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NOTE: This is a "Fastpass" translation. A better translation will come later.

 

Nov 8th, 2024

 

 

INDEX

 

Chapter 1: 6 days before

Chapter 2: 5 days before

Chapter 3: 4 days before

Chapter 4: 3 days before

Chapter 5: 2 days before

Chapter 6: 1 day before

Chapter 7: End of the war

 

Illustration by Matsumoto Noriyuki

Design by Shindosha

Deep underground in the old government office in Shin Okuhama City, Sea of the Morningstar in the Tau system, is the Federation of Colonial Stars Fleet Headquarters. It was after midnight that reports of the battle at Garnet A were received by Section B of the Tau System Military General Staff, Division 3, commonly known as the Pirate Section.

 

The pirate ships sent to attack the fleet that the Stellar Alliance had gathered at Garnet A came from almost every colonial planet in the Federation of Colonial Stars. Reports of the start of the battle had come from the Black Swan, which was the command ship of the pirate fleet for this operation, but no further reports had been received since.

 

The Fleet Headquarters did not have many personnel to devote to the battle on the far-away Antares Palace. The large expeditionary fleet, which seems to be the total fighting force of the Stellar Alliance, has already reached the outer edge of the Tau star system, and forced reconnaissance of the inner planetary system is being carried out more frequently than daily, almost hourly. The Federation of Colonial Stars is trying to gather all its forces in the Tau star system, but the gathering is not proceeding as planned. It has also become clear that even if the forces are gathered according to the desired plan, the total fighting force of the Federation of Colonial Stars will be far less than that of the expeditionary fleet that has reached the Tau star system.

 

The Fleet Command, which was expected to command all the spaceships of the Federation of Colonial Stars as a fighting force and also to command the independence war itself, had the difficult task of organizing the spaceships of the Federation of Colonial Stars that were gathering in the Tau star system, both public and private, into a fighting force while intercepting the forced reconnaissance fleet of the expeditionary fleet. At the same time, negotiations for an end to the war with the Stellar Alliance are continuing tenaciously using the human communication network that has spread throughout the Orion Arm.

 

The Stellar Alliance Expeditionary Fleet, whose advance fleet had reached the outer edge of the Tau system, had been conducting frequent in-force reconnaissance of the inner planetary system. The Stellar Alliance Expeditionary Fleet's first in-force reconnaissance consisted of two high-speed cruisers passing through the southern and northern sides of Tau. However, after confirming the location of spaceships around the Tau star system in their first reconnaissance, the Expeditionary Fleet has been repeatedly conducting simultaneous in-force and forced reconnaissance to exploit gaps in the patrol network and to check the interception system of the Federation of Colonial Stars.

 

The Federation of Colonial Stars Fleet Command has called in and reorganized the anti-Expeditionary Fleet forces, which have not yet been assembled, from all fronts, while at the same time investigating the Expeditionary Fleet's movements and disrupting its reconnaissance. The number of ships under its direct command is the highest since the start of the War of Independence. The number was approaching the upper limit of the Fleet HQ, which had been built with all-out war in mind, and the number of communications and amount of data being exchanged was breaking previous records with each passing hour.

 

Everyone was preparing and responding to the expected decisive battle with the largest interstellar expeditionary fleet in history that had appeared before them. The entire Fleet HQ was under the highest level of tension and busy preparing for battle when the Pirate Section received a report from far away Garnet A.

 

The report came not from the Black Swan, which was in command of the space fleet, but from the White Swan. The battle report was brief, merely listing the results and schedule.

 

"Moderately damaged, Black Swan, Dark Star, Love Machine, Minor damaged, White Swan, Karyoubinga, Valiant, Black Pearl, Mein Jugend Arcadia."

 

"Pirate damage reports are unreliable. How many times have spaceships that would be considered heavily damaged or sunk by regular forces returned and then set off again?"

 

Pirate Division Chief Lieutenant Christy Sherwood raised a hand to stop Ensign Endo Miki, who was reading a report in a corner of the huge coliseum-like fleet headquarters that had turned into a battlefield.

 

"So they are..."

 

"As the report says, they may have only sustained damage that would allow them to immediately prepare for the next battle, or they may have taken so much damage that they would not have been scolded if they had turned tail and retreated a long time ago, but they may have gathered their remaining forces and are preparing for the final battle."

 

"There's no way they're going to run away."

 

Miki, who was standing in the passageway with a tablet in her hand, pouted in protest.

 

"They surely don't understand how important this operation is. If Garnet A goes supernova, their planet will be burned."

 

"The enemy forces are eight cruisers and sixteen destroyers, and two of the destroyers seem to have been moderately damaged, but the enemy forces are almost intact."

 

Section Chief Sherwood looked down at the same concise report displayed on his display.

 

"You were sending an expeditionary fleet to the planet Tau, and yet you were moving such a large fleet."

 

Whether it's a regular warship or a pirate ship, there will always be errors in the assessment of battle results. Whether you overestimate or underestimate the results varies depending on the spaceship and the battle. The Shiratori is known for being excellent among pirate ships in the assessment of battle results since receiving its privateer license, and is known to be more accurate than the average warship.

 

"There's no problem in taking the Shiratori's assessment at face value."

 

"Currently, fifteen pirate ships have reached Garnet A."

 

Miki switched the display on the tablet.

 

"Eight more ships are on their way, but even if they arrive on schedule, they're only even in numbers, and far behind in terms of combat power."

 

Many pirate ships are converted from civilian ships. The few that are based on warships are outdated or have had their onboard armaments replaced, so their combat power is usually reduced.

 

"If we go at it squarely, the outcome is clear."

 

The chief also switched the display.

 

"Of course, that would be the same if the regular army had gone out."

 

"Is there anything we can do?"

 

Miki asked, half knowing that it was impossible.

 

"Can't we send reinforcements to Garnet A even now?"

 

"We don't have any spare forces to send around."

 

The chief shook his head mercilessly.

 

"We're also on the brink of not being able to protect the place they'll return to."

 

"But if the pirates can't stop the Stellar Slayer, then there won't be any planets around here that people can live on."

 

"I know."

 

The chief stared intently at the battle situation in the Shiratori's report.

 

"Even if the pirates are here, they are a valuable fighting force, so I deliberately concentrated them at Antares constellation to maximize the effect."

 

"But if I leave them alone, knowing that they are at a disadvantage in terms of strength, they will..."

 

"If they can't carry out the operation, it would be better if they at least ran away before they were wiped out."

 

"That's impossible."

 

The lieutenant shook his head.

 

"They know they are dealing with a supernova bomb, so no matter how unfavorable the battle situation becomes, I can't imagine them running away."

 

"Yes, I've learned a lot since taking this position about how poorly pirates judge situations."

 

The chief began to switch the display.

 

"That's both their strength and weakness."

 

"Can't you send reinforcements?"

 

That's all the fleet headquarters can do from afar. Miki asked again. The chief's answer was the same.

 

"That's impossible. All the forces currently in the Tau system are being organized for use against the expeditionary fleet. Even spaceships that haven't arrived yet or are being repaired in a rush are being counted as forces. No matter how hard we try, we can't find any forces to use elsewhere."

 

"But..."

 

Without letting Miki finish, the chief started typing on the keyboard.

 

"But if it's a supply ship that's not a combat vessel, maybe we can do something."

 

"Eh?"

 

"If we're going to have a fleet battle, we'll need a lot of supplies, and if there's damage, a medical rescue ship would be useful. It's pirates, so even if there's a big difference in strength, they might just go ahead and destroy a spaceship. It would be terrible if we survived and didn't have a spaceship to return, so let's at least prepare a ship to return."

 

"Thank you!"

 

Miki bowed without thinking, and the chief shook his head without looking up.

 

"No. You need to realize how terrible your actions are."

 

"Huh?"

 

"It's the same here, so you may not have noticed, but Fleet Command is forcing the pirates into a battle that no matter how you look at it, they have no chance of winning."

 

"... Yes."

 

"And they told us to fight without worrying, because they'll pick up our bones. If they come back alive, I'm already having a headache thinking about what I should do to repay them for their work."

 

Realizing that the section chief was talking on the assumption that the pirates would return alive, Miki looked at her boss again.

 

"Help me."

 

The section chief said, typing on the keyboard.

 

"Supplies that might be useful if we give them to the pirates, transport ships that are soon to be free and have no further plans, and a rough medical evacuation ship or a small hospital ship that won't get you in trouble if you pull them out. It doesn't matter if the ship isn't in the system right now, there should be a spaceship from the Federation of Colonial Stars somewhere that will listen to Fleet Command's orders, so look for it."

 

"Yes!"

 

"Here!"

 

As Miki ran out to go back to her room, she was stopped by her chief. The chief pointed to an empty booth diagonally behind her.

 

"The Sinclair intelligence officer who was working there collapsed just now and was taken to the emergency room. He won't be back for a while, so use that seat."

 

"Yes!"

 

Meanwhile, Odette II was far away from Garnet A in the dark gulf between the Orion Arm and the Perseus Arm.

 

"What's the situation?"

 

"No movement."

 

Jenny answered as she typed on the keyboard on the display that was spread out as far as the observer's seat.

 

"There are no plans for the Imperial Seventh Fleet to move towards the Orion Arm."

 

Jenny updated the Seventh Fleet's public relations website with the latest status.

 

"The situation is the same even when checking Imperial civilian ships and military companies. At least, as far as the data published by the Port Seruna control station is concerned, there are no plans to submit any large-scale flight plans for the Orion Arm, including the Stellar Alliance and the Federation of Colonial Stars."

 

"Odette II to Bentenmaru."

 

Marika called out to Bentenmaru over the communication line.

 

"Our checks have not revealed any signs of large-scale military action against the Orion Arm. How about you?"

 

"This is Bentenmaru, acting captain Misa."

 

Misa, acting captain on the bridge, answered the call.

 

"Same here. Even though there is a huge amount of data, we're looking at the same places, so it's not like the results would be that different."

 

"Can you read anything about the Seventh Fleet's operational status or supply relations?"

 

Marika asked.

 

Deploying a large fleet is not as simple as issuing a single command. All of the ships belonging to the Imperial Fleet operate according to a strict schedule, and most of them are publicly available, without any military secrets. Even if the movements of the fleet that will be the frontline force are disguised, it is possible to infer the movements of the main force from the schedule of the supply fleet that is dispatched to maintain its operations.

 

"It doesn't seem like that's the case either. Hold on, I'll hand over to Schnitzer."

 

The person on the other end of the line changed.

 

"This is Schnitzer. We have checked all flight plans for the airspace surrounding the Orion Arm in the data from the control station. We have found no significant activity, civilian or military, in the Orion Arm. At present, we have determined that there are no signs of a large-scale operation in the Orion Arm."

 

"Um," Marika said, feeling the bridge crew's eyes focused on her.

 

"This is important, so I'll check again. Are there any signs that the Imperial Fleet will launch a large-scale operation against the Orion Arm?"

 

"No."

 

Schnitzer answered clearly.

 

"At this time, the Imperial Fleet, including the Seventh Fleet, has no plans for a large-scale operation against the frontier, including the Orion Arm."

 

"Thank you, Schnitzer."

 

In the captain's seat of the Odette II, Marika closed her eyes.

 

"So things are proceeding as we expected."

 

Marika opened her eyes.

 

"No, it's because things aren't going as expected that you're worried."

 

The bridge roared as Chiaki laughed, leading the way.

 

"Okay then, Gruier, call the Space University research ship Curiosity."

 

Marika gave instructions to Gruier in the radio operator's seat.

 

"Odette II will be entering Port Seruna."

 

Before Odette II's eyes was a vast harbor space centered around the gigantic space fortress, Port Seruna.

 

Port Seruna was a key point for the Seventh Fleet, but the airspace around it was not yet Imperial territory. The Galactic Empire, which continues to expand from the core star systems to the outskirts, had not yet included the area including the Orion Arm in its territory. Port Seruna was outside the ever-expanding Imperial territory.

 

Port Seruna was established in interstellar space as a supply base for the Seventh Fleet, which was responsible for the frontier areas that had not yet become Imperial territory. The space between the Orion Arm and the Perseus Arm, known as the Dark Bay, is a gap between spiral nebulae with few star systems or planets, and the density of interstellar matter drops dramatically. Port Seruna was built as a supply base for a large fleet by combining transported giant blocks in an airspace that avoided the huge gravitational sources that would have a significant effect on FTL jumps.

 

Since there were no powerful frontier nations or interstellar alliances nearby, the construction of Port Seruna was not significantly hindered by rebel forces against the Empire. The Empire was able to successfully build a supply base that would serve as a foothold on the frontier without much difficulty.

 

However, as a huge station to be placed on the front lines, the construction of Port Seruna adopted the standards of a space fortress that could withstand direct combat. Offensive power was left to the Seventh Fleet, which had excellent mobility and was easy to replace and replace, and in terms of defense, it was given armor far superior to that of a heavy battleship and patrol capabilities similar to those of a combination of electronic battleships.

 

Port Seruna, now the largest base in the Imperial Fleet, has been given the appropriate fleet command and information processing capabilities. Although there has not yet been an incident in which the Seventh Fleet, which is responsible for the border, has been unified to face a single enemy, Port Seruna is said to be able to command the entire Seventh Fleet by itself.

 

"... How many ships can you see?"

 

A huge fleet floating like a cloud has been captured on Odette II's radar, with Port Seruna, which is jet black like a frontline fortress, at its center. If you adjust the scale to see the whole picture, it just looks like a number of clouds floating around Port Seruna.

 

"There are more than 8,000 ships around Port Seruna alone."

 

In response to Marika's question in the captain's seat, Chiaki in the radar/sensor seat read out the display on the counter.

 

"As expected of the frontline. This is the first time I've seen so many ships."

 

"8,000 ships..."

 

Marika repeated Chiaki's number. The number of ships around Port Seruna alone is more than double the total number of ships operated by the Stellar Alliance and the Federation of Colonial Stars. As it is the core fortress of the Imperial fleet, there are many large ships.

 

"That's only the number of ships outside. The radar is low-powered and low-frequency, so it doesn't pick up much attention, so it doesn't count aircraft or shuttles. If we included the ships in port, the number should be even higher."

 

"That's true..."

 

Marika, sitting in the captain's seat, stared at the three-dimensional image of the ships around Port Seruna that was projected in the center of the bridge. The friendly/enemy identification system, which was constantly running, didn't show a single friendly ship among the thousands of spaceships it detected.

 

Marika switched the display with a handheld switch. The bright spots that filled the anchorage airspace and the surrounding airspace were neatly divided into two colors. The white ones, as identified by the transponders, were civilian spaceships, while the blue ones were ships belonging to the Imperial fleet.

 

As it was a fleet base outside the Empire's territory, up to 70% of the ships that could be identified were ships belonging to the Imperial fleet. There was no distinction between purely combat ships and auxiliary vessels used for transport and supply, but there were many large ships capable of long-distance navigation.

 

"That's an incredible number..."

 

In the future when the Tau system had been annexed by the Galactic Empire, Marika had never seen such a large Imperial fleet gathered in one place. The number of starships operated by the fleet was gradually increasing, so there should be a gathering point of a larger scale even now, but it would not be the Orion Arm.

 

Looking at the overwhelming fleet, Marika muttered to herself, thinking about how to use it.

 

"If we can pull even 10% of these to Tau, the war will end."

 

The communication system rang a light ringtone. Gruier answered the call.

 

"This is Curiosity."

 

"Pull me over."

 

Marika cleared her throat and sat up straight in the captain's seat.

 

"I understand your request."

 

Athena Sakyura, who seems to have been put in charge of foreign negotiations since the first contact, responded through the communication line of the Glassius-class Space University research vessel Curiosity.

 

"An interstellar civilization that the Empire has not yet contacted wishes to enter Port Seruna. Fine, as a research vessel belonging to the Space University, Curiosity can introduce you to the control station. But are you really going to enter the port calling yourself a pirate ship?"

 

Asked with a serious face, Marika looked at the Space University researcher on the other side of the communication monitor.

 

"The privateer license that this spaceship has is legitimate, issued by the Federation of Colonial Stars. We have not yet made official contact with the Galactic Empire, but does the Empire not recognize the autonomy and rights that come with it for interstellar nations?"

 

"You claim to be uncontacted, but you know much about things that you shouldn't know."

 

Athena shook her head slightly, looking a little annoyed.

 

"Yes, that's true. The Empire respects the laws and values ​​of civilizations, whether they have been in contact or not. But there are a lot of problems when it comes to pirates. If you know that much, you must know about the Great Purge the Empire fought against pirates."

 

Marika glanced at Gruier, who was monitoring the radio operator's seat. It was Gruier who pointed out the problem first.

 

"I know."

 

Marika nodded at Athena.

 

"The fleet fought a great war against the pirate guild and finally succeeded in driving pirates out of the Galactic Empire. That was the sweep war. So now there are no pirates in the Empire."

 

"The Empire's official position is that they didn't drive out pirates, they wiped them out, but that's fine. If you know that, you'll understand how much of an eyesore pirates are to the Imperial fleet. You don't have to call yourself a pirate. It would be much less disruptive if you said you were a training ship from the same academic organization that first contacted Curiosity.'

 

'Thanks for your consideration.'

 

Marika bowed to Athena, saying it sincerely.

 

'But the reason we came here is precisely to stir up trouble.'

 

The only contact line with Curiosity is from Odette II. And Marika has not given a detailed explanation to the Space University research ship. Odette II asked Curiosity to guide her to Port Seruna in exchange for keeping quiet about the fact that their actions were in violation of the standard law of the Galactic Empire.

 

While Curiosity was trying to distance itself from troublesome matters by citing schedules and such, it also requested to investigate Odette II, Bentenmaru, and its crew, claiming that it was part of its duties. Marika negotiated tenaciously with the help of Jenny and Gruier.

 

Their true identity, as they came from 120 years in the future, must be kept secret. And Curiosity felt guilty for breaking the principle of non-interference. In the end, Odette II succeeded in getting Curiosity to agree to guide them to Port Seruna, the largest supply base for the Imperial fleet in the vicinity, and to introduce them to the control station.

 

"Waves, huh?"

 

Athena looked down at the communication monitor.

 

Even just by sailing together, spaceships can obtain various information from their on-board sensors. Silent Whisper was quickly taken aboard Bentenmaru, which kept its distance to avoid detailed observation. Curiosity's observations were focused on the Odette II, which was continuing to sail nearby, and a great deal of data should have been collected.

 

"If you fly with us, you should know that we don't have much weaponry."

 

As Athena was looking at the data on the Odette II, Marika said, taking a guess.

 

"Even if this spaceship successfully enters Port Seruna, I'm sure you understand that it won't have much destructive power."

 

"I don't care what kind of hidden military power a single solar sail ship has, if it's going to enter the Seventh Fleet's fortress of its own accord."

 

Athena looked at Marika with interest.

 

"But I'm really intrigued to see what the crew members who have decided to stir things up will do next."

 

"My request is only to introduce you to Port Seruna's control. Once we make contact with Port Seruna, all our business will be completed."

 

Marika forced a smile and looked back at Athena.

 

"You are free to monitor the communication between us and control, and we won't restrict your actions after that. Thank you for guiding me this far."

 

Athena stared at Marika in silence.

 

It took willpower to keep meeting her gaze.

 

Marika waited with a smile for Athena to speak.

 

"That was an interesting experience."

 

Athena raised her hand lightly on the communications monitor.

 

"I'll connect you to Port Seruna's communications control. I don't know what you're planning to do here, but I hope it goes well."

 

"I hope Curiosity makes a safe journey."

 

Marika returned the standard greeting.

 

"The line to the Port Seruna control station has been connected."

 

As soon as communication with Curiosity ended, Gruier announced.

 

"It's not just data. It's image communication, and the other party is probably not an automated response but a live operator."

 

"We're on the front lines, after all."

 

Marika cleared her throat again.

 

"It's not like an automated data communication response that lets everything through like a supply base in the Empire. Please connect."

 

An operator in the uniform of the Imperial fleet appeared on the communication monitor.

 

"This is Port Seruna communications control. We have a visual your ship.'

 

'This is the pirate ship Odette, belonging to the Tau star system.'

 

While thinking about how many Federation of Colonial Stars spaceship crew members had identified themselves to the Imperial fleet before her, Marika spoke the name of a pirate ship that should not have existed anywhere. Even through the communications monitor, it was clear that the operator became nervous at the mention of the pirate ship.

 

"We have no intention of engaging in hostilities with the Galactic Empire."

 

As if not noticing, Marika continued.

 

"We would like to enter Port Seruna to negotiate with the fleet's leadership."

 

"Pirate ship Odette from Port Seruna Control."

 

To confirm, the operator repeated the name of Odette II with some difficulty.

 

"You wish to negotiate with the fleet's leadership? What is your business?"

 

Marika spoke as calmly as possible.

 

"We're here to sell stars."

 

"Oh, oh, as expected of the Imperial fleet."

 

Hyakume, the radar/sensor in charge, called out from the bridge of the Bentenmaru.

 

"As soon as we introduced ourselves as pirates, a landing ship came flying over."

 

"Only one ship?"

 

Misa, who was in the captain's seat, confirmed with a dissatisfied look on her face.

 

"Since a pirate ship has come to visit the fleet base, I was hoping they'd give us a little more attention."

 

"Only one amphibious assault ship has contacted Odette II and requested an inspection, but it's not the only one responding. Three other battleships have changed positions, and are now close enough to aim directly at Odette II."

 

Hyakume changed the scale of the 3D display centered on Odette II to make it easier to understand. Three space battleships were cruising around Odette II at a distance from each other, and three straight lines of fire were drawn toward the solar sail ship.

 

"In such a dense airspace, they're aiming from the inside to the outside, so even if a stray bullet comes, it won't hit any other ships. They'll probably get the target's location information from the landing ship attached to the Odette II, and they're not using radar or anything, so I wonder if the Yacht Club guys have noticed?"

 

"Of course they haven't noticed."

 

Misa looked at the current position of the Odette II, which was still stationary in the center of the crossfire from three directions.

 

"But they'll probably pretend not to notice. They readily accepted the Imperial fleet's inspection, and no matter how much they investigated, they found that it was unarmed, as requested. It's a shame that we won't be able to see the look on the fleet officers' faces when they see unarmed pirates with only high school girls around."

 

Misa looked around at the faces of the bridge crew. "Bentenmaru is currently on standby. We haven't even entered the other party's room yet, and at this stage, we can't just go out and say that the backup is a hidden weapon, so we'll keep an eye on them for a while."

 

Bentenmaru was cruising outside the anchorage airspace set around Port Seruna. The disguised ship's nationality was currently waiting for cargo, having been contracted for a transport mission from a private company in Port Seruna, a weak shipping company in the Galactic Empire.

 

The network connected via Port Seruna was very useful in setting the disguised ship's nationality and transponder ID that can be used in the current universe. The network line that was first connected from Odette II is now also set up on Bentenmaru and is being used for data collection and analysis.

 

"Also, keep an eye on Curiosity."

 

Misa confirmed the current location of Curiosity, a space university research vessel modeled after the Gracius-class battleship. Curiosity, who contacted the Port Seruna control station to introduce Odette II, was ordered to wait there.

 

"Curiosity has applied to the control station to stay in the anchorage airspace."

 

Coorie, checking the control station's public data, announced.

 

"They said they would head to the next research airspace as soon as they finished their business, but it seems they will be here for a while to resupply and for the crew to rest."

 

"That's a relief."

 

Misa nodded.

 

"If Curiosity were to return to Garnet A and continue watching, it would cause a lot of trouble."

 

At least, according to the information obtained by Odette II and Bentenmaru, Curiosity does not know that a supernova bomb project is underway at Garnet A. It is unclear how much the Space University research ship knows about the situation of the War of Independence, but it seems to just see it as a common civil war by an uncontacted civilization.

 

"They must have found something more interesting than a civil war by an uncontacted civilization."

 

Schnitzer, who was in the battle command seat, muttered. Misa asked again.

 

"What's that?"

 

"Pirates who are supposed to be unaware of the Galactic Empire have boarded the Imperial fleet, which is supposed to be their arch enemy. It's not unreasonable to expect something even more interesting, even if it's not a university research vessel."

 

"I see..."

 

Misa pondered with an interested look on her face.

 

"So, if everything goes according to plan, the Space University will record the whole story?"

 

"Whether it's planned or not, recording has probably already started."

 

"I see..."

 

Misa displayed Curiosity's current position and all the information they had obtained on the display in the captain's seat.

 

"Well, whatever. It seems like we're not the ones who'll be bothered by the addition of a few more mysteries to history."

 

"It seems that an inspector is coming this way in a shuttle from the Imperial Seventh Fleet amphibious assault ship Kaoshun."

 

After reporting this, Gruier asked a question with some difficulty.

 

"What's an amphibious assault ship?"

 

"It's a mother ship dedicated to landing operations."

 

Chiaki answered, showing a close-up of the approaching Imperial ship on the display.

 

"It's a ship for dropping mobile infantry and tanks from orbit onto the surface of planets at war."

 

The Imperial ship that approached the Sun Sail Ship, calling itself the Odette Pirate Ship, was an amphibious assault ship specialized in landing operations. Although it was not equipped with heavy armaments for anti-ship battles, it was equipped with heavy armor for enemy landings and numerous drop ships for landing naval forces from orbit to the surface.

 

"From what I can see, they're not pointing their beam cannons at us, and there's no sign of them preparing to fire. As we were hoping, this isn't a very peaceful response."

 

"Well, of course, we're being targeted by others."

 

Lynn, who was in the electronic warfare seat, said while carefully operating the control panel.

 

"The traffic volume of the landing ship Kaoshun approaching us is steadily increasing as it gets closer. It's probably sending all the data of this new spaceship to other places. There's no way that it won't include information on its shape and location, so the expected development is that the pirate ship Odette is the target of the anchored Imperial fleet."

 

"That's what I hope for," Marika said in a loud voice.

 

"I chose a type of ship that would catch the fleet's attention and introduced myself, so I'd be in trouble if you didn't pay that much attention."

 

While adding explanatory lines to keep the crew from getting too nervous, Marika glanced at the display in the captain's seat. Although the solar sails were not deployed, the Odette II, with its nine masts fully extended, was only illuminated by the subdued radar waves from the landing ship Kaoshun, which was close by.

 

"Several large ships have changed position outside the anchorage airspace as the landing ship approaches."

 

Chiaki, who was in the radar/sensor seat, sent the information Marika wanted to the captain's seat.

 

"If there are no obstacles between us, there are no other spaceships in a place where a stray bullet could hit us even if we miss our aim a little, and even if we hit them, we won't hit other spaceships until the beam weakens, we'll find them right away. For now, I think these are the three battleships that look like they're pointing their main guns at us."

 

Marika smiled as she looked at the three positions that were picked out.

 

"Very well. It's a big job, so the more spectators the better."

 

"Oh, I see, it's these guys."

 

Lynn, who had seen the same data, said.

 

"It's like when you come out to turn yourself in and snipers are shooting at you from all over."

 

"President Lynn, you've seen too many weird stories."

 

"Not only are there snipers, but it seems like the people boarding aren't just inspectors."

 

Chiaki showed the communication craft that had departed from Kaoshun on the display.

 

"How is this a communication craft? It's not a dropship that can enter the atmosphere even under anti-aircraft fire."

 

The spaceship shown was a dropship with a sturdy body and additional armor. The rugged silhouette that cuts through air resistance with thrust and the black heat-resistant anti-beam coating were imposing.

 

"Just as you'd expect from the Seventh Fleet on the front lines."

 

Lynn nodded in admiration.

 

"Our star system's military hasn't had a landing operation since the War of Independence. That means that the people aboard are..."

 

"Either they're mobile infantry specialized in ground combat, or special forces that can also handle hand-to-hand combat."

 

Chiaki looked up at Marika in the captain's seat.

 

"If you look at this spaceship from the outside, you can see right away that it doesn't have any significant onboard armaments. So the enemy is very used to actual combat, as they quickly organized and sent in a unit for onboard combat for inspection."

 

"That's reliable."

 

Marika nodded.

 

"And besides, we're not the enemy. If the Imperial fleet has that much faith in us, then we have to give them our all."

 

After waiting for the laughter that filled the bridge to die down, Marika switched the channel to the ship-wide broadcast and began to speak.

 

"From now on, Odette II."

 

She cleared her throat and repeated herself.

 

"I'm announcing to all the crew of the pirate ship Odette. The Odette will now be accepting inspectors for an inspection by the amphibious assault ship Kaoshun. There's nothing that would be a problem if they saw it, so please show them everything they want to see. Oh, you don't have to force them to see the messy cabins. The inspectors want to see weapons of mass destruction, so they probably won't want to see those parts."

 

The crew roared on the bridge. After laughing together, Marika said.

 

"From now on, the Yacht Club will start their work as space pirates. The work will be a play with the Imperial Fleet as an audience. We'll support you if you do anything reckless, so it'll be fine, but please try not to push yourself too hard. That being said, everyone has done pirate work before, so I'm not worried about that."

 

Marika stopped the announcement for a moment.

 

"Once we convince the inspector, we'll enter Port Seruna. The real work will start after that, so everyone, relax and think of the upcoming inspection as a rehearsal. Also, don't think about providing any unnecessary services or information just because this is your first contact with the Imperial Fleet as a pirate ship. Our strength is that we are unknown. The more the Imperial Fleet worries about who we are, the more advantageous the situation will be for us."

 

Marika continued, laughing.

 

"Well, then, Hakuoh Girls' Academy Yacht Club, aka Space Pirate Club, will begin operation."

 

"Did they send a drop ship from the amphibious assault ship for the inspection?"

 

Kane didn't take his eyes off the situation, which is also visible from Bentenmaru.

 

"The ones aboard are the land corps specialized in hand-to-hand combat. They're following the old manual for dealing with pirates. But poor guy, they got the worst of it."

 

"So the Imperial Fleet's land corps is boarding a girls' high school training sailing ship?"

 

Schnitzer summarized the situation in a low voice. Kane nodded.

 

"That's right. Well, wait and see, it's going to be interesting."

 

The drop ship equipped with additional armor approached the pirate ship Odette. The solar sail ship cut off all propulsion to show its submissiveness.

 

The drop ship slowly circled the Odette II to check the condition of the ship, not only scanning with sensors but also irradiating it with radar a little recklessly, recording the details of the frontier spaceship that had appeared in front of the Galactic Imperial fleet for the first time.

 

At the same time, the operator of the drop ship, hiding his expression behind a rugged armored helmet, asked about Odette's docking mechanism.

 

If the two spaceships use standard specifications, they can extend each other's boarding bridges and dock. However, the specifications and structure of the docking mechanism are usually different for spaceships from civilizations with no contact.

 

The drop ship, which launched from an amphibious assault ship belonging to the Seventh Fleet, which targets spaceships from outside the Galactic Empire as its hypothetical enemy, was equipped with a forced docking system with a high degree of flexibility, as if it had anticipated such a situation. If you use a rescue boarding bridge with a metal rubber cover that can freely deform to match the outer hull of the other spaceship, docking is possible without having to think about standards or connections.

 

"I wonder if it's more of an entry tube used to forcibly board enemy ships rather than for rescue purposes."

 

Chiaki muttered to herself as she looked at the conceptual diagram sent for explanation.

 

"Pirate ships are equipped with the equipment necessary to board the target ship. The Bentenmaru has it too."

 

"Recently, we haven't been working with people whose boarding bridges don't match ours."

 

Marika looks at the conceptual diagram of a rescue docking system displayed on the captain's seat with interest.

 

"If we try to match the enemy too much from the beginning, it will only make things more suspicious, so tell them to use their system. Also, tell them the pressure and atmospheric composition of our ship. I'm sure they'll come aboard wearing armored space suits, and won't care if the air is removed, let alone protected against infection weapons."

 

"I understand."

 

Gruier, who was in the radio operator's seat, responded to the inquiry from the drop ship by adding data that had not been requested.

 

"I will also add that there will be no restrictions on data collection once we board."

 

"Please. I don't think that just because of this the Imperial fleet will trust us, but at this stage, the thing I'm most afraid of is them becoming too arrogant."

 

A civilization that has not made contact with the Galactic Empire, and a spaceship calling itself a pirate ship, will be boarding a special forces unit capable of handling any situation. It is safe to assume that they will be combat troops accustomed to hand-to-hand combat. Even if we have no intention of fighting and the enemy is a well-trained unit, as long as the enemy boards the ship equipped with firearms, there is still the possibility of an accidental battle.

 

In order to minimize the danger, Marika intended to welcome the boarding force without resisting and disclosing as much information as possible.

 

"In return, please verbally declare all the sensors they intend to use. If they use sensors carelessly, we don't know what will react and cause trouble for us."

 

"I understand that you don't want to injure anyone, either here or there, but..."

 

Lynn, who was in the electronic warfare seat, complained.

 

"Considering what will happen in the future, isn't it no good to be underestimating us by making too many mistakes?"

 

"Yes, I think so."

 

Marika nodded.

 

"So we'll do our best where we can see each other and communicate verbally, but we'll slam down anything we can't. President Lynn, are you ready for electronic warfare?"

 

"Yeah, we're ready so we can deal with most traps right away. What are we going to do? Should we sneak into the mother ship and take over the control system?"

 

"No, leave that for later."

 

Marika laughed and shook her head.

 

"We have responded that we will comply with any information requested by the Imperial Fleet. Therefore, there is no need to disclose any information that is not requested by them."

 

"Well, that's true, I suppose."

 

"We expect that the drop ship that will dock with us will begin to collect information on Odette II by all possible means as soon as it makes physical contact with us."

 

"That's the kind of ship it is, with people who do that kind of work on it."

 

"However, as long as they haven't told us that they will be collecting information via the network, there is no reason for us to comply. We will listen to all the requests of the boarding force. However, if they haven't said they will do something, I think we should respond with that intention."

 

Marika stared intently at Lynn, who was grinning from the electronic battle seat.

 

"Can I ask you to do that kind of work?"

 

"Who are you talking to?"

 

Lynn said, looking like she was about to roll up her sleeves.

"So, you're saying we should fight them without holding back until they give up, right?"

 

"I hope that we can avoid noticing their invasion and realize that they've completely failed. Can I ask you to do that?"

 

"That's difficult."

 

With a devilish smile, Lynn began tapping on the control panel of the electronic battle station.

 

"There's one problem."

 

"What is it?"

 

"What if the docked drop ship behaves well and doesn't launch any attacks?"

 

"In that case,"

 

After thinking for a moment, Marika answered.

 

"We'll just deal with them politely. Since they've come all the way here, let's give them some service to make their job easier."

 

The drop ship's inspection team readily disclosed the information about the sensors they planned to use after boarding the ship. After docking is complete, only the first person boards the ship and checks the pressure and atmospheric composition inside the ship. Next, the eleven members of the inspection team board the ship, and each person is divided into groups of three to inspect the ship.

 

Prior to docking, the drop ship requested a structural diagram of the solar sail ship, even if it was a simple one. Lynn responded by transferring a diagram of the conceptual structure used to explain the structure to new members, with the explanatory text removed.

 

The drop ship circled the pirate ship Odette twice, horizontally and vertically, collecting as much data as possible about the ship's hull, before approaching the docking bay on the ship's side. The drop ship, resembling an ancient fish made of overlapping curved armor plates, extended a bluntly curved flexible tube from its side, aligning its direction with Odette's, and brought its tip into contact with the outer hatch of the airlock.

 

The tip of the bridge, made of metal rubber, can be adapted to almost any shape and most materials to ensure airtightness. The metal rubber instantly becomes liquid through electromagnetic induction control, adheres to the outer wall of the spacecraft, and hardens again while maintaining enough flexibility to accommodate slight changes in attitude and air pressure.

 

The drop ship informs the bridge of Odette that docking is complete and airtight has been ensured.

 

"They're going to open the outer hatch of our airlock to check the environment inside the ship. There's no need to open the inner hatch yet."

 

Gruier summarized the message from the drop ship so that the bridge crew could easily understand.

 

"If you came in wearing a space suit, it would be easy to deflate our ship, but you did it like a gentleman."

