"Please get to the point, Admiral." Wilcox looked annoyed now that Marcum had taken the initiative.

"Steward, please activate the chamber screens." Marcum ignored Wilcox. "Ladies and gentleman, members of the press... I'm about to show you a brief compilation of imagery collected during our engagements with the Phage. I will provide pertinent facts to accompany the imagery, and we'll be reviewing these in chronological order. If I may, I'd ask that you reserve all questions until I've completed the presentation."

Over the next ninety minutes, there were gasps of shock and cries of outrage as images of the Phage's path of destruction were paraded on the screens. Marcum calmly narrated the events as they unfolded, culminating in the footage of the new super weapon destroying what was left of Xi'an. Those same cries of outrage were then tinged with fear as the war finally hit home for the people who had looked at it as a "Frontier problem" for the previous few years.

When the footage from Pike's Broadhead of Jackson driving the Blue Jacket into the first Alpha unit played, and Marcum explained that he alone had remained on the ship to finish off the threat, the looks cast in his direction were no longer angry, but awed. Jackson simply felt ill as he again watched his old ship in her final, glorious moments.

"As you can see, the threat is very real, and it was brought to us by an inexplicable, terrible enemy," Marcum said. "Despite the insinuations to the contrary, we did not ask for this war, nor are we particularly excited to fight it... but what we want is irrelevant right now. Thank you." Without waiting to be dismissed, Marcum turned and walked away from the table as the lights came back up and showed a bewildered Senator Wilcox standing at the podium, gripping the gavel in both hands.

"These proceedings are adjourned for the day," he said when he noticed that everyone was staring at him. "We will reconvene tomorrow."

"Look at Wilcox... I've never seen someone so pissed." Admiral Pitt laughed quietly as they all took their seats again the next morning.

Jackson looked over at Senator Wellington. The man was positively seething. The previous night, the news coverage had not been kind to the senator from New America as Marcum's surprise presentation had pulled the rug right out from under him. Wilcox still had the floor from the previous day, so he slowly climbed the dais, watching impassively as delegates and media reporters slowly filed in.

Jackson had stayed in the capital the night before, having been met by the party of observers from Earth and begged to come and speak to the rest of their group. After dinner, he'd even been convinced to record a few interviews to be aired on Earth's various news outlets. As the evening had worn on. he'd become exceedingly uncomfortable with the adoration and lavish praise his fellow Earthers heaped upon him. At the best of times, Jackson considered himself a victim of circumstances. At worst, he felt little more than a fraud who had gotten exceedingly lucky with an impossible gamble that still ended up getting a sizable number of his crew killed.

"The assembly will now come to order!" Wilcox's booming voice shook Jackson out of his reverie as it echoed throughout the domed chamber. The delegates' private conversations tapered off, and they looked on with interest. Wilcox had been embarrassed badly the day before, and there were more than a few friendly wagers as to how he would respond.

"What I have to say today will not take long. After much deliberation, and with the authority vested in me by the New American regional government, I officially withdraw our support from the Confederacy in the war with the species known as the Phage."

The chamber erupted in loud, chaotic conversation as Wilcox stood passively, letting his words sink in.

"Furthermore," he continued once they'd settled down, "as per conditions set forth in article six, sections two and three of the Unified Defense Accords, we are not only withholding financial and material support, we are recalling all Fourth Fleet ships to enforce our own boundary defense. As such, those ships are now withdrawn from Central Command's authority and cannot be utilized for their war effort."

Now the room exploded in angry shouts and curses hurled at the Senator who, for his part, gave the oddly impassive Admiral Marcum a tight lipped smile.

"Let's go." Marcum stood suddenly, sending his aides scrambling to collect his haphazardly scattered belongings. Jackson, Pitt, and a handful of junior officers followed Marcum out as he bulldozed his way through the pack of jostling reporters squawking for a reaction or a quote. Marcum wouldn't be deterred, however, and didn't slow his pace until he was climbing into the air shuttle that had begun to start its engines at the sight of the storming chief of staff.

"The fix was in," Pitt said to Jackson as the shuttle's engines spooled up and hauled them into the air. "Wilcox had already been told to withdraw their support no matter how the proceedings yesterday had gone. He wasn't even making a good show of it... even the new generation com drones can't get to Columbiana and back to Haven in a single day."

"I just don't understand the motivation or the politics behind this move." Jackson's stomach tied in knots as he realized the mighty Fourth Fleet battle cruisers were now out of the fight.

