048 Idol Arc 24 Mid-Defense Battle 2
I'm late. Sorry.
We launched from the station and advanced into the P2-P1-M9 sector.
This is roughly the midpoint between the station and the asteroid belt, just before reaching the Dimensional Jump Gate.
Activating the targeting correction system. Linking with Ayame’s ship via the Tactical Weapon Integration Control System to share data.
Gravity anomalies are pronounced here—long-range shooting accuracy is looking grim.
The intensity of these gravity anomalies tends to increase the closer you get to the Dimensional Jump Gate.
The distribution of these anomalies is displayed across the entire virtual screen.
“Ayame, hold defensive position to my left front.”
“Understood.”
Ayame and I assume a forward defense stance, shields raised. I’m holding my shield in my right hand.
Enemy ships emerging through the Dimensional Jump Gate can't choose where they pop out on the gate's surface when they transition from hyperspace into normal space.
They form small groups and fleet formations immediately upon exiting the Dimensional Jump Gate.
So fleet composition and ship count can vary widely.
We're targeting the ones with fewer ships.
Enemy ships, too, have long-range shooting hampered by gravity anomalies.
So we can set up an ambush in open space with no visual obstructions.
We'll scout the enemy fleet's size via radar ahead of time, lock onto targets, coordinate with other allied fleets, and wait.
For now—just waiting in position.
Dimensional Jump Gate intrusion alert initiated.
Alert: intrusion detected in the Dimensional Jump Gate system. Enemy ships are breaching through.
Receive enemy ship data from radar. Too many allied vessels—hard to distinguish.
Remove friendly ships from display to avoid friendly fire.
The battlefield is still within the forward fleet’s territory, but they’ll be here any second.
I stare at the radar screen, touch the relatively smaller enemy fleet near us on the virtual display.
Claim exclusive right over it.
With my left hand, I slide the radar screen toward Ayame’s comms display.
“No objections from our side. Ayame, take that fleet.”
“Got it. They’re down to two ships after fighting the forward fleet.”
“Deploy fan-nel. Three against two. Fine. We’ve got this, just like the plan.”
“Yeah. That’s right!”
Ayame seems to have made up her mind.
Enemy ships are approaching.
Another ship is hiding behind the lead enemy vessel.
The lead ship is a cruiser class. It’ll be within beam cannon range any second now.
Unfortunately, my Personal Ship doesn’t have a beam cannon.
Still, at this range, I’ve got no choice but to fire the unwieldy railgun.
“Engage!“
At my signal, Ayame’s ship fires its beam cannon at the enemy cruiser.
I fire my railgun, too.
Beam fire comes back at us. We’re holding with shields and Beam-Resistant Coating.
“Good—railgun hit. Next round: Erosion Bullet! Fire!“
The Erosion Bullet pierces the enemy cruiser’s Stasis Field and strikes the hull.
The erosion spreads. The enemy cruiser stops moving.
A message appears on the holographic display in front of me.
『Erosion complete. Data link established. Hijack it?』
I grab the NO icon. The enemy cruiser’s identification signal turns yellow.
The Erosion Bullet has stripped the enemy cruiser of its freedom. All that’s left is to disarm it—seizure complete.
“Good. Pull the energy distributor’s location from the data link. Ayame, here it is.”
I send the data to Ayame’s holographic display. On her virtual screen, a target marker appears on the enemy cruiser.
“Ayame, watch out—enemy second ship! I’ll handle it.”
The second enemy vessel emerges, slicing past the cruiser from the right.
The enemy cruiser falls out of formation. Ayame’s ship closes in.
I scan the second enemy vessel with radar and optical sensors.
“Battleship!”
The vessel’s class is confirmed—battleship.
Even a battleship’s no different if you erode it. Just take its freedom before it gets a shot off.
I fire a barrage of Erosion Bullets at the enemy battleship. Direct hit!
The Erosion Bullets reach the enemy battleship’s hull, but the erosion is slow.
The enemy battleship fires a beam.
The beam strikes my Personal Ship’s shield and deflects backward.
Another beam comes.
The shield is blown off—right arm gone. Erosion’s still ongoing.
“Hurry, hurry! Fanrel! Launch missiles at the beam cannon!”
I direct Fanrel to target the enemy battleship’s beam cannon.
Missile hits. First turret blows apart.
But the second turret fires!
The beam grazes my Personal Ship’s starboard side.
The beam-resistant coating on the starboard hull fails in one hit.
Next one’ll be bad!
I launch two missiles from my Personal Ship as a distraction.
“Fanrel! Fire Erosion Bullets!”
Erosion Bullets fire from Fanrel, sucking into the enemy battleship’s bridge.
Ayame, having finished off the enemy cruiser’s energy distributor, comes in for support.
“Akira!!”
Ayame’s shout cuts through the air.
The enemy battleship’s second turret flares—beam cannon charging—then abruptly stops as the erosion completes.
A message flashes on the virtual screen before me.
‘Erosion complete. Data link initiated. Take control?’
I grab the NO icon. The enemy battleship’s identification signal turns yellow.
I try to trace the energy distributor’s location from the data link.
In that instant, the CIC lights snap red, alarms blaring.
‘Enemy battleship’s brain is being hacked. Countermeasure: hack back and seize control of their system.’
Got it. Admiral Command. Highest Priority Directive. Navecrack—absolute compliance!
Activated Navecrack due to emergency.
We're still in a dangerous sector where the fighting hasn't stopped yet.
No time to waste on the enemy battleship.
The enemy’s identification signal turns green.
We resume monitoring the direction of the Dimensional Jump Gate.
Navecrack can only be used by Akira himself and the Personal Ship, the flagship of the fleet.
Only Akira can authorize activation.
Corrected earlier mistake—wrote "Dimensional Transfer Gate" instead of "Dimensional Jump Gate." Second time now.
Tried to avoid error by checking past text—only to check the wrong version.
Utterly unavoidable rookie mistake. Sorry about that.