"They are no threat to you now," Xiao said quietly.

"Oh, but they are," Carson said. "If we allow them to return, you'll be replaced, and they'll be sent against us again. Even now, you have a dozen taskforces moving into Fed space, hitting targets because you think we lack the will to stop you."

"We're just following our orders," Xiao said. "The same as you."

Agent Carson didn't respond. Fast as a snake, he reached out and grabbed the slight flag officer by the collar and dragged him from the airlock chamber. While the admiral struggled and cursed, Carson hauled him around by his uniform until he flung him to the deck by the bridge hatch.

"If he moves, kill him," Carson said to the guard who had been tailing him. The security personnel aboard Prowlers weren't detachment Marines, although most had transferred over from there. They all operated deep within the intelligence community and had seen enough weird shit to keep their cool and roll with it when something happened like a full Agent dragging an admiral by the scruff of his neck like a stray dog.

"Don't move, sir," the guard said, pressing the muzzle of his weapon to Xiao's neck.

"Agent! What the fuck are you doing?!" Ross shouted from the ladderwell a deck below.

"Secondary mission protocols, Captain," Carson called back. "Nothing you need to worry about. Commander, order all of our forces to further withdraw. Guard! Bring the admiral up so he has a good view of this. How far out is our closest asset from the Alliance formation, Commander?"

"Fifty-three thousand klicks, sir," Easton said.

"Tell me, Admiral…where are you from? What system?" Carson asked pleasantly.

"I'm from Xin Tian," Xiao answered carefully.

"Ah! Part of the Asianic Union's power players. Very developed, very wealthy world. Lucky you," Carson said. "I was born on a New European Commonwealth world called Odmena. Have you heard of it?"

"Of course. I am…sorry," Xiao whispered. "About what a rogue officer did—"

"Don't patronize me," Carson said. "I've been an Agent for long enough to have seen the intel to know your government sent that psychopath, Kohl, there with the intent of engaging our fleet. My entire family was on the surface when your antimatter bombs detonated in the atmosphere. Our small coastal city was spared a direct impact but was wiped off the continent by the tsunami kicked up. No survivors. Did you hear me, Admiral?"

"Yes. No survivors."

"Exactly. Commander Easton, trigger the kill charges on all of our attached mines."

"No!" Xiao screamed. The guard grabbed him and slammed him back into the seat.

"Keep watching, Admiral," Carson said. "Commander?"

"I-I'm not sure I can—"

"Do it or I'll put you in the same cell as these Alliance scumbags and just do it myself anyway. This is happening, Commander. It's a war, and you better figure out which side you're on."

"Captain?" Ensign Steger asked, looking back at Ross as he hovered in the hatchway.