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SAFES Liaison's Log, Science Vessel Searcher_, September 19th, 2555:_

Well, it was certainly inconvenient getting back to the fleet. I would have expected the Grand Admiral to have done something much more clever than trapping us behind a shield and sending a couple of automated cruisers to shoot us with spitballs. More than that, the plan seems curiously fragmented as it is founded on the assumption that our transports couldn't just reenter the atmosphere and go around the projection satellite. Of course, it's possible that the shield was spherical but it still seems odd that the strategy was to pin us in orbit and force us to twiddle our thumbs for however long. At any rate, the arrival of the reinforcements put a quick end to whatever he had planned and we discovered that their planetary shield technology seems to operate on some sort of pulse system, rapidly turning on and off at a algorithmically-determined rotation to conserve integrity. It reminds me quite a bit of that absurd concept from the old science fiction show Star Trek, what with the shields having a frequency that allows someone to shoot straight through them if they know the magic number (as Cassandra did after she determined the algorithm). The sight of those battleships and the refitted escort carrier was a relief quite apart from the fact that both are incredible to behold in the first place. I've seen the Wyvern-class escorts before but with its refit, it would be safer to call Yamato Banner a light battleship than a carrier. Supposedly, Captain Marvin Wong is the best carrier captain in the fleet (which sort of begs the question of why he's on an escort carrier with Jovian Fleet rather than a full carrier with either one of the inner systems fleets) which, I suppose, I'll eventually get to see in action.

It turns out that our escort, which was carrying heavy enough ordinance to break us out, got waylaid by a heavy fighter attack from more professional pilots than the ones Bong and his flight encountered on their support run. No losses but the swarm obligated them to break off and hightail it for home with their communications gear being jammed by the ECM ships the Imperial Fleet brought with them. I admit that I've never personally seen such strong jamming and while they may be somewhat absurdist in the present day, it's clear that the Viis Empire has the technical potential to be an incredibly deadly enemy if they put their minds to it. I'm certain that this is partly due to the Grand Admiral; the myal painted him as some sort of folk hero which probably gives him enough political clout to initiate useful R&D... such as the ECM vessels in the Fleet.

With Archimedes and ATLAS working together, we're starting to get an idea of the size of the fight in this dog. Military records indicate that there was a point at which the Imperial Fleet had the option of touching off massive weather events on a targeted planet, thrashing enemies with tornadoes and hurricanes of apocalyptic proportions before landing. I can't imagine why this wouldn't have been used in the case of conquering the aaroun, if the records are accurate. I've also discovered, although details are still sketchy, that they do not use weaponry with a ballistic trajectory but prefer to use elevated positions and sub-orbital platforms to bombard enemies with line-of-sight firepower, a very interesting technological development choice and one that we may have to confront if this skirmish we're engaged in turns ugly enough. Finally, with their colonial and imperial holdings, the Viis Empire has the ability to call up reserves that dwarf any army we can field although without their 'quantum gates', such reinforcements have to take a very long route to Viisymel during which they would be vulnerable to ambushes and hit-and-run raids. In a private moment, I'll have to raise the suggestion of destroying the gates with the admiral.

Speaking of the admiral, I was pleasantly surprised that she was readily willing to respect my privacy as related to my service in the Special Operations. With merely a couple polite inquiries, she backed off and just asked for mundane things like my designation and specialties. I always thought that if the time came, she'd be decent to me and I was delighted that I read her right. She asked me the most curious question, though... she asked how I read Jenkins. I sort of understand her reasoning but at best, it's a very unusual inquiry to make, even of a SpecOps.

Dr. Melinda Campbell, SAFES

It turned out that the technicians on the Charles were better than their word: Sera had only just seen minute three pass on her chronometer when the space beyond the shield began to look like it was somehow... writhing. At that moment, what seemed like a tear in space arced across the distortion and opened up. The space inside the rip had a surreal almost beauty to it, a pulsating glow crackling with bolts of some sort of energy, looking all the world like lightning. From the chaotic morass, dark shapes formed and then were flung into the real world, filling Sera's entire field of vision. The battleships of Line Delta were incredible to behold, behemoth ships bristling with weapons and designed to go toe-to-toe with warships of similar power. Steaming down the center of the group was the Hammer of Dawn, the Redux-class battleship that the Redux-II was based on. It was smaller than the Executor, although not by much, and looked distinctly different. Where the Executor looked like an amalgamation of a turreted battleship and an ancient ship-of-the-line bristling with gun ports, the Hammer had ball turrets mounted on all four sides interspaced with the CIWS arrays that could swat aside missiles or tiny ships dodging larger gunfire to try and disable surface weapons in support of another battleship. It also lacked the tall observation bridge that had been placed on the Redux-II class of battleships, the designers contenting themselves with an admittedly better-protected deck practically flush with the hull. The rhombus shape of the front portion came to a blunt end and swept backwards and somewhat down into the large engineering area which contained both the engines and the ship's reactors. Later designers had regarded such an obvious engineering area as a vulnerability although curiously, they had also made the observation bridge more easy to hit and less well-protected, likely reasoning that there was no need to protect an area from attack that had no battle function and contained no personnel during a fight.

Both Phyrrus' Lament and Scylla Seven were a different story altogether. Where the Hammer was curved and elegant, the Maticore-class battleships were utilitarian and intimidating. There were no observation decks for the line-breaching vessels of SAFN but running down the center of the ships was the massive spinal cannon array, a single massive railgun that took an hour to load but could split dozens of battleship-sized vessels in half from an incredible distance with the eight kiloton projectile it fired. Around the curiously horn-like attachment were arrayed numerous ordinary cannons with a heavy emphasis on CIWS. Wargames had demonstrated that the spinal cannon created many dangerous blind spots and the overabundance of smaller-scale weaponry was meant to address the issue. Looking all the world like an axe with a square handle and its blade pointing downwards, the two warships cut a strange figure but were a comfort to see.

