After parting from Blanche.
Zhao Chen held besides a post-battle gathering with the several Owl Dragon legion commanders.
And this gathering was not in a meeting room, but in a private room of the starship's dining hall — a great round table with a dozen-odd chairs about it.
Upon which rich food was already laid out in plenty.
The 10 legion commanders, the two special-fleet commanders, the acting captain of the T5 Hades, and Zhao Chen and Secretary Lilith besides, were all present.
But once Zhao Chen had walked in, he perceived that the air here was not quite good.
"What is it? This is a victory feast made ready for you; how is it that none of you looks glad?" Zhao Chen went round the table and sat in the head place.
Lilith at Zhao Chen's right hand, Charlotte at his left.
Seeing them all rise to receive him.
Zhao Chen signed to them to sit.
"Speak, then. What is it that makes you unhappy?" Zhao Chen took up his chopsticks, and set to tasting the fine food.
At the first, no one spoke at all.
"Then let me guess." Zhao Chen looked round the company. "It is because of the grievous losses in this campaign, is it not?"
At this, Zhao Chen noticed that the Eighth Legion's commander Ye Xiaotong had lowered her head, her eyes somewhat red and swollen.
Even the Third Legion's commander Shen Bing and the Seventh Legion's Wei Shishi, who had always shown themselves so strong, turned their heads aside, so that the Commander should not see the tears in their eyes that they could not quite hold back.
"Speak out, all of you; if there is something, say it, and do not keep it pent. It is no good thing to keep it pent until it harms you." Zhao Chen asked it while chewing his food.
Still no one answered.
Zhao Chen looked toward Shen Bing. "Shen Bing, you may be counted among the earliest to follow me; what is there you cannot say straight out? Here now there are only this crew of old friends of ours — take it as pouring out your troubles to old friends."
Shen Bing clenched her fist, and in this moment could hold it back no longer.
"Commander, I am very sorry. I know I should not lose my bearing upon such an occasion, and spoil everyone's spirits. But… I… I truly cannot hold it in. I know too that this is interstellar war, and no children's game; that there should be dead and wounded is an ordinary thing. And I have been through many wars, and thought I had grown used to this thing. But… but… when my dear friend appeared upon that roll of the fallen, I… I…"
Shen Bing choked, and could say no more.
At this Lilith put in, and made the case clear. "If my guess is not wrong, it should be Huang Qiqi, fleet leader of the Owl Dragon Third Legion's Second Fleet and deputy commander-in-chief besides. Huang Qiqi likewise graduated from the Northstar Starship Military Academy, though not of the same year as Shen Bing and the Commander. She was your junior. Half a year after Shen Bing joined the Owl Dragon Legion, she entered it upon Shen Bing's recommendation. In this campaign, the Owl Dragon Third Legion's Second Fleet under Huang Qiqi's command met a strong sudden assault of the enemy's; but her fleet fought to the death at their own combat posts, and at the last… of the whole fleet's 300 interstellar warships, under 30 interstellar warships were left. Fleet Leader Huang Qiqi fell."
Hearing Lilith set out this account, Shen Bing lowered her head in guilt, and the tears slid from the corners of her eyes past all holding back.
"Qiqi was like me — her family's circumstances quite ordinary, and she among the best students of the Northstar Starship Military Academy. Perhaps because the two of us were so alike, we became good friends by chance. She often helped me. And it was I who drew her into the Owl Dragon Legion of my own motion. At home she has her parents still, and two younger brothers. A family once poor, whose life was greatly bettered by the Owl Dragon Legion's provision. And afterward, having been promoted to the post of legion deputy commander-in-chief, by the Owl Dragon Legion's provision she could bring them to live in the Owl Dragon Star System and be given Owl Dragon citizens' household standing… I have met her parents and her brothers; they are all very good people. I promised them I would look after Qiqi, as though she were my own younger sister. I… I… I now… truly do not know how to answer to her parents!"
Perhaps Shen Bing's words had drawn up the feelings within the others.
Ye Xiaotong too said, choking, unable to hold it in, "I… my two own younger sisters… in this campaign… all… all fell. And those comrades of mine from before…"
Ye Xiaotong took up the wine cup beside her and drank it off at a draught.
Wei Shishi clenched her fist, her eyes red and swollen. "Those sisters who trusted me before, and followed me from the imperial Princess Fleet to the Owl Dragon Legion — 368 of them. Before this, 37 had already gone. And this time… this time… 277 more are gone outright. I… I… I…"
Looking at these legion commanders who stand so high within the Owl Dragon Legion.
Perhaps, to the world outside, they are cold goddesses of war.
But Zhao Chen knew that they have their soft places too, and their feelings, and that they too can grieve.
Only that before outsiders they will not show it.
Perhaps it is only before him, their Commander, that they dare show the truly womanly side of themselves.
As the saying goes: one does not shed tears lightly — only that the place of grief has not yet been reached.
Zhao Chen watched the air growing heavier and heavier.
He set down the chopsticks in his hand. "Your feelings I can understand. By and by I shall tell you a thing. But I hope you can finish this meal with easy minds."
The company were somewhat curious about what the Commander meant to say, and took up their chopsticks in obedience to the order; but very few of those chopsticks moved.
Which made Zhao Chen most uncomfortable, and he set down his own chopsticks once more.
"Never mind, never mind. In the state you are in, this meal will not be eaten gladly either. Lilith, get me in contact with that side." Zhao Chen gave the order.
Zhao Chen's order was vague, but Lilith already understood clearly what the Commander meant to do.
She began the communication request.
Very soon, a video window appeared before them all.
"Commander, what do you require?" A-Yun, who had charge of the revival program, appeared in the video picture.
"A-Yun, find someone for me. One called Huang Qiqi. Her former post was fleet leader of the Owl Dragon Third Legion's Second Fleet, and deputy legion commander besides," Zhao Chen said.
Shen Bing, hearing this beside him, was blank a moment, and raised her head in astonishment to look at the Commander.
For the moment she did not understand what the Commander's words meant.
"Huang Qiqi — I know her. When we were running the procedure before, because her post was reckoned the highest among the revived, I took particular notice. I shall call up the picture of her convalescent room for you now." So saying, the officer in charge, A-Yun, set to work.
Very soon the video image of a room appeared.
Cloud and mist wound about it.
"Press here for me again." Within the mist, a woman's voice could be heard.
"Miss Huang Qiqi, the Commander would see you." The voice of A-Yun, the officer in charge, sounded of a sudden.
Which gave everyone within the mist a fright.
As the video window drew nearer.
They all saw the person clearly.
They saw a steaming hot spring, and a woman leaning back within it, enjoying herself, a facial mask upon her face; beside her floated a wooden tub, and upon the tub were set wine and small refreshments.
And behind her was a massage robot besides, at its service to her.
"Qiqi?" Shen Bing cried out and sprang straight up; though there was a mask upon the face, she knew at the first instant that this was her own dear friend Huang Qiqi.
"Ah?" Huang Qiqi plainly had not caught up with it yet; she opened her eyes and looked at the video window that had appeared before her at some moment none could say.
And at the Commander, Shen Bing, and the rest at the far end of it.
In this moment, time seemed to stand still.