Just Do What You're Told. Huh? (4)
A faint broadcast beep echoed through the bridge.
The hull of the Obelisk shuddered violently.
[5…4…3…2…1-]
Outside the bridge windows, clusters of pure white light flashed in the void of space. Spirits blessed by Chronos, the god of time and fate, gathered around the ship. Using their unknown power, they whisked a massive Halberd cannon bundle—easily surpassing three million tons—across two hundred twenty million kilometers in an instant.
[Jump complete.]
“Outside the influence radius of our carrier. Situation Echo Beta!”
“Aye Ma’am! Situation Echo Beta! Deploy sensors!”
Laura immediately ordered detection within the sector the moment the jump completed signal sounded. But she still couldn’t fully believe the captain’s words. Was the Unknown really advancing into the sector? ‘Red Fog’? Nothing on the navigation chart.
“Chloe, status of friendly forces in the combat zone?”
“Battleship Gigas at three hundred kilometers, cruisers Roskva and Freig at two hundred and two hundred fifty kilometers respectively. Assault destroyers Winter, Marine, Gogon, Nixie, and Orion will arrive within our ten-kilometer radius in approximately fifty minutes.”
“Fifty minutes…”
Laura’s expression darkened slightly at the words. If combat began immediately, the time could prove disadvantageous depending on the enemy’s numbers. Moreover, the cruisers waiting to provide support were far too distant.
“I’ll request immediate repairs from each assault destroyer.”
“Roger, Laura.”
…Probably Roskva won’t help actively.
Laura had a deep emotional rift with Roskva. During the previous battle, Obelisk—under Elia’s command—had recklessly performed a Chronos space jump in an unstable state, unintentionally colliding with Roskva and injuring forty-two crew members. Such space-jump accidents happened occasionally, but the real problem had erupted at the regular meeting of the Twenty-Third Mobile Unit aboard the battleship Gigas afterward.
“Fucking bitch. Apologize? You just did?”
At the end of the small regular meeting attended by the captains of two battleships, five cruisers, and five assault destroyers, Captain Anne Isabel of Roskva demanded a formal apology from Elia for Obelisk’s fault. But…
“When I ordered you three times to move to the designated coordinates, why didn’t you move that filthy heavy ass of yours? I don’t know why it’s my fault. Stop spouting nonsense.”
“W-what?!”
The meeting room instantly froze.
“…Captain Elia. All forty-two injured are Roskva’s crew… Even though it was an accident, since none of Obelisk’s crew were injured, we should give a little leeway—”
“Giving leeway to someone worth it.”
Colonel Claudia tried to calm Elia with a calm voice behind her purple fan, but it was useless. Laura stood there, unable to move, staring at the floor as the gazes focused on her.
“…Captain Elia.”
“Colonel Claudia. Warning. Shut your mouth.”
“Such an attitude will not—”
Before Claudia could finish, Elia slammed the metal table with a thunderous bang. Blood dripped from her hand. Her blood-red eyes flickered with fury.
“I remember every stupid thing you did when my destroyer was breaking through and annihilating the enemies. Not a single one listened to me properly. Because of your incompetence, I and my ship almost became ashes in the center of the Unknowns, and I escaped with a jump. Now you’re asking me to apologize?”
Laura agreed a little. Obelisk had fought alone for nearly two and a half hours in the center of the enemy forces, driving three Centipede-class command ships to the brink of destruction. If timely support had arrived, they would have achieved a great victory.
…But the captain’s strategy is hard to follow either.
Laura couldn’t bring herself to say it aloud and simply sighed inwardly. Operating a massive assault destroyer as if it were part of her own body—that was transcendence. Coordinating with that level of transcendence was a reality with enormous risk. It was a strategy bordering on reckless, one that could endanger the entire mobile unit.
“Coordination? Fuck it. No need for coordination with this trash. Not needed before, won’t be needed in the future. Seeing your ugly faces is the last time. Keep sucking your thumbs while watching until I shoot down your carriers.”
With those words, Elia kicked the chair and stormed out of the meeting room. Laura apologized politely to the captains and hurriedly followed her.
…Since the enemy’s scale is unknown, it’s better to wait.
She sat at the captain’s seat and looked at Elia.
By the way, why did they call Ciel and sit her down?
