Chapter One Hundred and Five - How Subtle is Subtle?

"How subtle do we want to be?" Aurora asked. She was squinting at the screen in front of her where a 3D map of the system was displayed.

"What do you mean?" Twenty-Six asked.

The mechanic had remained on the bridge after their little fly-by. She was using one of the consoles to check the ship's status, going into each part as best she could and noting down anything that needed even minor maintenance. It was a level of diligence that Ivil could appreciate.

Pixie hadn't yet returned, and Sonic Spectre and Pepper were at the back of the bridge, talking in low tones about the longer term political ramifications of the conflict.

"Hmm, I need a bigger screen," Aurora said. She half-turned towards Ivil. "Eve... Ivil, may I use the larger screen?" She gestured to the front of the bridge where a larger screen was nestled in, currently displaying a camera feed out the front of the ship.

"Of course," Ivil said. "And don't be shy to call me whatever you want."

"Hmm," Aurora replied.

Soon, they had a blown-up and much larger view of the current situation, at least according to the Sappho's sensors. They were getting some additional readings from the Silent Sentinel Washer at the Gates as well. The pocket cruiser had much better sensors onboard.

"Okay, this is where we are," Aurora said, highlighting a dot that represented the Sappho. "That's the Earth Alliance fleet, and this is the Uranian defence fleet. They're hovering around Caliban and Oberon respectively."

"Uh-huh," Twenty-Six said. "Looks like Caliban's one of those way-out moons."

"Yes," Aurora said. She tapped a few keys and all the other astronomical objects in the region faded to semi-transparency, excepting Uranus itself and the two moons in question. "So, our flight path is towards Uranus, but with Caliban and Oberon slowly approaching each other... in... a little over two days they'll both be on parts of their orbits where they're relatively close, on the same side of Uranus."

"Which is probably when fireworks will happen," Twenty-Six said with a nod. "Do... do you think that Pixie, earlier, did she, uh... you know? From the explosions? Is that even possible?"

Aurora maintained her composure. "I suppose it is. Regardless. Let's focus on this. How subtle do we want to be? Because in a few hours we're going to have to adjust our bearing to decide where to make our final approach. If we're tossing subtlety away, we can spear out towards Caliban directly. Us and the Adeptus Ancillia warship against the Earth Alliance fleet. Or we turn towards Oberon and join the defensive fleet there, where we can disguise our tactical weapon from the Earth Alliance."

"You mean our girlfriend," Twenty-Six said.

"She can be both," Aurora said. "I, personally, appreciate a little compartmentalization in my life." And in a low whisper that Ivil suspected only she caught, she muttered. "It's keeping me sane."

"What would you suggest?" Ivil asked. She knew--from her soaps, but also because she was dutiful and informed herself via extra-net videos--that communication was important in any relationship, but so was sharing respect, and listening to each other's opinions was respectful.

"Me?" Aurora asked. "I'm hardly a military expert. Pixie would know better, I suspect. Or Savant Pendergast."

Twenty-Six blinked. "But you're so smart."

"I'm well-educated. It's not the same. I'm 'smart' within my narrow field, and that's politics."

Twenty-Six smiled, very cheekily. "And you're so humble."

"Shush you," Aurora said.

"What about your political opinion, then?" Ivil asked.

Aurora opened her mouth to reply, then stared at the screen. She continued to do so for nearly a full minute before replying. As she started, she also tapped a few buttons, adding the approach vector of the Jovian fleet to the plotter. "Politically, the best thing to do would be... it depends."

"That's a cop-out," Twenty-Six said.

"It's the truth. If we want to shock and awe with the power of Mars' military might, then taking on a fleet with two ships would certainly impress, but that would mostly just bolster Ivil's reputation, and it needs no bolstering."

"I don't know," Ivil said. "I have been known to enjoy a bit of flattery."

"Hmpf! I'm sure. Now, that angle is heavily downplayed by this vessel not being of Martian make, or part of the Martian navy. The Ancillia ship is also not a symbol of Martian power. Really, the first option only benefits one person, politically."

