The T4 Retribution-Angel-class Heavy Interstellar Battleship now.
That wretched sight.
Not a trace left of its earlier awe-inspiring, majestic bearing.
Look at that pitted, ravaged hull armor — many spots even laid bare the compartments within; and if one looked closely, at some of the broken compartment openings one could even see traces of spattered blood.
The hull-armor damage alone was enough to send this T4 Retribution-Angel-class Heavy Interstellar Battleship back to the dockyard for a major overhaul.
And that wasn't even the worst of it.
If one spoke of the most gravely damaged spot, that was of course the bow region.
The gun-mount that had held the bow-cannon weapon module at the bow had now caved in entirely; the great bow cannon that had been there was gone without a trace.
At the same time, a terrible rent extended from the bow-cannon region on and out to the side.
The scene was for all the world like a knife driven into a person's mouth and then drawn open along the side into a hideous, savage wound.
The people of the Sacred Spirit race who saw this were long unable to speak.
They'd been telling themselves this loss was only carelessness, that the gap between the two battleships wasn't great.
But now the evidence was laid out plainly before them.
This T4 Retribution-Angel-class Heavy Interstellar Battleship — bow cannon destroyed, bow armor punched through, hull armor gravely damaged.
This T4 Retribution-Angel-class Heavy Interstellar Battleship, ship T03, would likely find it hard to recover its combat ability without two or three months back in a starport dockyard.
"Commander, my lady… I'm sorry…" The captain of the Retribution Angel T03 looked at Saint Cana across the way, guilt-ridden.
Saint Cana looked at the video window before her, and said levelly, "Report the Retribution Angel T03's damage."
The Retribution Angel T03's captain hesitated a moment, then reported honestly all the same: "Our Retribution Angel T03's overall hull-armor damage exceeds 50%, with 5% of the hull armor punched through. The bow-position armor is gravely damaged; 78 compartments besides are affected and have been forced to seal. And it has caused 37 deaths, with 135 wounded to varying degrees. Even the strength of the ship's main frame structure has dropped by 10%…"
Hearing this string of figures, the NCOs behind Saint Cana wore faces one and all grim and dark.
"Commander, my lady, this defeat is my responsibility; I request—"
Saint Cana stopped him from going on: "As for your responsibility, when we return and review this battle, it will be looked into and made clear. For now, take your warship and crew and go rest properly."
With that, Saint Cana cut the comm channel outright.
A heavy air spread through the cabin of this shuttle.
"Commander, my lady, we… we still have a chance. There's still the second battle and the third. The second battle above all — our ship types hold the advantage there; it's not possible we lose!" the adjutant said at her side, swearing it up and down.
"Let's hope so." Saint Cana felt, now, a touch adrift about this Sacred-War Duel — perhaps… this had been a mistaken decision of hers?
She turned her head and looked at that man on the far side of the light-screen.
In this moment, she felt this man was steeped in an air of mystery.
On the other side, Zhao Chen was at this moment holding a comm with Xue Xiaoxiao, returned in triumph from taking the first win.
"Reporting, Commander — the T4 Blue-Eyes White Dragon-class Heavy Interstellar Armored Battleship, ship one, has fulfilled its combat task to perfection!" Xue Xiaoxiao looked at Zhao Chen with a giggling grin, awaiting the praise Zhao Chen would surely give.
Zhao Chen, though, said offhandedly, "What's there to be proud of? The T4 Blue-Eyes White Dragon beating that broken-down battleship — is that any wonder?"
Xue Xiaoxiao's expression stiffened.
True enough.
This duel owed a little to her fine command, true — but the most important reason was that the T4 Blue-Eyes White Dragon-class Heavy Interstellar Armored Battleship's all-round performance was simply too strong!
"Still, given that the crew put up so fine a showing in their first battle— —pass along my order: all crew aboard the T4 Blue-Eyes White Dragon-class Heavy Interstellar Armored Battleship are to be rewarded by merit when they return." Zhao Chen's tone took a turn.
What was due, Zhao Chen gave generously.
A smile brimmed over Xue Xiaoxiao's face again — but the very next second, her smile stiffened once more.
"But, given Xue Xiaoxiao's earlier dereliction in delaying a military order, her reward this time is cancelled."
Xue Xiaoxiao's face fell at once; she hung her head, aggrieved past words — she'd never thought the Commander would be so grudge-bearing as to hold that little matter against her.
"Let's leave it at that. Xue Xiaoxiao, from now on you'd best manage this T4 Blue-Eyes White Dragon of mine properly — be careless and sloppy again, and mind I don't relieve you of your post!" Zhao Chen said, a touch of threat in it.
Xue Xiaoxiao froze a moment, and was a good while coming back to herself; then she looked at Zhao Chen, glad with surprise: "You… you mean you're making me permanent captain of this battleship!"
"What — unwilling?" Zhao Chen teased.
"I'm willing! I'm willing! Now no one can part me from this big darling; we'll be together forever! For ever and ever!" Xue Xiaoxiao swore up and down.
Only, that "devotion" would likely last no longer than until a more advanced battleship appeared before her.
Zhao Chen knew Xue Xiaoxiao's temper well: she was a great fickle heartbreaker, casting off the old for the new… no, that wasn't quite it — she loved the big and spurned the small.
Before this she'd been mighty fond of the T3 Imperial-class Heavy Interstellar Battleship too.
"All right, enough chatter. Go down and rest up." Zhao Chen waved a hand.
"Yes!" And so Xue Xiaoxiao truly became captain of this T4 Blue-Eyes White Dragon-class Heavy Interstellar Armored Battleship, ship one.
"Commander, we've taken the first battle — and so the initiative is in our hands," Lilith said happily at his side.
Zhao Chen nodded; this was within his expectations.
"But… this second battle… doesn't look too hopeful." Lilith looked toward another battlefield's broadcast, her brows knitting tight.
Zhao Chen looked over too.
That was, beyond doubt, the second battlefield, where the two sides' strengths were vastly mismatched.
At this moment, on the second battlefield.
The Sacred Angel fleet's 90 warships had reached the far end of the field, and had caught sight of the Owl Dragon fleet holding its ground.
100 Owl Dragon fleet warships stood ready and waiting.
Here were 70 T3 Triceratops-class Interstellar Heavy-Assault Escorts and 30 T3 Wolverine-class Heavy Interstellar Armored Destroyers.
These warships formed a three-layer fan-shaped defensive system, centered on that crystal.
The innermost layer was 20 T3 Triceratops-class Interstellar Heavy-Assault Escorts, guarding the crystal!
The middle layer was a central formation of 30 T3 Wolverine-class Heavy Interstellar Armored Destroyers and 30 T3 Triceratops-class Interstellar Heavy-Assault Escorts.
The outermost layer was the remaining 20 T3 Triceratops-class Interstellar Heavy-Assault Escorts.
By ship type, it was beyond doubt the Owl Dragon fleet that stood at an absolute disadvantage.
For across the way were 30 T3 Light-Cone-class Medium Interstellar Battlecruisers and 60 T4 Light-Ranger-class Medium Interstellar Cruisers.
And at this moment, the Sacred Angel fleet's 90 warships had spread into a charging formation, and begun driving at terrific speed toward the Owl Dragon fleet's defensive position.
This was, beyond doubt, a terrible sacred spear thrusting at that coiled Owl Dragon!