The moment the communication connected, a piercing alarm blared through the signal directly into the conference room of the Blue Planet Supreme Command.
On the main screen, the feed from the Herta Space Station’s Master Control Zone shook violently.
Blinding red warning lights swept back and forth across the screen, casting half of Asta’s face in red and half in white.
The corners of her eyes were still flushed red and her fingertips were clenched white, yet her back was straight as a rod.
Behind her, researchers carrying data pads hurried about, but not a single one had abandoned their post.
In the background, the dull, heavy thuds of giant claws slamming against the protective shield echoed continuously.
On the other end of the screen was the brightly lit, suffocatingly solemn Zhanlan Star Supreme Defense Conference Room.
Sitting behind the long table were high-ranking officials dressed in military uniforms and formal wear.
Leading them was the gray-haired Supreme Defense Commander, Admiral Leizer, whose epaulets were covered in medals.
He was a veteran who had fought alongside Herta to fend off the 19th world-ending calamity, and he was also the sturdiest defender of Herta’s ironclad rules on Azure Star.
“Station Master Asta, we have already monitored the severity of the space station’s attack,” General Leisel spoke first, his voice as steady as a rock, yet carrying an unquestionable resolve.
“However, Ms.
Herta left behind an ironclad rule: the Zhanlan Star Main Fleet must never leave the home planet’s gravitational pull.
No matter what crisis the space station faces now, without her personal written authorization, we will not deploy a single soldier.” As soon as he finished speaking, the civilian speaker beside the long table immediately chimed in, “Indeed.
Our core duty is to protect Azure Star; this is Ms.
Herta’s bottom line.
The Antimatter Legion’s target is the space station.
If we redeploy our main forces, our home planet’s air defense will be left wide open.
If we suffer a surprise attack, who will answer to Ms.
Herta?” “I will.” Asta’s voice suddenly rang out.
It wasn’t loud, but it managed to cut right through the blaring alarms in the background.
She raised her hand to cast a document onto the screen.
An appointment letter stamped with Herta’s exclusive seal instantly filled the entire secondary screen, the writing on it clear and legible: *In the event of an emergency, Asta possesses authority over the space station equal to my own.* “I am the station master, personally appointed and granted supreme authority by Ms.
Herta.
In her absence, my command is her will.” Her gaze swept across every face on the screen, her almond eyes, which usually held a touch of innocence, now shining with a startling intensity.
“You keep talking about Ms.
Herta’s bottom line, but do you truly understand what her bottom line is?” General Leisel knitted his brows tightly.
“Ms.
Herta’s bottom line is the absolute safety of Azure Star.” “You are wrong.” Asta suddenly raised her voice.
The words Kazuki had drilled into her mind were now burning through her veins and limbs, making even her fingertips tremble, yet every word she spoke was resolute: “Ms.
Herta has crossed several Amber Eras, fending off 19 apocalyptic disasters for Azure Star, blocking Stellaron, and slaying Interstellar Behemoths.
It wasn’t because this planet is particularly special, but because this is her home, and the people she wants to protect are here!
She has protected you for thousands of years, not so you can hide like cowards behind the home planet’s protective shield when her followers are facing annihilation!” The long table fell instantly silent.
Some showed shame on their faces, but someone still argued in a low voice, “But the space station is ultimately Ms.
Herta’s private property.
We cannot risk the safety of the billions of citizens on our home planet…” “Private property?” Asta spun around and switched the panoramic feed of the Master Control Zone behind her onto the main screen.
On the screen, a young, recently graduated staff member gritted his teeth as he cooled down overloaded equipment, refusing to take a single step back even though his hands were blistered from the intense heat.
A gray-haired researcher stared intently at the shield’s parameter panel, his hand trembling so much he could barely hold his pen, yet he was still shouting at the top of his lungs, “Add another thirty percent energy to the port side!
Hold the line!” There were also two young girls clutching spare energy cores, stumbling toward the emergency corridor.
Debris from the collapsing walls fell behind them, but neither of them stopped.
“Every single one of these people came here because of Ms.
Herta!” Asta’s voice was powerful and resonant, showing not a shred of retreat.
“They gave up the wealth and prosperity of their home planet, gave up a stable life, and came to this cold, empty space.
For her ideals, for her research, they are even willing to lay down their lives!
They are not some dispensable private property.
They are living, breathing human beings, with families, loved ones, and a deep-seated faith in Ms.
Herta!” Her gaze fell back onto the high-ranking officials on the screen, her words landing like heavy hammer blows on everyone’s hearts: “Today, you cling to your so-called ‘ironclad rules’ and watch them die.
Even if you manage to keep Azure Star safe, you will destroy Ms.
Herta’s reputation!
When that time comes, the entire universe will say that the home planet Ms.
Herta protected all her life is full of ungrateful cowards!
Do you think that is what she wants to see?” “I am the station master of this space station.
The lives of everyone here rest on my shoulders.” She took a deep breath, meeting everyone’s gaze, and swore her oath word by word.
