Chapter 11: Into the Dark

There was no sign of the clear morning sky that Nell had left behind when she entered the military headquarters, descended below ground, and boarded a small electric vehicle. There was only a pervasive darkness that spread like spilt ink, seeping through brick and concrete despite the best efforts of the lights that lined the tunnel walls. Nell's eyes were impassive as she looked out from her place in the back seat. She could make out few details nearby. The area illuminated by the bright bulbs was meagre, and their harsh glare had the effect of making the surrounding gloom appear blacker. The effect was unsettling. It was as though she had entered a world ruled by shadows, the lights spaced too far apart to do anything more than hold the darkness at bay. Nell found herself pensive as she watched the lights passing by. The underground drive from headquarters was not a long one, but it offered time enough for her be alone with her thoughts.

Six days had passed since the attack on Andy's troops, and in that time Nell's investigation had come no closer to a breakthrough. The cryptic comments offered by the woman named Flare raised more questions than they answered, and what few hints they had contained were no cause for comfort. Worse, now Orange Star had to contend with a new enemy of unknown strength and intent, one whose goals and methods they knew nothing about. It was an unenviable position, and one that had increasingly become the norm over the past three years. They had been scrambling to understand the events that had rocked the existing global order ever since Olaf first launched his invasion of Orange Star. So much time and energy had been spent trying to unravel the riddle of Black Hole, and to little success. Every hard won answer only gave birth to further questions, the mysteries continuing to pile up no matter how many they managed to solve. It had in no small part been a lack of answers that had driven the formation of the Allied Nations, and what had come of it? They knew little more now than they had when the Omega War broke out, and the alliance itself was in tatters. The outlook of that particular experiment in geopolitics was bleak.

Nell could not help but be troubled by that thought as she was driven through the subterranean tunnels beneath the capital city. There was little room left to hope that the alliance might recover. There was simply too much bad blood between Orange Star and Blue Moon for any kind of truce to last, much as Nell might have wished otherwise. As for Yellow Comet, they continued to refuse anything more than routine contact, apparently determined not to offend any of their former allies. Any chance they might reverse course seemed remote. That just left Green Earth, where despite the informal agreement Nell had reached with Eagle, there was still no consensus between their two countries on how best to move forward. Anything more than a mutual recognition of the threat Black Hole posed was by no means guaranteed. Nell looked ahead down the tunnel, where they were approaching a security checkpoint, and felt a flicker of anticipation. If all went well, today's conference would prove an important step towards reaching an official agreement with Green Earth. It was an opportunity they could not afford to squander; with multiple foes threatening to invade, Orange Star could not risk standing alone. The stakes could scarcely have been any higher.

The driver slowed as they approached the checkpoint. A cursory check of Nell's ID followed, and the vehicle was allowed through. She had arrived. Nell disembarked and walked towards a reinforced door, the surrounding area guarded both by military personnel and well dressed agents in suits. The guards gave a respectful nod and opened the door for her, allowing Nell to continue along a plain corridor that led deeper into the underground base. The facility was the nerve centre for all of Orange Star's top level operations, connected to key government and military buildings on the surface by the network of tunnels. It was nothing less than the single most secure location in the entire city. Access was possible only at heavily fortified entry points, and multiple layers of security measures ensured there would be no unwanted intruders.

Nell continued walking through the spartan corridors, passing by several briefing rooms and operations centres. Soon she came to an open area, where another set of guards stood around the perimeter. A pair of large, curved desks dominated the middle of the space, manned by personnel whose job it was to coordinate activity across the entire facility. Doors lined the walls, leading to everything from mission control facilities to living quarters. As Nell stepped into the hall, every person present stopped what they were doing and stood at attention.

"At ease, everyone," Nell advised them, a slight smile showing on her face as she approached one of the desks. "Are they ready?" She asked the soldier behind the desk.

"Yes, ma'am. Everyone else has already arrived."

"Very good," Nell said with a nod. "As you were."

She continued across the hall towards a large pair of double doors, and with a short breath stepped through.