 

Marika nodded. The environment inside the Odette's airlock is synchronized with the inside of the ship.

 

"It's scary over there, too," Chiaki said in a subdued voice.

 

"It's a spaceship of a type never seen before, with aliens of a civilization we've never met before, that the Imperial Fleet has never come into contact with before. We can see their appearance through image transmission, but we don't know what habits or diseases they have. The last thing we want to do is fight with our frontline soldiers."

 

"This is the port deck, Berinda."

 

The bridge was contacted by a third-year student who was gathered in front of the airlock to greet the inspection team.

 

"Odette's outer hatch has been opened. There has been a slight drop in air pressure inside the airlock."

 

The same data was also transmitted to the bridge. On the other side of the docked boarding bridge, the fully equipped inspection team must be analyzing the composition of the Odette's pressurized atmosphere inside the airlock, using all of their handheld sensors.

 

Marika switched the sub-monitor to the airlock's surveillance camera. The other side of the half-open outer hatch looked darker than inside the airlock, where the lights were normally on. Marika connected the ship's communication to the airlock.

 

"The boarding team must be nervous about boarding an unknown spaceship and facing an uncontacted civilization. Please make sure to avoid unnecessary stimuli and pranks at all costs."

 

"Port deck, ok."

 

Berinda answered.

 

"I guess I'll just have to smile for now."

 

Facial expressions can be completely different depending on the life system and civilization. She thought for a moment and answered.

 

"The boarding team doesn't know yet, but we know that we smile the same. So, please smile and be friendly."

 

"Yes. Please keep the channel open from now on."

 

"At this time, there have been no electronic device approaches through physical contact."

 

Lynn reported from the electronic battle seat.

 

"I don't know if it's a passive sensor that we can't detect."

 

"What methods can you think of that would allow them to be set up without noticing?"

 

Marika asked. After thinking for a moment, Lynn answered.

 

"The tube that docked with us must have at least an acoustic sensor installed. We can infer the material and internal structure from the vibrations of the hull, and we can even hear the conversations inside. We're not interested in investigating in detail just because it's an old-fashioned drop ship, but we're listening carefully to any communications."

 

"Outer hatch open."

 

Berinda reported from the side deck, who was watching the same image. A white armored space suit appeared behind the hatch of the drop ship, which was slowly opened from the outside.

 

"It's white..."

 

Yayoi, who was watching the monitor image of the airlock in the engineer's seat, muttered. It's a color that is not often seen on combat space suits.

 

"It's not a color suitable for combat, either in space or inside a spaceship."

 

Chiaki also didn't take her eyes off the monitor image. She reported the information obtained by the sensor inside the airlock of Odette II.

 

"They want to work peacefully too. No harmful substances were detected inside our airlock. The spacesuit is just armored and has no power assist. The only weapon is a blaster on the waist, and the energy response is at a standard level."

 

To maintain the environment inside the spacesuit and to operate the necessary equipment including the communication system, the spacesuit is equipped with an energy pack for long-term operation regardless of whether it is military or civilian, heavy or light.

 

The armored spacesuit entered the airlock with nothing in its hands, looked around, and looked up at the camera through a face shield whose expression was unreadable. It saluted slowly.

 

"The dropship confirmed the atmospheric environment inside the airlock and said there were no problems."

 

Gruier announced. Marika nodded when she saw that the armored spacesuit equipped with a small energy pack on its back was empty in both hands.

 

"Please open the hatch on the port deck from the bridge, inside the airlock. The first person will board the ship, and after confirming safety, the remaining 11 landing party members will board. There are a total of 12 people on board, and after boarding, we will split up and conduct an inspection of the ship, so please cooperate."

 

"Understood."

 

Looking around at the faces of the third-year students gathered in front of the airlock on the port deck, Berinda put her hand on the inner hatch.

 

"The Imperial Fleet Inspection Team will be welcome aboard the pirate ship Odette."

 

Turning the lever, the inner hatch was lifted from the packing, releasing the airtight seal, and opened wide toward the port deck. Inside the weightless airlock, the white armored space suit was in a saluting position, waiting for the hatch to open.

 

"Berinda."

 

Feeling the tension on the port deck, Marika announced over the ship's radio.

 

"Please tell the inspector that you are welcome to board the pirate ship Odette."

 

"Please."

 

Berinda said, shaking her hands in a non-hostile gesture.

 

“Deck crew member Berinda Percy. The pirate ship Odette welcomes an officer of the Imperial Fleet aboard.”

 

"I’m Captain Keith of the 2851st Reconnaissance Squadron Keith Squadron aboard the Imperial Seventh Fleet amphibious assault ship Kaoshun."

 

A calm, clear voice was heard over the speaker all the way to the bridge.

 

"Language doesn't seem to be an issue."

 

When he touched his helmet, which was equipped with sensors and lights, the black face shield became transparent.

 

"Oh, what a nice guy."

 

Berinda's mutter reached the bridge, and laughter escaped.

 

"The Imperial Seventh Fleet inspection team is taking all possible quarantine measures to avoid contaminating a ship they are boarding for the first time. We have confirmed that the atmosphere inside this ship is breathable. May I take off my helmet?'

 

'Just as we are unidentified by the Empire, we are also uncontacted by the Empire.'

 

Chiaki adds.

 

'If I take off my helmet, there is a possibility that microorganisms that are supposed to be harmless over there will contaminate the inside of our ship.'

 

'They're even worried about us.'

 

After expressing her thoughts, Marika told Berinda.

 

'Please tell them it's okay to take off my helmet. Our civilization has been in informal contact with the Empire many times.'

 

'There's no need to worry about biology.'

 

With a welcoming smile, Berinda, who is studying bioscience, said.

 

'Our civilization has already had informal contact with the Empire, and we have confirmed that there are no lethal poisons between us.'

 

The armored space suit's reply was delayed.

 

'There's a communication line connected over there too.'

 

Chiaki checked the electromagnetic wave situation on the port deck and inside the airlock.

 

"They're probably listening to what we're saying and waiting for instructions."

 

“I see, I understand.”

 

The armored space suit in the airlock put his hands on his helmet.

 

“The final test will be for me to check the environment of your ship with my bare body. Now, I will remove my helmet.”

 

After explaining that I should not make the other person nervous with careless movements, the armored space suit put his hands on the neck of the helmet. He released the shield lock and removed the angular helmet equipped with sensors and lights.

 

After removing the helmet, he also removed the inner cap equipped with a communication and information transmission system, and the fair-skinned officer slowly looked around at the girls on the deck. He took a breath and exhaled.

 

“What refreshing air.”

 

Commander Keith turned to Berinda, who was standing facing him on the weightless deck. He held his helmet under his left arm and saluted again with his right hand.

 

"We have confirmed that the atmosphere inside the Odette is suitable for our activities. We would like to ask the 2851st Reconnaissance Squad Keith Team, including the captain and 12 others, to board."

 

"All members of Keith Team are permitted to board."

 

Berinda answered, raising her right hand as if in greeting.

 

"The captain is waiting on the bridge. First, I will guide everyone to the bridge of the Odette."

 

The team, wearing white armored space suits like an honor guard, took off their helmets after everyone had passed through the airlock and boarded the ship. The captain asked for permission to use the radio on board to communicate with the dropship and among the team members, and transmitted the frequency.

 

After getting permission from Marika via the ship's communication, Berinda led Keith Team to the center shaft alone.

 

All members of the Imperial Fleet's inspection team were wearing white armored space suits. Although they had markings on their chests and shoulders for identification, all of them were only equipped with small self-defense firearms.

 

All of the bulkheads inside the Odette were open. Naturally, some people suggested that they should at least keep the bridge doors closed, but Marika rejected the idea.

 

"We don't have time to be pretentious."

 

Marika ordered the bridge crew to act as if they were doing their jobs as usual.

 

"If we act cool and act cool, we'll have to do that forever. I can't be bothered to worry about that."

 

"We're going to board the Imperial fleet head-on, so I think we can act cool a little more."

 

Jenny nodded with a look of resignation.

 

"Well, it's certainly easier to just do it the way you normally do."

 

"Captain Marika!"

 

Berinda came into the bridge and raised her voice higher than usual.

 

"I have shown the members of Keith's team to the ship."

 

Marika, who had turned her back to the open door by force of will, slowly rose from the captain's seat.

 

"Thank you."

 

A face appeared from the bridge door. A group of people in white armored space suits, helmets under their arms, entered the bridge in a double file as if drawn by a ruler, even though they were in a weightless state.

 

"I am Kato Marika, captain of the pirate ship Odette."

 

Marika said, observing not only the captain at the front but also the crew members at the back.

 

"We welcome the Imperial Fleet officers aboard."

 

"Imperial Seventh Fleet amphibious assault ship Kaoshun, Captain Keith of the 2851st Reconnaissance Unit Keith's team."

 

The captain at the front of the double file saluted, repeating the same lines he had said when he boarded the ship.

 

"Thank you for allowing us to board the Odette."

 

Captain Keith's gaze circled the bridge once before returning to Marika.

 

"Right away, our unit's mission is to board the pirate ship Odette. First, let us check the offensive weapons installed on this ship. We have no intention of impairing the function of the Odette, but since the Odette wishes to enter Port Seruna, we must confirm that no harm is intended."

 

"I understand."

 

Marika nodded.

 

"Anything else?"

 

"Anything else?"

 

Captain Keith's gaze circled the bridge once more. Marika noticed that all the bridge crew were not doing their jobs but were instead watching the situation unfold.

 

"The only mission given to the reconnaissance unit is to check for offensive weapons. Also, as you know, we are not authorized to allow the Odette to enter port. That decision is up to the Port Seruna control center."

 

"Understood."

 

Marika nodded again.

 

"This ship is not equipped with offensive weapons."

 

I wondered what the captain's expression would be, but it didn't change. Marika continued.

 

"However, even if you declare it verbally, your mission of boarding the ship for the inspection will not be completed. This ship is prepared to fully cooperate with the Imperial fleet's inspection."

 

His expression still didn't change. However, he should have heard Marika's voice, and that should have been communicated to Port Seruna through the reconnaissance unit's communication system.

 

"So, where do we start?"

 

"Fully cooperate with the inspection?"

 

Captain Keith asked, his expression unchanged.

 

"Yes, that's right. We're entering the Imperial Fleet Base, and we're not carrying anything that would be a problem if we were to be inspected."

 

The commander's eyes narrowed slightly. Marika felt that the inspection team was becoming more tense. She pretended not to notice and repeated it again.

 

"So, where do we start?"

 

"If you can cooperate, I would like to divide the entire team into four groups and inspect each group separately."

 

Without changing his tone or posture, the commander said.

 

"I would appreciate it if one guide could accompany each group."

 

"Understood. Please guide Berinda, Izumi, Shouko, April, and the reconnaissance team to their desired locations."

 

"I'd like three guides."

 

The commander said.

 

"I, Commander Keith, will stay here with my subordinates and I would like to confirm a few things with the captain."

 

After saying that, the commander's eyes roamed the bridge again.

 

"Is this the control center of this ship?"

 

Even spaceships built by the same civilization have infinitely different internal structures depending on the design philosophy, the times, trends, and the level of technology. Marika nodded and answered the captain's question with that in mind.

 

"This is the main bridge of the pirate ship Odette. Welcome, Captain Keith. The crew of the pirate ship Odette are pleased to welcome an Imperial Fleet officer here."

 

The inspection team was divided into four groups, with one group requesting to inspect the ship's propulsion system, including the FTL system, and the remaining two groups requesting to inspect the ship's onboard weapons. Each group was assigned a third-year student, and the three groups were dispatched from the bridge.

 

By prior notification, the inspection team had declared that they would record the entire process from boarding to disembarking with audio and video. Captain Keith confirmed this with Marika once more before beginning his questions for the inspection.

 

Marika hardly expected this, but the captain's questions were focused on technical issues.

 

Even if a conversation appears to be going smoothly on the surface, there is a chance that they are talking about completely different things depending on each other's interpretation. Thinking that starting a conversation with a first-time contact with an Imperial fleet on technical matters is one way of ensuring a common understanding, Marika patiently answered the questions, answering what she understood herself and asking for help from each person in charge for things that required assistance.

 

At first, the captain's questions were carefully and roundaboutly chosen so that there would be no discrepancies between what each of them was saying. However, as the questions progressed to questions about the basic propulsion system and inertial control mechanism that Odette was equipped with, as well as systems for grasping the surrounding situation such as radar and sensor systems, his language changed. By the time he started asking questions about how FTL spacecraft were operated in the Orion Arm, a remote area for the Empire, the captain's language was almost the same as that of the Imperial officers Marika had heard so many times.

 

"That concludes my questions."

 

"Huh?"

 

The captain announced after the team that had gone to check the propulsion system returned to the bridge. Marika, who had prepared herself for an endless string of questions, couldn't help but ask back.

 

"Is it over?"

 

"It's over. The remaining two teams have confirmed that, as the captain had declared, this ship is not equipped with destructive weapons. We will report what we see and hear. However, it is not us who decide whether the Odette should enter Port Seruna, but the control station."

 

Captain Keith said, his face not much different from when he first entered the bridge.

 

"We should hear from the control station soon. Please wait until then. We appreciate the Odette's cooperation with the Imperial Fleet. We wish you good luck on your upcoming voyage."

 

"Ah, well, I wish the future of the assault landing ship Kaoshun and Keith's team peace."

 

After returning the salute to the captain and bridge crew who replied with the standard lines, the inspection team left the bridge. Berinda guided them to the port deck where the boarding bridge was still connected.

 

"Is this the end?"

 

The other teams who had been checking the inside of the ship were also heading to the port deck. Marika returned to the captain's seat with a deflated look on her face, seeing off the armored spacesuit inspection team returning to the center shaft.

 

"Don't let your guard down."

 

Jenny, who had been watching the situation unfold without saying much, called out.

 

"It's only just begun. There's a mountain of procedures that still need to be completed."

 

"That's true, of course."

 

Marika thought back to her conversation with the captain of the reconnaissance unit that had boarded the ship for the inspection. He had only asked technical questions, so there was no way he'd made any mistakes.

 

"I thought it would take a bit more time..."

 

"Don't let your guard down."

 

Jenny said again, looking toward the center shaft where the reconnaissance unit had disappeared.

 

"It's more difficult than I imagined. I was hoping that if an uncontacted spaceship calling itself pirates boarded, they'd panic a little, but instead a fully equipped amphibious assault team boarded and asked the usual questions, all of which were technical, which means they must have fully developed the protocols for situations like this. As expected of the Imperial Fleet, they don't just have a history and experience for nothing."

 

"The drop ship has left Odette."

 

On the bridge of the Bentenmaru, Hyakume reported the situation using optical observation.

 

"They're quiet, look. There's no movement from the surrounding Imperial ships."

 

"I thought something would happen if Odette II and the drop ship came into physical contact, but at least it didn't seem like there was any chaos that could be detected by our sensors."

 

Coorie in the electronic warfare desk reported matter-of-factly. Hyakume reviewed the observation records from when the drop ship docked to when it left.

 

"Did Captain Marika fail to launch her attack?"

 

"Or did she not give the boarding team an opportunity to launch an attack, or did she never get into that situation in the first place?"

 

Schnitzer gave his opinion.

 

"A team that boards pirate ships should be considered the elite of the Seventh Fleet. If they have a lot of experience in boarding, that information should be shared with the entire fleet."

 

"Captain Marika will contact you via the network."

 

Coorie received a message from the network that was sent to the contact address registered under a fake ship's name. Normal communications can be intercepted at any time, but data communication via a network that is always connected to spaceships around the station can minimize the possibility of it being stolen.

 

"Let me see."

 

"Here we go."

 

Coorie decrypted the encrypted message and passed it around to the captain's seat. Misa read through the message.

 

"The inspection ended without incident. The boarding team focused their questions on technical aspects, and asked no questions about our situation or social situation."

 

"Oh?"

 

Hyakume exclaimed in interest after hearing Misa's summary.

 

"The control station has given us permission to moor in the space near Port Seruna, so we will begin moving soon. Now, the main topic begins from here. From the questions and actions of the boarding team, we can assume that the Imperial fleet has prepared a protocol for first contact with an uncontacted civilization. They asked us to look into it."

 

"I wonder if it's public."

 

Coorie began typing furiously on the keyboard. Hyakume also opened many displays around him.

 

"Even if the protocol hasn't been made public, we should be able to figure out the method by looking at the initial contact report. This is urgent, so let's get the freeloaders to help, Misa, please."

 

"Okay."

 

Misa, who was in the captain's seat, opened the channel on the ship's PA system.

 

"From the bridge to all crew of the Bentenmaru. Captain Marika's Odette II has made contact with the Imperial Seventh Fleet. The Imperial Fleet has already completed and is likely in operation with a protocol for this situation. It doesn't matter if it's public or classified material, so please help me find it if there's nothing urgent to do."

"Are you going to let us navigate the bay without a pilot?"

 

On the bridge of the pirate ship Odette, now called the Sun Sail Ship Odette II, which had begun to move under orders from the control station, Lynn, who was in the electronic warfare seat, said.

 

"Even though it's a spaceship from an uncontacted technological civilization, the Imperial fleet is pretty brave."

 

"When you talked to the captain of the boarding team, they asked about the power performance and navigation accuracy of this spaceship, right?"

 

Chiaki, who was in the radar/sensor seat, was busy observing the surrounding space.

 

"They asked about the communication system it was equipped with, and they were persistently checking the unit system we were using. If the control station is giving us such detailed instructions now, I think they're closely observing how well this spaceship can understand the instructions and act according to them."

 

"Whaaat!!"

 

Ai, who was holding the helm, spoke up.

 

"So, does that mean Odette is being tested now?"

 

"Probably. Although it's not being pointed at by obvious targeting radar, I think that means it's not on the shortest efficient trajectory, but instead is moving through open space with plenty of room. If there's any suspicious movement, they'll sink it immediately, and even if it explodes a little, they'll try to minimize the damage."

 

"It's fine as usual."

 

Marika called out.

 

"It's not a license test, so you don't need to worry about doing it well. I think they'll probably avoid it even if we try to hit it."

 

"They won't let us enter the port."

 

Jenny said dissatisfied.

 

"Since the inspection went smoothly, I was hoping they'd let us into Port Seruna."

 

"It's a military port outside the empire on a war footing."

 

Marika was checking the trajectory of Odette as instructed by the control station.

 

"I think the closed pier is fully booked with repairs and supplies. I think our ship hasn't been identified as friend or foe yet, so I think it's a good deal to just let us stay so close to the station."

 

"I understand that it's a military port during wartime, but..."

 

Jenny looked at the display with a dissatisfied look on her face.

 

"Even though you inspected it, you haven't yet been identified. You're pretty brave to move your ship around the bay without any preparation."

 

"You're having the surrounding ships observe the unidentified ship."

 

Lynn said nonchalantly from the electronic warfare desk. Jenny asked again.

 

"What do you mean?"

 

"Of course, it's not a powerful radar for combat, but since we started moving, Odette II has been hit by radar from almost all directions. The Imperial ships at anchor are recording our personal data so that they can immediately identify this type of solar sail ship the next time they encounter it. Not only the ship type, but probably the engine's firing pattern and infrared distribution are also recorded."

 

"So the next time we fight, we'll be identified immediately."

 

Jenny frowned.

 

"That's not a very interesting situation."

 

"That's why we're keeping our radar at minimum power for navigation, and we're not using any electronic warfare equipment."

 

Chiaki said.

 

"They've memorized our shape, and I'm sure they can estimate our power performance quite accurately from the inside and outside, but they probably don't think we can use electronic warfare against the Imperial fleet's standards."

 

In order to jam radar and communications, they need to know the frequency and specifications accurately. It's unlikely that an uncontacted technological civilization would accurately understand the communication standards and electronic technology they're coming into contact with for the first time.

 

"I hope you think so."

 

Marika's hesitant voice drew the attention of the bridge crew.

 

"You communicated with the control station and the Imperial fleet's ships through image transmission without even asking for a conversion of communication standards. The boarding team's questions and investigations didn't include anything about electronic weapons, but we didn't hide the consoles or equipment, so I think anyone who sees them will be able to tell that we're equipped with them."

 

"It should be fine, probably."

 

Lynn said leisurely.

 

"The most important thing about electronic warfare isn't the equipment or output, it's the person who uses it and how they use it. It would be scary if the enemy read our intentions exactly and took countermeasures, but for now there's no need to worry about that."

 

Lynn looked up at Marika in the captain's seat with a confident smile.

 

"I haven't even gotten on board the leadership yet. If I were to worry about that, I wouldn't have enough heads."

 

"That's right."

 

Marika nodded with a smile.

 

"I don't have plans to get into a fight, but if that does happen, organize the information on the ships watching us so that we can respond immediately."

 

"We'll soon be at the mooring coordinates (spot) designated by the control station."

 

Ai, who was at the helm, announced in a voice that could not hide her nervousness.

 

The airspace designated for the pirate ship Odette to anchor was close to the main body of Port Seruna. The Odette arrived in an airspace that did not interfere with the trajectory of the station's numerous closed wharves, the communication system, and the operation of the radar/sensor system, and stopped with the center of the ship precisely aligned with the designated coordinates.

 

The pirate ship Odette contacted the control station that it had arrived at the designated mooring coordinates (spot). The control station instructed them to wait where they were.

 

"Now then,"

 

Marika looked at the current time, which was set to Shinokuhama City, the Sea of the Morningstar of the Tau star system, where the War of Independence is currently taking place. The date would soon change. That meant there was less time left until the end of the war.

 

"The next time the Imperial fleet calls us, we'll probably be questioned in earnest, but let's do what we can until then."

 

Marika looked around the bridge.

 

"I'm requesting to land at Port Seruna for supplies and rest. Is there anyone who wishes to go ashore?"

Port Seruna was built as a space fortress, and the Imperial fleet secured air superiority over the surrounding airspace. After a patrol system was established, it also came to play a role as a key transportation hub.

 

As a large-scale relay station between the Empire and the frontier, Port Seruna has several port districts. It is divided into a military port where not only maintenance and supply and large-scale repairs but also the construction of new ships can be carried out, a port where civilian ships also enter, and a wharf dedicated to cargo.

 

Port Seruna's commercial district has two ports on the north and south. The commercial district between the two ports of Port Seruna, a space fortress made of overlapping heavy armored block structures, is the newest and largest.

 

The pirate ship Odette's application to land at Port Seruna to rest and resupply for its crew was accepted surprisingly easily. The propulsion and communication functions of the shuttle, which the Odette will use to travel from the anchorage to the port, have been checked, but all that's left is a guide to entering the port for beginners.

 

Although the reason is to provide supplies and rest for the crew, everyone understands that the purpose of the landing is to gather information. The supply of fresh food and luxury items is not a high priority.

 

Initially, Marika had no intention of landing. The situation was still fluid, and the captain could be called in at any time, so he did not want to leave the ship.

 

It was Gruier's persuasion that made Marika change her mind.

 

"Captain Marika, are you planning to engage in battle with the Imperial fleet?"

 

Staying in the radio operator's seat, Gruier casually spoke some unbelievable words.

 

"And you intend to win, don't you? If so, I believe you should see the enemy Imperial fleet with your own eyes and feel its situation. You can never have too much information about the enemy."

 

Other bridge crew members requested to go ashore, with Lynn to gather information on electronic warfare and Chiaki to check the strength of the Imperial fleet. Information gathering is restricted in the anchored airspace where communications are easily heard, but if they go ashore at the port, they can do so without worrying about being seen.

 

Another person from the bridge, Jenny, requested to go ashore.

 

A dozen people, including the captain Marika, are ashore at Port Seruna, and communication is carried out by mobile devices that are also used on the ship. During the ashore period, Gruier on the bridge is in charge of assessing the situation. Necessary information is relayed to everyone, including Marika.

 

Just to be sure, the information is also conveyed to Bentenmaru to confirm whether there is any necessary information or supplies to be procured. Marika was asked to obtain some hard copy data on the protocols for the Empire when making first contact with another technological civilization.

 

The shuttle departed from Odette, with the crew watching from behind.

 

The shuttle departed from Odette and, following instructions from the control station, entered the northern port district. The shuttle was secured in a multi-story parking area for small boats, and landed at a pier where artificial gravity was activated for each pier.

 

After disembarking, the group first headed for the port's bank. They brought along some precious metals that had been kept in the captain's safe for emergencies, and converted them into immediate operating funds. Credits have always been the Empire's main currency, but the credit currency of the future that Marika and her group have is not usable.

 

Although it was part of the space fortress Port Seruna, within the commercial port district there were not many restrictions on the range of movement for either Imperial citizens or frontier people. Marika and the others, having obtained funds for the time being, decided to meet again at the shuttle parking lot and split up.

 

Jenny took Lynn, Chiaki, and Marika to the downtown area of ​​the port town.

 

"If it's such a large port and it's open to the border district, I think we can probably connect to the network with the terminals we have now if we just match the standards."

 

As if responding to Jenny's explanation, Lynn pulled out an information terminal from the pocket of the jacket she was wearing.

 

"I've detected several networks that seem like they can be connected. You shouldn't expect future standards to be compatible, but I think we can manage."

 

"But it's still a naval port. The Internet is free, but you need to register to use it, and the contents are recorded. It's better to be careful."

 

Many of the spaceships in the port were old-fashioned and never-before-seen antiques that gave a sense of the era. However, once you pass through the pedestrian walkway with its many bulkheads and enter the commercial area, the cityscape is not much different from Port Seruna in 120 years. Beneath the large ceiling that reflects the artificial blue sky that never darkens 24 hours a day, as is typical of a spaceport, the commercial district is decorated with a ton of signs and advertisements.

 

"But are there any internet cafes?"

 

Chiaki asked, looking around with interest at the clothes of the people passing by, whose clothes only seemed to differ within the bounds of fashion.

 

"To be precise, it's not an internet cafe like the ones we know. There are plenty of places you can use, like information terminals in electronics stores or phone booths in restaurants, but in today's Port Seruna, that's the safest place."

 

Jenny pointed to a huge, black glass abstract sculpture-like building that occupies an entire block on the outskirts of the commercial district beneath the artificial blue sky.

 

Capital letters in the Galactic Standard Language stood out on a huge mosaic wall that looked like it was made up of geometric patterns.

 

"Palace Hotel?"

 

Marika looked up at the sign of the long-established hotel that she had only seen in gravure photos before she started dating Gruier.

 

"They're still open in this day and age, even in a place like this..."

 

"The secret to maintaining confidentiality is to not skimp on necessary expenses."

 

Jenny walked ahead of him.

 

"I didn't think there was anything similar between the royal family of Planet Serenity and Hugh & Dolittle Interstellar Transport, but it turns out they have the same business philosophy in an unexpected place. Gruier likes high-end hotels, doesn't she?"

 

"I don't like it, but in Gruier's case, she can't go to careless places because of her position."

 

Jenny glanced back at Marika as she mumbled an excuse and gave her a smile.

 

"Right now, we're in a position that can decide the future of the Federation of Colonial Stars. We're in a more important position than the princess of a planetary royal family, so if the future can be bought with money, we shouldn't be stingy with it."

 

Jenny entered the lobby of the Palace Hotel and ordered a room that could accommodate small meetings from a flesh-and-blood concierge who was waiting for them in formal attire.

 

After going through the formalities and paying the regular fee in advance, the group secured a room deep within the hotel.

 

Lynn entered a suite with a meeting room equipped with the latest information terminals that could not only communicate between planets but also analyze big data intensively, and began to set up the entire system with ease.

 

"It's handled differently than what we're used to, but the basics are pretty much the same."

 

While cutting off the excessively helpful displays one after another, Lynn explained how to use the information terminals that were equipped to Jenny, Chiaki, and Marika.

 

"It's set to standard Japanese, but of course this is 120 years ago, so all the shortcuts you normally use are disabled. There's an assistant mode for beginners, so I think you'll be able to get by with that."

 

Lynn turned to the audience peering into the multi-display information booth from behind.

 

"Well, give it a try."

 

"Well, let's get started."

 

Pulling back the sheet from the information booth next to Lynn, Jenny ran her fingers over the keyboard of the system that was up and running.

 

"The flat display makes it seem dated, though the screen is nice."

 

"This is the kind of place we are, so the equipment is top-notch, but we've made sure it works reliably."

 

Lynn took out her favorite computer, HAL-Bo, from her bag. She spread it out on the side table of the information booth and woke it up.

 

"I'll look for the basics of modern electronic warfare, and if possible, a textbook. Our spaceship is old, so we have so many electronic warfare software and patterns that we can't even use them all, but I'm not really sure how to fight against the current Imperial fleet."

 

"I'll do it too."

 

Chiaki dragged Marika to the third information booth.

 

"Not just around this base, but around the Orion Arm, and ideally the entire border area, the current location and strength of the Imperial Fleet."

 

"Well, it's better to know than not."

 

Marika looked around the display as it stood up with a disgruntled look on its face.

 

"Just imagining a situation where we have to deal with the entire Seventh Fleet makes my stomach churn."

 

"Don't complain!"

 

Chiaki, who had attached himself to the information system, began vigorously tapping away at the keyboard.

 

"Let's start from the top, starting from the Seventh Fleet Headquarters! The current headquarters is in Gezerubu! Good thing it's in the same place as the one we know."

 

"I know,"

 

Marika protested weakly.

 

"Can you go there without looking at a map? You don't have the coordinates memorized, do you?"

 

"No way, we're not going to swim there, and we don't have any plans to go that far anyway."

 

"Regardless of whether we go or not, right now, Marika needs to get to know for herself what kind of existence the Galactic Empire's Seventh Fleet is right in front of her."

 

Plotting the Seventh Fleet Headquarters on the star chart displayed on the main display, Chiaki expanded the display area in one go.

 

"The Seventh Fleet is in charge of the entire border area, which is the outer edge of the galaxy. Because it's a large group and there's a lot of movement, the headquarters only confirms the general policy, and the specific operational commands are decided on the spot by the individual fleets deployed on each front line. The fleets deployed around the Orion Arm, Perseus Arm, and Kiel Arm and their battle lines are..."

 

Chiaki selected the desired information from the Seventh Fleet's public relations website and skillfully overlaid it on the star chart showing the galactic border area.

 

"This much!?"

 

Marika screamed. Chiaki continued working as if nothing had happened.

 

"Even in the galaxy we were in, the frontier moved a little outward, but the scale of the battlefront and the number of fleets deployed didn't change much."

 

"But..."

 

Marika looked at the wide-area star map, which showed a quarter of the galaxy with the Orion Arm at its center, with a serious look on her face. The battlefronts deployed in each star region of the frontier are densely depicted, some as dots and others as areas.

 

"Our war of independence is so small that it's not even a dot."

 

"I'm glad."

 

Chiaki continued typing on the keyboard.

 

"We only need to stop this one small war, it's much easier than going out on another big front."

 

Soon, Jenny left the information terminal.

 

"I'll be right out."

 

"What's wrong?"

 

Lynn asked while typing on the control panel. Jenny tapped the mobile device she had taken out and displayed the transferred information.

 

"I've got some business to take care of. I'm heading to the port on the other side. I'll come back here if I can make it, and I'll be back on the shuttle at the latest in time for the meeting, so don't worry about it."

 

She quickly found the person she was looking for. Jenny stood behind a woman with short dark blue hair who was sitting alone at a table by the window, with a spread out electronic paper and repeatedly refreshing the pages.

 

"Athena Sakyura?"

 

There was no response. Jenny checked to make sure she was pronouncing Galactic Standard English correctly, then noticed that the other person had earphones in their ears. She called out more firmly.

 

"Athena Sakyura."

 

"Yes?"

 

Athena looked up and saw Jenny reflected in the window in front of her, which was showing the harbor scenery. She turned her chair around and turned around.

 

"I'm sorry, but I don't think I've ever met you before."

 

Jenny used her willpower to resist the temptation to play a century-old joke on her future professor, who had a memory that could be described as devilish.

 

"This is the first time we've met in person."

 

Jenny bowed to the long-lived Methuselah, who looked about the same age as her.

 

"I was on the bridge of the spaceship you contacted. Jenny Dolittle, a crew member of the pirate ship Odette."

 

Athena's eyes widened. Jenny was sure the mission would be a success just by seeing her surprised face.

 

Athena blinked and looked back at Jenny. Her eyes went back and forth quickly from the top of her head to her toes. Pretending not to notice that Athena had gone into research and observation mode, Jenny continued.

 

"Do you mind if I take your time?"

 

"First of all, I have two questions for you. How did you find me?"

 

She looked at Jenny, waiting for an answer. Jenny remembered that her professor had a policy of asking questions one at a time. This is probably to guide the students' thinking efficiently without confusing them, rather than to confirm the answer and move on to the next step.

 

"The control records of Port Seruna are public."

 

Jenny began to explain in the other person's style.

 

"You can see from the control records that the Space University research vessel Curiosity applied to enter Port Seruna to replenish supplies. Curiosity was anchored in the airspace reserved for civilian ships, and the crew landed at the port on a public shuttle."

 

There are not many ways to travel from an offshore spaceship to the station, either by taking the shuttle that circulates within the port as public transportation, or by using a private shuttle.

 

"The list of people who landed on the shore has also been made public."

 

Jenny continued her explanation in front of the long-lived species (Methuselah), whose expression was still difficult to read.

 

"You can also find out the public shuttle schedule and when it will stop at Curiosity and return to the port by checking."

 

"Even though it's a military base, your personal information is leaking out."

 

Athena said without a smile.

 

"But that alone shouldn't be enough to pinpoint my personal location, right?"

 

"I asked Curiosity for my personal contact information."

 

Jenny answered.

 

"Actually, to be more precise, I asked the research vessel Curiosity if I could contact Athena Sakyura privately. Then, Curiosity said they were on shore at Port Seruna and asked if they would like to call me, and they gave me their personal communication code."

 

"Who gave that information to an outsider?"

 

Athena frowned slightly. It's difficult to track down an individual, but it's easy to search for their current location with a mobile device that has a personal communication code registered.

 

"I'll have to complain that we can't wage an information war if we don't keep our secrets a bit tighter. Now, my second question. Why did you capture me?"

 

Athena's silvery grey eyes stared at Jenny. Jenny opened her mouth, feeling like she was about to take the next step.

 

"Because you, Athena Sakyura, are the only staff member of the Galactic Empire, specifically the Space University, that we, the crew of the Odette, have had contact with."

 

Jenny showed Athena her palms raised lightly as proof that she had nothing.

 

"If you mean captured or kidnapped or something like that, I don't have any intention of doing that. But I just want to ask you a few questions."

 

Athena didn't look away from Jenny.

 

"What kind of question is that? Why do you think I can answer it?"

 

"I have detailed data on our civilization, which is currently at war in the Orion Arm."

 

For the first time, Jenny felt that she had the upper hand over Athena.

 

"If you can answer my question, I'm willing to make a copy of the navigation data of all the spaceships currently operated by our civilization for you. It will be valuable information for the Space University research vessel."

 

Jenny couldn't help but smile.

 

"That's the third question."

 

Athena's eyes went back and forth from Jenny's toes to her head again, and her mouth curved into a smile.

 

"Should I start with, "Nice to meet you? Or should I start with, "Nice to meet you again?"

 

"How about it's been a while?"

 

Jenny tightened her lips. Athena nodded.

 

"It's good to find someone who seems like they can communicate with me. Please feel free to come in if you'd like."

 

Athena gently pushed aside the large, unfolded sheet of electronic paper and made room for the seat next to her at the counter.

 

"Thank you."

 

Jenny bowed slightly and climbed onto the high seat next to Athena. Behind the counter, which was not only for ordering but also had displays for advertising and searching for information, was a large window with a panoramic view of the harbor.

 

The newest and largest port area for civilian ships in Port Seruna was a rectangular prism with one side open to space. The other side was closed off with an airtight field and the harbor was pressurized. Inside, the latest spaceport of the day, there were many piers of various sizes, mooring spaceships on both the front and back sides.

