I apologize for the delay in posting. Unfortunately real life sometimes gets in the way. If you have begun this story have patience gentle reader, I promise to finish it. With thanks again to Archer for his Beta, and to Harri Vane for her suggestions.

7-Glossary

Chao-shang tza-jiao duh tzang-huo [Animal-fucking bastard]

Kuan-Yin [Goddess of Mercy]

zhàngfu [husband]

bu gong dai tian [will not live under the same sky (with one’s enemy)]

nî hâo mêi xiâo mèimei [ you're so beautiful baby sister]

CHAPTER SEVEN—SUBDUE ALL THINGS

IN THE PRESENT

Zoe stood in the observation lounge of the Hercules watching Shadow’s dappled form, circled by her twin moons, blossom in the view port. The last time she had seen it, Shadow had been receding, growing smaller as the troop transport strained into the Black from her gravity well. She, Mal and many of the friends they had grown up with had watched their childhoods dwindle with her. After Hera, after the camp, she’d never expected to come home again. Maybe it wasn’t really a homecoming, Rhiade was gone and Mal wasn’t here. Maybe she was only visiting the grave of her youthful idealism, but it hurt a little, whatever it was. Silently calling herself all kinds of foolish, she intentionally shook off the melancholy mood and returned to her cramped berth to prepare for planetfall.

She had been on the Hercules for a week. The ship was a midsized passenger vessel with berths for 50 passengers. They didn’t have a full complement, a few family groups but mostly Alliance bureaucrats and unaccompanied military officers either coming from or going to a new posting, with a leavening of businessmen. It had been the best Mike and Rafe could do. Not really their kind of crew but they knew the second officer and it was the only thing headed Shadow’s way in a month.

She was the only unaccompanied woman and it had aroused some notice. She had consciously decided to wear the wedding ring in hope that it w