Nimrod Khong, the leader of the Mob, leaned backward in his chair in the palace of the former Emperor of the Jumo on the planet Yimza in the capital Parzoon. Nimrod’s office was plush, if a little overdone. He refurbished it to his extravagant tastes. The room was the old study, a favorite room of the Emperor now in exile had been a Spartan affair, much like his lifestyle. The conference table was black metal and suspended by a ceiling pole. The pole glowed gently, providing a delicate light on the table.

Nimrod nodded to Yesteg Krimpt. “What is the urgent news?”

“Archduke Kargo and a small fleet conquered and occupied Nirvana and beat back our attack. We were too slow to pluck the prize ourselves,” said Yesteg.

“If it was a small fleet, how did he defend the planet against us?” Nimrod asked.

“The Empress sent a small fleet to protect the planet. We thought they withdrew while Kargo took the planet. They were waiting in reserve and deployed a bigger fleet to back up Kargo,” said Yesteg.

“What happened to our reserves?” Asked Nimrod.

“Two frigates and a cruiser got away, that is all. We fell into a trap,” said Yesteg.

“None of our people in the Empire or Nirvana warned us what to expect. We know Kargo warned Empire Intelligence about our impending attacks. While our disinformation is working, there is nevertheless a hole in our intelligence gathering that we must remedy,” said Nimrod.

“We are in an awkward situation. We pre-sold the priests and the population to ‘our friends,’” said Yesteg Krimpt, the Mob intelligence liaison to the priests and the Ghouls. The Ghouls accused me of not holding up our side of the bargain, and they are not happy we messed up!” Yesteg sighed and held his head, and moved his neck. “Again, they asked, but I refused to give them one of our planets.”

“If we give them a planet and all its people, we will find ourselves on a long, slippery slope. The Ghoul’s demands are never-ending,” said Nimrod Khong.

“They demanded access to the Empire planets we capture. They will extract the population. The Ghouls say we are good at promises and taking from them, but we don’t deliver,” said Yesteg.

“I don’t see another option. They have done far more for us than we have done for them. Virgil has the biggest population. Tell General Namenal Kabilaqa he can join us there, but we would appreciate their help. He is a good operator, ruthless but efficient. He will get the job done if he is responsible for their side of the operation. The general won’t be able to blame us for failing them. Yesteg, tell him he can take as many people as he wants. We don’t want them on every planet under our heels. Do you know how many we owe them?” Nimrod asked.

“They want forty million. How many they load will depend on how much resistance we face and how long they take to capture and load the captives. Our agents and the priest’s saboteurs will delay the Empire’s response, but the Ghouls will not help us take the planet, Nimrod!”

“Are they going to be fussy about whom they take?” Nimrod asked.

“They are happy to take soldiers, children, men, and women but not criminals. We remain indebted to the Ghouls and rely on their support. If we don’t perform, the team back home will replace us," Yesteg Krimpt added. “The Ghouls speak to our bosses back home more than our bosses speak to us. We should work with them on two planets to make up the numbers.”

“Will they increase our risks?” Nimrod asked.

“They will help us. They won’t help take the planet, but they must bring ground forces to do what they must; their people are formidable. They will take a lot of pressure off us,” clarified Yesteg. “Nirvana is a disaster; our people will see it as our mistake and miscalculation, and the Ghouls won’t let it go. They insist we listen to them and remind me they have been long-term allies and friends of our people. They tell me we are indebted to them here and at home. We would never succeed without them. We have done little to reciprocate over the years. Now it's time for us to deliver,” added Yesteg.

“Don’t they understand that the planet was never under our control?” Nimrod asked.

“As you recall, the Ghouls suggested we attack Nirvana the day after the first priest meeting. They warned us the priests would betray us. We dithered and didn’t do as advised. We gave the priests ships and crews to show goodwill and buttered them up,” said Yesteg. “The Ghouls believe we are incompetent. Remember when we told them House Kargo would be ours, and we will give them the planet’s people? Our plans progress well,” said Yesteg Krimpt. “The Ghouls laughed and said they would believe it when they saw it happen, but they wanted a payoff now. At the recent meeting, they told me we have zero chance of delivering the Kargo estate and planets. They tell me Kargo is capable and has collected a formidable army and fleet. They suggested we watch our backs.”

“Is that true, Yesteg? Will Kargo be a problem?”

“Our scout probes around Nirvana saw one battleship, two cruisers, five frigates, and a hundred cargo ships. Kargo allegedly invaded the planet with two million troops. I think it was nearer one million rather than two. Where will he find a large fleet and an army on the way to the Empire? The General and Admiral taking charge of the planet are from the Empire and are well-known there. The troops look and talk like those from the Empire. I don’t believe the Ghouls are correct, Nimrod.”

“His fleet beat back our fleets attacking Nirvana. What happened to the ships and crews we loaned to the priests?” Asked Nimrod.

“A destroyer and frigates reported waiting in ambush for the Archduke. They found the priests obnoxious and insufferable, much like our experience. The priests assured our people they sabotaged the battleship and we would not face much resistance. Our people reported seeing the battleship. Thereafter, we heard no more from our crew. The second ambush group reported that while waiting for the battleship, they heard the first ambush damaged the battleship, and it was heading their way; then, we heard nothing. Something is not right. The priests received reports the battleship had not yet arrived but was en route. The next thing we hear, Kargo takes Nirvana.”

“Yesteg, how does that make sense? How could he knock out four battlecruisers?”

