Vang marched through the wide corridor of the Vanguard headquarters with an urgency to his step, but then he'd been feeling that urgency since the Empire's border had been breached by the enemy, and despite the latest victory against that enemy, that urgency had not lessened. In fact, it had intensified as a more detailed picture of the enemy, which he now knew as the Shixxaminti, had been unveiled. It was evident that Ethia had a clear and present danger that needed to be dealt with as swiftly as possible.

It was why the Admiral had agreed to come to the Vanguard headquarters to meet with Admiral Havoreat, even if it was the last thing he wanted to do. The rivalry between the military force of the Empire and that of the Kings had always kept any alliance between them fragile and temporary at best. Vang had seen enough joint operations fail due to poor coordination and mistrust to know that combining forces was often more hindrance than help.

But the Shixxaminti threat demanded extraordinary measures. As he entered Havoreat's domain, Vang reminded himself that personal feelings had no place in matters of imperial security. He reached the door that he was led to by a Vanguard Lieutenant that had met him in the landing bay. She palmed the door open and stepped aside to allow Vang to enter.

The door slid open, revealing an operations center and the large form of Admiral Havoreat as he stood before a holographic display. There were other officers scattered through the room who looked busy on hand-held devices or holding quiet conversations in small groups, but Vang ignored them as he made his way to Havoreat. The mountain of a man turned to Vang with eyes that held the same intensity Vang had witnessed during their last confrontation two years ago after a rather nasty Fazha Rebellion attack.

"Admiral Vang," Havoreat said, his deep voice resonating through the operations center. Several nearby officers glanced up momentarily before returning to their tasks with practiced indifference. "I appreciate you coming to headquarters."

Vang gave a quick nod and turned to the holographic image displayed before them. It was an overview of all the border beacons that surrounded the vastness of the Ethian Empire. There were thousands upon thousands of them. Blue pinpricks of light that indicated each of the beacons like a thin sapphire necklace, which encircled the entirely of the galaxy. It had been a masterful feat by their ancestors to put them in place nearly two millennia ago to not only provide the Empire with protection, but to cut the galaxy off from the greater universe. It had been the task of the Legion and later the Vanguard to make sure those borders continued to keep out the threats that awaited on the other side.

"I came as soon as I received your message," Vang replied, his gaze fixed on the holographic display. "Though I must admit, I was surprised by the invitation."

The blue lights shimmered as the display rotated slowly. Near some of the lights were green blips he knew marked Vanguard ships.

"So far, the network seems to be holding." Havoreat said, plunging right ahead into business. "If they have ships on the other side, we haven't detected them, but from what we've seen from them so far, that's not a surprise. We have dispatched ships to as many of the beacons as we can to keep a closer eye, but as you know, we can't possibly cover all of them ourselves."

Vang eyed the holograph closely. From what he could tell, the Vanguard had placed ships in the area where the first breach had happened, just on the other side of that and down the border to where the Vanguard had found King Rainus and rescued him. If they were going to provide cover for even the western edge of the Empire, it would take a good amount of Vanguard and Legion ships combined.

"I wonder if this is the best application of our resources," Vang pondered as he eyed the ring of beacons. "At this rate, if they do enter the Empire, we will be scattered and unfocused, and who is to say they won't try to breach the eastern side where we have no ships at all."

"I considered that, but at this point we are still concerned about the last remaining Shixx ship. We placed Vanguard ships at the chosen beacons because we suspect the ship might try to break through from this side to let in others."

"How certain are we that there is only one still in the Empire?" Vang said as he remembered the shock of a second ship of the enemy as it revealed itself with a flank attack at Sora X. There had also been a third vessel when Havoreat and his fleet had caught up with them to rescue the Avi-dan King.

Havoreat shrugged. "As certain as we can be at this moment. It's damaged too, enough that I think it might not be able to travel far. That's why I chose those locations for heavier Vanguard patrols. It's only a matter of time before we find it."

Or they found us. Vang thought, but he didn't say it out loud. "Do we know if they got information about the network from the King?"

