Direct hit to section 13! Hull breach up to section 16, but the damage is insignificant!
It looks like it is time to retreat. We cannot go on any longer.
We will now withdraw!
Even if you tell us to withdraw, the enemy surrounds us in all directions.
They should not pursue us.
Although if those people are stupid, it will be different.
Switch main fleet space-time bubble into full mobile state.
Roger!
All ships, follow the Rashkaughr!
Enemy ship is coming after us!
Distance, 11 cedlairh!
Space-time merging, 170 degrees aft!
Another two ships pursuing!
The enemy is pretty stupid!
Oh? Are wei despised?
Anyway, we are goinrj to break through!
Doghbrish, destroyed.
Did I make a mistake in the time of retreat?
Enemy fleet is entering the Robnasr gate, and another fleet is heading towards us!
Are they clearing our route for us?
It seems so.
Could it be...? That she is glad?
What is the situation?
Confirming now.
Response confirmed!
The enemy fleet is coming through the Robnasr gate!
We did not make it in time...
What shall we do?
There is nothing else we can do except charge in.
All ships, generate a space-time bubble!
Start space-time bubble generating engine!
Confirmed generation of space-time bubbles!
The enemy ships are appearing!
So they are finally here.
Get ready to intercept the enemy!
Laser cannon, ready.
Match speeds with the transport ships, and continue advancing!
Confirmed enemy ships to the front!!
Do not mind them, keep going!
Enemy ships approaching!
Front, 45 degrees!
Three ships, 90 degrees to starboard!
They're not attacking?
We might be lucky. It seems they have not received any orders on how to deal with us.
Passed through enemy ships. Main fleet is assessing route to take.
We can get through!
If the enemy attacks now, they will be in each other's line of fire!
T minus 10 seconds until we enter the Robnasr Gate...
Eight.
Seven.
Six.
Five.
Four.
Three.
Two.
One.
Passed through.
We have passed through the Robansr gate!
Single space-time bubbles, go at maximum speed.
Get away from the enemy fleet.
Do not allow them to space-time merge!
Roger!
Hurry up and confirm the location of the other three ships.
Rear Pilot Ekleua, what is the status of the enemy?
Everything surrounding us is an enemy.
Captain, accepted rally signal.
The source of the transmission is the Rashkaughr.
Roger.
Let us join with Admiral Spoor for now.
So the 1st Fleet is in one piece.
It does not seem so.
Is this... what remains of the 1st Fleet?
BATTLE FLAG OF THE STARS II
EPISODE 9: The Time to Put the Bows Down.
Out of the 33 cruisers that participated in the battle, 26 were completely destroyed, four were severely damaged,
and three, including the Rashkaughr, were partially damaged.
Although I was expecting this, many soldiers have died.
Can we really say their deaths were not meaningless?
Does an emperor experience something like this each day?
Can I handle it?
Am I not suitable as a pilot?
I am not suitable as a pilot.
Father...
I am being timid.
I have figured out why we were not attacked.
It can be assumed that we flew through the enemy's supply units.
It seems they were not equipped for combat.
Well, it is the same for us.
Even if the enemy consisted of merely supply units, we would have lost if we fought head-to-head.
We were really lucky.
The location of the Luises has been confirmed.
Roger. Commence space-time separation.
Let us get away from this annoying territory.
Does everyone blame me?
Of course. My decision caused this to happen.
And I am more worried about one person, who may or may not be alive, than the thousands of lives lost.
Jinto...
What is going to happen to the enemy fleet?
Oh, that will probably be...
It seems we can win.
We know the enemy fleet is half our strength because of the 1st Fleet.
[Shore of Sarkusr Gate] We know the enemy fleet is half our strength because of the 1st Fleet.
And they need to refuel.
They are knowingly taking the course from the Robnasr Earldom to the Sarkusr Earldom because if they do not enter the Sarkusr gate, they cannot survive.
That is probably what they have concluded.
And? What about the plan?
I have prepared two.
One where we do not let them enter the gate, and the other where we let them in and trap them there.
Which would you like to take?
I do not like long battles.
Let us finish this quickly.
Then, do you not mind if we take the plan of not letting them in the gate?
Yeah. Although it is a pity... We will completely annihilate them.
Roger that.
Enemy space-time clusters have entered mine attack range.
Vanguard fleet, prepare for mine battle.
Inter-bubble communication from the enemy.
What does it say?
The enemy wishes to surrender.
Surrender?
Are they really saying they wish to surrender?
Yes, sir. They are repeating the same thing right now.
You should be glad.
Now our side will not suffer any damage.
I know that!
What I want to say is that if they are going to surrender here, they should have never tried to escape!
I see.
They cannot take back what they have done.
Do you wish to persuade them to abandon surrendering?
