Read The Trafalgar Gambit (Ark Royal) for Free Online Page A

However, there are a number of practical problems.  For a start, we give our military personnel tailored boosters to make it harder for them to get ill.  How do we know the aliens don’t do the same?”
     
    He went onwards before Doctor Russell could interrupt.  “And then we would have to infect one of their settled worlds,” he added.  “How do we do that, practically?”
     
    Doctor Russell glared.  “I was planning to infect one of the POWs and return him to an alien world ...”
     
    “Hell, no,” Ted said.  “You’re talking about abusing a prisoner in our custody ...”
     
    “I’m talking about survival ,” Doctor Russell snapped.  “What do our moralities matter when we’re staring at the end of the line?”
     
    Ted met his eyes.  “The situation isn't disastrous,” he said.  “Not yet .”
     
    “It will be,” Doctor Russell predicted.
     
    The Prime Minister cleared his throat, loudly.  “The deployment of biological weapons – and strikes against the alien civilian populations – will be held as an absolute last resort,” he said, firmly.  “However, we will need to continue to research such weapons, just in case.”
     
    He turned to face Ted.  “Admiral, you will be assigned a new task force and a diplomatic mission,” he said.  “I expect you to depart within the week.”
     
    “ Ark Royal requires at least a month of heavy repair work,” Ted said, evenly.  The aliens had proved disconcertingly adaptable.  Having discovered their weapons didn't damage the Old Lady’s hull they’d copied a human weapon that did and deployed it with great effect.  “And her crew will need time to rest, recuperate and come to terms with everything that’s happened since their return to Earth.”
     
    “Time is not exactly on our side,” the First Space Lord said.  “I suggest you expedite matters as much as possible.”
     
    Ted sighed.  Ark Royal was heavily armoured, her saving grace when the aliens had attacked her with plasma weapons that had ripped modern carriers to shreds.  They could blow weapons and sensor blisters off her hull, but not harm her innards.  And yet, the heavy armour that had protected the carrier was also a weakness when it came to repairing the ship after the battle.  The armour had to be cut off and then replaced piece by piece.
     
    “We’ll do our best, sir,” he said.
     
    “You can have first call on yard services and engineering crewmen,” the First Space Lord promised.  “And whatever else you need.”
     
    A few hundred more carriers just like her , Ted thought.  It was clear the aliens had chosen their weapons carefully, intending to slice through human naval fleets like a knife through butter.  And it would have worked, too, if Ark Royal hadn't remained in service.  The aliens had evidently missed her when they'd done their survey of human space.  But it would be years before another heavy carrier joined the fleet.
     
    “Doctor Russell and his team will accompany you,” the Prime Minister said.  “If negotiations fail, or simply don’t get off the ground, you may need them.”
     
    Ted felt sick.  The whole concept of biological weapons was obscene.  It was the sort of nightmare the Royal Navy was meant to stop, not seriously consider deploying.  And yet, even putting morality aside, was there any guarantee the weapons would spread to the entire alien population?  Ted rather doubted it.  Humanity had dozens of settled worlds; the aliens, if their records were to be believed, had more.  They’d slaughter one planet’s population, but the remainder of the alien race would survive ... and know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that humanity had tried to exterminate them.
     
    “Yes, Prime Minister,” he said.  If nothing else, he could make sure that Russell and his team didn't do anything stupid – or anything likely to make the war worse than it already was.  “I won’t let you down.”
     
    The Prime Minister