"How long will the repairs take?" Lynn asked, this was his biggest concern right now.
"At least two months." Alderman sighed, a look of despair on his face.
"And that's the most optimistic estimate; we are currently facing a severe shortage of manpower and materials."
"The current engineering team has less than two thousand people in total, and only a few hundred thousand Servitor."
They're too busy clearing the rubble to even think about repairing such a complex system.
We need at least 20,000 professional engineers, one million Servitor, two million tons of steel, and various precision electronic components and pipes.
Unless Brevis can immediately send a professional repair fleet with sufficient supplies, otherwise...
He didn't say anything more, but his meaning was already quite clear.
Without reinforcements, Carl II's energy and defense systems will never be repaired.
Lynn rubbed his temples; he had a headache.
This is precisely what he is most worried about.
Although the Carl II was shot down, it is now a mess riddled with holes and completely defenseless.
Without a robust defense system and a stable energy supply, the Dorito Orks would face immense difficulties in defending themselves should they launch a counterattack.
In the Dorito Agri World, there are over a billion Orks, all at the command of Ragnar.
They could then organize an army of tens of millions of people and launch a massive attack.
At that time, the forces currently stationed on Carl II will be insufficient to withstand the attack.
"I have already dispatched a messenger fleet back to Brevis to deliver the good news, and at the same time request reinforcements."
Lynn said, "But as you know, during this time, due to the turbulence in the Warp, the journey has been fraught with uncertainty."
"It will take at least a week for reinforcements to arrive."
There's one more thing Lynn didn't say: the abysmal administrative efficiency of the bureaucratic system.
Once the Genestealer level are removed, efficiency drops precipitously, by a factor of five, and even a simple task can drag on for half a day.
"A week?!" Alderman's eyes widened, but then he sighed.
The inefficiency of the Imperium administrative system was common knowledge, Alderman quickly accepted the reality.
"Don't worry, I'll leave most of the fleet and ground troops behind." Lynn interrupted him, his tone reassuringly calm.
" The Obsidian Pinnacle, along with most of the escort ships and destroyers, will remain. Five million ground troops will be stationed at various key nodes."
"I will ensure the safety of Carl II until reinforcements arrive."
"Your current task is to lead the engineering team and do your utmost to repair as much of the core area's energy and life support systems as possible."
"As for the defense system, first repair the anti-aircraft guns in the port; that should at least be able to intercept the Orks landing craft."
"Yes... sir." Alderman nodded, still worried, but there was no other way.
He put away the blueprints, saluted Lynn, and hurriedly left to arrange the restoration work.
Lynn was the only one left on the bridge.
He walked to the window and looked out at space again.
In the magnificent expanse of space, the warships of the expeditionary fleet hovered silently, like Iron Guard.
The warship's Void Shield shimmered in the darkness, giving people a strange sense of security.
But Lynn knew how fragile that sense of security was.
He must stabilize the situation on Carl II within a week and await Brevis's reinforcements.
But fate always seems to play the cruelest joke on people at the most crucial moment.
It was the morning of the second day after the messenger fleet set sail.
A piercing alarm suddenly blared throughout the fleet.
"Warning! Warning! Unidentified target detected, rapidly approaching, less than 10,000 kilometers from Carl II!"
"The radar is temporarily unable to identify the target; the target has not responded to our communication requests!"
"All warships, enter Level 1 combat readiness! Repeat, all warships, enter Level 1 combat readiness!"
The once peaceful fleet instantly became bustling with activity.
The warships' engines started up, and their cannons turned towards the unidentified target.
Fighter jets took off from the hangar and formed a battle formation in front of the fleet.
Lynn arrived at the bridge of the Obsidian Pinnacle as soon as possible.
"What happened?" Lynn asked in a deep voice.
"Sir, look." The radar officer pointed to a bright spot on the screen.
"An hour ago, this target suddenly jumped out of Warp and is heading towards us at extremely high speed."
"We tried to contact them multiple times, but received no response."
Lynn stared at the dots of light on the screen, his brow furrowed.
Dorito's Orks?
Impossible. Orks warships couldn't possibly be that fast, nor could they be that small.
A fleet of Chaos?
It's not like that either. Chaos warships are usually accompanied by strong Warp energy fluctuations, but this target's energy reaction is not so intense.
Just then, the communications officer suddenly shouted, "Sir, the other side has responded."
"They say they are from Brevis Governor's Office and have urgent military intelligence to report to you!"
" Brevis Governor's Office?" Lynn was taken aback, his heart skipped a beat.
Brevis's boat? Was their house robbed?
"Have them dock at Port Three immediately, and send a company of soldiers to escort them to see me," Lynn said.
Ten minutes later, a young official in a black suit, pale-faced and soaking wet, was led to the bridge by soldiers.
He had clearly run all the way here; he was panting heavily, and his forehead was covered in cold sweat.
His suit was torn in several places, and he had abrasions on his face, making him look disheveled.
"Governor... Governor!" The young official, catching his breath, grabbed Lynn's arm and said urgently.
"Something terrible has happened! The Tithe- Tithe fleet is about to arrive in Brevis!"
" Tithe?" Lynn's brows furrowed again, forming a deep frown.
"Yes, sir!" The young official nodded vigorously, speaking as fast as a machine gun.
"When I set off, they were less than three days' flight away from Brevis!"
"We're probably close to entering the orbit of Brevis's planet now. Chief Archon Carter instructed me to inform you immediately at all costs."
"I need you to go back immediately to take charge of the situation; it will be too late if you wait any longer!"
"In order to save time, we even went through Warp, which severely damaged the ship. Fortunately, the Emperor protected us and allowed us to arrive here safely."
They risked their lives to get here.
Lynn rubbed his forehead and let out a helpless sigh.
This is Warhammer 40,000, where you'll face a variety of powerful enemies.
We must also remain constantly vigilant against this corrupt and cruel Imperium of Man.
You fought valiantly on the front lines, risking your life countless times, and finally captured a crucial location, awaiting reinforcements and supplies from the Imperium.
You thought you would receive the Imperium's recognition and reward.
But what you're waiting for is most likely not reinforcements.
What you'll get is only the Imperium's Tithe.