What? (2)
From the Valkyrie super-heavy cruiser, approximately 80 million kilometers away in space.
On the small early warning ship Observer 901, with around 120 crew members, the supply loading operation was in full swing. The supplies Captain Erika Lewis was carrying were so heavy that she could easily lift over 130 kilograms, but in zero gravity, a small push was all it took to move the cargo without effort.
“Supply officer! We're done now?”
“Ah, thank you so much! I've been relying on you again.”
The supply officer expressed his gratitude to her.
She was a woman with an impressive old ballpoint pen dangling from her ear.
“Bridge, this is Captain Erika. Please stabilize the gravity. All supplies have been loaded.”
[Notification. Supply loading work completed. Internal gravity stabilization will be implemented. All crew, prepare for gravity stabilization. Once again, notification. All crew, prepare for gravity stabilization.]
Soon, a loud "Uung-" sound reverberated throughout the ship, and Erika's hair, which had been floating, returned to its original position. When her hair became messy, Erika sighed. I have to comb my hair again before the meeting? I'll tie it up and work.
“Erika?!”
A voice suddenly tore through, startling her as she looked at the supply officer.
“Look at this…”
In the supply officer's hand was a bottle. It looked like quite a high-end liquor, and about 300 bottles had been loaded in the last supply box.
“Wow, Commander! I believed it!”
The supply officer muttered with a tearful voice, rubbing his cheek against the bottle.
“Is it a commemorative liquor for shooting down the Unknown's mothership…?”
“Thinking about it, that was really amazing.”
The Observer 901 was the first to receive the glory of announcing the mothership's destruction. Even thinking about it now, it was an incredible sight. A line of light fired from the assault destroyer Obelisk, and a miracle occurred. And on the day the miracle happened, the Observer's crew members continuously played videos that would be remembered in history and raised glasses.
“Today is the day to get drunk~ Drink!”
“Supply officer, drink the liquor moderately.”
The supply officer suddenly started heading towards the direction of the Areca Te planet where the Aegis headquarters is located. Erika looked at that and smiled faintly, then signed the supply receipt checklist. However, far away from the hangar ejection port, something black was floating.
‘…Strange?’
A pitch-black object approaching at high speed.
“Supply officer, is there more supply scheduled for today?”
“Thank you, thank you, uh-? No, the supply ship was that one from two hours ago?”
“Last one? Then what is that-”
‘Pfft-’
The flash of gunfire blinded the eyes. The overwhelming explosion sound that would burst the eardrums shook the hangar. And before she fully recognized the fact, Erika felt her body floating up into the air. After floating in the air due to the huge explosion nearby and then being slammed to the ground, her breath was choked by the impact, and only then did her sense of reality return. Whether her auditory organ had burst or not, the ringing in her ears didn't stop.
“Ugh?! Supply officer!… Mind, ugh, wake up,… It's an ambush!”
The hangar was on fire. She shook the supply officer who was barely visible in the dust blown by the aftershock of the explosion. Debris from the destroyed supplies fell, and she covered her face with her hand. The sharp liquor smell vibrated. At the same time, acrid smoke spread, making it hard to breathe.
“…Huh? Erika, ugh? Erika, I…”
“-!”
The supply officer, whose lower body was completely crushed under the iron debris of the broken hangar, looked at her and said that. Reddish liquid bubbled under the debris. Erika didn't want to think what the lower body under the debris looked like now. The supply officer struggled a few times and then breathed his last.
“…Sorry.”
The right arm ached as if it was tearing. Probably the arm bone was broken. She took a few deep breaths and then staggered to her feet from the spot. After about 20 seconds, the shaking inside the ship stopped, and she barely managed to balance.
[Combat! Entering Rabah-class ship defense zone! Alpha posture! Combat!]
At that moment, an alarm siren began to blare inside the ship. Erika bit her lip at the slightly delayed alarm sound. She was hit. A perfect ambush. What was the radar doing?
‘...I have to go to the bridge.’
Inside the hangar where the Unknown's ship had forcibly docked, a pillar of fire rose as black smoke spewed out. From the hangar 04 airlock, the armed crew members on duty for internal ship defense were seen spilling out like intestines from a split belly.
“All personnel to combat positions! All personnel to combat positions!”
