<DIV>The <i>U.S. Merrimack</i> was the finest battleship in Earth's fleet, able to withstand the best the Palatine Empire could throw at them. Only her sister ship, the <i>Monitor</i>, was her equal. So when the Palatine forces secretly captured <i>Monitor</i></i>, <i>Merrimack</i>'s security was compromised-and that was just the opening salvo of a whole new stage of war between Palatine and Earth.<BR><BR></DIV>