What lay beyond was known simply as the War Room. The heart of the entire facility, it was a long, streamlined space filled with the most advanced command and control systems available. Most of the room was taken up by a gleaming metal conference table, capable of seating up to two dozen. The side walls meanwhile were lined with a vast array of computer stations, most of which were currently operated by a combination of military and civilian personnel, and above them a second row of monitors displayed incoming information and intelligence from around the globe. One section included a huge map of the world, every detail rendered in crystal clarity on the digital display. At the opposite end of the room, a massive flat screen built into the far wall remained dark.

Nell walked over to the conference table, where several seats were already filled. At the head of the table President Hale could not keep from adjusting his scarlet tie, and to his left sat a number of senior government figures. The chair immediately to Hale's right had been left empty in anticipation of Nell's arrival, and on its other side was Sami, waiting in silence with a stony expression on her face. The President gave Nell a nod of greeting as she took her seat at the table, but no one said a word. The silence was striking. Nell had only just arrived, but already she could perceive how the room was tense with anticipation. That was hardly a surprise, she reflected. Waiting with only subtle beeps, quiet chatter, and the hum of the closed air systems, everyone present had time to think over the events of recent weeks. In the War Room they were surrounded by reminders of the challenges that were to come, and how unprepared they were to face them.

Nell found her thoughts drifting back to the mystery of Black Hole as she waited for the meeting to begin. Any attempts to follow up on her interview with Von Bolt had only reminded her how much they still did not know. Even after three wars, much about their enemy's very existence remained unclear. To Orange Star, it was as if they had simply sprung into existence one day, ready to wage a campaign of conquest against the entire world. The reality was more complex, of course. Much time and effort had been spent analysing how a combination of intermediaries, disinformation, and false flag operations had triggered the multifaceted conflicts of the First Great War. It was obvious that the plot to destabilise the continent had been planned well in advance, but any efforts to trace Black Hole's activity had yielded few results. Sturm had covered his tracks well. The most promising lead of all – the relationship between Blue Moon and Black Hole – had proven especially useless. Even after Blue Moon had joined the Allied Nations, Sturm's patronage of Olaf during the first war had remained a sensitive subject. Officially, Blue Moon denied that it had ever cooperated with Black Hole, and any evidence to the contrary had been quietly buried. Even before the current crisis, their erstwhile ally had been no help in unravelling the mystery.

The consequence was that now there were no answers, right when Orange Star needed them most. They could not even say to what extent Black Hole was truly a nation, not with any certainty. Most assessments compared them to a militia group or a private army, but whatever the theory, there was no proof. All they had to go on was guesswork and supposition, based on the gaps in their knowledge rather than the evidence. As such it was difficult to even speculate what was behind this new offensive. For her part, Nell increasingly suspected that the answers lay in the events of the Second Great War. Perhaps even buried with Sturm himself. It was a disquieting thought in more ways than one.

Nell set the notion aside with a flicker of mild frustration. She had spent more than enough time mulling that particular problem already; there was nothing new to realise, at least not here, and not now. Instead she let her eyes roam around the War Room, her attention settling on the world map opposite. Small pinpricks of light in various colours signified the deployment of troops across the globe, from Omega Land to Brown Nebula, where an Allied Nations peacekeeping force occupied the ancestral capital of the fractured nation, and even Cosmo Land itself. By far the greatest concentration of lights was along the border between Orange Star and Blue Moon, where the map was lit up by uneven lines of bright blue and shining red.

It was an alarming reminder of the peril they found themselves in.

Ever since the President had refused to hand over the Turtle Islands, Blue Moon had stepped up its preparations to attack. Their so-called exercises had taken on a new urgency and scale, and Orange Star had responded in kind. They didn't have any other choice. As far as Nell could see, this was no mere game of brinksmanship. Olaf was fixated on attacking, that much was clear. War was inevitable. All that remained was for the first shot to be fired.

There was a sudden movement as President Hale lifted a briefcase onto the table and clicked open the latches. Both Nell and Sami watched as he thumbed through the case's contents, their attention drawn by the disturbance. Eventually the President found what he was looking for and lifted out a folder bearing the seal of the Orange Star Intelligence Agency.

Hale placed the file on the gleaming table with a curt nod. "I thought this might be of some interest to the two of you."

