“The com drones will be carrying the news far and wide in a few hours, but I’ve just received word the New Sierra Accords have been agreed upon and ratified by ninety-seven percent of the delegates. We are now operating under a new charter within the Terran Federated Planets, or the Terran Federation. That’s actually the last sticking point they were working out when I got off the com with President-elect Augustus Wellington. We only lost one star system that may, or may not, decide to entreat the Eastern Star Alliance for membership.” A smattering of applause kicked off a full ovation until Marcum irritably waved everyone to silence.

“Shut up and sit down, all of you. The universe has decided to take another heaping shit on us while we’re still digging out from the last one. You may have noticed that I arrived on two-thirds of what was once the Terran Starfleet’s flagship … I am here to tell you it was only by the grace of God and the quick thinking of Captain Everett that we were able to fend off the attack. As it turns out they came light because we weren’t the intended target; our new allies were. Captain Wright, as I understand it you took the brunt of what they intended for us.”

“I’m afraid I’m not able to give an answer to that due to lack of perspective, Admiral,” Celesta said. “But we were hit with a numerically superior force in what appears to be a trap set specifically for us.”

“Yes, I’ve read your mission logs,” Marcum nodded slowly. “At least you made them bleed. We’ll be having a private briefing immediately following this, so for now allow me to disseminate all information as you may not be aware of what’s been classified need-to-know.”

“Of course, Admiral.”

The next two hours were a rehash of portions of the Icarus’s encounter as well as a brief of the attack on the delegation sent to the Ushin, as they were now officially referred to. The battle of two alien ships against a single Terran battleship was heartening. The Amsterdam was ambushed and took most of her damage in that opening salvo, but Captain Everett was fast on his feet and came back out swinging. He destroyed the first target with a single Shrike and then ran down the other, peppering it with laser fire until he hit something critical. As an interesting aside it was the first kill by a Terran starship with a tactical laser in the entire history of the organization. The entire Phage War had been fought with missiles and ferrous shells out of mag cannons.

“So that’s the good news,” Marcum said, setting his water glass down with a bang hard enough that it fell over and spilled. “Goddamn it,” he growled. “My hand is still numb from being flung about on the bridge.