Chapter 99: Escape

Escape from the Hamano Onna sector to the TR zone. With numerous ships in tow—warships that had surrendered, pirate vessels, and others.

Dawson had confidence he could execute the escape, but he did not intend to do it alone.

"Major Jinku. Can you serve as the coordinator for the surrendered military ships and pirates—those that have surrendered to the Mozu—until we reach the TR zone, as the Mozu operating alone?"

Jinku's expression showed surprise at Dawson's request over the comms.

'No problem, but are you certain? Ships that have surrendered might still be useful in fleeing.'

'They've followed orders blindly up to now. You, who are clearly a seasoned officer, will likely face less resistance than a junior like me.'

'Fair enough. But I don't intend to die in a place like this.'

Dawson immediately understands what Jinku is concerned about.

"I have no intention of ordering you to cover our retreat. Rather, I'll handle the rear guard with the pirate vessel. To escape the SU Space Force, we need the kind of speed only a pirate ship can manage."

"Then I accept. Confirming—full speed to the TR sector, correct?"

"Affirmative. No need to worry about my safety. Get the others out alive."

"Altruism? Or pity?"

"Neither. If they escape, the cruelty of the SU government and Space Force will spread. That will become an adverse wind for them—and eventually a favorable one for Amato Imperial Japan."

"An assessment by an officer of the Amato Stellar Navy. Then I shall carry out your command with every fiber of my being."

When Jinku terminated the communication, Mozu moved immediately.

Approaching the cluster of SU Stellar Navy vessels that had just detached from the Hamano Onna, Mozu initiated control over each vessel.

Evidence of the takeover appeared as humans launched from several ships into open space, boarding other vessels. They seemed intent on filling the capacity limits and minimizing the number of escort ships required.

As for the abandoned vessels, alert pirates boarded and seized them.

These newly acquired pirate ships aligned themselves with the final battle of the Hamano Onna, gradually shifting position to face the advancing SU Stellar Navy fleet.

"Then I must put forth effort on my end as well."

Dawson murmured, pulling the mask over his face.

He then transmitted a message toward the pirates of the Hamano Onna.

"Listen, cowardly pirates fleeing from the Hamano Onna. I—Dawson—have been requested to lead my fleet out to the TR-controlled sector. Those who wish to come along may follow. But it is certain that SU Stellar Navy pursuers will come after us. You will have to fight while escaping. Those who dislike this may flee on their own."

Dawson spoke bluntly. Yet most of the fleeing pirates offered to join him.

Among the offers were pirates who added references to the Gold Rush.

Of course, some pirates refused to trust Dawson and fled individually.

Yet those pirates returned, somehow, by the time Dawson had finished organizing the group.

And he had reported that escape was impossible alone.

—There are multiple destroyers in the asteroid belt! They spotted us immediately and have been chasing us without pause—no chance of getting away from here!

A pirate ship cannot defeat a destroyer. Evading through the asteroid belt is possible, but requires skill commensurate with the danger.

If this pirate had such skill, he would not have returned here.

In the end, most pirates seeking to escape from the *Hamano Onna* joined Dawson’s course.

The escape from the *Hamano Onna* began quietly.

First, the Mozu and the SU space fleet surrendering forces advanced. Then Dawson’s fleet and the pirates followed.

Fleeing through the asteroid belt away from the advancing SU space fleet's new fleet.

After traveling a sufficient distance, the first combat began.

The combat ended immediately.

The SU space fleet's destroyer, stationed to guard the asteroid belt, had been eliminated by the advance forces of the Mozu and the surrendering fleet.

"Destroyers were likely spread thinly across the area to surround us. A fleet assault would break through without difficulty."

Yet the destroyers' role was like that of a canary in a mine shaft.

Their destruction was meant to signal the presence of the escaping pirates to the SU space fleet's main force.

"Damn. The new fleet really did send a pursuit unit."

The new fleet is currently excavating through the asteroid belt using long-range artillery in a spindle formation.

This also means that ships ill-suited for long-range artillery have diminished utility.

Ships unsuited for long-range artillery are destroyers and fighter carriers, whose range is limited.

Destroyers and fighter carriers are exceptionally effective in pursuit missions. Destroyers rely on their inherent speed. Carriers rely on the volume of fighters they can deploy.

"Here they come—pirates! Don’t hold back your weapons. Scatter them until the barrels burn out!"

Following Dawson’s command, the pirates begin suppressing fire with weapons normally used against merchant vessels.

The number of pirate ships is substantial. In terms of curtain fire, the coverage is dense.

However, the armament is strictly suited for merchant vessels. Against capital ship armor, it is insufficient—effectiveness is negligible.

"But not against fighters."

Fighters launched from the flagship, overtaking the destroyer, closing in.

They weave through drifting asteroids, evading the pirates' barrage with flawless acrobatic maneuvers—yet that is the limit.

In areas where asteroid obstacles restrict flight paths, their skill has its bounds. Fighters lack armor. Even a single hit from the pirates' weak weaponry can render them combat ineffective.

Trapped in confined airspace, unable to avoid the barrage, the fighters can only evade.

