Chapter 133: Pirates, Too, Have Their Use

Dawson navigates through the heart of the SU-controlled space, leading a fleet of one hundred pirate vessels.

The objective is to assault a star system rich in habitable planets and seize supplies.

Yet, such locations should be heavily guarded by the SU Navy. Why, then, does Dawson lead pirates in an attack?

Because the moves Dawson has made so far have restricted the SU Navy’s movements.

"Any word from Major Miko?"

Dawson asks. The communications officer, Bera, replies.

"Just received it. Seems the SU Navy has come out to meet us."

"Have the SU Navy and the TR fleet locked eyes?"

"No. The timing didn’t align. They’re planning to attack another star system instead."

"Any damage to Major Miko's fleet?"

"Dawson-sama sent a significant number of vessels, so the SU Navy was intimidated and didn't engage in combat."

"If our available forces haven't been reduced, operations should proceed without issue."

Dawson spoke with relief.

Yes, Dawson had anticipated Major Miko's arrival—positioning vessels at the border where the TR and SU space regions met.

This was a necessary countermeasure to continue expanding TR space by disrupting the frontier.

But with the fleet numbers reduced, conducting raids deep within SU space became difficult.

Nevertheless, Dawson's plan required a large-scale raid within SU space.

Without maintaining a defensive posture in the SU fleet, a counteroffensive from the pirate hunters is expected.

Pirates excel at attacking prey but are ineffective at defending bases. In fact, they often flee in panic when confronted by the SU fleet.

If the pirate hunts intensify, the pirates are likely to evacuate en masse from SU space to TR space.

If the pirates vanish entirely, Dawson’s strategy—disrupting SU space to exhaust the SU government’s will and resources for expansion to other star systems—becomes significantly harder to achieve.

Given this context, Dawson equips the pirates with vessels, organizes them into a fighting force, and leads them on raids.

But pirates are pirates.

They have no training. They are not capable of moral conduct.

In fact, as Dawson has instructed Oine, listening in on pirate communications makes this clear.

“Hehehe. He’s giving us a ship like this. Dawson-sama’s really generous, huh?”

“This kind of ship makes plundering much easier.”

“And the Work Machines on board handle the plundering itself. Perfect.”

“But we can’t take whatever we want. We’ll have to figure out how to work around that.”

“The order is clear: prioritize supplies. Human extraction is prohibited. To collect the ‘Enjoyment Bag,’ we’ll need to use people.”

“Hey, is that really okay? Dawson’ll get angry if we take people.”

It’s fine. I asked Dawson why we don’t conduct people salvage. He said merchants look down on us—low return for the weight.

Well, same weight, precious metals and rare earths sell for more. Black market dealers don’t have trouble finding buyers. So they don’t look down on us.

Meaning we avoid people salvage only for the money.

Even if it’s not profitable, you can still use it for other purposes—like relieving pressure. But Dawson’s ship has beautiful women aboard. So no need.

Pirates with credit are different. Still, I wonder why Dawson—some pervert who eats meals while wearing a mask—brings such women along.

Probably money. Or maybe the face under the mask is handsome.

Other crew members wear masks too. Maybe they’re all perverts who only act when masked.

‘‘‘Possible, gya-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-h!‘‘‘

The communication consists solely of such vulgar content. Oine, monitoring the pirates, wears a face of profound irritation.

‘‘Pirates seem to have no enemies but women. I believe reducing them to cosmic dust would better serve universal peace.“

‘‘Even chaff or waste has utility. Do not dispose of them on impulse.“

Dawson offers a wry smile in response to Oine’s complaint.

He understands the impulse well.

‘‘They are the kind whose loss causes no conscience pain. Thus, they are suitable for dangerous assignments. Let us make the most of them.“

‘‘You intend to use the pirates in this operation and wear them out?“

‘‘Certainly not. More forces are always preferable. We will not kill needlessly.“

‘‘But you are assigning the pirates dangerous tasks?“

"Follow my orders and the pirates can complete the operation alive. If they follow my orders."

Dawson's tone suggested the pirates would not obey.

Indeed, just moments before, the pirates had discussed acting on their own initiative.

Immediately upon reaching the target star system, Dawson and the pirates began seizing supplies from the inhabited planet.

Three planets inhabited within the system.

Divide the hundred ships into forty, forty, and twenty, and assault each planet.

The forty ships each were a pirate fleet alone; the twenty ships were under Dawson's direct command.

The reason for this division was to balance combat strength and because only about twenty ships among the pirates were considered reliable.

Dawson had kept the ones likely to follow his orders close at hand and allowed the rest to act freely.

