Chapter 22: Pest Control

Hustler One arrives at the Redgrave harbor half a day later, a full 4 hours later than initially expected and hauling three damaged pirate ships. The Redgrave fleet is quick to respond and assist once the A.I informs them of what happened, 2 hours later sees 150 pirates marching down gangways in chains and manacles.

Hustler One watches them do, gaze cold and completely uncaring as they're herded by armed guards to wherever they are headed to.

Behind her, attendants from House Redgrave cooperate with her gynoid crew to unload her cargo. The massive wooden crate containing the recovered Grind Blade from Carkus– bound for delivery to the Holfortan Capital, presumably to be either stored or equipped on whatever mech that royalty pilots. Given its size and how cumbersome it is to wield however, the A.I estimates an 80% likelihood of it being stored. A shame, but nothing it can do about it.

And it isn't that big of a loss anyway; it had gotten plenty of deep scans, enough that it could reproduce the weapons if needed and further refine it if it feels like doing so. Repairs and refurbishing of Motherwill, followed by the expansion of the communication and intelligence networks, are the main priorities.

Hustler One sighs. It would be faster if resource acquisition was more consistent, but Leon's words rang true– normal people couldn't simply dungeon dive for days straight. There needed break times and rest periods, if only to keep up the facade.

"I hate it when he's right…" the gynoid mutters.

"When who is right?" asks a masculine voice. An instant passes as Hustler One searches its vast memory archives to put a name to the voice, finding it easily.

"Lord Redgrave." the gynoid spins and curtsies. "My apologies, I was lost in thought for a moment and noticed not your approach."

"You single-handedly defeated a large force of pirates and brought them here for processing. It does not surprise me that you have much on your mind." Duke Vincent Rafa Redgrave acknowledges. "Still, taking on so much naval power on your own is quite the astonishing feat, and with a single vessel as well. You are quite the skilled mariner."

"You flatter me, Lord." Hustler One nods. "It was simply my duty to make sure your son's order was delivered on time."

"Indeed. From Carkus to here in little over a week… such voyages usually take a month or more." the older man walks up and stands beside the gynoid. "Your ship is quite the marvel. A Lost Item, is it?"

"It is, Lord." Hustler One nods. "With a full suite of weapons."

"Enough to outmatch a fleet…" the man hums. "Something to consider for later. I trust that the item is intact and whole?"

"Yes sir. My ship wasn't even hit once." Hustler One says. "And none of those pirates tried to do anything stupid after they were caught, either. And those that did, well…"

"Maybe an example of?" the Duke chuckles. "My, how ruthless."

"I didn't want to put my crew at risk. And they are just pirates anyway." Hustler One shrugs.

"Good." the older man nods, satisfied. "Your payment will be given later today. You and your crew will be allowed to dock here for a few days to rest while my men handle the scum."

"Thank you, Lord." Hustler One pauses. "Although…"

"Yes?" the Duke turns to the gynoid, brow raised.

Hustler One reaches into its jacket and produces several letters and maps, handing them to the Duke. He glances over the top-most letter and freezes at the sight of the Olfrey crest stamped brazenly in the corner with bright red ink. He turns to the gynoid, alarmed and furious, and it levels a cool look back.

"I recovered those from the pirate lord's cabin aboard his galleon." Hustler One says. "It seems the Olfreys are involved in some… unsavory matters."

"...quite." the Duke nods tightly. "Come. We can continue our discussion in my office."

=X=X=X=X=X=

Hustler One spends a good few hours in the Duke's office, answering questions and providing her own input as advisors and the heads of the households vassalized by the Redgraves come in to pitch their two cents as well.

Together they pore over the documents and maps the A.I had acquired from the pirate lord's personal vessel, noting attack vectors and ambush positions, going over letters with orders to attack innocent merchant vessels and civilian ships only to retreat as Olfrey vessels 'heroically' drive them back. At one point, they even bring the pirate lord in to confirm the legitimacy of the documents; especially the ones marked with the Olfrey family crest.

