Marshal Yseult Zhulev

The Zhulev marshalcy is not tied to a foundry. The Zhulevs keep the warning-drum tradition that older commanders, Bexley among them, still fire their volleys to. Yseult took the marshal's brass baton from her aunt at thirty, and took the Drumline with it.

The ship is a long artillery cruiser whose forward batteries are slaved to a master drum on the bridge. The signalmen play. The ship fires. The rhythm goes out on an open channel so any other Confederacy ship in range can lock to it. Whole fleets have engaged in step on her beat. Her aunt taught her that the drum is also a courtesy: the enemy is told what is coming, and given the count to clear. Yseult added a change of tempo for a target she has judged honor-bound, a chance to signal a duel before the next volley. Most do not recognize the change. The few who do have either died well or been spared. She remembers both.