* Date: January 23, M2100

* Time: 2:05 AM

* Location: Class V Dreadnaught Oblivion Throne Room

''My Arc, My Warmaster, I bring terrible news.''

The Kaynian farer spoke, clutching a data slate containing details about the first flotilla's defeat. It had only been twenty minutes since the last transmission came from the flotilla about them being lured into a trap by the chosen of the Deities. The heretical frigate, the bane of flare, was used to send a distress signal that lured the first flotilla and was fired upon by thirty chosen ships two hundred fifty thousand kilometers away.

"The first combat flotilla, led by Lord Cipher, was vanquished by the chosen."

''WHAT!''

Shouted the Warmaster as he heard the news delivered by the farer. Beside him, the Arc Betrayer raises his hand to signal his trusted companion to hold, which Kostas complies, albeit still in shock as to how one of his aides had failed.

''Continue.''

''Of course, my Arc...''

"...The flotilla would come across a signal from the heretical frigate, the Bane of Flare. Upon arrival, Lord Cipher commanded all weapons at the frigate, destroying it but unknown to them. The frigate was a trap to lure the first flotilla...''

''...Ten of the leading galleons were infiltrated by the chosen, who planted nuclear devices which destroyed the galleons present and resulted in the demise of Lord Cipher.''

The Arc looked amused as he consumed the information presented to him. He figured that the chosen of the Deities had adapted rapidly to their superior psionics and technology but never to this level. But he welcomed it; never had he faced something like this before, so he wouldn't mind fighting the chosen race.

''Hmm, what of the rest?''

"After the infiltration, thirty ships opened fire from a distance, and the flotilla would return fire, but lacking the guidance of Lord Cipher, the response was abysmal.''

''I see, what else?''

Betrayer's gaze bore into the farer, his patience palpable in the air like a heavy fog. The farer, accustomed to the weight of responsibility on his shoulders, felt the pressure of Betrayer's stare to his core. He knew that the information he possessed could be the key to shifting the balance of power, and he couldn't afford to make a mistake.

''As the flotilla destroyed seventeen of the thirty ships. A fleet would emerge from an asteroid field and take advantage of the encircling movement of the combat flotilla...''

''...That is the last transmission of the first flotilla before all connection was lost.''

''What of the second flotilla?''

''They aren't faring any better. The second flotilla has met stiff resistance and is currently engaging the chosen fleet present over the planet known as Mesopotamia. Up until now, things have been progressing smoothly. However, our intelligence indicates the possibility of a second fleet arriving to bolster the planet's defense.''

Everyone in the throne room was tensed, for they knew that failure would mean disciplinary action for those who planned and enacted this, but luckily. The Arc Betrayer wouldn't see this as a loss, at least not in the way that losing would make any being feel. In his life, he thought that immortal races were invisible and untouchable. Yet, here was one mortal race crafted by the Deities standing their ground against his Arc Dominion.

''Thank you for your report. You may return to your post, farer.''

''By your will, my Arc.''

The farer would bow his head before turning around and making his way toward the exit. Leaving the honor guards, the captain, and the Warmaster alone with their leader. It was one of the most horrifying things that any Kaynian wouldn't want to experience. To be in the presence of an Arc is a blessing in its own right, but to feel their wrath for a failure was one of utmost horror. Nevertheless, they wouldn't guess what reaction would come to their Arc.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

''I warned you...''

''...That frigate would interrupt your plans beyond your imagination.''

''Forgive me, my Arc.''

''No. You have done nothing to warrant my forgiveness. It was inevitable. No one is at fault for this. Not even I could predict the chosen race to enact such a plan.''

The Arc answered as he rose from his throne and looked at his Warmaster. Betrayer always knew that for every victory his Arc Dominion took, there would always be an equal amount of defeats. The chosen, no, the humans, knew this better than some of his subordinates.

''My Arc, how should we recover from this...''

''...My plan hinged on Lord Cipher to carve a path to the chosen's home system.''

''The humans have shown the ability to fight back. Never in the entire history of our species have we been repelled by any mortal race until now.''

Approaching the kneeling Warmaster's side, the Arc Betrayer stood tall and looked down on his subordinate. He wasn't the being to fault his soldiers for a failure; he was a being primed for progress and never cared for failures because he always found a way to win. This was just one of the many setbacks his Arc Dominion would have to endure for them to triumph ultimately.

''I am invigorated, Kostas. Never had I heard of a mortal race who fought back against us. And we will spare no effort to ensure they are the final mortal race to ever dare oppose us."

Kostas couldn't help but feel a surge of determination coursing through him as he absorbed the words of his Arc. It was as if a flame had been ignited within his core, casting aside any doubts or hesitations that had lingered within his mind. The realization that his Arc had taken a distasteful liking to the chosen signifies that he expects them to do this in the first place.

''What will you command me to do, my Arc?''

''Ready the battle flotilla...''

''...I shall see for myself whether the chosen of the Deities could handle the likes of me.''

