Alex Chou's Log for: 1/14/2352 20:41


I had Cortez meet me in our strategy room. From the front of the room I turned on the holo display. I showed a 3D still image of the tactical layout of the system. Vinak ships included.

Cortez was on the opposite side of the display just watching. He had a big smile plastered across his face. "So what's the plan?", he asked.

"huh?"

"The plan. To get out of the system."

"That's Kind of the reason I asked you here." I picked up a holo pen.

"Great! What is it?"

I took a deep breath. I've never briefed a superior officer about anything other than repair or maintenance schedules. "Here's the situation. There are over 52 Vinak ships guarding the system. 36 are wasting their fuel by patrolling the system. 3 at the entrance of both warp points and, according to your pilots, 5 more each on the exit side of the warp points. Therefore, any attempt to blast through would be impossible. We would be able to make a run past the 3, but we couldn't possibly hope to escape the ships on the other side."

"What about luring them away?"

I pretended I didn't hear him. "Another thought is to build up so much speed and momentum that by the time they see us coming they won't be able to stop us. However, the way they are deployed we would surely hit one of them no matter what angle we came in." The point was illustrated by some lines I drew on the holo display.

"What about luring them away?"

"There is no way we could create a large enough distraction that the Vinak would invest 52 battle cruisers to take care of."

Cortez let out a sigh. "So what's the plan?"

"Well, since there are no pro-active options. Such as a running or battling through a warp point. Nor is there a way to lure away enough ships. Therefore, as you can see-".

Cortez let out a groan and started rubbing his eyes. "Just tell me the plan." I think he was getting either annoyed or bored.

"My plan is to just sit tight."

"What? Damn it Chou", he started waving his finger at me. "I gave you 3 fucking days and that's all you've got? " He began yelling. "The rules of guerrilla warfare are clear. We have to keep moving."

"None of the rules matter if we're dead", I said. "Just wait until some of them are gone."

Cortez raised his voice even louder. "What good will that do?"

"Less Vinak ships, gives us more options."

"You don't know if they'll leave."

"Think about it. It's a dead system that isn't part of any major travel routes. Why would the Vinak waste so many resources on one dumb ship? If we just hold for a week."

Cortez pulled back and narrowed his eyes. He began scratching his chin.

He reminded me of my mother. Growing up I would argue with her about everything. I was usually right and she knew it. After she could no longer deny my logic she'd pretend to think long and hard and then concede everything in exchange for one insignificant condition. It was a childish way for her to try and save face. I remember when I was 13 and I argued for a curfew as late as my friends. After a screaming match she told me, "Fine", she conceded, "but I don't want you sleeping in the next day." It was insignificant because I never slept in back then. Anyways, I was guessing that Cortez was as immature as my mom, so I just let him sit and think.

He kept moving his head from side to side and finally said, "Fine. We'll stay put" he conceded, "but I want daily reports on the number of ships" - an insignificant condition.

System Command: End Log.