Lieutenant Kang Xiong of the Iridium Star Empire Army sat in the basketball court, holding a paper cup and somewhat daydreaming.
Dressed in sportswear, his comrade Yongjin patted Kang Xiong's shoulder, interrupting the lieutenant's reverie.
Holding a basketball, Yongjin sat next to Kang Xiong, looking at the empty basketball court, and said, "A month ago, due to the shortage of basketball courts, the crew of the Freedom Dragon and the Blue Pegasus nearly came to blows. The Nuoye Star Facilities Management Bureau even had to open a new sports venue because of this, but unexpectedly, it hasn't been long, and now no one wants to play basketball anymore."
Kang Xiong drank the coffee from his paper cup, his eyes gazing far off, "You can't blame them; at this time, no one has the heart to do anything else."
Yongjin sat there rapidly bouncing the basketball, the ball bouncing up and down off the ground with high frequency, demonstrating the officer's excellent handling. He said, "The Iridium Star people are distressed about war, which really doesn't seem like us at all. Over two hundred years, in the span of a generation, without significant sacrifice or effort, we've become hesitant to stake our lives. It's unclear whether this is good or bad."
Kang Xiong said solemnly, "Originally, the United Empire was always within the First Universe, without any real opponents. In fact, we never truly went all out; it's just that the enemies were too weak. But now, the United Empire has become the enemy of the entire New Milky Way, with enemies of considerable scale and strength, and we're starting to feel anxious."
Yongjin shook his head and said, "I understand what you're saying, yet, when some truths are revealed, they really do make one feel ashamed."
"The Chancellor has already made up his mind; Nuoye Star won't be defended to the last. The Nuoye forces will employ flexible and mobile tactics, avoiding unfavorable head-on confrontations with the enemy and waiting for the main fleet to arrive. To ensure the safety of the battlefield, the Empire Army General Staff has asked our reconnaissance ships to move over a wide range to make sure there are no other enemies in our vicinity capable of attacking us, other than Su Shuang's forces."
Yongjin stopped the bouncing, held the basketball in one hand, and swung his wrist, saying, "Planning is easy, but whether it's evading the enemy through maneuvering or expanding the scouting range, it won't be easy for the Nuoye forces. Just one oversight can render all other work futile and place the main fleet coming to our rescue into great peril."
Kang Xiong looked at his friend and asked, "What, don't you want the General Staff and the Chancellor to rescue us?"
Yongjin laughed, shaking his head without saying no. He said, "This war will probably be very long and very brutal, and as soldiers, our chances of dying in it will be much greater. Rather than persisting into the future, enduring all the pain of war before dying, it's better to die at the forefront, to go peacefully."
Kang Xiong chuckled, "That's a very irresponsible thought."
Yongjin put down the basketball and said frankly to his friend, "Yeah, I've known since I was a child that I was unlikely to become a hero. My father told me the United Empire didn't need everyone to be heroes; it needed each person to do what's required in the right place. You don't have to be perfect, scoring 75 out of 100 is amazing. And that's what I've always done."
He smiled, casually threw the basketball into the hoop, turned, and left, saying, "But it seems like even 75 is out of reach now."
Kang Xiong didn't watch Yongjin leave, pondering the meaning in his words but finding no insight.
He looked at the city; Nuoye Star had built just one city , existing purely to serve the soldiers stationed here, so it would be more accurate to call this a soldier's leisure base. Although building such a city wasn't very difficult for the Iridium Star people and took a lot of time, abandoning it , allowing the whole city and entire planet to be captured by the enemy, was truly infuriating.
As soon as Kang Xiong returned to his officer's quarters, a call to assemble came through his personal terminal. He changed into his uniform and quickly arrived on his assigned warship, the Innocence aircraft carrier.
The captain gathered all the ship's officers and some high-ranking NCOs. Typically stern and not prone to jokes, the captain began with a brusque opener, "Are you all ready to sacrifice yourselves?"
The officers were stunned, falling into silence. Even Kang Xiong, who usually didn't seek the limelight, kept quiet.
The captain swept a look over his subordinates, showing neither disappointment nor anger, but simply said, "I'm not ready either."
This clearly made the officers even more uneasy, and the otherwise strict and disciplined officers began to whisper amongst themselves.
The captain didn't scold them but instead used his most ordinary tone to say, "We are soldiers of the Empire Army, sworn warriors loyal to the Chancellor. We usually don't think too much, just feel proud to be part of the Empire Army. But today, I can't help but reflect and remember that, yes, as a part of the Empire Army, dying when needed is simply part of the duty entrusted to us."
The captain's demeanor became even more serious and solemn as he continued, "The Chancellor does not want to make such a speech himself because he seemingly does not believe that the Empire Army should die for him as a matter of course. But in reality, that's exactly how it is. What the Chancellor can't say, I will say for him. We reject the nonsense of this war, the rabble that denies the United Empire's right to existence, the affront to the Iridium Star Civilization. When war comes knocking, we will fight back. So I ask each of you, when the time comes to die, to do so gloriously for your uniform, for your brethren, for the United Empire, for the Chancellor."
The statement was shockingly candid, yet it caused every officer, including Kang Xiong and Yongjin, to swell with resolve, and some even sat up straighter.
The captain concluded with a single sentence, "I will die before all of you."
As was expected and naturally so. This was the true nature of an Iridium Star soldier.
Kang Xiong smiled at his friend, relieved, "We shall die, but Iridium Star shall live; a good trade, it's sealed!"
Yongjin chuckled lightly, touching the three-pronged lightning badge on his chest. He said, "I was a bit worried before; with the ten giants and an obviously more powerful Fallen Empire, I thought Iridium Star might really be finished. But now, thinking again, screw it, even if the United Empire is shattered, Iridium Star will ultimately destroy all these mixed-up ten giants and the Fallen Empire. This spirit has supported Iridium Star until today; even if we face the entire Galaxy, even if we have to fight against the entire Universe, we must keep on fighting."
The people of Iridium Star never surrender, even if their bones are broken.