Him and their stars

According to Feifei, she took a boat to the outermost planetary orbit of the Luna Galaxy to photograph the wonders of the far shore nebula.

"Isn't there a prediction from the Alliance Academy of Sciences? Red giant F878 will completely devour the dwarf star K776 next to it in a thousand years. Now, they have begun to merge. Such astronomical landscapes are still quite rare, but they must not be Missed it," Feifei said.

This is also easy to understand. As a special correspondent for the military newspaper, she had the final say on what materials to collect.

So Feifei went to a small monitoring station located in the outer orbit of the Luna galaxy. That is also a military facility belonging to the far shore defense fleet. It is promoted to the outside world as a semi-automated scientific space station that collects astronomical information on the distant nebulae, but it is also responsible for monitoring the national defense border - however, considering that smugglers and pirates often transit through the Luna system with great swagger, this function is It's really debatable.

In addition, the space station also has some secret communication channel terminals that cannot be monitored by outsiders, so that intelligence can be gathered from the public.

"Then, I received a signal from a smuggling ship captain and got some subtle news." Feifei said.

"Wait...why did you get in touch with the captain of the smuggling ship?" Yu Lian couldn't help but ask.

"Well, doesn't Yu'er know? Journalists like me who have the status of an army officer actually have to receive a salary from the Military Intelligence Bureau! We are actually semi-open spies. This is also a convention of the international community."

...it seems to be true. Yu Lian's expression suddenly became a little stiff.

"Don't worry. Espionage work is indeed dangerous, but half-baked spies like us with public identities are very safe, at least as safe as diplomats."

To put it bluntly, both diplomats and political and economic reporters stationed abroad actually have intelligence gathering responsibilities. This is also an unspoken rule in the diplomatic arena.

"In addition, underworld people with a little bit of power and prestige will inevitably have official backgrounds. Some are informants, and some are directly the black gloves of a certain country. This is also international common sense!"

This is not absolute! There are still many free people who are as carefree as this hero was in his previous life, although the last days were not very easy. Being wanted by various countries is commonplace.

"In short, the captain is indeed an informant of the Military Intelligence Bureau. Although my main job is as a reporter in the Propaganda Department, after all, I also took a job in the Intelligence Bureau and received a subsidy. When I encountered the intelligence sent to me, You can't just ignore it.

Of course, this is Feifei's statement. She did show up at the small observation station and took many photos. It is well organized, logical, complete and has both witnesses and physical evidence. It is very convincing upon hearing it.

In fact, after the unexpected encounter, and after confirming that the unidentified person had completely lost his life reflexes, Feifei, who transformed into Earl of Black Moon, continued to ride on the road according to the original plan. The famous smuggling ship Ten Thousand Years Eagle headed towards the far shore nebula.

We all know that there are only two stable jump routes in the Far Coast Nebula, namely the Lucknar Corridor and I Earl Star Gap. This does not mean that they are the only way to pass, but it only means that they are the safest, most stable, most efficient, and the shortest navigation time of the super beam channels.

But in fact, in the Far Coast Nebula, which is full of supergiants, variable stars and dwarf stars, and is as unpredictable as the sea during a storm, there are still some that are not very stable and have not been recorded in the "official database" of the route.

Otherwise, how would so many smugglers and pirates come here every year? You know, the community's far-shore defense fleet has blocked those two waterways.

But in fact, red giants, variable stars, and dwarfs are also stars, and of course there are gravity wells. Although it is not stable, although the course will always deviate, and although it cannot match the huge mass of man-made objects, it does exist.

In addition, in this colorful and dreamy unmanned nebula, it is said that there are indeed some stars in their youth, just like scattered islands in a large turbulent ocean. Although I haven't heard of any naturally habitable planets, in this cosmic era, as long as there are stars, as long as they are indeed in a stable young and middle-aged galaxy, some semi-fixed strongholds can be established.

All in all, there is indeed a "historic" channel in the Far Coast Nebula, and this is already a consensus on the road. Although it can't pass the large fleet, it is enough for smuggling or escape.

However, these dangers are connected to the waterway of the road to freedom. Of course, the court eagle dogs kept in captivity by their owners do not know about them. Only experienced "free people" who have spent their lives in the universe can know and control them.

At least, that's what most people on the road believe.

In this way, the Ten Thousand Years Eagle passed through the warning network set up by the far shore defense fleet and entered this gorgeous but deep and magnificent nebula.

Captain Hanford is a very professional person. He has nothing to do with what the famous Earl of Black Moon wants to do or who he wants to deal with.

But even so, when they actually passed through the dangerous zone and arrived at the transaction location - an unknown star system in its prime hidden in a large group of supergiant stars - the well-informed captain He was also surprised, and couldn't help but reach out and comb his long, gorgeous and silky beard.

