Legends of Galactic Heroes - The Sleeping Dragon

Chapter 6

- 4th fleet -
- Charlemagne -

The 3,500 ships from the Remnants of the 4th and 6th fleets* watched as the imperial fleet engages the 2nd fleet. They know that the fleet was too late to reach them before the imperials.

"Sir... what do we do? Do we simply attack them from behind, or do we simply charge through and link up with the fleet?" Asks Fischer to Harrow. Harrow doesn't say anything as the 2,000 ships and crew watches the imperials dance in light and death in space.

"We can simply attack them but they can simply come around and attack and maul us and finish us like sloppy seconds. So the only thing we can do is watch. You may think that war is simply nothing but a game or something else, but it isn't. War is one cruelest things to result in both death and destruction of more than one civilization and its people and species as well. So the reason why we aren't attacking because I'm not stupid as either Pastolle or Moore. Because I'm not sending you all to die, just because war is like a game... it isn't. It's nothing but death watching you with his dark hand on your shoulder, waiting for you to die. And most of them are not only from the government but also our own military." Harrow says as apparently his speech was transmitted across the 3,500 ships there. As a slow, dark, solemn aura goes through the small fleet. That was soon broken from the transmission officer.

"Sir! We have an incoming transmission from the Patoroklos!" The Transmission officer says.

"Play it on the speakers, fleet wide. That also includes all of the ships here." Says Harrow knowing who would talk in his thoughts. 'Either Yang or Paetta'

- 2nd fleet -
- Patoroklos -

The lights on the bridge come back on. Yang gets up and see Paetta nearly crushed under the parts from above the bridge. "Admiral! Are you okay?" Yang says as he pulls the rubble off and simply goes back and call the medical bay.

"Med bay, vice admiral Paetta is wounded, he needs medical attention, immediately. Along with any others that are wounded as well."

The doctor of the med bay came and examined the damage on Paetta. "Six broken ribs and a cracked sternum. It will take some time for that to heal."

Yang nodded and says, "get him and anyone injured badly here on the bridge to the med bay." The doctor nodded to Yang's command.

"Commodore Yang." He hears a voice speak. He see Paetta still conscious and able to speak despite almost having his entire chest crushed by falling debris. "Yang, you're to take control of the fleet. I should have listened to you. Take command and defeat the imperials." After that Paetta lost conscience and the medical team pulled to the med bay.

"Attention all ships, this is commodore Yang. Vice admiral Paetta has been wounded and has put me in command of the fleet. Until something comes soon, focus on individual bombardment. We won't lose to the enemy." Yang turns off the transmitter m, "I'm talking big aren't I?"

Dusty moves and says, "hey, the people of the fleet need it anyways." Whilst giving a thumbs up to Yang.

Yang then turn the intercom back on and says, "all ships for the current action open code C-4 on your battle computers. Wait until next command."

The imperial fleet started to form into a spindle formation to break through the center of the second. But unbeknownst to them, Yang had made a plan to make it backfire badly for the enemy and simply split the fleet in two and regroup at the rear to attack them from behind. This would later on in the destruction of the flagship Heidenheim, rear admiral Erlache's death and any ships under his command destroyed. Within the next few hours both fleets went into a spiral formation and a few more hours after that both fleets broke away since it was a battle of attrition that no one can win.

- 4th and 6th fleet remnants -
- Charlemagne -

The crew of the bridge of the ship were shocked by the dual serpent formation. "This is actually the first time I've seen something like that," Fischer says to Harrow.

"Yes indeed. This is also my first as well to see something like that." Harrow says, he then talks mentally. 'No, I've seen this happen before. The 2nd Battle of Tiamat when Bruce Ashbey was Alive, moments before his death.'

"Sir, the enemy is moving away and is heading back towards Iserlohn fortress. Shall we pursue them?" The Sensor operator says, Harrow shook his head. "No. We head back to Heinessen with the 2nd fleet for repairs, supplies, and medical attention. I believe that they will soon send the 8th, 9th, 3rd fleets, and some elements of the 1st fleet as well to patrol and keep Astarte and other nearby starzones secure from any additional imperial excursions."

- 2nd fleet -
‐ Patoroklos -

The 2nd fleet moved away from the enemy back to Heinessen. "Yang, you managed to get a message from "high" admiral Reinhard."

Yang turns and says, "what does it say? It's not like I get a bunch of compliments from the enemy. Read it."

Dusty nods and clears his throat. "He says, 'You have fought well against an vastly superior enemy and outwitted me with something that was opposite of what would happen. I congratulate you Yang Wen-Li. May your health be good with you and we fight again soon in the future.' That's what it says here." Dusty finished, "do you want me to send one back.

Yang turns and shakes his head. "No, we shouldn't we have to do is focus on getting back to Heinessen. All ships full speed to Heinessen effective immediately." The roar of the massive engine of the ships of the 2nd fleet move towards Heinessen with the remnants of the 4th and 6th fleets as well. 'I wonder how Appleton, Al Salem, and Lefebvre can deal with the enemy if they come back again.'

~ Fezzan ~

Rubinsky watches on the screen as the fleets moved away. "This may be a tactical victory for the Imperials, but only a little margin, and a strategic victory for the Alliance despite heavy losses. What do you think, Boltik?" He asks, Boltik responds, "for me I believe so Landesherr. Whatever you say I can agree on as well."

Rubinsky turns around and see the numbers and margins as the Dominion of Fezzan is neutral in this war, but trades with both and profits from both. 'Who says war can't be profitable and a fun thing to do?' He thought to himself. He now knows how the war will go in favor of both Yang Wen-Li and Reinhard von Lohengramm.

On the end day of January (31st) 796 UC ended the battle of Astarte, but at great costs of both sides and some will changes soon happen in the military, government, and society of all three sides of the Alliance, the Empire, and Fezzan. For that fate changes as history turns to a new page in time and in space.

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*the other 2,000 ships came from the 6th fleet after the fleet reversed course, some got confused and ran away. Somehow they escaped the enemy before they were surrounded and regrouped with the Charlemagne and the remnants of the 4th fleet shadowing the Imperial fleet.