The six enormous Massassi stood outside Rin's chamber, glaives in hand, armor gleaming. They saluted with their weapons as Tariun passed through their midst, waving open the door and stepping inside. Rin stood across the small parlor she had set up for herself, leaning on a holoprojector that showed the Empire. At first Tariun thought she was studying the same tactical map they had just left behind in the war room, but as he watched, it reset itself. The golden glow of all sixty-three of the Empire's initial systems glimmered, expanding to pick up new systems in the Xoquon sector as the Tetrarchy's red appeared nearby. Then there was a small flash at the dot representing Hudrel, and the red began to blanket the gold again, retaking the Xoquon sector first, then steadily encroaching on the