Phalanx defense system. Each should be more than a match for any two Tsgardi warships of equal size. Combined with the dozen older ships built at the Mars' facility that are on their way to Region Two, I'm sure we would win the day if we only had to take on a hundred fifty Tsgardi ships. With my seventy-four-ship fleet against three hundred Tsgardi warships, the outcome is naturally less certain, but we shall do our best."
"I asked you at our last meeting if the five scout-destroyers currently nearing completion at Mars would make such a difference and you said they would," Admiral Hillaire said. "Following receipt of this new information, we've decided to assign them to Region Two as soon as they're launched. The battleships will have to wait for their scout-destroyers until we handle this new situation."
"Thank you," Jenetta said. "Their addition to my fleet will make a considerable difference."
"We've also reviewed the construction schedule at the yard," Admiral Plimley said. "We've decided it would be unwise to halt construction at any of the docks so new scout-destroyers could be constructed. The ships currently under construction are needed just as urgently. But we've almost completed construction of new docks intended for the retrofit of older ships so their speeds can be improved. Rather than begin those retrofit operations when projected, those docks will be used for the construction of scout-destroyers. We estimate that once we're in full production mode we can produce ten scout-destroyers every six months. Within a year's time you'll have an additional twenty scout-destroyers. Combined with the five new ships you'll receive now and the eight already assigned to your fleet, you'll have a force of thirty-three DS ships capable of Light-9375."
"Although it's not even half what you say you need to decisively defeat the Tsgardi," Admiral Platt commented, "it might be enough to halt their fleet's progression until additional ships can be completed and delivered."
"I think I can safely say," Jenetta said, "that the thirty-three ships will allow me to harass the Tsgardi enough to make them rethink their position. We know very little about their battle tactics, since the Milori kept them bottled up in their own territory, but we've had enough contact with Tsgardi mercenaries to suspect they prefer a massed assault. If I can get them to divide into smaller battle groups, we can take them on a group at a time and reduce their numbers significantly. Three hundred Tsgardi warships is not an insurmountable force once I have the ships you're promising."
"We've also moved ahead with staffing plans of Region Two Headquarters," Admiral Moore said. "Admiral Poole of Griffiths Space Command Base has been designated as the base commander of Quesann. Admiral Kanes will assume command of Intelligence in Region Two and Admiral Buckner will head up your Supply & Logistics Section. Poole, Buckner, and additional Region Two headquarters senior personnel will arrive with the first new transports. Admiral Kanes is ready immediately and you may pick him up from Higgins on your return trip."
"In light of this new development, would you prefer I postpone my visits to the two Academies?" Jenetta asked of the Board rather than anyone specifically.
Admiral Hillaire, as Director of the Academies, was the first to respond. "Since you don't yet have the resources to commence action against the Tsgardi, I don't think an extra week is going to make any difference. Does anyone disagree?"
"I don't," Admiral Bradlee said. "Even if the ships currently underway to Region Two had already arrived, there's little Admiral Carver could do to prepare for the confrontation. And it will take most of the ships assigned to Region Two almost two years to reach the Tsgardi border from Quesann."
"I expect the Tsgardi to be halfway to Quesann by then," Jenetta said, "if they continue their move into Region Two. We're the only force that can stop, or even slow,
"I asked you at our last meeting if the five scout-destroyers currently nearing completion at Mars would make such a difference and you said they would," Admiral Hillaire said. "Following receipt of this new information, we've decided to assign them to Region Two as soon as they're launched. The battleships will have to wait for their scout-destroyers until we handle this new situation."
"Thank you," Jenetta said. "Their addition to my fleet will make a considerable difference."
"We've also reviewed the construction schedule at the yard," Admiral Plimley said. "We've decided it would be unwise to halt construction at any of the docks so new scout-destroyers could be constructed. The ships currently under construction are needed just as urgently. But we've almost completed construction of new docks intended for the retrofit of older ships so their speeds can be improved. Rather than begin those retrofit operations when projected, those docks will be used for the construction of scout-destroyers. We estimate that once we're in full production mode we can produce ten scout-destroyers every six months. Within a year's time you'll have an additional twenty scout-destroyers. Combined with the five new ships you'll receive now and the eight already assigned to your fleet, you'll have a force of thirty-three DS ships capable of Light-9375."
"Although it's not even half what you say you need to decisively defeat the Tsgardi," Admiral Platt commented, "it might be enough to halt their fleet's progression until additional ships can be completed and delivered."
"I think I can safely say," Jenetta said, "that the thirty-three ships will allow me to harass the Tsgardi enough to make them rethink their position. We know very little about their battle tactics, since the Milori kept them bottled up in their own territory, but we've had enough contact with Tsgardi mercenaries to suspect they prefer a massed assault. If I can get them to divide into smaller battle groups, we can take them on a group at a time and reduce their numbers significantly. Three hundred Tsgardi warships is not an insurmountable force once I have the ships you're promising."
"We've also moved ahead with staffing plans of Region Two Headquarters," Admiral Moore said. "Admiral Poole of Griffiths Space Command Base has been designated as the base commander of Quesann. Admiral Kanes will assume command of Intelligence in Region Two and Admiral Buckner will head up your Supply & Logistics Section. Poole, Buckner, and additional Region Two headquarters senior personnel will arrive with the first new transports. Admiral Kanes is ready immediately and you may pick him up from Higgins on your return trip."
"In light of this new development, would you prefer I postpone my visits to the two Academies?" Jenetta asked of the Board rather than anyone specifically.
Admiral Hillaire, as Director of the Academies, was the first to respond. "Since you don't yet have the resources to commence action against the Tsgardi, I don't think an extra week is going to make any difference. Does anyone disagree?"
"I don't," Admiral Bradlee said. "Even if the ships currently underway to Region Two had already arrived, there's little Admiral Carver could do to prepare for the confrontation. And it will take most of the ships assigned to Region Two almost two years to reach the Tsgardi border from Quesann."
"I expect the Tsgardi to be halfway to Quesann by then," Jenetta said, "if they continue their move into Region Two. We're the only force that can stop, or even slow,
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