“Four battlecruisers will knock out a damaged battleship. I wonder if the Empress was behind this intelligence debacle. Isn’t it time to take her and the Emperor out of the equation?” Yesteg asked.

“I would have thought so, but our glorious leaders know better. They asked us to wait. They refused to give me a reason,” said Nimrod.

“They are more paranoid than Papa Zora and convinced themselves we made a mistake to involve ourselves with the priests. They think I don’t know; they have been independently dealing with the priests for many years,” said Nimrod. “I heard whispers around the office last year that they gave the priests advanced medical pods. No one would tell me why.”

“Yes, I also heard that,” said Yesteg. “I wish the bosses would tell us what they are doing.”

“It’s not going to happen. How often have they undermined us over the years or run a separate operation that screws us over? Yesteg, will we have conflicts with the Ghouls on the ground?”

“No, our objectives and those of the Ghouls don’t conflict. Once we have conquered the planet, we take the technology and those who drive and create it, and they take as many of the people as they can. They will inadvertently help us and take the pressure off us. The Ghoul general must bring along an expedition-sized force to take the prisoners. They must also send a fleet to defend the cargo ships," said Yesteg Krimpt. “I get the creeps when I think of what they might be doing with the people. It is one of the few things that makes me squeamish.” Yesteg grimaced.

“Do you think we can successfully attack the planets, Kane suggested?” Nimrod asked.

“We can successfully take five. We’ve lost some ships, and I don’t think we should overstretch ourselves,” said Yesteg. “Our intelligence people back home concur.”

“I received confirmation that corresponds with yours. The Nirvana debacle nags at me. We are missing something, but I know if we don’t act now, we are in trouble,” said Nimrod. “We activated our undercover people and will lose most of them for nothing if we don’t act now. They are exposed and doing as ordered. It will take us centuries to act again,” said Nimrod.

“I heard Papa Zora shot Kargo, and he will probably die,” said Yesteg.

“Excellent, that will take him out of contention,” said Nimrod. “Can we make sure he is dead?”

“We evaluated the opportunity, but he is under heavy guard,” said Yesteg. “There are troops in the hospital. He is isolated in a hospital wing without windows, and hundreds of troops are outside and on the roof. We can’t do anything without a small army.”

Nimrod Khong grimaced as he sat with his elbows on the table and his fingers interlaced. He absently moved his thumbs around in little circles. “I know the Ghouls acquired many people from us over centuries. They did the same, through our people, from the priests on Nirvana. I wish I knew what they did with them. Do you know?" Nimrod Khong asked.

"I'm not convinced I want to know. It's above my pay grade!" Yesteg Krimpt replied and grimaced again. "I've always assumed they ate them, or worse. I know we eat a lot of stuff that others wouldn't touch, but I'm certain that human flesh does not appeal to me. I don’t know what the Ghouls consume.”

“One of my people went to collect the Ghoul Queen from her ship and guide her to see me. He saw the husk of a humanoid thrown aside by the Empress as she left her dreadnaught. Several husks lay beneath her gunship. He thinks they suck out the insides, leaving an empty husk. Spiders do the same,” said Nimrod.

“There is no way I'm going to ask about it. They scare the daylights out of me. I've met the Queen; she is a crazy, scary bitch. The General is a powerful, intimidating guy. He is also an arrogant, ugly, pockmarked bastard, but you can feel his might. Our people would rather not get on his wrong side. I don’t know their tech level, but it's way ahead of us,” said Yesteg.

“In this matter, we see we have little to lose and a lot to gain; we need every bit of goodwill we can find. We live in a dangerous universe, and we must look after our allies,” said Nimrod.

“How are you doing, Jason?” Gen. Morgan James asked as they shifted Jason’s Medical Pod into the medical shuttle on the hospital’s roof.

“I am progressing slowly. I hate being a dead weight,” said Jason. “I was injured seriously on two occasions. Rehabilitation is a nightmare. I know exactly how you feel,” said Morgan. “Papa Zora’s weapon did some serious damage.”

“I worry about my grandfather, despite knowing I am doing what I must, and I am of no help to him as I am. Last night I had one of my disturbing premonitions. We will encounter enemies who are significantly more advanced than we are.”

“Do you think we will encounter them on or near Orelia?” Asked Adm. Peter Kane.

Jason shrugged. “I did not sense it was imminent.” The medical shuttle ferried the group to Jason’s battleship and settled Jason in the hospital.

“Thanks, Peter and Morgan. Can you tell me what you know about the Mob? I know little about them,” asked Jason, “I know they have attacked the Empire twice previously, and we repulsed them.”

Jason lay flat on his back in his pod, too weak to move. The pod moved his position every few minutes to prevent pressure injuries and stimulated his muscles. A nurse fussily fiddled with the controls to make him comfortable. The physiotherapist from the hospital stood alongside four drone orderlies and two nurses recently sent from the battleship. Nearby, two battleship trauma doctors waited to check Jason after the nurses connected the pod. Peter Kane and Morgan James sat near the pod without interfering with the activities of the clinical teams.

"I'll tell you what little we know about the Mob,” said Peter. “On two previous occasions, Mob fleets suddenly attacked the Empire. They never invaded planets or boarded ships. They started their attacks by bombarding planets or ambushing ships, largely cargo convoys. In the latter stages of the war, we fought large fleet engagements. We lost many ships, as did they. They did not surrender or allow us to capture any ships. They blew them up if we boarded or if they could not escape. We never found where they came from. Their strategic objectives in both wars remain obscure.”

“Did you capture any of them?” Jason asked.

