Ding-dong.
A video window sprang open; Su Lan saw Commander-in-Chief Zhao Chen, and five others held in contact at the same time beside him.
The Owl Dragon First Legion's Charlotte, the Second Legion's Chitong, the Third Legion's Shen Bing.
And Baixue and Zhao Wan'er, who had charge of the two special fleets respectively.
"Everyone's here."
Zhao Chen looked at the six video windows before him and said, somewhat helplessly, "I called you to hold a small meeting. There is a matter I find rather hard to decide."
And as he said it, Zhao Chen scratched his head.
"Say on; we can discuss it," Chitong said.
Zhao Chen looked at them all. "It concerns the choice of commander for the Owl Dragon Fifth Legion."
Hearing the Commander-in-Chief say this, the six women present understood why they had been called to this video conference.
Because with their present standings, none of them would be contending for this post of Owl Dragon Fifth Legion commander.
"To this hour I have two candidates. Xue Xiaoxiao and Medusa. Each has her own advantages. So for the moment I cannot tell which to appoint as the Owl Dragon Fifth Legion's commander." Zhao Chen shrugged.
So that was the question.
Zhao Chen went on, "You are all well acquainted with the two of them — you have even served together. So I have decided to take your opinions into account. You each have your own affairs to see to, so let us be brisk about it. The six of you will simply vote: each choose the candidate you support."
Su Lan and Shen Bing exchanged a glance. This Commander-in-Chief of theirs would, in such matters, fling the choice straight to them.
"Good. Begin now. Make your choices within one minute." Zhao Chen, heedless of the six's reactions, declared it begun outright.
Upon the video window before each of the six there appeared a choice.
On the left, Xue Xiaoxiao. On the right, Medusa.
The first to choose was Su Lan, and Su Lan tapped the right — Medusa.
"I'd thought you would choose Xue Xiaoxiao; were the two of you not on very good terms back at the academy?" Zhao Chen was somewhat surprised.
Su Lan explained, "It is precisely because I know Xiaoxiao so well that I know that, gifted though she is, her disposition makes it hard for her yet to shoulder the charge of commanding a legion fleet. By comparison, Medusa has rich combat experience, is composed and cool, and has experience of managing the Snake-folk besides. She is the more suitable choice."
Zhao Chen nodded; that was indeed Medusa's advantage.
Shen Bing chose Medusa at this point too, for the same reason as Su Lan.
The wolf-girl Baixue and Zhao Wan'er, however, chose Xue Xiaoxiao.
Their reason was very simple as well: they liked Xue Xiaoxiao's fighting style — that spirit of pressing forward and never turning back.
Zhao Chen looked to Chitong and Charlotte.
The two of them made their choices at near enough the same moment.
But Chitong chose Xue Xiaoxiao, and Charlotte chose Medusa.
Well, then. Three votes against three.
Zhao Chen covered his face; he half suspected they had done it on purpose — they had, of all things, tossed the choice right back to him.
"Commander-in-Chief, I think you in fact have a better choice." Charlotte spoke up at this point.
"A better choice? Who?" Zhao Chen asked, puzzled.
"Secretary-Officer Chu Xuan," Charlotte said.
"Chu Xuan?" Zhao Chen was somewhat taken aback.
Charlotte said, "To speak the truth, arranging Chu Xuan at your side as a secretary-officer, assisting Lilith, is truly a waste of her. And the advantages Medusa and Xue Xiaoxiao have, Chu Xuan has them all. Chu Xuan has experience of managing the Chu River Star Region, and experience of commanding the Chu family legion fleets, and rich combat experience and talent besides. The one thing that may give you pause is her standing. But I hold that she belongs the more in that seat directing a battle, rather than assisting another."
Zhao Chen narrowed his eyes. To speak the truth, Chu Xuan was indeed a most suitable choice.
It was only her standing.
"Commander-in-Chief, I think this misgiving of yours is wholly needless. You said yourself before that what the Owl Dragon Legion must face in future are threats from other empires — even from other races of other universes. Then before that comes, raising our strength without cease is the most important thing of all, and high-grade talent is the weightiest part of it. Though the Goddess Academy-class starships can cultivate backbone personnel, talent is a thing one may meet with but cannot seek out. You are willing even to recruit the Su family — so why can you not accept Miss Chu Xuan truly becoming part of our Owl Dragon Legion?" Charlotte said in earnest.
"Understood. Let me think it over. This meeting ends here; do not spread this matter abroad." Having said it, Zhao Chen ended the video conference.
He leaned back in his chair, shut his eyes, and sank into thought.
Half a day later.
Chu Xuan knocked at the door of the Commander-in-Chief's private office.
"Come."
At the voice within, the door opened of itself.
"Old Zhao, what did you want me for? Lilith's side has set me no small number of tasks."
In private Chu Xuan was far more at ease with Zhao Chen, and would call him Old Zhao outright.
"Sign this." Zhao Chen opened a digital panel and pointed at a place upon it for Chu Xuan to sign.
What he had not looked for was that Chu Xuan, of all things, did not so much as read the text upon this digital document carefully, but signed her name, Chu Xuan, in the place for the signature.
"Wait — how is it you sign without even looking at what this thing is?" Zhao Chen was given a start.
Chu Xuan rolled her eyes. "What, could it be a bond of indenture? All right — if there's nothing else, I'll go and get on. You mean to interfere in the Warhammer Interstellar Commonwealth's affairs hereafter; you sit here at your leisure while our secretariat runs itself in circles. Back when I was a commander, it never occurred to me that these secretary-officers had it so hard. You had better raise our wages!"
"That one may, in fact, truly be a bond of indenture." Zhao Chen called back the departing Chu Xuan, and pointed at the digital contract.
Chu Xuan was taken aback; only now did her gaze go seriously to that digital contract.
The topmost line read:
Owl Dragon Legion Senior Officer Long-Term Service Contract
Chu Xuan's heart gave a jolt.
"The warships my Owl Dragon Fifth Legion requires will all be delivered into service before long, and I shall need a commander then to help me train this Owl Dragon Fifth Legion. I wonder whether the eldest Miss of the Chu family is willing. That signature you gave just now I can take as never having happened. But if you agree now, then from this moment the next 30 years belong to our Owl Dragon Legion."
And as he said it, Zhao Chen brought out a platinum dragon-patterned medal, upon which there stood, besides, the figure "Five."
That stood for the highest grade of general in the Owl Dragon Legion — it stood for the commander of the Owl Dragon Fifth Legion!
"You mean to hand me… the Owl Dragon Fifth Legion!" Chu Xuan looked at Zhao Chen in astonishment.
Zhao Chen nodded.
"You still have the chance to repent of it — the Chu family legion fleets are waiting for you to inherit them, after all, Miss Chu."
"Repent my foot. From this moment this young lady is the Owl Dragon Fifth Legion's commander! I can command 3,000 T3 warships too!"
What Zhao Chen had not looked for was that Chu Xuan showed not the least hesitation; her face was all delight.
"You… you decide it just like that? And what of your grandfather?"
"My grandfather? I'd say that old man's frame is hale enough yet; another 30 or 50 years of work will do him no harm." Chu Xuan said it without the least ceremony.
Cradling that platinum dragon-patterned medal, the excitement in her heart ran higher even than when the Starlight Empress had granted her a general's rank!
Well, then. The eldest Miss of the Chu family counted as poached.
Old Master Chu, your retirement date will have to be postponed, it seems, Zhao Chen said in a moment's silent mourning.