Late October – Early November, Space Era Years 101.
The artificial sun cast its pale light upon the polished armor of the VSM – Vorwärtskommando, the great Expeditionary Fleet of the Centory Kingdom.
Four mighty armadas, bearing over 1,700,000 soldiers and 160 war space ships,(WSS), advanced through the dark sea of the void, their engines blazing like a procession of comets tearing through the abyss.
The formation moved with absolute precision — an inverted triangle, the emblem of Centory's doctrine of unity and strength.Their objective: a triad of star systems once belonging to the New Hope Republic, now seized by the Kepler Union.It was a campaign long prepared, orchestrated by the will of one woman — Lord Aelyzabeth von Thors, the Iron Empress — who named the operation:"The Day of Homecoming."
"Let every star of New Hope shine once more beneath the banner of Centory."— First Battle Directive, Field Marshal Aelyzabeth Thors
The Advance of the Armadas.
At the vanguard, the command ship Bismarck cleaved through the cosmic darkness.Lord Aelyzabeth stood before the panoramic viewport, her reflection merging with the stars and the distant flashes of war.Beside her, General Vito Vilozyver, freshly promoted and commanding the VSM, reported in a voice taut with intensity.
"Kepler's right flank has collapsed, my Lord! Request permission to press the attack!"
"Permission granted," she replied, her tone sharp and unwavering."Advance without pause — and do not stop until the Centoryan banner flies above their command citadel."
Moments later, white arcs of magnetic cannon fire lanced across the void.Alarm tones rang through the comm-net; the silence of space gave way to the roar of courage —the unified cry of soldiers who followed one woman, their supreme commander of the ARMK – Armada Ruam Marine Krieg, into the furnace of glory.
The Seven-Hour War
The engagement lasted less than seven hours.When the final guns fell silent, the Kepler Union had lost over ten million troops and 1,500 WSS —the greatest single defeat since the World Consolidation Wars of Space Era 7–9.Centory's own casualties amounted to less than four percent.
The victory sent shockwaves throughout the galaxy.In every city of the empire, from Berlyn to Silvara IX, the people celebrated in exultation.The streets blazed with blue-and-gold banners; theatres opened their doors for free;and the name upon every lip was the same —
"Lord Aelyzabeth Thors — the Lord of Victory!"
The Weight of Triumph.
Yet behind the jubilation, the empire's coffers trembled.To sustain the vast war machine, Lord Aelyzabeth issued the Zhav Kreig A-I War Bonds —ten million Centory pounds each, fifty in total — purchased by the Central Bank to fuel the continuing campaign.
While her popularity soared to divine heights,the national deficit surged to 12.66%, with forecasts exceeding 19.28% by the next quarter.Within the marble corridors of power, unease began to grow.
The Gathering of Shadows.
Beneath the radiant lights of celebration in the capital Berlyn,in the ancient parliament vaults of Bistach, voices conspired in secrecy.
"We cannot allow her to lead the Kingdom into another endless war,"declared President Rudolf von Escheinsen, his face shadowed by candlelight.
"She is the heroine of the nation in the eyes of the people. We must tread carefully,"replied Margaret Thors, the elder sister of Aelyzabeth, her tone heavy with dread.
Thus formed the alliance of opposition — conservatives, liberals, and moderates alike —the Conservative Council, a clandestine power bloc within the National Party,born to counter the doctrine of eternal war preached by Lord Aelyzabeth Thors.
The Iron Resolve.
Though the intelligence reached her desk aboard the Bismarck,Lord Aelyzabeth gave no response.Her silver eyes gazed into the starlit gulf — calm, distant, resolute.
"Politics can wait…but war waits for no one."
Her words echoed through the command hall.The Bismarck turned toward the next front, joined by a thousand warships whose crews swore one vow in unison:
"For our Lord! For the Empire! We shall trade our lives for Centory!"
And thus began the first interstellar war in the history of the Centoryan realm —a war that would alter the destiny of mankind forever.
Thus ends Chapter C-X.