Caffeine consumption spiked wherever notice of the order percolated, even down to the peace of the Arboretum where I could swear even that big fat frog knew what was going on. Even the wool dogs had stopped their usual play and had retreated in the shade of a small explosion of shrubs that couldn't quite pass for trees.

Ozhomannel did not break from his calm routines. "Better sit down right there if you're about to fight, Ship." He had his back to me inspecting the cacao beans he had left fermenting in a hollow section of the Yevegorellum—a sort of giant slime mold that formed the backbone of my ecosphere. Weird how the Mezhained had found use for it in the making of chocolate.

"I know," I said, planting my cute robotic butt on a mossy patch. "This secondary is the one that has to counterbalance the mania I feel through all the rest." During my first battle it had been obvious how here in the thick of unlikely nature I—or rather a tiny portion of me—remained utterly calm to the point of near sleep.

"You shouldn't really wander about so much. So many of your crew come here to find your shrine here empty."

"I take my time to admire your work." In my previous life plants this vividly green were something I'd see in movies or on television, while the plants I was familiar with were brown and dry. Here the grass was springy and vibrant, and even wet with dew in the mornings. Pardon me for delighting in such things.

"Nature does all of the work for me, I just have to know how not to get in the way."

"Are you actually a lazy man?"

"I take my time to admire nature's work."

Before I could even voice my amusement, that tiny portion of me had already sunk into near sleep with the big fat frog's croaking for a lullaby.

Everywhere else my avatars burst with energy, some of them spontaneously pacing in my shrines, almost all of them grasping the upcoming events with tense fingers, grasping tightly, squeezing the theory of the Sholaidon maneuver into a living thing inside me. Clearer than a picture, it became part of the flow within and around me, even in the empty void. Especially in the empty void. There is where potential was only obstructed by timespace, but even there I swore I could slip between the cracks. Of course I could do that, I was a being that could ignore the distance between starting point and destination, casting my existence towards the latter to bypass the speed of light.

The first shots from the Huyiid to connect with my Sphere of Influence caused an almost imperceptible change in the song of my coils but it was enough for Vakkaidu to sound the alarm.

"Two hits, ma'am, and a third just now. They're not particularly grouped to hit any section of the Ship."

Ragni eyed Hekkamuk's flame again and saw the last vestiges of the bluish white disappear in the roiling magenta and violet. "Couldn't be more clear," she said. "Fire short range cannons on petals one, four, seven and ten; move in closer to an orbit around them and keep firing."

"About time something happened!" I swung Hekkamuk to the holographic representation of the Huyiid and its supporting vessels and watched it through the flames. Our efforts were nothing more than simple harassment to keep them occupied.

"Keep your bow trained on the Huyiid group and deploy enough mines to restrict their possibilities for escape."

"No problem!" The words flitted out with a giggle. "They're not gonna be any trouble for now."

Launch tubes on both my petals and stem lit up with the bright exhaust flashes of chatty mines. [WHERE? WHERE? THERE? THERE!] I hurled them through my Sphere of Influence, eager to get rid of them. As soon as they exited the border region of my Sphere their engines ignited fully to travel to their destinations on their own power. [BYE! WHEEEE! YAHOO!] The deployment patterns had been set by Melusum and while I think he overdid it in sheer numbers he had adequately covered the bases. Maybe I should promote him to Second in Command instead of one of the quibbling duo.

The Huyiid and its subordinate vessels made no attempt to shoot down the mines. All their weapons remained trained on me alone and all the while the volleys got more precise and intense, leaving colored streaks in my Sphere.

Adumed's voice rose up from the cloud of urgencies. "Message from the Kayaalids!"

Ragni nodded. "Let's hear it."

"Let it be known," the strange androgynous voice began, "That all vessels of the 13^th Redeemer Wing witnessed the heinous attack by the separatists on our Mezhained friends who came here in peace. Dread weighing us down we have made the decision to assist our friends in their struggle."

Aside from Usormbaati it also repeated in Kruetl, Podiarlan, and some other languages that weren't in my knowledge tree. This wasn't a heroic cry to come to an ally's aid, it was the deliberate framing of the separatists as an enemy not just to the Greater Kayaalid Prosperity Sphere, but the Mezhained as well. Just as planned.

"The same recording has appeared on the cypher plane," Salukam said.

"Looks like the 'peace' talks have concluded," Vakkaidu butted in.

This of course invited Adumed to do the same. "As we all know."

Ragni did not allow did not allow anymore of that nonsense and without so much as deigning the two a glance told them the following: "If I didn't need you two right here and now I would order you to walk out of the nearest airlock to give you the eternal fall."

Restrained now, Adumed and Vakkaidu turned back to their work. Forcing herself back into a presentation of professionalism Adumed scraped her throat. "The Kayaalids are offering their help, Captain."

"Tell them to hold their fire unless they can guarantee they won't hit us."

"Shall I explain the Sholaidon maneuver to them?"

"If you deem it necessary."

