CH 40

Battle of Leboir [10]

“Your Majesty! The mercenary from the report is requesting permission to come aboard!”

“What did you say!?”

Hearing the report from the control operator, Alisha involuntarily stood up from her seat. If memory serves her right, the mercenary should be fighting in a theater far away from her main fleet. Why is he here?

“The enemy fleet is en route toward our location, ma’am. Approximate time to contact, 10 minutes!”

“…….What a timing, is this his intuition as a veteran mercenary? Fine. Permission granted.”

It was only a few minutes ago that she managed to locate the enemy’s main force. She had thought that there’s no time for her to even put up a proper defense.

“Understood.”

Informed that he was granted permission to come aboard, Kisei approached the ship from the rear and landed on the landing deck.

“That ride booster, is it not a Nored’s….?”

“He stole it huh……”

The deck crew was whispering among themselves but Kisei did not even leave the cockpit and connect a communication line to the deck operator. The enemy is right around the corner. He doesn’t have time to get off and relax here.

“Please replenish my ammunition. I only need the blaster magazines so please give me as many as you can.”

“Roger that. Right away.”

For a striker to land here in such a situation, it is obvious that it is here for resupplying. Since the ammunition and other supplies were already prepared at the landing deck, the deck crew immediately went to work.

“Also, can you please open a communication line to the person in charge here? I need to talk with them about something.”

“Eh!? ………please standby.”

Even with excellent war results, it is not common for a striker pilot to be granted the right to address the commander-in-chief. That’s why the operator immediately disconnected her communication with Kisei and asked Alisha for permission.

“Hokuto Kisei said that he has something to discuss with you, Your Majesty…….how do you wish to proceed?”

“I don’t mind, patch him through.”

This is originally a battle where they do not stand much chance of winning from the beginning. Since their only hope is this man, Alisha immediately dropped the formality and answered.

“Understood.”

Since the [Caliburn-Revive] is currently inside the landing deck which leaves laser communication uninterrupted by the enemy, the operator operates her terminal and connects a video communication channel to the [Caliburn-Revive]. Kisei’s face then appeared on the monitor at Alisha’s armrest.

“Ah, hello, ma’am. I’m sorry for the abruptness.”

“We are in an emergency. Hurry up and state your business.”

Alisha’s reply was blunt but in truth, she was quite surprised at his appearance which is even more beautiful than she expected. One could say that his appearance is bad for her heart.

“This will make things quicker, thank you very much. I want to talk to Your Highness about the battleships that are heading toward this location.”

“I see, do you have a strategy to deal with them?”

That question was mixed with Alisha’s expectations. If he says that they should abandon this place and flee then all hope would be lost.

Their original plan was to engage the enemy’s main force after they dealt enough damage with their strikers and missile vessels. However, that plan has already crumbled to dust. Performing an effective surprise attack, centralizing the troops’ command, neutralizing enemy influential war assets such as the Zenith using guerilla tactics, so far none of the plans they laid out was successful.

“Even if it’s certainly a plan, since I don’t have much time to prepare……..I don’t think I can do much though.”

“I expected as much.”

Alisha groaned.

“For the time being, I’m going to push toward the enemy fleet and provide some intel to this side while disrupting their formation.”

“But attacking such a large fleet with only a small number of units would be……Nn? Come to think of it, are you not supposed to be with my daughter’s unit? What happened to Schleer?”

“Your Majesty, Her Highness Schleer is currently engaging the enemy in another theater…….it appears that he’s the only one who managed to join our fleet.”

An operator answered Alisha’s question instead of Kisei. Kisei was able to break through the enemy ranks and come here only because he managed to steal a ride booster and flew here at full speed. At the moment, Schleer and the others are being stalled in another theater by the enemy Imperial Knights, a Noredian elite unit. They are highly skilled and well-equipped. It would be difficult to shake them off even on a Zenith.

“Right now we don’t have any choice. I have to do this by myself. Still, I will do what I can.”

“…..I see, I’m counting on you.”

Having no other choice, Alisha replied. After all, there’s no use moaning about a force that she doesn’t have the access to.

“Ah, also, I have two more requests…….”

Hearing that, Alisha nodded to Kisei. At this point, she can do nothing but support in any way that she can.

“While I scout ahead, I will mark the enemy ships that should be easy targets to this side. Please have all your ships concentrate fire on the ships I’m going to mark.”

“Sure. I understand. I will notify my subordinates.”

Fighting the enemy while being at a disadvantage is no longer avoidable. It is highly likely that even the flagship she’s currently on is not going to be safe. In an emergency case where she can not command her fleet from this place, it is better to relay her general instructions to the other ships in the fleet beforehand.

In the first place, it is entirely possible that Kisei might get shot down even before it comes to that. Her staff officers also seem to realize this and look at her but Alisha silently stopped them from saying anything. Even if they gather all their force and proceed on an all-out attack, it is still unlikely that they will win. That’s why if there’s even the smallest chance they can bet on, they have no choice but to go all in.

“You said that you have two requests right. What’s the other one?”

“It’s about the engagement. I’d like the fleet to engage the enemy while maintaining as much distance from the enemy fleet as possible.”

“What?”

Alisha immediately frowned. Noredian battleships outperform that of the Calencian in both sensor performance and attack range. Thinking about it normally, the farther they are from the enemy, the more disadvantaged they will be……..

“It will work better for us that way. I will make sure of it.”

“…….Fine.”

After thinking it over for a while, Alisha agreed. Since she decided to believe in this man, even if the request he made was strange, she thought that she should trust in him.

While thinking that if Kisei is actually a Noredian spy, it would all be over for them, Alisha bitterly smiled to herself.

“I’m really sorry about everything. I need to head out soon or I won’t make it in time.”

“I understand. I’m leaving this to you.”

After disconnecting the communication, Alisha sighs. While listening to the operator’s report of the enemy’s gradual approach, Alisha saw off the white striker as it flew toward the enemy’s direction.

“[Wicked Star] huh. I hope that he will be the star of death to the enemy……….”

With the time for decisive battle approaching, Alisha closed her eyes and put her hands together to pray.