"Communication with five star systems has been severed. Have we identified the aggressor?"
[ Unconfirmed ]
The peace had lasted barely a millennium.
Luna felt a faint premonition; the tides of war were rising again.
She had a few theories. Take that Archduke, for instance. If it were him, after centuries without a reply—and with a full thousand years passed since his initial ultimatum—even the most patient man would be driven to act.
She queried the main server.
"Are there any Frost Blue Star Nation's Client States in our vicinity?"
[ None. However, there are Client States associated with someone from the Frost Blue Star Nation. ]
"Associated with whom?"
[ Archduke Sesri. ]
"Feed me the intel on that nation."
Luna accessed the data for the Glolo Star Nation.
"It must be them."
"A High-tier star nation..."
"This is troublesome."
What made it even more vexing was their proximity: a mere 200 light-years away.
"I didn't expect a Client State to be right here. No wonder they could project a threat across two thousand light-years."
"The Glolo Star Nation is among the lower rungs of the High-tier, but even at their weakest, they are far more powerful than the current Rusty Star Nation."
"Should we feign submission?"
"No."
"The presence of the Glolo Star Nation makes submission impossible. They would inevitably dispatch envoys to oversee the Rusty Star Nation. By then, every bit of our intel would be exposed, and Glolo would seize total control."
Once that control was lost, Luna wouldn't be able to reclaim it. She knew where the Rusty Star Nation's interests lay; the profit margins on evasion-capable ships were too massive for the opposition to ignore.
"As the saying goes: the tree craves stillness, but the wind will not cease."
"As it stands, we have no choice but to fight."
Yet another opponent far stronger than themselves. Could she not just get a little more time to grow? Give her a single millennium, and meeting this challenge would be significantly easier.
Luna continued scrolling through the reports. Suddenly, her hand froze. The gloom on her face vanished, replaced by a glimmer of hope.
"Perhaps we can buy that millennium. Maybe even two."
She partitioned off a new avatar of herself.
"You know what needs to be done, right?"
The Luna avatar nodded: "Of course. I am you, and you are me."
"This should be much simpler than that trip to the Titled Station."
"After all, this is just internal civilization politics."
Luna ordered the preparation of a ship bound for the Glolo Star Nation. It had to be a merchant vessel; she couldn't travel under her official title as the CEO of Supernova Technology Corporation.
Within a week, everything was ready, and the Luna avatar departed.
...
Less than three days after the avatar's departure, Giotto and Toma K received the intel. They both reached out to her, seeking confirmation of the reports.
An attack on the Rusty Star Nation meant the end of the peace. Furthermore, their allied star nations would likely abandon them, especially given that the enemy was vastly more powerful.
For the Rusty Star Nation at its current stage, this was nothing short of a cataclysm. Anyone facing this scenario would feel utterly powerless.
Yet, Luna offered them only a single response: "Do not worry."
Those words carried a strange, immense weight, calming the entirety of Supernova Technology Corporation and the Rusty Star Nation. No one else pressed for details regarding the events at the border.
...
"Has the Rusty Star Nation reacted yet?"
The border Sector of the Rusty Star Nation.
The Silver Fleet of the Glolo Star Nation.
Archon Commander Ryukyu, leading the Silver Fleet, had seized five star systems in a lightning strike. Now, he waited for the Rusty Star Nation's response.
Technically, they had invaded without provocation. High-tier star nations like Glolo were typically more sensitive about their public image. The Glolo Star Nation had long been perceived as a relatively peaceful faction among star nations; they needed to maintain that facade.
This time, however, with the Frost Blue Star Nation providing backing, they could afford to be a bit more reckless.
Still, to ensure everything appeared legitimate and compliant, they had fabricated several pretexts—such as the Rusty Star Nation's supposed victimization of other nations within the Lican Sector.
In short, they needed a justification for the offensive. The moment the Rusty Star Nation retaliated, Ryukyu would have the official declaration released, sparking a total war.
They had attacked now to secure strategic strongholds without risk. By blockading all communications from the five star systems, they ensured that other star nations wouldn't realize the invasion had already begun.
