Chapter 190
Translator: uly
Chapter: 190
Chapter Title: The Stella Walker Trail
One outpost completely destroyed, six more half-wrecked. Four superhumans dead, and the five we rescued all in critical condition.
Due to the excessive use of the main cannons, most warships in the defense fleet would need extensive repairs for a while, with several judged better off scrapped altogether.
And topping it off, a total casualty count of a million.
Considering the nature of the war, this was a clear defeat.
"It's the second-worst damage since I took command of the Styx Front," Major General Revel sighed heavily as he delivered the situation report.
His face looked three years older after just one day.
"And it still isn't over."
"Cleanup's going to be a nightmare too."
Nearly 400 million had been dropped in a mere three hours.
Even if we'd handled it well, this wouldn't qualify as "well handled."
The planet was crawling with aliens everywhere, and the areas around the twelve former defense outposts were completely overrun.
Everyone was working hard, but with the fleet needing time to regroup, the situation was expected to drag on.
The thought of how many hatcheries they'd spawn was horrifying.
"This is exactly when we need the Commander, but we can't keep him here."
"No helping it, sir."
Twelve hours had passed since the two Space Crawlers had opened a rift and vanished.
No dreaded contact yet.
But everyone was on edge.
Major General Revel had immediately broadcast the situation to nearby fronts and all planets via Drive Gate comms, but no rear-line position had the firepower to handle Space Crawlers.
"To deal with them safely, we'd need a full regular fleet, but we can't count on that from the rear lines."
"If we could just pinpoint their destination, we could respond in advance."
"If that were possible, we'd have known when and where the airstrike was coming from. How do we read alien minds?"
The commanders couldn't hide their frustration.
It felt like clutching a bomb about to go off.
That was the pressure from the two missing Space Crawlers.
"Our top priorities are rebuilding the defense outposts, replenishing fleet strength, and bolstering our troops. No guarantee this airstrike was a one-off, right?"
One commander raised his voice emphatically.
Space Crawlers aside, restoring Acheron Planet to normal was the immediate priority.
And honestly, it was the only thing they could do right now.
The sympathetic commanders began pouring out various proposals.
"Supplies aren't exactly plentiful either."
"I think we have enough. Instead of restocking general supplies, why not load up combat machines? We can't keep absorbing infantry losses like this."
"Where do we airlift combat machines from?"
"He's right. And I hear enlistment applications are on the rise..."
"You still don't get it? That's not nearly enough to replace what we lost this time. We'll have to beg the Union HQ again."
"We've always done that. What's to be ashamed of?"
A conversation that showed just how expendable infantry lives were in the war against aliens.
"Short-term reconstruction is tough. And what about the fleet matchup? If we take the same damage in a week, we might have to abandon Acheron Planet."
"You're overreacting after one hit. Our legion isn't that weak."
"We need to pull fleet assets to counter the Space Crawlers—is that set in stone?"
"We've committed brigade-sized fleet detachments from Lethe and Phlegethon. Union HQ has two more brigade-level support groups en route. For that, we got help from the Central Superhuman Unit's liaison here. Our thanks."
"No problem."
Tana smiled back at Major General Revel's words.
"Since I've got the floor, mind if I add a few more thoughts?"
"Go ahead."
"Alright. I get that you're all working hard to restore the lost strength quickly. But is this the kind of damage you can bounce back from that fast?"
"No. Full recovery would take a month at least."
"Then how about trying a new approach instead?"
"A new approach?"
"Our Leonard Commander has something in the works."
Suddenly, all eyes turned to me.
I looked at the winking Tana with a troubled expression and spoke up.
"...It's not ready yet."
"Didn't you say you've already completed one prototype and started testing?"
"It's just a test model, like I said. Real deployment needs a lot more prep."
The basic framework for the space fortress had been finalized long ago.
Similar research existed, and with the Monarch family's full backing, design wasn't an issue.
The problem was elsewhere.
Standard blocks measured 200 meters wide and deep by 100 meters tall.
But the maximum combinable blocks? Just 150.
Not even a third of the initial design, and pushing beyond meant energy control systems and more would glitch out—no room to scale up.
'I got greedy seeing the shipyard's size. No way a rushed project could match those painstakingly built structures.'
One alone wouldn't help much.
We needed at least ten to hit the target strength.
But Major General Revel seemed eager for even that.
"Nothing tests like real combat. How about bringing it to Acheron Planet?"
"It won't make much difference..."
"Right now, we'd welcome an ant's help. Please, Commander."
"Understood."
When he put it like that, I couldn't refuse.
And deploying it in combat wasn't a bad idea anyway.
Earlier than planned, sure, but it'd give us better data.
We wrapped up the space fortress deployment discussion and moved to other agenda items when new intel arrived.
"Urgh..."
Major General Revel groaned upon reading the dispatch.
"A Space Crawler sighting at Tethys."
