As soon as they spotted our reinforcements, the Zen Divine Race battleships that had been holding the line finally made their move.
"Hyahaha! You idiots!"
I called it a Barrier Cannon... but specifically, it was the new weapon that fired a staff to generate a barrier.
Let’s call it the "Tatiana Cannon" to keep things simple.
The underlying principle of Tatiana’s barriers was still a complete mystery to me, but we’d experimented with different ways to trigger them.
One of those was remote activation.
That said, its effective range was only about the same as a battleship’s main cannon.
Beyond that, Tatiana’s power didn't seem to reach.
Furthermore, the technical explanation of the principles went right over my head. I gathered that Tatiana sends something akin to an activation code, but the output required for it to work attenuates over distance... and that was about the extent of my understanding.
In short, installing them on multiple planets and activating them all at once was still too difficult.
"If she ever masters that, won't people other than Tatiana be able to use them too?" I wondered, but I kept the thought to myself.
I’m a considerate guy like that.
At any rate, the device was standard equipment on our ship... or rather, it was installed here specifically because Tatiana was on board.
And we were going to use it for the sole purpose of harassment!
It was simple.
"Tatiana! I’m going to push you a little!"
"Ooh! Bring it on!"
"I’m going to fire multiple Tatiana Cannons. When they hit, activate them all at once!"
"You got it!"
"Barrier Cannon! Fire the Tatiana Cannons!"
"Firing!"
The Tatiana Cannons launched.
We hammered them into uninhabited planets, asteroids, and moons.
"Activate!"
"Uoryaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"
Tatiana roared with effort.
Thanks to a recent design review, the physical burden on her had been reduced. She had successfully managed multiple activations several times during training.
She could do this.
"Activate!"
The barriers flickered to life.
"Heh-heh-heh-heh... Gahahahahaha!"
I threw my head back and cackled like a true villain. After all, the win was already in the bag.
As soon as the barriers activated, the Zen Divine Race ships scrambled to change course. The transport ships that couldn't manage the maneuver in time simply saw their engines cut out.
They drifted out of control, slamming into asteroids and erupting into balls of fire.
Other ships that lost control collided with one another, turning the battlefield into a literal hellscape.
Idiots!
"All ships, prepare to attack!"
In essence, this was the same as the Zork network. Tatiana's barriers severed the technology used to remotely operate the Locusts.
I’d bet the transport ships carrying the Locusts were being operated remotely. It likely wasn't that they failed to turn in time; rather, they became impossible to operate because their communication with the mothership had been cut.
I’d anticipated this much.
The rest would be an engagement with an opponent possessing unknown technology. They might even be stronger than my own unit. I couldn't do anything about the raw performance difference, after all.
Besides, my tactics were simple.
We would just snipe the battleships that came charging through the barriers. Unlike the drones, we were the ones with actual people on board.
The transport ships carrying the Locusts were being sunk left and right. The Zen Divine Race crew was likely hitting their limit.
If we attacked now, the entire operation would collapse under the weight of task overload!
Never underestimate the chaos of a panicked frontline!
If they decided to avoid the barriers, it would be even easier for us. We’d just invite them to a battlefield where the terrain favored us.
We had already finished our deployment! A total offensive was waiting for them!
Now, I wonder which one they'll choose?
Will it be the collapse of the front lines due to task overload after losing their Locusts, or will they march straight into a hell where defeat is certain?
I’ll give them a time limit to decide which flavor of hell they prefer.
They always arrived with that air of guaranteed victory from their "superior" perspective. I’d bet they haven't even trained for a two-choice dilemma like this after their Locusts were neutralized.
I’m terrible at reading high-level tactics, but I’m great at reading the mood on the ground.
Since they kept repeating their Locust tactics despite Tatiana being here, I knew they were an arrogant bunch.
"Captain... you’re... you’re terrifyingly good at fighting dirty..." Melissa whispered.
How mean!
"I... I never want to have him as an enemy... I never want Leo, of all people, as an enemy..." even Claire added!
"You’ve got it all wrong, everyone... I just happen to know the soldier's life inside and out, from the top brass to the grunts. That’s why I understand the terror of chaos on the front lines."
Yes, I had worked the same front lines as any common soldier. In Chronos, I had helped with construction and watched the scene fall into a mess because of idiotic orders. When a plan collapses, there are almost no "competent" bosses who can pull a backup plan out of their sleeves!
Look, look, I’m right here on the front line!
Take the risk and take my head, and you win!
Will they turn?
Will they charge?
I’ll let you choose!
"Zen Divine Race fleet! They're charging in!"
The Zen Divine Race chose to abandon the Locusts and push forward, firing on their own disabled transport ships as they came.
"All right! I won the bet! Tatiana! Remote-detonate the Locusts!"
"Osu!"
In the next instant, the transport ships carrying the Locusts exploded one after another.
It was the moment their own weapons became mines.
Since they could be stopped remotely, they could be detonated remotely as well. The Galactic Empire has a Mother AI who spends every waking moment refining her hacking skills. We’ve already grasped the holes in your system.
The front lines must be in total chaos from the dirty tricks of those they considered "monkeys."
This time, the majority of the Zen Divine Race's ships lost control. If only they hadn't given the Locusts a self-destruct function. No, the Locusts were simply too "excellent" for their own good.
They knew the barriers could block them, and yet they still built their entire strategy around them.
From that point on, I just watched.
The Chronos ships and fighters moved in. One after another, they rendered the enemy vessels unnavigable.
There was no need for me to step out personally.
In the end, the matter was settled before Latarnia even arrived.
"The Zen Divine Race fleet is retreating!"
And this was where the real work began.
"All right, everyone! Now comes the important part. Under the pretext of 'rescue,' we’re going to help ourselves to those enemy ships. Strip them down for reverse engineering! Everyone, altogether now!"
"We’re gonna earn big today, too!"
Very good.
"He... He's a pirate! His logic is 100% that of a pirate! Gyahahahahaha!"
It seemed to have struck Melissa's funny bone; she was prone to fits of laughter.
Granted, what I was doing might look like piracy. But it wasn't privateering. It was a perfectly legitimate act of combat by a sovereign nation. We just weren't giving the ships back.
"Now then, this time's Fighting Spirit Award goes to Tatiana-san! Tatiana-san will receive an assorted sweets set and prize money..."
I read out the award. I believed it was important to offer praise and rewards for every battle.
And so, the first battle of the Grand Duchy of Chronos—the warrior race that would later leave its mark on history—came to an end.