"There's a lot you've likely missed being on a starship for so many years, Captain." Marcum seemed to have calmed down a bit as they flew back to his residence. "For over a decade, Haven has had a harder and harder time trying to keep the enclaves from splintering off into their own sovereign states. The only thing holding them back is the fact Tsuyo Corporate is still here, and they know if they want to be included in the distribution of newly released technology, they need to come and kiss the ring."

"Rather blunt, but essentially correct," Admiral Pitt said. "There's been a lot of resentment simmering under the surface for many years over Haven acting as the gatekeeper to Tsuyo R&D. They've all tried to duplicate and improve upon the tech, but without a starting point, it's been a futile effort, and none have been brazen enough to try dismantling one of their own ships for fear of taking that final step and incurring the wrath of the Tsuyo board."

"I suppose this was all just harmless gamesmanship before Xi'an." Jackson stared out the window.

"Indeed," Pitt said. "But for right now, we've still got work to do. Captain, I want you to task three ships from Ninth Squadron to begin deploying intel drones across the Frontier systems. Preferably the three ships that still have captains."

"Yes, sir," Jackson said crisply, thankful to be back in the realm he knew. "The Ninth arrived in orbit over Haven yesterday."

"Have you given any thought to who should take command of the Icarus?"

"I wasn't aware my input was requested, sir," Jackson said.

"You're technically in command of the Ninth," Pitt said. "Normally, command of a starship is subject to a specific approval process, involving the Senate, but given the circumstances, I think we need to take matters into our own hands. How about Captain Lee?"

"The CO of the Brooklands?" Jackson hesitated. He wasn't sure if he was expected to just agree with his superior's recommendation or if his opinion was actually wanted.

"Spit it out, Wolfe," Marcum snapped. "If there's a reason you don't like Lee for the position, speak up."

"Captain Lee is a fine CO and accorded himself very well during the second battle of Xi'an," Jackson said, "but the Brooklands is a missile cruiser. Lee deserves some recognition, but he isn't a destroyer man. I'm not sure right now is the best time to let him sink or swim on the bridge of the newest class of warship."

"Noted," Pitt said with a nod. "I assume you already have someone in mind?"

"Absolutely not, sir!"

"I may have given the impression I was asking, Commander." Jackson leaned back in his chair, secretly enjoying the moment. "This was not a request."

"Captain, I thought I'd been clear when I said I didn't feel I was ready," Celesta Wright said emphatically.

Jackson had called her into his office the moment he'd been ferried back up to Jericho Station and made his way back to the Ares. He'd already gotten the necessary approvals from Black Fleet's command authority, and he wanted to get Celesta into the Icarus and underway before anyone had a chance to hold up her transfer and put their second cousin's roommate, whom they owed a favor, in the chair.

"Commander... Celesta, you are ready for this," Jackson said firmly. "If it makes you feel any better, this is a provisional posting. You'll retain your current rank, and if the Icarus makes it back in one piece then, there will be a formal review board."

"I'm not sure I'm entirely comfortable with the gallows humor just now, sir," Celesta said, stood to pace the length of the office.

"Not a whole lot is changing," Jackson said. "You'll still be in the formation and taking orders from me, but you'll be doing it from the bridge of your own ship. This has been your goal since you first stepped foot on the Blue Jacket, and now you're being handed one of the most advanced starships in the fleet."

"Stepping on a lot of toes in the process, I'm sure." Celesta fell back into her chair.

"Not especially." Jackson shook his head. "Captain Levitt and his XO were both yanked off the ship as soon as she entered orbit over Haven. You'll have a full commander for a chief engineer, but you'll outrank everyone on the command staff. Not to mention the respect you've earned within the squadron for your role during the initial incursion."

"Who will be taking my place here?" she asked, signaling for the first time in the conversation that she understood she would be departing for the Icarus.

"The obvious choice." Jackson shrugged. "I'm moving Davis to XO, acting only since her current rank will require an exemption for that posting. The good news there is that she can still perform her job at OPS when we go to general quarters."

"I'm not sure I like what that says about my usefulness aboard the Ares, sir."

"You know what I mean, Commander." Jackson waved her off. "When we're at battle stations, the two of us are more of a redundancy on the bridge."

"I suppose the next obvious question is when do I report for duty?" Celesta clenched and unclenched her hands in an unconscious gesture Jackson recognized as meaning she was anxious.

"The Icarus is being towed into dock as we speak." Jackson smiled. "We'll be performing the change of command ceremony as soon as the airlock opens."

