Chapter 219: Fleet Formation! Gunboats Deploy! Interstellar War!
Without a doubt, the most critical and memorable technological advantage of the Reaper Civilization had to be their energy shields.
In the original Independence Day film, after negotiations with the Reapers failed, humanity launched a tactical nuclear strike against one of the Reaper's City Destroyer supercarriers.
But the outcome was devastatingly one-sided—humanity's nuclear missiles were completely neutralized by the Reapers' energy shield system.
Forget about damaging their massive ship—not even scratching the shield was possible!
In the end, humanity only managed to defeat the Reapers from the inside by deploying a computer virus to hack their weapons and defense systems. That's how Earth was saved.
Who would've thought that a civilization like the Reapers, charging forward with overwhelming superiority, would end up losing because a crashed scout ship allowed humanity to reverse-engineer their network technology?
After thinking it through, Li Ang decided to emulate that tactic from the original story—a decapitation strike aimed directly at the Reapers' mothership.
To that end, he planned to dispatch two Infinity-class supercarriers, three RCS armored cruisers, and a number of Stormhawk gunboats and shuttles to form the assault fleet.
At the same time, Li Ang opted for a dual-pronged strategy: having Song Zhaomei prepare a cyber-virus while the Biotech Division got the Scorptail Chimera Virus ready.
It didn't matter what methods were used—whatever could be thrown at these alien heretics, they'd throw it all in.
"Once this mission's wrapped up, we can finally seize the Moon of War and finish this damn task."
Li Ang exhaled quietly to himself. Since the Reaper Civilization had come knocking, there was no way he'd let any of them escape—they'd all be captured, processed, and integrated into the Grid.
Including the Reaper Queen herself—no exceptions.
And, of course, their technology.
If the decapitation strike succeeded, Universal Megacorp would gain access to the Reapers' energy shield systems, planet-core mining technology, and FTL drive systems—
—not to mention fully functional supermassive warships.
Shaking off stray thoughts about the coming battle, Li Ang turned and returned to his desk.
With help from the Transcendent AI Europa, he casually pulled up mission details on his holographic screen.
From troop rosters and vehicle allocations to weapons and equipment loadouts, each choice reflected his political calculus.
Beyond promoting young officers and staff from other Earths, this mission also served as a message to internal Megacorp executives.
This wasn't just an attack—it was a show of force, meant to impress the humans from Edge of Tomorrow.
Human nature gravitates toward power. The one with the bigger fist gets the crowd.
Previously, Universal Megacorp had wowed the population of Earth 003 with massive projects like the Space Elevator and the Lunar Base, showcasing unmatched production power.
Now, Li Ang was ready to mobilize a vast fleet and crush the enemy in a decisive interstellar war.
This war and its inevitable victory would expand the Megacorp's internal pie, reshuffle interests, and serve as a deterrent to all humans across the multiverse.
He needed to show his subordinates and employees the strength of Universal Megacorp—and the sharp foresight of its Chief Executive.
The Reapers' arrival had handed Li Ang a perfect excuse for internal reform.
But with war always came sacrifice.
He steeled himself for the possibility of casualties. Once he'd confirmed that the chosen units for this mission were locked in, he turned his attention to new employee compensation initiatives.
Namely, the [Universal Megacorp Death Benefits Adjustment Plan] and the [Combat Unit Bonus & Welfare Package for the Market Expansion Division].
With the rising difficulty of future multiversal missions, the likelihood of casualties and brutal battles was only going to increase.
Accordingly, the Megacorp needed to pay more. If you want a bigger cake, you need to know how to slice it right.
…
Three hours later.
A Stormhawk gunboat shot into the sky from the Norrova Military Base, piercing through the atmosphere en route to near-Earth orbit.
Inside the troop bay, over twenty fully geared Astartes warriors sat tightly in formation, each clad in Mark X power armor and prepared for combat.
Near the cockpit, V sat calm and still, eyes closed, showing no sign of stress despite the mission ahead.
Seated nearby was David Martinez, also part of the strike team. Unable to hold back his curiosity, he turned to his warband leader and asked:
"Captain, why is a mission this critical being handled by us? Shouldn't this be something for officers like Jack or Reed?"
