"The progress of alien conquests is direct and predictable. The flagship's savant will be in touch with ours, and we will keep the admiral informed of the enemy's progress, world by unfortunate world. At some point, when the alien armada emerges from hyperspace, Soong's force will be waiting for it."

A hand raised.

"Yes, Mister Bawadin?"

"Suppose the alien armada breaks up into separate task forces. What then?"

"At present we know little about alien psychology, but the possibility has been considered." He didn't mention the human prisoners on the Wyzhnyny flagship. It would be a distraction. The few who needed to know already did. And at any rate, though what had been learned was interesting, it was of limited use. "The aliens haven't subdivided so far, except to establish colonies on the captured worlds. And of course, this sector of the galaxy is unknown to them. They don't know what they may encounter. And if they lack instantaneous communication, they'll be very effectively out of touch with each other."

"Suppose they do have instantaneous communication," Bawadin said. "What then?"

"There is every reason to believe they do not. That we have it ourselves grew out of fortuitous observations in unlikely research on unpromising subjects."

Another hand had raised, and Peixoto pointed. "Yes, Ms. Syrkin?"

"Why a Sol battle force? Why not a force more broadly integrated?"

"The answer is time and shipyards. Shipyards here in the Sol System were able to begin large-scale production of warships more quickly. Also, the majority of available training cadre were here, thus the Sol System has been able to produce crews earlier than the other core worlds. Construction and training in the Indi and Eridani Systems are well under way now, but their trainees aren't ready yet. In a few weeks that situation will have changed."

"What makes this force `provisional'? Why not simply call it a fleet?" Syrkin asked. "Do you have misgivings about it?"

"We could call it a fleet. But what we learn from the first action may dictate major changes in force makeup, organization, and tactics. Thus it seemed appropriate to call it a provisional force."

"You said `action,' not `battle.' Why?"

"'Battle' suggests sustained fighting. This is expected to be a short series of hit-and-run actions. Lasting just long enough to record a spectrum of alien responses. You'll have an opportunity to ask Admiralty Chief Tischendorf about it later."

Again Peixoto paused to sip. "We are also preparing an action of another sort, to be fought very largely by farworlders: the 1st New Jerusalem Infantry Division, supported by the 3rd Indi Armored Regiment with attached Ground Support Wing, and the 5th Luneburger Engineers. All heavyworlders; all training on Pastor Luneburger's World. Their commander, a Sikh of the Gopal Singh Dispensation, reports that training is on schedule. And… "

Another hand had risen. "Yes, Dr. Corneille?"

"The people of New Jerusalem are pacifist Christians. What makes you think they'll fight?"

"The question has been considered. The founders of New Jerusalem were firm pacifists, and their descendants have been inculcated with the beliefs of the founders, as filtered and adulterated by time and frontier living. But until the alien invasion, war was only a concept on New Jerusalem. And their most holy book, the Christian Bible, is replete with descriptions of patriotic wars and warrior folk heroes of the remote past. Intrinsic cracks in their pacifism.

"True, many on New Jerusalem stayed behind. Some refused to believe that aliens were coming. Others believe that God will protect them. But seventy-seven thousand adults, with their children, left farms and often family behind, and fled here. Those who volunteered for military service were well aware that it meant fighting a war.

"There is no indication that their cultural pacifism will prevent them from fighting. Certainly it has not interfered with their training. General Pak is confident of their willingness and toughness."

He didn't stop with that. "The Sikhs themselves, under their founder, Guru Nanak, began as fervent pacifists, but in time became notorious warriors as a matter of survival. While in his time, Gopal Singh was a peacemaker, if not quite a pacifist." Peixoto grimaced. "During the Troubles, many of Gopal Singh's followers resigned their positions in the military, on the basis that it was an unethical war. And spent years in prison for that dedication to what they regarded as right. But there have been no-no Sikh resignations in this war. Not one."

It occurred to Chang that his friend had never mentioned his own spiritual persuasion. Probably deist, he thought. Flavored by other doctrines, deism predominated on Terra.

"In about fifteen weeks," Peixoto went on, "when the troops are ready, the New Jerusalem Liberation Force will begin a five-month voyage to New Jerusalem. By the time they arrive, it will have been in alien hands for some time. And besides the ground and air units, there will be a space force, under Admiral Apraxin-DaCosta, to deal with whatever space force the alien armada left in the system."

He then described Apraxin's Liberation Task Force. When he'd finished, a hand thrust up, and Peixoto pointed. "Yes, Doctor?"

"Mr. Prime Minister, that is a rather modest force. What makes you think it can do the job?"

"Most of the conquered planets informed us of the number of alien emergence loci, so we know how many fewer they have been from world to world. Some of the ships left behind with the conquering colonists are undoubtedly transports, and supply vessels left to support the conquerors until they can support themselves. But others are warships; Morgan's squadron provided information on how many to expect."

Peixoto's gaze had been on the people in the room. Now he scanned the faces on the monitors. He had their attention.

"Also, judging from the elapsed time between worlds, the armada remains in the system's fringe for about a Standard week.

"We also assume that they expect us to make a stand farther within the Commonwealth. If so, they probably leave behind no more fighting ships than they consider necessary."

He scanned the people in the chamber. "We've had to make numerous assumptions, and add modest safety margins. While keeping in mind that the ships of the Liberation Task Force will not be available to Admiral Soong's Provos."

He pointed at an upthrust hand. "Yes, Senator Bomboulis?"

"Why send a liberation force to New Jerusalem? At this time, I mean. Why not send Apraxin's force with Soong's? And hold the New Jerusalem division to help defend some other world?"

"We have two reasons. One, we lack knowledge of how the enemy fights. The ground units we land on New Jerusalem will be accompanied by several savants, as will Apraxin's and Soong's space forces. They should give us very important information on how the alien fights. And two, if we undertake to defend a world on the ground, the alien can send in more and more forces to overwhelm our own. While if we land a liberation force well after he's left, the alien defense is unlikely to receive reinforcements. As I pointed out earlier, we have compelling reason to believe that they do not have instantaneous communication."

More hands had popped up; the prime minister waved them off. "Now we will hear from our director of industrial mobilization, and our minister of war. Please jot down any further questions; I will invite them afterward. Our time is limited, and Mr. Shin and Mr. Stavrianos will no doubt anticipate many of them in their presentations."

The director of industrial mobilization spoke first, followed by the minister of war. When the meeting was again opened to questions, the first hand raised belonged to the chief of Senate Liaison. The prime minister pointed. "Senator Bomboulis," he said.