Task Force 79 was now only a few hours from orbit, yet Ravenette's guardian fleet was in the same defensive formation it had held when the Kiowa Kiowa's sensors first detected them-they weren't responding to the task force's presence.

Rear Admiral Hoi felt there was something very, very wrong. At a simple glance, it appeared that Task Force 79 had the advantage of surprise. Even though the Confederation task force's seven stars.h.i.+ps were outnumbered by the defenders, they were stronger in both weaponry and defensive measures; on the face of it, TF79 should have relatively little trouble knocking a large enough hole in the defensive cordon to allow the follow-on amphibious task force carrying the army's 27th Division to make planetfall relatively unmolested.

On the face of it.

Or did the Coalition have a surprise of their own hidden somewhere?

"What's the latest data on the moon's farside?" the admiral abruptly asked.

Solwara touched controls on the arm of his command chair and a screen to the left of the main display showed the side of Ravenette's major satellite opposite the task force. Lights showed on the moon's surface, but they were in the locations of known mining and research operations. The drones sent adrift to check out that particular blind spot in the task force's approach detected no sign of stars.h.i.+ps, s.p.a.ce s.h.i.+ps, or defensive weapons systems. None of the task force's surveillance drones had detected anything that even remotely resembled a hidden surprise on the moon's far side.

At the last jump point before arriving in Ravenette's s.p.a.ce, Hoi had a.s.sembled his captains for a final briefing. They knew the operational plan he drew up was based on the most recent intelligence. Each captain also had a copy of the contingency plans in the event the naval situation had changed in the interim-Hoi's operations staff had drawn several contingency plans, each a.s.suming a different change or changes in the tactics. Depending on what they found on reentry to s.p.a.ce-3, the Kiowa Kiowa would tight-beam a four-word code to each of the s.h.i.+ps in the TF, instructing the captains which of the contingency plans to follow. would tight-beam a four-word code to each of the s.h.i.+ps in the TF, instructing the captains which of the contingency plans to follow.

There were no tight-beam transmissions; Hoi hadn't had to switch to a contingency plan.

That was very, very wrong-all plans were subject to last-minute changes. Surely the Coalition had spies scattered through the Confederation of Human Worlds, and at least one of them would have learned, if not of the actual plans for Task Force 79, at least of unusual activity indicating the preparation of a task force to strike the cordoning forces. Even if they didn't, the Coalition had to know the Confederation would send a task force to break the cordon. plans were subject to last-minute changes. Surely the Coalition had spies scattered through the Confederation of Human Worlds, and at least one of them would have learned, if not of the actual plans for Task Force 79, at least of unusual activity indicating the preparation of a task force to strike the cordoning forces. Even if they didn't, the Coalition had to know the Confederation would send a task force to break the cordon.

Or was the Coalition leaders.h.i.+p so naive it believed the Confederation wouldn't react with force to the attack on its garrison at Fort Seymour? That didn't seem likely.

Hoi abruptly stood. "I'm going to my CIC now," he told Solwara. "Watch for company coming from the direction of L1."

"The admiral has left the bridge," the officer of the deck announced as soon as Hoi ducked through the hatch.

The direction of L1? Solwara wondered. What did Admiral Hoi mean by-Of course! The admiral must have been thinking the same thing he had; it was too strange that the Coalition task force around Ravenette wasn't reacting to their presence. Lagrange point 1-the balance point between Ravenette and its sun, a place where an object could park in a stable orbit. Except that L1 was an unstable position, and anything parked there would have to periodically adjust its position. Solwara wondered. What did Admiral Hoi mean by-Of course! The admiral must have been thinking the same thing he had; it was too strange that the Coalition task force around Ravenette wasn't reacting to their presence. Lagrange point 1-the balance point between Ravenette and its sun, a place where an object could park in a stable orbit. Except that L1 was an unstable position, and anything parked there would have to periodically adjust its position.

Solwara toggled his horn to the Surveillance section. "I want a thorough data search for any emanations from sunward of Ravenette," he told the division commander. "I want to know if any s.h.i.+ps are hiding at L1." He signed off. It wasn't likely there would be any sign; anything parked at the L1 would only have to adjust position once every three, three-and-a-half weeks standard, and TF79 had only been in s.p.a.ce-3 for four days. Still, if Surveillance was looking, and there was someone there, they could get some warning if that someone began to maneuver.

Task Force 79 continued its drift toward Ravenette. The seven Confederation stars.h.i.+ps weren't in good formation, they hadn't risked showing themselves by making any course or att.i.tude adjustments on their return to s.p.a.ce-3. They were only an hour from battle orbit and the Coalition task force still didn't show any indication they had been discovered. That was entirely too strange-TF79 was close enough to be detected visually with minimal magnification.