The organic strike group of the _Yamato Banner w_as invisible behind the bulk of the battleships but Sera had seen the ships around, especially the alien Delphi-II cruiser, a vessel that looked like two dragonflies joined back-to-back, their massive bulbous eyes protruding from the front. The four gigantic sensor domes, incredibly powerful and sensitive, may have looked very strange to her eyes but the small and underarmed ship was a battle controller, an informational clearinghouse that could coordinate massive fleets like a master puppeteer with his marionettes.

"Angel Actual, this is Captain Sakura of the Redux-class Hammer of Dawn." An effeminate voice announced over the communications system, startling Sera out of her reverie. "Repeat, this is Hammer of Dawn to Angel Actual, over."

"Hi Sakura." Shadow responded. "How're the cherry trees this time of year?"

There was a long pause on the other end. "Just for that, no tight schoolgirl outfits for you." Sakura responded, albeit with a sort of light tone. "Japanese by way of British Columbia, remember?"

"Oh yeah... something like a bloke but from the Yankees' continent." Shadow grinned. "Glad to see you all. I was getting worried that we'd be stuck here for a while."

"Anything's possible." Sakura responded wryly. "So, how do you want to play this, Admiral?"

"Depends. Did they manage to pry Wong's fingers off the center chair yet?"

"Not yet." Sakura struck an air of exaggerated seriousness. "They even tried to bribe him with a fine British stout. I hear he cried very manly tears but his will remained unbroken."

"Then I need his Delphi first. Hold on a sec while my pilot gets him on the horn." Shadow waited a moment. "So, Wong... are they planning to bury the chair with you?"

"You're not as funny as you think you are, Admiral." A male voice, obviously Wong, replied. "How'd you get stuck behind that thing anyway, oh mighty leader?"

"I made the astonishing discovery that we're not the only people who've tried the entire planetary shield idea." Shadow replied with a smirk directed at the comm unit. "I need Cassandra."

"Wow... an intergalactic booty call. I've got to tell my buddies about this when I get home." Wong chuckled. "Whatcha need her for?"

"I need a good look at this shield." Shadow replied, slipping into a more serious mode. "We can't disrupt the generator with our current ordinance and I suspect, based on the lack of our assigned escort, that we've been isolated from the heavier ordinance they carry. Naturally, there is always the option of a breach by main force but without knowing the shield specifications, I can't risk that the generator will fail catastrophically and burn us."

"And throwing away a sixth or more of our most powerful ordinance when resupply isn't a sure thing would be dangerous." Wong agreed. "She's on her way, Admiral. Estimates a minute or more to get a good look subject to possible ECM problems."

"What's the word from home?"

"The USC debate is getting pretty heated." He replied. "They're feeling like the situation is heading towards a freefall to war but also want to send a clear message to this Viis Empire you stumbled across. I'll give you more details at the war council... there's too much to say right now."

"Very well." Shadow glanced at her wrist chronometer as Sera glanced at her own; it was just passing a minute since Wong had conveyed the time estimate. "Rochelle doing well?"

"Someone's done their homework." Wong's smile came through nicely in his tone of voice. "Smoking hot as ever. Balancing kids and teaching school and wishing she had her big strong man at home."

"She'll get him back soon." Shadow assured him. "Even battlecarrier refits stay far away from the big guns, as you well know."

"Something they should rethink." There was a pause. "Well, I've got some great news for you, Admiral."

"The shield's holier than a Catholic saint?"

Wong laughed. "That's one way to put it. Works on a frequency... sort of irregular one but Cassandra says there's a pattern she can algorithm out. We've got a Stryker who can kill the generator as soon as our prophet calculates the 180... Cassie also says that the generator is stable enough that it can be hit without a shockwave."

"What about the cruisers?"

"The...? Oh, them." Another pause. "Lifeless. Cassandra theorizes that whatever actions they've previously taken, they ran out of code and are sleeping until someone wakes them up. Want us to smash them as soon as the generator goes?"

Shadow visibly thought about it a moment. "I don't think..."

"Robot ships are good rams, Shadow." Sera interjected quietly.

"...I don't think we should let the Imperial Fleet use them as rams later." Shadow smiled at her. "Kill 'em."

"Aye-aye." Wong responded. "The designated hitter has a firing solution, Admiral. Get some distance and I'll see you in your conference room. Captain Wong out."

"For starters, I'd like to welcome Captains Martin Wong and Akira Sakura to the Expeditionary Task Force." Shadow announced from her place at the head of the conference table. "Needless to say, Captains, we're rather happy to have you and your firepower on our side in case there's a donnybrook."

"Glad to be here, Admiral." Sakura (who turned out to be a somewhat short wolven who somehow managed to look very Japanese by wearing her long black hair in a bun held together with crisscrossed chopsticks) replied with a smile. "Even gladder that your second bloodied their noses before we got here."

"I appreciate the compliment, Captain, but I merely directed the competence of others." Andropoli replied, his dour expression briefly interrupted with a smile.

"Regardless, Commodore, it's always a good beginning to a standoff." Sakura nodded to him.

"Yes, we do enjoy a momentary advantage." Shadow agreed. "Although a very small one; the first skirmish went our way because we're unknown to them. Unfortunately, we can expect them to learn more with each skirmish so our advantage will be somewhat transitory. If you will explain the particulars, Doctor Campbell?"

"Of course." The spindly wolven, dressed in her familiar white lab coat, stood and, at Shadow's gestured invitation, went to the head of the conference table. "We're presently operating without one of our most significant advantages: despite the presence of Searcher and Cassandra, we are effectively blind to precisely what faces us. We cannot estimate firepower, crew capacity, power generation, shielding types, or any other essential facts about the Imperial Fleet without the full sensor suite capabilities. However, engagement has yielded two insights: first, that their electronic countermeasures, whether by strength or concentration, are superior to our electronic counter-countermeasures. Second, that our ECM is superior to their ECCM, at least in the case of their breaching ships. With the Lighthouse-class SAWACS ships and the Cassandra, we will at least enjoy unhindered intership communications and can easily move a ship outside ECM range to communicate with home but instrument-directed fire is presently impossible."

