Free The Ganthoran Gambit (The First Admiral Series) by William J. Benning

rumour of Kallet’s massacre of one of the Ganthus garrisons was true, then the Guards would have some personal scores to settle. However, what Billy did not need was the Imperial Guard throwing away their lives and vessels in some death-or-glory charge straight into the gun-sights of Kallet’s warships.
    No , Billy Caudwell considered, what’s required here is a bit of subtlety and cunning .
    He had to carefully marshal and deploy his forces to make best use of his technological and numerical advantages.
    Looking at the three-dimensional War Table image, the plan was fairly simple and straightforward. Kallet’s ships were well established and in a strong horse-shoe formation in orbit above Ganthus City. The “Six-Cigar” Carriers were being held in tight formation with a strong escort of cruisers and destroyers. With the planet and the city behind his formation, Kallet knew that the Alliance could not use the “terror weapon”; the Trionic Cannon, which had decimated Grobbeg’s Frontier Fleet. The proximity to Ganthus City also gave Kallet a fall-back position, where he could take whatever forces remained after the battle; should it go against him, and fight it out in the streets of the city. Perhaps, Avavid Kallet was aware that he could not win against a large combined Alliance and Ganthoran Imperial Guard force. But, he knew that all he had to do was survive until the combined Frontier Fleets arrived. Kallet may not have had the advantage of numerical superiority, but he did have time on his side.
    Looking at the disposition of his own forces, Billy was now confident that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, he would surround and crush Kallet’s fleet. The core of Billy’s position was the Star-Destroyer Olympus, two Alliance Fleet Carriers, and the thirty Imperial Guard “Six-Cigar” Carriers. With a strong escort of one hundred Ganthoran cruisers and two Alliance Star-Cruisers, Billy was comfortable in the knowledge that the Carriers were well protected. The Force Shielding of Olympus and the two Fleet Carriers would be more than adequate to protect the Ganthoran Carriers.
    In front of the Alliance Carrier forces, Billy had stationed the remaining twelve Star-Cruisers. In the rectangular formation with “Aquarius” to the centre, Billy planned to use the Force Shielding of the Star-Cruisers to absorb any gunfire from the Frontier Fleet weapons.
    Meanwhile, behind the twelve Star-Cruisers, Billy had divided the remaining Ganthoran Cruisers and the Destroyers into two formations.
    These two groups would become the “Horns”, or the pincers, of his attack, whilst “Aquarius” and the other Star-Cruisers would form the “Chest”.
    The intention was very simple. The “Chest” would advance against Kallet’s position and, if possible, draw the Frontier Fleet vessels forward; away from Ganthus. And, As Kallet’s ships were drawn out of position the “Horns” would sweep around the flanks of the enemy advance, encircle them, and isolate them from the planet. With the Frontier Fleet isolated and surrounded, the Ganthoran Imperial Guard could be let loose to finish off the remnants of Kallet’s forces. With that plan in mind, Billy Caudwell ordered the Alliance fleet to advance.
    In the War Room aboard Aquarius, there was a great deal of tension. The heavily illuminated War Table stood out from the darkness and gloom of the rest of the Command Centre. The buzz of communications traffic broke through the almost oppressive anxiety of the silence. At the War Table, Billy Caudwell stood silent and calm as the three-dimensional images, fed by tens of thousands of sensors and intelligence gathering sources were constantly updated. The Alliance fleet was moving forward. The Force-Shielded Star-Cruisers led the way, with the two pincers tucked neatly in behind. And, from the image displayed in front of him, Billy could see that the Frontier Fleet warships were moving from the rear of the formation, towards