On the main viewscreen, Admiral Vorl of the Orion Combine stared at them, his face like a stone carving. His eyes were hard, and his jaw was set.
He was a man who followed rules, and the rules were written down and verified by the biggest library in the galaxy said Ryan was a liar.
"You have one minute to power down your weapons," Admiral Vorl said, his voice cold and final. "After that, we will be forced to open fire."
The air on the Odyssey's bridge grew heavy. Scarlett's hand drifted to the handle of her dagger. Ilsa's knuckles turned white as she gripped the arm of her command chair. They could fight.
The Odyssey was powerful, and Ilsa's Iron Wolves were tough. But starting a war with a whole new fleet, a fleet that thought they were doing the right thing, was a trap. If they fought, they would prove the lie was true.
They would become the violent monsters the Echo of Deceit said they were.
