"By what we understand. The enemy's best plan in this disposition of theirs is not to attack this interstellar city. But to ambush us upon the road as we leave it. And to ambush not myself only, but the representatives of those great families and powers that support me. Taking this chance to take the whole catch in one net. And then let the conservatives formally take over. And were I to stay within this interstellar city and never go out, it must needs make the enemy uneasy, and they would give the plan up. Which plan is in fact the very thing I want."
Song Chen raised a hand, and a moving simulation of the engagement began to show upon the star chart.
In it a fleet marked with a certain flag stood out from the interstellar city, and at the same time other fleets left as well.
And afterward, upon these fleets' homeward road, an enemy fleet came charging out and ambushed them.
But at that very moment,
everything changed.
At the place of the ambush, a great number of Star Alliance fleets appeared in their turn.
And in the end, at that place of ambush, every one of the enemy's interstellar warships was destroyed.
And at the same time Song Qingshan marked besides certain fleets flying the Shadow-Guard's colors, which ambushed the conservatives' fleets, and then swallowed those fleets whole.
"Turn their own scheme against them?" Song Qingshan said over to himself.
"Just so. And the good of this plan is that we may lay the Shadow-Guard's ambush of the conservative fleets wholly at the enemy universe's door. Whereby the Alliance's settled order may be preserved. And the conservatives' concerns quickly taken in hand. And all men brought to share one hatred besides, holding that the universe opposite is our enemy! One stone and many birds." A trace of a smile showed on Song Chen's face.
"But… I still hold this plan too great a risk." At this Shangguan Qiangwei, who had not spoken until now, could not keep silent, and looked at Song Chen with worry in her eyes.
"Without entering the tiger's den one does not get the tiger's cub. If I do not stand out myself, how should those people ever take the hook?" Song Chen laughed scornfully.
"Wait, wait, wait. Say plainly first what all this is about. And what it is you need me to do!" It could be seen that Song Qingshan's feelings were somewhat stirred just then.
For so great a matter, set suddenly before him, was truly more than he had looked for.
That beautiful chief of the Shadow-Guard smiled faintly and said outright: "Our plan is very simple. The first half of it is to turn their scheme against them. The Leader will go aboard his own flagship, and with the three hundred interstellar warships he keeps about him in the ordinary way will make the return voyage, going to a certain destination by the plan already set. The whole course of that journey is known to the high men of the Star Alliance Council alone."
Upon that last sentence she laid a weight of emphasis.
The meaning of which was plain enough: known to the Council's high men is as good as known to the conservatives.
"And after that the enemy will assuredly ambush us. And we must not only destroy these enemies and wreck this plan of the conservatives'. We must ride it very perfectly besides.[1] But so as not to beat the grass and startle the snake. The several Alliance fleets now openly at the front can certainly not be ordered and moved outright. And at present the only fitting one. Is your fleet! And you have but lately been promoted. The number of fleets you command has grown besides. Thirty thousand hulls in all. Is that not so, Major General." The Shadow-Guard beauty fixed her eyes on Song Qingshan.
Zhao Chen, at his end, said privately: no wonder the scale of the fleet under Song Qingshan had grown so fast of late; by rights, major general or no, a man could hardly have thirty thousand interstellar warships under his direct command all at once.
And those thirty thousand interstellar warships were of no high quality besides.
"When the time comes, I shall send you down an order beforehand, having you take your fleet to a certain battlefield in a neighboring small world. But in fact, upon the line of your voyage, a body of T6 Phantom-Immortals will be waiting for you. And when the plan begins, those T6 Phantom-Immortals will throw your several fleets to the appointed battlefield. As to where that battlefield lies, the Shadow-Guard will see to sending it to you. And once this 'ambush' is opened, I shall send out a call for relief. Then the Alliance's fleets will come up in their several parts to support us, though their speed will assuredly be slow. So your charge is this. Either to destroy every enemy hull. Or to keep the starships carrying the high men of the great families, myself among them, from being set upon and killed by the enemy, and to hold until the Alliance's main body of relief arrives, and in the end to destroy the enemy to the last!" Song Chen laid the plan out lightly enough.
Song Qingshan was startled yet again; today was likely the day he had been startled oftenest in his life.
He looked at Song Chen. "Why have you chosen me?"
"Because you are worthy of trust," Song Chen said, freely and openly.
Song Qingshan frowned.
Song Chen went on: "I will not hide it from you: before the Alliance's civil war, the Shadow-Guard looked into every person of the Song family, inside and out, high and low. A file of it is kept with me. In which is yours. You stand highest in the reckoning of all the Song family upon that list. Though I much dislike this Song standing of mine; were it not for the larger situation, I would never have taken my father's surname. But my mother's! Though sooner or later, one day, I shall change it back. So, as I said before. The Song needs an heir, and you are a choice that satisfies me. And there is your ability besides. And that you are at present the one military force I can move without drawing eyes. For all those high men of the Alliance know that you have never been able to abide me, your brother. So they will never in the world suppose that you should be a link in this plan!"
Song Qingshan was silent a long while.
He looked at Song Chen again, and this time there was something very level in his eyes.
He said: "You trust me so far. Aren't you afraid that I should play you the mantis stalking the cicada, with the oriole behind?[2] That I sell you out, and when you are dead, then make my own move. And rise by the Song family thereafter. And be Star Alliance Leader myself."
"You will not." Song Chen flung out the three words.
Song Qingshan would have refuted something, but the words came to his lips and were not said.
At his own end Zhao Chen nodded silently as well: this Song Chen read men accurately enough.
Song Qingshan was indeed not such a man.
He might dislike Song Chen, but he had no eye for the Song family's seat either, nor would he work Song Chen's ruin.
The less so at such a time as this.
"Good. I agree to it. But when the time comes, if you die, do not lay it at my door," Song Qingshan said icily.
Song Chen looked at him with a smile, took up the wine glass from the table, and said, smiling, "Then I leave it with my dear brother."
Song Qingshan did not drink, but turned and went out.
And with that this secret conference came to its end.
Zhao Chen turned the business over in his mind.
If the whole plan went smoothly, then by this working of Song Chen's there should be no very great danger in it.
Not long after, a figure appeared before Zhao Chen.
Zhao Chen raised his head and looked at the newcomer in some surprise.
It was Song Qingshan, of all people.
"General?" Zhao Chen rose at once.
"Zhao Chen, I have a thing to ask of you."