'Live or Die?' Episode 1 [Creative Award 2024 - Manga Original Story Category Entry]

Synopsis
In an era where humanity has fully expanded from Earth into space, and interstellar flight and space travel have become completely commonplace... a young man living on Earth, Tasma Drakin, was about to leap into space with a big dream! ...by stowing away.
For some reason, there were three girls on the ship Tasma snuck onto... Just when you'd think they were cute girls, it turns out these girls have more than a few quirks...?
A new-sensory grand spectacle spanning the galaxy, begins here!

Main Story
0
The endlessly expanding great cosmos... the darkness that shows no end no matter how far you go... To some, it might be an object of terror. Or perhaps they find some kind of mystery in it. But for me, it was a space that made me feel infinite possibilities.
If I could just set sail into this great sea, I believed my future would open up, and I could hold bright prospects. So, I left the somewhat dull planet where I was born and raised—which was apparently blue in the distant past, hard to believe—and first boarded an orbital elevator, then snuck into a space station. The operation was a success. My tension is sky-high.
I move smoothly through the vast space station premises without getting lost. I have the map of this station—including the restricted areas—firmly in my head. I have repeated the simulation over and over, in my brain and on the computer. It's perfect.
I borrow a spare spacesuit, put it on, and head to a certain work area of the station. That area was filled with "zero gravity." I had seen it in videos and heard about it many times, but I was naturally bewildered by experiencing it for the first time. However, it actually calmed my excited mood. Once I quickly grasped the knack of space walking, I entered the target warehouse area.
There, containers of various sizes are placed tightly. Having returned to a space with gravity, I walk briskly across the floor and arrive in front of a certain container. It is among the quite small category of this group of containers. It's a size that can barely fit one average-height human male. I operate the panel on the side of the container and confirm something.
...0619, destination is... 'Discover 6'. Alright, this is it...
I look around once. There were quite a few people around, but everyone was busy with their own work, and no one paid me any mind. I operate the panel again, open the container, and quickly slip inside. I fold my body, lie down, press the switch from the inside, and close the container. It's a bit, no, quite cramped because of the original cargo, but it doesn't bother me right now.
After a while, the container starts to move with a jolt. It's being transported to the giant spaceship where I plan to "stow away." After a while, the container jolts again. The loading work onto the ship must be finished. I press the button on the arm of my spacesuit. Then, the suit detaches from my body and is stored in a small capsule in an instant. It's an excellent capsule spacesuit that can adapt to a wide range of sizes with the push of a button. I put the capsule in my chest pocket and let out a sigh.
"Phew... hehe."
After the sigh, I let out a smile. I never expected things to go this smoothly. If I had known, I should have done this sooner. I didn't have to spend over a decade living a depressed life on that planet... Oops, I can't be doing this. Before the person in charge comes, I'd better get out of this damn cramped container. I open the container and slowly sit up halfway.
"Now then... wait, what!?"
I froze. Because three unknown girls were pointing their guns at me from three directions.

1
"U-um..."
"Don't move."
A girl with green hair in a ponytail mutters with a calm face.
"I-I mean..."
"You'd better keep your mouth shut, or I'll shoot~♪"
A girl with red hair in a short cut says something dangerous with a smile.
"..."
"It's time to pay the piper, you panty thief."
I am surprised by the words of the girl with long blue hair.
"What!"
"!"
"!?"
The red-haired girl fires without hesitation at me, who opened my mouth in response to the blue-haired girl's words. The bullet grazes my bangs and hits the wall.
"I told you I'd shoot, didn't I~? I won't miss next time~"
"Stop wasting bullets. If you're going to finish him, do it in one shot..."
I see the green-haired girl re-aiming her gun.
"...!"
I quickly raise both hands, open and close my mouth, and appeal to the blue-haired girl standing in front of me with my eyes.
"Hmm? Do you have something you want to explain?"
"~~!"
I nod my head repeatedly. The blue-haired girl, while still pointing her gun at me, thinks for a moment and then tells me.
"...Well, I'll listen for now. You are permitted to speak."
"Th-thank you..."
"Don't thank me... Well then, goodbye."
"! W-wait a second! I haven't finished speaking yet!"
"Is that so?"
The blue-haired girl tilts her head. I thought she was a girl who could understand, but that wasn't the case! Anyway, I desperately continue my words.
"I-I am definitely not a panty thief!"
"...Then, what is that you are wearing on your head?"
"Hmm? Whoa!?"
I touched my head with one hand and was surprised. A woman's panty is neatly covering my head.
