The Alliance warships swung their bows far over and slightly down, then lit off their main propulsion, not only slowing their velocity but also altering their path through space. The long curve of the First Fleet’s projected course began shifting to swing just past the government facility, then through the vast field of orbiting docks and warehouses.
Mistral’s track, though, began diverging as the assault transport started braking much harder than the warships and aimed directly for the government facility. Still nestled within the Alliance formation, Mistral started sliding back and slightly to the side relative to the other ships.
The dark ships had only a couple of minutes to spot Geary’s alterations in course and speed, their task complicated by having to guess what vectors the Alliance warships would steady out on and by the relativistic distortion smearing their views of the other ships.
The dark battleships immediately to the front of Geary’s formation misjudged how much his ships were turning and swung too wide for an encounter as the two forces tore past each other.
Less than a minute later, the dark battle cruisers that had come out from behind one of the stars skidded past just ahead of Geary’s fleet, having guessed wrong about how hard he would brake his ships’ velocity.
One of the two dark battleship formations still forward of Geary almost immediately afterwards raced past behind the Alliance warships.
The second of the dark battleship formations guessed better, skimming the top edge of Geary’s formation. Weapons fired on both sides, but the relative velocities were still too great to get decent fire-control solutions, and nearly every shot missed.
Behind, the first group of dark battle cruisers, still pursuing Geary’s fleet, was closing more rapidly as Geary’s warships slowed down, and behind the dark battle cruisers in turn, the Dancer swarm chased those dark ships.
To port and starboard, above and below, the dark ship formations whose attacks had been frustrated by Geary’s maneuvers were swinging around to set up new intercepts.
“We’ve got some vector divergence on the five heavy cruisers left to those dark battle cruisers behind us,” Desjani noted. “They’ve spotted Mistral’s movement, and they’re moving to intercept.”
“I was expecting that.” Geary tapped his controls. “Captain Tulev, take your battle cruiser division and maneuver to intercept the dark heavy cruisers behind us that I have designated. Those dark cruisers are aiming for Mistral. I don’t want any of them getting to her.”
“Understood, Admiral.”
Leviathan, Dragon, Steadfast, and Valiant began braking harder, also veering out more, aiming for an intercept on the dark heavy cruisers before they would reach Mistral.
A notice told Geary that Mistral was calling him. He accepted the call, seeing Commander Young’s image appear in a virtual window before him. “Admiral, we’re getting a look at more of the government facility as our angle of approach changes. There’s a covered dock attached to that facility,” Commander Young reported. “Big enough to hold a single battle cruiser or an assault transport, and the doors of the dock are open wide. When the staff on the facility tried to flee, they must have not bothered closing the dock doors behind them. I can get Mistral inside instead of dropping off my shuttles for the first wave of the Marine assault. All of the Marines can hit the facility at once, my shuttles won’t be exposed, and Mistral will be safe inside the dock.”
“Will you be safe?” Geary asked. “That dock is an easy target.”
“Admiral, there are no signs of that facility having been fired on. We’ve got plenty of indications that the dark ships have shot up shipping in this star system, but not a mark on any of the orbiting facilities. If the dark ships have any inhibits left active at all, at the top of their list would be not to fire on the government facility where their human overseers were located. It’s still a gamble, sir,” Young admitted, “but I think it is less risky than trying to play keep-away with the dark ships while also sending in and recovering multiple waves of shuttles and Marines.”
Geary stared forward, weighing options and risks, then nodded. “Very well, Commander. You are authorized to enter the dock and launch the assault from there. Notify Colonel Rico. Make sure you don’t loiter outside the hangar lining up your approach and matching velocity. I’m going to do all I can to keep the dark ships off you, but if you’re just hanging in space, you’ll be a very easy target for them.”
Commander Young grinned. “Admiral, I can dock ol’ Miss anywhere I’ve got a meter to spare on the sides and in front and back. Consider it done.”
Young’s image had no sooner vanished than Desjani gestured for Geary’s attention. “The dark battle cruisers behind us have seen Tulev’s battle cruisers moving. They’re altering vectors to intercept Tulev at the same time he intercepts their heavy cruisers.”
“Good.” Geary touched his controls again. “Captain Badaya, you are to take the First and Sixth Battle Cruiser Divisions, as well as the Third and Fifth Heavy Cruiser Divisions, and the Second, Twelfth, Fourteenth, and Seventeenth Destroyer Squadrons, and join with Captain Tulev’s Second Battle Cruiser Division to intercept the dark battle cruisers moving to engage Mistral. Captain Tulev, your division is now part of Formation Delta One commanded by Captain Badaya.”
Captains Badaya, Duellos, and Tulev acknowledged the orders, as did the commanders of the heavy cruiser divisions and destroyer squadrons. Illustrious, Incredible, Inspire, Formidable, and Implacable accompanied by ten heavy cruisers and thirty-one destroyers altered their vectors, sliding outward and up toward the path of the oncoming dark battle cruisers.
Geary could see Desjani glowering at her display. “I’m holding back Dauntless and the rest of the Fourth Battle Cruiser Division for a reason,” he said. “I want those dark battle cruisers to think they have a chance of getting to Mistral. If I added four more battle cruisers to our intercept force, the dark battle cruisers would be certain to veer off. But they might believe they can handle nine of our battle cruisers, especially since I am not part of that force.”
“You’re trusting Badaya to handle them.” Desjani grumbled.
“He’s the senior officer among those three battle cruiser division commanders, and Badaya can handle an overtaking intercept.”
“You still owe me one. Sir.”
Mistral was falling back fast now as she braked to match orbital velocity with the government facility. Geary’s battle cruiser formation Delta One was dropping back even faster so as to intercept the oncoming dark ships before they reached Mistral. Those dark battle cruisers had joined up with their heavy cruisers again and were coming on steadily, apparently ignoring both Badaya’s Delta One formation before them and the Dancers approaching from behind.
“Twenty-two minutes to intercept of dark battle cruisers by Delta One,” Lieutenant Castries said. “Mistral reports estimated docking time at facility in thirty-five minutes.”
Desjani, still grumpy, was eyeing her display. “The other dark ship formations are coming back onto intercepts, but they won’t be able to engage us again until after we pass through the region holding their orbiting support facilities. Clumsy of them. They’re giving us a clean shot at what they need to keep fighting.”