The Owl Dragon Star System.
Near a week had passed since the Empress's accession.
And the Starlight Empire, too, had begun to recover from the civil war.
The various star regions began to restore the order they had known before the war.
The one place with trouble was the Snow-Swallow Star Region.
"By the Empress's latest decree. The Snow-Swallow Star Region is divided into three grades of zone: high-risk, medium-risk, and low-risk. The high-risk zone is the Snow-Swallow second system — that is, the place where the permanent tier-4 cosmic bug-nest lies. The six neighboring systems about it are designated medium-risk, and the dozen-odd systems bordering the medium-risk zone are designated low-risk. And at the same time the whole Snow-Swallow Star Region is held at tier-2 combat readiness. Over the coming week, 10 legion fleets will be arranged, one after another, to garrison the Snow-Swallow Star Region," Lilith reported from Zhao Chen's side.
Because one of Zhao Chen's standings was that of Prince Regent, any business handled over on the Empress's side was shared to Zhao Chen at the first moment.
Which counted as a one-way sharing of intelligence.
"Marshal Zhao Ruyue's side asks when the thorny problem of the Snow-Swallow Star Region's permanent cosmic bug-nest may be dealt with." Lilith looked to Zhao Chen.
Zhao Chen looked at the Snow-Swallow Star Region before him, divided now into its three grades of risk zone, and said, "If it were merely an ordinary enemy, we could well enough go straight up and fight a battle. But this is the interstellar hive-race — and interstellar hive-race without cease, at that. To deal with the interstellar hive-race we need great quantities of war materiel prepared; and on account of the civil war, never mind the imperial military or the Princess's royal fleets— even our own Owl Dragon Legion has few war resources left. And if no means of solving the permanent cosmic bug-nest outright can be found, fighting a battle will only drag us into the mire of the Snow-Swallow Star Region."
Charlotte spoke up from beside them. "My recommendation is that this bug-nest must indeed be dealt with. But the grade of the handling need not be high. Short of achieving an outright solution to the permanent cosmic bug-nest, we adopt a tactical method of containment. For instance: with the Snow-Swallow second system as the center, establish a ring of encirclement, and 'keep' the interstellar hive-race penned within it. And every so often go out on the attack and clear away some of the swarm. Is the Starlight Empress's side not about to carry out a large-scale expansion? This is an exceedingly suitable training ground. And the newly established legion fleets of our own Owl Dragon Legion can train here as well. There is nothing like real combat for raising a fleet's fighting power quickly."
Zhao Chen nodded; Charlotte's thinking was much like his own.
"Charlotte, by the material we have in hand, analyze the threat level of this cosmic bug-nest and draw up a strategic plan. Then send it over to the Imperial Capital Star, and let them carry it out by your plan." Zhao Chen flung the task to Charlotte.
Charlotte was taken aback, and hesitated, undecided.
"Is there some problem?" Zhao Chen looked at her.
Charlotte said, "Commander-in-Chief, I have been away from the Warhammer Interstellar Commonwealth near a month and more now. Word has reached me that the Revolutionary Army's interior has been rather unsteady of late. My father has asked me several times whether I might return to hold the seat; over on the Revolutionary Army's side now, only my appearing there can hold down those clowns."
Zhao Chen's expression turned serious; he raised a hand and opened the Warhammer Interstellar Commonwealth's star map. "Charlotte, what do you make of this Revolutionary Army of yours as it stands?"
Charlotte was taken aback, not knowing why the Commander-in-Chief asked this.
"Let me give you my own assessment outright. At the beginning, when you were just starting, perhaps the Revolutionary Army was still an army able to campaign and to fight — only lacking good equipment. But with the Revolutionary Army's forceful rise over this stretch, and with a great many small and medium tribes joining, your Revolutionary Army's constitution has begun to grow bloated. And at the same time certain principal tribal powers within the Revolutionary Army have begun to entertain notions of enjoying themselves — even of talking peace with the Warhammer Interstellar Commonwealth as it now stands. For instance, I hear that a certain tribal leader of the Revolutionary Army has proposed that so long as the Dragon-folk tribe agree to expand the establishment of the twenty great tribes to 30, or even more— they are willing to talk peace and cease fighting."
Charlotte's face darkened; she had heard of these things too, and nodded in acknowledgment. "Yes. Such a situation has indeed appeared in the Revolutionary Army now."
"Charlotte, I hold that if you wish the Warhammer Interstellar Commonwealth truly to have a fine future— then you must now clear away certain troubles within the Revolutionary Army, because before long the Warhammer Interstellar Commonwealth will fight a great battle with you. And if you drag this pack of dead weight onto the field, then even with the Dragon-Tiger Legion I have furnished you, a victory then would be a victory bought dear! Bought dear… you should understand my meaning." Zhao Chen said it plainly.
"You… mean… a great purge…" Charlotte read out Zhao Chen's thinking, and her expression was hesitant.
"I agree with the Commander-in-Chief. Before a great battle comes, cut what should be cut, or you will surely suffer the chaos of it! Indeed, doing so can consolidate your military authority and standing further, and raise your prestige a grade. What the Commander-in-Chief wants is a new Warhammer that takes its orders from you — not a new Warhammer built by a heap of chattering clowns." There was much meaning in Lilith's closing words.
Charlotte fell silent.
"Charlotte, I said to you before that my next stage's center of gravity would fall upon the Warhammer. But before that, I must first establish that the Warhammer's Revolutionary Army is worth my help. I have no wish to prop up a pack of good-for-nothings." Zhao Chen said it without the least ceremony.
Charlotte made her decision, laid a hand over her heart, and saluted. "Charlotte awaits the Commander-in-Chief's arrangement."
"Go on with the business I laid out for you a moment ago. As for that Revolutionary Army of yours — let the shells fly a while longer first." Zhao Chen said it coldly.
"Yes."
Charlotte went to draw up the tactical plan for the Snow-Swallow Star Region.
Zhao Chen looked to Lilith beside him. "The tally I had you make of our Owl Dragon Legion's present state of development — how does it come along?"
Lilith raised a hand, and a whole series of data on the Owl Dragon Legion's development appeared before Zhao Chen.
Within it was not the Owl Dragon Legion alone, but the Owl Dragon Star System besides, and every department bound up with the Owl Dragon Legion — Li Yaqi's and Red Rose's interstellar trade groups, for instance.
All of it was covered under this one concept of "the Owl Dragon Legion."
Lilith set out the Owl Dragon Star System first.
"At present the Owl Dragon Star System, under the management of acting governor Jiang Hong, is developing very well. Leaning upon military industry, the food industry, interstellar trade, and the output of other related lines besides— the Owl Dragon Star System's tax revenue has already broken 100 million in a single month; its permanent resident population has reached 30 billion, and its registered household population stands at present at one and a half billion. As for the system's comprehensive rating, it is at present the highest-rated system in the Starlight Empire — surpassing the Imperial Capital Star."