Upon the hull of the T4 Lucent-class Interstellar Jump Ship there appeared multiple crystal modules, forming up into an energy matrix. Some minutes later, these crystal modules simultaneously shot forth a beam of light apiece; these beams gathered toward a single point, and at last collided together. Thereupon, it evolved into a marvelous star-phenomenon vista, like the surface of a lake.
This was, precisely, the "Lucent-type Jump Gate" the T4 Lucent-class Interstellar Jump Ship created.
"Set out." Zhao Chen handed down the order.
Thereupon the assembled interstellar warships of the Owl Dragon Fleet sailed into this "jump gate," these interstellar warships vanishing one after another.
Until, in this stretch of star region, there remained only the T4 Lucent-class Interstellar Jump Ship — it being the last ship to enter the "Lucent-type Jump Gate."
And at the moment it crossed through this "jump gate," the gate vanished from sight.
This stretch of star region returned to its former silent state, for all the world as though nothing whatsoever had ever appeared here.
……
Outside the Reef Star Region · within the fringe space of a certain star system.
An interstellar fleet appeared here out of thin air! Without any sign or forewarning whatsoever.
"Reporting, Lord Commander. We've already arrived at the target area; the margin of error is no more than 100 interstellar distance-units." the captain of the T4 Lucent-class Interstellar Jump Ship reported to Zhao Chen.
"You've done very well; next, you need only stay beside the T3 Phoenix-class Heavy Carrier Starship and travel along with it," Zhao Chen said with satisfaction.
"Yes."
At the same time, the T3 Imperial-class Heavy Interstellar Battleship No. 1 · bridge.
Charlotte, this Deputy Commander-in-Chief, had already begun handing down various combat orders one after another. "At once arrange for the interstellar frigates to conduct a search of the surrounding star region. Have all the T3 Silver-Rat-class Light Interstellar Stealth Reconnaissance Ships spread out, to ensure our fleet's safety! The other combat-type interstellar warships are to check the condition of their own interstellar warships, and ensure there's no problem of any kind in the combat action to come."
A video window appeared beside Charlotte; she looked over and at once straightened her body. "Lord Commander, our Owl Dragon Legion fleet has entered Level-One combat-readiness!"
"Very good; next, it's to bring out our secret weapon, and make ready to entertain those guests who've come from afar." A trace of a smile showed at the corner of Zhao Chen's mouth.
"According to the enemy situation the T3 Silver-Rats have gathered, Warhammer's three legion fleets — 10,000 interstellar warships in all — will, in the coming tenth to fifteenth hour, use warp navigation to cross this interstellar fringe space, enter the Reef Star Region, and rendezvous with those Reef Star Region forces' fleets supporting the Warhammer faction. These are the several predicted courses; and our position, after several rounds of System-simulation calculation, is at a 78.35% probability the route-path of Warhammer's interstellar legion fleet!" Charlotte put forth a star-chart image. Upon it was the simulated sailing route of the Warhammer interstellar fleet — and at this moment their Owl Dragon Legion was right in between it and the Reef Star Region.
"Then let's set up the battlefield first," Zhao Chen said in earnest.
"Yes; we'll spend three hours' time setting up the battlefield, deploying 300 T3-grade Ranger-type interstellar warp-interceptors." As Charlotte spoke, the star-chart template before her underwent a change. There appeared densely teeming little blue dots; these little blue dots, upon the Warhammer interstellar legion fleet's route to the Reef Star Region, formed a very "spider's web."
"Arrange it at once," Zhao Chen said.
"Yes."
The comm with Charlotte ended for the time being.
Zhao Chen sat in the captain's chair of his own T3 Phoenix; through the relayed interstellar imagery, he could see the hatches of one T3 Great White Whale-class Heavy Interstellar Transport Ship after another opening. Thereupon, shuttle after shuttle, along with small transport craft, carrying a dodecahedral mysterious apparatus, hastened off in differing directions. Some at comparatively near distances were situated right at the position where the Owl Dragon Legion fleet was, at this moment, stationed.
Zhao Chen was, at this moment, watching as one of the nearest dodecahedral mysterious apparatuses finished being emplaced. Its surface began to extend; from the originally dodecahedral apparatus it became an object resembling a spherical-surface structure, and the direction its "concave" face pointed was, precisely, the direction from which the Warhammer interstellar legion fleet would come. And, moreover, the other emplaced apparatuses of this kind, too, uniformly faced this same direction.
The T3 Ranger-type Interstellar Warp Interceptor — that was its name. It was something Zhao Chen had, just a few days ago, redeemed from the System mall. As the name suggested, its function was to intercept interstellar warships under warp navigation! Zhao Chen had had personal experience of this before — that was back when, for the sake of completing the Northstar Academy's study-mission, he'd been intercepted by a Mechanical Race interstellar warship using equipment of this very type, and a great interstellar battle had erupted besides.
And this T3 Ranger-type Interstellar Warp Interceptor of Zhao Chen's was rather different. It could be called, of all the warp-interceptors of this type now known — in the Galactic Alliance and, indeed, in all the known universe — the most advanced existence. Its single interception surface was larger, and at the same time its interception precision was higher.
What is interception precision? Cast your mind back to when Zhao Chen's interstellar fleet had been intercepted by the Mechanical Race's interstellar-warship warp-interceptor: at the first moment, the Mechanical Race's interstellar warships did not immediately appear. Because the Mechanical Race's interstellar warships simply didn't know just where the intercepted interstellar fleet would appear; they could only determine a rough range, and then, after the interception succeeded, at once hasten to that area. And here lay a problem! That was — the intercepted target thereby had time to prepare. And the efficiency of the ambush operation would be affected. At the same time, one must know that a warp-interceptor of this kind was exceedingly expensive to build, and was, moreover, a single-use device. It had only one function — to intercept interstellar warships in the warp state; apart from that, it was but a lump of scrap iron. And so its market circulation was, in fact, not great.
And this T3 Ranger-type Interstellar Warp Interceptor of Zhao Chen's cost, for a single unit, a full 1 million star coins — the equal of a T2 interstellar warship. But its performance was several times that of the several known same-tier warp-interceptors! And most, most important of all was its degree of precision, which could be called heaven-defying. As for just what sort of effect it had, that could only be witnessed in actual combat.
The three hours' time swiftly came.
Zhao Chen looked at a rather special energy-signal observation panel before him, upon which one could see a huge spider-web-shaped energy image. This was something ordinary radar couldn't detect.
"Reporting, Commander — all the T3 Ranger-type Interstellar Warp Interceptors have completed activation, and will be able to run for 50 hours' time. And all the interstellar warships have already entered the combat positions we've set." Charlotte wore the look of one waiting in full array.
"Then let's watch the stump and wait for the rabbit." Zhao Chen was, after all, rather fond of this feeling of laying a scheme for someone; he was somewhat looking forward to just what sort of "delighted surprise" expressions those fellows of the Warhammer interstellar legion fleet would wear when the time came.[1]