Alex stared across the crowded room as people, as his family, waited for any sort of news on the unfolding events that would affect them all, regardless of the outcome.

He watched as his daughter played with the twins, who were a few years older but not so much older that they didn’t want Asteria tagging along. The children were happy, but it was a subdued sort of happy. Even they could sense that something was wrong, despite every adult in the room trying to shield them from it.

Alex sighed and took a sip of water from the glass in his hand. He looked up when a shadow fell over him to find Pryvani standing next to the table on which he sat.

“Would you come with me for a moment?” She asked softly, lowering a hand to the table top next to him in a silent invitation.

Alex bit his lip and glanced over to where Asteria was seated on the floor with some toys.

“She’ll be fine, dear.” Pryvani assured him. “Rixie’s just over talking to Thyllia, and even if she wasn’t, there are more than enough people around to make sure she stays out of trouble.”

Alex was about to protest. He wanted to, but instead he nodded silently and climbed into the center of her hand. Her palm was soft, and he could smell the lotion on her skin. Reflexively, her ring-adorned fingers curled up around him, protectively.

With surprising stealth, Pryvani managed to steal away from the rest of the group without anyone noticing. She traveled down a long hallway until she reached a little used room that was furnished with barely more than a desk and chair. After closing the door behind her, Pryvani crossed the room to set Alex on top of the desk and seated herself in the chair behind. A moment later she absentmindedly placed the glass she’d been carrying in her other hand on the table next to him.

Alex stared up at the long stem of the vessel that rose up half again as tall as he was before flaring out into a wide brim that held her drink. The liquid was a cloudy magenta color and garnished with a whole watermelon which floated in the center like a martini olive. The fruit was slowly leaking red juice from a gash in the side of the bright green rind. Alex knew from past experience that the gash had likely been made by Pryvani’s own thumbnail.

“Alex, darling, please look at me for a moment.” Pryvani’s voice brought him sharply back to the present and he turned to face the Titan woman, who was even now gazing down at him like some sort of benevolent goddess.

Alex shook his head and cut that train of thought off before it got too far.

“What did you need, Pryvani?” His voice came out hoarse.

“Actually Alex, I’m more worried about what you need.” Pryvani folded her arms on the table in front of him and rested her chin on her wrists so they were almost eye-to-eye. “I just wanted you to know that if there’s something you’d like to talk about…”

Alex nodded. “I appreciate the thought Pryvani but…” He let the thought hang in the air, unfinished.

Pryvani shrugged and leaned back in her chair. She plucked her glass from next to where Alex was standing and took a small sip. “Of course.”

“I… I wouldn’t mind just sitting here for a moment, though.” Alex sighed. He sat down on the edge of the desk and let his feet hang over the abyss.

The two of them sat in companionable silence for a few minutes before a small chuckle escaped Alex’s lips.

“It’s all my fault, you know.”

Pryvani’s brow arched. “What is, dear?”

“Ryan wanting to be a soldier. You’d think it was Rixie but no… it was all me. I used to… to tell him stories when he was younger. He used to get terrible nightmares as a kid, filled with monsters. So I… I told him stories. Some were from Nonah, but some were from when I was a kid. You know the type, full of heroes that kill the big bad monster and save the day. I just… wanted to show him… he’d already faced so many monsters in his life and I just… wanted to show him that they could be beaten.”

“I think that’s a good thing to teach your son.” Pryvani said soothingly.

“Yes but…” Alex wiped his face with his hands. “Next thing I know he’s jumping around the apartment with a toy sword yelling about being a mythical warrior. And… well, you know, kids play. But… then he started working with the guard… He’s always wanted to be a hero.”

Alex took a sip of his water, his hand shaking so badly he almost spilled on himself. “Don’t get me wrong Pryvani. I’m proud of him, of what he’s done but… My dad was in the army, back on Earth. Did I ever tell you that?”

“You didn’t, but Rixie did.” Pryvani admitted. “We were discussing Darren before the Tol-Bot tribute, and she mentioned you’d told her how the American army worked.”

