Headquarters. They responded to The Godden
Invasions so fast, that they drove them back and launched counter
attacks within the first two days of fighting, inflicting heavy losses.
7 But The Goddens rallied, and it again became a static war, the two
forces fighting each other in certain systems along the boundaries of
their common borders.
8 By the time North reached Hades, he found a vast Fleet already
forming; a huge invasion force numbering nearly two-thousand ships!
Morn was up to something ...something BIG! But no one seemed to know
what it was. It was being kept a complete secret.
9 Not even The Commander Of The Fleet, North's old friend Gray
Mountain, knew what Morn had in mind. "I'll tell you something,
though," he confided to North, "wherever we're going he intends to make
a surface landing. He's selected the finest ground troops from every
sector. We've got landers and atmospheric fighters for close-in
support. It's got to be someplace The Goddens would never surrender
without a fight, and Morn intends to give them a nasty one.
10 His mates have been acting very strange, too. They don't want to
talk to anyone and keep to their quarters, spending as much time with
Morn as they can."
11 North didn't like the sound of this, and headed for Morn's office,
but he wasn't there, so North headed for his home. The door was
answered by the youngest mate, who was heavy with child. "Good day,
North! " she announced, "Morn will be with you in just a few moments.
Please wait here."
12 North waited and a few moments later, Morn appeared doing up his
jacket. North was surprised to see him wearing his command uniform
instead of his Speaker's robes. "Your mates with you?" Morn asked.
13 "Coming behind me," North answered. "They'll arrive in about two
days.