Chapter 429: Seven-Day Ceasefire With Orison 2

Meridian finished the reconnaissance destroyer’s final command-core test shortly after Aurelian reached Dock Ring Four.

He had expected to find her waiting beside the awakening platform. Instead, she was halfway inside an open maintenance panel, with Yelena holding a portable light and an engineer reading measurements from a nearby terminal.

Aurelian stopped beside Astra.

"Is something wrong?"

Meridian’s voice came from inside the panel. "No."

"Then why are you in there?"

"Because I wanted to check something."

Yelena looked over her shoulder. "The power feed was showing a small difference between the primary and secondary lines. We found a damaged connector."

"Is it fixed?"

"Almost."

Aurelian looked through the observation window toward the destroyer. Its hull was narrow and longer than most Crownward patrol vessels, with several sensor structures mounted along its upper surface.

At some point in its history, the forward armor had been replaced, leaving a section that looked slightly different from the rest.

The ship was not particularly impressive beside Vaelith’s assault cruiser, but that was hardly a fair comparison.

Meridian climbed out of the panel and closed it.

"Now it’s fixed."

"Good. Can we proceed?"

"Yes."

The awakening proceeded without major problems. The old command system accepted Aurelian’s successor authority, completed its checks, and brought the dormant personality structure online.

A young woman appeared beside the command platform. She had short black hair, gray-blue eyes, and a plain dark uniform with a faded Vhaloric reconnaissance insignia on one shoulder.

She looked around the dock before speaking.

"Where is the rest of my squadron?"

Aurelian had been expecting that question.

"I’m afraid your squadron is gone."

The woman turned toward him. "Destroyed?"

"I don’t know what happened to every ship. The Directorate collapsed centuries ago, and most of its fleet records are incomplete."

She studied his face for a moment, then checked the information on the nearby display.

"Centuries," she repeated quietly.

Aurelian gave her time to read.

Eventually, she looked up again.

"Then I suppose my orders have expired."

"Probably."

That earned him a brief smile.

"I’m Talyra, a Vhaloric long-range reconnaissance destroyer. My original assignment was route surveillance and forward fleet screening."

"Aurelian Arcturus. Welcome back."

Talyra nodded, then turned toward the observation window.

"My ship is damaged."

"Meridian estimates twelve days for full restoration."

"That’s better than I expected."

Aurelian glanced at Astra.

Finally, someone who did not immediately demand that every damaged component be replaced before the conversation could continue.

Talyra noticed his expression.

"Is twelve days considered unusually fast now?"

"No. I’m just glad you aren’t arguing with the engineers."

"Why would I argue with the people repairing my ship?"

From the other side of the platform, Meridian looked up.

"An excellent question."

Yelena laughed.

Aurelian decided not to explain.

Once Talyra had reviewed the basic history of Helion and the Crownward March, they moved on to her vessel’s specifications.

Her destroyer was built for reconnaissance rather than heavy combat. It carried enough weapons to defeat ordinary patrol ships and defend itself against smaller attackers, but its main advantage came from its sensors, electronic countermeasures, and engines.

Talyra could operate far ahead of a fleet, map dangerous routes, and return with detailed information without relying on constant communication.

Her ship also carried a specialized system for reducing its sensor signature while traveling at low power.

It was not complete invisibility.

An enemy looking in the right direction with sufficiently powerful equipment could still find her, and using her weapons would make detection much easier.

Even so, Aurelian could see the value immediately.

The March had relied heavily on scouts who were excellent at finding things but could not survive much punishment if discovered.

Talyra offered a different option.

"Can you accompany a scout and provide cover without giving away its position?" he asked.

"Yes, provided we agree on a route beforehand. My ship can also deploy remote sensor platforms to watch several locations at once."

"How many?"

"Sixteen under normal conditions."

Aurelian looked toward Meridian.

"Are they still aboard?"

"Eleven. Seven are usable, and the others need repairs."

Talyra nodded. "That is enough to begin."

Her attitude was a pleasant change.

She wanted to get back to work, but she seemed perfectly willing to wait until the ship was safe.

Aurelian assigned her to assist Eirenne with reconnaissance planning during repairs. Once her destroyer was ready, they would decide on a suitable field assignment.

Talyra accepted without complaint.

By the time Aurelian left the dock, he had gained another shipgirl and, more importantly, another useful role for the fleet.

He did not intend to send her straight into danger simply because she was awake.

There was still too much to learn about the regions surrounding Crownward, and reconnaissance was exactly the kind of work that benefited from patience.

The following week passed with fewer surprises than Aurelian expected.

That was not the same as being quiet.

Helion’s repair yards remained busy, and the first stages of the new charter were creating more paperwork than anyone had predicted.

Astercourt had started issuing common route documents to cargo operators. The process worked well enough, although several independent captains complained about having to replace forms they had used for years.

Neris solved most of the problem by allowing a temporary conversion period.

She also threatened to personally visit anyone who submitted three different versions of the same cargo record.

The complaints decreased considerably after that.

Sanctuary Ardent continued its gradual awakening program. Doctor Marr reported steady progress at the medical institute, while Mirelle Dain remained occupied with the civilian council’s responsibilities under the new charter.

Larkspur’s food shipments increased again, giving Helion and Sanctuary more reliable access to fresh supplies.

The protected former Compact station completed its first route-security review without any major disagreements.

Its administrator also requested a clearer explanation of what would happen at the end of the six-month protection period.

Aurelian sent Astercourt to discuss it.

The station would be free to vote on whether to remain under protection, return to neutrality, or negotiate another arrangement.

Nothing in the charter changed that.

Aurelian wanted the distinction settled long before anyone could claim the March had quietly absorbed the station.

Meanwhile, the fleet repairs continued.

Seraphiel completed her limited deployment trials and received approval for routine operations with a reduced shield-support network.

Her coordination systems were working well, but Meridian insisted on modifying several older patrol ships before they could safely use the full defensive link.