Lysara seemed to know exactly what he was thinking.
"My class was built around sustained laser dominance," she said. "Against damaged or poorly protected opponents, we were excellent. Against strong shields, less so than the Directorate's true line-breaking classes."
Aurelian nodded. "I see, and you said you are missing something."
She gave him a quick nod as she explained.
"Yes. The large breaching weapon. In Directorate records, it was called the Severance Lance. If I had been fitted with it, my class would have crossed into a higher category in both cost and authority."
"Then why weren't you?"
Lysara rested her chin lightly against one hand and thought for a moment before answering.
"Most likely because frontier commands were never trusted enough," she said. "That kind of weapon relied on higher-order technology, and equipping border fleets too well often made central governments nervous. Strong frontier forces do not always remain obedient frontier forces."