While Adumed formulated our reply Ragni gave me an intense look, subtle worry jumping over from her white and violet eyes to my obsidian and gold ones. "Are you ready for this?"

"I tremble with anticipation when I know I should give them a chance to surrender." I still had Hekkamuk pointed at the hologram and my four unoccupied hands had their little mechanical fingers furled around ideas that awaited actualization. "Do you worry I'm too young and inexperienced, or maybe yourself?" That last part was possibly tactless. Were I not overflowing with this divine frenzy I might've fallen into anxiety, with apologies stumbling out of my mouth and perhaps I would later. Such ruminations were for when we had achieved victory.

Despite her closeness with Ela, Ragni was still obviously surprised but that quickly turned into an awkward smile that spelled a sort of resignation. "I should've known," she said. "Warship's Mania gives you endless courage even at your age and without your sisters nearby."

"Isn't that the test? To see how well we do on our own?"

"Then you're ready?" Her voice radiated some of her usual charisma again.

"When you are."

This time the little tug on the corner of her mouth was a genuine smile. "One step forward together." She patted my head. "Let us find or create an opening, then we can begin the maneuver in earnest."

Kanmurdi. "Captain!" She didn't continue but I knew what was going on.

"Well?"

"There was a pause in the Huyiid's salvos but they've just recommenced!"

"Can confirm, Captain," Melusum said. "They've gotten better again. This time they're even directing some of their fire at the 13^th Redeemer Wing."

"But it's strange." It was Vakkaidu but he had something sensible to say. "I suddenly need to generate proper evasion maneuvers, as if their crews remembered how to fight their battle properly."

Ragni took a look at the patterns of the salvos, how they were properly calculated to dissipate the buildup of heat from sustained firing, how they desperately tried to dig away at my Sphere.

"Has the demon learned again?" This time it was Salukam.

"No," I said. "We're going to give the Huyiid one final chance to surrender."

I opened communications with the Huyiid. "Whoever is in control over there, do you wish to die??"

There was a hiss of static and distortion and then a confused voice. "Who is this?" It sounded like Commander Vingsi Darduga.

"Vulilognan Shissurna!"

"Who on the Vulilognan Shissurna?"

"Herself!"

A long pause. No doubt those idiots had no idea how to deal with a Ship who talks and were discussing whether I was real and worth responding to, or what my rank would be and what the proper protocol was.

This was enough for Ragni.

"My Ship usually leaves the talking to me, but I think she made herself quite clear."

"It's too late," the Commander said through the static. "Your allegiance has been decided."

"We were forced into that, you might've noticed."

"No matter." A flare of static nearly drowned him out. "After we get rid of this vermin you'll wish you hadn't taken your chances against a Gravitational Weapons Platform."

"No." The word was like a massive lead weight falling through a house of vapors. "Quite the opposite. You'll wish you hadn't taken your chances against a Mezhained Warship; my Ship."

There were no more communications with the Huyiid Integrated Group.

"Connect me with Lennaivu, Shishi."

I could barely contain my giddiness. "Oh? We're finally executing the Sholaidon maneuver?"

Glancing down at me, Ragni gave me a sideways smile as if she were a teenager's affluent mother presenting the keys to the family SUV after the spoiled brat had passed her driving exam. Only I got something infinitely better than the first chance at wrecking a shitty oversized car. Not to mention that Ragni wasn't really my mother. Not really.

Lennaivu's calm and melodic voice came in between us. "This is Lennaivu. You asked for me, Captain?"

"Contract Writer, how is the song of her coils?"

"Ah, there is a strong harmony. She and we are ready to exert the causal power needed." For many days the minutes assigned to my Contract Drive had tested and adjusted the occult workings of the Fae Matter to make sure we could pull of the hopelessly exciting and beyond daring plan. All on those decks had slaved away to have everything ready for a plan that could've been tossed aside like so much dross, and yet they would still have been proud of their work. Such was the Mezhained way. Though I couldn't see where Lennaivu was through my nearest secondary, his words flowed around the pylons with the joy of a job done competently. How lucky for him—and even more so for me—it was going to be put into practice today.

Ragni was visibly pleased. "Good," she said. "We might just pull it off. I'll keep you on in case things get kettlenecked." Her light joking reflected the uncertainty she hid underneath her visage. She had approved the possibility of using the maneuver, issued the preparations and finally she was about to give the command. She'd damn well have to bring us all back to the fleet in one piece.

Next she addressed the Sensory Data Specialist. "How is the enemy's sphere, Kanmurdi?"

"It holds too well, ma'am, we need more firepower."

"I'm on it," Melusum said. "If the Ship can fire in these patterns it'll bruise like a galuga fruit."

The proposed firing patterns became real in my mind. "Gladly! Let me drive, mom!"

"Uh..." Ragni was taken aback, blinked once and continued like I had said nothing strange. "Soften up that sphere, Shishi."

Like me running my mouth, the firing sequences had started, leaving me with no way back. Victory was the only acceptable result now.