Alex nodded. “Right. Well, he… he came home in a box, you know. And… when Ryan said he wanted to join up… my chest got real tight. I kept thinking about my dad. But, I was proud of him. Ryan, I mean. And, really, Avalon was pretty safe by that point. The odds…”

Alex took another drink.

“And then, god damn it, he got wrapped up in that covert business on Earth… or I thought it was on Earth, and now…”

Alex shuddered and Pryvani leaned forward again. “Alex, I wish I could tell you that Ryan will come home safe, but I don’t know that he will. All I can tell you is that whatever happens, I will be there for you and Rixie; whatever you need.”

Alex smiled sadly. “I… thank you.”

A moment of silence passed and Pryvani regarded the human in front of her contemplatively. Then, on impulse, she leaned forward and pressed her lips against the top of his head.

There was nothing romantic about the gesture, merely a brief moment of contact between two people who were each reaching out in a moment of emotional upheaval.

Pryvani sat back and smiled at Alex before taking a sip of her drink. At that moment Pryvani’s pad chirped.

“Pryvani…thanks. I needed to vent. And I can’t put this on Rixie. Not right now.”

“She’s tough, you know.”

Alex sighed. “She’s less tough than she lets on.”

“I know,” Pryvani said. “So are you. And so am I.”

Alex nodded. “We should be getting back.”

Pryvani’s eyes narrowed. “Only if you feel you’re ready.”

“I am.”

“Okay.” The Titan lowered her hand again and waited as Alex climbed back into her palm. She rose from her seat and walked back to the door of the room. She paused for a moment to take a deep breath, and the two of them left to rejoin the group.

* * *

Mikkael lingered, as most of the invited guests cleared out of the boardroom. They had rushed to their cars, their autocabs; they needed to get home. Only one man remained, a genial, middle-aged man in a pristine Nehru suit.

“Excuse me? Michael is it?” he said.

“Mikkael, it’s a Jotun name, hard aggressive ending, softer at the start.” Mikkael said, as much by reflex as anything.

“Is that where you’re from?” The man asked, genuine.

“My mother was born on the Imperial world Archavia, in Orion Province, my father is a Jotunn Titan from Maeatuntaema, Sininentavas.”

“I read a bit about them, strong, proud people. Your mother must be quite fierce to win over the heart of a warrior.”

Mikkael chuckled, as he gathered a few belongings. “Mom has the heart of a Shazshaar…t…think of it like a lioness, only much bigger, and venomous.”

Both men chuckled.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name?” Mikkael said at last.

“Punit Sibal, I’m the representative from Simple Green.” Punit went on, as if eager to say his bit. “I did my homework beforehand, and I’m really interested in Avalon. See, my company produces bio organic fertilizer, which allows produce to grow in even the most inhospitable soil, Avalon has a small population considering its area, but the soil quality is fairly poor for a relatively newly inhabited world.  I think we may be able to help boost their crop output. Is there anyone you’d be able to put me in contact with? We could make a lot of money selling to newly terraformed worlds.” Punit’s face fell. “That is…if we survive this.”

“Why haven’t you headed home?” Mikkael asked.

“Well, I’ll be honest…I’m not sure where to head. My wife is in Hyderabad. My mistress is in Singapore. I love them both…and this is a choice that may be for the rest of my life.”

“Do they know about each other?” Tapp asked.

“Yes, they do. Just as I know about my wife’s lover. It may seem strange….”

“Darling, I have a business partner, owns a series of boutiques in the Core. She’s part of a group marriage with seven wives and nine husbands. Eight Titans, two Ler, an Avartle, two Dunnermac, two humans, and a Tusola. And…well, I won’t go into detail while my son is here, but let me simply say that they are quite willing to spend time with visitors from outside the group.”

“That’s still more detail than I wanted, mother,” MIkkael sighed.

“My point is that there is not a new pairing under any sun. You have money; fly your mistress in from Singapore, have your wife call her lover, bring everyone together. If this is the end, don’t spend it debating who you love more. Love everyone you can.”

“You are quite wise, Ms. Uksahkka. Should the sun rise tomorrow, Mikkael, give me a call,” Punit said.

“Assuming it does, I’ll put you in contact with Bedra Tae, my assistant on Archavia. She can work with you in getting your foot in the door,” Mikkael said. “And we may as well assume that it will. If it doesn’t, it won’t matter anyhow.”

