Counterfeit Hero

The intelligence officer’s shout instantly turned the entire warship into a chaotic mess.

Amid the sharp alarms and broadcasts calling ”Captain Chekov, please report to the Command Room immediately,” officers and soldiers from various departments of the warship rushed out of the rest cabins, entertainment cabins, and canteen, sprinting to their posts as fast as they could.

”Level 1 combat readiness!” Chekov glared violently at Fatty, then quickly dashed out of the backup Power Cabin, shouting orders as he ran: ”Gunners, man your positions. Charge the main cannon. Open the hangar bay. Connect drone signals. Power Cabin at full load. Activate the backup Power Cabin! Gather non-combat personnel in the escape zone! Request instructions from the flagship!”

Under Chekov’s command, the Blue Rose entered combat mode. Energy began to be allocated according to the combat plan, and all non-combat-related cabins were closed. The warship’s lighting and life support systems were switched to the lowest energy consumption mode. Dozens of crew members guided all non-combat personnel to gather in the escape zone located in the belly of the Destroyer.

”What’s going on?” Fatty followed closely behind Chekov, repeatedly asking in a panic.

Chekov ignored Fatty, storming into the Main Control Room like a whirlwind. He sat in the captain’s commanding seat, slightly out of breath, and said to the intelligence officer, ”Battle report!”

”Hmph, so what if you’re the captain!” Fatty mumbled, having run into a stone wall. He twisted his neck, tapping his right foot on the ground, feeling utterly unsettled like a water snake, muttering with his lips stretched to his ears, ”You don’t know either, do you?”

Helen, who was hastily following behind Fatty, finally couldn’t hold back. She pulled Fatty aside, raised her eyebrows angrily, and shouted, ”What’s wrong with you? Don’t you understand the situation? Stand aside!”

”Oh,” Fatty obediently stood to the side. After thinking for a moment, he felt something was wrong and asked Helen, ”Who are you?”

”...”

He doesn’t even recognize me. This Fatty is really annoying!

”Report, Captain. In the BU-1702 Star System, coordinates 78426-19103, twenty unidentified warships are approaching our fleet. Among them, there are six heavy Armed Merchant Ships of the Oklahoma class, twelve Ghost class fast Torpedo Boats, and two old Phoenix class Destroyers. The enemy ships have not responded to our warnings and have adopted an aggressive formation. They will enter the red alert zone in five minutes,” the intelligence officer quickly reported.

”What are the flagship’s orders?” Chekov asked while checking the information on the command platform.

”Delta-A formation,” the intelligence officer connected the visual communication signal from the flagship and said to Chekov, ”Colonel Leonid has ordered the Escort Ships to engage at high speed and to keep the enemy outside the red alert zone. Our ship and the Castle Lily will perform a pendulum maneuver in a twin-ship formation to maintain distance and maximize main cannon effectiveness.”

”Got it!” Chekov waved the intelligence officer away and pressed the communication button on the control panel: ”Blue Rose, this is Captain Chekov. I am now in command. Power Cabin, Bow Main Gun Room, Electronic Cabin, energy shield generator room, Torpedo Room, Turrets 1-21, Radar, Communications, report your status.”

”Power Cabin at full power, operational. Level 1 combat readiness complete.”

”Main Gun Room, main cannon charged. Level 1 combat readiness complete.”

”Electronic Cabin, jamming initiated, process normal, protection level E, Level 1 combat readiness complete.”

”Torpedo Room, Torpedo Tubes 1 and 3 loaded. Level 1 combat readiness complete.”

”Bow Turret 1.....”

The reports from various departments filled the communication system of the Control Room.

When all departments had completed their combat readiness reports, Chekov’s tightly furrowed brows relaxed slightly. He nodded and said, ”Good. All units stay vigilant and be ready for combat at any time. Fire Thrusters 1 and 9, move towards the flagship, Castle Lily.”

Under Chekov’s orderly commands, the entire warship operated swiftly like an extremely precise machine. Helen, who had quickly found her role, picked up a professional multi-angle camera, beginning to film the tense and busy scenes in the Control Room.

Compared to being a host, Helen actually hoped to become a war correspondent. She never expected her first war shoot to come so abruptly.

As she focused intently on filming, a sour voice reached her ears:

”What’s so great about that... Hmph!”

Helen turned one of the camera lenses towards Fatty standing beside her. In the lens, Fatty was pouting disdainfully, yet his eyes were fixed on Chekov’s control panel, constantly glancing over.

This pompous attitude of the so-called Hero made Helen both anxious and angry.

Alright, you annoying Fatty, I’ll keep my camera on you this time! Let’s see what kind of ”Federation Hero” you really are.

On the bridge of the Castle Lily, Captain Leonid, Vice President Flavio, Admiral Bernadotte, Foreign Minister Carmelo, and Professor Boswell watched the giant virtual screen on the main control panel with solemn expressions.

On the screen, the radar-marked unidentified fleet was quickly advancing towards the main formation of the Federation Special Fleet. The six Highspirited class Escort Ships belonging to the Special Fleet had already moved forward in a fan-shaped formation to engage.

The BU-1702 Star System, with a small star and six planets, belonged to the Tuna Constellation. Aside from having two Jump Points and a band-shaped nebula running through the entire constellation, there was nothing noteworthy here.