Later, they could falsify the records to claim the offensive started only after the provocation, manufacturing legitimacy for their conquest.
"No, they don't seem to have noticed the capture of these five star systems at all."
Prior to the war, the Glolo Star Nation had embedded numerous agents within the Rusty Star Nation. Now, reports coming from all Rusty star systems suggested the same thing: the general populace had absolutely no idea that a war had begun.
Furthermore, there was no movement from any of the star systems' military forces.
"Could it be that because the Rusty Star Nation expanded too rapidly, communication between these border regions is sparse?"
Ryukyu felt a sense of frustration, as if he had swallowed something foul. He couldn't officially declare a state of war for the star nation yet; he needed the Rusty Star Nation to make the first move.
This was to deny the Rusty Star Nation any chance of a counter-argument. If the Rusty Star Nation remained still, they could use that time to react to any public information released against them.
But if the Rusty Star Nation moved, then to outside observers, it would appear as if they were the ones striking a defiant, aggressive pose, essentially conceding to the allegations of victimizing other nations.
In reality, the war of public opinion between star nations was quite simple.
Their target audience wasn't experts, but ordinary people.
The average person rarely thinks deeply about news that feels distant from their daily lives. Therefore, whatever narrative they crafted—as long as the majority of the public accepted it—meant they held the moral high ground. Consequently, they wouldn't be declared war upon for that reason, nor would they be blacklisted by neutral star nations.
These were the rules of the game, and Ryukyu was playing by them.
Theoretically, it was a flawless plan.
Yet, the Rusty Star Nation was responding with total inaction to counter every move.
"Wait a bit longer. Once the news spreads, they'll have to move."
However, what Ryukyu didn't expect was this:
That wait lasted a full 100 years.
The Rusty Star Nation acted as if they had completely forgotten about these five border star systems.
"Revise the plan. Secretly seize two more star systems. I don't believe they can stay motionless forever."
Ryukyu was tired of waiting.
If they could covertly and slowly devour the entire Rusty Star Nation, that would also be a viable solution.
They hadn't exposed their identity yet.
Even if the Rusty Star Nation claimed it was them, they could simply deny it flatly.
Another 70 years passed.
The Silver Fleet captured two more strategically vital border star systems of the Rusty Star Nation.
It was only then that Ryukyu became certain: the Rusty Star Nation wasn't ignorant of their presence; they were simply choosing to ignore the invasion entirely.
...
Luna's primary objective was to hold the front line steady.
As it stood, the plan appeared successful, though internal pressure was mounting. Luna suppressed these reactions single-handedly; she needed to buy several centuries.
The Luna avatar was traveling aboard a void-class ship, capable of reaching 120,000 kilometers per second. The distance to the destination was 233 light-years. The total travel time was projected at 582.5 years.
With 170 years already passed, they needed to hold out for another 412.5 years or longer. After all, reaching the destination was merely the arrival; it didn't mean the mission was over.
...
The border of the Rusty Star Nation.
Ryukyu considered himself a man of great patience, but he now realized that the Rusty Star Nation was completely indifferent to their offensive.
"They've abandoned the border. Perhaps they've already guessed who we are and intend to use this method to stall for time and prepare."
"Precise, yet foolish!"
He realized this was a race against time. He had to secure the Rusty Star Nation quickly and safely. Otherwise, once the Rusty Star Nation finished its preparations, they would face staggering losses on a direct battlefield.
In this region of star nations, there were few instances of true technological dominance. Even the technology of High-tier star nations was mostly salvaged scraps from more powerful nations or the Federation. Here, numbers were the only ultimate truth.
Before launching this war, the Glolo Star Nation had gathered combat data on the Rusty Star Nation. The records showed that the Rusty Star Nation consistently fought at a numerical disadvantage and emerged with grand victories every time.
The Glolo Star Nation wasn't far from the Lican Sector and kept clear tabs on the region's intel. Names like the Ynun Star Nation and Binom existed in their archives, recorded for tens of thousands of years.
