Admiral Hoke was already on his comm screen.
“Well handled, Vakeri. I’ve forwarded the exchange to Battle Center and they’ve contacted the UC and the Garmman. I can only imagine the squawks of outrage coming from UC headquarters right now.” Hoke leaned back in her chair. “You’re going after theCiolloto make sure it leaves?”
“We’re going after every large convoy of Garmman traders, to make sure they aren’t actually theCiolloin disguise.” Hal quirked up a corner of his mouth.
The admiral stared at him. “Oh, diabolical.”
“There are three that Voa can pick up. All three may be Garmman battleships, for all we know, or none of them. That’s the irritating thing, we can’t tell until we get a visual. But we’re checking each one.”
“I’ll be sure to inform your reinforcements to keep an eye out for that.” Hoke blew out a breath. “They’ll both be with you in a few hours. Manipulating us to make sure our battleships were spread out along our space boundary was obviously the plan. Both theYarmisand theHelioare over a light jump from your position.”
“They’ve definitely won the first round,” Hal said.
Hoke looked very unhappy about that. She firmed her lips. “Two of our fast runners left Distani for the desert two hoursago. They’ve been given strict instructions to keep out of sight and to find a way to extract Fiona, as long as they can do it safely.” Hoke tapped a finger on her desk. “If the Balcoans meant to kill her, they could have done it on Larga Ways.”
“They want the information she has about the Class 5s. They’ll keep her alive as long as they find her useful, and she knows that.” He hoped she was stringing them along for all she was worth.
“I also made sure the Garmman are aware Leader Baruke is missing, presumed kidnapped, and any contact with him needs to be reported, and anything he says has to be considered under duress. General Olna has been officially approached by the Balcoan high cabinet asking for Grihan assistance in helping find him.”
“That’ll put a dent in the Garmman narrative that the Balcoans want to get rid of us.” Hal smiled.
“It will.” Hoke smiled back. “Let me know if you find a battleship.”
Hal stood. “The only question is, will it just be one?”
Hoke cut the comms on a shake of her head in clear disgust, and Hal moved back to the bridge.
“We’re coming up to the first convoy,” Voa said as he arrived.
“Have they hailed us?” Chel asked.
Voa shook her head. “Not a peep.”
“Swing wide,” Hal told Chel. “Go left and loop around behind them, and go full speed.”
Chel nodded, and theIlliumtipped to the right as he took them into a steep curve.
“And there it is.” Hal took a step forward.
The screen showed theCiollo.
“Ping them,” Hal said. “Inform them we’ve registered their refusal to leave our airspace with the UC, and then we can go on to the second convoy.”
Chel hopped over the top of the Garmman battleship in an overtly aggressive move, and they sped off.
“I can practically hear the gasps from here,” Garbardi said, with a grin.
“Patch the admiral through,” Hal told him.
She came up on the main screen. “I saw.” She shook her head. “You’re already on to the second convoy?”
He nodded. “We’ll send through the battleship name if it is another one. Then we’ll head straight for the final one. Speed is the way to keep them off guard, I think.”
“Especially when you’ve got no help coming for a while,” Hoke agreed. “Whatever happens, call me when you reach the third convoy.”
Hal inclined his head and Gerbardi ended the transmission.
“Captain Hunner of theCiollais hailing us, Captain.” He lifted his brows in question.