"Markus Nador says no. We've also had several Mind Benders look inside the King's mind. They say no, too. The Shixxaminti got mostly surface information. It seems King Rainus was able to protect the more sensitive stuff."

"I suppose that's something," Vang muttered. "How much did the King get from them?"

"Some, but we aren't pushing him too hard right now. He's still in a delicate place. It's going to take some time for him to recover from his ordeal."

Vang remembered his own encounter with the Shixxaminti. He'd only endured a handful of minutes, but the King had been in their captivity for two long days. He could only imagine how King Rainus was faring. Vang still couldn't sleep without taking a sedative.

"As I understand it, you came in with the Nova Legion Warfleet," Havoreat said as he gave Vang a side eye.

"High Commander Ga-jorn picked me up from Sora X on the way over. I brought the ships that were in the battle at Sora X. A few of them, including the Fordex, could use some time in a space dock to complete repairs."

"Take care of that, please." The Admiral nodded to the Lieutenant who had shown Vang to the operation center. She stood quietly a few paces behind Vang as the two Admirals had talked. She gave a quick salute with fist to heart before she stepped away to a quiet alcove in the far corner to place her call.

"I'll have my people coordinate with yours on the repairs," Havoreat said, watching the Lieutenant walk away. "We have three fully operational yards here that can handle Legion vessels."

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Vang nodded his appreciation, though the gesture felt forced. Accepting Vanguard assistance always left a bitter taste in his mouth, but practicality demanded it. "I also brought with me a few of the drop pods left on Sora X. I can offload one for your scientists to look at."

Havoreat raised an eyebrow. "That is generous of you."

"Infighting at this point is pointless. The more eyes on the technology of these invaders we can get the better. It was your science team that created a rather successful missile against them after all."

"With the Heir's help."

Vang pursed his lips as if he had tasted something sour. He'd heard that too, but he was more liable to think it was more the scientists than anything significant that the Heir contributed.

"You dislike him?"

"Did I say that?"

Havoreat shrugged his big shoulders. "As I see it, he played a vital part in saving our King. What is there not to like?"

Vang decided to keep his own opinions to himself and changed the subject. "We can't maintain this defensive posture indefinitely." Vang said, gesturing toward the holographic display. "We need a better plan."

Havoreat's expression darkened as he manipulated the display, zooming in on the sector where the enemy ship was believed to be hiding. "We've had salvage crews working around the clock to collect and move what wreckage we can from the asteroid field so it can be analyzed. Any information we glean should help with discovering better countermeasures against the Shixxaminti."

Vang watched the Admiral's thick fingers work the holographic controls, his movements surprisingly deft for such a large man. The wreckage data scrolled past in streams of technical readouts that made Vang's head throb. He'd been staring at similar reports for days now, and none of it brought him closer to understanding how to stop these invaders permanently.

"The wreckage analysis is useful," Vang said, though he could hear the doubt creeping into his own voice. "But we're still reacting to their moves instead of making our own."

The holographic display shifted, showing new tactical projections that Havoreat had apparently been working on. Vang studied the patterns of ship movements and attack vectors, but they all seemed to center around containment rather than elimination.

"There's something else. The interrogation of King Rainus revealed they weren't just probing our defenses randomly. They were specifically looking for something."

Vang's jaw tightened. "What kind of something?"

"That's what we're trying to determine. The King's memories are fragmented, but the Mind Benders picked up references to something they called the 'Sheema.' It seems to be some prophetic system that drives their actions."

"Prophecy?" Vang's voice carried a note of skepticism. "We're dealing with religious fanatics?"

"I don't think it's that simple." Havoreat manipulated the display again, bringing up a tactical analysis overlay. "From what we can piece together, the Sheema identified something within the Empire––specifically something connected to the Emperor himself––as vital to their purposes."

Vang pressed his lips together. He was all too aware that this enemy wanted the Emperor, but this was the first time he'd heard about their need to get to the Emperor being tied to something vital to the Shixxaminti's purpose.

"Have you briefed the Emperor on this?"

