Mob No.140: [Well… if you absolutely insist on staying in the Nekirelma Star Kingdom, I’ll send you back properly—so just behave yourself for a little while.]
That was close.
When the Platinum Owl got on my tail, I panicked and messed up the direction of my attitude-control thrusters while trying to shake them off.
But luckily, that mistake ended up saving me—it threw off their attack just enough for me to evade.
I quickly regained control, counterattacked, and narrowly escaped death.
The Platinum Owl pilot must’ve been caught off guard by my unexpected maneuver.
Shortly after, the Nekirelma forces fully retreated, and the Neot Sector battle ended in victory for the Imperial Army.
According to intel, the Nekirelma military suffered so many deserters and defectors that their enforcement squads had to mobilize. The wreckage of countless combat craft littered the enemy fleet’s retreat path, backing up those reports.
After finishing patrols, I returned to the carrier, where the crew was already celebrating our victory—
a scene repeated across every unit that fought in the Neot Sector.
The talk of the party? Lambert, who took down Nekirelma’s top ace—Sharrla Atvère, pilot of that white-and-gold-winged commander’s craft emblazoned with a phoenix crest. They say she single-handedly wiped out an entire fleet, annihilated 20 planetary fortresses, and even destroyed an artificial celestial mobile fortress.
I hadn’t seen her during recon, but to think they had a captain that incredible.
The Owl I fought was terrifying, but someone even stronger? And yet, they’d still be no match for Rosweisse… Hard to wrap my head around.
Also—since when did Nekirelma have an artificial celestial fortress?
I don’t remember Gonzalez’s intel mentioning one.
Mid-celebration, news arrived: Nekirelma had lost in other sectors too.
The Imperial government expected them to sue for peace or surrender, but instead, they pulled all remaining forces back to their capital planet, Nekirelma.
Every other inhabited planet was left defenseless—abandoned, just like Planet Teura in Count Ikorai’s domain.
Recon teams sent to investigate reported no defensive fleets, no fortress colonies, no planetary security, and no food or fuel stockpiles.
The people there were lifeless, their faces blank with resignation.
Upon hearing this, His Grace the Duke remarked: [“Reminds me of Imperial citizens under my grandfather and father’s rule when I was a child.”]
Given the state of things, it’s possible Nekirelma had been preparing for this since before the war—maybe even longer.
Three days after the Neot Sector battle
We were en route to the capital planet, Nekirelma.
A direct gate would’ve been faster, but potential traps made it unusable, so we took the long way.
Meanwhile, Her Majesty the Empress ordered aid for the abandoned planets—both as proof of Imperial control and as humanitarian support.
Some called it naive, but the decision stood, with search ops for hidden enemy elements running concurrently.
A siege of the capital was proposed, but the military’s caution (suspecting a carefully planned trap) clashed with nobles eyeing post-invasion land grabs.
Before a consensus was reached, a group of nobles recklessly attacked Nekirelma.
Then—a blinding band of light fired from the capital’s satellite orbit.
It vaporized the noble fleet in an instant, continued unchecked, and struck Planet Itotakia (formerly Nekirelman territory), wiping out its remaining inhabitants and the recon teams sent to investigate.
With that, the war’s “easy victory” mood shattered, replaced by tension thick enough to taste defeat.
[Side: Jack Tridal]
“Damn it…”
After ejecting, I was met not by rescuers—but by an enforcement squad.
[“We are Unit 481. You are Captain Jack Tridal of the 156th Combat Wing—‘Golden Wings.’ Your ejection pod’s ID confirms it. No use denying it.”]
“Yeah. That’s me.”
[“You are to be executed for desertion under fire.”]
Their tone was cold, procedural.
“Calling an ejecting pilot a deserter? That’s the ‘useless daddy’s’ doing, huh?”
Probably not their only order, but definitely one of them.
As I braced for the end, they asked something bizarre:
[“Are you wearing your suit and helmet right now?”]
“Yeah. Why?”]
[“Good. Then enjoy your spacewalk.”]
On the surface, it meant “die floating in the void.” But something felt off.
[“10… 9… 8… 7…”]
The countdown sealed my hunch. I popped the hatch.
[“6… 5… 4… 3…”]
I stood, firing my suit’s boosters at full thrust to flee the pod.
[“2… 1… 0! FIRE!”]
Beams lanced from their mechs, obliterating the pod.
The blast sent me spinning into the black.
As I tumbled, I pieced it together:
Enforcement squads don’t count down executions—
it gives targets time to escape.
Which meant… they wanted me to run.
But why?
As I was thinking this, I was wondering if I was going to wander around the universe forever, when suddenly my body was pulled in a certain direction.
It was a human-sized tractor beam, and the one that was irradiating it was a stealthy, pitch-black transport ship.
As my body approached the transport, the hatch at the rear of the ship opened and waited to accommodate me.
It was like being swallowed by a whale.
Inside awaited a spacesuited figure.
[“Welcome to the Catchwhale. We’re not your enemies, so… no attacking or hijacking, ‘kay?”]
Their tinted visor hid their face, but their vibe was annoyingly cheerful.
But it doesn’t matter.
“What is this ship? And what’s your deal with that squad?”
I cut to the chase
[“That ‘enforcement squad’? They’re ours. This ship? Your ticket out of this shithole kingdom.”]
I’d expected evasion, but they answered flat-out.
[“That said, if you’re dead set on staying in Nekirelma, we’ll drop you back—just sit tight ‘til then.”]
No clue if they’re trustworthy, but this is my second chance.
Might as well see where it goes.
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