The first battle that would decide the ownership of the Kayana System would soon begin. The alien armada had continued to advance at a steady pace while the predominantly Rubarthan defenders geared up for a hard fight. Kayana VIII-E was fortified to the brim. Its orbital defense network was more developed than ever, and the surface of the moon hosted additional fortifications that could pose all kinds of problems against the native aliens. All of it would endure catastrophic damage by the time the battle came to an end. Nobody knew whether any part of the orbital defenses would remain intact. The surface of the developed and resource-rich moon was bound to get struck by thousands of warship-grade strikes. Just like the battles that took place in the first to fourth defensive bands, Kayana VIII-E was not exactly worth dying for. The Rubarthan Pact could still afford to lose control over it. The defenders just had to make sure that they forced the invaders to pay a heavy enough price to obtain their prize. The surviving defenders could still fall back to Kayana VI. The orbital defense network was just as formidable, and would certainly force the alien attackers to suffer even greater losses. That left Kayana III, the capital planet and the final barrier. If the battle had shifted to this planet, then that was when the situation truly grew dire. The Rubarthans and their allies couldn’t afford to concede any further territory at this point. Losing Kayana III was the equivalent of creating a hole in a dam. Once the native aliens captured the Kayana System, they could not only divert their powerful warships towards adjacent star systems, but they could also launch incursions into the hinterland of Rubarthan space! While the Rubarthans could still muster a few forces to reclaim the conquered star systems and plug the holes in the fifth defensive band, their numbers were too limited. Every fallen star system represented another costly and time-consuming endeavor. If too many star systems had fallen, the fifth defensive band would be as good as lost! The Amaranto Mark III had deployed in space. Many mechs had deployed in space as well. An intricate array of mech units flew out into space and took up different positions that were designed to cover the orbital defense network from multiple different angles. The amount of mechs and the amount of firepower was astonishing. The most glorious mechs of all were the first-class multipurpose mechs. While not all of them consisted of the most expensive and powerful high-tier versions, their designs spoke of incredible flexibility and competence. They might not excel in any area, but their large range of options always made them useful in any situation. Compared to the mechers and the Terrans, the Rubarthans distinctly favored ranged combat. Every first-class multipurpose mechs therefore possessed abundant means to strike at enemies from multiple distances. Their energy weapons were precise and most suited for longer ranges while their devastating plasma weapons inflicted heavy thermal damage, but were most effective at closer ranges due to the relatively slow speeds of their projectiles. The low muzzle speeds of most forms of plasma weapons was the main reason why the Obsidian Orb had not opened fire as of yet. If its output was just as slow to travel, then the chance of missing a shot was too great. The Amaranto did not suffer from this particular problem. Saint Stark was already itching to snipe a target from afar. The only disappointment was that there were no easy targets within sight. Just as expected, the native aliens had done their homework. The lesser phase lords that were most vulnerable to getting picked off from afar had chosen to travel well behind friendly warships. It made them look cowardly, but the lesser phase lords assigned to the Upper Zones had learned the hard way that humans were more than capable and willing to launch powerful precision strikes if they ever exposed their true bodies! This was why Stark had instead shifted her attention on the warships of the invading aliens. The intelligence services had identified over a dozen different flagships, some of which were more important than others. Taking them out would definitely impede coordination, but not as much as the humans would like. The aliens would simply transfer command to the captains of the next warship down the line. The scouts had also detected the presence of other unusual warships. There were visible and non-so-visible indications that their roles may not be as straightforward. What purpose did they serve? Did they contain weapons of mass destruction? Were they carrying special supplies? Were they being crewed by cosmopolitans? Nobody knew the significance of these abnormal ships. All the intelligence services managed to find out by eavesdropping on alien transmissions was that they fell outside the normal alien chain of command. Saint Stark felt tempted to target one of these mystery ships first, if only to glimpse through the hull breaches what they might carry. However, hitting the flagships was a surefire way to mess up the coordination of a large contingent of enemy warships. No matter how well the native aliens were able to transfer command to other leaders, the confusion combined with the lack of trust and familiarity towards the new commanders could cause the attackers to make a lot of avoidable mistakes. The Lamia Kailamassu had yet to make an appearance. Everyone remained frozen until the most powerful pair of ace pilots entered the field. Until they emerged, Saint Stark was ordered to stay put. It was frustrating for the Amaranto Mark III to remain idle while the aliens kept moving closer. Their rigid formations and steady advance turned them into easy targets as far as Saint Stark Was concerned! She badly wanted to start the fight by opening fire, but the Rubarthans had other ideas. "Perhaps