Good. The number of SU fleet vessels within the system is high, but they are分散ed across three positions.

Dawson raised his voice in satisfaction, rallying the four vessels—Sparrow Hawk, Mozu, Whale Wave, and Mackerel Bird—along with twenty pirate ships toward the SU fleet.

Hahah! I’ll lead the charge!

With Ida’s exclamation, Mackerel Bird surged forward alone, launching a solo assault.

As its designation implies, it moved with the speed of an arrow released from a bow.

Yet the SU fleet did not stand idle. The protruding Mackerel Bird was targeted. Cannon barrels turned toward it.

Approximately thirty SU vessels fired. All of them discharged Charged Particle Beams.

Three of the approaching beams struck the Mackerel Bird directly.

Yet the Mackerel Bird had activated its defensive systems the moment it realized it was targeted.

"Hah hah hah! I'll knock these weak projectiles right off with my new equipment!"

Ida steered the Mackerel Bird straight ahead and took the Charged Particle Beam strike.

The beam scattered outward from the armor as if the impact had been deflected.

Closer observation revealed the beam dispersing before reaching the Mackerel Bird’s armor, as if blocked by something.

"Behold the power of the SU Space Force's barrier ship! I've analyzed, improved, and miniaturized its barrier generator!"

Ida screamed through a communication channel unreachable by the SU Space Force, driving the Katsuo Bird straight into the heart of the enemy fleet.

One Orbit Patrol Cruiser, poorly positioned in the direction of travel.

The Katsuo Bird did not evade. It advanced directly. Impact.

A collision between vessels of the same class. Neither ship would suffer equal damage—this was not the outcome.

The Katsuo Bird was a high-speed assault vessel. Its bow featured a hardened ramming spike—hard keel—designed for hull penetration.

"Cut! It is done!"

The spike was not a blade. The term "cut" used by Ida was inaccurate.

Yet in reality, the SU Orbit Patrol Cruiser was torn apart by the ramming spike of the oncoming Katsuo Bird, its armor shredded beyond recognition.

Yet the impact had penetrated deeply, damaging critical facilities, as the Sparrow Hawk continued past, then detonated in a fireball.

A scene that would freeze the mind, but the SU orbital patrol cruiser immediately began reacquiring the Sparrow Hawk as a target.

Indeed, a fleet that guards the heart of SU space. Recovery from disarray was swift, revealing high operational proficiency.

Yet confusion had clearly occurred.

Attempting to reacquire the Sparrow Hawk at this moment was the worst possible move.

The Sparrow Hawk was not the only threat—Dawson’s Sparrow Hawk fleet had entered effective range.

“Enemy focus is fixed on the Sparrow Hawk. We have time to aim. Hit it!”

Dawson’s order was issued. The Amato Imperial Japan vessels, beginning with Sparrow Hawk, and twenty pirate vessels fired in unison.

The SU Space Fleet, focused on Katsuo, took the full brunt of the fire.

Most of the fire, however, came from the pirate vessels. The majority of shots missed.

Even so, every shot from the Amato Imperial Japan vessels struck home. Some shots from the pirate vessels also found their mark by chance.

Sufficient damage was inflicted on the SU Space Fleet.

"Enemy remains unprepared. Unable to counter. Concentrate fire."

Dawson’s further order triggered a second round of fire.

This time, a significant number of shots from the pirate vessels also found their target.

This was not the pirates' skill. It was the targeting correction effect from artificial intelligences secretly installed on the pirate vessels.

Yet the pirates, unaware of this, cheered as they destroyed SU Space Force vessels.

"Got it! This ship can be taken down with a hit!"

"Regular army? What's so tough about them!"

True to form, pirates. Once they see an opening, they grow bold and act aggressively.

With the pirates now emboldened, the rest was simple. The Sparrow Hawk would charge, disrupt the enemy formation, then the Mozu and Sparrow Hawk would expand the chaos using the Whale Wave.

The SU Space Force fleet was soon destroyed.

Dawson ordered the recovery of the destroyed vessels using the carrier ship "Carryshu," using only Amato Imperial Japan-made fleet units.

While the operation was underway, Dawson issued orders to the pirates.

"Attack the inhabited planet. Loot the supplies. Do not delay. The SU Fleet will arrive soon. Complete it quickly."

After Dawson transmitted the planet map with the location of the supply depot via communication, the pirates responded with cheers.

"Even a treasure map—Dawson-sama is generous!"

"Hurry! Don't let the others beat us to it!"

The pirates descended toward the inhabited planet in their vessels, racing ahead of one another.

Multiple supply depots existed on the planet, but twenty pirate ships could overwhelm them without leaving any significant reserves.