Four months remained before the expedition to Tartarus.
Officially, Emery's mission was straightforward.
He was not being sent to become a savior of the Tartarus Realm, nor was the Alliance expecting him to involve himself in its endless conflicts.
His objective was far simpler: establish a stable passage into the realm, secure diplomatic contact with the local powers, and pave the way for future cooperation between the two worlds.
Once those objectives were completed, the expedition would be considered a success.
On paper, the entire operation should take only several months, a year or two at most.
At least, that was what every calculation suggested.
Emery, however, was far from optimistic.
He knew too well to believe anything there would ever proceed according to plan.
