Chapter Thirty-Eight: Fusion Black Hole Weapon

When the team under Yanan, Director of the Quartpa Space Administration and Chief Intelligence Officer during wartime, gathered information that the Tal and Celt civilizations had formally allied and were conspiring to unite their forces to attack the homeland of Quartpa, the Planetary Chief of Quartpa, Aibot, summoned Military Director Sade to discuss countermeasures.

Planetary Chief Aibot said, “Quartpa is facing an unprecedented crisis. The main fleet of the Tal-Celt Allied Forces, abandoning their protection of Earth, has already departed the Solar System and is advancing directly toward our planet. Their goal is to strike at the very heart of Quartpa. General Sade, what measures do you propose in response?”

Director Sade replied, “The best approach is to intercept the enemy beyond our borders and deliver a devastating blow, giving them no opportunity to threaten our homeland. Only by ensuring absolute security for our core can we guarantee the survival of our civilization.”

Chief Aibot asked, “If we engage them outside our borders and face the Celt army’s Black Strings, can you effectively resist them?”

Sade responded, “The Celts have intervened in the Quartpa War as disruptive third parties. They are more insidious than the Tal. I believe our conflict with the Tal can be resolved, but the crisis with the Celts is irreconcilable. There are no ties between us and the Celts; their Queen's sole intent in allying with the Tal is to use the Tal army’s might to annihilate us. Death approaches Quartpa, and the best moment to resist is to strike decisively, to put Death itself to rest.”

Aibot said, “Please elaborate on the specific measures for stopping the enemy beyond our borders and for annihilating them. In facing the Celts’ Black Strings, what weapons or tactics do we have at our disposal?”

Sade explained, “Due to the slower speed of the Tal-Celt combined fleet’s ships, it will take them a long time to reach us from the Solar System. Moreover, both enemy fleets must first return to their own worlds to resupply weapons and troops. We must make use of this precious window. While the enemy is still preparing, we can capitalize on our faster ships by dispatching operatives for a preemptive military strike. We will employ our black hole weapons to reduce the entire Celt world to ashes. Once word of this reaches the Tal King’s ears, he will surely order his troops to surrender. We can then force the Tal King to uphold the previous Quartpa-Tal Accord, even adding stricter clauses that will bind the Tal civilization for the long term in our favor.”

Aibot bowed his head in silence for a while, then raised it to say, “To wipe out an entire race of intelligent beings runs counter to our faith and would tarnish the respect we have earned from other civilizations in the interstellar society.”

Sade replied, “To maintain the respect of the wider interstellar community and to ensure the security of Quartpa, we must eliminate such evil species as the Celts. They have launched an unprovoked military action against us merely to obtain two gas giants in the Solar System from the Tal. If we fall, other weaker civilizations in the galaxy will surely face their invasion next. We Quartpans are indeed noble and devout, but we cannot allow our faith or our morality to destroy our future. According to the intelligence we currently possess, the Tal-Celt Allied Forces will arrive at the moment of your rebirth as Chief. Their timing is no coincidence—they mean to strike us fatally during the power transition. Now, the true nature of the Tal King stands revealed. He has always claimed his actions are dictated by his faith, the heart of which is to protect Earth and its people. Yet now, he abandons both. Protecting Earth was never truly his purpose. Chief, you must think carefully.”

Sade’s words struck Aibot deeply, especially as the impending invasion would coincide with his rebirth. The Chief could hesitate no longer; he did not wish to become an obstacle to Quartpa’s salvation or have his name forever marked by disgrace.

Aibot said, “I now grant you expanded authority. All means and measures for the assault on the Celt world require no further review or approval from me. When in the field, command is absolute; military orders are to be executed without exception…”

Not long after, Kanton, who had recently carried out a covert operation on Tal, was once again summoned to Sade’s military office.

Sade said, “I wish to rely on your wit and courage once more, to undertake an even greater military mission.”

Kanton replied, “Thank you for your trust. I hope you will grant me more opportunities to serve the Quartpa civilization…”

—

Supreme Military Director Sade called together a physics consultant and two officers to deliberate on military operations, covering a broad range of scenarios, including contingencies for the failure of the mission. Quartpa’s forces possessed a “trinity” of black strike capabilities, and the three key figures focused their discussion on the precise methods and measures for deploying black hole weapons against the Celt world.

One officer said, “Using a natural black hole could be intercepted by Celt forces, or even provoke a preemptive strike against us. Harvesting a black hole in the wilds of space is extraordinarily complex, a colossal engineering challenge, and would take too long, making it easy for the enemy to detect. Should their intelligence service catch wind of it, the consequences would be dire.”

