Episode 12: New System / Refusal of Demand

Reservation surrender appears to have been delayed by one day.

Today, we will shift the schedule and post two episodes.

The *Mandible* and *Gold Rush* targeted regions with weak SU vessel patrols, attacking cargo transport ships one after another.

With two ships, they could gather ten cocoons. Considering the *Mandible* alone could only manage two, this was a fivefold increase in profit—over two and a half times the amount even if profits were split evenly.

Of course, *Gold Rush* could not claim half the proceeds from cocoon sales. They owed Dawson a debt.

For debt repayment, Dawson collected all sales revenue once.

Still, after each mission, Dawson provided enough funds for the *Gold Rush* crew to indulge in lavish meals and shopping.

Gold Rush was a typical, run-down pirate crew. Having endured hardship for so long, once they finally gained substantial funds, it was inevitable they would squander it recklessly.

Why did Dawson, despite this, reduce the amount he collected in debts and still hand out money generously to Gold Rush?

Because the more extravagantly Gold Rush spent, the more clearly other desperate pirate crews would notice the wealth of the *Mandible* and Gold Rush.

Simply put, the money paid to Gold Rush was bait to attract pirates eager to work for Dawson.

"——That is how five pirate ships gathered. All of them transporters, poorly armed."

One mineral prospecting vessel of the same class as the Gold Rush. Three nearly unmodified small cargo ships. One mid-sized cargo ship, half-destroyed. Quite the collection of liabilities, wouldn’t you say?

Equip the prospecting vessel and the small cargo ships with energy fill units. The problem is the damaged mid-sized cargo ship. It took a steel shell from a mercenary weapon—most of the cargo hold was blown away. Repairing it will require substantial funds.

Is that so? On the contrary, the fact that only the cargo hold was destroyed might actually make repairs cheaper?

Cheaper repairs… Yes, if the only goal is collecting cocoons, there’s no need to restore it to original specifications. Just open the hull and pack in the cocoons. That’s all that matters.

Cocoons are hard containers that protect their contents. Handling them roughly does not damage what is inside.

Oine’s proposed modification was a belly-opening storage bay resembling two excavator buckets joined together. The opening walls featured clamps to hold cocoons and auxiliary bowls to collect them.

"At this design, the ship can carry thirty cocoons."

"With this, combined with the new recruits and the vessels *Mandible* and *Gold Rush*, we can collect approximately one hundred cocoons."

"One hundred? That might be gathering too many."

"Too many? At this quantity, Hamaono Onna could purchase them all."

"The concern isn't that. What I'm worried about—well, it's inevitable anyway. Worrying about it is pointless."

The nature of Dawson’s concern became clear on the fifth raid, when they attacked a cargo transport vessel for the seventh time.

The ability to seize one hundred cocoons at once significantly increased Dawson’s faction’s revenue.

After just four raids, nearly all pirate ships, including the Gold Rush, had repaid their debts to Dawson.

The medium transport ship, an exception to this repayment, remained unpaid—due to Oine’s successful proposal that the ship’s refitting had required excessive costs, which led to a debt far exceeding actual expenses—but was projected to be fully repaid after two more raids.

Success this consistent led pirates to become overconfident.

Despite repeated warnings about time constraints, some ships leisurely conduct cocoon recovery, or use ship-to-ship communications while lying in ambush.

The moment Dawson detects such complacent behavior, he activates sanctions.

For example, a ship slow to recover cocoons is hacked by Oine, who takes control and continues the operation while reducing the cabin air to a concentration near suffocation. A ship making unnecessary communications during an ambush has the Vespera launch a cannon volley directly at its bow. A complaint follows: “If you repeat this, I will kill you without hesitation.”

Such methods of enforcement provoke resistance. While they improve conditions in the short term, they are not effective in the long term.

Dawson is fully aware of this, but he considers prolonged engagement with these individuals unnecessary, so he adopts a strategy that discards long-term considerations.

Why does Dawson believe prolonged engagement is unnecessary?

One reason becomes clear during the fifth supply ship raid.

This fifth raid should have proceeded as the previous ones had.

The vessel named <> fires its Main Cannon, a destroyer-mounted Charged Particle Beam, at the supply ship as a warning. The supply ship complies with the demand, releases a cocoon, and flees. This sequence was expected.

At least Dawson and his cargo-hauling pirates believed it would proceed this way.

"This is privateer vessel . We demand you release one hundred cocoons. Comply, and we will allow passage. Refuse, and we will destroy you with fire. You have two minutes."

As the figure in the white-and-black mask delivered the warning to the cargo hauler, Dawson maintained visual contact with the physical monitor, keeping the weapon's aim fixed on the transport vessel.

The warning transmission was actually a recorded video played by Oine. Multiple video clips were prepared in advance, and Oine switched between them based on the hauler's response.

Dawson did not issue the warning directly because targeting from outside the transport vessel's perception required significant mental focus.

At this range, even a slight misalignment in targeting would send the attack far off course. Sustained focus was required at all times. Adding the task of warning the transport vessel or responding to its reaction left Dawson no margin for completing the sniper strike.

To avoid this contradiction, the roles were divided: Dawson focused on the shot, while Oine handled the communication.

This time, Oine transmitted a report to Dawson while maintaining contact with the hauler.

“Dawson. The crew’s reaction is different from before. They’re not hesitating about releasing the cocoon. They’re desperately trying to prolong negotiations.”

“This is it, then. Only one hundred of two million. No need to rush to die…”

Dawson’s expression flickered with irritation, then smoothed instantly. He suppressed the fluctuation. Emotional instability compromised precision. He steadied himself.

‘Dawson. Meaning of the signal—transport vessel thrust output increased! Transport vessel accelerating!’

‘…Oine. How many seconds remain until the deadline we set? Display the count on the monitor.’

‘Thirty seconds remaining. Displaying on monitor. Transport vessel increasing speed further. Evasive maneuvers ongoing!’

‘Thought you could outrun me by accelerating and randomizing evasion, knowing I’m long-range.’

Dawson assessed the situation with cold precision. He set the Charged Particle Beam convergence rate to maximum, then adjusted the control stick.

The crosshair on the monitor consistently drifted away from the accelerating transport vessel. Yet the deviation remained precisely aligned with a position ahead of the transport’s bow—exactly where a long-range deflection shot required for extreme-range targeting would strike.

“Oine. Begin countdown from ten. Transmit the negotiation breakdown footage to the transport vessel at three seconds.”

‘Understood. Countdown and footage preparation initiated. Remaining time—fifteen seconds…’

Oine lowered the countdown from ten, following instructions.

‘Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five… transmitting footage…’

The video Oine sent showed a white-masked pirate delivering a death sentence: “If you do not accept our demands, you will be sunk.”

‘—three, two, one, zero.’

At the instant Oine reached zero, Dawson fired.

The charged particle beam, fired at maximum compression, appeared as a white rod of identical diameter to the barrel, extending instantly toward the edge of space.

The tip of the extending rod pierced the bridge of the cargo transport vessel. It struck with precision, despite the vessel’s high-speed movement and random evasive maneuvers.

The superheated particles melted the bridge, incinerating all personnel inside, including the captain.

After the charged particle beam passed, the cargo transport vessel, now without a bridge, lost its operational core and activated safety protocols, beginning a gradual deceleration.

Dawson had executed a difficult shot with precision. His expression showed no joy. Only frustration over the work ahead.

Oine. Jump in sequence. Also send the standard message to the cargo crew—alert for large prey encounter.

—Short-range jump readiness confirmed. Message sent.

Good. Jumping!

Dawson moved, despite frustration over the unsatisfactory catch, fulfilling the necessary actions.