Original A/N: "You know... It's actually kind of hard keeping these below 1000 words.
Bonus points if you know where I totally did not rip this scene off from."

Planet Tianxia, Tianshang Outer Port -First Pass Above Heaven-
Battleship Zheng Yuan, Second Bridge

Battleship Zheng Yuan warped into a debris-spilled battleground, a stone's throw away from the planet's asteroid belt. Lasers and missiles streamed across space and exploded with great ferocity. A small PACT fleet comprised of a few cruisers and destroyers had warped into the seemingly undefended space of Tianxia intent on taking it over.

Hongxi: "Seems like the battle has already started huh? Hail First Pass Above Heaven, get them on the line."

Yayoi: "Yes captain. Hailing First Pass Above Heaven."

There was a brief moment of static before the comm-channel opened, showing a very weary commander Jiguang Qi.

Jiguang: "Admi- I mean Captain Hongxi. It is good you are here, a small PACT fleet has warped in and is assaulting this station. We have but gunboats to hold them off. The Council of the Three Elders have not given permission to activate our-"

Hongxi: "I understand commander. Is Great Harmony ready?"

Jiguang: "Yes sir, Great Harmony has been retrofitted and lies in slumber deep inside the Stone Sentinel Maze."

Hongxi: "Delay the enemy for 30 more minutes while I transfer over to Great Harmony. The Zheng Yuan shall assist you in the defensive effort, that is all commander. Cutting transmissions."

Qi Jiguang's face disappeared from view as communications were cut. Hongxi made his way off the bridge followed by Yayoi and Yi-Sun. The door hissed open to reveal his replacement, the cadet from the other day. Upon seeing him, the startled replacement saluted.

Cadet: "S-Sir?!"

Hongxi: "Now you'll know what it's like to be a captain. Take care of her."

Hongxi patted him on the shoulder and moved on, leaving the cadet to his fate. Outside, a shuttle sped out the private hanger and blasted towards the planetary asteroid field. The Machiavelli-class Battleship then pulled away and sped toward First Pass Above Heaven to join the fight.

Tianxia's planetary ring was unique in a few ways. One of them all being that it was mostly artificial, another being that many of these chunks of rocks were bigger than what was expected. It had a story buried deep behind 'missing planets' as reported by Alliance surveyors when they first entered the system and 'missing moons' that the Mining Union had initially intended to secure contracts for but could not find. While it was mostly passed off as an error on the reporter's behalf, there was a certain truth behind them. A truth that will not be revealed until it's too late.

Battleship Zheng Yuan, Second Bridge

Bridge Crew #1: "Captain, incoming torpedoes and missiles!"

Cadet: "Fire flak, take them out!"

Bridge Crew #1: "We can't keep this up captain, there's too many of them! First Pass Above Heaven isn't looking so well either!"

Cadet: "Ahh, why did captain suddenly have to leave? And why did he pick me of all people?! I was not at all ready for this!"

Bridge Crew #2: "Captain! Unknown incoming transmission! It's… It's using a really old code!"

Cadet: "What? Patch it through!"

A female voice came through the comm links, however there were not any visuals.

Female Voice: "This is Battleship Yamato, please hold off the enemy for a few more minutes."

Bridge Crew #2: "Captain, an asteroid is breaking away from the Stone Sentinal Maze and heading right for Tianshang Port!"

A 2 kilometer long asteroid had indeed left orbit and was flying towards Tianshang Port, Tianxia's main space hub. It was a series of massive interconnected stations which included Tianshang Shipyards, Tianshang Hub, and the Academy where future officers are trained.

Just as Battleship Zhengyuan was about to bare it Saviors upon it, the asteroid started to crack. The entire topside of the asteroid ruptured and fell apart as a massive ship almost 2 kilometer long lifted itself away from the asteroid. A shockwave erupted from the ship, visible from the dust and debris, as its main engines powered up and propelled it forward with speed almost unnatural for a ship its size.

Cadet: "That… That is..!"

At that moment, all the Zebben bridge crew stood up from their seats in awe while staring at the monitors.

Bridge Crew #3: "The IWS Yamato!"

Battleship Yamato

Hongxi: "Sun-Sin, we will now fire the Macross Cannon. Target, PACT Fleet."

Sun-Sin: "It has not been tested yet sir."

Hongxi: "And?"

Sun-Sin: "... Yes, I think we can fire it."

Hongxi: "Then make it happen."

Sun-Sin: "I understand sir. Commander, prepare to fire the Macross Cannon."

Yayoi: "Order received, preparing to fire the Macross Cannon."

Hongxi: "Raise Macross Drive pressure, close emergency valves."

Yayoi: "I have the Engine. Raising Macross Drive pressure, closing emergency valves."

Hongxi: "Open Macross Cannon outlet."

Yayoi: "Opening outlet."

Sun-Sin: "Chamber pressure rising!"

Yayoi: "All energy to Macross Cannon, initiate forced induction.

Initiating."

Hongxi: "Prepare to fire. Release Macross Cannon safety."

Yayoi: "Releasing. Safety locks at zero. Pressure approaching firing point, releasing final safety."

Sun-Sin: "Yamato on incoming PACT Fleet and torpedo salvo trajectory."

Yayoi: "Lock onto that. Manual firing mode activate, contrast gauge at brightness 20. Target, PACT Fleet and torpedo salvo."

Sun-Sin: "Range, 900,000 kilometers."

Yayoi: "Energy at 100 percent, countdown to-"

Hongxi: "Wait."

Yayoi: "Energy at 120 percent!"

Sun-Sin: "Chamber limit!"

Hongxi: "5 seconds to firing! Brace for shock and flash."

Yayoi: "Five…
Four…
Three…
Two…
One…
Macross Cannon, hashya!"

There was a silent, bright flash as a wide red beam blasted out from the nose of the ship. The blast incinerated the incoming torpedoes and caught the enemy in its center. Armor and plating tore away from the pure shock of the blast, ripping the ships apart and engulfing them in a fiery inferno.

While this event seemed insignificant in the course of the war, already the eyes and ears of PACT and Alliance was reporting this to their masters. What was this ship? Where did it come from? And what else was Tianxia, the Alliance's outermost member, hiding from the core worlds?