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Uncompromising Honor, Snippet #4

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Uncompromising Honor, Snippet #4
Post by runsforcelery   » Fri Sep 22, 2017 4:23 pm

runsforcelery
First Space Lord

Posts: 2425
Joined: Sun Aug 09, 2009 11:39 am
Location: South Carolina

“You and me both,” he agreed. “Please have me informed as soon as they come back aboard. In the meantime, I’m going to the flag briefing room. I want to go through this ammunition manifest. And I especially want to review ONI’s most recent estimate of Manty missile capabilities.”

He shook his head, his expression turning grimmer.

“I’ve only skimmed it so far, but I’m inclined to think it’s still . . . overoptimistic, let’s say.”

Timberlake raised an eyebrow at him. She, too, had skimmed the new estimate. There’d been no time to go through the analysis itself, but the conclusions section had been depressing. Intelligence’s current metric gave the Manties — and their allies, of course — a three-to-one advantage in throw weight, a thirty percent advantage in penetration aids, and a maximum powered envelope of thirty million kilometers. That was more than enough to be going on with, in her opinion.

“I’m not saying Manties are ten meters tall, Gabby,” Capriotti said dryly. “And the new Cataphracts can match any range they’ve got . . . if we incorporate a ballistic phase. But you and I both know Lyang-tau is right on the money when he says we totally underestimated what the Manties could do to us. Shouldn’t have taken a genius — or so damned long — for ONI to realize that, either, which says some pretty unfortunate things about our prewar analysts. Since the shooting started, though, the Manties’ve made Lyang-tau’s point for him painfully enough not even our brilliant masters can miss it. I’m delighted they’ve sent us these new missiles, and I understand that Technodyne’s tweaked their performance again. But until I’ve got something just a little more solid than ‘our best guess’ about enemy capabilities from the same idiots who brought us Sandra Crandal and Eleventh Fleet, I’m not going to make any rash assumptions about miraculously level playing fields.”

“Works for me, Sir.” Timberlake shook her head. “Better we overestimate them than underestimate them!”

“Fortunately it sounds like someone back in Old Chicago’s figured that out, too.” Capriotti twitched his head at the dispatch they’d just finished viewing. “I can’t say I’m delighted at the notion of blowing up anyone’s star systems. That’s not what I joined the Navy to do, and I have friends living in Cachalot, for that mattter. But whoever came up with this idea, whether it was Admiral Bernard or Admiral Kingsford himself, I think it’s the best one available to us at the moment. If we can cause enough pain to their peripheral star systems or the independent star nations trading with them, they’ll have to disperse at least some of their forces to commerce and infrastructure protection. And the more we can keep them dispersed, the more likely we are to encourage a certain . . . circumspection on their part until Technodyne finally figures out how to build a genuine multidrive missile of our own.”

Timberlake nodded, although both of them understood the additional point Capriotti had chosen not to make. Operation Buccaneer wasn’t just about forcing the Manties and their allies to spread themselves thinner. In fact, that wasn’t even what it was primarily about. Its real purpose was to warn anyone who might even think about signing up with the Manties, whether as ally or simple trading partner, that the decision would be . . . unwise. That the SLN would consider that anyone who sided with Manticore had just sided against the Solarian League, and that the consequences would be dire enough to discourage anyone else from following her example.

In fact, it was a terror campaign, directed against those unable to defend themselves. And if anyone might have missed that little point, TF 783’s assigned target would make it abundantly clear.

The Cachalot System, 50.6 LY from Dzung and only 49.6 LY from Beowulf, was an independent system which had opted against joining the Solarian League when it was initially founded. It was also a prosperous, heavily populated system which had been a Beowulf trading partner for the better part of a thousand years . . . and depended on the Beowulf System Defense Force to provide its rapid response security force. Its organic “military forces” consisted of no more than a couple of dozen frigates and LACs, because no one would be insane enough to attack someone so closely associated with one of the League’s founding and most powerful star systems.

Until now, at least.

She wondered just how explicitly Kingsford or Brenner, the CO of Strategy and Planning, had admitted Buccaneer’s true objectives in the detailed operational orders. And, while she was wondering, she wondered how many of those independent and nominally independent star systems would recognize that the League was choosing to target them because it dared not attack the members of the “Grand Alliance” directly.

Bit of a potential downside, there, she reflected, then shrugged mentally. Maybe that’s another reason to pick Cachalot. It’s close enough to Beowulf that systems farther out in the Fringe may not realize how lightly defended it is. Even if they do, we’ve got to do something, though, and thank God no one is planning on sending us after one of the Manties’ primary star systems! Given how quick they smashed up Filareta . . . .