Tethys was a rear-line planet.
The anxiety had become reality.
Like the Laplacia Star System, its proximity to the Styx Front made it ideal for munitions factories.
"Damage report?"
"The defense fleet responded in time, but they got pushed back hard. They retreated on schedule with no losses, but the planet..."
Major General Revel projected the hologram dispatch for everyone.
The two Space Crawlers cruised the planet's orbit like conquerors.
Parasitic aliens were raining down across the surface from their bodies.
Rear-line or not, its near-front location meant solid anti-alien defenses—parasites alone wouldn't have been an issue.
But the Space Crawlers' casual barrages shattered city barriers, turning the situation dire.
The few outposts were holding their own, but couldn't spare aid elsewhere.
Civilian casualties ahead? Unimaginable.
"At least they're not sweeping the surface themselves. Small mercies."
"Calling that a mercy..."
"We expected this, didn't we? Let's focus on the positives. The Space Crawlers ignore Drive Gates, preserved our fleet strength, and aren't aggressively destroying the planet. So what are they after?"
Tana's question hit home.
I spoke up casually, as if it were obvious.
"A rest stop for interstellar transit."
"Not their final destination?"
"Based on their behavior, Tethys holds no real interest. It's just a waypoint."
"A waypoint? So we just watch them keep doing this until they reach wherever they're going?!"
Frustrated, Brigadier General Lungren slammed his fist on the table.
"We don't know the destination, but we know they're using waypoints, right? Calculate their distance and direction—we can predict the next one, or even the target."
I could be wrong.
They might just wander aimlessly without a fixed goal, or hole up on Tethys permanently.
But we had to do something, or morale would crater.
Fortunately, the commanders nodded and checked the star chart.
"...From Tethys, seven possible destinations."
"Assuming straight-line movement, we can narrow it to three."
"Send the fleet there?"
Voices grew cautious.
A wrong prediction here could mean another Tethys-level sacrifice—they had to be careful.
Such decisions usually fell to the top commander.
Styx Front commander Major General Revel scanned the quiet room and spoke.
"We support Tethys."
"Ah..."
"Your opinion makes sense, Commander, but we lack data to predict Space Crawler moves. Can't rush ahead. And we can't abandon Tethys under attack right now."
Major General Revel chose the straightforward path over risky gambles.
"Plus, heading to Tethys positions us to pursue if they jump interstellar again—even if we're a step behind, we'll catch up fastest."
No objections.
Styx Front detachments would assemble in half a day; Union support fleets in a full day.
'Rally point Tethys. Hope they stick around that long.'
Sorry for Tethys civilians, but it was the best-case scenario.
Would they really linger only there, though?
'Why bother moving at all?'
There was clear purpose to it.
Whatever it was.
'Wait—no...'
Something I'd forgotten hit me.
Early in the airstrike, post-rift: the first thing out, a Stella Walker scout ship.
Post-recovery, under strict inspection, but nothing unusual found—it'd slipped my mind. But if unrelated, why appear first?
A sharp instinct flashed.
"Sir, hold on a moment."
"Commander...?"
I stopped Major General Revel before he finalized.
Then ordered R3D3.
"That data from my sibling still saved? Pull up the missing Stella Walker expedition plan."
*Beep!*
A few inputs, and there it was.
"...What's this?"
"The route for the missing—no, today's arrival—Stella Walker expedition."
"Hmm?"
"And this is the follow-up team's route, departed two months ago."
Major General Revel's eyes gleamed.
"Different paths to reach, but they look alike."
"Secondary expedition to recover findings."
"Charging into a place like that? ...How bold can you get?"
He was holding back "insane."
"The lost scout might've been unlucky running into aliens, but the follow-up knew the risks two months ago? Greed with no end..."
"I funded it."
"...You did?"
To Major General Revel—who wouldn't peg me for money motives—it must've seemed odd.
"There were reasons. Anyway, not the point. Look at the routes."
The paths looped almost circularly.
Flattened compared to actual, but roughly so.
And both return legs? Nearly identical.
Not first stops post-deep space—Acheron wasn't listed—but Tethys appeared on both.
"No way..."
"I believe this airstrike ties directly to the scout ship. And their movement path too."
I spoke with firm conviction to sway Major General Revel.
No room for being wrong.
"Confirming Tethys's next waypoint would solidify it, but that'd just rack up more casualties."
"..."
"Sir."
His interlaced fingers tapped his hand.
After a silent pause, the Major General spoke.
"...This claim ties into that 'instinct' of yours?"
"Yes."
"Fine. Change the rally point."
"Sir!"
"No more. You've all benefited most from the Commander's reports so far, haven't you? When it comes to aliens, I trust him over anyone in the universe."
Brushing off the commanders' protests, Major General Revel pointed to the new rally.
The expedition's endpoint—and Stella Walker expedition's home base—Arcstar Planet.