Free Carinae Sector: 02 - Admiral's Fury - Part 3 - Fleet Action by David Buck

understood this from many years ago after our earlier planning sessions with them. We have detected that you have made several attempts to contact the Jerecab commanders, and we advise you not to contact them again. You efforts would be better spent reassuring the civilians that we are defending Earth.’
    Mary signalled to John Griggs and he broke the video connection back to Earth, for the admiral was in no mood to talk to the chancellor further. Instead she qualified her earlier orders with Griggs about their return home, before adding an additional instruction.
    ‘The supply ships are in orbit and the repair crews are standing by to begin work? Also I want you to take command of one of the new destroyers, and I think the Adelaide would be appropriate.’
    Commander Griggs gave her a look of concern as he replied.
    ‘Admiral the ships are all in place and awaiting our arrival. The eight missile frigates are already refuelled and waiting your orders. I estimate we have six hours before the Jerecab will arrive, though their smaller group of frigates could arrive earlier. I will take Lieutenant Sakami with me as my second in command. Lieutenant Gordon is recommended as my direct replacement, with of course your own agreement.’
    The admiral looked over her bridge at the two lieutenants, one the Exeter’s tactical officer, who had both turned around at the mention of their names. She gave each of them a warm smile that they easily returned as she spoke again.
    ‘I agree with your recommendations John and make it so. Both Sakami and Gordon, along with the rest of the crew have performed very well on our long and dangerous mission. Get yourselves ready to leave and I will see you both off ship when we arrive.’
    John Griggs excused himself, and was followed from the bridge by Leah Sakami, as they both raced to their quarters to pack for the transfer to the destroyer Adelaide. Mary focused her attention on Lieutenant Rick Gordon as he strode a few metres across to John’s command console.
    ‘Now lieutenant we will shortly be fighting the final battle and I understand John has been training you over the last few months. I will take the navigation controls off you and that let you fight the ship without hindrance.’
    Rick looked relieved as he went through the screens as a cadet entered the bridge to take up his station at the now vacant forward console. Mary settled back to now specify which of her destroyers would first be repaired by the waiting swarm of support ships.
     
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    Dave Edmonds swallowed nervously as the smaller fleet of Jerecab frigates approached the defenders of Ceres. The colony administrator had always been one to lead from the front, and he considered dryly that this would today result in his death. The smaller fleet had over thirty frigates and these alien ships loomed large in his view screen; even if he knew they were much smaller than their own destroyers. Dave could see that the two Jerecab larger ships had been held back in the attack, defended by six of their frigates, and he made a short comment across the radio link.
    ‘Now the fleet is defending Earth and cannot be risked here as we all know. We are to damage these ships if at all possible.’
    Dave had made sure that all their mining ships had launched after ensuring they were crewed only by volunteers. He had sent as many civilians as possible underground in to the mine shafts with whatever air supplies they possessed. He had kept his orders simple to the defending mining ships, and they would attempt to close the distance to their attackers as quickly as possible to either ram them or launch their mining drones.
    The first blasts from the Jerecab frigates flared in space around the mining ships and Dave yelled the expected order across the radio link.
    ‘All ships to accelerate forward and attack