His voice was hoarse, carrying an indescribable weariness.
"We've lost."
He repeated it again.
Then he raised his head, gazing out the window at the still-quiet starry sky, murmuring.
"A complete loss."
Bradley and Crawford stood behind him, neither speaking.
Strauss was silent for a few seconds.
Then he withdrew his gaze, looking back at the intelligence report on the table.
His expression changed.
The dejection, exhaustion, and near-despair from moments ago were gradually receding.
Replacing it was a cold, calm, and clear-headedness befitting a commander.
He spoke.
His voice was not loud, but each word was clear and forceful.
"Orders."
Bradley immediately straightened his back.
Strauss's gaze fell on the massive star chart on the wall, his voice steady.
"First, the Erebus Fleet is to withdraw immediately."
He paused, reached out, and pointed to four locations on the star chart.
"The Tyrol Galaxy, the Savannah Star System, the Turkmen Star System, and the Garton Star System."
"The warp points in these four star systems must be secured at all costs."
"Not a single one can be lost."
Bradley quickly took notes and nodded.
Strauss continued.
"Second, the Ares Fleet and the Pandora Fleet..."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"Intensify the assault on the Vault Fleet."
"The fiercer, the better. The more aggressive, the better."
Bradley looked up at him.
Strauss offered no explanation and went on.
"Third, the Himiel Fleet is to accelerate its advance."
He emphasized his words.
"And during its movement, it must be conspicuous."
"It must resupply at those civilian-military ports."
"Everyone must see them."
Bradley was taken aback.
Resupply at civilian-military ports?
Wouldn't that expose their movements to the Federation?
But he didn't ask.
Strauss's gaze remained fixed on the star chart, on the four marked star systems.
His voice lowered.
"Once the Erebus Fleet has fully secured the warp points in those four star systems..."
He paused, then added.
"All fleets will retreat."
Silence fell over the office.
Crawford stood by the door, his eyes wide.
Retreat?
After fighting for so long, deploying the latest portable stargate, mobilizing over four sequence fleets, and capturing six Federation star systems.
Now they were just going to retreat?
Just... end it like this, so hastily?
He couldn't help but speak, his voice kept low.
"Commander..."
"Our forces are currently in an excellent position. To withdraw now..."
"Wouldn't it be a waste?"
Strauss said nothing.
He merely gave him a cold look.
Seeing this, Crawford quickly added.
"Commander, I spoke out of turn!
This is not something a subordinate should concern themselves with!"
Strauss waved his hand dismissively.
Crawford practically fled the room.
Bradley said slowly.
"As expected of the Commander, truly decisive!"
He walked up to the star chart, reached out, and tapped the location where the stargate had once been.
"The stargate is gone."
"It means we can no longer deploy fleets to the front line of the Ten Stone Starfield as quickly as before."
"The three Sequence Fleets currently on the front line."
He reached out, circling the markers for the Ares, Pandora, and Erebus Fleets.
"They are isolated forces."
Bradley continued.
"Once the Federation reacts and dispatches reinforcements to flank them from the side..."
His hand traced an arc on the star chart, bypassing the Empire-controlled zone and driving straight into the rear of those three fleets.
"...cutting off their route of retreat."
"By then..."
He paused, his voice low.
"...whether those three Sequence Fleets can even withdraw safely will be uncertain."
Bradley withdrew his hand, looking at the intelligence report.
"That's why the Commander ordered the Himiel Fleet to advance conspicuously."
"To make sure everyone sees them..."
"It's a message to the Federation: we still have reinforcements, and we are continuously deploying forces to the front line."
He paused again.
"This way, the Federation won't dare act rashly."
"Only then can those three fleets withdraw safely."
Strauss sneered coldly.
"If all the fools below were as smart as you, we wouldn't have suffered defeat after defeat!"
Then, Strauss let out a soft sigh.
The sigh was faint.
So faint it seemed to rise slowly from somewhere deep within.
"Execute it."
He said.
His voice was hoarse, weary.
Yet each word carried immense weight.
Bradley stood at attention.
"Yes."
Shang Yu Star System, Bridge of the Erebus Fleet Flagship Eternal Night.
General Dashen Rockwell stared at the newly decoded order, his expression shifting dramatically.
First, he frowned.
Then, he pursed his lips.
Finally, he outright laughed.
The laughter was filled with mockery and disdain, piercingly loud in the quiet bridge.
"What a bunch of useless trash."
He tossed the order aside, leaned back in his chair, and addressed his two colleagues on the communication screens.
"Two Joint Fleets, over forty thousand warships, defending a single Stargate..."
He spread his hands.
"And they couldn't hold it?"
"Are they all a bunch of incompetents?"
On the communication screen, General Travis Slate, Commander of the Ares Fleet, looked displeased.
He remained silent for a second before speaking, his voice steady.
"General Rockwell, since this is an order from Command Headquarters, it must be carried out."
Rockwell glanced at him but said nothing.
On the other screen, General Evan Thatcher, Commander of the Pandora Fleet, let out a light chuckle.
The laugh was oddly ambiguous, carrying an indescribable tone.
"Rockwell."
He spoke, dragging out his words slightly.
"You should be celebrating."
Rockwell looked at him.
Thatcher continued:
"Getting to withdraw early—what a great thing."
He paused, his gaze falling on his own star chart.
"Unlike our two fleets, we still have to stay here..."
He reached out and tapped on three points marked as Federal Fortresses.
"...gnawing on these three hard bones."
Rockwell's brow furrowed slightly.
Thatcher's words sounded like envy, but his tone...
It sounded unmistakably like sarcasm.
Just as Rockwell was about to speak, Thatcher spoke again.
"What?"
The smile carried a hint of provocation.
"Not satisfied with this arrangement?"
He leaned forward slightly.
"I'd be happy to swap with you."
"Let my Pandora Fleet withdraw instead..."
He paused, then continued.
"...and you stay behind to chew on these three fortresses for us. How about that?"
Rockwell's face darkened.
He stared at Thatcher, silent for three seconds.
Then he sneered.
"Cut the sarcasm."
Since it was a retreat, naturally the faster the better.
Rockwell continued.
"I'm pulling back because I need to guard the Warp Point."
He turned around, looking at Thatcher.
"We each have our own tasks. Stop trying to sow discord."