Lost Fleet 3 -Courageous Read online

  Praise for

  THE LOST FLEET: FEARLESS

  “Straightforward, solidly written military space opera…It’s all good fun, and Campbell has actually given some thought to the problems of combat in space.”

  —Don D’Ammassa, author of

  Encyclopedia of Fantasy and Horror Fiction

  “Another satisfying [Campbell] cocktail to slake the thirst of fans who like their space operas with a refreshing moral and an intellectual chaser…The Lost Fleet deserves to find a home on your bookshelf.”

  —SF Reviews.net

  “A great and gripping read. It’s a fast-paced roller coaster of action and intrigue, with realistic characters and situations.”

  —TCM Reviews

  Praise for

  THE LOST FLEET: DAUNTLESS

  “A rousing adventure.”

  —William C. Dietz, national bestselling author of When All Seems Lost

  “Jack Campbell’s dazzling new series is military science fiction at its best. Not only does he tell a yarn of great adventure and action, but he also develops the characters with satisfying depth. I thoroughly enjoyed this rip-roaring read, and I can hardly wait for the next book.”

  —Catherine Asaro, Nebula Award–winning author of The Fire Opal

  “Black Jack Geary is very real, very human, and so compelling he’ll leave you wanting more. Jack Campbell knows fleet actions, and it shows…[The Lost Fleet: Dauntless is] the best novel of its type that I’ve read.”

  —David Sherman, coauthor of the Starfist series

  “A slam-bang good read that kept me up at night…a solid, thoughtful, and exciting novel loaded with edge-of-your-seat combat.”

  —Elizabeth Moon, Nebula Award–winning author of Command Decision

  “[Dauntless] should please many fans of old-fashioned hard SF.”

  —Sci Fi Weekly

  “Readers will admire and like [Geary], who believes in honor, teamwork, and civilized behavior…This is a hard military science novel with space battles out of Star Wars. The battle scenes are so intricately described that readers will be able to visualize them…A fast-paced but intricate story line and fully developed characters turn this novel into a fun reading experience. Fans of David Weber, Elizabeth Moon, and Peter F. Hamilton will find The Lost Fleet: Dauntless thoroughly enjoyable.”

  —SFRevu

  “This is an amazing piece of military science fiction writing, with a protagonist who is remarkable and memorable…Campbell writes well. Period. The book flows well, with an excellent mix of action and philosophical debate…Overall, this is just a plain good read with memorable characters and scenes, and a writing style that is aimed at people who like to think and ponder while enjoying the action. Bravo.”

  —Rambles

  “The Lost Fleet: Dauntless is well written, with a hero who’s all too human and battle weary. There’s much here that will remind readers of Battlestar Galactica…The battles are well-done, but it’s the characters who drive the story.”

  —Fresh Fiction

  “[Campbell’s] space operas [seek] to add new layers to the conventions of military SF.”

  —SF Reviews.net

  “Lots of fun, and I devoured it in a day. I can’t wait for the sequel.”

  —The Weekly Press (Philadelphia)

  “Campbell’s book takes a sharp look at military discipline (and the lack thereof) in wartime…engaging and interesting.”

  —Romantic Times

  Ace Books by Jack Campbell

  THE LOST FLEET: DAUNTLESS

  THE LOST FLEET: FEARLESS

  THE LOST FLEET: COURAGEOUS

  THE LOST FLEET: COURAGEOUS

  JACK CAMPBELL

  ACE BOOKS, NEW YORK

  THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP

  Published by the Penguin Group

  Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

  375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA

  Penguin Group (Canada), 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700, Toronto, Ontario M4P 2Y3, Canada (a division of Pearson Penguin Canada Inc.) Penguin Books Ltd., 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England Penguin Group Ireland, 25 St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2, Ireland (a division of Penguin Books Ltd.) Penguin Group (Australia), 250 Camberwell Road, Camberwell, Victoria 3124, Australia (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty. Ltd.) Penguin Books India Pvt. Ltd., 11 Community Centre, Panchsheel Park, New Delhi—110 017, India Penguin Group (NZ), 67 Apollo Drive, Rosedale, North Shore 0632, New Zealand (a division of Pearson New Zealand Ltd.) Penguin Books (South Africa) (Pty.) Ltd., 24 Sturdee Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg 2196, South Africa

  Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

  THE LOST FLEET: COURAGEOUS

  An Ace Book / published by arrangement with the author

  Copyright © 2008 by John G. Hemry.

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

  For information, address: The Berkley Publishing Group,

  a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.

  ISBN: 1-4295-7967-6

  ACE

  Ace Books are published by The Berkley Publishing Group,

  a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,

  375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.

  ACE and the “A” design are trademarks belonging to Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

  To David Sherman,

  who has kept the faith.

  Semper Fi

  For S., as always.