Chapter 10.

"Incoming message from the Ares, si-ma'am," the com officer said.

"Send it to my station, Lieutenant Sieffert."

The message icon on Celesta's display lit up. It was the fourth day of her new command, and she felt like she was settling in nicely. The crew didn't seem too shaken up over the change of command, and she'd taken the time to try and get to know as many as possible.

As soon as she took command, CENTCOM ordered the Ares and Icarus out of the docks, and ever since, then they'd been circling Haven in an extremely high orbit to stay out of the way of the constant traffic to and from the mammoth station.

Captain Wright, Standby for an intel package coming up from Admiral Pitt's office. Our orders will be included in the transmission. I've not been given any indication as to what assignments may be coming to us or if we're even flying out together. Execute your orders without any confirmation from me, no matter how unusual they may sound. Good luck.

Senior Captain Wolfe CO, TCS Ares "Ma'am, another transmission incoming. This one is a fairly large data packet," Lieutenant Sieffert said. "It's marked as classified, your eyes only."

"Very good, Lieutenant," Celesta stood. "Send it to the terminal in my office."

"Yes, ma'am."

After the theatrics that had been played out in the Senate in the weeks prior, she'd been expecting orders to mobilize for the last two days. Three of the five Ninth Squadron ships had already departed the system, the flight under the command of Captain Forrest. She'd reached out to Celesta to congratulate her on the posting just before the Artemis's beacon vanished as the ship transitioned to warp.

Even though she had been told that the transmission had come from Admiral Pitt's office, she was still surprised once she entered her command codes and unpackaged all the content. There was a video message included in all the data files from the Admiral himself.

"Captain Wolfe, Captain Wright... I wish I had better news for the two of you, but it looks like the Ares and Icarus will be departing Haven in the opposite direction of the Frontier. As you know, New America has declared Fourth Fleet as no longer answerable to CENTCOM. What you don't know is that they're also holding Black Fleet ships hostage at the New Sierra Shipyards.

"Both full battlegroups still assigned to the Black Fleet had been in Sierra's docks for the last eighteen months, getting refitted with the new auto-mag cannons and upgraded launch tubes for the new generation Shrikes. Apparently when the recall order directing them to return to Haven came through official channels, the ships were seized by crews at the shipyards and the crews essentially taken hostage." The Admiral's face looked haggard and drawn compared to the short time ago when Celesta had seen him on the news vid.

"That's not the extent of the good news, either. Britannia had apparently been working with New America closely on the resolution to withhold support for the war. They've given us a preliminary warning that they have recalled all First Fleet ships. Not to bore you with the politics, but it seems the two enclaves the furthest from the fighting seem to feel this might be more of an opportunity than a risk.

"So your mission: we need those Black Fleet ships released from New Sierra. Within an hour of this transmission, intersystem cargo shuttles will be launched from Jericho to deliver the necessary personnel to both your ships. Captain Wolfe, I'm trusting your judgment. Execute your orders as you see fit. I know fighting Fourth Fleet instead of the Phage is as distasteful a notion as there is right now, but these are the cards we've been dealt. Also, be aware that not all First and Fourth Fleet captains are honoring the recall order. CIS tells us that there are more than a few rogue ships inbound to Haven. Just be aware that not every ship you face is guaranteed to be hostile.

"Good luck, Captains. You're going to need as much of it as you can muster between the two of you to pull this off. Pitt out."

"You can't be fucking serious!" Jackson shouted to the ceiling of his office as the video of Admiral Pitt winked out. How could things have spiraled out of control so quickly? Wasn't a hostile alien species trying to exterminate them on sight bad enough? He rubbed at his temples furiously before jabbing a finger at the button that activated the intercom.

"Lieutenant Davis, please report to my office," he said as calmly as he could manage.

"Yes, sir?" Lieutenant Jillian Davis asked as she walked in after he keyed open the hatch.

"Close the hatch and have a seat, Lieutenant," Jackson said. "How are you adjusting to your additional duties?"

"Frankly, I was a bit overwhelmed at first, Captain," she said. "But I'm adjusting. There won't be any issues when it comes time to get underway."

"I didn't expect there would be," Jackson said with a faint smile. "Watch this." He spun his monitor and replayed the video message from Admiral Pitt. Her mouth dropped open as it finished, and afterward, she simply sat there silently.

"I thought the mutiny aboard the Blue Jacket would be the worst thing I ever witnessed in my career," she said finally. "A civil war on the eve of a major offensive by our enemy certainly tops that... sir."

