Voyage Log:
Year 192.
Another solitary journey. Whenever I think about this number, I feel a sense of unease. 192 years—a lifetime for a human.
On Earth, I always felt pressured to move forward.
Elementary school, middle school, university, the workforce—it felt like an invisible hand pushing me.
But now, centuries and millennia are but a blink. The vastness of space slows everything down.
This year, my fleet finally reached its destination: Tau Ceti.
I will lead my forces in a decisive conquest of this system.
...
At some point, Luna developed the habit of keeping a journal.
It was a way to combat the loneliness.
She had lived for far too long.
Luna glanced at the clock beside her bed, identical to the one on the Hope; it only displayed the year.
The year was 7260 A.D., 5223 years since leaving Earth.
She closed her journal and placed her pen in a ceramic holder. A holographic projection of the Tau Ceti system appeared, based on recent scans.
Tau Ceti had only 78% of the Sun's mass and was 45% less luminous. It was a relatively young star, approximately 580 million years old.
The system contained five rocky planets. Even the smallest was twice the mass of Earth. Planets b, c, and d (a being the star itself) were unsuitable for life due to their proximity to the star.
Compared to the Solar System, these planets were located within the inner region—too close, even considering Tau Ceti's smaller size.
The system was also filled with numerous smaller objects.
These were asteroids.
Tau Ceti possessed a Kuiper Belt-like asteroid belt, ten times larger than the Solar System's, located at the edge of the habitable zone. This meant the planets would be subjected to frequent asteroid impacts.
Luna wasn't looking at the overall system but zooming in on Tau Ceti e.
This planet, the most likely candidate to harbor life, possessed an unremarkable ring system, its surface a yellowish-green, resembling an autumnal Earth.
"Ayla, is the war over there?"
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Luna hoped Tau Ceti would be relatively peaceful, making it easier to manage.
"It's largely concluded. The Purple Thorns were victorious."
"The civilization on that planet was too primitive; they were conquered before developing advanced technology."
"Their resistance consisted of stealing Purple Thorn ships for attacks; they were constantly outmatched."
This civilization was only a Type 0.4 or 0.5 civilization, gradually brought up to Type 1.
But the gap between them and the Purple Thorns remained vast.
"What's our assessment of the Purple Thorns' current strength?"
The reconnaissance vessel had lost contact. Ayla had sent several more vessels, openly approaching, without attempting concealment.
"Based on our observations, this area lacks the Purple Thorns' most advanced warships. They're deploying older models."
"These warships are comparable to ours in technology. Despite the prolonged war, they haven't been able to produce new warships. Their current fleet numbers only 67 ships."
This wasn't unexpected.
The remaining forces weren't the core of the nomadic civilization, likely mid-level personnel.
These individuals wouldn't have access to the most advanced technology; providing them with such knowledge risked their independent development.
After all, even in advanced civilizations, internal cohesion isn't absolute.
Luna considered this.
"Swift victory. Our energy reserves are limited, while the enemy can draw upon the star's energy."
This was their current disadvantage.
But it wasn't significant.
The enemy's fleet size didn't allow for the complete conversion of its energy resources into military power. Overall, the Purple Thorns were at a disadvantage.
Luna wouldn't repeat her earlier arrogance.
She and the Celestial Palace wouldn't directly approach Tau Ceti. Thirty warships would remain in orbit to counter any ambushes.
The remaining fleet would attack Tau Ceti e.
"Enemy planetary defense network activated. They know we're coming."
Ayla constantly monitored the system.
The Purple Thorns' decision to defend suggested they had a strong position.
The entire Tau Ceti system was heavily developed, with a comprehensive defense network and numerous space stations.
While these stations weren't large (a few hundred meters in diameter), their sheer number presented a challenge.
Each of these stations possessed independent weapon systems, capable of harassing attackers and, when combined, forming a rudimentary barrier.
But these barriers posed no significant obstacle to Luna's forces.
A massive volley of neutrino weapons swiftly overwhelmed the planetary defenses, destroying 10,783 stations within seven years.
"Enemy warships are retreating to Tau Ceti f."
This planet was the Purple Thorn's base. Overwhelmed, they chose not to engage Luna's fleet directly but to retreat and defend from within the planet.
They had deployed numerous electromagnetic cannons in orbit, along with their remaining warships, creating a formidable defense.
But this news reassured Luna.
"The enemy commander lacks experience in interstellar warfare."
"While they have strong planetary defenses, space offers far more maneuvering room."
"Their best strategy would have been to retreat at the outset, turning a defensive position into an offensive one."
"But they were unwilling to abandon this territory. Our superior numbers forced them to retreat, creating the current stalemate."
"We don't even need to engage directly. We can simply use asteroids to deplete their energy reserves."
Luna's main concerns were:
1. Enemy escape;
2. The enemy triggering a supernova, potentially forcing Luna to halt her advance.
But neither scenario was likely.
The moment the Purple Thorns retreated to Tau Ceti f, Luna could declare victory.
The entire conflict had lasted only 18 years.
Easier than she'd anticipated.
The fleets hadn't even engaged in direct combat.
Now, Luna could focus on securing Tau Ceti e.