Rear Admiral Hoi sent tight-beam orders to his stars.h.i.+ps: "Visually aim missile batteries at a.s.signed targets. Do NOT use electronic locks until so ordered. Stand by to lock and launch on my order."

The Kiowa, Kiowa, the largest stars.h.i.+p in the task force, pointed one of her missile batteries at a heavy cruiser and another at a medium; he held his third battery in reserve. Five of the task force's other stars.h.i.+ps each pointed their missile batteries at a different enemy vessel, as a.s.signed by the primary attack plan. The other four defending stars.h.i.+ps were out of sight, eclipsed by the planet. the largest stars.h.i.+p in the task force, pointed one of her missile batteries at a heavy cruiser and another at a medium; he held his third battery in reserve. Five of the task force's other stars.h.i.+ps each pointed their missile batteries at a different enemy vessel, as a.s.signed by the primary attack plan. The other four defending stars.h.i.+ps were out of sight, eclipsed by the planet.

Something sparked on one of Kiowa Kiowa's targets. Solwara swore to himself just as Surveillance reported, "Target Alpha has thrown alfa-chaff." A second later, "Target Beta has thrown alfa-chaff." Alfa-chaff, large sheets of reflective materials designed to decoy missile guidance systems away from their target, similar to the way atmospheric craft used thin strips of reflective material to decoy fire-and-forget munitions.

"Acquisition radar is locking on us," Radar reported.

"All stars.h.i.+ps, lock and launch," Admiral Hoi tight-beamed the order. "Use inertial guidance where possible. Power up and maneuver independently until further orders."

Inertial guidance was possible, but only by delaying missile launch. Solwara ordered each of his aimed missile batteries to lock and launch half of their missiles and use inertial guidance on the other half, using a generous spread. The generous spread was necessary, as the target stars.h.i.+ps were already firing their thrusters to change orbit.

"Engines, fire main thrusters as soon as first salvo is launched," Solwara ordered. He followed up with, "Sound general quarters."

A carefully modulated female voice sounded throughout the stars.h.i.+p, "General quarters. Prepare for sudden maneuvering. I say again, general quarters. Prepare for sudden maneuvering."

Before the message was complete, a shudder went through the Kiowa Kiowa as two batteries launched half of their missiles. as two batteries launched half of their missiles.

"Multiple emanations coming from the limb of the planet," Surveillance reported.

"Details," Solwara said.

"One is medium cruiser Charlie, one is destroyer Alpha," Surveillance identified two of the known s.h.i.+ps currently eclipsed by Ravenette. "The other five are unknown, possible cruisers."

Task Force 79 had seven stars.h.i.+ps engaging twelve enemy stars.h.i.+ps, and now another five possible enemy vessels were joining the battle? Solwara didn't like the odds. The army's 27th Division, crammed into a lightly armed, ten-stars.h.i.+p gator task force, was only half a day behind; TF79 had had to clear the way for the gators before they arrived. to clear the way for the gators before they arrived.

Solwara forwarded the information to the admiral's CIC as another, greater, shudder wracked the stars.h.i.+p-the main thrusters firing. It was quickly followed by another shudder rippling through the stars.h.i.+p as one of the batteries launched the other half of its missiles under inertial guidance.

Solwara watched the main monitor with its schematics now showing the icons for more than a hundred missiles from both sides converging on the icons for the stars.h.i.+ps of both task forces. "Helm, two points up and starboard," he ordered. Att.i.tude jets fired and the Kiowa Kiowa began a slow, ponderous turn. began a slow, ponderous turn.

"Release alfa-chaff," he ordered, and sheets of s.h.i.+ny aluminum shot forward in a wide swath around the stars.h.i.+p's course, followed closely by brilliantly burning magnesium flares that mimicked the firing of the stars.h.i.+p's main thrusters.

The main display showed all the stars.h.i.+ps of both flotillas firing main thrusters. Curved, dotted lines delineating cones gave projected trajectories of each stars.h.i.+p. Colors in the cones blended one into another, showing the optimal places for the stars.h.i.+p to fire its att.i.tude thrusters to leave orbit, gain orbit, or plunge toward the planet below. Simple dotted lines showed the projected trajectories of each missile. Most of the missile projections stopped where they intersected a stars.h.i.+p cone, indicating likely hits. Six of the enemy missile paths intersected the Kiowa Kiowa's cone. The missile paths were numbered.

