“No,” Honor admitted with a grimace. “According to my briefings from both the Admiralty and the Foreign Office, it would be ‘premature’ to formulate new policy at this time. Which means that our traditional policy—that we aren’t prepared to countenance any violations of Silesian territorial integrity by outside powers—remains in force. We’re supposed to make that stand up… without, of course, provoking any confrontations with the Empire.”

“And if they want a confrontation with us?”

“In that case, we do the best we can.” Honor sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. “To be completely honest, Rafe, what I’m afraid of is that the Government will continue to refuse to enunciate clearly and concisely what its intentions are for the benefit of Gustav XI. In the absence of clear, unambiguous signals from the Star Kingdom, he may just find himself encouraged to push even harder and further than he originally had in mind. And if that happens, we’re going to find ourselves squarely in the path of a situation which can all too easily slide right out of control.”

“With all due respect, Ma’am, what in the world possessed you to accept this command? You know Silesia, probably better than ninety percent of the Navy’s officer corps, much less the bureaucrats over at the Foreign Office. And you know the Andies, too. Unless they’re ready to give you a lot bigger stick than anything I’ve seen yet suggests, we’re going to come up mighty short if the Empire gets aggressive. And as you say, you and the Government aren’t exactly on the same frequency.”

He started to say something more, then stopped himself, but Honor knew what he hadn’t said.

“It’s entirely possible that you’re right,” she said quietly. “I won’t go so far as to say that anyone in the Government actively wants a major deterioration in our relations with the Empire. If that happens, though, I don’t doubt that at least some members of the current Government would be less than displeased to find themselves in a position to hang me out to dry. But I can’t just sit by and watch the wheels fall off. There are too many innocent bystanders, and we have a responsibility to the Sidemorians. For that matter, we have a responsibility to the Silesians, as well.”

“It’s not your job to make the Star Kingdom’s foreign policy make sense, Ma’am.”

From anyone Honor hadn’t known so long and so well, that statement might have carried overtones of disapproval. From Cardones, she didn’t even need her sensitivity to emotions to know he meant exactly the opposite. It wasn’t disapproval of her egotistical assumption that she might somehow make a difference; it was concern that if she tried and failed, she would find herself caught in the gears.

“No, it’s not,” she agreed. “But it is my job to do what I believe is right, and what I think the Queen would expect one of her officers to do. Sometimes that isn’t the easiest thing in the universe, and sometimes it carries consequences we shouldn’t have to face. But no one said it would be easy, and if we can’t take a joke, we shouldn’t have joined.”