T4 Vermilion Bird-class Medium Interstellar Cruiser · bridge
General Charlotte let out a long breath; she had no idea she'd just picked up a little admirer.
"I'm still not quite used to a scene like this." General Charlotte sat in the captain's chair and breathed out a long breath.
"Why? Sister, when you were in the revolutionary army before, didn't you attend scenes like this all the time?" Midai'er, beside her, looked at Charlotte in puzzlement.
In truth she could feel that this sister of hers, since their reunion, was plainly a little different from the General Charlotte of before.
Her face, for one, was no longer cold and stiff; sometimes she'd even show a smile; even that tail of hers, once always so rigid, would now and again give a sway.
And in her idle moments she'd even chat with those around her about what to eat at the starship canteen that day.
Whereas the old General Charlotte had been utterly without mirth or small talk — as though in the whole of her life there'd been but the single option of war.
Hearing Midai'er's words, Charlotte herself paused a moment.
It seemed that, at some point she couldn't name, she'd stopped having to stand in that place where all eyes were fixed.
Because, from some moment on, she no longer needed to bear everything alone — for a man had appeared before her, giving her something to lean on, and support.
In her hour of need, he'd even shield her from the wind and rain.
And it was from that time on that Charlotte could be greedy for a treat, could be playful, could show the softer side of herself.
So much so that she'd near forgotten the self she used to be.
At the thought of all this, Charlotte, of all things, gave a foolish little smile.
For some reason, she found herself recalling that promise the Commander had made her…
All at once, Charlotte's cheeks flushed crimson beyond all measure; she raised a hand and dealt herself two great slaps, and her fair cheeks went red on the instant.
This left Midai'er beside her blinking in bewilderment — how was it her sister Charlotte had suddenly gone blank, suddenly smiled foolishly, and then suddenly slapped herself?
"Sister… are… are you all right?" Midai'er asked Charlotte gingerly.
Charlotte shook her head, and said with feigned gravity: "It's nothing; leave off. Give me the battlefield situation now."
Midai'er at once reported, going by the battlefield picture gathered so far: "The Warhammer interstellar legion fleets have begun to withdraw; it's projected they still have 30,000-odd interstellar warships. Of the Warhammer interstellar warships withdrawing from the siege of the revolutionary army, 20,000 and more; from our side, 10,000 and more have pulled out. By your instruction, we'll carry out the next combat plan."
Charlotte nodded in satisfaction, watching the Warhammer interstellar legion's interstellar warships withdraw slowly across the interstellar holo-table.
"I never gave them leave to go so easily."
Charlotte had prepared so much; it would hardly end so simply.
"How much longer until the T2 Lion King-class Heavy Interstellar Missile Ships finish reloading their interstellar missiles?" Charlotte asked.
"It's projected 15 minutes more," Midai'er answered.
"Which is to say, we need to hold them at least 15 minutes. Move," Charlotte ordered.
One could see, on the interstellar holo-table, an interstellar fleet coming head-on from the very direction of the Warhammer interstellar legion's withdrawal.
This was the last piece in Charlotte's game.
Perhaps someone had sensed, early on, a thread of something amiss.
On the meteor cluster's frontal battlefield there were 3,000-odd interstellar warships; on the two flank battlefields charged with the pincer, there were 10,000 interstellar warships apiece.
And the Dragon-Tiger Legion Charlotte had brought this time numbered near 30,000 combat interstellar warships.
There was, then, a gap of 7,000 interstellar warships still unaccounted for — and the three T4 Vermilion Bird-class Medium Interstellar Cruisers had, besides, never once come onstage.
That's right!
Charlotte had long since reckoned the enemy would withdraw.
In fact, whether the enemy withdrew or not, this piece of Charlotte's could proceed without a hitch.
If the enemy withdrew, this piece was an interception.
If the enemy chose not to withdraw but to give a head-on decisive battle, this piece was a two-flank pincer.
In sum — everything was within Charlotte's grasp.
At this moment the Golden Eagle commander, slinking off in defeat, sat dispirited in his captain's chair, a liquor-bottle in hand, drinking some liquor of who-knew-what make.
"Damn him — a dead fat pig. If it weren't for the Dragon-kin backing him, this daddy wouldn't give you lot the time of day. Withdraw now, and if the people of the other tribes hear of it — a mere rebel army, and it's frightened us off — won't they laugh us to scorn. That fat pig may have no shame, but this daddy still has a face to keep." the Golden Eagle commander cursed away.
"Warning! Warning! Warning! Detecting, ahead, three high-speed-closing T4-grade interstellar-warship energy signals!" a crew member suddenly reported.
"T4-grade? Could it be our reinforcements?" the Golden Eagle commander said in glad surprise.
He'd assumed, reflexively, they were his own reinforcements — for how could that pack of rebel-army trash have T4-grade interstellar warships?
Even this operation of theirs had but five T4-grade interstellar warships: two T4 Butcher-class Medium Interstellar Destroyers and two T4 Dragon-Knight-class Heavy Interstellar Cruisers, and one T4 Armored-Dragon-class Medium Interstellar Frigate.
The first two were, moreover, only quasi-T4-grade interstellar warships.
The two T4 Dragon-Knight-class Heavy Interstellar Cruisers were the flagships of himself and the Giant Ape commander respectively.
And that one true T4-grade interstellar warship, the T4 Armored-Dragon-class Medium Interstellar Frigate, was the Pig King commander's flagship.
Even they had but five T4 interstellar warships — never mind that rebel-army trash.
Just as the Golden Eagle commander was 'flattering himself,' another piece of news came down like a thunderclap upon his head, slapping his face till it rang.
"It seems… it seems these are interstellar warships of that unidentified fleet that came to aid the rebel army in the fighting," the crew member said gingerly.
"Impossible! Absolutely impossible! How could they possibly have T4-grade interstellar warships!" the Golden Eagle commander shouted in rebuttal.
The crew member put up several captured images, upon which were the three onrushing T4-grade interstellar warships opposite.
Their crimson-red hulls were exceedingly striking, giving one, at a glance, a feeling of dazzled wonder.
And most crucial of all — upon the hulls, that dragon-and-tiger crest.
Exactly the same as the fleet crest of that unidentified interstellar-warship fleet that had fought them a moment before!
The crew member pointed at this proof, and looked helplessly toward his commander.
The Golden Eagle commander's great beak hung wide, his eyes goggling like brass bells.
In this moment, still he could not believe the thing.
So much so that he even forgot to give his own fleet an order.
Not until the Pig King commander's side ordered him to make ready for battle with the enemy ships did he come back to himself.
Even so, he stood there muttering foolishly to himself: "How could they have T4 interstellar warships…"