"We captured a few ships and officers. The original people were called the Jumo. They took in refugees from the Empire. Over time, that relationship went sour, and the refugees gained control and renamed themselves the Mob. We never found out anything else. We had difficulty tracking the source of the refugees from within the Empire. You will find many unhappy people and dissident groups in a vast empire that spans a galaxy quadrant. Some seek different lives elsewhere,” said Peter.

“Papa Zora alleged his parents were part of a dissident group. We know he ended up in foster care after his parents were no longer around. He alleged Imperial troops took them,” said Jason.

“He knew some of the leaders of the refugee group. Most were a group Papa Zora did not know, and he was uncomfortable with the newcomers,” said Peter.

“Who were these people?” Jason asked.

“Some of us believe we heard one say they were from another galaxy. One of the other groups gave me the location of the Mob core planets and asked us to help them,” said Peter.

“There may be different groups that make up the Mob,” said Morgan. “Perhaps a new and different group of refugees arrived from another galaxy and they are the ones Papa Zora did not know and disliked.”

“What do we know of adjacent galaxies?” Jason asked.

“Our scouts encountered insects closer to the center of the universe, but no humanoids,“ said Peter. “We limited our scouting as we believed the priests’ rubbish.”

How is that funny little fellow, Winston, in you doing?” Morgan asked.

Jason laughed. "Winston made an appearance in my mind. He is sitting in his study furiously smoking his pipe and blowing smoke rings. He looks agitated.”

‘I am not a funny little fellow. If stuck in a trans-dimensional space, you might also be a funny little fellow. One day I will live freely and independently and make sure that when I do, I will be taller and bigger than you, Morgan!’ said Winston telepathically.

Peter and Morgan laughed.

The nurses informed the doctors the connections were complete and the pod was operating satisfactorily. The orderlies moved the rehabilitation pod off the transport sled and onto the hospital pod cradle. Jason dropped off to sleep.

Admiral Peter Kane stood in Central Command next to the bridge. He looked around the comfortable room. Sixty people planned in groups. Another eighty could readily fit in the room.

“Peter, is this not an odd command structure for a battleship? We have no Captain and no defined leader. Jason has not replaced Stan with one of many highly qualified captains,” said Morgan.

“I have never been in a situation with no defined command structure that works so well. Jason is the closest to being in command, but he does not think he is,” said Morgan.

“I disagree, Morgan. Jason placed Andrea and Linda in command of our operations, but they have not replaced Stan. Andrea ensured we staffed the bridge with top people. You and I act as mentors to Jason and the team. Jason acts much as most politicians, except he has exceptional strategic and tactical insights and he gets insights into the near future.”

“Let’s choose some pastries, pick up a drink, and sit at the command table."

Peter sighed as he sat beside his friend of thousands of years, General Morgan James. He turned to Admirals Andrea Phillips and Felicia McDonald.

"I'm pleased we went through the simulations of the situations Jason and you faced before we met. Morgan and I had heard bits and pieces of what had happened, but we never faced the same situations,” said Peter.

"We performed poorly in the pirate attack. We didn't use communications drones. We tried the simulations five times each, but the Pirates got us each time. We could beat the single cruiser, but we did not do so well in the engagements with the two cruisers and subsequent reinforcement by the other cruisers. We wouldn’t have got to the clones in time, and the cruisers seriously damaged the battleship,” said Morgan.

“Jason is an intelligent young man who reliably delivers brilliant strategic and tactical insights. We watched the fight on the bridge several times. We couldn’t have done so well,” said Peter.

"I am acutely embarrassed by what I did," said Peter Kane.

"Don't be a complete idiot, Peter," said Andrea. “You were in an impossible situation. The priests captured you and held your son and wife hostage. While under duress, you converted a threatened disaster for the Empire into a manageable war. You guys may not have done as well as Jason in the simulations, but you did a fantastic job diverting the priests and the Mob from attacking the Empire’s core planets. I'm not convinced I would've done as well as you did. You did what you did because of who you are. Morgan helped you because of the years of friendship you enjoyed. He trusted you and had your back.”

“You warned the Empire and resurrected your reputation,” said Felicia. “You and Morgan made sure we can help defend the Empire.”

Andrea sat at her table at lunch in the canteen with Felicia, Celia, and Linda. She saw Peter looking around the room and smiling at his old friend Morgan. Felicia saw which way Andrea was looking and smiled.

"I like them. They are distinguished career soldiers, yet they are not arrogant or controlling. I find both of them yummy. They are handsome, sophisticated, and intelligent but dedicated to their wives and families. Both are self-effacing and self-deprecating but are also helpful and easy-going. They are well-connected and trusted, making our jobs easier," said Felicia. “None of us could negotiate the deals as they are doing.”

"They know the planetary administrator of Orelia, Fleet Admiral Delia McPherson, and the General commanding the Marines on the planet and the moon. We are not that far away from a final deal,” said Celia. “The military treats us like mercenaries. They will pay us to help defend Orelia. Peter and Morgan know how to set up a viable deal for both sides.”

Peter and Morgan strolled over.

“I forgot to mention that Jason predicts we will meet more powerful foes. He doesn’t think it will be soon, but I saw he was worried.”

The four women’s eyes widened.

"Ladies and gentlemen,” said Peter Kane, “We have news from Central Command on Cassiopeia.

“Jason, can you see and hear me?”

“Thank you, Peter; the pod has excellent sound and vision.”

"The Mob attacked all seven planets simultaneously but stopped attacking two of them after they knocked out the defending fleets and then ceased hostilities,” said Felicia.

