ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
   I remain indebted to my agent, Joshua Bilmes, for his ever-inspired suggestions and assistance, and to my editor, Anne Sowards, for her support and editing. Thanks also to Catherine Asaro, Robert Chase, J. G. “Huck” Huckenpohler, Simcha Kuritzky, Michael LaViolette, Aly Parsons, Bud Sparhawk, and Constance A. Warner, for their suggestions, comments, and recommendations. Thanks also to Charles Petit, for his suggestions about space engagements.
   
   
    THE ALLIANCE FLEET
    CAPTAIN JOHN GEARY,
   Commanding (acting)
   As reorganized following the losses suffered immediately prior to Captain Geary assuming command in the Syndic home system.
   Ship names in bold are those lost in action, with the name of star system of their loss given afterward.
    SECOND BATTLESHIP
   DIVISION
    THIRD BATTLESHIP DIVISION
    Gallant
    Paladin
    Indomitable
    Orion
    Glorious
    Majestic
    Magnificent
    Conqueror
    FOURTH BATTLESHIP
   DIVISION
    FIFTH BATTLESHIP DIVISION
    Warrior
    Fearless
    Triumph (lost at Vidha)
    Resolution
    Vengeance
    Redoubtable
    Revenge
    Warspite
    SEVENTH BATTLESHIP
   DIVISION
    EIGHTH BATTLESHIP DIVISION
    Indefatigable
    Relentless
    Audacious
    Reprisal
    Defiant
    Superb
    Splendid
    TENTH BATTLESHIP
   DIVISION
    FIRST SCOUT BATTLESHIP DIVISION
    Colossus
    Arrogant (lost at Kaliban)
    Amazon
    Exemplar
    Spartan
    Braveheart
    Guardian
    FIRST BATTLE CRUISER
   DIVISION
    SECOND BATTLE CRUISER DIVISION
    Courageous
    Leviathan
    Formidable
    Dragon
    Intrepid
    Steadfast
    Renown
    Valiant
    FIFTH BATTLE CRUISER DIVISION
    FIFTH BATTLE CRUISER DIVISION
    Dauntless (flagship)
    Invincible (lost at Ilion)
    Daring
    Repulse (lost in Syndic home system)
    Terrible (lost at Ilion)
    Victorious
    Furious
    Implacable
    SIXTH BATTLE CRUISER DIVISION
    SEVENTH BATTLE CRUISER DIVISION
    Polaris (lost at Vidha)
    Opportune
    Vanguard (lost at Vidha)
    Brilliant
    Illustrious
    Inspire
    Incredible
    THIRD FAST FLEET AUXILIARIES DIVISION
    Titan
    Witch
    Jinn
    Goblin
    THIRTY-SEVEN SURVIVING HEAVY CRUISERS
   IN SEVEN DIVISIONS
    First Heavy Cruiser Division
    Third Heavy Cruiser Division
    Fourth Heavy Cruiser Division
    Fifth Heavy Cruiser Division
    Seventh Heavy Cruiser Division
    Eighth Heavy Cruiser Division
    Tenth Heavy Cruiser Division
   minus
    Invidious (lost at Kaliban)
    Cuirass (lost at Sutrah)
    Crest, War-Coat, Ram , and Citadel (lost at Vidha)
    SIXTY-TWO SURVIVING LIGHT CRUISERS IN TEN SQUADRONS
    First Light Cruiser Squadron
    Second Light Cruiser Squadron
    Third Light Cruiser Squadron
    Fifth Light Cruiser Squadron
    Sixth Light Cruiser Squadron
    Eighth Light Cruiser Squadron
    Ninth Light Cruiser Squadron
    Tenth Light Cruiser Squadron
    Eleventh Light Cruiser Squadron
    Fourteenth Light Cruiser Squadron
   minus
    Swift (lost at Kaliban)
    Pommel, Sling, Bolo , and Staff (lost at Vidha)
    ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY-THREE SURVIVING DESTROYERS IN TWENTY SQUADRONS
    First Destroyer Squadron
    Second Destroyer Squadron
    Third Destroyer Squadron
    Fourth Destroyer Squadron
    Sixth Destroyer Squadron
    Seventh Destroyer Squadron
    Ninth Destroyer Squadron
    Tenth Destroyer Squadron
    Twelfth Destroyer Squadron
    Fourteenth Destroyer Squadron
    Sixteenth Destroyer Squadron
    Seventeenth Destroyer Squadron
    Twentieth Destroyer Squadron
    Twenty-first Destroyer Squadron
    Twenty-third Destroyer Squadron
    Twenty-fifth Destroyer Squadron
    Twenty-seventh Destroyer Squadron
    Twenty-eighth Destroyer Squadron
    Thirtieth Destroyer Squadron
    Thirty-second Destroyer Squadron
   minus
    Dagger and Venom (lost at Kaliban)
    Anelace, Baselard , and Mace (lost at Sutrah)
    Celt, Akhu, Sickle, Leaf, Bolt, Sabot, Flint, Needle ,
    Dart, Sting, Limpet , and Cudgel (lost at Vidha)
    Falcata (lost at Ilion)
    SECOND FLEET MARINE FORCE
   Colonel Carabali commanding (acting)
   1,560 Marines divided into detachments on battle cruisers and battleships.
   
   
    ONE
    THE captain of the Syndicate Worlds merchant ship approaching the jump point out of Baldur Star System might have been having a good day—right up until the point that several squadrons of Alliance fleet destroyers appeared coming out of that jump point. He might have had a few minutes to wonder if he could somehow run past the Alliance destroyers and jump out of the system to safety, before many more destroyers appeared and before squadrons of light cruisers materialized behind the destroyers. He and his crew had definitely run for the merchant ship’s one escape pod by the time divisions of heavy cruisers, battle cruisers, and battleships emerged from the jump point.
   Syndicate Worlds authorities on the one habitable world orbiting Baldur would see the annihilation of the merchant ship and hear its crew’s calls for rescue in about six hours, about the same time the light from the jump point reached them and they saw that the Alliance fleet had appeared in their backwater star system.
   They wouldn’t be having a good day, either.
    “RAPIER and Bulawa report destruction of the Syndic merchant ship. One escape pod noted leaving the merchant ship. Singhauta reports destruction of the automated traffic management buoy monitoring the jump point.” The watch-stander’s voice rang calmly and clearly across the bridge of the Alliance battle cruiser Dauntless. “No minefields detected or suspicious anomalies sighted.”
   Captain John “Black Jack” Geary nodded to acknowledge the words, his attention focused on the display floating before his command seat. He could have picked out from the display every piece of information the watch-stander had just provided, but experience had proven that humans remained the best filters for highlighting important data. If some other human handled that, Geary could concentrate on the bigger picture. “Which one of our ships is in the best position to pick up the escape pod from the merchant?”
   “Wait, sir. Battleaxe, sir.”
   Geary tapped the proper communications control without having to search for it, relieved that the unfamiliar equipment of this future was finally becoming second nature to him. “Battleaxe, this is Captain Geary. Request you pick up the Syndic escape pod. I want to interrogate that merchant crew.”