The defeat of the Star Thieves happened very suddenly.
Clearly, they were fiercely attacking just a moment before, making considerable progress, but in the next moment, a Star Thief squad that advanced more slowly suddenly turned and fled.
The Pioneers later learned that this was the Star Thieves' third detachment, originally looting in outer space, but conscripted to fight the Pioneer Team.
Their intention was clear: I don't need to run fast, just faster than the other Star Thief squads.
The third detachment was a group that had defected, not a core part of the Star Thieves, and with the situation dire, preserving their strength was essential.
However, they were clever, and others weren't foolish either. Upon noticing the retreat of allied forces, other Star Thieves quickly imitated.
The most aggressive Star Thieves ended up tragic, trapped within the heavy encirclement of the Pioneer Team.
