Alex Tieran, senior surviving officer of the battleship Archon's Hammer, got his crew home. The Adriane's Point Defense Fleet has been overrun and he has returned to warn the Star Empire that its long-expected war has opened in disaster. He receives mixed reactions from the senior admiralty, but is finally granted grudging approval for his conduct-and a new ship. Smaller, but still respectable, once the dust has been cleaned off the...