"You are actually connected with these people!" He said to Earl Black Moon in surprise.

"You should have some relationship with them, right?" Earl Black Moon smiled.

"I have made several transactions before." Captain Hanford has almost returned to normal, and still said with a sighing expression: "It's just that I really never thought that someone like you would have contact with them! "

The ship being traded was about the same size and tonnage as the Ten Thousand Years Eagle. It was painted in black and gray and looked like a square geometric body with sharp edges and corners. There are three gun ports at the front of the ship, which looks a bit like a fly-mounted cannon.

In short, the overall appearance of this ship is an overly rough and tough style, and it looks like a battleship at first glance.

It doesn't matter if it's a battleship, but if there's a broken bloody hand hanging on the side of the battleship, that's a big problem.

That is the sign of the predators, those galactic nomads who are based in the galactic center and have been wandering all over the universe. They are also regarded as public enemies of the entire galaxy by the Galactic Civilization Council.

Of course, they are said to be a race, but Captain Hanford knows that the raiders are a loose organization formed based on clan and tribal alliances, and cannot even be called a country. They are not a unified race. They are very different in appearance and ecological structure. It was originally composed of thirteen intelligent races. However, their origins, inheritance, and even the location of their mother planet and hometown have been buried in the vast history of universe development.

The major civilized governments in the galaxy only know that these ferocious and tyrannical races are enemies, plunderers of wealth and lives, and destroyers of civilization and order, nothing more.

In addition, as the history of galactic civilization rolls by, the number of predators is also constantly increasing and decreasing.

Criminals who are desperate, deserters who are defeated and dare not bear the military law, scholars who cannot find opportunities for development, children of powerful people who have lost everything in political battles, and even extraordinary people who oppose the system. All of the above are sources for predators to strengthen themselves. .

This time, the people who were trading with Earl Black Moon were the thirteen earliest tribes of the Predators, a race called the Erro people. This is also a humanoid race that walks independently, but its body is quite strong. It has brown skin like sandstone, red eyes as big as copper bells, a collapsed nose arch, flared ears, earth-covering upper and lower jaws, and fangs as sharp as a predator. It looks quite ferocious at first glance.

They are also really violent. These creatures that look like hungry ghosts in human legends indeed have the fighting power of hungry ghosts. Whether it is maneuvering a ship, firing a cannon, shooting a gun or killing people, they are all good at it. Among the predators, they are the most capable fighting race. They are infinitely better than the so-called fighting race that the Cathays boast about. .

There were two Elo people who boarded the Ten Thousand Years Eagle and handed over to Earl Black Moon. They both had the same fierce appearance and temperament as red-skinned hungry ghosts, but they behaved quite politely.

"This is the cargo this time." The count led the two people to the cargo hold: "You can unpack and inspect it now."

"Your reputation has already spread throughout the galaxy, so we don't need to do anything unnecessary." An Eero man said with a smile: "Before we came, the transaction money had already been transferred to the bearer account of Libra Bank that you designated."

"The transaction was successful!" Earl Black Moon nodded.

"Yes, it's very pleasant to cooperate." Another Elo man also said.

Even on the road, there are rarely such clean transactions! Captain Hanford, who was eating melon on the side, looked a little emotional, thinking that if all transactions in the universe were so straightforward, the world would be much clearer.

At this time, the Eero man said again: "In addition, we discovered an imperial cruiser on the way here."

Earl Black Moon quickly suppressed the surprise in his heart and nodded noncommittally.

"The other party did not detect us! But we can be sure that it is a newly launched Clear Sky class, and it has enhanced detection equipment. It should be the V-type deep space probe that the empire has just developed."

The eager Captain Hanford wanted to ask the Eero people how they could determine the other party's ship type and the latest equipment on it, but this should be the predator's trade secrets, so in the end he refrained from saying anything.

"The direction of its jump is unknown, but..." The other party did not say it clearly, but the meaning was very clear. There were only the Community and the Empire's sphere of influence on both sides of the Far Shore Nebula.

"This is equivalent to giving you a head start." The Erro man, who was as fierce as a hungry ghost, squeezed out a businessman-like smile on his face: "For us, what can be better than the far shore?" Where is a better place to trade in Nebula? I really hope the status quo can be maintained here."

After the transaction was completed, Earl Black Moon bid farewell to the Marauders, and also bid farewell to Captain Hanford of the Ten Thousand Years Eagle. But before leaving, she borrowed the terminal on the ship and sent a message to the deep space exploration station in the Luna system.

