intercom..."Admiral, incoming comunique from Prime Minister Athena."

"Patch her in Commander."

intercom..."Aye Sir."

"Admiral, you are hereby ordered to withdraw from the enemy's solar system with the acception of scout ships whose soul function will be to keep the fleet informed of the enemy's position. Do you understand?"

"Withdraw? Prime Minister did you not receive the initial confrontation information? We should be preparing an all out assault on their home world, not withdrawing. They outnumber us yes but I've never seen a race of beings so inept at warfare. Not to mention the weapons they are using do minimal damage. They should fall rather quickly with the smallest margin of Selushan deaths ever recorded. Have you lost your mind Prime Minister?"

As beautiful as she was she still had that way of looking at him like his life was on the line, it sent shivers up his spine.

"My apologies Prime Minister. I expect I am to await further orders?"

"No Admiral you are to await my arrival."

"It will take you months to get here, what am I to do until then?"

"The Elders themselves are sending me and a small party. They told me there is another more efficient way of travel. Expect my arrival within the next three days Admiral."

"Yes Prime Minister. May I ask a question?"

"Of course Admiral."

"Will this communique be erased from the ship's library as have all the others?"

That look again..."I expect to be received in a formal manner Admiral. I will need accomodations for myself, three adjutants and eight members of the crystalline gaurd. That is all."

Never, never in recorded history has any Prime Minister visited the battle front. And The Elders, sending her by a means of travel she apparently did not want to discuss. Withdraw? Unheard of, even when they clashed with the Larians, a race of hive-like creatures that absorbed the collective intelligence of the races they enslaved. Withdraw? The Elders must be utterly mad. There was no other explanation.

"I had better get some fucking answers.....soon!"

Sci fi Deunan