Casella might understand." Stark did not possess any command capabilities, so she did not see the significance of keeping her Amaranto Mark III silent when she could clearly start making the aliens suffer. Finally, a new development occurred. The Lamia Kailamassu launched from the largest orbital fortress and immediately began to fly to a forward position. Its appearance delighted every soldier! The Rubarthans took great pride in the honor of being able to fight under the gaze of the twin saints. The Stewards Siamesia made a show out of it as well. Perhaps aware that the Rubarthans had grown shaky due to all of the bad news circulating across the galactic net, the twin saints had deliberately flared up their Saint Kingdoms. This caused their dual-pilot ace mech to look a lot more powerful and divine than usual! When the Lamia Kailamassu finally reached its central position, it ceased and turned to face the defenders that were stationed on or around Kayana VIII-E. Experience tales at freewebnovel The peak ace mech began to transmit in the open. "Soldiers." Saint Jerivern Chevor spoke in a solemn tone with the full force of his partial divinity. "The Eleventh Hour has arrived. Time is running out. The Rubarthan Pact and the rest of humans in the new frontier is being driven to the brink of defeat. We have fought valiantly to repel the native aliens in the past year. We have made the native aliens pay a heavy price in blood, phasewater and alloys in order to encroach on our territories. Many of you have proudly helped to keep the first, second, third and fourth defensive bands in human hands as long as possible. Many brave Rubarthan soldiers have made the greatest sacrifice that we could have asked for them. It is through their loyalty and duty to our colonial superstate and our fellow human beings that we have been given a fighting chance… to win the most important battle of our lifetimes." Saint Aloretzi Chevor spoke next. "Heed the words of my sister. No battle is more important than the one that has already begun. The fifth defensive band is the final barrier that is left to protect our civilians and our industries from relentless alien raids. We may still be able to win the Red War if we fail to hold the line, but we will no longer possess enough agency to decide our own destiny. At that point, we can only win if our alien adversaries make egregious mistakes." Davia Stark had heard plenty of speeches from the leaders of the Larkinson Clan. Patriarch Ves had a way of inflaming the passion of those who listened to his Devil Tongue. He had such a way with words that he was able to drive up people in a frenzy against their judgment. This had served him well and had saved his life and freedom on numerous high-profile occasions. The Saint Commander Casella Ingvar already inspired people by her presence and proven competence alone. Her words merely served to reinforce what was already present. She served as a beacon of hope and certain victory to the soldiers who had the fortune of fighting under her command. So far, the Stewards Siamesia had been quite realistic to their predominantly Rubarthan audience, but they were probably building up their momentum. "We have only three chances left." Saint Jeri stated. "Forget about the battles that are taking place in the other star systems. None of them are relevant at the moment. To us, only this star system matters. Kayana VIII-E, Kayana VI and Kayana III are all that stand in the way between survival and extinction as far as we are concerned. We absolutely cannot lose our control over the last planet. If we are forced into a retreat, then half of the people residing in the Rubarthan Pact will die. This is only a conservative estimate." "..." That was a heavy prediction, but one that may very well come true if the aliens were truly able to rampage across human space as they saw fit. Saint Alo spoke in a more solemn and respectful voice. "Today, and in the following days, we ask the utmost of you all. Whether you are mech pilot or station personnel, it does not matter. Each of you can fight for yourself, or fight for your friends and families that are relying on your protection. I hope that each of you will understand the importance of sacrifice and what it will mean for those around you. Live if you can, but make your deaths meaningful if you have no other choice. Trust that your surviving soldiers will do whatever it takes to finish the job and that your sacrifice will never be in vain." The Lamia Kailamassu began to glow brighter, making it look as if it was the first machine to lead the soldiers to their inevitable demise! "Today, we fight for the continuation of our Rubarthan society!" Saint Jeri exclaimed! "The greater our resistance, the more we earn the right to preserve the Rubarthan Pact. By doing our part to defend our race, we will contribute to the collective effort for our superstate to earn back its sovereignty. No longer will we fight under the yoke of the mechers and the fleeters. As long as we survive this gravest of tests, it is inexcusable for the Red Association and the Red Fleet to withhold our sovereignty from us any longer. LET US FIGHT TO RECLAIM OUR DIGNITY!" Everyone began to cheer! Many of the soldiers were patriotic Rubarthans that had always dreamt of seeing their superstate turn into a proper star nation again! Even though the Stewards Siamesia weren’t Rubarthans by birth, the New Rubarthan Empire had always welcomed the entry of highly talented and capable people. The Rubarthan Pact took over these ideas, but had a chance to fulfill the long-cherished dream of its people. The mechers and the fleeters had denied these proud people their sovereignty for too long. It was through this fervor and common belief in the values and principles of their Rubarthan superstate that the defenders in the Kayana System had truly become unified in thought and intention!