More than a dozen Imperial warships appeared behind the "research vessel," rounding a barren planet of yellowish-brown tinged with green. They were arranged in two small groups, more than a hundred thousand kilometers apart, each in a neat attack formation.
The forward group formed a classic triangular attack formation. At its center was a Clear Sky-class heavy cruiser, flanked by a Saint Shield-class light cruiser on either side.
That Clear Sky-class cruiser probably wasn't the Blizzard, belonging to Colonel Jaeger Sobeck, my "archenemy and old friend." Its exterior was painted in an outrageously flashy combination of gold and bright red. The ship's owner was clearly a wild and somewhat unstable chuunibyou, nothing like Sobeck's plain, sturdy style.
As for the blue-painted Blizzard, it was part of the second group, alongside a light carrier, several light cruisers, and destroyers. They maintained a very deliberate distance from the forward group. A hundred thousand kilometers meant they could speed in to help at any moment—or turn tail and run just as easily.
...Emmm, what could I say? That was my "archenemy" Sobeck for you! He never left anything to chance.
The two sides had now begun to form the rough shape of a pincer around their target. But although the Imperial fleet's arrival had felt a bit like a force descending from the heavens, they stopped outside the battle and went into discreet observer mode.
"Captain, what should we do now..." the first officer asked.
"Leave them be. At least they're not our enemies right now. Focus on taking down that antique first!"
I'd very much like to take that thing down myself. But at this rate, we could use up every shell on the ship and still fail to destroy it! First Officer Kong gave a wry smile, then added, "Lieutenant Colonel