Read Merkiaari Wars: 03 - Operation Oracle for Free Online Page B

them from civilian models. Civilian shuttles were white all over. The absolute zero of space had returned these shuttles to their default colour. Had they been in atmosphere soon after re-entry they would have been coal black all over reacting to heat.
    A shepherding crewman crossed his glowing batons and the shuttle in his charge halted. The pilot raised a hand with up thrust thumb and went through his shutdown procedures. More crewmen ran forward, some connecting refuelling lines, while others went for the hatch to open it for boarding. Similar things were happening all over the bay.
    ASN Lincoln was an aging but still very powerful Excalibur class heavy cruiser. Its place as Fifth Fleet’s flagship was secure for years yet. Its replacement would probably be one of the newer more powerful Washington class ships like ASN Victorious , Admiral Meyers’ current flagship. Unlike Home Fleet, First Fleet, and Second Fleet, Kuzov’s Fifth Fleet was created for offensive punch not defensive holding actions. It contained no dreadnaughts. It should have been surprising that it was tasked with holding the Shan system, but Burgton understood why it was chosen. Its ships were fast and powerful, its units picked to complement one another, and its mission was to move out quickly and hit its target lightning fast. That meant it was always ready to move station, its fleet train ready and able to support it no matter the mission. Fifth Fleet was one of three like it that was constantly on the move in Alliance space. They were the hammer, the other three the anvil.
    Burgton recalled the fuss the announcement to create a Fifth Fleet without dreadnaughts had caused. Back then the idea of handicapping Fourth Fleet that way was still being debated hotly. The screams of outrage when Fifth Fleet was announced with a similar configuration had resounded throughout the Alliance. Calls for an investigation into the pros and cons had been voiced in the Council. The fact of the matter was that the Navy could build ten light cruisers or five heavy cruisers for every dreadnaught it manufactured. It preferred numbers and manoeuvrability over slower tougher ships with huge crews. Besides, they were still building dreadnaughts albeit at a much slower rate. They were simply replacing older designs with the new ones and putting the old ships into a mothballed reserve, not sending them to the breakers like they did with smaller units.
    Burgton rued that decision just a little. He had ah... rescued a few ships from the breakers with none the wiser over the years, but where he would find crews for a squadron of dreadnaughts he had no idea. Probably for the best that temptation be out of his grasp. The reserve flotilla was located outside Mars orbit. No way to jack a ship from there, he mused.
    Meyers halted before the Shan who broke off their whispered but rapid-fire conversation in their own tongue. She bowed and gave the flowery greeting most conversation with Shan opened with.
    “I greet you Tei’Xanthe and you also, Tei’Slavik. May you live in harmony,” Meyers said and waved a hand at George. “May I present General Burgton?”
    Burgton inclined his head and repeated the greeting, but concluded it with, “We have met, but briefly.”
    Both Shan bowed.
    “Might we join you?” Meyers asked. “We have something of import to discuss with you. Your elders will no doubt require you to ah... assist them in a decision quite soon thereafter I should think.”
    Shan ears went back and then twitched upright. Burgton’s smile widened as tails flexed and whiskers drew down. Shan were absolutely bloody fascinating to him. He really really wanted one of his own to observe and learn from. Damn it all, how was he going to slot them into his simulations!
    Tei’Slavik tugged at his harness, and Burgton’s eyes narrowed. That was part of what Meyers was talking about. Slavik shifted the holster higher on the strap, and then tugged it lower in irritation, but when