"Is there any way to tell whether the ECM is dedicated or general?" Nomi inquired.

"My own educated guess is that it's dedicated." Campbell replied. "The breaching ships exhibited no sign of ECM rigs although one would not expect ships designed for long-range destruction of targets to have the systems for close-in fighting. Moreover, the precise strength of the ECM seems to have a definite radiating characteristic with several epicenters although we can only make that estimate on a two-dimensional plane when a truly radiating signal has a spherical characteristic. Thus, unfortunately, we can only give the spinal guns of the Manticore-class ships four points of targeting data when they need a minimum of six. In short, ladies and gentlemen, we are sensor-blind and presently unable to disable the source of our blinding."

"Thank you, Doctor." Shadow nodded to her. "Naturally, the Imperial Fleet can do nothing to make us visually blind..."

"Not blind, Admiral, but their orbital shield platform proves that they have good visual camouflage." Sera interjected. "It's easier to conceal something that's stationary relative to whomever you're trying to deceive but if they have achieved one goal that SAFES has been working on, namely a planet shield, why not the active projection camouflage?"

"Because they have not sought it." Melinda replied before Shadow could. "The translation and compilation of the massive amount of data the myal gave us is proceeded extremely slowly even with the translation assistance of ATLAS but Archimedes has been able to confirm that an imperial decree closed off attempts to develop such a system and the Grand Admiral simply has not had imperial favor long enough to cold-start such a program and make it work. Passive concealment is the limit of their space capabilities."

Shadow nodded. "Thank you again, Doctor, General. Let me amend what I was going to say: the Imperial Fleet cannot make us totally visually blind and passive camouflage loses most of its effectiveness with motion so if it comes to a knife fight, they'll bleed. That said, I'm nervous about their immense number and concerned that pragmatism might make the Grand Admiral consider a kamikaze attack while we're still a small task force. We are presently in a precarious position despite a vast increase in our firepower. To get into better position, we need to address the three issues of numbers, intelligence, and security. Captain Wong, you said you would give me more details on the home situation in conference. Elaborate, if you please."

"Certainly." If Sera had not known who he was, she'd have mistaken Wong for an intellectual. Medium build, medium height, handsome Asian features, and wearing a pair of round rimless spectacles, he looked more like a university professor but his history in Jovian Fleet was long and distinguished. Wong strode to the head of the table and faced the assembled officers. "There is a fair bit of chaos on the home front. By now, the public has been made aware of the expedition and are understandably anxious, more because of the extended time period than the fact that we're treading in unknown territory. The anxious public makes for an anxious USC and being told that you shot first caused a real stir although they put themselves in a real pickle because of how they set up the liaison between USC and SAF."

"EFWAC is showing signs of being ornery old cusses, aren't they?" Shadow laughed. "I thought that might happen. USC never did a better day's work than when they established a collection of leathery sourpusses to keep an eye on the SAF."

"Well, Admiral, they're your best friends in the Governance." Wong grinned. "In between passing out teddy bears and night lights for the representatives who're afraid of the dark, they're alternating between making SAFC sweat bullets and making the USC want to throttle them for creating political difficulty. The old bulls are liking them quite a bit right now, though... their level heads made it easier for SAFC to start collecting assets so the politicians can assure the populace that they foresaw problems and are well-prepared."

"Any read on those assets, Marv?" Nomi inquired.

"Nothing yet, Jean-Jacques." Wong grinned at the evil eye he got in return. "There's talk that the really big sticks are getting a readiness rush but you know... scuttlebutt happens and it rarely means anything."

"Don't worry, Captain." Shadow assured him. "I've got a way to get a good read on possible reinforcements. Is there anything else?"

"No." He shook his head for emphasis.

"Then thank you." Shadow took her place at the front again. "Numbers, it would appear, is a problem that time will solve for us and we have no control over. Intelligence is an ongoing problem, partly solvable through translation of those archives, partly solvable through taking out the Imperial ECM. I do not believe we can do anything for security beyond heightened alert and solving the intelligence problem. To that end, I'm open to suggestions."

"I have a thought on that issue but it is dependent upon whether the doctor believes that burst-transmit communications are concentrated enough to pierce interference." Andropoli said.

"They are." Campbell replied instantly. "Just like a laser is harder to disrupt than a light bulb, a narrowly-focused beam of data repeated on a sustained loop is vastly harder to scramble than normal communications. Why?"

"The Lighthouse SAWACS ships have sophisticated enough equipment to conduct a burst transmit." Andropoli leaned forward in his chair and rested his head on his steeped fingers. "They can also get a read on the sources of the ECM, if they get close enough. With an additional carrier as part of our task force, I believe we must consider making full use of our snub assets. Send out Lighthouses with a good escort on multiple vectors and have them triangulate the areas of highest interference... see if they can identify the sources."

"I have some reservations about that, Commodore." Shadow frowned. "If it comes to a battle, the SAWACS will be an indispensable component in an effective defense and, if needed, an offense as well. They are a limited asset and the one thing we can ill afford to lose."

"The commodore may be right, Admiral." Wong offered. "Especially since Yamato Banner was outfitted with the first Lighthouse-II SAWACS off the assembly line. Faster with better defenses and a significantly better sensor suite. We don't have more than a dozen of them but they'd be well-suited for a deep reconnaissance mission like the one that Commodore Andropoli is proposing."

Shadow mulled this over for a moment. "Well, if both of my carrier captains are in consensus about the viability of the mission, I'll give it a preliminary go-ahead. Put a plan together for me to review by..." She checked her watch. "...nine-hundred tomorrow. Are there any alternative suggestions?"

