This was the first time since the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire's founding that it had entered the first grade of combat readiness.
Which might be reckoned a test of the whole system of the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire as it now stood.
But the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire had not been founded long.
And the effect that showed itself in the end was partly good and partly bad.
The good was that whatever had any connection with the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire entered the first grade of combat readiness immediately.
All the goods and military materials the Northern Goose Group had meant to sell abroad had their transport suspended entire, to wait upon the next order.
At the same time the interstellar transport fleets under the Northern Goose Group and several other interstellar trade groups entered a state of readiness at once.
Once an order came down, they must follow the Owl Dragon Legion without condition, and carry out its tasks of war.
They must, at need, furnish the Owl Dragon Legion its logistical assurance!
It is not that the Owl Dragon Empire's fleets have no transports of their own; but if a war of any great scale truly breaks out.
Once the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire's own military transport fleets are running at full load, these readiness transport fleets must step up and take the work.
Such things had happened often enough in the days of the old Owl Dragon Legion.
So the interstellar transports belonging to the interstellar trade groups the Owl Dragon controls — the Northern Goose Group, the Rose-Red Dragon Group, the North Dragon Group — had long had a system of readiness in place.
To answer the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire's call at any moment!
Besides this, all military star ports entered a state of readiness, and all Star Gates now came under military control.
Without leave, no civil interstellar vessel might use a Star Gate!
At the same time, all industrial strongholds entered the highest grade of defensive state.
The lords' fleets round about, the patrol fleets, the imperial fleets and the rest must all, immediately, guard the safety of these military strongholds!
The Warhammer Interstellar Federal Kingdom · the Consul's office.
"Report. The interstellar fleet we sent to find the wanted criminal, the Black Wolf Princess Cynthia, lost contact only a moment ago. It is thought they were attacked by unknown creatures. The Empire has issued us an order. A circle has been drawn about the target region, and no interstellar warship may approach within it. What happens inside that circle is left to the imperial fleets. And at the same time the Empire orders the whole imperial territory into the first grade of combat readiness!" A secretary-officer conveyed the Empire's orders to Consul Blanche in haste.
Consul Blanche rubbed her temples, looking somewhat worn.
"I knew that this Black Wolf Princess's return could mean nothing good. Half a year barely quieted, and it seems the universe is to be in an uproar again."
Having complained a little, Consul Blanche returned at once to her working state.
"Very well. Let us set to. Send word at once to the several star regions…"
Besides the Warhammer, the Starlight, the Holy Radiance, the Demon tribes and the rest all entered the first grade of combat readiness the moment they received the Empire's decree.
Only that in the places not under the Owl Dragon's direct administration, the Owl Dragon's reach was still somewhat wanting.
The Angel Race · the Holy Temple Mount.
The Holy Angel Queen looked with a grave face at the figure of light that had appeared opposite.
"Have you seen the message that Emperor has sent?" The War Angel King's face was very grave as well; there was even a banked fire of rage within his eyes.
"That warrant, you mean?" The Holy Angel Queen pointed at an electronic holographic screen beside her.
The time of receipt shown upon it was only a few minutes ago.
Upon it was a large image, and its subject was none other than one of their Angel Race's own former Angel Sovereigns, the Judgment Angel Queen!
"I thought that bitch Renee had died in the fighting before. I had not thought she was still alive. And working with those filthy bugs besides! And meaning to destroy our homeland." The War Angel King spoke in fury.
Within the word they had been given.
There was no such term as Order.
The reason given was this.
That the hive-race nests this time were not so simple as those before, and that within them was a higher intelligent life.
That it had used means unknown to work with certain wanted criminals within our universe.
And that these wanted criminals were now carrying out a secret task.
The content of the task being that they return to the places they know best, and cast a bomb into some fixed star.
Though what that bomb might be was not known,
it was in all likelihood a thing exceedingly dangerous.
So the Emperor required them to be doubly careful, and to find out as early as they might the warships those wanted criminals were aboard.
And he had given one warning besides.
That within the warships of these wanted criminals there had in all likelihood been cultivated some unknown and evil creature.
That these evil creatures were exceedingly strong, warlike and bloodthirsty, and carried energy shells of their own besides, and could ignore a warship's star-shield.
"However it may be. To do as the Emperor says can hardly be wrong. He has no reason to harm us. If the Judgment… if that Renee creature has truly returned. Then we must be careful. It must be known that she has always been skilled at working within the shadows!" the Holy Angel Queen warned him gravely.
The War Angel King gave a cold snort: "If that bitch dares come back, I shall certainly make her pay for what she did before!"
"Remember to carry out the first-grade combat readiness the Emperor has ordered." The Holy Angel Queen did not forget to remind him.
The first grade of combat readiness the Emperor had ordered was as a stone cast into a still lake; the ripples it raised began to reach all about.
A great many ordinary people began to feel the effect.
For the use of the Star Gates and star ports was now restricted, and to any who needed a Star Gate to reach another system this was beyond doubt a vast inconvenience.
The losses behind it might even bankrupt the smaller traders!
So much so that some had already begun to complain of the Owl Dragon Interstellar Empire.
The Warhammer Interstellar Federal Kingdom · a certain star system.
Outside this system's one Star Gate a great mass of interstellar vessels had gathered, and the greater part of them were transports.
Because the Star Gate now stood under control, all these civil transports were stopped up here.
"Curse it! What in the world does this my-lord-Emperor mean to do! There is no war on; what is all this first-grade combat readiness for? To my mind he only wants to show off his power." A pig-headed man with a fat face and great ears roared in his discontent.
Those upon the bridge, however much or little they disliked their captain's railing at the Emperor.
Dared be angry but dared not speak.
"I am not like him, with a great house and a great estate and all those interstellar trade companies. I only do a little hauling. These goods are heaped up here now, and the delivery is late, and it is I who must pay the damages. Heh, heh, heh. I know how it is. Those Owl Dragon interstellar trade groups will not be touched, I dare say; they may use the Star Gates as before. It is only we who take the loss!" the pig-headed captain bawled.
At this someone upon the bridge pointed suddenly toward the fixed star.
"How strange. Why has a patch of the star gone black?"