 

Unlike a naval port, there were no bunkers to prevent secondary explosions, so the entire shape of a spaceship in port could be seen. After ordering a soft drink of a famous brand that would still be available in the Orion Arm 120 years in the future, Jenny turned from the weightless port to Athena, who was sitting next to her at the counter on the cafe terrace under gravity.

 

Athena, who had been scrolling through the display at high speed as if skimming through the information she needed to confirm, folded up the electronic display and closed it.

 

"Does your planet have a port like this?"

 

Jenny shook her head when asked as if they were chatting over tea.

 

"No. There is no spaceport of this scale anywhere yet. I hope that one will be built in the future."

 

"That doesn't surprise me then."

 

Athena looked out at the scenery of the port area. Due to the direction of gravity in the cafe, the pier of the weightless port appeared to be stretching sideways.

 

"You've seen it elsewhere, haven't you?"

 

"Yes."

 

Jenny simply nodded, not wanting to give the other person any more information. Athena returned her eyes to Jenny.

 

"So, what is it that you want to ask us, that you came all the way to the station to ask us? I hope it's something I can answer."

 

"Please tell me the Imperial Fleet's contact protocols for uncontacted civilizations."

 

Jenny chose her words carefully. Athena's eyes widened slightly.

 

"Of course, I don't want to ask something as reckless as the entire contact protocol."

 

Jenny continued.

 

"What decision will the Imperial Seventh Fleet make about our current situation, and when will that be?"

 

"That's a very vague question."

 

Athena opened the electronic display that she had closed once again on the counter.

 

"Normally, the Empire is in no rush to make contact with unknown civilizations. The Galactic Empire is already large enough, and there are many outlying regions where contact has been made but has not gone well. More contact means more diplomatic problems for the Empire. No matter how technologically advanced a civilization they may be, intelligent beings are not going to willingly cause more trouble unless there is something substantial in return."

 

"Is that so?"

 

Jenny turned her eyes back to the port. A luxury cruise ship, its streamlined hull highlighted by glittering illuminations, slowly pulled away from the pier.

 

"If the Galactic Empire really hated trouble, they wouldn't have built such a large fortress outside their territory and maintained a front line with several frontiers."

 

"That means there is still plenty of room for development for the Galactic Empire and other civilizations. The Empire and the frontiers are holding on to trouble because they believe it's worth it."

 

"I'm not asking about general contact protocols. What decision do you think the Empire will make about our technological civilization?"

 

"What decision will the Empire make about your world?"

 

Jenny nodded at Athena's confirming tone.

 

"That's right. Of course, I know that it's impossible to predict with certainty what decisions will be made in the future. I don't want to take responsibility for it. As a party to the matter, I want to know as much as possible about the expected developments."

 

Athena ran her fingertips over the electronic paper and displayed a list of notes like an unorganized report on the display.

 

"I was wondering how to explain it if it was a more abstract question, but I'm glad that you asked a specific question that would allow for a conversation."

 

Athena turned her eyes back to Jenny.

 

"The answers we seek in this conversation are merely my personal predictions and opinions, and may be far removed from the Empire's judgment. Is that okay?"

 

"I understand."

 

Jenny looked at Athena intently as she answered.

 

"Please let me hear your opinion as an individual Athena Sakyura."

 

Athena sighed and ran her finger over the electronic paper.

 

"For now, I don't think there will be any judgment on the Orion D6 civilization, excuse me, that's the temporary name we at the Space University have given you. The fact that the Empire has not taken any proactive steps against you, despite having contact with many outlying regions further away, is proof of that."

 

Both the Stellar Alliance and the Federation of Colonial Stars fighting the war of independence are doing their best to deal with the situation in front of them. Both the Stellar Alliance and the Federation of Colonial Stars had been in contact with many different sentient beings, including the Empire, since before the War of Independence, but so far only small-scale economic exchanges, including the introduction of technology, have taken place.

 

"One of the reasons we asked you to be a respondent was because the Space University was investigating us from the Empire's perspective," Jenny said.

 

"That means we can avoid having to explain things to them in advance. So that means the current Galactic Empire doesn't even recognize us, let alone consider us important?"

 

Athena looked at Jenny again.

 

"You can make a very accurate judgment of the situation. Yes, that's right. And the Empire does not rush into contact based on its long experience. It has learned from experience that conversations and understanding are best done over a long period of time to minimize misunderstandings and losses. The contact protocol will basically follow that policy, so I don't know what you'll be asking the Empire for, but I recommend you be patient."

 

"As you know, we've been fighting a long interstellar war."

 

Looking intently at Athena's face, Jenny said.

 

"If we asked the Empire for cooperation in a ceasefire in our war of independence, would that be granted promptly?"

 

Athena stared back at Jenny. After checking each of her options twice, Athena spoke.

 

"That's unlikely. The Empire will not interfere in civil wars, whether they are in our territory or on the frontier. In order to ensure self-determination, we will let the people decide for themselves. It would be a different story if the civil war spread to other areas and threatened to destroy the planet or the environment, but unless that's the case, the principle of non-interference applies to uncontacted civilizations, so it's hard to imagine them intervening in a civil war that they don't even know the situation about."

 

"We can provide the Empire with data that we believe to be almost accurate regarding the situation," Jenny said.

 

"We have sufficiently accurate data on the operation status of almost all of the spaceships operated by our civilization and the economic situation of each star system."

 

"The Empire will not interfere in civil wars."

 

Athena said again.

 

"Besides, the Empire has no way of determining whether the data you provide is accurate."

 

"The research vessel Curiosity has data that the Empire can trust, right?"

 

Athena's gray eyes looked back at Jenny with an amused glint in them.

 

"Even if Curiosity submits research data, whether the Imperial fleet will trust it is another matter, isn't it? Your war is a civil war from the Galactic Empire's point of view, but it's an all-out interstellar war involving several star systems. If the Empire wants to intervene, it can't just send one or two cruisers and call it a day. It needs to organize and send a large strategic strike fleet. Do you know the classification of the war?"

 

Jenny nodded in response to Athena's confirmation question.

 

"Yes."

 

"Your war is a total war, right?"

 

"Yes, it is."

 

"In that case, even if the Imperial Fleet decides to intervene, how long will it take for the Imperial Seventh Fleet, which already has multiple fronts to maintain, to assess the state of the battle, confirm the situation, calculate the necessary forces, and organize a strike fleet for that purpose? If there is no guarantee of profit and reward that is commensurate with that, the fleet will not move."

 

Jenny repeated Athena's words in her head.

 

"Is that why you came here?"

 

Jenny looked at Athena's face as she asked.

 

"Did you come here to get the Empire to intervene in your war?"

 

Jenny wondered how she should answer that question, and whether she should answer it at all.

 

"...We need allies now."

 

Jenny spoke clearly, pausing between each word.

 

"We can't tell you if you're an ally or if you'll become one. But if we tell you the truth, we won't have to go through the trouble of covering up lies later."

 

Jenny looked Athena straight in the face.

 

"We are currently fighting a war of independence. We came here with the idea that the only way to end the war is through the intervention of the great power of the Imperial Fleet."

 

"You have no weaknesses."

 

Chiaki groaned as the display showed the layout of the Seventh Fleet, which was in charge of the Galactic Frontier, centered on Port Seruna.

 

"As expected of the Seventh Fleet, which is operating widely in the frontier, I thought that if we borrowed forces from some stagnant front line or a supply base that seems to have room for a moment, we could manage something, but everyone is working hard, so there is no fleet that we can pull from."

 

"Well, even if it's a pirate ship that looks like it has free time, if we suddenly jump into work, we have to contact and coordinate with various things, and even the peaceful star system army of Sea of the Morningstar has a full schedule of patrols and training..."

 

Marika looked at the fleet layout map of the frontier area centered on Port Seruna, pretending to be the commander. In order to bring in forces from somewhere, other forces must be moved to fill the gap, and in order to minimize time loss, it is necessary to operate the fleet like a cheat.

 

"...War is difficult, isn't it?"

 

"Really, why does everyone want to do something so difficult?"

 

Chiaki spat out.

 

"If everyone can live peacefully and leisurely, that's fine, isn't it?"

 

"I really wish that were the case."

 

Marika looked around at the information displayed on all the displays. The main display showed a star chart centered on their current location, Port Seruna, while the surrounding displays showed information on the various nearby battlefronts.

 

"Even our place is so small that it doesn't even show up on the star chart, but we're fighting a civil war that can't be stopped, and they're calling it a war of independence. What should we do?"

 

Seeing the Galactic Standard Time displayed in the corner of the screen, Marika remembered.

 

"President Lynn!"

 

"What is it?"

 

Lynn answered while typing on the keyboard.

 

"If you want to contact Bentenmaru, it's safer to do it through this network, right?"

 

"That should be true. Whether they are diligently decoding and analyzing all intercepted communications or not, all normal communications around the base are probably recorded, so information through the network is only slightly better."

 

"That's enough."

 

Marika tried calling Bentenmaru using a communication procedure she only vaguely remembered. She called Bentenmaru's bridge through real-time communication over the network.

 

The reply came immediately.

 

"This is Bentenmaru, Acting Captain Misa."

 

Misa appeared, switching one of the sub-displays to a communications monitor.

 

"This is Kato Marika, we're currently in Port Seruna Midtown District 15, Palace Hotel. I can see that the line is secure, can you check it from there?"

 

"The only thing that happened was that Coorie reconfigured our security software for the modern era, but at least there are no warnings now."

 

After looking outside the screen, Misa turned her gaze back to Marika.

 

"Regular contact via network? I think that's fine. The Palace Hotel is still open in this day and age."

 

"The atmosphere is so different that I honestly can't quite get used to it."

 

Marika typed on the keyboard.

 

"I got the documents you asked for. Is it okay to send them as is?"

 

"Please send it. I think it's fine if the communication is connected... Ah, it's arrived. Yes, receipt confirmed.'

 

'Anyway, I'm stuck in the hotel.'

 

Marika reported the current situation to Misa.

 

'Did something happen over there?'

 

'Yes, it did.'

 

Misa shrugged and nodded on the communication monitor.

 

'All of our crew members are analyzing the Empire's first contact protocol. There are still a few things that need to be confirmed, but I think we have the general direction now. If the scheduled contact is delayed, I was thinking of calling you and giving you an overview, is that okay?'

 

Seeing Misa's gloomy expression, Marika frowned.

 

'Somehow, it seems like this is going to be a bad conversation.'

 

'You're right. In conclusion, if we continue to go along with the Empire's protocol, no matter how optimistic we are, we won't make it in time for the end of the war.'

 

Marika looked back at Misa's face on the communications monitor.

 

"I thought so..."

 

"You're not surprised. Did you notice?"

 

"Not that."

 

Marika looked around the small conference room in the hotel, which was fully equipped with a communications system.

 

"It's only five days until the Empire's large fleet invades the system, but no matter how I think about it, it doesn't feel real. Even though we've been able to make contact with the Imperial fleet and land at the port so smoothly, I don't feel a sense of accomplishment. Besides, the existence of a protocol means that at this stage, the Empire has already decided to some extent how to contact and negotiate with those they haven't contacted yet."

 

"That's right."

 

Misa lowered her eyes to the sub-display.

 

"The Empire is a collection of countless star nations, and ever since it was formed into the Galactic Empire, it has come into contact with countless civilizations, fighting wars and annexing them. Even now, wars are ongoing in the outlying regions as a result of contact, and interstellar wars are being fought in which the Empire is not involved. In other words, no matter what our circumstances are, the Empire has no reason to rush into contact, and it is not in a position to take our circumstances into consideration. If you don't mind, I'd like to explain what we can predict about future developments, but is that okay now?"

 

"Um..."

 

Marika thought for a moment and ordered.

 

"Please omit as much as possible and tell me only the essentials."

 

Misa seemed to be displaying something on the display in front of her.

 

"The pirate ship Odette, which came to contact the Empire from outside its territory, will be treated as a diplomatic mission by the Empire."

 

"A diplomatic mission!?"

 

Chiaki, who was listening to the conversation next to her, spoke up.

 

"Are we really that important!?"

 

"We came to request the Imperial fleet to end the war. Regardless of the actual situation, we are an envoy with full authority from an uncontacted interstellar civilization. Therefore, the Empire must carefully consider whether the other party is worthy of negotiation, and what kind of interstellar civilization it represents, what scale it is, and what characteristics it has."

 

"So bothersome..."

 

Marika muttered to herself.

 

"It's a complicated issue that involves both academic research and interstellar diplomacy. From the Empire's point of view, it makes sense to be selective about who you want to negotiate with.'

 

'That may be true, but...'

 

'Even if you come here claiming to be a plenipotentiary delegation, you may be criminals plotting a large-scale fraud against the Empire, and if you are truly visiting as a delegation representing the interstellar government, it is necessary to confirm that there are no discrepancies regarding the level of negotiating authority and what you can and cannot do. Otherwise, they cannot even conclude a treaty, and the announcement of the joint statement before that is questionable.'

 

'An interstellar treaty, a joint statement, huh?'

 

Marika muttered out loud. None of it made sense. Glancing at Marika's expression, Misa continued her explanation.

 

'The problem is that it takes time to confirm whether the other party is worthy of negotiation. Even if the Imperial fleet acknowledges that Odette has come here as an envoy of our civilization, it will take more than six months, probably several years, to confirm and investigate the situation of an uncontacted interstellar civilization.'

 

'What's that?!'

 

Marika finally spoke up.

 

'Well, I wasn't optimistic enough to expect the problem to be solved by today or tomorrow, but six months?! Are you saying we should wait here for six months?!'

 

'Even in the most optimistic scenario, I expect it will take that long.'

 

Misa said matter-of-factly.

 

"From the Empire's point of view, there is no reason to rush into contact with our civilization, so compared to the frontier rebels currently at war, there's no way we'd have a higher priority. The Galactic Empire aims to unify the entire galaxy, and their motto is peace and stability, but it's not a charity. If they want to deploy the Imperial fleet, they'll have to have a proper name and purpose, make a plan, create a budget, and get something in return. They'll only move if they determine that it's viable as an economic activity."

 

Marika closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She exhaled deeply.

 

"That's good."

 

"What!?"

 

Chiaki was startled and looked back at Marika. Marika opened her eyes and smiled at Misa on the communications monitor.

 

"I'm glad we found that out early. It's much better than wasting time dragging the Imperial Fleet out of Port Seruna and having to drag the fleet into the system by tomorrow."

 

Marika looked around the meeting room. Lynn, who should have been continuing her research into electronic warfare, was looking her way. Not only that, she put her hand to her ear and listened intently.

 

Marika said.

 

"I have no intention of ignoring the procedures set by the Empire, and I must respect them. But if we followed them, we would never be able to make it to our schedule, is that right?"

 

"It's good that you understand so quickly, Captain."

 

Misa nodded.

 

"That's about it. Right now, we're checking interstellar law against the Imperial contact protocol to see if there are any loopholes that can be found, but judging from the results of the published reports, it doesn't seem like there's an easy way to turn things around in one shot.'

 

'I see...'

 

Marika thought about the investigation that should have been carried out by Bentenmaru.

 

'I'm sure they're already thinking about whether there's a way to complete the procedures that should take six months in about three days.'

 

'Of course. We haven't found anything particularly effective so far, but I think there should be some way to do something, whether it's an emergency measure or an emergency evacuation.'

 

'Hmm...'

 

Marika thought about the situation once again. What would Gruier say in a situation like this? What would a historic planetary royal family consider important in a situation like this and how would they act?

 

"Um, I haven't really put it all together yet, but I think what we need to do now and what we should do now is to get the Empire to recognize us as a contact point, but is this thinking wrong?"

 

"That's right."

 

Misa answered.

 

"First of all, we need to get the Empire to acknowledge us, otherwise whatever we do will most likely be in vain. To the Empire, our civilization is an unidentified civilization that doesn't belong to the stars or the universe, and they don't even know that such a thing exists in the Orion Arm."

 

"We've come here as representatives of that unidentified civilization."

 

Marika continued, thinking.

 

"What is the first contact protocol that the Empire has set? Since we've come all the way here, what is there that we can do now to save the Empire some trouble and procedures?"

 

"If this contact is handled according to the published protocol,"

 

Misa quickly switched the display.

 

"At this stage, a spaceship from an unidentified civilization has contacted the control station and is still in the stage of investigating its identity. The boarding team has boarded and confirmed that there are no problems with technology or communication, but nothing beyond that has been confirmed, such as its affiliation, address, background, or history. To put it in a metaphor, it's like knocking on the door of a mansion you're visiting and waiting for it to open."

 

"If the protocol is followed, what should happen next?"

 

"The Imperial Seventh Fleet is making contact with us on behalf of the Galactic Empire. First, there will be greetings, and then along process of mutual understanding. No matter how much we cooperate, this is going to be a lot of work.'

 

'It's like having someone open the door for you and then explaining your business to the guard who comes out.'

 

Chiaki bit her thumb with a difficult look on her face after translating the situation to make it easier to understand.

 

'After that, the game of telephone continues endlessly until the word reaches the master of the mansion. And once the word finally reaches the master, he will then contact the lord or the magistrate. Is that correct?'

 

'I think that's about right.'

 

Misa nodded with a bitter smile.

 

'Then why don't you go and see the master or the magistrate directly?'

 

Marika tilted her head.

 

"The most important person in Port Seruna is the base commander?"

 

"Wouldn't it be quicker to go and meet the commander of the 7th Fleet directly?"

 

"If the owner of the mansion or the magistrate have that much power, that would be quicker."

 

Misa said, turning her bitter smile into a grin.

 

"But they probably won't be much help. The base commander and fleet commander are just doing their jobs as they're ordered. Even if you do a good job and they listen to you, I don't think they have the discretion to move an entire fleet the way you want them to."

 

Chiaki looked annoyed as she remembered the chain of command diagram of the 7th Fleet that had been displayed on the screen earlier. Marika was deep in thought.

 

"Um, I think the Seventh Fleet Headquarters is called Gezerubu, right? Maybe if we go all the way to the headquarters, they'll listen to us."

 

"Are you planning on going all the way to the headquarters to pick a fight?"

 

Chiaki's eyes widened.

 

"I guess if you go and pick a fight, they'll buy it."

 

Lynn interjected.

 

"We only have two ships, the Sun Sail, which is good at electronic warfare but has no frontal combat power, and a pirate ship. I don't know if they'll even bother with us."

 

"I don't think we need to resort to such violent methods to pick a fight."

 

Marika said unsurely.

 

"It's fine if we can gather a large force that will make the Tau system's expeditionary fleet and the Federation of Colonial Stars raise their hands at first sight."

 

"Well, we know that we can assemble a large fleet in an instant just before the end of the war, but how do we convince the Galactic Empire, which is the one sending out the fleet? Large forces are deployed when they are necessary, and they are deployed only after they are convinced that it is worth it for the purpose. Even if it doesn't end in an instant, they need to be prepared to take a little longer, otherwise they probably won't be able to send in the entire fleet."

 

"They are uncontacted civilizations, and are not a high priority for the Galactic Empire, so it will take time."

 

Marika looked at Misa on the communication monitor.

 

"Is this understanding correct?"

 

"Yes, it's correct."

 

"So, should the Galactic Empire give uncontacted civilizations a higher priority than the Frontier Rebels?"

 

Misa looked back at Marika with a puzzled look.

 

"That makes sense."

 

Misa added after thinking for a moment.

 

"Yes, if we can give the uncontacted civilizations in the countryside of the Orion Arm, which we don't even know about at this stage, the priority of the Galactic Empire's highest, the Imperial fleet will drop their other work and rush to the star system. But how can we give our civilization a higher priority?"

 

"No matter how you look at it, the setting is too far-fetched."

 

Athena shook her head.

 

"The Galactic Empire already maintains the principles of non-interference in civil wars and self-determination, so I can't imagine a situation where they would mobilize their fleet to intervene in a civilization they haven't even contacted."

 

"I understand that the Empire needs a reason to mobilize their fleet."

 

Jenny spoke the results of the thought experiments she had performed countless times before coming here.

 

"I understand the Empire's principles for uncontacted civilizations, but we need the power of the Empire to intervene." Athena tilted her head in interest. She didn't interrupt.

 

"For example..."

 

Jenny tried to think of one of the many hypothetical cases she had considered.

 

"Can't we use the excuse of an emergency? If a natural or man-made disaster, or an astronomical phenomenon with devastating consequences, is predicted, and if it is left unattended, there will be enormous damage, can't we send out an Imperial fleet under the pretext of an emergency to save lives?"

 

There was a pause before Athena opened her mouth to answer.

 

"That's difficult."

 

Athena shook her head slightly.

 

"I don't think it's a bad pretext to call it an emergency, saving lives, but the Galactic Empire should take responsibility for its own subjects, not for example, rebels on the outskirts that are its enemies, or uncontacted civilizations that it has no interest in and that it doesn't even know exist. This may sound cold, but the Empire doesn't care about the circumstances of planets that it doesn't even know exist."

 

"...Thank you for your honest opinion."

 

Jenny answered while thinking.

 

"At this point, the Galactic Empire does not know about us. In other words, it is the same as if the Orion D6 civilization does not exist to the Empire. I understand that there is no time or need to consider that. Even for us who are fighting the War of Independence, the Galactic Empire is still almost unknown."

 

"You're being very calm."

 

"Yes?"

 

"If what you say is true, I'm sorry, I don't doubt you. But even though your civilization is in danger of extinction, you have the sense to calmly listen to and analyze what others have to say. Are you all like this?"

 

"We just think about what we think we have to do and what will happen if we can't."

 

Jenny replied with a wry smile. I wondered if I would be able to respond calmly if I was here without knowing history.

 

"If our civilization was calm and sensible enough, I think things probably wouldn't have gotten this bad."

 

Jenny suddenly realized and looked at Athena's face. "How was it?"

 

"What?"

 

Athena asked, and Jenny answered.

 

"Even in the Space University survey, were the Orion D6 civilization people evaluated as being calmer and more sensible than average?"

 

Athena looked back at Jenny without answering. Jenny continued.

 

"I know that the research vessel Curiosity was conducting a survey in our living space. It was surveying and recording the uncontacted civilization as it was without contacting or affecting the subjects, right?"

 

"I didn't expect the subjects to ask for my impressions before I even wrote up an abstract for the report."

 

"It's a valuable research opportunity to talk to the uncontacted civilizations you're surveying."

 

Jenny tried to smile as calmly as possible.

 

"Whether this conversation ends up in the professor's report or just a private memo is none of my business."

 

"I'll give you my honest opinion."

 

Athena's eyes took on a mischievous glint.

 

"First of all, Space University's research on uncontacted civilizations is mainly based on observation and analysis of intercepted communication records, so it tends to be one-sided. However, the number of samples collected so far is orders of magnitude larger, and the analytical methods based on those samples have been established. Therefore, we are confident that our research is fairly accurate. At least, there have been no major mistakes in the last 100 years that require decisive correction. Based on that, we have a rough idea of ​​the Orion D6 civilization, although we haven't written it in the report."

 

"So,"

 

Jenny urges her on.

 

"What did Space University say about us?"

 

"We are unique, stubborn, and a little irrational. Our technological civilization develops quickly, and we can be reckless and dangerous in how we use it, but we are shrewd and cunning enough to make up for that."

 

Looking at Jenny's face, Athena smiled clearly.

 

"In other words, it's a common civilization with universal characteristics that exist everywhere in the galaxy."

 

"Why does the Galactic Empire continue to extend its territory through an expansionist policy?"

 

Marika said, glancing not only at Misa on the other side of the communication monitor, but also at Chiaki and Lynn in the room.

 

"To achieve galactic unity and establish lasting peace."

 

Misa answered smoothly.

 

"I don't know how long it will take, but the reason the Galactic Empire continues to pursue an expansion policy is to unify the entire galaxy into one ideal governing system."

 

"So, it's not a slogan like that."

 

Marika shook her head.

 

"The reason why the empire is incorporating one borderland after another into its territory is because it's profitable. The development of the planets and flying around to trade are for commercial purposes, right?"

 

"Well, if you put it bluntly, that's what it comes down to."

 

Lynn looked at Marika with a confused look.

 

"Is it really okay for the captain of a righteous space pirate to say something so blunt?"

 

"We can't be picky about our methods."

 

Marika said, as if convincing herself.

 

"What we need to do now is to raise the priority of our civilization, which the Galactic Empire doesn't even know exists, by leaps and bounds. To do that, the only thing I can think of is to try to sell ourselves to the Galactic Empire."

 

"Selling ourselves..."

 

Chiaki exchanged glances not only with Lynn, but also with Misa on the monitor. Misa was listening to the story with a happy look on her face.

 

"That's why!"

 

Marika said exactly what came to her mind.

 

"If the Galactic Empire recognizes the value of our civilization, that's a reason to send out the Imperial fleet, isn't it? Didn't we learn in history that the annexation of the Stellar Alliance and the Federation of Colonial Stars 120 years ago was a rare and perfect job, even for the Imperial fleet?"

 

There are various ways in which a civilization on the periphery is annexed by the Galactic Empire, whether it has been contacted or not. It is said that there are as many ways as there are planets that have been annexed, from long interstellar wars to peaceful annexation after persistent diplomatic negotiations and struggles for conditions.

 

In the history of annexations by the ever-expanding Galactic Empire, the annexation of the Orion Arm civilization, including the Stellar Alliance and the Federation of Colonial Stars, is noteworthy for its speed and the magnitude of its military achievements. The Stellar Alliance and the Federation of Colonial Stars surrendered together in front of the Imperial fleet that was dispatched, so no casualties were confirmed in the battle.

 

"Our civilization is a low priority for the Galactic Empire, of course, because they don't know about it. But if we can appeal to the Empire that we have a civilization with a population of tens of billions in a dozen star systems that can get along well with the Galactic Empire in the future, we might have a reason to move our fleet."

 

"Starting out as friends is the basic rule of relationships, isn't it?"

 

Chiaki looked at Misa on the monitor with a shocked look on her face.

 

"I wish we could take our time so that exchanges could progress naturally, but unfortunately we don't have the time. We know that things won't move forward if we continue to go along with the Galactic Empire's pace, so I don't think it's such a bad idea to actively sell ourselves to them."

 

"Right, right!"

 

Marika clapped her hands.

 

"On top of that, our civilization is currently in the middle of a civil war, and the front lines of that all-out war will be on our planet, so if they don't come soon, the damage will increase and our value will decrease."

 

"If the economic value of our civilization decreases, won't that mean we become less of a priority for the empire?"

 

Chiaki calmly pointed this out, and Marika looked at her in shock.

 

"Besides, where should we even go and sell ourselves to? Where in the Empire is there a window for accepting invasion requests?"

 

"So, that's the department with the authority to move the Imperial Fleet..."

 

"Yes."

 

Tapping the control panel of the information system, Chiaki once again displayed the Imperial Seventh Fleet's chain of command diagram.

 

"Even the highest command headquarters operates on orders from elsewhere. Where exactly should we go and sell ourselves to?"

 

"Who gives orders to the Fleet Command?"

 

Marika stared at the large symbol of the Seventh Fleet Command at the top of the chain of command diagram.

 

"Well..."

 

Lynn and Chiaki also looked up at the chain of command diagram. Lynn muttered to herself.

 

"...The Joint Staff Headquarters in the center?"

 

Marika turned to Lynn.

 

"The center...the center of the core star system?"

 

The Galactic Empire emerged from the center of the barred spiral galaxy. In the central core star system, where old star systems are densely packed, there are many interstellar civilizations with ancient histories dating back to before the establishment of the Galactic Empire.

 

"The Joint Staff Headquarters in the core star systems is at the top of the command structure for all of the Galactic Empire's military forces, including the Numbers Fleet."

 

Lynn repeated information that she never thought she would actually use.

 

"But that's only a part of the Galactic Empire's political system. The political system at the center of the Galactic Empire with the Holy Royal Family at the top..."

 

Lynn tilted her head and looked at Marika and Chiaki.

 

"What's going on?"

 

"May I ask about exceptions to the Empire's principle of non-interference with uncontacted civilizations?"

 

There are so many things I want to ask. But time is limited. Jenny asked carefully.

 

"Oh, were there exceptions?"

 

Athena's eyes took on a mysterious light.

 

"It's about cases where the Empire breaks its principle of non-interference with uncontacted civilizations."

 

Jenny carefully chose her words before speaking. Athena tilted her head slightly and didn't take her eyes off Jenny.

 

"The Empire claims to unify the galaxy, and is steadily expanding its territory to achieve that goal. To date, countless star systems have been annexed by the Empire. Among these are many that contain civilizations that had not been contacted before. I have questions about those."

 

"As you probably know, it's forbidden to give unnecessary information to uncontacted civilizations."

 

Athena said with amusement.

 

"I was looking forward to seeing if you knew that, and if you would bring it up. If you do, then yes, there's no need to hide anything. Yes, comparative civilization studies as an academic study prohibits contact with uncontacted civilizations, especially the transfer of technology, in order to avoid unnecessary influence. But the Galactic Empire as a political party does not necessarily adhere to such principles. Of course, academics and politics have different reasons for existence and goals."

 

Feeling that Athena's eyes were measuring the student's understanding, Jenny unconsciously straightened her back.

 

"Academics are the pursuit of truth, while politics are conducted for the happiness of the majority. And, although it's unfortunate for an academic, politics takes precedence over academics in most cases. So, it's simple. There is only one reason why the Galactic Empire would break a principle while understanding its necessity. It's only when the benefits of breaking it outweigh the benefits of adhering to the principle of non-interference."

 

As if to say that the explanation was over, Athena lowered her eyes to the open electronic paper display.

 

Jenny asked a question.

 

"So, it's for economic reasons?"

 

Athena looked up again, still smiling.

 

"Yes. When political reasons take precedence over adhering to the principle of non-interference, the Galactic Empire will not hesitate to break all principles and conventions. And political reasons are, in most cases, economic reasons."

 

Athena added, waiting for Jenny to understand what she meant.

 

"In the end, it's the same reason for the emergency you mentioned earlier. If there is a large-scale environmental destruction or disaster, and it causes damage that cannot be ignored by the Galactic Empire, the Empire will abandon the principle of non-interference and act. And the reason is to avoid predicted economic losses. After all, that is the most quantifiable common value for the intelligent beings that make up the Galactic Empire."

 

Looking at Jenny with a thoughtful look on her face, Athena said with satisfaction.

 

"How is it? Do you think it will be useful?"

 

"Thank you."

 

Jenny bowed to Athena.

 

"We have gained valuable knowledge. If our civilization can successfully join the Galactic Empire, it will be in the best interest of the professor."

 

"It makes me feel like I've sold out the Galactic Empire."

 

Athena shook her head with a complicated expression.

 

"We must be careful when giving information to uncontacted civilizations, but I think it's okay in this case."

 

Athena looked up at Jenny.

 

"I belong to the Space University, but I'm not a professor."

 

Athena said with a meaningful smile.

 

"I'm just a researcher. I don't want to take on the trouble of taking care of students who don't know anything about being a professor."

 

"I see."

 

Jenny smiled back at Athena.

 

"That lecture was very easy to understand. I think you'd make a great professor."

 

"I'm back."

 

When Jenny returned, her eyes widened as she saw the displays spread out all over the conference room.

 

"It looks like you're busy. What's wrong?"

 

All the lights were on in the installed information systems, and as if that wasn't enough, the displays were multiplied even on the central table.

 

"Let's study a bit about the political system of the Galactic Empire."

 

Lynn answered while slapping both hands on the control panel on the table and HAL-bo that she had brought with her.

 

"The political system of the Galactic Empire?"

 

Jenny looked over at Marika and Chiaki, who were facing the information system with expressions full of sadness.

 

"Oh, welcome back."

 

Misa called out from inside the communication monitor that was still on.

 

"Right now, we're all starting to overheat in our rooms at the Palace Hotel in Port Seruna, so let me explain."

 

"What's going on?"

 

Jenny sat in front of the communications monitor of the information system, which was fully lit and showed various information whether she was looking at it or not.

 

"It was our captain's idea. In the current situation, it's impossible to get the Imperial fleet to move at the timing we want, so we thought we'd have to negotiate with the higher-ups directly."

 

"Huh..."

 

Jenny looked around the conference room, which was filled with displays.

 

"So you've reached the same place as us. As expected. So why is it that you're studying the political system?"

 

"It's about who is issuing commands to the Imperial fleet's chain of command."

 

Misa explained, her eyes also wandering outside the communications monitor.

 

"The fleet has its own circumstances, so unless it receives orders from above, ignoring the circumstances on the ground, it can't move its forces as it pleases. In order to do that, when thinking about where to take the matter most easily and reliably, it is necessary to understand the structure of the higher-ups in the fleet's chain of command."

 

"That's not so wrong, I think..."

 

Jenny looked around the conference room in amazement.

 

"But even if you understand the current political system of the Galactic Empire, doesn't that lead to a question of who is running it and how?"

 

"I think you'll find out if you look into it."

 

Lynn answered while typing on the keyboard.

 

"I feel like there's no prey at the end of the line we're chasing right now."

 

"Whether it's the military or politics, it's the same thing, where you give orders and move things."

 

The three of them focused their gaze on Jenny.

 

"Money, money. Whether you're moving the military or asking politics to do something, you first have to take it to a department that can do financial accounting."

 

"Money, huh...?"

 

Marika looked tired as she searched for the display that showed the chain of command chart that she hadn't looked at since it was displayed a long time ago.

 

"Is this the part of the Fleet HQ where financial accounting can be done?"

 

She zoomed in even more closely on the inside of the Fleet HQ, which was at the top of the chain of command chart she had found. The countless branching tree contained an overwhelming number of departments.

 

"Um, where in the military do financial accounting?"

 

"I think it's the accounting department."

 

With a bad look on her face, Chiaki pointed to one of the departments in the headquarters.

 

"The place where they buy warships and equipment and pay salaries."

 

"No one will listen to you if you take your story to a place like the accounting department."

 

Jenny waved her hand.

 

"The place you should take that story to is higher up."

 

Jenny quickly erased the chain of command chart. Instead, she displayed a list of the main ministries of the Galactic Empire that had a branch office in Port Seruna.

 

"If there's anyone in the Galactic Empire who has money and can have a say in everything, this is them."

 

Jenny pointed to a department that was displayed modestly.

 

"The Imperial Bank."

 

The landing team of the pirate ship Odette returned as scheduled on a shuttle that departed from the northern port area. The purchasing team brought back mountains of sweets, which were considered more important than fresh food to maintain morale, and were cheered by the crew who had stayed behind.

 

Marika, who had brought back not only food but also a large amount of data, announced the results of the information gathering during the landing and the future direction to all the ships from the bridge immediately after returning.

 

First, they would create data to introduce the size and activity status of the civilization sphere, including the Stellar Alliance and the Federation of Colonial Stars. Then, without waiting for the Imperial Fleet to call, they would take the data and make a sales pitch to the Imperial Bank.

 

After hearing the explanation of the direction, it was Gruier who asked to speak first.

 

"The Intelligence Department."

 

Gruier declared succinctly.

 

"The orders given to the military are decided after evaluating the information collected by the Intelligence Department. The party we should be selling to is the Intelligence Department."

 

"Then both."

 

Marika made a quick decision.

 

"From now on, our virtual enemies are both the Imperial Bank and the Intelligence Department. Is that okay?"

 

"A two-sided strategy against the Imperial Bank and the Intelligence Department?"

 

Hyakume's voice jumped up.

 

"What in the world would have you ladies thought of taking on a place that seems even more troublesome and bothersome than the Imperial fleet?"

 

"You ladies aren't the only ones taking part in this operation."

 

Misa, in the captain's seat, continues tapping away at the control panel at a rapid pace.

 

"There's no way Odette can handle this two-front war on her own. We'll cooperate fully."

 

The Imperial Bank's Port Seruna branch was located in the military district, not the commercial district.

 

Old stations and space cities have various structures depending on the era, purpose, and design philosophy of their construction. The old central district, built in the earliest days of Port Seruna as a naval port, and the current military district, has a three-dimensional layered structure that prioritizes efficiency, commonly referred to as an underground city in the sky.

