The Farming Saint in the Starry Wasteland (Elizabeth Schofield) novel Chapter 436

Chapter 436 Begin Exercise

“This is… this is way too close for comfort,” Dwayne murmured

Elizabeth didn’t say anything. She kept her eyes fixed on the screen.

The situation in the air was not good.

The “Pirate ships” were hitting absurdly hard.

Standard Military Command weapons and civilian ship modifications weren’t even in the same class.

Desmond’s team had dodged every attack so far, but several ships had come within a hair’s breadth of taking direct hits.

At this rate, they wouldn’t hold much longer.

“Colonel Barron,” Elizabeth said, “your people aren’t pulling their punches.”

Deon’s brow tightened almost imperceptibly, then eased. “A drill has to look like a drill. Going easy on you would be disrespectful”

Elizabeth gave a small smile and said nothing more.

Up in the air, the battle was shifting.

Desmond seemed to recognize that trading blows head–on wasn’t going to work, and he changed the approach entirely.

The five ships stopped fighting independently and contracted into a mutual support formation.

Desmond and Tobin pushed to the front and drew fire.

Sevyn and Sebastian covered the flanks, ready to strike the moment an opening appeared.

Tyson and Melton circled at the rear, positioned to reinforce wherever it was needed.

The formation held.

For the next several minutes, they absorbed wave after wave from both “Pirate ships” and nearly managed a counter–attack more

than once.

Deon watched the screen, and something crossed his eyes that hadn’t been there before.

He hadn’t expected this level of coordination from a farm’s escort crew.

But that was still as far as it went.

The gap in raw power hadn’t gone anywhere.

“Group one, sweep from the left flank,” he said into the comm. “Group two, front pressure. Break their formation.”

“Copy.”

Both Pirate ships adjusted immediately.

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Chapter 436 Begin Exercise

Rupert’s group drove in hard from the left. Deon’s group hammered from the front.

Caught between both vectors, the formation Desmond’s team had fought to hold was

shattered in seconds.

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The five ships were forced apart and thrown back into individual fighting.

The situation deteriorated fast. /

Desmond had two Pirate ships locked onto him at once and was being pulled in every direction.

Tobin’s ship took a glancing hit at the stern and veered off course.

Sevyn and Sebastian were pinned down and couldn’t get their heads up.

Tyson barely pulled out of a near–direct hit to the cockpit by dropping into a desperate dive.

Through the comms, Desmond’s voice stayed rock–solid. “Hold it together! Everyone hold! Don’t panic!”

But anyone watching could see it was almost over.

On the ground, Dwayne’s face had gone completely colorless.

“Ms… Ms. Schofield,” he said, his voice trembling, “if it gets much worse, maybe we could request an early…”

Elizabeth didn’t respond to him.

She just stood there and watched the screen, her gaze as still and unreadable as the surface of deep water.

Deon glanced at her, and a thread of genuine uncertainty crept into him.

Is this woman actually calm? Or is this an act?

“Group two, final wave,” he said into the comm. “Force their surrender.”

“Understood.”

Both groups of Pirate ships began closing in for the final encirclement.

And then everything changed.

୮

Rupert’s ship suddenly accelerated, breaking away from the designated attack path and taunching itself on a direct collision course toward Desmond’s lead vessel.

“Rupert?” Deon’s brow furrowed sharply. “What are you doing? You’re off your route.”

A beat of silence from the cornm.

Then Rupert’s voice came through, carrying a note that Deon couldn’t quite read. “I know what I’m doing, sir.”

Deon’s frown deepened.

He hadn’t even finished forming his next thought when Rupert’s ship’s main cannon lit up with a blinding surge of light. That was a full–charge signal.

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Chapter 436 Begin Exercise

Not the low–power simulation beams used for drills

A real main cannon shot

“Rupert!”

Deon’s shout tore through the comms channel, but it was already too late. –

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The brilliant lance of energy erupted from the cannon barrel and tore straight toward Desmond’s ship at point–blank range.

Too fast. Too close.

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