[Erika Captain, it's Clinger! Clinger has attached to the port side! Crocs are entering the ship!]
Immediately, a hurried shout came through the F.A.C.T.S communication. Clinger? They didn't detect Clinger until it got this close? The Unknown's Rabah-class transport ship, Clinger. After firing a shot to create a hole in the ship and forcibly docking, it penetrates the deck with the deformed alien creature Crocc.
But why Clinger here?
There was no strategic reason to attack such a small ship.
What was the purpose?
*Did I do something wrong? Forgive me.* Krruk* Maybe positive.*
*Ah, ah* Krrruuk* So that's it!*
*You* Kkiuk* What did you eat for dinner? It hurts. Blood!*
*Anung i se* Kkuk* You! Everyone! Don't wait!*
*Don't get up, big breakfast* Kkuk* This!*
The Crocs' roar.
A terrifying sound that breaks the crew's morale.
A horrible alien creature that mimics the voices of the dead.
From its long tongue that comes down almost to the floor,
Black, oily, sticky substance dripped.
“Fire! We can't let the Crocs invade the ship!”
“Sergeant, there are too many of them!”
A few meters away. A squad was creating a line of defense leaning against the broken transport ship. Erika crawled with all her might to that place.
“Sergeant! What the hell is this- Kkuk?!”
*That,* Kkuk* is hiding and cooking. Red.*
*Red isn't very good* Krrruuk*
*It's really good* Krrruuk* It's not that good though*
The infiltrated Crocs swarmed in and started spitting toxic spines at them. The sergeant pulled out the large-caliber pulse gun from his waist and handed it to Erika.
“Captain, please take this at least!”
“Thank you, Sergeant! This should be enough to kill them!”
“I'll explain the situation! Four Clingers have attached to the port side of the ship! The radar shows no approach reaction, so they seem to be the new Rabah-class models!”
No reaction on the radar? Damn it, did they evolve in that time? Erika leaned against the cover and calmly started commanding.
“Listen to the hangar defense forces! Command and control officer, it's Captain Erika! If it's four Clingers, it's a regiment-sized swarm! We don't have enough troops, so open fire from cover! Fortunately, the Crocs' intelligence is below average, so just stopping the charging ones-”
[-No, they are splitting into two! Heading straight to 2 deck!]
[Damn it, they are using the hangar debris as cover! What do we do?!]
What? What?
The Crocs are moving systematically.
And this meant one thing.
There is a superior entity commanding them.
“Officers who can use magic, use defensive spells to protect the crew as much as possible! The Crocs' spines can be dealt with by defensive spells! And most importantly, find a sure cover! Fire suppression team, carry out fire suppression, officers gather all squad members and do a delaying action for 10 minutes before joining 3 deck- Shit!”
*Ah, fast! Mom, dad* Kkuk* I don't want to die*
Erika gritted her teeth and started aiming shots at the approaching Crocs. The large-caliber pulse pistol pierced through the enemies with a heavy boom.
“Sergeant, reload!”
“Reload! Cover fire start!”
[Carrying out fire suppression!]
White powder liquid from fire extinguishers rose from behind the hangar as they were suppressing the fire. At that moment, the magic transformer exploded with a bang, spurting blue flames. Red flames spread everywhere. Damn it, too late. This ship has to be abandoned.
“-Sergeant! Go to 2 deck and protect non-combat personnel! They need to head to the lifeboats on 3 deck!”
“Wait, Captain! Are you saying to abandon this ship?! The captain's order-”
Before the sergeant's words ended,
A broadcast echoed through the ship.
[All remaining forces, evacuate to the lifeboats on 03 deck with all your strength. This is the captain's order. Due to jamming, rescue signals cannot reach the fleet. Since we cannot follow the fleet's instructions, according to Article 31 of the Rules of Engagement, the captain has discretion to abandon this ship.]
ⴕ
Observer 901 ship, bridge.
“Port side defense zone destroyed! Blocking bulkhead collapsed!”
“Captain! Fires in sectors 03, 07, 08, 10, 13!”
“Crocs have penetrated deck 02!”
“Fixed gun radio! Three Clingers are approaching!”
Chaos.
[Aaah! My leg-! Leg@@### leg#@# is!]
[Croc got you^&#! Captain! &@**@!]