 

Unlike the new commercial district, where residential blocks are constructed within a huge sealed compartment that generates artificial gravity, the old district is armored with thick armor as a fortress in case of attack from outside. Deep within the fortress, the military district, separated by airtight walls, has most of the available space packed with the necessary facilities, and there is no space wider than the ceiling of the central street, which is designed to transport large cargo.

 

"It's older than the old town of Port Seruna, you know."

 

Jenny, dressed like a career woman in a business suit, looked around with interest at the signs and signs hanging from the ceiling and on both sides of the corridor, which was barely large enough for a large container to pass through. For the health of the military personnel and civilians passing by, unfaded sunlamps shone brightly on the ceiling of the corridor.

 

"In other words, the Imperial Bank was established at the same time as the headquarters, from the very beginning of Port Seruna, before the commercial district was developed."

 

Jenny looked up at the signs and large doors fixed between the rough old structural members.

 

"If you're going to build a fortress on the front line, where you don't know when it's going to be attacked, of course you'll prioritize the most important facilities. Port Seruna was planned to be used as a maintenance and supply base for the Seventh Fleet from the beginning, so a headquarters with fleet command functions was built at an early stage. And operating a large-scale military force also means managing large-scale economic activity. The Imperial Bank of Port Seruna is still the closest, oldest, and largest branch to our house."

 

Even though it's a military district, it's also a district that houses private companies and agencies that undertake maintenance and supply, as well as specialty stores that cater to military personnel and civilians. The signs and storefronts here have a more space city-like color than the dreary base interior, where only the Imperial Fleet-related departments and military offices are lined up.

 

"It's a rare sight that only exists now, that still retains the appearance of Port Seruna when it was first built."

 

Jenny walked nostalgically down the corridor that could only be seen inside the huge building. Unlike the commercial district where trailers run around, the military district has narrow streets and people generally travel on foot or in small commuter cars.

 

"The Imperial Bank of 120 years from now has long since moved to a larger and more convenient new city, and the old bank has now become a museum, but I never thought I'd be able to come here while it's still in operation."

 

"I understand that!"

 

Marika glared at Jenny, who seemed likely to continue talking forever if left alone.

 

"Let's hurry up and get going! This is a military section of a frontline fortress!"

 

Marika held down the captain's hat pulled down over her eyes and looked around.

 

"The stares of the people around me hurt!!"

 

"It suits you, Captain Marika."

 

Gruier, in a business suit that doesn't suit him, clasps his hands together in a dreamy expression.

"A pirate captain is planning to board the Imperial Bank. Of course, it's customary to show up in full dress."

 

"And that's the problem!"

 

A guard stood in front of a large door decorated with a mysterious crest, and seemed to want to say something, contacting someone via an intercom built into his helmet.

 

"We're outside the Galactic Empire, so it's not surprising that pirates could be in this airspace, and if you're dressed like a pirate there, it's not surprising that people would think that's what you're doing!!"

 

"If that's what they really thought, you would have been stopped many times before you got here."

 

Gruier said with a smile that seemed to brush off the gazes of the guards with handguns slung over their shoulders and the uniformed people passing by.

 

"By yesterday, we had greeted the Port Seruna inspection team, control bureau, intelligence department, quarantine bureau, and military police. The fact that the captain came all the way here in that outfit and wasn't stopped, let alone questioned, should be interpreted as a situation where information is shared to a certain extent within Port Seruna."

 

"Or perhaps the prestige of the Imperial Bank."

 

Jenny was also busy checking the gazes of the people in uniform and suits who passed by.

 

"It's not a request for a meeting from an uncontacted civilization, it's a direct request for contact from an ancient planetary royal family. I think the Imperial Bank should at least send a notice to all the relevant parties so as not to be rude."

 

"Is everything okay?"

 

Marika stole a glance at the profiles of Jenny and Gruier, who didn't seem to show the slightest bit of anxiety.

 

"But the ID we used to contact the Imperial Bank belongs to a princess who shouldn't even exist in this world yet."

 

"It's fine."

 

Gruier said with a smile.

 

"If there was anything suspicious, the Odette, the source of the message, would have been captured in an instant as a fake using the name of the Star Royal Family. The fact that the Imperial Bank didn't make the request to the fleet, and that we weren't hindered at all until we got here, is proof of that."

 

"It's also possible that they're still letting us go."

 

Jenny stopped in front of Marika, who was muttering to herself. Behind several stone pillars decorated with thick reliefs that reached the ceiling, there was a well-maintained flower bed, and in the middle of it were wide stone steps.

 

"Well, just because we've made it this far doesn't mean that everything will go smoothly from now on. This is today's battlefield."

 

At the top of the stone steps, there were several revolving doors.

 

"This is it."

 

Marika swallowed hard.

 

"The Imperial Bank, as rumored."

 

The uniformed doorman, who was supposed to double as a security guard, didn't appear to be carrying a firearm. He greeted the three men in business suits and captain's uniforms who had come up the stone steps without changing his expression.

 

Inside the revolving door was a different space that seemed to have been cut through several floors of the military district. It was built at the same time as the Port Seruna headquarters, so it shouldn't be a very old building, but the huge stone main hall, which looked as if it had been there for centuries, spread out beneath indirect lighting from the ceiling with overlapping geometric patterns.

 

Marika had expected a typical bank scene with a counter on one side and rows of benches for customers in the hall, but her eyes widened at the sight of just a coffee shop on either side of the counter, like a luxury hotel.

 

"Is this a bank?"

 

"Did you think that customers of the Imperial Bank would wait their turn in the waiting room?"

 

Jenny answered in a low voice.

 

"This is a bank that does business with nations, military forces, and companies. Look, our virtual enemy has arrived."

 

"We've been waiting for you."

 

Three tall, slender guides in uniform stood in front of Marika and the others.

 

"This is Kato Marika, captain of the Odette, from Orion Arm."

 

"I'm Kato Marika."

 

Marika straightened her back, putting on a calm, sales-like expression.

 

The office of the president of the Imperial Bank was a vast room with a desk at the back. There were display shelves and bookshelves on both sides of the walls, and a large landscape painting behind the desk, which was probably a high-definition display.

 

"I am the president of the Imperial Bank."

 

The aristocratic-looking man stood up from his desk and bowed to the three. "I'm Ricardo Uberstein."

 

"I'm Kato Marika, captain of the Odette, a privateer of the Sea of the Morningstar in the Orion Arm and the Tau star system."

 

Uberstein's gaze fell on the two behind him.

 

"I'm aboard the Odette as an observer. I'm Jenny Dolittle."

 

Uberstein's gaze fell on Gruier. Gruier answered with a quiet smile.

 

"I'm the radio operator on the Odette. I'm Gruier Serenity."

 

"So you introduced Captain Kato, right?"

 

Gruier simply smiled in response. Uberstein didn't move from his desk.

 

"Before we get to the main topic, there's something I'd like to confirm."

 

"What is it?"

 

"The crest of the Serenity royal family was attached to the letter of introduction. And just recently, someone from the Serenity royal family has been using an account at the Imperial Bank."

 

Uberstein's eyes didn't move from Gruier.

 

"Is that you?"

 

Gruier answered with a smile and a slight movement of his head.

 

Uberstein continued.

 

"There are only two jobs in a bank, aside from accounting. One of them is to be suspicious. The crest of the Serenity royal family on the letter of introduction has been authenticated as genuine no matter how we look at it. However, at the same time, we have confirmed that no princess of the Serenity royal family uses it. I am very sorry to ask such a rude question, but as the person in charge of the Imperial Bank's safe here, I must do so. Who are you?"

 

Marika realized that she was extremely nervous. It took all her willpower not to look at the expression of Gruier, who was standing behind her.

 

After a pause, Gruier answered.

 

"I can't answer that."

 

As if he had expected that answer, Uberstein's expression didn't change.

 

"Then I will change the form of the question. Are you from the Serenity royal family?"

 

Gruier answered by moving his head slightly while smiling.

 

Uberstein was fixed on Gruier.

 

"I am here for special reasons."

 

Gruier answered quietly.

 

"I cannot explain these circumstances to anyone else. I cannot answer questions about who I am or why I am here. I also expect the Imperial Bank to keep my secrets as usual."

 

"I see."

 

Uberstein nodded with satisfaction.

 

"That way of speaking, you are definitely from the Serenity royal family. I have no choice but to admit it. Your eyes are just like Princess Mistil's."

 

For just a moment, Gruier's eyes widened.

 

"Have you met her?"

 

"She is Princess Virginia, Blue's sister, and it has been half a century since then."

 

Uberstein put his hand on his chest and bowed his head in respect. Gruier nodded in response.

 

"I am grateful that you allowed me to use the royal family's account so soon."

 

Uberstein looked up and smiled. "If you think about it, at that point we recognized you as a member of the Serenity royal family. I apologize for the rudeness, I never expected that a member of the Serenity royal family would personally visit our bank."

 

Uberstein returned his gaze to Marika.

 

"If this is an introduction from the Serenity royal family, we cannot just ignore it. I'm not sure if I can accommodate your request, but I'd like to hear what you need."

 

"Thank you."

 

Marika bowed to the president across from the desk. Uberstein left his desk.

 

"Let's prepare a seat. This doesn't seem like an easy matter."

 

"Yes, it's not an easy matter."

 

Marika took out a pocket watch from inside her captain's uniform and checked the current time.

 

"But first, could you please confirm who is coming?"

 

"A visitor?"

 

Uberstein looked at Marika with a puzzled look.

 

"I've instructed you not to take on any other guests until this matter is completed. And there are no plans for that to happen either."

 

"Thank you for your consideration."

 

Marika put the closed pocket watch back into the pocket of her captain's uniform.

 

"Please allow me to accept this after the fact. In fact, we have invited another guest here. He should have arrived by now."

 

Uberstein's gaze shifted from Jenny to Gruier, then the president tapped on the control panel on his desk.

 

"It's Uberstein. Is there another group of guests?"

 

The reply was displayed as a message on the display so that the other roommates could not see it. Uberstein blinked and looked at the message again. Gruier nodded as if he knew the contents of the message.

 

"I heard that you're punctual because of your profession, so I wasn't worried."

 

"Let them through."

 

Uberstein said into the intercom. He turned his attention back to Marika in her captain's uniform.

 

"I see, it certainly doesn't seem like an easy matter."

 

"I'd like to make it as easy as possible."

 

Soon after, a new visitor appeared in the office.

 

In an unremarkable business suit, the man with a humanoid body type looked around at the president of the Imperial Bank and the three visitors, then bowed.

 

"I'm 761, Section 6 Chief of the Seventh Fleet Intelligence Department."

 

Among the various rumors surrounding the Imperial Fleet, the ones about the Intelligence Department are by far the most numerous. Those who belong to the Intelligence Department undergo plastic surgery to erase their individuality and use names that consist only of numbers. A clone is made at the time of arrival so that replacement organs can be prepared even if a fatal injury occurs. Intelligence agents' memories and personality data are regularly backed up, and if they die, a clone takes over their duties.

 

The intelligence agent Marika had met the day before was a general employee, not even an officer, which showed that uncontacted civilizations were not given much importance. Whether his name was real or not, his name was a combination of words in the galactic standard language, and although he was a sharp individual, he did not appear to have had any plastic surgery or modifications.

 

Intelligence Department's 6th Section is a department that specializes in foreign intelligence research and analysis, and the section chief's authority is comparable to that of a fleet commander. Furthermore, only the upper echelons of the intelligence department are given names that consist of numbers, and those who act under those names are limited to the upper echelons of the intelligence department.

 

The section chief, who gave his name as 761, looked at President Uberstein and the three visitors with an inspecting look.

 

"...So you really did arrange a meeting with the president of the Imperial Bank."

 

"That was the condition for the intelligence department to come."

 

Jenny replied with a sales smile.

 

"The Sixth Division's specialty is foreign investigations, right?"

 

"The mission of the Intelligence Division 6 is to gather information on the space outside the Galactic Empire, and the situation there."

 

761 said, looking at Jenny with a thin membrane between his eyes. Jenny thought that the head of the Division 6 could change his face as he pleased with optical camouflage or cell transformation. 761 continued expressionlessly.

 

"Dealing with Orion pirates is not my specialty. Please be gentle."

 

"This is the first time I've heard someone from the Imperial Fleet Intelligence Division joke."

 

Thinking about how the other person would interpret her words, Jenny replied with a gentle smile.

 

"I understand the importance of information. I hope that this meeting will be beneficial for both of us."

 

"Then let's prepare a table for discussion."

 

Uberstein ran his fingers over the surface of the desk. The floor, which appeared to be made of natural high-density marble with fine geometric patterns, broke, revealing a black round table and white chairs. There were five chairs spaced evenly around the round table, the same number as the number of people currently in the office.

 

Uberstein left his desk and walked over to the round table that had appeared in the center of the room.

 

"Would you like something to drink?"

 

"Thank you, but I don't think that's necessary."

 

Marika looked over at the president and the head of the Sixth Intelligence Division and said.

 

"I don't think this will take that long."

 

"That's good."

 

Uberstein pointed to the white chairs surrounding the black glass round table.

 

"The quicker something is finished, the better."

 

As per their urging, Marika, Jenny, and Gruier took their seats after the head of the Sixth Intelligence Division.

 

After seeing everyone seated, Marika took a deep breath and stood up.

 

"I went to the trouble of asking the royal family of Serenity to introduce me to the Imperial Bank and the Intelligence Department, but it's not because I want to fight."

 

Glancing at Gruier, who had a composed look on his face, Marika tried to smile as confidently as possible.

 

"We're here to sell something important. These are precious planets that don't belong to the Galactic Empire yet, and aren't on the frontier either."

 

The president and section chief's expressions didn't change. Marika repeated the lines she'd practiced countless times.

 

"What we're here to sell today is an interstellar civilization with 15 star systems and a population of 50 billion."

 

The president's gaze shifted from Marika to Gruier and back. Marika continued.

 

"We have not yet made full-scale contact with the Empire, but we have already made contact with other intelligent life forms, and economic exchanges are also taking place. However, our civilization has not yet sided with any power, nor is it in a state of interstellar war with other civilizations. Our interstellar civilization has fifteen star systems and more habitable planets, and has established a mono-species economic sphere."

 

Marika said, looking at the faces of the two Imperials, Uberstein and 761.

 

"Let's sell the whole thing to the Galactic Empire."

 

Uberstein and 761 didn't even exchange glances.

 

After a short silence, it was Uberstein who spoke.

 

"Do you have the authority to do that?"

 

Uberstein said, looking slowly at the faces of Marika, Jenny, and Gruier.

 

"I heard you are pirates. If I'm not mistaken in my understanding that you hold a privateer's license officially issued by the interstellar government to which you belong, then even though you are a military entity, you have no authority to conduct political negotiations. So how can you say that you are selling out interstellar civilization?"

 

"Of course, there are reasons for that."

 

It was Jenny who took over the conversation. Sitting comfortably with both hands on her handbag in her lap, Jenny looked over at Uberstein and 761 with a relaxed look on her face.

 

"Earlier, Captain Marika said that our interstellar civilization is not in a state of interstellar war with other civilizations. However, unfortunately, that does not mean that our civilization is at peace. We are currently fighting a civil war between the forces centered on the planet where our interstellar civilization originated and the Federation of Colonial Stars that were developed later."

 

For more information, the Imperial Bank was given the report introduced through Gruier, and the Intelligence Department received a report that Odette and Bentenmaru had prepared in a rush at the time of their contact the day before. Jenny's explanation was only meant to be a confirmation by the parties involved.

 

"And on our home planet Tau Centauri, one of the colonial planets that launched the War of Independence, a situation that could become the final battle is unfolding. The expeditionary fleet, which is close to the full strength of the attacking Stellar Alliance, will collide head-on with the motley forces of the Federation of Colonial Stars in the very near future. Unfortunately, the Stellar Alliance, which is our enemy, has an overwhelming advantage in terms of military strength, and in the worst case scenario, the planets in the habitable zone of the Tau system may return to their primitive planetary forms."

 

Jenny slowly opened the handbag she was holding on her lap.

 

"Of course, our interstellar civilization also has a way of resolving problems other than war, which is politics. Rather than reducing a planet with a population of one billion to ashes, the Federation of Colonial Stars has enough rationality to calmly calculate the pros and cons and choose the path of complete surrender to the Stellar Alliance."

 

Jenny took out a letter rolled up into a cylinder from her handbag.

 

"This is the document to prevent the worst case scenario. In other words, the document of the Federation of Colonial Stars's surrender."

 

Jenny placed the document, rolled up and sealed with braided string, on the black round table.

 

Marika and the other three had not undergone any body or baggage checks up until this point. In the office of the president of the Imperial Bank, there would always be sensors and scanners that could see inside without having to check the contents of bags one by one, and people in the room would have been checked internally to see if they were carrying weapons or ammunition.

 

And with the level of technology in the Galactic Empire, it's easy to read the contents of a closed book or rolled up document. But it's impossible to determine their authenticity.

 

"This document of surrender includes the names of the independent governments of the eight star systems and two colony planets that make up the Federation of Colonial Stars. Although the date column is blank, this document has all the requirements of a political document required by our interstellar civilization."

 

Jenny removed her hands from the document of surrender that she had placed on the black round table and looked at the faces of the president and the head of the sixth intelligence division.

 

"A political document that is valid in our interstellar civilization should also be considered valid if we are incorporated into the Galactic Empire. Legal discussions and procedures will be necessary, but we are prepared to comply peacefully if it is a politically determined and acceptable means."

 

"A document of surrender, huh?"

 

761 only looked at the document on the round table for a short time.

 

"But if we take your words seriously, the names on that document are only half of the political entities that make up your civilization. How are you going to sell the other half, your enemy, the Stellar Alliance, to the Galactic Empire?"

 

"By force."

 

Jenny answered, looking back and forth between 761 and Uberstein.

 

"As I said before, the Cetus constellation is home to more than half of our current civilization's military strength. If a large fleet that far exceeds the total military strength of almost all of our interstellar civilization were to arrive there, and if the Federation of Colonial Stars were to surrender unconditionally to it, the Stellar Alliance would become an enemy not only of the Federation of Colonial Stars but also of the Galactic Empire's large fleet."

 

Jenny smiled with amusement.

 

"We hope that the colonial powers that are our enemies are smart enough to calculate their pros and cons like we are."

 

"What benefit will we gain from that?"

 

Uberstein asked, also with a gentle smile on his face. Jenny fixed her gaze on Uberstein.

 

"Your Galactic Empire can incorporate an interstellar civilization with 15 star systems and a population of 50 billion into the Galactic Empire without fighting. We can achieve an end to the war and peace under the protection of the Galactic Empire."

 

"We can incorporate them into the Galactic Empire without fighting."

 

761 slowly repeated Jenny's words.

 

"What is the basis for saying that?"

 

"Right now, in the Cetus constellation, the greatest military force ever created by our interstellar civilization is in the middle of a standoff. The expeditionary force, which is far superior in numbers, is far away from their home planet, and is trying to crush the Federation of Colonial Stars by relying on their overwhelming superiority in military power. In such a situation, a military force far more powerful than ours appears, and the enemy in front of us, the Federation of Colonial Stars, immediately surrenders to them."

 

Jenny laughed.

 

"If the expeditionary fleet was so simple and stupid as to enter into combat in such a situation, our war would probably have ended sooner."

 

"That's just wishful thinking."

 

761 also said, staring fixedly at Jenny.

 

"I can't see any basis for the situation to proceed so favorably from what you're saying."

 

"Yes, that's a rational judgment."

 

Jenny stared fixedly at 761.

 

"However, if we can incorporate an interstellar civilization that is not yet affiliated with any faction into the territory of the Galactic Empire simply by moving a large fleet without actual combat, I believe this is a strategy well worth trying for the Galactic Empire."

 

Jenny laughed and shook her head.

 

"No, I asked the Intelligence Department to come here to judge that. The Intelligence Department, which is also known as the brains of the Empire, will surely be able to make the right decision."

 

Jenny turned her eyes to Uberstein.

 

"We would like our actions to be treated as top secret. If possible, we would like only the information we bring to be treated appropriately, and all information about the pirates who sold the stars to be erased. In other words,"

 

Jenny turned her eyes back to 761.

 

"If the Galactic Empire is successful in adding a new interstellar civilization to its territory, we will have no say in how the Imperial Bank and the Intelligence Department share the results."

 

Jenny smiled as she looked at Uberstein and 761.

 

"It's important, so I'll say it again. We hope that the existence of the Orion pirates will be treated as a top secret, regardless of the outcome of this matter."

 

Jenny looked at Gruier, who was also present.

 

"Just like the princess of the planetary royal family, who shouldn't be here."

 

Gruier nodded as if he knew everything. He opened his mouth to join in.

 

"No matter the outcome."

 

761's gaze shifted to Gruier.

 

"What do you mean by outcome?"

 

"We hope that our civil war will be resolved peacefully with the intervention of the Galactic Empire."

 

Marika said to the president and the head of the sixth intelligence division.

 

"But of course the future is uncertain. It would be great if our civil war ended as we hoped, and we could join the Galactic Empire without damaging our planet, but even if that doesn't happen, we would like you to keep our coming here, our meeting here to provide information, and our request for the Galactic Empire's help a secret. That's what I mean."

 

After looking at Jenny and Gruier and making sure that no one raised any objections, 761 turned his gaze back to Marika.

 

"What kind of situation do you envision when that doesn't happen?"

 

"Well..."

 

Marika closed her eyes as if thinking.

 

"If the Imperial fleet doesn't reach the star system, or if it does reach it but misses the timing, the Federation of Colonial Stars will start a war with the expeditionary fleet, which is far superior in strength. No matter how optimistic we are, we already know the outcome."

 

Marika opened her eyes.

 

"The battle for the Tau system has been a complete defeat for the Federation of Colonial Stars. With no fighting power, the only thing the Federation of Colonial Stars can do is offer to surrender. We don't know if it's just the Tau system or the entire Federation of Colonial Stars, but if the surrender isn't timed properly, or if the Expeditionary Fleet doesn't accept it, the Sea of the Morningstar, with its population of one billion, may disappear."

 

Marika looked at the face of the head of the Intelligence Division's Sixth Section and said,

 

"And if the Stellar Alliance had forced the Federation of Colonial Stars to surrender before the Imperial fleet arrived, the Stellar Alliance would have made the Galactic Empire its new enemy. There may be another rebel army on the galactic frontier."

 

Marika took a breath before continuing.

 

"It's just my imagination. If the Imperial Fleet doesn't intervene at the right time, our planet will be in a situation that I don't really want to think about. But even if that happens, we hope that this matter will be kept secret forever."

 

"That means,"

 

761 looked at Marika, Jenny, and Gruier.

 

"Does that mean that not only will the Imperial Bank and the Imperial Fleet Intelligence Department keep the secret, but you pirates will keep it secret too?"

 

"Other pirates don't know that the Odette is here."

 

After saying that, Marika realized that there was something else she needed to add.

 

"To be precise, there is only one other pirate ship in the nearby airspace. There should be no spaceships in our civilization that know about what these two ships are currently doing."

 

"Why?"

 

It was Uberstein who asked.

 

"You have signed a surrender document and are asking for help from a being outside your civilization, so why are you keeping it a secret even from your friends?"

 

"Of course."

 

Marika smiled.

 

"You're trying to sell your planet to the Galactic Empire, which even your fellow pirates have only heard rumors about. Whether you succeed or fail, it will sound bad."

 

"I see."

 

Uberstein laughed and asked casually as if it was just an afterthought.

 

"So, what do you want in exchange for selling your world?"

 

Uberstein looked around at the girls at the Round Table.

 

"Immense wealth? Priority interests? Of course, I don't know if I can comply with your demands, but I'd like to confirm what you're selling your world for."

 

"Peace..."

 

Marika swallowed the words she was about to say. The Empire advocates the unification of the galaxy for stability and prosperity. Peace is given even if one does not wish for it.

 

Marika looked at Jenny and Gruier. Seeing Gruier's satisfied and relieved face, Marika remembered what she should ask for.

 

"Please allow pirates to continue to exist."

 

"Pirates?"

 

Proof that he was just listening, Uberstein nodded in agreement. Even Marika could see the change in 761's expression.

 

"Even though they are pirates, they are not the lawless pirates that the Galactic Empire hates."

 

Marika continued her explanation in a fluster.

 

"The Federation of Colonial Stars, the faction we belong to, which is fighting for independence from its Stellar Alliance, has issued a considerable number of privateer licenses to civilian ships in order to gain even the slightest advantage in the interstellar war. We can maintain and operate a military force, but the responsibility is borne by each individual pirate ship, not by the military organization. In other words, even though they are called pirates, they are private soldiers equivalent to the military, and are different from the outlaw pirates that the Imperial Fleet once fought."

 

"Privateers?"

 

Uberstein repeated the words with interest.

 

"However, if your faction issued privateer licenses to secure forces for the War of Independence, then once the War of Independence is over, won't pirates, whatever they are called, become unnecessary?"

 

"There are many other forces within the Empire besides the Imperial Fleet."

 

It was Gruier who spoke.

 

"It's not just the defense forces and space fleets operated by star systems governments and interstellar alliances. There are plenty of military forces that are not incorporated into the administrative chain of command, such as private fleets operated by wealthy individuals and corporations, and preservation fleets run by hobbyist groups. The Orion Arm will only need to add a small amount of such forces."

 

"Of course, the Serenity United Kingdom also has an escort fleet for self-defense."

 

761's gaze was fixed on Gruier.

 

"Do you also want to increase forces other than those possessed by the United Kingdom?"

 

"I will answer, expecting the Imperial Bank and the Imperial Fleet to maintain confidentiality."

 

Gruier answered with a smile.

 

"Yes, sometimes it is necessary for there to be people like pirates who are not part of any chain of command and can act on their own initiative."

 

Gruier smiled at Uberstein and 761, as if to bring up a social topic.

 

"As long as you know how to use it, I don't think I need to explain to the bank or the intelligence department how useful irregular forces are."

 

"Is this the power you have?"

 

761 looked at Marika and Jenny, then back at Gruier. Gruier answered with a smile.

 

"I'm a good friend of yours. Besides, our family motto is to use anything that's useful."

 

"Don't be picky about what's useful."

 

Uberstein recited.

 

"There's nothing in this universe that's useless. I see, the Star King family motto is very practical."

 

Gruier tilted his head slightly and looked at Uberstein again. Uberstein nodded with a knowing look.

 

"Very well, the details are too vague for a scam, and the story is too convenient for pirates to have brought it. I think it's worth considering. At the very least, the bank president will believe your story."

 

"Really?"

 

761 turned his gaze to Uberstein, who was present for the first time.

 

"You, the president of the Imperial Bank, are going along with this?"

 

"There's a lot to be gained."

 

Uberstein looked back at 761.

 

"An economic sphere with 15 star systems and a population of 50 billion is not small. And what's most promising is that this civilization does not yet harbor any animosity towards the Galactic Empire, and has not been infringed upon by any vested interests. If it's as they say, it will require the effort of moving a large fleet, but it's unlikely to develop into a large-scale all-out battle. Considering the effort and expense of maintaining a front line with the rebel forces on the outskirts, the cost performance is unthinkable for a modern property."

 

"However, when dealing with an interstellar civilization that we haven't even made formal contact with yet, the information is unreliable."

 

"It's such a good deal, so it's inevitable that there will be some danger."

 

Uberstein looked at Gruier.

 

"A banker's job, apart from financial accounting, is to be suspicious, and also to trust. They are parties that want everything to be kept secret, regardless of the outcome. I can't promise that the Imperial Bank will do that. But I will trust what you have to say."

 

"Thank you."

 

Gruier nodded quietly.

 

"I hope that the Imperial Bank will continue to be a trustworthy business partner."

 

"There is one important issue."

 

Marika looked at the president and the head of the sixth section of the intelligence department.

 

"As I explained earlier, the Stellar Alliance's expeditionary fleet is preparing for an all-out attack on a planet in the star system called Cetacea, where the headquarters of the Federation of Colonial Stars Army is located. According to reliable information, the attack will begin in four days, including today."

 

Marika carefully converted the number into Galactic Standard Time.

 

"If the Imperial fleet does not arrive in the system by the time the expeditionary fleet begins hostilities with the Federation of Colonial Stars, our civilization may suffer considerable damage."

 

"...four days from now?"

 

761's expression changed.

 

"You want us to assemble a large fleet in the airspace of the Orion Arm within four days that will surpass the combined strength of the interstellar civilizations currently in civil war?"

 

"You understand quickly, that's helpful."

 

Marika nodded.

 

"The current known expeditionary fleet of the Stellar Alliance is 400 ships, with a total of 900 including auxiliary and supply ships. The combined strength of the Federation of Colonial Stars is about 400 ships. It's a force equal to the combined strength of our civilization, so I want a large fleet that will make them lose their will to fight just by sheer numbers."

 

Marika pretended to think for a moment.

 

"Yes, if we have 2000 battleships and cruiser class frontal forces, and 5000 total including auxiliary vessels, not only our camp but also the expeditionary fleet of the Stellar Alliance will easily raise their hand."

 

"It's impossible."

 

761 shook his head in a low voice.

 

"It's not worth talking about. If we had more time, it would be possible, but the Seventh Fleet, which is currently fighting on the front lines of the galaxy, cannot assemble such a large fleet no matter where we attack it."

 

"Yes."

 

Marika nodded, pretending to understand everything.

 

"The Seventh Fleet, which is in charge of the frontier, is busy with work, and it would be difficult to concentrate even 5% of its total force in one star system in the Orion Arm for even half a day. But, for example, how about the Fifth Fleet, whose operational range is within the Empire?"

 

761's eyes became several notches sharper as he looked at Marika.

 

"...I see, so you know a certain amount about the inner workings of the Galactic Empire. Unfortunately, the 5th Fleet's airspace is within the Galactic Empire, not the borderlands that are not yet part of the Galactic Empire's territory."

 

"Yes, of course, a fleet needs a good reason to leave its airspace."

 

Marika looked back and forth between 761 and Uberstein.

 

"So, we'll come up with a reason for that."

 

Uberstein asked with a happy look on his face.

 

"What are you going to do?"

 

"It's simple. There's only one reason for the fleet to move quickly."

 

Marika took a deep breath.

 

"The pirate ship Odette declares war on the Galactic Empire on behalf of the Federation of Colonial Stars."

 

"I've done what I had to do!"

 

Marika led the way with such force that her captain's cape fluttered.

 

"That was wonderful, Captain Marika."

 

Gruier, who was following behind, clasped both hands in front of her chest.

 

"It's a shame that we can't leave a record of this declaration of war in front of the president of the Imperial Bank and the Fleet Intelligence Department for posterity."

 

"I told you not to."

 

"Maybe this is the first time in history that a pirate has verbally declared war on an Imperial authority in front of them?"

 

Marika turned to look at Jenny, who was walking with her arms folded in thought.

 

"So that's the end of that story!"

 

"Oh, that was really cool. It was a shame we couldn't show it to our yacht club members and the crew of the Bentenmaru."

 

"If we want to surrender to the Galactic Empire, we need to declare war properly, not just show the signed surrender document, otherwise it won't be legal under interstellar law, so that's the only reason we declared war!"

 

Walking backwards, Marika glanced over at Gruier, who had first pointed out the problem.

 

"Besides, everything is top secret, whether it goes well or not! There's no way there's any record of an uncontacted pirate civilization declaring war on the Galactic Empire!"

She turns away and starts walking again at a brisk pace.

 

"So it's not a waste, you know?" "Yeah."

 

Gruier sings along to the last line of Jenny's lines.

 

"Captain Marika's once-in-a-lifetime performance would be such a shame to let it sink into the darkness like this." "I agree."

 

"If it seems to have gone well, that's enough."

 

Marika continues walking ahead.

 

"We don't have time to think about what we've already done. We need to get moving, otherwise we'll never be able to assemble an Imperial fleet that far exceeds ours in the next four days."

 

"Thanks to you, I feel like we can do something."

 

Jenny suddenly stops.

 

"I'm ahead, and I'll catch up soon."

 

"What's wrong?"

 

Marika turns around and asks. Jenny is looking at the communications shop on the street corner.

 

"Hey, I just remembered to go shopping. I think it's a good idea to secure a communication channel, so I'll buy a communication terminal. One that can be used throughout the galaxy."

 

"There aren't many Imperial soldiers who have received a verbal declaration of war against the Galactic Empire."

 

The president spoke to the head of the 6th Intelligence Division, who remained at the round table with three empty chairs.

 

"How many people are you?"

 

"It's not a problem if the declaration of war doesn't leave a record."

 

761 answered quietly.

 

"It's just the kind of insults you might utter in a street fight."

 

"So you're exchanging words?"

 

Uberstein nodded.

 

"But by staying here, you're trying to pick a fight that was unleashed. Am I right?"

 

"The fleet exists for the stability and prosperity of the Empire. And that means profit. If you have the opportunity to make the most profit with the least amount of effort and do nothing, you can't deny that you'll be accused of dereliction of duty."

 

"Even if you promise to keep everything a secret?"

 

"You know."

 

761 looked at the president as if through a thin membrane.

 

"The more people know a secret, the greater the risk of it being broken. And those pirates tried to guarantee the maximum safety for us, who were supposed to use it. That's why the president of the Imperial Bank of Japan, of all people, said words that he would never utter, saying he would trust us."

 

"Not really."

 

Uberstein stood up from his chair.

 

"Their attitudes and words, including that of the non-existent princess, clearly assumed that this was not a one-off negotiation, but would develop into a long-term relationship. I believe it was because we realized that that we, both you and I, saw them off with smiles as they left this room."

 

"At the very least, let's see them off with smiles until they leave this port."

 

761 also stood up from her chair.

 

"We'll start working after that."

 

"It may be pointless to bring up such a topic with someone from the intelligence department,"

 

Uberstein put his hands on the table.

 

"How about this? Want to make a bet?"

 

"It's reckless to make a bet with someone from the intelligence department. What kind of bet?"

 

"Whether those pirates' reckless plan will succeed. If uncontacted civilizations can join the Empire's territory just by moving the Imperial fleet, there's no easier job than this. But if we make a bet in case it fails, it will be a small consolation."

 

"Unfortunately, that bet won't go through."

 

761 started walking towards the door.

 

"If I were to gamble, I would also gamble on failure. Our interests are aligned on this matter. The Intelligence Department will endeavor to maintain secrecy."

 

"Then, the banker will also fulfill his duties. Don't worry, this meeting will be erased from the record."

 

"Thank you."

 

Marika and the others returned to the pirate ship Odette on a shuttle flight from the northern port.

 

Although the investigation using the first contact protocol had only just begun, the pirate ship Odette made an emergency departure from Port Seruna immediately after Marika and the others returned, without announcing its destination due to unilateral circumstances.

 

The Seventh Fleet Intelligence Division issued an emergency warrant for the entire fleet of pirates from the Orion Arm shortly after the Odette and a disguised transport ship believed to be related to it disappeared from the controlled airspace of Port Seruna.

 

"Docking with Bentenmaru completed."

 

Chiaki reported on the main bridge of the pirate ship Odette.

 

"The bridge crew of the Bentenmaru are requesting permission to board."

 

"My crew is so stiff even at a time like this."

 

With a wry smile, Marika ran her fingers over the control panel on the captain's seat.

 

"This is the main bridge of the Odette, Kato Marika."

 

Marika connected her earphone microphone to the ship's broadcast channel.

 

"We welcome the crew of the Bentenmaru aboard. Please hurry up, we're having a strategy meeting to decide how to deal with the Imperial fleet!"

 

Odette and Bentenmaru left the controlled airspace of Port Seruna and flew into interstellar airspace close to the outer edge of the Galactic Empire.

 

There is no clear boundary between the Empire and the Periphery. The boundary can be gauged by whether a star system near the border belongs to the Galactic Empire or not, and how wide the defense identification zone is set.

 

The patrol network is thick around star systems, but thin in interstellar space and near uninhabited star systems. Even within the galaxy, outer space is sparse, so it is not that difficult to infiltrate the airspace designated for the Galactic Empire.

