Around the same time.
An abnormality was also being sensed on the First Bridge.
Aside from Lillian, Mirei was the first to notice it.
“Uh, uh… Wait, this is weird.”
“What is it, Navigator?”
Lillian quickly picked up on Mirei’s change in demeanor.
“The meteor… Right? Its trajectory is…”
“Explain it clearly.”
“Ugh! Its course is changing! It’s moving along with the Tiberius, which is currently at minimal forward speed!”
Just as Mirei shouted that, an emergency transmission came in from the hangar.
It was the gruff voice of Chief Engineer Saou.
[Acting Captain! Requesting permission to launch an observation drone!]
“What’s going on, Chief Saou?”
Weltall couldn’t grasp the meaning behind this sudden request.
Though the urgency in his voice suggested something unusual, it was far too abrupt.
[Our Stella noticed it! A meteor that size shouldn’t even be detectable from a million kilometers away!]
Listening to Saou’s words, Lillian was impressed.
Not by Saou, but by Stella, who had likely pointed out that fact to him.
(Just like before. Even in my past life, she was the only one who saw through the truth. But back then, no one believed her, and we were ambushed. So what I need to do now is—)
Lillian stood up, turned to Weltall, and spoke.
“Captain, I support this. The Navigator has identified suspicious anomalies in the meteor’s trajectory.”
“Huh? Wait, hold on. It is strange, but we don’t have confirmation yet—”
Before she knew it, her observational data had been cited in the discussion. Mirei grabbed the hem of Lillian’s uniform, trying to pull her back down.
“Its course is shifting, isn’t it? That’s threat enough.”
“Everyone, calm down. First, let’s gather observational data—”
The bridge grew chaotic as reports came in from all sides.
To restore order, Richard took control—but then Gunnery Chief Cowen let out a shocked cry. He, too, had been studying the data while aligning the main guns.
And he realized something was wrong.
“H-Hey… Is that thing accelerating?”
“What do you mean? Show me. Relay the data to the Third Bridge— No, this… This can’t be possible!”
Mirei rushed back to her station, scrutinizing the data as if her life depended on it, drawing on all her knowledge.
“Distance: 920,000… 880,000… It’s not making a short-range warp, so how—?!”
“At this rate, it’ll reach us in two, maybe three hours! What kind of cruiser does that?!”
“Stop panicking! Debris doesn’t accelerate like this in space— Well, unless… Gravity field fluctuations? Or a nearby black hole— No, no, we’d already be—”
“Calm down.”
Lillian didn’t shout. Yet her single sentence carried undeniable weight.
“Gunnery Chief Cowen. Can we keep tracking the target?”
“Y-Yeah. That’s not an issue.”
“Then continue observations until it reaches effective firing range. Captain, your orders?”
The final decision rested with Weltall.
Lillian turned to him again, awaiting his command.
“Navigator, recalculate our course accounting for the acceleration. Relay orders to Engineering—maximum speed! First Bridge, initiate combat preparations!”
“T-This is practically war!”
Communications Officer Debonair let out a near-scream.
“Captain, the observation drone is ready for launch,” Lillian reported, picking up a transmission Debonair had missed.
Weltall responded instantly.
“Permission granted. Share the observational data. Maximum magnification. Get a still image on the main monitor if needed—anything!”
“Understood. Drone launch confirmed. Data link established. Image on main monitor in three seconds. Video feed delayed by three minutes.”
The observation drone, unlike standard models, was massive—over 40 meters long, closer to a small craft than a typical drone. It carried only essential sensors, high-powered telescopes, and minimal thrusters.
A single unit launched into space. Though its data had slight margins of error, it was still quick.
Ideally, such drones should be deployed in advance—but even now, it would provide crucial information.
“Image coming through.”
What appeared on the main monitor was heavily blurred, like footage from an outdated camera. Yet the silhouette and colors were discernible enough—and what they revealed sent shockwaves through the bridge.
“What… is that?”
Even Weltall, the prodigy, the genius rookie, couldn’t help but gasp.
On the screen was a single disk-shaped vessel. Not a perfect disk—it had a distinct front and back, more like a semi-ellipsoid. At what could be assumed as its stern, faint traces of propulsion systems were visible.
From this image alone, little else could be confirmed. Whether it had turrets, a bridge, anything—no one knew.
Only one thing was certain:
This was an unknown, matching no ship in the Earth Empire’s records.
