However, before they were even halfway they received orders diverting them to the Silverlance. By the time they had docked then trudged aft to the engineering overdeck – which was still doubling as a command bridge – Greg was feeling decidedly cranky. But the moment he and Berg entered he knew something was wrong. Ash was standing before the big angled holoscreens, his face like stone. Gazing down at him were the faces of Admiral Olarevic of the Vox Humana and Vice-Admiral Ngassa. The latter was speaking. ‘ … is the sum total of all they are saying, Lieutenant. They regard the Imisil as a direct threat to their allies and an implicit threat to themselves. If they do not leave, Supreme Overcommander Gannor cannot offer any guarantees of peaceful cooperation.’ For a moment no one spoke. ‘Well, they do only have five vessels,’ said Admiral Olarevic. ‘It would not be a loss.’ ‘I understand that, Madam Admiral,’ Ash said. ‘My concern is the reliability or otherwise of the Hegemony’s fleet’s Supreme Overcommander.’ ‘Lieutenant,’ said Ngassa, ‘I actually have some acquaintance with Gannor.
