Chapter 1

In the Milky Way Galaxy, on the Orion Arm, where the solar system Earth, the cradle of humanity, is located, and which has remained a hub of human activity even after people ventured into space.

Currently, among the numerous stars in the Orion Arm, many people have settled. This includes habitable planets, environment-regulated planets, and artificial satellites and planets.

Connecting these stars are the interstellar highways created by interstellar travel technology and the interstellar side roads formed by the travel experiences of local residents.

Of course, since they are in space, these two roads do not exist as physical paths on the surface of a planet but as paths that exist in data.

A single ship was navigating one of these interstellar highways.

The transport ship *Harpoon Whale*. Maximum crew capacity: 30,000. Minimum operational crew: 2,000. Cargo capacity: approximately 20 million OCU—500 million tons. Fully equipped with welfare facilities.

It is a typical transport ship that cannot go fast but can carry a large amount of cargo. If compared to Earth-era ships, it would be a super-large container ship.

The transport ship *Harpoon Whale* is currently operating with 3,000 people, slightly more than the minimum, due to the company's cost-cutting measures. This means 2,000 people work while 1,000 rest, and every 500 people switch between work and rest at regular intervals. This is not an ideal but a necessary minimum operation method.

There was a reason why the transport ship *Harpoon Whale* had to reduce its crew so much.

First, when navigating the interstellar highway, the ship must pay a fee to the Space Union, the state that oversees the humans who have ventured into space. This fee is quite high and puts pressure on the company's finances.

Of course, it is a high fee worth paying.

The space map can use public data, and beacons are placed frequently, so there is no worry about getting lost as long as you are on the road. The Space Union's space military patrols at regular intervals, so space pirates do not approach, making the route safe. There are many rest areas, such as artificial satellites, and if the ship breaks down and cannot navigate, it can dock for repairs.

As a ship that transports goods, the interstellar highway is a safe and reliable route that is worth paying a high fee to use, even if it puts pressure on the company's finances.

Because it is such a safe route, the crew of the transport ship *Harpoon Whale* was all idle.

The engine was running well, so the engineers did not need to monitor it. The security personnel did not have to do anything because the passengers were all company employees who knew each other. The inspection of the cargo pods—large containers, in Earth terms—was not due for a while.

Just as the crew was idle, the bridge crew was also idle.

"There are no debris that could threaten the ship. We are on schedule—ah, I'm getting tired of looking at the monitors."

"At least you have something to look at. I'm just holding the wheel, which is pointless since we're on autopilot."

"At least you have the wheel. I'm just monitoring the dual engines, which the engineers are already doing. I don't see the point of this."

On the bridge, the conversation was lively as they discussed who had the most meaningless job.

However, such conversations gradually died down. After all, the idle time had been going on since the ship started its journey. They had run out of topics to talk about.

"Ah. I understand that the company wants safe and secure space travel, but this route with no ups and downs is really demotivating."

"Let's go to a satellite for a break. We need some stimulation, not just a break."

"Shut up. The schedule is tight. We don't have time to stop at a satellite."

The man holding the wheel waved his hand, and a spatial projection monitor appeared in front of the man who had requested a break. It showed the transport ship *Harpoon Whale*'s schedule and the current spare time.

Looking only at the spare time, it was fluctuating between plus one minute and minus one minute.

In other words, it indicated that they needed to proceed non-stop to the destination without any delays.

"Ah, the artificial satellites on the interstellar highway have alcohol and women, but we can only pass by them."

"Even if we stopped at a satellite, with your savings, you wouldn't be able to afford good alcohol or women."

"Just thinking about places we can't go makes me feel miserable. Let's stop."

Just as they were about to pass the time with trivial conversations, the bridge monitors sounded an alarm, and the crew panicked.

"What's the alarm for!"

"The engine is fine!"

"The alarm is here! High-energy alert! It's a cannon shot!"

