.

Rumor? "Giraud. Marshal Steve was suspicious, this news was real, too unreliable.

"Yes, Your Excellency, the movements of the rebel fleet are still unclear at this time, and some of our intelligence networks have recently received information that the rebel fleet may be massing near the border between the Empire and the Union, and although we are inclined to think that they are about to launch a major operation, there are also sources that the rebels are also looking for an opportunity to flee to the Commonwealth for refuge because of the power of the Omega base and the recent heavy losses......"

"! Absurd! Nonsense! Before the Imperial officer could finish his words, he was startled by a loud shout from the marshal.

"Absolutely impossible, the Rebel Alliance will never flee to the Federation in shame and cowardice without a fight, hum," the Imperial Marshal sneered, "Besides, even if the Earth Federation can be their safe haven, how long can it last?" Without these damn guys making trouble within us, it won't be many years before the Empire's strength can quickly return to its previous level, and when the vitality of the Imperial Army recovers, then it will be the turn of the Federation. ”

"Yes, Your Excellency Marshal." The Imperial officer did not dare to say anything more, and since the marshal had already made a judgment, it was everything, he saluted obediently, turned around, and prepared to leave.

"Wait," Lieutenant General Corleone stopped the officer in time, and then said to the Imperial Marshal, "Your Excellency, although the rumors that the rebels intend to escape are not credible, do you see the analysis of the rebel fleet's current buildup near the border system?" ”

"Oh, that's true," the Imperial Marshal nodded, "I'm almost dizzy, I forgot about this, the rebel fleet is massing near the border system, is the intelligence reliable?" ”

"This ......," the officer who had just been reprimanded became a little cautious, and his answer was very ambiguous. "Maybe it's a lot of 'sex', and the last few small contact battles have all taken place near the border system. Investigated by intelligence officers.

Starfighters belonging to at least two rebel fleets of different numbers have been found. Our reconnaissance planes have also detected some noteworthy clues, especially the supply channels of the rebels, which seem to be flowing to the vicinity of the border galaxy, combined with the increasingly calm trend in other regions, there is reason to believe that the current assembly point of the rebel fleet is in the vicinity of the border system, especially the Corcoran system, XY-Domain, Ranphy system, and Piadous system. Deliberately draw our attention to the border area. Then, taking advantage of the unpreparedness of our army, we waited for the opportunity to launch a surprise attack on our army in other galaxy and star fields......"

The Imperial Marshal was a little hesitant, he groaned for a long time, still unable to make up his mind, as his past experience with the rebels showed. These guys are very cunning. They don't play cards according to common sense, and they are very good at hiding themselves. This is also an important reason why they can still survive the blows of his earth, in this case, can the rebels so easily "reveal" their position and intentions to the Empire?

Feeling that this might be a trap, although there is no evidence, but with his understanding of the rebels' way of doing things, as well as some abnormal judgments that have appeared so far, it is very likely, but the latter case, which is just the opposite of the judgment of the intelligence officer, unfortunately, he has no clues, except for the border galaxy star fields pointed out in the report, all the other earth galaxy star fields are too calm, so calm also makes him unable to make a decision, how to set the Omega base ground standby point, After all, the range is too large.

Damn, even the slightest clue is fine, but now this way it makes him start to question himself, this rebel operation has shown that it is a large-scale operation, as mentioned in the report, such an operation is really carried out in other areas, it can't be that there is no sign at all, is he too allergic? It was already quite obvious that the rebels were about to unfold along the border, and if he turned a blind eye to these obvious evidences, if the enemy did act, and he himself threw one of the most powerful trump cards in the hands of the empire in some remote corner and waited to watch the rebels wreak havoc on his senses for no reason, then he would undoubtedly become a laughing stock, his prestige......

If the Resistance Alliance knew His Excellency Marshal's hesitation at this time, they must have felt very wronged, Marshal Steve was not wrong, it was indeed a trap, but it was not the kind of trap he imagined, these rumors, exposed fighters and supply channels, etc., were themselves part of the Alliance's plan to lure the enemy, the purpose was to lure this damn Omega base, so the assembly points of the Alliance fleet, the fighters of the different fleets found, the flow of supply channels, all kinds of gossip information, etc., Indeed, these are true beliefs

Intentionally leaked "dew" to the imperial side, but I didn't expect it, and almost used it.

