Aratar System (Federation of United Planets)—Aratar I Area Station

Grand Admiral Oskiol left his workplace and headed for the station’s management room.

This was the principle logistical heart for the resistance of what remained of the Federation. As a sensible management room, it was a far cry from the majestic places of work and gathering halls the place Federation conferences had taken place again on Terra!

Oskiol approached one of many tired-looking operators, who instantly rose to his toes and saluted. “Grand Admiral! What are you doing right here, Sir?”

Oskiol replied, “Put me in contact with all of the commanders and admirals of the fleet instantly.”

The operator, shocked by this request, answered, “Uh… Nicely Sir, it is going to take a while to contact them… I’ll begin directly.”

Oskiol did not reply. He sat within the close by chair meant for the commanders of station operations and waited for his request to be fulfilled. After an impressively brief 5 minutes, tons of of faces of admirals and commanders had been displayed on the massive console in entrance of him.

Oskiol stood as soon as extra, since he was giving a navy speech. “Expensive troopers! I do know that we have now simply suffered a troublesome defeat on Terra, however I’ve very important info that the enemy is severely weakened and immobilized on Terra. We should transfer shortly. We should make the most of this state of affairs and—”

An admiral minimize him off. “Grand Admiral! With all due respect, Sir, it is solely been three days since we returned from Terra. Twenty p.c of the fleet remains to be being inspected or repaired. I do not see how we will carry out one other raid on Terra!”

Oskiol answered, “Exactly. it’s not about Terra… We will break up the fleet in two, and launch an offensive on each Isirus and Okor.* The Battle of Terra confirmed us that we’re outnumbered and outgunned by the Imperials, so we have to wage guerrilla warfare in opposition to them. We should hit them the place it hurts probably the most, economically talking!”

One other commander interrupted him. “Even when we take management of those two techniques and plunder their assets, the Empire won’t stay unmoved! They will simply ship their fleet to take them again. It is not as if we will simply load up complete planets’ price of assets and fly away with them!”

A heavy silence fell over the entire name.

Then one other admiral spoke up, sounding determined to please. “It is a sensible plan, Grand Admiral! Let’s hope it really works. I’ll deal with my prayers to the Goddess Themis for the success of your plan!” There was one other awkward silence, however then different voices started muttering their settlement, caving to the strain of the Grand Admiral’s rank.

Oskiol replied, “Be prepared as quickly as potential. We will not afford to have any spies on any of our workers leaking a single element, contemplating how badly we’re outgunned! Put together for battle on the earliest alternative.”

***

Terra—South Industrial Zone

The coalition of gamers started to reorganize after their latest “strategic retreat,” however the enormous dimension of the group made for an equally massive problem.

Over one million gamers wanted to be concerned within the plan, which made it an actual logistical headache! Lots of of 1000’s of sub-groups needed to be divided up, every with at the least one officer to handle these sub-groups.

For this goal, the guild representatives had been once more reunited.

Lotus stated, “The ultimate preparations are carried out and the teams are lastly reorganized. We will now end with this damned planet! That’s, as soon as we have overcome one of many greatest weapons hangars on the planet, 100 kilometers to the north.”

One large guild’s consultant stated, “We belief you, Commander! In any case, your plan to evacuate us by means of the sewers of Terra is the rationale we’re all secure.”

Lotus answered with a gracious smile. “It is now time to counterattack and slit the throats of the enemy who needs to kill us! I do know that a lot of you do not like being led by me. Not solely am I a girl, however I am additionally the chief of a guild that’s far much less essential than a lot of yours. Nonetheless, we’re all in the identical boat! Both we triumph collectively… or we die collectively.”

A lot of the guild representatives had been caught on Terra for nearly two weeks. Even when their being commanded by Lotus was painful, most had been greater than bored with not having the ability to truly play the sport anymore. They longed to go away this planet and be capable to earn EXP and GC once more.

So most of them nodded their heads in approval of her plan. In any case, the essential plan was one a lot of them agreed with. The topic of hitting the navy warehouses had all the time been in style, one prompt by lots of the guild representatives.

There was a twin curiosity in capturing it: first, to handicap the opponent. This huge navy warehouse was not solely an ammunition depot but additionally a storage unit for entire units of weapons, armor, medical materials, and navy infrastructure instruments that allowed the infantry to operate usually.

However most significantly, it was a warehouse the place notably delicate weapons had been saved, equivalent to tactical and strategic nuclear weapons. It was even fairly doubtless that it held secret weapons, ones by no means earlier than revealed on the battlefield.

All these elements made it a privileged potential goal, however prior to now, the thought of attacking it had all the time been rejected. Every thing that made it a strategic precedence for the Eternals meant that it was equally well-defended!

However issues had been now completely different. The massive group, made up of a number of million gamers, had been united as if they had been really one gigantic guild. These gamers who had been, per week in the past, nonetheless killing one another on Cronos I, had been now all brothers in arms, able to face adversity.

Apophis and Joker each stood on the entrance of the procession. Joker had been on the forefront of all of the occasions—from the explosion of Cronos I to the belief of command of Lotus to her whole assertion of command