In the officer’s mess aboard the Bared Fang, the evening meal was just starting to wind down when a young, flaxen haired human stuck his head in the door.

“Pardon the interruption, sirs and mesdames,” the youth said, “but Lieutenant Garn thought this too important to wait. The lookout reports a ship on the eastern horizon.”

The wolf at the right of the table’s head frowned. “Garn wouldn’t have sent you down here without more details than that. Out with it, ensign.”

The junior officer swallowed hard, taking a deep breath before managing, “It’s… the Silver Pennant, sirs, mesdames.”

On those words a heavy silence fell.

“Have Garn signal the fleet,” said the greying vixen at the head of the table. “All ships are to come to battle stations and move to surround her.”

“Y-yes, ma’am.” The young man saluted and disappeared.

Cutlery rattled on plates. Sighs broke out that had nothing to do with the good food being left on the table. One of them trailed into a low murmur of, “This is madness.”

“Stow that trash,” snarled Dalis Kerin, the Bared Fang‘s lupine captain. “We’ve a job to do.”

The woman who’d spoken winced, but held her head high. “Please forgive the outburst, Captain, but it’s my duty to mind the crew, and all of them are just as uncomfortable with this mission. They’ll follow orders, but they are understandably hesitant about fighting their own countrymen.”

“Hesitation could cost lives,” said Admiral Evelyn Granther, who’d ordered battle stations moments ago. “Alik, I will need to address the Silver Pennant in a manner that her crew cannot fail to notice. It would be to the good if the Fleet can hear it as well, as I explain exactly why we must do this. Can that be done?”

“Letting the Fleet overhear? Easier than not,” said the ship’s leonine wizard, rising to his feet. “I must make some preparations, but I will be at the ship’s prow inside five minutes.”

“Very good,” Granther acknowledged, and Alik slipped into the corridor.

The Admiral turned her attention back to the ship’s physician and healer. “Sublieutenant Velin.”

The young woman stiffened. “Ma’am?”

“I am aware that I have a reputation for ruthlessness. There is no need to spare my sensibilities,” she added when the healer started to object. “I’ve leaned on that reputation often enough. It is true that I take grim satisfaction in doing the nastiest and hardest tasks the Navy has to offer, and doing them well. But you – and any of the crew who make their dissatisfaction known to you in confidence – may rest assured that this is still unpleasant work for me, and I take no joy in it.

“Isaac Norvin was my colleague for forty years. We served together on the Sapphire of Callas on our first cruise. In many ways he has been as a brother to me. But he and his cadre betrayed the honour of Callistar when they stooped to poisons and assassins at Aristad, and again when they lay the blame for that on the merchant captains they’d duped. Two weeks ago I learned of his role in these things, things that will stain the good name of the Queen if we do not take prompt, decisive steps to remedy them.

“And that day I also learned that one of his fellow conspirators made an attempt on the life of our own crown prince – a treasonous murder which, again, would have been blamed on another. One of the same captains from before – one of those who managed to escape ruin or execution for crimes he’d not committed.

“Isaac Norvin is now a greater threat to the royal family I serve than Red Sebastien at his worst ever was. For the well-being and honour of Callistar, ladies and gentlemen, we must bring him in – or send him to a watery grave today.”

On that sober message, Admiral Granther left the cabin.