"Not yet. I wanted to coordinate with you first. This is going to require a unified response from both our forces." Havoreat's tone carried an unusual note of deference, acknowledging the gravity of the situation. "We need to move beyond our traditional operational boundaries."

Vang's brow furrowed as he considered Havoreat's words. Traditional operational boundaries had kept the Legion and Vanguard functioning independently since the Vanguard's inception. The suggestion of a truly unified response went against every protocol he'd followed throughout his career.

"What exactly are you proposing?" Vang asked, his voice measured.

Havoreat pressed a control, and the holographic display shifted again. This time it showed a complex organizational chart with Legion and Vanguard units intermingled in ways Vang had never seen before.

"A joint task force," Havoreat said. "It was suggested by King Rainus yesterday evening when I spoke with him briefly."

"A joint task force," he repeated, the words feeling foreign on his tongue. "The King suggested this?"

"He did," Havoreat confirmed. "And I agree with him. We're facing an unprecedented threat that requires an unprecedented response."

Vang studied the chart more carefully, noting how Havoreat had positioned Legion reconnaissance units alongside Vanguard heavy cruisers, creating overlapping command structures that made his stomach clench. The logistics alone would be a nightmare.

"This is ambitious," Vang said, his voice tight. He understood the necessity, but wasn't sure how this would actually work in practice. Joint operations had a history of spectacular failures, usually when one force tried to assert dominance over the other.

"The command structure would need to be clearly defined," Vang said, pointing to several problematic overlap points on the display. "Who has final authority when Legion and Vanguard protocols conflict?"

Havoreat nodded, as if he'd been expecting this question. "Rotating operational command based on mission parameters. Your forces take the lead on reconnaissance and rapid response. Mine handles heavy engagement and fortification."

It was more reasonable than Vang had expected, though the logistics of implementation could still be problematic. Vang ran a hand over his slicked-back ponytail, feeling the tension gathering at the base of his skull.

"And who would have ultimate command of this joint task force?" Vang asked the question that had been burning in his mind since Havoreat first mentioned the proposal.

Havoreat's expression remained carefully neutral. "That's something we need to discuss with both the Emperor and the Kings. Though there has been a suggestion of you and I sharing command."

Vang raised an eyebrow. "Who suggested that?"

"King Rainus."

Vang's gaze drifted back to the swirling holographic projections, his mind wrestling with the practicalities of shared command and whether his pride would allow it.

The King's political maneuvering didn't escape Vang's notice. Rainus was positioning himself as the architect of cooperation while ensuring neither military leader could claim complete authority over the other. Clever though Vang wondered if the King understood the practical impossibility of what he was suggesting.

"The King seems to have strong opinions about military strategy for someone who was recently tortured by the enemy," Vang said, the edge in his voice sharper than he'd intended.

Havoreat's massive frame shifted slightly, and Vang caught the subtle tightening around the other Admiral's face. This was a sensitive subject.

"King Rainus's perspectives have been sharpened by his experience," Havoreat replied carefully. "He believes our traditional divisions may be exactly what the Shixxaminti are counting on."

Vang couldn't argue with that logic, though it galled him to admit it. The thought of coordinating daily operations with Havoreat and his officers made his jaw clench. Years of institutional rivalry wouldn't disappear overnight, no matter how dire the threat.

"I'll need to consult with my command staff and the Emperor on this," Vang said, buying himself time to process what exactly he would be committing to. The Emperor's reaction to this proposal would be... unpredictable. His Majesty had little patience for military complexities and even less for anything that smacked of political maneuvering by the Kings.

"Of course," Havoreat said, though Vang detected a hint of disappointment beneath the Admiral's professional mask. "Though I hope you'll consider that time may not be our ally in this matter."

"Understood," Vang nodded. "If that is all, I need to make some calls."

Havoreat gestured toward the exit with one massive hand. "I'll have my aide coordinate with your staff on the repair schedules and the drop pod transfer."

Vang turned away from the holographic display. The weight of the decision ahead pressed against his shoulders as he walked toward the door as his footsteps echoing off the polished floors of the operations center.

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