Chapter 777
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Chapter 777
The reach of the Scarlet Alliance was slowly expanding. Or perhaps it was rapid, given that new systems were joining every year. Including the Dark Ring and other associates, their alliance had dozens of planets during the war with the Harmonious Citadel. Now, more than half a century later, they had more than a hundred. Though the restrictions were somewhat relaxed on who could join- it was mainly meant to defend against factions outside of the Scarlet Midfields- having an official banner to rally under would also minimize other conflicts.
Timothy was currently on the planet of Nuvater, which was under the control of the Silver Sea Coalition, a faction that had seemed somewhat larger at the time of his ascension. They had expanded, but only a small amount. Mostly, it was consolidating their power on Nuvater and growing throughout the system. They hadnt yet expanded beyond that, given their conservative rate of growth.
The system was located within a nebula that extended to several surrounding systems as well. Located where it was, it could be a critical point for information on enemies approaching their core. At least if they were trying to be stealthy, the nebula was one of the best options along the way to help conceal their approach.
Of course, the most important thing for spotting enemies early was just receiving reports- and accurate ones. They had been lucky that their limited associates had noticed the chase of Chikere and been able to warn them ahead, but it was better to expand their capacity.
Bringing more systems together had benefits for both parties. Giant factions like the Exalted Quadrant and the Trigold Cluster were not something any individual could resist, and the combined power of all of the Scarlet Midfields might not even be enough yet. But they could still grow, and they would have to. The damage caused by the wars was not insignificant, and many of the easiest to snatch resources had been carried off, but there was still enough to raise up powerful cultivators. Ñøv€lRapture marked the initial hosting of this chapter on Ñôv€lß¡n.
And with people ascending from the lower realms gaining strength from overcoming that adversity, they might stand a chance. And if not, at least they would die fighting instead of simply being trampled haphazardly and without thought. Because if they did nothing, it wasnt a matter of staying out of the sight of the two factions- but when they would act. And that time might be approaching. Perhaps at any moment, but more likely within decades if they were quick and a few centuries on the slower end. Most likely it would end up happening before the next cycle and thus invasions of the lower realms, but it was hard to say for certain.
-----
Within another particularly less pleasant nebula, Catarina was attempting to make the best of a bad thing. And Vari was tagging along to assist, and complain. Ugh, its just as bad as the last time, she said.
Cant be, Catarina countered. The Harmonious Citadel no longer has its claws in you.
I mean the place. Not the totality of circumstances. Actually, I think I feel it worse than before. Just thinking about all the people who died in this region its like theyre still watching us.
Probably not, Catarina said. They should have reincarnated by now. Most likely its just lingering will.
Is that better? Vari asked. Because theyre still dead and everything is awful.
Catarina nodded slowly. It is better for us. Because this barely directed lingering will might be used to our advantage.
Vari frowned. I dont know if you like where Im going.
Why not? Let us consider the situation. First, it is the actual will of the dead. Directing it against the people responsible instead of having it wasted would be a boon to them. Alternatively, it is free energy to make use of which will still honor the dead in how we use it.
... I guess, Vari said. But wouldnt it be dangerous to try to direct it?
Catarina just looked at Vari. Of course. But not making use of it is a bigger risk. This way, we can cut out a huge swath of potentially traversable area for our enemies. It wont help against the Trigold Cluster unless they get extremely lost on their way to Xankeshan, but the ability to limit the directions our enemies can bring masses of fleets upon us in any way is an important factor. We rarely get to have terrain advantages in space combat, so this is one we must make use of.
Retreating deeper, Three Squeaks tried to consult with the other meerkats. Alright, what should we do?
Whatever you think is best, one of them said.
Thats not an idea, though, he replied.
Youre smarter, though, another said. And stronger.
So? Im also just one person. I cant think of everything. So suggestions?
Can you kill them?
Not by myself. Or with the help of those of us here. If he could, it wouldnt really require a discussion, would it?
He did get a decent suggestion soon after. What if we burrow out behind them?
A decent option, Three Squeaks commented. But I have the feeling they would sense us if we worked too close to the surface. And wed have to go quite far. What else?
Send for help, another said. If the fastest of us can get to another burrow
Unfortunately, lions are bigger and faster. I dont think I could get away from them myself, Three Squeaks said. Not reliably. And I wouldnt want to sacrifice anyone by forcing a distraction. Let me think we have food stored up, dont we? How much?
It took one of the others a few minutes to get the results. Enough for a day or two.
That was better than they might have had before. They had been daily foragers, but now they had learned which food would last longer and tried to keep some of that around at all times. Apparently there were ways to preserve food for a much longer time, but it was not an option just yet. Formations or whatever required specific materials if they were to last, and no single cultivator was powerful enough to make sufficient ice. A weird, cold thing that turned into water after some time. Anton had brought them some, but none of them cultivated an energy similar to it.
