The hivemind is conquering for me? Chapter 763: Step 8: Green Light

High above Lleon T1 in orbit, Serena gathered in her war room with the council, barking out commands relentlessly to various fronts of the conflict. The battle proved grueling, yet her brilliant tactics had erased the Drakoshi's edge that they'd enjoyed for days prior to her arrival.

The sole barrier to outright Spartari triumph right now remained the failure to annihilate their vessels. Accomplishing that meant seizing back the planet's biggest orbital armaments, something months off in her present schedule.

Right as she prepared to issue yet another directive, one of her servants burst out, "Commander Hyllus! News from the North—a sentinel has seized control of our troops and seeks your approval for a siege using his unique strategies."

"A Sentinel?" Serena queried, taken aback, before snatching the datapad from her servant's grasp. The presence of a Sentinel planetside offered a massive lift to the campaign, with just the word alone speeding up reinforcements twofold. This was fantastic intelligence.

Yet upon scanning the contents, her brows shot up in astonishment. "Lambdason? Nooo~ It can’t be?" Serena switched to a fresh datapad and delved into the Sentinel records. There he appeared, freshly listed.

A sharp twist of remorse hit Serena's gut. During a recent chat with her sister, she'd harshly scolded her elder sibling for getting duped by a swindler. She'd figured Apollo had wormed into the family solely for their status. Their wealth.

But reaching Sentinel status at merely eighteen? She'd been dead wrong. Though she'd never say sorry to her sister—lest she endure endless teasing—she vowed to make amends to the Sentinel at their first encounter for her harsh judgments.

Family squabbles aside, urgent business demanded focus now. Her gaze returned to the strategy laid out before her, eyes widening further with each line. Her adoptive nephew's scheme felt unconventional against Drakoshi these days, though swarm tactics lingered in that vein, typically defensive rather than aggressive.

Still, the deeper she delved, the clearer the logic shone. With his elite team disabling a Drakoshi Boomstick, munitions shortages in the area courtesy of her beloved grand-niece's work, plus the fallout from his legion's advance...

Serena had to concede: this blueprint was far more organized and insightful than she'd anticipated from a youth short on battlefield seasoning. She found herself truly admiring it.

Facing her servant, she passed back the datapad and declared, voice carrying across the chamber, "Grant Sentinel Apollo Hyllus-Lambdason clearance for his siege."

She pivoted to the planetary map and dove straight into plotting the next Phalanx strike zone.

...

Perched on an elevated hillock outside, I rested one boot atop a strategic boulder while overlooking the Phalanx encampment. Spirits soared among the soldiers in view. I'd instructed my officers to circulate that the Sentinel would spearhead the opening assault.

From my vantage, whispers and tales about me already rippled through the ranks. Such as claims my armor stemmed from the hide of some exotic beast I'd personally vanquished.

Perfect—that ensured my gear sparked no more doubts.

Rumors also swirled that my praetorian's presence stemmed from my abilities mirroring the military king's, requiring restraint should rage overtake me. Not my favorite yarn, but the thrill in the Phalanx tellers' tones thrilled me. Moreover, having a Praetorian nearby skyrocketed morale, so I silenced none of it.

I did summon Cassian once to dial back the 'healing ascension' tales from his knights. Spartari held no faith in gods, yet their chatter painted me as some divine herald, which grated on me.

Cassian consented, though he chided my humility and urged broadcasting my array of odd powers to the ranks.

That I welcomed, but until I unraveled Nerissa’s blessing's glitch—now even impacting my Origin—I preferred silence on it. Come downtime, I'd examine myself thoroughly, but presently, I awaited high command's go-ahead before unleashing the war orders.

At the moment, I scanned the expansive plain stretching out ahead. The Drakoshi fortress remained standing, of course. Yet I grinned at the absence of that massive weapon atop it. I'd gambled big, faced several obstacles, and endured too many gut shots for comfort, but I'd finished the job. Thanks to my efforts, numerous Phalanx soldiers would live through the day instead of meeting their doom.

That realization stirred strange emotions within me. Sure, I aimed to excel, to preserve as many lives as possible in this clash, yet deep down, I recognized that if my hive were present, I'd switch sides without hesitation and view every soul on this world as a foe.

Such a sensation felt truly bizarre. All the more so since this was my own biological kin.

Sensing my inner turmoil, Onyx sent waves of affection and reassurance via our bond before she responded.

"Don't fret over it, my universe. View yourself as a bio-cult infiltrator. Your role right now is to empathize with these lesser creatures, to desire their survival and prosperity. This mindset will persist for decades to come as Jewel honors her pact with you. Though she's misbehaving at present, I won't reveal why. Hehe~"

Onyx spoke true. These were my comrades for the time being. Plus, given our southern position, I suspected my darling wouldn't make an unexpected appearance. No need for mental contortions then. At present, I embodied Sentinel Apollo Lambdason, determined to safeguard every follower charging into combat during this war.

Still, I'd have to toughen up quickly, for war's harsh truths were familiar to me. Despite our edges over the Drakoshi, vast numbers would still fall in the fray.

'Particularly with the reinforcements summoned by the prior skirmish...'

Dawn's first rays broke, allowing the rest to spot our distant objective: a colossal fortress teeming with repulsive grey hides. Lesser souls might quail at the view, but around me, the Phalanx buzzed with eagerness and fervor for the impending conflict.

I couldn't fathom their source of bravery—likely their rigorous military conditioning—but if I lacked my current strength, I'd be terrified stiff.

I drew in a steadying breath. Fear didn't grip me, though. Confidence surged through me. I relied on my sharpened mind. All those training sessions with Jewel would prove their worth today. Especially since my forces finally wielded ranged firepower.

A grin spread across my features as thoughts of my lover's embrace warmed me, then Centurion Cockburn dashed up and snapped a salute.

"Sentinel! Command has approved our battle plan. You're cleared to initiate engagement at your word." His tone brimmed with near-joyous excitement.

I faced him, doffed my helmet, and fixed my purple eyes—ringed red around the irises—straight into his. He fought to hold the gaze before my wicked smile emerged.

"Excellent. Execute your orders, Cockburn. Lead half the command element south of the fortress and hold for our push before unleashing your troops. And ensure you pack plenty of mine sweeper drones for that woodland trek."

"Naturally, Sentinel Lambdason. Per your directive, we'll spare no resources today." Cockburn saluted once more, then hurried off. I observed him briefly before pivoting to Nerissa.

"Let's go. Time to rally the troops before battle commences."

Nerissa, her thoughts still churning from events mere hours past, instinctively saluted—unnecessary for her friend— and fell in step while replying.

"Yes, my lord."