David's question struck a chord—it was something the other Astartes warriors had been wondering too.
This kind of high-level operation—an infiltration strike against the enemy's core—was typically carried out by seasoned elites like V or Jack.
Even the lowest-ranking support members on past missions were the best of the best from the Iron Hands Warband, like during the previous raid on Omega.
Yet this time, aside from V and Jack, the rest of the team was mostly "rookies"—warriors with a few merits, but not much more.
For instance, the trio from Earth 001 (Netherworld): Corey, Steve, and Bruce.
From their perspective, the team composition felt like watching a King-rank player dragging four Platinum teammates into a Diamond-ranked match.
It just didn't add up.
David's blunt question echoed through the cabin, picked up by the rest of the gunboat via shared voice comms.
None of them interrupted—clearly, this team felt both honored and puzzled to be chosen.
V's first instinct was to scold David, tell him to shut up and stay focused instead of thinking about irrelevant nonsense.
But after a moment's thought, he sighed and decided to explain, hoping to clear up their doubts.
"This mission is dangerous, yes, but overall it's not that difficult. No matter which team we send, the success rate is high."
He started by downplaying the challenge a bit, calming their nerves.
Then he continued:
"As warriors of the Iron Hands, you're just as capable as officers like Jack or Reed. The Megacorp doesn't play favorites—everyone gets a chance."
"It all depends on whether you can seize it!"
V knew full well what political outcome Li Ang was aiming for. Helping his boss implement an internal shake-up? That was part of his job.
Sure enough, his words instantly lifted the spirits of the younger Astartes warriors. A solid dose of motivational truth—it hit home.
They might be young, but they weren't dumb.
From V's explanation, they realized this mission was a hand-picked opportunity from Li Ang himself.
No matter what, they had to make it count.
"Yes, sir!"
The warriors responded in unison, filled with excitement.
In the end, they were all employees of Universal Megacorp. Even soldiers didn't want to stay stuck in place while others climbed the ranks.
Ever since V became the warband's first Primarch-grade Astartes, countless young warriors dreamed of undergoing full augmentations themselves.
Becoming the second Primarch warrior.
But advancement and augmentations depended entirely on battlefield merit.
Even rising stars like David Martinez, who had strong backing from superiors, had only completed 13 out of the 22 required surgeries.
Generally speaking, the more augmentations one had, the stronger they became—and the more likely they were to receive tougher missions that offered more opportunities for glory.
Over time, this created a growing divide: older veterans got ahead faster, while younger ones felt stifled.
The gap led to internal friction. Newcomers felt boxed out, and veterans risked becoming arrogant.
David might be a rare exception—a rising talent with strong support—but most rookies rarely got chances like this.
That's why Li Ang had specially arranged this operation, and why similar opportunities would keep coming in future campaigns.
At that moment, riding the high of adrenaline and ambition, David couldn't help but glance at V.
Seeing that V remained calm and collected, he quickly adjusted his own mindset and focused entirely on the mission ahead.
BOOM—!!
The gunboat began to rumble, light tremors coursing through the cabin as they broke through the upper atmosphere, heading for low Earth orbit roughly 200 kilometers above ground.
No one knew how much time had passed, but then came the pilot's voice over the comms:
[Ladies and gentlemen, we're about to arrive at the Lunar Base military docking station. Please prepare for disembarkation.]
As the announcement ended, V finally opened his eyes.
He looked around at the young warriors and gave his command:
"From this point forward, I am your primary commander. For this strike mission, you follow my orders—understood?!"
"Understood!"
---
The warriors all responded with eager excitement.
Thirty hours later, in the region of space near Mars, silence and darkness reigned. Only faint starlight flickered dimly in the void.
Then, the stillness was broken by the sudden arrival of a fleet—its formation swiftly advancing past Mars.
This fleet consisted of two Infinity-class dreadnoughts, three RCS-class armored cruisers, over twenty Stormhawk gunboats, and several shuttles.
