“The Council hasn’t abandoned all caution, Kat. An invasion of the Confederation, one launched in coordination with a Union assault, will likely encounter limited resistance. Most of the Confederation fleet is posted to the Union border. But even if our forces face only token garrisons, the logistical challenges of mounting and maintaining an invasion are considerable. If we’re unable to supply our forces adequately, our fleets could bog down. We could even find ourselves exposed to Union treachery if our respective fleets meet when they’re well-supplied and we’re overextended.”

“I agree, Uncle, certainly. But what can I do to change that?”

“The Council has decided to dispatch Invictus on a preliminary mission, one with two primary goals. As you know, there’s only one reliable route to Confederation space that doesn’t pass through one or more of the remaining Unaligned Systems.”

“The Dragon’s Tail.”

“Yes, exactly.”

“But that course runs through eight systems. We would need…” She suddenly understood.

“Yes, and that’s the first purpose of your mission. You are to take Invictus down the Dragon’s Tail and into Confederation space. You are to probe, to confirm that there are no capital ships deployed to the border. You will destroy their frontier outposts, and occupy the planet Santis. It has a refueling station the fleet can use to support the invasion, and its defenses are minimal. It is essential to our purposes.”

“I understand, Uncle.” She paused. “You said there were two primary purposes. What’s the other?”

“To test the Confeds, to confirm that they are indeed weak in the sectors we would attack. As I said, the Council has not given up all prudence. They believe the Confeds are soft, that the way is open to invade, to slice deeply into their underbelly. And they want you to prove it. Your success will be the catalyst, the signal for war. If you secure Santis, if you defeat anything they are able to throw at you, the fleet will be dispatched.”

Vennius looked down at his desk, pulling his eyes from hers. “I wouldn’t have chosen you for this mission, Kat.” His voice was soft, grim. “I do you a dishonor, perhaps, to say this, but I would have you spared from this danger. The Council views the Confederation as weak, the second-line forces you are likely to encounter as no real threat.” He paused again, his discomfort clear.

“But you feel differently?” There was no recrimination in her voice, no offense at Vennius’s words.

“I don’t know, Kat. I fear we may be underestimating the strength of the Confeds. We assume the Union, larger and stronger, will conquer them in the coming war, yet there have been three such conflicts before, and the Confederation stands, stronger perhaps than ever before. I wonder if we wouldn’t be better served seeking alliance with the Confeds and not conquest.”