Chapter 90 SU Fleet's Newest

Dawson's fleet of fifty ships challenges the SU Fleet currently engaged in combat with the ≪Hamano Onna≫.

The newly arrived second ship of the ≪Sparrow Hawk≫ class, ≪Mozu≫, has come under command. Yet, the addition of a single battleship does not warrant altering the previously established operation.

The operation is simple: jump to near the SU Fleet's rear unit and bombard with the full fleet of fifty ships. At the same time, broadcast a specific signal.

"Even if we're firing, the arrangement of the SU Fleet determines how we must adjust the barrage."

Dawson's mutter is followed in turn by Oine and Kiwaka, each voicing a question.

"Wasn't the information about the SU Fleet attacking us provided through Chicken Ball and corporate channels?"

"If intelligence exists, the formation is somewhat predetermined, isn't it?"

The two statements were commonplace. Dawson noted that human foolishness had not entered the equation.

"A competent commander would temporarily suspend engagements with Hamano Onna or pirates and respond to our assault with full readiness. An average commander would deploy sufficient reserves to repel the attack. But the SU Fleet is not guaranteed to act this way."

"Come to think of it, the SU Fleet has always considered discarding unnecessary personnel and vessels during combat."

"Given that mindset, they could deploy aging vessels as damage absorbers and decoys while sending a separate force to attack us directly. But they might also do something even more problematic."

He said "headache" not in the sense of being troubled by the enemy's formation, but rather in the sense of being concerned about it.

The reason Dawson used that phrase would become clear after the battle commenced following the jump.

When Dawson’s fleet of fifty ships completed their jump into normal space, two hundred enemy vessels stood arrayed in formation before them.

Dawson was not surprised by the number of enemy ships, but he let out a sharp click of his tongue upon seeing their design.

"Chit. My worst concern has come true."

"What do you mean?"

"Look closely. The enemy fleet facing us isn't made up of obsolete vessels. They're state-of-the-art ships."

Kiwaka stared at the monitor, as Dawson’s observation registered. The silhouettes aligned before them were too clean to be outdated vessels.

“How… how is this possible? Ships like these usually carry high-ranking officials or celebrities. They must have intentionally leaked information to avoid casualties among such personnel!?”

When Kiwaka protested that this contradicted what she had been told, Dawson pressed a hand to his forehead, as if warding off a headache.

“Simply put, they’re underestimating us. Fifty pirates—easy to defeat with modern warships. They think they can destroy us and claim the credit.”

Dawson had deliberately leaked attack information to avoid casualties among important figures, to prevent friction with the SU government.

Now, that precaution had been rendered pointless. Dawson felt irritation rise.

「……仕方がない。作戦行動を開始する。事前の戦法の通りに、艦隊を運用するぞ」

ドーソンは気持ちを入れ替え、敵艦隊に被害を与えることに集中することにした。

ドーソンが指揮する艦隊は、待ち伏せされていたことに慌てふためく様子を演じつつ、宙域の外へと向かって後退を始めた。

しかし反転して船尾を敵側に向けて逃げるのではなく、艦首を敵に向けての後進でだ。

艦艇の後進速度は大したものではない。特に、事前に加速して速度を稼いでいない場合は、まるで亀の歩みの様に遅い。

そういう艦艇の特色は、ＳＵ宇宙軍の側も掴んでいるようで、ドーソンの艦隊が後進し始めるのに合わせて、戦闘速度で前進してきた。

遅い後退と速い前進。

あっという間に、両艦隊の距離が縮まっていく。

だがこの状況は、ドーソンの想定の内だ。

The Sparrow Hawk and Mozu will begin firing at the enemy. Once the distance closes further, the Escort Battlecruisers and Heavy Cruisers will engage. If the enemy continues approaching, the remaining Orbit Patrol Cruisers will open fire.

The Sparrow Hawk and Mozu each fired their two forward-mounted Main Cannons—Charged Particle Beams. They followed with immediate, continuous fire.

The enemy fleet’s vanguard consisted of fast destroyers and Orbit Patrol Cruisers. Whether they had overestimated their advantage or whether positioning battleships behind Orbit Patrol Cruisers was standard procedure in the SU Navy.

Either way, the range of the battleship’s fire exceeded that of the destroyers and Orbit Patrol Cruisers.

Within effective range for the Sparrow Hawk and Mozu, the enemy vanguard remained beyond range of fire.

The destroyers and Orbit Patrol Cruisers of the SU Space Navy were being systematically disabled. It was expected.

"Each salvo from the Sparrow Hawk hits all targets. Given our accumulated experience in pirate combat, enemies that advance without evasive maneuvers are ideal targets."

Oine delivered the report with a light tone, then turned to verify the results from Mozu.

"Mozu scored one hit out of five shots. At maximum effective range, long-distance fire. This performance on its first mission is acceptable."

