“Worse, it seems likely that they have a better FTL system than ourselves,” he concluded.  He pointed to a starchart, then focused it on the New Russia system.  “Their appearance within the system didn't correspond to any known tramline.  It seems that they jumped from a star we would consider outside normal tramline range.  This suggests that our strategic maps of human space may be badly outdated.”

Ted exchanged a long look with Fitzwilliam as the information sank in.  Normally, the tramlines rarely stretched past five light years.  It still took time to move from system to system ... but if the aliens had access to weaker tramlines, they might well be able to evade the human defences and outmanoeuvre the human starships.  It could give them a potentially decisive advantage.

To add to the other ones they have, he thought, grimly.  They’d been wrong; the aliens hadn't been reluctant to attack further, they’d just waited until humanity had offered them a tempting target.  And then they’d attacked, wiping out a colossal force and shattering humanity’s unity.  The loss of New Russia alone was a serious blow.

“We have prepared recordings of the battle for you,” the First Space Lord said.  “I advise you to watch carefully, as the recordings will not be released until the PM has addressed the nation.”

“Good idea,” Fitzwilliam muttered.  “There will be panic if this gets out.”

Ted didn't bother to disagree.  Everyone knew that carriers were the most powerful starships in existence.  Losing one alone would be a disaster, losing twelve ... even if only two of them had been British, would seem catastrophic.  And, if the aliens really did have a decisive technological advantage, it might not be long before Earth itself was targeted.

He leaned forward as the main display lit up, showing the New Russia system as a tactical display.  The alien fleet – fifteen carrier-sized starships, forty smaller craft – jumped into the system, well away from any known tramline.  Ted wondered, absently, if the aliens were actually trying to trick the human analysts.  They had enough stealth technology to hide their fleet until the moment they chose to show themselves.  Why not try to intimidate humanity into surrender?

But those plasma weapons weren't illusions, he thought, numbly.  They were real.

Humanity’s fleet assembled, blocking the alien advance.  Messages were sent, offering talks ... only to be ignored.  Humanity’s starfighters had advanced forward, ready to engage the enemy ... until the moment the enemy starfighters had appeared, between the human starfighters and their carriers.  They had to have passed through the swarm of human fighters, completely undetected.  Ignoring the suddenly frantic starfighters, the aliens threw themselves at the human carriers.  Powerful blasts of plasma fire tore into their hulls, burning through flimsy armour and wrecking havoc inside the ships.  One by one, humanity’s ships were rapidly torn apart.