Nell swivelled the file around and took note of the title: Current Blue Moon Strategic Outlook. It was dated that morning.

"What is it, sir?" Sami asked.

"That, Commander Sami, is a report that was handed to me three hours ago. It sums up the opinion of this country's best analysts on the Blue Moon crisis."

"There are some answers in this?" Nell queried.

Hale offered her a rueful smile. "Answers are in short supply these days. However, there's some very solid conjecture in there, which is the next best thing."

Nell turned to the report's summary page and started reading. Almost immediately her delicate brow pinched and she looked sharply to the President. "Is this accurate?"

"We believe so, yes," he said.

"This is suggesting that Blue Moon is headed for a total collapse," Nell said, visibly shaken by the idea.

In the blink of an eye Sami's rigid façade fell, replaced by a look of complete shock. "What? How is that possible?"

Hale clasped his fingers together. "Well, I'm sure you know that Blue Moon has its fair share of problems. Their centralisation of power has led to widespread corruption and inequality, their economy is stagnant and they've been dealing with shortages of basic goods and falling living standards for some time."

"With all due respect, sir…" Sami shook her head. "We've heard talk like that before. Four years ago everyone thought Blue Moon was in decline, and that was why they were willing to work with us. They said that right up until Olaf's army crossed the border. How is this any different?"

"The answer is simple," Hale replied. "We suspect the rot has gone into overdrive following the damage done during the Second Great War. The rebuilding costs, rampant corruption, and continued increases in military spending have sent the whole system into a death spiral. Barring massive restructuring, we predict a complete collapse of their economy within three years."

Nell leant back, stunned. She was well aware that Blue Moon had its dysfunctional elements, but her understanding had been that they simply weren't that significant. Certainly not significant enough to affect the outcome of a war. That this report suggested otherwise was confronting to say the least, even if it was only speculation.

"Then why try to start a war?" Sami asked, eyes hard as flint. "How could they possibly afford one?"

Suddenly the troop movements made sense to Nell. "They're aiming to conquer parts of our heartland," she realised. "That's why they've put so much emphasis on the central border – to strike at the plains south of the Alara Range. If Olaf could take over even a portion of our industrial centre, he might think he could use it to prop up Blue Moon."

Hale gave her another sad smile. "Keep reading, Nell. It gets worse."

Nell looked further through the summary, past the paragraphs dealing with Blue Moon's economic troubles, until she came to an analysis of their military capability. "The country was already struggling to keep up with Orange Star's advances in technology before the great wars," she read. "It's believed that only Sturm's aid put them on an equal footing during Olaf's invasion."

Sami couldn't help but snort at that.

"Following the losses sustained during the great wars…" Nell continued, pausing as she tried to digest what she was seeing. "The gap in strength between us is wider than it's been for two decades. Based on current trends, Orange Star will be twice as powerful as Blue Moon within five years."

"Which means that if they are going to attack, it's now or never," Sami surmised, shaking her head in disbelief. "It would still be incredibly risky for Blue Moon to go to war. They're likely to come away much worse than if they did nothing. Surely Olaf can see that. He's a lot of things, but he's not stupid."

Nell considered that. "Who's to say they're seeing things clearly? If things are this bad, Blue Moon might be desperate enough to try anything. Or perhaps their government is in complete denial." Something clicked into place as she spoke. "And Olaf might not be stupid, but we all know his temper can get the better of him. So by the time you factor in the Lash situation…"

"He might not need much convincing," Sami finished.

Nell smiled a little. "Exactly."

A look of disgust rippled across Sami's face like a shiver. "Damn."

"Damn indeed, Commander Sami," the President said. "And damn Black Hole, for that matter."

Sami looked puzzled. "Sir?"

Hale chuckled to himself. "It all comes back to Black Hole in the end, doesn't it? They've shattered the balance of power that existed for thirty years. Four great powers, all more or less equal since the Cataclysm, all able to keep each other in check. Everything safe and familiar, everything we thought we knew… it's all gone out the window, and we're still waiting to see how the pieces will fall."

"It could be much worse," Nell observed. "Orange Star sustained relatively light damage in the Second Great War. That puts us in a much better position than anyone else."