"An officer at the Officer Academy would reprimand us for aiming for perfect accuracy, given that we are part of the elite Star Navy of Amato Imperial Japan."

Dawson responded with a light remark, then turned his face back toward the tactical display.

“What is the status of the enemy fleet on radar?”

“The lead formation is breaking apart. Their advance has slowed—perhaps unsettled by the destruction of their escort vessels.”

“What about the enemy behind the front line?”

“They appear to be reorganizing—ah, they’ve begun their advance. At the same time, their destroyers and orbit patrol cruisers are retreating.”

As Kiwaka reported, the SU Space Navy’s destroyers and orbit patrol cruisers withdrew beyond the Sparrow Hawk’s firing range.

Firing at targets outside range served no purpose. Dawson halted fire, observing the enemy’s intent.

After a brief interval, the enemy fleet re-entered effective firing range.

Dawson widened his eyes upon seeing the vessel positioned at the front of the enemy formation.

“What is that ship?”

The vessel Dawson observed was of a class unknown to him.

To describe its appearance, it resembled a warped wall or a square shield.

"Displaying enemy fleet schematic on monitor."

As Oine projected the ship's form, Dawson's confusion deepened.

"Labeling it 'Shieldship' based on appearance. Is it merely a vessel with thick armor plating and thrusters attached?"

"Seems to serve only a defensive role."

Ten Shieldships were arrayed in a cross formation at the front.

They advanced, concealing the main fleet behind them.

"Are they imitating heavy infantry tactics in space combat?"

"If armor is available for Shieldships, conventional battleships would offer better cost efficiency. Yet, if designed to protect a specific individual, a vessel specialized in defense would not be unexpected."

Dawson questioned the purpose of the shieldship, yet opened fire with the Sparrow Hawk upon entering range.

The shot missed its mark, striking the shieldship.

It did not destroy it.

"Armor thickness absorbed it—no, something else is absorbing it."

Dawson concentrated fire on one shieldship, observing the effects.

Typically, a vessel struck by a Charged Particle Beam would show surface heating, even if slight.

Yet the shieldship showed no signs of heating, despite repeated impacts.

"An active cooling system forcing heat dissipation from the armor would risk cracking due to rapid thermal stress—impossible. Either the armor is made of heat-resistant material, or—"

Dawson was considering the reasoning when the shield ship he had been targeting suddenly disintegrated.

Dawson stiffened, despite the shock. Now was not the time to be surprised.

"Oine. Can you replay the footage from when the shield ship exploded?"

"Of course. Here, take a look."

The spatial projection monitor displayed the footage.

Dawson reviewed it in slow motion. He understood the shield ship had exploded because the Charged Particle Beam had penetrated the armor.

Yet the previous shot had not even caused a tremor. Now, suddenly, it had pierced through.

Only one possibility followed.

"Absurd as it seems, it makes sense if you assume the ship can generate an electromagnetic barrier capable of deflecting even a battleship-grade Charged Particle Beam."

Electromagnetic barriers capable of deflecting debris are nearly standard on most vessels, both in Amato Imperial Japan and in the Orion Arm.

Yet those barriers only deflect objects of minimal mass. They cannot stop a human traveling through space.

But if a barrier capable of deflecting large masses had been developed.

And if such a barrier had been installed on shield ships.

Then the inconsistency becomes clear—the unusual resilience of the shield ships, and the sudden shift when their defenses ceased to function.

"Concentrating Sparrow Hawk fire likely overloaded the barrier generation system, causing it to fail."

Dawson's casual targeting of a single shield ship had proven effective.

If the shield ships had been evenly targeted, penetration would not have been possible.

"Knowing the weakness of the shield ships allows for a breakthrough. But how to proceed..."

Nine shield ships remain.

It would be possible to eliminate them one by one. Behind them, however, a fleet of two hundred enemy ships awaits.

If the enemy brings fire to this position, numerical superiority may force a defeat.

"Ch. Better to reverse and retreat while distance still remains."

The enemy shows no sign of deploying fleet from behind the shield ships.

Therefore, if Dawson's fleet appears to reverse and flee, the enemy cannot immediately respond with attack.

Dawson’s purpose in arriving at this location was not to destroy the enemy fleet through artillery fire, but to deliver messages to military personnel deemed unnecessary by the SU Space Force.

Fixating on the outcome of this immediate engagement would be a mistake.

"All ships, execute rapid reversal! Withdraw from the orbital zone!"

Dawson issued the order. All fleet units complied immediately.

The enemy fleet attempted to pursue Dawson’s fleet, now fleeing with its tail between its legs, but lacked coordination—some retreated shield ships from the path, others tried to bypass them, resulting in disjointed maneuvers.

Thanks to this inept pursuit, Dawson’s fleet successfully escaped without sustaining damage.