I would rather reject the surrender if I must do something time consuming like that!
You are going to reject it?
I am irritated right now because I cannot do that!
Really... What was the meaning to the enemy's actions?
Were they really planning to break our siege?
Although it was for a fixed period, they were able to diminish our forces from the front.
If I was the enemy's Supreme Commander, I would value their actions.
"Even if we fight here, we will just be annihilated."
"Our force will not be able to do much."
It was a very logical choice to take.
Tell the enemy commander that. They would like that.
I will do that.
But...
Even if they thinned our frontline, it is useless if the enemy's main fleet does not use that to their advantage!
That is not the responsibility of the enemy in front of us.
If what you are saying is correct, what will our role become?
Are we idiots who were thrown around by an enemy that had no intention to fight?!
You do not need to put us down that much.
I am not the one who is putting us down!
Okay... Anyway, we did something necessary.
Even if we did not, the responsibility is something the Hunter Fleet Headquarters will bear.
I know that!
Why do you not do something about that habit of yours of going on and on about something I already know.
I am sorry.
Notify all the fleets that there will be no battle.
Retrieve the mines that we deployed.
Shut down the power for the laser cannons.
Take down the battle victory decorations!
Break up the battle formation, and go to sleep!
I am going to go to bed in spite, so I will leave the little things to you.
Oh, yeah. Do not forget to praise the enemy commander.
Roger.
But I think the battle victory decorations should be left up.
However a victory is obtained, a victory is a victory.
What? You people really put up the decorations?
No, but I thought Your Excellency ordered a banquet to be prepared?
Doing that before a battle is rude.
Then let us go over this again. What shall we do about the banquet?
Okay. Plan a banquet.
But the Supreme Commander will not bring in any drinks.
Minimize the expenses to the fleet account.
Why do we not charge a membership fee?
It is okay to rely upon the loyalty of your men, but you cannot get greedy.
Why must we celebrate the Empire's victory from our own wallets?
I cannot give that order.
Roger.
Day 10, Month of Keff.
Operation Hunter has reached its final stage.
Three weeks ago, the remaining enemy force attempted to get away by sneaking behind us.
They were cornered by Admiral Trife and his 21st Fleet, and surrendered.
Using this opportunity, the enemies on the frontline...
...were either annihilated after foolishly trying to resist or wisely surrendered.
And my 4th Fleet is about to reach the territory where everything started.
Supreme Commander, we will go through the Bascottonr Gate soon.
No enemy output wave has been detected around the area.
Bascottonr Gate, eh? Everything started here.
Yes. The United Mankind advance toward the Empire began here.
This is where the war truly began.
The birthplace of war, so to speak.
Okay, order each fleet's attack unit to commence a preliminary mine attack.
Perhaps there is no need for that.
There is no indication of enemy presence at all.
Reconnaissance should be enough.
There is a high possibility that a mobile fort has been established.
You should know that preliminary mine attacks almost have no effect on mobile forts, Neles.
We must act carefully.
Why only at a time like this? You are far from being prudent.
This is why people say that you are not able to judge a person correctly.
You are not able to judge yourself.
Anyway, we will commence a preliminary mine attack.
Perhaps you should scale it back a little.
Why are you being so stingy?
We are not having this war at your expense.
Whoever's expense it is, I hate seeing things go to waste.
This is going to signify the end of a long mission.
It is better if it is a bit more flashy.
What I really want to do is order all ships to fire all their mines at the same time, and not just the attack units.
Even if you say flashy, we do not get to see the mines explode.
I think it is more elegant if we make a nuclear-fusion bomb explode in ordinary space.
And it is cheaper, too.
That is true.
No, we are going off the subject.
Anyway, a preliminary mine attack is required.
Fine.
Do not forget I pointed out that it is useless.
There is no response.
Reconnaissance Fleet, enter the Bascottonr Gate.
It is an inter-bubble communication.
"There are no enemy ships in the Bascottonr territory."
I never said that there would definitely be enemies.
But commanders must be prepared for the worst case scenario, right?
I did not say anything.
I merely forgot to mention that. You had a triumphant look.
It is just a difference in opinion.
Please wait!
There is more.
We have confirmed a few friendly fleets.
Friendly fleets?
Where did they come from?
Of course, through the Ireushr Kingdom.
Damn it. I did not hear that someone would be advancing through there.
Come to think of it, you seemed to be attached to arriving first.
Yes, I was planning to place the moment of gaining control of Bascottonr as the climax. Now I must start a new.
Climax of what?
Of course, for Volume 2 of my memoirs.
I get it.
I forgot that there could be nothing else.
It will not be very exciting if I brazenly arrive after another unit has already gained control. Right?
Stop being so attached to your childish love of fame.
