Free The Landfall Campaign (The Nameless War) by Edmond Barrett Page A

ships have we got in orbit at the moment? ”
    “ Right now, sir, our two station J class couriers, one fast and three slow personnel transports, three bulk haulers plus a dozen or so in-system ships. There are another six ships that must have got news and have already broken orbit and are heading for the Red Line. ”
    “ No L class couriers? ”
    “ No, sir. There was supposed to be one here today - via Baden. ”
    “ Either already running for Earth or lost. We have to assume the worst. I want Valkyrie’s logs uploaded to all ships currently in orbit. ”
    “ Even the civilian vessels, sir? Even damaged, Valkyrie is faster than the bulk haulers. ”
    “ Yes, we need to make sure the information gets to Earth. Those transports can’t stay here anyway. Order the two couriers to travel separately but to take the most direct route to Earth. Get there as fast as they possibly can. We can’t order all the civilians, but contact all the ones in radio range, advise them to get to Earth and stay off the commercial routes. ”
    “ Yes sir. ”
    “ Once you’ve done that Captain, I need people that can tell
    me about jump drives - ship engineers, civilian experts - whoever we have. ”
    “ Yes sir, ” Gillum said throwing a quick salute, before hurrying away.
    Reynolds had been visibly holding her temper as Eulenburg issued orders, but as the Captain hurried away she now snapped.
    “ Admiral Eulenburg, I expect an explanation of what the hell you think you are doing! ” she burst out.
    Eulenburg regarded her for a moment.
    “ Come with me Madam Governor, ” he said finally.
    Reynolds followed him to a comparatively quiet corner of Four C.
    “ Governor Reynolds. You do not seem to understand the seriousness of the situation. I will explain it to you. Once. ” When Reynolds made no comment, he continued, “ If the Nameless, or whoever they are, can make real space re-entry regardless of a planet’s mass shadow, then our situation may already be untenable. If a starship can make a jump in, in orbit above us, then our missile batteries will have at most only seconds to respond before we start receiving fire from nuclear or kinetic strike weapons. And since our missiles will have to climb out Landfall’s gravity, we cannot count on landing hits before they have had a chance to release their ordnance. ”
    “ But we’re underground, Admiral. The whole point of the shelters is that they protect us from orbital strikes! ”
    “ As long as they themselves are protected, Governor. The missile silos, the fighters and their runways are all on or near the surface. If they are destroyed by a first strike, then an orbiting starship will be able to bombard us at their leisure. Any sort of protracted bombardment will bury us all alive down here. ”
    The way Reynolds’ usually ruddy face went white, convinced Eulenburg that he was getting through to her.
    “ What can we do? ” she exclaimed.
    “ Keep the missiles ready, keep fighters over the base and get people underground as fast as possible. ”
    “ Is it even worth bringing people here Admiral? Would we not be putting all our eggs in one basket? What about evacuating some people by ship? ”
    “ They are even more exposed in the separate colonies, since they would have no missile protection at all. A single weapon strike, would wipe any colonial settlement off the map. As for evacuating the planet, the ships up there now could only carry a few hundred and even those few would take days to load. If those ships leave right now, they stand some chance of avoiding interception. The longer they stay the less the chance. There may also be subtleties here, which we aren’t yet appreciating. ”
    “ Like what? ”
    “ My knowledge of jump theory isn’t strong enough to answer that. I need to speak to experts. ”
    “ But …”
    “ Governor, I cannot give you more time. Not now. The best you can do is start organising the evacuation. ” Eulenburg hurried off before