Chapter 10

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Chapter 10: Let’s See if It’s Useful?

The jumper has a flaw – it can jump in from any location, but it always exits near a massive object, like a planet, an asteroid belt, or the edge of a nebula. It won’t appear in empty space or near a sun, risking unfortunate spacemen getting burnt up.

Even so, the observers need to quickly glance at the distorted light spots flying through the Dimensional Corridor gaps to check if the exit point is in direct sunlight or too close to a star. Most of them have thick experience manuals to help, but even the most skilled navigator struggles to ensure a jump’s landing is within 20% of the target. Luckily, they have the Space Displacer.

Knowing this about the jumper, humans set up laser artillery around Earth, periodically scanning massive celestial bodies like the Moon, Mars, and Venus with wide-angle weak lasers, aiming for possible exit points. They don’t need a 24/7 monitoring network for distant places, and it seems they lack the technical capability for it.

The laser artillery resembles floating lotus leaves in space, with circular structures made of pipelines and solar panels under the base. On top are the main bodies of the laser guns, with G-grade lasers weighing 330 tons, capable of penetrating any known protective materials. With multiple rail defense artillery firing, they can easily destroy a frigate – if they hit it, as the small heat signature of the Space Displacer makes it highly elusive.

Over North America, Control Station A (NASA)

The five major rogue sword wielders couldn’t agree on a solution, as no one likes not having control over their own Light Swords. After futile discussions, they each established their own control station since space station construction costs have dropped. As for countries without space capabilities… well, they had to pay protection fees. Japan and Eastern Europe even had to pay double the unlucky ones.

The US Orbital Defense Control Station has 28 laser satellite cannons, six electromagnetic launch platforms, four unmanned drone maintenance platforms, and authorization to use nuclear weapons if necessary. They can launch over 2000 nuclear warheads at once through the electromagnetic launch platforms, making it the second-largest space defense ground after China. Despite some incredulity over laser technology, the US finally surpassed China after 15 years of research, but China’s next-generation technology is about to obsolete – wait, is this story mixed up?

The newly commissioned "Continental Class" battle cruiser slowly passes through a safe passage. The square ship, with electric arcs swirling around its body, disappears like a streak of light. It heads for near the Martian orbit for routine training patrols and to deter the emerging independent thoughts on Mars colony – "Dad, I can still wield a blade, so don’t think of splitting the family while I’m still alive, eh?"

"Sarah, we only have one pack of coffee left. When will the next supply be?" a scruffy middle-aged man drifts out of the living cabin, holding a pack of instant coffee. Since those aliens brought in that incomprehensible advanced tech, the astronauts’ treatment has worsened day by day. Even the doorframes have seen a cutback. While still offering paradise-like treatment compared to the grunts on the ground, it’s barely different from the airmen anymore – there’s even talk of distinctions among the grunts now.

The top rank belongs to the Marine Corps serving in the Space Force, they get slightly better treatment than the Navy’s third rank. The second rank is for the Marine Corps serving on a space station, their treatment is similar to the Army’s fourth rank. The lowest rank is for the Marines who serve in the Navy and are temporarily assigned to the Space Force, as well as being used as expendable infantry for dangerous missions. They are considered as tools and disposable ammunition.

"Next supply mission, I see…" the young woman with red hair in a ponytail flipped through the electronic documents beside her, "There will be two new recruits next week." Due to limited living space, the space station didn’t have many vacancies, so the control station only had a total of five people.

Two engineers responsible for repairing equipment and maintaining laser arrays, a supervisor, a communication officer, and a dispatcher who handled tasks similar to an air traffic controller. Any spacecraft needing to land must receive approval from them before passing through the defense perimeter, otherwise the artillery would fire immediately.

"Only two new recruits?" the man frowned.

"Nothing we can do, dear, the expanded living quarters will only arrive the week after next."

"Wait, why the week after next?"

"Because this week and next week are for mid-term elections…"

"…" You made a good point, I’m speechless, the congress members are too busy bickering among themselves, the opposition is focused on blocking any funding or expenses from the ruling party, even delaying crucial funds such as this, right?

"Unless we face another alien invasion now."

The lady with red hair shrugged, picked up a trendy magazine, and continued daydreaming. She was confident in the Space Force fleet of America, but not so sure about the laser gun units around her. After all, the contract was awarded to the lowest bidder, and the neighboring factory was said to have military representatives who mistreated workers. It wasn’t a fair competition at all.

Diligent people are always alike, but they have their own ways of daydreaming. On the space station, five people were present. Two engineers were exercising as artificial gravity still hadn’t been created, and calcium loss was still a big problem; the boss was nowhere to be seen in the office, probably watching videos, taking a nap, or doing who knows what; the other two were either drinking coffee or reading magazines, feeling extremely relaxed.

So, when the control panel made a sharp buzzing sound, both of them were confused for two seconds before reacting.

"Something jumping out near the moon." The huge reflecting dish picked up a wide-angle laser beam reflection, indicating an unusual object appearing near the moon, possibly a returning warship from another country, or something else entirely. "This is the United States Space Orbital Defense Center, please activate your IFF Transponder. I repeat, please activate your IFF Transponder."

According to the Space Force return manual, after jumping, the IFF Transponder should be activated immediately to send quantum encrypted information to the nearest allied unit to confirm identity; otherwise, they could be seen as enemies and eliminated. "Hello? Can you hear me? Activate your IFF Transponder, or else we will take necessary measures!"

"Shit. Sarah, activate radar scanning, centimeter wave band, one point eight centimeters!"

