Chapter 19: The Assault of the Ruffians
A small boat slowly approached the trading ship, Paraiso. The sky was clear, devoid of clouds, allowing the starlight to provide some visibility in the night. It seemed they were navigating solely by the dim light of Paraiso’s lanterns, without any additional illumination.
Paraiso had collision-prevention lamps lit at both the bow and stern, fueled by oil in accordance with the level of civilization. Aside from those, no other lights were on. Every two hours, a Communicator Android was sent to patrol with a lamp, but during those intervals, the small boat had crept closer.
(It seems a plan for the assault was devised somewhere.)
About thirty minutes after the patrol concluded, the attackers began their operation, timing it perfectly. Rather than dismissing it as mere coincidence, it would be wise to regard it as a calculated move. Ringo activated the Communicator Androids, positioning four of them in alignment with the approaching small boat, while hiding the remaining two as skirmishers at the base of the main mast.
(Once we confirm everyone is aboard, we will swiftly take control.)
To avoid complications should they escape, Ringo decided to lure them in. The small boat maneuvered alongside Paraiso’s hull. Perhaps they had some form of communication, as after the four boats were secured, grappling hooks were thrown from each one almost simultaneously.
“Ah…”
The Commander, watching the monitor, exclaimed. One of the grappling hooks was about to fall, having failed to catch properly. Ringo remained calm, operating the waiting Communicator to catch the hook and secure it to the ship’s railing. The man who threw the hook froze for a moment, then exhaled in relief, realizing how close he had come to failure. He was promptly smacked on the head by the man next to him.
“Well, I mean, it wouldn’t have been the end of the world if I messed up, but…”
“Just more trouble for us.”
The men began to climb up the ropes from the four small boats. One reached the top and surveyed the surroundings. After signaling, the second began to ascend. The Communicators lurked behind the shadows of the rope drums and lifeboats, unnoticed by the intruders. Out of the five men in the small boat, four had climbed aboard, while one remained behind. Among the four who had infiltrated, one was securing the rope while the other three cautiously began to move forward. The Communicator kept a low profile, following closely behind them.
It appeared they intended to regroup before taking further action, starting to gather near the bow, around the rotating turret.
“Well then, it’s about time. We can only capture three alive. If we aim for more, we risk letting some escape.”
◇◇◇◇
Underneath the massive cannon, they waited for their comrades. According to the information, the crew of this ship was quite small, and it was rumored to be all women. Frankly, it seemed like an easy job. They had a total of twenty battle-hardened men, with twelve participating in the assault. This was a surprise attack, and if they incapacitated each one individually, they should be able to easily take control of a ship of this size.
“…They’re here.”
In the starlight, shadows could be seen cautiously approaching. Though only silhouettes, they were likely comrades climbing from the stern. One waved his hand vigorously, then began to raise and lower his right hand—a confirmation signal. They reciprocated by waving both hands in response.
“…Alright, we’re all here.”
The four groups had converged. With twelve men gathered, it was indeed cramped beneath the turret. In the darkness, it was difficult to confirm everyone’s presence with only the starlight to guide them.
“Since there’s nowhere to run, we’ll stick to the plan. Let’s send in four to infiltrate. The rest will wait outside. If anyone tries to escape, we’ll bag them.”
“Got it.”
Once they captured everyone, they could leisurely sift through the treasure. The ship was likely loaded with trading goods, and they had confirmed that the crew had dealings with the port, acquiring gold and jewels. It was hard to believe they would leave such a delicious target unattended. They should strike quickly and seize everything.
“Alright, let’s decide who will go inside. How about… you, and you…”
As he began to point at four men from the silhouettes, he suddenly felt a sense of unease.
“…Wait, did everyone come? I said to leave one behind…”
It was too dark to see clearly, but it felt like there were too many people gathered around.
“No, we left our guys behind.”
“Same here.”
“One, two, three…”
“Huh? You think there are too many of us?”
The men began to murmur, and then—
Clang!
The sound of metal echoed. Four of the figures on the outer edge simultaneously took a step back, readying themselves.
“Hey, what are you doing—”
◇◇◇◇
Perfectly, everyone had gathered in one spot. Just as they were discovered, Ringo operated the Communicator Androids and pulled the trigger of an assault rifle. The bullets erupted from the gun, tearing through the bodies of the men at close range. The precisely calculated shots fulfilled their purpose within the expected margin of error. The attackers fell lifeless onto the deck in the blink of an eye. Immediately after, the automated searchlights illuminated the remaining men.
“What…!!”
Before they could even scream, they were struck down by the butt of a Communicator’s rifle. Blinded and panicking from the gunfire, the men had no means to resist. They were struck accurately on the head, their brains rattled, leaving them unable to even scream as they fell to their knees.
“Ma’am, the deck is secured. We’ll begin taking control of the small boats now.”
“Eight left.”
Leaving two Communicators behind, Ringo assigned one to each of the two remaining skirmishers. The four on the deck were instantly shot down by the gunfire of the Communicators. They could shoot the lookout remaining in the small boat from above, but it could risk damaging the boat itself, so Ringo decided it was necessary to go down. She leaped over the ship’s railing, catching herself on the ropes and sliding down.
“Whoa! Hey, what’s happening—”
Muzzle flash.
Three bullets pierced the chest of a man, sending him flying. He likely had no time to comprehend what was happening. On the four small boats, four men were dispatched almost simultaneously.
“Clear.”
Ringo conducted another scan, confirming that aside from the three incapacitated men and six Communicators, no other lifeforms remained. It was as expected, but the outcome was disappointingly swift.
“Is it over? …What do we do now?”
Out of the twenty men who had assaulted, seventeen were killed, and three were captured. Typically, ships were considered extraterritorial, but it was unclear how they would be treated while docked. It was highly likely that it depended on the whims of the lord.
“While we don’t have any guarantees, generally, there shouldn’t be any repercussions. If we negotiate well, we might even extract reparations.”
“What’s your reasoning?”
“Based on previous negotiations, I believe we are in a very advantageous position. There’s no need for us to attack the port’s people, and I think they are rational enough to understand that.”
Ringo’s analysis elicited a simple, “Oh,” from her. To be honest, she wasn’t overly concerned. If negotiations fell through, they could simply escape. They had chosen this location because it was relatively prosperous and the closest port to the Tree Fortress. Given the surrounding circumstances, it was unlikely that wanted notices would circulate. Due to the ongoing war, inter-city communication had practically ceased.
“We’ll wait for dawn and transport the captives and bodies to the port by boat. They seem to be a rather unsavory group, so it should work out one way or another.”
“Right. …Yawn. Well, I’m going to sleep now. Just wake me up when it’s time and let me know the results.”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
After seeing her off to her bedroom, Ringo let out a sigh of relief inwardly. While she had been cautious with the images and sounds, the attackers were still human. There was a possibility of some overreaction regarding the killings, but for now, it seemed there were no issues. The thought of comforting a distressed Commander was somewhat tempting, but of course, it was best if nothing happened at all.
Seeking to add some excitement to their relationship could wait until after the boredom set in, Ringo resumed operating the Communicator Androids with a rather skewed perspective.