At the center of the formation, the Infinity-class flagship not only carried the most advanced weapon systems and swarms of fighter jets, but its outer layer was also protected by an "antimatter shield" designed to block missile attacks.
At that moment, inside the flagship's large strategic operations room—
More than a hundred generals, officers from various alternate Earths, and Astartes sergeants stood solemnly, their eyes fixed on the holographic display in front of them.
The different colors and patterns of their combat uniforms reflected the diverse departments they represented.
Standing beside the holographic screen, Supreme Commander Morgan Blackhand addressed the room in a steady, composed voice:
"Everyone, according to AI data analysis, we will come into contact with the Reaper fleet in one hour."
"At that time, our fleet must engage them head-on to buy time for our assault units."
"Remember—"
"We are merely a diversion. The assault team is the true spearhead of this operation."
Morgan Blackhand reiterated the critical points of the battle plan, then briefed everyone on the Reaper mothership's energy shield system.
"If our fleet's firepower can't breach their shield, we'll implement the backup plan—deploying a small group of AI assault ships equipped with antimatter shields to break through!"
According to the R&D engineers' observations and analysis, the Reaper civilization's energy shield likely consists of some kind of energy-based substance.
If they ram into it using antimatter shields, the resulting annihilation reaction should disable the enemy's defenses.
That is, assuming the AI ships aren't shot down first.
Of course, this was a last-resort contingency—after all, the Reapers weren't likely to just sit back and let massive assault ships slam straight into their mothership.
Morgan Blackhand's tone deepened as he swept his gaze across the room, delivering the final pre-battle address:
"This battle is unlike any before. I want all of you on full alert—focused and ready."
"Our fellow humans from Earth-003 are watching us—watching the performance of the LA Megacorp Fleet. This is our moment of glory."
"Since its founding, the LA Universal Megacorp has never suffered defeat at the hands of any heretical civilization—and this time will be no different!"
"I want you to win this war!"
With those words, Morgan Blackhand scanned the room with piercing eyes. Once he received firm responses from the assembled officers, he nodded.
"Good. It seems you're all prepared."
Then, he issued the final mobilization order: "Commence operations. Once the battle begins, I'll be watching each and every one of you!"
"Yes, sir!"
…
Meanwhile, aboard the other Infinity-class warship, another command briefing was underway.
Commanders Raleigh and Mako Mori were delivering their own pre-battle speech, much like Morgan Blackhand.
"Yes, sir! Mission will be completed without fail!"
The officers responded in unison.
Raleigh and Mako ended the video briefing, and the command room quickly returned to a flurry of activity as each department went to work.
Once the officers had left the room and only Raleigh Becket and Mako Mori remained, the couple finally let out a breath.
As high-ranking officers parachuted in from other alternate Earths, Raleigh and Mako had been appointed commanders of an Infinity-class warship—a role that was far from easy.
Not only were they responsible for managing tens of thousands of crew members aboard, but they also had to command the respect of countless subordinates. Fortunately, they were personally appointed by Li Ang , so no one dared challenge their authority.
This commander couple came from Earth-002—Pacific Rim. As generals in the Pan Pacific Defense Corps and the protagonists of the original movie, they brought a wealth of experience in fighting alien threats.
Because of that, they were recruited by the Cosmic Enterprise to serve as leading commanders in this campaign.
This time, alongside Morgan Blackhand, each led an Infinity-class dreadnought in cooperation with V's gunboat strike team, whose mission was to infiltrate the Reaper mothership with Astartes warriors.
That said, Infinity-class ships were usually controlled solely by Morgan Blackhand or handled autonomously by AI.
But this time, Li Ang had deliberately brought in Raleigh and Mako to "assist" Morgan Blackhand—clearly giving them a chance to rack up achievements and prepare them for future promotion.
Once they were certain no outsiders were present, Mako pulled Raleigh to the central control console, leaned in close, and lowered her voice:
"With great power comes great responsibility. We need to take this mission more seriously than anyone else."
The couple was sharp—they clearly understood Li Ang 's intentions, and what this opportunity meant.
Raleigh gave a small smile. He knew earning the boss's trust and a shot at advancement wasn't easy, so he was determined to give it his all.
