"Pitt and Marcum wanted me to warn you things aren't well on the capital world," Pike pressed on. "Despite the Mickey fleet coming online, and you pulling out another miracle in the Odmena System, many on New Sierra have concluded the Federation can't win an all-out war against the Alliance…and they want to undermine any efforts before it starts."

"Why do I need to know this?" Jackson asked.

"Any reconciliation with the Alliance will require a pound of flesh from the Federation. Some admission they were at fault in a tangible way the Alliance can parade around in front of their people. I think you know what the people behind the scenes will be asking for."

"Me."

"You." Pike nodded. "Hating you has turned into some sort of cultural neurosis on many of the Alliance worlds. Their government has used you as a scapegoat for anything they could make stick. You won't believe the conspiracy theory bullshit I hear involving you when I'm skulking around in their backyard."

"You think they would have me arrested and handed over?" Jackson asked.

"More likely they'd set you up with the help of Vadim Kohl and have you fly into a trap so you could be seen being defeated by a hero of the Alliance," Pike said. Jackson just rolled his eyes and looked away. "Hey! Look at me! You need to take this seriously, Admiral. You're an okay shipmaster, but you're utter shit at navigating the political waters those stars on your shoulder come with."

"Blunt enough," Jackson grunted.

"Marcum specifically said he's sensing a shift in the wind. The fact the Alliance has weaponized antimatter and put it on undetectable drone ships has people on the capital world pissing themselves in fear," Pike said. "They're just politicians. You think they won't sell you—or us—out at the drop of a hat to save their own power and wealth? Things have changed a lot since the Phage War, but not that much.

"Anyway, Pitt and Marcum want me to give you your secondary orders verbally so there's no paper trail over the com system. You're to ignore all intel reports coming in over the official channels from both CIS and Fleet Intel."

"Interesting," Jackson said. "You think the IC has been compromised?"

"Without a doubt. Or at least factions within it. Director Perez and Admiral Pitt have decided your actual intel will filter through me. I'll pull in from multiple sources, vet it, and pass it on through a Bluebird paired transceiver that will be installed in your office here on the Saber. I'll have its twin aboard my Broadhead. This way, the people trying to steer events by messing with what information you receive won't know they've been exposed."

"It will also let you do an A to B comparison and find out which sources are feeding my taskforce shit intel," Jackson said. Pike just winked and pointed a finger-gun at him, making a clicking sound with his tongue.

"Even your people won't know you're ignoring what could be compromised intelligence. Since I'll be feeding you Grade-A premium stuff to work with, you'll actually seem omniscient to them as I'm sure I'll be able to guide you along this mission without the usual Fleet bumbling,"