[u][b]Palace of Caesar[/b][/u]

Martin listened intently as Gladstone outlined his plans, and waited patiently for the High Elder to finish so he could brief him on the situation as it currently stood. 

“So, what say you?", Gladstone asked, in conclusion. "Am I instead to command a march towards Indianapolis? Should I bring more or less soldiers? I would hear the input of my allies, you are both far more acquainted with the needs of this war than I.”

"A force of eleven thousand men will be a most welcome addition to the Allied effort", Martin replied. "Cheyenne is tied into our rail net, from there your entire force can be swiftly deployed East in a matter of days....the timetables are already being worked out. If I may, High Elder, I'd like to begin by going over the current state of the campaign."

"In the North", Martin said, "A major Cult offensive is currently under way. Two seperate Cult Hosts, each led by one of their more well known Warleaders, as their commanders style themselves, are currently active in Michigan. the first, Warmaster Hagur, is advancing down Interstate 75. Cult propaganda claims he is marching on Chicago, but our analysts believe that is a feint intended to aid the other Host, led by Warleader Dosh-Novan, that is currently fighting in Detroit. A defensive line has been formed along I96 from Muskegon on the coast of Lake Michigan to Lansing. From there they will keep I-69 into Republic territory open. We've also occupied Mackinaw City, cutting off Hagur's path of retreat. Central Michigan is only sparsely populated, active measures are underway to evacuate civilians and destroy any supplies that may be of use.....soon Hagur will be traveling over scorched earth wherever he goes."

"Detroit itself", Martin continued, "Is a strategic point of critical importance that must be held at all costs. While the Cult has overrun about two thirds of Detroit proper, the Republic has established a relatively stable defensive line along Ten Mile Road, and so far every attempt by Dosh-Novan to cross the Detroit River into Windsor has been bloodily repulsed. We currently have four brigades, a force of 6,000 men, en route to aid in Detroit's defense, they are transiting Lake Huron now and are expected to reach Windsor and begin landing operations tonight.

Our goal is to liberate Detroit, and keep the Republic in the war. Also, this presents the opportunity of cutting off and destroying two entire Cult Armies."  

"In the Center", Martin said, moving on to the next axis of advance, "things are largely going according to plan at the moment. Legate Aurelius initiated the final assault on Indianapolis this morning...while a Cult counter-attack is currently underway, it was not well timed and is, in the Paladin-General's assessment, too little and too late to do more than delay the inevitable. We expect the city will be secure in the next 24-48 hours barring unexpected developments. Work on extending the rail net into Indiana has been underway around the clock, there is now a working rail link between the liberated section of Indianapolis and our core territories. Also, flight operations at the old Indianapolis Airport were restored two days ago...there is plenty of room if you want to deploy your air assets closer to the Front. We can host your forces in other bases, as you require."

"In the South", Martin said, "We have encountered little Cult activity, mostly Raiders of various types. Louisville has been secured, and the main body of the force committed to that theater has reached Cincinnati. Governor Jones has proven more able than his peers and the Central government. While under heavy pressure from the Cult, he's actively contesting the advance of the main Cult Host, which has overrun Columbus, and starting to move West along I-70. their next objective appears to be Dayton. 

"With Indianapolis taken", Martin continued, "The next phase will be liberating Columbus from the Cult. From there, we can stage attacks into the Cult's heartland from multiple directions. One complication is the Cult force in Ft Wayne. It's ruler, a Mutant that calls itself Rog-Resh, commands a sizeable force. While it is apparently in a dispute with the Cult Leadership in Pittsburgh, and so far has ignored calls to join the conflict, nevertheless Ft Wayne needs to be taken or besieged before the advance into the Cult's core territories can begin."

"If I may suggest", Martin concluded, "The Northern and Southern Fronts are, to me, the Fronts in which your forces could make the greatest impact. To the north, advancing along I-90 and taking Ft Wayne, then advancing in the direction of Cleveland, cutting off the Enemy in Michigan from aid or retreat, would cause grave injury to the Enemy. If you chose the South, the Enemy's main force would have to face offensives along both I-70 and I-71 from strong forces. Which Front do you think would be most suitable for the forces you are deploying?"

[u][b]Wardroom, USS Little Rock, Buffalo, IRD[/b][/u]

"As you were", Administrator O'Hara said firmly as she strode into the Wardroom of the old museum ship. The dozen tired and dirty men who had been siting around the Wardroom table...strewn with blueprints, and sketches and reports...and had been in various stages of hauling themselves to their feet when her arrival had been announced, gratefully settled back into their chairs. She walked to the empty chair at the head of the table, and after her aide pulled it out for her, she took her seat and looked about at the disheveled and grim-faced men now all looking at her. "What's the verdict?"

"Administrator...", Carter, lead engineer, began to say. 

"Maureen", she interjected, "There are no reporters here...no need for formality."

"Maureen", Carter said, "I've got good news, and bad news."

"Start with the bad", Maureen replied. "May as well get that over with."

"We can't repair [i]Little Rock[/i]'s propulsion plant", Carter said, "We don't have the means to make the parts we need, and quite a few components were scavved and sent to Hamilton to get [i]Haida[/i] operational again. The only factory that might have been able to fabricate what we need was in Detroit."

"Damn", Maureen said, "She would have been a game-changer."

"On the bright side,", Carter said, "We've got the 5" turret working, and we believe we can have the 6" turret operational in a week. We need shells, though. Even though she cannot sail, she can serve as a floating battery."

"You'll get them", Maureen said grimly, "If I have to nationalize a factory to have them made. come to think of it, maybe the Commonwealth can help us with ordnance." She then added, "What about the others?"

"[i]Croaker[/i] requires a rebuild from the keel up, and without torpedoes repairing her is a waste of resources....better to just strip her for parts. As for [i]The Sullivans[/i], she is operational, we just need fuel oil and shells", Carter answered. "Didn't Administrator Marcus tell you?"   

"No", Maureen replied primly, "He did not. I've learned he did not report a great many things to Detroit in the past two weeks since I took office." 

"And it's a damn good thing he didn't, too", Carter said, "Or we'd be defenseless right now."

"No need to get defensive", Maureen said, "I understand completely....believe me, it's worse back home than you think. Traowski can't get anywhere with the Bureaucracy, The Legislature is paralyzed, and Abernathy Jones down in Cincinnati isn't even pretending to take orders from Detroit anymore. Rumor has it they sent people to arrest him and he had them all shot, and they are suppressing it because they don't want anyone getting ideas."

"So we're on our own, then", one of the other engineers said bleakly. 

"That's about the size of it", Maureen replied wearily, "If they don't get their act together soon in Detroit, we'll have to turn to the Commonwealth....or, God forbid, Barnaky, just to survive."