Compared with the sudden burst of life and energy over on the "Dawn Dragon," his "archenemy," Major General Jaeger Sobek, who bore the title "Wolf of the Dawn," was utterly lacking in spirit.
Just think: anyone who had to withdraw from the Dawnstar front in such a short time, return to the homeworld through the Gate of Glory, cross the vast reaches of four homeworld star sectors to reach Myriad Kings Pass, and then catch up with the fleet's main force after it had already set out, would be too exhausted to feel lively.
If Yu Lian and his fleet had taken two weeks to fight their way from Southern Heavenly Gate to the Far Shore, a forced march that overcame countless obstacles, then Jaeger Sobek's journey had been a full-on ultramarathon from start to finish.
But he hadn't had a choice. Apparently, this time Marshal Ikenroka, Commander-in-Chief of the Space Fleet, had personally called for him. His colleagues in Queen Suluka's court had been a little reluctant to part with their lucky charm, but they couldn't hold back a fellow soldier's career, so they had all waved handkerchiefs as they saw him off.
"Of course this is a good thing, Jaeger. Marshal Ikenroka specifically asked for you this time. He's actually a broad-minded and generous commander." That was what Giafiel had told Jaeger before he left.
She was the current Countess of Rilanshal, head of the Ramut family, and the marshal's great-niece, so her words carried considerable weight.
But Sobek simply couldn't believe her.
Back when he was an officer in the local garrison on a colony, he had once seen the marshal from afar. At the time, Marshal Ikenroka wasn't yet Commander of the Space Fleet, but he had already joined the Grand Marshal's Office as its chief