"Yes, there is that risk," Faris agrees. "And our star charts may be useless after such a move, making navigation difficult. It is not without its problems. The risks must be carefully measured."

He has to admit that she has a point. If the Valahgua came to the Shontine and K'da and asked for peace, he imagines that his own peoples would dismiss the possibility outright for similar reasons. Especially with the Death still in the hands of their enemy. "Trust is a fragile thing, woven with the delicate threads of hope. It does not take a sharp claw to break it."