"You mean to return to the Owl Dragon star system now?" Charlotte looked at Zhao Chen in surprise; she had only just learned of it.
Because the Hundred Beasts Alliance had only just been founded, and there was besides the drawing up of the coming operational plan, Charlotte had been exceedingly busy over this stretch.
Had Zhao Chen not notified her expressly, Charlotte would likely not have noticed her own Commander-in-Chief's departing at all.
At the same time, out of the corner of her eye Charlotte glanced at Spider Queen Iris, standing not far behind Zhao Chen.
She had learned from Lilith of the proposal this Spider Queen Iris had made before the Commander-in-Chief earlier.
Which gave Charlotte the feeling that her own territory had been invaded, so that she bore this Spider Queen Iris a very strong hostility.
"Look at that operational plan you've drawn up: the action begins three days from now, does it not? We have a star gate built here in any case, so a trip there and back is the work of a moment. Three days is time enough for me to settle these two creatures behind me. And if these two can be brought to submit to us obediently, it will be of great benefit to your Hundred Beasts Alliance's future development." Zhao Chen said it with confidence.
"That's right — this time I am only going home for a trip; there is nothing special about it. I shall leave Lilith with you to assist you," Zhao Chen added.
"That won't do!"
"That's not allowed!"
Zhao Chen looked in astonishment at Charlotte and Lilith, who had objected at the same moment.
He was rather at a loss; this was a most ordinary proposal of his, and the two of them were as anxious over it as though the back courtyard were on fire.
Charlotte and Lilith exchanged a glance, and seemed in an instant to grasp each other's meaning.
Charlotte said at once, "The business on my side I can handle, and I have besides already followed your instruction to know my people and use them well. At present I have Chieftainess Hu Ya of the Black Fox tribe and Hu Xin'er assisting me, and my father and my sister have been helping me all along besides. The work on my side has already got onto its proper track. If Lilith were to put a hand in at this moment, it might rouse a sensitivity in Chieftainess Hu Ya and the rest, and make them think I still do not trust them. Which would burn everything I have arranged to ashes!"
Lilith nodded heavily. "Just so! The Hundred Beasts Alliance has only just been founded; and although they all know in their hearts that what stands behind the Hundred Beasts Alliance is you— if I were to be placed into the Hundred Beasts Alliance now, in too great a hurry, it might produce a whole train of ill effects. For I am your secretary, after all; it would amount to telling them that your hand has been openly and formally extended into the Hundred Beasts Alliance."
Zhao Chen thought a moment, and said, "Since the two of you say so, then I shall make no such arrangement. I shall prepare to leave shortly, and be back within three days. For this stretch before I return, every affair here is given over to you, Charlotte, with full authority; the five Owl Dragon legions here you may move directly."
"Understood." Charlotte nodded, and at the same time let out a breath of relief.
Lilith too let out a long breath, and the eyes of both, without prior agreement, came to rest upon that Spider Queen Iris in the distance.
They did not dare let the Commander-in-Chief be alone with this woman; there was no telling what so bold a woman might do.
They trusted in the Commander-in-Chief's character — but they did not trust this female spider!
Once all these matters were settled and in order—
the T4 Blue-Eyes White Dragon-class Heavy Interstellar Armored Battleship Zhao Chen was aboard set sail slowly for the site of the star gate built quietly beforehand.
"Is that… a star gate?" Because the bridge's holographic imaging was open, the scene outside could be seen directly, for all the world as through a glass viewport.
Spider Queen Iris spotted that conspicuous star gate at once.
And perceived at the same time that it was none of the several star-gate technologies in the Warhammer Interstellar Commonwealth's service.
"What star gate is this? Its bulk doesn't seem very great; it counts as a small star gate. But looking at this structure, and the raw materials used upon it… this star gate can hardly be an ordinary one? By this structural configuration, it should have its long-range projection capacity strengthened."
Zhao Chen was astonished by Spider Queen Iris's professional ability once again.
Without relying on any data instrument, by eye alone, she could perceive so much technical information.
"This is a star gate built by our Owl Dragon system. The T3 Radiant Moon-class Star Gate. Though it uses only T3-grade star-gate technology, the distance it can link across is exceedingly long," Zhao Chen answered.
"It can link directly to your Owl Dragon star system? Your Owl Dragon star system is not a binary-star system," Spider Queen Iris exclaimed.
Having had contact with the Owl Dragon Legion, Spider Queen Iris had looked into some material on the Owl Dragon star system as well, and knew its geographical position.
Which was within the Starlight Empire, exceedingly far from the Warhammer Interstellar Commonwealth.
"It is not so long a distance as that. We have a transfer station in the Reef Star Region, and by way of the T3 Radiant Moon-class Star Gate there, a second crossing brings one to the Owl Dragon star system. One feature of this star gate is that it can make a star-gate jump without needing a binary-star system," Zhao Chen explained.
"Then that distance is a considerable one all the same. Three times at least that of the Warhammer Interstellar Commonwealth's present T3 star gate! And it can disregard the binary-star limitation besides — it may be reckoned a quasi-T4-grade technology star gate!" Spider Queen Iris said it with her eyes shining.
By the look of it this spider-woman truly was a technology fanatic.
Thereafter, with Spider Queen Iris excited and the harpy Avina anxious, this T4 Blue-Eyes White Dragon-class Heavy Interstellar Armored Battleship made two crossings.
Taking the star gate at the Lion-King star system in the Reef Star Region as its transfer station, it arrived at the Owl Dragon star system.
At the moment the view opened before them—
Spider Queen Iris looked out excitedly; but all she saw was a desolate starry heaven, with a bare handful of T3 interstellar warships on patrol.
Not the stunning scene she had imagined.
"This is your Owl Dragon star system?" Spider Queen Iris said, somewhat dissatisfied.
The harpy Avina's eyes dimmed a little as well.
"It is," Zhao Chen said with a nod.
Spider Queen Iris said nothing more; she felt her expectations beforehand might have been too great.
And come to think of it, so it was.
This was no more than one star system, and one poor in resources at that, by report; thinking it over, there should be nothing miraculous about it.
And just as Spider Queen Iris was thinking these things, this T4 Blue-Eyes White Dragon-class Heavy Interstellar Armored Battleship held full speed for some 10 minutes and more.
And after rounding one asteroid—
the scene before her made Spider Queen Iris's face change utterly, her expression passing from the disappointment of a moment ago to shock and delighted surprise.
Great numbers of interstellar warships sailed through this area without a moment's pause, the overwhelming majority of them interstellar transports, coming and going without cease among one colossus and another, for the purpose of conveying raw material to these colossi.
And these colossi were, astonishingly, interstellar industrial ships, one after another!
And of such enormous interstellar industrial ships there were, in this place, a full 50 and more!
"These are interstellar industrial ships?" Spider Queen Iris looked at Zhao Chen incredulously; a conjecture had arisen in her heart, and she felt her heart pounding.
"T4 Gemini-class Heavy Interstellar Industrial Ships."