The moment we hit the Ignis System’s gravity well, the alarms started screaming.
As I’d expected, there was no welcoming fanfare waiting for us—only the shrill, persistent ping of a lock-on warning.
"Multiple hostiles detected ahead," Lucia reported. "Two cruiser-class and five destroyer-class vessels. Additionally, a swarm of small-scale combat craft is buzzing around the perimeter."
"The Anti-Government Army's blockade fleet, huh? I heard they were a ragtag bunch, but they’ve certainly brought the numbers."
I tightened my grip on the control stick.
Passing through with a bluff would have been the ideal outcome, but the enemy had sent an identification signal request without a second thought. Our camouflaged ID wasn't going to fool these guys. It was time for a more direct approach.
"Lucia, how are the preparations?"
"Complete. The debris group launched via inertial navigation will make contact in thirty seconds."
During the dull stretches of the journey, I’d had the drones round up a mountain of scrap metal. Hidden within that heap were cheap chaff warheads and transmitters I'd picked up at Asteria, which I'd had the drones weld onto the junk.
It wasn't just space trash. it was a timed jack-in-the-box.
"Alright, let’s get to it."
I slammed the throttle forward.
Simultaneously, the leading debris group drifted into the enemy fleet's sensor net. The timers tripped. In the silent vacuum of space, a series of noiseless explosions rippled through the junk.
The blast itself wasn't lethal, but the resulting cloud of high-density metal fragments and false heat signatures painted the enemy's radar completely white.
"The enemy fleet is in disarray," Lucia noted, her voice calm amidst the chaos. "Intercepting comms... 'Is it an ambush?!' 'There are too many of them!' 'Get a grip, it’s just a meteor shower!' ...Their command structure is falling apart."
"Perfect. We’re punching through while they're blind!"
The Sperm Whale surged forward.
We tore through the fog of chaff, diving straight into the heart of the enemy formation. A destroyer that had begun to recover from the initial confusion frantically slewed its turrets toward us.
"Shields to maximum! Brace for the barrage!"
A rain of light descended upon us.
Beams on a direct-hit course slammed into the Sperm Whale's shields, but the bluish membrane of light only rippled. It didn't even waver. This ship's generator output and shield strength were in a completely different league than any standard military vessel. A concentrated volley based on textbook shield-depletion rates wasn't nearly enough to saturate our defenses.
I kept us on a straight, stubborn course while pushing the Fire Control System to its limits.
In response to the incoming missile swarms, the anti-air lasers scattered across the hull—supplemented by Lucia’s processing—snapped into action. With inhuman precision, the streaks of light picked off the incoming warheads one by one.
"Mass Driver, fire!"
A heavy recoil rocked the hull with a dull thud.
The massive electrical load supplied by the high-output generator accelerated a projectile along the rails to just shy of sub-light speed. What I’d launched was nothing more than a giant hunk of rock, but its kinetic energy was staggering.
Flying at a speed that defied the eye, the rock punched through the enemy destroyer's shield like it was tofu. It didn't stop there, tearing through the armor and exiting the other side.
After a heartbeat of silence, the destroyer’s hull buckled from the internal shockwave and blossomed into a fireball.
Never underestimate a simple rock throw. When you have enough mass and velocity, it’s pure, unadulterated violence.
"Next! Starboard missile pods, go!"
I followed up with more of those cheap jamming missiles. They spiraled out in flashy, erratic trajectories, drawing the enemy's anti-air fire. In that opening, I hammered them with our primary energy weaponry—the twin plasma machine guns.
I’d intended it as a mere diversion, but the enemy’s armor melted like wax wherever the plasma connected. I suppose even my "secondary" weapons were designed for a state-of-the-art specialized combat ship; these outdated vessels, which were barely military-grade to begin with, stood no chance.
Even the small-caliber Gauss Cannons shredded their composite armor like wet paper.
Rounds from the Gauss Cannons and the Mass Driver buried themselves in the exposed hulls. Physical armor was bypassed entirely, and secondary explosions began to rip the ships apart from the inside.
"Honestly, I was a bit worried about the cruisers... but they’re just irregulars after all."
Seeing their flagship shattered, the remaining vessels panicked and began to break formation.
"Remaining enemy forces: one cruiser, two destroyers," Lucia reported. "They have lost the will to fight and are attempting to retreat."
"Don't let them go. If we let them slip away now, they'll just come back to choke the supply lines later."
Ideally, I’d have used the large Gauss Cannon to snipe them from behind, but the magazine was empty. Fortunately, I had other options.
Mounted at the bow of the Sperm Whale sat the extra-large weapon that served as our main gun: the 'Ion Cannon.'
"Ion Cannon, fire!"
The hull let out a low, vibrating groan.
The weapon had almost no physical destructive power, but its effects were dramatic. A wide-range stream of ions washed over the fleeing fleet. Any standard generator lacking heavy-duty shielding would overload and fail instantly.
Us? The Sperm Whale's generator had a mysterious, cheat-tier output. It didn't even flinch from its own weapon's discharge. Honestly, we could probably take a direct hit from our own cannon and walk away fine.
On the monitor, the enemy ships’ engines flickered and died. They hadn't stopped completely, but they were dead in the water—or space, rather. They were sluggish enough that we easily closed the distance.
I pushed the throttle, bringing us alongside the defenseless prey. After that, it was basically target practice. One by one, I delivered the finishing blows.
"All enemy vessels confirmed destroyed."
"...Phew. That’s that."
In the darkness of space, seven massive wrecks and a sea of debris drifted aimlessly. Given our firepower and defenses, it was almost an unfair fight. It was a real shame we didn't have the time to salvage any of it.
Leaving the graveyard behind, the Sperm Whale slid into Planet Ignis's gravity well. The atmospheric re-entry angle was perfect. There were no more obstacles in our path.
"Atmospheric re-entry sequence initiated. Surface temperature rising... Master, I’ve detected anti-air fire near the descent point."
"Doesn't matter. We're going down."
We punched through the inferno of the atmosphere. The moment we dropped beneath the cloud layer, we were greeted by ground fire. Tracer rounds tore through the sky, and near-misses rattled the hull.
Below us lay a scorched landscape and a city reduced to mountains of rubble. In one corner of the ruins, I saw a residential district—a cluster of shacks cobbled together from discarded shipping containers and debris.
"There!"
The sound of anti-air fire drummed against the belly of the ship, but to our thick armor, it was no more than a light rain. Without bothering with evasive maneuvers, I transitioned into a slow, deliberate vertical descent.
As if to flaunt our overwhelming mass and invulnerability, we descended toward the earth.
"Landing gear, deployed."
Thud—!
A heavy sound echoed through the ruins as the suspension groaned under the ship's weight. Dust billowed up in a massive cloud, and the surrounding anti-air fire finally fell silent. The attackers seemed stunned, staring up at the massive mountain of iron that had suddenly dropped into their laps.
"...We’re here."
"Shields at 72%. No damage to the hull," Lucia said. "A very comfortable journey."
I let out a long breath and sank into my seat. On the monitor, I watched as people holding rifles began to cautiously emerge from the dust. They had emaciated faces and tattered clothes, their eyes a volatile mix of hostility and terror.
I flipped the switch for the external speakers.
"...This is the mercenary ship Sperm Whale. We’ve brought relief supplies from Asteria. ...If you're hungry, give us a hand."
The moment I said those words, I saw their expressions transform.
The three-million-credit job—stage one was officially cleared.
But looking at the state of the world below, I had a feeling the real hell was only just beginning.