"Maybe that's why Black Hole's targeting us," Sami said. "We're the biggest threat."

All three of them fell quiet. Sami's statement had been little more than idle speculation, but there was a certain logic to it. There were worse explanations for why, as of yet, no other nation had been attacked by their mysterious enemy.

A series of sharp electronic sounds rang out through the room. At one of the side stations, a technician turned to face the head of the table.

"Mr. President, sir, the first transmission's coming in," he reported.

Hale gave a single nod. "Secure all incoming signals and put it through."

Nell took a deep breath to compose herself, setting any lingering thoughts aside. At the far end of the room, the main screen switched to a video feed. The picture coming through showed a severe woman with a bob of iron grey hair and sagging jowls, seated at an ornate desk and flanked by four men in suits. She was the head of the Green Earth government and the men, Nell assumed, were either top aides or cabinet ministers.

"Madam Chancellor," Hale greeted her. "It's good to see you."

"Mr. President." The Chancellor's voice was strong and rigid like her bearing.

Other signals began to come through in a series of beeps and pings, rerouted to the large monitors along the side of the War Room. One screen showed Max and Rachel standing in front of the rough canvas of a military tent. Another brought an image of Andy out in the open, the imposing silhouette of the Alara Range rising in the background behind him.

This was far more than a meeting of Orange Star's commanders, however. A third screen showed Eagle on the bridge of his flagship. On a fourth monitor was Drake, offering a wide smile as a greeting to the conference. Standing beside him was a tall woman in a heavy green suit, her bright red hair cropped short in a pixie cut. One hand rested on her hip, and her expression was confident and determined.

"Well then," Hale said, "it looks like we're all here. Shall we get started?"

"Indeed," the Chancellor replied. "I believe we have much to discuss."

"We should begin with the most pressing matter," Eagle cut in. "Black Hole."

The Chancellor nodded. "I have reviewed your proposal, Commander Eagle. Do you agree with his suggested course of action, Commander Drake?"

"Aye, that I do," Drake answered. "Black Hole's made their intentions clear as a fine summer's day. They might be focused on Orange Star now, but they're never going to leave any of us in peace." He turned to the tall woman beside him. "What do you think, Jess?"

"Black Hole is like a weed," Jess said. "If we don't rip them out, they'll just keep growing, spreading, and coming back. The way I see it, this only ends when they're completely destroyed."

The Chancellor gave another nod. "I agree. It is clear to me that we are in a war for our survival. Black Hole must be stopped." She paused. "This latest resurgence has taken us all by surprise. Tell me, Mr. President, what is the nature of this new threat? Are we dealing with a remnant still loyal to Von Bolt, some sort of splinter faction, or something else?"

"Nell, I think you're best equipped to answer this one," Hale said.

"For the time being it remains something of an enigma," Nell hedged. "However, what clues we do have are all telling the same story. What's more, following the latest incident, we have an idea of who's behind this."

A thoughtful look came over Drake's face. "The woman named Flare. Your report said she spoke directly to Andy, didn't she?"

"But there was no recording of the conversation," Eagle added, a sharp edge to his voice. "And we all know that Andy is not the most reliable witness."

On his monitor Andy raised an eyebrow, taken aback. "Um, Eagle? I'm right here."

For the first time since the conference began Sami stirred to life, her eyes locking onto the image of Eagle's face.

"Don't be an idiot, Eagle," she snapped. "You can't have forgotten that Black Hole uses heavily encrypted signals. Trying to save data from them is nearly impossible."

"I don't forget anything, Sami," he responded, eyes narrowing.

A wry twist appeared on Sami's lips. "Really? You could have fooled me."

Nell felt a flash of unease. She didn't know the intimate particulars of what had transpired between Eagle and Sami, but she had observed enough over the past few years to make an educated guess. As Commander-in-Chief it was an unofficial part of her job to know what was going on in the lives of her COs. Sami was private at the best of times, but ever since that meeting with Eagle in the capital… well, some mysteries were easier to decipher than others. Nell felt a brief moment of despair as she considered the implications. The last thing they needed was discord of any kind between their two countries. Already Eagle had crossed his arms and was glowering at the camera, while Sami made no attempt to disguise her look of utter contempt.