The way he saw it, the burrow only had a couple options. First was to wait for rescue. After a day or two, with none of them visiting the main burrow, they might become curious. If they spotted the lions and werent caught, the rest of the guards could come. And with Deep Purr and Sustained Chittering, they should at least be able to drive the lions away. It wasnt worth it for the cats to try to eat them if they might die. Of course, Three Squeaks could also gamble his life on killing one of them, but it was likely he would be killed regardless, and they might not retreat if one was dead and he was the only threat. Theyd just eat him and perhaps their comrade, then wait for the others to have to surface.
The second option was burrowing, but it was somewhat exclusive with the waiting plan. It would require more food to perform such work, and if they were noticed then all that work would be for nothing. Wherever they came out, a lioness could be casually waiting to snatch them up. And creating multiple new burrows wouldnt be much better. It would multiply the work, and make it more likely that one place would be noticed. And if one was, they would suspect more.
At least, Three Squeaks didnt want to count on mistakes from the lionesses, like failing to expect additional tunnels. Which meant he was leaning towards waiting for reinforcements. If only they had a way to contact the main burrow directly. Forceful Snort would teach these big cats a lesson along with the rest of the burrow.
It seemed like Three Squeaks was going to have to make the decision. Waiting seemed best. And if they really did run out of food, they could split up and run. He would fight, of course, but the others might have a chance to escape.
He knew that such a plan was liable to have holes, but he could only hope to recognize what they were before it was too late. He didnt want to be passive but he also didnt want to die a hero for nothing.
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Chapter 777
The reach of the Scarlet Alliance was slowly expanding. Or perhaps it was rapid, given that new systems were joining every year. Including the Dark Ring and other associates, their alliance had dozens of planets during the war with the Harmonious Citadel. Now, more than half a century later, they had more than a hundred. Though the restrictions were somewhat relaxed on who could join- it was mainly meant to defend against factions outside of the Scarlet Midfields- having an official banner to rally under would also minimize other conflicts.
Timothy was currently on the planet of Nuvater, which was under the control of the Silver Sea Coalition, a faction that had seemed somewhat larger at the time of his ascension. They had expanded, but only a small amount. Mostly, it was consolidating their power on Nuvater and growing throughout the system. They hadnt yet expanded beyond that, given their conservative rate of growth.
The system was located within a nebula that extended to several surrounding systems as well. Located where it was, it could be a critical point for information on enemies approaching their core. At least if they were trying to be stealthy, the nebula was one of the best options along the way to help conceal their approach.
Of course, the most important thing for spotting enemies early was just receiving reports- and accurate ones. They had been lucky that their limited associates had noticed the chase of Chikere and been able to warn them ahead, but it was better to expand their capacity.
Bringing more systems together had benefits for both parties. Giant factions like the Exalted Quadrant and the Trigold Cluster were not something any individual could resist, and the combined power of all of the Scarlet Midfields might not even be enough yet. But they could still grow, and they would have to. The damage caused by the wars was not insignificant, and many of the easiest to snatch resources had been carried off, but there was still enough to raise up powerful cultivators. Ñøv€lRapture marked the initial hosting of this chapter on Ñôv€lß¡n.
And with people ascending from the lower realms gaining strength from overcoming that adversity, they might stand a chance. And if not, at least they would die fighting instead of simply being trampled haphazardly and without thought. Because if they did nothing, it wasnt a matter of staying out of the sight of the two factions- but when they would act. And that time might be approaching. Perhaps at any moment, but more likely within decades if they were quick and a few centuries on the slower end. Most likely it would end up happening before the next cycle and thus invasions of the lower realms, but it was hard to say for certain.
-----
Within another particularly less pleasant nebula, Catarina was attempting to make the best of a bad thing. And Vari was tagging along to assist, and complain. Ugh, its just as bad as the last time, she said.
Cant be, Catarina countered. The Harmonious Citadel no longer has its claws in you.
I mean the place. Not the totality of circumstances. Actually, I think I feel it worse than before. Just thinking about all the people who died in this region its like theyre still watching us.
Probably not, Catarina said. They should have reincarnated by now. Most likely its just lingering will.
Is that better? Vari asked. Because theyre still dead and everything is awful.
Catarina nodded slowly. It is better for us. Because this barely directed lingering will might be used to our advantage.
Vari frowned. I dont know if you like where Im going.
Why not? Let us consider the situation. First, it is the actual will of the dead. Directing it against the people responsible instead of having it wasted would be a boon to them. Alternatively, it is free energy to make use of which will still honor the dead in how we use it.
... I guess, Vari said. But wouldnt it be dangerous to try to direct it?
