Chapter 345: Taran’s Failure

By the time Aurelian reached the upper levels, the first group of damaged ships had already begun docking with Sanctuary Ardent.

Emergency repair crews moved toward them as soon as their clamps locked. Some of those crews came from Solenne’s fleet, while others were old sanctuary maintenance frames that had only just returned to service.

Eirenne directed them together, sending each team toward the damage it could repair fastest.

The western cargo halls were even busier.

Neris had opened two hidden transport routes beneath the old Compact checkpoints, allowing medical beds and supply carriers to move without crossing the crowded central corridor.

The change had removed the worst blockage, but thousands of people still waited inside the sanctuary.

Aurelian entered the main evacuation hall with Astra and Rhoswen beside him.

The place looked completely different from when they had first arrived.

Compact signs had been removed or covered. Their soldiers were gone, apart from prisoners being moved under guard.

Medical lights now ran across the ceiling, and rows of awakened civilians filled the open floor.

Some sat quietly under blankets. Others watched every armed figure that passed, still unsure whether the fighting had truly ended.

Children remained close to adults, while medical workers moved between them and checked names against the sanctuary records.

Vaela stood near one of the transport lines, speaking with a group of survivors.

She noticed Aurelian and finished giving instructions before walking over.

"The hidden routes helped," she said. "We can move more people now without bringing them through the old checkpoint."

"How many are left in the upper halls?"

"A little over nineteen thousand, including the cases that cannot be moved quickly."

Aurelian looked toward the lines of medical beds.

"And the unstable patients?"

"Most are improving now that we have full access to the preservation systems. There are still several hundred who need constant support."

Eirenne appeared beside him.

"I’ve assigned reserve medical units from the lower halls. They’re old, but most are functional."

Vaela gave the projection a tired look.

"You keep finding useful things beneath us."

"The Compact was not very thorough."

"They thought they were."

"That was their first mistake."

Rhoswen looked around the crowded hall.

"Where do you want us?"

Vaela pointed toward the northern loading bay.

"One of the transport lifts stopped responding. The workers think part of the track was damaged during the fighting."

Rhoswen smiled.

"A problem I can hit?"

"No."

Her smile faded.

"A problem I can lift?"

"Probably."

"That will do."

She headed toward the northern bay with a group of support frames following her.

Astra remained beside Aurelian.

"The prisoners are being moved away from the reactor," she said. "Yarric has requested to speak with you."

"About what?"

"He didn’t say."

Aurelian checked the time. The evacuation still needed more than two hours, and Solenne was using that period to repair shields, recover fighters, and reorganize the ships that had taken damage.

Taran’s fleet had pulled back but had not left the system.

The enemy marshal was waiting outside the sanctuary’s main weapons range with enough ships to threaten them again if he found an opening.

Aurelian could not ignore that.

"Where is Yarric?"

"Temporary holding room near the old command sector."

"Tell the guards I’ll speak with him shortly."

Vaela glanced between them.

"Do you think Taran will attack again?"

"Yes."

Her expression tightened, but she did not show fear.

"Before the evacuation ends?"

"That depends on what he still has available."

Eirenne opened a small tactical map in front of them.

"His fleet is damaged, but not badly enough to leave. Scouts have detected repair work around several ships, and he is gathering the two withdrawn formations into one group."

Aurelian studied the map.

Taran had failed to retake the sanctuary, but he had done the sensible thing once the battle turned against him.

He had pulled back before the losses became impossible to replace, kept most of his force together, and placed his damaged ships behind those that still had strong shields.

A less careful commander might have attacked again immediately out of anger.

Taran was not doing that.

He was waiting.

"Any sign of more Compact ships entering the system?" Aurelian asked.

"Nothing yet," Eirenne replied. "But long-range detection is poor near the outer debris belt."

"Keep Solenne informed."

"She already knows."

Aurelian turned toward Vaela.

"Continue the evacuation. Do not speed up the medical checks just because the enemy is still here."

"I won’t."

He left the cargo hall with Astra and took the shortest route toward the holding room.

The sanctuary’s corridors were no longer silent. Workers moved supplies, maintenance frames repaired doors, and security teams guarded the captured Compact sections. Even with the battle paused, there was no sense of peace.

Everyone knew the enemy fleet remained nearby.

Yarric was seated inside a plain room with his hands restrained to the table. Two guards stood near the door, while Commander Velik Sar and Captain Dresk were being held elsewhere.

Yarric looked tired, but not broken.

He raised his eyes when Aurelian entered.

"You took control of the sanctuary."

"I did."

"I assumed as much when the walls started firing at our ships."

Aurelian sat across from him.

"You asked to speak."

Yarric glanced at Astra before looking back at him.

"Taran won’t leave."

"I know."

"He’ll wait until your ships begin moving the last transports, then attack the route again."

"That’s what I would expect."

Yarric leaned back slightly.

"You don’t sound worried."

"I didn’t say I wasn’t."

For the first time, Yarric seemed to study him rather than simply watch him.

"The marshal has more patience than most of Drann’s officers," he said. "He won’t waste his fleet on the sanctuary batteries again, but he also can’t return without making another attempt."

"Why tell me this?"

"Because my soldiers are still aboard several of those ships."

Aurelian understood.

Yarric had surrendered the garrison, but the Compact fleet outside still included officers and crews who had served under him before Taran arrived. Some might even have family or close friends among the prisoners.

"You want me to spare them."

"I want you to offer them a way out before the next battle."

"They attacked civilian transports."

"Under Taran’s orders."

"They still obeyed."

Yarric’s jaw tightened.

"Yes."