Though this was technically their first time meeting in person, it was wartime, after all. Everyone instinctively kept socializing to a minimum.
After a brief exchange of greetings, they each got straight to work.
Then the Gumeiya girl volunteered for the reconnaissance mission.
"I've got the Northwind, a scout ship captured from the Serpent Around the World. During the expeditionary war in the Lansa system, it spent the whole time lurking nearby and watching. Even Master Lan and Duke Saduran never noticed it." Agnes was clearly confident.
Naturally, nobody objected.
The Northwind was a purpose-built reconnaissance vessel equipped with black technology. It was small and nimble, with a profile smaller than even the most rudimentary pirate ship. Even if it were spotted, it would be much easier to hide or escape in than an entire fleet.
Meanwhile, Eleanor and Wayne had launched a small surprise attack on the Imperial fleet blockading New Jade Gate. The damage was minor, but they had torn a hole in the blockade around the planet.
That was how Miss Nell and several members of the Engineers' Guild had managed to contact Eleanor and the others. They had also brought news of the situation on New Jade Gate.
"By conventional standards, New Jade Gate has already been occupied. The Empire even prepared a complete planetary administration," Miss Nell told them. "They've also prepared fifty million national identity cards, planning to distribute them all before the end of 835."
Initial estimates put the number of sandfolk on New Jade Gate at over three hundred million, but under five hundred million. As far as the Empire was concerned, getting even a tenth of the native population to become loyal subjects under Imperial rule would be enough to maintain the Celestial Domain's control of the planet.
"But no matter