The Owl Dragon Star System
A month away had given Zhao Chen, upon returning here, a feeling of ease at last.
Only it was a pity that the several Owl Dragon Legion fleets were all still at the front.
Even Charlotte and Lilith were still in charge of the fighting at the front.
The Hades · Bridge
Zhao Chen looked at the two light-images that appeared before him. "How does the case stand upon your side?"
Charlotte and Lilith looked at the Commander they had not seen for a month.
One after the other they reported to Zhao Chen the intelligence of the battlefield.
It was broadly the fighting in the Demon Castle star system, in the main.
For the Demon Castle star system had gathered every interstellar warship of the Demon King's remnant, in an attitude of holding to the death.
Though the allied army of the Owl Dragon, the Machine Race and the Angel Race had been attacking without cease.
Yet it could only be a boiling of the frog in warm water; a good long time would still be needed to gnaw through this bone.
"Another problem at present is those two Hive Nests that have come up, and those hive-race fleets. If they are not checked, this will be a grave threat to us hereafter," Lilith said gravely.
Zhao Chen held his head; he knew of this problem as well.
Happily this danger lay at present in the Demon Race's northern territory, a stretch that was of itself a rather remote and barren part of the Demon Race's lands, far from the Owl Dragon, the Angel Race and the Machine Race.
In this way, some time could be won for Zhao Chen.
"Send out interstellar scout fleets to keep close watch upon these two Hive Nests and the hive-race fleets belonging to them. But for the present we cannot launch military action against them," Zhao Chen said helplessly.
Charlotte nodded; she agreed with such a way of handling it as well.
She said, "Though the case of the fighting in the Demon Castle star system at present is within our control, and the taking of the Demon Castle star system is only a matter of time. Yet if at this juncture we open a war upon two fronts. And against hive-race fleets so many in number besides, this will be an exceedingly grave trial for our logistics and supply."
Zhao Chen agreed; he knew this point as well.
"Set your minds at rest upon this matter of logistics and supply. I have already thought of a way to deal with it. You need not trouble yourselves over the business at the Hive Nests; you need only keep watch. For the present, your task is to take the Demon Castle star system as soon as may be, so that we may afterward throw ourselves wholly into the fighting to come against these hive-race swarms. And not come to the case of fighting upon two fronts!" Zhao Chen gave order.
"Yes."
"In this crossing of the Gate of Gaia, was there anything gained?" Lilith asked in her curiosity.
Zhao Chen hid nothing either, but set forth outright what had happened upon the side of the Gate of Gaia, and the various intelligence he had come to understand.
When they heard this intelligence, though their minds were prepared beforehand, yet the faces of Charlotte and Lilith bore looks of surprise, or of astonishment.
Order… the hive-race… the Black Great Wall base… the Pitch-Black Legion fleets… and more, all interwoven together.
"This Hive Princess you spoke of, she is at your side now?" Lilith asked.
"She is. Her identity and her powers are both rather special; until they are made clear, keeping her at my side for the present is the best arrangement," Zhao Chen said.
"You said just now that the hive-race as they were had in truth no great desire of expanding outward, nor mind to slaughter. It was after they were controlled by Order that they became the interstellar hive-race we know. Do you mean to use this Hive Princess, and see whether she can deal with the trouble of these interstellar hive-race swarms?" Lilith had guessed Zhao Chen's thought.
Zhao Chen did not deny it; he said, "Don't we have a good many Hive Motherships captured before, within our research chambers? It falls out well; I am making ready to arrange for her to do some experiments. If it truly turns out as I look for, then she may perhaps be a trump card in our hands hereafter."
Charlotte and Lilith both agreed with this thought of the Commander's.
Thereafter, Zhao Chen told the two women of the three technologies he had newly developed.
Upon hearing that he possessed three more T6 technologies, both women showed looks of excitement.
Charlotte was interested in the Hades' being able to be upgraded to T6.
And Lilith was interested in that T6 Dyson Sphere of Zhao Chen's.
The former could greatly raise a war fleet's fighting power.
And the latter could greatly ease the pressure upon logistics and supply.
"I shall stay a while in the Owl Dragon Star System. My main work will be to act together with the three chief engineers, and give out the whole of our building plans. To put the work of production and building in place as soon as may be. The Hades' upgrade and refit, and the building of the T6 Dyson Sphere. The T6 Angel City Fortress is very important as well; when we fight the vast hive-race fleets hereafter, we shall need a bridgehead able to hold back those seas of bugs. Charlotte, do you think that letting the Hades go for upgrade and refit now would affect your fighting at the front? By my reckoning, if the Hades enters dock now for upgrade and refit, it will need at the least ten months' output of a single T5 Galaxy-class Large Interstellar Industrial Base. Even joining some other industrial bases to work upon this project together. Summed up, it will still take at the least three to five months. It will be about early next year before the Hades can return to the field."
Upon matters of the battlefield, Zhao Chen would still seek Charlotte's opinion.
Charlotte answered, "In the present case, the Hades' use upon the field is not very great. Though it is true that if she could come to the field here in the Demon Castle star system, it would add somewhat to the efficiency of the attack. But considering the threat of the two Hive Nests hereafter. I think the priority of the upgrade and refit is the higher."
"Very well; then I shall arrange it so."
The matters were settled one by one.
After talking a while longer with the two women, the communication came to an end as well.
Zhao Chen stretched himself, and looking at the empty office, suddenly felt a kind of loneliness.
For after all, Charlotte and Lilith, and all the legion commanders besides, were at the front.
Having come back at last with such difficulty, there was not even a chance of finding someone to gather with.
Wait.
It seemed he had forgotten someone.
Zhao Chen knocked a few times upon the desk, and three briefcases appeared.
Then he knocked once more.
And the office door was knocked upon in reply.
"Commander, I am coming in." The Panther-Girl's voice sounded first outside the door, and then the Panther-Girl pushed it open.
With Lilith not at Zhao Chen's side now, this guard the Panther-Girl had taken up part of the secretary officer's work.
"Help me carry these two things. We are going out." Zhao Chen pointed at the three briefcases.
He had already taken up one himself, and the remaining two naturally went to the Panther-Girl.
The Panther-Girl followed behind Zhao Chen.
Zhao Chen walked out of his own office, came before the door of the next room, and swiped it open outright with his own clearance.
He saw Hive Princess just then wrapped in a blanket, staring at a great holographic screen, upon which some films of this world of theirs were playing.
"Come out." Zhao Chen switched off the holographic projection.
"Eh?" Hive Princess looked foolishly at Zhao Chen; the packet of chips in her hand was snatched away outright by Zhao Chen, who tipped back his head and finished it at a mouthful.
Chewing as he went, Zhao Chen tossed the briefcase in his own hand into Hive Princess's hands.
"You owe me money still; eating and drinking free at my charge, you must do a little work. Come out with me."