With nothing else to hide behind and Hustler One itself present to remind him of the penalties of lying, the one-eyed pirate spilled his guts and told the Duke and his assembled advisors everything– from the moment he and his crew were contacted and how the Olfreys helped them grow into the fleet that Hustler One had single-handedly destroyed.

Foolish, but then they hadn't really consider the possibility of being captured alive or so intact. He had been dismissed not too long later, the guards ordered to put him into a cell.

"So the Olfreys have been employing pirates to attack and plague the shipping lines and trade routes in their territory." Duke Redgrave starts. "And their long-term plan was to slowly ease the attacks outwards into the neighboring territories, so they themselves wouldn't be suspected of any foul play. And after the neighbors have been sufficiently worn down, those vipers would offer aid– effectively usurping the territory for themselves."

"Smart. Annoying, but smart." Hustler One allows. "It fits their history, and certainly plays to their strengths."

"We should report this to the crown, get them to arrest the Olfreys for treason and misuse of authority." one vassal suggests, a few others nodding with him. "This is a duty for the royal army and the crown's direct intervention-- we needn't get involved in this."

"The Olfreys have a significant fleet at their command and who knows what else." another vassal argues. "If we were to let the crown handle this, than it may erupt into longer-lasting conflict-- possibly even civil war. We have the opportunity to stop that from even happening, and we might even eke out some more influence out of this to boot."

"And by the time the Crown's forces arrive, the Olfreys would have burned all records relating to their involvement with the pirates." Hustler One counters. "What's more, they could claim that Duke Redgrave and his vassals are attempting to 'unjustly' pin the crime on them."

"W-We would never!' the first vassal splutters. "We're all loyal servants of the crown!"

"I know you wouldn't. But would the Crown?" Hustler One asks. "By the time they arrive, we would only have these letters as proof– and on their own it won't be enough to thoroughly eliminate the Olfreys."

"She is right." Duke Redgrave nods. "It isn't enough to simply gut that pit of vipers– we must deal with them thoroughly and decisively here and now, so they do not return and potentially retaliate in the future. We will need to launch a preemptive assault on the Olfreys now, bring them to heel before they suspect their pirates' disappearances and burn yet more evidence."

"If you launch an assault without informing the Crown, you will face harsh criticism and rebukes when this matter reaches the ears of the King and Queen, Lord Redgrave." Hustler One warns. "Perhaps you could defend yourself from them by presenting this and whatever evidence you can obtain from the Olfreys, but it would do you better to not be doubted on in the first place."

"You are correct." the older man turns to Hustler One, eyes glinting. "But if all this were sent to the Crown while we launch our assault, as well as the pirate lord and a House Redgrave representative, then the Crown would have time to examine the evidence and understand that what we do is necessary to stop a potential traitorous element from escaping due justice."

"Then you will need a fast ship." Hustler One smiles.

"Indeed I do." Duke Redgrave grins. "How much do you charge for your Express delivery package, Captain Nielsen?"

=X=X=X=X=X=

The Little Buzzard departs for the Capital a few hours later, engines at full burn and hauling yet more important cargo. Vincent Rafa Redgrave had given its captain a letter penned by his own hand addressed to the King and Queen, as well as written orders to let the Buzzard and its cargo through straight to the King and Queen– citing an urgent matter involving the safety of the Kingdom. The vessel would fly overnight and reach the capital at the break of dawn according to Miss Nielsen's estimations, plenty of time for Vincent to prepare.

The soldiers are mustered, vassals mobilized, and fleet armed. The Last Word leaves its dock and takes the lead– forging ahead of the combined fleet and flying full sail to the Olfrey Earldom.

The plan is simple– a lightning offensive in miniature, meant to quickly penetrate whatever defenses the Earldom could put up and overwhelm the Olfrey's home island before any resistance can be put up as well as to prevent them from destroying potentially incriminating evidence.