Catarina just looked at Vari. Of course. But not making use of it is a bigger risk. This way, we can cut out a huge swath of potentially traversable area for our enemies. It wont help against the Trigold Cluster unless they get extremely lost on their way to Xankeshan, but the ability to limit the directions our enemies can bring masses of fleets upon us in any way is an important factor. We rarely get to have terrain advantages in space combat, so this is one we must make use of.
Retreating deeper, Three Squeaks tried to consult with the other meerkats. Alright, what should we do?
Whatever you think is best, one of them said.
Thats not an idea, though, he replied.
Youre smarter, though, another said. And stronger.
So? Im also just one person. I cant think of everything. So suggestions?
Can you kill them?
Not by myself. Or with the help of those of us here. If he could, it wouldnt really require a discussion, would it?
He did get a decent suggestion soon after. What if we burrow out behind them?
A decent option, Three Squeaks commented. But I have the feeling they would sense us if we worked too close to the surface. And wed have to go quite far. What else?
Send for help, another said. If the fastest of us can get to another burrow
Unfortunately, lions are bigger and faster. I dont think I could get away from them myself, Three Squeaks said. Not reliably. And I wouldnt want to sacrifice anyone by forcing a distraction. Let me think we have food stored up, dont we? How much?
It took one of the others a few minutes to get the results. Enough for a day or two.
That was better than they might have had before. They had been daily foragers, but now they had learned which food would last longer and tried to keep some of that around at all times. Apparently there were ways to preserve food for a much longer time, but it was not an option just yet. Formations or whatever required specific materials if they were to last, and no single cultivator was powerful enough to make sufficient ice. A weird, cold thing that turned into water after some time. Anton had brought them some, but none of them cultivated an energy similar to it.
The way he saw it, the burrow only had a couple options. First was to wait for rescue. After a day or two, with none of them visiting the main burrow, they might become curious. If they spotted the lions and werent caught, the rest of the guards could come. And with Deep Purr and Sustained Chittering, they should at least be able to drive the lions away. It wasnt worth it for the cats to try to eat them if they might die. Of course, Three Squeaks could also gamble his life on killing one of them, but it was likely he would be killed regardless, and they might not retreat if one was dead and he was the only threat. Theyd just eat him and perhaps their comrade, then wait for the others to have to surface.
The second option was burrowing, but it was somewhat exclusive with the waiting plan. It would require more food to perform such work, and if they were noticed then all that work would be for nothing. Wherever they came out, a lioness could be casually waiting to snatch them up. And creating multiple new burrows wouldnt be much better. It would multiply the work, and make it more likely that one place would be noticed. And if one was, they would suspect more.
At least, Three Squeaks didnt want to count on mistakes from the lionesses, like failing to expect additional tunnels. Which meant he was leaning towards waiting for reinforcements. If only they had a way to contact the main burrow directly. Forceful Snort would teach these big cats a lesson along with the rest of the burrow.
It seemed like Three Squeaks was going to have to make the decision. Waiting seemed best. And if they really did run out of food, they could split up and run. He would fight, of course, but the others might have a chance to escape.
He knew that such a plan was liable to have holes, but he could only hope to recognize what they were before it was too late. He didnt want to be passive but he also didnt want to die a hero for nothing.
Chapter 777The reach of the Scarlet Alliance was slowly expanding. Or perhaps it was rapid, given that new systems were joining every year. Including the Dark Ring and other associates, their alliance had dozens of planets during the war with the Harmonious Citadel. Now, more than half a century later, they had more than a hundred. Though the restrictions were somewhat relaxed on who could join- it was mainly meant to defend against factions outside of the Scarlet Midfields- having an official banner to rally under would also minimize other conflicts. Timothy was currently on the planet of Nuvater, which was under the control of the Silver Sea Coalition, a faction that had seemed somewhat larger at the time of his ascension. They had expanded, but only a small amount. Mostly, it was consolidating their power on Nuvater and growing throughout the system. They hadnt yet expanded beyond that, given their conservative rate of growth.The system was located within a nebula that extended to several surrounding systems as well. Located where it was, it could be a critical point for information on enemies approaching their core. At least if they were trying to be stealthy, the nebula was one of the best options along the way to help conceal their approach.Of course, the most important thing for spotting enemies early was just receiving reports- and accurate ones. They had been lucky that their limited associates had noticed the chase of Chikere and been able to warn them ahead, but it was better to expand their capacity. Bringing more systems together had benefits for both parties. Giant factions like the Exalted Quadrant and the Trigold Cluster were not something any individual could resist, and the combined power of all of the Scarlet Midfields might not even be enough yet. But they could still grow, and they would have to. The damage caused by the wars was not insignificant, and many of the easiest to snatch resources had been