"I heard from the Intelligence Bureau that there are billions of alien monstrosities on board the Reaper mothership. We've only got a force of a couple hundred thousand."
Before he could finish, Mako firmly grabbed his hand and met his gaze with determination: "But victory will be ours."
Not long ago, Raleigh and Mako, along with their two children, had moved to Ideal City, gaining access to better living conditions and education.
Whether it was for the children studying in the primary universe or for humanity itself, they had to win this war.
"Yes, we have to win—for you, for the kids, and for the boss's trust."
Raleigh remained calm, but he couldn't help but worry that if anything went wrong, both he and Mako might not make it out alive.
"If something happens to me this time, you need to get out first."
"Don't say such ominous things! We're both coming back alive. Don't even think about leaving me behind."
Mako frowned, playfully scolding Raleigh for his pessimism.
"Hahaha, I'll try my best to stay alive!"
…
Meanwhile, under V's supervision, the Astartes warriors boarding the assault gunboats were completing one last check of their power armor and ammo supplies.
Over ten minutes later, the cabin lights flickered, and a broadcast from the pilot came over the comms:
[This is Assault Gunboat Team 1. All personnel, prepare for combat. This vessel has switched to stealth mode.]
[Once the main fleet engages the Reaper mothership, we will go full throttle and charge straight in!]
[…]
At that moment, in the shadowy stretch of space—
A massive, semi-elliptical warship nearly 800 kilometers long and 600 kilometers wide was slowly decelerating toward Earth.
Underneath the mothership were several disk-shaped "City Destroyer" vessels, docked and ready. Once the mothership reached Earth's low orbit, these destroyers would descend into the atmosphere and position themselves above human cities—initiating their annihilation strikes.
However, before the Reaper mothership could follow its intended trajectory toward Earth, a human fleet appeared in its path.
The next moment, dozens of orange-glowing energy beams tore across the deep void of space—laser cannon blasts from the Infinity-class dreadnoughts and cruisers.
Since the Reapers had not dispatched a scout fleet to survey Earth's current state, they were completely unprepared for the ambush and caught off guard.
From their perspective, the human fleet had appeared out of thin air, and they were left scrambling to respond.
BOOM—!!
As the laser cannon blasts struck the Reaper mothership, its thick energy shield instantly activated.
The intense energy rippled across the surface like stones splashing into water—creating waves of distortion on the shield's surface.
On the outside, only a few harmless sparks erupted—the beams had done nothing to truly damage the ship.
Then came another volley—blue plasma cannons and orange-white laser beams launched in unison, all targeting the same coordinates.
Yet again, the Reaper mothership's shield only rippled—the attacks were completely absorbed by the shield's energy layer.
After two full salvos, the Reaper defenses still showed no signs of breaking—there wasn't even the smallest crack.
Many of the soldiers aboard the Infinity-class dreadnoughts were shocked and bewildered by the sight.
They had been briefed that the Reaper shields could absorb laser-based energy attacks—but no one had expected them to be this resilient.
Even two full-power barrages couldn't put a dent in their defenses!
Despite this, Supreme Commander Morgan Blackhand remained composed. Calmly assessing the situation, he ordered preparations for a third salvo.
Meanwhile, the Reaper mothership, caught off guard by the sudden assault, began altering its trajectory and decelerating even further.
Following the Queen's command, the Reapers prepared to launch a fighter fleet to eliminate the threat blocking their path.
To be fair, the Reaper civilization's understanding of Earth-003 was limited to a downed scout ship and the data transmitted by their "Mimics" using FTL communications.
But strangely, two and a half years ago, the Mimics executing the "harvest" program on Earth had suddenly gone silent—without any prior warning.
No success report. No failure alert. Nothing.
The Reaper civilization behind the operation had received no data at all.
That was why the Queen decided to personally lead a mission to Earth—to investigate what had gone wrong.
Did their Mimic army suffer some kind of glitch?
Or had humanity somehow won—at a devastating cost?
Regardless of the answer, the Queen had come to finish the job and claim Earth for the Reapers.
---
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