“Overconfident?” Herzer asked. “New Destiny has carriers of their own, and Marshal Chansa, while a bastard, is not a dummy. He wouldn’t be courting action if he thought he was going to lose.”

“Again, you’re reading my mind,” Edmund said, grimly. “But I’m Eastern Land Command. North Atlantis Command is Admiral Draskovich. I’m not a member of the Balmoran Yacht Club.”

“Now, there you’ve lost me,” Herzer replied, setting down the empty cup.

“More?” Edmund asked.

“No, save it for later,” Herzer said. “What is the Balmoran Yacht Club and what does it have to do with anything?”

“I got it in a letter from Shar,” the general replied, reaching into his desk and pulling out a sheet of paper covered in a crabbed, rectangular hand. “He’s not happy where he is.”

“Personally, I’d love to be at Blackbeard Base.” Herzer grinned. The Fleet base at Bimi island was the home of the mer-people. Since their children were born on land, and were unable to breathe water for at least a year, they had, with some reluctance, given over the protection of their children and new mothers to the UFS forces. For the Blood Lords, who were the chosen guards, it was something of a sinecure; the base was in a pleasant tropical setting and all they had to do was keep in training and make sure no one messed with the mer-children. Off duty there were reefs to explore, fishing, easy access to the island’s strong rum and occasional flings with mermaids and naval personnel. The Blood Lords’ senior NCO, Sergeant Major Arthur “Gunny” Rutherford, had been semiretired to the posting.

The mer, in turn, skirmished on the front lines of the current conflict, working with the dolphin-form Changed humans called delphinos to watch over the harbors in which the invasion fleet was being prepared. Their enemies were New Destiny’s allies among the Changed orcas and ixchitl, manta-raylike beings with shark-mouths and belly harpoons containing a paralyzing neurotoxin. But they continued to skirmish, and watch, in pledge of the protective shield that the UFS maintained over their children. There was a monetary transfer involved, as well. But at heart it was a bond of honor that neither side would break short of death. Certainly not while Herzer or Edmund, who had bled by the side of the mer and delphinos, were alive.