120 Expedition Arc 5: Operation Initiated

Sorry for the delay.

The Imperial Fleet plunged through the Hub Dimensional Jump Gate (Gate) on the home planet toward the coordinates of the Hub Dimensional Jump Gate (Gate) in the 8A star system.

After one week of traversing the subspace, we arrived before the Hub Dimensional Jump Gate (Gate) of the 8A star system.

Before us, a circular gate, drained of its glow, stood motionless.

A sabotage vessel, assigned to a reserve force of 100,000, intervened in the Hub Dimensional Jump Gate (Gate)'s system.

The work was completed swiftly. The lock disengaged. The gate’s light returned.

The Imperial Fleet split off toward each target star system and entered the Hub Dimensional Jump Gate (Gate) of the 8A star system.

My Personal Ship and Prince Kyle’s fleet set their coordinates to the 8B star system and entered the Hub Dimensional Jump Gate (Gate).

Before me, once again, the subdimension stretches out. This is the subdimension connected to the dimensional jump gate beneath the Hub Dimensional Jump Gate.

That’s why, once you lock the Hub Dimensional Jump Gate, you can no longer access the star system linked to the dimensional jump gate beneath it.

In front of our fleet, as expected, the gate to the 8B star system appears.

The Dimensional Jump Gate creates a one-to-one subdimensional passage to the next Dimensional Jump Gate by rewriting its target coordinates.

Detecting this coordinate change triggers an alert for entry into the star system.

The only difference this time is the reserve force of 100,000 ships that headed toward the 8A star system instead.

That fleet alone must have entered the normal space of the 8A star system directly from the Hub Dimensional Jump Gate.

Once the reserve forces enter the 8A star system, the Hub Dimensional Jump Gate will seal shut.

My Personal Ship and Kyle’s fleet move through hyperspace, heading for the Dimensional Jump Gate in the 8B star system.

It’ll take about half a day. Following the route marked in color on the virtual display, we’ll see a circular gate locked in place.

To unlock it, physically access the system terminal installed on the Dimensional Jump Gate and input the password.

The password is valid only once. If you mess up, you’ll have to reissue it—so enter it carefully.

Once the password is entered, the Dimensional Jump Gate flares back to life.

We dive through the gate—entering the 8B star system.

“All ships have entered the system. Dimensional Jump Gate re-locked.”

Kyle’s support vessel seals the Dimensional Jump Gate behind us.

Even if the enemy takes control of the Dimensional Jump Gate in the 8H system, they still can't reach any other star systems unless they also seize the other Dimensional Jump Gate.

If they're going to target something next, the hub Dimensional Jump Gate would be the most important—but that one's heavily secured.

So my guess is they'll go for the relatively easier 8B system Dimensional Jump Gate instead.

Well, no rush. Enemy won't be showing up anytime soon. Might as well go over defense plans with Kyle.

‘What now?’

I send a comms ping to Kyle.

‘Assume they’ll enter through the Dimensional Jump Gate. Set up fleet defenses accordingly.

You can stay wherever you like.’

I hesitate a second, then decide to position myself alongside the Dimensional Jump Gate.

Perfect vantage point—can see the whole battlefield from above.

I’ll just observe from here. After all, I’m only a single ship.

Huh. So that’s where you’re setting up…

Didn’t know what Kyle thought of the position.

A battle report came in through dimensional comms.

Enemy jumped out to the 8G system, as expected, and engaged the imperial fleet in full force.

Imperial forces have double the enemy’s numbers, so they won’t lose—but casualties will be heavy.

No real tactics here. Just brute force, a straight-up slugfest.

Enemy combat capability is slightly below imperial standard, to begin with.

Their warp jumps take longer, and their range is shorter than ours.

But they’ve got one advantage: they’re machine lifeforms. They’ve got all the time in the world.

That time advantage is what makes crossing the galactic arm via short-range dimensional jump—what would otherwise be a mind-numbingly long campaign—possible.

But the thought of that mind-numbing campaign being carried out by forces wandering aimlessly through space... it makes my blood run cold.

