Strat-4 Chpt-38

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==Strategos (A Great Captain Roberts Tale!!) - Part 4 - Chapter 38 - Consolidation, Phase 1==
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===Swiftness of a Skillful Warrior===
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"Admiral Foster…
…I would never have believed it, If I wasn't looking out the window at it." Director-General Helena Cameron stated, "Over fifty jumpships captured, including the SLS Belleau Wood."
"Admiral Murakami said Morgan was good," Foster approved. They were on the SLS Larry Nichols as Flagship at the rally point. "It's nice to see she was right. Care to hear what the follow-on forces are hitting?"
"Fierce ground fighting?" Helena suggested.
"A few places, a few others couldn't wait to surrender. Jasper's Mine's governor, Phillipe Winston? He was broadcasting surrender codes as soon as the Ghost Bears showed up. Nilea's Garden is turning out to be one of those poisoned chalices, though."
"What do you mean?"
"Clan Wolf is dealing with a concentrated insurgency from the 'Star League Citizens'. They freed slaves, and the slaves are fine. But everyone who was not a slave on the plantations: the technical workers, most of the people who know how the infrastructure works. Star Colonel Kerensky wants to trade occupation zones with the Jade Falcons, who are earlobes deep in fighting on the ground at Fort Zimbabwe. There is something close to an SLDF Brigade on the ground there, and they are not inclined to surrender yet."
“And let me guess, they want me to mediate since they can’t be grown ups?”
"The enemy's local commander already claimed Elizabeth is a 'pretender'," Foster said ironically. "But it might help on Nilea's Garden. The local officials officially surrendered, so you might actually get some traction getting their educated people to stop planting bombs and shooting at patrols."
“Okay, I’ll swing through on Victoria and see what I can do about the locals, but feel free to tell the Wolves where they can stick their request to trade occupation duties for me.”
Foster laughed.
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===Admitting ones has Errored===
"Basileus, if we don't…
…at least try to negotiate…" Cecil Halford was ready to be killed for saying it. Well, mentally prepared.
Basileus Katrin looked at the reports again, and then at her Commodore of Naval Forces. "Slow them down. I promise, I’ll try to open a dialogue. YOU predicted this."
He nodded. "Yes, Highness, I did…"
"It is my error," she said. "Thing about mistakes is, it's always what you do after you've made the catastrophic mistakes. Buy time, slow them down, so we can at least try to negotiate… And start pulling our forces back. We can maybe trade space for time."
"You're not going to kill me?"
"I told you before, Cecil. I value competence. You've been nothing but competent with every job I've given you. You're the best man I have for your role. I can't afford to kill you. I'm not sure I can afford to lose you, even if we lose this war. Work up a plan to pull our forces back and concentrate on an effective defense. We need time, and I need to speak with my Communications Ministry representative about taking steps to open a dialogue and end this with… something." She sighed sadly. "Maybe if I negotiate well, some of you might live to serve Her."
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