Seeing such a formidable Mid-tier star nation dismantled by a newcomer like the Rusty Star Nation was a cause for both reflection and warning for Glolo.
Never underestimate any opponent.
The Glolo Star Nation had always upheld this operational style. Prudence and caution were exactly what had allowed their nation to thrive until today.
"Fast yet stable: they've truly presented me with a difficult riddle."
"In this situation, an external assault has lost its original purpose. We must find a way to dismantle this star nation directly from the inside."
Ryukyu was more than just the Archon Commander of the Glolo Star Nation's Silver Fleet.
Unlike individuals like Binom, who relied purely on raw talent, Ryukyu was a product of a formal military academy, possessing a far more sophisticated grasp of tactical planning.
After weighing his options, he devised a strategy.
"To throw the Rusty Star Nation into total chaos, Luna, this pivotal figure, is the key."
"Once this person is eliminated, every obstacle will cease to be an obstacle."
Assassination.
It was an ancient tactic, yet it remained undeniably effective.
Star nations were, in essence, not much different from feudal societies; they appeared open, yet their interiors were invariably governed by one or more dominant figures.
The death of such a leader signaled the collapse of the nation itself.
Ryukyu had never personally executed such a plan, but the Glolo Star Nation was not short on specialists in this field.
He issued an order to the main server.
"Screen the fleet for the most exceptional individuals. Prioritize those with elite individual combat prowess and high intelligence. Dispatch them all: infiltrate the Supernova Technology Corporation and terminate Luna!"
...
M36 Star Cluster.
Temporary Headquarters of the Supernova Technology Corporation.
After waiting for approximately 140 years, Luna discovered that the Glolo Star Nation fleet had halted its advance after seizing seven star systems.
"All this time, and they still haven't pushed forward."
"It's impossible for them not to have realized that we're only pretending to be unaware of their presence. Once they grasp that, they'll easily deduce that we are stalling for time."
"While they might not know exactly what we're angling for, they know it works against them."
"What will their next move be?"
Luna used the main server to run countless simulations.
But the server generated too many conflicting scenarios, a chaotic mess that failed to reach a definitive conclusion, serving only as a vague reference.
She had to wait for the enemy to act again before she could pinpoint their specific objective.
"Holding out for another 273 years is feasible."
The headquarters was roughly 80 light-years away from the seized star systems; it was still a bit early for the enemy to strike this far.
Those systems had originally belonged to the Kingdom of Sky Sector and currently housed a few garrison units.
"Someone, come in!"
Luna called out toward the door.
The main server automatically dispatched a request to the Personnel Department, instructing them to send a responder to her office.
An Iridescent supervisor walked in from the outside. With a single glance, Luna identified his rank and identity.
"Is there something you need, CEO?"
Luna handed him a thick stack of hard-copy documents.
"Take these to the Archives. Have the staff there upload this data to the central repository."
"Also, mark the blue documents for external transmission. The addresses and dispatch times are already specified."
Luna typically handled 90% of a task herself, leaving the final 10% to others.
Communication entries required a manual labor review process; Luna couldn't simply have the main server execute it directly.
This was because human oversight was extensive.
The Archive's review required at least five people to examine the data to be entered. They would read through the information, carefully comparing it against existing records to determine if the new files should overwrite the old ones or if any errors existed in the fresh data.
Luna wasn't omnipotent; she knew she wasn't immune to making mistakes.
The documents sat on a corner of the desk.
Luna's workspace spanned roughly 11 meters in length.
The supervisor approached, using his psionics to lift the stack of files, which stood nearly a meter high.
At that moment, Luna was hunched over her desk, continuing her analysis of the enemy's potential next moves.
Now!
The thought screamed within the supervisor's mind. His killing intent erupted like a detonating bomb.
The documents in his hands were flung into the air as his entire body blurred, reappearing instantly in front of Luna. His hand fell like a blade, striking Luna squarely in the head.
BOOM!!!
Half of Luna's head was sheared away.
