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smaller vessels became too vulnerable, the flagship could extend its shielding to protect them. However, if it came to a real crisis in the battle, Parbe’an could unleash the awesome power of the Trionic Cannon with a clear field of fire.
    On the three-dimensional image, Billy could see the tiny moving specks that were the Eagles of Third Fleet, shielded behind the larger vessels forming into their squadrons and groups for the attack on the Ganthorans. With another deft flick of the control, Billy magnified the area where the Eagles were gathering. For a few moments, he observed how the Eagle fighters flew in elliptical patterns away from their base ships as the newly launched pilots joined up with their comrades behind their leaders.
    Flicking the switch again, Billy changed the perspective to that of the Ganthoran Fleet. They were advancing in good order; a sign of well-disciplined troops. Looking at the Ganthoran arrow-head formation from above, Billy noted that the defensive screen was evenly distributed around the “Six-Cigar” Carriers. Scrutinizing the image closely, Billy could see, at least, one third of the Ganthorans’ fighting strength was deployed behind their Carriers. Had he been the Ganthoran General, there would have been a small defensive screen behind the Carriers, with the rest of the vessels pushed up front to face the enemy. That was going to be a nominal advantage for Parbe’an’s Eagles.
    With significant combat power being wasted at the rear of the Carriers, the Eagle fighters would have less opposition to force their way through to reach their objectives of the “Six Cigar” Carriers. The Ganthorans were disciplined all right , Billy considered, but perhaps they were just a little too disciplined . Slavishly sticking to a uniform defensive formation like this arrow-head was indicative of subordinates who did not have much leeway to diverge from the Commanding Officers plan.
    “ Compliments to Admiral Parbe’an, and ask him to note the deployment at the rear of the Ganthoran formation,” Billy instructed the Senior WATO.
    “ Yes, sir.”
    “ Yes, they’re a little bit too neat at the back.” The calm and professional voice of Marrhus Lokkrien broke Billy Caudwell’s concentration for a moment. “Very nice for fly-past reviews, but rather wasteful in combat.”
    “ Yes, let’s hope that they’re as inflexible when the shooting starts,” Billy continued to study the image.
    Behind the line of larger Alliance vessels, Billy could see three formations of Eagles beginning to develop for their initial attack. Once again, Billy found himself in agreement with Parbe’an’s tactics. To launch one huge strike would simply offer up a huge number of targets to the Ganthoran gunners. Three attacks would divide their attention and their defensive gun-fire.
    “Response from Third Fleet, sir. Admiral Parbe’an says that’s more to kill and fewer to shoot back,” the WATO said.
    “ You know, sir,” Lokkrien said, “I really do feel a little bit sorry for those Ganthorans.”
    “ Well, let’s save it until we’ve beaten them shall we, Marrhus?”
    From the image on the War Table, Billy could see that the three Alliance attacks had formed up and were about to be launched against the advancing Ganthorans. With over four thousand Eagle fighters at his disposal, Admiral Parbe’an had split them into three attack groups. With fourteen hundred Eagles in each group, Parbe’an had a significant punch to deliver at any enemy. The closing distance to the Ganthoran forces was less than ten thousand kilometres, and would take the Alliance Eagles less than three minutes to engage. Each ten fighter Eagle squadron was in its traditional formation: The leader would take pole position with three fighters to his left wing and six fighters to his right wing. From above, the formation looked like an inverted “V” with one arm significantly longer than the other. In a combat situation, when the Eagles