Galactic Star Calendar, 24 July 3034, 17:50
Zhao Chen looked at the interstellar holo-table before him, upon which data and information of every kind were marked.
"Report, Commander-in-Chief. All five Owl Dragon legion fleets are prepared and in order, standing at first-grade combat readiness."
"Commander-in-Chief, our side in the Owl Dragon star system is also ready. Should any unexpected situation arise, the reserve plan will be initiated. Within three days we can move up a further hundred billion star coins' worth of war-readiness resources. Within a week we can draw off another 300 billion star coins' worth of war-readiness resources. Within 20 days we can draw off, in addition, a further 600 billion star coins' worth of war-readiness resources. Though doing so will affect our existing production plans, and other related construction plans besides."
"Latest word transmitted by the interstellar stealth scout ships in the forward theater. There is no movement whatever on the Dragon-folk tribe's side, nor any abnormal reaction from the target."
Zhao Chen sat in the captain's chair, listening to these reports with perfect composure.
"Why will you not let me go with General Charlotte and take part in this battle?" Hu Xin'er looked with some dissatisfaction at Zhao Chen in the captain's chair.
Though this was the general command platform for this military operation, it lay to the rear of the battlefield.
Set against that, Hu Xin'er would rather have been at General Charlotte's side.
"And if you went? Who would see to this crowd behind us?" Zhao Chen pointed at the 'VIP spectators' gallery' for this campaign, behind him.
Every leader within the Hundred Beasts Alliance who counted for anything was here at present.
And the one responsible for receiving them could naturally not be Zhao Chen, or Zhao Chen's people.
This business could only be given over to Hu Xin'er and her mother, Chieftainess Hu Ya.
Besides these, Spider Queen Iris and the harpy Avina, who had chosen to submit to Zhao Chen, were here at this hour as well, watching this campaign's movements in real time.
"Xin'er, you will not be discourteous to the Commander-in-Chief." Chieftainess Hu Ya came over to Zhao Chen's side with a swaying of her waist, for all the world like a black butterfly, and reprimanded her own daughter.
Hu Xin'er pouted. On Charlotte's account she was in fact rather set against Zhao Chen; the feeling was… something like jealousy, perhaps.
"Has everyone who ought to come, come?" Zhao Chen asked.
Chieftainess Hu Ya nodded. "All present."
"Very well; then let them enjoy this battle at their leisure. So that they too may know what manner of master it is they follow." Zhao Chen said it mildly.
"Yes." Chieftainess Hu Ya bowed slightly, then withdrew with Hu Xin'er toward the VIP spectators' gallery.
"Mother, has he actually taken the knife to the Black Tiger tribe first of all? Is that not a touch too arrogant? The Black Tiger tribe's strength ranks without question within the top three of the Warhammer Interstellar Commonwealth's twenty great tribes!" Hu Xin'er muttered in a low voice.
Chieftainess Hu Ya turned her head to glance at that interstellar holo-table, and said softly, "I too am astonished at their operational policy. When Charlotte told me they meant to launch an offensive against the Black Tiger tribe's Black Tiger Star Region, I likewise had my doubts, and warned General Charlotte and Chieftain Ted besides. But General Charlotte told me I need not worry — that this military operation is without any possibility of failure. Thinking it over now, it must be that His Excellency the Commander-in-Chief wishes to fight a campaign that truly establishes his authority."
"Establishes his authority? Annihilating two Dragon-folk fleet groups entire before this — was that not authority enough?" Hu Xin'er asked, dumbstruck.
