In Terdin's opinion, he has never seen a stranger state of affairs than he has seen in his half life.

There were indeed anomalies within range of the fleet, but it was not known who the enemy was, where he was, and how to counterattack. The radar detected the appearance of a huge air mass in the space not far from the fleet, and the gas flow rate was very fast, exceeding the highest level of 18 typhoons encountered by humans. However, it is not known how a large amount of gas appears in a vacuum. He decided to stand still and report the situation to Paraná, who was speaking at the press conference.

Parana had a faint feeling that something was wrong, as if death was beckoning to him. After he finished his speech, he hurried off the podium. I was about to leave the venue, but I was grabbed by a hand.

He looked back and saw that the person who was holding him was none other than Marshall. Just then, his communication terminal rang. Regardless of the impact, he turned on the terminal, and the screen projected out of thin air was the nervous Testin.

Seeing this, Marshall immediately pulled him backstage and asked him to pay attention to the impact. Testin's eyes on this side did not dare to say anything, and waited quietly for Barana to speak.

Once backstage, Testin described the situation in detail as quickly as he could. Rao is Marshall is well-informed, and Barana has been on the battlefield for a long time, and neither of them has seen the slightest clue. The situation was so weird that Marshall immediately went to Rambo. Rambo listened to the description, but he also had no clue. The three of them looked at each other, not knowing what to do.

Rambo said: "I've never seen anything like this. Whether this is an unknown natural phenomenon or a trace left by the enemy is unknown. I consulted the database of the Supreme Academy of Sciences, and there is no record of any planetary weapons that can create huge air masses that flow at high speeds in the vacuum of the universe. ”

Parana shook his head, "I haven't heard of a planet that has ever developed such a weapon. It is better for us to stand still and respond to all changes without change. ”

Before Marshall could speak, Testin sent another report, and the huge air mass suddenly disappeared without a trace. The gravitational anomaly has returned to normal. The anomaly disappeared so suddenly, as if it had never existed. If it weren't for the observation instruments still recording data, it would be as if nothing had happened.

Parana was not very relieved, he looked at Testin: "Whatever happens, it seems that it is over for the time being." However, you must remain vigilant and report any anomalies immediately. Testin saluted and disconnected. Barana paused and continued, "I suggest that we recall the Fifth Fleet of the outer colonies, and I'm afraid there will be an invasion next. ”

Marshall didn't say anything, thinking about something to himself. Rambo was also interested in not talking.

Marshall thought for a moment and said, "Today, the president of the Supreme Academy of Sciences will return to Earth, and we will ask her for her opinion before considering the next step." The Fifth Fleet was responsible for the defense of the outer colonies, and now that Chrisselis had the ability to leap, their task was even more difficult. Calling back the Fifth Fleet at such a time would be tantamount to exposing all the out-of-line colonies to attack. ”

"Oh yes, there's also a party after the press conference for the top brass of the United Earth Council, and you should definitely attend. That's an order. ”

Perhaps no one can understand Paraná's feelings. His Third Fleet is now tasked with protecting colonies throughout the solar system, a task that would have been the responsibility of the three fleets. Now it is in charge of a fleet that has lost almost half of it, and if it encounters the main force of Chrisselis, it is tantamount to using the mantis arm as a car. In this case, Marshall did not let him, the commander, return to the flagship to command the troops, but instead told him to go to some ball. If the press conference is a normal decision, then the prom is simply stupid. Although he had no choice but to obey the arrangement, he really didn't want to be interrogated anymore, so he took off the general star from his shoulder and replaced it with the colonel's epaulette he used to use when he was captain on the USS Washington. Put on a digital mask and transform into a captain colonel.

The evening was held in the Golden Hall of the United Earth Council, which was built for the heads of state and the top of the Council to host various events. It is said that the construction cost is expensive, comparable to a small fleet. Parana was disgusted with this extravagant waste, but could not do anything about it.

Marshall and Parana were the first to arrive. Marshall stood at the door greeting the guests, and Paraná knew that this was also a way for him to win votes for himself. He could see that the people Marshall was talking to either a dignitary or a big businessman. Parana was tired of the hustle and bustle, and sat in the corner without getting up. Moreover, the participants of this party were all high-ranking people, and no one noticed him as a "colonel".

As the music played, the ball began, with Marshall and his wife leading the dance. Barana sat bored in the shadows, ignoring Marshall's frequent gestures, trying to blend in with the environment. The dance floor was already packed, and the ministers of the Council, the presidents of the Academy of Sciences, and the commanders of the defense forces entered one after another. The only thing to do is to see the president of the Supreme Academy of Sciences. Paraná looked around, and everyone was immersed in the joyous atmosphere of the party.

As he scanned the venue, he noticed a man in the shadows in the corner on the other side of the venue. Parana zoomed in on his personal terminal and saw that it was a beautiful girl in a white dress, with long crimson hair, who looked like she was eighteen or nineteen years old. was sitting on the sofa in a daze, obviously tired of this party. He called up the information in the database, which showed that her name was Christine, a researcher at the School of Earth Sciences, and a research team leader. Paraná finally found a suitable dance partner, and he stood up and walked straight for her.

Christine didn't notice him, her eyes staring blankly ahead, her mouth muttering something in her mouth. Parana bowed slightly and stretched out his right hand: "Miss, can I ask you to dance?" ”

Christine didn't seem to hear. Suddenly, her blank eyes became clear, and her blue pupils, as deep as the sea, stared at Parana tightly, and said sarcastically, "Thank you for interrupting my calculations, it really helped." ”

Parana heard what she was saying, so he had to politely say, "I'm sorry to disturb me." Just as she turned to leave, Christine suddenly said, "Okay, I accept." Barana smiled back and took her hand and stepped onto the dance floor.

After a song, the two returned to their seats to rest. Paraná asked for a glass of lemonade and was taking a sip. Christine suddenly spoke: "The earth is in danger at this moment, and Marshall still has the leisure to have a ball." Barra was shocked, and said how dare a researcher say such about the chairman. She continued: "I think he's so old and foolish that he asked us all to come to the ball. I don't know how many puzzles I can solve with this time. ”

Barana felt the same way, sighed and agreed: "Yes, I also want to go back to command the troops and solve the defense problem." I wouldn't have come if I hadn't been ordered to attend. He looked at Marshall, who was resting on the sidelines, and shook his head.

Christine's eyebrows raised, and she looked unhappy: "Coincidentally, so am I." I had an unreasonable boss who insisted that I come, and I just rushed back to Earth today, and before I could go back to the laboratory to set up tasks, I was forced to come to this hellish place. With that, he also looked at Marshall, with a disapproving expression.

"Let's talk about business. I can't bring my lab equipment, but I can tell you the results of my deductions. ”

"Business? What can we do with each other? "Parana is a little weak-hearted.

"Don't pretend, Lieutenant General Paraná, your digital mask can't fool me."

"I'm Christina, the president of Earth's highest academy."