"I'll keep working on the archives." Dr. Campbell said. "There's a great deal of useful information but figuring out how to read the written form of Viis is challenging and the data is organized like a librarian would instead of the way someone familiar with military and technological matters would. Could hardly be making any progress at all if not for ATLAS... they really broke the mold when they made her."

"Aw, shucks... you're making me blush." ATLAS said from her vague position above their heads. "Thanks for the shout-out, Doc."

"You're welcome." Melinda smiled in the general direction the voice came from. "At any rate, Admiral, that is all I can contribute at this time."

"Then if there is nothing else...?" Shadow glanced around the table and, receiving no response, nodded. "Very well, Thank you for your contributions. You're all dismissed with the exceptions of Doctor Campbell and General Wilson."

The other officers traded surprised looks, unaware of Campbell's performance during the escape from the Kaa's palace, but filed out without asking any questions, leaving the three of them in the large conference room. The white-furred wolven sighed and looked over at Shadow.

"Admiral, is it really necessary to interrogate me on my past service?" She asked dispiritedly. "You disciplined me for my foolishness at the moment; I don't see why you feel you need more information."

"Because I'm entitled to it, Doctor." Shadow replied calmly. "I am very unhappy that SAFC assigned me a second SpecOps without informing me. I'm further disappointed that you chose not to be completely honest with me about your full qualifications."

"It's because they're none of your business, Admiral." Melinda retorted, giving Shadow an icy look. "My service is my own business. My reasons for leaving the service and having those records put under tight seal are also my own business. The only secrets I kept from you are things that you neither need to know nor have a right to demand."

"War involves ugly, dirty, bloody, dishonorable business?" Sera asked before Shadow could speak the angry retort that Sera could see coming.

"You have no idea." Melinda sighed. "You have no idea how ugly. You experienced the natural rage and hatred after Poplar Village and possibly the satisfaction at a measure of justice in the nuclear retaliation. You cannot entirely comprehend the level of rage among the higher echelons, among the SpecOps, among people who could do much worse to the lupus garou than your nuclear weapons." The doctor looked down and away. "I turned my back on the honors and reverence that accompanied the status of SpecOps for a reason and no one, not even a celebrated admiral, has a right to demand that reason of me."

"That admiral, however, has a right to know about you generally, Doctor Campbell." Shadow told her, a hint of gentleness in her tone. "What you are able to do, your specializations, and especially your designation. I will not delve into actions you were involved in but I require certain facts."

"Typical SpecOps training." Campbell replied. "My specialization was sharpshooting, as General Wilson observed firsthand. I can achieve uncommon accuracy with any firearm that can fire one bullet at a time, especially as it relates to combat sniping. I was designated 'Solitaire' during my service with SpecOps."

"Thank you." Shadow nodded to her. "If I may ask, why keep it secret? No one is permitted to know the exact actions that any particular SpecOps is involved in. Knowing that you are an exceptional sharpshooter and that you left SpecOps for the same reason that well-regarded men like Sergeant Morris and Captain Prower refused to join in the first place would do you no discredit, exposed nothing of which you might feel ashamed. Why conceal it?"

"Because there are certain things expected of the SpecOps." Melinda smiled sadly. "To be merciless murderers if needed. To be willing to kill small children, destroy the defenseless, do things that must be done but of which others are ashamed. To be some sort of idealized supersoldier, an inspiration to the 'ordinary' soldiers. To be heroes without doing anything noble and self-sacrificing. But most repugnant to me, Admiral, is being expected to stand apart when I have always had warmth and intimate friendship. I do not wish those things to be expected of me and so, I do not let it be known that I was ever SpecOps."

"You sort of sound like Akeya, Doctor." Sera observed.

"I doubt most SpecOps understand what they are and what they fight with the same clarify and purity that Major Obsydien does, General." Campbell smiled. "I genuinely do not understand how she remains unstained by the purity but in the time I worked with her, it was almost... a pleasure."

"She's an experience in and of herself." Sera agreed.

"Thank you for your honesty and time, Doctor." Shadow stood and extended a paw. "But I meant it down on the planet: under no circumstances will you deliberately expose yourself to danger again. It's more clear than ever that we need your expertise for success and I do not wish to see it risked."

"I appreciate that, Admiral, and I'll try to respect your orders." Campbell shook the paw firmly and turned to go.

"Just one more thing, Doctor." Shadow said suddenly. "What are your thoughts on Major Jenkins?"

"My...?" She turned, looking very surprised. "Why do you ask?"

"Thought that you might have some perspective by virtue of the Ubersoldat training." Shadow shrugged in seeming indifference but Sera could tell that her friend was paying close attention.

"He's an ass." Melinda shrugged back. "Arrogant, cruel, petty, childish... but... he seems to feel some affinity with the decaying of the Viis Empire. I can't imagine why, though."

"Thank you." Shadow smiled warmly. "If you find something you think will be interesting during your translation and compilation, please inform me."

"Of course, Admiral." Melinda nodded once and walked out of the room. Once she was gone, Sera looked at Shadow.

"Why'd you want her analysis of Jenkins?" She asked, curious.

"In case she offered something I hadn't heard." Shadow chuckled. "And she did. So, dear... what would you say to a cup of tea on the observation bridge? We never got to enjoy a cup at the beginning of the mission so why not in the calm before the storm?"

"Don't we have duties to...?"

"Love, if your commanding officer wants to haul you up to a nice quiet place with a beautiful view to have a cup of tea, you can safely assume that duties aren't on her mind." Shadow laughed softly and leaned in to deliver a quick peck on Sera's cheek. "Especially when that commanding officer is also a close friend."

"Then I'd be delighted." Sera kissed her friend's cheek in return.

