"They're known throughout five systems, now, these rare

baguettes of Earth—unutterably blue

as that sad legend's skies, the shattered hue

of starlight failing. Diamonds everywhere

lose fire beside them; kings & trophy brides

alike demand them. What more need be said?

Choose profit. Or choose principle, instead,

but understand those rumors were denied

by almost every government concerned."

That's when the outworld trader turned away,

his features pale … & flaming in his mind

the holocaust those strange ships left behind:

whole nations razed to carbon in a day,

his lover's last blue gaze before she burned.