Carnifex

UEPF Spirit of Peace

Where the uniformed woman under the Dragonbacks had seemed preternaturally calm and determined, the woman in uniform aboard the starship went instantly white. Her voice was full of panic as she called out, "Admiral? High Admiral? We've got radar and lidar illuminating us from the surface . . . dozens . . . no hundreds of emitters. And—oh, shit—we've got a launch. It appears that the target is robot courier 117."

The High Admiral, Martin Robinson's predecessor, went as white as his crewwoman. "Red alert."

Almost immediately, red lights began flashing not only aboard the flagship, but also aboard every other ship in the fleet. Klaxons added to the sense of panic. The United Earth Peace Fleet was never really intended to fight a war. None of its crews ever really thought a war that could directly affect them was even possible.

"Message from below, High Admiral," said the communications officer. "The chief of the FSC wants to talk to you."

"Put the barbarian on," the High Admiral snarled.

The President wasn't smiling when his image appeared on Spirit's bridges main viewscreen. His words were icy.

"We've had enough of you," he began, most undiplomatically. "For twenty-five years we have been working, in secret, and well. We are ready now. I've ordered the destruction of one of your robotic couriers to demonstrate that you are vulnerable. I've also ordered my strategic nuclear forces to prepare to engage your fleet, and to scour your base on the island of Atlantis free of life if there is the slightest retaliation for the destruction of that courier."

"Try and nuke our cities again, you miserable son of a bitch."