  CONTENTS

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  THE ALLIANCE FLEET

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CHAPTER NINE

  CHAPTER TEN

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  I remain indebted to my agent, Joshua Bilmes, for his ever-inspired suggestions and assistance, and to my editor, Anne Sowards, for her support and editing. Thanks also to Catherine Asaro, Robert Chase, J. G. “Huck” Huckenpohler, Simcha Kuritzky, Michael LaViolette, Aly Parsons, Bud Sparhawk, and Constance A. Warner, for their suggestions, comments, and recommendations. Thanks also to Charles Petit, for his suggestions about space engagements.

  THE ALLIANCE FLEET

  CAPTAIN JOHN GEARY,

  Commanding (acting)

  As reorganized following the losses suffered immediately prior to Captain Geary assuming command in the Syndic home system.

  Ship names in bold are those lost in action, with the name of star system of their loss given afterward.

  SECOND BATTLESHIP

  DIVISION

  THIRD BATTLESHIP DIVISION

  Gallant

  Paladin

  Indomitable

  Orion

  Glorious

  Majestic

  Magnificent

  Conqueror

  FOURTH BATTLESHIP

  DIVISION

  FIFTH BATTL
ESHIP DIVISION

  Warrior

  Fearless

  Triumph (lost at Vidha)

  Resolution

  Vengeance

  Redoubtable

  Revenge

  Warspite

  SEVENTH BATTLESHIP

  DIVISION

  EIGHTH BATTLESHIP DIVISION

  Indefatigable

  Relentless

  Audacious

  Reprisal

  Defiant

  Superb

  Splendid

  TENTH BATTLESHIP

  DIVISION

  FIRST SCOUT BATTLESHIP DIVISION

  Colossus

  Arrogant (lost at Kaliban)

  Amazon

  Exemplar

  Spartan

  Braveheart

  Guardian

  FIRST BATTLE CRUISER

  DIVISION

  SECOND BATTLE CRUISER DIVISION

  Courageous

  Leviathan

  Formidable

  Dragon

  Intrepid

  Steadfast

  Renown

  Valiant

  FIFTH BATTLE CRUISER DIVISION

  FIFTH BATTLE CRUISER DIVISION

  Dauntless (flagship)

  Invincible (lost at Ilion)

  Daring

  Repulse (lost in Syndic home system)

  Terrible (lost at Ilion)

  Victorious

  Furious

  Implacable

  SIXTH BATTLE CRUISER DIVISION

  SEVENTH BATTLE CRUISER DIVISION

  Polaris (lost at Vidha)

  Opportune

  Vanguard (lost at Vidha)

  Brilliant

  Illustrious

  Inspire

  Incredible

  THIRD FAST FLEET AUXILIARIES DIVISION

  Titan

  Witch

  Jinn

  Goblin

  THIRTY-SEVEN SURVIVING HEAVY CRUISERS

  IN SEVEN DIVISIONS

  First Heavy Cruiser Division

  Third Heavy Cruiser Division

  Fourth Heavy Cruiser Division

  Fifth Heavy Cruiser Division

  Seventh Heavy Cruiser Division

  Eighth Heavy Cruiser Division

  Tenth Heavy Cruiser Division

  minus

  Invidious (lost at Kaliban)

  Cuirass (lost at Sutrah)

  Crest, War-Coat, Ram , and Citadel (lost at Vidha)

  SIXTY-TWO SURVIVING LIGHT CRUISERS IN TEN SQUADRONS

  First Light Cruiser Squadron

  Second Light Cruiser Squadron

  Third Light Cruiser Squadron

  Fifth Light Cruiser Squadron

  Sixth Light Cruiser Squadron

  Eighth Light Cruiser Squadron

  Ninth Light Cruiser Squadron

  Tenth Light Cruiser Squadron

  Eleventh Light Cruiser Squadron

  Fourteenth Light Cruiser Squadron

  minus

  Swift (lost at Kaliban)

  Pommel, Sling, Bolo , and Staff (lost at Vidha)

  ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY-THREE SURVIVING DESTROYERS IN TWENTY SQUADRONS

  First Destroyer Squadron

  Second Destroyer Squadron

  Third Destroyer Squadron

  Fourth Destroyer Squadron

  Sixth Destroyer Squadron

  Seventh Destroyer Squadron

  Ninth Destroyer Squadron

  Tenth Destroyer Squadron

  Twelfth Destroyer Squadron

  Fourteenth Destroyer Squadron

  Sixteenth Destroyer Squadron

  Seventeenth Destroyer Squadron

  Twentieth Destroyer Squadron

  Twenty-first Destroyer Squadron

  Twenty-third Destroyer Squadron

  Twenty-fifth Destroyer Squadron

  Twenty-seventh Destroyer Squadron

  Twenty-eighth Destroyer Squadron

  Thirtieth Destroyer Squadron

  Thirty-second Destroyer Squadron

  minus

  Dagger and Venom (lost at Kaliban)

  Anelace, Baselard , and Mace (lost at Sutrah)

  Celt, Akhu, Sickle, Leaf, Bolt, Sabot, Flint, Needle ,

  Dart, Sting, Limpet , and Cudgel (lost at Vidha)

  Falcata (lost at Ilion)

  SECOND FLEET MARINE FORCE

  Colonel Carabali commanding (acting)

  1,560 Marines divided into detachments on battle cruisers and battleships.

