CNC Spirit Sight,
High Orbit, Tharkad,
Donegal Province,
Lyran Alliance
"I understand you perfectly Precenter Martail, but I am unable to follow your orders." Star-Commodore Ivan Leroux looked at the screen before him, knowing full well that he was getting out of his depth with every word, "I have my orders from my superiors, and any changes must follow the correct chain of command."
The Triad, Tharkad,
Donegal Province,
Lyran Alliance
Davion cursed under his breath as he cut the link, "This dammed insubordination of yours is contagious Colonel: now you have other people risking their careers, maybe even their lives, on what ever game you are playing."
Cairo shrugged, "I was under the impression that my ability to think on my feet without the need to defer to my superiors was one of the main reasons I was given this command in the first place. If you don't like my stile of command, you can relive me." He rested his hands on the table, "Only you can't, can you. I looked up the paper work conserving the formation of the Irregulars, and I found something very interesting: we may ware ComsGuards uniforms, but we report to, and are operated on behalf of, ROM."
Davion shot him a glance, "That is no excuse for your countermanding my orders: I command ALL ComStar forces, personal and stations in this system, including the WarShip's in orbit." He saw Cairo was about to say something, but raised his hand to stop him, "And before you say anything, remember that I am still technically Commanding General of the Star League Defence Force, so I can issue orders to the Spirit Sight if I see fit. Your plan is risky and could jeopardise our entire fleet. There is no way I will allow a ship under my command to undertake such a cores of action."
Cairo slammed his fist down onto the table, "Not every ship here is under your command!" With that, he stalked off."
Davion nodded to himself, "I was hoping you'd remember that Colonel."
WarShip Natures Wrath,
High Orbit, Tharkad,
Donegal Province,
Lyran Alliance
Cairo pulled himself through the hatch into the Destroyer bridge, "Your crew are ready, Quiaff Star Captain?"
Star Captain Jo Carns came sharply to attention, "Aff Colonel, my crew stand by to perform any orders you give them. If I may be so bold to ask: what are your orders?"
Cairo braced himself against the main holo-tank, "We need to destroy or disable the Word of Blake McKenna that attacked the fleet last week. I submitted a plan to the Precenter Martail, but he deemed it to 'risky' for any ship under his command. This ship is not under his command." He reached into his pocked and pulled out a penknife, "If you would come over here Star Captain."
Without a word, Carns pushed away from her command station and came to a perfect stop before Cairo. He carefully took her wrist, and with a quick flick of the blade, cut the bondcord. Cairo looked the former Clan Wolf warrior in the eye, "I will not order you to under take this mission: as formidable as this ship is, you will be going up against a ship with more than three times your mass and firepower. Your only advantages will be speed and manoeuvrability."
Carns' eyes burned with fire, "We will fight, and we will win. It will be a glorious battle, one worthy of remembrance. We may no longer be Clan by name, but we are Clan in our hearts, and in our minds."
Cairo nodded, pulling a CD-ROM from his other pocket, "This contains all the tactical information we have on the McKenna: we know that she was a Star League vessel, and that she is one of a number abandoned in the Sol system at the end of Operation: Liberation. ComStar toyed with the idea of salvaging them after the Exodus, but thy never saw the need. It is apparent that Word of Blake did."
He pulled a small metal key from a chain around his neck, and handed it over, "I am giving you permission to deploy your nuclear ordinance if you feel it is warranted. The mission is codenamed Operation: Daybreak, and the go command is 'Sunrise'. It may transpire that these preparations are unwarranted, but I do not believe we can take the risk that they are not. Good luck, Star Captain."
ComStar compound, Tharkad,
Donegal Province,
Lyran Alliance
"Jesus Steven: you look like shit!" Sinead said from the office doorway, "When was the last time you got any sleep? And by that, I don't mean the last time you passed out from extortion."
"No rest for the wicked, as the old saying goes." Cairo leaned back in his chair, "I have to keep a close eye on things: that McKenna made a pass over a battlefield yesterday. It levelled half a battalion of Alliance troop's before they had a chance to scatter." He rubbed his eyes wearily, "This is fast becoming a war of attrition: we can stop them from landing any more forces on planet, but they can stop us from bringing in anything larger then our little flotilla."
Sinead smiled, slowly lowering herself onto the warn leather couch, "Yeah, well I got something that might cheer you up: we got a latter today from the school that Jane's at. They are having a 'take you child to work day', and asked us if we would be participating. I told them it was unlikely."
Cairo couldn't help but laugh at that, "I don't know, high stress and near constant threat of violent death: reminds me of my school days."
The phone on the desk went off, Cairo grabbing it before it had finished its second ring, "Cairo. Ok, I'm on my way. Send to Lancaster 2: Sunrise, repeat, Sunrise."
To Be Continued…