Zhao Chen looked at the strength figures of the Owl Dragon Empire as they now stood.
The column of the fifth-grade forces.
The lesser-lord fleets of the several regions came, all told, to about 1,000,000 interstellar warships, and the great part of them were still of T2 and T3 grade.
Only in a very few wealthy small territories could one see an old T4 warship, passed through who knows how many hands.
Then the column of the fourth-grade forces.
The fleets of the great lords and kings of the several regions came together to a full 2,000,000 interstellar warships and more.
Among them there were no warships of T2 grade.
They were chiefly of T3 and T4 grade; T5 warships were very few, and appeared for the most part only as the flagships of those great lords' and kings' fleets.
Then the column of the third-grade forces.
The Owl Dragon Empire's Household Legion fleets, made up chiefly of T3- and T4-grade Owl Dragon-line warships, with some T5 warships withdrawn from service after heavy refit.
The whole came to 1,000,000 interstellar warships.
In number they fell short of the fourth-grade forces for the present, but this was only how matters stood for the time.
By the aim Zhao Chen and Charlotte looked to, the Owl Dragon Empire's Household Legion fleets would hereafter be held at about 3,000,000 interstellar warships.
For that number would suffice to keep the military balance of every quarter of this universe.
The column of the second-grade forces was naturally the Owl Dragon Empire's chief military strength.
The three Owl Dragon legion fleet groups at present.
Each holds 300,000 interstellar warships at present, all of them of T3, T4 and T5 grade.
Up to now the T3-grade warships still hold a certain place within the Owl Dragon.
This is chiefly because the Owl Dragon Empire needs a certain scale now, and the T4 series cannot yet be produced fast enough and in bulk to take over the place the T3 warships hold within the Owl Dragon's forces.
But the retiring of the T3 series has a definite time set for it already.
That is, when the T6-grade industrial works are built; by then output will rise further, and the production of T4-grade warships will reach its height.
At that time the T3-grade warships may be reckoned to have finished their task within the Owl Dragon's age at last, and may withdraw wholly to the second line.
As for the plan of building the Owl Dragon legion fleet groups,
each fleet group is of 500,000 interstellar warships, holding ten Owl Dragon legion fleets of 50,000 establishment each.
Though at present there are but three fleet groups, and those not yet at full establishment.
Upon Zhao Chen's roll there is already a plan for the building of ten fleet groups.
Which is a full 5,000,000 interstellar warships!
Only that the time for the full completion of this building plan is not yet fixed.
Zhao Chen's eyes fell at last upon the first grade.
Which is naturally the five ace fleet groups.
From the founding of the ace fleet groups there was no detailed rule for the number of their establishment; each may build to a different establishment according to its own need.
The wolf-girl Baixue's Hell-Angel ace fleet group, for instance, is at present of 20,000 interstellar missile ships, together with 5,000 interstellar escorts and destroyers, and 5,000 interstellar transports and supply ships besides.
30,000 interstellar warships in all!
And the greatest in number is naturally Chitong's Blizzard ace fleet group, which holds a full 100,000 interstellar warships!
Uniformly T5- and T4-grade interstellar cruisers and interstellar battlecruisers, every one.
It is the one of the five ace fleet groups with the most warships in service at present.
Of the rest, Zhao Waner's Shadow Hunter ace fleet group has 20,000 interstellar warships in service.
Su Lan's Queen ace fleet group has 10,000 in service.
Charlotte's Reverse Scale ace fleet group has 30,000 in service.
"We have now finished the first step of the military reform. But it is far from over. Every department must carry out simulated exercises, to make sure that under this new military system fighting strength can be brought effectively to bear!"[1] Zhao Chen said gravely, by way of reminder.
If the altering of the army's system were to bring a fall in fighting strength, the loss would be too great.
Charlotte nodded in agreement: "I have spoken of all this to the several generals; they will lose no time in running their fleet systems in. And make sure that in the shortest time they are wholly at home in the new system, and can bring out upon the field the fighting strength that is properly theirs."
"All this must be finished before the end of March. You should know well why," Zhao Chen said gravely.
Before the end of March, that was the line at which the Machine Race would be wholly and finally gone.
"Set your mind at rest. We guarantee these plans will be completed," Charlotte said firmly.
"Has there been any movement upon the side of the two hive-race nests?" Zhao Chen asked.
"There is none yet. We have built several hundred observation posts about the two hive-race nests. Should there be any stirring whatever within them, we shall know of it immediately," Charlotte said.
"We cannot be careless. These two hive-race nests have lain still so long a time. They are certainly holding back some great stroke. And as for the best chance of loosing an attack upon us hereafter… it lies before them already." Zhao Chen's eyes turned to Charlotte.
Charlotte spoke a date at once: "The end of March."
Just so.
Every line of time seemed to gather at the end of March.
At the end of March the Machine Race would leave this universe utterly.
And then the Owl Dragon Empire could rule it all only by its own strength.
And at that time, for the hive-race nests to loose their attack would beyond doubt be the best of choices.
They would need fear the Machine Race no longer; they would have only to defeat the newly founded Owl Dragon Empire.
Which was why Zhao Chen reminded Charlotte without cease to finish, and early, the running-in and the training of the fleets under the new system.
At this Zhao Chen walked up before Charlotte, and laid his hand upon her already swelling belly.
The uniform Charlotte wore now was specially made: it neither pressed upon a woman with child nor failed to hang loose and cover the swell of her belly, so that she might go about her work with ease.
"It is four months already. And so much work in this time? Do not wear your body out. It must be known that there is more than yourself in there now," Zhao Chen said softly.
In that moment he was not an Emperor, but a father.
Charlotte too stroked her belly lightly: "It is nothing. The physician comes to examine me every day; there is no great trouble. The birth is looked for about the end of June."
"Then from May you may begin to lessen your work by degrees. And when June comes you must begin to rest, and may deal only with simple business!" Zhao Chen said, his face in earnest.
Charlotte would have argued back, but seeing that look of Zhao Chen's she knew that if she argued now, Zhao Chen would certainly read her a whole lecture.
So she agreed with her mouth.
And muttered within herself: I shall simply do it on the sly when the time comes.