“They will use the fleets they withdrew as additional reserve fleets,” said Peter. “They will support other planetary attacks as needed.”

“You previously said that you suspected they could only attack five planets,” said Jason.

“I had hoped they would overextend themselves by attacking seven planets simultaneously, but the loss of a small fleet attacking Nirvana may have influenced a change of emphasis. As a result of reducing the number of planets they attack, the Mob increases their chances and makes their defense harder for us. They only attacked our fleets and cargo ships in both previous wars. They did not land troops; now, they are preparing to land substantial ground forces. The fleets attacking Orelia are also bigger than Admiral Delia McPherson, or I expected, and they have more troop transports than they deployed on Nirvana.”

“Did she take your warning seriously?” Andrea asked.

“Yes, she did. Delia will be one of our great admirals. She thanked us for the advanced warning.”

“Peter, what is she like?” Jason asked.

“I know her well; she is an innovative commander like you, Jason. We teach many of her war and tactical battle techniques at the War College,” said Peter. “Delia is one of our youngest admirals and is exceptionally talented and innovative.”

“Do you know what Central Command said to her?” Jason asked.

"Central Command warned Admiral McPherson of the impending attack. She worked hard for two weeks to prepare herself to defend the planet. She left thousands of heavy anti-ship missiles and tens of thousands of antimissile missiles in geosynchronous orbit around Orelia. Jason that is similar to your mine concept. She also has, like Nirvana, defensive missile and cannon platforms surrounding the planet. The moon is bristling with anti-ship-guided missiles and cannons,” said Peter. “Our warnings went out unchanged. However, I have detected a recent change in what Central Command believes. They think the Mob attacks are much less serious than earlier.”

“Peter, you suspect they are getting false intelligence?” Felicia asked.

“Yes, they were far too laid back and casual. I know the Mob intends to invade planets. Central Command refuses to believe it.”

“Have you heard how the Mob attacked Orelia?” Jason asked.

"McPherson said the long-distance sensors alerted them to The Mob fleet twenty minutes before arrival. The Mob did as expected. They jumped in, launched missiles, and jumped out. They also left behind planetary attack platforms intended to damage and knock out the planet’s defensive platforms. The Mob took time to place the attack platforms and paid a heavy price. The Mob fleet then attacked the moon. They left ten severely damaged capital ships behind. McPherson’s missiles struck the Mob sooner than they expected. They did not realize that there were guided missiles in orbit. McPherson’s ship killer missiles struck the four massive attack platforms, severely damaging them. Then the heavy cannon from the moon fired and launched another batch of anti-ship missiles. They hit their targets within seconds of each other.

“The enemy fleet jumped to the other side of the moon. They expected it to be undefended as it never faced the planet. McPherson's team has been busy on the other side of the moon for many years. She installed hidden guided-missile silos and cannon emplacements. They even have a small base, deeply buried. She also placed missiles, maintaining themselves in geosynchronous orbit around the moon. Both sets of projectiles hit the attacking fleet.”

“How big is the Mob fleet relative to the defenders?” Jason asked.

“The remaining Mob fleet is twice the size of the planetary fleet, that is why Central Command contacted us, but Delia damaged many ships. The battle AI informed me Delia had seriously damaged the enemy. Some enemy ships are barely operational, others she damaged less severely.”

“Where are the Mob ships?” Jason asked.

“The Mob retreated, but they remain where they first retreated; behind the first gas giant. They must be waiting for reinforcements. Orelia is the furthest planet from the Mob reserve fleets, so I expect it will take six to eight hours for Mob reinforcements to arrive. We will get there well ahead of them. We can prevent a ground assault,” said Peter.

McPherson is sending out scouts and many sensors and communications probes. This is her on the holo-com.”

“Hi, everyone; we will meet and introduce ourselves later. I have a brief respite to prepare for another attack and have things to do and places to be. I will link you to our battle computer to update your holograms with our sensor and readiness information. Furthermore, I will send you the positions of our floating missiles and a dynamically updated hologram of the situation. I am also sending you the current estimates of the enemy fleet damage, ship by ship. Peter, will you be the flag admiral?”

“No, Delia, Admiral Andrea Phillips will be flag admiral.”

“Admiral Phillips, we will speak more when you arrive in our solar system,” Admiral McPherson stated, smiled wanly, waved, and switched off her hologram.

Andrea waited to evaluate the implications of the latest data with Felicia, Linda, Celia, and their teams, then decided to take a break. Linda and Andrea remained behind.

Andrea turned to Linda with a twinkle in her eye. “Linda, it is only seven months since we were born, and we are leading crack teams into battle. Who knows what we will do in seven more months? My original, at seven months, started to crawl. She remained childless. This time I am a flag admiral and two weeks pregnant. I am significantly ahead.”

Linda grinned and lightly tapped Andrea’s shoulder with her fist. “Don’t be so cocky. You must prove you are a top Admiral. So far, you are coasting on Felicia’s battle prowess,” said Linda, grinning.

“Linda, I don’t know how you feel, but I love being an Admiral. I look forward to each new day. Having a child scares me. Jason’s fragile state also worries me. I won’t feel right until he is in bed with me, brandishing his Warhammer!” Andrea giggled like a teenager.

"I am likewise having a great time,” said Linda. “This is what we are born to do. Don’t worry about the whole motherhood thing. It’s easy now the fetuses are in the uterine pods. When the baby is born, you will get an AI nanny, or you can leave the baby in the crèche. My original had two nannies when her children were young. ”

“Did she breastfeed?”

