Page 62 of New World

La’Rue’s expression was hard. “Sergi and I are heading to Cryon II.”

Josh exhaled sharply. “This is an opportunity that we may not get again. Andronikos is making a critical tactical error.”

All eyes turned to him. He glanced at Kobo, who nodded slightly, sensing his thoughts before he spoke them. Josh turned back to the map.

“Andri’s moving in with overwhelming force, expecting a quick and decisive victory. If we hit them hard enough, with a massive strategic strike using both our ships and the freighters, we can turn this into something else entirely.”

Cassa leaned forward. “You’re talking about cutting off the head of the snake.”

Josh met her gaze. “Exactly.”

Hutu considered for a long moment before frowning. “But are we not doing the same thing as Andronikos? If we arrive en mass, he could wipe out the Gallant forces, leaving us just as vulnerable as the Legion.”

“We would need to strike quickly. Andronikos must not be allowed to retreat, but we do it with a twist. We use a tactic popular in the American Revolution.”

A grin curved Sergi’s lips. “You wish to use Guerrilla warfare?”

Josh chuckled. “La’Rue, can you share the recipe for that paint you developed that makes your ship practically invisible?”

La’Rue released a low groan and shook her head. “I don’t want to give it out to just anyone,” she muttered, thrusting her hands into her pockets. “What’s the use of having a secret weapon if everyone knows about it?”

“Ah, moya malen’kaya díkaya voítyelnitsa, Josh and Hutu will keep your secrets,” Sergi murmured.

“I agree with La’Rue. This type of knowledge should be kept secret,” Hutu sighed.

“What about if it could be replicated using the sensors? This way, there can be a way to override it and only those in this room and one other would know about it,” Cassa suggested.

“What do you mean?” Josh asked.

Cassa smiled. “Let me talk to Bantu first. I have an idea and he will know if it is possible,” she said.

Kubo folded his hands. “The Gallant forces are prepared; they can intercept before the Legion reaches Cryon II.”

Natta finally spoke, her voice firm. “We can’t just defend. We will need to destroy them. If we are unsuccessful, think of the devastation they would inflict. We cannot leave the planets defenseless.”

Josh glanced at the fleet trajectory on the holomap, his mind racing. He wouldn’t leave any planet without defenses, but they had to strike first. Andri Andronikos was making a mistake. He was putting himself in the open, bringing the full weight of his forces to one location.

Josh’s gaze swept across the gathered leaders. They weren’t just talking about an ambush. This was the moment everything had led to. Hutu’s warriors. The Gallant forces. The freighter captains. Every fighter willing to bleed for this cause.

“We’re going to end him.”

They weren’t just going to fight Andri Andronikos, they were going to destroy him. There would be no turning back this time. Andronikos had shown he would stop at nothing, regardless of the costs, when he had deployed that space lab to destroy an entire planet and its population. This time, it wouldn’t end until Andri Andronikos was dead.

The Aetherial Arrow’s engines vibrated through the floor as Dorane strode down the main corridor, the familiar weight of his holstered weapons grounding him. The ship was a masterpiece of Aetherial engineering—sleek, powerful, built for speed and survival. Many thought the Aetherialans were a primitive species because they enjoyed living in sparsely populated villages.

In reality, they were a learned people who continuously sought knowledge in all areas, including technology, research, and military. Dorane’s parents had both been soldiers for the Knights of the Gallant Order before he and his siblings were born. They sought a more peaceful life after the conflicts had settled, choosing to raise their children on Aetherial.

Yet, even their great skills could not save them, or my brother and sister.

He could feel Mei’s presence beside him, the soft whisper of her cloak brushing against her legs as she matched his pace. They moved in perfect sync, a silent bond between them. It was something he had never experienced before—this awareness of another, a connection so deep that he could anticipate her movements, sense the subtle shifts in her energy.

As they neared the bridge, the chime of an incoming message pinged in his earpiece, pulling him from his thoughts. He touched the comm embedded in his wrist bracer.

“Go.”

Asta’s voice was crisp through the secure line, sharp and urgent. “We’ve got a problem.”

Dorane exchanged a quick glance at Mei, and without a word, they altered their course, moving toward the nearest tactical planning room. The doors to the strategic command center slid open with a quiet hiss. The moment they entered the room, Dorane called out the access code to the ship’s internal systems, pulling up the encrypted connection on the display terminal.

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