War it is.

The task **** continued insystem at a steady but unhurried speed. Aboard the Persephone a series of orders issued from command left the Angels in no doubt that the colonists unilateral declaration of independance was going to be flatly rejected. Live ammunition was broken out of storage and distributed to the troopers and the drop pods and landing shuttles were fueled up and loaded with equipment. Light spacecraft raced ahead of the flotilla scanning the system and attempting to locate the handful of defence craft that had been based here. Messages had been sent to all of the smaller outposts on the outer moons. Five hours after the strange broadcast from the rebel colonists Joanna was summoned to a briefing in the command centre.

The Persephone's captain and her executive officer sat on one side of a mahogany desk. Joanna took her seat beside Lieutenant Kim South, the Angel's commanding officer on the opposite side of the desk. In the centre of the table a hologram of the system hovered, blinking lights of various colours denoted the ships of the task ****. Joanna saw that the fleets approach to the habitable planet passed close by one of the gas giants and four bright red dots on the moons orbitting indicated the position of mining settlements.

"I expect it will come as no surprise that the Admiral informed the colony that their actions were illegal." Captain Meera Singh said. A ripple of polite laughter came from the two other officers. "Their immediate surrender was requested and the answer is expected any moment."

The women exchanged glances. From the tone of the first broadcast, nobody in the task **** expected the rebels to give in without a fight.

"In the meantime signals have been sent to each of the smaller outposts with the intention of discovering where they stand in this insurrection." Captain Singh indicated the mining outposts on the hologram. "From these two we have received no reponse and we can't be certain if this means they are hostile or evacuated. From a third we were told the same drivel that we heard earlier."

Meera's pointer came to rest on the last of the red dots and the officer flashed the other women a broad smile.

A vidscreen on the wall lit up to show a woman wearing the overalls of the mining company which owned the outpost. A vivid bruise discoloured the side of the woman's face, but she looked happy and relieved despite her injury.

"Thank god you've got here." The woman said. "Those crazies ordered us to evacuate and sent a shuttle to take us off. We're loyal to earth here and don't take kindly to getting pushed round by religious fanatics. We had a bloody good brawl with the militia they sent to get us before we **** them back onto their shuttle. They shoved off planetside a few hours back. I lost a few of my girls in the firefight, but we took a couple of prisoners. If you can take these bitches off my hands I'd be obliged."

The shot panned to two militiawomen in handcuffs. Though both beaten and bloody faced they stared defiantly at the camara and one of them spat towards it. They were dressed in similar fashion to the officers Joanna had seen before, but with no table obscuring the view this time. Their uniform was a short asymetrical skirt and top. The tops Joanna was now familiar with, the skirt went diagonally from right hip to left knee leaving one leg bared. High boots and a gunbelts with empty holsters on their naked thigh completed the uniform. As before the two prisoners were tattooed and pierced.

"We received this around two hours ago." Captain Singh informed the meeting. "The Persephone has been ordered to collect these prisoners and interrogate them. Estimated time of arrival at the outpost is forty five minutes."

A red light blinked beside the vidscreen and the Admiral's face appeared.

"To all ships of the task ****." The Admiral said. "It is with regret that I must inform you that the colonists have rejected the demand to surrender and I am **** to declare a state of military rule in this system. Use of **** is authorised to restore legitimate control. We will continue on our course and initiate a landing, any opposition will be countered with lethal ****."

The Admirals face was replaced by the logo of earth's armed forces and stirring martial music. Joanna and the officers exchanged grim looks, civil war had just been declared.