"Torpedoes, fire killer decoys down the paths of bogies one, four, and five," Solwara ordered. "Display, close in." The display on the main screen altered to focus on the Kiowa Kiowa and the missiles approaching her. and the missiles approaching her.

A moment later, three new dotted lines appeared, radiating directly from the Kiowa Kiowa's icon to three of the missile icons terminating in her cone. Not visible on the display were the wires that trailed from the torpedoes to the stars.h.i.+p, along which guidance commands were sent to keep them on the proper course for intercepting. The missiles were approaching each other at a combined velocity that danced on the edge of relativistic.

Closing missile three veered off course by a few degrees, homing on one of the magnesium decoys. Confused by signals returned from the reflective chaff, missile six began zigging and zagging. Only missile two continued, unimpeded, on course to strike the stars.h.i.+p. Solwara focused on the colors in his s.h.i.+p's cone. The Kiowa Kiowa was already feeling the tug of the planet's gravity well; he needed to make another course adjustment soon to avoid being pulled into orbital alt.i.tude. But changing just then would move the heavy cruiser into earlier contact with missile two. was already feeling the tug of the planet's gravity well; he needed to make another course adjustment soon to avoid being pulled into orbital alt.i.tude. But changing just then would move the heavy cruiser into earlier contact with missile two.

"Reverse thrusters," he ordered, to delay when he'd have to alter vector to avoid plunging into the atmosphere.

The stars.h.i.+p shuddered, pings and creaks echoed throughout as the main thrusters cut off and the bow thrusters began blasting. With the abrupt change in velocity anybody not strapped in, and everything not secured in place, would be thrown forward. Solwara knew some breakage was inevitable from the sudden maneuver, but he trusted that his crew was well enough disciplined that there wouldn't be any injuries and nothing important would be broken.

Slowly, slowly, the Kiowa Kiowa's plunge toward the planet slowed. Solwara looked at the display; missile two was still closing, but not quite as rapidly as before.

"Close-in Fire Control," he said into his comm, "do you have a solution for missile two yet?"

"Yessir," close-in Fire Control replied.

"Probability?"

"Eighty-five percent."

"How long for ninety-nine percent?"

"One hundred and thirty seconds for ninety-nine."

"How long 'til closing?"

"Two hundred and twenty seconds." Ninety seconds between the time there would be a ninety-nine percent chance of hitting the missile and the time it would be close enough to detonate and damage- perhaps kill-the Kiowa. Kiowa. Solwara could order the close-in batteries to fire now, but it would take them longer than ninety seconds to reload and reacquire their target if they missed. He glanced at the display; he had more than ninety seconds before he could adjust vector. "Keep on it and kill it when you have ninety-nine," he ordered. Solwara could order the close-in batteries to fire now, but it would take them longer than ninety seconds to reload and reacquire their target if they missed. He glanced at the display; he had more than ninety seconds before he could adjust vector. "Keep on it and kill it when you have ninety-nine," he ordered.

"Aye aye, sir."

"Keep me apprised of the situation." Solwara returned his attention to the display and ordered it enlarged again to show the entire battle.

The numerous icons representing the missiles fired by the stars.h.i.+ps of both sides were more scattered, and there weren't as many, perhaps a hundred. Most of them had been successfully decoyed by defensive chaff or flares; confused by the chaff and flares, a few jittered about erratically. Some dotted lines ended in pulsing Xs, indicating missiles that had been killed by defensive fire. Only a quarter of the dotted lines still showed probable intercept with stars.h.i.+ps.

There were two pulsing circles in the display, one red and one blue. The red one was labeled "medium cruiser Gamma," a Coalition stars.h.i.+p that a missile had put out of commission, perhaps killed. The pulsing blue circle made Solwara's breath catch in his throat; it was labeled Everett Fulbright, Everett Fulbright, a Confederation Navy destroyer. He had friends, former s.h.i.+pmates, on the a Confederation Navy destroyer. He had friends, former s.h.i.+pmates, on the Everett Fulbright. Everett Fulbright.

But Inap Solwara was a navy wars.h.i.+p captain, he had a battle to fight. There would be time for mourning later, when his crew's lives didn't depend on his paying attention to the job at hand. He focused on the icons indicating the missiles fired by the Kiowa. Kiowa. All the missiles in the first salvo had been decoyed or destroyed, and half of the manually guided missiles had gone astray or been killed. Six of the remaining ten looked like they would do no better than minor surface damage to their targets. The last four would probably do more substantial damage, perhaps even kill their targets. All the missiles in the first salvo had been decoyed or destroyed, and half of the manually guided missiles had gone astray or been killed. Six of the remaining ten looked like they would do no better than minor surface damage to their targets. The last four would probably do more substantial damage, perhaps even kill their targets.

