Chapter 4 - Operation Lone Wolf

"I wish you good luck, but I still plan to undertake my interstellar voyage alone," Rodgraim replied firmly.

Seeing that Rodgraim was not going to budge, Luna Kirches let out a deep sigh. She would have to find another crew to take her there, especially with interstellar pirates becoming increasingly active of late. The last thing anyone wanted was to be caught by surprise by pirates when leaving the safe confines of the solar system.

After cutting comms, Rodgraim gave out details intel of the local pirate factions.

[Razer Pirates: Fleet composition: 1 C-class flagship + 4 E-class frigates.]

[Gem Pirates: Fleet composition: 1 D-class flagship + 10 F-class frigates.]

[Crocodile Pirates: Fleet composition: 1 B-class flagship + 2 F-class frigates.]

[Sea Shark Pirates: Fleet composition: 1 C-class flagship + 5 E-class frigates.]

These were the legendary pirate crews that worked on the margins of the solar system. Rodgraim sized up the pirates' composition with a faint, wry smile. Except for the Crocodile Pirates, whose flagship was a B-class, the other gangs used nothing larger than C-class ships. They certainly had nothing in common with the well-armed pirates of the Inner Sea space region, where, rumor had it, even S-class vessels formed part of their fleets.

These little pirates wouldn't stand a chance against him.

A spark of determination lit in Rodgraim's eyes-he was going to crush these groups of pirates. "Power up the ship's systems and set course for the Pluto Outpost!" he commanded. "Once we are beyond Moon Star Harbor's perimeter, engage sublight speed."

With his orders in place, the behemoth Aether Dominion began to slide out of its dock. As the massive ship made its departure, a chain of warnings sounded throughout Moon Star Harbor.

[Warning: S-class starship exiting. All vessels, please give way!]

[Warning: S-class starship exiting. All vessels, please give way!]

[Warning: S-class starship exiting. All vessels, please give way!]

The spacing of the ships entering the lunar port noticed the Aether Dominion leaving and swung off course. The steel monster rolled out of harbour like nothing could stop it, sending the starship captains mere yards away gasping at its sheer size, in awe of the powerful performance.

"Out of the way! If that ship touches us, we're toast!"

"When did a craft of this magnitude ravage the solar system? I have never seen anything like it."

"If I were to own such a craft, I would be able to travel around the entire solar system without a care in my head."

The smaller ships scurried out of the way, appearing no more than toys beside the bulk of the Aether Dominion.

Back at the port, Luna assembled her own crew and instructed them to stand ready to leave upon the clearing of the space by the Aether Dominion. The Redflame departed from the Moon Star Harbor, with several ships that immediately arrayed themselves about it. These other vessels Luna had recruited after Rodgraim turned down her request to join her. Together, the Redflame and these ships made up a loose fleet, with Redflame serving as the flagship.

"Prepare to go sub-light speed," Luna ordered her fleet. "Destination: Pluto Outpost!"

In short order, the column of ships resolved into columns of light disappearing from under the very lip of the Moon Star Harbor as they moved on to the outpost.

In his office at Moon Star Harbor, Dragion Ur slammed a hand on the table, and with one blow, it shattered into powder. The harbor manager sitting beside him broke out in nervous sweat-he knew all too well that planetary lords gained near-superhuman strength over years of space travel. If Dragion wanted, he could crush the manager on the spot without hesitation. Consequently, the manager did not dare breathe too loudly in Dragion's presence.

"Useless! You can't even find one person?" Dragion growled, pinching his temples in frustration.

He never thought that he would lose his sister on his own territory. But, if this incident would reach the ears of his elder brother, he would surely face severe consequences.

Dragion looked out the window. Step by step, starships were leaving the port. A sinking feeling began to gnaw inside him- His sister had sneaked onto someone's starship to take an interstellar journey?

A cold sweat broke out across Dragion's forehead. He'd been navigating the stars long enough to know the dangers that lurked in deep space. It was not uncommon for planetary lords to send their offspring to sea as a means of gaining experience; however, the Ur's intention was far from it. She was the youngest and most indulged of all her siblings, so sending her off on such voyaging was something her family did not have in them to do. The Sun Alliance or the Moon Fleet represented secure futures ahead.

He glared out at the ships receding into the distance. "Third sister, don't do something foolish," he muttered to himself.

As if in response, Dragion immediately relayed a message to the Pluto Outpost. "This is Moon Lord Dragion Ur. I am offering a reward!"

"A reward of 100,000 star coins will be offered to whoever has information on the whereabouts of the Ur family's eldest miss!"

"If anybody returns Miss Ur to me safely, I'll pay one million star coins!"

All ships that navigated through Moon Star Harbor were checked at Pluto Outposta sort of border crossing for the solar system. Once past Pluto Outpost, vessels officially entered the vast and unexplored star sea.

A fleet of hostile ships flew a menacing insignia near the Pluto Outpost, sporting crocodile skulls emblazoned on their hulls. This was the notorious Crocodile Pirates fleet.

The leader of the Crocodile Pirates, in the "Giant Crocodile," the flagship vessel, surveyed his crew, a 'rumor' that the leader of this gang was once human, but transformed after an injection of genes from a crocodile, losing his human appearance to gain remarkable strength.

"Boss, we have word from our informants in Moon Star Harbor: the first wave of interstellar travelers is heading this way," a human-bodied creature with the head of a fish said, reporting to him.

The sailors of the Crocodile crew were hybrids, their genes bonded with those of fish, thus becoming monstrous, adapted for life in space. Even humans recruited into their crew had to undergo gene injection in order to be qualified for jobs other than scullery work.

It was then that there first appeared a light near the Pluto Outpost—the first spaceship.