The mechanical royal court · the Left Vanguard star gate
This is the star gate at the mechanical royal court's other end; and it is by leaning upon this gate that the Machine Race can draw warships without cease from every part to support the royal court's field.
But at this moment this Left Vanguard star gate, upon which the royal court's living or perishing hangs, was itself in crisis.
Above two hundred thousand Demon Race warships were ringing it about, and opening attack upon a Left Vanguard garrison district of under fifty thousand.
Bent upon taking this Left Vanguard gate.
"What is this!
"How is it today's relief has not come!" A Machine Race fleet commander garrisoning the Left Vanguard gate gave out a mechanical voice with some haste in it.
Though he be a mechanical life, at this moment even he could scarcely hold his feeling down.
For by the requirements of passage, this Left Vanguard gate can throw across only some hundred thousand warships a day; and the higher a warship's grade, the fewer may be sent.
And it is by leaning upon those warships thrown across without cease that this Left Vanguard gate has held out these several days under the Demon Race fleets' hard assault.
But for some cause, at this gate today no new warships have appeared for a long while.
Until he could not keep from sending word to ask the Left Vanguard gate's officer in charge outright.
But the answer he had was only: carry out the task of battle as first laid.
"Reporting — defensive district B102 is in danger of falling."
"Reporting — a small fleet of ours has been tangled up by the enemy; three hundred warships, annihilated to the last ship."
"Reporting — …"
Word came upon word, and all of it ill.
Even a mechanical life could scarcely sit still at this moment.
"Get me the gate's command." And just as this mechanical-life fleet commander made ready to call the gate's commander to account.
The gate, quiet so long, showed points and specks upon that blue lake at its middle, which is like the reflection upon the face of water.
And thereafter warship after warship came filing out.
Not the familiar Machine Race warships.
But Owl Dragon-line warships!
Some minutes later a communication was sent.
And not a communication to one alone, but upon the network of command framed by the Left Vanguard gate's headquarters, taking in every mechanical fleet commander fighting here.
"I am Charlotte, commander of the Owl Dragon First Legion. By the counsel of our Commander with your high officers.
"I, Charlotte, am now the highest commander of this field of the Left Vanguard gate.
"I ask you all to follow my orders hereafter!" Charlotte's voice rose within the channel of command.
Though those mechanical fleet commanders were somewhat dumbfounded, not having looked for this turn.
Yet upon the gate commander's confirming it they all had their answer: that this was indeed an order come down from the mechanical royal court's high officers.
And at the same time, that this Owl Dragon legion fleet was the relief they had been waiting upon.
At this time more and more Owl Dragon-line warships came through the gate, until their number reached three thousand.
"Reporting, Commander — the Owl Dragon First Legion's First Fleet has wholly completed the star-gate jump. Your instruction." The First Fleet's woman fleet captain reported it to Charlotte across the video window.
Charlotte kept her eyes upon the interstellar sand-table of the Left Vanguard gate's field before her.
Long before she came here, the T4 Banshee-class Light Interstellar Stealth Scout Ships observing from the field's outer parts had sent this field's case back.
And in the few minutes' rest just now, she had in the main laid her plan of battle already.
"Every starship of the First Fleet is to enter the fighting at once, and ease the pressure upon our friendly Machine Race fleets.
"And when the Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Fleets follow, they are to open a counter-stroke toward six quarters severally.
"The Eighth, Ninth and Tenth Fleets await further orders." Charlotte gave out her orders clean and sharp.
Every small fleet knows what it is to do.
"The First Fleet understands."
The Owl Dragon First Fleet has but three thousand warships; yet when these three thousand entered this battle.
They brought off outright the momentum of thirty thousand.
And above all the full firepower of those missile ships and gunships.
Which left their friendly Machine Race fleets staring dumb besides.
Why should this relief fight so hotly, as though they were guarding their own home territory?
But however it be, this relief out of the Owl Dragon has strength enough indeed.
And has greatly eased the pressure upon the Left Vanguard gate's field.
And as the Owl Dragon First Legion's other fleets arrived one after another, the case of the Left Vanguard gate's field little by little turned about.
Though the Owl Dragon First Legion has but thirty thousand warships, it traded blow for blow with the near two hundred thousand Demon Race warships!
And came off not the least the worse.
Which left the Machine Race commanders staring dumb.