 

After a preliminary investigation at Port Seruna, Odette and Bentenmaru obtained the latest situation and transponder IDs for camouflage, and chose interstellar space, where the Imperial fleet was not conducting regular patrols, and jumped into it.

 

After returning to normal space, the two ships scanned the surrounding space to confirm that there were no threats, and then docked to transfer the crew. Bentenmaru, accustomed to pirate work, extended a boarding bridge and connected it to Odette, confirmed that it was airtight, and opened the door.

 

"Captain Marika!"

 

Gruier, in the radio operator's seat, called out, still looking at the display.

 

"I have confirmed the Imperial Fleet's regular communication, the latest information update for all fleets. Today's notice No. 1267 from the Seventh Fleet to all fleets warns that the Odette, a pirate ship from an uncontacted interstellar civilization in the Orion Arm, has invaded the Galactic Empire, and a warning has been issued that caution is required."

 

"The Seventh Fleet's intelligence department has graciously informed the entire fleet that we are pirates."

 

Marika nodded with a satisfied look on her face.

 

"So, what is the urgency of that notice?"

 

"Urgent level 3b. Um, about the seventh highest?"

 

There are more than a few thousand notices sent to the Imperial fleets throughout the galaxy every day. All notices are ranked by importance, and the most important notices are not issued many times a year.

 

"It's just a storm in some airspace or a missing spaceship. If it's too urgent from the beginning, it'll be marked heavily, so this is fine for now. Don't worry, if we do what we're going to do from now on, the urgency should increase."

 

Marika displayed today's Notice 1267 from the Seventh Fleet, which had been transferred from the radio operator's seat to the captain's seat, and looked around at the faces of the crew gathered on the bridge.

 

"Now, if Odette or Bentenmaru do something in the Empire's territory, we can check and know that it's not the work of unknown criminals, but pirates from the Orion Arm."

 

"Yes, the pirates have arrived."

 

The Bentenmaru crew, led by Hyakume, entered the main bridge. The yacht club members were excitedly greeting Kane and Misa, who came to Hakuoh Girls' Academy as teachers and school doctors and participated in the training voyage, but they were shocked by the huge size of Schnitzer.

 

Before the commotion died down, Marika, who was in the captain's seat, switched on the microphone.

 

"Well, there's no need for us to introduce ourselves now. We're wasting time, so let's start the strategy meeting. Display our current location."

 

"Lights out!"

 

At the same time as Chiaki spoke, the normal lights on the main bridge were turned off. A barred spiral galaxy appeared in the center in 3D.

 

A display of a nebula was superimposed on several yacht club members and the crew of the Bentenmaru.

 

Marika, who was in the captain's seat, moved the 3D display with her finger on the control panel.

 

"What's being displayed on the bridge right now is the galaxy centered on Odette's current location. The star system and the Federation of Colonial Stars are all in the same place, even though it's this big. I'm going to have to jump a lot and do a lot of work, so that's why it's displayed like this."

 

Marika added an explanatory display to the 3D display that had only shown the stars. A curved green wall was displayed surrounding part of the inside of the spiral galaxy.

 

"Inside the green barrier is the current Galactic Empire. It's a little smaller than what we know, but at this scale it's not that different."

 

Marika operated the control panel in the captain's seat. The 3D display showing the spiral galaxy expanded with the Orion Arm as the center.

 

Marika adjusted the display so that the green wall indicating the Galactic Empire's airspace was in the center of the bridge, and made that point flash blue.

 

"This is where we are now. Our current position is just outside the current Galactic Empire's airspace. There are no significant star systems nearby, so it shouldn't be like we'll be spotted right away. But that doesn't mean we can take it easy.'

 

Marika zoomed in on the spiral galaxy displayed on the inside of the control seats facing each other on the bridge, so that she could see the area from the center of the galaxy to the Orion Arm.

 

'As you all know, the seven imperial fleets are responsible for their own airspace. The entire outer part of the empire is the Seventh Fleet, the First Fleet is the Royal Guard Fleet for the Holy Royal Family, the Second and Third Fleets divide the core star systems into two, East and West, and the outer edge is divided into three, the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth.'

 

Marika color-coded the airspace of each fleet in the three-dimensional display of the galaxy's inner space with the seven colors of the rainbow.

 

'The Fifth Fleet is in charge of the Orion Arm in the future, but since we're not in the Galactic Empire now, the Seventh Fleet is in charge of the outer part. However, the Seventh Fleet, which is in charge of the frontier, is busy with an ongoing operation, and unfortunately it doesn't seem like they have the time to send a large fleet to this star system. So, this is where we're aiming.'

 

Marika aimed her beam gun, adjusted to pointer mode, at the 3D display and pulled the trigger. A thin beam extended silently, piercing the airspace colored light purple.

 

'The nearest Galactic Empire is the airspace of the Fifth Fleet, which is familiar even in the future. Odette and Bentenmaru are going to enter the Galactic Empire now and mess with the Fifth Fleet.'

 

Laughter filled the bridge. Moving the beam that served as a pointer, Marika continued.

 

'It's been a while since the current Empire ended its war against pirates, so there are no pirates anymore. If we call ourselves pirates and start a battle with the Imperial fleet, they'll chase us with all their might. Hopefully, everything will go as planned.'

 

Marika adjusted the length of the beam pointer and stopped it at a point on the 3D display.

 

"The nearest supply base for the Fifth Fleet is here, the home port of the fleet in Vanfare. We're planning to use this as our first target to draw out the large fleet and guide it to the Tau system. Any suggestions?"

 

After turning off the beam that served as a pointer, Marika looked around the bridge illuminated by the light of the 3D display of the galaxy.

 

Then her gaze stopped as it swept up and down. Near the entrance to the bridge, Schnitzer was floating with one toe hooked on a bar on the wall, and he raised one hand as if asking to speak.

 

"...Schnitzer?"

 

Marika called out his name in a somewhat nervous voice.

 

"I'm Schnitzer, in charge of battle command on the Bentenmaru."

 

Schnitzer, with his arms crossed, opened his mouth as if to confirm that he was allowed to speak.

 

"We need to drag out a large enough fleet to weaken the fighting spirit of the expeditionary fleet and the Federation of Colonial Stars gathered in the Tau system. To do that, we need to have a fairly clear escape route."

 

Schnitzer uncrossed his arms and extended the index finger of his large right hand. A beam extended from his fingertip as a pointer.

 

The beam moved from its current position, which was shining and overlapping with the green wall, to the outskirts.

 

"This is our current position. And this is the Tau system we should return to. In that case, it would be best for us to escape on a trajectory straight toward the Tau system."

 

Schnitzer's beam turned around from the Tau system and headed straight for the center of the galaxy.

 

"Let's go as far back as we can. Then we'll hit the largest target we can and escape."

 

The beam that was emitted from Schnitzer's fingertip stopped at a point deep in the airspace covered by the 5th Fleet.

 

"Ganbart."

 

Marika quickly tapped the control panel and zoomed in on the spot the beam was pointing at. Information was displayed over and over again.

 

"Sagittarius Arm, Ganbart System--"

 

Marika's voice croaked slightly as she read out the necessary information.

 

"Empire, Fifth Fleet General Headquarters."

 

"That's pretty far in."

 

Chiaki's calm voice was heard on the bridge.

 

"Can you penetrate that far into the Galactic Empire and return to the system by the deadline, when the final battle between the Expeditionary Fleet and the Federation of Colonial Stars begins?"

 

"I know Odette's jumping capabilities."

 

Schnitzer replied, erasing the pointer on his finger. Odette II had once sailed long distances in a fleet with a pirate ship through the outer space.

 

"One day until Ganbart arrives, two and a half days to return to the star system."

 

After hearing Schnitzer's answer, Chiaki typed in the numbers on the keyboard. Schnitzer continued.

 

"If we hit Ganbart's headquarters and then head straight back, we'll lose the pursuers, and we might not have enough forces to pursue them. In order to explain our escape route and intentions to the enemy, it would be better to hit the key points of the fleet on the escape orbit."

 

Schnitzer spread the fingers of his left hand. From his index finger to his pinky, four beam pointers stretched out to a three-dimensional display of the galaxy.

 

"Ganbart, Fifield, Vanfare, Port Seruna."

 

Schnitzer pointed precisely to four locations in the galaxy with the beam pointer extending from the fingertips of his left hand, and then drew a straight line connecting them with the pointer extended from the index finger of his right hand.

 

"And the Tau system. I think this orbit is optimal for this operation."

 

"Your presentation skills are outstanding!"

 

Schnitzer was controlling five pointers with both hands, and Lynn muttered in the electronic warfare seat.

 

"Suddenly it's the 5th Fleet HQ..."

 

Marika, who was in the captain's seat, spoke in a relaxed voice that seemed to ease the tension.

 

"Well, that's a really amazing target to conquer."

 

"Actually, there's a more suitable target..."

 

"Where?"

 

When Marika asked, Schnitzer moved the beam pointer of his fingertip to the corner of the star chart.

 

"Core star system, Joint Staff Headquarters."

 

The explanation of the center of the Galactic Empire, the highest ranks of the Imperial fleet, was superimposed on the star chart. The bridge was silent.

 

"But if we go this far, we won't be able to return to the star system on time."

 

Schnitzer continued.

 

"It's possible to make the round trip by the deadline with just the Bentenmaru, but we won't be able to make it in time if we use the Odette's FTL boosters to make the jump."

 

Although it was an old and outdated ship, it was built as a FTL spaceship from the beginning, and unlike the Bentenmaru, which even had its main engine replaced, the Odette II was built as a sublight spaceship. By equipping it with a FTL booster, it became possible to make hyperspace jumps, but its performance was inferior to that of the Bentenmaru.

 

"I see..."

 

Placing her hand on her mouth, Marika, in the captain's seat, stared intently at the galaxy floating above the bridge.

 

"Got it."

 

Marika's amplified voice was carried over the bridge.

 

"Then let's have the Bentenmaru attack the Joint Chiefs of Staff Headquarters alone."

 

All that could be heard was the quiet sound of the air conditioning on the bridge. There was no reply. Marika continued.

 

"In other words, in order to get the Imperial fleet to come to the Tau system and then surrender, we have to go to war with the Galactic Empire first. And that's not just a formal declaration of war, we have to actually make the enemy think it's a war, otherwise we won't be able to pull out a large fleet that easily surpasses the military power gathered in the Tau system. Don't worry, we'll only be at war with the Galactic Empire for four days, which is a short time compared to the 20-year War of Independence.'

 

Marika looked up from the galactic space map and looked around the bridge.

 

'Odette, let's attack the Fifth Fleet HQ at Ganbart, then take the route Schnitzer showed us earlier and pull out the fleet. Um, Fifield isn't a big base, is it?'

 

'There's a training airspace for the Fifth Fleet. Right now, the core fleet is training there.'

 

Schnitzer answered calmly. Marika looked at Schnitzer.

 

'I wonder, since we have two ships, I thought it would be more reliable to have one fly to the fleet HQ in the core star systems and the other run wild in the Fifth Fleet's airspace, and pull out a large fleet, but would it be better not to split up our forces?”

 

"If you want to win, dispersing your forces is the height of folly,"

 

Schnitzer replied.

 

"But the main point of this operation is not to win, but to draw out as many of the enemy's forces as possible. If we can't draw out the Imperial fleet, we're doomed to lose, so the more pieces we have the better. The more opportunities we have to attack the fleet, the more likely we are to draw it out. If Odette and Bentenmaru act separately, the final success rate will increase even if one of them fails."

 

Schnitzer erased the pointers on both hands and folded his arms.

 

"Okay, Bentenmaru, let's fly to the core star systems and assault the Joint Chiefs of Staff Headquarters."

 

The yacht club members murmured. Marika also folded her arms and thought about it in an exaggerated manner.

 

"Well, in that case, which one should I board?"

 

"Are you getting off the Odette II!?"

 

Misa, who had been listening, spoke up.

 

"Weren't you supposed to return this ship safely to the Tau system!?"

 

"Of course I intend to do that, but wouldn't it be bad if the captain of a pirate ship that's picking a fight with the Joint Chiefs of Staff was the representative?"

 

"Get on the Bentenmaru."

 

It was Chiaki who said that.

 

"With the speed of the Bentenmaru, you can attack the Joint Chiefs of Staff and escape before Odette can reach Ganbart and take on the 5th Fleet Headquarters."

 

"Oh! That's a good idea!!"

 

Marika clapped her hands happily.

 

"First, call the Joint Staff Headquarters and then join us."

 

Chiaki typed out a schedule and passed it around to the captain's seat.

 

"Even if they’re late to Ganbart, they’ll probably catch up with us at Fifield."

 

"But will Odette be enough to handle the 5th Fleet HQ?"

 

"Ah, I'll get on here."

 

Coorie raised her hand and said in a disinterested voice.

 

"We can't do bang on this ship anyway, so all we can do is set off some electronic warfare and anger the enemy. And leave Silent Whisper behind. With this ship and that girl, we can do most things."

 

"Eh?"

 

Marika looked at Coorie with a surprised look on her face.

 

"We have some staff we can use."

 

Coorie waved her thick glasses towards Lynn in the electronic warfare seat.

 

"You'll help me, right?"

 

"Sure!"

 

Lynn replied immediately, giving a thumbs up.

 

"I think I should get on this one too," Misa said.

 

"Just in case something goes wrong, it'd be better for the doctor to be on the side with more young people. We can't let the students fight a war on their own, and the medical room here is familiar to me."

 

"Okay. Then, Coorie and Misa will board the Odette, and if there are any staff members needed, take them from the Bentenmaru. I'll go to the Bentenmaru to greet the Joint Staff Headquarters in the Galaxy Center. The acting captain of the Odette while I'm away will be..."

 

Marika looked around the bridge. Her eyes landed on Jenny, who was whispering something to Lynn in the electronics battle seat.

 

"Jenny, could you please?"

 

"Sorry, let me board the Bentenmaru as well."

 

Jenny left the electronics battle seat and jumped into the captain's seat.

 

"I think I'll probably be more useful on the Bentenmaru than on the Odette."

 

Marika looked at Jenny's face. She nodded.

 

"Okay. Well then, Gruier."

 

"Unfortunately, I can't take on this."

 

Gruier shook her head with a smile. "This battle is to protect the future of your planet. I believe that someone from the Federation of Colonial Stars should be in command of this ship."

 

Marika looked around the bridge once more.

 

She met Chiaki's eyes. Chiaki looked back at Marika in surprise. Marika smiled.

 

"Well then, Chiaki, take command of the Odette."

 

"What!?"

 

Chiaki protested.

 

"I can't do that, I'm not qualified to be a captain!"

 

"It's okay, the ship I want you to captain isn't the training sailing ship Odette II from Hakuoh Girls' Academy, nor the pirate ship White Swan from the Federation of Colonial Stars, it's the pirate ship Odette, which shouldn't exist anywhere."

 

Marika nodded with a smile.

 

"How can we follow interstellar law when we're going to war against the Galactic Empire?"

 

Chiaki looked around the bridge after considering several ways to protest, smacking her lips. Marika clasped her hands together as Chiaki sat in the radar/sensor seat.

 

"Please, Chiaki-chan, take this ship and the yacht club until I come back!"

 

"It’s not chan."

 

Chiaki answered, gritting her teeth.

 

"Okay, but in return, you have to come back safely as soon as possible! I won't forgive you if you're late or make any mistakes."

 

"Thanks, Chiaki-chan!"

 

With her hands clasped together, Marika bowed to Chiaki.

 

"Okay, everyone, start preparing for war!"

 

The bridge erupted in excitement.

 

"We're going to war against the Empire, but this kind of enthusiasm isn't in the Bentenmaru."

 

Coorie muttered and jumped to the captain's seat.

 

"Hey, Kane."

 

Hyakume watched Marika, who was having a meeting with Misa and Coorie in the captain's seat, from a distance.

 

"What?"

 

Kane's gaze at the Odette's crew was similar to that of when he was a teacher.

 

"Our captain was a big shot."

 

"What, you didn't notice?"

 

"I thought he was a big shot, but I never thought he'd actually start a war against the Galactic Empire."

 

"So we're the minions of that great pirate."

 

Kane said with a teacher's face looking at his students.

 

"I'd love to make my name in history as the greatest pirate since Captain Jinn, but it's a shame that I can't."

 

"I don't want to go through all that trouble of becoming a character in history."

 

Hyakume looked around the bridge, which was full of yacht club members.

 

"But as long as you're under that captain, you probably won't have the luxury of being picky."

The Joint Staff Headquarters, which is at the top of the Galactic Empire's Fleet Command System, is located in the center of the galaxy, in the core star systems where many stars are densely packed.

 

First Arthur, who appears in the first volume of the vast family tree of the Holy Kings, which is not a myth but can be confirmed, was only able to achieve his ambitions to almost unite the core star systems where many old civilizations were competing for supremacy. When First Arthur passed away, the Imperial Fleet, which had already become the largest fighting force in the galaxy, was still organized and operated as a single fleet, not a Numbers Fleet.

 

As the Empire grew and the number of ships it contained increased, the role of the Fleet Headquarters also changed.

 

The galaxy is vast, and the war situation changes at the speed of light. Since battle is a form of politics and the fleet is a political tool, the role that it must play also changes from moment to moment.

 

The operational form in which the Central Fleet Headquarters commands a large number of ships scattered over a radius of several thousand light years was a problem.

 

After much trial and error, the fleet was divided according to its role and the areas of responsibility centered around the home port.

 

The Royal Guard Fleet, which was directly under the command of the Holy Royal Family, became independent at an early stage. The Galactic Imperial Fleet, which protects the core star system, was reorganized around an escort fleet to defend the territory, an attack fleet to fight on the border and outside, and a supply fleet to support both.

 

Times have changed, and the Imperial Fleet has been reorganized many times. The current structure of seven Numbers Fleets, the fleet headquarters to operate them, and the Joint Staff Headquarters that oversees them all has continued for over several hundred years, but minor adjustments are constantly being made.

 

The areas of responsibility of each fleet are also fixed for the First Fleet, which is the Royal Guard Fleet to protect the Holy Royal Family, and the Second and Third Fleets, which protect the core star systems by dividing it into east and west. However, the areas of responsibility of the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Fleets, which divide the outer edge into three, and the Seventh Fleet, which operates outside the Galactic Empire, change every year.

 

The Joint Chiefs of Staff, which reigns over the entire Imperial fleet, keeps track of all of the fleets of the Empire and uses all of its fighting power. However, the fleet that protects the Joint Chiefs of Staff itself, which is located in the core star systems at the center of the Galactic Empire, is not that large.

 

Protecting the Joint Chiefs of Staff is the First Fleet, which is also the Imperial Guard Fleet that protects the Holy Royal Family. However, since the Joint Chiefs of Staff itself is deep in the center of the Galactic Core Star System, and it was thought that it would be difficult to deploy large forces from outside the galaxy, the escort forces themselves are not as substantial as those of frontline bases.

 

That day, an emergency alarm sounded over a FTL line at the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a headquarters derided as more of a political and tactical command than a combat command.

 

"This is the Space University research vessel, Curiosity!"

 

The distress signal reached the Joint Chiefs of Staff via image communication from a spaceship that was making a FTL jump.

 

"Currently on the run, being chased by pirates from outside the Empire, the Orion Arm, help!"

 

Repeat data was received at the same time as the real-time image transmission. The touchdown request was made within the air defense identification zone, which is becoming a nominal zone in the orderly Galactic Empire core star system, and is located in interstellar space near the Joint Staff Headquarters, where stars are densely located, to avoid the effects of gravity as much as possible.

 

The touchdown request was automatically approved by the control station. At the same time, the distress signal was automatically converted into an emergency interception command, and the escort fleet on patrol in the space around the Joint Staff Headquarters rushed to the touchdown point.

 

The escort fleet for the Joint Staff Headquarters is composed mainly of high-speed mobile cruisers. Only in the center are young and new ships deployed primarily, and their practicality is confirmed in a mission that is just like a real battle. When the escort fleet under the direct command of the First Fleet, nicknamed the Shake Downers or Shakers, arrived at the point, the research vessel Curiosity belonging to the Space University had already completed touchdown and returned to normal space.

 

The two latest Tyrone TX-type high-mobility heavy cruisers that first spotted Curiosity confirmed multiple prejump phenomena in the nearby space. In a pursuit battle using a FTL jump in an area with four high-gravity sources of stars densely arranged over an area of ​​several hundred thousand square kilometers, it can be said that the jump error is incredibly small.

 

The research vessel Curiosity continued to send out distress signals even after returning to normal space. The Joint Staff Command Control Bureau, which directly communicated with Curiosity, ordered the fleet to intercept the touchdown points of the hypothetical enemy, which were assumed to be multiple, and separately dispatched a rescue ship to the scene.

 

The unidentified flying object that touched down following Curiosity emitted intense jamming signals in all directions as it returned to normal space, and then released a high-density smoke screen to hide itself before the spatial disturbance subsided.

 

In the midst of such strong jamming that all communications were cut off, the third ship, the Gyobarachue UX4 high-mobility heavy cruiser, which was in a position to intercept the unidentified flying object closest to it, responded in the usual way.

 

The Imperial fleet has a huge number of engagement records, and even more contact records, one or even two orders of magnitude more. All situations are digitized, and responses are decided based on interstellar law. The Gyobarachue UX4 high-mobility heavy cruiser advised the unidentified flying object to lay down its arms and surrender using the many communication methods and languages ​​stipulated in interstellar law, and then began firing a volley of its large-caliber main guns to remove the smoke screen.

 

The second and third unidentified flying objects returned to normal space one after the other without any pause. Like the first flying object, this one also emitted intense jamming signals as it returned to normal space, and hid itself behind a dense smoke screen.

 

Just as the two Tyrone TR-type high-mobility heavy cruisers responding to the third flying object began firing their guns at it without expecting to destroy the ship in order to remove the smoke screen, a command came from the Joint Chiefs of Staff over a hyperspace network that was not affected by jamming.

 

"The enemy has been identified as pirates from an uncontacted civilization in the Orion Arm. No need to negotiate, destroy them."

 

It had been 84 years since the Joint Chiefs of Staff had issued an order to intercept pirates as enemies.

 

"We'll send a decoy ahead and stir up trouble on the ground, then the main force will arrive."

 

Hyakume muttered as he read the data sent via the hyperspace network.

 

"It's a pirate strategy that's been used countless times since ancient times, and we're providing such an easy-to-understand service, so I hope they respond appropriately."

 

"The research vessel Curiosity has declared that it's being pursued by pirates from an uncontacted civilization and is running away."

 

Jenny was monitoring the situation on the observer's seat, using as much of the display as she could expand.

 

"We've taken great care not to disrupt the communication between Curiosity and the General Staff, so if they just check the situation properly, they should be able to detect the pirate alert from the Seventh Fleet!"

 

"The response has changed."

 

Schnitzer calmly reported from the combat commander's seat.

 

"The attack on the decoy has changed from removing the nuisance screen with a low-convergence beam to anti-ship attack with a high-convergence beam. I assume the order has been changed to sink unidentified ships without confirmation."

 

"I wonder if the Joint Staff Headquarters has determined that the attackers are pirates."

 

Marika, in the captain's seat, tilted her head. Kane, in the helmsman's seat, announced.

 

"Bentenmaru, touchdown soon."

 

"All ships, prepare for battle!"

 

Looking around the bridge of the Bentenmaru, Marika sat back in the captain's seat.

 

"Now, let's pick a fight with the Galactic Empire!"

 

As soon as the touchdown occurred, they performed a high-mobility evasion attack, sending powerful electronic jamming and false data to the high-mobility heavy cruisers that were preparing to intercept in the surrounding airspace. The two ships' gunfire, which was fired at the same time as Bentenmaru touched down, disappeared into space far away without hitting any close range.

 

"Beam, class 60, high convergence!"

 

Schnitzer reported the observed gunfire data of the Imperial fleet.

 

"It's for anti-ship interception. They're switching their response from confirmation to interception."

 

"So they've identified us as enemies."

 

Marika nodded.

 

"Commence advance as planned! We'll get as close as we can to the Joint Chiefs of Staff Headquarters!!"

 

Four unidentified flying objects, including three decoys, touched down after Curiosity, and began their charge at the Joint Chiefs of Staff Headquarters while blinding the interceptor ships in the surrounding airspace with radio jamming.

 

When all four unidentified flying objects that had touched down began to move almost unscathed, the control station raised the threat level to the maximum. The pursuing heavy cruisers were ordered to continue their pursuit, all combat-capable ships in the surrounding airspace were ordered to intercept on the predicted course, and an emergency dispatch order was issued to all nearby stations.

 

The Joint Chiefs of Staff is not just the name of one huge station. The Central Headquarters alone has four electronic fortresses capable of commanding and operating fleets from across the galaxy for redundancy, and around them are twelve home-port-sized spaceports and a collection of military space cities with sixty mobile fortresses; the Joint Chiefs of Staff is, in a sense, a fleet made up of fortresses.

 

"An order has been given to intercept for the Ka-no-To and Mizu-no-Etatsu fortresses!"

 

Schnitzer illustrated the mobile fortresses on the Bentenmaru's path, naming the two names, which combine the Ten Cores of the Sky and the Twelve Compass Points.

 

"Can we get out?"

 

Even though the size of a single mobile fortress is comparable to that of a major military base in the outer galaxy, Marika asked easily from the captain's seat. The answer came from Hyakume.

 

"Even though the enemy is the latest model at the moment, from our perspective it's a 120-year-old antique, and its equipment and performance are just as detailed in the catalog, so it's easy to play into our hands. But there are just too many of them. What should we do? Should we send a decoy into the gap in the air defense zone as originally planned and expect them to concentrate their forces there, or should we have them charge at the fortress one by one?"

 

"We won't disperse our forces," Marika said.

 

"If a decoy without a fuse were to approach a fortress on its own, it would be vaporized in an instant by a beam volley. It's a fortress full of sensors, with ridiculously high-powered radars and no idea what kind of computers they use to analyze them, right?"

 

"We'll use the three decoys and the Bentenmaru to confuse the enemy fleet, while heading deeper."

 

Schnitzer skillfully summarized the battle plan for the future and communicated it to all ships.

 

"We'll charge in with random evasion!"

 

It's not just mobile fortresses and battleships that are deployed within the Joint Chiefs of Staff's air defense identification zone. Unmanned aircraft equipped with high-powered radars and high-performance sensors are also deployed, and they are networked to closely monitor the spatial situation within the air defense zone. Although the Bentenmaru does not have the latest deployment status, it has researched the air defense equipment and its status of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of that era in as much detail as possible, and has prepared countermeasures.

 

The three decoys and the Bentenmaru began their advance, slipping through the hands of the interceptors while casting detailed electronic jamming nets that complemented each other. The Joint Chiefs of Staff ordered that the enemy flying objects, whose true identities were identified as pirates from an uncontacted civilization in the Orion Arm, be intercepted inaccurately due to electronic jamming.

 

Despite being hit several times, the four enemy flying objects did not slow down. After several intercept volleys under the same electronic jamming conditions were fired, and the computer confirmed that they were hits, the Joint Chiefs of Staff acknowledged that the pirates currently had an overwhelming advantage in electronic combat.

 

The assault fleets, which had been prepared for emergency launch and were on standby, were dispatched one after another from the Ka no Tou Fortress and the Mizu no Etatsu Fortress. Although no actual battles have broken out in decades, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, whose fleets are always operational, are on a war footing. All mobile fortresses have emergency intercept fleets on standby and ready to be deployed, and training simulating actual combat is frequent.

 

The assault ships organized for interception are small ships designed for hit-and-run warfare, with better acceleration than the mobile cruisers cruising in the surrounding airspace. Launched like artillery shells into the target airspace by catapults electromagnetically deployed from the fortress, the assault ships deployed their radar only to find that they were under intense electronic jamming.

 

The spatial situation captured by the radar was full of noise and indistinguishable, and the information from fellow ships that should have been networked and shared was unusable, as was the patrol network.

 

Immediately after taking off, some of the assault ships independently cut off their radar systems and prepared to pursue the enemy, relying only on sensor information to identify them. Later, an order was given to all ships sent out to intercept the enemy, to use FTL communication to separate their electronic systems from their search and navigation systems and navigate autonomously.

 

The fortress was unable to cope with electronic jamming from just four enemy flying objects. It is said that the anti-electronic warfare equipment equipped on the mobile fortress is equivalent to the weight of a fleet of electronic warfare ships. However, even though the Joint Staff Headquarters has experience in cyber warfare on a galaxy-wide scale, when it comes to actual combat, they have only conducted training that is just like actual combat.

 

Countless computer simulations and training based on actual combat scenarios have been conducted to deal with the ever-changing electronic warfare situation. However, most of these scenarios were based on strategic-scale invasions of the Joint Staff Headquarters, and tactical-scale attacks were hardly considered, as they were considered unlikely.

 

The attack on the Joint Chiefs of Staff that day was a pirate attack unrelated to strategy, and unable to deduce the purpose or target of the attack, the headquarters could only take symptomatic countermeasures.

 

The Bentenmaru exploited the gap between the two mobile fortresses while neutralizing the Air Defense Identification Zone patrol network by using organic electronic jamming in coordination with the three decoys.

 

By this time, the decoys had run out of jamming curtains, and relying solely on electronic deception, the four planes attempted to pass through the closest point to the fortresses.

 

The two assault ships, approaching with little mutual communication, succeeded in intercepting one decoy. The crossfire, intersecting at a deep angle, was not narrowed down very much, nor was it sufficiently packed for rapid fire. At a stage where the strength of the enemy flying object's armor was still unknown, the result of the shootdown, which was almost a fluke due to the ship's beam, which was only expected to leave an infrared marker, was immediately shared with the entire fleet.

 

"The decoy ‘Bamboo’ was taken!"

 

Hyakume reported.

 

"We'll make it self-destruct!!"

 

"As expected, with so many pursuers, it's impossible to avoid them."

 

Marika checked the current positions of the two remaining decoys, "Pine" and "Plum", which were displayed on the display. The distance between them and the pursuer was not as close as "Bamboo", but with both having no remaining nuisance screens, it would only be a matter of time before they were hit.

 

"The number of pursuers has increased."

 

Schnitzer announced a change in fire control for the assault ship that had sortied from the fortress and the highly maneuverable heavy cruiser that was still pursuing.

 

"I'm shortening the charge and increasing the number of shots. It won't last long."

 

"I know."

 

Marika thought deeply. The Bentenmaru's evasion pattern and infrared response were adjusted to match the decoy, so we still had some leeway.

 

"If one more decoy is destroyed, we'll jump and escape with the remaining one. At this stage, we have no obligation to show the Imperial fleet our maximum performance. We'll have to travel about 30,000 light years with them, so we'll be stingy here."

 

"Got it, ‘Plum’ is down!"

 

"FTL jump, ready to go anytime!"

 

Sandaime, in charge of engineering, and Luca, in charge of navigation, reported at the same time.

 

"Route setting complete, jump in sync with ‘Pine’!"

 

"Jump!"

 

"Got it!"

 

At the same time as Marika gave orders, Kane gave the Bentenmaru a hard tug on the wheel. Together with the remaining decoy, the Bentenmaru jumped into hyperspace.

 

"Bentenmaru¹, moving to hyperspace jump."

 

In the radio operator's seat on the main bridge of the research vessel Curiosity, Athena Sakyura updated the latest battle situation from the Joint Staff Headquarters Control Station. The intense electronic interference, which was impervious to radar and made one wonder if interstellar space had changed, disappeared like the wind passing by.

 

"Hyperspace jump, two trajectories."

 

Even after being reclassified from a battleship to a research vessel, Curiosity was equipped with additional sensors for search. The measurement system, which had been strengthened for space observation, had captured the hyperspace jump of two ships. Next, a cruiser nearby began charging for the jump.

 

"Two highly maneuverable heavy cruisers are preparing to jump in pursuit, and the fortress side and assault ship are precisely measuring the jump trace."

 

Tracking a FTL jump depends on time and the accuracy of the observation. The Joint Chiefs of Staff, who had been put into emergency interception mode by a single pirate ship that had jumped without warning, and had deployed a dozen high-mobility heavy cruisers and several dozen assault ships just by making contact, were shifting to a pursuit posture.

 

The control station confirmed the pirate ship's jump and changed the emergency interception posture to alert. At the same time, a request for questioning to confirm the situation was made via direct communication to Curiosity.

 

"Yes, yes, we have to put up with that much."

 

Athena saw the trajectory of the FTL jump captured by Curiosity. The two high-mobility heavy cruisers, who had received the results of the precise observations, entered the FTL jump.

 

"I've done my job with the data you gave me. Do it well so that you can make use of the precious materials without rewriting them."

 

"A call from Bentenmaru!"

 

Gruier, who was in the radio operator's seat, shouted happily.

 

"This is Captain Marika. We've done what we had to do, so we're heading out now!"

 

"As expected, a professional pirate ship is fast."

 

Chiaki muttered in the captain's seat with a relieved look on her face.

 

"Continue to pay attention to alarms from the Imperial fleet. Are you ready to set up your trap yet?"

 

"Just a little longer!"

 

Lynn replied from the electronic warfare seat.

 

"When it comes to electronic warfare, even if we say we've made 120 years of progress, that's all there is. We only have Odette and Silent Whisper, and if we don't at least put in some effort with our traps, we won't be able to pick a fight with the 5th Fleet HQ and a fleet with a radius of 1,000 light years at the same time."

 

"When will Bentenmaru catch up with us?"

 

"We're currently shaking off the Imperial fleet's pursuit by disguising our wake with a short-range triple jump."

 

Gruier read out a brief message from Bentenmaru.

 

"Well, we're doing the same thing as usual, but the situation is a little different this time, so it'll be tough. Bentenmaru's goal is to be pursued by as large a force as possible, so we have to keep escaping without being captured while leaving obvious traces that make it easier for the Imperial fleet to track us."

 

"Decoys 'Bamboo' and 'Plum' have been completely annihilated."

 

Schnitzer reported the results of the monitor via the data line.

 

"The mechanism has been completely destroyed. No matter how rigorously the Imperial Fleet investigates, the best they can do is recover a mass of metal vapor."

 

"They went to the Joint Chiefs of Staff and said, 'They're pirates!'"

 

Hyakume was busy analyzing the data he had obtained during the battle.

 

"If things don't go our way, we'll be on the Imperial Fleet's wanted list and they'll be chasing us for 100 years."

 

"For now, we need to be on the wanted list and have the whole fleet come after us."

 

Marika checked the data Schnitzer had passed along. The promise to keep everything secret if everything went well was something we had offered to a member of the Seventh Fleet's intelligence department, and there was no guarantee that it would be fulfilled, whether we succeeded or failed.

 

"I hope they'll come after us properly, but I wonder."

 

"It's true that we managed to disrupt the Joint Chiefs of Staff's air defense system, but once the commotion dies down, they'll probably realize that the direct damage was less than expected."

 

Schnitzer pointed out calmly.

 

"At the very least, our attacks didn't hit them. We can't count on the damage caused by friendly fire, but it's unclear how important this surprise attack will be to the Imperial fleet."

 

"Well, we'll have to rely on the university research ship that Jenny asked us to send."

 

Marika looked at Jenny in the observer seat.

 

"At least we've made enough sense that it won't be exposed even if it's examined closely."

 

Jenny was contacting the university research ship Curiosity using a personal communication terminal she'd bought in Port Seruna. In addition to the complete location of all the spaceships in the star systems participating in the War of Independence that he had presented to Athena last time, he had requested that they guide him to the Joint Chiefs of Staff in return for the same data on their civilization that he had used to explain to the Imperial Bank and the Intelligence Department.

 

The scenario in which Curiosity, which was investigating an uncontacted civilization in the Orion Arm, came into contact with the pirates and was chased to the Joint Chiefs of Staff was finely adjusted according to the intentions and convenience of both Bentenmaru and Curiosity. Curiosity was the victim, and no matter how the situation turned out, they would be able to obtain data from the uncontacted civilization.

 

"Prejump phenomenon detected!"

 

Hyakume exclaimed happily.

 

"Pattern match with Tyrone-class high-mobility heavy cruisers, two of them! Just as planned, they were chasing us diligently."