He looked at the limb of the planet and saw icons emerging from behind it. Two of them were labeled "medium cruiser Charlie" and "destroyer Alpha." Labels on the other four flickered until Surveillance identified them. One of them resolved to a frigate, two others to destroyers. Solwara was startled when the fourth was identified: "dreadnought Alpha."

He forwarded the information to Admiral Hoi's CIC. The task force CIC probably already knew about the four new stars.h.i.+ps-and that one was a dreadnought-but it was better to be certain than to a.s.sume.

The CIC was aware of the dreadnought, as Admiral Hoi proved by almost immediately tight-beaming orders to the Kiowa Kiowa and two light cruisers to prepare to volley missiles at it. and two light cruisers to prepare to volley missiles at it.

"Batteries, status," Solwara said into his comm.

"Battery one, rearmed."

"Battery two, rearmed," came the responses.

Solwara glanced at the display to see how close the Kiowa Kiowa's guided missiles were to detonation, then tapped out a new target-target Charlie, the dreadnought. "Prepare to launch two salvos at target Charlie, one locked, the other under inertial guidance. We are coordinating with Broward Broward and and p.a.w.nee. p.a.w.nee. Launch on my order." Launch on my order."

"Sir, what about targets Alpha and Beta? The inertial missiles haven't reached them yet."

"Keep guiding those missiles, but be prepared to cut them loose if I order firing at target Charlie before they close."

"Aye aye, sir."

"Let me know when the inertials reach targets Alpha and Beta."

Close-in Fire Control came on, "We have reached ninety-nine. Four. Three. Two. One. Fire."

Solwara imagined he could feel the firing of the defensive guns through the deckplates. He looked at the display, where he could see the enemy missile still closing on the Kiowa. Kiowa. In seconds, the missile ran into the cloud of half-gram pellets thrown out by the guns, and it detonated. Seconds later, he heard light pinging as debris from the explosion impacted the In seconds, the missile ran into the cloud of half-gram pellets thrown out by the guns, and it detonated. Seconds later, he heard light pinging as debris from the explosion impacted the Kiowa Kiowa's hull. He allowed himself a curt nod, certain that his s.h.i.+p had suffered no damage beyond chipped paint.

On the display, the remaining missiles of the Kiowa Kiowa's first salvo continued to close on their targets. One by one they flared and turned to Xs. Target Alpha's icon changed to a pulsing red circle, target Beta's trajectory cone began slowly moving away from Task Force 79-it was damaged as well. A muted cheer rose on the bridge.

"Battery three, solution found and ready to fire," Main Fire Control reported.

"Acknowledged," Solwara said.

New icons appeared on the display as other stars.h.i.+ps rearmed and fired at new targets; more Coalition stars.h.i.+ps fired than Confederation. Eight missiles were headed toward the Kiowa. Kiowa.

"Helm," Solwara said, "hold steady until main batteries fire, then change course three points down, two starboard."

"Hold course until the main batteries fire, then change course three points down, two starboard, aye," the helmsman replied.

"Battery two, solution found and ready to fire," Main Fire Control reported, followed immediately by battery one.

Outwardly calm, Solwara waited, watching the enemy missiles on the display. He let them close half the distance, then ordered, "Torpedoes, fire killer decoys," and watched as eight torpedoes launched and headed for the missiles locked on the Kiowa. Kiowa. At almost the same moment, he saw a spray of missiles launch from the At almost the same moment, he saw a spray of missiles launch from the Broward, Broward, headed toward the dreadnought. headed toward the dreadnought.

"Kiowa, launch main batteries at dreadnought Alpha," Admiral Hoi ordered. launch main batteries at dreadnought Alpha," Admiral Hoi ordered.

"Launch main batteries at dreadnought Alpha, aye," Solwara replied, then into his comm, "Main batteries, launch all."

The Kiowa Kiowa shuddered almost as violently when the thirty missiles launched toward the dreadnought as she had when he ordered thrust reversed. shuddered almost as violently when the thirty missiles launched toward the dreadnought as she had when he ordered thrust reversed. p.a.w.nee p.a.w.nee launched shortly after. launched shortly after.

The enemy powerhouse was in for a hard time with sixty-eight missiles heading at her and arriving at the same time. Solwara expected the dreadnought to survive, but she'd be effectively out of the fight until she dodged, destroyed, or absorbed damage from the volley on its way to her.