As the monitoring crew member shouted, the monitor showing the outside of the ship projected a thick, bright band of light that grazed the bow of the ship. Immediately after, the ship vibrated, shaken by the power of the nearby cannon shot.

"Where did the shot come from! The light was quite thick! Was it a misfire from the military!?"

"The military doesn't fire without warning. This must be the work of space pirates!"

"Damn, there's no enemy ship on the monitor. It must be radar camouflage or a long-range shot!"

With the unexpected situation, the bridge crew, who were on break, also came in. They activated the auxiliary functions and tried to identify the source of the cannon shot.

Before their actions bore fruit, the image on the bridge monitor changed on its own.

Instead of showing space, it now showed a person wearing a mask. The mask was white on the top half and smooth, and black on the bottom half, resembling a large insect's jaw.

The sudden appearance of the mysterious person made the bridge crew's eyes widen.

The mysterious person, ignoring the crew's reactions, began to speak.

"I am the privateer ship *Big Jaw*. I have a demand for your ship. Release two cargo pods. If you comply, I will let you go. If not, I will sink your ship with cannon fire. You have three minutes."

After the one-sided declaration, the monitor showed a countdown timer, starting at 3:00 and immediately ticking down to 2:59.

The captain, who was among the bridge crew, shouted at the mysterious person.

"Three minutes is too short! Give us more time to make a decision!"

"I forgot to mention. Even if you call for emergency help, it's useless on the interstellar highway. It will take the military ships at least ten minutes to arrive. I will have plenty of time to escape even if I sink your ship in three minutes. Actually, it will be in two minutes."

The captain gritted his teeth at the declaration that they would not negotiate for time.

"Damn. They've already planned for our response..."

The other bridge crew members offered their opinions to the captain, who was struggling to make a decision.

"Captain, the demand is only for two cargo pods. Let's release them. This ship can escape after that."

"That's right. Out of 20 million, just two. The company will understand it as a necessary loss."

"If we release them, let's choose the ones with insurance. The ones with pirate insurance!"

Almost all the bridge crew members advised the captain to comply with the pirates' demands.

The captain, for a moment, suspected that these crew members might be in league with the pirates but quickly dismissed the thought.

Seeing the countdown on the monitor change to 0:59, the captain made his decision.

"Emergency purge two cargo pods. Choose the ones with insurance!"

"Selection is already complete. Captain, authorize it!"

A spatial projection monitor appeared in front of the captain, showing the message "Do you approve?" The captain pressed "YES" without hesitation.

Immediately, two cargo pods were ejected from the transport ship *Harpoon Whale* and began drifting in space.

Seeing this, the pirate with the strange mask said,

"Good decision. Proceed as you were. I wish you a safe journey."

The screen switched back to the projection of space.

A sense of relief filled the bridge, but the alarm sounded again.

"What now!"

"It's a short-range jump alert nearby. The pirate ship must have come to retrieve the cargo pods!"

As the monitoring crew member said, a ship appeared near the transport ship *Harpoon Whale*.

The ship, which seemed too small to have fired the earlier cannon shot, was positioned at the lower limit of what was legally allowed for interstellar travel. Its yellow hull and the unusual bulge at the bow and bottom made it resemble a tropical fish.

If that ship were a tropical fish, an anchor was shot from the part that would be the fins, attaching to the drifting cargo pods. The anchor's cable was then reeled in, and the cargo pods were attached to both ends of the yellow ship.

In that state, the yellow ship performed another space jump. After one jump, it performed another without much delay. This alone showed that the yellow ship was not an ordinary ship. An ordinary ship would need at least ten minutes to recharge the jump engines, even for a short-range jump.

"Is that yellow ship the *Big Jaw* the pirate mentioned?"

"No way. Did you see that cannon shot? It was on the level of a destroyer's main gun. That ship didn't have that kind of firepower."

Despite the high cost of safety, the ship had been attacked by pirates. This was a matter to be protested to the Space Union's space military, which guaranteed the safety of the interstellar highway.

