The wolf-girl Baixue's eyes went round; she held it in a good while, and then a few words came out. "As mighty as that?"
"But it is not without its faults.
"It is costly to build: 5 trillion star coins the hull, the highest build cost of any combat-type warship at present.
"And next, the vast consumption of interstellar missiles wants no saying.
"The ordnance of this Crimson Ballista is exceedingly dear besides.
"First the chemical components this ordnance wants must be drawn off within a dedicated research institute, then stored by a strict manner of transport and preservation within dedicated storage equipment.
"And when it is to be used, it is injected into the Crimson Ballista.
"Every step of it is exceedingly dear; I have reckoned it roughly, and with a research-institute production line built expressly to supply this ordnance, the cost of a single Crimson Ballista round runs to 100 billion star coins.
"If the working of it grows familiar hereafter and the number made rises, the cost may fall by degrees — but that is talk for later."
Zhao Chen raised this trouble first.
The cost of a single Crimson Ball-Lightning Shell ran to 100 billion star coins!
That is assuredly the dearest shell now known.
Zhao Chen paused and went on, "Because of the strict conditions of storage, a T5 Crimson-Reaper carries within her only enough for five firings.
"And further, the interval between firings is at the least ten hours.
"And further, the field the Crimson Ball-Lightning Shell releases takes no heed of friend or foe: should any of our own warships lie within its radius of effect, their star-shield structures will be wrecked as well."
Having heard Commander Zhao Chen set out this class's merits and faults.
The wolf-girl Baixue laughed and shrugged. "Your meaning is nothing but that this Crimson Reaper is hard to wait upon. But set against its merits these faults are nothing at all."
Lilith, hearing this from a distance, rolled her eyes outright.
Truly, one who does not keep the house never knows the price of firewood and rice.
A hundred billion star coins the round, and a store of five is 500 billion.
And that without reckoning the missiles this ship wants.
Very well; the house has gained another gold-swallowing beast.
Though it must be owned that this class's advantages are truly outstanding.
"Set out so, I feel this warship very nearly stands shoulder to shoulder with the Hades and the Dragon Emperor," the Spider Queen Iris said in admiration.
Nana nodded with great gravity. "If we speak of strategic value, she is not of one order with the Hades and the Dragon Emperor. But this crimson ball-lightning technology alone assuredly surpasses T5 grade — it may even be said to approach T6-grade technology!"
T6-grade technology.
At these words of Nana's every face there showed astonishment.
Understand that to this day, within this known stretch of the universe, T6-grade technology has never once appeared.
But turn it over and consider the crimson ball-lightning technology: to call it T5 technology feels like burying it.
To call it T6… is hard to conceive.
Zhao Chen beside them glanced at Nana and nodded within in agreement.
Nana's gifts are not her sister Annie's, but the child is diligent, eager to learn and hard-working; upon later diligence she has become a chief engineer of starship technology able to stand upon her own.
And this instinct of hers was not wrong.
This T5 Crimson-Reaper-class Heavy Interstellar Strategic Missile Ship does indeed use certain technology approaching T6 grade past all measuring, so that she may be called a quasi-T6-grade warship.
Which may perhaps explain besides why exchanging for her wanted a cost so far beyond the other T5-series warships.
"There now; this is only a small surprise for you all. It is rare that we are gathered together; let us not waste this fine holiday. Annie, Nana, Iris — when you three go back, study these three classes properly and build the first of each as soon as may be. Above all this T5 Crimson-Reaper." Zhao Chen stretched himself and walked off toward that circle of good things to eat.
Annie's feelings were complicated: three classes, which beyond doubt added to the work before them — and yet among them was that T5 Diamond-Eden-class Starship she had been longing for.
How vexing!
Let us not think of these things; let us go and eat good things first.
Annie turned all these tangled feelings into appetite, and set to eating mightily.
While Nana and the Spider Queen Iris fell to studying the three classes' technology upon the spot; set against any holiday and any good food, what could be more alluring than these advanced starship-technology beauties before them?
……
"I… I can do no more; I truly cannot hold any more." The wolf-girl Baixue's head went down upon the table, and she foamed at the mouth.
Sister Sheep, who has charge of the medical department, came up at once and carried Baixue off.
"I told you not to force it; look how you have eaten." Sister Sheep did not forget to grumble a word or two.
"As one of the great wolf race, I shall fall only upon a field of battle; never shall I… ugh…"
"Is Baixue quite well?" Charlotte wiped her mouth and looked at Sister Sheep in concern.
Sister Sheep said, "She is well enough; a little seeing to will answer. Though… the way our Commander is eating…"
Sister Sheep looked at the two figures still fighting it out at the table, and could not help swallowing.
"Annie, if you can hold no more, then do not eat." Zhao Chen gnawed at the charcoal-roasted leg of mutton before him and laughed.
Annie gave a cold snort and lifted a picked-clean frame of bones with two fingers. "Commander, that is a thing I should be saying to you. Do not force it; if you cannot, then own yourself beaten. It is only ten years' bonus — you are not short of so much money."
Zhao Chen took up a napkin and wiped away the grease upon himself. "Forcing it? I am but half full."
"I am but four parts full." Annie looked at her Commander in challenge.
At this time Sister Cow pushed two serving carts up before them.
"This is the nineteenth dish.
"The whole-ox feast."
So saying, Sister Cow lifted the lids.
Two fragrant roasted oxen, whole, stood revealed before them all.
The corner of Annie's mouth rose slightly; she tore at an ox's leg without ceremony and set to gnawing.
Nor would Zhao Chen fall behind.
The two fell to their contest again.
"Are Annie and the Commander still eating?" Chu Xuan stroked her own belly, which looked to have conceived triplets, and leaned half her body upon Shen Bing.
"I truly do not know what manner of digestive systems those two have. That they can hold so much? Can their stomachs be joined to a black hole?" Shen Bing said in wonder.
Upon the table, lightning and flint; the smoke of war rising on every side.
In this moment, only one of the two could walk away from this table upon her feet!
There can be only one victor!