Ashes of Victory

2000

The Manticoran Alliance is being rocked by the most successful Peep action of the war to date as Esther McQueen's rebuilding of the Peep Navy begins to show its teeth. Basically, Manticore and it's allies could do with a moral boost. Grayson was even beginning to mutter about withdrawing from the Alliance...

The Alliance has done its best to honour the memory of Honor Harrington who had been murdered by the Peeps a couple of T-years before. But an empty tomb and a couple of ship classes can't really counter the effects of a successful Peep assault.

So it's with amazement, nay, stunned incredulity, that the Alliance learns that 'The Salamander' has done it again! But the effects of Honor's survival go far beyond the jolt she gives to the naval forces. The evidence that she uncovered of the present Government's involvement in the demise of the previous regime caused reverberations deep inside the Peeps' heartlands.

Honor and Nimitz have suffered severe damage at the hands of the Peeps and as they go about getting themselves fixed up, the Alliance's long prepared counter offensive is launched with devastating effect against the heart of the People's Republic of Haven.

Even more devastating though are the long hidden abilities of the Treecats. Long derided as 'mere pets' their abilities are found to be greater than 'many Manticoran teenagers' :-)

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