Fifteen interstellar warships took up the battle formation of a small fleet.
Ten T5 Chaos-Knight-class Heavy Assault Interstellar Destroyers were set severally at the small squadron's front, flanks and rear.
Three T5 Lightning-Wraith-class Heavy Assault Interstellar Cruisers stood upon the fleet's flanks and rear.
The T5 Holy-Redeemer-class Heavy Interstellar Armored Heavy-Artillery Battleship and the T5 Hades-class Interstellar Dreadnought lay severally in the squadron's core.
A bare 15 interstellar warships — which, set within the bounds of the three great empires, could destroy any legion fleet whatever at their pleasure!
And the task they must carry out this time might fairly be called exceedingly hazardous.
Under the protection of several million hive hulls, to fall upon and slay that T5 Leviathan-Shaman-class Hive Mothership!
"Reporting — the Banshee-class Light Interstellar Stealth Scouts lying hidden ahead have found an energy source that seems to be the target!"
Word came through to Xue Xiaoxiao and Zhao Wan'er.
By the coordinate signal the stealth scouts sent back, that position appeared upon their war sand tables.
"Ten minutes' sailing!" Xue Xiaoxiao drew a red line.
"Reporting — our squadron is discovered! A great quantity of hive fleets is closing about us; we look to be engaged in three minutes," a subordinate reported to Xue Xiaoxiao in haste.
At this report Xue Xiaoxiao did not change countenance; she only looked toward Zhao Wan'er across the window. "Are you discovered?"
"No. These hive fleets' capacity to scout against stealth is very backward; unless one strikes their hulls outright they cannot sense our presence at all," said Zhao Wan'er.
"Very well; carry out our plan of battle." Xue Xiaoxiao said it, her voice low.
Zhao Wan'er nodded, and gave Xue Xiaoxiao a deep look.
In this moment she found that this one, who in her eyes had been a small girl who never grew up, had now something of General Charlotte's presence about her.
"Pass my order: the whole fleet into a state of battle, the whole fleet to assault at full speed! Target — the Leviathan-Shaman-class Hive Mothership across from us!" Xue Xiaoxiao barked it.
"Understood!" At Xue Xiaoxiao's side hung 14 small windows: the captains of the 14 other T5 interstellar warships.
Among them Zhao Chen's elder sister, Zhao Ruyue, captain of the T5 Holy Redeemer.
Zhao Ruyue passed the order of battle to her own ship, and looked upon the dangerous field before her.
When she had learned of this task of her younger brother's, she had been startled herself.
That her own brother should be carrying out so dangerous a task — and that even her younger sister Zhao Wan'er should hold a place of weight in this action.
To speak honestly, at the first moment she was anxious.
But now, looking at them, Zhao Ruyue found she had perhaps thought too little of her sister; her sister was long since no longer that small girl who used to follow behind her, snivelling.
She dared face a million-strong swarm without the least fear.
"This is a good deal more stirring than the old days in the princess's fleet." Zhao Ruyue drew a deep breath, as though returned to her own youth, newly out of the academy.
Young, headlong, mad.
Through her years beside the Princess Qin Xiaolei, the particular conditions had made her careful and small in every step; the rash boldness others have in youth had long since gone from her.
Now, within the Owl Dragon Legion, that young company, she seemed to be catching hold of these things again bit by bit.
And at very nearly the same moment.
The 15 T5 interstellar warships opened fire upon the swarm coming against them!
Interstellar missiles, laser cannon, pulse beams, solid shells, rapid-fire guns, interstellar drones and the rest — every weapon was brought to bear at once.
The 15 T5s were like 15 gods of war standing there.
The T5 Hades-class Interstellar Dreadnought, though she never used that mighty Sword of Hades, was in her ordinary mode of battle alone terrible enough — like some great beast of war.
Elsewhere, aboard a certain interstellar warship hidden all this while within the dark.
"My lady Commander, should we… should we not move now?" A subordinate asked Commander Zhao Wan'er in her tension.
They could see at this moment the terrible assault those 15 friendly ships faced; with their own eyes they watched the swarm cover their outer parts bit by bit.
Looked at from outside, one could see now only a great ball of flesh, with the flash of explosions within it now and again.
"Wait a little longer." Zhao Wan'er said it, her voice low, and stared hard at the war sand table before her.
Upon it were dense-packed small red points: the information the Banshee-class scouts about them had gathered upon the number of hive fleets in this stretch.
Though there was no longer any T5 Leviathan-Sovereign-class Hive Mothership here, there were 3 million hive hulls garrisoned still, guarding their swarm's head.
And of these, no more than a million had so far been drawn off by those 15 T5s.
Zhao Wan'er clenched her fist, saying it over within: wait… wait a little more…
One minute… three minutes… five minutes… ten minutes.
The subordinate beside her had beads of sweat upon her brow by now; she gulped and asked again, "Commander, General Xue Xiaoxiao and the rest have been fighting there ten minutes. Above 2 million hive hulls have been drawn off. If we… do not put out a hand soon, then T5 interstellar warships or no, their case is more ill than good…"
"The time is not yet." Zhao Wan'er stared at the sand table, as though waiting upon something.
And strangely, through this stretch of time Xue Xiaoxiao had never once contacted Zhao Wan'er — whether because the channel was under interference, or because Xue Xiaoxiao trusted Zhao Wan'er entirely, there was no telling.
Zhao Wan'er bit lightly at her lip; this was the first time she had borne so important a task of battle.
Before this she had carried out tasks enough, but most of them actions of no very great weight — surprise strikes, interceptions and the like.
And this time the whole hive-race campaign hung upon it!
She could not afford the smallest slip.
"We have but one chance." Zhao Wan'er murmured it to herself.
She knew very well that she and her Owl Dragon interstellar stealth bomber special fleet had but one chance to strike.
Once a stroke failed, they would lose the chance to attack again.
So she must make certain that this stroke of hers went without the slightest slip!
At last, when the hive fleets about the T5 Leviathan-Shaman-class Hive Mothership were under 500,000.
Zhao Wan'er gave her order.
"Pass my order: the whole fleet to a stealth assault at the highest speed!"