BATTLE FOR STARS

Arthur shook his head helplessly. “She’s like this. Seems like she knows everyone.”

“It’s fine, as long as she’s happy,” Landon said, smiling as he watched Caroline’s back.

Since they had guests, Rose had ordered plenty of fresh food through the special delivery system, which arrived quickly via designated channels, making dinner exceptionally lavish.

“Brother, look at these diced meats. I heard it’s local wild boar, tender and juicy,” Caroline said excitedly.

“Try this one. It looks soft, but it’s actually crispy in your mouth. Mia made this one,” she continued.

“And this roasted fish—truly cooked over an open flame, without any cooking equipment,” Caroline kept up her commentary as everyone ate.

Arthur had lived in the Hill Empire for years, so he had tasted most of these dishes before. For Caroline, however, everything was new and exciting. The ingredients might not have been as expensive as what Arthur normally bought, but the taste was excellent—far superior to any cooking robot.

Mia, revitalized, said, “Arthur, this is a local specialty called Bomi Flower. Don’t be fooled by the soft leaves—they’re actually crisp inside.” She looked at Arthur as she spoke.

“I’ll eat more then,” Arthur replied, scooping a large portion into his bowl.

“Brother, Arthur said for safety, could he escort me to and from school for the next few days?” Mia asked, looking at Landon.

Mia normally traveled by small flying car, part of a public transport system. Reservations allowed passengers to be picked up at designated times—convenient and safe. If Mia hadn’t gone to a nearby shop to buy a gift for her brother that day, she wouldn’t have encountered those troublesome classmates.

Landon glanced at Arthur, eating heartily, and at his expectant sister. He thought for a moment. “No problem, though it’ll be a hassle for Arthur.”

“No, it’s fine. I don’t have anything planned for the next few days,” Arthur hurriedly replied.

“All right then,” Landon said, noting the mutual fondness between Mia and Arthur.

“Mia, do you have time to show me around your planet?” Caroline asked.

“Oh, I’m at school during the day. How about my brother takes you? He’s free these days,” Mia suggested.

“No problem. I’d be happy to,” Landon replied. He genuinely liked Caroline; she was different from any girl he had met, full of energy.

And so, the four young people became good friends.

The next day, Landon contacted General Augustine II to inform him about his sister’s situation. The general was very protective, especially toward those he favored, so he reassured Landon immediately that he would handle it.

Indeed, when the general reviewed the list of names, he noticed that the highest-ranking officer involved was Lev Serta, the security chief of Elwin Planet, a Three-Bear officer. The general contacted him directly.

“Lev Serta?” the general asked. From his perspective, a planetary security chief was several ranks below him.

“Yes, General. What are your instructions?” Lev, responsible for Elwin’s security and intelligence for many years, was surprised. Though he usually interacted with military officers, direct contact from someone like the general was rare, unless it involved important fleet intelligence.

“Are you aware of the recent mine layer alert incident?” the general asked.

“You mean the recent case in sector C52, where a mine layer escaped a Confederation ambush?” Lev asked cautiously.

“Yes. According to our intelligence analysis, this was merely a prelude to a Confederation assault operation, which failed and therefore never continued,” the general explained.

“I’ve heard a bit about this,” Lev replied, unsure why the general was bringing it up.

“The key to the operation’s failure was the presence of an intern from the Military Academy aboard the mine layer. Under his command, the ship managed to escape successfully,” the general continued. “He will soon be commissioned as a ship captain under my fleet.”

“Congratulations, General,” Lev replied.

“However, I’ve just received word that this new captain’s sister was harassed in broad daylight by local students,” the general added.

“Really? I’ll dispatch personnel to investigate immediately,” Lev said, now understanding the general’s purpose. He wondered, though, if the general’s involvement was a bit excessive for such a minor incident.

“No need to investigate. I already have the names of those involved,” the general said, gesturing, and a list appeared before Lev. He glanced at it and felt a chill—one of the first names was his youngest son.

“You’re probably familiar with the names on this list. I assume you know how to handle it,” the general said.

“How would you like me to handle it, General?” Lev asked, uncertain of the extent of the general’s expectations.

“Under Imperial law, harassment of an officer’s family is punishable,” the general said.

Lev tensed. The general categorized this as harassment of an officer’s family. Severe cases could result in execution; lighter cases could involve a year or more in detention.

Generally, minor incidents off the official record were dealt with lightly—a fine if the family had money, a few days in prison if not. And in Lev’s eyes, Landon was not yet a formal officer, just a Military Academy student. He dared not argue with the general.

“There are lighter and heavier punishments, depending on the case. The general’s meaning is…”

“In my fleet, anyone caught fighting will have their legs broken, suffer for several days, and then be treated. Handle it as your local rules allow, but I want results,” the general commanded.

Lev’s heart sank. He knew this method—it was standard internal fleet discipline but not applied locally. He had no choice but to comply. “Understood, General. I’ll make sure it’s done.”

“You should know, if it weren’t for this captain bringing the mine layer back safely, Elwin might have been a battlefield. Whether your life would have survived is uncertain.” The general ended the holographic communication, needing only to wait for Lev’s report.