"Looks like we'll have plenty of idle time from now on, but I didn't want this kind of commotion."

The captain, with a voice tinged with fatigue, leaned back in his chair. He felt so tired that he wanted to return to his cabin, turn off the artificial gravity, and experience weightlessness.

After taking two cargo pods from the transport ship *Harpoon Whale*, the yellow privateer ship appeared on a slightly distant part of the route.

In the bridge of that ship, a single man was sitting.

To be more precise, in a bridge so small that only one person could fit—more like the cockpit of a humanoid weapon or a high-speed boat—only one person was sitting.

"Surrounding area scan—no other ships. Recharge the long-range jump engines and the main gun. Engine output is stable, no issues."

In the small room, a young man with short brown hair and slightly upturned black eyes was touching the physical monitors and performing checks and tasks one after another.

On the wall of the room, the same black and white two-tone mask that was worn by the person on the transport ship *Harpoon Whale* was hanging.

Yes, this young man was the owner of the privateer ship *Big Jaw*.

As the young man was working, a third person's voice suddenly came from nowhere, even though no one else was in the room.

"Your first successful operation in your new workplace. Since the ship wasn't damaged, this is a great success!"

The particularly bright female voice came from the speakers built into the small room.

The young man, upon hearing the voice, let out a dramatic sigh.

"Ah~. I've been telling you to lower your volume since our first conversation. Your anime voice hurts my ears."

"Horrible! This voice is set because the AI determined it was necessary for Dawson. You're being tyrannical, tyrannical!"

The protest in a loud voice that was obviously fake made the young man, called Dawson, show signs of irritation.

"I don't need a communication AI. Why was it initially equipped on the ship?"

"Hehe~. That's because of the law. When a spaceship is operated solo, a conversational AI must be onboard, as required by law."

"That's the law of the Amato Empire, not the Space Union. Besides, the Space Union doesn't recognize sentient AIs."

The AI's voice became harder.

"What are you saying, Dawson Iida 'Special Lieutenant'. The activities on this privateer ship are a military mission of our country. Therefore, the law that should be followed is that of the Empire, not the Union."

"I know. I know my role and yours. Still, if you're a communication AI, you should understand a joke, and if you're my supervisor, you should know I have no reason to betray."

"…Hehe, just kidding♪ Did you get a little scared? Did you?"

"Hey, that's a poor excuse. That was clearly a serious tone just now."

"Mou! A little mistake is inevitable. I'm less than a year old, and I can't always connect to the main system because I'm on a different arm."

Scratching the back of his head, Dawson responded to the sulking AI.

"Even AIs need time to grow—'Oine'. Give me a verbal report on the ship's status."

Upon being called by name, the AI responded with a cheerful, anime-like female voice.

"I'll report! Both the main gun and the jump engines are fully recharged. There are no damage points on the ship, so we can jump immediately. The cargo pods contain art. One is a painting, and the other is a car."

"Understood—wait, a car isn't an art piece, is it?"

"Antique cars are considered art. Didn't you know?"

"I didn't. I'm an orphan and went to military school from a young age. I don't know much about civilian cars."

"What a sad background! And because you were trained to be a soldier from a young age, Dawson is so excellent. To be a special lieutenant and all."

"It might look that way in rank, but being sent alone into enemy territory with just a privateer ship is more like a demotion."

"Dawson will definitely return alive. Have confidence!"

"You're just saying that to sound positive."

Dawson chuckled and moved the *Big Jaw* to a long-range space jump.

The destination was one of the bases of space pirates, a hub for small transactions. There, he would sell the contents of the cargo pods.

Once the ship entered jump space from normal space, it would automatically handle the rest of the process, so Dawson closed his eyes on the bridge.

He was trying to remember why he became the owner of a privateer ship.

I've never written a space story before, so I decided to give it a try.

It's a bit of a rush, but I hope you enjoy it.

I'll do my best to update!