Chapter 156: Luring Out

Once the pirate forces were fully assembled, Dawson decided to draw the SU Fleet into the battlefield.

The method was simple: provoke the SU Fleet and force it to pursue.

But the enemy numbered two hundred thousand ships.

Provoking them would result in a massive counterattack, like stabbing a hornet's nest.

"Fire in unison, then retreat immediately. No matter what, do not stop running!"

Dawson ordered his fleet, then launched a coordinated broadside against the SU Fleet.

The fleet composition included the Sparrow Hawk, AI ships without experience in fleet combat, and pirate vessels that looked down on the space navy.

Two thousand ships in total, but facing two hundred thousand, they appeared as nothing more than a small group.

When Dawson’s group began firing, the S.U. Space Navy responded immediately. The counterattack, rough in estimation, came from the direction of the initial fire. The pressure of two hundred thousand vessels firing simultaneously was overwhelming, as if the space itself were being crushed.

Dawson’s group began moving right after the barrage. They would not be struck by the Space Navy’s fire. Yet not all were unshaken by the oppressive sight.

“What the hell is that! Fight something like that? Impossible!”

“Don’t feel like we’ll survive. But if we don’t fight, we’ll die anyway. What do we do?”

The pirates, who had previously acted with arrogance, now clearly recognized the Space Navy’s presence.

Worry remained—whether their resolve would break. But if it broke, it would break. That was acceptable.

If Dawson and his crew lose this engagement, the pirates have no future but annihilation by the Space Navy. Anyone who flees despite knowing this will only be a hindrance on the battlefield.

A presence like that would be fatal during a decisive engagement. But if it disappears before that point, the operation can simply be adjusted. It might even be considered beneficial if it breaks and leaves early.

"Space Navy vessel approaching at high speed!"

Dawson shifts focus upon Kiwaka's report.

"Continue retreat. Engage the pursuing vessel with the aft turret. Slow it down—nothing more is required."

Dawson's order triggers immediate response from the Sparrow Hawk and its AI vessel. The pirates begin firing slightly later.

"Tracking vessel from the S.U. Navy, maintaining distance and following behind—confirmation of fire!"

Immediately after Kiwaka's report, a Charged Particle Beam from the enemy streaked past the side of the Sparrow Hawk.

It appeared close, but this was a naval-grade discharge in the vacuum of space. The actual distance was greater than it seemed.

Still, it was a striking sight for the cowardly pirates.

"Hiiee! Near miss! Evade! Evade!"

"Accelerate! Or jump!"

Pirate vessels began evasive maneuvers, their thrusters flaring intensely.

Dawson observed their actions with detached calm. As commander, he transmitted a message.

"Stay calm. Move as instructed. You will escape safely."

"Already not safe, you idiot!"

"Who the hell listens to your orders!"

The pirates currently under his command had never acted alongside Dawson before. Distrust was unavoidable.

Dawson himself made no effort to persuade them further.

For these two reasons, a deserter emerged from among the pirates. Their evasion maneuvers slowed the vessel. Their independent decisions on escape direction caused them to drift away from Dawson's group.

Dawson severed the comms link to the pirates. He exhaled, murmuring.

"Both were poor choices."

As Dawson had said, the situation proceeded.

The pirate vessel, slowed by evasive maneuvers, approached the fleet's pursuit unit. The closer it came, the greater the likelihood of being struck by fire. The result was that enemy fire now passed through a point even nearer than before.

The pirates who had fled in a random direction might indeed escape this location. But their return would bring a full reprimand from the other pirates. They had ignored orders from the fleet's commander and abandoned their comrades. No pirate would trust a coward who fled in such a manner.

"Under different circumstances, that would be a different story."

"Escaping a dangerous situation is recognized as a skill among pirates."

The pirates attempting to flee would likely lie about being in danger at their destination.

Such lies would be obvious.

The pirates following Dawson's orders are present in the current situation. The truth would come from them without fail.

"Leave the cowards aside. What is the status of the pursuit squadron and the main force?"

"The pursuit squadron is adjusting its course toward the lagging pirate vessel. The main force is also approaching the direction we fled."

A fleet of two hundred thousand vessels. Movement requires time.

Dawson decided the deception must continue until the capture was confirmed.

"Assign the cowardly pirates to the pursuit squadron. All ships, rotate rear turrets toward the enemy main force. Commence individual fire once approximate targeting is achieved."

Artillery fire resumed from Dawson’s fleet, passing alongside the pursuit squadron and heading toward the main force. The distance was too great for any effect, of course.

Yet it was more than sufficient to provoke the enemy’s reaction.

If Dawson’s forces were seen as contemptible after observing the ineffective barrage, that would be ideal. If the mere act of being fired upon strengthened the pursuit, the task of luring them to the decisive engagement site would become easier.

Indeed, the main fleet of the space navy turned its entire mass entirely toward the direction Dawson’s forces had fled, and began pursuit with all ships.

“This is fully hooked. We’ll jump in a little while.”

“Notification of the jump location is sent just before the jump, correct?”

“Affirmative. We can’t rule out a traitor within the pirate ranks.”

The intelligence from the traitor indicates that the jump location is announced in advance, posing a risk of ambush by the fleet at the destination. This measure reduces that danger as much as possible.

There is also a secondary purpose: to assess how quickly the crew can respond to sudden orders from Dawson.

"Announce the jump coordinates. Jump immediately after."

"Announcing coordinates. Preparing for jump."

Reacting first to Dawson's order were the AI ships. Some had even pre-initialized their jump systems, jumping a few seconds ahead of the Sparrow Hawk.

The Sparrow Hawk jumped, entering jump space. Ships that jumped at the same location were detectable via optical sensors. Dawson scanned the surrounding area.

"AI ships have all jumped. Pirate vessels arrived slightly delayed, but they are here."

Some of the pirate vessels jumped in a different direction from Dawson’s group.

Either a navigation error, or a deliberate choice to separate from Dawson’s fleet.

Dawson excluded the departing pirates from his calculations. He focused solely on the military fleet’s deployment.

"After the jump, we’ll switch fleets and repeat the maneuver. Still, it’s a hassle."

"There’s no alternative. We must screen the usable pirates before the final engagement."

"Plus, we need to train both the AI and the pirates in fleet operations."

Dawson felt anew the difficulty of directing others as he had expected.