The Demon King's castle
"Five quasi-T6 Destroyer-class Heavy Interstellar Battleships lost." The Demon King sat upon the throne, his look somewhat ill.
The demon subordinate kneeling in the great hall answered him with great care. "Yes.
"The Machine Race has newly brought out a class called the T5 Prisoner-class Heavy Interstellar Assault Battleship, which belongs among suicide warships; and the force of its self-destroying burst is very great indeed.
"Where there is no star-shield to protect her, a quasi-T6 Destroyer struck by such a suicide burst takes wrecking of a destroying kind upon her hull.
"And though she fall not upon the spot, many of the hull's important functions can work no longer; and taking the enemy's attacks thereafter, the end… is not altered for all that.
"For the appearing of this Machine Race warship.
"The several marshals at the front have all given urgent orders that quasi-T6 Destroyers be not set upon the first line for the present.
"And the enemy's T5 Prisoners have thereafter not appeared upon the forward field either.
"And so we reckon that this T5 Prisoner exists expressly to deal with the quasi-T6 Destroyer."
"Get out," said the Demon King.
"Ah… yes, yes!" The demon subordinate checked a moment, but came quickly to himself, and at once bowed himself backward out of the hall.
Within the great hall there was again none but the Demon King.
No — not the Demon King alone.
A black figure appeared at one side of the throne.
"With no quasi-T6 Destroyers to threaten the field, you cannot possibly take the mechanical royal court in a short time," said the black-robed one.
The Demon King said, his voice low, "Then we shall drag it out; and when the warships in my hand grow more and more, we may then take the star gate upon the mechanical royal court's other side, and strike from both sides at once.
"It is only the spending of a little more time.
"These hundreds of years and thousands of years I have come through; can I not wait so little a time as this?"
"You cannot wait," said the black-robed one.
The Demon King looked at the black-robed one in perplexity.
The black-robed one said, "The Machine Race's main force is about to return.
"And if before that you cannot destroy the mechanical royal court.
"You will face the true mechanical host.
"And then your Demon Race will have one end only!"
The Demon King looked at the black-robed one with drawn brows. "Did you not say before that that creature and the Machine Race's main force would not come back again?"
The black-robed one said levelly, "I said only that they would not come back for the present; I never said they would never come back.
"And I have won you a great deal of time already.
"Three months, and quasi-T6 Destroyers besides, and you have not taken the mechanical royal court.
"This is your—"
Before the black-robed one's words had fallen, the black-robed one was blasted away by a blow of the Demon King's fist.
The black robe shook loose, showing a mechanical frame.
"Zzt, zzt, zzt… could you not… every time… smash… my body?
"You should know this body… to make one… is costly too." Though the mechanical frame trembled without cease, the voice speaking seemed not to care about it in the least.
"You deceived me!" The Demon King pointed at the black-robed one in his anger.
"How have I deceived you?
"I have said no word of deceit whatever." So said the black-robed robot.
And in that he speaks true: he has said no word of deceit, but has only held back part of the important intelligence.
First let the Demon Race declare war upon the Machine Race, and set the Demon Race upon a ship from which there is no turning back.
The Demon King was silent and said nothing.
The black-robed robot struggled to its feet, its body swaying, showing a kind of uncanniness.
"Set your mind at rest; you have ten days at the least.
"Within these ten days, put out every Demon Race warship you have.
"Do not think I do not know that you are holding some demon warships back.
"Those were every one built at those five starship industrial bases I furnished you; I know their number better than you do.
"Let you but throw every one of these Demon Race warships into the Machine Race's field, and open a total war grudging no price whatever.
"Ten days is enough for you to break the mechanical royal court.
"And that host of the Machine Race which that person leads shall never be able to come back into this universe again.
"And this universe shall belong to you forever!"
"That body of warships is against a sudden assault by the Owl Dragon.
"In these near three months the Owl Dragon Legion has made not the least stir!
"That is very much amiss, and I cannot but be careful!" the Demon King said, his voice low.
Since that campaign of last year, the fighting strength the Owl Dragon Legion showed — though their warships be few in number, that fighting strength is truly not to be overlooked.
And above all that the Owl Dragon Legion has to the present taken no action whatever.
In such a case as this, to take no action carries more power to overawe than action would.
"What of it?
"Though the Owl Dragon Legion should come killing out of a sudden and cost you much.
"Yet so long as you can break the mechanical royal court.
"Who is there in this universe that can threaten your existence then?
"And I shall give you besides that T6 warship technology you have dreamed of.
"Or would you say you think the Owl Dragon Legion has the power to take your Demon Race whole in one pot?" said the black-robed robot.
Taken whole in one pot by the Owl Dragon Legion?
Upon that the Demon King has no concern; to his thinking the Owl Dragon Legion, its warships being few, can fight only that kind of short campaign, and cannot fight a total war upon the grand scale.
The Owl Dragon Legion may perhaps bite a fierce mouthful of flesh out of the Demon Race, or half an arm; but it can by no means take the Demon Race at one breath.
And at this moment the black-robed robot's words were like the murmuring of an abyss, circling without cease at the Demon King's ear.
To destroy the Machine Race utterly.
To hold the technology of T6 warships.
These are two great temptations indeed, which the Demon King cannot but think upon.
"Can you make it certain that once I have destroyed the mechanical royal court.
"That creature and the Machine Race's host will not come back?" the Demon King asked once more.
The black-robed robot raised its own hand. "I swear it by my great faith: I answer for these things I have said!"
Hearing the other's words, the Demon King had no suspicion.
For to the present every word this creature has said has indeed been true; only that before this he would sift with intent what truths he spoke.
And he will not lie upon his great faith; that, for him, would beyond doubt be graver than killing him.
"Good."
The Demon King raised a hand and opened several video communications; opposite were high officers of the Demon Race, one after another.
"Pass my order: the Demon King's Legion is to take the field entire.
"Object: the Machine Race's territory.
"Open a total war upon the Machine Race's territory.
"Within seven days, destroy every star gate and star port about the mechanical royal court.
"And in the last three days, break the mechanical royal court at whatever price!"