Wreckage of warships and fighters lay tangled everywhere.
The lane, once fairly open, was now a scene of chaos.
Even so, no few warships were still trying to push through, and every one of them was set upon by fighters.
Between them broke out fights in which one side or the other must die.
Both sides had blood in their eyes.
The enemy longed to sweep away these maddening flies.
And these fighters fought with the resolve of men already dead.
Indeed, when a fighter's ordnance was spent and its shield exhausted, with no chance of pulling out, the pilot would fly straight into a warship.
Making his craft itself the last attack!
"General. The destruction of the enemy's industrial base is in its final stage. About five minutes more and it will be finished," a staff officer said quietly at his side.
The general stared at the combat footage coming back, and said nothing.
He had held that same posture for a dozen minutes at least.
"General." The staff officer could not help calling him again.
Only then did the general come to himself.
"What did you say?" The general looked at him.
The staff officer repeated his report.
"Five minutes more." The general said the time over, and suddenly felt he could breathe.
Five minutes was enough for the next stage of the plan to go forward.
The general's gaze went back to that meat grinder of a battlefield, and it was as though a stone lay on his heart.
"Pass my order. Of the fighters withdrawing from the industrial base in five minutes, pick out those still able to fight. Have them ready to cover the withdrawal of Zhao Chen's fighters," the general said.
"Yes."
The staff officer answered, then asked hesitantly, "General. That… thing you promised Zhao Chen earlier. Is it truly to be honored?"
The general frowned and looked at his staff officer, his face unfriendly.
The officer hurried to explain: "I mean nothing by it. But by Squadron Leader Zhao Chen's terms, every pilot killed in this action. Receives five times the usual death benefit… Those who show valor, ten times. And the Alliance will provide for a fallen man's children to adulthood, for his parents to the end of their days, and his wife will receive at least ten years of average pay in compensation. That… might the sum not be too great? Those above may not agree, if they learn of it."
The general was silent a moment.
This had been Zhao Chen's sudden stroke at the very start of the fighting.
The terms he demanded for the fallen!
If they held the full half hour and completed this brutal mission,
the Alliance would give the soldiers killed in it far beyond the usual standard.
And in the moment he had had no chance to refuse.
Had Zhao Chen put those terms when he first accepted the mission, he would most likely not have agreed, or would have wanted to discuss it.
But at that moment he had had no choice.
He could only set his teeth and agree.
And what happened on that battlefield after was in great part owing to those terms.
For Zhao Chen had recorded that conversation, of all things, and played it on the open channel to all one million pilots,
which in an instant set their blood alight.
For they had known from the first what kind of mission they were on.
As good as standing on the line of death.
Nine parts death to one of life.
But now Zhao Chen had won them these extraordinary terms.
It could not change the likelihood that they would die, but at least they knew their deaths would secure their families' living,
which worked a great change in men who had already counted themselves dead.
They feared death rather less.
And in the fighting every one of them showed valor, careless of life and death!
Some pilots were even willing to make suicide attacks.
"Now that things go well, we talk about their high benefits. Why didn't we talk of it before?" the general asked.
The staff officer bowed his head in shame.
For at the time few had thought the plan could succeed.
And now, unexpectedly, that man had truly accomplished this brutal task.
So the high benefits and the attendant provisions promised must naturally be honored!
Benefits higher than any in the Alliance's history.
"And if we go back on our word, does that not make the Alliance's commanders superiors who break faith? Do you know what effect that would have, once word of it spread through the Alliance's forces?" The general's face was hard.
Which was most likely why Zhao Chen had made that conversation public.
Once it was public,
it could spread.
And if the word were then broken.
Men would not resent Zhao Chen; they would resent the Alliance.
And the Alliance's standing would suffer.
The Alliance's leaders are no fools; they can reckon that account well enough.
"Whatever happens. I promised it. I will honor it, and if the Alliance will not agree. Then I will go and talk to the Alliance's people myself! I do not believe that this account, at least, my brother cannot reckon!" came the general's last words.
Those beside him kept their heads down and dared not speak.
Just so.
This young brigadier general was in fact of the Song family too.
Song Chen's half brother.
Which was why a man so young could be a brigadier general.
And could direct so vast an operation himself!
Naturally the brigadier general's own ability was no small thing.
But to say his blood and family had nothing whatever to do with it.
Would convince no one.
"It is a pity about Zhao Chen, a talent like that. Once this battle report goes up. I expect this Zhao Chen will not stay with us. My brother has always prized talent," the brigadier general could not help adding.
But he felt no regret.
For a talent like Zhao Chen should not be buried under him.
From what Zhao Chen had shown, he had a strong gift for battlefield command; never mind a commander's post, a legion commander's place would be well within him.