“Yes, she loved breastfeeding, though she found it difficult the first time. It was a unique and intimate experience. Sleep inducers for babies helped make life more comfortable. Babies rapidly get into a sleep pattern, and nannies make life a pleasure.”

“I miss not having my baby in me,” said Andrea.

“I go to the uterine pods daily to talk to the baby. My nanny suggested it to my original after the first. She told her it helps the mother form a bond with the baby; some babies can feel you telepathically. The doctor told me my baby hears me.”

“Felicia and Celia are frustrated they didn’t have a chance to get more involved with Jason. There isn’t much we can do to help them in the current situation,” said Linda. “I have also been thinking about how we can keep him out of trouble in the future. We should never have dragged him into the trial of Papa Zora.”

“Nonsense, Linda, we searched for hidden weapons. We had telepaths and guards to help protect us. We didn’t think Papa Zora could do anything,” said Andrea. I don’t think we can coddle and protect him. Jason attracts trouble. I would do anything to protect him, but he will do what he wants, much as he did when he saw Porquenta,” said Linda. “If he didn’t go to the planet, we would never have realized Porquenta was there. Jason triggered Porquenta to become active; lo and behold, he now has two planets and a priceless AI.”

“I’m scared he’ll die before he can fulfill his destiny," said Linda, “whatever that is. When I met him, I felt I knew him from somewhere. We both felt it when we connected telepathically. My destiny intertwines with his.”

“Yeah, the first time I met him, I felt the same,” said Andrea.

“He shocked me. I felt him in the room when I was hiding in the cupboard on Mars. I felt my husband had come to fetch me. Not only that, but I had goosebumps when I saw his face for the first time,” said Linda, shivering. “

Celia and Felicia returned with the teams.

"Let's visit him. I miss his input. Felicia, Celia, come with us? We will see Jason present our scenario and see what he says. His Lordship may well have some unique insight into what we can do. I don't want him to feel left out," said Linda. “I’ll make sure everything we see goes to his holograms. He can watch it after he has his rehabilitation sessions.”

Jason woke feeling refreshed; rehabilitation was over for the day. Four sessions were hard going. His muscles were no longer aching, and he felt stronger but was far from returning to normal. He could open and close his hands and move his head from side to side. He experimented with his feet. Furthermore, he could feel and move his toes. He was voraciously hungry.

The pod opened, and he saw Andrea’s and Linda’s smiling faces. On the other side, he saw Celia and Felicia grinning. He smiled broadly as they kissed him in turn. They looked down on him, two heads on each side.

“We are two hours from Orelia. We have come to consult the Oracle," said Andrea.

Jason closed his eyes and intoned. “I am the Oracle of Gazzoo. I will tell you the future in the mysterious way of the One,” said Jason, grinning. “I am at your disposal. Winston is with me.”

“As you know, the first Mob attack failed. The Admiral and a Marine General on the moon defeated the enemy and damaged a third of the Mob fleet. The Mob fleet has withdrawn,” said Andrea. “You heard the account of the battle earlier. Here it is, as the Battle AI animated it for us.”

Andrea projected the battle from start to finish.

“Did the Mob damage the defending fleet and the defense platforms? Jason asked.

“The defending fleet is intact, as are the defense platforms,” said Andrea.

“We would be interested to know what you would suggest. None of us want to contaminate your ideas with the thoughts that we have had,” said Linda.

“Admiral McPherson’s idea of leaving missiles in space is excellent, and I love it. Missiles can complement mines. McPherson probably only fired a few of them from close to the platforms, giving the impression that they originated from them. If she leaves them passively waiting, antimissile systems will not target them. No doubt you guys have also been thinking about mines?”

“Yes, we have,” said Felicia. “Andrea and I discussed using them before we went to Nirvana, and they worked well there.”

“The first thought is to drop mines at expected invasion assault positions. Drop smaller mines to await the release of assault craft,” said Andrea. “The question is when to do it?”

“I would reserve that strategy for a bit later. It will give them too much information too early, and I assume Admiral McPherson also has smaller missiles in place,” said Jason. “The Mob fleet first jumped outside the solar system and then near the gas giant, where the first fleet withdrew.”

“We want to avoid waiting for them to jump near Orelia,” said Andrea. “They will also send troops to the ground.”

“I agree. I would look at a conventional attack with one-third of our attack fleet jumping in on one side of them, but jump the rest of the fleet behind the planet and launch missiles towards them around the planet. I suggest you do it as follows: before the attack by our small attack fleet, we send a few ships to remove scouts and block sensors on the opposite side of the planet then our reserve fleet jumps there.”

“Why don’t we wallop them at the start?” Asked Felicia.

“We don’t want them to suspect we are waiting to pounce. We want them to think we are the defending fleet, and as our numbers are small, they can eradicate us. If we block all communications traffic and hit any scouts and sensors on the other side, our reserve fleet will be invisible to the enemy. Shortly before the smaller fleet jumps in, the big fleet launches a full load of missiles around the planet. We time it so the small fleet manifests and fires everything they have seconds before the missiles come around the planet. Let the missiles come around from every direction,” said Jason.

“The small fleet will get a pasting,” said Andrea.

Jason smiled and shook his head. “The small fleet hits them with everything they have but concurrently dumps a load of mines programmed to head towards the enemy ships. They only slug it out until the round-the-planet missiles reach the Mob fleet. We use the smaller fleet to create a distraction from the missiles, and if we time it right, we expose them to danger for ten to twenty seconds. They jump in when the round-the-planet missiles are fifteen seconds from the enemy.”