Punit smiled, and reached out to shake Mikkael’s hand.

Mikkael shook his head. “Back home, we do it like this.” Mikkael reached out and embraced the man’s wrist, then proceed to walk him through the greeting. “Where I come from, it is a sign of respect, to embrace somebody by the arm.”

The two men made eye contact before going their separate ways. Mikkael felt a little bit better about the state of affairs. Now, if only they could all survive long enough to see things fall into place.

“You would have made a fine warrior, yet you insisted on taking after me.” Tapp laughed, stepping forward from the back of the room.

“Anyone can fly a ship, swing a saber, fire a blaster. Here, behind suit and tie is where the real challenge is.” Mikkael approached his mother, and embraced her tightly.  “But there are times I wish I knew how to fight. Like now.”

“Oh, you fight in your way. And fairly well…as long  as mother dearest shows up to pull your ass out of the flames.” Tapp replied, as she hugged her son back.

“You shouldn’t be here,” Mikkael said. “Mom…why are you here? You heard the message…you should be anywhere else. You should be with Dad. Not…not here.”

Tapp scoffed, “’Thanks for saving my ass Mom, I owe you one, hey can I take you out for a drink? Let me treat you, after all, you did save my ass!’” Tapp said, in a haughty, amused tone.

“You know I am grateful, that much is always true. But Mother, you know what’s coming, and I don’t even want to begin to tell you what the odds are right now. You shouldn’t be here…there is a very good chance….”

Tapp shook her head, and embraced her son. He was tall, with his father’s smile, but pale and slender like her. “No! I won’t have you terrorize me with your perfect memory and super computer brain, I don’t need to know the statistics, I don’t need to know to the seventh decimal how gorram screwed we are. I came because you needed help here, and now that things have grown exponentially worse, I am here because you need help here. Does that register do you Mikkael Ben-gurion Uksahkka?”

Mikkael nodded, as his mother pulled away, and reached up to embrace his head with her hands.

Tapp released her son and straightened his shirt. “You handled yourself well, you’re going to do well kid, learned from the best, after all.”

Mikkael laughed, a cynical laugh. “Well, it may not matter. If the Insectoids come….”

“If the Insectoids come, then you die with family. And your father will be heartbroken, but he’ll be glad neither of us died alone.” Tapp turned and made for the door. “Come, let’s see about that drink you offered me.”

Mikkael finished gathering his belongings, and followed after. “I don’t recall making such an offer, and I should know, I have an eidetic memory.”

But Tapp was already out the door, so Mikkael followed after. She was right. It was a time to be with family.

* * *

“They’re going to Article 42 you, aren’t they?” Alex asked, from his perch on Rixie’s shoulder.

“Probably,” she said, leaning back on the couch.

“You think I’m too old to enlist?” Alex asked. “I could be a cook.”

“You take care of our daughter,” Rixie said. “We need one of us here, and you would…you would fight as hard as your son, or me. You have, you know,” she said. “But you’ll keep Asteria safe. Besides, you have my love of authority. You’ll be in the Imperators Corps or Rura Penthe. You’ll never make it as a cook.”

“Probably true.”

Speaking of their daughter, Asteria walked up to them. She was still very young, and for most of the time, she’d been playing, and paying no mind to what was going on. But she’d started to pick up on the fact that everyone was sad. And that bothered her. So she did what she often did when she was bothered. She walked over to her parents.

“Why are you guys sad?” she asked, flopping up on the couch.

“We’re just worried, Starry,” Alex said.

“’Bout what?”

“Oh…you know…Ryan flies spaceships, and that can be a scary job,” Alex said, not sure how to explain this without bursting into tears or scarring his daughter for life. “And, um….”

A sharp tone cut all the conversation in the room short. Rixie stood up, catching Alex as he began to slip, and walked over to the wallscreen, which had a flashing green bar in its center.

“GAMA FLEET – STAND BY FOR UPDATE,” the screen finally read.

* * *

There was a quiet in the Dodecahedron’s secure command center. Clocks ticked by, counting each second since they’d lost signal from Gama Fleet.