"I'm going to tell you the same thing I told Commander Wright when she first walked into my office as XO... when we're meeting privately, there's no need to adhere so strictly to customs and courtesies," Jackson said. "I'll need your honest assessment of things, and I'll need it without all the sirs' and with all due respects' getting in the way. Understood?"

"Yes, sir," she said before she could catch herself, grinning ruefully at the slip.

"We have a whole mini armada of cargo shuttles heading up from Jericho as we speak," Jackson said. "I'm going to be down at the cargo dock with Major Ortiz inspecting the incoming material and personnel. You'll be on the bridge. I want you sitting in the command seat, so call up another operator for the OPS station. Make sure you funnel me any information you think I'll need to know, just like you always do anyway. Any questions?"

"No, sir."

"Good," Jackson said. "Dismissed, Lieutenant."

"So who the fuck is CENTCOM sending up that they think we can't survive without?" Chief Green stood with Jackson and Major Ortiz as Commander Juarez's crew prepped the massive cargo airlock to cycle when the first shuttle made hard dock.

"It'll either be a bunch of tech weenies who aren't used to life aboard a starship, or it will be a pile of Colonial Guardsmen from Haven," Ortiz said.

"Which would you prefer, Major?" Green asked.

"Neither." Ortiz shrugged. "At least the techies keep to themselves, though. The guardsmen will be nothing but targets of opportunity to my Marines. I'll be writing incident reports from here all the way to the Frontier. By the way, Captain, why would we be taking on a bunch of knuckle draggers?"

"Where did you hear we're gaining infantry, Major?" Jackson decided to ignore the derogatory term for regular soldiers.

"I hear things," Ortiz said evasively. "We're not on com lockdown, and sixteen shuttles loading up and departing Jericho all at once tends to set tongues wagging."

"We're about to find out, sir," the chief said as the lights around the airlock cycled from green to red, and then back to green as the intermediate space between the two hatches was quickly flooded with atmosphere. When the Ares's inner hatch swung ponderously up out of the way, none of them were expecting what walked out.

"Fuck me sideways with a stick," Chief Green let out softly. "Are they who I think they are?"

"Indeed they are, Chief," Jackson said, enjoying Ortiz's slack jawed stare. "Starfleet Special Forces. Two full teams of NOVAs."

"Shit," Ortiz muttered as he followed Jackson to greet their new passengers. "I'll still be writing incident reports, just for a different reason."

"Captain Wolfe." One of the men in unadorned black fatigues came to attention and snapped a salute. "Lieutenant Commander Amiri Essa and NOVA Team Four reporting for duty."

Jackson afforded him the respect of coming to attention himself and returning the salute.

"Welcome aboard the Ares, Lieutenant Commander," he said. "This is Major Jeza Ortiz. He'll be taking care of you and your men."

"Of course, sir," Essa said. "Major, I have twenty-four men and their gear I need to get off the shuttle and clear of the area so the remaining seven shuttles can dock."

"This way, Lieutenant Commander." Ortiz shook the Fleet officer's hand before waving the rest of the NOVA team over to muster by the hatch leading out of the cargo bay.

On the Icarus, an identical introduction was likely taking place with equally astounded reactions. Out of the roughly twenty-one million people serving in the Confederate Armed Forces, there were only ten NOVA teams, each with twenty-five members. The best of the best of the best before even being selected, and then they were sharpened into a lethal instrument by grueling and often unorthodox training methods.

Unfortunately, NOVA were trained to fight other humans, so despite the intrigue of meeting living legends, Jackson was quite unhappy to have them aboard his ship. Their presence only reminded him that, despite the threat amassing along the Frontier, his ship was flying in the wrong direction and preparing to fight the wrong enemy.

The next two shuttles contained nothing but routine cargo for the Ares and the NOVA team that had just come aboard, but the fourth shuttle contained a few more surprise passengers.

"Dr. Tanaka." Jackson came forward and shook the hand of the Tsuyo scientist that had introduced him to the Starwolf-class starships. "Welcome back aboard the Ares. What brings you out here?"

"Captain Wolfe, a pleasure to see you again," Tanaka said. "I'm here to oversee the installation of some new systems that weren't ready for deployment when the new destroyers left the shipyard."

"New systems?" Jackson frowned. "Doctor, I'm not sure now would be the best time to install and test new hardware. The ship is about to fly into potentially hostile space."