“ The smaller fleet jumps again and dumps mines in geosynchronous orbit over the city, over the cities where we expect them to launch attack shuttles. It will look like the smaller fleet attempting to prevent the impending planetary assault. The enemy will not see the mines. We then wait. Soon after we jump, so will they to avoid the missiles. If we are fortunate, they will jump nearer our moving mines.”

“Why are you doing it like that?” Andrea asked.

“The rationale is as follows: I don’t want them to run, but I want to damage them as much as we can. To accomplish this, we must appear to attack with fewer ships than they have. This encourages them to stay where they are and blast the small attacking fleet. They will convince themselves this small fleet is the planetary defensive fleet and there is nothing more. I want them to say ‘Aha’ and rub their hands together in glee. I want them to be so happy that they can be easily distracted to the point that they miss the missiles coming from around the planet.”

“We can make sure the small fleet exposes itself to the Mob briefly,” said Felicia.

“To succeed, you must achieve a full communications block, or the whole trap fails. They must not know we are there.”

Andrea grinned. “They will see the attack by the smaller fleet. They will concentrate on trying to destroy them, knowing they have a greater mass of ships and firepower. They will be more likely to miss the missile attack from around the planet and think it is only missiles from the smaller fleet. If I use a significantly smaller fleet, we could get lucky, and they will not jump to avoid the missiles from the smaller fleet but decide to slug it out. We can give the small fleet thirty seconds without subjecting them to a pasting. The Mob sees a small fleet and says to themselves, great; we will get one problem out of the way. They launch missiles, but so do our ships. If we send ships bigger than a cruiser, there is a high chance they will jump before our missiles go around the planet. We must jump before the enemy missiles damage us severely.”

“When our fleet jumps away, we wait for the Mob fleet to jump behind the small fleet missiles. We jump around the planet and hit them as hard as possible, with everything we have, while the smaller fleet lays mines near Orelia,” said Jason.

“We will implement a full communications block,” said Andrea, “We don’t want them to warn the reserves there is a much bigger enemy around than expected. What do you suggest we do next?”

“I don’t know if the reserve Admiral will join the original fleet or if it will jump outside the solar system, then directly assault the planet while instructing the original fleet to join them. The reserve fleet knows where their compatriots are waiting for them. I would mine the area surrounding the bigger fleet as the reserves could equally well join the original Mob fleet,” said Jason.

“If they join the original attacking fleet, mines would be useful, but if they head directly for the planet, it is a waste,” said Felicia. “They know where the defenses lie. They could launch an assault on the planet where the moon cannot see them. They instruct the other fleet to join in the assault on the planet.”

“If, in the first scenario, the reserves join the original attacker, they will see damaged ships and may well investigate. Then the mines can do their job,” said Andrea. “However, won’t the reserves be cautious? They know they haven’t destroyed the planet’s defensive platforms.”

Jason lay back for a few moments with his eyes closed. He shook his head.

“If only I knew their Admiral, I could predict better where the reserve will come out of trans-dim space. When we get there, I will let you know if I have any insights or predictions.”

Jason looked at the four of them intently. “If the Mob reserve cannot communicate with the original attacking fleet, they will not be surprised. I suspect they will launch an attack on the planet and send communications probes to the last known positions of the original Mob attacking fleet. They will ask them to join them in the attack.”

“I’ve fitted out some of our heavily armored cargo ships as minelayers. They can pump out mines much faster than any of the other ships. I suggest we add to the batch of mines near the planet before we hide our fleet again,” said Morgan. “We will help them have a tough time.”

“That is an outstanding idea, Morgan. We might also configure some of them as missile-laying ships as well. Our other ships can’t quickly dump tens of thousands of missiles,” said Jason. “Fitting out cargo ships as missile and mine layers is an excellent idea.”

“When do you think we should reinforce the ground defenders?” Celia asked.

“I’m tempted to send our troops to reinforce the ground defenders, but I don’t want to risk them receiving a pounding from above from the enemy ships. We will reinforce the ground troops later where needed,” said Jason.

“When should we use our fleet?” Asked Andrea.

“I think we let the defense platforms, the missiles, and the mines do their job. The enemy fleet must stay close to the planet to support the landing troops, as they know they cannot control space. When the missiles run out, we hit them as hard as possible, together with the planetary defensive fleet. They will run a difficult gauntlet. The moon and planetary defenses are intact and can inflict some misery. Wherever they go, they cannot avoid the moon for long. Perhaps they will bring along more assault platforms to make it easier for them.”

“Any other thoughts?” Andrea asked.

“Those are my first and probably my last thoughts before the battle. What plan did you come up with before asking me?”

“We added mines to the planet; then we hit the fleet near the gas giant hard with a bigger fleet. We chased them when they jumped. Then when the reserves arrived, we waited for them to assault the ground, launched missiles around Virgil, and then added reserves to knock them out,” said Andrea.

“That is an excellent plan, and it may turn out you will go down that path. I wish you the best of luck and good hunting. Can you connect me through to our forces, I want to make a speech,” said Jason. “We had a famous prime minister and I have an idea for a rousing speech.”

Linda and Andrea looked at him quizzically.

“I am connecting you now,” said Linda.

Jason’s face looked stern and somber.

“Forces of House Kargo and the Empire, my brave and steadfast companions:

As we stand on the brink of a battle that shall define our destiny, I call upon you to remember the principles and values that have guided our forebears throughout the ages. We are not merely defenders of the Empire but also the torchbearers of freedom, justice, and the indomitable spirit that courses through the veins of our people.

