The journey through the planet’s atmosphere had been mostly uneventful, almost disappointingly so. Erebus’s blood had pounded, adrenaline flooding his body and the smell of excitement flooding his nostrils. He had yearned to join the battle, earning glory. But there were other considerations. Firstly, if they had tried to engage they would trade away their one advantage, stealth. Even the Ministry of Tranquillity had drawn the line at giving them energy shields beyond those needed for protection against minor space debris, and the ship was only armed with a trio of point-defence lasers.