Bakuzo paced the bridge, trying to remember whether everything has been taken care of. Supplies barges were loaded with stuff seized from colonies razed on Toimoz's orders, destroyers patched up with brand new metal sheets from Toimoz yards, fighters scrapped or loaded into carriers. Fleet was approaching the breach point to Osozioz.

Suddenly, the authority screen went red. "We lost the link to the King, sah!" - comms officer sounded off. Bakuzo's personal messenger lit up with 3 unread mails.

"Your citizenship has been revoked. You are now requested to immediately breach to Osozioz and relinquish all Anviletan equipment, then submit to processing", preceded by Anviletan Autoking stamp, succeeded by several paragraphs of legal boilerplate.

Bakuzo already knew what were the other two mails, renumeration for his Anviletan property and insurance payout. Bakuzo flicked off the messenger.

"What the hell is going on, sah?" - asked XO.
"We have been dismissed from Anviletan navy. Non-punitively. I have forwarded the mail. I'm not sure what's going on, but you know what happens now. As for reasons, I'm not one to say. Rezo, could you please?"

Rezo, the ship's lawyer, glanced from dis private screen. "This is probably about this Toimoz favor. Or could be working with them to test us. Hard to say. Only thing I'm certain of, everybody wanted a rogue fleet at this location. They could've let us breach to Osozioz first and apprehend there."

"So, everybody who returns will suffer severe scrutiny, probably penal colonies. Don't even think about Navy again. Anybody who stays with the fleet, citizenship revoked. But they can't stick you with equipment theft, they legally abandoned it by severing the link here."

"I am hereby claiming this salvage" - said Bakuzo. "Vote to join my corp or leave"

One by one, most of the crew voted yea and returned to their stations. The defectors packed into the escape pod. Bakuzo was relieved to see Rezo stay.

"Rezo, make a contract and broadcast it to the team. Vigiro, open a fleet channel."

"This is your admiral speaking. Here is my signature code:" - Bakuzo activated the signer and typed the code. "We have been dismissed from the Navy and are now onboard salvaged crafts in free space. I have established a corp. Captains are free to join me, whoever does not want to join, can take what they can and leave."

Bakuzo opened a scanner window and bitterly watched the painstakingly maintained Anviletan battle order to break apart. Many frigates, supply barges, and even one siege boat have turned back to Toimoz border controls, escape pods gathered near breach point and deployed an emergency beacon, waiting for Anviletan shuttle.

"All decided, sah" - said Rezo. "Corp control is yours". The authority screen lit up again, with placeholder logo saying "Bakuzo corporation".

"Where are we going, sah?" - asked XO. "Back to work for Toimoz?"

"Toimoz, hah!" - scowled Bakuzo. "Freeholds hate attachment. They will not want to see us again for several years. Plot course around them to Monzoz. We are going black". And, after hesitating a bit, de opened a fleet channel again and said: "One more thing. Thank you."

The fleet rearranged in ragged-looking resemblance of a battle order and moved along the Toimoz battle stations. The mass driver barrels followed the fleet silently.