"Boss, our stern deck was hit by an Imperial warship. The port side baffle has also detached, and power has dropped by 30%," reported one of the crew.
"Additionally, our ammunition reserves are almost exhausted," chimed another crew member.
"Boss, we still can't contact the base. There is too much interference," another crew member added.
Red Beard was in a somber mood. All the reports brought nothing but bad news. The power loss required immediate prioritization of the remaining power supply for the critical systems, including the power and weapon systems. The flagship's lights flickered, and warning lights created a gloomy atmosphere throughout the cabin.
"Is it possible that I, Red Beard, will meet my end today?" Red Beard contemplated pessimistically.
"Boss, the civilian spaceship ahead changed its course after launching the garbage tank," the adjutant reported.
"Just let it change direction! I've said we're sparing that ship today; we're not here to plunder them!" Red Beard seemed impatient with the adjutant's continuous reports.
"But, Boss, our ship's current course and the course we were taking to escape now align," the adjutant pointed out. "In other words, they have completely blocked our way."
Red Beard's anger flared. "Absurd! There's no honor among thieves!" he grumbled, stroking his beard. "Since they've obstructed our escape, we can't afford to be held up! Order an attack on that ship and force it out of our way!"
Following Red Beard's orders, the pirate ship fired the last torpedoes at the "Flying Eagle." An explosion rocked the spacecraft as the torpedo struck the target, causing the "Flying Eagle" to come to an abrupt halt.
"Boss, we hit them, but they're still ahead of us," the adjutant reported.
"Then fire again! It's either them or us!" Red Beard shouted.
As the pirates prepared to fire the main guns for a final assault on the "Eagle," an alarm blared in the ship's control room. "Alert! Alert! The main guns of the Imperial fleet are firing at us. Take evasive action!" the warning blared.
"Quick, turn right!" Before Red Beard could issue the command, the crew members were already shouting at the pilot.
The pilot on Red Beard's flagship acted swiftly, veering the battleship to the right. The evasive maneuver caused the energy beam from the Gore cruiser's main gun to miss the Red Beard flagship, instead targeting the "Flying Eagle."
In a blinding flash, the Imperial cruiser's main gun hit the "Flying Eagle," reducing it to floating debris.
Red Beard watched the destruction of the "Flying Eagle" on the observation screen, but before he could react, another alarm sounded. "Alarm! Alarm! Two more energy beams are approaching us! Abandon ship!" Chaos erupted on the battleship as the crew members rushed towards the escape pods, even the pilot abandoning his seat.
Amid the mayhem, Red Beard felt a push and turned to see his adjutant. "Boss, we need to get out of here quickly. Time is running out."
With a grateful glance at his adjutant, Red Beard felt an overwhelming desire to survive. He dashed towards the ship's hangar, with his lieutenants following closely behind.
On their way, Red Beard witnessed pirates fighting one another as they vied for escape pods. But at this moment, there was no time to dwell on it. Survival was everyone's primary concern.
Arriving at the helipad, several lifeboats had already departed. One of the larger lifeboats, however, remained nearly empty. It wasn't that the pirates didn't want to board, but a group of armed individuals with live ammunition surrounded it. When the escaping pirates approached, these armed guards, bearing firearms, opened fire to prevent them from boarding the lifeboat. These guards were not ordinary pirates; they were Red Beard's personal bodyguards. Though they numbered only about ten, they were battle-hardened veterans. Rumors among the pirates had it that they were sent by a secret organization supporting Red Beard, specifically to protect him.
As Red Beard and his adjutant approached, the personal guards parted to allow them to board the lifeboat. Following Red Beard, the guards entered the lifeboat in an orderly manner. The lifeboat's hatch closed, and its engines roared to life.
As Red Beard's lifeboat departed, two energy beams from Cross Stars 1 and 2 struck the flagship, causing continuous explosions. Figures or debris were blown into the cold expanse of space.
Looking back at the increasingly disintegrating flagship, Red Beard heaved a sigh of relief. Guided by the personal guards, the lifeboat navigated into a nearby asteroid belt and vanished from the chaotic scene.
