Bodacious Space Pirates (モーレツ宇宙海賊)

In the vastness of space,

the probability of a meeting between any two people

is so unimaginably low

that it can only be called fate.

Coincidences accrue,

eventually becoming an inevitable future.

The bonds between people cross over light itself.

Actually, I have a job for the Bentenmaru.

A job?

I wish to kidnap the former president of the Hakuoh Academy Yacht Club, Jenny Dolittle.

What's going to happen now?

We're so far yet sometimes so close,

I'll give it all I have and

rampage, explode, burn, detonate, erupt,

Even if I end up blown to stardust,

My heart is burning for you,

The children of the stars will keep protecting you

Kidnap Jenny?

What do you mean?

To be precise, it's a pick-up job disguised as a kidnapping.

Jenny agreed to it.

Rather,

she's actually the one hiring you.

The ship heading to Diment is the Central Lanes liner,

Ultimate Fairy.

I want you to get Jenny off of it.

Then the person you've been speaking to...

It was Jenny.

We were discussing the best way to hire you.

As a fellow pirate, let me be clear.

Pirates cannot actually commit crimes.

We can only engage in piracy due to our contracts with liners and insurance companies.

I finally understood that during this trip.

You aren't just a bunch of raiders.

Really, you're very careful.

That's why I want to hire the Bentenmaru.

Marika already knows us well,

and she is a talented captain.

You flatter me, President.

So why are we kidnapping Jenny?

You know her family is part of the large transport company Hugh and Dolittle, right?

Yes, I'd heard that.

For a family-run business, Hugh and Dolittle

Interstellar Transportation is extremely aggressive.

I'm impressed you knew that.

I only know the basics.

The company marries its employees' children to

politicians or executives at major companies,

in order to expand its business.

Jenny is to be married to a politician.

Well, it'd normally be a good thing.

The problem is that she doesn't want to marry, and a lot is going on behind the scenes.

Behind the scenes?

Jenny's a candidate to inherit the company, but her uncle,

the current managing director, wants his son to inherit it.

He plans to marry her off to some politician in order to remove her from the company.

I see now.

So he considers her that big of a threat?

She actually started her own small company.

But at the moment, she can't devote any time to it.

She wants to go to Space University.

Space University?

Where elite students from all over the universe go?

Yeah.

She studied hard over the summer, and she passed the exam.

She wants to learn more about running a company, and how to make connections.

Sounds just like her.

Here is the job.

Get Jenny off that liner, and take her to Space University.

Space University is extralegal territory.

Once you're a student there, not even a fleet or army can remove you easily.

Please, Marika!

Who are you people?!

Kidnap Jenny?

Wow, that sounds fun!

Now we're doing real pirate stuff!

It's for the president... No, for Jenny!

We have to do it, right?

Yeah!

Excuse me...

What's Jenny like?

You'll know once you meet her.

She has this amazing aura.

She's pretty,

but absolutely strong willed...

That's right.

She got mad at me a lot.

But it was always out of love.

I can't wait to meet her.

That's what I thought they'd say.

When you asked them to crew the Bentenmaru, they agreed to that too.

It's wonderful. Right, President Lynn?

Yeah.

I'm sorry, but I'm against it.

Ad-lib work is too dangerous.

You're all novices.

You've all become overexcited because you managed

to pilot the ship and do a little piracy.

To extract her, you'll need various kinds of plans and processes.

Even if you can get her out, you may need to fight.

Have you considered that?

You may well lose your pirate license too.

Will you do it regardless?

Doesn't it sound fun though?

Taking Jenny away from there and all.

Staying within the lines is nice, but it isn't enough.

Wh-What are you talking about?

As pirates, we only keep our jobs by staying within the lines.

But I think too much job security can be bad.

We're pirates, and that isn't very pirate-like.

I'm taking this job.

Very well.

Okay, now that it's decided,

let's trace the route the Ultimate Fairy, the Central Lanes liner heading to Diment, took

and make our plans!

Okay!

Oh, here it is.

Pirate News

It's an article on the Bentenmaru from yesterday.

It reads "Cosplay Pirates Appear!"

They look pretty good.

"A rare performance by the very traditional Bentenmaru..."

Well, that's true.

I'm glad it went okay but I'm not sure how I feel about the rest.

They did really well, though.

Looks like they got alpha and beta working in synch.

Maybe they have a good engineer.

Well, now they only need to return.

And everything will have worked out.

Silver falling stars.

Caught in a dark spiral, Southgarty will be helpless before a power

greater than any it has previously faced.

What does that mean?

No idea.

Something's approaching the Bentenmaru!

Can you identify it?

Working on it.

It's five million kilometers behind us.

It's a small ship, flying by impulse, with transponder systems off.

Any communications?

They're switched off now,

but it did send a message requesting assistance.

It's Jenny!

But weren't we supposed to kidnap her?

I thought so...

Something unexpected must've happened.

Maybe she boarded that small ship to fly to us.

This morning, I sent her the Bentenmaru's location just in case.

I don't fully understand, but there's only one thing for us to do.

Everyone, to your stations!

We must recover that ship now.

Got it?

a Liosen Gelyune Silent Whisper.

The Imperial Fleet just began deploying those.

They're a brand new model of spaceship, correct?

They've only been sold to wealthy corporations and stellar navies so far.

We recently acquired one a short while ago.

She said she'd be in a small ship with an FTL

booster, but I didn't expect military-grade.

She must have chosen something that would guarantee her escape in case of pursuit.

Jenny's smart after all.

The ship is inside.

Roger.

Captain, a word.

Listen,

they've completely taken the lead on this.

Is that all right?

They sure have.

You seriously...

I told you. It sounded fun.

Let's just go with it.

Well, you're the captain.

But don't blame me for whatever happens.

Thanks for your concern.

Jenny!

Lynn!

Come here.

J-Jenny?

Welcome back.

I've returned.

What happened?

I told you we'd come to get you.

Well, you see...

So I ran away.

I know you had a whole plan worked out.

I'm sorry.

No, I'm glad you weren't hurt.

U-Um...

Everyone's watching.

Just let them watch!

We shouldn't.

I'm sorry for not saying hello, Captain.

I, Jenny Dolittle, request permission to board the Bentenmaru.

I-I am captain of the Bentenmaru, Kato Marika.

Permission is granted, of course.

So you two are in a relationship?