Answered the Arc as he summoned the Despoiler on his hand before walking toward the exit of the throne room. Accompanying him, the Warmaster followed, and so did the Honor Guard Captain and the Honor Guard themselves. The declaration made by their Arc had them compelled to his wish, and they would do all in their power to ensure that it was fulfilled.

* Date: January 23, 2183

* Time: 6:00 AM

* Location: Eden

''Breaking News! Today marks the victory of the Second Fleet against the Kaynians!''

Narrated a news reporter as the camera focused on the returned fleet hovering above the exosphere of Eden. After thoroughly defeating the Kaynian flotilla, news spread like wildfire as not even before a word was released by the U.G.E., the general public knew they had won a battle. This appraisal of morale amongst the public population meant that complaints would be lessened for a few days.

''Although there is still no confirmation from the U.G.E. or the A.F.E. However, from what our sources tell us, the return of the Second Fleet signifies the victory over the Kaynians earlier this day. The operation dubbed Trojan by the Fleet Admiral has made a breakthrough against the alien menace...''

''... As you can see, the Second Fleet is missing several corvettes, destroyers, and cruisers. This implies that victory came at a cost, and we presume that the A.F.E. is still in the process of identifying the crews aboard those destroyed warships.''

On the screens of every holovision across the U.G.E., the general public saw that the Second Fleet was missing several ships. Not only that, but the rest of the fleet had damages across their hulls, most notably the UGS Yorktown and its battlegroup. Although the image was pixelated, they saw the damage sustained by Battlegroup Yorktown.

''Now, we have several military experts who have all come to the same conclusion that due to the damages sustained by the ships of the Second Fleet. They all state that, by the evidence and images that they have, they say confidently that Operation Trojan may have been a trap. So we have one of the experts to explain how and why Operation Trojan is a trap.''

The scene changes to that of a small office with the mentioned expert sitting on her chair. The expert wore a sleek dark blue dress suit and tailored jacket cinches at her waist. A point pen peeks out from the left breast pocket of her jacket, and rectangular glasses perch atop her nose.

''Thank you for having me here.''

''Of course! Now, I ask the question. How did you and your colleagues come up with the idea that Operation Trojan was a trap?''

''Well, based on what information and images we have captured of the Second Fleet. We could conclude that Operation Trojan was indeed a trap, judging by the damage sustained by one of the battlegroups, which we compared to the others. We discovered that seventeen out of the thirty present ships were missing, a discrepancy not shared by the others...''

''...The battlegroup in question is Battlegroup Yorktown, led by Vice Admiral Abraham Gaft. My colleagues and I concluded that Yorktown and her battlegroup likely acted as bait for the Kaynians. Meanwhile, the rest of the fleet remained concealed before coming out and engaging the occupied Kaynians, leading to the eventual victory.''

Explained the military expert as she exuded confidence in her answer. Unbeknownst to her or her colleagues, they were right, albeit slightly. Battlegroup Yorktown did not act as bait but rather the one that distracted the Kaynian flotilla and encircled them before the Second Fleet acted, delivering the killing blow.

"I could only imagine how excited you were when you discovered all of this!"

''Indeed, with little time, we managed to create an explanation or something akin to an explanation. After all, we still don't know whether that is true, and without word from the U.G.E., we could only guess.''

''That is true, well onto the next-''

Before the reporter could finish his sentence, the logo of the U.G.E. replaced the news network channel. The viewers watching the holovision were stumped as the ''Public Announcement'' appeared out of nowhere. The holovision would shift, and an automated voice would answer to the confused but curious viewers.

[Attention. This is a public announcement from the Unified Government of Earth.]

The holovision switched again, and the scene was of Eden's capital. Directly in front of the screen was the Fleet Admiral of the Second Fleet, and behind her were her esteemed Vice Admirals.

''Good day to you all. I am Fleet Admiral Sasha Zveroboy of the A.F.E. Second Fleet. And I am here to state that an incoming Kaynian 'fleet' was headed to Eden earlier this day.''

This sent a shockwave of emotions to the public, hearing that a Kaynian 'fleet' was headed to Eden. But not all were fearful of this knowledge; some already knew that the supposed 'fleet' was already dealt with by the Second Fleet.

''At one twenty-eight A.M., the Kaynian 'fleet' arrived near the frigate derelict destroyed by Vice Admiral Abraham Gaft with his Strike Group. The derelict was used as bait to lure the Kaynians in, and Battlegroup Yorktown was to act as a distraction, which eventually led to a battle that cost seventeen ships destroyed...''

''...The purpose of Operation Trojan is to lure the Kaynian 'fleet' into a trap that leads to eventual victory over the alien menace. The Second Fleet hid on an asteroid field that the Kaynians bypassed, and when the battle between the Kaynian 'fleet' and Battlegroup Yorktown was at its climax. The Second Fleet arrived and caught the occupied Kaynians.''

Taking a deep breath after a painstaking battle and defeating the Kaynians. Exhaustion would creep in eventually, but it didn't matter as she still had a message to deliver. Sasha focused on the camera, pointed at her, and spoke.

''People of Earth and her colonies, we have won our second engagement with the Kaynians.''

To Be Continued.