Even if we destroy this enemy now, others are still advancing. The sheer thought of it... it’s terrifying.

We’re the ones guarding it… well, technically, Kyle’s fleet of twenty thousand is doing the guarding… and the 8B system had enjoyed a brief peace, untouched by invasion.

Meanwhile, deep in the shadows, the imperial main force was locked in a bloody, desperate battle with the enemy’s main fleet at the 8G system.

“Dimensional Jump Gate at 8H system has fallen to the enemy!”

That was the report—straight from the scout ship monitoring the 8H system’s gate from the subspace side.

A chill runs through us.

“Where’s the target? What’s the enemy’s size?”

Kyle asks over the dimensional comms.

The dimensional corridors of the Dimensional Jump Gate are linked one-to-one.

So, whichever reconnaissance vessel is monitoring the corridor will reveal the destination.

“Target: 8B system. Enemy size: two capital-class vessels, plus numerous others!”

My guess was spot on.

If ten capital-class ships headed toward the 8G system with a fleet of half a million, then the estimated fleet moving this way—just capital-class ships—numbers around 100,000.

The “numerous others” probably means the ones left behind to invade 8G while the rest push forward.

So the subjugation of this sector is being handled by the supporting fleet, while the two capital-class ships are already preparing to make a dimensional jump—warp—toward the 8A system!

That means the supporting fleet alone could be in the tens of thousands. If each capital-class vessel left behind ten percent, that’s fifty thousand.

More than our two thousand, possibly.

‘Clarify the other fleet numbers!’

Kyle probably knew that too. He sent a command to the scout vessel.

But there was no reply from the scout. Probably destroyed—overrun by the enemy.

Half a day left before the enemy reaches through the Dimensional Jump Gate.

We should decide on a counterattack strategy by then. But in this situation, I’m just a spectator, aren’t I?

‘Kyle, what’s the plan?’

I don’t have control over the defense of Sector 8B, so I ask Kyle for direction.

‘With my fleet of twenty thousand, I can’t hold this star system. Either I bring the reserve forces from Sector 8A here to strike, or I move my fleet to 8A. That’s the only choice.’

‘What about calling for reinforcements from the main battlefield at 8G?’

‘To do that, we’d need to open the Dimensional Jump Gate in 8G. Then the reinforcements wouldn’t just be ours.’

Ah. So reinforcements from the main battlefield would help both us and the enemy.

‘To get here from the 8A system—or to go back—we’d have to open the Hub Dimensional Jump Gate, right?’

‘That’s right. If we act now, we can open the Hub Dimensional Jump Gate before the enemy arrives. What should we do?’

If we head to the 8A system, we’ll abandon the people in 8B.

The enemy, Neahyume, seems to see organic life as nothing more than spare parts for their mechanical bodies.

Abandoning them means signing their death warrants.

But bringing reinforcements from 8A won’t guarantee victory. It’ll be a fifty-fifty fight.

If we lose, there’ll be no force left to defend 8A. And if the Hub Dimensional Jump Gate falls into enemy hands, the route to the imperial homeworld will be wide open.

‘I’m going to 8A. There’s a fortress ship there.’

Kyle makes his choice. He decides to abandon two hundred million souls on Planet 8B.

Sacrifice the small to save the large. Maybe that’s what it takes to be an emperor.

"Then I’ll stay here and put up a fight."

"Are you insane? You’re going to die?"

"My Personal Ship has a Dimensional Jump Drive. I’ll make a clean escape to a safe spot."

"Then at least leave a few escort ships behind."

"I’ll be fine."

I say that, and summon five thousand ships from the Dimensional Storage Vault.

Kyle stares, stunned. I flash him a smug grin.

"Fine. Don’t die."

Kyle’s fleet unlocks the Dimensional Jump Gate and heads toward Sector 8A.

I couldn’t bring myself to abandon another human life.

I know this is my weakness… but apparently, I just can’t help it.

Thanks for the rating, thanks for the bookmark.

I’ll keep trying.