 

"Can we make the next jump?"

 

Marika scanned the display.

 

"It'll be fine."

 

Sandaime assured.

 

"I adjusted it perfectly for this, it should be fine for a while."

 

"I'm sure you can rely on Alpha and Beta. The fate of the Federation of Colonial Stars depends on them."

 

Calling the names of the two converters, Marika gave the next instruction.

 

"Let the pursuing Imperial fleet confirm our presence before fleeing. From here on, acting skills are also important, make it look like you're fleeing in a panic at the unexpected large force!"

 

"It's no good to scatter the enemy, the more flashy the attack, the better, but not fatally, and of course it's no good to immobilize us."

 

Hyakume was typing quickly on the keyboard.

 

"As always, it's a tricky order."

 

"I'm not telling you to win against the Imperial fleet."

 

"They're here! Two Tyron-class ships confirmed!"

 

Marika checked the communication status of the two pursuit ships that had touched down. Due to jumping errors, the two ships, which seem to have jumped at the same time, are far apart, and the one closest to Bentenmaru is far from artillery range.

 

Bentenmaru announces its position and at the same time begins electronic jamming of the two pursuit ships to prevent accurate data from being recorded. The two ships that touched down immediately confirmed the presence of Bentenmaru, and while they increased their energy response, they did not try to approach.

 

"Normal communication is only for exchanging observation data, but hyperspace communication is more than that."

 

The spatial disturbance immediately after touchdown converged but did not disappear. The spatial anomaly that could be seen even from the distance of Bentenmaru means that the pursuit ship is conducting a large volume of hyperspace communication.

 

"I guess they're reporting the current situation to the Joint Staff Headquarters and waiting for instructions."

 

"Two ships have come out within range to cooperate, but they're waiting while conducting precise observations, that's troublesome."

 

Hyakume sent additional data to the captain's seat.

 

"If we wait, the number of pursuers will increase. If more people in the vicinity watch us when we jump, they'll be able to pinpoint where we're going to jump to. What will you do, Captain?"

 

"I'd welcome it if things started to move."

 

Marika kept her eyes on the movements of the two pursuing ships, which were picked up by the Bentenmaru's sensors.

 

"The most troublesome thing for us would be if they just kept watching and wasting time."

 

"More prejump phenomena! Smaller than before, but more numerous!!"

 

"Jump!"

 

Marika ordered.

 

"Keep them chasing us like this for a while!"

 

"A call from Bentenmaru!"

 

Gruier reported the latest situation.

 

"Bentenmaru has entered its second FTL jump. We're requesting our operation schedule."

 

"Where is Bentenmaru now!?"

 

Chiaki ran his eyes over the latest situation updated by Gruier. Bentenmaru, who had attacked the Joint Staff Headquarters in the core star systems and escaped, was entering its second FTL jump with his pursuers at his side.

 

"Odette to Silent Whisper"

 

Chiaki, who was in the captain's seat, called out to Silent Whisper, whose latest situation should have been updated at the same time.

 

"This is Chiaki from Odette. Bentenmaru has been sent to the Joint Staff Headquarters and is fleeing the core star systems. If it takes a few jumps, they can meet up with us. Please tell us the timing and location of the meeting."

 

"Not yet!"

 

Coorie, with a snack stuffed in her mouth, mumbled a reply from Silent Whisper.

 

"We're not ready and the course hasn't been decided yet! Tell Captain Marika to find out as accurately as possible which fleet they're bringing in, and the type and number of ships!"

 

Hearing the sound-only reply, Chiaki looked at Gruier.

 

"You heard me, right?"

 

"Yes."

 

"I think Bentenmaru is busy, so please send me a message with the latest situation."

 

"Understood."

 

"Even though we're cowards from the future, picking a fight with a fleet with only one electronic warfare plane and a training sailing ship is pretty impressive, but they're chasing the first fleet with only one pirate ship."

 

Chiaki looked at the last current position of Bentenmaru displayed on the display. Although the predicted route was displayed, it was currently jumping and the main body of Bentenmaru should be traveling in the hyperdimensional space.

 

"It's no good if they escape or get caught, so it's a bit of a setup to have them time their escape to coincide with ours. Well, I don't think there's anything to worry about with Marika's crew though."

 

"A call from Odette!"

 

Hyakume transferred the message that came in via the hyperspace line at the same time as touchdown to the captain's seat.

 

"They're still preparing, so tell me as accurately as possible the number and type of ships in the Imperial fleet that's chasing us."

 

"That's ridiculous."

 

Marika checked the surrounding situation while complaining.

 

The core star system, which is the center of the galaxy, is not only densely populated with stars, planets, and planets. There are also many old stars, stations, and space cities inhabited by intelligent beings, and the routes set are complex and overlapping.

 

The core star systems also takes into account the possibility of a collision accident in which multiple spaceships touch down at the same point at the same time, which is said to be a negligible probability in outer space. With a large number of celestial bodies and spaceships, and with human activities spanning many years, the calculable probability will eventually come true.

 

To significantly avoid this, even if the probability is low, a high-density space observation system is spread throughout the core star system. Although it does not have the same level of accuracy or sensitivity as the patrol networks that military stations on war footing set up within their air defense identification zones, it does observe all spatial anomalies in the core star systems, including FTL jumps.

 

Flight plans for spacecraft making FTL jumps and the spatial situation in the core star systems are all made public and accessible by the route control station to prevent accidents. Spacecraft that jump along a set route must access the control station's information network in advance to check whether there are any other spacecraft jumping to the same point at the same time to prevent collisions.

 

Only spacecraft with a scheduled operation submit a flight plan and jump exactly as it is scheduled. Most of these are commercial spacecraft, and military supply fleets, training fleets, and cruisers on regular patrols also contact the control station, but warships on operational missions and pirate ships on the run do not submit flight plans one by one.

 

Marika tried to show the status of the FTL jump, which was being frequently updated by the control station, on the display. Even when the display range was zoomed to a radius of 10 light years from the current position of the Bentenmaru, the blinking displays of takeoff and touchdown continued to appear here and there.

 

"The prejump phenomenon has arrived!"

 

Hyakume reported.

 

"This time it's just one Gyobarachue-class ship... No, there's one more, we've confirmed a reaction that matches the pattern of the Gyobarachue-class ship!"

 

"Luca, can you make a flight plan from our current position to Ganbarut?"

 

"Flight plan?"

 

Luca, who was in the navigator's seat, turned around with his seat to face the captain's seat.

 

"Are you planning on submitting a flight plan to the control station along a set route?"

 

"Yes. There's a lot of traffic on the routes around here. I think it'll be easier for the Imperial fleet to track us if we just stay on route, rather than triple-jumping through interstellar space to stay out of sight."

 

"Are we going to disguise ourselves as a civilian ship?"

 

Hyakume asked while observing.

 

"If we're not careful, we'll really blend in and the Imperial fleet won't be able to find us."

 

"So we'll submit a flight plan. I don't know how serious the Imperial fleet will be about pursuing the pirates, but if we submit a flight plan to the control station, I don't think we'll have to worry about losing sight of them."

 

"Shall we head to Ganbart's 5th Fleet HQ?"

 

Luca's voice contained a smile.

 

"If we're lucky, the Imperial fleet will get there first."

 

"Oh, that won't do. Odette is probably frantically preparing a plan to attack the Fifth Fleet, so if we do that, it will only get in their way. The Joint Chiefs of Staff probably aren't planning on letting the Bentenmaru escape to another area of ​​responsibility, and it would be a huge blunder if the central area was attacked by pirates at this point, so they're probably trying to contain the situation as much as possible without letting the outside world know."

 

"At this time, the control station has not issued any pirate-related warnings for civilian ships in the core star systems."

 

Luca checked the publicly available control station route information.

 

"Before we run out of steam, we should try what we can. We don't know how long it will take for Odette to be ready to attack the Fifth Fleet, so how about we lure them in by blending in with the route for a while?"

 

Luca turned in his seat and faced the crystal ball. Marika felt the bridge crew exchange glances.

 

"I guess it's fine,"

 

Hyakume said.

 

"If we slip into a route crowded with civilian ships, that alone will put a strain on the Imperial fleet. The Joint Staff Headquarters we're dealing with is not going to let a pirate ship slip by just because they have a little more work to do."

 

"What are the routes around here?"

 

"Wait a second, the control station has provided us with the latest route chart. This is the famous core star systems interstellar route, or Interstellar."

 

Hyakume tapped the control panel. A three-dimensional map of the core star systems route known as Interstellar was projected onto the bridge, which was in combat mode with only the display and emergency lights on.

 

"Hey, this..."

 

Marika, who was in the captain's seat, blinked at the route map that was displayed on the 3D display of the main bridge.

 

"Is the interstellar route really that complicated?"

 

"The density of stars is on a completely different level than the Orion Arm area where we work, or outer space."

 

Hyakume adjusted the display conditions to show only the route.

 

"Not only is it less than a light year away from the next star, but it's not uncommon for there to be several stars per light year around here, so even a Category II spaceship that can't go FTL can easily fly between stars. Most interstellar civilizations started interstellar flight before they realized FTL, but with so many stars, it's no wonder communication and exchange is easy."

 

"There's also a history of interstellar wars before FTL was practical."

 

Schnitzer added. The interstellar routes that run through the already densely packed core star systems are so dense that you can see the shape of the galaxy just by looking at them, more like the blood vessels of the human body than a web.

 

"But with so many routes packed together, don't accidents happen?"

 

"Accidents started happening, so the routes were set up."

 

Hyakume enlarged the 3D display of the route map, centered on Bentenmaru's current position.

 

"Just think about it, if all the spaceships flying through this densely packed airspace were to take the shortest route on their own, the probability of a mid-air collision, which should be negligible, would increase. The relative speed would be high, so the damage would be great. If a sturdy spaceship were to crash into it at interstellar speed, not even the planet would be safe. Even if it's a little less efficient, if we don't set a route and at least align our directions, it's inevitable that flying in space would be dangerous."

 

"But even so, with this density... judging from the frequency of the FTL jumps earlier, there must be more spaceships on normal routes, right?"

 

"That's about the number of spaceships on nearby interstellar routes alone."

 

Hyakume superimposed the transponder data on the traffic lane. Marika let out a small shriek.

 

"What is this amount!?"

 

"I should tell you, this is only the public data from the control station. Even the Bentenmaru can't see all the spaceships over an area of ​​several dozen light years at once."

 

"Several dozen light years is not the area where I usually work."

 

Marika looks at the countless bright spots moving through the huge, tangled spaghetti with an astonished expression.

 

"And this number... in the tens of thousands?"

 

"From what I can see, it's close to a million."

 

Hyakume adds with amusement.

 

"Hey, what you can see now is only a small part of the Galactic Empire that the captain has declared war on."

 

Marika looks over at the route map with countless bright spots passing by again. A forced smile forms on her lips. "Don't worry, even if we declare war on the Galactic Empire, only a small part of the fleet will take action."

 

Marika glanced at the battle display. Pursuit ships were gathering from the surrounding airspace, with a Gyobarachue-class high-mobility heavy cruiser touching down nearby as a landmark.

 

"I'll leave the route planning up to you. Our destination is Ganbart, where Odette is preparing to attack the 5th Fleet HQ. If we take the shortest route, Odette probably won't be able to get ready in time, so we should take a route that allows us to adjust the time as much as possible later."

 

"If we avoid the main route, it will look like this."

 

Luca made the three-dimensional display of the route map appear as a winding single line.

 

"By the way, if we use the main route?"

 

"It will look like this."

 

A much simplified route was illustrated.

 

"As you can see, the main route is simplified and the traffic volume is low because it is long, and the flow is fast. If you submit a flight plan, the Imperial fleet should know your destination immediately, but if you want to deceive, I recommend not using the main route and using a short route instead."

 

"Then use a short route."

 

Marika made the decision easily.

 

"Um, so you'll have to change the route in detail?"

 

"Flight plans can be submitted after the fact, and unless you cause a major traffic disruption, the mobile fleet won't chase you."

 

Luca explained while drawing up a different route.

 

"...I think so. Depending on the situation, you could deliberately cause a traffic disruption to draw out the mobile fleet and further confuse them."

 

"Hmm..."

 

Marika was deep in thought. Although they are rarely seen around the Orion Arm, in the core star system, where sea routes are well developed and traffic is heavy, the Imperial Fleet's Mobile Transport Fleet patrols to maintain order on the routes, and spaceships that violate navigation laws are arrested red-handed, and in severe cases may be sunk.

 

"Well, regardless of success or failure, this case, at least with regard to the Orion pirates, is all classified and we've asked them to pretend it never happened, so as long as we can achieve our goal, we don't want to make a big deal out of it."

 

"Huh?"

 

Hyakume turns around from the radar/sensor seat.

 

"What are you talking about now, you pirates who even went to the Joint Chiefs of Staff?"

 

"Let's think about asking the Mobile Transport Fleet to come later."

 

Marika looks around the bridge, not just Hyakume.

 

"Well, if we escape to the Interstellar route, wouldn't it be possible that the First Fleet would request cooperation from the Mobile Transport Fleet?"

"The horizontal connections between the fleets of each district aren't very good," Schnitzer explained.

 

"That shouldn't change whether it's 120 years from now or 200 years from now."

 

"In that case, there's no need to fly recklessly on the route at this point and increase the number of enemies. I'll leave it up to you to submit the flight plan and the timing of entering the route."

 

Marika looked around the bridge once more.

 

"Bentenmaru, let's go on an interstellar journey"

 

The Bentenmaru began to turn to align its course with the traffic lane.

 

Originally established to prevent accidents in the heavily trafficked core star systems, the Interstellar route was later extended to the outskirts and continues to expand.

 

The kinetic energy of the spacecraft is conserved before and after the FTL jump. A spacecraft that takes off into hyperspace continues to maintain the same direction and the same speed vector when it touches down.

 

To minimize the number of jump accidents, strict speed restrictions were imposed on civilian spacecraft in the core star systems where interstellar routes were established. The speed during the jump is prohibited from exceeding interplanetary travel speed, and the direction of the route at takeoff and touchdown must be the same.

 

Routes are virtually set in space by buoys and beacons. The diameter of the route set to travel around the stars of the core star systems is at least tens of thousands of kilometers, and depending on the traffic volume, it can exceed one million kilometers. Interstellar routes are set in principle to pass through interstellar space and do not enter the star system.

 

In the core star system, most routes are one-way. An interstellar route requires a diameter of 100,000 km, and the interstellar space of a core star systems does not allow for a safe distance to set up a double track route.

 

The jump zone is the outermost part of the virtual interstellar route, which is set up like a tube in space. A spaceship that jumps faster than light speed jumps from the outermost part of the one-way interstellar route zone, aligning its course with the direction of travel of the route zone.

 

The Bentenmaru changes course in normal space to align its direction with the intended route and slows down to interplanetary travel speed, then touches down on the jump zone, which is set up like a buffer zone covering the route. It slowly accelerates from interplanetary travel speed and enters the inner route zone.

 

"Wow..."

 

Marika, who was in the captain's seat, could only cheer in vain.

 

"What's this? What's with this congestion on the route? Is there an accident?"

 

"No, it's normal."

 

Kane, at the helm, checks the situation around Bentenmaru with many 3D displays superimposed around the control panel.

 

"There's nothing wrong with the spaceships on the route. All spaceships visible from here are operating normally."

 

"But there are so many..."

 

"I've heard rumors, but core star systems routes are really impressive."

 

Kane slid Bentenmaru into the outermost route with the lowest speed limit.

 

"I thought it was some kind of joke that you could see other spaceships with the naked eye."

 

The surrounding spaceships appeared around Kane, accompanied by transponder data.

 

"The nearest spaceship is several hundred kilometers ahead. It's definitely dangerous and we can't fly interstellarly without a speed limit and a uniform heading."

 

"Several hundred kilometers."

 

Marika wondered if she'd gotten the numbers wrong, and checked the current positions of the spaceships around Bentenmaru. All of them were displayed with warnings of approach.

 

"Kane, is this your first time on an interstellar route?"

 

"It's the first time in this era."

 

While fine-tuning the course, Kane answered Marika's question.

 

"Sandaime, please adjust the speed. The speed limit is too delicate, and I can't get it right with the usual controls."

 

"Understood!"

 

Sandaime assured from the engineer's seat.

 

"The Bentenmaru has traveled to the core star systems before."

 

"I'm sure you'll agree," he said, checking the transponder that Hyakume could receive and the situation in the surrounding space that Bentenmaru could observe himself.

 

"In 120 years, air traffic control will be more sophisticated and speed limits will be higher. Thanks to that, if you want to get on a route around here, you'll need an autopilot, but I'm amazed, most spaceships are semi-automatic or fully manual, as far as I can tell from the transponder. It's one thing for a state-of-the-art system like ours, but to fly at such speeds and density with a system from 120 years ago, people in the past were really amazing."

 

"Is this what interstellar routes are like in our time?"

 

"The stars don't move much in about 100 years, so the route settings within the core star systems don't change much. The density of spaceships doesn't change much around here, but the accuracy of position confirmation and automatic control has improved, so the crowded places are even more crowded."

 

"Woah."

 

Marika checked the situation of the surrounding spaceships again.

 

The interstellar route is a virtual tube drawn into the core star system. The speed limit is set higher on the inside, with the outermost one being the slowest interplanetary speed.

 

"Are you okay?"

 

Marika was worried at the way the spaceships were jammed together, something she had never seen before on the routes around the Tau star system, so she asked.

 

"Are there any problems flying around on the Bentenmaru?"

 

In this day and age, the real Bentenmaru is participating in the War of Independence as a privateer, and is not equipped with a system that complies with the navigation laws of the Galactic Empire. The Bentenmaru under Marika's command is equipped with a system that complies with the navigation laws set by the Galactic Empire 120 years in the future, but that does not meet the standards for flying on the current interstellar route (Interstellar).

 

"We'll manage it somehow," Kane replied, at the helm.

 

"We're managing something," Luca replied in the navigator's seat.

 

"The transponder is currently oscillating according to the current standard, and since there is no electronic jamming now, the radar reflection pattern seen by other spaceships should be normal. The ship's nationality is registered with a non-empire ship obtained at Port Seruna, and as expected, it is a high-speed transport ship, not a pirate ship, but its name is still Bentenmaru. At least as long as it flies obediently within the route, it will not deviate from the navigation laws of this era."

 

"Touchdown response on the jump zone!"

 

Hyakume announced.

 

"Not only is this touchdown not on the control station's schedule, but it matches the pattern of a Tyron-class cruiser. What will you do, Captain!?"

 

Marika looked at the position of the surrounding spaceships once more. Bentenmaru's current position is the outermost slow-speed route of the Interstellar route, and the inner medium-speed route has even more traffic.

 

"Of course electronic warfare is prohibited inside the Interstellar route, right?"

 

"Of course!"

 

Hyakume replied.

 

"Try to jam electronics in a place with so many civilian ships flying for work, and you'll get a collision!"

 

"As a pirate, you can't cause trouble for the respectable people, right?"

 

Marika nodded in agreement.

 

"Bentenmaru, move to the high-speed zone! Go inside for now and go as fast as you can! We'll wait and see what the Imperial fleet will do."

 

"Understood!"

 

Kane tightened his grip on the wheel.

 

"Bentenmaru, move to the higher lane. I've given the third one the acceleration!"

 

"Okay, I'm in charge!"

 

Being careful not to cross the future orbits of other spaceships, Bentenmaru started to change course. Not interfering with the course of other ships also meant minimizing the possibility of spraying the main engine's thrusts, which were trailing at high speed and with a long tail, on other ships.

 

The Tyron-class high-mobility heavy cruiser touched down on the jump zone set outside the route, adhering to its course and speed limit. Without waiting for the spatial anomaly to subside, it fired its radar in all directions to check the situation in the surrounding space, then reduced its radar output to normal navigation and entered the route.

 

Civilian spacecraft do not carry radars with such high power. The optimal radar system is determined by the spacecraft's maximum speed and maneuverability, and the degree of congestion in the airspace in which it will most often navigate. Unnecessarily high-performance radar/sensor systems are expensive and reduce the profitability of commercial spacecraft.

 

In addition, firing unnecessarily high-power radar will interfere with other spacecraft. Radar is essential on routes where the distance between individual ships is short, but spacecraft entering the route are required to be equipped with a transponder that transmits the ship's name and current position, speed, flight direction, etc., so it is possible to check the current position of other spacecraft even without radar.

 

"The Tyron UX-class high-mobility heavy cruiser, Nomei Clumber, huh?"

 

Marika displayed the data of the cruiser that had entered the route, emitting a transponder in accordance with the navigation method, on the display.

 

"What about a flight plan?"

 

"It hasn't been released."

 

Luca, who had already checked the control data, answered.

 

"But ships of the Imperial Fleet traditionally don't submit flight plans."

 

"Well, spaceships on operational missions don't submit flight plans one by one."

 

Marika checked the surroundings of the Bentenmaru, which was moving at high speeds along the route.

 

"So, was that a pursuit ship that just came?"

 

"I think so."

 

Hyakume answered.

 

"When we raided the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the list of transponders received in that area did not include the name of the ship Nome Clumber. However, if the Imperial fleet is pursuing us, they will not just stick to the ships that the Joint Chiefs of Staff sent out to pursue us, but will order the pursuit of ships that can easily follow our movements."

 

"We are not actively interfering with the Imperial fleet so that they can observe our FTL jumps with sufficient accuracy."

 

Schnitzer said.

 

"The probability that there's an Imperial ship heading in the same direction by chance, so close, is low."

 

"Well, if they're chasing us, then there's no problem."

 

Marika leaned back in the captain's seat.

 

"We'll buy some time until Odette is ready and calls us. Is the center of the route the highest speed limit?"

 

"Yes."

 

Kane answered.

 

"The speed limit on the Interstellar route is higher the further inward. Therefore, the wider the route, the higher the speed limit in the center."

 

"In that case, we'll go where we can go as fast as possible. Just go with the flow, don't go too fast, and don't turn up the radar power too much."

 

Marika added after thinking for a moment.

 

"I think that ships without transponders will approach using the ships with transponders as decoys. Be careful with your sensors. Using electronic warfare or anti-ship combat is a last resort, and we want to escape before that if possible, so don't get complacent just because you're on course."

 

Marika checked the situation around her and then looked around the bridge.

 

"We're still in the middle of enemy territory. Don't let your guard down."

 

"Where do you think you are?"

 

Hyakume said in a joking tone.

 

"This is the Galactic Empire 120 years ago. No matter how far you go, there's no friendly base there."

 

"Really?"

 

The bridge crew laughed at Marika's silly voice. Marika laughed along with them and said.

 

"Don't worry, if everything goes according to plan, the entire Galactic Empire should be on our side."

 

"That's right."

 

Hyakume passed new data around to the captain's seat.

 

"Several new touchdown reactions, all of them warship-class judging by the output. There's no need to worry, the Imperial fleet seems to be seriously pursuing us."

 

"Is everything okay on the route?"

 

Marika asked.

 

"Is there anyone sneaking up on us without a transponder?"

 

The spatial anomaly that accompanies a FTL jump cannot be hidden no matter what. However, spaceships that touch down outside of Bentenmaru's detection range and then approach within the route, or that have been on the route since the beginning, cannot be detected by spatial anomalies.

 

"I can't find any at the moment."

 

Just to be sure, Hyakume made a list of the transponders of the spaceships flying in the vicinity and checked them.

 

"But in this situation, it seems likely that the transponders are faked."

 

The transponder transmits the name of the ship, type of ship, current position and direction, speed, and other information to the surrounding area. The standards of 120 years from now will allow for additional data such as departure point, destination, and latest mass, but current transponders do not emit such detailed data.

 

And even 120 years from now, it is not uncommon for ships to have camouflaged names and types. It is easy to spot camouflage of current position and vectors using radar or direct observation, but detailed analysis is required to identify the name and type of ship.

 

"Um..."

 

Marika, in the captain's seat, tried to think of several possible situations in the current situation.

 

"What do you mean by spoofing the transponders?"

 

"Right now, the only ships from the fleet we can see are the first Tyrone class, and the four Viscous class ships that appeared afterwards. If we expand the reception range, we can see the Second Fleet's carrier fleet far away, but we have a flight plan and are not close enough to engage directly, so we can ignore them for the time being. The problem is, of course, the spaceships approaching at close range."

 

Hyakume displayed a list of transponders. The list scrolled quickly, unable to fit on a single screen.

 

"For now, Bentenmaru is trying to change course so as not to get in the way of other ships, and is aiming for the highest speed zone in the center of the route. At least, if we're in the highest speed zone, we won't have to worry about being caught up unless there's a ship that's speeding at us."

 

"Well, let's just get in the highest speed zone quickly."

 

"Then, we'll have to overtake the slower ships."

 

"Ah..."

 

If Bentenmaru gets in the center of the route and increases its speed, it will overtake many ships in the slower route zone.

 

"If there is an Imperial ship with a fake transponder among the ships ahead, we'll approach it from here, is that right?"

 

"That's right. At the moment, none of the ships approaching us are sending out transponders of warships belonging to the Imperial fleet. There are combat ships, but they are private fleets belonging to manufacturers and ships of military companies."

 

"Hmm."

 

Marika looked at the new list, which somehow managed to fit on one screen.

 

"Even if we confirm their affiliation, if they are disguised as a real ship, it will be impossible to see through the disguise. Even if it is a fictional ship, the Imperial Fleet should at least keep enough information on the network to make it look real."

 

"At the very least, we cannot find any inconsistencies in the flight plans published by the control station or the deployment information published by the Imperial Fleet that would cause a discrepancy with the situation we are seeing right in front of us."

 

"That means we won't have to worry about being caught by the five ships chasing us while keeping to the speed limit for a while, but we should assume that there is an Imperial ship with a disguised transponder ahead."

 

"That's right."

 

The Bentenmaru kept its navigation radar at low power, which allows it to be excused as being for civilian use, and changed course as per the self-declaration of the transponder, driving safely like a high-speed transport ship, moving to the center of the route with a high speed limit. The pursuing Imperial cruiser also moved to a high-speed route with orderly navigation like an exemplary Imperial Fleet.

 

"Hey..."

 

The speed limit increases the further in along the route. The traffic volume is not the lowest speed zone on the outermost side, nor the highest speed zone on the innermost side, but the medium speed zone in between. Marika asked while carefully observing the conditions of the route, which has higher speeds and more traffic than the outer edge.

 

"Do you think we can fight in this condition?"

 

"That's difficult."

 

Schnitzer answered immediately.

 

"With such high traffic density on the route, anything that happens anywhere will have an immediate impact. If both enemies and allies have anti-ship weapons, it's impossible to fight anti-ship on this route without affecting the surroundings."

 

"That's true."

 

Marika thought deeply.

 

"If that's the case, how do you think the Imperial fleet will attack us?"

 

"The Joint Staff Headquarters has issued an order to destroy the Bentenmaru."

 

Schnitzer pointed out.

 

"Unless the orders have been changed from annihilation to capture, the Imperial fleet will surely aim to destroy us."

 

Schnitzer updated the network information.

 

"At least, at this stage, it doesn't appear that the Joint Chiefs of Staff has issued any additional orders to the pursuit order, including capture or boarding."

 

"In that case, what tactics will the Imperial fleet adopt?"

 

"We'll concentrate fire from a safe distance so that the surrounding area won't be affected even if our ship experiences a terrible explosion, including a converter reactor going out of control."

 

Marika confirmed the current positions of the five cruisers that were changing course to pursue the Bentenmaru. Neither the Bentenmaru nor the pursuing ships were using electronic jamming, so they should be able to see each other's positions clearly.

 

The safe distance between spaceships stipulated on the route is only to prevent collisions. If a spaceship that is fully charged with energy, such as a battleship ready for a gun battle, were to explode for some reason releasing all of its energy, it could potentially burn up an area with a radius of 100,000 kilometers with a super-high temperature shock wave.

 

"I wonder if they would do something so reckless."

 

"That's for the Joint Chiefs of Staff to decide, not us."

 

"But if they can't silence us with one hit, or if they cause damage to civilian ships, it's the Imperial fleet that will be in trouble, not us."

 

"We're firing too," Schnitzer said.

 

"For now, we're flying in accordance with the navigation laws and traffic regulations, but we're also equipped with cannons that can hit civilian transports in one hit. Although we've significantly reduced the power and rate of fire, the power of our shipboard weapons must have been analyzed during the battle at the Joint Staff Headquarters."

 

"In other words, as a fleet that must maintain order in the Empire, the first priority is to eliminate pirates who might do something."

 

Marika stared intently at the situation on the route.

 

"I could get in touch with them and show them that I can negotiate with them, but since we're already busy with our schedules, I can't listen to what they say."

 

"It's better to save the time we need to buy by negotiating for something further down the line."

 

Schnitzer said. "I don't think the situation is that urgent at the moment."

 

"In that case, what Bentenmaru should do now is to take a course that won't be predicted by the Imperial Fleet, right?"

 

"We've submitted a flight plan and even declared our destination to the control station, right?"

 

"We don't know if the Imperial Fleet will believe us, and we have no obligation to protect the flight plan we submitted. It's not like we can't change plans or report things after the fact on a route with this much traffic."

 

"It'll probably be fine."

 

Luca scrolls through the control station's explanation page and skims over the necessary items.

 

"It's a system with enough leeway that warships that don't submit flight plans can fly together without confusion. As long as they maintain a safe distance and speed limit, there's no obligation to hand over control of the spaceship to anyone else."

 

In the interstellar route of 120 years from now, when traffic has increased even more, private spaceships entering the interstellar route are required to be equipped with a dedicated automatic control system. However, spaceships flying on the interstellar route today are only required to be equipped with and transmit a transponder.

 

"Okay, then, to start with, let's change our speed and move into the lane, so that we don't get in trouble."

 

Marika gave instructions.

 

"A commercial spaceship would not move around the route so much at a constant speed for economical navigation, but that's not the case here, and even if we were to pursue it, it would be troublesome for us to change our speed every now and then. Luca, please aim for the most congested areas when giving route instructions."

 

"If necessary, can we use other spaceships as shields?"

 

"I would prefer not to do that, but I think it would be an option as an emergency measure."

 

"Understood."

 

On routes where many spaceships fly in the same direction, convoys naturally form due to chaos theory.

 

On the outer routes with the lowest speed limits, there are large transport ships, factory ships, and short-range liners that prioritize efficiency, while the inner routes with higher speed limits are full of high-speed cargo ships and passenger ships, and the central high-speed zone is full of business ferries and warships.

 

The traffic volume on the route is not uniform throughout. FTL spaceships jump as close to their departure point as possible to save time, and touch down as close to their destination as possible. For this reason, the routes before and after habitable planets, space cities, and waypoints are the most congested.

 

The Bentenmaru first accelerated quickly and entered the central high-speed zone. It continued to travel at the full speed limit for a while, and when it had overtaken a convoy that had naturally formed in the medium-speed zone ahead, mainly made up of container ships, transport ships, and passenger ships, it moved in front of them and slowed down.

 

One Tyrone-class and four Viscous-class heavy cruisers had also been catching up in the high-speed zone, keeping to the speed limit, and passed the Bentenmaru in a loose formation while maintaining a safe distance, as befits a sea lane. They entered the medium-speed zone ahead of the Bentenmaru, and after traveling abreast with it for a while, three of them dropped down to the low-speed zone.

 

Judging that it was going to be a long battle, Marika temporarily took the Bentenmaru out of combat mode. She ordered a semi-combat mode, allowing half of the ship's armaments and personnel to rest.

 

Half of the crew was on combat standby, while the other half were ready to take up their posts at any moment, but they could take turns taking rests.

 

At the same time, Marika was also kicked out of the bridge under the pretext of taking a rest.

 

She couldn't rest if she was told to in this condition, but Marika understood that taking a rest was also part of the captain's job. She ate in the dining room while glancing sideways at the latest situation being broadcast to the entire ship from the bridge, and retreated to the captain's quarters at Hyakume's instruction to lie down, even if she couldn't sleep.

 

Even after Bentenmaru took its combat mode off and switched to semi-combat mode, the situation continued to change.

 

The three ships moved to the low speed zone, dropped back while still transmitting their current position on their transponders, and then picked up the medium speed zone again at the rear of the fleet.

 

Before the heavy cruisers in front and behind could make their next move, the Bentenmaru moved back into the high-speed zone. It leisurely overtook the heavy cruiser in the medium-speed zone at the full speed limit, and then the two heavy cruisers returned to the high-speed zone, taking up positions behind the Bentenmaru.

"I'm back."

 

Marika yawned loudly as she returned to the bridge, carrying a pack of food to be consumed on the bridge. The bridge was in a state of long-term combat mode, and the smell of food and drink made it seem like a cafeteria.

 

"Yeah, welcome back."

 

Hyakume, who was making a mountain of bento and drink pack shells behind her seat, answered without turning around. The only seat left was the electronic battle seat of Coorie, who was on a business trip to Odette, but everyone else was there, including Jenny in the observer seat.

 

"How's the situation?"

 

Marika went up to the captain's seat and confirmed the situation she had seen in the captain's room.

 

"Electronic attacks aimed at us are starting to trickle in."

 

Hyakume explained as she sent the latest route information to the captain's seat.

 

"If we're going to use electronic warfare in a crowded place like this to avoid causing trouble to other spaceships, we have to keep aiming at the target with precision like precision shooting, but everyone in the fleet is doing a great job."

 

"What are the regulations for safe distances while sailing?"

 

"If there is a safe distance in the lateral direction where the speed limit is different, we can warn or report if they approach, but safe distances don't matter to warships in formation. However, if there are other spaceships in the target area, they can't continue their electronic attacks, so it's not a big deal at the moment."

 

"Any other attacks that look like attacks?"

 

"There have been no direct attacks for the past few hours. However, we are being hit by radar from almost all directions, even though it's not as accurate or powerful as a shooting radar, so it's better to think that most of our patterns have been recorded."

 

"Have more pursuers been added?"

 

Marika switched the display on the captain's seat.

 

"The number is increasing steadily."

 

Hyakume replied.

 

"A dozen heavy cruisers and two dozen assault ships. Maintaining order on the sea routes is one of the Imperial Fleet's noble missions, so as long as we fly according to the navigation laws, they won't take any aggressive measures to block the routes, but if they gather enough of them to overwhelm us, they'll likely take a more aggressive approach."

 

"A more aggressive approach, huh..."

 

After checking the displays, Marika opened her pack of food.

 

"What method will they use specifically?"

 

"First, they'll blind us with electronic jamming."

 

Hyakume said, checking the status of the surrounding spaceships.

 

"While we're responding, they'll approach either a cruiser or an assault ship, forcefully dock with them, hold them down, and take over control. That's the kind of strategy they'll use."

 

"Electronic jamming, huh?"

 

Marika bit into the sandwich she'd just taken out of her pack.

 

"But you can deal with it, right?"

 

"If they're just trying to see what we're doing by launching little attacks one by one, and they've analyzed what we've launched at the Joint Staff Headquarters and come up with a countermeasure, then things will get pretty bad. Electronic warfare is all about patterns. As long as you have a countermeasure pattern, you can deal with most situations."

 

"Hmm..."

 

Marika took the straw from the drink pack and poured the sandwich in her mouth.

 

"In that case..."

 

She glanced at the electronic warfare seat, which was Coorie's seat.

 

"Should we move that thing now?"

 

"Oh..."

 

Hyakume turned a serious look towards the electronic warfare seat.

 

"I'd rather not have to take care of that thing if possible."

 

In the electronic warfare seat, where Coorie was not present, several electronic devices with complex and strange wiring were fixed in place of their masters.

 

Not only were there open file-type computers and tablets, but also a control panel and a separate universal box with a robotic arm manipulator, all of which were attached to the seat in a variety of ways that only their owner could understand, from the armrests to the foot space to the control panel, as the seats alone were not enough.

 

"You can rely on me when the time comes."

 

As Coorie left Bentenmaru to take charge of electronic warfare in the Odette, he gave a brief explanation to the bridge crew, centered around Hyakume and Schnitzer. Of course, Marika was listening too.

