Free First Strike by Christopher Nuttall

moving.”
    Earth vanished from the display, replaced by the flickering lights of quantum space. Tobias felt another pang, knowing that they were leaving Earth critically exposed to the Galactics if they chose this moment to invade. There were two more cruiser squadrons in the solar system, but both of them were still working up after being released from the shipyards. They couldn’t have put up more than a brief fight if the Hegemony launched a sneak attack of its own. The sociologists claimed that that was unthinkable – they wouldn't bother when they were about to get the territory legally – but Tobias was less sure. Respect for the Association’s law had been falling sharply long before Mentor had arrived at Earth and brought the human race into space.
    Navigating through quantum space was a tricky task. Other races might have figured out how to enter quantum space, but it was the Association that had devised the network of quantum gates and navigation beacons, opening up vast swathes of space for exploration and colonisation. Outside the Association, beyond the Rim, navigation was much harder. Starships had to return to normal space frequently just to check their positions. Even the most advanced quantum drive in existence would have problems jumping in and out of quantum space so often. Operation Bolthole’s ship had the most capable navigation computers mankind had been able to devise and yet they’d still have problems finding a safe world to colonize.
    “Open your sealed orders, Captain,” he ordered quietly. “And then join me for the all-ships conference at 1450.”
    “Yes, sir,” Rupert said, quietly.
     
    * * *
     
    The Association Navy had developed traditions over the thirty thousand years the Cats had spent in space that had proved incredibly difficult to dislodge. One of those traditions was a form of consensual decision-making that would have been intolerable to any human commander. Captains of individual starships would participate in democratic debates about their objectives and how they’d achieve them, finally voting to endorse or reject a particular operational plan. Humanity hadn't been able to build ships large enough to hold all of the fleet’s commanding officers, which meant that meetings had to be virtual. It did ensure that discussion remained focused on the objectives at hand. Tobias was determined that while Captains would have ultimate authority over their own ships, the Federation Navy’s Admirals would set overall policy – without allowing junior officers to vote on it. No effective military force could function democratically.
    One by one, the Captains and Brigadiers commanding his ships and Marine units signed into the secure conference system. In theory, it was impossible to intercept transmissions in quantum space except at very close range; in practice, no one knew for sure. The tachyon bursts the navigation beacons used were detectable at long range. Tobias had ordered that all transmissions were to be heavily encrypted, just in case. Paranoia was a survival trait if they really were out to get you.
    “Gentlemen,” he said, by way of greeting. “I assume that you have read your orders?”
    He smiled at the faces looking back at him. Some looked shocked, as if they’d really expected nothing more than an exercise, or that humanity wouldn't set out to   start   a war. Others looked delighted, seeing it as a chance to avenge the humiliation of Terra Nova and liberate a large human population from the claws of the Hegemony. Several of them had probably checked and rechecked the orders, confirming that they came directly from the Federation Council. The worst nightmare of a thousand states was a rogue officer starting a war.
    “In two weeks, we will arrive at Terra Nova,” Tobias said. The operations plan hadn't been loaded into the fleet’s datanet, not yet. “A tanker with HE3 from Jupiter will be visiting the planet shortly before we arrive. The crew will use