Among the remaining thirty-one starships, only a handful could be considered intact.
Most bore damage requiring immediate dockyard overhaul, their combat effectiveness reduced to less than ten percent.
Over half the vessels, along with tens of thousands of experienced Imperial officers and crew, remained forever in that starfield.
What was lost wasn't just metal, but the elite backbone and vital energy the Obsidian Fleet had accumulated over many years.
Deputy Commander Colonel Sloan's face still bore traces of blood (from a flying screen fragment that had cut him).
Staring at the devastating battle report, his voice was hoarse.
"Commander... we..."
Lancaster raised a hand, stopping him.
His eyes gazed emptily at the sparse, mostly battered silhouettes of their own ships outside the viewport before slowly closing.
Fatigue, regret, and a nearly despairing sense of defeat enveloped him like cold stardust.
There was a time when Federation Fleets would retreat at the mere approach of the Obsidian Fleet.
There was a time when they confidently planned to use three elite sub-fleets to set the stage for a "textbook" annihilation battle.
Now, "textbook" had become a joke. The annihilators had nearly been annihilated themselves.
"Tally all remaining ships and personnel. Prioritize medical treatment for the wounded and stabilize ship conditions."
After a long silence, Lancaster finally issued orders in an extremely parched voice.
"We need... a safe place to lick our wounds."
He paused, almost forcing out the final words through clenched teeth.
"Encrypt and transmit... preliminary battle report to General Strauss.
Note... our forces encountered a carefully designed ambush and encirclement by enemy main forces, suffering... heavy losses."
The words "heavy losses" carried immense weight.
He knew what kind of earthquake this report would trigger when it reached the Opal Starfield Theater Command.
The Obsidian Fleet's invincible aura had been completely shattered, broken in an almost humiliating manner by a newly established fleet led by a young man.
Along the retreat course, only the low mournful hum of engines remained, accompanied by the lingering shadow of death and collective silence permeating every surviving Imperial warship.
The once brilliant "Obsidian" now appeared dull and covered with cracks.
Deep within the Savannah Star System, at the Pluto Fleet rendezvous point.
The soaring main fleet of Pluto successfully joined forces with three fully operational Sub-Level Fleets (Phecda, Megrez, Alioth) that had made a long-range strike from the L-7 Jump Point.
A massive formation of over one hundred twenty starships deployed across the starfield.
Battle dust still lingered on their hulls, but weapon arrays were fully recharged, emitting a sharp, murderous aura.
There was little time to celebrate the significant victory over Obsidian.
Qin Beiwang's orders had already been issued.
"All fleets, adjust course to target - Lancawei Star.
Cruise speed, Combat Readiness Condition Two."
The command was concise, yet it invigorated the newly assembled fleet's high command.
Lancaster Star! That was the Empire's crucial logistics hub in the Savannah Star System.
Attacking there meant directly bringing the flames of war to a lifeline node of the Empire within this star system!
Inside the tactical center of the flagship "Polaris," Qin Beiwang stood alone before his special tactical simulation terminal.
The system had already generated the subsequent tactical simulation.
[Assault Plan A-7 (Lancaster Star) Tactical Simulation Complete]
[Comprehensive Success Probability Assessment: 75.3%]
[Key Identification Variable: Enemy Theater-level Commander Personality Model Analysis, 'Cautious-Retaliatory Hybrid Type' (Based on Historical Decision Data)]
[Predicted Enemy First Response: 71% probability of choosing to temporarily withdraw to a secure star zone (e.g., the Morelos Star Zone [This zone has large-scale shipyards capable of repairs]), reorganize formation, assess losses, and request instructions, rather than immediately gathering remnants for a head-on counterattack.]
Qin Beiwang's gaze swept over these cold data points.
A 75.3% success rate was quite considerable for an operation targeting a vital enemy logistics base.
Based on the enemy commander database within the warship, the model judged that after suffering a heavy blow like the loss of the Obsidian, Lancaster was more likely to first choose to stabilize his position rather than risk another engagement.
But this was only the beginning.
The simulation continued scrolling down, revealing longer-term predictions.
[Subsequent Enemy Response Simulation (Based on First Response being 'Withdraw and Regroup'):]
[High-Probability Event (89%): To restore prestige and deter our forces, the enemy Theater Command will dispatch large-scale reinforcements.]
[Reinforcement Scale Prediction: Based on the strategic value of the Savannah Star System and the stimulus of the Obsidian's defeat, the mustered forces are estimated to be 5-6 times our current strength.]
[Reinforcement Method Prediction: To increase deterrence and speed, 87% probability of choosing direct deployment to the battlefield via hyperspace jump, rather than conventional transit.]
[Most Likely Jump Entry Point Analysis (Based on Star Chart, Logistics, Tactical Rationality): Jump Point Z-78, probability 62%.]
[Jump Point Z-78 Strategic Correlation: Adjacent to Neva Star. This star possesses the largest-scale starport in the Savannah Star System.
Barak Starport, capable of providing immediate resupply, repairs, and rest for a large-scale fleet, is an ideal force projection and staging base.]
Seeing this, a glimmer of understanding flashed in Qin Beiwang's eyes.
The model and his intuition corroborated each other.
The Empire would never swallow this humiliation; a greater storm was brewing.
And the eye of that storm would likely be at that Jump Point Z-78, and the Neva Star and Barak Starport behind it.
Thus, the significance of attacking Lancaster Star now became even clearer.
He turned to face the core officers assembled in the tactical center, awaiting further instructions, including the commanders of the three sub-fleets who had just arrived.
"Everyone, our attack on Lancaster Star has two objectives."
Qin Beiwang's voice was calm, yet carried a penetrating force that commanded the entire situation.
"First, combat testing and recuperation.
We need a controllable-intensity assault battle to further integrate the fleet, allow the newly joined sister units to familiarize themselves with the tempo, let the main fleet crew who endured bitter combat restore morale through a victorious offensive, and simultaneously obtain tangible spoils of war and supplies."
"Second, and more importantly... deception and misdirection."
He pulled up the Star Chart, highlighting Langkawi Star and the distant Neva Star.
"Langkawi Star is a crucial logistics node and interstellar bridgehead for the Empire. Attacking here will send a strong signal to the Empire's Command Headquarters.
We intend to expand our gains, threaten their logistics lines, and possibly even seek to sever Savannah's connection to the outside world.
This is a target that aligns with the logic of 'exploiting victory and pursuing, greedy for merit and rashly advancing.'"
He pointed to the more distant Neva Star and Point Z-78.
"When the Empire's leadership believes our attention is drawn to Langkawi Star, and that our strategic intent is to strike logistics and expand occupied territory...
The massive reinforcements they dispatch via Point Z-78 to solve the problem once and for all will naturally focus their vigilance and reconnaissance on the direction of Langkawi Star and the route of retreat toward Elvira."