. Considering the circumstances, I can think of no better place to be. Righteous Ruler, who many of the Cacks regard as like a god, has proved himself a faithless liar. Bright Fortune is even worse. After swearing to do his utmost to save us whom he called his neighbor, after taking an oath and calling on God himself as a witness, he used our faith against us and seized our generals, even at a diplomatic meeting. Most Noble too, Shines Like the Sun's best friend, betrayed Shines Like the Sun's memory and his own oath to us and joined Shines Like the Sun's and our enemy. What reward do you think they have earned?

"As for us, we must put our faith in our Maker and not in the Cacks, fight as best we can and trust God to reward and punish as He sees fit."

When they had finished, I rose and my avatar rose with me. I had recorded a new image of myself in my best uniform and subtly edited it until my avatar looked as close as I could come to the ideal military leader.

"We've all heard, as if we didn't already know, what liars the Cacks have proven to be. It seems to me, considering what happened to our commanders, we'd have to be pretty desperate to even consider making peace with them."

Hopefully this would shut up any other James Ferrells out there I thought.

"If then, it is be war, let us do everything in our power to make them pay for their crimes!"

At this point the crowd, which had remained completely dispirited during Sherman's and Abrams' talks were sitting up and looked a little more eager to do battle.

"We have already heard why we have every reason to hope that the Great Maker will deliver us from our mutual enemy, but let me give you another reason to hope.