TO Supreme Councillor Bradbury, Mars Association of Free Colonies, Regional Council 7, Xynam
TO Imperial Governor General Sir Mario Menendez GCMG, Dolha (Please copy to Sir Humphrey Fulbright)
TO His Excellency Gem-Al Fex-It, Governor of the Sirian Socialist Systems, Gryt
TO Senior Partner Virgil Atlantic, Chief Executive The Centauran Conglomerate Colonies, Mald
TO Venerian Governor, Oith
TO Wolf 359 Colonial Government, Prtoprnss
TO Zion Colonial Government, Tiel
TO Admiral Hogan Stipes, CinCSeven, GFA
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3198.034
1. The Esteeler Fleet, currently under the command of Admiral Hogan Stipes, to whom I copy this message, is now assembled at Potomax. On the arrival of the Earther Fleet supreme command will be handed over to Admiral Burwasher for the duration of the emergency. All allied forces arriving here will be accorded the best welcome Esteeler protocol can summon, by my order. I am instructing Esteeler military to take all necessary steps to ensure liaison is highly effective. For information I will list the Esteleer vessels at the end of this message, SEE 4 (D).
2. Potomax Naval Repair Dockyard is working flat out to repair damaged vessels and I hope will be equipped to handle repairs to allied vessels soon, should this prove necessary.
3. It is expected that all Powers will now be taking all possible measures to locate and destroy the Exterminators.
Particular messages to allied powers:
Earth: Please convey my congratulations to Admiral Burwasher for the second action at Dyme. I look forward to meeting him and Sir Humphrey in a few days.
Mars: I understand you are under local pressure and cannot spare a contribution to the Potomax fleet at the moment. I have made an urgent request to my colleague the Esteeler Governor of Quadrant Six for a carrier force to be depatched to Xynam as soon as practicable. This force (six carriers, I understand) will have orders to co-operate fully with Martian forces. Further details of the vessels to follow.
Venerius: I have little doubt I may treat you as an allied power. Where there's a scrap (especially one where honour is so clearly at stake) the doughty Venerians will never miss it! Please let me know as soon as you can when your forces will arrive in Esteeler space and what vessels will be included so that preparations may be made. If this reaches you after that, welcome!
Sirius and Centaur: I expect to see your plucky contingents arrive with or soon after the Earther forces. You are very welcome and I invite you to a summit on board 'Draconis', a light cruiser I am currently using as a Diplomatic Headquarters. Sirian colleague, I expect you will wish to retain all your heavier forces in Sirian space; please see 4(B) below.
Zion: our valued and trusted ally, who doubtless set off from Tiel as soon as it was realised that the Q7 GFA was in jeopardy, will be expected to arrive with all available forces soon.
4. Other Matters
a) There has been much ill-informed polemic in Esteeler media alleging that other Powers are not 'pulling their weight' against the Exterminator menace.
Some have alleged that certain Powers hope to stand aside and reap gains by being undamaged in the War, allowing them to attack the weakened Powers who have fought the Exterminators. Commentators and Editors have been writing that if any Power does not do its utmost, clearly and demonstrably, in this hour of Humanity's need, then that Power will no longer be regarded as being entitled to respectful treatment and ought to be indicted for Crime against Humanity. As Governor of the GFA in this Quadrant I must say that, to date, there is no basis for these allegations and I have pointed this out to the journalists concerned. Some Powers happen to be further away from the field of battle, that is all. The sizes and general locations of Fleets are known to all. Simple velocity calculations will show everyone if all Powers are truly 'pulling their weight'. I can see that no sensible Power would be so foolish as to hope to gain in this treacherous and dishonourable manner.
Let us focus on defeating the Exterminators and put aside talk of 'punishing cowardly and opportunistic scum who would rob the wounded as they bleed on the Field of Honour'. Enough I say!
b) I am not a soldier, and I expect the overall pattern of operations to be proposed by the professionals. However, may I make the following suggestion. In addition to finding and destroying the Exterminators, I think it useful to carry out deep space probing to help discover the nature and origin of this threat. Perhaps a few Task Forces, perhaps each led by a Heavy Cruiser, could be spared for this role? I have several experienced officers who have volunteered for this; the urge to strike back at the Exterminators is very strong here, as you might expect.
c) Civil Defence work has been proceeding on all Esteeler worlds, involving in some cases the construction of networks of underground bunkers and in others the re-location of population to old asteroid bases where the hope is they may be concealed. I have given orders that where construction equipment is no longer in use, it is to be sent to the nearest system if required there. In particular, I have ordered construction teams with their equipment to be on standby to leave the mining system of Big Red to help with Civil Defence on the Sirian worlds of Evian or Gryt. The transport and associated costs will be borne by the Esteeler Government. Sirian Government to liaise directly with Big Red's Planetary Mayor please.
d) ESTLEELER FLEET, Q7 @3198.034.
FLEET STATUS:
FULLY OPERATIONAL CARRIERS:
1 MAKE IT SO
2 THREE EDGED SWORD
3 I SHALL RETURN
4 TO BOLDLY GO
5 NO FURTHER CLAIMS
6 NO PLAN SURVIVES#
7 KRIEG EIN GLIED
8 BATON DE MARECHAL
9 HAS HE LUCK
10 THIN RED LINE
11 CHARIOT OF FIRE
12 DRIVE TO EMPIRE
13 PAY NO HEED
14 NOTHING FOR IT
15 ONE GIANT LEAP
16 CAVES OF STEEL
DAMAGED CARRIERS:
17 BURY MY HEART
18 LAST BEST HOPE
FULLY OPERATIONAL BATTLESHIPS:
1 YAMATO
2 KONGO
3 BELLHAVEN
4 REAGAN
FULLY OPERATIONAL HEAVY CRUISERS:
0 None
FULLY OPERATIONAL LIGHT CRUISERS:
1 USHAKOV
2 SENYAVIN
3 DORIA
4 DUILIO
5 LION
6 SPEEDY
7 AKYTIA
8 DRACONIS*
DAMAGED LIGHT CRUISERS:
9 SALEM
FULLY OPERATIONAL DESTROYERS:
1 McAULIFFE
2 SCHWARZKOPF
3 OWERU
FULLY OPERATIONAL LOGISTIC SUPPORT SHIPS:
1 URAL
2 OB
3 YENISEI
4 MEKONG
5 MURRUMBIDGEE
6 TRANSAXLE
7 ST LAWRENCE
DEPLOYMENT:
MAIN FLEET POTOMAX
USHAKOV PAWNEE
SENYAVIN L'FAYET
DORIA BIG RED
LION MATANZAS
DAMAGED SHIPS POTOMAX REPAIR YARDS
#FLAGSHIP(military):
NO PLAN SURVIVES
*GOVERNOR'S VESSEL:
DRACONIS
ANALYSIS BY ESTLEELER ADMIRAL STIPES:
[Admiral Stipes wrote: 'Main Fleet is not logistically sustainable for
extended operations due to 50% casualties in Log Sp Ships'; this is now
subject to review in light of arrival of five new LSSI's]
ORDERS FOR LIGHT CRUISER DETACHMENTS:
Your Mission is to alert FLEETCOM and defend your assigned system in the event of Beserker attack. Maximum use is to be made of all available weapons. Temporary authority is granted for 200% allocation of Nuclear warheads.
ORDERS FOR DAMAGED SHIPS:
All Nuclear warheads are to be made available to Light Cruiser detachments.
Remainder to Main Fleet.
"HUMANITY WILL TRIUMPH"
Governor Rhett Elgon
Message Ends
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