Prologue

16/04/2718

Midian System

Midian Gate

Senator Zhong Li leaned back into the plush sofa, nub of a cigar in one hand, glass of brandy in the other. The observation deck may have been small and cramped—an unfortunate inevitably on a space station—but at least it was well furnished.

Li glanced to the side, towards the other man in the room. Admiral Latrell White—an ironic name, Li thought, for a black man—stood at parade rest in a crisp white naval uniform, looking out through the viewport. The fleet beyond was the largest assembled in the Confederation's four-century history: thirteen carrier task forces amassed in one formation.

"I understand why I was given this command." White's voice was deep and smooth. Rich. "I've won every battle I've commanded. Kepler. Minerva. Acadia. To top it all off I took Midian without losing a single ship. What I don't understand―" he executed a precise about-face "―is why the Joint Chiefs sent a politician as their messenger."

Li took a puff on his cigar before answering, savoring it, letting it out with a sigh. "Your superiors―and my party―want you to know the political significance of the upcoming battle." Smoking had not been kind to Li's voice, nor had age.

"I think I understand already." White took a seat on the sofa opposite Li. "The main argument of Imperial diplomats against any concession is that they still control all of their territory. That's why I'm being sent to occupy Boreas. The fleet is so large because we expect they'll fight desperately to take it back so they can keep using that argument."

"That's the diplomatic significance of the battle, but the Empire isn't our only concern." Li set his drink on the table and picked a cigar from the box. He proffered it to the admiral. "Cigar?"

"No thanks; I quit smoking in the academy."

"Funny, college is where I picked up the habit." The senator cut the cigar, took one last puff from the one he was already smoking, then used it to light the new one.

White wrinkled a broad nose at the smell. "You were saying?"

"The Confederate Party has been arguing in favor of accepting the Empire's offer. A third of Congress is up for reelection in November, and the Confederates have been gaining ground in the polls. They've been calling us warmongers in their propaganda."

"So I need to win the battle so we can make a favorable peace, and I need to do so before the election so the Federalists look good and keep their majority in Congress."

Li nodded. "And as you know, the Confederates are strongly opposed to the Federal Military."

"What are they gonna do, disband it? The latest Amendment prohibits them." White paused, ponderous. "Are you worried they'd violate the Articles of Confederation?"

"Some of my party members consider it a possibility. They've accused us of violating the Articles, after all." Which they had, kind of, but censorship was necessary in wartime. "Even if they don't, as soon as the war ends Congress will draft a new budget for peacetime, and I'm certain a Confederate Congress will defund the Federal Military into irrelevance."

"And the Federalists wouldn't? Armies are expensive, navies more so."

"There would be some cuts to the military budget," Li admitted, "but the military would remain a powerful force. And, between you and me, the army would get the worst of it."

White chuckled at the conspiratorial tone of that last bit.

"Your superiors also want you to know that word has leaked of war crimes committed by our forces."

"I thought your Wartime Security Act had that suppressed."

"We've covered the worst of it, and labeled what's leaked as slanderous lies by the Confederates." And the worst of the rumors were lies. Well, exaggerations. "But military intelligence has uncovered a plot by many high-profile Confederate senators to investigate the military and prosecute war criminals."

White nodded. "I don't have anything to worry about from an investigation, of course, but I'm sure my superiors will be grateful if I protect their necks from the noose. Anything else?"

"Yes, one last thing. Admiral Mavros has been pulled out of the battle over Chesapeake."

"The Empire conceded the planet?"

"No, the battle's still ongoing; Admiral Kalimeris has been cycled in. Mavros's location is unknown, but intel believes he is being held in reserve to counter your attack."

White gazed again out the viewport. Mavros had risen to prominence in the last four years. As the newly-formed Federal Navy went on the offensive, methodically retaking the worlds lost in the first two years of the war, Mavros had won every defense he had led. The Federal Navy had adopted a policy of attacking in two places at once to counter him specifically; Mavros would be sent to one battle, and the Confederation would win the other. That man one was the biggest reason the war had lasted so long.

Unexpectedly, White grinned. "Ever since I've reached the rank of Admiral I've wanted a rematch for New Sealand."

"You do realize he's undefeated?"

"So am I, at least as an admiral. Mavros beat me when I commanded a cruiser under Hudson, but let's see how well he fares when I have a fleet under me."