“That sounds like a large-scale military buildup.”
“Yes. However, our battle with the United Humankind is still at hand in this area. And there is the Greater Alkont Republic to contend with as well. If we were to focus our forces there, no one would find that suspicious. We are notorious for going overboard with our military, after all.”
“With this plan, there shouldn’t be any problems,” said Brahsh, audibly relieved. “There’s nothing better than a good plan.”
“A question, Faramunsh,” said Lamagh. “Would that line up not take time to set up?”
“Your Majesty is correct,” nodded Faramunsh. “This plan avoids invading from Clybh. The troops stationed in Clybh will remain as they always have been, deployed in numbers to ward off a hypothetical incursion from Hania. Therefore, it’s necessary for the fleet in this area to execute the assimilation of Hania by their own power.”
The blips shifted. Unlike earlier, the symbols within the Clybh Monarchy didn’t. They remained attached to the border of the sphere of influence. The four Twin Thorns fleets, meanwhile, split into two, flowing so as to enwrap Clybh. Due to entrusting the original mission to a new fleet formation, the invading forces would be hefty, but since the invasion path was limited, it would invariably take time to achieve.
“That’s not good,” said Brahsh. “The more time it takes...”
“The stronger the alliance partisans become?” said Faramunsh, in a mocking tone.
“Enough, Faramunsh,” said Lamagh. “We prefer it when Our vassals treat each other with respect when dealing with matters.”
“As Your Majesty decrees,” said Faramunsh, affectedly overawed.
“It’s as the Director says.” At least on the surface, Brahsh wasn’t offended. “Is there a proposal that will wrap up the absorption process quickly?”
“Yes, Proposal 3.”
A new planar space map was displayed, but it was only slightly different.
“I don’t see how it has changed,” said Brahsh, staring at the map with furrowed brows.
“It hasn’t, no. But the movements will be different,” said Faramunsh. “If we execute this plan, we can absorb them in roughly the same amount of time as Proposal 1.”
The symbols started shifting. The four Twin Thorns fleets split into two and cut their way into the Hania Federation, while units advanced from the Clybh Monarchy as well, filling the space between it and the Skeer Monarchy.
“I don’t think there’s any problem whatsoever with this setup,” said Brahsh. His tone was almost imperceptibly tinged with reproach, as if to say why didn’t you show us this one first.
“But there is a problem,” said Faramunsh. “We would be redirecting the forces defending the Clybh Monarchy. With this plan, the defense of the capital falls by the wayside. With regard to the Central Disc Sector in particular, we would have no choice but to leave it nearly empty from a very early stage of the operation. We very much lack the force of arms to both swiftly requisition the Hania Federation and guarantee the security of the capital.”
“Is gathering forces from other monarchies to Lacmhacarh not feasible?”
“This plan is already the best we can do,” Faramunsh explained. “The seven monarchies apart from the Clybh Monarchy have already come into contact with the enemy, which limits the fleets we can draw from them.”
“So we are lacking,” sighed Lamagh.
“Unfortunately so,” said Faramunsh. “As Director of Military Command, I believe this proposal should be classified as a distant dream.”
“Is that so?” Lamagh rested her chin on the back of her hand and gazed at the map. “This battle formation is certainly fraught with risk.”
“Is it truly?” asked Brahsh. “I just don’t see how it differs that much from Proposal 1.”
“Now I shall display what happens if the Federation recalls it is a signatory to the accords,” said Faramunsh.
Red blips appeared and started moving toward the Clybh Portal. There were next to no blue blips left within the Clybh Monarchy. The red blips dodged or destroyed their blue counterparts and infiltrated the Empire’s sphere of influence with ease, after which none could impede them.
“Thus, if the Hania military doesn’t mind their own territory getting invaded, and rushes toward the Clybh Portal, we may not be able to fend them off,” said Faramunsh. “That would lead to the fall of Lacmhacarh.”
“You’re telling me we can’t defend it?” asked Lamagh.
“We aren’t sure. The enemy’s strength level is quite unclear. Picturing the worst-case scenario — extracting troops from all warzones but those troops failing to make it there in time — we would be unable to defend the capital, yes.”
“You’re being a real pessimist,” said Brahsh.
“The custodians of our forces must by all means be pessimists.”
“I may not know much about military affairs, but mustn’t the Federation essentially sacrifice their own nation in order to try taking the capital?”
“Yes,” nodded Faramunsh.
“Then surely that won’t happen!” said Brahsh. “Ahem, excuse me. But going by their own thought patterns, they would never do such a thing. What would they have to gain?”
“That’s not for me to speculate about. I am laying out the military possibilities, nothing more.”
“There are things that are technically possible in a practical military sense, but actually impossible for political reasons.”
“You’re claiming that the Federation won’t occupy the capital due to political reasons?”
“No. I’m making the argument that they wouldn’t hand over the star systems of their own nation, not even temporarily.”
“I hope that is indeed the case.”
“It is the case,” asserted the Chancellor.
“Is it, however, so out of the question that the alliance partisans might revolt? Even if they fold their arms and do nothing but watch, their entire territory will be captured anyway. In which case, they may think it worthwhile to occupy the capital of the enemy they so detest.”
“If it does come to that, we can take it back, can’t we?”
“We’re not so sure.”
“But we have forces here,” said Brahsh, pointing at the Twin Thorns fleets. “Are they insufficient to take back the capital?”
“I’m telling you, we’re not sure. We don’t have a lock on the enemy’s numbers. Moreover, the way the Three Nations Alliance is moving has us uneasy. If they coordinate their efforts, the forecast turns even murkier.”