A devastating force surged from the wound, coursing through her entire frame. Luna could feel her physical form beginning to wither and fail.
The assassin, believing the deed was done, prepared to make his exit.
Suddenly, the Luna who should have been dead spoke: "So, the plan was to kill me."
"I am indeed vital to the current Rusty Star Nation. Kill me, and the nation falls into chaos, the Supernova Technology Corporation collapses, and your military becomes unstoppable."
The assassin's body stiffened. He turned back to look at Luna.
He saw that her body, which should have been decaying, was actually regenerating.
Without a word, the assassin lunged again to finish her. He unleashed his psionics to lock down Luna's entire body, rendering her unable to move.
But this time, Luna was prepared. She released her own psionic power.
Terrifying psionic energy, accumulated over hundreds of thousands of years, vented onto the assassin. It didn't just shatter his psionic lock; it completely immobilized him.
Luna stared at him.
Displayed on her retina was the data for the actual supervisor.
"An excellent disguise. Even the main server didn't detect it, and I saw no flaws myself. But you are not our company's supervisor."
"It seems I'll be facing some trouble soon."
"However, there is another way!"
...
231593 A.D.
Border Sector of the Rusty Star Nation.
Ryukyu received a transmission: the assassination was a success.
"It was already successful in 231513 A.D., and yet the news has only reached me now. Those people were too slow."
Ryukyu was visibly dissatisfied upon seeing the transmission.
As assassins, they should have used a Tachyon transmitter to relay the information; this was critical to the war effort.
Now, eighty years had been squandered.
Supernova Technology Corporation surely would have reacted by now, likely manufacturing a clone to serve as a replacement.
"The original plan must be revised."
"With Luna's death, we've only secured chaos at the top of Supernova Technology Corporation, but that's not enough to affect the entire Rusty Star Nation."
"Leadership instability will cause difficulties in many operational deployments, such as the interception of our forces."
"We don't need to capture the star system. Seize this opportunity to breach the defense network of Supernova Technology Corporation's headquarters in the M36 star cluster. Once its location is pinpointed, launch a super-range strike!"
Annihilate the headquarters directly!
With the Supernova Technology Corporation's top tier wiped out, the Rusty Star Nation would become their personal playground.
"The Supernova Technology Corporation possesses the one thing the Archduke covets—evasion-capable material!"
"Once we secure that material and its technology, we can manufacture evasion-capable warships."
"By then, our Glolo Star Nation will become a Primary Star Nation!"
Sesri was plotting to seize the Rusty Star Nation, and the Glolo Star Nation was doing exactly the same.
That was why Glolo hadn't followed Sesri's plan of initially pressuring the Rusty Star Nation through diplomatic channels; they knew the Rusty Star Nation's value and deployed their forces immediately.
The temptation of evasion-capable materials and warships was far too great.
A Primary Star Nation is also a High-tier star nation, but one that has ascended to the absolute peak of the star nation pyramid.
"Primary" implies a principal seat.
This seat is a recognized position within the star nation community; once a nation becomes a Primary Star Nation, it is acknowledged by all others. The most significant benefit is gaining equal trading status with other Primary Star Nations.
"Primary" also carries another connotation: that of a suzerain.
Only a Primary Star Nation has the authority to take other nations as Client States. After becoming one, they form their own sphere of influence, using it to enter a rapid development phase and distancing themselves from ordinary High-tier star nations.
While there is no strict limit on combat power for a Primary Star Nation, currently even the smallest possesses a fleet of over 100,000 warships.
This was the ambition of the Glolo Star Nation.
As for Sesri.
He was too distant.
Sesri lacked the power to suppress a High-tier star nation, and it was impossible for him to convince the Frost Blue Star Nation to dispatch an army across 2,000 light-years to attack them.
...
Another 80 years passed.
Due to the lack of a Tachyon transmitter, Ryukyu could only relay information back through conventional signal sources.
What he did not know, however, was this:
The one who had transmitted the message confirming Luna's death was Luna herself.
