"The enemy has fled before us." Warmaster Sithis was a lean specimen, with black fur and a white mane. Her armor was silver. Her voice was grim. "More humans have died today than we've killed in two wars. Why does it not feel like a victory?"

"Because it wasn't." Warmaster Scathach was missing an arm. His silver helmet obscured his features. "The humans didn't leave out of fear. They simply chose to preserve their forces after destroying most of ours."

"It's worse than that." Captain Mims leaned forward, elbows resting on the table. The human had seen the futility of arguing with the pixens, and set up a holodisplay in the Encounter's kitchen. The beer Lissa had handed him sat nearby, unopened. "You need to evacuate the Emperor and all of your stations."

"Silence, human," Sithis growled. "The Emperor said I must tolerate the pixens. He said nothing of you."

"Shut up and listen," Mims told her. "Those fleets were full of YEET Artillery Barges, and they had all the time in the world to pick their targets. That means you have an unknown number of undetectable half ton slugs traveling at eighty kilometers a second. The closest stations will be hit in minutes, if they haven't been already."

"Stupid human, the stations have already..." Sithis paused. "Scat." She switched off her comm, presumably to start giving orders.

Mims let out a breath. "That woman is not inspiring confidence."

"Do not judge her too harshly, Scargiver." Warmaster Scathach shook his head. "We lost Warmaster Lothis when the Vore destroyed Histel, and our most experienced officers with him. Sithis took the position of Second Warmaster only a month past."

"What's her Mafdet?" Yvian asked.

"Fifth."

"Fifth!?" Scarrend chuffed in disbelief.

"After Histel, there are only five of us left who've passed the Sixth Mafdet," Scathach told him. "We must make do with what we have."

"Only five..." Lissa frowned.

"You don't understand how difficult it is to reach the Sixth," Scathach explained. "There have never been more than a dozen of us at any one time."

"I think I might have an idea." Yvian cast a glance at Scarrend.

Scarrend glared back. "What?"

Warmaster Sithis reappeared in the holodisplay. "They're moving," she reported. "The Emperor is relocating as well."

"Moving?" Mims glanced between the two of them. "Your stations are mobile?"

"This isn't the first time we've fought the humans," Scathach reminded him.

"Fair enough." Mims half reached for his beer, then stopped himself. "I guess that's one less thing to worry about."

"Didn't I tell you to be silent?" Sithis glared at Mims.

"You did," said the Captain. "I ignored you."

"You will come to regret that, softpaw." The Vrrl growled.

Mims met her glare with cold detachment. "Try me."

"The human is a Head of State," Kilroy added. "To disrespect Big Daddy Mims is to disrespect the Pixen Technocracy."

"His position is irrelevant," Scathach told the machine. "In the Empire, strength, abilities, and Mafdet are all that matter." He turned to Sithis. "That human is no softpaw."

"He's a-" she started.

"He's the Kinslayer of Aldara," the Third Warmaster cut her off. "He's killed more humans than the entire Vrrl Starfang Empire. He has slain more enemies in combat than your entire command. Scargiver Mims is the single most lethal creature I've ever seen. He is of the Apex, and you will treat him with respect."

"The most lethal creature?" Sithis scoffed. "He's just a human."

"Yes." Scathach gave her a level look. "A species that has beaten us at every turn. He is their most dangerous member."

"You should listen to him," said Yvian. "Mims, he's..." What was it the Warmaster had said before? "He's a creature of pure predation."

"Says the pixen." Sithis snarled. "Your people are the softest paws there are."

"Not these two," said Mims. "The three of us repelled a Vrrl boarding party together."

"A boarding party?" Sithis was doubtful. "A handful of us, maybe."

"It was four warpacks," Scathach supplied. "One hundred twenty four Hunters. None survived."

The Second Warmaster stared. "You're not serious..."

"I told you," said Scathach. "These three are no prey."

"We're getting off track." Captain Mims changed the subject. "We need to take stock and figure out our next move. What's your status?"

Warmaster Scathach grunted. "The Priderender's barely functional. I've lost a third of my crew. Most of my fleets are in similar state."

Sithis grimaced, but decided to accept the out she'd been given. "My fleets are in good shape. We can launch our counterattack at any time."

The Third Warmaster shook his head. "There will be no counterattack."

"There must be," Sithis insisted. "The humans have hurt us. We must hurt them back."

"We cannot." Scathach tucked his three remaining arms behind him. "Your fleet is the only functional defense force we have left."

"We have more ships." Sithis pointed out.

"We have no more ships with jumpdrives," Scathach countered. "Every outfitted ship in the Empire is here already."

"What you've got is everything we can muster," said Lissa. "We've got no more ships to send."

"Do you have more jumpdrives?" asked Scathach.

