David Weber - Storm From the Shadows

"But, having said that, I think we have to position ourselves tofight the SLN, whether we want to or not. And that means reaching some sort of settlement, whether it's diplomatic or military, with the Havenites first. I've never disagreed with you there. But I think that rather than blowing still more of their ships out of space, and rather than destroying still more of their infrastructure, we ought to tell them we think it's time to talk. Hamish is right about the timing if we decide to launch what amounts to a preemptive strike, but remember what Pritchard did when she had the advantage because of what was happening in Talbott. She didn't shoot first, she offered to talk , and I genuinely believe she's telling the truth when she says she didn't set out to derail the summit.

"So I think it's time we show Haven we can forego an advantage in the interests of peace, as well. We defeated them decisively here in Manticore, despite our own losses, and they know it. By now, they know we could destroy the Haven System any time we chose to, as well. So I suggest that we hold Eighth Fleet right here, close to home, in case we do end up needing it in Talbott. Instead of sending me to Nouveau Paris to hold a pistol to their heads and make them sign on the dotted line, send an accredited diplomat, instead. Someone who can tell them that we know we can destroy them, too, and that we're prepared to do it if we have to , but that we don't want to unless we have to. Give them the option and let them have a little time to think, a little time to approach the decision with dignity, Elizabeth, not just because they're lying face down in the dirt with the muzzle of a gun screwed into the backs of their necks. Give them the chance to surrender on some sort of reasonable terms before I have to go out and kill thousands of more people who might not have to die at all."

"It's time, Admiral," Felicidad Kolstad said.

"I know," Admiral Topolev replied.

He sat once more upon Mako 's flag bridge. Beyond the flagship's hull, fourteen more ships of Task Force One kept perfect formation upon her, and the brilliant beacon of Manticore-A blazed before them. They were only one light-week from that star, now, and they had decelerated to only twenty percent of light-speed. This was the point for which they had been headed ever since leaving Mesa four T-months before. Now it was time to do what they'd come here to do.

"Begin deployment," he said, and the enormous hatches opened and the pods began to spill free.

The other units of Task Force One were elsewhere, closing on Manticore- B . They wouldn't be deploying their pods just yet, not until they'd reached their own preselected launch point. Topolev wished that he'd had more ships to commit to that prong of the attack, but the decision to move up Oyster Bay had dictated the available resources, and this prong had to be decisive. Besides, there were fewer targets in the Manticore-B subsystem, anyway.

It'll be enough , he told himself, watching as the pods disappeared steadily behind his decelerating starships, vanishing into the endless dark between the stars. It'll be enough. And in about five weeks, the Manties are going to get a late Christmas present they'll never forget .

Aberu, Captain Ingeborg, SLN—operations officer, Frontier Fleet Task Group 3021.

Abruzzi, Malachai—Permanent Senior Undersecretary of Education and Information, Solarian League.

Adenauer, Commander Dominica, RMN—operations officer, Battlecruiser Squadron 106; later operations officer, 10th Fleet.

Agnelli, Chief Steward Joanna, RMN—Aivars Terekhov's personal steward.

al-Fanudahi, Captain Daud ibn Mamoun, SLN—a Battle Fleet analyst assigned to the Office of Operational Analysis.

Alcoforado, Captain Filipa, RMN—CO, HMS Theseus . Shulamit Onasis' flag captain.

Alonso y Yáñez, Fleet Admiral Engracia, SLN—CO, Frontier Fleet, Solarian League Navy.

Alquezar, Joachim—Prime Minister of the Talbott Quadrant, leader of the Constitutional Union Party.

Anisimovna, Aldona—Manpower Inc. board member; a senior operative of the Mesan Alignment.

Appleton, Lieutenant Martin, RMN—XO, HMS Roland .

Archer, Sir Roger Mackley—"Gwen" Archer's father.

Archer, Lieutenant Gervais Winton Erwin Neville ("Gwen"), RMN—Michelle Henke's flag lieutenant.

Armstrong, Captain Victoria ("Vicki"), RMN—commanding officer HMS Artemis ; vice Admiral Gold Peak's flag captain.

Askew, Lieutenant Maitland ("Matt"), SLN—assistant tactical officer, SLNS Jean Bart .

Attunga, Marguerite—a reporter for Manticoran News Service, Inc.

Bardasano, Isabel—Jessyk Combine cadet board member; senior intelligence specialist, Mesan Alignment.

Billingsley, Master Steward Chris,RMN—Michelle Henke's personal steward.

Blaine, Vice Admiral Jessup, RMN—CO, Task Force 302, Lynx Terminus Station.

Boltitz, Helga—Henri Krietzmann's senior personal aide.

Bouchard, Lieutenant Commander Jerod, RMN—astrogator, HMS Artemis .

Bourget, Commander Hildegard ("Hildy"), SLN—XO, SLNS Jean Bart .

Boutin, President Alain—System President, New Tuscany.

Bouvier, Captain Adelbert, RHN—Republic of Haven Navy POW camp liaison responsible for Camp C7.

Braga, Lieutenant Commander Antonio, RMN—staff astrogator, Battlecruiser Squadron 81.

Brangeard, Lieutenant Toussaint, RHN—CO dispatch boat RHNS Comet .

Brescatore, Captain George, RMN—CO, HMS Sabertooth .

Breshnikov, Captain Adolf, SLN—CO, SLNS Restitution . Evelyn Sigbee's flag captain.

Brinkman, Chief Steward Clorinda, RMN—Naomi Kaplan's personal steward.

Bristow, Lieutenant Oliver, SLN—sensor officer, Meyers Astro Control.

Brulé, Anne-Louise—an employee of the New Tuscany Ministry of Information.