“This is a disaster.”

The Dàifu had just finished viewing the imagery of the To’uuk homeworld attack, and her concern was clear. “I hope Samara and Captain Hadad are happy. They’ve turned the entire Perseus Arm against us in one fell swoop.”

“I would dearly love to know what the hell they’re thinking,” Genvass agreed, “or how they pictured this making things better for us.”

“I assure you, should I ever get my hands on them, that will be the first thing I ask.” The Dharmist clan leader sighed, shaking her head. “Not that it’s likely, given the situation. I seriously doubt they’ll be returning to New Terra anytime soon, and with that ship, we can’t touch them.”

“Then we need ships that can,” Rúna argued. “The genie’s out of the bottle now, and not only do we have a moral obligation to stop them, it’s also the only thing that’ll win back favor with the Alliance.”

“Admiral Van Aalst has already started doing just that,” the Dàifu informed them. “The site where they found Peacemaker is a shipyard, and with Athena’s help, he’s got it up and running again. It’s slow going, but he’s making progress.”

“Do we have any idea when we’ll start seeing new ships?” Ess Peon asked.

“No time soon, I’m afraid,” the clan leader admitted. “The only one who understands this technology is Athena, and she’s hampered by her programming. She was created to be a sentinel, not an engineer. The Tinkers and Corsairs are working around the clock, trying to better understand the science, but we’re talking about concepts that are thousands of years beyond us. Perhaps, even more.”

There were sober nods all around. “I regret that our mission was a failure,” Genvass said quietly. “When we return to New Terra, I will gladly step down from my post. It’s obvious I’m unsuited for the job.”

Rúna and Ess Peon both stared at him in surprise, but the Dàifu just shook her head. “This isn’t on you, Genvass,” she told him, “and my gut tells me we’ll be needing an ambassador now more than ever. Besides,” she chuckled mirthlessly, “you’re not getting off that easy.”

“I don’t know what it is you think I can do,” he said pessimistically. “Given the current political climate, a Terran ambassador is about as useful as a screen door on an airlock.”

“Honestly? I don’t know either,” she shrugged. “When you get back here, we can discuss it in greater detail. Any idea when that will be?”

“Captain Taneka says three or four days,” he answered. “She’s taking a more scenic route back, just to be safe.”

“Smart,” the clan leader said in approval. “Shoot me a signal when you get back. Khatsakhox, clear.” The screen went dark.

The trio looked blankly at one another as the call ended. Finally, Rúna asked, “So… now what?”

“Either of you play backgammon?” Genvass suggested. “Looks like we’ll have plenty of time on our hands.”

The two women stared at him. “I meant what are we going to do regarding our mission,” she clarified. “Just sitting around playing cards does nothing to help us.”

“You don’t use cards in backgammon…” he began, only for the Avatar to cut him off.

“You’re just going to quit? Just like that?” Ess Peon said in disbelief. “Give up without a fight?”

“What would you have me do?” the ambassador demanded. “No one will even talk to us. The entire galaxy is out for blood. There’s nothing left. That’s it.” He threw up his hand in disgust.

“I don’t buy that. I refuse to accept that. We can’t just give up now. Too many people are counting on us,” Rúna fired back.

“Wait a second… you were the one telling me there was no third option, that our only choices were to fight or run,” he reminded her. “So we’re running, just like you said. Where exactly is all this unbridled optimism coming from? Because I saw damn little evidence of it back on Achxii.”

“You’re confusing optimism with desperation,” the Valkyrie responded. “Running only delays the problem, and none of us wants a fight. I don’t know if there’s another option out there, but I can’t sit by and watch everything we’ve worked so hard for go to hell.” She looked away, her eyes taking on a distant cast as she whispered, “... not again.”

He didn’t know how to answer that. Instead, he looked to the Avatar. “And you?”

“She’s right,” Ess Peon shrugged. “We can’t just give up, not while there’s still a chance. And sure, maybe we’re just chasing rainbows. Still, we’ll never know unless we try.”

“I’m not sure how I’m suddenly the voice of reason,” Genvass sighed, “but if the both of you are convinced there’s still a chance for peace, who am I to disagree?” He smiled at them both. However, the doubt was still evident.

“I’m a Marine,” Rúna said simply. “Lost Causes are kind of our specialty.”

“It’s not like we have anything better to do,” Ess Peon pointed out.

The ambassador chuckled. “Well, all right then,” he grinned, “let’s put our heads together and see what we come up with.”

Two days into their journey, there was a buzz at the hatch. Moments later, it slid open, as PFC Arthur stuck his head in.

