In this chapter, we learn that the ship's crew is made up of female pirates, and that they are using the ship as a launching pad for an attack on the Empire. The ship is being attacked by a group of yellow-bellied cowards, who are trying to play the war game. The fleet must move immediately to protect the ship from the attack, and the men in charge of the ship must be careful not to say anything that might cause the ship to be attacked. The men in command must also remember that the cannons on the ship are capable of projecting "baryonic matter" into the ship, which can be used to destroy the ship.