“I will make this absolutely clear today—the Zhanlan Star Fleet will deploy immediately.
If anything happens to our home planet, I, Asta, will take full responsibility with my life.
I swear this on Ms.
Herta’s honor, and I will not shirk from it!” The communication channel fell into a dead silence, save for the dull thuds of the space station’s protective shield being struck, pounding against everyone’s eardrums one after another.
The first to break the silence was a young major sitting at the end of the long table.
He stood up abruptly, gave General Leisel a textbook military salute, and said in a booming voice, “Admiral!
I agree with Station Master Asta!
My ancestors were saved from disaster by Ms.
Herta.
Without her, I wouldn’t be here today!
I cannot watch her followers die at the hands of the Antimatter Legion!
I request to deploy the Vanguard Fleet to reinforce the space station!” As soon as he finished speaking, a second, a third…
more and more young officers stood up, saluting in unison.
Requests to join the battle echoed one after another throughout the conference room.
General Leisel looked at the girl on the screen who, despite the redness around her eyes, kept her back perfectly straight.
He then looked down at the rusted medal on his chest—Herta had personally pinned it on him many years ago.
He recalled what Ms.
Herta had said to their group of soldiers when she turned back that day: “I protect you not so you can survive in shame, but so you have the courage to protect those who need protecting.” He closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, a fire burned in his cloudy eyes.
General Leisel stood up abruptly and gave Asta on the screen the most solemn military salute of his life.
“Station Master Asta, the Blue Planet Supreme Command accepts your command.” He turned around and barked orders to the entire conference room and the defense channels across all of Azure Star, his voice booming so loudly the room vibrated: “Pass down my orders!
The First through Ninth Main Fleets of Zhanlan Star are to enter supreme combat readiness immediately!
Fully charge all carrier-based aircraft and main cannons!
Target: Herta Space Station.
Depart immediately!” The moment the order was given, everyone in the conference room—military or civilian, old or young—stood up in unison.
Placing their right hands over their left chests, their badges gleaming under the lights, they swore their oath in unison.
Their voices carried through the communication channel, reverberating across the entire space station and making everyone’s eardrums tremble: “We swear in the name of Azure Star!” “Everything for Ms.
Herta!” “Everything for protection!” “Through fire and water, we shall not hesitate!” Looking at the figures standing in unison on the screen and hearing their deafening oath, Asta felt a surge of hot emotion in her chest.
Her fingertips trembled slightly, but she firmly suppressed all her feelings deep within her eyes.
She returned the salute with utmost seriousness to everyone on the screen, her voice perfectly clear: “On behalf of all the researchers on the space station, I thank you.
We will hold the space station and await your arrival.” The moment the connection cut, the phone in her pocket buzzed.
It was a message from Kazuki, with just one short sentence: “Beautifully done, Asta.” Asta sniffled, reining in all her surging emotions, and turned to look at the researchers behind her, all of whom were staring at her.
She raised her chin once more, the light in her eyes brighter than ever.
Smiling, she shouted, her voice overriding the piercing alarms: “You all heard that!
Azure Star’s reinforcements will be here soon!” “Everyone, hold your posts!
Together, we will defend the space station!” The Master Control Zone, which had been filled with panic moments ago, instantly erupted into deafening cheers.
The researchers, whose faces had been pale and hands trembling, now had a fire lit in their eyes once more.
They turned and threw themselves back into their work, chanting in unison as they reinforced defenses and calibrated parameters.
Not a single person backed down.
Meanwhile, on the distant orbit of Azure Star, starships slowly departed from their ports.
Their hull lights merged into a sea of stars in the pitch-black universe, advancing at full speed toward the beleaguered Herta Space Station with unstoppable momentum.
Just then, a voice came from behind Asta.
“You did well.” Asta spun around.
…
Meanwhile, in the Support Zone.
Kazuki had intentionally taken off the black crown veil from his head and swiped a beret from a Herta Puppet’s head to plop onto his own.
This way, although he still looked a bit out of place, at least he wasn’t as eye-catching.
“No reply to my message?
Looks like she’s too busy.” Kazuki knew that from this moment on, the plot had completely changed.
The original storyline could only serve as a reference, not an absolute guide.
He had merely given Asta a gentle nudge.
Back to business.
At this very moment, he hadn’t come here to fight the Doomsday Beast head-on; he was purely here for the main cast’s Destiny Cards.
If nothing went wrong, some of Azure Star’s vanguard reinforcements would definitely land here.
After drawing his cards, he could hitch a ride on their spaceship to Azure Star, and then transfer from there to travel all over the universe.
Just as he was pondering this, a massive shadow suddenly loomed over Kazuki’s head.
He looked up.
Holy cow, the Doomsday Beast was circling overhead, its three pairs of massive wings unfurled, looking terrifyingly ferocious.
A commotion was heard not far away.
Himeko, Dan Heng, March 7th, and Stelle were already heading this way.
“So the Trailblazer is Stelle,” Kazuki muttered softly under his breath.
He took two steps forward, standing firmly in the path the Astral Express Crew had to take.