“AI analysis estimates a length of 200 meters. A destroyer… of some kind?”
While the others stared in shock, Lillian deliberately let her voice tremble.
Because she alone knew what it truly was.
An enemy destroyer.
In a few years, they’d be mockingly called “flatfish” for their appearance—but their mobility surpassed the Empire’s own destroyers. More like oversized attack craft than proper warships.
The one approaching now was an unmanned variant—likely a large reconnaissance drone.
“No matching vessel in Imperial databases. The possibility of it being a pirate-modified ship is also low.”
Gunnery Chief Cowen responded to Lillian’s report with a near-scream.
“Of course not! What humans would be out here?!”
“S-So… aliens?!”
Debonair covered her mouth, unable to do anything but stare in shock.
“Weltall, should we try hailing them?”
Richard, relatively composed, made the suggestion.
“…Broadcast on all frequencies. Long-range comms.”
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“Is the Acting Captain serious?!”
Cowen grabbed his own shoulders, as if trying to steady himself.
Fear might make him pull the trigger prematurely. They were still far from effective range.
“We haven’t been attacked yet. Whether they’re aliens or another stranded ship, we don’t know. But stay alert. Don’t assume they won’t fire. Keep the Tiberius on combat maneuvers. Raise shield output to combat specs. Main guns ready at all times. Debonair, any response?”
“Nothing!”
“Should we wave a white flag?”
Richard’s suggestion earned a faint smirk from Weltall.
“If that’d make them stop.”
“Captain. Updated data from the drone.”
Lillian delivered the report impassively.
The ship on-screen had deployed turrets from its flattened hull. Simultaneously, it altered course—as if evading their main guns’ firing line.
It was hostile. Everyone who saw the drone’s feed understood.
They had sent communications—whether understood or not, they didn’t know. No response. They’d even tried old Morse signals. Still nothing.
The enemy had what looked like main guns trained on them. The only reason they hadn’t fired yet was distance.
70,000 kilometers apart. The Tiberius’ main guns had a maximum range of 400,000 kilometers—but effective striking range was optimistically 200,000, with peak efficiency at 100,000.
If the enemy was a destroyer, its max range was likely around 100,000, with effective range at roughly 40,000. Standard for Imperial destroyers.
(Fortunately, their effective range isn’t far from ours. Firepower isn’t exceptional either. But their mobility is overwhelming. Durability, however, is fragile. Ideally, we’d strike first—)
Lillian alone knew the enemy’s specs. But that knowledge came from the future.
There was no way to explain it now.
Frustrating? Yes. But this was also the best way for them to learn what war truly was.
She knew how cold that sounded.
Yet if they were to survive the coming battles, they needed this experience.
“W-We’re gonna get caught!”
Chief Gunnery Officer Cowen, who had been watching the observation data for the main gun control, exclaimed with sweat beading on his forehead. . A battleship versus a destroyer. Raw speed aside, their warp drive was damaged.
Emergency escape was impossible.
“Shut up!”
Seated nearby, Mirei snapped back hysterically.
“Acting Captain! They’re targeting the Tiberius’ dorsal side—the bridge!”
But her own voice was nearly a scream, her words far from a proper report.
This way, that way—such vague phrasing was unlike her.
“Quite the mess here. Weltall, what’s the call?”
Richard didn’t scold them, whispering to Weltall instead.
“Clear hostility. Debonair, keep hailing them. Cowen!”
“Y-Yes!”
“Sync with CIC. Delan, Ares—you hearing this? Cowen handles main guns. You two focus on targeting. Patch me through to the Third Bridge. This is live combat.”
Orders flew.
Red alert again.
Weltall took the mic, addressing the entire ship.
After a deep breath, he spoke.
“From this moment forward, the Tiberius will commence actual combat operations! I repeat, the Tiberius will now engage in actual combat operations! This is not a drill! But proceed as you would in training!”
Weltall deliberately withheld unnecessary information.
A moderate level of tension kept the crew sharp. He understood that overly reassuring words had no place here.
Watching his composed demeanor, Lillian found herself impressed once again.
(As expected, it’s not just Stella. His presence will be crucial to the future Imperial Force. Truly, he was exceptional. And to think I wasted such talent—how terrifying I must have been.)
Though self-deprecating about her past, Lillian focused on her duties.
Now that morale was high, the real challenge began.
After all, their enemy was unmanned. That meant they didn’t have to worry about human casualties.
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