The warp drive of the Sovereign Aurora hummed with deep, steady vibrations that resonated through the reinforced alloy decks. Two million conscripted sailors stood packed shoulder to shoulder inside the lower hangar bays, their faces weathered and scarred by decades of harsh naval labor under Chairman Sovereign Harkon’s brutal whip. Now, instead of facing disciplinary chains or plasma flails, they held steaming, fragrant bowls of Grandma Chen’s signature shrimp wonton soup in their calloused hands. The rich broth warmed their chests, melting away the bitter chill of years spent in the dark, unheated bilges of the Blood-Tax Armada.
Lin Mo stood at the bow observation deck of the bridge, his hands resting casually inside the pockets of his golden-trimmed silk robe. He gave a calm, measured nod to Xing Yao, who sat before her glowing starlight console. Her newly upgraded Nine-Heaven Starlight Jade eyes hummed with soft golden light as she processed millions of astrometric data streams simultaneously.
“Target coordinates locked firmly onto Planet Ninety-Nine, Boss,” Xing Yao announced, her voice clear and precise. “Garrison-Star is right beneath our bow. Warden-General Skarn has activated planetary shielding and jammed all standard communication frequencies across the entire sector.”
Lin Mo raised an amused eyebrow, turning away from the viewport to look at his navigator. “Jammed frequencies? Skarn must be worried someone will tell his mother what he is doing to the neighbors. It is always the ones with insecure upbringing who feel the need to press big red buttons.”