Is this the same Demon Race fleet that fought them so evenly before?
Why does it feel at this moment so second-rate?
"Report to the chief command: the Left Vanguard gate is out of danger and stands within our governance." Charlotte charged her subordinate to send word to the Dragon Emperor.
And thereafter, the three video windows beside her.
"How stands the case with you?"
"The Owl Dragon Sixth Legion I lead has come round by the route upon the mechanical royal court's left wing, going about the black-hole district upon that wing, and passing three districts of fighting; I have left part of my fleet to support the Machine Race fleets.
"The rest go on by the plan as first laid toward the mouth at the mechanical royal court's other end; it is reckoned we may reach the district set for us within a day," said Medusa.
"My side is much as Medusa's; all goes very smoothly, and we may arrive within a day," said Wei Shishi of the Seventh Legion.
Charlotte looked toward the remaining Eighth Legion's commander.
Ye Xiaotong answered, "The Eighth Legion has entered successfully upon the passage of sailing that leads from this side of the Left Vanguard gate to the mechanical royal court; it is reckoned we may enter the royal court's field three hours from now."
"Very good.
"By the word we have at present, upon this field of the mechanical royal court the Demon Race has set a full million warships, every one of them stopped up within this one district.
"Let your three legion fleets but strike from before and behind at once, and they may be swept up.
"Within this district of battle their advantage of number cannot be brought out at all.
"And when I have cleared my side, I shall come to support you.
"Remember: of these million Demon Race warships, not one is to be let out!" Charlotte said it hard as a nail driven through iron.
"Yes!" the three legion commanders said with one voice.
Charlotte fixed her eyes upon the mechanical royal court.
The mechanical royal court's position is very particular: it lies between two black-hole star systems, with two facing lanes only, and at each of those two lanes a star gate.
Before this the Demon Race took one of those gates, and by it opened its attack.
And at this moment the lie of this field is beyond doubt the finest place for those million Demon Race warships to bury their bones.
The Owl Dragon's several legions began to appear one after another upon every field where the Demon Race fought.
The Angel Race's, the Machine Race's, and their own home territory besides.
At the Owl Dragon Legion's appearing.
The Demon King was in truth not surprised.
Indeed, as the case of the war grew fiercer and fiercer, he had held that the Owl Dragon Legion ought to have put out its hand long since, and had not thought they could wait until now.
"Reporting — to the present there have appeared upon the several fields fourteen Owl Dragon legions in all.
"And among them three Owl Dragon legions have even appeared within our own Demon Race borders, cutting straight into the Red Demon Legion's district where our strength is thin, and have destroyed and taken several important military strongholds one after another!"
"Reporting — risings have broken out upon planets in many parts of our interstellar territory!
"Which has greatly worked upon our logistics: the output and carriage of raw materials, and the working of star gates and star ports, have all been much affected!"
"Reporting — many fields at the front send messages asking relief, saying the Owl Dragon Legion's assault is very fierce, and more warships are wanted in support!"
The Demon King sat upon his broken throne, his head lowered, his look not to be seen clearly.
But the sound of his breathing could be heard.
"Fourteen Owl Dragon legions? What strength?" the Demon King asked, his voice low.
"An Owl Dragon legion's establishment is thirty thousand warships, and all fourteen are at full establishment — above four hundred thousand warships!
"And the share of T5 warships among them is exceedingly high, reckoned at some 0.3 percent — a thousand at the least!
"Several times our own!"
"And have we not the quasi-T6 Destroyers!
"Tell them: fight to the death! No retreat!
"Whoever dares retreat, I shall butcher his whole race!" the Demon King roared.
And thereafter he cried out with murder in his voice, "And as for those creatures who dare betray me — send in the local lords' fleets outright; and if the lords' fleets will not answer, then move the enforcement fleets.
"Whatever planet dares betray me, butcher that planet for me."
Hearing this, the several demon sergeants present felt their backs go cold.
And understood very well that once His Majesty put out such a method, there must assuredly be great disorder within the Demon Race.
"Your Majesty, it must not be! To meet violence with violence will only throw our Demon Race into worse disorder.
"It were best now to order the lines withdrawn, make the case firm first, and then lay our plans!" A demon sergeant had but stood forth to speak when his head was gone, and his body fell to the floor.