If a misunderstanding arises saying that every member of the Biboz family believes it is honorable to arrive first...
I will be very embarrassed.
What is so childish?
Moreover, if people think that fighting to make one's memoirs more interesting is a tradition,
I will discard my name as a Biboz.
Although I am unwillingly attracted to the words "One who can be elegantly insane, Biboz".
Yours is not elegant at all.
You had a conception of shame?
It must be very unique.
Normally, I would make you feel shame by going back three generations,
but since we are brothers, I cannot do that.
You are wise if you noticed that.
Now that we have been able to confirm the fact of our sense of shame, why do you not give the next order?
True.
All ships, enter the Bascottonr Gate quietly!
Enemy... I mean open the communication line with the friendly fleet.
Roger!
What unit is it?
I am 2nd Awayuki Fleet's supreme commander,
Admiral of the Fleet, Abriel.
I am the 4th Hunter Fleet's supreme commander,
Admiral Biboz.
It is an honor to meet you, Your Royal Highness.
I am happy, too, since I unexpectedly got a chance to meet another fleet.
I would like to ask one thing
If you have gained control of the territory, why did you not place security ships in the planar universe?
That way, I would not have had to waste my mines.
You mean, "So that I did not have to experience an empty joy."
We just got here like you, Admiral.
When I tried to send out cruisers to secure the place, they were attacked by a storm of mines.
We should thank the developer of the IFF device.
[Awayuki fleet Flagship, Cruiser Ghemkaughr] If he was not there, a few ships in our fleet would have suffered some damage.
By the way, it seems my daughter received a favor from you, Admiral Biboz.
No, it was not much of a favor.
Also, she is not under my command right now.
Did she mismanage something?
No. I have her working as a feudal lord proxy.
I do not know why, but it seems she enjoys it more than military service, so she is going to continue being one.
That is not like her. Is this true?
Yes. Three weeks ago, she retreated due to military concerns, but she asked for a holiday and headed back.
Asked for a holiday? I did not know that.
Well, you will know the details for that case once we complete an information link.
True. Let us set aside the topic of my daughter for now.
By the way, what will you do now?
We will have to wait for orders from Hunter Fleet Headquarters.
That means you have not received any orders for anything beyond this?
Then, I will leave this territory to you.
We will head for the next destination point, the Boghrashr Earldom.
Please wait.
You will not provide the feudal lord proxy for this territory?
As I said, I will leave this territory to you.
But Your Highness' fleet conquered this territory first, correct?
Providing one from our fleet is unreasonable.
I do not believe that talented people are that scarce, Admiral.
Yes. While you wait for an order, why do you not take the job?
I had to do it when I was young, but the job of a feudal lord proxy is very boring.
It is so boring, only one who has experienced it will know.
Is that so?
Of course, there are exceptions. I wish you good luck.
Although there is no enemy to fight.
It should be waiting. That formidable enemy known as boredom.
Excuse me now.
Please be careful.
Once the fleets have reorganized,
we will reenter the Keishr 193 Gate.
Destination is the Boghrashr Earldom.
After Boghrashr, we will have to regain the Hyde Earldom next.
I may be able to return that young man a small favor.
I hate cats.
Because they get old.
Their appearance does not change as much.
But they will stop playing after a while.
Deurudiah! Deurudiah!
And at some point, I realized... that it has turned cold.
What...?
Among the many cats at home,
my only cat was like that, too.
At that time, I swore that I would never own a cat.
[Humankind Empire Abh Imperial City Lakfakalle]
He never returned.
Is he still alive?
Has he passed away?
An Abh does not age like a cat.
They do not differ in appearance from a young person,
but the time they sleep gradually becomes longer.
And one day, they will never awaken.
I wonder how a person born on a surface world ages.
Like a cat? Like an Abh?
I would like to ask that.
How does it feel to age?
But he is still too young to give an accurate answer.
Yes, he was the first grounder I met that was the same age as me.
That cat and its grandfather from five generations back...
I wonder which one passed away happily.
Is he still alive?
Has he passed away?
If he has passed away...
Will I feel the same way as I did at that time?
I have to go.
I will live through now, and return to how it was before.
A girl who is not restrained by her duties,
...and a boy who did not know who he was. That relationship.
Seems very dear to me right now.
It's impossible to turn back time,
but I can probably get back that relationship, right?
So... let us walk for now.
As long as I am alive.
You are there... ahead of this path.
I have to go.
Lafiel...
Inside a really shallow slumber...
I saw many dreams.
The scenery was always the earth.
Martin's earth, Derctuh's earth, Crasbure's earth.
Earths I have only seen images of.
Earths I have not even seen images of.
And...
And the one beside me in my dreams...
EPISODE 10: Abriel's Tear
All the time was... EPISODE 10: Abriel's Tear