Chapter 385: Dawn Petal

"They are preparing to leave," Solenne said.

Aurelian studied the depot.

The station itself was not especially valuable. It contained ammunition storage, repair docks, fuel tanks, and several old defensive batteries. Drann could replace all of those eventually.

The ships gathered around it were different.

Twenty-eight Compact combat vessels had arrived over the previous twelve hours, including six cruisers and more than a dozen destroyers. Several had come from positions Drann was abandoning.

If they reached his inner territory, they would strengthen whatever defensive fleet he was building there.

"Route?" Aurelian asked.

Eirenne highlighted two possibilities.

"Most likely this one. It is the shortest connection to Drann’s inner defensive region. The second route adds nearly nine hours."

Astra looked toward the first path.

"Can we reach it before they leave?"

"Solenne can."

Aurelian glanced toward her image.

"With how much?"

"Enough."

That answer meant she had already worked it out.

Solenne continued before he could ask.

"I can take the Dawn Petal, four cruisers, eight destroyers, and the restored strike craft. Lysara can approach from the Helion side if you want the second route covered."

"And Sanctuary Ardent?"

"The Arcturus convoy is here, five family patrol ships are already moving toward Crownward space, and the sanctuary shields are much stronger than they were two days ago."

Eirenne added, "The western field is at eighty-four percent. The eastern field is at seventy-one percent. Four secondary batteries are operational."

Still not perfect.

But enough that Aurelian did not need every ship sitting above the mountain.

"What are you thinking?" Astra asked.

Aurelian enlarged the Compact fleet.

"Drann is gathering everything he can. If we let these ships reach him, we make his next defense easier."

Solenne nodded.

"Exactly."

"We offer surrender first."

Rhoswen’s voice came from behind them.

"Of course we do."

Aurelian turned.

She had entered without him noticing.

Yelena, Mirei, and Katsura were behind her.

"I thought you were at the medical level."

"We were," Rhoswen said. "Then Eirenne sent the tactical alert."

Aurelian looked toward the projection.

Eirenne appeared innocent.

"It was a general command notification."

"Convenient."

Yelena walked closer to the map.

"That is the fleet Drann is withdrawing?"

"Part of it."

"What happens if they surrender?"

"Ships are disarmed. Crews become prisoners until the situation is settled."

"And if they ask to leave?"

Aurelian looked at the twenty-eight ships again.

"We refuse."

Katsura raised an eyebrow.

"Because they would go straight back to Drann."

"Yes."

That was the simple answer.

Aurelian had allowed the Veyra Nine defense ships to leave because the rescue had been the priority and the station was not worth turning into a battlefield.

This was different.

These ships were already concentrating for military use.

Letting them withdraw would not be mercy.

It would simply mean fighting the same vessels later under worse conditions.

Aurelian opened a channel to Lysara.

She appeared from Helion Bastion Twelve.

"You want the alternate route closed," she said immediately.

"Can you do it?"

"Yes. The route passes through a narrow navigation corridor near a debris cluster. If they use it, I can delay them until Solenne arrives."

"Do not reveal yourself unless they actually take that route."

"Understood."

Solenne studied the wider map.

"If they split?"

"Then we split the pursuit. Do not chase anything into Drann’s inner territory."

That limit mattered.

Aurelian wanted the withdrawing ships.

He did not want to turn one interception into a full offensive.

Solenne gave a small nod.

"I will leave within twenty minutes."

The operation started without ceremony.

Aurelian remained at Sanctuary Ardent this time.

There was no need for him to personally board the Black Crown just to watch a fleet interception, especially when Astra could coordinate directly with Solenne and Eirenne from the sanctuary command center.

Astra seemed pleased by that decision.

Rhoswen did not.

"You could send me."

"No."

"You didn’t even think about it."

"I already thought about it."

"When?"

"The moment I saw your face."

Mirei laughed quietly.

Rhoswen looked toward her.

"You are encouraging him."

"Only a little."

The Dawn Petal and its strike group left Sanctuary Ardent soon afterward.

Solenne did not head directly toward the military depot. She used a longer approach through an empty neighboring system so the Compact would not see the fleet coming until it was already close.

Lysara remained hidden near the second route.

Several hours passed.

During that time, Aurelian finally slept.

Not for long.

But long enough that when Eirenne woke him, Rhoswen could not accuse him of ignoring medical advice.

He returned to the command center just as the Compact fleet began leaving the depot.

Twenty-six combat ships remained.

Two damaged destroyers had apparently been left behind.

The rest formed around three supply transports carrying ammunition, fuel, and replacement parts.

"They chose the shorter route," Eirenne said.

Solenne was already in position.

The Compact fleet made its first jump without trouble.

It completed the second.

Then it entered the quiet system Solenne had selected.

The Dawn Petal’s group appeared behind them less than four minutes later.

The Compact commander reacted quickly.

He did not panic or try to turn the whole formation around.

Instead, he moved his cruisers between Solenne and the supply transports while the destroyers spread outward.

Aurelian watched the tactical feed from Sanctuary Ardent.

"Competent," he said.

Astra agreed.

"He knew they were being followed almost immediately."

Solenne opened a wide communication channel.

"Compact fleet, you are moving military ships and supplies toward Saevor Drann’s forces from positions involved in the occupation of Sanctuary Ardent. Shut down weapons, transmit command authority, and prepare for disarmament. Crews who surrender will be treated as prisoners of war."

The response came after less than a minute.

A Compact officer appeared.

His name was Captain Varos Keln.

Aurelian recognized it from the captured courier records. Keln had commanded one of Drann’s logistics defense groups for several years and was considered dependable.

Not brilliant.

Not reckless.

Dependable.

"Human fleet," Keln said, "we are withdrawing from territory you clearly intend to threaten. Allow us to leave, and there will be no battle."

Solenne did not answer immediately.

She looked toward Aurelian through the private channel.

He shook his head.

Solenne turned back.