To call the view from the observation bridge merely "beautiful" didn't do it justice. Sheathed on all sides with a glass-like polymer, a hundred times the strength but just as clear, the bridge offered a breathtaking tableau of stars stretching out into infinity. So far from the Solar system, they were very different stars in different formations with the white-hot inferno of the Vii system (the designation Dr. Campbell had arrived at after they'd met the viis) radiating so much thermal and light energy that Shadow had ATLAS lower ultraviolet filters in place to block the intensity without blacking it out entirely. The bridge (which was more of an comfortable lounge) had short but plush carpets that felt pleasurable to walk on and there were handsome oak tables with padded chairs arranged throughout. Normally, it was a relaxation area for officers generally (thus, as Sera noted, the bar in the corner) and open to anyone at any time but ATLAS had locked the door behind them without even being asked, demonstrating a sort of courtesy she hadn't believed the AI capable of.

"Wonderful, isn't it?" Shadow commented as she put the tea tray down on one of the tables. "I never really get a chance to come up here and just watch the stars... too much work. What about you, Sera?"

"You know me." Sera smiled as she took a seat. "I'm a book-in-my-quarters sort of girl. I don't think I ever properly thanked you for that... the nice furnishings, the various teas, nice bedding. It was very kind."

"It was the least I could do." Shadow took a seat opposite and poured Sera a cup. "Green apple... one of your favorites, I believe."

"Mmm." Sera agreed, taking an experimental sip. "Mmm! Shadow, are those Fiji I taste?"

"Okinawa, actually." Shadow beamed as she took a sip herself. "It was surprisingly hard to get considering that it costs a pittance to make."

"I'll bet you've been holding onto this stash for a while."

"I had a reason to save it." Shadow turned to look out the window. "It's been a really long time, dear. I don't think I even saw you at the unveiling of the Poplar Village Memorial a few years ago. So that makes it, what, five years?"

"Yeah." Sera admitted. "I'm sorry, Shadow. It was too soon, I couldn't go there yet. I went there two years ago, though, and it was amazingly peaceful. I think I even invited you."

"Duty called." Shadow hung her head sadly. "Dammit, duty called and I had no choice but to listen." She shook her head. "How'd it get to this, Sera? We meet in basic training, get drunk, get laid, and we only get to spend a good day every eight months or more. Yet every time..."

"...it's like we've been spending every day together." Sera smiled fondly. "That must have been some incredible moonshine. Too many glasses and one very good night and we're solid."

"You'd hardly think so with how little time we have together." Shadow sipped her tea again. "The universe is conspiring against us."

"Oh, I don't know about that." Sera gave her friend a sly look. "Remember those wargames?"

Shadow blinked and then grinned fiercely. "I cannot believe I forgot that. What did you do to get that poor green private to leave you cuffed in my quarters of all places?"

"I swear, that was a complete accident. Now, the next part was my evil little mind hard at work but the ending up in your quarters was totally some poor schlub getting so confused he just dumped me in the most secure-looking room and went off somewhere." Sera insisted with as innocent of a look as she could manage.

"Variety is the spice of life." Shadow leaned back in her chair. "So where do you think this is all going to end up, Sera?"

"War." Sera replied. "War between the Sol Governance and the Viis Empire. We burned their research lab, stole their scientists, freed some of their slaves, mined their archives for information, shot up their leader's palace, thrashed a small part of their fleet. I don't see where else it could go."

"I agree but... I wasn't talking about the mission." Shadow looked over at her. "I meant, where are we going to end up? Where is this on-again-off-again roller coaster going? We can't go steady but we can't seem to move on to other people. We're stuck in a rut, no doubt a very pleasant rut that satisfies something we both need but still in a rut."

"I'm not sure that 'rut' is quite the right word for the situation." Sera teased.

That earned a smile. "Be serious, love."

"Where are we going? Hell, Shadow... I don't know that. I can't know that." She drummed her claws on the table. "I mean, I know where I want it to go. I think I know where you want it to go. I just don't know where we're actually going. I do know that in a battle zone, especially in a battle zone, SAFC would be very upset if they had good proof that the commanding admiral of the expedition was carrying on with her ground forces adjutant. Maybe they'd even replace one or both."

"Would that really be that bad of a thing? Exchanging career for love, maybe something even better?"

"That isn't what the exchange would be, dearest." Sera said gently, reaching across the table to touch her friend's paw. "This is where you belong, where you are happiest. Losing it, even for something that's only loosely related to our relationship, would destroy our connection. I'd feel responsible for your loss and it'd probably get to the point where some part of you would feel like I'm what stands between you and continuing to make your grandfather proud."

"So what do we do, Sera? Continue to work together, stealing little kisses every so often and wishing they could be more?" Shadow asked, seeming despondent. "Hoping something just breaks the chain so we can move on to 'just friends' and find what we need somewhere else?"

"I think what we do is seize little moments like this one when we're alone together to indulge the physical side." Sera grasped the paw and drew it across the table, kissing gently. "Nothing too heavy but something to stoke the flame, satisfy the yearning... and when this mission is over, we figure something out. If we return successful, triumphant over the Viis Imperial Fleet, bearing invaluable intelligence... can you imagine that SAFC would refuse to look the other way?"

Shadow smiled, her ears laying down ever so slightly, her version of a blush, and she leaned across the table, cupping Sera's chin in a paw, and kissed her, softly, deeply, and with the barest hint of a pleasured sigh. "No, I don't think they will." She whispered, letting their lips part, flicking her tongue lightly over Sera's nose.

"I don't think so either." Sera agreed, leaning in to return the kiss, feeling a shiver of a pleasure she had gone far too long without racing down her spine. The kiss became longer and then evolved into a genuine muzzlelock. Sera was unaware of either of them having gotten up but before she knew it, she was being cradled in the arms of her lover, exchanging impassioned kisses and feeling Shadow's paw caress gently over her back.

"I've missed you, beloved." Shadow whispered softly. "Missed having someone to hold, someone to kiss, someone to stand around with."

"Someone you can and have shared with." Sera nuzzled her before pulling her into another kiss, letting a paw drift down the small of the other female's back, moving lightly over her rear and running her fingers through the fastidiously-groomed fur of her tail. Shadow's hand returned the favor but slipping under her loose uniform shirt and stroking through the fur of her back, teasingly slipping lower, rubbing the pads of fingers over the firmness of her rear and carefully playing the blunted tips of claws over the base of her tail, causing Sera to arch instinctively against the warm body of her love.