Our enemy, a merciless force that seeks to shatter our way of life and extinguish the light that burns so brightly within us, now encroaches upon our doorstep. In the face of such overwhelming darkness, it is upon us, the valiant and resolute, to hold the line and stand firm against this tide of tyranny.

Let me be clear: we shall not surrender or falter in our resolve. We shall fight on the fields and valleys; in the cities and skies; on the desolate plains, and in the vast expanse of the cosmos; we shall fight with every ounce of our strength never waver.

We shall go into this battle not with fear in our hearts but with the conviction that our cause is just and that the flame of liberty must not be allowed to flicker and die. Remember, my fellow soldiers, that it is not merely our duty to protect the Empire but to safeguard the very principles upon which it was founded.

In this darkest hour, let us draw strength from one another and stand shoulder to shoulder, united in our purpose and unwavering determination. We shall fight until our final breath, for we know that our struggle is not in vain and that our sacrifices shall pave the way for a brighter tomorrow.

So, as we march into the maw of the enemy, let us do so with our heads held high and our spirits unbroken. We shall show them our true might and remind them that our grand civilization’s sons and daughters shall not be vanquished so easily.

Let us go forth, my brothers and sisters, and fight with a ferocity that shall echo through the ages. For, in the words of the great Winston Churchill, “We shall defend our Empire, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender."

May the light of our belief in the Empire guide us in this moment of darkness, and may we emerge victorious, our banners held high and our hearts filled with pride.

Forward, brave warriors, and let us make history!

Glory to the Empire!

Jason nodded.

“I want to give you all a kiss before the battle. Stay safe,” said Jason.

Each of the women leaned over the pod in turn and kissed Jason.

“Not bad, Jason, not bad at all,” said Andrea.

The four women quickly made their way to the canteen. They needed some more time to think without interruption and relax.

“Jason is looking better. I’m pleased to see he is progressing. He isn’t looking grey, has some color, and is moving his arms a bit. His Warhammer should be well rested by the time he is out of the pod,” said Linda. “What do you guys think of his plan?”

“Jason shows how you can keep the enemy in one place while you hit them harder than they expect and keep your assets from excessive damage. He gave us a novel strategy near the gas giant, but we employed a similar idea near Orelia. His strategy will expose us to the least risk,” said Felicia.

“The Empire doesn’t think like that; they have big populations; people and ships have been expendable. The Empire fights battles head-to-head. It relies on using a superior force and slugs it out with the enemy,” said Andrea. “It is wasteful and inefficient and promotes poor quality flag and general officers.”

“I intended to reinforce the Orelia ground forces early, but I’ve changed my mind. Jason thinks carefully about the most efficient way of hurting the enemy. Behind most of his strategy is a desire to save lives and reduce casualties. He is equally protective of his precious ships. I like his tactical approaches. I don’t know how much of it will play out as he predicted, but there is nothing to lose,” said Linda.

“I will tell McPherson what we are doing by direct burst when we arrive. We’ll review what is happening and get our attack underway,” said Andrea pensively.

Andrea and Linda strode to Central Command and communicated the amended plan to their implementation groups. Andrea commanded a single destroyer and a wing of fighters to race ahead of the fleet to reconnoiter on the other side of the planet from The Mob fleet, destroy probes, and block communication.

Andrea’s scouts surprised a pair of enemy fighters and destroyed them. Jason’s more extensive fleet arrived minutes later and launched large anti-ship missiles around the planet.

The smaller fleet under the command of Felicia engaged the enemy, shooting full loads of missiles and firing cannons. They dumped a load of mines while firing missiles and artillery, then jumped near the planet. The mines Andrea designed had more powerful engines and, rapidly, like a missile, reached a designated position but, like a mine, waited for a target. The enemy engaged Felicia’s small fleet. The missiles from around the planet struck the enemy ships. The enemy fleet jumped behind the missiles from the small fleet, not realizing they were being pursued.

Felicia’s fleet jumped to Virgil, 200km above the capital, and dropped a load of mines. The smaller fleet jumped back from the planet as the more extensive fleet attacked The Mob fleet.

The mines previously dropped by the smaller fleet near the gas giant flew toward the enemy, slowed as they reached sensor-detection range, and moved slowly toward their targets. They hit the Mob ships as the chasing missiles hit the Mob fleet. Few Mob ships escaped the mines and missiles. Most were too damaged to break out of the trap and escape. Linda sent boarding pods to the larger ships to capture the senior officers for interrogation. Andrea’s assistant sent live feeds to Admiral Delia McPherson on her flagship and General Rebecca Cunningham on the moon.

“Admiral Phillips, that was an inspired strategy; how much damage did you take?” Delia McPherson asked.

“Thank you, Admiral McPherson; we followed Archduke Kargo’s plan. He is the master of unusual strategies. We have one frigate out of commission, four casualties, and a severely damaged destroyer with fifteen injured and two deaths. The casualties are in transit to the hospital ships. We will hide while we wait for the enemy's reserves. Here is the suggested plan of attack. Look at it and get back to me,” said Andrea with a wry smile.

“That wasn't bad for a battle with a hundred and ten miscellaneous ships from battleships and assault carriers to cruisers, destroyers, and frigates. The surprise attack, the unexpected missiles, and the mobile mines enormously impacted the battle’s outcome. The small size of the mines fooled the enemy sensors every time,” Andrea said. “I like the idea of these missile mines.”

