Magus Realm, Neutral Zone
Fifth Region Command Center
Supreme Commander Voreth, the Iron Bastion Supreme, stood at the head of the projection table, both hands braced against its edge. The star map glowed beneath his palms, and most of it was red.
"Report."
Advisor Halden, a grizzled quartermaster-strategist with a voice like gravel, read from a crystal slate without looking up.
"The Sixth Fleet is gone, my lord. The Ninth is at thirty percent strength. Forty-three ships lost in three days. Eighty thousand dead, and that count is six hours old."
The names of the fallen scrolled along the edge of the map, each one marking another life lost to the advancing Scourge. Voreth had stopped reading them an hour ago. There were too many, and the list kept growing.
"The enemy?"