[-*&&&@! Ah*&! Friendly fire#!!*#!!]
[Breaking through direct &#! Can you hear? #Breaking through! *@&!]
[Shit# #****@&, Retreat, retreat, retreat#!]
The 901 captain sat calmly in the captain's chair while listening to the communications coming from inside the ship. Some were angry, some were panicking and sending desperate pleas for help.
“Comms officer, communication with the fleet?”
“…Can't reach, Captain.”
Due to jamming, rescue communications with the 03 fleet couldn't be made. The Unknowns mercilessly destroyed everything without giving them time to prepare and kept attacking relentlessly. A cold silence fell over the bridge.
[Don't want to die- Mom, dad#@live!]
[Damn it, all that's left- #!!]
[This $&#!!!! is all #&@*!!!]
[Uwa, why is that here#?!]
On the large screen in the bridge, countless friendly death signals were flashing. It had only been 10 minutes since the attack started, but more than half of the internal ship defense forces had already lost their response. Amid the horrific communications, merciless death sentences continued to be issued.
“Captain, all of 1st squad to 4th squad, all dead.”
“Remaining squads?”
“Two squads are defending deck 3.”
The worst situation. An attack that couldn't be understood at all rationally. Why invest in seven Clingers and such a large force to target such a small ship?
“Emergency abandon ship. All crew, abandon the ship and head to 3 deck-”
Suddenly, with a deafening sound from outside, the control room screen went black. Then, a mechanical sound like a balloon deflating was heard, and the power in the ship was completely cut off. Red emergency lights illuminated the bridge. Amid the silence, occasional booming explosions rumbled.
“Captain.”
“…Erika Captain.”
The captain turned to Erika.
“You must escape. Right now.”
“No. I order you, Captain Erika.”
The captain removed the identification tag hanging around his neck and handed it to Erika.
“Take the lifeboat and lead the survivors.”
“Captain! There's still time, you should escape together-”
“-If we leave this ship as is, the Unknowns might use the Observer's Chronos jump to fly to the nearby 902 Observer. I don't want that.”
Chronos space jump.
A magic device blessed by the god Chronos of time and fate, meaning a magic space jump towards friendly ships within a certain distance. The friendly ship currently within range is Observer 902. If we abandon this ship and escape, we will inevitably expose their position.
“So, stay here and manually operate this ship to collide with the nearest asteroid.”
“Captain! If it's such a mission, please leave it to me-!”
“-Captain Erika.”
The captain shook his head.
“This is something only I can do.”
ⴕ
Leaving the captain behind in the bridge,
The desperate escape of the survivors began.
While moving to the lifeboat located at the very back of the starboard 3 deck of the ship, countless non-combat personnel became red meat from the toxic spines of the Crocs that were ambushing them and fell with a flick. And when they barely arrived at the area with the lifeboat after many sacrifices, they saw it.
The being chasing them relentlessly.
The superior entity.
The symbol of destruction.
The Queen's Knight.
Queens Knight.
Yes, that was it.
I thought something was strange.
“Sergeant, how many survivors are there now?”
“21 people, Captain.”
21?
Perfect.
I don't like exceeding the capacity.
“I’ll stay behind and buy time.”
“Ca, Captain!”
“The lifeboat capacity is 20. Haha.”
“This is not the time for jokes! Together-”
“Sergeant, this is something only I can do.”
The words the captain said to me.
I didn't think it would be returned like that.
Anyway, if this is the case, everyone will die.
Erika removed her identification tag.
The sergeant received two identification tags from Erika.
“Please take them. Mine is for Colonel Erika Lewis.”
“…I will remember.”
“I wish you a safe escape.”
“Captain too...! Good luck!”
There was no time to hesitate. The only person who could buy time right now. Only Captain Erika who could deploy combat magic spells. The sergeant read the determination in her eyes. With a pained expression, he gave her a final salute and started running with the survivors.
ⴕ
And facing that being.
“Come. You rotten bastard.”
Erika's magic exploding.
She knew she couldn't win.
But Erika fought.
The pride of a Dark Elf warrior,
And for the honor of their country Dyphelheim.
At the moment the lifeboat was launched,
Erika's head fell to the floor.
Her cold gaze.
While stomping on that gaze,
The black being gave orders to the Crocs.
“Spread out and search.”