Jason’s smiling face appeared on the hologram. “Well done, all of you! We were fortunate the Mob admiral didn’t jump far. They didn’t realize where most of the missiles came from and hopped close to our mines.”

“The missiles from the other side of the planet continued to do their jobs,” said Celia.

“Celia, while we carry on planning, please chat with Jason and see if he has had further thoughts and go through them with him, if you will?” Andrea asked.

Celia turned to her hologram. Five minutes later, Celia turned back to the table. “Jason had one of his intuitions. He believes the reserve fleet will jump in close to the planet. They will request the original attacking fleet to join them,” said Celia. “He suggests that we pick up as many remaining mines as possible from here and take them to the planet before we hide. He thinks that every mine will make a difference.”

The boarding shuttles returned with prisoners.

“In the previous wars with the Mob, Mob ships and crew elected to die rather than surrender,” said Morgan. “Now, there is a change. They are fighting each other as we board.”

Some ships collected the mines, while others added missiles and mines to the stockpile around the planet. The fleet reloaded missiles from the support ships.

Andrea then moved the fleet behind the sixth planet, a giant gaseous planet with eleven small moons. Several rings of rocks circled the planet, further obscuring sensors.

The reserve fleet arrived exactly where Jason predicted. The reserve invasion fleet was close to the size of Jason’s hidden fleet. The invading fleet split unevenly. Forty ships headed to the moon. The moon launched missiles and fired massive cannons and then howitzers as the ships came closer.

The main enemy fleet towed four large missile and cannon platforms toward the planet. They were each the size of a cruiser and twice the size of those deployed initially. The invaders debarked ground assault shuttles and waves of fighters.

Admiral Delia McPherson activated her space-based missiles, hitting the assault platforms from behind.

Mines exploded next to half the attack shuttles heading for the planet. Shortly after, larger mines began exploding next to the enemy fleet. Antimissile systems were of limited effectiveness against so many missiles and invisible mines. Smaller damaged ships headed for the surface on suicide runs. Ground-based missiles climbed through the atmosphere to destroy them—ships, shuttles, and fragments headed for the ground.

Mines exploded adjacent to the larger enemy ships. Then Andrea triggered her missiles. The remaining assault craft headed zig-zagging toward the surface to fool the missiles heading their way. Cannons fired furiously from the surface. The missiles that missed craft headed for other shuttles or reversed and headed after their quarry. There was a steady rate of attrition of shuttles as they faced dense cannon and missile fire from the surface and then ground-based defensive fighters.

The Mob made heavily armed and armored shuttles. They were difficult to destroy. Mob fighters supported the Mob shuttles—the atmosphere filled with debris from the intense battle.

A million enemy troops and their equipment reached the surface. They faced a smaller but well-dug-in force. The ground force prepared thoroughly for the expected invasion.

The fleet above the planet, as did the fleet attacking the moon, took heavy damage. The moon rounded the planet and pounded any enemy ship in sight.

The Mob intensified its assault, pounding the ground and the moon. The declining Mob fleet did not have the firepower to support the ground assault forces adequately.

Missile and cannon fire relentlessly struck the Mob fleet. Under the weight of the defensive onslaught, enemy shields failed, and more cannon and missiles fire struck the ships.

Cannon and missile fire from the remaining functional enemy ships destroyed the defensive platforms and pounded the planetary surface. They targeted defensive positions and created pathways for the attacking enemy troops.

Jason’s reserve and the planetary fleet jumped in and launched their offensive. Andrea sent boarding craft to every large ship. A battleship, cruiser, and destroyer broke away and escaped. Cannons, mines, and missiles continued to wreak havoc on the attackers. Andrea supported the fleet with heavy artillery and missile fire. Jason’s battleship had two close calls from missiles. The severely damaged enemy fleet surrendered. Every attacking ship suffered extensive damage.

The Mob ground offensive continued unabated. Those on the planet did not believe that the fleet had surrendered and continued to fight. Gen. Cunningham asked Linda for her help.

Linda sent in a persuasive force to dissuade the Mob troops from continuing. The Mech Warriors and heavy assault craft were instrumental in striking fear into the attackers, leading to their surrender.

Andrea suggested that Admiral Delia McPherson and General Rebecca Cunningham briefly met with her and her team and Jason before they moved on to Virgil.

“Delia, Central Command is pushing us to move on once the situation here is manageable by your people. We will talk more when we see you.”

Adm. Delia McPherson collected Gen. Rebecca Cunningham from the moon and flew to the battleship, where they met with Jason around his pod. He was in fine form. “Delia, you impressed me with your idea of leaving missiles above the planet. I have never seen that technique used in any simulation, and it is a brilliant concept. Sensors don’t pick them up as they are inactive. They were effective and made an enormous difference in the outcome of this conflict. I'm pleased to have had the opportunity to meet you and congratulate you on a brilliant effort. Gen. Cunningham, the moon defense is a great concept. I loved the trap you created, hiding weapons systems on the other side. You well and truly caught them,” said Jason appreciatively.

“We liked your idea of sending missiles around the planet or a moon. We learned quickly and used that same technique to hit the enemy on the other side of the planet. Those mines are also a great idea. It kept your damage and casualties much lower than they would otherwise have been,” said Rebecca Cunningham warmly.

Andrea and Admiral Delia McPherson agreed on the salvage split. Andrea asked to take half of the most senior enemy officers for interrogation. Linda transported the remainder to the planet.

That was a preview of The Mob Book 2 in the series The Warlord and the Multiverse. Ver2. To read the rest purchase the book.

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