Which frightened the demon sergeants beside him out of speech.
The Demon King said darkly, "Wait. The planets need not be butchered."
Hearing this, the several demon sergeants let out a breath; at least that brother of theirs had not died for nothing.
"As it happens, we need a great quantity of energy to produce warships.
"Take every soul upon these rebel planets and set them to building starships for me!" The Demon King laughed savagely.
At which the several demon sergeants felt themselves dropped into a pit of ice.
They felt only that the Demon Race was about… to meet a bloody storm.
That this Majesty of theirs had truly gone mad.
"Did you hear?
"Get out, and quickly!" the Demon King roared of a sudden.
The several demon sergeants at once withdrew from the hall as honest as you please.
One demon sergeant, coming to the hall's door, turned his head quietly and cast an eye at the Demon King upon that broken throne.
The air about him is another thing altogether from the Demon King of former days.
The Demon King of old was murderous too, and warlike too.
But the Demon King now is more like a madman who has lost his reason.
When did this change begin?
It seems to have been from the time their Demon Race brought out the first warship that used that life-energy technology.
————
The Demon King's enforcement fleet
A fleet whose name any within the Demon Race hears with terror; their strength may not be the greatest, but they are the enforcement fleet under the Demon King direct.
And may even, having the Demon King's order, enforce against the powers of the several demon marshals.
And most important of all, the officers serving within the enforcement fleet are in the main sworn to the death to His Majesty, and will carry out his orders without condition.
Such sworn men, though their power of command be not strong.
Are madmen!
And it is madmen who are commonly the most terrible.
"Reporting — the seven billion eight hundred million upon the planet are wholly taken, and interstellar transports are set to carry them to the works.
"But we reckon that upon this planet there are at the least five hundred million hidden yet.
"And above all those rebel forces that have built underground works," a demon adjutant reported to his own fleet captain.
"There are yet many places where His Majesty needs us to put down risings.
"We cannot waste time upon this filthy planet.
"These creatures who dared betray His Majesty have lost their last chance to give themselves for him.
"Then let us send them a great gift!
"Pass my order: bombard this planet from orbit." The enforcement fleet's captain gave the order.
Thirty fighting warships went about this planet, every ship's gun aimed at the planet's surface.
And as beam after beam came down, this planet's hills broke and its ground split, its volcanoes burst forth, and tsunamis swept the whole globe.
Very soon this planet was become a hell upon earth, where life could hardly live again.
"Reporting — this is the enforcement fleet's Seventh Fleet; we have completed the clearing of planet number KY877.
"We prepare to go to the next planet of our task." The demon fleet captain reported his task idly, as though he had but now been playing at some game.
And not destroyed a planet, and what life remained upon it.
"Let us go." The demon fleet captain waved a hand, and the thirty warships made ready at once to sail off and carry out the next task.
But the next second, beam after beam came striking of a sudden from far off, and struck these enforcement ships outright.
The thirty warships were, very nearly within a step of one another, every one struck, and fell like so many meteors toward that planet they had but now wrecked.
Properly speaking, in a war among the stars, when a ship is destroyed and can fall toward the enemy, the crew's hope of living is greatest.
But at this moment they fell into a planet at its last day.
"This cursed crew of villains!
"They have destroyed a whole planet outright!" A woman demon upon the bridge shook her fist in her anger.
"Forgive us; we came late." This starship's captain looked toward this woman demon.
"You must not blame yourself, Captain; you of the Owl Dragon fleet have labored hard enough.
"It is truly the Demon King… I never thought he would take away every soul upon these planets, and even destroy the planets outright.
"He has truly gone mad!" The woman demon covered her face and wept.
The Owl Dragon woman captain said nothing, but only patted the woman demon's shoulder; this is after all her homeland too.
And at the same time she began to reach her legion's commander.
"My lady Commander, we have destroyed an enforcement fleet.
"But we did not stop the calamity of a planet's being destroyed."
Commander Chitong at that end of the video window said, her voice low, "I understand. Go on with your task."
"Yes."
The video communication ended.
Chitong looked at the reports coming in one after another before her, of the calamity of rebel planets destroyed outright.
She had thought the Demon King would put down these planetary risings, but had not thought it would be by such a means.
"You must die!" Chitong said it with her teeth set; and for the first time she wished so much to kill a man.