"We're not in optimal position, but we are close enough to provide a response, sir," Russo said. "If we rush Wolfe's taskforce, it might cause enough hesitation for the Tritons to slip past."

"I do not believe they intend to intercept our drone ships," Kohl said, pointing to the display. "They're engaging in much the same tactic you're describing. Wolfe thinks his appearance will fluster me and cause us to misstep, but he doesn't know the ships coming at him aren't even crewed."

"How to you want to handle him?"

Kohl had split his forces when he'd arrived in the Xinjia System. Half were with the Implacable, hiding in the shadow of a moon orbiting the forth planet. Half had been sent down towards the planet flying their standard Alliance beacon codes to provide cover for the Tritons when they showed up.

He'd told his ship captains it was to ensure they'd have reserve forces ready in case Xinjia's Homeguard was more formidable than anticipated, but Russo suspected it had something to do with Kohl's string of defeats rattling his confidence. Lately, he seemed to want to make sure the Implacable had a ready escape route in case things went sour.

"We'll wait to see how he reacts," Kohl said. "It's too early to show out hand."

"As you wish, Admiral," Russo said, walking off to give orders to his crew. Even though he'd been given a thorough training course to be able to pass as a fleet officer, Russo was still sometimes amazed that nobody had caught on yet that he didn't actually know how to captain a starship. He just gave vague orders with confidence and relied on his subordinates to translate those into real actions.

The trick was to treat the junior officers so well they gladly stepped in to take up the slack in return for working for a CO who was generous with praise and credit. He had an XO that had stuck with him, who would actually be a great captain in his own right who actually ran the Implacable most of the time.

"The first wave of Tritons is on final approach to their targets," the OPS officer said. "Sending the arming signal now."

"Now, the fun begins," Russo said, trying to put out of his head the fact he was about to watch a lot of innocent people die at Kohl's hand. Again.

33

"Admiral, the Saber is reporting they're seeing what looks like a formation of ships trying to hide behind a moon of the fourth planet," Lieutenant Commander Hori reported. "CIC is looking over the raw data. Commander Hawkins will— Whoa!"

The display lit up as one of the system's com drone platforms disappeared. One of the Triton-class destroyers had been on course to pass by it, and Jackson had assumed they'd see a missile barrage at that point but, at the last minute, the ship came about onto a direct collision course.

The resulting explosion was far too energetic to be a nuclear warhead or the result of the ship's reactors breaching. Com drone platforms were enormous constructs, and one of them had been practically vaporized. The only weapon—at least human weapon—Jackson knew of that could do that was the ESA's new antimatter charges.