Chapter 12: Battle plans
GC, St Athan
Muted alarms echoed in the background, unnoticed by the figures crowding over the plotting table, the table flickered, and the 5 'hostile' markers shifted as new information was downloaded into the computer.
"Well, that's it then, they're bypassing Thundersdawn and heading straight here" Thompson said, quietly.
"We'll have to order Iwo and Dauntless closer to Earth" Hammond indicated a location on the plot, Thompson looked at it and smiled;
"You thinking Hammer and Anvil?"
Hammond looked puzzled for a second then nodded, "Of course, Eisenhower is right behind the Hatak's, so when they run into the Anvil of the main fleet, Eisenhower comes in from behind and hammers, could work"
"Yes, but we still need to reinforce the main fleet, Dauntless, Iwo, two and a half Lancer squadrons and 4 302 squadrons are not going to cut it"
"Prometheus and Persephone have been recalled, but won't arrive for another five hours"
"By which time this will all be over"
"Do you have any other armed craft?"
"1-6 Paladin class passenger transports, just a pair of weak pulse lasers, as well as a Sparrow mount which was just fitted onto the hull, they setting up as a final line of defence along here" the area Thompson pointed out was well within the moons orbit, and any Hatak that got that far would be able to fire on earth with little difficulty.
"Hows the gate?"
"Sealed," Hammond replied, "and staying that way. Though they haven't as yet tried that, must have decided that the iris is too much of a barrier"
"Well, gives thanks for small mercies, and hope big ones start showing up, Allies?"
"Either not responding, or up to their eyebrows"
"Figures"
Thompson frowned, "Looks like our best bet is to hurt them as much as possible, slowing them down even more, and hope Prometheus and Persephone arrive before they do to much damage"
"That's not a good plan"
"It's the only one we've got"