  ONE

  THE captain of the Syndicate Worlds merchant ship approaching the jump point out of Baldur Star System might have been having a good day—right up until the point that several squadrons of Alliance fleet destroyers appeared coming out of that jump point. He might have had a few minutes to wonder if he could somehow run past the Alliance destroyers and jump out of the system to safety, before many more destroyers appeared and before squadrons of light cruisers materialized behind the destroyers. He and his crew had definitely run for the merchant ship’s one escape pod by the time divisions of heavy cruisers, battle cruisers, and battleships emerged from the jump point.

  Syndicate Worlds authorities on the one habitable world orbiting Baldur would see the annihilation of the merchant ship and hear its crew’s calls for rescue in about six hours, about the same time the light from the jump point reached them and they saw that the Alliance fleet had appeared in their backwater star system.

  They wouldn’t be having a good day, either.

  “RAPIER and Bulawa report destruction of the Syndic merchant ship. One escape pod noted leaving the merchant ship. Singhauta reports destruction of the automated traffic management buoy monitoring the jump point.” The watch-stander’s voice rang calmly and clearly across the bridge of the Alliance battle cruiser Dauntless. “No minefields detected or suspicious anomalies sighted.”

  Captain John “Black Jack” Geary nodded to acknowledge the words, his attention focused on the display floating before his command seat. He could have picked out from the display every piece of information the watch-stander had just provided, but experience had proven that humans remained the best filters for highlighting important data. If some other human handled that, Geary could concentrate on the bigger picture. “Which one of our ships is in the best position to pick up the escape pod from the merchant?”

  “Wait, sir. Battleaxe, sir.”

  Geary tapped the proper communications control without having to search for it, relieved that the unfamiliar equipment of this future was finally becoming second nature to him. “Battleaxe, this is Captain Geary. Request you pick up the Syndic escape pod. I want to interrogate that merchant crew.”

  The reply took a minute, naturally, since the destroyer Battleaxe was about twenty light-seconds distant from Dauntless. It took her twenty seconds to receive the transmission and another twenty seconds for the answer to make the return journey. “Yes, sir. Who should we deliver them to?”

  “Dauntless,” Geary advised.

  He was still awaiting Battleaxe’s acknowledgment when a cool voice spoke from behind him. “What do you hope to learn from the crew of a merchant ship, Captain Geary? The Syndic leadership wouldn’t have entrusted them with any classified information.”

  Geary glanced back, seeing that Victoria Rione, copresident of the Callas Republic and a senator of the Alliance, was giving him a curious look. “That ship was about to jump out of the system. That means they likely jumped into the system within the last few weeks instead of being a purely in-system trader. They’ll have news from other Syndic star systems. I want to know what they’ve been told about this fleet and about the war in general. I also want to see if we can get them to cough up any rumors they’ve heard in their travels.”

  “You think that information will be valuable?” Rione pressed.

  “I have no idea, but if I don’t get it, I won’t know, will I?”

  She nodded, giving little clue to her opinion. Not that Geary found that unusual. He and Rione had been lovers for a few weeks, in th
e physical sense of the word, but she had been distant since just before they had left Ilion Star System, and he had yet to learn why. “Then perhaps you should have the prisoners delivered to Vengeance,” Rione added. “That battleship has the best interrogation facilities in the fleet, or so I’ve heard.”

  Captain Tanya Desjani, sitting to one side of Geary, jerked her head around and spoke coldly. “Dauntless has excellent interrogation facilities and can ensure Captain Geary receives every measure of support he requests.” Desjani wasn’t about to let anyone imply that any other ship in the fleet was in any way superior to her ship.

  Rione gazed back impassively at Dauntless’s commanding officer for a moment, then inclined her head slightly. “I did not mean to imply that Dauntless could not carry out the mission effectively.”

  “Thank you,” Desjani replied, her voice no warmer.

  Geary tried not to frown. Desjani and Rione had apparently been just one step shy of going for each other’s throats ever since Ilion, and he hadn’t been able to find out the cause of that, either. Bad enough he had to worry about the Syndic fleet without also trying to figure out why there was bad blood between two of the best advisers he had. He refocused on the display, where the fleet’s sensors were busy adding newly detected information, then muttered a curse.

  “What’s the matter, sir?” Desjani asked, instantly alert as her own eyes scanned her display. “Oh. Damn.”