To this end, Vincent would lead a ground-side infantry assault force into the Olfreys' offices and secure it while the fleet would surround the island and stop anyone and anything from leaving. Then he would hunt down the traitorous little snakes personally, and if they resisted… well, he would be more than happy to relieve the fat bastard of his head.

"Do you think the Crown would be favorable to our action, Lord Redgrave?" the helmsman asks, more out of curiosity than any nervousness. "I understand we sent a runner to them with all the evidence prompting all this, but…"

"His Highness and Her Highness understand the gravity of the situation well." the Duke says. "Harboring pirates and plotting to cause long-term harm to the Kingdom through them is nothing short of treason– against the Crown and the Kingdom. What we do here, we do for the good of the realm and all that live in it."

"Aye, Lord." the helmsman nods.

"Besides, this means better traffic in the region." Vincent smiles. "And we may yet secure more allies in removing a thorn in many peoples' side."

=X=X=X=X=X=

Hustler One is grateful that it had the presence of mind to scatter drones along the route it took through the Olfrey territory, allowing them to act as a temporary comms and surveillance network. Their battery life means they can only remain active for a week at most, but that's more than enough time for it to see the Redgrave fleet engaging the Olfrey forces and bludgeon through them to the Olfrey home island.

It sees commoners and non-combatants flee from the shadow of modified MTs in flight, trading fire with MTs on the ground. Landing craft deliver infantry that storm through the streets and surge towards the defenses of the Olfrey castle that sits in the center of the island. The other boats start encircling the floating landmass, guns blasting hostile boats or aimed threateningly at harbors.

The Last Word makes a quick pass over the castle, its hull enduring fire from MTs and infantry, and it releases 5 landing boats that dive straight for the castle. None of them are shot down, and the A.I assumes that the deployed infantry has safely deployed– likely fighting their way to secure the records and Olfreys themselves.

Then, movement. 8 ships, 12 Armors, an unknown number of infantry– traveling full ahead towards the blockade. Their numbers would be enough to cause complications with the assault; even repel it.

That won't do.

So it takes control of the 'insurance' it had ordered to shadow the fleet, a safety net and last resort in case anything bad happens to it.

//"Targets verified. Commencing hostilities."//

=X=X=X=X=X=

The Redgrave fleet sees the approaching vessels and readies to meet them; knowing that allowing them through would inevitably cause complications to the forces already engaged. But something stops the incoming enemy flotilla.

A single Armor, red and black with a glowing blue visor. It moves so quickly that it's more a blur than a single target, but none can miss the glow of its weapons as it attacks the incoming force.

Blue light lances outwards from its sole gun, coring through Armors like they were flimsy sheet metal and killing the pilots within. A blade of blue light ignites from the red Armor's left arm, and it bisects 3 approaching Armors in quick succession like nothing– letting their hulls fall into the abyss.

The enemy ships, a mix of Schooner, Brigs, and Frigate, open fire with cannon and rifle and magic; trying to down the mysterious assailant. But the red Armor is fast, too fast for the enemy vessels to hit. It flies over them and its left shoulder weapon unfolds into a cannon. It fires, the recoiling pushing the Armor upwards, and any ships hit are shorn in two as the shell hits the magazine– detonating the vessels and engulfing them in spheres of flame.

The Armor turns to another vessel as its left shoulder weapon folds itself. Instead, its right shoulder weapon opens up and fires 4 streaking projectiles that fly outwards trailing streaks of smoke. 2 Armors are hit and shatter around a fiery explosion, while the remaining 2 projectiles hit 2 separate ships detonating with such force that large sections of each ship practically disintegrates before everyone's eyes, not even burned.

It turns to the last ship as it turns away, trying to flee from the battle. The Armor tracks it with its gun before firing once– the shaft of blue light punching clean through the ship before it explodes, having hit the magazine. The Armor watches as the ship falls into the abyss, seemingly checking for survivors and finding none. It turns to the Redgrave fleet and stares at them for a long moment before it flies away, blurring out of sight.

All see the emblem on its shoulder pauldrons– a gold '9' on a black backdrop.