The Beta star gate[1]
This star gate, at the outset of the Demon Race's invasion of the Machine Race, became a springboard of very great weight by which the Demon Race threatened the mechanical royal court.
And to ease the pressure upon the demon royal court,[2] and against the case that the million Demon Race warships upon the demon royal court's field should of a sudden break out and might make their escape by this way.
There is nothing for it but to take or destroy this Beta star gate.
And it is the Owl Dragon Third Legion and the Owl Dragon Tenth Legion that bear this task of battle.
The two Owl Dragon legions closed upon this Beta star gate from either wing, and hemmed it in between them.
"Reporting — before the Beta star gate and behind it an Owl Dragon legion has appeared at each, both of thirty thousand interstellar warships!"
"Reporting — word is come from the mechanical royal court's main field: they are assaulted from behind by Owl Dragon legion fleets that have gone about them, and ask support!"
"Reporting — the Baku star gate to our rear is likewise assaulted by Owl Dragon legion fleets; they would cut off our star-gate lane!"
Word came upon word to the temporary highest commander at the Beta star gate.
"Two Owl Dragon legions merely — a paltry sixty thousand interstellar warships.
"And they dare think to take the Beta star gate that my Demon Knight Legion garrisons.
"Those fellows of the Owl Dragon — do they truly count me as not being here at all!
"Pass my order to the Baku star gate: hold the gate to the death, and beat back any enemy force that dares give battle." The Marshal of the Demon Knights snorted coldly.
At present it is the Demon Knight Legion, one of the six great demon legions yet remaining to the Demon Race, that is charged with garrisoning the Beta star gate and the Baku star gate — that star-gate lane of weight which joins the Demon Race's borders to the Machine Race's inward parts.
The Demon Knight Legion numbers at present five hundred thousand interstellar warships in all.
Three hundred thousand garrison the Beta star gate, and two hundred thousand the Baku star gate.
And upon the Beta side there are ten quasi-T6 Destroyer-class Heavy Interstellar Battleships besides.
It is worth the marking besides.
In the plan of battle Zhao Chen laid out before.
The Third Legion and the Tenth Legion are charged with attacking the Beta star gate, whereas those that attack the Baku star gate are the three legion fleets of the Fourth, the Eleventh and the Twelfth.
By rights, the strength of the fleets garrisoning the two differing so greatly, the number of Owl Dragon legions charged with attacking the Baku star gate should be the greater.[3]
Why then is it as it now stands?
The reason in truth is very simple.
Though the Beta star gate's garrison be many, relief must reach it through the Baku star gate, or else be demon interstellar fleets drawn back from the mechanical royal court.
Whereas upon the Baku side, besides the two hundred thousand Demon Race warships in garrison, there are interstellar warships coming in support without cease out of the Demon Race's own territory.
So that the pressure upon the two is not so simple a matter as the face of it shows.
"Shengnan, carry out the task of battle." Shen Bing's voice rose within the channel of command.
"Understood." Pei Shengnan smiled a little; she crossed her hands, straightened her arms, and made a motion of stretching them.
Then, facing the Beta star gate before her, she gave out to her own Owl Dragon Tenth Legion fleet the order of battle: "The Tenth Legion, whole fleet.
"Firepower full open — attack!"
At the same moment, two quarters, two Owl Dragon legions.
Sixty thousand interstellar warships in all, attacking with every ounce that was in them!
And from the very first, with all their firepower open!
Beams of light past counting, interstellar missiles, laser cannon, interstellar fighters, filled in one instant that starry heaven about the Beta star gate.
Sixty thousand interstellar warships against three hundred thousand: though the two sides' warships differ by near five times.
Yet the fighting was altogether evenly matched; and in this first round of attack besides, the interstellar missile ships and interstellar gunships of Shen Bing's Owl Dragon Third Legion and Pei Shengnan's Owl Dragon Tenth Legion kept nothing hidden back, but showed themselves out to the last hull.
Presenting a saturation strike of firepower.
And in firepower they held the Demon Race warships opposite steadily down besides.
"Be not dismayed; hold fast.
"This is the means of fighting the Owl Dragon legions commonly use; we hold the advantage in number of warships.
"Let us but bear up under this one round of their interstellar missiles' firepower, and the moment of our counter-stroke comes next." The Marshal of the Demon Knights spoke words to hearten them within his own channel of command.
"It is very near the time." Commander Shen Bing looked at the star chart before her, and then said to her subordinate, "Send word.
"Beta star system, coordinate **; the target district of space is secure, and a spatial jump may be made."
"Yes!"
The communications officer sent this word back at once.
Very soon, upon one side of the Beta star gate's field, halo upon halo of light appeared, and thereafter warship after warship came of a sudden out of the empty air?
"Again?" The Marshal of the Demon Knights marked this scene, and his brows drew together.
At this moment he took them for no more than Owl Dragon legions come in support, and was not greatly troubled.
But not until he saw clearly the true face of these warships come in support did his pupils widen and his look turn to astonishment.
For they were a full ten thousand interstellar missile ships!
"The Owl Dragon Interstellar Missile-Ship Special Fleet, whole complement, has completed the spatial delivery."
Within Shen Bing's and Pei Shengnan's channel of command there appeared one figure more, and an excited one.
"Heh heh — I am not come late, I hope."
Shen Bing said gravely, "The first round of saturation firepower from myself and the Tenth Legion will end one minute from now.
"What wanted clearing, we have cleared for you."
"Understood; leave what comes next to me." The wolf-girl Baixue gave a chuckling laugh; she stood before her own captain's chair and swept an arm.
The whole fleet's channel of command opened.
"The Owl Dragon Interstellar Missile-Ship Special Fleet, whole fleet, is to enter a state of battle outright, and open every piece of fighting gear.
"Take aim upon the Beta star gate.
"Fire!"
For interstellar missile ship after missile ship, having but that moment completed the spatial jump, to enter a state of battle straightway — had it been any other kind of interstellar warship, this might have held some difficulty.
But for a missile-ship special fleet that carries out this sort of 'lightning war' so often, it has long since been a thing of custom.
And this time the target is so plain besides.
It may be said there was no need to take aim at all.
For it is a great star gate, no less.
The missile launchers of the interstellar missile ships were opened every one; and by the wolf-girl Baixue's order they waited upon nothing whatever, but fired straightway.
Missile upon interstellar missile left the magazines, and with their tail-fire behind them went racing toward the target.
Ten thousand interstellar missile ships — this is the Owl Dragon Interstellar Missile-Ship Special Fleet after its enlargement.
Which takes in one T5 Crimson-Reaper-class Heavy Interstellar Strategic Missile Ship, three hundred T4 Hell-Angel-class Heavy Interstellar Missile Ships, and for the rest, of one color throughout, T3 Judicator-class Heavy Interstellar Missile Ships.
The wolf-girl Baixue's own ship is this same T5 Crimson-Reaper-class Heavy Interstellar Strategic Missile Ship.
And this was a thing she got only by pestering Zhao Chen a long while together while he was upon his holiday, until he gave a special approval to arrange her one first.
For before this, the three T5 Crimson-Reaper-class Heavy Interstellar Strategic Missile Ships now in service had all been arranged first to Zhao Chen's own supreme Guard Fleet.
The interstellar missile-ship special fleet's flagship was a T4 Hell-Angel still.
And now the wolf-girl Baixue has her wish at last.
"Fire! Fire! Fire! Ha ha ha ha ha ha!" the wolf-girl Baixue cried out without ceasing, and with great laughter besides.