Ten Thousand Fleets Chapter 23: 23. Calculated Audacity

Read chapter 23 of Ten Thousand Fleets by DavidNiemitz on NovelPedia.

23. Calculated Audacity Academy Hill, Vidako Imperium Stellarum September 27, 2847 “Only twelve years passed between the Wright Flyer and the Fokker Scourge ,” Professor DeVault lectured, while Arc continued to make notes on his tablet. Nearly an hour earlier, Iceni had offered to record the entire class for him, and he’d accepted the offer, but he wanted to note his own thoughts and questions along the way. “Seven years before the first moon landing, the United States of America Airforce drew up plans for Project Orion, the first concrete, theoretically achievable space-based warship, though it was never actually built,” DeVault continued. “No sooner had the first Emperor, Maximilian Ascania, realized the potential of gate technology, than he sent a generation-ship with a disassembled gate back to Terra. War drives innovation—not just technical innovation, but strategic and tactical thinking.” “At Wolf 1069, the Singularity used their newly developed mechs to overthrow imperial control. It wasn’t until Admiral Nakagami began targeting Singularity control ships, and actually eliminating their pilots, that the war began to turn around,” Devault said. “The shift in the tides of the war achieved an armistice, but the fundamental conditions impelling both sides to conflict have not substantially altered, and we cannot expect the Singularity to leave us the same vulnerability again.” The professor turned off his screen. “For next time, please read and take notes on the selections from Von Clausewitz—particularly the concept of the fog of war, and his thinking on the intertwined relationship between politics and war. Both remain relevant over a thousand years later. You are dismissed, cadets.” With the creak of seats and the shuffling of shoes against the lecture hall floor, the other cadets stood and began to make their way to the door. Arc had just folded his tablet and tucked it into the pocket of his tunic when the professor spoke again. “Not you, Sandhurst. Stay behind a moment.” Arc paused, glanced to the door, and then back to Professor DeVault. “I have Xenobiology 101, sir,” he said. It wasn’t quite an objection. “I’ll send a note to Doctor Vogel,” DeVault promised, stepping around his podium to approach Arc. “You’re the cadet who won his spot at the Tacticalis tournament.” It wasn’t a question, but Arc answered anyway. “Yes, sir.” At conversational distance, DeVault seemed even taller, almost a looming presence. “I look over the logs of each year’s winner,” he explained. “Partly out of professional curiosity, and partly out of personal interest. Your final match was particularly interesting. You didn’t win through exceptional tactical maneuvering, but by taking advantage of stacking morale penalties. What gave you that idea?” Arc couldn’t help but digest a bit, being put on the spot. “Gaugamela, sir.” Professor DeVault narrowed his eyes. “You were thinking of mechs as cavalry.” “Yes, sir.” Arc nodded. “I used my destroyers and cruisers to pin the enemy forces, and once I found a gap, I rammed a wing of mechs straight through to their flagship. Once they lost that -“ “They failed a succession of morale checks. The Persian army breaking when Darius retreated.” DeVault nodded. “It’s a clever manipulation of the game system, cadet, but there is a very important distinction between Tacticalis and what we do here. Whether you can understand that will be the difference between success and failure, and it is very simple. War—life—is not a game system.” “Yes, sir,” Arc said. “The emperor’s game is a clever recruiting tool, a good bit of public relations, and it has found us the occasional diamond in the rough,” DeVault said. “But it doesn’t account for a commander who inspires faith in their soldiers—soldiers who would follow them into the event horizon of a black hole. Your trick wouldn’t work against such a commander.” “With all due respect, sir, I wouldn’t try it against someone like that,” Arc said. “But I do think cavalry is a