Her thought trailed off, and she nodded again, more firmly.

“I just hope Technodyne – or somebody — gets its thumb out and moves right along with that multidrive missile of yours, Sir!”




GSNS Protector Oliver I
Manticore Binary System
Star Empire of Mantiocre


“Honor!”

Michael Mayhew turned with a smile as Honor and Mercedes Brigham followed the earnest-faced young ensign who’d been their escort from Protector Oliver I’s boat bay. Soft music played in the background, stewards circulated with trays of finger food and wine glasses, and conversation hummed in the background as he held out his hand. Honor gripped it firmly, smiling back at him, and Nimitz chittered a greeting of his own from her shoulder. Mayhew laughed and extended his hand to the treecat, in turn, and Honor chuckled.


"Oh, bother!" said Pooh, as Piglet came back from the dead.
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Re: Uncompromising Honor, Snippet #4
Post by Eagleeye   » Fri Sep 22, 2017 4:28 pm

Eagleeye
Commodore

Posts: 750
Joined: Sun Aug 09, 2009 4:41 am
Location: Halle/Saale, Germany

Thank you, RFC, but ...
There seem to be some kind of glitch. Only the part at GSNS Protector Oliver I is really new ... the rest we've already seen in Snippet #3 :(
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Re: Uncompromising Honor, Snippet #4
Post by runsforcelery   » Fri Sep 22, 2017 4:34 pm

runsforcelery
First Space Lord

Posts: 2425
Joined: Sun Aug 09, 2009 11:39 am
Location: South Carolina

Eagleeye wrote:Thank you, RFC, but ...
There seem to be some kind of glitch. Only the part at GSNS Protector Oliver I is really new ... the rest we've already seen in Snippet #3 :(



Harumph? Then I posted more than I meant to last time!!!!! Curses!

Well, cause I'm such a nice guy (really I am; just ask Honor . . . as long as you don't mention Paul Tankersley, Andrew LaFollet, Alistair McKeon . . . but I digress) —


"Oh, bother!" said Pooh, as Piglet came back from the dead.
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Re: Uncompromising Honor, Snippet #4
Post by Silverwall   » Fri Sep 22, 2017 4:36 pm

Silverwall
Captain (Junior Grade)

Posts: 388
Joined: Tue Sep 27, 2011 12:53 am

Oh crap... this is going to escalate fast. Attacking Neutrals as a "warning" almost always results in them ganging up on you and joining the other side. This is a catastrophic diplomatic disaster and throws away any remaining credability or legitamacy the solarian league has. Get to close to independant power powers such as the Andermani and they may decide it is time to jump in and crush the league in a self defence move against a rogue state. It is also likely to provoke massive alliance retalliation against league fleet bases and concentrations rather than attempting to picket every potential target.

In addition many of the core worlds are going likely to go into succession or internal revolution once word of this gets back. Attacking Manticoran or Havenite systems would be acceptable but trashing a neutral system will cause massive political upheval in many of the local legislatures.

This could results in an 1860 style wave of succession from the league.

Naturally all of this plays nicely into the MA strategic goals.
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Re: Uncompromising Honor, Snippet #4
Post by Greentea   » Fri Sep 22, 2017 4:52 pm

Greentea
Commander

Posts: 161
Joined: Wed Jan 15, 2014 3:25 pm
Location: Pittsburgh, PA

Of course, it was all whispered into SLN high command's ear by a high-level Malign plant. Anyone with half a brain and a lot less arrogance would recognize the insanity of the plan.

Silverwall wrote:Oh crap... this is going to escalate fast. Attacking Neutrals as a "warning" almost always results in them ganging up on you and joining the other side. This is a catastrophic diplomatic disaster and throws away any remaining credability or legitamacy the solarian league has. Get to close to independant power powers such as the Andermani and they may decide it is time to jump in and crush the league in a self defence move against a rogue state. It is also likely to provoke massive alliance retalliation against league fleet bases and concentrations rather than attempting to picket every potential target.

In addition many of the core worlds are going likely to go into succession or internal revolution once word of this gets back. Attacking Manticoran or Havenite systems would be acceptable but trashing a neutral system will cause massive political upheval in many of the local legislatures.

This could results in an 1860 style wave of succession from the league.

