In the quiet expanse of space, only two short hours had passed. The young officer aboard the Blue Cosmos flagship now saw, for the first time on his battleship's magnified screen, the three blurry transport ships.
"Model comparison complete. None of the three transport ships are registered in the system."
"Hmm."
Hearing his subordinate's report, the young man already had his answer.
The fleet ahead bore no markings whatsoever—it was a secret action team. In other words, it was the target.
Though it was unclear whether researchers were aboard, their objective was simply to eliminate all escapees.
Kill them all.
And the scale of the enemy fleet matched his earlier expectations.
Since the Coordinators were operating in secret, it was unlikely they would deploy too many personnel. Three transport ships—they could handle that.
Allied forces on other routes had also detected no signs of enemy reinforcements...
Yet, the young man did not immediately show delight at this thought. Instead, his eyes grew more profound.
"Did they not evade?"
The distance between them was still vast. If those Coordinators ahead had received advance intelligence, they could have escaped before his forces arrived.
Otherwise, why would he have coordinated with other fleets to form an encirclement? Aside from fearing a sudden ambush by reinforcements, it was also to prevent the enemy from fleeing.
In the vastness of space, finding them afterward would be even more difficult.
"Captain, this is a heaven-sent opportunity!"
The adjutant beside him was the polar opposite of the young man's composure, his eyes burning with intense fervor.
If they captured these individuals, promotions and honors would naturally follow.
However, the young captain showed little reaction.
The enemy must have known about their approach. Instead of fleeing, they were heading straight toward them.
A commander who did this was either reckless or exceptionally shrewd.
Though he didn't know which specific Coordinator faction they belonged to, it was highly likely they were elite Coordinators. The young man leaned more toward the latter possibility.
Unlike most in Blue Cosmos, he did not underestimate the Coordinators. On the contrary, he deeply understood how formidable they could be, especially the elites.
With this in mind, he did not keep his subordinates waiting long before speaking again.
"Keep Team Two concealed. Target all missiles at Green Zone Delta and prepare to launch at any moment."
The young man's plan was not complicated.
Like his own team, Team Two was equipped with high-speed missiles.
When the time came, his team would provide targeting data, allowing Team Two to launch a surprise attack from the shadows.
Catching the enemy off guard offered a chance to eliminate them in one strike.
Yet, despite the meticulous planning, a sense of unease still simmered within him.
...Would those Coordinators fall for the trap?
Although they had concealed Team Two's presence all along, it was hard to say whether the Coordinators had taken precautions.
But soon, the young man reconsidered.
Even if their plan was exposed and his own team met a bitter end, Team Two could still withdraw and rendezvous with the surrounding fleets.
If the Coordinators pursued them, they would walk into an ambush. If they did not, they would still be relentlessly pursued.
Since no other fleet had reported enemy reinforcements, there should be no issues.
Running through several contingency plans in his mind, the young man felt a bit of his unease fade away, and he continued to follow through.
"Open communications. Fire immediately once they're within range!"
"Yes, sir!"
Everyone had grown accustomed to their Captain's calm demeanor. Suppressing their excitement, they responded in turn.
Though their replies were composed, their gazes toward the three ships ahead were like wolves spotting prey—gleaming with a fierce intensity.
"Unknown merchant convoy ahead, this is the Third Space Force of the Atlantic Federation, Fourteenth Squad."
"We currently suspect that your ships are carrying illegal contraband. Please halt immediately for inspection."
Soon, the communication channel was connected, and the young man's voice transmitted over.
Of course, while his words sounded genuine and sincere, they were merely a delaying tactic.
"This... sir, could there be some mistake?"
From the other end of the channel came a voice tinged with flattery.
It sounded just like an ordinary cargo ship captain.
"Whether it's a mistake or not, we'll know once you stop."
As he spoke, the young man watched the screen as the distance between the two sides steadily closed due to inertia.
Meanwhile, various targeting data was simultaneously relayed to the second team in the rear.
Seeing that the enemy was about to enter their firing range, the young man silently gestured to his subordinates.
Their firing range included long-range missiles and the targeting data they provided.
Even if both sides had the same effective range, the sheer number of missiles they possessed was enough to mislead the enemy and make it harder for the Coordinators on the other side to defend.
On the surface, both sides had three transport ships, but since these Coordinators were heading to Mendel to dock, at least one of their ships likely lacked missile launchers.
Otherwise, these Coordinators would be detained upon entering Mendel.
In contrast, all three of their ships were Drake-class battleships, fully equipped with missiles, and they had three more Drake-class ships hidden as snipers, giving them a clear advantage.
"Well... alright."
Just as the seemingly timid Coordinator captain on the other side finished speaking, the two transport ships flanking the main vessel took the initiative. Dozens of missiles swiftly launched toward the Blue Cosmos fleet.
"Activate the automatic defense system! Fire all missiles!"
The well-prepared young man showed no surprise. With a wave of his hand, he gave the order.
As his command echoed, the four ten-cell missile launchers on their three Drake-class battleships fired in unison.
Though they had reserved a third of their missiles for emergencies, the sheer volume of eighty missiles still appeared dense and overwhelming.
Yet their assault didn't end there. Behind the first team, the other three Drake-class ships launched all their missiles as well.
Combined, the two hundred missiles created an imposing spectacle.
Beyond the missiles, the launchers on the three Drake-class ships in the rear also fired everything they had.
Seeing on the radar that their missile count was more than five times that of the enemy, the young man felt no relief. He remained tense, his hands clenched tightly.
After all, the enemy's reaction was rather strange. The leading transport ship, which should have been the protected target, had now drifted ninety degrees, transforming into a wall standing before the other two transport ships. Its close-in weapon systems fired continuously while its steel hull blocked the majority of the attacks.
"Excellent!"
"Those damned Coordinators now know what we're capable of~!"
Watching the explosions ahead, the young man's subordinates began to cheer.
Although they hadn't taken out all three enemy battleships in one go, it was clear to them that the situation was now like catching a turtle in a jar.