Upon receiving the confirmation of her own "death," Luna immediately ordered the headquarters to relocate. Against super-range weaponry, a displacement of at least 100 AU was required for safety.
Luna ordered the headquarters to move 1,000 AU.
"How ruthless!"
"If I hadn't flushed out all the assassins, they might have truly used some pretext to stall the headquarters in deep space, turning it into a sitting duck."
Typically, critical installations like the headquarters remain in a state of irregular motion, much like a fleet during wartime.
For an enemy to utilize super-range weaponry, they must first force the target to stop moving.
In certain specific periods, the headquarters would indeed remain stationary.
After all, there weren't many star nations in this Sector that possessed super-range weaponry.
Most super-range weapons were merely standard laser-type armaments with a maximum range of 180 light-years.
As a High-tier star nation, it was logical that the Glolo Star Nation possessed super-range weaponry with a reach exceeding 200 light-years.
"Now it finally feels like a modern theater of war."
"Previous conflicts always gave me the illusion of regressing to the early days of the old Federation."
Luna actually felt a surge of excitement.
Theoretically, super-range weapons could be manufactured even 200,000 years ago; these star nations shouldn't have been incapable of building them, nor should they have fought such primitive wars.
But the crucial point was that technology evolves.
A gun from ten thousand years ago could pierce armor; ten thousand years later, that same gun is nothing more than a fire poker.
Similarly, a super-range weapon from 200,000 years ago would now only be capable of taking out basic ships; it likely couldn't even breach a warship's defenses.
It wasn't just that warships had higher energy reserves; technological breakthroughs meant that even if a super-range weapon capable of destroying a star struck a warship, that energy would be neutralized and dissipated.
Super-range weaponry.
The true terror of modern human Civilization.
"Which super-range weapons does the Glolo Star Nation possess?"
"Is there any public data?"
The main server collected vast amounts of intel; perhaps the answer could be found.
[ The Glolo Star Nation has publicized three types of super-range weaponry ]
[ The first is a laser variant: a combat-ready laser weapon with an energy output reaching 17.56 tel. ]
[ The second is field-based: a Scalar Field weapon capable of raising the temperature within a 100 AU radius of the impact point to 2 million degrees Celsius. ]
[ The third is gravitational: a Matter Collapse weapon that utilizes non-uniform gravitational perturbations to trigger the collapse of planets or even stars. ]
All three types of super-range weaponry were relatively standard armaments.
Yet, "standard" is a relative term.
All of the Rusty Star Nation's super-range weapons were laser-based, but none were "integrated" types. Consequently, their energy output was a mere 1.45 tel: a disparity of more than tenfold.
The so-called "integrated" classification referred to hardware that was directly "plugged into" or "embedded within."
"Plugged into" meant the weapon was physically integrated into a star; "embedded" meant utilizing the star's own nuclear fusion to power the weapon system.
The All-Star Cannon could also be considered a variant of integrated weaponry.
Naturally, the integrated class was superior.
Standard laser super-range weaponry relied on stored energy reserves, typically capable of only two or three shots in rapid succession, followed by a grueling recharge period spanning several centuries.
In contrast, integrated weaponry was not only more powerful but could also discharge hundreds or even thousands of times, truly maximizing the strategic utility of super-range armaments.
Whether it was the Rusty Star Nation's or the Ynun Star Nation's super-range weapons, they had remained largely idle throughout their respective wars. Consequently, they served only as deterrents, requiring precise targeting; once their energy was depleted, they were useless.
"It's highly likely to be a laser weapon; it's the most cost-effective."
"But after this, I doubt we'll be able to keep our status hidden."
If the headquarters here remained intact, even a fool would realize they'd been played. Even if they didn't deduce that Luna was still alive, they would implicitly understand that the Supernova Technology Corporation's headquarters hadn't suffered a major catastrophe.
Consequently, the enemy's next moves would surely shift.
"I was hoping to stall for a bit longer."
"Still, fortunately, this isn't like the Titled Station where we had to physically block the enemy. By now, the other side should be entering the Glolo Sector soon."