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Corps Regiment plus the captains of the largest ships in the fleet.
    “Our tactical reconnaissance drones have avoided detection so far, but without boots on the ground, our information is sketchy at best,” explained Captain Hart.
    “Captain, thank you,” stated Admiral Anderson, the commander of the station.
    He looked toward the virtual presence to his right of General Rivers, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. He was the highest-ranking military officer by law in the Alliance. His word carried the weight of the President and of the Alliance’s civilian authority.
    “So, with this limited intelligence, we have been called on to assist in organizing a task force. To do what, exactly? Can you apprise us of the situation on Terra Nova?”
    The time delay from the Admiral Jarvis Naval Station through T’Kari space and then to Terra Nova took considerable time. The signal was collected and repeated at Rift Spacebridges in T’Kari space, Prometheus space in Proxima Centauri, and finally Alpha Centauri, the home star system of the capital of the Alliance. A counter ran next to the video display, and it ran down as they waited for the General. While waiting, Admiral Anderson looked at the others.
    “Since the start of the rebellion on Helios it has spread. The Khreenk Federation has offered assistance and to mediate a peace settlement. At the same time, T’Kari scouts report similar uprisings on many of the Helion’s other worlds.”
    “Other worlds?” asked Captain Alyani Tinychai, commander of ANS Serenity.
    Anderson pointed to Captain Hart who brought up an image of the Helios System on the projector unit.
    “Helios is just one star and one planet. They use the term interchangeably. Just as we do though, they have many moons and dozens of other stars and worlds. They have been cagey at telling us everything, but so far we have already charted three more stars, each with inhabited worlds. All of them within six light years of Helios.”
    Captain Tinychai seemed intrigued at this information.
    “So the rumors of the Helions commanding a large empire were true, after all?”
    Anderson shrugged. Captain Jose Pezal pointed at the Rift on the edge of Helion space. It was marked as the exchange point between Helion space and the Khreenk Federation.
    “Admiral, where do we stand with the other empires, then?”
    Before he could answer, the counter ran to zero, and a fuzzy image of the General appeared, correcting itself as more data arrived.
    “Admiral Anderson, thank you for arranging this important meeting. There is urgent news from our new ambassador on Helios, as well as from our other contacts throughout the Orion Nebula.”
    He paused while a clerk handed him something.
    “As you are all aware, we have been collating data on these new regions of space. There are planets, races, and factions we had no idea even existed. Our big concern is this prophecy that the Helions keep referring to. We have analyzed all records we have access to, and it is clear they are convinced the Enemy will return to Helios for vengeance.”
    Admiral Anderson nodded as if he were in a discussion with the General.
    “Now, this prophecy is a common theme with each of the races, and there are even hints on Hyperion in our own territory. Normally, we would ignore this, but there is one thing they all have in common. It is this.”
    His face moved to the side and was replaced by what looked like a common comet.
    “This is C34A, a well known comet apparently amongst the races close to the Helions. It was last present during the defeat of the Biomechs and their incarceration on their own worlds. As you know, the Black Rift is the only fast route to cover the thousands of light years to their domain.”
    The image returned to General Rivers.
    “This comet is on its way back, and according to the Khreenk, the Helions, and all the rest, will signal the start of the next war.”
    One of the younger officers muttered something and was quickly