"British authorities have declared a state of emergency after rioters stormed the Lakiran embassy in London last night" the reporter said. "These attacks come in the wake of Queen Helena's announcement that her late mother, Victoria, may have instigated the nuclear war."

The television switched to a shaky view of people outside a granite building. The windows were knocked out. Men and women ran in and out the front. Some climbed through broken windows. Police were on the scene, driving people away from the building with a phalanx of riot shields.

"The embassy building was not the only target. Rioters set fire to the aid stations in downtown Cambridge and other local establishments. Firefighters were unable to get through the crowds."

Images showed burning remains of tents as rescue workers dug through the wreckage.

"Police are advising citizens to stay indoors, saying these attacks are only the beginning. Debates on Britain's continued involvement with the Lakiran empire are expected to renew, with many ministers now arguing that Britain should secede."

The images switched back to the newsroom. "Turmoil continues as people around the world demand that Helena reveal her sources implicating her mother's involvement, saying that she should subject herself to a mental scan. Many are saying that the Lakiran empire has no right to remain as head of the Global Coalition, with many countries threatening to withdraw. In India, people took to the streets, burning effigies of the Queen Victoria, claiming that her crimes against humanity are the worst this world has ever seen. Even the capital city of Porto—"

Victoria shut off the television. She was alone in the wardroom apart from Liat, who guarded the door. Occasionally, an officer entered. Seeing Victoria, they'd salute, look around as though they might have left something in there, and leave. Victoria didn't need her powers to sense their awkwardness. Despite her speech, nothing had gone back to normal. The soldiers didn't trust her. She'd considered wiping the talk from everyone's memory. It'd be simple. Call everyone back for another meeting, then hand-pick apart their memories, while scanning minds for any physical evidence onboard the ship she'd need to dispose of, but what was the point? She couldn't hide world news from them, and she wouldn't be aboard much longer.

Soon, the Venezia would pass over the South American grid. Thus would begin her operation. If all went well, she'd have her empire back come South American nightfall. As Helena, she could let Victoria take the rap for all past crimes. Only the people aboard this craft would know she was the same woman. They could not be allowed to remember that, but she would not forsake them. They'd be rewarded, even if they didn't remember why. And she could get on with fixing this damn empire.

Stolen story; please report.

"Your Majesty," said Liat. "The Captain."

Victoria looked up as Stephano entered the wardroom.

He saluted. "We've made our final course adjustments, Your Majesty. We'll be over the target location in five hours."

Victoria nodded. She already knew.

"Have you picked a landing spot?" he asked.

"I have." While Victoria dealt with all this announcement nonsense, she'd tasked Winnie with finding a landing spot for her, and Winnie had settled on an isolated outpost outside of Boa Vista, south of Porto Maná. Victoria had checked it over herself and was pleased. Winnie had done well.

"Then we should make final preparations." Stephano motioned for her to come. She followed. That crisp conversation had lacked any acknowledgement of Victoria's speech or its result, and he avoided her eyes. Was it that bad?

Soldiers throughout the ship carried on their duties. Before, they'd stare as she'd pass. Now she was invisible.

Up two floors, they reached the officer's deck. Relative privacy from the rest of the crew.

"I'd like to readdress your plan, Your Majesty."

"No."

"It's foolish to go alone. My men will follow your orders. I'd be more comfortable if even two of them were going."

"This is not an excursion that benefits from more people. I've already explained what Alexander has set up in the citadel's lower levels. If he believes we're closing in on him, he will allow it go off, hence why I will go alone. I can get close to him. A group cannot."

"Ma'am. The marines aboard this ship are trained for this exact sort of procedure."

"It's not a matter of their training, Captain. I'm going to be swapping bodies. Do your men want to swap bodies with me?"

"My men have discussed it. Would they get their bodies back?"

"There's no guarantee."

The walked further.

"Your exemplars then." Stephano motioned to Liat and Bishop, who walked paces behind them. "Bishop told me that's not his original body." He turned to Bishop. "You have no attachment to it do you?" To Victoria: "If you swapped your exemplars out for the marines on this ship, then the marines would be guaranteed to have their bodies safe once they returned to the ship. You could only take two men with you, but it would still make me feel a hell of a lot better."

"No, Captain. I will go alone."

"This is foolishness, ma'am."

"Your men don't trust me."

"That's nonsense."

"Is it?" Victoria stopped in the hall outside the bridge. "Look me in the eye and tell me your crew trusts me."

"No. They're afraid of you, but that's no reason to discard them. My men will follow orders. It would be a show of faith for you to—"

"Ma'am!" It was Bishop. He was looking down the corridor at a marine whose aura was all wrong. It shone with glaring anticipation. Already Bishop was putting himself between Victoria and that man.

"This is the officer's deck, Private," said Stephano. He wasn't aware yet. He didn't have a glyph card, or he would have seen the danger. Liat was pulling Victoria back when the marine made an underhand toss, throwing a grenade right to Victoria's feet.