Revenge
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I was surprised when, after listening to what seemed like boastful explanations, I was told to take it back because it was in the way.
The executive director here is quite something.
He seems to be the type who shows no interest in the finished product.
However, being suddenly told to take it back is troublesome.
“You can just ride it back. Since it’s a spacecraft, you can fly it to the spaceport. If you want, I can have one of our young staff pilot it for you,” he said.
Since I can handle the piloting myself, I contacted spaceport control and arranged for the spacecraft’s landing.
In the end, I piloted the craft back to the spaceport with the executive director and a few young dock workers on board.
Kasumi and Kaori will probably be pulling an all-nighter today.
When I went to tell them I was returning to the spaceport, they were working intently in front of the problematic communication device with some unfamiliar people in white coats.
When they get like that, those guys can’t hear my voice.
The president barely reacted to me, so I just asked him to pass on the message and had the executive director accompany me to deliver the spacecraft.
At the spaceport, we landed next to the [Shunmin], and I went to call someone from Her Highness’s cruiser.
It was for the spacecraft’s acceptance procedure.
Margaret, Her Highness’s attendant, came over to sign the documents, completing the acceptance.
Margaret offered to provide a car, but the executive director and his group left by train.
The spacecraft was beautifully painted in red and white, just like the [Shunmin], making it obvious which organization it belonged to.
In other words, it’s quite eye-catching.
Originally, this color scheme belonged to the Coast Guard, but since it wasn’t used on any of their ships, it became the symbol colors for the Interstellar Criminal Police Organization Preparatory Office among certain groups.
From the next day, I called in Ice, the captain of the task force, to assist with training to familiarize ourselves with this spacecraft.
The task force is responsible for piloting this craft.
It took three days to teach Ice and the other key members how to pilot the spacecraft.
So, we departed from the spaceport one day behind schedule.
This time, it’s an investigation with the spacecraft on board.
Although it doesn’t have carrier-based aircraft, the fully equipped [Shunmin] should be able to demonstrate its capabilities to the fullest.
…Except for the crew’s proficiency, that is.
This armed spacecraft alone should be more than enough to handle the previous modified civilian ship space pirates.
Being small and maneuverable, it seems suitable for dividing up the investigation.
Learning from the previous experience, I navigated normally until we approached the asteroid belt. At the edge of the asteroids, I raised the ship’s alert level to combat-ready.
Even from here, we need to be prepared for nearly twenty minutes before entering combat, but that shouldn’t count as running away.
Moreover, I asked the spacecraft to investigate the area around the point where we previously encountered the enemy, with heightened caution.
We spent about an hour investigating this area, but found nothing.
After storing the spacecraft, we gradually entered the asteroid belt from the vicinity and began our investigation.
While being cautious of potential space pirates, we focused more on searching for possible routes within this asteroid belt.
At this point, visual searches seem more efficient than relying solely on radar.
We also have image recognition software, so we examine the captured image data using the ship’s onboard computer.
During the daytime hours of the Kingdom’s standard time, we maintain combat-ready status and investigate the surrounding area. At night, we retreat from the asteroid belt to an empty space, stop the ship, and spend the night there.
The reason for this is that normally, warships and spaceships operate on a 24-hour basis.
Since people can’t work without rest, shifts are rotated to maintain this system. However, we have a reason why we can’t do that.
We’d like to conduct a 24-hour investigation with watchkeepers, but if we encounter an enemy, the future looks bleak.
Previously, we were ambushed by an enemy and had to flee without being able to do anything.
This was possible due to our ship’s capabilities, but what would happen if the watchkeeper couldn’t respond so flexibly?
In the manual—although this ship doesn’t have such grand things as engagement rules yet—
We’d like to borrow from the military or Coast Guard, but both only stipulate waking up the captain and waiting for instructions in unexpected situations.
We’ve adopted the same rule for our ship, but can we really do it?
It seems likely to end in panic and confusion, but assuming we can, let’s continue the discussion. What I, as the captain, can do is immediately raise the ship’s alert level to combat status, but even that takes over an hour in the current situation.