"Mmm... I always could play you like a cello, my love." Shadow all but purred. "Stroking your cute tush with finger pads... claw playing over your tail..." She leaned passed her muzzle, letting Sera's chin rest on her shoulder as she added in a sensual whisper "...beautifully full breasts..."

Sera shivered softly with the smoky tone of desire in the voice, inhaling the very subtle jasmine and lavender of the conditioner they'd discovered on a shopping trip during official leave. "Do you remember that complete hole in the wall, love? The only place we've ever found with that conditioner?"

Shadow laughed, the paw that had been resting on Sera's shoulder slipping around to stroke down her side, working under her shirt, into her fur, caressing. "Still around." She nuzzled at Sera, a tongue darting out to lick over the hollow of her throat. "You and me out on the town... hitting up the corner market for corn and yeast... at that awesome techno club... you were so hot-looking with your cadet shirt loose and that tight sports top under it..."

The caressing lick and the paw making its way up under her shirt, her lover's intent obvious, elicited a soft whine from Sera. "What about you, miss black-and-lacy-thing?" She whispered back, nuzzling as she moved a paw up to the top button of Shadow's uniform shirt. "I wonder if you still do that..."

"Why don't you find out, beautiful?" Shadow gave her a playfully lusty look, starting to work on her buttons from the bottom as Sera worked from the top, her paw cupping and fondling one of Sera's breasts through her bra, fingers skillfully teasing the nipple and eliciting another pleasured whine as her uniform opened and the firm full young breasts, clad in a black lacy bra so thin and bare that it barely left anything to the imagination. Sera smiled and leaned down, nuzzling at Shadow's chest.

"What is it with you and black lacy, you bad girl?" She murred, feeling her shirt loosen as Shadow played with the buttons. "You're such a good little girl on the surface..."

"Well, my girl's gotta have something to herself, now doesn't she?" Shadow sighed happily. "Like this top... just like the one from that night... you're such a traditionalist, my beauty, wearing something just between us, just in case..."

"Like you said... girl's gotta have something for herself... like sinful black lace..." She leaned down and flicked her tongue over Shadow's excitement-stiffened nipple and was rewarded with a low moan. "...her lover's tongue, exploring her curves..." She leaned into the smaller wolven's chest, cradling her behind as her tongue lapped over the nipple, making Shadow pant and squirm with delight.

"God, Sera!" Shadow licked her lips. "I forgot... you give such incredible tongue..."

"Shame we can't take it... further... not enough time, not the right place..." Sera paused to smile up at her lover and returns to the nipple, licking through the bra, occasionally livening things up by carefully pulling at it with her teeth, her unoccupied paw teasing at the untouched breast. "Mind if I table you, dear?"

Shadow caught her breath and beamed. "Oh, you know I've missed it when you do that... granted, we usually do lots more before it... but it's still wonderful..."

"So's my girlfriend, love." Sera straightened and caught Shadow in an impassioned kiss before leaning down and sweeping her off her feet. Shadow was about as heavy as she was but because of the tiny height difference, they'd discovered (to their mutual delight) that a little leverage let Sera sweep her into her arms, leaving her slim attractive body draped in front of her like something from one of those ancient movie posters. Sera could feel her friend's tail wagging fiercely, another cute quirky thing Shadow did when she was happy or excited, and she leaned down to continue to lick and begin to lightly suckle at the nipple that had previously gotten so little attention as she gently lowered Shadow onto one of the unoccupied tables and sat in the chair.

"Ah... the position from which so many wonderful nights began... and how the very best ones ended." Shadow turned her head to give Sera a loving gaze. "I still can't believe that the first thing you did after that drunk party was kiss me."

"In vino veritas, dear." Sera purred to her rubbing her cheek against the soft fur of her friend's stomach. "Or, should I say, in lunashino veritas."

"You totally made that word up."

"Like it?"

"Mmm... as much as I like you, dearest." Shadow sighed happily, scratching idly behind one of Sera's ears while Sera laid her head on her stomach and smiled up at her passed the swell of her breasts.

"I always thought the scuttlebutt was true." Both of them jumped a little as the voice of Nomi Rousseau pierced their intimate shell. Sera sighed and grimaced, knowing that Shadow was doing the same, and stood up to begin buttoning her uniform shirt again. Nomi was standing there at parade rest, keeping a polite distance, smiling with her eyes remaining above Sera's shoulders.

"Captain..." Shadow said as she rolled off the table, buttoning up as well as she stood.

"You can hardly blame me, Admiral." The blue draccian replied to the implied rebuke. "Your relationship has been the thing of rumor for a long time and besides which, it's always a pleasure to watch love in action."

"What do you want, Captain?" Sera didn't bother trying to keep the irritated tone out of her voice. "I'm pretty sure ATLAS sealed off the observation bridge."

"For all her antics, ATLAS has more compassion than plenty of flesh-and-blood people I know." Nomi retorted, albeit with a tone of irritation. "But give me some credit, you two. I might be the queen of the nerd captains but I'm not too thick to know when a dedicated pair need some time alone. ATLAS let me up because I was carrying an EE4 that I needed to deliver in person to the Admiral."

"EE4?"

"Emergency Especially For." Shadow supplied as she finished buttoning up. "Who's the origin?"

"A Senator Mikhail..."

"...Ivanovich." Shadow finished, furrowing her brow with apparent concern. "If you'll give it to me, Captain?"

"Of course." Nomi pulled a small slip of paper from her pocket and handed it over. "I'm sorry, Admiral, General."

"Don't worry about it, Nomi." Sera smiled a little, feeling her annoyance dissipate under the realization that Nomi probably had no real choice. "I'm guessing this couldn't wait and besides... I think you're not going to go shooting your mouth off."

