Interservice rivalry

"Because the flotilla commander is a risk averse coward and would rather keep fleet assets safe, than risk them protecting Nóngcūn hóuzi out on the Rim. No offense."

"None taken."

Corrine's opinion of the Flotilla Commander based on the Sun Tzu was, to understate, less than glowing. They had an odd relationship. While Silvermane had command of the 1st Marine Raiders based mostly aboard the cruiser and, by virtue of some political decision, overall command of how the Alliance dealt with the colonies in their patrol sector, the Navy units reported to the flotilla commander. The man wasn't even a Flag Officer. Not really. He'd been appointed after the Loyalist fiasco, more for his adherence to 'core Parliamentary principles' than his ability to command a battle group.

From what I'd been able to discern, none of the patrol frigate commanders especially liked him, the captain of the Sun Tzu didn't like him, and Colonel Silvermane decidedly didn't like him. But he was in charge of the Fleet elements in the region. So the ships went where he told them to go, which wasn't always where the Colonel wanted them to go.

She understood my concern though. With Hale's Moon and several other colonies under Martial Law, we were more reliant on the Alliance for defense against Raiders, Reavers, Pirates, and politicians, than otherwise. But that meant the Alliance forces had to be in position to help us when the time arose. While nearly half of the 1st Marine Raiders were deployed to patrol duties between the frigates and the small patrol boats, Flotilla Command was doing their part to 'minimize risk, increase efficiency, and lower coasts' to the squadron. Which translated to them rarely being where we needed them to be when we needed them to be there.

Quite frustrating to a professional soldier.

Less so to a spook.

The rouge "Alliance" ships we'd encountered on the Rim, Pirates of a form, really, were in some ways more of a thorn in Fleet's side than ours. I hadn't pursued the possibility that they were a quasi false flag operation, intended to make it look like the Alliance were raising hell again or were incompetent to keep others from doing same in their name. Sadly, something else on my long list of 'Really need to look into that's.'

It was an odd cover though. If they were really rogue, it made sense. Pretend you were Alliance and hope the locals fell for it. When they did, you'd have cooperative targets who may not know they were being had, and might not report it if they did. The danger, of course, was when the Alliance finally got tired of your detarame, they would come down on you like the proverbial ton of bricks. Their "justice" would be swift and most likely fatal. Also, if the locals didn't buy your fake ID's they'd be inclined to fight all the harder.

Black Ops? Possible, but to what end? It was hard right now to tell where things were going with the situation. There was pressure both directions: to back out and let the locals handle their own problems, or to move in full force and put an end to it. There were political advantages and disadvantages no matter which way the die rolled. Good or bad depended on which faction was asking the question and when.

It was something I'd look into. Something I might have an answer to the next time Silvermane and I met. Assuming I had time to look. Though, I had to admit there was the temptation to do some troubleshooting of my own.