"I think it's unreasonable to insist you're not a panty thief in that state."
"N-no, this is... what is going on?"
"Don't ask me that..."
The blue-haired girl makes a troubled face. I look at the container I was in. Then...
"Th-this is... a mountain of panties!?"
Inside the container, colorful panties were packed tightly into several boxes. Perhaps they didn't fit, or they spilled out when the container shook, but panties are scattered outside the boxes as well. The green-haired girl tells me in a cold voice.
"Don't stare."
"Y-yes!"
I face forward again. The red-haired girl asks with a smile still on her face.
"So?"
"U-um..."
I spin my brain at full speed, rushing to understand the situation.
"...If you have nothing, I'll shoot, okay?"
"W-wait! I-I just happened to get into this container. These panties must have accidentally ended up on my head when I stood up. I had no intention of stealing!"
"...But that means you did intend to stow away."
"Eh?"
"Is that so?"
The other two are surprised by the green-haired girl's statement. The green-haired girl continues, looking somewhat exasperated.
"...There's no way a person would just happen to get into a container, right? You should just buy a ticket and board normally. If that's not the case, stowing away is the only possibility."
"Ah~"
"Now that you mention it, indeed..."
"You should have been able to guess that before being told this much..."
The green-haired girl sighs in exasperation at the two's somewhat carefree reactions.
"If you're a stowaway, then even more so~♪"
The red-haired girl brings her gun closer. I panic.
"W-wait!"
"I won't wait~"
"P-please, somehow! At least listen to what I have to say!"
"...Let's listen to him."
The blue-haired girl speaks up. The red-haired girl smiles bitterly.
"You're such a pushover~"
"...Go ahead."
The blue-haired girl urges me to speak. I take a breath and start talking.
"M-my name is Tasma Drakin! 18 years old! A human male, just like you!"
"I can tell that much just by looking. Are you making fun of me?"
This time, the green-haired girl brings her gun closer to me.
"I-I'm not! I'm from the Earth lower class!"
"Heh~"
"From Earth..."
"Don't be impressed, both of you. He was in a container loaded at the space station nearest to Earth. You should be able to guess that much..."
The green-haired girl reprimands the two. I continue my story.
"I-I've lived a shitty life until now!"
"!"
The blue-haired girl's eyes widen. I continue regardless.
"I-I wanted to change a life like this!"
"Why space, though~?"
"On Earth, you can't climb up without money or connections! Unless you have academic ability or special talent, but I don't have those either!"
"Haha, you're lacking everything, huh~"
The red-haired girl laughs. The blue-haired girl warns me with a serious face.
"It's not good to make fun of him... And then?"
"If it's a large spaceship with a city inside, the voyage period is long, and there are many jobs! There are many passengers too! If I can just sneak in, it's all mine!"
"...Even so, stowing away is quite bold. Depending on the ship, it's a serious crime... What makes you go that far?"
"...I-I'm not a vessel that fits on Earth!"
"Huh?"
The green-haired girl tilts her head at me, who stood up while shouting involuntarily.
"I'll be a big man someday! That's what I thought, and I jumped out with courage, but...!"
"Being treated as a panty thief right from the start, huh~"
"Ugh! Th-that's why, this is a false accusation, or rather...!"
I involuntarily cover my face with both hands. Tears come out from the misery. The red-haired girl laughs.
"Haha, that's funny~"
"It's not good to laugh..."
The blue-haired girl warns the red-haired girl again. The green-haired girl opens her mouth as if it's hard to say.
"...I understand your position and thoughts. But... you've got the wrong ship."
"Eh!?"
Surprised, I lift my face.
"This is our ship, not the giant spaceship you were aiming for."
"Th-that can't be..."
I calm down and look around. I see, indeed, it's far too small for a cargo loading space of a giant spaceship. It would barely fit one or two large containers.
"...Do you understand now?"
"Ah, ah, no way..."
"That's right, you got the wrong ship to stow away on."
"Th-that's impossible! Isn't this ship 'Discover 6'!?"
"It's '"Discovery 9', you misread it."
"Th-that's stupid..."
I fall to my knees, stunned. The green girl sighs.
"...It's your business to play the tragic protagonist, but the sight of you kneeling on a mountain of panties is ridiculous."
"Ah, ah..."
Coming to my senses, I crouch. The blue-haired girl talks to the green-haired girl.
"What shall we do? With this panty thief (provisional) here?"
No, "(provisional)"? I gave my name, didn't I?
"What else, just hand him over to the station officials quickly and..."
"...Are you sure?"
The blue-haired girl approaches the green-haired girl and whispers.