"Sera, I think of you as a friend and I'm fond of the Admiral." Nomi smiled back. "Friends don't ruin the happiness of other friends. I know what SAFC could be like if this got back to them."

"If you've ever wondered why I grabbed you for this expedition, Captain, you've just answered your own question." Shadow told her warmly, pocketing the slip of paper. "In a fleet that loves the rule book, you're willing to set it aside when it matters. Your kindness does you credit." She looked at Sera. "I need to get in contact with the Senator immediately, Sera. You need to be there because I suspect his issue will involve you somehow."

"I'll take care of your tea setting, Admiral." Nomi offered. "Think of it as an apology for walking in on you."

"Thanks, Nomi." Shadow flashed her a smile and headed towards the elevator leading down to the main ship, Sera following along behind her. She waited until the doors closed before looking at her friend.

"Who's this Senator Ivanovich, Shadow?" She inquired. "I mean, other than Natalie's father. Moreover, why's he contacting you directly?"

"Friend of my grandfather and more importantly, my godfather." Shadow chuckled. "Also the unofficial boss of EFWAC. Yes, they don't have an actual hierarchy but Mike is the heavyweight in the room and EFWAC listens really carefully to him."

"You're allowed to call him 'Mike'?" Sera blinked as they got off the elevator and headed in the direction of Shadow's quarters.

"When I was too small to pronounce his entire name, I called him 'Mike' and it stuck. I think he actually sort of likes that someone uses a friendly informal name after he spends all day every day being called by his title." Shadow shrugged. "Like I said, old friend of my grandfather's and you remember how informal he was."

"Boy do I ever." Sera smiled. "It took me a while to realize he was an old soldier instead of a really nice old wolven my lover worshipped."

"That was Grandfather." Shadow smiled too as they walked into her quarters. Sera hadn't seen her friend's living space on the Executor but it somehow seemed very familiar. The furniture was fine and all of a very light wood, almost white, with souvenirs on every surface. There was an entire wall dedicated to photographs in old wooden and metal frames; Sera felt warmed when she realized that the photo of her and Shadow in a one-armed hug was right next to that of an elderly but somehow stately old wolven in a heavily-decorated military uniform, Shadow's beloved grandfather just before his retirement from SAFN. The wall nearest the door had the Williams family crest, a beautiful shield rendered in gold, ivory, and ebony depicting a long sword driven through a crown with stars arching above it to represent each generation. Right next to it was Shadow's pride and joy: a collection of significant historical firearms. There was an original Thompson sub-machinegun mounted right next to an AK-47 that, based on its shiny finish, had just recently undergone expert restoration. Resting at the bottom was a British "Brown Bess" musket with an American Kentucky rifle displayed such that it just barely sat in front of it. The most surprising piece was a P90 PDW; she couldn't imagine how Shadow had gotten an actual model considering their fragility and extreme rarity.

Resting on her desk, beside a large communications screen of the latest model, was a planter with lovingly-tended Scottish heather, a little piece of home that, accompanied by the lavender plants scattered around, filled the quarters with a subtle and relaxing fragrance that made Sera feel very much at home.

"Home really is where the heart is, isn't it?" Shadow sat in front of the screen, gesturing for Sera to take the seat next to her. "It's wonderful that SAFC has such a relaxed policy on personal quarters... you can really make it a haven from duty and difficulty."

"It's very you, dear." Sera pecked her cheek as she sat. "So what tail did you kiss to get this?"

Shadow snorted. "I bought it fair and square, so hush. ATLAS, if you please?"

"Gladly, Admiral." ATLAS replied cheerfully from her vaguely overhead location.

"Thank you, ATLAS. For establishing a connection but also for the privacy."

"Myna, you're a nice person. You deserved a moment to be happy with your beloved." ATLAS' voice seemed to smile kindly. "I hope it helped you keep the flame burning."

Shadow would have replied to the unexpectedly mature statement but just then, the screen lit up and displayed the image of a silver-scaled draccian. He was visibly older, at least one hundred, but he had the lively eyes of a much younger person, the same brilliant and beautiful aquamarine that had made Natalie Ivanovich so sought-after as a date. His expression had been obviously one of concern before the connection had been completed but the moment he saw them, his face lost a half century and he beamed happily.

"My little Myna!" He exclaimed, his rich basso voice tinged with the mixed accent of a Russian who'd lived most of their lives in New York. "Oh, my dear, I've worried about you so! Are you well?"

"I'm just fine, Mike." Shadow smiled warmly. "Have you met my friend, Serafine Wilson?"

"I may as well have with how often my Natalie spoke of her." Mikhail turned his radiant expression on Sera. "I am pleased to see you finally, General. I knew your father while he was working in armaments and am better for it... I remember him as a fine officer, dedicated and inventive. But it is more a pleasure that I should finally see the joy of my goddaughter's heart. I have worried for her these last many years, all alone without the warmth of her beloved."

Sera blinked at this. "I... am honored, sir, but..."

He held up a hand, forestalling her question. "General, I do not have the political power I have or the reverence of colleagues without being able to read people as I would a text. I also listen to scuttlebutt and I needed only to combine the subtle joy of her voice when she spoke of you with the rumor of your relationship to know the truth. I am happy for her, General, and happier for you for my goddaughter is a beautiful person."

"You're too kind, Mike." Shadow gave him a look of fondness. "How is Misha? And Natalie?"

"Misha? Ah, the delightful tyrant of my life. She has sharp claws and a sharper mind. We will soon celebrate our eightieth." Mikhail's radiance tempered some. "Natalie... ah, I do not know what to say. She was so happy a few months ago. She had found love, a remarkable and worthy mate for her, a good man who treated her like a queen and doted on her as if they were already married. But he was assigned to your expeditionary force and he has yet to send a message or even write. She misses him greatly and this business with a war warning has only made her more distressed."

"I'm so sorry to hear it, Mike." Shadow said sympathetically. "I hope you will give her my best wishes."

