Chapter 264: Warp Engine Activation
A’dai’s response was somewhat vague, leaving Li Jian baffled, with only Fan Ren understanding its meaning.
“Has the data come out? When can we enter the experimental test flight stage?”
Fan Ren did not steer the topic elsewhere. The Galactic Alliance, despite having many advanced civilizations, lacked intelligent electronic life, making it extremely backward in information processing, overall management, and other aspects.
And he, with A’dai in hand, had great convenience in many affairs.
Moreover, through the industrial processing mother machine on the Conqueror, he could quickly complete raw material processing and other tasks, allowing this technological product that Fan Ren had obtained not long ago to produce finished products very quickly.
“Boss, when I designed it, I adapted it to the hull size of the Peregrine Falcon, and at the same time, I urgently built a matching one with a completely new structure—a brand-new Peregrine Falcon—which is now in the installation process. It will soon be ready for experimental flight.”
A’dai’s reply was very quick.
In this hidden base, A’dai had very high authority.
With Fan Ren’s approval, A’dai had complete and thorough control over all industrial facilities, as well as permissions for autonomous planning, manufacturing, industrial upgrade, and more.
Even the Conqueror, in a certain sense, had the level of permissions that Fan Ren gave to Li Jian equivalent to those held by A’dai.
There was no choice; previously, the Conqueror needed to travel frequently between the Solar System and the Ross 154 planetary system, so in situations where Fan Ren was absent, A’dai had to operate it autonomously.
And Li Jian, regarding technical matters, was clearly inferior to Fan Ren and A’dai.
This gradually led Li Jian to relax the formal authorizations to A’dai, opening up a series of autonomous control rights to A’dai.
Fan Ren nodded and glanced at the baffled Li Jian, saying:
“Boss, as a pirate group, do you think in our current state, we can to some extent launch certain small-scale plundering wars against the seven surrounding civilizations?”
His words made Li Jian involuntarily cast aside his puzzled emotions.
As a space force member, he knew deeply that his mission was to be forever loyal to the committee.
And now, the former second brother before him was the current chairman of the committee.
In a certain sense, Fan Ren’s words represented the committee.
“Chairman, based on the current situation, I have two points to inform you of, to provide you with some analytical basis.”
“Go ahead.”
Seeing Li Jian’s formal response, Fan Ren also sat up straight like him.
“This time I came representing the Azure Phoenix Legion precisely because of considerations in this regard, which is why I have some concerns about our legion’s current state.
Because in the current state of the Azure Phoenix Legion, we do not have the capability to launch small-scale, plundering wars against extrasolar civilizations.
Simply put, our fleet, detached from the Conqueror, is a force with absolutely no ability to quickly enter or exit the battlefield.”
His words hid nothing; this was a fact.
The previous interception battle succeeded largely because of the Conqueror’s existence, which provided the Azure Phoenix Legion with conditions for quick entry and exit.
But if operating without the Conqueror, it was imaginable that with the Punisher’s speed, without the chance for sudden entry, it would be impossible to enter the engagement range directly within the enemy’s effective defense distance before their fleet could adjust accordingly.
Very simply, facing an enemy fleet with up to 5000 battleships of the same class.
In interstellar space, an environment without warp capability, the Hans Civilization’s expedition fleet would certainly decide to withdraw and flee the moment it discovered this fleet.
And this discovery distance could be as far as one light year.
After all, a fleet composed of 5000 battleships was simply too large a target.
Fan Ren did not answer; he waited for Li Jian’s next words.
“This is the first point: in interstellar space, our fleet cannot catch up to their fleet in terms of speed.
The second point: even in combat within a star system, using star gate interception, our engagement time would still be extremely urgent and brief, and to some extent, we might not be able to inflict scaled damage on the enemy.
Because we have no warp engines, nor do we have warp field generators to prevent warp behavior.
Moreover, this would bring another problem.
That is, once we show malicious attack intent, we might even be unable to withdraw.
Because the enemy definitely has warp engines.”
Li Jian finished speaking; although he kept his chest puffed out, Fan Ren still noticed his somewhat dejected state.
As a type of warp equipment commonly fitted in the Galactic Alliance, it not only transformed the nature of warfare but also made tactical levels incomparable to previous war forms.
As Li Jian said, once war breaks out, a human fleet without warp engines would inevitably be completely restricted by the enemy.
The initiative in war would also completely shift to the opponent’s hands.
“In the end, it’s still this issue. So let’s assume our fleet is 100% fitted with warp engines—what are your thoughts?”
Fan Ren smiled, watching Li Jian’s expression shift from surprise to shock, and nodded to signal him to continue developing along this line of thinking.
Li Jian carefully observed Fan Ren’s expression for a moment, then suppressed his excitement and forced himself to calm down.
He took a deep breath and said: “If that’s the case, then with our fleet’s close-combat firepower, even if there is still a gap in speed performance compared to the enemy.
But in the previous interception battle, the Young Dragon Spaceship’s use of dense bombs for interception has already proven that this method absolutely has interception capability.
This way, even if we still lag in rapid performance, as long as we can slow the enemy fleet’s speed through the Young Dragon’s interception method, then once our fleet enters attack range, I believe the scales of victory will absolutely tip in our favor.”
Li Jian’s rugged face was now full of confidence.
Fan Ren looked at him and nodded as well.
Regarding the Punisher’s close-combat capability, not just Li Jian—he himself was also absolutely convinced.
“Boss, assembly is complete. Shall we start the experiment now?”
A’dai’s words broke the conversational atmosphere here.
“Let’s try it. Send the footage over.”
“Okay.”
After Fan Ren and A’dai’s conversation ended, on the desk before them appeared a Peregrine Falcon Spaceship painted in the distinctive rust-red livery of the Fox Pirate Group.
“Warp preparation in progress”
Several seconds later.
“Warp engine activated.”
“Boss, evidently, the warp preparation speed for small spaceships is extremely fast. For a frigate-class ship like the Peregrine Falcon, if we further optimize inertia performance, I believe we can complete the warp process preparation within 1 second.”
A’dai’s words slowly reached their ears.
Meanwhile, the shocked Li Jian also suddenly came to a realization.
