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I peer at the tactical display, ignoring their banter

The quarry we chase is Karnus au Bellona, the older brother of my former friend, Cassius au Bellona, and the boy I killed in the Passage, Julian au Bellona Of that curly-haired family, Cassius is the favorite son Julian was the kindest And Karnus? My broken arm stands testament--he’s the s

Since the Institute, ossip circuit that the ArchGovernor was finally sending me to further my studies, Karnus au Bellona and a few handpicked cousins were dispatched by Cassius’s mother to "study" as well The faustus’s badge holds theive a bloody piss about their vendetta or my master’s bloodfeud with their house I want the fleet so I can use it for the Sons of Ares What a mess I could cause I’ve roups, data hubs--all the pressure points that er

"Darrow …" Roque comes closer "Guard your hubris Remember Pax Pride kills"

"I want it to be a trap," I tell Roque "Let Karnus turn and face us"

He tilts his head "You’ve set your own trap for hiht have told us I could have--"

"Karnus falls today, brother That is the simple fact of the matter"

"Of course I only want to help You know that"

"I know" I stifle a yawn and let epits behind and belowthe systems that run my ship They speak ital coht School, all Beyond thee, Gray marines and several Obsidians stand sentinel I clap Roque on the shoulder "It’s time"

"Sailors," I call to the Blues in the pit "Sharpen your wits This is the final nail in the Bellona coffin We put this bastard into the ether and I proive--a week of solid sleep Prih The Blues just rap their knuckles on their instruive half my substantial bank account, compliments of the ArchGovernor, to see one of those pale airbrains crack a sh delay," I announce "Gunners to positions Roque, cluster the destroyers Victra, attend targeting Tactus, defense deploy this now" I look over at my wispy helmBlue He stands central in the pit beneath iTats that low subtle shades of cerulean and silver as they sync with the ship’s coo distant as optic nerves revert to the digital world They speak only out of courtesy to us "Hellances at the tactical display, a globular holo floating above his head, voice like a machine "Mind, the concentration ofspectro readings We’re a mite blind A fleet could hide on the other side of the asteroids"

"He doesn’t have a fleet Into the breech," I say The ship’s engines rumble I nod to Roque and say, "Hic sunt leones" The words of our ustus, ArchGovernor of Mars, thirteenth of his name My warlords echo the phrase

Here be lions