>>5592348“Alright, original plan then — an even split, two conventionals each. Keep the nukes on course.” You order.
“Aye, sir.” Kiro replies with a grin and taps a single key on his console, “Thought that might be the plan, and Cleo had an interesting idea while you were busy doing spooky Captain things.” The Marrok officer turns to the Ulveng on his left, and she gives you a decidedly more bloodcurdling smile of her own.
“Ever been to an Ulveng cracker-night, Captain?”
Despite her translator’s incongruently sing-song voice, your Nav officer has no trouble conveying the malicious glee her gravelly undertone suggests.
“Every year back home in Clifton, they’d put on a huge fireworks display on the darkest night to drive back the Voidwyrms who devoured the stars.”
“Ahem-superstition-ahem.” coughs your Science officer.
Cleo turns here baleful stare and rictus grin towards the Tyllano but continues on as if uninterrupted.
“Without fail, the final and grandest explosion was always in two parts. The first a series of staggered bangs, each louder than the last and then — to put the fear o’ heaven in the pups — silence… the silence of rocket motors cut early and then… <span class="mu-s">BOOM</span>. HAHAHAAHAaahaa.” The mad wolf cackles out the harsh, hacking laugh of her people sending a shiver up your spine.
“What Ms Clifton is proposing is an attempt at subterfuge, Sir.” Your Tactical officer dutifully interprets, “An all or nothing attempt to disguise our LRFs as having been expended as part of the counterbattery detonations when in reality they’ve cut drives and are coasting in ballistically to their target.” He frowns, a rare display of emotion from the Laedra man.
“If they notice the discrepancy in counterbattery effectiveness or happen to be watching the LRFs with their optics when they begin to coast, they will have a very easy target to pick off with their point defences.”
“But if they don’t—” Cleo interjects, having recovered from her mirthful fit, “and the Cap has kept them behind the conventionals so they’re harder to notice… eight nukes will be a damn sight more effective than two!”
Your Tactical officer merely nods, conceding the point unphased. “Risk versus reward, Captain. It’s up to you.”
You have little time to agonise over the decision, and choose to:
>Take a chance on your Nav officer’s plan to sneak all eight nukes down the throat of the enemy.>Heed your Tac officer and stick with the more conventional approach. 