Occasionally, a bit of chatter would pop in – “Atlantis reports it has reached system 39-Rhombil-777”…“Ashay Fleet is now in transit”…”Minatar reports still no data, probes at edge of jamming range”….each was reported dutifully, echoing around the room. A few of the political leaders scribbled notes; there were hushed conversations at the tactical table between the Praetor-Imperii and Grand Navarchos Fasobi, along with a few senior aides.

Toward the front of the room, at a terminal surrounded by lights, a relatively low-ranking officer – in this case, a Senior Crewmate, First Class, saw a single blip on his screen. He immediately reacted, making an announcement that the entire room had been waiting for.

“Command, FleetCom, Command FleetCom,” the voice echoed. “Handshake with Gama Fleet.”

All noise stopped, and everyone turned to one of the forward viewscreens, which had finally switched from simply displaying =TAZA WAMDΨ // NETAKΛΨXA= to = TAZA WAMDΨ // EΛXΔAKA ΠPA ΔOBA=

There was a pause, while everyone held their breath, waiting for the system to update, praying or hoping, depending on their faith, for the report to be something other than catastrophe.

There was a slight groan as the reporting officer was listed as Lemm Tam, Acting Fleet Commander, not Aertimus Bass. But that groan was throttled, as the words they’d been hoping and praying for appeared.

=ZABFAMV TFOΦA BFIXMAP ૧Ψ ЭEZOX AΔ ЭMAMAΓO ૩૯Π૦૦૩ // ૧^к ЭMOKOЭ ΠYIPIK ΛΨЭMEPΨXO =

Engaged Hive Ship 1Ψ class at Tau Ceti. Main Target completely destroyed.

There was a pause, and then a roar, as every man and woman in the room let out a shout of relief. They didn’t know how, they wouldn’t for some time…but thank all that was good in the universe…they had done it.

There was back-slapping, and hugging…until the list of ships popped up.

And the room quieted again.

* * *

“Vox, activate,” Rixie said, and swallowed hard.

There was a pause, a ping, and then the timecode appeared on screen. It hesitated, and a sentence at a time, the FleetComms system displayed the information being uploaded from the Xifos, a robotic voice intoning the words as the information came in.”

“TAM L SNV ACGF – XIFOS AΦX-15 CENTER – FLASH – FLASH – ENGAGED HIVE SHIP 1Ψ CLASS AT SYSTEM 39Π003 – MAIN TARGET COMPLETELY DESTROYED – SAY AGAIN – MAIN TARGET COMPLETELY DESTROYED – CURRENTLY ENGAGED WITH REMAINING FORCES – TACTICAL SITUATION IS NULL-SIX – SIGNIFICANT CASUALTY RATE IN FLEET, ON COLONY, AND WITH ALLIED FORCES – DATA UPDATES TO FOLLOW WHEN ABLE – 2S – 99XXX”

“What does that mean?” Thyllia asked, her eyes, like all the others’, focused on the screen.

“The report’s from Lemm,” Rixie said. “They engaged with a massive Hive Ship, like they thought…and….”

Rixie reread the message three times, to make sure her eyes weren’t deceiving her. She knew Lemm would report by the book, and the meaning was clear…but it took her a good long moment to dare believe it.

“I don’t know how bad it got. Very, it looks like,” Rixie said. “But they won. They destroyed the frakkers. They destroyed the Hive Ship. They’re just mopping up now. Null-six…that means that they aren’t completely out of the woods, but based on forces available, they should be able to handle it with no further assistance.”

“So they did it? They destroyed the Hive?” Brinn asked.

“Yeah, they did,” Rixie said. She let out a deep breath. She didn’t know if Ryan was alive, and she wouldn’t be able to relax until she did. But if her son gave his life…he saved countless others. And though she hated the thought, she knew that Ryan would be okay with that trade. He was his mother’s son. Both his mothers’ son.

That didn’t make it okay. But it made her greatest fear bearable.

* * *

“We’ve lost the Troji, and the Gyfjon. And the Tenal. The Jev was completely disabled, might be salvagable,” said Fasobi.

“Command, Fleetcom, flash traffic.”

