Some might say actually impossible.

Cho didn't believe in the impossible. There was always a way. Case in point: in spite of a dishonorable discharge from the Confederation Navy designed to force him into jobs well below his skill level and ambition, he'd still gotten his captain's ticket. Even if he'd had to take it by force.

The days when some idiot with a bit of braid, a fool who'd got his rank from luck rather than skill could order him around were over. Long over.

"Captain, the Firebreather is coming around."

"Interesting." Straightening, he stared up at the large screen he'd had installed to give the illusion of an external view in spite of the bridge having been buried deep in the bowels of the ship for safety. Most CSOs cut their losses at this point, dumped their pens, engaged their default equations, and left the victor the spoils. Against all odds, the Firebreather was coming around. "I wonder if they've forgotten what happens to ships that challenge us?" he said thoughtfully.

Huirre snorted. "No one's challenged for a while, have they?"

An excellent point, Cho admitted silently. Memory being what it was, it was past time to remind the salvage operators that resistance was useless. Get them talking again about the Heart of Stone and her merciless captain.

"Captain." Dysun's hair had flattened against her head. "I'm picking up a strange energy signal."

"Define strange?"

"Like a…"

The bridge shuddered as the Heart of Stone took a hit.

"Like a weapon?" Cho asked quietly.

Her shoulders rose a little at the threat in his voice. "Yes, sir."