His gaze fell upon a small electronic photo frame clamped to a nearby metal stand.
It was a family portrait—his parents standing in front of their home, smiling warmly.
He still remembered when he enlisted, his mother's tearful eyes and his father firmly patting his shoulder, saying:
"Work hard, Bo. Protect our planet."
He then looked at the red button on the control console, covered by a transparent protective shield and requiring dual verification to activate.
Beside the button was a line of small text: [Ultimate Protocol: Data Purge and Station Self-Destruct].
There was no time to hesitate.
The magnetic adsorption device of the assault craft had already clicked firmly, locking onto the outer wall of the docking bay.
The faint hiss of the airtight door opening could be heard.
The last trace of fear vanished from Dongfang Bo's face, replaced by a nearly icy resolve.
He tore open the protective shield, pressed his right thumb hard against the identity recognition screen, and swiftly entered the twelve-digit dynamic password with his left hand.
"Verification passed. Ultimate Protocol activated.
Countdown: 10 seconds."
The system prompt sounded.
Dongfang Bo took one last look at his parents' smiling faces in the family portrait and took a deep breath.
With all his strength, he shouted his final words as a soldier—to the now-empty monitoring station and, as if to any compatriots on the other end of the communication channel who might never hear them:
"Everything for the Federation—!!!"
Boom—!!!!
In the silent void of the Blue Moon Star System's outer reaches, at the location of the Seventh Monitoring Station, a white energy fireball erupted—not particularly large but intensely brilliant!
There was no shockwave, for this was in the vacuum of space.
But the violent electromagnetic pulse and thermal radiation swept across the surrounding airspace like a lighthouse suddenly ignited in the darkness!
The several Imperial assault crafts that had just completed docking and had not yet breached the interior were caught completely off guard. They were utterly consumed and torn apart by the self-destruction energy at point-blank range, reduced to scattered metal debris.
Farther away, aboard the Imperial main flagship Iron-Winged Centaur, which was advancing stealthily, alarms blared instantly on the bridge!
"Commander! A violent explosion has occurred at the Seventh Monitoring Station! The energy signature indicates... internal self-destruct!"
"Electromagnetic pulse is spreading! The energy signatures of some units in our stealth fleet may have been detected!"
"The Blue Moon Star System Defense Network has been alerted! Multiple long-range sensors detected turning toward our position!"
The perfectly planned infiltration had been marred by a jarring crack, struck by the most resolute act of an insignificant "screw."
Dongfang Bo had sounded the loudest and most costly alarm with everything he had.
On the main seat of the Iron-Winged Centaur, Joint Fleet Commander Admiral Theodore Montgomery slowly opened his half-closed eyes.
His face was gaunt, with prominent cheekbones, and his gray-white hair was meticulously combed back. The corners of his mouth naturally curved slightly upward, as if holding a hint of mockery even when he wasn't smiling.
His gaze calmly swept over the residual energy cloud markers from the explosion of the Seventh Monitoring Station on the main screen, as well as the Federation long-range detection signals that had begun activating and sweeping in this direction on the tactical panel.
No anger, no surprise.
Instead, his thin lips curled into a distinct, sinister arc.
It was as if long-awaited prey had finally grown restless and made a move.
"Hah..."
An extremely soft, metallic chuckle echoed in the silent bridge.
"Since the little mouse has lit the match itself, illuminating the darkness..."
Montgomery's voice was not loud, yet it carried an icy, penetrating force.
"...then we, these uninvited guests, need no longer tread softly."
He leaned forward slightly, his hands resting lightly on the smooth, mirror-like edge of the command console. A sharp, blade-like glint flashed in his gray-blue eyes.
"Orders—"
His voice suddenly rose, clear, cold, and leaving no room for doubt, instantly overwhelming the lingering echoes of all alarms.
"Entire fleet, cancel silent running mode."
"Deactivate all electronic camouflage and energy suppression."
"Engines to maximum power! Full shields!"
"Form a conical assault formation with the Iron-Winged Centaur as the spearhead!"
His finger tapped heavily on a point of light on the star chart—a medium-sized colonial planet within the Blue Moon Star System, possessing basic orbital defenses and a spaceport: Pamir Star.
"Target: Pamir Star and its near-orbit S780 Large Natural Stable Jump Point!"
"Within eight hours, completely eliminate all Federation resistance in that area and gain full control of Pamir Star's near-orbit and the S780 Jump Point!"
He paused, his eyes a mix of ambition and ruthlessness:
"Upon seizing the jump point, immediately establish an outpost beacon and defense array."
"Prepare a... stable 'admission ticket' for our subsequent 'guests'."
The commands were like ice water splashed into boiling oil. The entire flagship, and indeed the entire fleet, instantly erupted into a frenzy!
Countless dormant Imperial starship engines roared to life, their azure exhaust flames tearing through the darkness. Shield generators hummed as they deployed energy barriers, weapon systems disengaged their safeties, and a cold, murderous intent permeated the void.
The massive Imperial assault fleet, like a school of awakened great sharks, shed all pretense, bared their ferocious fangs, and charged at full speed toward the unsuspecting Pamir Star and its critical jump point!
Montgomery watched the aggressive advance trajectory of the fleet on the screen, the sinister smile still playing on his lips.
He turned his head slightly and gave a calm order to the communications officer standing rigidly beside him.
"Send a message to Opal Star Sector Command, for General Strauss."
"Message as follows:"
He dictated clearly, each word carrying the chill of assured victory.
['Centaur' has trampled the fences; its hoofbeats will shake the star river.]
['Garden' Gate is about to open, awaiting the arrival of our honored guests.]
[—Theodore Montgomery]
Using poetic code, he announced the bloody invasion.
Their surprise force had been exposed and was now launching a full-scale assault. The critical "Garden Gate" (the S780 Jump Point) leading into the heart of the Federation was about to fall under their control.
The subsequent main force, the "honored guests," could prepare to warp in.
The message was sent.
Montgomery leaned back into his command chair, his fingertips lightly tapping the armrests, his gaze seeming to pierce right through the bridge.
He saw the flames of war about to ignite in Pamir Star's orbit, and further beyond, the Myriad Stones Star Sector Defense Line that would inevitably descend into chaos and be forced to fight on two fronts due to the exposure and fierce assault of this surprise force.
Five hours later.
Pamir Star's near-orbit had turned into a living hell.
The massive Imperial Assault Fleet hung like an Iron Curtain outside the planet, releasing swarms of "Griffin" Space Fighters that blotted out the starlight like vultures descending upon carrion, charging toward the still-resisting defensive nodes.
On the Orbital Defense Ring, the close-defense Laser Turret designated "Sharp Eye-12" was making its final stand.
Four sets of High-Power Laser Emitters arranged in a diamond pattern atop the turret flashed and fired at a staggering frequency, unleashing blindingly bright blue beams in an attempt to weave an intercepting web of death in the Void.
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