The Battle of the Singularity Hub Phase 1: The Decoy Offensive

The Battle of the Singularity Hub With the Zarklon’s weakness exposed, King Xi convened a council of his most trusted advisors, including General Musk and the enigmatic King Putin, whose intuitive grasp of psychological warfare added a potent edge to their plans. The target was clear: the Singularity Hub, a massive, heavily defended station anchoring the Zarklon fleet’s coordination. Phase 1: The Decoy Offensive To divert Zarklon forces away from the Singularity Hub, a decoy fleet was deployed. Manned by unmanned AI vessels equipped with cloaking devices, these ships mimicked the energy signatures of a full-scale invasion force. As expected, the Zarklons scrambled their defenses to intercept what they believed to be a primary attack. The success of the entire operation hinged on the execution of the decoy offensive. General Musk personally oversaw the deployment of Phantom Fleet 12, a task force consisting of advanced AI-driven vessels equipped with cutting-edge cloaking and deception technology. These ships weren’t just dummies; they were programmed to fight convincingly while maintaining the illusion of being a primary human assault force. Preparation Weeks before the mission, Nero-Link analysts meticulously studied Zarklon tactics and communication patterns. Using data extracted from the captured Major, they crafted a series of false transmissions that hinted at an imminent large-scale invasion. These transmissions were carefully leaked through Starlink’s compromised relay nodes, ensuring the Zarklons intercepted them without suspecting a trap. To lend authenticity to the ruse, human spies staged minor skirmishes near Zarklon-controlled territories, leaving behind deliberately planted "evidence" of their larger fleet’s movements. This primed the Zarklons to believe they were about to face a decisive engagement. Deployment When the time came, Phantom Fleet 12 emerged from hyperspace along a calculated route designed to intersect with key Zarklon patrol lines. Each ship was equipped with quantum decoys, devices capable of mimicking the energy signatures of vastly larger vessels. To the Zarklon sensors, it appeared as though an armada of gargantuan proportions was advancing. The fleet maintained strict formation, mimicking the aggressive tactics humanity had used in earlier battles. Meanwhile, cloaked reconnaissance drones from the fleet monitored Zarklon reactions in real time, relaying critical updates back to General Musk. The Engagement As predicted, the Zarklons took the bait. Their regional commanders, eager to protect the Singularity Hub, mobilized multiple strike groups to intercept the perceived threat. The engagement unfolded in a chaotic ballet of light and destruction. AI Combat Tactics: The Phantom Fleet’s AI systems were programmed with adaptive combat algorithms, ensuring they engaged in dynamic and unpredictable maneuvers. Some ships employed hit-and-run tactics, while others charged directly into the enemy, drawing fire away from the hub. Decoy Payloads: When destroyed, each ship released an electromagnetic pulse that simulated the energy signature of an exploding human core reactor. This reinforced the illusion that the fleet was manned by humans rather than unmanned AI craft. Psychological Warfare: Embedded within the fleet’s signals were taunting broadcasts, using distorted human voices and holographic projections of famous military figures to demoralize the Zarklons and distract them from their true objective. The Zarklon Response The Zarklon commanders, recognizing the threat as genuine, committed the majority of their regional forces to the engagement. Their warships, sleek and bristling with energy weapons, poured into the battlefield in wave after wave. Yet for every Phantom Fleet vessel destroyed, another appeared to take its place, sustaining the illusion of an unyielding human offensive. This prolonged the engagement far beyond the Zarklons’ initial expectations. The sheer scale and persistence of the decoy fleet convinced the Zarklons that they had successfully identified and engaged the primary threat, leaving the Singularity Hub lightly defended. Outcome of Phase 1 After six hours of relentless combat, General Musk ordered the Phantom Fleet to begin its withdrawal, simulating a tactical retreat to lure even more Zarklon ships away from the hub. By this point, over 80% of the Zarklon fleet in the sector had been drawn into the decoy engagement, leaving their critical defenses at the Singularity Hub severely weakened. The decoy offensive was an unequivocal success. As the Phantom Fleet vanished into hyperspace, the Zarklons celebrated what they believed was a major victory, completely unaware of the stealth armada closing in on their command hub.