Banner of the Stars

The Abh Empire launches Operation Phantom Flame, the reorganization of its Star Forces in order to go back into battle. Admiral Spoor, "The Lady of Chaos", leads the 1st Abh Fleet in the first strike. Her target: a United Mankind mobile command fortress above the planet Aptic III. Spoor's forces obliterate the fortress. Bored with the easy win, Spoor ignores the president of Aptic III's challenges that his people will keep fighting. The shocked president soon learns, through Spoor, how all Abhs are not alike. Meanwhile, Admiral Kenesh, the chief of staff of Operation Phatom Flame, discusses the Abh strategy with his staff. Spoor will advance the 1st Fleet and capture the enemy's major gates, with the 3rd and 5th following as a supply line. The 2nd and 4th Fleets will move in a pincer movement around the 1st Fleet's path, sweeping up any enemies in their path. Above the planet Lulukess, Abh ships continue to assemble. Waiting for their orders, Jinto and his crewmates Samson and Ekuryua

Assigned to Battleship Squadron Latouche, Lafiel's assault ship Basroil patrols the conquered Aptic System. The forward push by Abh forces has gone so well that the Abh leaders worry that something's not right. Could a trap be set for them? Jinto and Lafiel discuss the odd situation of Hecto-Commander Atosuryua being the commander of their battalion. Three years ago, as chronicled in Crest of the Stars, Lafiel killed Atosuryua's older brother, the treacherous and insane Baron Febdash. Lafiel insists that Atosuryua is beyond making that an issue, but Jinto isn't so sure. Later, on the bridge, Ekuryua makes a case for letting Jinto's cat, Diaho, stay on the ship. Meanwhile the president of Aptic tries to work out a compromise in which the Ahb will demand his surrender, as he wants to put on a show of fake defiance for his voters. Atosuryua meets Jinto to talk about her father and brother. The conversation seems strained, but she tells Jinto to relay the message to Lafiel that she, Atosur

The Basroil destroys the first set of mines sent its way. The Abh assault ships aim to hunt down the enemy scouts one by one, like hungry predators. This sadly reminds Jinto and Lafiel of the fate of the Gosroth in CotS. They talk about their fear of the upcoming battle. The enemy shoots out more mines. The mines barely miss the Basroil, but they do enter and explode within the space-time bubble of the last ship in their squadron. Weighted down by the remains of the mines, it will have to stay out of the battle. Lafiel realizes she is no longer afraid, and she wonders if that's why Jinto joined the ship -- so he could calm her. They break into the enemy's space-time bubble just in time to see an ally's ship be destroyed. Lafiel fires at the enemy. The laser hits, but does little damage. Another Abh ship goes down. The enemy's cannons focus on the Basroil. They'll have to be quick to survive!

The Basroil is in spacedock being repaired, and the crew are stocking up on supplies. Dusanyu, with the new information he has received, decides that the main battle will be held in the area surrounding the Aptic Gate. He appoints Admiral Bebaus' fleet in charge of defending the region. But the Bebaus brothers come from a family known for ""Spectacular Insanity,"" and everyone wonders if this will spell their doom. Meanwhile, as Jinto and Ekuryua are having a rather personal discussion, Lafiel comes into the room at precisely the wrong time and sees something that makes her very angry. Will Jinto be able to save face? And what are the Bebaus brothers planning?

At Atosuryua's request, Jinto and Lafiel join her for a dinner in honor of her late brother, Klowal. In a break from the wartime activity, Jinto and Lafiel don formal attire and fly off to the ritzy dinner Atosuryua has arranged. Indeed, this is the closest they've had to a date, but it's going to be a strange one. The dinner proves to start awkwardly since Lafiel is responsible for Klowal's death, and she doesn't really regret it. Will Atosuryua and Lafiel come to a reconciliation?

While on patrol, the Basroil and another assault ship, the Seigroil, are hit by enemy mines. They wind up adrift, stranded in Plane Space, with no sensors and systems failing throughout both ships. They come up with a plan to transfer all the crew and usable materials from the Seigroil to the Basroil, but once they do, the Basroil crew learns that the Seigroil bridge crew is trapped and cannot escape. Now, alone in the dark, the Basroil can see some unidentified ships coming toward them. But are they friend or foe?

It's the night before the big battle and everyone is doing whatever they need to do. Admiral Bebaus plans his defense but is distressed to learn he cannot pillage a local planet for supplies -- it's just too much of a bother. Meanwhile, Samson decides he needs to get really drunk. And to his surprise, Sobaash joins him. They have a heart-to-heart talk. Jinto and Ekuryua, meanwhile, also have a heart-to-heart talk, disguised as a conversation about Diaho. Everyone is on edge as the battle draws near.

As they wait for the enemy fleet to arrive, Jinto and Lafiel discuss their lives and how they got to that point. Jinto confesses to being scared. To his surprise, Lafiel admits that she is as well. They talk about their plans for the future. Will Jinto ever go back to his home planet, Martine? Will Lafiel become an admiral? And what's next after that? Lafiel says she has plans to go through all of life's three stages: officer, merchant, and parent. Jinto is surprised she has thought so far ahead. Their conversation is interrupted by the arrival of the enemy fleet and the beginning of the battle.

The Abh fleet command tries to determine the true nature of the enemy's new weapon. Unfortunately, it has taken a heavy toll on their forces and victory is no longer assured. Admiral Spoor, meanwhile, is en route to join the main fleet at Aptic for the battle. The Basroil enters its first true battle, and the crew is not entirely prepared for what they see.

Lafiel is upset that they've been ordered to withdraw from the battle. She isn't used to losing or giving up. Her unit commander chastises her for questioning the chain of command. Fleet Commander Dusanyu arrives in the Aptic Region. He wonders if Lafiel and Jinto are OK. Meanwhile, on the Basroil, they're going into battle against enemy assault vessels. They seem to be doing well at first, as they manage to destroy a couple of enemy vessels. But then the Basroil is targeted. The enemy fires....

As the battle for Aptic boils around them, the damaged Basroil is given permission to withdraw from the field of battle. Unfortunately, though, the damage is worse than originally estimated. Frustrated and angry, Lafiel gives the order for all hands to abandon ship. On the main battlefield it appears that the enemy is trying to escape without engaging in further hostilities. Fleet Commander Dusanyu will have none of this. He orders an attack. Admiral Spoor proceeds with her plan to cut a wide path through the enemy, demoralizing them in the process. On the Basroil everyone has reached the escape vessels, except for Jinto. Lafiel goes to look for him. She finds him, but before they can return to the others, there's an explosion.

Jinto and Lafiel float through space in an emergency escape pod, waiting for rescue. The main fleet continues the battle, with Spoor's brutal advance having confused and disrupted the enemy forces. After the battle ends, Jinto and Lafiel are together aboard the naval base. As they make their way to see the new Basroil, they discuss the fate of Diaho, Jinto's cat. The new Basroil turns out to be exactly the same as the previous one. Unfortunately, since they have a new ship, they won't be going back into battle right away. With the crew on board and ready to go, the new Basroil launches.