Naturally all of this plays nicely into the MA strategic goals.
Cup of tea? Yes, please.
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Re: Uncompromising Honor, Snippet #4
Post by Weird Harold   » Fri Sep 22, 2017 4:57 pm

Weird Harold
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Posts: 4478
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Location: "Lost Wages", NV

runsforcelery wrote:“You and me both,” he agreed.

<snip most of snippet three>


GSNS Protector Oliver I
Manticore Binary System
Star Empire of Mantiocre


“Honor!”

Michael Mayhew turned with a smile as Honor and Mercedes Brigham followed the earnest-faced young ensign who’d been their escort from Protector Oliver I’s boat bay. Soft music played in the background, stewards circulated with trays of finger food and wine glasses, and conversation hummed in the background as he held out his hand. Honor gripped it firmly, smiling back at him, and Nimitz chittered a greeting of his own from her shoulder. Mayhew laughed and extended his hand to the treecat, in turn, and Honor chuckled.


Oops? Only one paragraph new?
.
.
.
Answers! I got lots of answers!

(Now if I could just find the right questions.)
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Re: Uncompromising Honor, Snippet #4
Post by quite possibly a cat   » Fri Sep 22, 2017 5:01 pm

quite possibly a cat
Captain (Junior Grade)

Posts: 341
Joined: Tue Sep 19, 2017 7:51 am

Iron Fist style of rule doesn't work all that well if you don't have the Iron for the Fist. What the Sollies need to do now is unite the Galaxy (or at least the Solarian League) against the evil empire.

I suppose this is pretty consistent with the Solarian Federal Government MO. Find the worst possible choice and do it.
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Re: Uncompromising Honor, Snippet #4
Post by kzt   » Fri Sep 22, 2017 5:06 pm

kzt
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It's not a great option, but they are kind of out of great options, good options are pretty scarce, but at least there are endless bad options to choose from. And what is probably the only good option is one they already rejected.
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Re: Uncompromising Honor, Snippet #4
Post by quite possibly a cat   » Fri Sep 22, 2017 5:26 pm

quite possibly a cat
Captain (Junior Grade)

Posts: 341
Joined: Tue Sep 19, 2017 7:51 am

They should try and convince everyone Manticore was behind the nuclear terrorism and mass murder of civilians on Mesa. I'm not sure if repeatedly nuking cities without warning is technically an EEE violation, but it should be close enough to unite the League if they can pull it off. As a free bonus it retroactively justifies attacking Manticore!

Honestly, if they can rally Beowulf they'll be in a much strong position. Which is one thing that makes attacking Beowulf's friend so stupid!

It might not work, but I think they'd at least have a decent shot! Especially, since Manticore's go to defense for themselves is the truth, which might backfire here.

I can imagine it now: "Whoa, we're innocent. We only set off ONE nuke. And we only disabled the tracker on the Green Pines nuke the terrorists used. And we were working with the man who set off another nuke. And we just happened to have our agents on the planet for the rest of the nukes, but that's a total coincidence! It was the shadowy conspiracy we have no hard evidence of that set off the other nukes!" At that point you might as well admit to the entire thing and see if chutzpah gets you any credit.
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Re: Uncompromising Honor, Snippet #4
Post by runsforcelery   » Fri Sep 22, 2017 5:43 pm

runsforcelery
First Space Lord

Posts: 2425
Joined: Sun Aug 09, 2009 11:39 am
Location: South Carolina

quite possibly a cat wrote:They should try and convince everyone Manticore was behind the nuclear terrorism and mass murder of civilians on Mesa. I'm not sure if repeatedly nuking cities without warning is technically an EEE violation, but it should be close enough to unite the League if they can pull it off. As a free bonus it retroactively justifies attacking Manticore!

Honestly, if they can rally Beowulf they'll be in a much strong position. Which is one thing that makes attacking Beowulf's friend so stupid!

It might not work, but I think they'd at least have a decent shot! Especially, since Manticore's go to defense for themselves is the truth, which might backfire here.

I can imagine it now: "Whoa, we're innocent. We only set off ONE nuke. And we only disabled the tracker on the Green Pines nuke the terrorists used. And we were working with the man who set off another nuke. And we just happened to have our agents on the planet for the rest of the nukes, but that's a total coincidence! It was the shadowy conspiracy we have no hard evidence of that set off the other nukes!" At that point you might as well admit to the entire thing and see if chutzpah gets you any credit.



Ummm . . . there's been no mass murder on Mesa yet.

Check the date! ;)


"Oh, bother!" said Pooh, as Piglet came back from the dead.
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