"This is not merely establishing authority; it is besides for the sake of letting that crowd behind us truly see the benefits the Owl Dragon Legion can bring them. Think it over: if this Black Tiger Star Region truly is taken— to whom will it be given to govern? It can hardly be the Owl Dragon Legion, come running all this long way over. The Starlight Empire itself has not yet recovered. The likeliest thing by far is that it goes to the White-Tiger tribe — that being the White-Tiger tribe's own territory to begin with. And in the eyes of the others, will they not privately think to themselves: the Owl Dragon Legion can win the Black Tiger Star Region back for the White-Tiger tribe. Then of the territories taken hereafter, may there not be a chance of some being parceled out to them? A stick and a lump of sugar — that is the simplest method for taming a subordinate." Chieftainess Hu Ya's tone turned, and she said with some misgiving, "But this lump of sugar… is rather a hard one, I fear."
"Mother, who is that person?" Hu Xin'er had noticed, at the rear of the VIP spectators' gallery, someone covered head to foot in a cloak, and veiled besides, the face impossible to make out.
"Don't ask. When it is your business to know, you will know," Chieftainess Hu Ya said.
Hu Xin'er looked at her own mother skeptically; so her own mother had secrets she was keeping from her.
Which called to mind for her the day before, when the Owl Dragon lord had privately summoned her mother, and the two of them had remained in the office for several hours.
No one knew what the two of them had talked of in those several hours.
She had asked her mother, and her mother had kept her mouth shut.
"Look at this interstellar holo-table — that coordinate position… can the Owl Dragon Legion's target this time be the Black Tiger Star Region!"
"Surely not? In the Black Tiger Star Region the Black Tiger tribe hold above 30 legion fleets, above 100,000 interstellar warships!"
"The possibility is not absent; think of it — the Owl Dragon Legion could annihilate two Dragon-folk fleet groups entire before this!"
"The Owl Dragon Legion has that strength, but the trouble is that taking the offensive is wholly unlike the mutual attack of two sides before. If the Black Tiger Star Region comes under attack, the Four Giants will certainly not sit and look on. The Giant Lion tribe, the Minotaur tribe, the Black Wolf tribe and the Fox-folk tribe will without question lend support. And by then, should the Dragon-folk tribe seize the moment and press in from the other side— it is very possible the Owl Dragon Legion will be trapped in the Black Tiger Star Region theater."
"Just so! Just so! I have heard that though the Owl Dragon Legion is very strong, its manner of fighting consumes combat resources at an extreme rate. Think of that salvo of the interstellar missile ships — it is very formidable. But how many rounds can they fire? And once there are no interstellar missiles left afterward, their fighting power will without question fall away sharply!"
The guests in the VIP spectators' gallery discussed it among themselves in low voices, one and all.
At which Zhao Chen and the rest made no move to stop them.
Because there were sound-shielding devices about the VIP spectators' gallery; they could hear the voices of Zhao Chen and the others giving orders, but Zhao Chen and the others could not hear their discussion, nor would it disturb the work here.
"Commander-in-Chief, 100 seconds until operational time." Secretary Lilith looked at Zhao Chen.
Zhao Chen nodded and announced, "All legion fleets, execute the combat order. Operation Lightning Strike on the Black Tiger Star Region — begin!"
In the instant Zhao Chen's order was handed down, this war machine that was the Owl Dragon Legion started up at once.
Order after order went out.
"Owl Dragon First Legion, execute the predetermined operational plan, make interstellar jump, lightning strike upon the Black Tiger King Naval Port in the Black Tiger Star Region's First Star System."
"Owl Dragon Second Legion, execute the predetermined operational plan, make interstellar jump, lightning strike upon the Black Tiger Third Star Gate in the Black Tiger Star Region's Third Star System!"
"Owl Dragon Third Legion, execute the predetermined operational plan, make interstellar jump, lightning strike upon the Black Tiger Interstellar Military Works in the Black Tiger Star Region's Second Star System."
"Owl Dragon Fourth Legion…"
The interstellar holo-table before them changed, and five red points appeared within the Black Tiger Star Region.
Those were the positions the five Owl Dragon legions were to attack.
"Beast God above — what is he doing?" A beast-folk guest shot to his feet, disbelief in his voice.