Galactic Star Calendar, 1 September 3034
At the Second Naval Port of the Dragon-folk tribe's home star region, two legion fleets of a particular kind hung at anchor.
But one had only to look at the outward form of these interstellar warships to know that they belonged to no part of the Warhammer Interstellar Commonwealth.
Because set beside the Warhammer Interstellar Commonwealth's coarse, rough starship design, these interstellar warships seemed a great deal more delicate, and the paintwork upon them was all of it white.
A thing very seldom seen in the Warhammer Interstellar Commonwealth, which commonly used the simplest bronze, or else black and grey.
And looking then at the crests of these two interstellar legion fleets—
their identity was plain enough.
They belonged to the Sacred-Light Legions: the Sacred Wing Legion and the Sacred Radiance Legion.
And within this naval port of the Dragon-folk tribe's, a meeting of the upper ranks was being held.
To either side of the conference table sat the representatives of the Holy Radiance Empire and of the Warhammer Interstellar Commonwealth, with the banners of both parties set upon the table besides.
Seated in the middle on the Warhammer Interstellar Commonwealth's side was the Dragon Emperor; to either side of him his two daughters, and beyond them certain other assisting ministers.
Apart from the Dragon-folk tribe, no other tribe was present.
From which one could see the Dragon-folk tribe's standing.
No other tribe of the Warhammer Interstellar Commonwealth was permitted contact with the Holy Radiance Empire.
While on the Holy Radiance Empire's side, the two Sacred-Light Legion commanders did not sit in the seat of honor, but were ranged about a middle-aged male Sacred-Spirit man.
"Esteemed Your Excellency Consul Ernest. This is the operational scheme drawn up by the requirements of both parties; if, upon your confirmation, there is no difficulty with it— then from the fifth we shall carry out the punitive campaign against the Owl Dragon Legion by this scheme." Princess Blanche looked toward that most eminent person opposite.
One of the Holy Radiance Empire's five Consuls: the Consul of the Eastern Star Region, Ernest.
And the main body of the relief force come this time was likewise from Consul Ernest's Eastern Sacred Fleet Group.
Of it, 200,000 interstellar warships came from the Eastern Sacred Fleet Group; the remaining hundred thousand came from the Western Sacred Fleet Group and the Northern Sacred Fleet Group respectively.
Together forming the Holy Radiance Empire's expeditionary force of 300,000.
And because the main body came from the Eastern Sacred Fleet Group, Consul Ernest served as supreme military commander.
And the two Sacred-Light Legion commanders must naturally obey his orders as well.
Consul Ernest ran an eye over that military plan — a plan whose draft he had in fact seen privately long before.
This now was merely going through the motions.
"With this military operational scheme I find no difficulty. Then I should like to ask His Majesty the Dragon Emperor. That matter we agreed upon earlier — that on account of our assistance in this joint operation, the Warhammer Interstellar Commonwealth would be willing to cede three of the new star regions. May it be settled?" Consul Ernest's fingers tapped upon the tabletop.
But the sound of that tapping seemed to beat upon every one of the Dragon-folk representatives opposite.
"What we agreed upon earlier was plainly two new star regions!" Princess Leona demanded loudly at once.
Concerning the Holy Radiance Empire's support of the Warhammer Interstellar Commonwealth, and the two cooperating in a punitive campaign against the Owl Dragon Legion.
There were naturally certain private conditions between them.
And the most important condition among them was that the Warhammer Interstellar Commonwealth must cede several of the four star regions it had controlled after the Machine Race's withdrawal.
Upon this condition Princess Blanche had all along been willing to agree only to two new star regions.
While the Holy Radiance Empire's side insisted upon three.
And afterward, the situation on the Warhammer Interstellar Commonwealth's side leaving her no choice, Princess Blanche could only find a way to shelve it and require that all parties first unite together.
She had not thought that this Consul Ernest would, at this juncture, raise that outrageous demand once again.
And by the look of it he meant to settle the business on the very eve of the war.
With every appearance of if you will not agree to this condition of mine, then there may be nothing to discuss about the cooperation to come.
At this state of things Princess Blanche's face was very ill indeed.
And just at this moment, a heavy voice came out.
"I agree to it. So long as this joint operation can annihilate the Owl Dragon Legion entire. I can hand those three new star regions over to you." His Majesty the Dragon Emperor spoke at this point.
Both princesses looked at their father in astonishment, and each had something she wished to say — but both were stopped by the Dragon Emperor's eyes.
In the end this conference was able to proceed smoothly.
And the operational plan for a general offensive on the fifth was settled.
The conference ended, and both parties left the hall to make their final preparations for the great war about to begin.
"Those shameless swine, plundering a burning house!" Leona drove a fist into the wall of the room, venting her rage.
Blanche knelt straight down before the Dragon Emperor. "Father, the dereliction was mine. I did not settle this business beforehand, which let them apply pressure on the spot and forced you to give up one more star region."
The Dragon Emperor sat upon the couch, looking at these two daughters of his, and raised a hand to sign to Blanche to rise. "I know the difficulty you met with in the diplomatic negotiation with them. The most important problem now is to settle the business of the Warhammer Interstellar Commonwealth's internal disorder first. That business must be handled as fast as may be!"
Hearing this from the Dragon Emperor, Blanche, having risen, looked at her father with some puzzlement. "Father… I… feel that you are now exceedingly anxious over the Warhammer Interstellar Commonwealth's internal affairs. That you wish to put down the rebel army at once. Are you… keeping something from us?"
The observant Blanche had perceived certain wrong notes in her father's bearing and conduct. In the ordinary way, her father, strong-willed as his character was, would assuredly never have agreed at a negotiating table to a condition sprung on him like that.
He would assuredly have preferred not to cooperate with the Holy Radiance Empire at all, or to postpone the business.
Rather than compromise.
But this time he had chosen to compromise outright.
Which Blanche had wholly failed to expect. The circumstances being exceptional at the time, she had not thought much of it; but looking at her father now, Blanche found that in the depths of her father's eyes there seemed to be something hidden.
"What should I be keeping from you? I wish only to settle the Warhammer Interstellar Commonwealth's internal affairs as fast as may be, so that our plan may begin the sooner. I wish to create a better living environment for you — before I depart." The Dragon Emperor looked at this pair of daughters fondly.
Leona shook her head and said, "Father, your health is so good. And with our Dragon-folk tribe's constitution besides, another hundred years would be no trouble for you. What is there to worry over now?"
The Dragon Emperor showed a smile, and let his gaze pass over this pair of daughters several times.
He said with a laugh, "This campaign I hand over wholly to you two sisters. It may be reckoned my test of you both. Your characters do not agree in the ordinary way; I hope that this once you may cooperate in perfect good faith."
"Set your mind at rest, Father; I shall assuredly destroy the Owl Dragon Legion!" Leona brandished her fists, that damnable man already in her thoughts.
Blanche assented with her mouth, but still looked at her father in puzzlement.
She could not shake the feeling that there was something out of the common with him.