The Demon Race · P91 military starport.
This military starport, lying at the border and seldom visited before, had this while past seen demon interstellar warships come swarming in.
By this hour a full 300,000 Demon Race interstellar warships lay berthed here.
These were the Red Demon Legion's 10 legion fleets!
As for the purpose of their gathering here.
There was only one.
To launch an expedition against an interstellar power called the Warhammer, lying in a star region that could not be reached before because of the Machine Race but might now be laid hands upon; and besides that, to destroy a military body called the Owl Dragon Legion.
At a round table.
Ten legion-fleet commanders sat.
But it could be seen from these men's places that their standing and their grade were by no means the same.
The eyes of eight of them rested upon the other two demon commanders.
These two demon commanders were, respectively, the Red Demon Legion Fourth Fleet commander and Fifth Fleet commander taking part in this operation.
These two commanders seemed alike in standing to the other legion-fleet commanders.
But in grade they stood above the other legion-fleet commanders.
Because these two Red Demon Legion fleets were among the few demon legion fleets in the Red Demon Legion fitted with T5-grade interstellar warships.
And this expedition was to be under the command of these two demon legion-fleet commanders.
"Every legion fleet is present, I take it," the Red Demon Fourth Legion commander asked, low and grave.
"All present."
"Every interstellar warship carrying out this operation, and the interstellar fleets in charge of logistics, are all in readiness. We may set out at any time."
So the other demon commanders answered.
The Red Demon Fourth Legion commander nodded. "Very good. Then let us settle the hour of departure. And get in contact with those three good-for-nothings, and have them ready to receive us."
At the mention of those three good-for-nothings, there was mockery in the Red Demon Fourth Legion commander's words.
The others showed no reaction whatever beyond it.
As though the name were perfectly ordinary.
For in the campaign against the Warhammer and that Owl Dragon Legion.
The demon Twenty-Third Legion fleet had in the end been destroyed to the last ship, and the other three legion fleets had paid no small price besides.
And by the battle reports sent back, the fleet that had beaten them numbered fewer than 30,000 interstellar warships!
Granted that a T5-grade interstellar warship had appeared.
But for those who look upon war as glory, a defeat of this kind could not be accepted; in their view, to produce a result so insulting made these commanders good-for-nothings.
And their end had in fact been arranged at Marshal Red Demon's hands long since — dismissal upon their return being counted the light penalty.
Should they make no sufficient showing in the military action to come, then they and their families besides might be dragged down with them!
Such is the Demon Race's rule.
The Demon Race has no need of good-for-nothings.
"I think we should first send out a party of interstellar scout ships to feel out the road." The Red Demon Fifth Legion demon commander spoke, and his tone was the steadier of the two.
"Is there any need?" the Fourth Legion demon commander asked.
"His Majesty has said before that in facing any enemy whatever, none may be made light of. The first and second batches of demon legions before us, precisely because they made too light of the enemy, never investigated the enemy's particular combat power clearly — whence the result that followed. We must not follow the same overturned cart," the Fifth Legion demon commander said levelly.
"My lord, you are anxious to no purpose. This time is nothing like before. 300,000 interstellar warships, and your Red Demon Fifth Legion and the Red Demon Fourth Legion besides — to make expedition against this Warhammer, whatever it is, and this Owl Dragon, is a thing of reaching out one's hand and taking it!"
"Just so. I hear their T4-grade interstellar warships are hardly any at all. In the first battle they even annihilated 150,000 of the other side's interstellar warships with 30,000 of their own. Heh heh heh heh. My estimate is that they could win the second campaign because of that elite force they scraped together. And this time we have 300,000! However elite that Owl Dragon Legion, whatever it is, may be — what of it? Can they turn the heavens over?" This crowd of demon commanders laughed in scorn.
As though this campaign were, in their eyes, no more than a hunting game.
"I think we had better be a little wary all the same," the Red Demon Fifth Legion commander said again.
The Red Demon Fourth Legion commander, though some displeasure showed in him, said coldly all the same, "Then let it be done as you say. But do not drag it out too long. From here, under warp navigation, to cross that lane and reach the front-line station takes 20 hours at the least. My lord Marshal stressed before that this business is to be dealt with as soon as may be. Otherwise, should the other Marshals learn of this defeat of ours, they will assuredly bring pressure to bear upon my lord Marshal!" the Red Demon Fourth Legion commander said.
"Then let it be thus: divide the lane into four stretches, with three halting points set between. We send out three waves of interstellar scout-ship fleets; each reaching one stretch's position holds station there and sends us intelligence. And we halt once at each of these three positions…" The Red Demon Fifth Legion commander got so far.
And was cut short by the Red Demon Fourth Legion commander, who said, "Your plan is very safe, but it means we must halt three times and start warp navigation three times over. Every start of the warp engines will greatly increase our starships' energy consumption. And after every warp run the warp engines need a stretch of time to reset and cool besides. This not only increases our consumption in the passage, but greatly increases the cost in time. I propose we set one stretch at the middle, and halt only the once, midway."
At the Red Demon Fourth Legion commander's words the other demon commanders agreed one after another.
The earlier plan of halting three times was too troublesome by far.
The war-loving demon generals were all much dissatisfied with it.
Seeing this.
The Red Demon Fifth Legion commander could only agree.
Little did they know that they might have altered what came after — that the case would at the least not have been so bad.
Only to their sorrow, they made the most mistaken choice of all.
"Then let it be settled so. Arrange at once an interstellar scout-ship fleet to sail first to this lane's middle district, and once it sends back word that all is safe. We set out at once, lie at that middle district five hours, and get in contact with the front-line station; and once it is determined that nothing whatever has occurred, we set out again." The Red Demon Fourth Legion commander, having said it, looked round the round table once. "You are all agreed, I take it."
Nine demon commanders raised their hands; and that Red Demon Fifth Legion commander let out a sigh and raised his hand too.
And with that their plan of operations was nailed down.
They would at the last reach the demon fleet's position at the front-line ground some 35 to 40 hours from now.
(Author's note: the figure given earlier for the number of Demon Race legion fleets was written wrong, and has now been corrected.)