Gore's cruiser fleet approached the wreckage of Red Beard's flagship, and marines were rescuing any surviving pirates. They planned to transport them to the nearest Imperial prison. However, despite the victory over the notorious Red Beard Pirates, Gore couldn't find satisfaction, as he had just learned that Red Beard managed to escape before the flagship was destroyed. While Gore's search teams were scouring the asteroid belt, he was aware of the slim chances.
Another source of Gore's dissatisfaction was the civilian spaceship "Flying Eagle," which they unintentionally sank. It turned out to belong to an Imperial noble, even if only a minor baron. Nobility was nobility, and accidentally killing a noble, even a fading one, could tarnish his military career. Therefore, Gore was determined to prevent this.
Gore ordered his trusted lieutenants to erase the "Eagle's" identification information. He also instructed all personnel to claim that the "Flying Eagle" was destroyed by a pirate torpedo. He wasn't concerned about his crew; rather, he worried about other potential witnesses. Three of them were waiting in the cruiser's conference room.
Bob had witnessed the entire sinking of the "Eagle" from the rescue capsule's window, tears streaming down his face. He was later discovered by an Imperial fleet search team. Initially mistaken for a pirate, Bob proved their identity by showing the Eagle family's documents. He and the two children were then picked up and taken to the cruiser. In the conference room, an officer informed them that Fleet Commander Gore, General Baseman, wished to meet them.
Inside the conference room, little Angel clutched Bob's clothes and sat beside him, swinging her feet back and forth. Little Sylvain slept in Bob's arms, sucking his fingers. Bob couldn't help but envy the young boy's carefree innocence. Suddenly, he felt the tug of his clothes and looked down at Angel.
"Uncle Bob, why haven't Mom and Dad come yet?" Angel asked. She had always considered Bob a part of the family, and she had called him "Uncle" since she was little.
"The master and his wife are on an important journey, dear. They'll be back soon," Bob replied, not wanting to share the painful truth with the sweet child.
"Oh! When will they be back? My brother and I miss them," Angel continued.
Bob hesitated, unsure of how to answer. "Well, sweetie, it might be a while. They have some important things to take care of."
The door to the conference room opened, and an officer entered.
Gore entered the conference room, saw the three survivors
from the "Eagle," and knelt down beside Angel to tousle her hair. He then turned his gaze to Bob, who was identified as the baron's butler. "Are you all alright? Please let me know if you need anything."
"Thank you, General. My young lady and young master are both well. They've been examined by a doctor and had a good meal," Bob replied as he stood up.
"Very good! I'll ensure these two noble young ladies and their young master receive the treatment befitting their status," Gore said, seemingly satisfied with Bob's response.
"Thank you again for your kindness, General," Bob added.
Gore continued, "I also wanted to express my condolences for Baron Iger and his wife. They tragically lost their lives in the attack by the hateful Red Beard Pirates. My heartfelt sympathy to all of you."
"Indeed, General, it was the pirates who took their lives," Bob said, accepting the condolences. "On behalf of my young lady and young master, we appreciate your support during this challenging time. We hope the Imperial military can swiftly eliminate these pirates and bring them to justice."
Gore listened closely, noting the different emotions that crossed Bob's face. From surprise to anger to a calm acceptance, Gore was pleased with the butler's tact and intelligence. He believed his mission had been successful.
"Very well. I have other duties to attend to now. We have just dealt with a group of pirates, after all," Gore said before heading for the conference room door. He stopped briefly and looked back at Bob. "I will ensure a pension application is submitted on your behalf."
Watching Gore depart, Bob sighed in relief. "The master and his wife were taken by pirates. That's the story we'll stick with," he resolved, determined not to reveal the whole truth.
Later, Gore arranged for Bob and the children to be escorted to Mu 3, directly to the manor purchased by Wolfe's cousin. At the Eagle Manor, Bob erected a memorial for the baron and his wife. A few months later, the pensions mentioned by Gore were granted, providing financial stability for the two Eagle children as they grew up. As Bob gazed at young Sylvain and Angel, he silently hoped that their parents, now in the afterlife, were watching over them.
Gore Bessmann was awarded the Imperial Order of Knights by Emperor Rudolf XIX for his outstanding efforts in suppressing piracy. Red Beard remained in hiding for a while, retreating to his secret base. Everything appeared to settle back into a sense of normalcy. The year was Galactic Calendar Year 8736, and Sylvan Eagle officially stepped into this galaxy.