Nell cleared her throat. She needed to defuse this tension before it could become a point of conflict.

"Andy has my complete confidence," she said in a firm voice. "Without him, the world would be a very different place. Besides, everything he reported to me about Flare fits with the picture that's forming."

Drake nodded in understanding. He at least seemed to recognise the need for cooperation, which was hardly surprising. Word had spread even to other countries of his reputation as a peacemaker between Green Earth's COs.

"How much do we know about this Flare, Nell?" Drake asked, perfectly calm.

"Very little, I'm afraid." Nell turned to the next screen. "Andy, why don't you tell us again what Flare had to say?"

Andy shrugged. "Sure, if you want. She didn't say much, though. Just that something was coming and it had to be this way. She said I was at the centre of it all for some reason. It didn't really make sense." He frowned. "It was strange. Flare almost seemed sad about fighting, and she said we hadn't left her any choice."

Eagle let out a short bark of laughter. "Trust a Black Hole commander to make such pitiful excuses."

"That can't be all there is to it," Rachel said, pursing her lips. "Andy, did Flare say anything else?"

Andy scratched at the back of his head. "I don't think… oh! There was one other thing. She said I beat her predecessor."

The Chancellor stirred at that. "I take it this woman was referring to Von Bolt?"

"Nah," Max replied. "Andy wasn't in Omega Land during the last war, so she can't have been talking 'bout that waste of skin, or any of the Bolt Guard for that matter."

"Max is right," Nell said. "All the evidence is telling us that this new threat has nothing to do with the Omega War. The units we've observed match those from the second war, and we know both Flak and Adder are a part of this. As for Flare…" she paused. "I believe we've gotten a look at Black Hole's new leader, and the predecessor she mentioned was Sturm. If you'll recall, it was Andy who took point during the final battle of the First Great War. He was directly responsible for Sturm's defeat there."

"Then what exactly are we dealing with?" The Chancellor asked.

"As I said, it remains a mystery for the moment," Nell replied. "My best guess is that this army was originally some sort of reserve force created by Sturm during the conflict in Macro Land. He probably planned to make use of it himself."

"But what's the connection between Sturm and Flare?" Jess asked. "Is she acting out of loyalty to him, or is she just another opportunist like Von Bolt?"

Nell forced a smile. "This is all guesswork, Jess. Either possibility could be the case, or neither. For all we know, Flare is Sturm's daughter."

"But this Flare is human," one of men standing beside the Chancellor interrupted, prompting an irritated glare from his superior. "And Sturm was…"

"An alien?" Hale finished with a wry chuckle. "Please. That's just tabloid gossip. It makes for a dramatic headline, but there's never been any proof of the theory."

"But – their weapons. Their troops–" the man continued, before the Chancellor raised a hand to cut him off.

"Black Hole's responsible for some incredible feats of science, no doubt about it," Rachel said. "But they've never really been any more powerful than we are. Don't you think an actual army from outer space would be more… sophisticated?"

"That's certainly my understanding, Commander Rachel," Hale agreed. "I've always been advised that Black Hole's distinctive equipment is a product of peculiar necessity and twisted genius, nothing more. We probably could have come up with similar tech if we really put our minds to it, but there's never been any need to do so. It simply isn't practical."

There was an air of finality about the way President Hale spoke that told everyone this particular line of conversation was not going to go any further. Judging by the way Green Earth's Chancellor was eyeing her talkative colleague, she shared the President's feelings. At least they could agree on that, Nell reflected.

After a moment's quick thought Nell straightened her posture and prepared to address the group. It was time to get the meeting back on track.

"No one's denying that there are still a great many unanswered questions," she said, "but one thing is clear: Black Hole is back. And after the last three wars, I think it's equally clear that they need to be found and finished, for good this time."

"Finding them might be the difficult part," Drake said, rubbing his round chin. "I've been trying to trace the movements of Flak's landing fleet, but I haven't seen much success. A good few of those ships seem to have come from the open ocean to the west, and some I've tracked to ports in Brown Nebula, but most of them simply appear out of nowhere."

"What?" Rachel exclaimed. "How is that possible? How could anyone hide an entire fleet in this day and age?"