=KAΔOPI WEYZO MEPJEZO – BAЭЭ A F ΛAШ EAB / KOYШAΛOЭ A Ш ЭΛM ΛΛO / EΛZETPO ΠEYIЭOPO KAΔOP – ΦPEEZAΛ Λ Γ EAB / ZΨЭ ΔAKOYV WEYZO TWΨJO=

Casualty list will include Bass, A.H., Navarchos, KIA; ColVanos, A.V., Centurium, MIA; Notable civilian casualty: Freeman, N.J., KIA. More information to follow.

“Oh, Gods,” Pane Segdi said. “Prince Antero.”

Ammer Smit slumped in the small chair he sat in, and covered his eyes. Aertimus Bass, Prince Antero, and Niall Freeman. If not one other person was dead…and if they were, so many more must be…this was one of the worst days he could imagine. And it was cold comfort that it could have been infinitely worse.

“That listing means Prince Antero is missing, doesn’t it?” Qorni said.

Segdi looked over at her. “It does…but you wouldn’t list that as part of a flash update if you thought he was just out of comms range. They have reason to believe he’s dead, they just haven’t confirmed it yet.”

“Oh, gods,” Qorni said.

“We need to update the Terran ambassador,” Pane said.

“Yes, yes. Go call Lali, have him get in touch with her. Give her the good news,” Qorni said. “Then…Praetor-Imperii Lagvul…the Empire thanks your men and women. You have once again protected us.”

“It was at a cost,” Lagvul said, “but thank you, Madam Floor Leader. Everyone lost today…oh, dear Emperor,” he said, as the first images of the Hive Ship were uploaded. “If they hadn’t stopped this thing….”

Fasobi gasped. “That must have had at least half a billion warriors on ice. They were planning for a massive expansion into Imperial space. This is…our estimates put their entire arsenal at less than this.”

“Gama Fleet’s actions may well have saved the Empire,” Lagvul said, quietly. “Madam Floor Leader…I don’t want to lose anyone. But those that paid in blood today…every one of them should be written into the history of this Empire. They should be remembered like the Sperikans.”

“They will be,” Qorni said. “Praetor-Imperii, I believe the initial briefing should come from your people, and soon. It is important that the people of the Empire know what happened.”

“I agree,” Lagvul said. “Briefing officer, alert the media of a presser in thirty minutes at earliest, assuming situation remains as-is. Navarchos Fasobi, hold at Alert Condition Ashay, and continue to move Ashay fleet into position, but direct Beth fleet to hold for further instructions. Fleetcom, basic text to Gama Fleet: Seminavarchos Tam, Ashay fleet remains inbound; will direct Minatar task force at 39Π777 to render aid. Very well done. A grateful Empire stands ready to assist….”

* * *

“Oh, Gods,” Rixie said. “The Gyfjon.”

“What about it?” Taron asked.

“It’s listed as destroyed. Completely, unsalvageable. At least,” she said, blinking back tears, “at least…they got some escape pods away. That’s the coding. They destroyed the Troji – gods, no pods away, probably all hands lost. The Tenal and the Jev, some probably survived. I’m not sure if they….”

“TAM L SNV ACGF – XIFOS AΦX-15 CENTER – FLASH – FLASH – 7E – CASUALTY LIST WILL INCLUDE – BASS A H NAV EAB – COLVANOS A CNT ΛΛO – NOTABLE CIVILIAN CASUALTY – FREEMAN N J EAB – MORE INFORMATION TO FOLLOW WITH REGULAR DATA REPORTS – 7E – 2S – 99XXX”

“Oh, no,” Pryvani said. “Aerti…and Niall.”

“The Prince, too. He’s listed as missing,” Rixie said, “but Lemm wouldn’t note him if she thought he was alive. Frak!”

She pounded her fist into her hand, hard enough that it left a bruise. She tried to remind herself that at least Lemm was alive, at least she was the one reporting – but that just made Rixie realize how devastated Lemm had to be. She loved Aerti – not romantically, not at all – but she loved him as a friend, one of her best friends. Rixie knew Lemm didn’t generally show it. Lemm never did. She hoped that however bad it was, and however bad Lemm felt, she realized that Aerti knew, and that he had felt the same. It would be like losing Vanser, even now – they were a team. It would be like tearing off your arm. No…tearing off your arm would feel so much better.