The Kiowa Kiowa shuddered again as maneuvering jets on her top and port side fired. shuddered again as maneuvering jets on her top and port side fired.

"Flank speed," Solwara ordered. There was a moment of seeming silence when the forward thrusters cut off, then the stars.h.i.+p was jolted by the firing off of the main thrusters. The view in the main display began to s.h.i.+ft up and right, and moved more quickly than before as the Kiowa Kiowa began to move and increase speed. began to move and increase speed.

Solwara checked the positions of the killer decoys and the missiles they were aiming at. Five of the torpedoes, possibly more, would successfully intercept their targets. Near Ravenette's limb, he saw the three destroyers break formation and begin moving to s.h.i.+eld the dreadnought from the incoming Confederation missile volley. Good. Good. If they were extremely lucky, the three destroyers might be able to successfully divert or destroy half of the oncoming missiles, but they probably wouldn't get that many. If they were extremely lucky, the three destroyers might be able to successfully divert or destroy half of the oncoming missiles, but they probably wouldn't get that many.

The main thing was that they, along with the dreadnought, were out of the fight until the volley completed its run. It was also probable that one or more of them would be totally knocked out of the fight.

Before Solwara could select his next targets, Admiral Hoi came on again and designated targets Delta and Eta, a heavy cruiser and a fast frigate. "One battery on each," Hoi told him, "keep one battery in reserve. Let me know when you're ready to launch at Delta," the heavy cruiser. "I'm going to coordinate your launch with Broward. Broward. Launch at Eta when ready." Launch at Eta when ready."

"Aye aye," Solwara replied. Then, "Main batteries, status."

"One minute to rearmed," Main Fire Control reported.

"Here are your targets, one battery at each." He tapped b.u.t.tons on his console to transmit the target data. "Let me know when you've got solutions."

"Aye aye."

On the display, several missile icons turned to Xs, including three of the missiles headed toward the Kiowa. Kiowa. Others changed course, chasing chaff or flares. Solwara checked the positions of target Delta and the Others changed course, chasing chaff or flares. Solwara checked the positions of target Delta and the Broward; Broward; when they launched at the heavy cruiser, their missiles would come at her from different directions, making it very difficult for the heavy cruiser to defend. By the time Main Fire Control reported the batteries were rearmed, only three missiles were still on course to intercept the when they launched at the heavy cruiser, their missiles would come at her from different directions, making it very difficult for the heavy cruiser to defend. By the time Main Fire Control reported the batteries were rearmed, only three missiles were still on course to intercept the Kiowa, Kiowa, and the icon for one of the Coalition fast frigates had changed to a pulsing red circle. and the icon for one of the Coalition fast frigates had changed to a pulsing red circle.

Solwara reported readiness to fire to the admiral's CIC.

"Stand by," the admiral's CIC said. Solwara waited, never taking his eyes from the main display. The destroyers screening the dreadnought released chaff and fired off flares. A missile from the Broward Broward began moving erratically and one from the began moving erratically and one from the p.a.w.nee p.a.w.nee veered off, decoyed by a flare. The others continued on course. Another of the missile icons heading for the veered off, decoyed by a flare. The others continued on course. Another of the missile icons heading for the Kiowa Kiowa terminated in an X. Only two still threatened her. terminated in an X. Only two still threatened her.

"Kiowa, launch at target Delta. Ready your reserve battery to repeat on Delta." launch at target Delta. Ready your reserve battery to repeat on Delta."

"Launch at target Delta, ready my reserve battery to repeat on Delta, aye," Solwara replied, then ordered Main Fire Control to launch at target Delta and find a solution for the third battery to launch at the same target. Moments later he saw the icons of Broward Broward's launch. It would be a couple of minutes before the heavy cruiser would react to the launches, so he looked back at the dreadnought.

More missiles in the volley had veered off or were juking about confusedly, but four of them were homing directly on the three destroyers. Forty were still headed for the dreadnought.

Solwara looked back at the two missiles homing in on the Kiowa; Kiowa; they had both gotten past the torpedoes. Inertially guided? Possibly. they had both gotten past the torpedoes. Inertially guided? Possibly.

"Release chaff and flares," he ordered. The Kiowa Kiowa continued turning up and right, and increasing velocity. continued turning up and right, and increasing velocity.

At least twenty missiles were past the destroyers screening the dreadnought. One of the destroyers showed as a pulsing circle, and another had turned away, apparently too badly damaged to continue screening. The dreadnought released chaff and flares, sending some of the missiles awry. More missiles pa.s.sed the destroyer screen.