Read Merkiaari Wars: 03 - Operation Oracle for Free Online

Human small group tactics. Killing their officers no longer reaped the same rewards as it had in the last war. The Merkiaari had modified their breeding programs to increase intelligence in their line troops while keeping them as physically strong as ever.
    At least the Shan incursion had given the Alliance advanced warning. That could not be underestimated. He had already taken some basic steps to lessen the threat by ordering samples of Merkiaari tech, weapons, armour, and even dead troopers brought up to Grafton for examination. A more thorough analysis would be undertaken on Snakeholme. He was sure Shan scientists and engineers were already hard at work, and Admiral Kuzov would secure examples of everything for the navy, but Burgton had learned his lesson about relying on others when the Council betrayed his men two hundred years ago. He had striven since then to make his regiment as self-sufficient as possible, and keeping that status secret.
    Burgton listened as Jung detailed her plans, and evaluated her subordinates as they added suggestions. Although the navy was represented at the table, they had nothing to add. Admiral Kuzov had probably invited them out of courtesy. Their true mission had yet to begin really. Once the Merki were finished off, it was Fifth Fleet’s mission to secure the system against further incursions, and at the same time set the Shan firmly back on the road to recovery. A big part of that were the factory ships he had brought along as part of Fifth Fleet’s auxiliary. When those monsters got started munching on the asteroids, the Shan would have the genesis of its new orbital infrastructure. They needed to rebuild their industrial capacity quickly, and replace their high orbitals. Without stations, they couldn’t move personnel efficiently. So there was a step by step procedure to follow. Machines replicating themselves at first, and then turning toward building factories and smelters in orbit and in the asteroid fields. Those factories would then produce the stations and ship yards. And finally, a year or two down the road, the Shan fleet would be reborn better than ever.
    How long that would take depended entirely upon how much the Shan were willing to sink into it. The planets needed massive reconstruction. The cities and everything needed to support them had to be replaced, and that meant diverting capacity away from war making material. Burgton had a feeling the Shan would surprise them though. They were very focused upon the military aspects of their treaty with the Alliance. When they became members, Burgton had the feeling they planned to be in the forefront of any action against the Merkiaari. Hard to blame them considering what had happened to them here, but it was very ambitious for any single system government to think they could take a leading role amongst over two hundred member worlds. Most of them had been members a long time, and were already politically and economically well connected.
    “Very well, gentlemen,” Kuzov said. “I think that’s everything.”
    Everyone murmured agreement and the meeting broke up. A few people took a last sip of their coffee before standing. Burgton thought that a good plan, and drained his cup. He ignored the warning flashing on his display. Caffeine wouldn’t kill him.
    He moved to join Admiral Meyers. “Can I have a word?”
    She nodded and walked with him out of the conference room and into the corridor. “About the Shan?”
    He nodded. “Do you know those two?” Indicating the Shan males whispering together as they headed for the boat bay with the others.
    “No, they’re new. Kuzov mentioned them though. Apparently the elders finally decided to assign him a full time liaison, rather than leaving it to random chance. I think one will stay up here with Kuzov full time eventually.”
    Made sense. Until now there hadn’t been an official liaison with the fleet. Contact with the Shan had been between commanders on the ground and with