The list of casualties began rolling in. Rixie walked back to the couch, and sat down.

“You’re sad now, aren’t you, mommy?

“Yes, Asteria,” Rixie said. “I am.”

* * *

Qorni walked back to her seat to the back of the room, waiting to see the information she was expecting to see. It was only a matter of time. Eventually, the after-action plan would come through, and she felt quite certain that it would indicate that this had been done at Armac’s behest.

The Floor Leader was feeling two very conflicting emotions. On the one hand, she felt elated that the Empire was safe, grateful that the humans on Tau Ceti were safe, grateful that Earth was safe. This was a gamble by the Insectoids that might well change the balance of power in the entire Orion spur; they had sent everything forward. A counterattack could decimate the Hive, permanently. It had gone from what could have been one of the worst days in the Empire’s history to one of its best. And though the sacrifice was high – and Qorni understood and felt the weight of that sacrifice – it had been the kind of sacrifice the Empire had too-often made, and though she regretted it, she blamed the Insectoids for it. They had forced this, and the Empire had won.

And this was all thanks to the gutsy, risky decision made…by Loona Armac.

Nobody would care about whether the precedent Armac acted under was questionable. It had been the right decision. Nobody cares if you bend the rules when you win, after all. The media, if anything, would praise her for remembering her collegiate legal philosophy classes, finding a clever loophole that avoided a waste of time, saving millions.

Qorni was the leader of the Empire, but Loona had bypassed her, and that meant that this was Loona’s victory. No matter what Qorni did, she would be the darling of the Empire. What would she get, the Imperial Clade? It seemed likely. Maybe made one of the 79. Well…she had no kids, so maybe not, but certainly, she’d get honors and privileges before she even hit the media circuit. The tearful press conference with the Emperor, explaining Antero’s sacrifice…he would praise her decisionmaking, and probably take that moment to finally reveal the silent partner in his eldest daughter’s marriage, and explain that Antero had died to save humans, like his son-in-law, and hybrids, like his granddaughters….

It would be the coup de grace. It would end her premiership, and it would guarantee Armac a majority after the next election, and it would cement humans as full members of the Empire forevermore. Yes, Qorni could still lead them to victory over the Federation, but these conflicts were now clearly linked, and Qorni could already hear the media attacking her for delaying, for allowing not just the Federation secession, but the Insectoid attack by dragging her feet. And hells…they’d be right. Because she had.

The better angels of Forna Qorni’s character briefly considered calling Loona, and offering to step aside as Floor Leader after the Federation was defeated. She could be remembered for winning two wars, then stepping aside – a modern Tivar Floan, who was remembered for leading the Empire in the Third Insectoid War, and stepping down victorious as soon as it was complete. Armac would take it graciously; she wasn’t a fool, and she held all the cards. She would give Qorni her victory, and then she would take the reins of the Empire and never look back. She wouldn’t battle. She would keep a united front for the Empire’s sake. She’d recognize that allowing Qorni a graceful exit wasn’t going to hurt her. It might be better….

…but she couldn’t bring herself to do it. She swatted the thoughts away.

She wondered as she did if she would someday regret it.

Instead, she looked for any desperate play that she could make. She would have to attack Loona for making the decision – it was a difficult, technical, legalistic argument, but….

She smiled slightly. Legal.

The initial report had come through. The action had indeed been directed by Loona.

Qorni looked over at the Minister of Law.

Jonto Cethje was going to be stuck behind Armac for a long, long time. He’d already been outmaneuvered once. Did he want the same fate as Forna herself, a footnote at the end of an eternity as the heir apparent? Would he really be happy to get a hold of the legislature only after Loona Armac was bored with it? On her own, she had no chance to win this, but if she could get an ally from Loona’s own side.

It was a ten-to-one shot. But it was all she had. She couldn’t go back to the back benches. When she lost this spot, her career was over.

She had been a fighter her entire career. She didn’t know how to be anything else. So she stood up, and headed for Minister Cethje.

—

Thanks to JS and Dann for their contributions to this!