 

"As long as we're conducting electronic warfare as usual, you can leave us alone. We should be able to use it from Hyakume or the battle commander's seat for normal operations."

 

The Bentenmaru's databank has a huge amount of information accumulated since the War of Independence. In addition, Coorie, who had connected to the information network during his stay in Port Seruna, had collected as much information as possible about the basics of modern electronic warfare and its variations, and had created a set of patterns for attack and defense for the electronic warfare used by the Galactic Empire fleet.

 

Thanks to the 120 years' worth of advanced electronic warfare data in the databank, they should have an overwhelming advantage in most battles.

 

"I'll prepare a lot of things at my desk so that we can somehow handle even the most unusual cases."

 

Coorie explained as he constructed an electronic system in front of the electronic warfare desk, a mixture of outdated materials that Marika had never seen before, probably stored in his private room or in the Bentenmaru's warehouse.

 

"If you give me command of electronic combat, I will handle it on my own."

 

"Is that okay?"

 

Hyakume, who had been listening to the explanation, spoke up in an anxious voice.

 

"Battle situations are case-by-case, and even in exercises using the same scenario, the situation and the placement of spaceships can be completely different depending on the progress. Can you just hand over command and have it respond automatically?"

 

"It's easy."

 

Coorie's glasses glittered as he piled up some mysterious equipment on the electronics seat and tied the cords together.

 

"If you turn on the emergency switch and let a non-existent Coorie take command, that means Bentenmaru is in a critical situation."

 

"Well, that's probably true."

 

"As for the situation, we have our own system and these guys are constantly monitoring it, so there's no need for you to explain it to me. There are only three commands to give: escape, buy time, or surprise."

 

"Surprise?"

 

"I don't know what's going to happen, but something's going to happen. Well, maybe nothing."

 

There was no time for any more detailed explanations, and after a minimum operational check, Coorie left Bentenmaru and got into Odette. Since then, Schnitzer has been in charge of the electronic warfare on Bentenmaru, with Hyakume as his assistant.

 

"Why don't you want to activate Coorie's mechanism?"

 

Marika asked, munching on her second sandwich. Since Marika became captain, Bentenmaru has never conducted electronic warfare without Coorie.

 

"Is there a problem? Please tell me if you don't mind."

 

"No, that's what Coorie does, the mechanism is well-designed, and we've monitored the current situation on Bentenmaru and set up a pattern to deal with most situations, so there's no need to worry about the results."

 

Hyakume looked reluctant to say as he glanced over at Schnitzer in the battle commander's seat.

 

"But, as a practical matter, as the person in charge of the Bentenmaru, I want to keep the situation in my hands if possible, and even if they're my family, I don't want to use any unexpected forces."

 

"It's Coorie's electronic warfare settings, and it's very effective."

 

Schnitzer took over to explain.

 

"But I don't understand the process at all. If you start the automatic electronic warfare with Coorie settings, you can't tell what the purpose of 80% of the process is just by monitoring."

 

"Ahhh..."

 

When an operator is assigned to a specific role, the settings on the control panel become more and more specialized to make it easier for that person to use. Schnitzer's control system, which eliminates special settings as much as possible so that anyone can easily take over, is the exception, and more or less everyone will make adjustments to the machine they use to make it easier to use.

 

It's been a while since Coorie took over as the person in charge of electronic warfare on the Bentenmaru. And the electronic warfare seat on the bridge was also the place that was most frequently modified and had the most changes in specifications. Marika looked at the electronic battle seat, which had long since lost its original shape and was still in operation with spare equipment strapped around the seat.

 

"I kind of get it. President Lynn always wants to change the computer settings, and he always adjusts it to make it easier to use."

 

When multiple people use a single system, they can create multiple personal settings to separate them from the standard settings. However, the Bentenmaru's electronic battle seat was not set up like that.

 

"They're letting them know our situation, right?"

 

As ordered by Coorie, the Bentenmaru's current position and the type and number of pursuing ships were being reported to Odette at each scheduled contact.

 

"Did they say anything from there?"

 

"Nothing, except for the scheduled contact to let us know they were still alive."

 

The communication system rang a light bell to indicate an incoming call.

 

"Here it comes. Umm, current location is Ganbart, unchanged from last time, with a message from Coorie?"

 

"That's ominous."

 

"What are you talking about, Luca?"

 

Marika looked at the message that had been forwarded to the captain's seat. It was opened because it wasn't a message designated for openers.

 

"...It says that the operation will start soon, so turn on the 'surprise' switch..."

 

"Ahh."

 

Hyakume let out a despairing groan. Marika read the rest aloud.

 

"It says that I'll explain later."

 

"That's what it says."

 

Hyakume said in a monotone voice.

 

"Umm..."

 

After thinking for a moment, Marika asked a question.

 

"If we turn on the command switch on the electronic warfare seat as Coorie says, can we predict what will happen?"

 

"If we could predict it, it wouldn't be so scary."

 

Hyakume said sadly, with his eyes still on the display.

 

"I'm scared because I don't know what's going to happen."

 

"So, what if I don't turn it on like Coorie said?"

 

"At the very least, I can control Bentenmaru's movements for the next few hours. And the chances of failure for Odette's operation will skyrocket. Coorie uses everything he can to plan his operations, so if we don't follow his orders, it will probably fail."

 

"Then turn it on."

 

Marika gave orders as nonchalantly as possible.

 

"You know, even Hyakume, that this isn't a plan that can fail after coming this far."

 

"I know."

 

Pulling the seat back as if pushing aside a pile of bento and drink pack shells, Hyakume slowly stood up.

 

"I forgot, put Bentenmaru back into combat mode now."

 

As she headed for the electronic warfare seat, Hyakume raised one hand to Marika. "Maybe we'll end up in a situation where we can't respond if we don't do that."

 

"I don't need to be told."

 

Marika turned on the microphone switch on the captain's seat.

 

"This is Marika on the main bridge. We've made contact with Odette. We will now begin a joint operation with Odette."

 

After turning the switch off once, Marika changed her mind and turned it on again.

 

"I'm going to run the automatic electronic warfare response device that Coorie prepared in surprise mode. All ships prepare for battle. Third, increase power, Schnitzer, let me know when you're ready."

 

"Engine power is up."

 

"All sections are already prepared."

 

"Okay, let's turn on the command switch in surprise mode."

 

Hyakume, who had reached the electronic warfare seat, raised his voice pointlessly as if to encourage everyone.

 

"This is where it all begins, prepare yourself, guys!"

 

Hyakume touched the tablet that was fixed facing outwards behind the headrest to bring the display back to life, and then touched the bottom of the three commands that were displayed.

 

"Command: Surprise! I'm sure I got it right!"

 

Hyakume punched in the confirmation code and then jumped back to his seat without looking back. The displays and indicators of the electronic devices strapped to Coorie's seat all lit up at once, and after a moment the displays on the electronic battle seat all came back on and started flashing as if they'd won the jackpot. If the sound hadn't been cut off, there would have been some very flashy sound effects.

 

"W-wait a second..."

 

Marika asked timidly, seeing a display she'd never seen before.

 

"Something's started."

 

"Of course, our electronic warfare operators have put all their efforts into it."

 

The communications system rang again with a gentle ringtone.

 

"Odette, Coorie has sent a rough plan!"

 

Hyakume passed a new message around to the captain's seat.

 

"Jump to Gambalt as soon as you can!"

 

"Then move to the outer jump zone..."

 

Marika started to give orders, but then corrected herself.

 

"No, can we jump right away like this?"

 

"Yes!"

 

Hyakume replied immediately.

 

"Of course it's against the navigation laws."

 

Kane said.

 

"But the only ships in the fleet that are close enough to cause a spatial anomaly and get caught up in it are the fleet's ships. There's no need to worry about civilian ships getting caught up in it."

 

"Luca, can you change the flight plan now?"

 

"I've just sent a message to the control station to change the flight to the shortest distance to Ganbart."

 

"Then, jump."

 

Marika sat back in the captain's seat.

 

"I'll check Coorie's operation plan as we jump."

 

"We've got a call from Bentenmaru!"

 

Gruier announced on the bridge of the Odette.

 

"It seems the number of pursuit fleets has increased by an order of magnitude."

 

"An order of magnitude?!"

 

Chiaki, who was in the captain's seat, called out.

 

"Didn't you say in the previous message that you were being chased by about three dozen in total?"

 

"Yes."

 

Gruier, who was in the radio operator's seat, nodded.

 

"That means it's increased by a digit..."

 

"It looks like you're doing better than we expected."

 

Coorie's voice came over the Odette's bridge via voice communication.

 

"The next jump will put the Bentenmaru into the 5th Fleet's jurisdiction. We'll time it so we launch a direct attack on the 5th Fleet."

 

"Operation procedures received from Silent Whisper!"

 

Gruier reported the title of the message that arrived in parallel with the voice communication.

 

"It's big!"

 

"I just sent you the instructions, but I don't think you have time to read them. I'll just explain the most important parts. Odette will jump to Ganbart's 5th Fleet HQ and launch an electronic attack. I don't intend to do anything that might get me caught, but if I'm attacked directly, I'll run away without hesitation."

 

"I'm not going to make such a mistake!"

 

Lynn, who was in the electronic battle seat, displayed the received operation manual on the 3D display. There was no way it could all fit on one screen, and the screen scrolled rapidly, showing new information one after another.

 

"The Bentenmaru will be moving around to take on the 1st and 5th fleets that are pursuing us. That's not enough, so we'll be flying Silent Whisper here and there. I don't think communication will be stable for a while, but Odette, who is facing the headquarters, is only scheduled to move during the final escape, so do your best.'

 

'Data exchange with Silent Whisper complete!'

 

Lynn announced. The electronic attack procedures for Ganbart's 5th Fleet Headquarters, which oversees an entire fleet, cannot be created within Odette alone, so they will use the ones that were assembled and tested within Silent Whisper, which is equipped with a computer on par with that of an electronic battleship.

 

'Well, I don't have a direct line of communication with Bentenmaru, but I think they'll be in a combat situation after the next touchdown. Well then, let's get started.'

 

Silent Whisper had already entered combat, piloted by a female operator who was one of the Bentenmaru's electronic warfare staff and also a carrier-based fighter pilot.

 

After capturing and confirming several of the main relay stations of the command communication network from within direct range, Silent Whisper, which had separated from Odette, had moved far away from Ganbart 's Fifth Fleet HQ by the time the operation was scheduled to begin.

 

The FTL booster equipped on Silent Whisper, an electronic warfare aircraft developed for shipboard operation, is the highest performance and boasts the highest output of all the available options. However, due to the design concept of centralized operation of multiple aircraft in coordination with the mother ship, the surplus power is not as large as that of a pirate ship, which is designed to operate alone.

 

In order to keep up with the fleet's movements, the maximum jump distance is large, and the jump accuracy is increased as much as possible. However, there is not enough room to perform multiple FTL jumps in succession.

 

In order to make the most of the best electronic warfare power with the limited jump performance, Coorie created a detailed operation plan for Silent Whisper.

 

The outer edge of the galaxy, which is the Fifth Fleet's district, does not have as high a star density as the core star system. Both space cities and habitable planets have dense and sparse airspace.

 

Choice of the densest airspace possible and increase the distance each jump can take will increase the number of Silent Whisper missions. However, the trajectory of the jump must not be read and it must be assumed that it is the work of only one aircraft.

 

Furthermore, the Silent Whisper, which is civilian-registered as an aircraft for the girls' high school training sailing ship, is unarmed. As a military aircraft, the Silent Whisper has many options for onboard armaments, but there is no weapons and ammunition depot at pier C68 of the Sea of the Morningstar relay station, and neither Hakuoh Girls' Academy nor the yacht club had any intention of breaking the law by possessing dangerous weaponry.

 

As soon as Coorie predicted that a long-distance solo mission would be necessary, he asked the Bentenmaru's mechanic to equip Silent Whisper with onboard armaments.

 

Though the equipment has been updated many times, the Bentenmaru, which is well over a century old, did not have any missiles that could be mounted on the latest Silent Whisper. In the first place, there were only a limited number of missiles of a size that would fit the Silent Whisper, which is a carrier-based aircraft. Furthermore, due to the operational schedule in which the Bentenmaru was first, there was no time to make preparations.

 

Coorie's order was for as many missiles with as powerful warheads as possible.

 

From the missile inventory, the Bentenmaru mechanic selected a heavy nucleon missile, the smallest for anti-ship use.

 

As a military aircraft, the Silent Whisper has hard points on various parts of the aircraft that can be fitted with various weapons, spare sensors, antennas, etc. If it were a specialized product, the missiles could be equipped via parts such as pylons and launchers, but there was no way that the Bentenmaru had parts that would fit the latest, highest-quality products.

 

The mechanics of the Bentenmaru used parts they had on hand to create a launcher for heavy nucleon missiles and a simple launching device, which they attached to the Silent Whisper. They also set up a friend-or-foe identification system, but the launching device was merely a device that released the missiles attached to the launcher. The launch of the missiles after release and target selection had to be set manually from the cockpit via a forcibly routed circuit.

 

They used pylons and launchers of the same size that were reused from other aircraft, and fabricated them by cutting and pasting discarded parts onto the hard points for large equipment on the top and bottom of the Silent Whisper's fuselage, and attached about eight small missiles equipped with their precious mononuclear warheads.

 

The combined weight of the eight missiles was just below the maximum payload capacity of the Silent Whisper listed in the manual. However, since this equipment was far from being a regular option, they had to adjust the maneuvering balance and jump characteristics while flying.

 

The reason why Coorie requested that Silent Whisper be equipped with missiles was because they had to simulate a real battle at the jump destination.

 

Even though Silent Whisper's electronic warfare power can create most battle situations, there are various conditions to be met in order to get the Imperial fleet to recognize it as a real battle. If enough time is spent, it is possible to make the Imperial fleet believe that there has been a battle even when there really is not, but this operation, in which they are outnumbering the Imperial fleet, does not allow for that.

 

For this reason, Coorie had placed missiles in six locations set up through the command and communication network from the start. The missiles were programmed to automatically respond to the fleet's situation, and were used as automatic time bombs.

 

Since the most effective moment was chosen depending on the situation, not all battles began at the same time. At the seventh jump, when the carrier fleet was in front of a supply base on cruising and launched an all-out electronic attack, including the network against the fleet and base, three of the missiles left in six distant locations had already exploded, signaling the start of a battle situation.

 

The situations of Silent Whisper and Bentenmaru were communicated to Odette in real time. However, the Odette's crew, who had launched an electronic attack on the Fifth Fleet HQ with Ganbart, did not have time to monitor the battle situation in other locations.

 

Unarmed and lacking the maneuverability of Silent Whisper, let alone Bentenmaru, Odette was assigned to be in charge of Ganbart 's fleet HQ from a fixed location.

 

The Fifth Fleet attacks in other locations were intended to create an alibi by creating an actual battle situation in the false information sent over the network. However, as Odette was directly dealing with the Fifth Fleet HQ, its task was not only to create the illusion of a battle situation in the surrounding airspace, but also to wage electronic warfare against the Fifth Fleet command and communications network itself.

 

"First, information comes in from each department in the Fifth Fleet district that they've been ambushed or are being attacked."

 

Lynn explained, projecting a complex, branching tree-like operation progress chart on the main bridge of the Odette.

 

"The first reports of ambushes and attacks totaled 12 in total. Of the reports coming in from each department in the Fifth Fleet's airspace, only three were real, two of which were set up by Silent Whisper, and one was a scenario in which Bentenmaru, being chased by the First Fleet, would jump into the Fifth Fleet's interception net of its own accord. However, at this stage, the Fifth Fleet HQ had only issued one battle order, and that was for Bentenmaru. If there was a surprise attack or attack, of course the Imperial Fleet would take self-defense action as they had weapons at the ready, and if the situation warranted, they would launch a counterattack and try to sink the enemy ship. An interception order was not issued for Bentenmaru. I'll leave that to Marika and Jenny, but the problem is that out of the remaining eleven battle situations, only two are real. We need to make at least half of the two real attacks from Silent Whisper and the fake battle information coming up from below believe that this is an attack by Orion pirates against the Imperial fleet."

 

"If it was a real war, we could just inflict damage and run away before the enemy could see us."

 

Chiaki nibbles in frustration as he looks at the tree-shaped operation schedule, which is so large it almost spills out of the central space of the bridge.

 

"What a complicated situation, we have to reveal our true identities even though we're not actually fighting."

 

"If we don't make the Imperial fleet think it's a real war, our war won't end."

 

Lynn crosses the star chart of the 5th Fleet's airspace vertically over the three-dimensional tree-shaped operation schedule.

 

"So we have to make sure we don't miss any details about the battle situation set up by Silent Whisper, and we have to mix in information about the rest of the non-existent surprise attacks and attacks, depending on the situation, that they are attacks by Orion pirates."

 

"All of the emergency calls reporting surprise attacks were later confirmed by additional information that the enemy was Orion pirates."

 

Gruier, who was in the radio operator's seat, said one word and then cleared her throat.

 

"Well, that's just too formulaic."

 

"Exactly. The planned battle information will be reported to Fleet Command in over 1000 cases, and of those, 128 are likely to be places where actual battles will occur, according to Coorie's calculations. If not all of them, but about a third of them, we'll have to send confirmation or presumed information from Orion pirates, and embellish it in various ways so that Fleet Command doesn't find it strange. And one more thing, the Fleet Command's attack orders for places where no actual battles are occurring, we'll have to completely fake that ourselves."

 

Lynn moved the star chart to the bottom of the tree diagram showing the operation's development.

 

"The overall development looks like this."

 

The bottom of the tree diagram is the planned start time of the operation. The bridge crew noticed that the tree diagram showing the operation progress, which Lynn thought was designed haphazardly, was arranged to overlap with the flattened operation airspace on the star chart of the 5th Fleet's airspace.

 

At the bottom of the tree diagram, at the start of the operation, there was only one thick line on the side of the core star in the Fifth Fleet's area of ​​responsibility, and several thin lines were drawn from there toward Ganbart in the center.

 

"This thick line is the battle that Bentenmaru plans to start. Bentenmaru is already being pursued by over a hundred ships from the First Fleet, and has already moved out in front of the Fifth Fleet's border guard fleet, which has received an interception order from the Joint Chiefs of Staff."

 

Lynn superimposed small red glowing dots on the first, thickest tree diagram.

 

"The Imperial fleet participating in this battle is over 200 ships, including the First and Fifth. It's probably a tough mission for Bentenmaru, but even if we worry about it, there's no way we can help them, and it's not like the goal is to destroy the enemy fleet, so I'm sure they'll manage something."

 

Lynn scattered blue glowing dots on the star chart.

"Above all, if Bentenmaru doesn't drag the large forces around well, the rest of the operation won't go ahead, so I'll continue my explanation assuming that he'll do it well. Then, Silent Whisper, who is ahead at the same time, will begin a simultaneous battle in seven places around here."

 

Lynn moved the star chart slightly so that it overlapped with the thin tree diagram in the airspace between Bentenmaru and Ganbart.

 

"The blue glowing points are Imperial ships operating in the Fifth Fleet's airspace, and the red glowing points are Imperial ships that will be dragged into the battle. Our work begins here."

 

Lynn moved the star chart even slightly more. In the airspace far from Ganbart, the thin tree diagram branches that overlapped with the star chart glowed dully.

 

"When the actual battle begins, real battle information will be sent to Fleet HQ, and since it's a real battle situation, I don't think there's much need to change Fleet HQ's response. I don't think that will happen, but if they receive an order saying that the battle is fake and they should stay calm and confirm the current situation, we'll rewrite it to something like "We should gather all our forces and intercept," but that will depend on the situation. What we have to look after is the battle situation in all airspaces other than those directly under the control of Bentenmaru and Silent Whisper."

 

The majority of the densely arranged tree diagram in the center of the main bridge, like a bundle of branches from a large tree, was lit up dimly.

 

"Odette will control the battles in the entire area under the control of the 5th Fleet."

 

A murmur of "whoa" filled the bridge.

 

"As everyone knows, all the battles that occur in the airspace other than where Bentenmaru and Silent Whisper are dispatched are fake and don't actually happen. But our goal is not to create a real battle situation. Our first goal is to make the 5th Fleet HQ think that their fleet is being attacked by Orion pirates at the same time."

 

Lynn blinked the first several thin branches that were superimposed on the tree diagram showing the operation progress.

 

"When Bentenmaru and Silent Whisper start fighting, we will first send the battle information from these nine places to the Fleet HQ."

 

From the points where the tree diagrams and star charts scattered throughout the 5th District overlap, a converging line runs toward the central Fleet HQ.

 

"But at the same time, reports about the actual battle will also enter the Fleet HQ."

 

Lynn drew a line indicating the branch in charge of Silent Whisper and the reports from the planned airspace of Bentenmaru's battle brightened up and to the Fleet HQ.

 

"We won't touch the information from the actual battlefield or the Fleet Command's response to it. The problem is the confirmation order of the battle situation being sent to places where nothing is actually happening."

 

Commands are sent radially from the central Fleet Command to the branches of the tree diagram that spreads throughout the entire airspace they are responsible for.

 

"We need to intercept this confirmation information sent over the command communication network and slightly modify the content. Instead of asking them to confirm the battle situation, we'll rewrite it to an order to prepare for battle because there is a possibility of an attack from unidentified pirates."

 

The light indicating the information transmission that was sent radially from the Fleet Command was distorted and returned to the Fleet Command before it reached the airspace that had sent the false battle information.

 

"The command will be delivered not to the fake battle airspace, but here, the Orion pirate ship Odette. Then, the modified command will be sent out to each airspace."

 

The light radiating from Odette, which appears in the same place as the fleet headquarters on the star chart, reached the battle airspace without missing the target.

 

"We've already got a firm grip on the military net and command communication network that the Fifth Fleet uses to gather information. We've set up our equipment to automatically modify the content of FTL communications, so there's no need to check what information is coming in and what orders are being issued one by one. So, does that mean we can just leave it alone? Unfortunately, that's not the case."

 

As the operation progressed, Lynn moved the star chart to the information on the tree diagram. More branches overlapped the star chart, and the battle information, several times more than before, became a concentrated line of light and gathered at the fleet headquarters.

 

"At the earliest, when the fighting starts in a few places, and at the latest by this third wave, the fleet headquarters should realize that they are in big trouble. Until then, the information analysis and battle command, which should have been automatic responses, will be raised to the top priority of the defense system (DEFCON) and become a priority response from around this point. In other words, human judgment will come into play, not just machines."

 

Lynn displayed more and more bright lines radiating from the headquarters on the star chart.

 

"As a result, the orders for each airspace will change depending on the situation. We need to determine how that has changed, and then provide information that will further confuse the other side and change the orders."

 

Lynn raised the star chart in the tree diagram even higher. Bright lines concentrated from almost the entire airspace in charge toward the center, and the radiation was reflected back at them.

 

"This is the first stage."

 

Lynn looked around at the faces of the crew gathered on the bridge. "And in the second stage, we have to make Fleet Command realize that the Orion pirates are not only attacking our district, but also Fleet Command."

 

"Not only do we have to reveal our true identity, but we also have to tell Fleet Command our purpose."

 

Chiaki, who was in the captain's seat, said with an even more unpleasant look on his face.

 

"What a troublesome war."

 

"Because this isn't a real war."

 

Lynn answered.

 

"We don't want to fight a real war. We'll make the Imperial Fleet think that we have to use all our strength against them, and then we'll run away. We can't tell them the size, power, or true purpose of the Orion pirates until we return to the Sea of the Morningstar. We want them to take on the strongest force in the galaxy, so it's no wonder they won't see it in a simple act."

 

Lynn continued to move the star chart superimposed on the tree diagram as the operation progressed.

 

"We've prepared this scenario, but unless Fleet Command is a complete idiot, they'll realize at some point that most of the battle situation that should be spreading across their entire airspace is fake. Then they'll start thinking about why they were fooled."

 

Lynn made the thick trunk that pierced the center of the tree diagram glow dully.

 

"Silent Whisper and Bentenmaru are hijacking a command and communication network built using electronic warfare technology from 120 years into the future, so I don't think they'll find out that easily. But even if the enemy is an old timer who only knows technology from 120 years ago, they're professional soldiers with the best equipment and technology. If we wait for them to respond, they might pry open a hole we haven't noticed and catch us all in one fell swoop. So, the third step."

 

Lynn continued to move the star chart forward. The star chart stopped at the center, where the number of branches in the tree diagram increases the most.

 

"If they notice that we've cracked the command and communication network without us realizing it, we won't know how to respond. So we'll make the fleet command realize the gap we've created and use that to induce a counterattack."

 

"That sounds easy."

 

Gruier asked.

 

"Just how in the world are you planning to get the fleet command to move in such a convenient way?"

 

"That's simple."

 

Lynn smiled with genuine amusement.

 

"I've got a firm grip on the 5th Fleet's command and communication network and I've been issuing attack orders. I'll just pretend to be in charge of electronic warfare, find weak points, attack, and confirm the enemy!"

 

"I see."

 

Gruier nodded.

 

"Since we can tamper with the command and communication network, we're going to make full use of it. I think it makes sense."

 

"The schedule after that has been decided, but for now, we don't need to worry about it beyond that. Things will probably go according to plan up to this point, but there will be a ton of minor disagreements and changes to the plan. We want to keep the overall direction of progress as is, but we'll change the plan depending on the situation we can grasp with Silent Whisper and here. So, what Odette has to do to carry out the operation as planned is this."

 

Lynn returned the star map, which had progressed to just under halfway through the operation, to its original position.

 

"Odette's current position is here, Ganbarto."

 

Lynn made a line that ran through the middle of the operation progress tree diagram shine dully. While flashing various parts of the star map, she moved the tree diagram faster this time to follow the operation progress.

 

"Odette must be firmly integrated into the 5th Fleet HQ's command and communication network. Both the military network for intelligence gathering and the command and communication network are FTL networks. And at the moment, the number of FTL channels connected using the routes we have available is roughly 500."

 

A murmur of "Oh!" filled the bridge.

 

"We're using various tricks to keep the number of channels down, but it's still equivalent to the number of lines that a small relay station always has. And as you all know, the spatial situation is important for stable operation of FTL lines. Fortunately, the spatial situation around Odette is stable at the moment, so the lines we have secured are also stable, but you know what this means, right?"

 

Lynn looked around at the faces of everyone on the bridge.

 

"In order to stably maintain and operate the FTL lines, Odette cannot move from here."

 

Lynn switched the star chart to the star chart, leaving the operation progress tree diagram as it was. The star map that had shown the entire airspace covered by the Fifth Fleet in the Eastern Galaxy changed to a map of the surrounding airspace centered on the Ganbart star system, where the Fifth Fleet HQ was located.

 

"The Odette's current location is here. It's outside the 5th Fleet HQ's airspace, but it's within the air defense identification zone. It's a training sailing ship from the Merchant Marine School, and it's been notified to the control station that it's currently on a training voyage, but it's just that it's not attracting attention. Fleet HQ knows that we're here. And once the operation begins, we can't move from here until all the traps are at least 80% complete, or at least 50% until the Imperial Fleet recognizes the Orion pirates as a major enemy."

 

"We're going to use all the power of the Odette (this ship) to attack the 5th Fleet HQ, so of course we can't move from here to maintain the line we've worked so hard to infiltrate."

 

Chiaki, who was in the captain's seat, flashed his glasses.

 

"But even now, Odette is sending and receiving a lot of data via the FTL line. When the main battle begins, won't that amount of data increase even more?"

 

"You're not just trying to cheat on the 5th Fleet HQ, you're trying to cheat on the command and communication network that extends to the entire area of ​​your area, so the amount of data is bound to be huge. But, since your opponent is a FTL network, it doesn't matter how much data you send and receive, compared to the energy it takes to maintain the line."

 

"Will they find out?"

 

Chiaki asked, probably speaking for the doubts that everyone on the bridge had.

 

"If you take over a command and communication network via a FTL network within the air defense identification zone and stay there, even if we say we have technology that's 120 years ahead of us in the future, won't the fleet HQ defense force find out?"

 

"Maybe."

 

Lynn smiled fearlessly.

 

"Of course, we've taken countermeasures. We've scattered a lot of decoys, and we don't intend to let them realize that the command network itself has been hijacked until we guide them to the very end. We've also planned to launch a spectacular diversion from Bentenmaru and Silent Whisper, who shouldn't be near the fleet headquarters. But even with countermeasures, Odette will undoubtedly be the front line of the command network hijack. And no matter how far we advance, no matter how much we prepare, we can't deny the possibility that we'll be found out somewhere, since the enemy has overwhelmingly more moves. But if we're fighting a war on the same footing, there should be some signs."

 

Lynn raised one hand on the captain's seat.

 

"So, we'll take on the network war. I'm counting on you, Captain Chiaki, for the space war."

 

"Yes."

 

Chiaki, who was in the captain's seat, raised his right hand as if to catch a thrown ball.

 

"I'm sure everyone knows where the ship is now, but Odette is currently here, in an outer planetary system of the Ganbart star system."

 

Chiaki stood up diagonally from the captain's seat and pointed to the star system centered on the spectrum G-type star Ganbart.

 

"There are two planets in the habitable zone. With stars that are too old, it's often unclear whether a unique civilization arose there or drifted there from somewhere else, but we know for certain that this is a pioneer planet that originated from a core star system. The Fifth Fleet HQ is located at the Lagrange point of the inner ocean planet and moon. If we were to consider the placement of a military base without historical background, it would be easier to contact and communicate if we placed it in an outer planetary system with less gravitational influence from the mother planet, or even better, in stable interstellar space like Port Seruna, but the other places are old fleet bases, so there's nothing we can do about it."

 

Chiaki paused and looked around at the faces of the crew.

 

"In this case, it would be better for me if that happened."

 

She grins. While reflecting on the fact that things aren't going as well as they did with Marika, Chiaki continues.

 

"For an average station, the control zone is roughly up to the satellite orbit, but the Fifth Fleet HQ has a wider control zone, covering the entire inner planetary system. The ocean planet is the third planet from the inside, but the control zone extends all the way to the fifth planet, which is just outside the habitable zone. And from there, the outer planetary system expands even further. The Fifth Fleet HQ has set an air defense identification zone outside the control zone, which extends to the sixth and seventh gas giant planets and the asteroid belt containing the comet nests beyond that. Odette's current location is here, inside the orbit of the sixth planet. It's outside the control zone, but it's clearly within the air defense zone, but it's not close enough to be noticed by the control station, so it's a tricky position."

 

Lynn thoughtfully flashes Odette's current location with a white dot.

 

"An air defense identification zone means that if an unidentified spaceship is wandering around, the control station will immediately send a confirmation message, and if the transponder is turned off, a security ship will immediately fly in. So, the Odette is a solar sail ship belonging to the merchant marine school in the core star systems, and the reason it's here now is because the solar sail is being adjusted, and the data has already been submitted to the control station."

 

Chiaki superimposed the current positions of the Imperial fleet's ships, indicated by blue glowing dots, on a star chart on the control panel in the captain's seat.

 

"In other words, as long as we stay quiet, we won't have to worry about attracting the attention of the Imperial Fleet. But if Bentenmaru and Silent Whisper go into combat in the Fifth Fleet's area of ​​responsibility, even if it's far from here, the tension in the headquarters at the Lagrange point of the third planet will rise. If they realize that our main target is not the Fifth Fleet's area of ​​responsibility but the command communication network, the possibility of them seeing Odette as suspicious will increase dramatically. So..."

 

Chiaki looked around the bridge.

 

"Before that, we will enter combat mode. The electronic warfare and communication systems will enter a war against the network under the command of president Lynn, but our hypothetical enemies are both the fleet and the headquarters in this airspace. We will intercept communications and closely observe the movements of all visible ships to see if they are moving in the same way as the headquarters is seeing them on the network, or if they are moving in a way that is not being reported on the command communication network or the network."

 

Chiaki looked around the panels around the captain's seat as if to convince himself. There were far more displays and information than at his seat on the Barbaroosa.

 

"Although the sails aren't raised, at the moment Odette has all of its masts extended as far as they can. The antenna sensitivity has also increased, and there's probably no ship in the galaxy that can match our information gathering capabilities. In this state, our immediate job is to keep an eye out for any ships that suddenly turn off their transponders and approach, or for unnatural radar emissions or stealth. We can see the situation in front of us for a long distance, so I think this is an easier situation than Bentenmaru or Silent Whisper."

 

"We've got a call from Silent Whisper."

 

Gruier announced in a cool voice.

 

"Coorie says that the battle has begun."

 

Chiaki didn't ask again. She waited a breath while everyone understood what he meant before speaking.

 

"All crew, prepare for battle!"

 

Chiaki spoke through the microphone that was also connected to the ship's PA system.

 

"Now, let's start the war."

 

"It's going to take a while, so relax."

 

Chiaki, who was standing tall in the captain's seat on the weightless bridge, tripped over Rin's leisurely words.

 

"I thought I'd made a great move!"

 

"We've been working hard on preparations up until now, and it's going to be a long one from now on. If we go all out from the get-go, we won't have the stamina to last until the end."

 

"No sense of tension."

 

With a wry smile, Chiaki regained her balance on the steps of the captain's seat.

 

"At first, it should be possible to respond automatically, so if you don't have work to do, now is the time to eat and rest! The real action will start when Silent Whisper uses up all its missiles and Bentenmaru and its pursuing squad begin to approach, so conserve your energy until then!"

 

The biggest difference between the Seventh Fleet, which fights outside the Empire, and the First through Sixth Number Fleets, which are in charge of the Empire, is in the chain of command.

 

The airspace under the Seventh Fleet's jurisdiction is larger than the combined jurisdictions of the other fleets. Also, the battle conditions on the countless front lines are different, so the Seventh Fleet HQ does not centrally command all front lines. The Seventh Fleet is commanded by the flagships of the fleets stationed on each front line, or by the commanders if they are operating individually.

 

The First through Sixth Number Fleets, which are in charge of the Empire, are basically under the command of the Fleet HQ. The headquarters dispatches fleets to deal with tensions in star systems within the district and for ceremonies, and moves the fleets according to the exercise schedule.

 

In order to collect reliable information and provide accurate operational command according to the situation, the Fleet HQ became an information system spread across a vast airspace. Not only each ship and each base in the fleet, but also intelligence agents and fleet members become terminals for collecting information, and the information is collected at the Fleet HQ and analyzed by a huge computer system.

 

This system is fixed for the First, Second, and Third Fleets, whose districts and missions remain almost unchanged, but minor modifications have been made to the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Fleets, which divide the outer edge of the Galactic Empire into three sectors. The Galactic Empire has been expanding since its birth, and as the Seventh Fleet District moves to the frontier, border airspace that was previously outside of its territory is added to the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Fleets' districts.

 

Bentenmaru and Silent Whisper possessed military intelligence about the Eastern Galaxy, which would become the Fifth Fleet's district in 120 years' time. Although there was no information from 120 years ago regarding the Fifth Fleet's command structure and intelligence network, detailed data from after it was annexed by the Galactic Empire was stored in Odette.

 

By comparing the situation he had inferred from reading historical military information with research and experiments on public networks, and information he had gathered on illegal networks, Coorie, with Lynn as his assistant, had succeeded in deciphering the Fifth Fleet's command tree with a fair degree of accuracy.

 

The Imperial Fleet's military backbone network has always been famous for its powerful encryption and strict security. Said to be a showcase for cutting-edge cryptography and a testing ground for electronic security, military network technology is sold to the defense forces of each star system and private corporate fleets with each update, and is even applied to civilian networks. Because it is not known when and what kind of encryption theories are needed, the data bank of the Bentenmaru also stores encryption theories from each era, and the Silent Whisper also records encryption theories and security technologies from all eras, perhaps to fill up the almost infinite data storage and increase its commercial value.

 

Coorie infiltrated the Fifth Fleet's command and communication network using a trick that was equivalent to cheating in a technical book from the future. After conducting some harmless experiments to check the latest situation, he released an improvised familiar (program) onto the network. Programs that run through military networks, where information is transmitted FTL, change their form in various ways, such as regular notifications, noise, and security program update information, and proliferate while modifying themselves to suit the security of the network itself, and disappear when necessary.