Another officer said, “I believe the use of fission-type—those that alter the orientation of matter’s gravitons, instantaneously converting attraction into repulsion and transforming immense mass into energy that radiates outward at light speed—black hole weapons is most fitting. Such a weapon requires only a single well-trained operative to deploy, and the explosion of a fission black hole would deter all hostile powers that threaten Quartpa.”

Sade countered, “The Celt planet is massive. A fission black hole detonation would create an enormous energy wave, impacting many nearby worlds inhabited by intelligent life. The resultant interstellar backlash could be immense, potentially attracting unnecessary trouble.”

The physics consultant advised, “To avoid affecting other civilizations in the outer regions of the Celt system, I recommend using a fusion-type black hole weapon. This device accelerates the gravitons of matter so that, for example, even a peanut collapses into an entity smaller than a neutrino, while retaining its mass and gravity. The entire Celt world would become a neutron star in an instant, causing only the most minimal physical disturbance beyond its system.”

Following a confidential consultation and assessment, the group reached consensus. The military director adopted the consultant’s recommendation: a fusion black bullet would be deployed against the Celt world.

Meanwhile, the Tal-Celt Allied Forces, traveling faster-than-light from the Solar System toward Quartpa, left little time for their enemies to prepare.

Kanton underwent intense, targeted training, as Sade recognized the necessity of destroying the Celt world before the Allied Forces arrived, thus eradicating Quartpa’s greatest threat and compelling the Tal King to surrender.

In Quartpa society, both ordinary citizens and elite circles were riveted by two great events: the ongoing Quartpa-Tal War, and the imminent rebirth of the Chief.

Sade visited the Chief’s aerial palace to report on enemy movements.

Sade said, “My preemptive plan is being readied for execution. According to Director Yanan’s intelligence, the Celt world is currently quiet—no signs of reinforcements, no large-scale activation of homeland defenses. At least for now, the Celt authorities do not suspect that our civilization is preparing to strike. Rest assured, Chief, we will not allow the Tal-Celt Allied Forces to threaten our homeland.”

Although Aibot had promised that all measures to destroy the Celt world need not be submitted for review, he still required Sade to outline the tactical details.

Sade explained, “This operation resembles our previous assault on Tal. No regular army is needed—just one trained operative. To avoid detection by Celt intelligence, we will not use a natural black hole. To spare other civilizations, we will not use a fission black hole. The fusion-type is best. I intend to present you with the destruction of the Celt world and the Tal King’s surrender as gifts for your impending rebirth.”

Yet as Chief, Aibot remained cautious. Sade’s strategy was based solely on wishful thinking, and his experience warned him not to underestimate the crisis. He demanded that Sade and Yanan develop contingency plans for any possible mission failure.

—

Sade replied, “As you command.”

Let us now consider the situation of the Tal-Celt Allied Forces:

The direct distance from the Solar System to Quartpa is about 37,000 light-years, a route complicated by countless black holes. Victorious in two battles near the Solar System, the Allied Forces had been emboldened by the power of the Black Strings. Their fleets, single-minded in their pursuit of victory, were now racing back to their own worlds to resupply weapons and troops before launching a direct assault on Quartpa. Although their ships could travel faster than light, they were still slower than Quartpa’s vessels and would need considerable time to reach a position to attack. Sade seized this precious opportunity to reinforce training and preparations, and to set his plan for a covert strike on the Celt world in motion.

Meanwhile, Tal’s military commander, Mr. E, arrived in the King’s underground palace to report on the war.

Commander E stated, “No new anomalies have arisen. Events proceed as we anticipated. I am fully prepared to resupply the returning Allied Fleet—several of our largest ships were destroyed by Quartpa in previous engagements—and to provide them with auxiliary fleets. All equipment is ready.”

The Tal King asked, “Has Quartpa shown any reaction or made any changes as we advance?”

Commander E replied, “We have acquired particularly valuable intelligence: according to the private physician of the Quartpa Chief, the Chief’s rebirth coincides with the solar corona event on their home world. According to our astronomers, the solar corona will occur just as our Allied Fleet reaches attack range. If we assault then, they will likely be in the midst of a power transition, which greatly favors us. As for the homeland, our sources report no unusual activity; at least for now, Quartpa is unaware that our Allied Forces approach.”

The Tal King said, “I have some concerns. If Quartpa redeploys forces from the homeland toward our Allied Fleet, and recalls the remnants near the Solar System, we could be caught in a pincer movement.”

Commander E replied, “Quartpa, cowed by the Black Strings, no longer dares to confront us directly.”

The King, half-convinced yet unable to muster a counterargument, half-closed his eyes and said, “Although our home world has suffered a Quartpa commando raid and despite the Celt Queen’s recent departure, we must remain vigilant. Quartpa’s special operatives could strike at any time. Do not withdraw the patrols above the planet or at the system’s edge—stay alert for Quartpa infiltration…”