"Microwave radar on, actively scanning target area."

"Target tracking completed, trajectory calculation handed over to the fire control computation room."

"Target marked, firing control data loaded, pre-firing preparations completed."

"Got it, all cannon teams have completed their coordinated stance."

"Last warning, please turn off your radar and activate IFF identification within 30 seconds, or we will open fire."

"Sarah, they’re firing!" The optical observation system caught a flicker of light. "All defense systems are ready, fire!"

The servo motors moved the heavy laser to aim, exciting electrons to release photons. The photons converged in the resonant cavity and reflection mirrors, turning into an invisible and hot spear piercing through 380,000 kilometers of space. It landed on an unidentified flying object near the lunar orbit about a second later.

The steel shell boiled in an instant, high-temperature metal ions rapidly expanding. The wooden deck and ribs below quickly carbonized and burned, sending flames through internal metal pipes and wooden bulkheads into the cabin. The oxygen-soaked cotton stones placed in the ventilation system evaporated at high temperatures, causing an explosion in the oxygen-rich environment. The resulting shockwave tore the entire ship into several pieces in an instant.

The weakened invisible spear penetrated through burning fragments and smoke, revealing a bright light trace. Then, it left a deep black mark on the second ship’s hull. Fierce flames started burning inside the second ship, toxic smoke spreading continuously. Despite the sailors’ efforts to extinguish the fire, they couldn’t stop it from spreading. In the end, they had to abandon the ship. Less than 1/10 of the people boarded a small boat to escape the ship that had turned into a flaming hell.

The second, third, and fourth Chinese laser arrays joined the battle of light and heat, or more like a one-sided massacre. Each battleship emerged from the Dimensional Corridor, only to be pierced, ignited, and exploded by the invisible spear. The faint light traces fleeting in the smoke were the only evidence that this was not some space paranormal event.

The Chinese 2-second 3GJ laser beams were like deep and steady drums, setting the rhythm for the entire battlefield. The American GW-class pulse laser firing 30-50 shots per second was like noisy small drums, pounding out a fervent rhythm. Joining the battle, the European cluster laser poured light and heat toward the target group, resembling a trombone; each long note leaving a string of scorching marks in the target group. This was a silent concert lacking any sound or visual effects, with the price of admission being lives, as each flash meant hundreds or thousands of lives vanishing into nothingness.

Due to the proximity of the jump-out point to the lunar base, both Americans, Chinese, and even the Europeans remained quite rational. They refrained from launching nuclear barrages from the electromagnetic railgun systems or firing the half-finished sublight mass projector in orbit, as the power released by these weapons could obliterate the entire Lunar Base group.

The attack lasted for about half a minute and then stopped because there were no more targets to destroy. Only large pieces of burning garbage floated in lunar orbit. If their airtight cabin technology is good enough, maybe there are some survivors in the wreckage that hasn’t burned completely. But this has become meaningless because the fleet that has urgently ascended into space to confront has passed through the near-Earth defense line and entered the jump state.

"Kloros Empire? Them again?"

The elliptical spaceships with sharp angles were very familiar. Aren’t those Kloros people’s warships? But compared to last time, they seemed much more advanced. Ground troops searching for survivors found some bulky electronic devices in the wreckage. Preliminary analysis shows that they seem to be some kind of radio equipment. Even in the largest warship wreckage, a mechanical differential engine and optical gun control console were found. To put it bluntly, they have upgraded from World War I level to early World War II level – because they have radar now.

(The earliest radar was put into use in 1935, and it was installed on ships starting from 1941, using 1.6 cm wavelength band.)

As for weapons, there’s not much difference from before. The propellant is made of oxygen asbestos and gunpowder, pushing the fixed metal projectile out of the muzzle, then throwing it at the enemy. Inside is about 20 kg of yellow gunpowder. The biggest feature of this gunpowder is that it easily ignites the target and produces toxic smoke when burning. Hmm, it might have been good a hundred years ago, but not now…

The most annoying thing is that it took about 2 hours for the fleet to find the shells they fired to prevent them from accidentally falling into the atmosphere and killing a few unlucky citizens. How did they have the confidence to fire over 1.3 light-seconds away? Do they really have some kind of magic fire control? This question remained unanswered as the imperial warships were shattered, and the sailors who luckily escaped on small boats couldn’t explain why the firing happened.

It was only after quite a long time that the earthlings got a ridiculous explanation: they had radar, so naturally they would discover the Earth’s orbital defense system, and then mistakenly thought it was the Earth fleet. Therefore, these fleets, whose purpose was not to pick a fight with alien civilizations, performed a common gesture used in encounters between non-hostile fleets in World War I and World War II – a salvo of fire.

Yes, hitting an enemy ship from one to three light-seconds away was a pretty amazing feat that the enemy had never thought of. But because of that, they fired their guns as a sign of respect. However, the people from Earth were not familiar with this custom, nor did they expect there to be such a thing as space cannons. So, when they saw the target firing, they immediately got scared and activated the entire orbital defense system, leading to a delightful laser barbecue.

However, at that moment, humans had no idea why these fleet ships were firing. So, their reaction was unanimous, "I haven’t settled the score with you from last time, and now you’re back again? Do you think I’m easy to bully?" Coincidentally, there was a slight easing of the economic crisis in human society, the economy was recovering, and they needed a little boost after recovering from a serious illness. Originally, they were planning to ask around for places suitable for beginners nearby. Now, they didn’t have to bother as much, even though it was a bit far away (a month and a half journey). But if you come right to their doorstep, they’ll gladly take the opportunity to flex a bit!