Owl Dragon System · Storm Fortress Port No.1.
Here stood a huge star-port; in times past this place was most busy, the interstellar warships coming and going numbering hundreds at the least!
But today, not a single civilian interstellar warship voyaged the outer lanes here.
Because this T3 Storm Fortress-class large star-port, built by the Owl Dragon Legion, had entered Tier-1 combat readiness.
All non-essential voyaging was wholly canceled; within a certain range around it, no non-Owl-Dragon-Legion interstellar warship was permitted to voyage — any so found could be destroyed outright.
It was precisely because of this that this star-port had fallen into a kind of eerie stillness.
And at a suspension-zone nearest the star-port, a portion of the Owl Dragon Third Legion's interstellar warships were garrisoned, including the Owl Dragon Third Legion's flagship.
Shen Bing sat in the captain's chair, her expression most grave.
Before her were several comm windows.
This was a coordination meeting.
The attendees: deputy commanders Su Lan, Xue Xiaoxiao, Medusa; secretary-officer Marcie; and the Owl Dragon System's Administrator, Jiang Hong.
"The Owl Dragon System has entered full Tier-1 combat readiness. Any unauthorized craft is forbidden to leave a star-port, space-station, or a planet's near orbit. At the same time, the several main planets and resource-planets have entered combat-ready state; the ground combat troops and defensive weapons on the planets have entered 24-hour standby. Besides, we've mustered 3,000 interstellar warships of patrol fleets — no match for your Owl Dragon Legion, but all T2-grade interstellar warships retired from those the Owl Dragon Legion once had in service. Should anything truly happen, they can play some part too." Jiang Hong, the system's Administrator, spoke.
"Still no contact with the Commander-in-Chief?" Su Lan asked in worry.
Shen Bing shook her head: "I ordered unbroken attempts to contact the Owl Dragon First Legion, and the fleet of the Commander-in-Chief's eldest sister — but as of now, not a word. From the Commander-in-Chief losing contact to now, near 10 hours have passed…"
Hearing this, everyone present felt heavy of heart.
Zhao Chen's existence was, to them, too important.
Though most of the time Zhao Chen might be like a "mascot," sitting there, handing down a few commands, laying out the work.
But to them, so long as Zhao Chen was there, they felt steady in what they did — a feeling of having an anchor.
"However it be, we must carry out the command the Commander-in-Chief left us. In the Commander-in-Chief's absence, hold the Owl Dragon System — this is the task the Commander-in-Chief handed us, and this is our home besides. There can be no slip whatever!" Su Lan clenched her fists, and said firm and unwavering.
Ever since Su Lan was "snatched" here by Zhao Chen, she'd come to love the life here, taking it for her second homeland.
The more so as this place was built by Zhao Chen's own hand; she would not allow anyone to destroy all that this man had built!
Would not allow it!
Medusa watched this scene, and said nothing much.
Though she now counted as high-ranking in the Owl Dragon Third Legion, she was still half an outsider; still, she would do dutifully what she ought to do.
For upon Zhao Chen she'd pinned her hope of revenge besides.
In the earlier Sacred-War Duel, Zhao Chen had defeated the Sacred Angel Legion, which made Medusa believe all the more that her choice had not been wrong.
And this crisis of the Owl Dragon System might well be her chance to truly win Zhao Chen's trust!
Suddenly!
An alarm rang out on Shen Bing's bridge.
"What's happening?" the women tensed.
Shen Bing's flagship was at present the command hub of the Owl Dragon System; any situation would be reported here at the first instant.
"The T3 Silver-Rat-class Light Interstellar Stealth-Recon Ships we sent to patrol the Owl Dragon System's outer rim have, just now, discovered the traces of several hive-race fleets."
Shen Bing knit her brows, and marked out on the interstellar holo-table the several positions where the hive-race fleets had appeared — near enough ringing the Owl Dragon System in the center.
"How many!" Medusa asked.
"Each group numbers around 1,000 Hive Motherships; the specific combat power still needs further scouting. Only five groups have been found so far; by their voyage-tracks they should be headed straight for our Owl Dragon System. Though there's no knowing just what this is about. But — it seems the time has come for us to fight!" Shen Bing swept her gaze over the women.
"Hand down the command. With the Commander-in-Chief away, you are the highest authority here." Su Lan looked to Shen Bing.
Shen Bing drew a deep breath; she could feel the heavy burden pressed on her shoulders.
She stared at the interstellar holo-table; several response-plans surfaced in her mind, and in the shortest time she chose the fittest among them.
"The enemy is in the dark, we in the light. So we take defense as the main thing, and keep close watch on word from the Commander-in-Chief besides. Split our Owl Dragon Third Legion's 3,000 interstellar warships into 10 small-fleet combat units. Each to be responsible for a hive-race fleet in a different direction. Remember! The first task is to protect the important resource-planets and inhabited planets, and to ensure our own safety! Su Lan, Xue Xiaoxiao, Medusa. You three take charge of the fighting in these three directions; I grant you supreme battlefield command; if you meet an emergency, you may deal with it as you see fit! Marcie, you now take charge of coordinating the whole Owl Dragon System's strategic resources and logistics mobilization and the intelligence side. Administrator Jiang Hong, I need you to soothe those main habitable planets and resource-planets; even should some bad situation arise, hold the losses to the lowest. We cannot let the Commander-in-Chief come back to see a wrecked Owl Dragon System. For if it came to that, I trust that none of us here would have the face to meet the Commander-in-Chief!" Shen Bing said gravely.
"Yes!" the women answered in one voice.
They would guard the Owl Dragon System for Zhao Chen.
Owl Dragon System First Industrial Zone.
Here floated a great mass of interstellar industrial ships, and in the core zone were T4 Gemini-class Heavy Interstellar Industrial Ships besides.
As the highest manager here, Annie today was not playful as in days past, but sat gravely in her seat, handling the various tasks that had cropped up out of nowhere.
"All starship-manufacturing projects that can be halted, halt them all — turn everything to producing combat resources! Step up the production efficiency!" Annie looked at her subordinates and said gravely.
One of the deputy chief engineers, seeing Annie so unlike her usual self, asked cautiously: "Chief Engineer, I hear… the Commander-in-Chief has lost contact, and at the same time there are unidentified fleets outside the Owl Dragon System set to attack it. Are we… in danger…? By the wartime emergency plan, we should transfer to a safe place at once."
Hearing this, Annie's face went cold: "I don't know where you got this word. And I don't care whether you slack off ordinarily or not. But at a time like this — this is exactly when we're needed to play our part; if anyone slacks off now, or plays little games— —then get the hell out this instant; I have no use for that kind here. Whatever happens outside — even if enemy ships drive right under our noses — without my leave, the production line does not stop!"
"All… all right."
Having laid out her orders, Annie opened a drawer and looked at the snacks inside.
Ordinarily she'd gorge on several bags of snacks a day, but today, of all things, she had no appetite for them.
"You great big fool, wouldn't it be nice to stay put at home in safety, and leave the dangerous things to the folks below — else what've you kept them around so long for. If you don't come back soon, I'll… I'll go on strike!!" Annie wore a look of gritted teeth.
She was afraid too, she was terrified too, but she knew what she ought to do at this very moment!