Rules of Engagement

Esmay Suiza, now reassigned to command track, is set for a tour on RSS's training planet. There she meets Lord Thornbuckle's daughter Brun, whose father is now the Chair of Council after the former king's abdication. Brun wants to take classes at the training facility; she has the vague idea of joining the military herself. Though Esmay and Brun might seem meant to be friends, Esmay's insecurities and Brun's insouciance clash – with dire results for both young women. Brun, headstrong and spoiled, takes off on her own and is captured by religious extremists; Esmay is blamed for Brun's fate and her career seemed headed for the cellar. But neither is a quitter, and in the end they both survive – scarred but wiser.