As the Galactic Patrol ship with the three personnel onboard makes its way to HQ, a sudden quake disturbs the regular tranquility. The ship is rocked by a blast.
Emergency alarms buzz...
"What happened? Did we collide with an asteroid?" Shen asks, arriving at the control room in a hurry. Subsequently, the blue-haired Launch also makes her way here.
"Not that, we didn't hit an asteroid—look at it yourself!"
Through the screen in front of them, Jaco displays the current situation while briefly explaining what actually happened:
"This other ship is the one that attacked us unprovoked. When they appeared on the radar, I didn't see any need to take further action other than a warning... I told them we are from the Galactic Patrol, but even knowing that, they suddenly fired. These guys are daring, if nothing else. Not many can ignore the Galactic Patrol's name."
"Then, is the ship fine? They haven't destroyed anything important, right?" Launch asks, concerned.
"Are you kidding? This is the best ship in the universe, and I'm not exaggerating. Believe me when I say that stolen piece of junk can't even scratch my baby. Matter of fact, it can't even touch her. An energy barrier protects this ship all the time—well, albeit it can shake her, slightly.."
Jaco's words make Shen question him. "That enemy ship, how can you be sure it's stolen?"
"Heh! Because I just checked our database, and this ship matches the record of a missing ship that was stolen from Planet Gi-an." (A/N- Sad, nobody got the reference in chapter 48 )
All of a sudden, the ship's barrier is struck a second time, causing it to tremble once again.
{Oi, you Galactic Patrol scums!} A manly voice is heard from the radio transmitter..
{Surrender immediately and hand over all your possessions. If you do as told, we'll let your sorry asses go—ah, what?—did you say somth?—Wait a sec... my crewmate is saying something—} The apparent robber is interrupted, wholly confusing Shen and the rest.
{Take their ship too?—I got it! You got what she said. You guys don't have good luck, it seems. Yahahahah!!!}
Though, Inside the galactic patrol ship, Jaco is nonchalant {What? I couldn't hear ya!}
The robbers aren't irked by this brazen teasing. From the radio, they can be heard simply laughing if off.
[Heh! You might be thinking we can't touch you with that shield, but don't make the mistake of underestimating us, the Galactic Bandit Brigade. If you have the greatest shield, we have the greatest firepower in the galaxy. There is no way to run—you bitches are surrounded by our subordinate ships! We'll just wait until your power runs out. With the endless volley of attacks from our weapons, let's see how long that shield holds up.]
"Kindly, teach these jackasses a lesson, if you would." Jaco, waving his hands with a smile on his face, makes the small request to Shen.
"Sigh... what a pain."
The main door of the spaceship opens as Shen, having put on an oxygen mask, exits through it.
The man glances around, examining the situation. 'Jaco said the radar detects some ten or so ships... Hmm! That seems about right.'
Seeing this oddity unfold, the enemy microphone renews with interest.
{Ooh! Look at this sorry spectacle. Did they throw out their own to save a few supplies? That's wicked, though it's of no use. They can't outlast us!!}
Shen doesn't respond to their haughty words. With a stoic expression, he raises an arm and charges a ki blast toward a particular direction.
{This...}
A ship relatively far from his position is blasted into smithereens. Next, he casually readjusts his aim at another ship adjacent to the destroyed one.
{Watch out! His attacks are too fast to notice!} The pirates are completely agitated.
However, Shen leaves them with not a second of respite. Nothing is random—he attacks precisely. The bandits' numbers are cut short with every new ship that catches his eyes.
{He is single-handedly destroying us! What are y'all doing? Attack! Spread out and attack! Move irregularly, don't give him the chance to catch you by surprise!}
The strategy fails—or rather, to begin with, there was no chance in hell it would have succeeded. Shen, as an opponent, is well out of their league.
Having taken care of all but one ship leading the fray, he was intending to forcefully break open the hatch of the ship when—
{We surrender! Please spare us!} The bandits, showcasing sincerity, spare him the trouble and open the hatch of their ship themselves. {Capture us if you want. You're from the Galactic Patrol, right?}
Now inside the bandits' own vehicle, Shen's sharp glance sweeps his surroundings as he takes a few forward steps. Suddenly, behind him, a heavy metallic enclosure shuts down his way back, blocking any escape.
"You made a big mistake entering inside." A burly man resembling a gorilla makes his presence known with a recognizable laugh. "Yaahahahaha!!!"
From his voice, it can be inferred that he is the same man who was speaking through the radio earlier.
"You sure were tough to fight in a long-range battle, but is your close-range also as good? Now, together, we can gang up on you... Die, bastard!!"
The bandits all leap at Shen, trying to plunge their sharp weapons into his flesh.
Shen just stands there and receives the attack.
"Heh, he wasn't all that great after all—?? An armor—you!"
"What, your weapons can't touch me? My, oh my, that's horrible... for you bunch, that is!"
The confrontation goes as expected. Although there were some surprises—particularly when a trio of girls merged into one, or when a guy transformed into some sort of lizard man hybrid, along with others showing similar capabilities—it was all for naught.
They are utterly defeated, and with relative ease on Shen's part. They are undoubtably strong, but for the present Shen, the likes of them still aren't enough for him to go all out, like he did against the titanic squid.
For the bandits, this seemingly insignificant operation of targeting some easy, no-name patrolmen has cost them dearly. They will spend the rest of their days imprisoned behind bars.
Capturing this group of leading bandit commanders, Shen, Launch, and Jaco continue on their way.
.
.
.
Some time has passed since the encounter with the bandits.
"So, have you really decided to say farewell?" Jaco solemnly asks. Right now, they are at the HQ's launching station.
"Yeah, we are. But... what is this? Are you actually sad that we're leaving?" Shen, with a tint of humor, curiously questions the alien.
"Well... the missions were so easy to complete with you around. Now it's back to normal for me... sigh!"
"Tch, so that was the reason. I knew it." Blonde Launch scoffs from Shen's side.
"Looking back, our time with the Galactic Patrol has largely been rather eventless, especially recently. If I had to evaluate, the more serious obstacles were only the space squid and, to a lesser extent, that so-called Galactic Bandit Brigade."
He goes on...
"There really isn't any reason left for us to remain here. We have achieved all of our goals: A more advanced ship—done. Joining the Galactic Patrol—check. Showcasing our abilities and building a trusted relationship with the organization, along with gaining some experience—all completed."
. . .
Uninterrupted, without any obstacle to hinder their journey, the human duo reaches Planet Yardrat in less than a week after departing.
For a while, they roam around the alien planet—a beautiful world with lush forests and vast oceans teeming with life. In due course, after locating a gathering of the highest concentration of powerful ki on the entire planet, their ship ends up hovering above a large metropolis.
After thoroughly inspecting the city from above, they appropriately determine an open area with many spacecrafts parked on it to be a spaceport, they land their ship at the place, imitating others who had done the same...
Before they could even take their first steps out, people—presumably the inhabitants of this planet—start gathering around them, acting like a beehive.
These little guys with appearance varying between two overarching types; taller-skinny ones with pink skin and Strout-chubby ones with green skin, they don't seem to pose any ill intent, however.
All kinds of queries are thrown toward the duo—who they are, where they came from, why they are here. Shen tries to answer some of their questions, but the chaotic scene doesn't even give him that chance.
As the place becomes almost suffocating, it abruptly quiets down.
The zombie horde is separated by a single person. "Ahem!"
He approaches them, dividing the crowd into two perfect halves as he walks. The crowd willingly makes way for the man, seemingly out of respect.
"Please come with me. Our Elder wishes for your presence."