The Chernigov Orbis IV War: A Pordish Perspective

[Schwieger]

 

Colonial VRZ Headquarters, Neptune System;

City of Grazhni Kornat, Triton:

 

The room is sparse save for the table in the center and the numerous chairs which surround it. In these chairs sits Admiral nam-Kalzhak and his brigade commanders. Five in number, the brigade commanders are silent and stare towards the center of the map as nam-Kalzhak motions on it: fleet movements; reactions; hypothetical actions. After observing this for perhaps five minutes or so, one of the brigade commanders, Vice-Admiral Panük speaks to break the silence:

 

This war was much too short for any useful information to be truly gleaned from it, he says. The other brigade commanders, mostly veterans of the Barlat-Laptev War, nod in agreement. Chernigov surrendered far too quickly,  he declares.

 

This is true, Admiral nam-Kalzhak agrees. However, we have been able to observe their reactions to this short conflict.

 

They are inept, another brigade commander interjects. Chernigov's reaction to the assault was nearly non-existent, he continues. When we invaded Amaterasu we came under heavy fire almost immediately.

 

This isn't the Amaterasu System, Vice-Admiral Panük says.

 

This does not negate my point, the other brigade commander insists. Or do you not recall the rapid reactions of powers on Earth in FB-1?

 

Point taken, Panük agrees. The precedent will not bode well for the future. He notes something on a pad and passes it to Admiral nam-Kalzhak. 

 

We may need to re-evaluate our current threat assessment of Chernigov, nam-Kalzhak admits. This information is... Revealing.

 

What of the Triskeli? Another brigade commander questions.

 

The commanders move their attention to the Triskeli blockade. With five thousand score ships the detachment is not insignificant. nam-Kalzhak focuses the display more fully on Mars and the greater extent of the armada comes into view; miniature runes denote Triskeli warships. Off in the distance, diminutive tridents are indicative of VRZ formations, and small symbols of Nika reveal the Mri host. Non-UMS forces are all represented with simple squares all coloured red.

 

Hopefully their interests will not have them at odds with the Tonina, nam-Kalzhak says. He moves the displays again to review the known elements of the Nakbe fleet.

 

That would provide for a much more interesting battle, Panük admits.

 

nam-Kalzhak changes the subject slightly: Vice-Admiral Panük, with hostilities refusing to die down you will need to keep your brigade in position should the need to go on the offensive present itself.

 

You don't mean against the Triskeli..? Or the Tonina..?

 

nam-Kalzhak shrugs. Stranger things have happened.

 

He recalls reports of von Begin (it was von Begin, wasn't it?) opening fire upon the Terrans during the Frankish-Patagonian War that occurred not long before the final collapse of FB-1. At the time both the Terran Empire and Nalydya were part of the CAS, but Nalydian interests had come into conflict with those of the CAS. Those odds were more extreme than the ones here (the Pords were fielding less than one thousand post-CHS-JSOC War "dreadnoughts," against just over one million Terran warships), but the atmosphere was similar. Fortunately, neither side here has expressed any interest in taking things to that level, but far be it from the Pords to not consider every possibility as much as they are capable. 

 

But keep an eye on the natives. We aren't entirely sure of the full extent of their fleets yet. I may need to speak with Admiral Kazhanye about this later, nam-Kalzhak finishes. Dismissed.

 

With nothing more to discuss over the rather short conflict, the brigade commanders salute and begin filing out of the room.