“Ma’am? Master-At-Arms would like a word,” he told her.

“Show her in,” Rúna told him, as Zaveta Châu entered the compartment a few moments later.

“Ambassador, Major,” she said politely, nodding to them both. “Captain Taneka’s compliments, and she’d like you both to come to the bridge.”

“Did she say why?” Genvass asked her.

There was a pause as the Corsair considered her response, before finally opting for the direct approach.

“She did, Ambassador,” Châu nodded.

“We got trouble.”

Arriving on the bridge, Captain Taneka rose to greet them. “It looks like my efforts to conceal our route weren’t as effective as I’d hoped,” she informed them, before signaling her navigator. “Karl, pull up the plot.”

Her XO tapped the controls as a star map appeared on screen. “This is us,” she told them, pointing at a green icon in the center of the map, “while these ships all appeared within the last few hours.” She highlighted more figures, these in red, forming a ragged line to their stern. “There’s half a dozen different species among their ad hoc squadron, with new vessels still arriving to reinforce their numbers.” More icons, further to the rear and scattered, though all of them on a converging course. “At the moment, we’re looking at about twenty ships, but the way things are going, I expect that number to go up.”

Genvass stared at the display, and while he was no expert, it was obvious even to him their situation was growing increasingly desperate. “Why haven’t they attacked?” he wondered aloud. “Why are they just hanging back like that?”

“Worried about Peacemaker, probably,” Rúna speculated.

“That’s my guess,” Taneka agreed, “which is why I haven’t gone to evasive maneuvers. The instant we show them any weakness, they’ll have the confirmation they need that we’re vulnerable. That’s when they’ll make their move.”

“Can we simply continue as we have been?” the ambassador asked hopefully. “Just stay on course and let their own fears do the work for us?”

“Fraid not,” the captain said unhappily, shaking her head. “Eventually they’re gonna get bored shadowing us and start probing our defenses. I can hold them off for a few hours, but the longer we dance, the more certain they’ll be we’re alone. When that happens, we won’t be able to stop them.”

“How long?” Rúna asked.

“A few hours, maybe?” Taneka guessed. “No more than another day or two.”

“What about radioing New Terra for help?” Genvass suggested. “If they can send ships to defend us, odds are they’ll call off their pursuit.”

“They’d never get here in time,” she said point blank. “When they finally arrive, it’ll all be over.”

“We can’t run, we can’t fight, we can’t get help, and we can’t shake them off our tail,” the Valkyrie grimaced. “What’s left?”

“Not much,” Taneka said sourly. “That’s why I called you up here. Any chance you can talk them into leaving us alone?”

“I can try,” the ambassador said guardedly, “but considering how the conference ended, I wouldn’t get your hopes up.”

“I was afraid of that,” the captain sighed. “Because the only option left that I can see is negotiating our surrender. I’d prefer not to do that, but if it comes down to a choice between that, and fighting to the death? I’ll do what it takes to protect my crew.”

“Would they accept our surrender?” Rúna asked her superior.

“I don’t know,” he answered. “It depends on their mood. They’re angry about the To’uuk and worried they might be next. They might consider it, but if they do, I’m betting it would be to use us as leverage. We’d be hostages, so they could get their hands on Precursor technology.”

“There’s no way in hell the clan leaders will ever pay that ransom,” Taneka growled. “They’d go to war first.”

“Terra, I thought we were past this nonsense,” the Valkyrie said wearily.

“We’ve been fighting since the beginning of recorded history,” Genvass reminded her. “What made you think we’d quit now?”

“I didn’t,” she said quietly, “not really. I just hoped we might.”

Taneka turned to face the ambassador. “What are your orders, sir?” she asked formally.

“I won’t tell you how to handle your ship, Captain,” he answered. “Do what you can to buy us time, and if you can find some way to escape, by all means, take it. Try to avoid firing first if you can, but I understand if the situation leaves you no other choice. In the meantime, I’ll start hammering out a surrender proposal in case you fail. Preferably one that guarantees our long-term survival.” He glanced around the Bridge. “Is there a place where I can work? I think I need to be here, in case things change in a hurry.”

“I’ll make a workstation available to you,” Taneka nodded.

Genvass turned and took another look at the main viewer.

“I just hope they’re in the mood to listen.”

Several tense hours later, the pursuing ships decided they’d waited long enough.

“Status change!” the navigator shouted. “Alliance vessels have increased speed and are now on an intercept course. Time to weapon’s range… four minutes!”

“God damn it,” Taneka snarled. “Increase speed to flank, evasive maneuvers!”

