-There are hundreds of ships coming straight for the Alpha Pictoris system from the faction's territories.
Most of them just entered our sensor range.
Lan said the moment she saw Aelita and Runir enter the command center.
Both ladies took a look at the data and went pale.
-There is no way we can protect that system against so many fleets.
Runir said when she saw the total number of vessels rising like crazy.
-What do you want me to do?
Arien asked over the comms.
She was not sure if she should evacuate her fleet immediately or try to fight a delaying action against the enemy forces.
-Get out of there immediately.
Transfer control of the defenses to Rodill and join up with Giarna.
Runir instructed her the moment she heard her voice on the comms.
With what was coming their way, it was impossible to hold the system, and the only thing they could do to avoid needless losses was to abandon it and focus their efforts on holding the enemy at bay using the wormhole as a chokepoint.
Arien didn't leave immediately, as she made sure to take as many resources as possible.
Not that she could take a lot, but every ton her fleet took with them was a tone the enemy would not have, and that was enough for her.
As soon as her ships were full, she ordered the fleet to return to the Andromeda galaxy, not waiting for the enemy to appear.
In Rodill's system, her fleet dropped all the cargo they had picked up filling up most of his storage capacity, before taking up defensive positions around the wormhole exit.
The ships approaching the Alpha Pictoris system were still over 250 lightyears out, but none of them changed course, going as fast as they could.
-I don't understand, why are they in such a rush to reach the system.
Nairin said while wondering what was going on.
-They should know by now that we can detect them at 500 light-years.
She added.
-I think I just found the answer to your question.
Lanarine said, displaying the sensor data on the main screen.
-What am I looking at?
Nairine asked, seeing an irregular wave of red-colored dots rushing into their sensor range.
-If I'm right, these are the forces, that tried to attack us through the portal.
Lan shared her suspicion.
-That would mean that the faction's fleets are either a first wave of an attack…
-Or they are running from these forces.
Aelita finished the sentence for her.
-If they are running then why didn't they contact us?
Nairin asked.
-Because after the last battle, we stripped them of the possibility of using our relays, not wanting to give them an advantage if they were also intending to attack us.
Aelita said.
It seemed a good idea at the time, but now, it prevented them from learning the faction's intentions.
-Sarill, reinstate the relay privilege to one of the faction leaders.
-But to which one?
The girl asked, not knowing who to add to the user list.
-Try the one, her subordinate called the lady, she seemed cooperative enough.
Aelita said after a moment of thought.
-Done.
-Hail her, we need to know what we are dealing with.
-I don't have to, we are being hailed.
Sarill responded as surprised as the other ladies.
-On-screen.
-Thank you for letting me use your relays again.
Was the first thing the female alien said once the connection was established.
She was a beauty who looked almost exactly like a human, except for the green and blue skin color looking like a camouflage of sorts and gills on her neck.
-We request asylum in your territory or at least a passage through it.
The faction leader pleaded before Aelita could even open her mouth to speak.
-What is going on?
She finally asked.
-Right after the attack on you failed, our territory was invaded, and we are not the only ones, as far as I know, every territory around us was also attacked.
We tried to defend ourselves, but we were outnumbered and outgunned.
My fleet never stood a chance, and what you see on the sensors is all that remains from my faction, if you won't help us, we will be exterminated.
To make matters even worse, we had traitors in our midst, who allowed the enemy to use portals, and sneak deep into our territory before we even knew what was going on, we were losing so badly, that the only way for us to survive was to escape and hope you would allow us to pass through the wormhole.
Hearing this Aelita was stunned.
-How many ships attacked your territory?
Suddenly Runir chimed into the conversation.
-From what we could gather, it was about four thousand ships, but there might be more.
The Lady answered.
-Aelita, I suggest you talk to the rest of them, If I'm correct, then we might have a problem.
Runir said with a grave expression.
It didn't take long to confirm what she was worried about.
Once Sarill, reinstated their use of relays, every faction leader, asked her for asylum or at least permission to pass through the wormhole and their territory.
Their stories were similar.
Not long after the battle in the Alpha Pictoris system, they were attacked, and all of them had traitors in their factions, which allowed the enemy to rip their fleets apart, and infiltrate deep into their territory, rendering any form of organized defense meaningless.
What's more, each of the factions was attacked by at least four thousand ships or even more as in one case, they managed to count almost eight thousand ships.
The only good thing was that the traitors were all from one race, and there was not a single one of them in any of the fleets, heading for the wormhole.
-Where the hell did they get so many ships?
Aelita asked, terrified about what she had just heard.
-We have no clue, this doesn't make any sense at all, even if they territory was quite big, they still only had enough forces to keep everyone at bay, the same as the rest of us.
One of the other faction leaders said.
-They have help from another universe.
Runir said, now certain that this was the case.
There was no other way for one of the factions to get their hands on over sixty thousand ships in a short time.
Her statement stunned the faction leaders.
-What do you mean?
The lady asked.
-It's simple, they were recognized by other universes Star Nation as their own, then the moment they built the jump gate, all they had to do was to connect it to said Star Nation and they got reinforced.
This also allowed the enemy, to bypass the invasion rules, since they just jumped into their territory and began the conquest ahead of time.
The fleet commander explained.
-We could do the same thing, if we wanted to, but our leader, didn't intend to do so.
Or at least he would not do so if there is another way.
This revelation shocked all the faction leaders.
-You want to say…
-Both Andrew and I are recognized as nobles of the Moon Elf Star Empire.
We also have a jump gate at our disposal.
Aelita finished the sentence when the Lady stammered.
She didn't need to add anything more as they all understood the implications of her words.
-I for one don't care, about your status, all I want to know, is if we have permission to use the wormhole to escape.
Another female faction leader said, waiting to know if she and her people would have a chance to survive, or would she need to prepare for her last stand.
-You have permission, but in exchange, your warships will help us defend the wormhole.
Suddenly another voice spoke from behind Aelita surprising everyone.
When they turned around to see who it was, they saw Tanira sitting in a wheelchair, pushed by Iliana.
-She insisted.
The doctor said as if it explained everything.
-And who are you?
The Lady asked.
-I am Tanira Zeir, the lead diplomat of this territory.
She answered with all the dignity her tired body could muster.
Her treatment ended a mere minutes ago, and she needed some rest to be fully recovered, but this was more important and it was her work to deal with it.
-Since that's the case, then you might want to explain the deal you just proposed.
The other female leader said, clearly not used to being talked to like that.
-There is no explanation, you either take the deal, and maybe you will survive, or you don't and then you will most likely die, if you're lucky.
Tanira said, confidently.
She didn't need to explain anything as everyone knew what she meant.
-You sound completely different than you did, at the envoy meeting.
The Lady said, with a slight smile forming on her lips.
-Yeah, watching as the man I love shields me from a blast and almost getting killed in the process might have something to do with it.
Now make your choice.
The diplomat said with anger rising in her voice.
Seeing Andrew in the regeneration tank when she got out made her understand that this universe was not meant for the weak, and since that was the case, she was done being polite.