Yet the fighters are not without a way to break the deadlock.

The pirates' armament was weak. Even if the fighters were a concern, their weapons were ineffective against the destroyer's armor.

In short, once the pursuing destroyer arrived, it could be used as a barrage shield.

And once the pressure of the barrage lessened, the fighters could easily destroy the pirate vessel.

Evade for a time, then counterattack.

That was the plan the fighters had intended. It was shattered by the sight of the approaching destroyer struck and crippled in one hit by a Charged Particle Beam.

"Enemy course is limited due to the asteroids. Target the predicted position. Coordinate multiple ships. Fire."

Under Dawson’s calm command, fifty AI-equipped vessels, including the Sparrow Hawk, initiated fire.

Several cannon rounds struck asteroids, but a significant number hit the SU Navy’s destroyers.

Some destroyers, having lost their companions, shifted targets from the originally intended pirate vessel to the Sparrow Hawk.

Yet, an abrupt target change in the narrow space littered with asteroids was fatal.

Within confined space, aligning a firing trajectory was difficult. Firing recklessly resulted only in hitting asteroids. And breaking a large asteroid risked creating debris that would become new obstacles, blocking trajectories more widely.

Holding the beam steady meant stopping the ship’s motion to aim, which made it vulnerable to counterfire. A beam passing through the destroyer meant the same was true from the Sparrow Hawk fleet’s side.

While hesitating, a pirate attack came in with high combat intent.

‘Lazy fools who avoid breaking asteroids and don’t lay down firewalls!’

A pirate vessel moved from asteroid shadow to shadow, launched a gravity torpedo from its belly, and immediately disengaged.

The destroyer, caught by the near-range torpedo strike, reacted frantically and managed to intercept the warhead just before impact.

The explosion close by rocked the ship. Ship speed dropped temporarily as control systems recalibrated.

The action followed standard procedure. It was an appropriate response to avoid collision with asteroids in the debris field.

However, slowing down while under enemy fire made it easier for the enemy's rotating turret to lock on.

Indeed, the destroyer was struck directly in the center by a Charged Particle Beam fired from the rear turret of the Sparrow Hawk.

"As you can see, staying calm allows us to handle even an unavoidable opponent. Maintain this pace and escape."

Dawson spoke with a calm voice, attempting to encourage the pirates.

Yet inwardly, his mind was beginning to stir with anxiety.

Dawson temporarily closed the communication channel to the pirates and turned to Oine.

"Any update from the lead Sparrow Hawk?"

"Enemy contact confirmed. The net is closing."

Understood. Tell them to focus solely on breaking through.

Affirmative.

Dawson visualizes the current battlefield.

The SU destroyers, spread across the asteroid field, are converging toward the leading Sparrow Hawk fleet. If this continues, the Sparrow Hawk fleet will exit the asteroid field and reach TR space before the enemy can fully concentrate.

The issue remains the Sparrow Hawk fleet and the pirate swarm.

If the situation proceeds as it is, the fleet will be caught between the SU destroyers on both flanks. Additionally, from behind, there are fighters and their mothership. The fleet will inevitably face a pincer attack from the destroyers and a bombardment from the fighters’ numbers and firepower.

Knew it would be tough—listen, you pirates! Leave the idiot destroyers drowning in the asteroid belt! Focus only on escaping! Anyone who lags behind gets abandoned!

Dawson’s angry voice cut through the comms. The pirates, who had been toying with the destroyers, abruptly resumed their retreat.

Every pirate ship pushed its thrusters to maximum. At the same time, they fired weapons randomly, using the salvo to deter the fighters.

The strain on the ships’ generators was severe. Some ships began to malfunction.

"Generator’s down!"

"Should’ve maintained it regularly—gah!"

The pirate ship, immobilized, was destroyed without mercy by the fighters.

One after another, the pirate ships began to experience system failures, as if triggered by the first.

"Thrust output isn’t responding!" "Weapons array is overheating!" "Steering response is sluggish—evading debris is impossible!"

Dawson felt his head throb in response to the continuous cries from the pirates.

"System failure during a battle of this scale—proof they never maintained their vessels properly."

"Considering they’re pirates, they probably don’t see their ships as anything more than tools."

Oine spoke with a tone of weary disbelief.

Dawson hesitated, considering whether to tell the failing pirates to simply die where they were. At that moment, a transmission arrived from Mozu.

"Enemy encirclement complete. Enemy encirclement also complete."

Dawson smiled wryly at the message—good news and bad news entwined.

"Bring the pirates inside the fleet formation. Position the Sparrow Hawk and the Escort Battlecruiser at the rear of the formation. Place Ida’s destroyer at the front. Arrange the rest of the vessels in a spearhead formation. Advance forward into the enemy encirclement with this formation."

Dawson’s orders were executed precisely. The AI-controlled fleet formed a U-shaped formation, enclosing the pirates within its inner arc. The Sparrow Hawk and the Escort Battlecruiser took their positions at the rear.

On Kiyoka’s radar display, a fleet configuration resembling "U—" appeared. The formation began moving straight ahead, heading toward the outer edge of the asteroid field.