"So this truly is T5-grade interstellar warship technology!" Spider Queen Iris looked at the several data windows before her in glad surprise, going over the materials upon these two interstellar warships.
She looked to Zhao Chen. "They can be mass-produced?"
Zhao Chen nodded.
In this moment Spider Queen Iris grew more excited still; she could have wished to be in a build platform this very instant, building these two interstellar warships.
"This one is called the 'T5 Chaos-Knight-class Heavy Assault Interstellar Destroyer'; the other is called the 'T5 Lightning-Wraith-class Heavy Assault Interstellar Cruiser.' I hope that before the year's end you may make the T5 Chaos-Knight-class Heavy Assault Interstellar Destroyer your chief production. Of the other, the T5 Lightning-Wraith-class Heavy Assault Interstellar Cruiser, one to three may be produced. Is there any problem in it?" Zhao Chen inquired.
Nana, having looked the materials over, answered, "Upon the production capacity we hold at present. To have these two classes of interstellar warship in service before the year's end presents no problem; the only problem, perhaps, is the number produced."
"There is no hard requirement upon the number. But because we urgently need these two T5 interstellar warships at present. The more the better, all the same. As for raw materials, there is no need for anxiety; I shall have Lilith spare no cost whatever to assure your supply of raw materials."
Zhao Chen looked gravely at the two chief engineers. "I hope I may have a workable production scheme in the shortest possible time."
"No problem," Spider Queen Iris swore upon her word.
Zhao Chen pointed to an area of the bridge that had been cleared long since.
"There you will find the equipment you need for drawing up your plan. And you may at the same time call upon the computing power of this T5 Hades to serve you. Should you need anything further, you may say so at any time," said Zhao Chen.
"Yes, Commander-in-Chief." Spider Queen Iris and Nana went into their working state very nearly on the instant.
Zhao Chen looked toward Annie.
Annie hopped down from her chair with her spirit clean gone out of her.
"Yes… Commander-in-Chief…" Annie had none of the force she had come in with.
She dragged along the deck the bundle she had made ready for this holiday, and went off toward her working post.
Seeing Annie in this state, without spirit or vigor in her, he smiled and walked up behind her.
"I know this task is a heavy one. But if you can complete these tasks in full. Then next year I shall give you a long holiday — a paid holiday besides, with every expense during it borne by the Legion, and you may bring along family and friends up to 10 persons. And further: for every T5-grade interstellar warship produced before the year's end. Your long holiday next year gains a day. And the wages during the paid holiday rise by 10%." Zhao Chen stood with his hands behind his back.
In the next moment Annie turned straight about, caught hold of Zhao Chen's trouser leg, and looked up at him with light coming off her eyes.
"Really… you're not tricking me?" Annie looked at Zhao Chen doubtfully.
Zhao Chen said calmly, "Annie, think it over yourself. Of every reward I have promised you, which have I ever fobbed you off on? Is the T2 Bronze Eden-class starship yours or not? Was the T3 Silver Eden-class starship not given to you as well? Have you not the T4 Golden Eden-class starship now besides? And those several habitable planets I promised to put in your charge — are they not undergoing ecological remaking even now?"
Hearing the Commander-in-Chief say these things, Annie nodded.
That was true enough; every reward the Commander-in-Chief gave out had come without a coin short.
"Very well then — we have a bargain!" Annie's spirit came back to her all at once.
As things stood now, when she went off to play she could only play alone.
But the Commander-in-Chief had said that once this task was complete, she could come and play with all her household along.
Bring her own father and mother, and her younger brothers and sisters!
At the thought of it, Annie felt the spirit come back into her from head to foot.
In no more than a whisk, Annie had arrived at the working platform Zhao Chen had made ready for them.
"Let us work — for the holi— for the Commander-in-Chief!" Annie brandished her small fist.
Zhao Chen smiled faintly and turned about.
What came next was waiting.
But what Zhao Chen came to first was news of the new Warhammer.
Whether it was on account of the Dragon-folk tribe's pushing there is no telling, but the raising of the new Warhammer order went exceedingly smoothly — at a speed that might indeed be called past crediting.
In the space of a few short days.
The new Warhammer system was settled.
"After several rounds of conference we determined to follow on from our Hundred Beasts Alliance's institutions. And establish the Warhammer Interstellar Federal Kingdom. Within the Warhammer Interstellar Federal Kingdom a Federal Parliament is set up. The Federal Parliament is divided into an Upper House and a Lower House; the Upper House is set at 20 seats, the Lower House at 100 seats. The Upper House is chiefly charged with…" Charlotte set all this out for Zhao Chen in detail from the far side of the video window.
These things Lilith had in fact explained to him before. An order that looks very complicated — but it is precisely beneath an order of this complexity that it becomes convenient for the Owl Dragon Legion to penetrate and control this Warhammer Interstellar Federal Kingdom.
"The Upper House will elect the Warhammer Interstellar Federal Kingdom's supreme leader every five years." Charlotte, having said it, looked toward Commander-in-Chief Zhao Chen. "In the main, the roster of Upper House members we have already agreed upon privately. As for the Lower House, it is in fact an ornament with a name and no power; the roster of its members is not very important, and serves only to steady those small and middling tribal powers. Thereafter we shall establish three legion fleets belonging to the Warhammer Interstellar Federal Kingdom. Divided into the Hundred Beasts Legion, the Giant Dragon Legion, and the Federal Kingdom Legion. The former two are chiefly charged with wars without; the latter belongs to the upholding of the Kingdom's order. As for the several tribal territories, we shall place a certain degree of limit upon their holdings of tribal fleets. And upon the several tribal territories of the Warhammer Interstellar Federal Kingdom we shall carry out a fresh division besides."
Having heard all this, Zhao Chen nodded in satisfaction. "So long as you handle these matters properly, that will do. So long as Lilith's side finds no problem in it, you may pass it outright."
Charlotte rolled her eyes. "This Commander-in-Chief of ours truly does nothing at all these days. Everything whatever is flung to Lilith. One who did not know would take Lilith for the Commander-in-Chief."
A joke of this kind, elsewhere, no one would by any estimate dare make; a slip in it and it would be a beheading offense.
But Zhao Chen cared nothing for such things — the less so as he and Charlotte were no ordinary relation to one another.
Zhao Chen smiled faintly. "When one day there are no more wars, what harm if this title of Commander-in-Chief is flung to Lilith? And then we shall live out our own happy little days."
"Who wants to live out happy little days with you?" Charlotte's mouth gave a twist, but the expectation in both her eyes could not be hidden all the same.
Zhao Chen said suddenly, "Ah, right — and it happens there's nothing great afoot just now. Shall we take a holiday, then? I hear the beef legs of the Ox Totem Star Region, the earth-dragon meat of the Giant Dragon Star Region, the lizard barbecue of the Dragon-Lizard Star Region and the elephant meat of the Dragon-Elephant Star Region are especially good to eat. A whole roast elephant there is as big as a basketball court! And we could go to the Sacred Plume Star Region and rob a few birds' nests! And we absolutely must go to the Beast-Horn Star Region where the War-Ram tribe live; I hear the grasslands there are beautiful! Think of it — eating a roast leg of mutton while looking out over the grasslands. How romantic! And aren't you fond of fish? We could go besides to those several planets where the Siren tribe live; the sea produce there is very fine." Zhao Chen looked at Charlotte with narrowed, smiling eyes.
Charlotte's instinct told her that this holiday was by no means so simple a thing.
"No. I am very busy at present."
So saying, Charlotte cut off the communication.
And left Zhao Chen looking at the blacked-out communication screen with helplessness over his whole face.