The XO hurried to comply as she thumbed the intercom. “Avram, we’re running,” she told the engineer. “I need every joule of energy you can dump into the engines, and I need it now!” she shouted.

The monitor came to life as he appeared in engineering, with Diggs hovering nearby. “I’ll give you everything I can, but I’m already seeing a flutter in the aft nacelles that I really don’t like. Not sure how long I can maintain it.”

“We’ve got twenty ships on our tail looking to blow us out of the sky,” she fired back. “Do the fucking math.” His eyes widened at the news, though he quickly nodded and began coaxing every spare scrap of power he could from the engines while she turned her attention to her guests on the Bridge.

“I hope you’ve written one hell of a masterpiece,” she snapped, “cause it looks like we’ll be putting it to the test.”

“Just say the word,” he vowed, “and I’ll do my diplomatic best.”

They watched as the pursuing vessels narrowed the gap, despite their best efforts. The radical course changes Taneka attempted bought them a little time, but far less than she’d hoped. They were still outside weapon’s range, though she was loath to pull the trigger unless she ran out of options.

Finally, she was forced to bow to the inevitable.

“Ambassador,” she said quietly, “it’s up to you now. I’m patching you into comms. Live mic.”

He nodded grimly, glancing at his notes, before taking a deep breath and speaking into the mic. “Alliance vessels, this is Ambassador Genvass Shaafvaazif of New Terra, aboard CCS Mako. In the interests of peace, and to avoid further bloodshed, we wish to discuss the terms of our surrender. Please acknowledge.”

They stood by comms, awaiting a reply. Finally, the captain shook her head. “No response,” she told him.

He looked helplessly to Rúna for inspiration, who, in turn, gave him a nod of encouragement. Swallowing hard, he tried once again. “Alliance commanders, this is Terran Ambassador Genvass Shaafvaazif,” he repeated. “We have no wish to do battle this day. Allow us to meet under a flag of truce so we can end this conflict peacefully. Please respond on this channel.”

Silence.

“I don’t think they’re gonna answer,” the Valkyrie said dryly. “Not with words, anyway.”

Wincing, he looked to the captain. “Do you think you can fight them off?” he asked.

“They outnumber us twenty to one,” she responded. “So, no. Not a chance. Not that it’s going to stop me from trying, of course.” She turned to her second mate. “Yoshiko, stand by weapons. Things are about to get very lively.”

“Standing by,” the gunner answered, her fingers poised over the controls.

“... New contact!” Karl shouted, “Multiple new contacts,” he corrected himself, “bearing 347 by Mark 024! Time to intercept, two minutes!”

“Goddamnit,” Taneka swore, “it’s a fucking ambush. That’s why they were hanging back, so their buddies could head us off.”

They watched as the vessels ahead of them bored in. “Yoshiko, we’re only going to get one shot at this, so make it count,” she ordered.

“Aye aye, ma’am,” she whispered, her hands trembling as she waited… when the XO’s head snapped up in shock.

“Ma’am, those aren’t Alliance ships!” he howled in dismay, “... they’re Troika!”

“Fuck me to hell,” Rúna groaned. “Cause things weren’t bad enough already.”

They could only watch in numb dread as the approaching Troika vessels bored in, sealing their fate. Caught between the two armadas, there was nowhere for them to run, no course they could take that wouldn’t put them in greater jeopardy. It was just a matter of time now, until…

“Holy shit,” the XO said in disbelief, as the Troika ships opened fire on the Alliance vessels to their stern, targeting those closest. The defenders staggered, caught by surprise, before sending a ragged volley of fire back in return. The two forces pounded one another, Mako now long forgotten, but the Troika ships were larger and more powerful, offsetting the Alliance’s numerical superiority. Under Captain Taneka’s expert hand, they skirted the worst of the battle zone, attempting to avoid both fleets as they clawed their way clear.

The battle ended as quickly as it had begun. Caught by surprise and outgunned, the Alliance forces broke contact and retreated, before disappearing from sensors completely. Those on the bridge breathed a sigh of relief, only for Karl to blanch in dismay as he listened to comms.

“Ma’am, there’s a message coming in,” he said hoarsely. “Patching it through now.”

“... Terran vessel Mako, this is Troika command. Suggest you heave to so that we may escort you to safe harbor.” On the monitor, they watched helplessly as their rescuers altered formation, forming a protective bubble surrounding their ship.

All eyes turned to the captain. “Ma’am, I…” the gunner got out before Taneka held up her hand to shut her down.

“XO… do as they say,” she said quietly.