Fleet Admiral McKenzie (now Director of Naval Intelligence) assigns Fleet Admiral Christia Freeland (his ex-wife) to take the super-dreadnought Hera on a seek-and-destroy mission against an illegal weapons factory. Rear Admiral Ty'Sii Circean commands an escort, dealing with being pulled from her regular command. Features extended character dynamics, Owen Rees's interventions, and a bigotry confrontation about Ty among the Hera's crew.