"A stowaway won't fetch much of a reward, will they...!?"
Just as the green-haired girl answers in a low voice, the ship shakes violently. I am surprised.
"Wh-what!?"
"Th-this is...!"
The green-haired girl glares at the red-haired girl.
"Hmm~? I set it to launch automatically, you know?"
"Wh-what are you doing!? We have to turn this man in!"
"But~ we don't have time, do we?"
"That's because you guys were dawdling! ...Ah, of all things, at such a high speed..."
The green-haired girl takes out a terminal and checks the ship's status. The red-haired girl laughs.
"It's nearby, but it doesn't look like we'll make it if we don't hurry~"
"Wh-what should we do?"
The blue-haired girl asks the green-haired girl. The green-haired girl answers with a sigh.
"Now that we've come this far, turning back is a waste of time... It can't be helped, let's head to the destination as is... I'm going back to the cockpit."
"What about this (provisional) guy~?"
"We can just hand him over there. Bring him to the cockpit."
The green-haired girl says that and leaves the room. The red-haired girl pushes my back while laughing.
"You heard her~"
"..."
"Um, (provisional), please follow us."
The blue-haired girl gives me instructions. I feel somewhat relieved by her gentle tone. Even though I'm still being pointed at with a gun.
"Whoa!?"
I am bewildered when I step out of the room into the hallway. The hallway had become a zero-gravity space. I rotate my body twice and manage to grab the handrail of the hallway. The red-haired girl behind me laughs again.
"Haha, is this your first time in space~?"
"Yeah..."
"And you thought you could stow away like that~"
"It's a matter of getting used to it, something like this."
"I wonder if you'll be able to stay until you get used to it~"
"What do you mean?"
I look back and ask the red-haired girl. The red-haired girl just shrugs without answering.
"Um... this way."
"Ah, yeah..."
The blue-haired girl calls out to me, so I follow her. Perhaps I've calmed down a bit, as I have the leeway to observe the girls. All three girls are about my age, or a little younger; in any case, they are girls of the same generation. Their builds are smaller than mine. They are about the height of an average human female. Their looks are all different and cute. No, that doesn't matter right now.
I focus on the girls' clothing. Since we are inside the ship, they have taken off their spacesuits, but they are wearing matching black blazer-like jackets and white miniskirts. I can't help but look at the fluttering skirt of the blue-haired girl walking in front. The red-haired girl whispers in my ear.
"It's okay to look, you know~? They're show-panties♪"
"Wh-what are you saying!"
"Because you were staring~"
"It was just by chance!"
That's a lie. I was glued to them. Since a young girl's healthy thighs and well-sized buttocks are floating in front of me, it would be rude not to look. N-no, more than that... it seems this ship is operated only by these girls. Careless... no, is this a chance for me?
"We're here. Go ahead."
The blue-haired girl urges me to enter the room. There was a cockpit there. I look around slowly to confirm. I know this type well... it's an extremely orthodox spaceship cockpit. I've operated this many times in simulations. Just in case, I ask the green-haired girl who is already sitting in the center pilot seat.
"...I have a general idea, but what will happen to me when we reach the destination?"
"...You heard, didn't you? I'll hand you over as a stowaway."
"I see, that's a problem... hey!"
"!"
I try to restrain the blue-haired girl, but because of my unfamiliarity with movement in zero gravity, I am easily dodged—no, of course, I'm not used to restraining girls—.
"Whoops!"
"Whoa!?"
The red-haired girl fired, but I miraculously dodged it by flying and put my right hand on the ceiling of the room. The red-haired girl whistles.
"Not bad~♪"
"H-hmpf, that won't hit me! Huh!?"
"...Could you be quiet for a second?"
The green-haired girl was approaching right in front of my eyes. Even if she's used to moving in zero gravity, isn't that speed a bit abnormal? The moment that crossed my mind...
"Hah!"
The green-haired girl's sharp slap hits my right cheek. It's a powerful slap. I almost lost consciousness just from that, but I managed to regain my posture and focused on the gun rolling on the floor of the room, trying to pick it up. The red-haired girl aims her gun.
"I won't let you~"
"Stop firing here!"
"Eh~ it can't be helped~"
The red-haired girl, following the green-haired girl's words, reluctantly puts away her gun. This is my chance. I don't intend to fire, but if I have a gun, at least I'm on equal footing. I grab the gun and stand on the floor.
"Alright!"
"Take that!"
"Guh!?"
