T3 Blizzard-class Light Interstellar Battlecruiser.
"This is our dormitory zone; because there are so many people this time, some of you may be arranged to rest in the temporarily built dormitory area. During warp travel, you'll need to go to the large hibernation pods to sleep."
"Over here is our ship's canteen; every warship has at least one. From the moment you joined the Owl Dragon Fleet, your personal information was entered into the fleet system. Each of you has a certain meal allowance, and can exchange it at the canteen for your food. So long as you don't waste it — so long as you can finish it — within your meal allowance you may order as much as you like."
A beast-folk crewwoman led a squad of Northstar Academy "recruits" around the T3 Blizzard, getting them familiar with the place. These crewwomen were all thoroughly excited, looking this way and that.
"So this is the T3 Blizzard! I never dreamed I'd actually get to board this legendary ship!"
"I wonder if we'll be lucky enough to serve aboard this T3 warship."
"I'd say that's a bit much to hope for — they'll probably assign us to a T2-grade warship."
"T2's fine by me — with living conditions this good, it's the same wherever you are."
"How come I don't see Commander Zhao anywhere? I wanted to get an autograph from him."
Soon the crowd of recruits reached an open hangar, where the Owl Dragon women-soldiers' uniforms, handheld terminals, and all manner of necessities were stacked. And there they saw their idol. Zhao Chen!
"Look, quick — it's Commander Zhao!"
"I think Zhao Chen's even more handsome than in the promotional videos!"
"I've decided — I'm absolutely going to become a bridge-department crew member, so I can see Commander Zhao's handsome face every day!"
Zhao Chen stood atop a raised platform, sweeping his gaze over these near 600 girls in the bloom of youth — the future seedlings of the Owl Dragon Fleet.
"You all know who I am. But from this moment on, there is no more calling anyone 'classmate' here. I am your Commander, and you are crew of the Owl Dragon Fleet — soldiers! The bond between you will be that of comrades-in-arms who fight shoulder to shoulder in the days to come! What I've promised you, not a coin of it will be lacking — indeed, there may be more. So long as you prove yourselves by your own ability and talent, you can win, in the Owl Dragon Fleet, a stage that is your own. Isn't this T3 Blizzard luxurious and beautiful? So long as you have the ability, one day you too can command a T3 warship like it!" Zhao Chen led off with a string of official words — counting, in effect, as his formal first meeting with this batch of women crew.
After that, he let everyone rest a while, then prepared to return to the Owl Dragon Star System. Zhao Chen deliberately left them time to enjoy a fine meal in the ship's canteen; then they were arranged into the large hibernation pods to sleep.
All arranged: four T2 Iron Hammer-class Heavy Interstellar Industrial Ships, one T3 Blizzard-class Light Interstellar Battlecruiser, the Blizzard Zero, and the newly commissioned T3 Phantom Assassin-class Light Interstellar Stealth Bomber, T3 Goddess Academy-class ship, T3 Andromeda-class Interstellar Medical Ship, and T2 Snow Mastiff-class Heavy Interstellar Battleship — all set off for the Northstar Star System's star gate, their final destination the Owl Dragon Star System!
Two days later.
Just as Zhao Chen was preparing to travel from the border of the Arctic Fox Star System to the Owl Dragon Star System, a special message shattered his set plan. Zhao Chen looked, brows knit, at the text Charlotte had sent from the Lion King System.
"What's happened?" Zhao Wan'er's video window appeared beside Zhao Chen; she was captain of the T3 Phantom Assassin now, so naturally her battle station was aboard that warship. As for the T2 Queen Bee-class Heavy Carrier originally arranged for Zhao Wan'er, its former deputy captain had simply been promoted to captain — she'd been in charge during Zhao Wan'er's absence in any case.
Shen Bing, changed into an Owl Dragon Fleet uniform, stood at Zhao Chen's side together with Lilith; she was Zhao Chen's temporary adjutant now.
"Something's happened in the Lion King System," Zhao Chen said, low.
"The Lion King System?" Zhao Wan'er was rather baffled.
"Lilith, explain the matter of the Lion King System to them first." Zhao Chen rubbed his temples. Just as he'd foreseen — beat the son, and the father comes. The business of the Fire Salamander clan was far from over.
"What! You went to the Reef Star Region — and took control of a whole system there!" Zhao Wan'er gaped. She'd never imagined that in just a few months without seeing her big brother, he'd have done something so earth-shaking.
Shen Bing, too, looked at Zhao Chen with some surprise, but she was rather the calmer, and said gently, "Then this business in the Lion King System — is it because of that Fire Salamander clan the Commander defeated before?"
Zhao Chen nodded. "By the message Charlotte sent, the Fire Salamander clan has joined with several other powers and mustered close to 3,000 warships, meaning to campaign against the Lion King System once more!"
"3,000 warships!" Zhao Wan'er got a great fright. That number was truly terrifying.
Lilith explained beside her, "By the conditions in the Reef Star Region, though it's 3,000 warships on the face of it, the great majority are likely cannon-fodder-grade T1 warships. The number of T2 warships won't exceed 500. The key lies in just how many T3 warships they have!"
Hearing that most were T1 warships, Zhao Wan'er relaxed at last. T1 warships, in the Starlight Empire, counted as civilian ships, or were used by the patrol fleets of some backward systems — basically of no great combat power.
"The word Charlotte received is that the enemy has mobilized five T3 warships this time," Zhao Chen said.
"Five! Then that's no small show of force," Shen Bing muttered. Right now Zhao Chen had only two combat-type T3 warships in hand: the T3 Blizzard and the T3 Phantom Assassin. And over the past three months, the T2 Iron Hammers had mostly been expanding the industrial-ship fleet and building the several T3 warships, so the number of combat-type ships hadn't grown by much.
"However things stand, the Lion King System is very important to us; we can't afford to lose it. By what Charlotte says, the Fire Salamander clan means to launch its attack on the Lion King System a month from now — around the end of July. We have still time enough to get there. Lilith, relay my orders. Every warship except the T3 Blizzard, the T3 Phantom Assassin, the T2 Snow Mastiff, and the T3 Andromeda — return to the Owl Dragon Star System per the original plan. Transfer all the recruits aboard the T3 Blizzard to the other returning warships. Lilith, you'll still stay behind to mind the home front." Zhao Chen gave his orders.
"Yes!" Lilith took the order. Though she too would have loved to fight shoulder to shoulder with the Commander, she understood well that the Owl Dragon Star System's construction plans mattered greatly too.
Zhao Chen fixed his eyes on the Lion King System's position on the star chart. Fire Salamander clan… I'd meant to let you live a few more days. But since you court your own death, then don't blame me for making an example of you!