carried off, but there was still enough to raise up powerful cultivators. NvlRapture marked the initial hosting of this chapter on Novln.And with people ascending from the lower realms gaining strength from overcoming that adversity, they might stand a chance. And if not, at least they would die fighting instead of simply being trampled haphazardly and without thought. Because if they did nothing, it wasnt a matter of staying out of the sight of the two factions- but when they would act. And that time might be approaching. Perhaps at any moment, but more likely within decades if they were quick and a few centuries on the slower end. Most likely it would end up happening before the next cycle and thus invasions of the lower realms, but it was hard to say for certain. -----Within another particularly less pleasant nebula, Catarina was attempting to make the best of a bad thing. And Vari was tagging along to assist, and complain. Ugh, its just as bad as the last time, she said. Cant be, Catarina countered. The Harmonious Citadel no longer has its claws in you.I mean the place. Not the totality of circumstances. Actually, I think I feel it worse than before. Just thinking about all the people who died in this region its like theyre still watching us.Probably not, Catarina said. They should have reincarnated by now. Most likely its just lingering will.Is that better? Vari asked. Because theyre still dead and everything is awful.Catarina nodded slowly. It is better for us. Because this barely directed lingering will might be used to our advantage.Vari frowned. I dont know if you like where Im going.Why not? Let us consider the situation. First, it is the actual will of the dead. Directing it against the people responsible instead of having it wasted would be a boon to them. Alternatively, it is free energy to make use of which will still honor the dead in how we use it.... I guess, Vari said. But wouldnt it be dangerous to try to direct it?Catarina just looked at Vari. Of course. But not making use of it is a bigger risk. This way, we can cut out a huge swath of potentially traversable area for our enemies. It wont help against the Trigold Cluster unless they get extremely lost on their way to Xankeshan, but the ability to limit the directions our enemies can bring masses of fleets upon us in any way is an important factor. We rarely get to have terrain advantages in space combat, so this is one we must make use of.Retreating deeper, Three Squeaks tried to consult with the other meerkats. Alright, what should we do?Whatever you think is best, one of them said.Thats not an idea, though, he replied.Youre smarter, though, another said. And stronger.So? Im also just one person. I cant think of everything. So suggestions?Can you kill them?Not by myself. Or with the help of those of us here. If he could, it wouldnt really require a discussion, would it?He did get a decent suggestion soon after. What if we burrow out behind them?A decent option, Three Squeaks commented. But I have the feeling they would sense us if we worked too close to the surface. And wed have to go quite far. What else?Send for help, another said. If the fastest of us can get to another burrowUnfortunately, lions are bigger and faster. I dont think I could get away from them myself, Three Squeaks said. Not reliably. And I wouldnt want to sacrifice anyone by forcing a distraction. Let me think we have food stored up, dont we? How much?It took one of the others a few minutes to get the results. Enough for a day or two.That was better than they might have had before. They had been daily foragers, but now they had learned which food would last longer and tried to keep some of that around at all times. Apparently there were ways to preserve food for a much longer time, but it was not an option just yet. Formations or whatever required specific materials if they were to last, and no single cultivator was powerful enough to make sufficient ice. A weird, cold thing that turned into water after some time. Anton had brought them some, but none of them cultivated an energy similar to it.The way he saw it, the burrow only had a couple options. First was to wait for rescue. After a day or two, with none of them visiting the main burrow, they might become curious. If they spotted the lions and werent caught, the rest of the guards could come. And with Deep Purr and Sustained Chittering, they should at least be able to drive the lions away. It wasnt worth it for the cats to try to eat them if they might die. Of course, Three Squeaks could also gamble his life on killing one of them, but it was likely he would be killed regardless, and they might not retreat if one was dead and he was the only threat. Theyd just eat him and perhaps their comrade, then wait for the others to have to surface.The second option was burrowing, but it was somewhat exclusive with the waiting plan. It would require more food to perform such work, and if they were noticed then all that work would be for nothing. Wherever they came out, a lioness could be casually waiting to snatch them up. And creating multiple new burrows wouldnt be much better. It would multiply the work, and make it more likely that one place would be noticed. And if one was, they would suspect more.At least, Three Squeaks didnt want to count on mistakes from the lionesses, like failing to expect additional tunnels. Which meant he was leaning towards waiting for reinforcements. If only they had a way to contact the main burrow directly. Forceful Snort would teach these big cats a lesson along with the rest of the burrow. It seemed like Three Squeaks was going to have to make the decision. Waiting seemed best. And if they really did run out of food, they could split up and run. He would fight, of course, but the others might have a chance to escape. He knew that such a plan was liable to have holes, but he could only hope to recognize what they were before it was too late. He didnt want to be passive but he also didnt want to die a hero for nothing.