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"And the other?" Twenty-Six asked.

Aurora nodded. "The other's more complicated. We come in, join the Oberon defence fleet, and then hopefully win alongside our allies. That option means more casualties, but also a strong reinforcement of the bonds between Jupiter and Uranus. More... look at this."

Aurora moved over to the communication console, then sent a list to one side of the larger monitor. "That's a list of ships," Twenty-Six said. "The ships around Oberon?"

"Yes. Notice how most are Uranian? But some, maybe a tenth, aren't? They're ships from allied moons. Not all of them are represented, and some are merely civilian ships, but there are several ambassadorial craft that are lightly armed joining the defence. With the Jovian fleet including others... this might be a pivotal, vital, moment for the League of Free Moons."

"'Cause everyone's there trying to help?" Twenty-Six asked. "Like a ring station dropping everything to go and help another ring station that's in distress."

"I... something like that, yes," Aurora said.

Ivil smiled. Even Aurora was still sometimes taken aback by Twenty-Six's cleverness.

"This could be the moment that solidifies ties in the League. We need that. Something to represent, in an undeniable way, how the members of the League are stronger together than they are apart."

"I can change the Sappho's transponders to make her read like a Phobian ship," Twenty-Six said.

Aurora blinked. "I... you can do that?"

"Super-duper illegal," Twenty-Six said. "It'd take me like, five minutes, tops."

"I wouldn't mind that," Aurora admitted. "It would be nice to have some Phobian representation."

For all of Aurora's reservations about her home, she still seemed very proud of it, Ivil noted. Pixie seemed to see Jupiter as just the place she was stationed, and Twenty-Six's attachments to home had long worn off.

When Ivil built them all a nice mansion to live in, she might have to place it down on Phobos, to make Aurora happy. Obviously it would have its own dock for Twenty-Six's collection of battleships, and frequent pirate attacks to keep Pixie happy.

She set the daydreaming aside as Aurora turned and eyed her. "So," the noble said.

"I think we can employ the subtler option," Ivil said. "It might irritate Mars a little, but those in the know will always know that we helped. If this is a big moment for the League, then it'll be one that was made possible by Martian interests. Hmm, and I think the Emperor would be far more irritated if a piddling defensive fleet counters his grand plan. Obviously I might have to step out to slap him around at some point."

"Will there be big explosions?" Twenty-Six asked.

"Most assuredly," Ivil said.

"We should make sure Pixie is watching, then," Twenty-Six said with a nod.

Ivil had to wonder about Twenty-Six's newfound interest in the things that... excited her little fleet. Was this always present, or was this something new?

It was cute either way, so Ivil approved.

It begged the question, however, what worked on Twenty-Six herself?

Ivil determined that she'd have to experiment to find out. Thoroughly.

"If we're going to be subtle," Aurora muttered. Another person that Ivil would have to experiment upon. Could someone be excited by political ambition? Was it the chase for more power, or the grabbing of it? Ivil would have to start a few wars for Aurora to solve in order to find out, she supposed.

"Then," Aurora continued, entirely unaware of Ivil's inner monologue as evidenced by the lack of desperate flailing. "We should contact Uranus. The ambassador we met gave me some contact information for their office. That should maybe allow us to fast-track any requests. And I suppose they must have noticed our fight just now."

"We were being 'subtle,'" Twenty-Six said with very large air-quotes.

Ivil reached over, taking advantage of her long arms, and pinched Twenty-Six's cheek. "Shush you," she said.

"I'm being bullied," Twenty-Six whined.

"Yes, and I'm sure it's having the same effect on you as explosions do for Pixie," Aurora said.

"What! No! That's a lie! I don't enjoy being bullied by big strong women," Twenty-Six protested.

"Little tug boats shouldn't lie," Ivil said. "It's false-reporting and can lead to some terrible accidents."

Ivil eyed the plotter. Subtle... she could do that.

***

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