For she had a tongue with a tang, Would cry to a sailor, 'Go hang!' She loved not the savour of tar nor of pitch, Yet a tailor might scratch her where'er she did itch. Then to sea, boys, and let her go hang!

Hazel Kirk had been fashioned out of ingredients that had long proven audience proof — a projected marriage […]

Cruel wars pervade history.

The dreadnought is the ultimate arbiter of space warfare; millions of tons of metal, ceramic, and polymer dedicated to the projection of firepower against an enemy vessel of like ability. No sane commander would face a dreadnought with anything less than another dreadnought.