Free Annihilation: A Rose Grows In Weeds by Saxon Andrew

continuous battle. We would have to take the fleet out at the planet before the second fleet joins up. Once the second fleet jumps in we will have to go to full speed to open a large enough gap to finish off the ships from the planet. If we can do that, then we will turn and move on the incoming fleet. Just as we engage them we jump the Megaships in behind them and fire a full salvo of penetrators. The Megaships will stand off and target the missiles that will be launched at them. Trust me; it won’t be a small number. If they have to they will jump over the missile barrage and fire another salvo at the Plants and then jump in the middle of their formations fire all their needles, and then jump out of the system to reorganize.”
     
    Kosiev looked at Mikado and shook his head. “Lin, I never knew you were so good at strategy. You should have been making suggestions long ago.”
     
    “Quite frankly Admiral, I was more or less awestruck by Mr. Gardner. He seemed to always have the right answer and I didn’t feel confident enough to contribute. However, I learned a lot from watching the two of you. We also have to do something else when we start this action.”
     
    “What is that?” Dorg asked.
     
    If our goal is to prevent the Plants from harvesting the remainder of this planet; then immediately upon the completion of destroying their two fleets, we have to jump in some seventy foot asteroid forts and Marines to take control of the surface. Since the Empire ships can’t jump out of the system from the planet but would have to move out to the jump limit, we would park them in orbit around the planet inside the forts to support the Marine landings; they will need all the support they can get. The war then begins here with the Ultra and Megaships jumping in and out destroying as many ships as possible that the Algeans send to dislodge us. This also gives us a chance to see what the Plants can do against our technology without risking a populated planet. If they prevail here, we fall back to Dremel.”
     
    The two admirals looked at each other and Dorg broke the silence by saying, “I’ll get the forts being sent to Cainth sent here instead.”
     
    “Admiral, we will need them in Gamma Galaxy ready to jump in to the planet before we begin our attack. It might also be a good idea to have the marines and their transports on the surface of the Asteroids so that they don’t have to fight their way in system. If the Fleet is successful, then we move on the planet.”
     
    Dorg got on the com and talked with Terl about the movement of the asteroids and after a brief description of their plans, Terl agreed that their current forts would suffice until a later date. Dorg then contacted the Asteroid Command and asked when the new forts could be jumped into the Gamma sector. Colonel Taz got on the line and said they were slotted for Cainth. “Colonel, Terl has already approved their use here in the fight against the Plants. Admiral Kosiev is standing by to back the request; what we need to know is how long it will be before they are capable of jumping into the Gamma Galaxy.”
     
    “They have jump capability right now. With the seventy foot cells you could jump them directly to the planet you want to use them to protect. I, however, will have to confirm with the Cainth Clan leaders that this is their wish.” Kosiev and Dorg saw Colonel Taz look away from the display and listen to someone then look back and say, “Alrighty then, they’re yours, when do you want them delivered.”
     
    Kosiev said, “Before we move them from Earth, I need to make some contacts and get some ground forces and their transports on their surface. While I’m doing that, will you jump them close to the sun and get them fully charged then bring them back to Earth.”
     
    “Yes Admiral, I’ll issue the orders now. How many troops are you planning to take with you?”
     
    Eight divisions will make the trip; one for each asteroid. We are going