Lissa looked a question at Kilroy. "We are producing jumpdrives at a rate of nine hundred and three per hour. We currently have four hundred thousand seven hundred and three in stock."

"We'll take them," said the Third Warmaster. "We are producing them as fast as we can, as well." He turned back to Sithis. "The Empire can't afford to lose our only mobile force. We must be prepared not just for the humans, but for the Klaath and the Confederation as well."

"We can't sit idly by," Sithis argued. "The Empire has been challenged. If we don't hit back..."

"Yeah..." Mims drawled. "About that." The two Warmasters turned to look at him. "The counterattack started two hours ago. Peacekeepers in gladiators hit every sector, taking out their beam towers. In another..." He looked at Kilroy.

"Fifty three minutes, seventeen seconds," The Peacekeeper supplied.

"In another fifty three minutes," Mims continued, "YEET Artillery Barges are going to jump in, launch a shit ton of YEET rounds, and jump out again."

"We got some scans," said Yvian. "The Federation's started retrofitting their stations to be mobile, but they haven't gotten very far yet."

"The death toll will be high," Lissa assured them, "and we'll take out their leaders if we can."

"The majority of the Federation's leadership has already been destroyed," said Kilroy.

Everyone turned to look at the Peacekeeper. It was Lissa who asked, "What?"

"During the declaration of war," Kilroy explained, "the Peacekeeper units designated Harbinger were targeted. In response, they fired MAC rounds at all available targets. The President, her cabinet, and the highest ranking officers of the Extra Terrestrial Reconnaissance Organization, Internal Reconnaissance Organization, and several dozen high ranking members of the Stellar Defense Force were successfully terminated."

"The High Commander?" It was Lissa again. Yvian hadn't been sure she wanted to know.

"High Commander Bartholomew Young depressurized and relocated Stellar Command Station," Kilroy reported. Yvian made an effort not to look relieved.

"How long have you known this?" Mims asked. His eyes were narrow.

"The success of our attack was only discovered after the attack on Vrrl space," said Kilroy. "This unit reported when it was appropriate to do so."

"Oh." The Captain nodded, relieved. "Good. And good work." He turned back to the Warmasters. "Anyway, we've got the counterattack covered. We'll hit the Federation where it hurts."

Warmaster Skrell Scathach gave a pleased rumble. "Acceptable."

"No it's not," Warmaster Sithis disagreed. "It was the Empire that was attacked. It is the Empire that should retaliate."

"Incorrect," chided Kilroy. His eyes turned red. "Warmaster Nekomata Sithis, this unit believes you do not understand what it means to be part of an alliance. The Vrrl Starfang Empire and the Pixen Technocracy are separate nations, but in this war they will act as one. An attack on you is an attack on us. An attack by us is an attack by you. That is why we gave you our ships. That is why we are having this meeting."

"It is our place at the Apex that has been challenged, machine." Sithis folded both sets of arms across her chest. "Not yours."

"That's not how it works," Kilroy repeated. "As long as we're allies, our place at the Apex coincides with yours. Warmaster Scathach understands that. So do the humans. The Terran Federation will know that Operation BACKLINE is vengeance taken by the Vrrl. They'll know that you've taken blood for blood."

"The Scargiver is correct," Scathach told Sithis. "Our nations must band together as one Pride. It is our only hope against the humans."

"I believe you mean well." Sithis admitted. "Even the...human." She grimaced, shaking her head. "It is not enough. I... We can't accept vengeance by proxy. The Empire must strike back."

"Well, if it makes you feel better," Mims offered, "you can send some YEETS of your own. Get a few shots off."

"You can go at the same time as the Peacekeepers," Lissa suggested. "Let the Federation see us all acting as one."

"Acting as one..." Warmaster Sithis tilted her head, considering. She gave a slow nod. "I can accept that."

"Kilroy?" Mims asked. "Are you alright with that?"

"Admiral Zhukov accepts," said Kilroy. "A unit will contact Warmaster Sithis to coordinate with Vrrl forces."

"Excellent." For the first time, Warmaster Sithis looked pleased. Her eyes burned with an eager light. "Well. As fascinating as this has been, I need to go. I've got ships to organize and humans to kill." She reached for her pad, but paused. "You four." Slitted pupils flicked between Mims, Kilroy, and the pixens. "I smell now why Scathach offered respect. I will remember, next time we speak." She pressed her pad and ended the transmission.

Warmaster Scathach regarded the space where Sithis had been. "You smell, Scargiver? Inexperienced, but willing to learn. She has potential."

"She is abrasive and borderline incompetent," Kilroy asserted.

Lissa frowned at him. "You say that about everyone we meet."

"Incorrect," said Kilroy. "This unit says that about every meatbag you meet."

"You're a pessimist."

"This unit has been correct every time." The Peacekeeper unit shrugged. "It is not this unit's fault you're all inferior."