"I shall." The senator took a deep breath and let it out. "Enough of personal matters, Admiral, as much as I'd prefer to indulge in them all day. I sent along an EE4 to receive a report on matters directly from you. What we know is currently fragmented and we cannot possibly move forward without good information. There is a great political fight brewing, my dear, between those who believe that only peace is honorable and those who regard war as honorable when the cause is. You are not at fault for this turmoil even if it does center around how you have conducted your mission."

"Are there any rumblings of dissatisfaction about my conduct?"

"Momentary ones." Ivanovich replied. "The sort that surface for a specific purpose but are not felt to the core. Your decision concerning the laboratory generated much debate but EFWAC convened a panel and our investigation concluded that your decision was correct after numerous higher-up officers testified that the information presented to you by Dr. Campbell required a strong response of some sort. Your humint gold mine soothed many troubled waters and the report of today, telling us that you successfully extracted portions of the archives of this Viis Empire, has removed all doubt about your fitness among those few that doubted."

"I'm glad I'm in the clear in that sense." Shadow nodded. "Are there any trends with which we should be concerned on this end?"

"There are signs of problems, rumblings, possible problems." The draccian shrugged. "There is a great deal of talking and there are many spines that need to be... reinforced. But the fights on this end are skirmishes at best and much of EFWAC are hardened warriors in this arena."

"It's good to hear that we don't have to fear the fire in our rear, sir." Sera commented.

"You still may, General. But the problems, if they arrive, will not affect you for months yet." Ivanovich looked at Shadow. "So, Admiral... if you could give me your report?"

"If you have read my official reports back to SAFC, and it being you I know you have, there is not a great deal to add." Shadow replied. "I was somewhat disconcerted to discover that my main scientific asset is a retired SpecOps, designation Solitaire."

"Solitaire?" The senator looked surprised. "I did not know that she had retired. SAFC stamped her file with 'Missing In Action' last I saw. Is it true that she's the index case of Campbell Syndrome?"

"You mean the emaciated appearance?"

"I do." He leaned back in his seat, looking thoughtful. "I promise you, Myna, that I was unaware of Dr. Campbell's background when I pulled strings to have her assigned to your expedition. I had believed, as most do, that she was simply a first-rate intellect."

"I blame SAFC for the surprise, Mike, not you." Shadow assured him. "Let's see... the assets we started out with are proving to be first-rate. Captain Nomi Rousseau seems to be a talented combat captain despite her background in the science-oriented Jovian Fleet, and Commodore Andropoli proved himself to be a good second-in-command during the period I was out of command contact. The only fly in the ointment is our intelligence officer. I don't know where SAF-I got him and I can't imagine SAFC actually meant to assign him to our force."

"Your intelligence officer is... Colonel William C. Jenkins, is he not?" Mikhail's brow furrowed.

"Yeah, that's his name." Shadow snorted. "Not a colonel anymore... I busted him down to Major for running his mouth and have actually had to pitch him out of my conference room once. How the hell did I get this joker, Mike?"

"You didn't." The senator's expression hardened. "You are not describing William C. Jenkins. That princely man who my Natalie loves? That is William C. Jenkins. The real Jenkins is a brilliant intelligence officer, widely liked, especially gifted in analysis. I do not know who the imposter you describe is but I have a good idea what he is." He sighed. "There is one way to make an officer like Jenkins disappear so he could be replaced. My Natalie will be heartbroken."

"Well, Mike, she's not the only one that's going to be crying." Shadow growled. "Do you have any specific requests on how I deal with him?"

"I do not." He sighed again. "Discover whatever you can from interrogation... you can throw whatever's left out of an airlock, for all I care. I... must go and tell my little girl..." His pained expression made him seem twice as old as he was. "I had hoped I would not need to tell her... she was so in love with him and he was so good to her..."

"Give her my condolences, Mike." Shadow told him gently.

"Mine too, Senator." Sera added. "She was a good friend to us both."

"Thank you. Both of you." He smiled a little. "Oh! Before I leave you, Myna, I feel that I must give you good news. Leviathan Heavy Industries has offered us the use of their Colossus-class mobile dockyard Hephaestus Hammer to support the expeditionary force. As I'm sure the General knows, the Hephaestus Hammer has been in drydock herself for an extensive refit which was just completed. The Mark Four refit improves her structural integrity, shielding, armor, and improves her CIWS systems and Hercules energy-driver cannons. More useful to you, however, is that LHI engineers determined a way to replicate the heavy welding rigs from the Gaia Shipyards for use in a Colossus and the Mark Four has better repair capabilities."

"She is fully resupplied?"

"She is." Ivanovich assured them. "More importantly, LHI is rushing a retooling of their factory-cities to produce the necessary supplies for long-term deployment of Venusian Fleet. Shortly, we can heavily reinforce you, Admiral."

"Excellent." Shadow nodded. "I think we should go and deal with our fake Jenkins while he's still recovering from his beating at the hands of SpecOps Gunslinger. Take care, Mike, and give Misha and Natalie my best."

"I will do that. Do not be gentle, Admiral, if only because he has stained the name of a good officer with his deception." The screen turned black as Sera gritted her teeth.

"Dammit." She growled. "Akeya knew. I'll bet she figured it out the day she beat him within an inch of his life. What did you say, Shadow... his injuries should have killed a human?"

"Yes." Shadow shook her head. "I will reprimand her but for now... ATLAS, please have security apprehend Major William C. Jenkins and move him to the high-security brig. Inform them that he is lupus garou and that while we want him in condition to be interrogated, his life is worth less than theirs. I recommend having Major Akeya Obsydien accompany the apprehension detail."

"Of course, Admiral." ATLAS replied in a very business-like tone. "He will be confined by the time you reach the brig."

"Well then... let's go and have a nice conversation with our little spy, shall we?" Shadow was smiling but there was a certain malice to it just as her false cheer had an undertone of relish.

"We shall." Sera agreed, her smile reflecting the same thing.