"Invisible boats," Andy said eagerly.

A smattering of laughter went through the room. Sami rolled her eyes, while Nell allowed herself a bemused smile. They could all use a little levity right about now, though she doubted that had been Andy's intent.

Jess was one of the few who kept a straight face as the laughter died down, waiting for a chance to speak. "Black Hole's always had a talent for concealing their movements. I think we should be more focused on where this new army came from in the first place. If we can determine that, hopefully we can take out their means of production and end this quickly, or at least get a better idea of what we're dealing with."

Drake nodded. "You'll agree that should be our top priority then, Nell?"

"It should be," Nell said in a quiet voice, "but it isn't. Unfortunately, for now Orange Star's focus is elsewhere."

The mood of the conference darkened as everyone present realised exactly what Nell was referring to.

"The situation with Blue Moon," the Chancellor said, giving voice to what they were all thinking. "Is there no way to avert war?"

"We don't believe so," Hale replied.

"Not even if you handed over the prisoner?"

Nell's heart sank. She'd been afraid of this, the conditions that Green Earth might impose in order to guarantee further cooperation and maintain their alliance. It was all well and good for her and Eagle to agree what was right, but without the support of their governments it meant nothing.

The truth was that Orange Star needed this alliance. Their position was precarious. Nell was confident that they could win a war with Blue Moon, costly though it might be. Black Hole, on the other hand… their strength was far more difficult to judge. Orange Star had always managed to defeat them in the past, but not without great hardship and sacrifice, and they had never done so alone. Fighting two foes at once was perhaps more than they could handle. They needed allies, that much was painfully clear. The only thing left to determine was whether or not they could afford to deny Green Earth anything.

Hale seemed to be thinking along similar lines, judging by the stern look that deepened the lines on his brow. "I believe Lash is just the flashpoint here. This has gone too far for her life to make any difference."

The Chancellor hesitated before answering. "If there is even the slightest chance to avert a war…"

"You'd sacrifice her?" Rachel asked in an accusing tone.

"Hardly a sacrifice," Eagle muttered.

Hale's composure finally broke, and he could not suppress a scowl. "Madam Chancellor, let's not play this game. Let's be honest with each other. I'm sure your sources are saying the same things as mine: Blue Moon is in rough shape, and getting worse. Starting a war is a desperate play by hardliners out of touch with reality. At this point, nothing we can say or do will change Olaf's mind."

"Very well, Mr. President. I will be frank with you." The Chancellor paused and tapped her desk several times. "Green Earth has suffered badly. We are stable, and we will rebuild, but it will take us decades to recover from the damage Hawke wrought. We barely have the capability left to fight in a conflict abroad. Green Earth is no longer a great power."

There was silence as everyone in the meeting let that statement sink in. It was a truth they had all known, even if it was one that hadn't been articulated until now. The exact extent of the damage might have been unclear, but it was plain to see how badly Green Earth had been ravaged during the Second Great War. While Flak had launched foolish, easily curbed offensives, and Lash had dithered and switched objectives on a whim, Hawke had wasted no time in brutalising Green Earth's military and bringing half the country under his control. The scope of the devastation had been obvious long before the war ended, even before the tide had turned and Green Earth had begun to push back. None of which made it any less of a shock to hear the facts stated in such blunt terms.

Once again Nell found herself reflecting on her interview with Von Bolt, and the vile old man's appraisal of Hawke. During the second war, Hawke had been responsible for more destruction than anyone else in the last thirty years, all in pursuit of his own ends. And yet he had been willing to relinquish command and serve under Von Bolt. Why? It was another question Nell had found she could not answer, no matter how hard she tried. Every report on Hawke agreed that he was only concerned with his own power. Almost every report, Nell corrected herself. There had been one person who seemed to think that Hawke could be trusted.

"The question remains: how do we proceed from here?" Hale asked at last.

The Chancellor's expression gave nothing away, her lips pressed firmly together. "Black Hole poses an existential threat to us all. Our commanders are right. They must be destroyed, no matter what."

"Then we need to reaffirm our alliance," Nell pressed, as gently as she could.