"Your Excellency, what should we do next?" Lieutenant General Corleone cautioned.

"Corleone, why did the rebels choose to act near the border system?" The marshal, who was interrupted from his thoughts, didn't care, and he asked seemingly casually.

Although the marshal had not yet said his intentions, as soon as this sentence came out, the lieutenant general already knew the marshal's inclination.

"According to the lower officer, I'm afraid that those rumors about the rebels trying to obtain federal asylum may not be empty," the lieutenant general thought as he organized the appropriate words, "The rebels have suffered heavy losses recently, and the activities of their fleet have also been greatly restricted because of the existence of this base, and the cunning rabbit has three holes, and the rebel high-level will not ignore some back roads and launch an attack in the border galaxy, the advantage is that in case of a comprehensive counterattack by our army, when the situation is not good, it is indeed possible to temporarily flee to the Federation to breathe, in addition, After inflicting heavy losses on our army near the border system, gaining control of part of the border system can also easily and timely obtain the assistance of the Federation to make up for the losses suffered in the previous period to maintain their poor rebellion, and if they cannot gain a foothold in the Empire, they can also use the Federation as a base to continuously carry out cross-border "riot" operations against our army, which will definitely be supported by the Federation Army overtly or covertly......"

The lieutenant general was suddenly stunned, and he muttered, "No, maybe in the upcoming counterattack of the rebels, maybe there may be the involvement of the Federation Army, and the reason why they chose to operate in the border galaxy is also one of the reasons......

"Hahahaha, my general, you're worrying too much." Marshal Steve laughed instead. "It's not a big deal that the federal army is involved, they have been supporting the rebels in various ways, openly and covertly, this has long been an open secret, hum, without the support of the Federation, we would have completely eradicated these rebel scum a long time ago, and we still have to wait until now? Tell me, have the Federation forces been moving around the border lately? ”

"This ...... Reconnaissance intelligence indicates that no, Your Excellency Marshal. ”

"That's it, even if the Federation Army has support, it is extremely limited and obscure, and most of them will make up all kinds of ridiculous excuses such as 'lost' and misguided entry to cover up as before, so as to avoid direct conflict with our army, how much can this small-scale covert intervention help the rebels?"

"As for the large-scale involvement of the Federation Army, I don't think there is such a possibility at present, the Federation has tried its best to avoid conflict with our army before, and our army now has the Omega base, the power of this operating base, I believe that the Federation must know very well through the public reports of the rebels and our side, before researching a way to deal with this base, the Federation will never want to provoke the fire, maybe lucky, in the buffer recovery period of a few years after the Empire eliminates the rebels, they will be able to develop relevant technology, but before, I think we shouldn't have to worry about the Federation, they will never be tied to the rebels to find death, sacrificing their own interests for the sake of the rebels? They weren't that great, and the signing of that armistice was enough to tell. ”

I have to say that Marshal Steve does know quite a lot about federal politics, and the Federation is like General Hamilton, Senator Yao, etc., after all, they are a minority, and most of the members of the Federation are cautious and conservative about fighting against the Empire, even if Mrs. Almeda repeatedly promised and finally won this joint operation between the two armies, the Federation also limited the conditions for death, and the Alliance must first paralyze the Star Cruiser system, otherwise, the Federation will not even appear a single ship. This made some members of the Alliance's Advisory Council who knew the inside story feel very helpless and annoyed, but the overall situation is important, and the current situation is stronger than people.

"Even if they do get involved on a large scale, there's nothing to worry about," the Imperial Marshal said proudly, "This base has an interstellar cruiser system, which allows us to jump away when the situation is not good, and then jump back after repairing or calling reinforcements, without worrying about being pursued by enemy forces, it is already invincible, plus the sunset system, I believe, it will be a wonderful massacre." ”

"I hope so." Despite some concerns, Lieutenant General Corleone had to agree that Marshal Steve's statement was quite reasonable. "So, we ......."

"Set the course, we'll go there, wait for the rebels, and hope they won't let us down." The Imperial Marshal pointed to the star map and tapped at a point in deep space between the Corcoran and Ranphy systems. "Understood, Imperial Marshal."