Kat moved her hand, her finger sliding over the small controls, shutting down the com unit. It was time for Invictus to leave.

She turned toward Tylian Wentus. The tactical officer operations officer had assumed the same post on Invictus that he’d had on Vindictus, tactical operations officer and second-in-command. She was glad to have him back, relieved to see him fit for duty. She could still remember him on Vindictus in the closing moments of the terrible battle at Heliopolis, his face, his uniform, every millimeter of him it had seemed, covered in blood. His wounds, it turned out, had looked worse than they actually were, but she had still been a bit surprised when she’d gotten the word he was cleared for action and assigned to Invictus.

“Optiomagis Wentus, take us out. One percent power until we clear the space dock.”

“Yes, Commander.” Wentus moved his hands over his controls. “Thrust at one percent.”

Kat stared straight ahead, her eyes fixed on the main screen, watching as the massive orbital platform slowly receded into the distance. Invictus was underway. Another mission.

And if we succeed, another war…

Kat tried to push the doubts from her mind, but she couldn’t forget Vennius’s words, his concerns about the true strength of the Confederation. The Alliance prided itself on its martial success, but apart from the initial wars following the Rising, it had tended to face smaller adversaries. The Confederation was more than three times the size of the Alliance, and the Union more than six. This was a different game, one with far greater stakes.

Fear had no place in Alliance thinking, nor did intimidation. She had seen the price of weakness, of subjugation…she had seen it as a child, the dead coldness in her grandmother’s eyes when she thought no one was looking, the price her sufferings as a young woman still extracted from her years later, after she had taken her vengeance, established a great house. The pain Kat knew had gone to the old woman’s grave with her.

But how much is enough? How much war? How many dead?

She shook her head gently. Those questions weren’t for her to consider.

“Take us to the jump point, Optiomagis. All stations prepare for translight operations.”

It was time to do her duty.

Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

Pronouncement from the Presidium

Despite the greatest and most profound efforts by our esteemed diplomats, the Confederation has continued to build up its military forces on our border. Though we seek only peace and mutual cooperation, we will do everything necessary to defend ourselves against this aggression.

The Presidium has today ordered our military forces to the highest alert status, ready to repel any invasion. We are saddened by the prospect of war, but we are unbowed, and we hail our brave military forces as they prepare to defend our beloved Fatherland.