A distant light came into the Chancellor's eyes, and she looked away. For a long moment there was only silence, before at last she shuddered and looked up. "Our two countries share the same ideals. The same commitment to democracy. If one nation is going to eclipse the others, we would rather it be Orange Star than Blue Moon, or even an imperial power like Yellow Comet." She paused for several seconds. "I am prepared to commit to a full alliance, and you will have all the help we can give."

Nell noted the Chancellor's exact words, and the hint of sadness in Drake's big brown eyes. "And precisely how much help is that?" She asked.

"Any diplomatic support Green Earth can give is yours," the Chancellor began.

"And what about military aid?" Max cut in. "How many troops are you gonna send us?"

Nell fought back the urge to wince. Beside her Sami was less successful at holding back one of her own. Tact was not Max's strongest quality, even if the question did need to be asked.

They were fortunate that the Chancellor did not seem to take offence. Her face was set in a look of grim resolve as she answered. "As of this moment, Commander Eagle and his independent battalion are assigned to combat duties in Orange Star. I am placing him under your command, Nell; use him wisely. I have only one condition."

"Name it," Hale said.

"Keep Green Earth as far away from a war with Blue Moon as possible. If conflict between us can be avoided, I must make every effort to do so."

Max had crossed his muscular arms, and even on the screen it was plain to see how unimpressed he was with this turn of events. He would never have even considered holding back aid from someone he had pledged to help; loyalty had always been one of the traits Max valued most. Nell knew this proposal must have seemed like something of a halfhearted gesture to him.

Nell herself did not consider it to be anything of the sort. Green Earth's military had its own numerous duties to attend to, and by the sound of it, they were already stretched thin. What they were offering was no small commitment. It was a compromise, but then such choices often were; with finite resources there were always hard decisions to be made. Nell knew that only too well. Her own post as Commander-in-Chief of the Orange Star Armed Forces did not always allow her the luxury of staying true to her ideals, much as she strove to do so. Sometimes, one's personal beliefs had to be compromised to do what was right for one's country. As such, Nell was fully aware that the Chancellor had to do what she thought was best for Green Earth. Whether or not the choice was correct was a matter for history to judge.

"We have an agreement, then," Hale said. "There are still plenty of details to work out, but as a starting point… I believe the terms of the Allied Nations Charter would be appropriate?"

"Yes," the Chancellor gave a solemn nod. "Yes, I believe they would."

"Very well," Hale agreed. "We'll be in touch. Orange Star thanks you for your support."

"And Green Earth for yours. Until next time, Mr. President."

"Until next time, Madam Chancellor." Hale's eyes moved over each of the various screens. "Commanders, thank you for your input. It's much appreciated."

The President's words brought a rush of smiles and nods from the assembled COs, though none could compare to the wide grin on Andy's face. Even Eagle, who had been glowering ever since his exchange with Sami, offered a respectful tilt of his head. Meanwhile the Chancellor signalled one of her aides, and the main connection was terminated, replaced by a static display. Hale nodded to the War Room's technicians to do the same, and one by one the signals dropped away until they were alone again.

The President clapped his hands together. "I think that went rather well."

"Agreed, sir," Nell said, and she meant it. "We couldn't have asked for more."

Hale leant in closer towards her. "Will it be enough?" He asked quietly.

"It's impossible to say." Nell hesitated. "If nothing else, it's a promising start."

"That's true." Hale stood. "Hopefully we can build on this momentum, and start building a wider coalition to fight Black Hole."

With a nod Nell acknowledged that. It was perhaps an optimistic view of the future, but at that moment, it felt well earned. Nell found herself overcome by a rising wave of elation, mixed with relief. She hadn't expected the conference would have such a positive outcome. In truth, she hadn't dared expect it. For months now Orange Star had seen itself become increasingly isolated. Even after Eagle's battalion had come to Sami's rescue, it had seemed as though international cooperation was a thing of the past. The danger of standing alone had been very much real, and it was accordingly no small victory to secure the alliance they needed. Perhaps more than anything, it was a reminder that not all they had fought so hard for during the past three years was lost. Not all the partnerships they had forged were gone; there was still some strength and unity in the face of the Black Hole threat.

There was still hope.