The Fall of the Fortress (IV)
As time passed, the Galactic Empire's defensive deployments in the Northern Territory had begun to shift toward Parlin-Minor Planet. It seemed increasingly likely that the Kingdom of Dawn would attack Parlin-Minor Planet.
The Taowu was still prowling around Agamar Planet north of Parlin-Minor Planet, while the Archangel Titan warship was still undergoing secret repairs on Ord Mantell. It appeared that even after suffering unexpected damage, the Archangel Titan warship had no intention of leaving Ord Mantell.
The fleet assembled on Dawn Star Planet also showed no sign of moving. It remained at the capital, training and refitting continuously. Its activities were not especially concealed, so the Empire's informants and agents hidden on Dawn Star Planet had all seen it.
Hyperspace fluctuations in the direction of Bilbrin Planet never ceased, but that planet's traffic volume was only so great. Although Luo Huacheng, the Kingdom of Dawn commander stationed there, appeared to be expanding construction, the Stargate was still far from completion.
Ord Mantell, on the other hand, was steadily raising its defense level. Although the HoloNet blockade had been lifted, the entire system had been designated a restricted zone. No unauthorized vessel was permitted to enter. Any that did would be treated as an invader and shot down immediately without warning.
A restricted zone on this scale was virtually unprecedented. The universe was incomparably vast; even blockading the routes around a single planet required an enormous military force. To blockade the routes of an entire star system, however, was no longer simply a matter of troop numbers. It also required extremely advanced hyperspace technology and exceptionally tight organization.
Having invested so much effort, the Imperial Intelligence Bureau had every reason to believe that the Kingdom of Dawn was making a major move on Ord Mantell.