Chapter 148: Pirate Fleet, Relaunch

The pirates gathered under Dawson's command entered the battleship.

Yet this was only a circumstance akin to a drowning man grasping at straw, as Dawson was the only one capable of breaking the current stalemate.

Dawson himself did not believe that gathering pirates would allow him to defeat the 200,000 vessels of the S.U. Space Fleet.

"Losses from the last battle hurt—around twenty thousand ships gone."

At least one hundred thousand would have allowed Dawson to avoid defeat, using his skill.

With a tenfold difference in numbers, merely surviving the clash would be the limit.

Thus Dawson sought a way to break the current impasse.

"I'll use the two surviving super-giant battleships. But that's not enough."

He searched for alternatives and recalled a single option that might be usable.

But to use it, he would need to contact Colonel Ron again.

With limited preparation time, Dawson attempted to resolve the matter via communication.

To his surprise, he received permission: "You may use anything, as long as you do not interfere with the pleasure district."

If that was the case, Dawson decided to proceed with the contingency measure.

From the Big Cock, a fleet of twenty thousand pirate vessels, led by the Sparrow Hawk, set out.

Trailing behind the fleet, a massive structure floated in space, scattering jet streams as it followed.

The structure was, in fact, a facility complex originally added to the Big Cock—designed specifically for pirates.

Managed to detach from the satellite and finish securing the Cariesh tether.

People who worked inside also evacuated to the pleasure district.

Dawson exhaled in relief after surviving the operation’s first phase. Oine smiled wryly, recalling the effort it took to convince the reluctant staff to leave.

Watching the two, Kiwaka asked a question.

"Can that facility really be used in combat, if it’s detached from a satellite?"

Kiwaka spoke without knowledge of the operation’s details—just a simple question.

Hearing it, Dawson’s expression darkened.

"A mere pair of spheres connected together—no way to use that as an attack."

"Then it’s a shield?"

"Disposable. Used to close the distance to SU space forces, even amid chaotic close combat with friend and foe intermingled."

Kiwaka stared in silence at the massive, metallic twin spheres linked together by Dawson’s bold strategy.

Indeed, a structure of that scale could withstand concentrated fire from twenty thousand SU space forces, even if the barrage were sustained.

“Remarkable that you thought of this.”

“Only a desperate measure, born from prolonged effort. Facing an enemy ten times our number, we have no choice but surprise or chaos. And there is no suitable region for surprise attacks between the current position of the space fleet and the Big Cock.”

“So you needed a large shield to provoke such chaos.”

“Honestly, I dislike chaos. But this time, there is no alternative.”

Dawson had used any tactic he deemed effective.

The fact that such a man, who had employed so many methods, declared he disliked chaos, drew strong interest from Kiwaka.

Why can't you grow fond of it?

It is indeed an effective method to reverse a disadvantage. Yet the extent of damage is unpredictable. That unpredictability is why I avoid using it.

Are you saying the outcome depends entirely on the roll of the dice?

No. It becomes difficult to maintain combat readiness for the next engagement after this one ends.

Are you already thinking about the next battle?

Kiwaka's surprise was natural.

Depending on how it was heard, the statement could easily be misinterpreted as an attempt to cut corners in the current engagement in order to prepare for the next one.

Yet Dawson was also surprised by Kiwaka's reaction.

Didn't I say? I have no intention of dying in battle. So planning for survival after the battle ends is logical.

That may be true, but...

At the Amato Imperial Japan's juvenile schools, cadets receive military education: "Be ready to die in an emergency, and become the foundation of the nation's defense."

Dawson, having advanced from the juvenile school to the Officer Academy, should have received this instruction.

Yet in truth, Dawson's statement—“I have no intention of dying in battle”—directly contradicted the very essence of that education.

As Kiwaka stood frozen in surprise, Dawson nodded in understanding.

"You also misunderstand the phrase 'become the foundation of the nation's defense,' do you not?"

"I don't see how I could misunderstand it. It can only mean to die honorably rather than live dishonorably."

Kiwaka tilted his head.

But Dawson's view was different.

"Do not take that slogan at face value. Do you know how much cost it takes to raise one soldier, one officer?"

"About three years of a full-time employee's annual salary?"

Five years' worth for an officer. You can't casually expend someone trained at that cost.

"But die and become a foundation."

"That's only for emergencies. When all other options are exhausted and death is the only future, then risk your life to gamble on one chance in ten. If you lose that gamble and die, Amato Imperial Japan will not forget you. That's what I understand 'foundation of national defense' to mean."

This was Dawson's own interpretation. The slogan—struggle not to die, but to survive—resonated deeply with Kiyaka.

"That's why you dislike chaotic battles."

"Only this time, we have no choice."

Dawson muttered with a bitter tone. Then Corry voiced her question.

"Uh, um, why... why must we win this time?"

"Is this question about whether we must fight in chaos we dislike?"

After seeing Corry nod, Dawson placed a hand on his jaw.

"This battle is a critical turning point. Whether the influence of Amato Imperial Japan remains within the Orion Arm depends on it."

The scale of the matter left even Corry and Kiwaka visibly stunned.

"R-really? That much?"

"How could you possibly reach such a conclusion?"

"Let me try explaining it from my perspective. If we lose this battle..."

Dawson paused. All crew members of the Sparrow Hawk leaned in to listen.

"First, understand this: even in defeat, the Sparrow Hawk, Mozu, Tunny, and Whale Wave will be evacuated. So you do not need to consider your own deaths."

Dawson would do it, a faint laugh murmured.

“But the pirates outside that—those will be annihilated by the SU Navy. The Big Cock will be destroyed. Everyone will die. And many pirates are involved in this battle. If they are wiped out, a second opportunity won’t come without time to rebuild.”

“Pirates won’t emerge unless people from TR move into SU space.”

Accepting Oine’s explanation, Dawson continued his prediction.

“Bases like Chicken Ball, and companies that declared independence—they’ll raise white flags too, if they see pirates being wiped out. The SU Navy isn’t lenient enough for mere bases or corporations to survive.”

“The influence Dawson helped create will be wiped clean.”

Even if his achievements are set aside, if that happens, he must restart from zero with the mission he received.

For now, Dawson’s pirate operations have culminated in maintaining Chicken Ball as a forward outpost of Amato Imperial Japan.

To sustain this advantage, a decisive defeat in this battle is not an option.

At minimum, the outcome of this battle must be a stalemate between the Space Force and the pirates. To achieve this condition, the only option is to initiate a chaotic engagement that consumes large numbers of pirates.

Consume large numbers? Are you expecting that kind of loss?

Ten times the enemy force. Whether the pirates possess the strength to survive and leave the battlefield intact is the question.

Enter the midst of a large enemy force and fight.

Exiting the enemy formation requires keen perception to detect minor disarray and the courage to break through. Even Dawson would find it a grueling task.

Demanding such skill from mere pirates—ships armed or captured, crewed by raiders—is unreasonable.

"Are you seriously planning to exhaust the pirates and defeat the SU Space Fleet, Captain Dawson?"

Dawson’s response was a firm nod, despite Kiyoka’s pale face.

"I have no other way to complete my mission. That said, I don’t wish to kill pirates unnecessarily. My approach is to save as many as possible."

How many of the twenty thousand pirate vessels that constitutes "as many" remains unknown to Dawson.

This uncertainty alone confirms the severity of the coming battle.