Several hours later.
The Holy Radiance expeditionary force's supreme command department — the bridge of a T4 Retribution-Angel-class Heavy Interstellar Battleship
"We have received word from the Warhammer coalition, bidding our three columns of expeditionary fleet cooperate with them and press the attack!" the adjutant reported to Consul Ernest.
Consul Ernest swirled the wine cup in his hand and looked at the golden liquid within it, and said mildly, "Tell them. Every military action of ours will proceed by our own predetermined military dispositions. But certain of their tribal fleets have not entered the positions the operational scheme assigns them, so we refuse to execute the operational scheme as laid down. If they wish us to go on attacking, let them first put their tribal fleets back where they ought to be."
"Yes." The adjutant relayed the passage.
Consul Ernest looked at the map of the Warhammer Interstellar Commonwealth before him, upon which this campaign's recent progress was recorded as well.
The Holy Radiance expeditionary fleets and the Warhammer coalition, 1,600,000 interstellar warships in all, against three targets of attack.
Had already ringed those three areas about entirely.
And the Black Tiger Star Region above all might be called three layers within and three layers without.
Because by report the Owl Dragon Legion's main fleets and the Dragon-Tiger Legion's main fleets were both there.
"My lord Consul, up to now the Owl Dragon Legion has not engaged us head-on at all. I suspect the Owl Dragon Legion has some design in hand. We cannot but be careful," a staff officer cautioned from beside him.
Consul Ernest said mildly, "A problem so obvious as that — only a fool could fail to see it, surely? Though I too think little enough of this Owl Dragon Legion, an army of under 20,000 interstellar warships. Still, they were able to defeat two Sacred-Light Legions, and one of those by defeating that woman Saint Cana in a Sacred War Duel. Which is enough to show that the Owl Dragon Legion possesses a certain strength. And they were able besides to force back that timid Stanford, Consul of the Southern Star Region, within the Stellar Alliance. Granted that fellow Stanford is the most timid and cautious of us five Consuls, and has taken no little mockery from us for it. But to frighten off his Southern Sacred Fleet Group, one must necessarily have some strength. An Owl Dragon Legion of that kind, once we have opened out our attacking array, has nonetheless made no great move up to now. Against our attacks they withdraw at a touch, with no large-scale head-on engagement whatever. It would be a wonder if there were no devil in it."
"Then ought we to make some preparation?" the staff officer asked.
Consul Ernest said mildly, "Have we not already made our response? I had been wondering how to delay our own military action and let others try the Owl Dragon Legion's depth for us. That crew of brainless beast-folk in the Warhammer have handed me a fitting reason. So now we shall sit here and wait for the Owl Dragon Legion's killing stroke to appear; and with that Warhammer crowd to scout the road for us, why should we let our own soldiers run the risk?"
The staff officer grasped the meaning within it.
"But neither can we look on wholly from the ramparts. Keep close watch on the Warhammer coalition's movements, and above all upon their elite — such existences as the Dragon-folk fleet groups. Have our legion fleets hold a position from which they can reach them within half an hour to an hour. For the Owl Dragon Legion has no few good things; and if that Warhammer crowd truly do defeat them, we cannot let all those good things fall into the hands of those Warhammer beast-folk." Consul Ernest gave the reminder.
His coming here this time, besides the terms the Warhammer had offered — the cession of three star regions — and besides crippling or destroying the Owl Dragon Legion, these two points of interest—
was to find some means of obtaining the Owl Dragon Legion's science and technology.
Everyone now knew that the Owl Dragon Legion possessed a considerable quantity of T4-grade ship-class technology, a thing none of the three empires had.
Whoever could obtain it, absorb and digest it and make it his own—
would assuredly raise his own combat power enormously.
Thereafter, at the Holy Radiance expeditionary fleet's attitude, the Warhammer coalition's side expressed vexation as well; but what was to be done, when the other party had seized upon a reason?
In the end, upon Princess Leona's proposal.
They chose to launch the attack outright, and take those strategic positions first before speaking of anything else.
Because as the Warhammer coalition's upper ranks saw it, in the present situation the Owl Dragon Legion should be unable to raise any wave worth speaking of.
——————
And as for the Owl Dragon Legion's 'slacking' over this stretch, it had left the feelings of those within the Hundred Beasts Alliance somewhat unsteady as well.
"How is it the Owl Dragon Legion has still not acted! As of now the Black Tiger Star Region's home system faces the threat directly, and we have thrown away so many systems for nothing!" someone complained.
In their eyes, once the Black Tiger Star Region had been taken it was naturally the Hundred Beasts Alliance's ground, and would in future fall into their hands — which amounted to its being their own ground.
And seeing one's own ground lost, one's heart is naturally much aggrieved.
"The Black Tiger Star Region is well enough; it has at least that much defensive depth. It is here at our Hundred Beasts Alliance headquarters that the case is worst. If no effective defense is organized soon, in six hours the Warhammer coalition's fleets can bombard our Hundred Beasts Alliance headquarters directly!" someone said in fear.
Talk of this kind was rife in the Hundred Beasts Alliance's upper council.
"Enough — quiet, quiet." Chieftain Ted shouted it several times.
But Chieftain Ted's standing was plainly insufficient, and those below went on jabbering their grievances and their complaints.
The whole council was like a vegetable market.
Chieftain Ted heaved a long sigh, and looked to his own daughter Midai'er beside him.
Midai'er's face had already flushed with anger; though she held real authority, this crowd, presuming upon their standing as elders, commonly let her words go in one ear and out the other.
In this state of things, the principal player could only be asked to appear.
Midai'er felt her father's gaze; she glanced at the time and nodded slightly.
And in the next second a figure was projected holographically into the middle of the conference room.
In the moment that image appeared, the whole conference room fell silent.
"Why do you not go on quarreling?" Charlotte said icily.
No one dared make a sound.
Chieftain Ted's face and Midai'er's they might decline to give; but this person's face they dared not decline.
Setting aside that her standing now was that of the Hundred Beasts Alliance's supreme leader.
What mattered most was the standing of the man behind her.
"Were you not quarreling merrily enough a moment ago? Go on, then." Charlotte's gaze swept over every person present.
Not one dared meet General Charlotte's eyes.
That was a gaze holding a savage air in it — the presence this general had accumulated ranging across battlefields.
It gave one the feeling of a tiger gathered and ready to spring, that would tear anyone apart.
"I care nothing for what notions you hold; do not let me hear them. If I hear one word of complaint against the Owl Dragon Legion from anyone again, I shall cut out that man's tongue." Charlotte said it.
Those several who had complained a moment ago shut their mouths tight, in dread of losing their tongues.
"I have come this time to convey my lord the Owl Dragon's order. The hour of action is close at hand; await our notice for the precise time. Get in touch with those tribes you have had private contact with, and have them declare their attitude and their position at the first instant upon receiving our order. This will be their last chance." With that, Charlotte's image vanished.
Chieftain Ted and Midai'er exchanged a glance, excitement in both their eyes.
After waiting so long, the hour of the counterstroke had come at last.