Galaxy Pirates

Chapter 49: The Hearts of the Daluma

"How's the situation?"

Arubah inquired Zehu after the Hugwert Mansion had burnt down to ashes. In the captain's cabin on the Crimson Diamond Shark Tooth, Zehu carefully contemplated the movements Arubah's mini-world would promptly display. This mini-world served as a map quite well, able to pinpoint the location of every enemy and ally, showing every action that was happening in reality. Since it was Zehu to have worked out most of the strategy while Arubah had only made small adjustments, Zehu was the main figure to supervise the whole process.

"Admiral Hamingo is already on the move, just as we've anticipated".

"Oh?" the stone gear covered Baxus' entire body once this remark of Zehu reached their minds, "So, I guess my favourite part of the plan is going to start now?"

"Lord Zehu, you promised my father wouldn't get hurt..." Imi, who was sitting beside Zehu in the room, worriedly clutched his arms, "I beg you_"

"Aye, gemstone, of course, we won't hurt your father!" Arubah let out a hearty chuckle that sent goose-bumps down Imi's spine since she was still not quite used to the captain's strange changes of attitude that seemed to occur at every second. "Brother Bax just wants to blow up the current admiral. Your father's ship will remain unharmed. As Zehu might've already told you, your father is a crucial part of our plan, and... for Hermin's bliss, we've arranged this whole complicated scheme just for you, child!"

"H... Huh? Zehu has indeed told me so, but, I still can't quite understand_"

"I've told you I love you, Imi. I'd never want to hurt neither you nor your family. You are my treasure now. We, the Shark Tooth Pirates, are to always guard our treasure and help them whenever we can".

Hearing such words from her newly-acquired sweetheart, Imi beamed in a scarlet flush and hugged the young man tightly, to receive his loving embrace back. Zehu then addressed Baxus in Bakhal:

"Bax, it's time. Ric has readied the ships, now it's all up to you. We trust you to execute it as is due".

"Oh, you can trust me, alright! Nobody does explosions better than us Bakhal chiefs".

Baxus grabbed a metal rope on the deck and jumped onto another Shark Tooth. Ten such ships were assembled specifically to battle Admiral Hamingo. Yet, there was something odd going on on these Shark Tooth vessels, which wasn't left undetected by the enemy Radenoids: even though the pirates stood on their posts, they barely seemed to move, or rather, moved quite fussily, as if frightened to death. The Radenoids counted it as their advantage – they thought their vast numbers had demoralized the crew. Baxus assigned as a fleet leader, however, had no shred of fear upon his countenance. Instead, he laughed and squealed loudly like a boiling Bakhal before a smashing battle.

"What are they doing, Admiral? It's like they don't even control those ships at all".

"Don't let their cowardliness blind you so much, Yord Quarko," Hamingo smirked at his first-mate, "They are said to be the best space-navigators, yet when worst comes to worst, they flee with tails between their legs. I bet we've already terrorized them enough with our powerful fleet, but their desperate emperor tries to impede with our movement, so he has urged them to fight nevertheless. He truly is a cowardly child".

"But Sir, he has just burnt the Hugwert Mansion so that no survivors were left, save for several slaves and servants he has taken as captives. I doubt such a mischievous man can truly be so desperate_"

"Know your place, Yord Quarko! I am the admiral here".

Not able to reassure him, Quarko just bowed with obedience and went off to prepare the soldiers for the attack. Meanwhile, Zehu carefully watched the Galaxy Navy fleet movement through the mini-world, and when noticed Admiral Hamingo's and Captain Zenon's two ships were in the desirable positions, squealed in Bakhal through his contact-crystal: