Shelby 5 snippet 4

 Sitrep: So, Rea shot me the manuscript back. I added the final edits and then shot it off to Goodlifeguide. We should be seeing it in the next 10 days. :)

I'm up to my knees in Shelby 6. Slowly pieces are falling into place as I get back into my groove. :)

On to the snippet!

Chapter 3

 

Minox IV

 

The Confederation government received leaks of the losses at 77 and elsewhere. The military had to inform families of the dead and that kicked off more interest which started a series of committee hearings.

Committee hearings were a public or private forum to air out grievances and for one party or the other to score political points. They were, therefore, usually contentious and with a war on more so. There had been some talk of locking them down out of patriotism, but the senate was divided enough for that attempt to fail.

The senate was the primary place for such hearings, though they could be held in the lower house as well. With the war on and rumors swirling, everyone wanted to know the truth, and the hearings were a potential source, though everyone knew that every participant would be putting their own particular spin on things.

Admiral White Skin was called in first. He was frank; he admitted that the navy had been foolish to stop use of carriers and fighters. "We the navy failed to properly assess and appreciate the threat level of such small craft going back centuries."

Some of the War Party knew about the losses to date and were not happy. They were careful not to bite the hand that fed them though. He was careful to hide the losses. Since some of the ships had crew from many different worlds in the Confederation, the losses were spread out. He could also delay reporting them for some time. There might of course be unreported survivors, and no one wanted to expose the family of a sailor to the traumatic experience of telling them that they lost a loved one and then find that the bull was alive much later.

"So, what are you doing to correct it?"

"We already have carriers on the way. And we are working to produce more. Our people are working on new designs for both small craft and carriers and relearning how to support them. I admit, it is a poor time to do so, but we are Taurens, we will get it done."

Since the losses of ships were still highly classified and not much information had come in about the battles as of yet, the hearing ended up being a soft one for the navy.

However, the liberals had managed to make more inroads in the army losses and that was coming up next.

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General Dun had been in the hot seat and grilled often enough to know how the process worked. He listened to the briefing as the other department heads talked about what to expect. "They are out for blood," Admiral White Skin stated.

"And they didn't get it from you so I'm next."

"Correct."

"Great."

"Just keep your cool."

"Right."

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It was General Dun's turn to be called out by committee on the losses suffered to date the following morning. Initially he waffled and did the dance, swearing in, pleasantries, and such. He handled the soft questions from the War Party. They tried to set the tone as a harmonious and patriotic one, but it fell flat.

The general could tell that the War Party wanted answers too and were not above letting the liberals go on the attack to answer their own curiosity. He just hoped he didn't suffer too much from the experience.

Deployment numbers were asked about, the answers were classified, and he said so. Also, where those units were deployed to were classified. But the liberals knew about one place since the government had announced it and used that as an example.

"According to our records, General Sedu had one division going in to 77. That is one of the first Federation star systems to be invaded. Excuse me," he made an elaborate motion to the chairman. "Correction, liberated from their own government and people." The chairman grimaced at the sarcasm. The liberal senator turned to the general. "Is this correct, General?" Senator Mel an up-and-coming bull of the Liberal Party asked when his five minutes to ask questions came up.

"That is not quite accurate. General Sedu placed some troops as occupation forces in the star systems leading up to that system," the general explained, hoping that it would be seen as one reason for the losses.

"So, you'd say he was shy a brigade?" the senator asked.

"Yes. Roughly that."

"All right, so he went in against an unprepared force though. A mostly civilian population."

"I wouldn't say that."

"Ah? Then what would you say?"

"He went up against more resistance than anticipated."

"Is that because the enemy has veteran units that fought pirates while our units are only trained to round up, torture, and kill unarmed civilians?"

There was a bit of chaos when that charge was leveled. The chairman had to pound the room to order and threaten to eject some of the members who vehemently objected.

"I second the objection! That charge is scurrilous and puts a slur on our military!" another senator, this one a War Party member, stated heatedly.

"Ah. Should I bring up video and witness testimony?" the liberal senator asked mildly.

The senator gaped and tried to recover.

"Objection overruled. We will not have this committee turned into a witch hunt. Focus on the matter at hand," the chairman said tiredly.

"Very well," the liberal senator said gravely with a nod. He turned to the general. "General?"

"I wouldn't characterize it like that."

"Are the people you target by our valiant defenders of our liberty and freedom rounded up?"

"Yes."

"Are they women and children of species other than Taurens?"

"To some degree."

"Are they unarmed?"

"Not completely."

That earned a snort from a few people. The liberal senator cocked his head. "Ah. So, they have equivalent weapons and training."

"No."

"No. I see. What do they have?"

"Civilian hunting rifles."

"And sticks and things? Knives?"

"Yes, more or less."

"Against modern weapons and technology," the senator said scathingly.

"Yes."

"Drone strikes?"

"Sometimes. Our people need the training."

"Against civilians."

"If they offer resistance, they are classed as combatants."

"A human woman with a chef knife is a combatant?"

"Yes."

"Against armor?"

"Yes."

"I see. We'll set that matter aside for the moment since my time is running short. Now, the Federation combatants. How many are there? A brigade?"

"We believe less than that." The question clearly made the general uncomfortable, something the senator noted and pounced on.

"I have the numbers from intelligence general. Do I need to drag it out of you?"

General Dun hid a grimace. His ears flicked once. He knew he was going to be in for it, but he might as well get out ahead of the storm. "A MASH unit and recruiters. Some spacebees and an army engineering platoon."

There was a rumble of murmuring over that admission. To admit that their forces were being shredded by what amounted to support units was appalling.

"These are support units? Not frontline units?" the senator asked.

"Yes."

"I see. So, let's say less than two hundred all told?"

"Yes."

"Without fixed defenses and on an unknown planet?"

"They have local help."

"But they haven't been there long?"

"Correct."

"Against a short division? Which controls the high ground as you like to say?"

"Yes." The general didn't look happy.

"And General Sedu suffered how many casualties?" the senator demanded.

General Dun ground his teeth. He wished the admission would come in a closed-door hearing but it was not to be.

"Half of his force to date have been killed or injured."

The room went into chaos again as people from all of the parties demanded answers.

When the room was gaveled to silence the senator shook his head. "Half. Against a lightly-armed, mostly secondary forces group. Support units with less than a full military kit. With some partisan support. That against numbers, equipment, surprise, the control of the skies, and orbit on our side. I have to wonder what is going to happen when our valiant protectors of the herd go up against a real threat?"

The room grew deathly quiet as that question sank in.

General Dun said nothing.

"That's okay, General; I think we know there are going to be a lot more letters to families soon," the senator said as his time mercifully ran out.

"I believe after that charged testimony we need a recess," the chairman said as he gaveled them into a one-hour recess before anyone could protest.

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