Episode 83 Defense in the Corridor

Dawson destroys the abandoned SU Space Force vessel using the Main Cannon of the Sparrow Hawk.

Meanwhile, he reads the current battle status from surveillance camera footage in the Corridor of Chicken Ball.

Barriers constructed at various points along the Corridor.

Ida and the pirates are entrenched behind them, fighting the SU Space Force soldiers with Engineer Robots and cybernetic androids.

In Ida’s case, she has chosen barriers located where enemy forces tend to gather, and is holding them with her own weapons.

"Where Ida and the pirates have joined forces, resistance holds. But locations with only Engineer Robots and combat androids have been breached."

The switched feed shows the barricade, manned by Engineer Robots and combat androids, being breached by soldiers of the SU Space Force.

Personnel are limited. Critical facilities and direct access routes are assigned to Ida and the pirates. Routes without facilities or low priority are left to robots and androids.

The enemy appears to be avoiding strongholds commanded by Ida or the pirates, instead choosing longer but more easily breached corridors.

"Advance with a small, elite force along detours. Use large, low-trained groups to delay Ida and the pirates. Not a bad tactic."

"Dawson. You're speaking calmly, but isn't this a dangerous situation?"

"Not that dire a situation. The portion of the enemy force that has penetrated is less than one-twentieth of the corridors within Chicken Ball. No critical facilities have been lost. There is still time to observe."

"Using that time effectively, we'll disable their means of movement."

"They abandoned their vessels with full resolve to enter Chicken Ball. We must honor that resolve by ensuring the vessels remain unusable."

The fleet led by Sparrow Hawk precisely struck the vital systems of the SU Space Force vessels with cannon fire.

Within moments, all nearly one hundred enemy vessels had become non-navigable.

Dawson was about to shift to the next phase when a communication arrived.

‘Captain Dawson. H-how should I proceed!? It’s impossible to follow the manual now that the enemy has penetrated this far!’

Dawson swallowed the sigh he had been about to release.

‘Leave the squad led by Ida and the pirates to me. As for the others, since we have the capacity, I would like to take command of part of the operation.’

‘I see. Very well! Then which unit shall you command?’

‘I will take command of this one.’

Dawson pointed to a formation of approximately fifty robots and androids, close to engaging the enemy.

Goud watched as Dawson assumed control of the unit, then closed the channel with a pleased expression.

Dawson leaned back into the Captain's seat of the Sparrow Hawk and deployed a new spatial projection monitor. He issued commands through the screen to the robots and androids, directing the unit he had just assumed control of.

"Oine. Take command of the vessel. Keep the surviving allied fleet deployed again over the North and South Poles."

"Are we not entering the Chicken Ball port?"

"An enemy could use close combat to distract us and divert our attention from space, while a strike force attacks Chicken Ball. That possibility exists. Caution is necessary."

"I think caution is excessive. But even if the fleet enters the port, we cannot assist in defeating enemy forces."

Dawson's fleet consisted almost entirely of units operated by artificial intelligence. The only personnel present were the crew of the Sparrow Hawk.

Even the crew of the Sparrow Hawk were unsuitable for combat. Hikane was an elderly maintenance technician. Kiwaka appeared as a girl, lacking the look of someone accustomed to violence. Bera and Cori were skilled in ship operations, but had no experience in close combat, and their physiques were not built for fighting.

Only Dawson and Oine could reasonably engage enemy soldiers with firearms.

The enemy force was not small enough to be significantly altered by deploying just two individuals.

In essence, the value of Dawson’s team taking up weapons was minimal.

If such an ineffective measure was necessary, it was more constructive to shift focus to actions that eliminated the possibility of defeat.

"Then, I shall defend."

Dawson’s robot and android unit, having assumed command, successfully held back the approaching enemy forces behind a barricade.

The enemy attempts to breach the barricade by throwing explosive devices, but the Engineer Robot, under Dawson’s direct command, fires them back across the line.

The explosives detonate while the enemy soldiers retreat hastily. Damage is inflicted solely on the enemy side.

Only then does the enemy seem to notice, apparently, that the robot and android unit is moving with surprising efficiency.

The enemy regains caution and attempts to break through with gunfire.

A stalemate forms. Dawson notices the enemy’s gunfire pattern is irregular.

The enemy appears to be focusing its attacks specifically on the androids within Dawson’s unit.

“They must believe there is a commanding unit among the androids.”

Dawson recognizes the reason behind the enemy’s assumption.

Ida fires weapons with loud laughter, still at a location where enemy forces are arriving in large numbers.

‘Hahahahaha! Let despair at the gap in firepower!’

The figure seen through the screen, shooting while speaking to the enemy, appears to command a defensive unit.

Ida’s form resembles a S.U.-made combat android, slightly customized.

From this, the enemy’s mistaken belief that ‘pirate androids possess command capabilities’ stems directly from Ida.

‘If they misunderstand this way, we can use it to reduce our own casualties.’

Dawson directs one android with gestures and movements resembling those of a human commander.

The enemy’s attack immediately shifts to concentrate on that android, exposing its true nature.

The android continues to gesture as if commanding from behind the barricade, following Dawson’s orders. The enemy’s misjudgment deepens. Their attack grows heavier, focused on a single point.

While the gunfire concentrates, other robots and the android return fire at the enemy troops.

The enemy believes that destroying the familiar android will collapse the command structure and make breaching the barricade easier. They concentrate their assault without regard for casualties.

Dawson smirks at the enemy’s futile actions. He continues issuing defensive instructions.