With the establishment of two special fleets and seven regular legion fleets settled—
this conference came, one might say, to its end.
The time of it was very short, a bare dozen-odd minutes.
Yet it had widened the Owl Dragon Legion's whole design several times over in an instant!
If this round of expansion were truly completed, the Owl Dragon Legion would hold at the least 30,000 combat-type warships — and every one of them T3-grade or better!
And by then, never mind the whole map of the Galactic Alliance—
within the Starlight Empire the Owl Dragon Legion would beyond doubt leap at a stride to being the strongest military power!
"And these four legion-fleet commanders left — whom do you mean to arrange for them?" Chu Xuan blinked at Zhao Chen, and there seemed to be something glinting in her eyes.
Zhao Chen stretched himself, and raised a hand, and a roster appeared before him.
This was the list of the Owl Dragon Legion's third generation of senior commanders, drawn together by Lilith from Zhao Chen's own thinking.
Before this, Charlotte, Lilith and the rest might be counted the Owl Dragon Legion's first generation.
And after them Shen Bing, Su Lan and the rest counted as the Legion's second, with Medusa the last of that second generation.
And now, naturally, it was the hour to rear up a third — or one might say a fourth.
Upon this list there were several names ranked at the very front.
Qingman; Pei Shengnan; Ye Xiaotong; Huang Xiaoting; Fan Susu; Zhong Xiaoxia; Wu Chun'er…
Every one of these was elite in some post of the Owl Dragon Legion — starship captains, fleet commanders, star-port heads and the rest.
"On this third generation of ours there is indeed something of a break in the line. Chiefly because the legion fleets we're expanding by this time are truly too many — it comes to a threefold expansion at a stroke. I had several other candidates in mind — my eldest sister Zhao Ruyue, for instance, and some senior commanders of the Princess Royal Fleet such as Wei Shishi; all of them fine choices. And Charlotte's side has some good officers too; that sister of hers, Midai, is not bad at all." Zhao Chen worked at his chin.
Only a pity that for reasons standing at present, none of these could be candidates for Zhao Chen to bring on.
Chu Xuan pushed out her lip, and looked at him with some displeasure, and pointed at herself. "Here now — is there not a suitable candidate right in front of you?"
And so saying, Chu Xuan even lifted her chin and set her hands on her hips.
Zhao Chen looked her up and down, and then shook his head. "Can't afford you."
Chu Xuan was brought up short, and shoved her face straight up to his. "What do you mean by that? What do you mean, can't afford me?"
"You are the Chu family's future heir. Though you serve me as secretary-officer now, there's no saying you won't be gone some day. The secretary-officer's work is well enough; if you go, at worst I find someone to take your work over. But were I to arrange for you to be a legion commander of mine, then changing the commander mid-battle when the hour came would be a thing strictly forbidden!" Zhao Chen meant this in earnest.
Chu Xuan's ability and capacity were beyond question, of course.
To serve Zhao Chen as a legion commander she would have been more than equal.
"You… I…" Chu Xuan was so put out for a moment that she did not know what to say.
Because that excuse of Zhao Chen's fitted only too well.
Should anything of weight happen on the Chu family's side, she, Chu Xuan, would certainly not be able to get free of it.
Which left Chu Xuan pushing out her lip and giving herself up to sulking where she stood.
Zhao Chen, for his part, went on sifting the candidates for a third generation of senior commanders, and for the fourth he must rear up in time.
Having the broken line before him now, Zhao Chen would not allow such a thing to happen again in future.
Having looked it over a while, he still made no choice.
And could only press at his own temples helplessly. "Let this matter be set aside for now; there's time yet to adjust it later. Lilith, what else have I to do next?"
Lilith thought a moment and said, "You are to make an inspection today of the several new ship classes lately completed. And besides that, you said earlier that you had an important matter to meet Chief Engineer Annie over. I have arranged it: the afternoon is for your meeting and discussion with Chief Engineer Annie. And after that comes the talk with Li Yaqi and Red Rose on matters of interstellar trade."
"Annie…" Zhao Chen wore a look of fond recollection. "It's been a long while since I saw that mascot of ours. Come along. A chance to clear the head, as it happens."
…………
"How beautiful this place is!" Gu Xiaoxiao looked at the pastoral scene before her, and could scarcely believe any of it.
And turning about, she looked at the cosmos and its stars beyond the viewport.
It was truly hard to believe she stood aboard an interstellar warship, for the setting behind her was like a planet of fine environment and rich resources.
"This is a T3 Silver Eden-class Starship; every natural ingredient our Owl Dragon System wants is produced here. And we sell outward as well, and get great profit by it. And I hear the Commander-in-Chief has now finished building a more advanced ship of the same function, which can produce and rear more crops and livestock, and of very high quality besides!" Xue Xiaoxiao set it out for all the world as though showing off her own homeland.
Gu Xiaoxiao looked at it all, her eyes full of light.
"So then, Xiaoxiao — have you settled on staying!" Xue Xiaoxiao raised a hand, and a virtual contract appeared before Gu Xiaoxiao.
It was an Owl Dragon Legion recruitment contract.
This was the contract everyone wishing to join the Owl Dragon Legion had to sign — though signing it did not mean one could join.
It only gave one the chance; after which one was sent to a Goddess Academy-class ship, and there received a whole series of relevant training, and only on passing that training could one formally enter the Owl Dragon Legion's roll of crew.
Xue Xiaoxiao brought out another contract at the same time; she glanced about, and finding nobody else there, said quietly to Gu Xiaoxiao, "Xiaoxiao, this is a 30-year contract I've only just signed. Because I'm to become commander of one of the Owl Dragon Legion's legion fleets, a long-term contract of this sort is required. The treatment I have now is near enough the highest there is; and even when the 30 years are up and I retire, I can pass a very rich retirement in the Owl Dragon System. Xiaoxiao, what have you left to hesitate over! Your gifts and your ability we all know well. In our Star-Shark Guild you could have served as a military instructor; and in the earliest days it was you who taught me the fundamentals of interstellar warship command! Believe me — joining the Owl Dragon Legion means a far wider sky."
Gu Xiaoxiao looked at the recruitment contract before her; in truth she had settled it long since, and she pressed her fingerprint upon it and signed the corresponding covenant.
After which she would be sent to a Goddess Academy-class ship for training, and then, passing her assessment and graduating, would join the Owl Dragon Legion.
"Wonderful! From now on we'll be comrades-in-arms!" Xue Xiaoxiao took hold of Gu Xiaoxiao in her excitement.
Gu Xiaoxiao looked out at the cosmos beyond the viewport. In truth she had not made this decision for the sake of these so-called benefits and treatment, nor for anything else of that kind.
But because… of that man who had appeared in her life.
And at that very hour, another woman was in 'perplexity' likewise on account of a certain man who had appeared in her life.
"What did you say… you want me to build you this thing… this… T5…" Annie's eyes went wide, and she pointed at an interstellar warship she had never seen before — but of which, from the holographic image alone, one could tell the functions were out of the common run.
And put the question to the man opposite.
Was he making a joke?
He was absolutely making a joke of Annie!