Mr. Captain did not stop him during the whole process, but asked afterward: "After this order is completed, can I convey the news here to the alliance government or the Guerrilla Association?"

Captain Hanford also had status as an informant for Alliance intelligence, but that was no surprise.

Because this information was given to Earl Black Moon by the Erro people, he knew how to ask about it. He is really a fastidious person!

"The empire has received new special equipment and is conducting secret exploration of the Far Coast Nebula. This can be said. As for the deal between me and the Eero people, it does not exist."

The captain nodded. Although he is a smuggler, he is also a good man who respects morality, rules, reputation, and loyalty. Otherwise, he would not have such a famous name.

The above is the transaction process of Earl Black Moon. Except for the inexplicable fight with the unknown monster I encountered at the beginning, everything went very smoothly.

Of course, this is the story of the legendary thief Earl Black Moon. What does it have to do with the Community Navy Lieutenant, Miss Fina C. Li?

She just fulfilled the duties of a military reporter and a non-staff intelligence agent, and conveyed the intelligence she obtained to the Central Special Correspondent Captain Yu Lian.

"That is to say, an imperial warship appeared in the nebula on the far shore?" Central Commissioner Yu Lian nodded thoughtfully and touched his pocket. He didn't find a lollipop, so he had to stuff another beloved old knife. Feifei grabbed it and crushed it into pieces.

"Yu'er, you don't seem strange at all."

What I'm waiting for is the empire's ship, but it's really hard to say this kind of thing. Yu Lian thought.

"...I was just thinking that there is a smuggling channel in the Far Shore Nebula. This is not a secret. This kind of unstable gravity well cannot be passed by behemoths like battle cruisers, but cruisers can still get in and have fun. . It’s not surprising that the Empire’s warships appear. If there is really a path for the fleet to pass, maybe we can give the community a surprise attack!"

Feifei frowned.

"The Empire has nothing else to say except that they have a lot of dogs! They have indeed mastered new detection technology, but the Far Coast Nebula is still one of the most dangerous areas in the galaxy. In this case, why not let the Bakvi Birdmen Go and not let the Jehta and Tann people go? How can the glorious and noble Imperial Royal Navy do such an inelegant thing as going to Lei. But now, the Imperial warship has actually appeared in person, which is unreasonable."

Feifei nodded: "What do the fish think?"

"...Anyway, there must be something fishy about this matter!"

What a pity. One of the saddest things in the world is that only she knows about the jokes. Feifei didn't get Yu Lian's sense of humor at all. She still said worriedly: "I have sent this information to the Far Coast Command. I hope They can take it seriously.”

The far-shore defense fleet has always paid great attention to the disturbances on the opposite side, but there is no good way to deal with this situation. After all, one can only commit a thief in a thousand days, and there is no reason to guard against a thief in a thousand days.

What's more, this time, the imperial cruiser should have come for another purpose.

Well, it's a pity that there are no details and coat of arms of that ship, otherwise it would be completely certain.

"In short, don't worry about her for the time being!" Yu Lianda said.

"Oh?" Feifei said in a long voice, looking directly at Yu Lian, staring at the latter and starting to blink.

"I heard that Senior Sister Eleanor's fleet has been reorganized!"

"It has nothing to do with it. Besides, that's not my senior's fleet, it's the community's new Thirteenth Fleet, which is called the New World Cruise Strike Fleet. The current fleet commander is Commodore Marklov, a very powerful old man." Yu Even a shrug.

"I also heard that they are planning to conduct formation training in a nearby star area for a period of time."

"It doesn't matter." Yu Lian continued to shrug. Those of you who work in intelligence are really well informed.

"I even heard that they are also preparing to conduct a practical exercise with the far-shore defense fleet."

"What does the matter of the naval fleet have to do with me, a Central Commissioner with unclear powers and responsibilities?"

"In addition, when I came here just now, I visited the Western Hemisphere Suppression Headquarters. They seemed to be preparing to trap the enemy to death."

"It is also a good choice to form a stronghold and fight stupidly. At least it shows that the commander has a clear mind and is self-aware!"

"So, what do we do now?"

"You don't have to do anything! Uh... In other words, just do your job with peace of mind. Feifei can make big news about Hongfeng Factory, and I... Hongfeng Factory is also a military industry, and I am here too. That’s where the responsibility lies.”

Since Yu Lian had such an attitude, Feifei didn't say anything anymore. She just extended her white jade finger and tapped Yu Lian's forehead: "I brought some ingredients from the warehouse of the testing station. I'll cook tomorrow. …”

She was just about to leave when she suddenly seemed to have just remembered something. She turned around and smiled lightly at Yu Lian: "There is something else I forgot to mention, and it's not too important. Yu'er, I'm awake too!" "