Even if the council would sign off on leaving Ranquil uncovered, the ship in question was held in reserve in the Forge. It would take at least a day for the vessel to enter space, climb out of the system, and transition to Por-Que, assuming that whatever the new contact was remained in the outer system. If it didn’t, adding the time needed to drop into the system . . .

Far too much time would lapse between the Heral’c’s call and the arrival of the Heroic.

“Connect me to Terran Command.”

“Yes Admiral.”

►►►

Sol Command, Space Station Unity One

► “Admiral, contact from the Priminae. Admiral Tanner on the secure comm.”

Gracen glanced over, curiosity piqued.

“I’ll be there momentarily,” she said.

She’d just gotten back from her little side trip to Ranquil and hadn’t gotten as much time to connect with the people there as she might have hoped. Unfortunately, she doubted that this was a personal call, so she hurried to the secure room and took a seat, finding the admiral already on the display.

“Admiral,” Tanner said.

“Admiral,” she repeated with a smile. “I believe we spoke of this?”

“Amanda, then,” he conceded, “though this is a professional issue, I’m afraid.”

Gracen nodded. “I assumed as much. How serious?”

“Not Drasin. Beyond that . . . I’m not sure,” Tanner admitted. “We have an incursion into one of our systems. Admiral, do you have any forces available?”

Gracen froze, thinking hard. “We just dispatched every available Heroic and most of our free Rogues with the Odysseus Task Force. They’re out of contact, Admiral.”

Tanner took a deep breath and closed his eyes. “I am very sorry to hear that.”

“We have two Heroics and a small force of Rogues covering Sol,” she said, “but there’s no way I can shake them loose in less than a few days. The political fight alone . . .”

“I know,” he assured her, “believe me, Admiral, I am aware. I suppose I must hope that the situation is not as dire as I fear it to be.”

“Why are you so concerned?”

Tanner grimaced. “We’ve lost contact with the relay network in the system.”

Gracen blinked. “I . . . didn’t know that was possible?”

“It is not,” he said simply, “not without having the relay be destroyed, which I am quite certain did not happen.”

“Then how . . . ?”

Tanner lifted his hands helplessly. “And now, Amanda, you know why I am concerned.”

“Yes,” she said softly, “I suppose I do at that. I . . . I wish I could help.”

“I understand. We can get a cruiser task group there within two or three of your days, and that appears to be the fastest response time we can manage.” He sighed. “It will have to do.”

►►►

PW Heral’c

► “We’ve compiled visuals on the intrusion force, Captain!”

Senthe turned. “Show me.”