Chapter Twenty-Five: Humiliation

25. Humiliation

"Boss, they seem ready to fight us to the death!" Onboard one of the three bounty hunter ships, a crew member looked fearfully at the massive mothership ahead. "A ship that big could crush us just by flicking its finger!"

"You coward, look closely! Such a massive ship, yet there isn't a single turret to be seen. Get it? This is a damn civilian transport! What good is size if it has no teeth?" their leader cursed.

"But they must have starfighters on board!"

"That’s why we aren't heading straight for them. See the mining station near the Endor gas giant? We’ll head there and test their mettle. If they turn out to be tough, we’ll just use the mining station as a human shield and retreat!" the leader commanded.

"Hahaha! Exactly! If they’re just a bunch of useless security guards, we’re going to make a killing on this trip!" another added with a wild laugh.

"But... Master Dooku only told us to come and scout..."

"Why are you so long-winded? You’re as stupid as a Bantha! Master Dooku told us to scout, and naturally, we’re going to scout whether these people have any money! Hahahaha!"

"Haha! Right! Let’s go, time to feast!"

The three ships accelerated, lunging toward the interstellar mining station like a pack of hungry wolves.

"Hahahahaha!" Amidst the bounty hunters' maniacal laughter, two G-9 light freighters and one GX-1 shuttle charged straight toward the mining station that the Fourth Civilization had constructed on the outskirts of the Endor gas giant.

A returning mining vessel, unable to dodge in time, was instantly struck by a dense volley of laser fire. Lacking any significant shielding, the craft exploded into a fireball.

At almost the same moment, the massive central hangar platform of the mothership deployed, and four squadrons of Blade-class starfighters swarmed out. The hangar was large enough to accommodate cruisers, so the starfighters could take off without needing to queue.

The four squadrons, totaling 48 fighters, flew toward the threatened mining station.

"Boss! They’re coming!"

"Just light fighters! What’s to be afraid of? Let’s pick off a few, then we’ll run." The bounty hunter leader was incredibly brazen; even when retreating, he insisted on dragging others down with him.

In many parts of the galaxy, bounty hunters and space pirates are often one and the same; it just depends on the nature of the current job. This was especially true in the Outer Rim, where the Republic’s reach was non-existent, leaving the region lawless.

The G-9 freighters had been modified with two turrets mounted behind the cargo bay. As the Fourth Civilization’s Blade-class fighters closed in, the turrets pivoted and opened fire.

Bolts of energy streaked out like red meteors. The Blade-class fighters immediately broke formation, each 12-ship squadron splitting into small groups of four.

They opened fire from a distance. Their twin six-barreled electromagnetic cannons spat flames, sending a rain of bullets toward their targets.

At such range, however, the projectiles were ineffective. Even the few that struck the bounty hunter ships were completely absorbed by their deflector shields.

In contrast, the firepower of the two modified G-9 freighters was far more ferocious. Their constant barrage of energy bolts soon struck a Blade-class fighter. Lacking energy shields, the fighter stood no chance; the bolts tore through its fragile hull, causing a series of secondary explosions that turned it into a fireball.

The larger GX-1 transport also turned around. This nearly 40-meter-long vessel had been retrofitted with additional laser turrets, and any Blade-class fighter that ventured too close was destroyed without fanfare.

As the two sides closed the distance into a dogfight, the results remained desperate.

The bounty hunter ships were larger, faster, and better armed, with nearly impenetrable shields. The Blade-class fighters, equipped only with basic electromagnetic cannons, could barely make a dent.

Among the four squadrons, only one had fighters equipped with infrared laser weapons. Only these attacks caused the bounty hunters' shields to ripple with visible effect. However, compared to beam weapons that required sustained contact, the "hit-and-explode" nature of energy weapons proved far superior—not to mention that the Blade-class fighters still suffered from chronic power output issues.

Even with a 48-to-3 numerical advantage, the Blade-class fighters were being shot down one by one. Yet the remaining pilots continued to charge like moths to a flame, launching attack after attack.

"Hahaha! Boss! Their fighters are pathetic! Hahahaha!" The crew member who had been timid earlier now roared with laughter, seeing how helpless his opponents were.

"Hmph! So they’re all bark and no bite! Come on! Give them a taste of real power! We’re going to make them fill our cargo holds with credits today!" the leader snarled.

Realizing the disparity in strength, the three bounty hunter ships grew even more savage. Abandoning all formation, they relied on their deflector shields to smash through the Fourth Civilization’s swarm.

In the mothership’s command center, Qi Jian watched the icons of his fighters turning red and vanishing from the screen. His fists were clenched, his body trembling. A profound sense of humiliation filled him; every red icon represented a life extinguished, yet he was powerless to stop it.

"Sir! Our fighters are no match for them! They’re just swatting flies!" his adjutant cried out, eyes welling with tears.

Bang! Qi Jian slammed his fist onto the table with such force that the holographic display flickered. "Notify Engineering! Speed up the process. Every single fighter currently being refitted with infrared lasers—I want them on the production line and into combat the moment they’re ready!"

Turning to Clement, he added, "Also, we need to wake up more pilots. Requesting approval from the Administrator. Because... too many have died..."

Clement nodded silently.

Guan Yan, Feng Yongwang, and others from the Research Department had also arrived on the bridge upon hearing of the battle. They had originally intended to observe the performance data of the fighters, but the results were gut-wrenching.

"Did you see that?" Feng Yongwang said coldly. "Go back to work."

He walked off the bridge, his gait unsteady; he didn't even notice when he knocked over a potted plant.

The others from the Research Department said nothing, returning to their posts. They swore to work without sleep, determined to accelerate their technological analysis. Whether it was the Wraith fighters or light frigates, they needed more and better ships.

They vowed that today’s humiliation would never be repeated, and that their warriors would never again have to fly into a desperate battle in fighters an entire generation behind the times.