Episode 121 Emotions you need to get used to.
It's unbearable to watch. No matter how much of a connection you have with the other party, it's not a good thing.
'Notify flagship commander. I am commencing engagement with the enemy forces.’
Ares immediately gave the order.
The fact that a communication line can be picked up means that the enemy is in the immediate vicinity. If they warp, they will probably immediately enter the effective range of each other's main guns.
The Lachesis squadron, which is the spearhead, must intercept. Whether they avoid or prevent the attack, if they are frightened, they will be crushed.
'All vessels in manoeuvre formation! But Lachesis is operating at maximum sensor capacity! ‘Right, don't miss the enemy!’
As soon as the flagship Forseti is notified, Ares immediately moves his troops.
The unit Ares was entrusted with was a heavy cruiser, the Lachesis, two light cruisers and three destroyers.
The flagship and battleship Forseti is flanked by two light cruisers.
The only one, the Lilyou, at the rear of the fleet, was a single ship, but this was the strength that the Gekko fleet could deploy.
Of these, the destroyer was a shield ship with a shield generator and most of its armament was torpedo equipment.
That is far from the physical defence that Ares is looking for. Besides, the enemy had used photon torpedoes in the past.
If they used something like that again, electromagnetic shields would be meaningless. If they clumped together, they would only fall prey to it.
For this reason, Ares emphasised evasion by manoeuvrability. And for this, early detection of the enemy by the radome is important.
If you know where the enemy is coming from, what kind of formation they are in and how they are preparing to attack ......, it is possible to avoid them.
If you move properly, that is.
(There might be some deaths. ......)
We have been lucky in our own battles so far.
I don't know how we, including myself, have managed not to die.
But there was a jinx in Ares's mind that the shake-up would come sooner or later. Of course, he had no intention of letting them die in vain.
But at the moment, the enemy is in a position to make the first move. They will have the momentum, even if they don't want it.
Even if we are on the back foot and say we will counterattack, we will still be exposed to attack to some extent.
If we cannot shake off that fear and act, we will be swallowed by the heavy particles.
Distortion wave detected.
Increased heat. Two million kilometres ahead of us.
Shield power stabilising on my ship. Range constant.
Flagship Forseti, you are free to engage.’
Ares clenches his fists as reports come in one after another.
'Long-range torpedoes, fire at once! After that, spread out and prepare for enemy fire!’
At first glance, it seems like a preemptive attack, but in Ares' mind, it was unlikely that the enemy would make such a transparent and foolishly honest warp again.
It would only result in the same outcome as the previous battle. No general, no matter how foolish, would repeat the same thing to that extent.
They will play tricks and respond.
It is just how they respond that will be .......
Warp out, incoming!
Enemy ships in sight! Identify, Star Vampire!
What ......?’
But the enemy has acted on its foolish honesty.
A distorted battleship emerges from the distortion of space. The crimson ship, which had once displayed a certain beauty, had been transformed into an ugly figure, as if swarmed by parasites, further bloating its hull.
The turrets peeking out from various parts of the ship suggest that its offensive capabilities have increased considerably, but what the hell does it mean that it still appears alone?
There is still time for the long-range torpedoes to make contact.
The enemy will easily intercept them.
How will they move then?
'Keep an eye on radar and sensors. I have a bad feeling about this.’
The deformed Star Vampire does not move from its position.
Only the turret is stirring, ready to intercept. Probably, if the range of the main gun is not so different from ours, it does not seem to be able to reach us.
That is why it is eerie. Lana's figure looms in the back of my mind. The most important thing to remember is that the main gun is not a weapon, it's a weapon.
If showing her that figure was also a strategy, it would be in bad taste and effective.
‘Thirty minutes to impact.’
The countdown begins.
It's obvious they're going to be intercepted anyway.
Twenty.
How do we move?
I don't think the enemy is alone. It's definitely a fleet.
But I don't know the formation.
Ten.
If there is a carrier class and a shipborne aircraft, it is very dangerous.
Enemy ships are giving off energy signatures. Torpedo group appears to have been shot down.
Processing noise. Heat source identified and magnetic field confirmed.’
A moment later. Ares shouted.
‘All ships, fall back with intercept action!’
It sounded like an angry shout.
That is why the crew were able to carry out their orders, although their movements were delayed for a moment.
But that was only the story of the Lachesis, and the other ships that were notified were even slower to act.
Nevertheless, they did as they were told, put the ship in reverse thrust and began to retreat.
'New distortion waves detected! 100,000 kilometres away! Close range, sir!'
'As I thought. ......! Disperse short-range torpedoes! They're coming at us!’
Their newly detected warp response was happening right in front of them.
One after the other, appearing one after the other and on a somewhat unstable trajectory, the three destroyers came rushing forward, scattering their heavy particle cannons and torpedoes.
Their tactics resembled the attack they had suffered in a simulation sometime back.
The fast destroyers were forced to sneak into the enemy's bosom and attack on the premise of a suicide mission.
‘A strange strategy, but once used, it becomes a set of rules. ......!’
The tactic used by Lillian and Stella.
In a sense, it is a disposable attack that can be carried out mercilessly because it is unmanned.
The same thing was done by the enemy.
The Star Vampire, which appeared alone for unknown reasons, was not just there.
On the contrary, it was observing us. It was observing our organisation, our hole, our distance!
It may have thought it was taking us by surprise!’
But what may be a surprise attack for the enemy, for Ares ...... no, for the Gekko fleet it was a winning strategy, and the attack they had experienced most.
A strange feeling of discomfort, other enemies not showing up. Naturally, they are ready to be on the lookout for it.
But .......
Destroyer Mist, hit!
'Cruiser Garou, direct hit to the propulsion system, disabled! A rescue call has been issued!'
Even though they knew what they were doing, the crews of the ships they had just been assigned to were not so sure.
We had to be thoroughly alert. They had also trained for this.
Yet ...... they had not yet experienced proper real combat. They acted too late and fell prey.
Mist and Garou would not make it in time. Ares had made a ruthless decision, but he could not say it.
'Mist will retreat as fast as it can. We will rescue the Garou. ‘You're complementing the enemy ship!’
A call for help and screams are heard.
But after a few seconds of ...... a red signal flashed on the monitor and then disappeared.
'But the Garou is sunk! Lies .......’
‘The Mist!’
The three enemy destroyers rushed towards their retreating comrades as if swarming with prey, and continued to attack them. They paid no attention to our fleeing ships. With a single blow, they had identified their easy prey.
At the same time as the signal was lost, the light of the explosion was visible.
Seeing this, Ares understood the feeling of bloodlust.
A man had died. A comrade had died. They were the same age as him or younger. Ares understood the feeling of bloodlust.
‘......!’
The first time I saw a man in the street, I was so shocked that I could not believe it, but I felt it would be impolite to do so, so I suppressed it, swallowing in reverse. The refluxing gastric juices and contents send a sharp pain coursing through my insides.
With all of this under control, Ares continues with his instructions.
From now on, this kind of thing will happen again and again, and it will happen to you.
So you'll just have to get used to it.
'Main gun fire! They come one after the other! Set up a barrage and return fire! Don't flinch! We'll be the ones who die! You don't want to end up like that!’
First, we'll join up with Forseti and the rest of the main squadron.
(To put it bluntly, we're lucky we only have ...... two ships [only] ......!
Besides, we already know the enemy's plan.
If that's the way they come, I've thought of a way to handle them.
I will avenge you, ...... with my own hands.’