"You've accepted an imperial-military escort task?" Charlotte's image appeared in the video window, asking about the matter Zhao Chen had just raised.
Zhao Chen nodded. "To graduate from the Northstar Starship Military Academy as fast as I can, I need to take on some high-difficulty tasks. But with our ships' strength as it is, completing an escort task of this sort should be no great difficulty."
"Then I'll go with you," Charlotte volunteered.
But Zhao Chen turned her down.
"You'd best stay and hold our temporary garrison. The two T2 Iron-Hammer-class Heavy Interstellar Industrial Ships here are running at full throttle building ships, and one of them's a T3-tier ship. Set against my escort task, this place matters more. I need someone capable to stay here," Zhao Chen said.
As Deputy Fleet Commander, Charlotte knew the production plan Commander Zhao Chen had set for the T2 Iron-Hammers.
She knew, too, that a ship of unknown class, a T3, was being built.
Though she didn't know why the commander should command a T3 ship technology, over half a year together she was willing to trust this man.
"Rest easy, Commander. Until you're back, I'll hold this place!" Charlotte promised.
Zhao Chen nodded. "This trip of mine — at the latest I likely won't be back till early March. Though we're both within the Starlight Empire's northern star region, and not on the front lines proper, comm breakdowns can hardly be avoided. At such a time, should anything happen here, I grant you supreme authority to decide. I've left you several emergency contingency plans; you may take them for reference."
"Yes," Charlotte answered.
All this laid out, Zhao Chen left Blizzard Zero to Charlotte and, boarding the T2 Queen Bee-class Heavy Carrier Starship instead, set off at the head of five T2 Black-Rhino-class Interstellar Heavy-Assault Frigates.
Lilith went along with Zhao Chen; Zhao Chen needed Lilith to seize every chance at real-combat tempering now, and grow as soon as she could.
"The route is set. We'll first make for the Northstar system's star gate, then pass through it to the Chu River Star Region — which, like the North Wind Star Region, belongs to the Starlight Empire's northern star region. Because of the distance, we'll need three star-gate crossings in between, arriving at last at the Northern Star Region imperial fleet's No. 3 Military Base, on the Chu River Star Region's northern frontier. This voyage will take 26 hours; we can reach the destination on January 18. The task's muster deadline is January 20 — ample time." Lilith laid out the whole route in detail, then reported to the Fleet Commander.
Zhao Chen nodded, satisfied. "No problem; proceed by your plan. The command along the way I leave to you; tell me when we arrive."
"Yes." Lilith knew well this was the commander cultivating her, and she seized every chance.
For she knew: if she could hold a higher place in the Owl Dragon Fleet, then for her succubus people in the future it would be a great boon.
"Warp route pre-set complete; next we enter the acceleration phase, and will enter the warp phase in 10 minutes. All crew, enter deep-sea mode within 10 minutes! I repeat — all crew, enter deep-sea mode within 10 minutes!" Lilith's order carried to the bridges of all six ships of the fleet.
"Black-Rhino No. 1 bridge, understood."
"Black-Rhino No. 2 bridge, understood."
"Black-Rhino…"
The six ships entered the warp-travel state one after another, driving toward the star gate.
————
Northern Star Region · Chu River Star Region · No. 3 Military Base.
A day's voyage on, Zhao Chen's fleet at last reached this military base set behind the frontline battlefield.
Called a military base, it was more aptly described as a "military star system."
For this was a wholly militarized system — no name, no lord.
Only a code designation, "No. 3 Military Base"; some also called it the Northern No. 3 System.
"Your fleet has entered the control zone of 'No. 3 System.' Report your fleet information and your purpose in coming at once." A mechanical female voice sounded over the T2 Queen Bee's comm channel.
Every fleet and ship arriving at No. 3 System had to pass a double authentication.
The first was at the departure-point star gate; on learning the military base you meant to reach, that gate would first confirm your fleet information and your purpose in going to Northern No. 3 System.
And on arriving at No. 3 System's gate, the traffic-control department here would confirm all this information over again.
Enough to show the rigor of the place.
"Information confirmed; the arriving fleet is a mercenary fleet come to carry out a bounty task, from the Northstar Starship Military Academy, fleet strength six T2 ships. Route marked; proceed by the designated route. Note: should you deviate from the designated route with three warnings unheeded, the consequences are on your own head!" The mechanical female voice sounded again.
At the same time, a route was sent to Zhao Chen's ship.
Lilith checked it over, confirmed it error-free, and asked Zhao Chen for the next step.
"Set out," said Zhao Chen.
With that, Zhao Chen sat in the captain's chair, working the imagery around him, and set to savoring this military base's "fine scenery."
Everywhere his eye fell, ships of every kind could be seen.
Interstellar battleships, interstellar frigates, interstellar cruisers…
Suddenly, Zhao Chen caught sight of a huge ship!
An interstellar warship a full kilometer and more in length!
Its whole hull was in a crimson-red paint, its massive main-gun muzzle near twice the bore of even Zhao Chen's refit Blizzard Zero's!
Rows upon rows of secondary guns stood up like battle-spears.
Set before it, Zhao Chen's T2 Queen Bee was simply a child; still less the T2 Black-Rhinos — that was the gap between a watermelon and a sesame seed.
This was a true interstellar warship!
This, too, was why in the Galactic Alliance's understanding a T3 ship was the true combat-type ship, while T2 ships were mostly reckoned only half-military-grade vessels.
The star-shield technology alone was enough to let a single T3 ship thrash a pack of T2 ships without so much as chipping its paint.
"T3 Flame-Lion-class Medium Interstellar Battlecruiser, the imperial military's standard-issue T3-tier ship. Reserved for the Starlight Empire's imperial military; only a small number of royal-house nobles privately possess this class. And rumor has it a single one goes for as much as 700 million star coins! Its main weapon is a 2200mm-caliber medium electromagnetic cannon. It's one of the main battle-types among the imperial military's T3-series ships." Zhao Chen recited the ship's data from the academy textbook.
But Zhao Chen wasn't overly taken with this ship — for he possessed an interstellar battlecruiser mightier than it.
Zhao Chen's gaze didn't linger long on this T3 interstellar warship; it went on searching without cease, like a rakish wanderer in a nightclub scanning for tonight's mark.
At last, Zhao Chen saw his "target," and in that instant he was like a pure young lad struck by love at first sight.
A proud figure, curves lovely as ocean waves, dimensions in the golden ratio, and those two great fearsome weapons that set the heart to longing!
The imperial fleet's super-starship — a T4-tier interstellar battleship!