The red-haired girl's powerful punch sinks into my stomach. Eh? We were a bit of a distance apart, right? Did she close that distance in an instant? Can you move like that if you're used to zero gravity? I held onto my consciousness that was about to fly away again, and while spinning several times in the air, I regained my posture.
"Heh~ you're pretty tough~"
"That's... thanks!"
"Eek!?"
I kick the seat, and with that reaction, I quickly move behind the blue-haired girl. I get into a position where I wrap my left arm around her neck to hold her, and point the gun at her head with my right arm.
"I don't want to do anything rough if I can help it! Give me this ship... whoa!?"
I am in agony before I can finish my threat. Because the blue-haired girl's heel hit my crotch perfectly. Taking an unexpected blow, I collapse to the spot powerlessly.
"Gotcha."
"Ngh!"
The red-haired girl immediately restrains me. I-I can't move... What strength...
"Ah, I'm sorry, (provisional)さん..."
No, "(provisional)さん", where did the provisional go, the provisional.
"There's no need to apologize. More importantly, are you okay?"
The green-haired girl asks, cracking her neck, and cares for the blue-haired girl.
"I-I'm fine. More importantly, (provisional)さん is..."
"Because it's a place that can't be trained no matter how tough a man is~♪"
The red-haired girl laughs happily. The blue-haired girl bows her head apologetically.
"I-I'm sorry, (provisional)さん..."
"So, what now?"
"That's why I'm handing him over there."
"If we add attempted spaceship hijacking, won't it be quite a sum?"
"...Even so, it will only cover the repair costs for the parts you damaged with bullets."
"I see~ it's a hassle, so shall we dump him?"
The red-haired girl points her gun at my head. The green-haired girl answers with exasperation.
"If that gets out, it would be a scandal... Keep him restrained."
"W-wait, isn't that pitiful, (provisional)さん..."
I get a little angry at the blue-haired girl's words.
"(Provisional)さん, (provisional)さん... I'm Tasma Drakin! I told you my name earlier, didn't I!?"
"It seems you still have the energy to get angry... I wonder if I should shut you up a little."
The green-haired girl points her gun at me. I panic and blurt out something random.
"I-I'm not angry! N-no~! I don't know who you are, but you're all strong! And your looks are beautiful too! I-I'd love to ask for your names and terminal codes!"
"Beautiful, not cute... you understand, don't you. I'm Kei Haja."
The green-haired girl answers while brushing up her bangs.
"Haha, that's a strange pickup line~? I'm Kou Makurubi."
The red-haired girl answers while laughing.
"U-um... I'm Ayumi Senri..."
The blue-haired girl answers while bewildered. Kei, Kou, and Ayumi, they all have good names... wait, what am I doing asking that? What am I going to do?
"I can't tell you the terminal codes..."
"R-right, I guess..."
"O-or rather, Kei-san, was it okay to tell him our names?"
"Well, it shouldn't be a problem, he has a somewhat vacant face."
That's rude, Kei-chan.
"That is... I can't deny it somewhat."
No, you should deny that, Ayumi-chan.
"Really? I think he has a pretty cute face."
You're kind, Kou-chan. Even though I have a gun pointed at the back of my head. However, speaking of faces, I've seen these girls' faces somewhere before... is it because they have good looks? But, looks aside, their styles are also good in their own ways. Kei-chan is slender, Ayumi-chan is thin but has curves in the right places. Kou-chan is quite voluminous... I can tell well because our bodies are in close contact.
"...You're grinning for some reason."
Ah, damn it! This isn't the time for that, I of all people...
"A space trip with three girls is dangerous in many ways! How about a bodyguard!?"
"Not necessary. We are strong."
"R-right..."
Slap, stomach punch, crotch kick... I've tasted them enough. Indeed, these three are quite strong. I'll leave aside the talk about whether I'm just weak for now.
"Then, keep him restrained..."
"W-wait! Please, just don't hand me over like this!"
"Qui?"
At that moment, a small animal like a squirrel appears in front of my nose as I lie face down.
"Eh? A green squirrel?"
"It's not a squirrel, it's a Tyron."
"Tyron? Hmm!?"
The Tyron licks the tip of my nose. Ayumi-chan raises her voice.
"Tyron! Kei-san, this person is not a bad person."
"Ayumi, he almost took you hostage, didn't he..."
"It's rare for Tyron to treat someone he just met like this~"
"Hmm..."
Kei-chan thinks deeply. I, having gotten a hint from the other two's statements, open my mouth.
"That's right, I'm not a bad person! I'll prove useful to you! Please! I'll do anything!"
"...Anything?"
Kei-chan tilts her head and shows a wicked smile. Ah, did I make a mistake?