“… so,” Matt continued, “we’ll sortie tonight with the frigates. Try to meet this advance Grik element and bust it up before it gets too close. That’ll leave time for Mr. Sandison and Mahan to prepare our final surprises.” He looked at Bernie Sandison. “I can leave you Silva and Chief Gray to supervise the detail. I wish I could leave Campeti, but I’ll need him at fire control.”
“Thanks, Skipper. I didn’t expect Silva or Gray. We’ll get the job done.”
“What about Amagi and the main force?” Pete Alden asked, speaking for the first time. He still looked haggard after his ordeal.
“Day after tomorrow, I expect.” Matt shrugged. “That’s what Mallory thinks-if that was her smoke he saw. I think it probably was; why else come now at all? All the same, they must’ve really rushed her repairs to get her to sea this quickly. She’s their wild card. Normally she could blast Baalkpan to dust without even entering the bay. Her shells are a lot more effective falling on top of a target than hitting it from the side. If she shoots right at something, she either hits-and trust me, it’s a hell of a thump-or misses completely. That’s why ships like her usually don’t get in too close.” He was trying to demonstrate ballistics with his hands as he spoke. “Thing is, if she stands off, she has to see the target herself, which she can’t do here, or have forward observers correct her fire. They could stash one on a Grik ship, I suppose, or even send one ashore, if they have radios to spare. But regardless, if they use indirect fire”-his hand described a high arc in the air-“they’re still going to miss a lot. My bet is, they won’t want to “We picked up some from the submarine, and Jim says the copper bolts shoot fine, but have ‘limited destructive capability.’ In other words, they just punch holes. But they do work, and they’re better than nothing. Someday we’ll make explosive shells. It’ll be a lot harder for the Japs to do that-to make more of their big shells, that’ll not only take rifling, but also blow up. Without their explosive force, they’re not much more dangerous than our copper bolts. They’ll make a bigger hole, but against our defenses here they’ll just make bigger holes in the dirt.” He grinned crookedly. “And you have to wonder if even the Japs would show the Grik how to make something that might blow a hole in their own ship. Regardless, for now, they’ve got to be feeling the pinch-especially after they wasted so many destroying Nerracca. They must’ve thought they had us-that it’d be worth it to go for broke-but it didn’t work that way.” He paused, remembering that fearful night before continuing. “What I think they’ll do is come right up into the bay, use their secondaries as much as they can. That’s what we’ve planned for, and that’s what we need them to do. Our whole defense relies on it, and I think that’s our only chance to kill her.” He looked at Keje. “Trouble is, if they do that, the Homes’ll be slaughtered.”
Keje blinked. “I’d rather avoid the ‘slaughter’ of my Home,” he said dryly.
“Me too,” said Matt. “That’s why Big Sal and the other Homes should leave now. Tonight.”
“But we’ve sworn to fight!” Ramik protested loudly. “I for one have a score to settle! I will not leave!”
“Nor I,” said Geran-Eras.
“I’m glad to hear it, but you misunderstand. Your warriors’ll fight on land, as they did at Aryaal, but I think the Homes themselves should sail immediately for Sembaakpan, near our new fuel depot at Tarakan. It’s a crummy anchorage, but that’ll take them out of Amagi ’s reach. If we faced only the Grik, using the Homes as floating batteries would make sense. We could tear the hell out of them. But if Amagi comes in, they won’t stand a chance. Second, they could carry away more of the Aryaalan and B’mbaadan younglings Fristar and the others didn’t wait to take-besides our own recently acquired ‘noncombatants.’ ” He paused, catching sight obackup plan, but it’s better than nothing.”
The High Chiefs of the three remaining homes spoke rapidly among themselves. Excited conversations erupted throughout the hall. Matt remained silent, watching, while Keje, Geran, and Ramik made up their minds. Finally they stood ready to speak, and Nakja-Mur touched the gong for quiet.
“Very well,” Keje announced. “It’s agreed. Humfra-Dar and Aracca sail immediately for Sembaakpan, with enough people to trim the wings and work the guns, if necessary. The High Chiefs will remain to command their warriors.”
Matt nodded reservedly. “Good,” he said, “but what about Big Sal ?”
“ Salissa, like her sister, Walker, will remain here.” Keje blinked utmost resolution when he spoke. “That, my brother, is not open to discussion. You conveniently omitted the fact that Walker and Mahan will face the same ‘slaughter’ as our Homes. They will not face it alone. Salissa will be your floating battery as long as she can.”
The hall was silent while everyone considered the implications of Keje’s words. Matt didn’t know what to say.
“One problem I can see,” Ellis interjected, “is their damn observation plane they bombed us with. If it shows up again, it could throw a major wrench in the works. Japs could stand off and pound us-just like you said-and there’d be nothing we could do.”
Matt knew Jim wasn’t very happy with Mahan ’s assignment, and his tone actually sounded a little confrontational. Matt glanced at Shinya, then looked his former exec-his friend-in the eye.
“Good point, but I have it on… good authority… the spotting plane won’t be a factor.”
“How…?”
“Our radio wasn’t busted, remember? We picked up a transmission, in the clear, that the plane was damaged. Must’ve been right after its attack.”
“Well… okay, but that’s just one example of how easily the plan can get thrown out of whack.”
“I thought you liked the plan. If you didn’t, why didn’t you say something when we were making it?”
“Because I did- do -like it!” Jim admitted in frustration. “No, I take that back. I hate the damn plan, but it’s probably the best we could come up with under the circumstances. What I disagree with now, that maybe I didn’t before, is that the plan leaves Mahan out of the fight. By all rights, she ought to have Walker ’s job!”
Matt shook his head. “She’s too vulnerable. It’d be suicide. Amagi has to see Walker, which means she’s going to get to shoot at her. With one good boiler and only one screw, Mahan ’d be a sitting duck.”
“ Walker ’s not much better off than Mahan,” Jim insistedmake smoke and run like hell. After she sees Walker run away, she won’t worry about her anymore. That’s when Mahan does her job. It’s an important job, Jim. Besides”-he grinned wryly-“you already changed your number back.”
Jim snorted. “All right, Skipper, but next time Mahan gets to play target while Walker puts the sneak on ’em. Fair’s fair. The boys are starting to feel left out-and sort of coddled.” Jim chuckled softly, but Matt knew his old exec was more serious than he seemed. The Mahans didn’t want to die any more than anyone else, but they did want to do their part. Many still felt tainted by the Kaufman incident, despite their recent success.
“You bet, Jim. Next time.”
“I guess it’s really come down to this, hasn’t it?” Sandra asked bitterly. Everyone looked at her questioningly, surprised by her tone. “You know, ‘win or lose, live or die’-probably die even if you win?”
“It’s been that way from the start,” Matt said gently. “Ever since the Squall. In our old world, maybe it wasn’t so black-and-white. I guess you could always surrender-even to the Japs-but that won’t work here.” He took a breath. “So, yeah, it’s down to that, and it’s just that simple.”
Sandra shivered in the warm hall. She knelt and gathered Rebecca in her arms. “Maybe, but it seems even worse when you joke about it.”