They’re asking us to be beaten for over an hour in an ambush situation.
With this ship, we might be able to handle the previously encountered pirate ship converted from a merchant vessel, but there’s always a possibility of something worse.
If that’s the case, it’s absolutely safer to return to an empty space nearby and rest there.
Humans can’t live without rest.
In short, we decided on a policy to retreat to a safe place to rest when it’s time to sleep.
So far, this policy has been successful, and the investigation has been progressing without problems.
We’re now entering the third day of the investigation without any discoveries.
“Good morning, Captain.”
“Ah, good work on your watch. Sorry, but we’ll go straight into combat-ready status. If you need to sleep, feel free to use my room.”
“No, it’s fine. I only woke up three hours ago, so I’ll just take a break in the back.”
Kate, who had been on watch until morning on the third day, left the bridge after greeting me and headed to a nearby rest area.
I immediately changed the ship’s internal level from normal to combat-ready with the executive officer who had come to the bridge, and directed the ship to the designated point to continue yesterday’s investigation.
“Being the third day, we should find something today,”
said Ice, the task force captain, addressing me on the bridge.
“Indeed. We know there must be something around here since we’ve been attacked before, so it’s about time we found something,” I replied.
“Captain, you say that, but there’s nothing here,” Maria chimed in.
“Maria, you wouldn’t be bored even without combat, would you?”
“That’s not true. I just don’t like losing my free time. Let’s find the enemy quickly and go home.”
Maria was as free-spirited as ever.
The atmosphere on the bridge relaxed considerably due to her unexpectedly silly comment.
It’s often at times like these that incidents occur.
Well, it’s not really an incident as such, but Banya, who was on patrol in place of Kasumi, found something.
“Captain, artificial object detected. It’s moving, so I judge it to be a spacecraft.”
“Thank you, Banya. Executive Officer, let’s switch to battle stations and investigate.”
“Yes, Captain. Announcement to the ship. We are now changing the ship’s internal level from combat-ready to battle stations. Everyone to their posts immediately. I repeat, we are changing to battle stations. All personnel report to your posts immediately.”
“Captain Ice. This time we have an armed spacecraft, so let’s conduct a forced inspection.”
“Alright, I’ll prepare now. I’ll leave the timing of the spacecraft’s launch to your instructions.”
With that, Captain Ice hurried to the rear hangar.
An hour later, the target ship appears on the main monitor.
They’ve spotted us too and are firing their laser cannons at us while trying to escape, but their aim is so erratic that there’s no chance of hitting us.
This gives us plenty of room to maneuver.
“Weapons Officer. Can we disable them, or at least slow them down?”
“The laser cannon might lead to a repeat of last time, so let’s attack the main nozzle area with the side-mounted pulsar cannons.”
“Ah, right. Executive Officer, please bring us within range of the side pulsar cannons. Also, launch the spacecraft.”
Unlike the previous battle, we’re responding calmly this time.
What’s most commendable is that we’re not resorting to complete destruction without question.
Under Kate’s direction, the three pulsar cannons on the right side are firing in unison, with carefully aimed shots.
The defenses of a modified civilian ship are practically nonexistent against a warship.
These pirates only attack poorly armed ships like civilian vessels, which is why they’ve gotten away with it so far. But even the weakest combat ship, called a space destroyer, shows a clear difference in capability.
After just two volleys, the target’s movement noticeably slowed.
We immediately launched the armed spacecraft from the rear hatch to conduct a forced inspection.
As expected, the task force members are all professionals, unlike us.
We received a radio communication that the target was subdued just twenty minutes after the spacecraft attached to the target ship.
In this situation, there’s no hope for my heroic death.
So there’s no need for me to go over there myself.
It’s too troublesome.
“So, Executive Officer. Could you select some members and head to their bridge?”
“May I take about five people with me?”
“That’s fine, but no officers. And only up to two non-commissioned officers. Also, as you probably know, trainees are not allowed.”
“Understood.”
About an hour later, their ship was completely subdued.
Our only casualties were two task force members who were injured during the initial entry.
Moreover, I’ve been informed that both of them only suffered minor injuries.
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