Ciel sat demurely on the simple chair provided right next to the captain’s seat. The captain had commanded her, “Just sit here.” Unable to figure out the meaning after endless speculation, Laura gave up and suggested to Elia.
“Captain? It might be better to wait for the arrival of friendly ships.”
“No, not necessary. Helm, thirty degrees starboard, full speed.”
But the order issued was full-speed forward.
“Understood. Thirty degrees starboard, full speed.”
“Aye Ma’am! Thirty degrees starboard, full speed!”
The engine ignition sound echoed through the bridge, making Laura’s heart even heavier. If only she could guess what the captain was thinking…
“Worried? Vice Captain Laura?”
Elia seemed to read her mind and spoke that way. Honestly, if she wasn’t worried, it would be a lie. The lives of five hundred crew members hung entirely on her hands.
“Don’t worry. The ones coming will come.”
Her eyes curved like a crescent moon.
Her mouth torn like a slit.
An expression that never adapted no matter how many times seen.
“—There are no enemies, or rather, it’s the same.”
A shiver ran through Laura’s body.
The legendary captain of Obelisk, Elia Edelvine, announced the annihilation of the enemy.
“Vice Captain? From Orion to Obelisk. One minute later Quebec Papa (QP).”
“…Good. From Obelisk to Orion. Charlie (C), Uniform Whiskey (UW).”
“Aye Ma’am. Charlie, Uniform Whiskey. Transmitting.”
Laura transmitted Uniform Whiskey to Helga, captain of Orion, thanking her for support and cooperation. The signal was Quebec Papa, requesting permission to approach Obelisk.
“From Orion, reply. Fox Trot Oscar (FO).”
Fox Trot Oscar. ‘I will obey the command of the captain.’
Helga had been one of the captains Laura exchanged most with when she herself had been captain. Perhaps that closeness had helped. Feeling like she wanted to send a prayer to the direction Orion was heading, she sent the message.
“Send Uniform Whiskey (UW) to Orion again—”
“…Ugh, I want to eat chocolate pie from Orion.”
But at that moment, Laura turned at the small murmur from behind her. Chocolate pie…? The chocolate pie you just said…?
“Do you have something to say, Vice Captain?”
“Ah, no. Captain.”
But when she turned, what she saw was the captain staring at her with her usual blank expression. Hallucination…? No, it had definitely been the captain’s voice. But chocolate pie? Dessert? Do you want something sweet? Too out of the blue. It couldn’t be, Laura. Pull yourself together. Lately, sleep has been lacking.
“Orion has arrived at the starboard side of the main ship!”
While she was lost in confusion, muttering to herself, Orion appeared at the starboard side with the clusters of white light. For a moment she felt the strange joy rising,
“V-vice Captain! Sensor report! Unknown!”
“From Orion emergency signal! Romeo Tango! Romeo Tango!”
“Estimated time of Unknown encounter, ten minutes!”
What the hell…?
Ten minutes—within the ten-kilometer radius.
Why was it discovered now?
No, not the time to think that.
“Gunnery Officer Yuri, Red alert! Open all forward guns!”
“Yes! Open all forward guns! Activate Naica Defense System!”
A brilliant blue barrier wrapped the entire ship outside the bridge windows as the Naica Defense System activated.
“What’s the scale of the enemy?”
“Estimated forty Rabas-class, one Caterpillar-class!”
“Caterpillar-class?! Immediately request support from the cruisers!”
Forty Rabas was already too much, and among them the Caterpillar-class with a high probability of carrying an independent command entity—the Queen’s Knight. Laura’s heart rang an alarm. The Fleet Admiral Karina’s assumption that they were stray forces without a carrier and command system had been wrong.
“Don’t panic, Vice Captain Laura.”
Finally, the captain of Obelisk stood up.
“Pass the order to Orion. Romeo Sierra.”
“Yes, Captain! Order passed, Romeo Sierra!”
Romeo Sierra.
Maintain turn distance, follow.
“Maintain course. Maintain full speed. The worms that don’t need to be dealt with will be crushed in one breath.”
“Aye Ma’am! Maintain course, full speed!”
“Helmsman, move exactly according to my signal.”
“Yes, aye! Captain!”
“On days when I make mistakes…”
Obelisk charged toward the center of the enemy formation.
“You’re all going to die. Understood?”