According to the projection, the Compact’s outer defenses would begin falling apart within a few days.
Once that happened, Sanctuary Ardent would cease to be an asset in Drann’s eyes and become a problem he could no longer ignore.
It held technology that could not be evacuated quickly enough, along with a massive civilian population that he would never want falling into enemy hands.
The system’s prediction was clear.
If the ambush failed, preparations to destroy the sanctuary would begin almost immediately.
Aurelian read the final section of the report twice before closing it.
If no one interfered, the lower halls of Sanctuary Ardent would be destroyed within nine days.
The system could not predict exactly how many people would die.
The lowest estimate was around forty thousand.
The highest was more than 300,000.
For several long moments, Aurelian remained where he was, staring at the dark display without moving.
He had expected the future to be dangerous, but seeing numbers like that made it feel much more real.
Finally, he opened another channel.
"Eirenne."
Her projection appeared almost immediately.
"You found something?"
"I think the Compact’s intelligence is missing an important piece," he said carefully. "Search for reinforcements moving toward Varensk from neighboring Kharov commands, especially fleets connected to commanders who suffered losses during our earlier raid."
Her expression became more focused.
"Do you have a reason to believe that?"
"The Compact’s plan looks too perfect. If it falls apart, I think it will be because of something happening outside the battlefield they’re watching."
Eirenne considered that for only a moment before nodding.
"I’ll begin immediately."
Aurelian gave her the name of the region he believed was most likely without mentioning Marshal Taran himself.
Instead, he explained it as a pattern he had noticed from captured Kharov command routes, logistics reports, and information gathered during earlier operations.
The explanation was believable.
Eirenne accepted it without asking more questions.
She immediately began searching through military traffic, supply records, and communication logs, comparing them against previous movement patterns to see if anything unusual appeared.
Three hours later, she found the first clue.
A convoy of military supply ships had quietly disappeared from public movement records inside territory controlled by Taran.
Several fuel depots had suddenly increased production even though no local fleet deployments had been reported.
At the same time, a communications station near Varensk had received an encrypted priority transmission that came from outside its normal command network.
None of those discoveries proved anything by themselves.
Together, however, they painted a very different picture.
By the following morning, Eirenne had gathered enough information to support the theory.
Not proof.
But enough to justify acting.
She presented her findings to Aurelian, Cassian, and the members of the restricted intelligence council.
"There is a high probability that another Kharov force is moving to reinforce Varensk," she reported. "I cannot determine the exact strength, but the supply patterns suggest several major fleets rather than a single task force."
Cassian studied the display.
"The Compact has not detected this?"
"I found no indication that they have."
Aurelian looked at the star map spreading across the table.
"Then the ambush becomes a trap for both sides."
Orvain’s projection appeared beside the display.
"Drann commits his hidden fleet to damage Varensk, and then these reinforcements arrive before he can withdraw."
"Exactly," Aurelian replied. "If that happens, the Compact loses most of the forces protecting Sanctuary Ardent."
One of the older officers finally asked the question everyone had been thinking.
"How long before the battle begins?"
Eirenne adjusted the map and displayed several estimated movement paths.
"Less than forty-eight hours."
Silence filled the room.
Everyone understood what that meant.
Cassian slowly turned toward Aurelian.
"The sanctuary cannot wait until after Virell’s Reach."
"No."
"You were right to send the warning."
Aurelian did not answer.
Being right was no longer what mattered.
His thoughts were on the people still waiting inside those sealed halls, completely unaware that time was running out.
Cassian expanded the map again and highlighted three different routes leading into Compact territory.
"We prepare the rescue force immediately," he said. "Once the ambush begins and their attention shifts toward the main battle, we move."
Aurelian leaned forward.
"Our objective is the sanctuary. We are not attacking Drann’s government."
"Agreed."
"The lower halls come first. Then the technical staff. After that, anyone else who wants to leave comes with us if we still have room."
Cassian nodded.
"And if Drann’s security forces resist?"
Aurelian’s expression remained calm.
"Then we remove them."
Nobody argued.
Everyone around the table already understood that the situation had changed.
Until now, the March had survived by staying ahead of its enemies. Confusion, deception, and carefully planned operations had kept larger powers focused on one another while Aurelian quietly expanded.
That stage of the campaign was ending.
Now, thousands of Human lives depended on whether they could move faster than everyone else.
Outside the Black Crown, Larkspur Haven continued operating as though it were another ordinary day.
Cargo vessels moved through the docks, engineering crews completed maintenance work, and transports arrived and departed on their normal schedules.
Only a handful of people knew another operation was already taking shape behind sealed command doors.
Repair crews finished the last inspections on ships returning from earlier missions.
Neris quietly began increasing transport capacity without asking why she suddenly needed so much extra space. She trusted that if Aurelian requested it, there was a good reason.
Solenne started recalling her most experienced scouting wings, one group at a time, making the movements look like routine rotations rather than emergency preparations.
Lysara disappeared into the archives at Helion Bastion Twelve, searching every surviving Directorate record connected to the Ardent Preservation Program.
Any forgotten blueprint, emergency access code, maintenance record, or evacuation procedure could become the difference between success and failure.
Elsewhere, Rhoswen sent Aurelian a message.
It contained only four words.
I can breathe carefully.
He looked at the message for several seconds before typing his reply.
You may need to.
The answer came back almost immediately.
Understood.
There was no joke this time.
No playful comment.
No attempt to lighten the mood.
That alone told Aurelian how seriously she was taking what lay ahead.
The Drael Compact believed it was preparing for the battle that would decide its future.
Varensk believed it was closing in on a rival that had finally begun to weaken.
Marshal Taran believed he was approaching the enemy who had humiliated him.
None of them realized the Crownward March was already watching all of them.
None of them knew that a small Human fleet was quietly preparing to slip through the confusion and reach a sanctuary hidden beneath the mountains before anyone else understood what was happening.
Deep inside Sanctuary Ardent, Vaela Renn and the others were still waiting for another message.
This time, when it arrived, Aurelian intended it to carry more than hope.
It would carry a plan.