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Book: Carinae Sector: 02 - Admiral's Fury - Part 1 - Purple Blood by David Buck
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Authors: David Buck
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by my best estimations. The structure and basic training is in place, though the delivery of several key pieces of equipment is delayed of course…’
Mary continued her report and knew that it was concise even if understated. In her opinion the colony could amount a credible short term defence before they would be destroyed wholesale. Sanctuary was the cold and only moon of Tyr, or Tau Ceti f, an ice giant just outside Tau Ceti’s habitable zone. The Tau Ceti colony was Earth like - but the biosphere did not hold much oxygen yet. So once the human defences were destroyed the colonist domes would soon follow with a total loss of the colonists. The admiral picked up on her report and he already understood the shortfall as his next comment illustrated.
‘Well Mary, we need to keep other races well away from Earth and our new colonies, so we are heading further out into space to obtain up to date intelligence, and build up the human sphere of influence. If we can get ourselves up and running on enough worlds then possibly we can survive an encounter with another galactic race. Indeed you are in this meeting because of the submission you made eight years ago now.’
Mary, like all senior space fleet officers knew that safety was only an ephemeral possibility as the old Trader briefings painted a daunting picture of both the abilities and the aggression of various galactic races. Now she only dared hope as she took in reference to her colony founding submission, and made a dry enquiry.
‘I was previously debunked for being too forward in my estimations, so are we reconsidering our colonisation efforts?’
The French colony leader, Pierre Monterrey, now interjected amiably.
‘Mary, Môn Cheri, you take the criticisms of your peers and the greater community too literally. We understand your views even if many thought we were getting ahead of ourselves. Indeed you have done great work here and we will be sorry to see you leave the colony.’
Thomas picked up the conversation again at that stage as he shot a look of reproof at Pierre. He ignored Mary’s momentary puzzlement as he smiled again at her and also spoke amiably.
‘Mary, what we are saying is that your point of meeting alien races in a distant colony is preferable to a similar meeting in the home system has been recognised. We are leaving soon after the other ships arrive in four weeks with Admiral John Beresford. You will be coming with the fleet as senior fleet tactical officer and third in command overall. Congratulations Admiral.’
The colonists clapped their hands in approval as Thomas reached into his fleet jacket and removed a letter of commission that he then politely placed in her hand. Pierre took up the pause in conversation as Mary unfolded the official letter and quickly scanned the several relevant sentences. The scale of the policy change took her breath away for several moments as she read away.
‘Mary, you will of course leave instructions for your replacement. I understand that key pieces of equipment for the fleet have yet to arrive from Earth. Finally we need to accelerate our defensive planning from what I can understand.’
Mary brought her full focus back to the room and the polite interest of the colonists, and diplomatically replied as she pocketed the letter.
‘Pierre, we still need to properly organise the colonists themselves as a militia, as some of their larger mining ships are scattered around Tau Ceti and they still need to be brought in for arming and crew training. Yes, I understand they will gripe about not making money but it must be done.’
Mary resigned herself to further countless hours of work on behalf of the colony, before she took up her new role and left with the fleet. The two admirals left the colony council meeting after three hours, and soon recovered their adjutants and security detail from the waiting area.
Thomas paused for a moment and took in the magnificent overhead view of Tyr, ghostly white and
Mary continued her report and knew that it was concise even if understated. In her opinion the colony could amount a credible short term defence before they would be destroyed wholesale. Sanctuary was the cold and only moon of Tyr, or Tau Ceti f, an ice giant just outside Tau Ceti’s habitable zone. The Tau Ceti colony was Earth like - but the biosphere did not hold much oxygen yet. So once the human defences were destroyed the colonist domes would soon follow with a total loss of the colonists. The admiral picked up on her report and he already understood the shortfall as his next comment illustrated.
‘Well Mary, we need to keep other races well away from Earth and our new colonies, so we are heading further out into space to obtain up to date intelligence, and build up the human sphere of influence. If we can get ourselves up and running on enough worlds then possibly we can survive an encounter with another galactic race. Indeed you are in this meeting because of the submission you made eight years ago now.’
Mary, like all senior space fleet officers knew that safety was only an ephemeral possibility as the old Trader briefings painted a daunting picture of both the abilities and the aggression of various galactic races. Now she only dared hope as she took in reference to her colony founding submission, and made a dry enquiry.
‘I was previously debunked for being too forward in my estimations, so are we reconsidering our colonisation efforts?’
The French colony leader, Pierre Monterrey, now interjected amiably.
‘Mary, Môn Cheri, you take the criticisms of your peers and the greater community too literally. We understand your views even if many thought we were getting ahead of ourselves. Indeed you have done great work here and we will be sorry to see you leave the colony.’
Thomas picked up the conversation again at that stage as he shot a look of reproof at Pierre. He ignored Mary’s momentary puzzlement as he smiled again at her and also spoke amiably.
‘Mary, what we are saying is that your point of meeting alien races in a distant colony is preferable to a similar meeting in the home system has been recognised. We are leaving soon after the other ships arrive in four weeks with Admiral John Beresford. You will be coming with the fleet as senior fleet tactical officer and third in command overall. Congratulations Admiral.’
The colonists clapped their hands in approval as Thomas reached into his fleet jacket and removed a letter of commission that he then politely placed in her hand. Pierre took up the pause in conversation as Mary unfolded the official letter and quickly scanned the several relevant sentences. The scale of the policy change took her breath away for several moments as she read away.
‘Mary, you will of course leave instructions for your replacement. I understand that key pieces of equipment for the fleet have yet to arrive from Earth. Finally we need to accelerate our defensive planning from what I can understand.’
Mary brought her full focus back to the room and the polite interest of the colonists, and diplomatically replied as she pocketed the letter.
‘Pierre, we still need to properly organise the colonists themselves as a militia, as some of their larger mining ships are scattered around Tau Ceti and they still need to be brought in for arming and crew training. Yes, I understand they will gripe about not making money but it must be done.’
Mary resigned herself to further countless hours of work on behalf of the colony, before she took up her new role and left with the fleet. The two admirals left the colony council meeting after three hours, and soon recovered their adjutants and security detail from the waiting area.
Thomas paused for a moment and took in the magnificent overhead view of Tyr, ghostly white and
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