 

The security level of military networks is not uniform. The security level of the information gathering network that is spread all the way up to the civilian level is not very high, while the command and communication network that transmits battle orders from the top to the bottom is heavily protected.

 

Before the operation began, Coorie set up every trap he could think of for the Fifth Fleet and its command and communication network. It was unclear how many of these would be discovered and deactivated before the operation began, and how many would become the subject of investigation after the operation was completed. Taking advantage of his knowledge of all subsequent changes in the network, and his equipment, which could be called cowardly, including electronic fighters that were 120 years ahead of the rest, and the solar sail's electronic warfare equipment that had been constantly updated, Coorie gained a grasp of the Fifth Fleet's command and communication network.

 

The traps set on the network and the familiars he sent out were all set to disappear after the situation was over, leaving no evidence behind. Lynn, who is more familiar with civilian networks than Coorie, tested the method of erasing each movement route and rewriting the records into meaningless noise before erasing them, and confirmed its success.

 

Information on simultaneous attacks by Orion pirates was posted on a bottom-up information gathering network, and an emergency response to the pirates was issued as a battle order on a top-down command and communication network. That was the basic strategy Coorie had put together for the Fifth Fleet.

 

There were over 1000 attack reports, including those that were not identified as coming from Orion pirates. The fake information from Odette, who had cracked the information network, and the familiar's program, which had spread to the ends of the information-gathering network, sent randomly generated information to the higher-ups as an emergency dispatch. In response, 128 sortie orders were given. The number exceeding 100 was determined by calculating backwards from the battle situation that Silent Whisper could monitor at the same time. When Coorie said that they could somehow control that much, Lynn, who was stuck in Odette, was speechless, and from then on, she devoted herself to subcontracting the work that Coorie sent her.

 

There was a reason why the number of sortie orders to the fleet was limited in response to information about pirate attacks. Because they had firmly established themselves in the command communication network, they did not take into consideration the possibility that the orders from fleet headquarters would be discovered to be fake. However, if the fleet followed the sortie order and found nothing at the destination, and if such information was returned to headquarters, the pirate attack on the 5th fleet itself could be discovered to be fake. If the situation progresses, it is highly likely that the hacking of the command and communication network itself will be noticed.

 

In order to make the pirate attack look real, Coorie decided at a fairly early stage to carry out real simultaneous attacks. Since Odette has no apparent armaments, it cannot perform a battle, even if it is a fake, but Silent Whisper can make the fleet misperceive the surrounding situation.

 

When it was confirmed that Bentenmaru, which had attacked the Joint Staff Headquarters, was fleeing toward Ganbart while being pursued by the fleet, Coorie changed the main role of the fake battle from Silent Whisper to Bentenmaru. With onboard weapons, Bentenmaru actually attacked the Joint Staff Headquarters, and was being pursued by the First Fleet, it would be possible to not only fake a battle, but actually fight.

 

"That's Coorie's operation plan."

 

Hyakume further translated and interpreted Coorie's operation plan, which he had only skimmed over, and explained it to Marika. Hyakume speaks fast and the situation is complicated and bizarre, so Marika isn't sure she understands everything.

 

"So, how much of the situation here does Coorie understand?"

 

"Everything about our situation should be sent to Silent Whisper."

 

Hyakume glanced at the electronic battle seat where the electronic devices strapped to the seat and the control panel were starting to show flashy displays.

 

"I'm sure he knows where he is and what he's doing. However, with the remaining Coories, he's probably simultaneously dealing with about three dozen situations where they're actually going to shoot each other out, and among them, the Bentenmaru is the one that doesn't need much attention because it has a crew and onboard weapons, so I think it's probably the lowest priority."

 

"It's not a bluff or anything, it's really picking fights with the 5th Fleet in a thousand places at the same time."

 

With a sigh, Marika in the captain's seat scrolled through the extremely rough Coorie operation plan displayed on the display.

 

"So, what's the job at hand, Bentenmaru?"

 

"We're going to touch down in front of the 5th Fleet Security Fleet, which is guarding the border."

 

Hyakume displayed the data that had been sent over from Coorie via the FTL network.

 

"The order to exterminate the pirates should have already been issued over there. We're preparing for battle, and will come out in front of the security fleet, which is searching for the enemy, with a pursuit fleet as an added bonus, to take them on."

 

"Security fleet?"

 

Marika's eyes widened as she saw the formation diagram on the display.

 

"It's inside the empire, but it's not a striking fleet centered around battleships!"

 

"There's nothing lacking for the enemy. So, we'll hit them once and then make a high jump to the next room."

 

Hyakume displayed a list on the display.

 

"There are eight locations before we reach Ganbart 's fleet headquarters, and we could skip a few if we choose, but this is going to be tough."

 

Marika struggled to swallow the question of whether it was okay. At the moment, Bentenmaru's energy recharge rate was about 10%, so if we were to engage in a gun battle at the touchdown point, we would run out of energy in no time.

 

"...So we'll focus on electronic warfare, and limit gunfire to flashy warning shots."

 

"That's right."

 

Hyakume updated the predicted fleet position at the touchdown point.

 

"If everything went according to plan, there will be a security fleet right in front of us, and the pursuit fleet will come down behind us after we launch a dramatic electronic jamming attack. Coorie should have already ordered an attack on us, so it should be a torpedo and artillery battle without any complicated procedures, and there should be live ammunition flying around in the battle space without the need for forced call-back shots."

 

"Hmm?"

 

Marika tilted her head slightly before speaking up.

 

"That doesn't mean we're going to jump down to a place where we'll be attacked from both sides!"

 

"You're right,"

 

Hyakume replied.

 

"Because it's a big fleet, the deployment range will exceed one million kilometers across. If we go according to plan, we'll fly into the fleet's air defense range with the prejump phenomenon, but if the preparations are off, we'll be out at a distance where the Fifth Fleet won't pay any attention even if they notice. Which do you prefer?"

 

"You can't choose now."

 

Marika looked at the countdown timer that displayed the remaining time until touchdown. The touchdown point was almost decided when we took off into hyperspace.

 

"Electronic attacks against the Fifth Fleet will probably begin at the same time as touchdown."

 

Schnitzer said.

 

"It's to interfere with the enemy's radar observation and to deceive our position. Even if the enemy, who should have received an attack order in advance, relies on the prejump phenomenon to focus their fire control radar, the first shot should be avoided."

 

"Of course."

 

Marika sat back in the captain's seat and folded her arms.

 

"We've still got all the reservations for the tatami rooms, so we can't afford to stumble around here. Come on, the first tatami room of the Fifth Fleet is coming down."

 

The countdown hits zero. After a slight tremor in the hull, several alarms sounded on the bridge of the Bentenmaru, which had returned to normal space.

 

"Here we come!"

 

Before the spatial anomaly caused by touchdown had subsided, the high-powered, high-precision fire control radar sounded an alarm. As soon as Kane regained control of the hull, he had the Bentenmaru begin evasive maneuvers.

 

"The Fifth Fleet, B-25 border guard fleet, four strike battleships, and more, estimated distance 400,000 km!!"

 

Hyakume reported the fleet's positioning as determined by provisional observations.

 

"They're scattered, with the battleship at the center."

 

Marika made her decision after looking at the fleet positioning diagram displayed on the display.

 

"Do you think they were waiting for us following the intercept order?"

 

"Long-range artillery fire coming!"

 

Luca told Kane.

 

"There's no need to move, there won't be any close shots."

 

"Got it!"

 

Just as Luca said, the first salvo from the security fleet passed through a space quite far away from Bentenmaru.

 

"Five hundred thousand kilometers behind, many pre-drive reactions!"

 

Hyakume reported the reaction of the pursuit fleet.

 

"Schnitzer, sending data!"

 

"Received, firing warning shots towards the touchdown point."

 

Bentenmaru's two class 40 triple turrets were charging during the jump. The charging rate was high, the convergence rate was reduced to the minimum, and the turrets were rotated based on the data sent from Hyakume.

 

"The advance party is coming out, three, two, one, zero!"

 

"Main gun fire"

 

Six high energy beams were fired at the rear of the Bentenmaru, which was facing diagonally. The beams, each aimed at a different target, spread out and hit the First Fleet's high mobility heavy cruiser just after touchdown.

 

New alarms sounded one after another on the bridge of the Bentenmaru.

 

"Radar illumination from the front and rear."

 

Hyakume's tone was getting annoying.

 

"Just as we predicted, the forward guard fleet is firing a second corrective shot, and the rear pursuit fleet is illuminating with high power radar. If the electronic warfare seats aren't doing their job properly, this thing will be evaporated in an instant."

 

"It doesn't seem like it's doing its job properly."

 

Marika looked at the electronic warfare seats, which were repeatedly displaying flashy displays of what was moving.

 

"They're sending deceptive information to the rear pursuit fleet, and electronic jamming to the front guard fleet."

 

Schnitzer said.

 

"They're planning to use artillery fire from the pursuit fleet to intimidate the front guard fleet."

 

"So,"

 

Marika ordered after a moment of thought.

 

"Charge forward, guard fleet! The gunfire from the rear pursuit fleet will intimidate the front fleet!"

 

Marika looked around the bridge.

 

"So, do you think that's right?"

 

"This is the first room in the Fifth Fleet District."

 

Kane put the Bentenmaru into evasive maneuver in preparation for the third salvo.

 

"I have a lot of work to do. Let's get it done quickly!"

 

Information about the Orion pirates who attacked the Joint Chiefs of Staff Headquarters in the core star systems was only partially shared within the Imperial fleet. Traditionally, fleet headquarters have not been very enthusiastic about collecting and evaluating information outside their assigned airspace, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff, seeing the first direct attack by pirates since the end of the Mopping-up War as a scandal, attempted to destroy the enemy with their own fleets.

 

As a result, the Joint Chiefs of Staff pursued the Orion pirate ship, which was on an escape trajectory through the sea lanes, with only the First Fleet, which was under their direct command, without issuing instructions to the Third Fleet, which was guarding the eastern half of the core star system.

 

As many ships belonging to the First Fleet as possible were mobilized on the escape trajectory, and the pursuit posture was strengthened as much as possible. However, even with the reinforced fleet, it was not possible to corner the pirate ship, which cleverly escaped via the interstellar route.

 

The Joint Chiefs of Staff, having predicted the pirate ship's escape trajectory, planned to intercept it in the airspace that would pass through the core star systems and enter the inner edge of the galaxy. At this point, they finally decided to deploy other Numbers fleets, aiming to pincer the pirate ship with the Fifth Fleet's border guard fleet and the First Fleet pursuit force.

 

The pursuit battle up to that point had revealed that the pirate ship was not only familiar with the Empire's interstellar law and navigation laws, but also with combat with Imperial fleets. Its true identity was revealed to be that of an uncontacted civilization in the Orion Arm, as revealed by the crew of the Space University research vessel Curiosity, which was being pursued when the pirates first attacked the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

 

What puzzled the Joint Chiefs of Staff was that a pirate ship from a civilization that was supposed to have no contact was so accustomed to fighting the Imperial fleet, which was so numerous that it could be judged to be abnormal. It attacked the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the center of the core star system, and yet it was clear that there was no hesitation in its trajectory or fighting style as it fled toward the airspace of an uncontacted civilization in the Orion Arm.

 

However, no matter how experienced the enemy was, if they were caught in a pincer attack by the Guard Fleet, centered around four battleships on the border of the 5th Fleet's area of ​​responsibility, and the pursuit fleet numbering over a hundred ships, they would be sunk at best, or heavily damaged and rendered inoperable at worst.

 

When the touchdown of the Orion pirate ship was confirmed in an airspace that was only within the margin of error of the coordinates predicted by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the 5th Fleet, the First Fleet, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff were convinced that the sweep was over.

 

However, that was only the beginning of a new battle.

 

The anti-piracy pursuit operation by the 5th Fleet Guard Fleet and the First Fleet Pursuit Squadron was an exceptional case in which it was monitored by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, even though it was a battle in the 5th Fleet's area of ​​responsibility. On-site command of the 5th Fleet's Guard Fleet was the flagship on the scene, while command of the pursuing First Fleet was centralized by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, as it was a ragtag fleet.

 

Although the two forces under the same command system were working together to attack a single target, there was of course no time to hold a meeting before the operation began. The First and Fifth Fleets, whose main role was to guard the Holy Royal Family, had no experience of conducting a joint operation beyond a fleet review.

 

The objective of the operation was simple - to sink a single pirate ship. The Imperial Fleet's military strength was overwhelmingly superior. The First Fleet had engaged in repeated electronic battles with the pirate ship while pursuing it on the interstellar route and had completed all pattern analysis. For these reasons, neither the Joint Staff Headquarters nor the Fifth Fleet Command felt uneasy about the operation, in which the attacking forces and command systems were divided in two.

 

The Guard Fleet, which had received the order to intercept the pirate ship before it touched down in front of them, had received an abstract of the pirate ship's electronic warfare data from the Joint Staff Headquarters via the Fifth Fleet. The electronic warfare report, monitored by the pursuing ships and analyzed by the Joint Staff Headquarters, should have been enough to give them an advantage in the battle.

 

However, the pirate ships, which began their electronic warfare immediately after touchdown, deployed a pattern that had not been reported in previous reports.

 

From the Joint Staff to the Fifth Fleet's area of ​​responsibility, the First Fleet and the pirate ships had made contact over a dozen times, including those that did not result in combat. The Joint Staff analyzed the electronic warfare patterns of each encounter and determined that the pirate ships were learning the First Fleet's patterns from their battles with the pursuing fleet.

 

The outcome of an electronic warfare battle depends on how well the ship responds to ever-changing situations. After analyzing the fact that the attacks and defenses had become monotonous in the repeated pursuit battles on the interstellar route, the Joint Staff determined that the pirate ships' electronic warfare patterns had run out, and in the pincer battle that ambushed the Fifth Fleet, they instructed the use of radar and electronic warfare patterns in a frequency range that had not been used before.

 

However, the pirate ships, which touched down at the predicted point, simultaneously launched a new electronic attack pattern on both fleets that neither the Joint Staff nor the Fleet Command had predicted. The Fifth Fleet gave up on radar in a frequency range that the First Fleet had not previously used, and the advantage of the First Fleet being able to share radar responses with the pursuing fleet, and instead used radar with different frequencies for each ship for fire control, but the pirate ships carried out accurate electronic jamming on all of them.

 

But that wasn't all. The pirate ships even showed off the amazing feat of splitting into multiple ships by firing false radar responses at both the First and Fifth Fleets, who were able to share combat information via data link.

 

The radar fired by the Fifth Fleet, which was deployed over a wide area, was meant to clearly show just one pirate ship. False information disguised as a radar response would show contradictions when analyzed. However, when the pirate ships next appeared, hiding behind a beam jamming curtain that emitted thermal radiation, their number had increased to 16.

 

At this point, the Fifth Fleet temporarily halted direct attacks on the pirate ships in order to conduct accurate observations and reliable anti-electronic defenses. However, the pursuing First Fleet bombarded the 16 targets with their radar, firing a volley.

 

In a battle space where powerful energy beams fly around on top of electronic jamming, there is no way to make accurate observations. Because the chain of command was different, the Guard Fleet flagship contacted the Joint Staff Headquarters, which was directly commanding the pursuit fleet, via the Fifth Fleet Headquarters.

 

The pirate ship broke through the pincer attack by the fleets, taking advantage of the chaos of the divided chain of command in addition to its own powerful electronic warfare. With the chain of command of the Guard Fleet and the Pursuit Fleet not unified, the two fleets began pursuing the single pirate ship.

 

The pursuit fleet that had come from the core star systems was numerous, but all of them were under the command of the Joint Staff Headquarters, and acted on the judgment of each individual ship without much coordination. The Guard Fleet was not as numerous as the Pursuit Fleet, but it could be used as a single force by uniting the fleet under the flagship. The Guard Fleet flagship submitted a petition to the Fifth Fleet Headquarters to either temporarily transfer command of the pursuit ships belonging to the First Fleet to the Fifth Fleet, or at the very least to open a data link channel to share the situation.

 

The reply, which would usually come back quickly, was delayed this time. Just as the Guard Fleet was beginning to worry that the Fifth Fleet Command and the Joint Staff Command were arguing over command authority, a reply finally came from Fleet Command.

 

The Fifth Fleet Command had ordered all of its fleets to prepare for battle.

 

"Yes, I've got you!"

 

With the only remaining missile in hand, Coorie shouted with joy after checking the status of the Fifth Fleet's command and communication network during what should have been the final jump of the first phase. The battles that had been set up in two places at the same time as the Bentenmaru entered the Fifth Fleet's district were still ongoing, and the remaining missiles should have begun to move towards their respective targets, such as supply bases and fleets.

 

In addition, the Fleet Command had received fake battle information from over a dozen places that Odette had set up through the information network.

 

The Fifth Fleet's reaction was slightly faster than Coorie had expected. "I have ordered all of my fleets to prepare for battle. As expected, the fleets on the outer periphery, which border the border where the rebels are rampaging, are quick to react. Bentenmaru is pulling the 5th and 1st fleets around as planned and is advancing further, and the hidden ball of electronic tactics is working perfectly."

 

Coorie gulped down the snack chips he was eating and threw the empty pack behind the seat, which had become a garbage dump.

 

"Now it's easier to give attack orders. Come on, it's an attack by unknown pirates, respond like a real battle fleet!"

 

He fired the prepared fake attack orders one after another to each department and fleet. The cleverly constructed attack orders entered the command communication network, and were sent to the fleet headquarters as issue records and to the field as attack orders.

 

"This is the first all-out war since the Sweeping War."

 

Between tapping on the control panel at a frantic pace, Coorie opened a new pack and put a new candy stick in her mouth.

 

“If we're talking about the number of invisible enemies, we have as many of them as we had in the old pirate packs, so don't be stingy and just send out your entire fleet.”

 

Battles on the borders where the rebels are at odds are commonplace. Battles within the Empire's territory, where there should be no hostile forces, are also not that uncommon.

 

It is rare for a situation to become so bogged down that it develops into an all-out interstellar war, but a standoff between forces with conflicting interests can lead to a fleet battle, and standoffs are commonplace. Interstellar nations and corporate organizations affiliated with the Galactic Empire are allowed to possess weapons for self-defense, and there are plenty of military forces capable of fighting an interstellar war within the Empire, such as defense forces and private fleets. It is not publicly advertised, but it is an open secret that such forces are the hypothetical enemy of the Numbers Fleet within the Empire.

 

It is common for fleets under its command to enter into combat at the same time in a fleet command with a vast area of ​​responsibility. There is hardly any time in its area where there is no combat or similar situation.

 

The Fifth Fleet Command, which attempted to pincer a pirate ship that had escaped from the core star systems with its border guard fleet and the pursuit fleet of the First Fleet, had already initiated accidental combat situations in several places before that. The Fifth Fleet Command has complete knowledge of the deployment of almost all of its forces, so it is rare for the enemy's true identity to be unknown in a combat situation. Unless it is a terrorist attack or crime against civilian facilities, when the Imperial Fleet enters a combat situation, the history up to that point, the enemy's situation, and the circumstances are usually clearly understood.

 

However, on this occasion, the Fleet Command had received information that its fleets had begun combat with an unknown enemy in several places at the same time.

 

Information is shared between the Numbers Fleet HQ and the Joint Staff HQ. Traditionally, neither the individual fleet HQs nor the Joint Staff HQ respond to combat information outside their respective areas of responsibility. This time, the Joint Staff HQ, which is the highest ranking of all Imperial fleets, had dispatched its First Fleet to pursue a pirate ship in the Fifth Fleet's area of ​​responsibility.

 

As a result, Fleet HQ and the Joint Staff HQ simultaneously learned of the multiple attacks by an unknown enemy in the Fifth Fleet's area of ​​responsibility.

 

Fifth Fleet ships that received direct attacks immediately prepared to counterattack and enter combat mode in accordance with the principle of self-defense. Fleet HQ gave the order to identify the enemy as the second priority after self-defense.

 

The military network that sends information from the scene to HQ and the command and communication network that issues orders from HQ to the scene are already in Odette's hands. Odette intercepts an enemy identification order issued from the Fifth Fleet HQ over the communications network, rewrites it to say that the enemy is likely to be Orion pirates, and sends it out again.

 

Next, she sends out false battle information from all over the Fifth Fleet's area of ​​responsibility to HQ. Some of the battle information sent from where Silent Whisper is roaming is accompanied by the speculation that the enemy is likely to be pirates from an uncontacted civilization, as notified to the entire fleet by the Seventh Fleet, and this is returned to HQ.

 

The confirmation order sent to the airspace from which the false battle information was sent is rewritten as a pirate alert and sent out. The fleet, cruising in airspace that has not been surprised or where no abnormal events have occurred, goes on alert in accordance with orders from HQ.

 

The Fleet intercepts reports of no abnormalities from fleets guarding the surrounding airspace, rewrites them into randomly generated conditions such as the presence of unidentified ships or electronic interference, and sends them to the HQ.

 

If you check the communication records, you can easily see that the contents have been changed between the sender and the receiver. If you monitor the transmission and reception status, you can also find inconsistencies from the timestamps of the relay station. It is not uncommon for the chronological order of reports on the battle situation and orders for battle readiness to be reversed. However, the Fifth Fleet HQ, which is in an emergency situation with multiple simultaneous battle situations, puts all its efforts into dealing with it. False reports and confusing information are common in both peacetime and wartime, so Coorie's prediction was that the inconsistencies in the information communication would not be noticed, or even if they were noticed, they would only be dealt with after the battle situation ended.

 

The situation unfolded at a slightly faster pace than Coorie had expected.

 

When the Border Guard Fleet missed a pirate ship that had escaped from the core star systems and battle situations began in a dozen places at the same time, the Fleet HQ placed importance on understanding the situation. However, after the first three traps set by Coorie, the next one was set in motion, and when information that was confirmed to be a battle was brought along with false information that did not result in a battle, HQ ordered all of its fleets to transition to a state of war readiness.

 

If Coorie had not received sufficient information about the Fifth Fleet's command and communication network in advance, he would not have been able to continue his operational command, nor would Odette be able to continue manipulating information about Fleet HQ. In normal times and on a war footing, the messages and standards sent through the command and communication network are changed to prioritize reliability.

 

As the battle progresses, things change in countless ways. Coorie had created a highly flexible operational plan based on Silent Whisper's abundant calculation power and Odette's abundant battle information. This also took into account the possibility that Fleet HQ would order all of its fleets to a state of war readiness, and that the Fifth Fleet's area of ​​responsibility would transition to a state of quasi-wartime readiness, even though it was only the Imperial fleet.

 

Seeing how quickly the Fleet HQ gave the order, which he had assumed would come after they had moved to the third stage, Coorie quickly rearranged some of the procedures. While he was flying to the next airspace of operation, he sent information to Odette and Bentenmaru, adding instructions to ensure a proper response.

 

The Fifth Fleet was embroiled in a tabletop war waged by pirates.

 

"What's wrong?"

 

Even though he had ordered all of his fleets to prepare for battle, the tension in the airspace around Ganbarto, where the Fleet HQ was located, didn't seem to have changed. While checking the patrol patterns of the security fleet directly guarding the HQ, Chiaki confirmed with Gruier.

 

"This is information from Bentenmaru."

 

After thinking for a moment, Gruier summarized only the necessary information.

 

"The Bentenmaru is currently heading towards Ganbart, pursued by the Fifth and First Fleets. However, the Imperial Fleet probably doesn't know where the Bentenmaru is heading."

 

"It's on a nearly straight, easy-to-follow trajectory, so I think they've been found out."

 

Chiaki looked at Gruier from the captain's seat.

 

"What did you notice?"

 

"The number of ships pursuing the Bentenmaru has decreased."

 

Chiaki looked at Gruier's face again.

 

"What do you mean?"

 

"I don't know."

 

Gruier shook his head.

 

"However, the Fifth Fleet HQ has not lifted the order to pursue the pirate ship that missed us. They are planning to send in several other fleets on the trajectory, and in this situation, the number of ships pursuing the Bentenmaru should only increase, not decrease."

 

"But it's decreasing?"

 

Chiaki made a list of the possible possibilities in his head.

 

"Did they assign the pursuit fleet to other battle situations? Do you know which ships of the pursuit fleet were removed?"

 

"The report from Bentenmaru doesn't go into that much detail. I don't think we'll know which ships are continuing the pursuit and which ones are missing unless we request an investigation and observation."

 

"There are just so many of them."

 

Chiaki searched for the report from Bentenmaru and displayed it on the display. At this point, the number of ships pursuing Bentenmaru is close to 500.

 

"But we can make a guess."

 

Chiaki noticed that Gruier's voice was tense.

 

"The Fifth Fleet is committing its entire fleet to the expanding battle situation in the district. According to the command and communication network we are monitoring, no orders have been issued to the fleet pursuing Bentenmaru to change course. If that's the case, then it must be a fleet other than the Fifth Fleet that has been removed from the pursuit of Bentenmaru."

 

"The First Fleet..."

 

Chiaki brought his thumb to his mouth.

 

"They've been chasing us from the core star systems for a long time, so they were relieved of their duties and handed over to the Fifth Fleet? That can't be, if that was the case, they would have been doing something when they entered the Fifth Fleet's district. That means the Joint Chiefs of Staff ordered the fleet chasing Bentenmaru to do something else?"

 

"I think so."

 

Gruier nodded.

 

"Information about the Imperial fleet is shared with all fleets, so the situation of the Fifth Fleet should be visible to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who are in command of the First Fleet. They probably gave some other order to the fleet chasing Bentenmaru when they saw the Fifth Fleet prepare for battle."

 

"Damn."

 

Lynn spoke in a silly voice with no sense of tension. The eyes of the entire bridge crew focused on the electronic warfare desk.

 

"We overlooked that there were other people besides us who could monitor the Fifth Fleet's command and communication network and military network."

 

Lynn said, tapping on the control panel at a rapid pace.

 

"The Joint Chiefs of Staff should be able to see the same situation. Maybe they noticed that the 5th Fleet's command and communication network was being tampered with before we told them?"

 

"The networks the Joint Chiefs of Staff can monitor should be the same ones the 5th Fleet HQ can see, right?"

 

Chiaki asked.

 

"Isn't the Joint Chiefs of Staff also looking at the same combat information and command communications that we tampered with?"

 

"That should be the case. Fleet HQ only needs to look at its own area of ​​responsibility, but the Joint Staff HQ is supposed to monitor not only the Empire, but also the border areas that the Seventh Fleet is responsible for."

 

"They're really watching?"

 

"They're supposed to be watching. I don't know if that's actually the case, but the Joint Staff HQ is a huge organization that was created to be able to wage war against the entire galaxy. Command is left to each fleet HQ in normal times, but in times of emergency, the Joint Staff HQ takes command of the entire fleet."

 

"...Isn't it possible that the Joint Staff HQ has decided that now is the time for that?"

 

Chiaki and Lynn looked at each other before turning their gaze to Gruier, who had asked the question.

 

"We ran all the way to the Joint Chiefs of Staff before we fled here."

 

"Where did you learn the word 'attack'?"

 

"The war we are staging here is much larger than the one Bentenmaru waged in the core star systems. If the Joint Chiefs of Staff sees the same thing, don't you think they're going to assume full command authority by deciding this is a war against pirates?"

 

"That's not good."

 

Lynn muttered as she fine-tuned the battle information that the main computer was working at full speed to alter.

 

"The reason we went to so much trouble to penetrate the command and communication network and the military network was because we were planning to take on the 5th Fleet. If the Joint Chiefs of Staff suddenly take command authority here, we won't be able to take care of them."

 

"Can you find out what the Joint Chiefs of Staff are doing here?"

 

Chiaki looked back and forth between the bridge, where a tree diagram showing the operation progress was displayed in close-up, and Lynn, surrounded by multiple displays.

 

"...That's impossible."

 

"I'm not saying we can't do it."

 

Lynn answered, looking at the display and tapping on the control panel.

 

"But right now, both Odette and I are focusing all our forces on the Fifth Fleet. If we go to peek at the Joint Staff Headquarters now, our forces against the Fifth Fleet Headquarters will definitely decrease."

 

"Can we read the movements of the First Fleet from the Fifth Fleet's battle information?"

 

Chiaki looked at Gruier as he spoke.

 

"Can you do that?"

 

"If we narrow down the battle information to the First Fleet, I think only the relevant information will come up. We know the names of the ships of the First Fleet that were chasing Bentenmaru from the reports so far, so if we can find the names of the pursuing ships in the Fifth Fleet's battle information, I think we might be able to see where they scattered."

 

"Okay, please. Also, summarize the situation and send it to Silent Whisper."

 

"Understood."

 

Gruier skilfully slid his finger over the control panel.

 

"How much should I tell you?"

 

"The number of fleets pursuing Bentenmaru has decreased, and the Fifth Fleet's battle orders haven't changed, so the number of pursuing ships from the First Fleet may have decreased. We are currently searching for their whereabouts. The enemy is that Bentenmaru's electronic Zashiki-warashi, so if we give them only reliable information, they will make the necessary decisions."

 

"Who's the Zashiki-warashi?"

 

The reply from Coorie was not a message, but a voice communication via a FTL line. According to the accompanying data, Silent Whisper is fighting a strategic fleet mainly composed of aircraft carriers at a supply base not far from Ganbart.

 

"Eeek!"

 

The unexpected first words made Chiaki in the captain's seat shrug his head exaggeratedly, and the bridge of Odette erupted with excitement.

 

"Anyway, that's a good point. Have you found any other ships that were pursuing Bentenmaru from the core star system?'

 

'Four ships have been spotted, likely the same ships from the First Fleet.'

 

Gruier, who was directly communicating, replied, glancing sideways at the display.

 

'All of these are airspace areas that have been confirmed as attacks by Orion pirates in battle situations that we have initiated. Two of them match the trajectory of Silent Whisper, and the remaining two are false battle information.'

 

'Hmm.'

 

The FTL communication was only audio, and there was a pause long enough for Coorie to snort.

 

"As expected, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the highest ranks of the most powerful military force in history, are in the hands of someone with a keen nose."

 

"The battle situation in the 5th Fleet District is escalating faster than we had planned. Judging from this situation, I think that the higher-ranking Joint Chiefs of Staff, not the 5th Fleet Command, is trying to take battle command."

 

There was no reply from Coorie for a while to Gruier's question. Only a thin information line faintly conveyed the electronic warfare situation of Silent Whisper.

 

"Sorry, but the situation is more complicated than expected because a bunch of electronic warfare ships are trying to burn us out."

 

Lynn, who was in the electronic warfare seat, waited for Coorie's next words, wondering if she could give strategic advice while taking a break from tactical command.

 

"Judging from the circumstantial evidence, I don't think the Joint Chiefs of Staff is planning to take combat command away from the 5th Fleet right now. Is it really so easy for a "strategic" command, known for its shady and nasty nature, to take away combat command, even though it is not currently being held responsible, from a fleet command?'

 

'So what does this situation mean?'

 

'The Joint Staff Command has started to confirm reliable battle information from their fleets.'

 

'...That's bad.'

 

After a breath, Lynn said as if nothing had happened.

 

'I thought I had set up as many elaborate traps as possible for the 5th Fleet Command, but the Joint Staff Command left the response to Bentenmaru and did nothing. I don't know what Bentenmaru has been doing in the center, but if they confirm the situation assuming that our specialty is electronic warfare and that we are using tactics specialized in that, then at worst, they will see through all of our plans.'

 

'I don't think I've set up traps that are so stupid that they can be read right away.'

 

Coorie's response was also somewhat dull.

 

"Even though our equipment and data have advanced 120 years, it might not seem strange if it's thought of as advanced technology from an uncontacted civilization."

 

"...Do we need to change our strategy?"

 

Chiaki asked without coming up with any concrete alternatives. If we're heading down the wrong path, the sooner we can correct it, the better.

 

"Yes."

 

Coorie's response was quick.

 

"I'll suggest to Captain Marika that we change course to Plan B."

 

"Plan B!?"

 

In the airspace near the relay station, where there was a lot of civilian ship traffic, while Marika was directing the battle being pursued by the fleet and reinforcements that had been brought in directly from the borders of the 5th Fleet District, she shouted into the voice line from Silent Whisper.

 

"Isn't it Coorie who said that it's probably useless because it's not very reliable?"

 

"As expected of the Captain, you remember that well."

 

Silent Whisper should also be fighting a large force, but from Coorie's tone, I don't sense any urgency in the situation.

 

"That's right. At this stage, Plan B would be a big gamble, so I thought that if we were to use it, we would lose. But if the Joint Staff Headquarters, not just Bentenmaru, is taking advantage of the situation we've set up, it's a different story. If we're not only up against the 5th Fleet Headquarters, but also the Joint Staff Headquarters at the same time, Plan B will have a good chance of winning."

 

Marika closed her eyes and thought for a breath.

 

"If Coorie said that, it means that she has decided that we'll win more if we execute Plan B than continue with the current operation, right?"

 

"That's right."

 

Marika nodded, hearing his answer without any hesitation or hesitation.

 

"Okay, let's execute Plan B."

 

"Please decide the time."

 

Coorie said.

 

"I think the location is fine as planned. But should the time be half a day later, or a day later?"

 

Marika looked at the chronometer on the captain's seat. She considered the galactic standard time and the current positions of Bentenmaru, Silent Whisper, and Odette.

 

"If it's not a day later, Odette won't make it. If the deadline is a day later, do you think we can make it?"

 

"It's a tight schedule, but we're always short on time. So, as soon as we end this communication, we'll move to Plan B. We'll synchronize with the Odette here."

 

"I'll leave it to you. Make sure you're on time to the meeting place."

 

Marika ended communication with Silent Whisper and looked around the bridge.

 

"You were listening, right?"

 

Some of the bridge crew members facing the captain's seat nodded, while others raised their hands in response.

 

"Well, now Bentenmaru will move to Plan B. I'm going to run away!"

 

Being pursued by the Imperial fleet, mainly consisting of mobile cruisers, Bentenmaru entered the airspace controlled by the relay station. They kindly sent a flight plan that included a FTL jump to the control station, and made the FTL jump without waiting for permission.

 

The high-mobility cruisers immediately began a FTL jump to pursue the short jump. Next, the remaining ships made precise jumps according to the data they had obtained by precisely observing Bentenmaru's FTL jump.

 

Bentenmaru was not there at the touchdown point. Repeating FTL jumps at intervals was a standard tactic to confuse pursuit. The pursuing ships continued to make further jumps, following the wake left in space.

 

Bentenmaru was not there at the next touchdown point either. The pursuit ship found four almost identical FTL jump tracks. All of them were heading in different directions.

 

The advance party continued the pursuit according to procedure. The pursuit fleet that followed tried to make precise observations of the track, but they were unable to obtain sufficient data due to the disturbance of space caused by the touchdowns of the pursuit fleets that arrived one after another.

 

The pursuit fleet, split into four, spotted the Bentenmaru at two of the touchdown sites and immediately launched an attack. The remaining two advance fleets spotted several more ships at the touchdown sites.

 

"Do you think they were scattered?"

 

Marika asked in a subdued voice on the silent Bentenmaru bridge.

 

"Probably,"

 

Schnitzer answered.

 

"We used an unmanned probe with Bentenmaru's navigation pattern as a decoy to go ahead. The pursuit fleet has followed all the probes, but so far we haven't seen any coming towards us."

 

"We cleared out all our decoys and gave them a promotion. If they don't get on board now, we'll have to think of something else to do."

 

"Alpha and Beta, no problems. But, our energy reserves are pretty low, so all we can do is a short jump and engage in anti-ship combat without firing our guns."

 

"Bentenmaru's current position confirmed."

 

Luca displayed the current position on a star chart.

 

"Interstellar space, near the dark clouds. We're away from the shipping lane, so we can hide for a while."

 

"Yes, yes."

 

Marika checked the current situation of Bentenmaru on the display in the captain's seat. Although it hadn't sustained any damage that would impede navigation or combat, it had a mountain of small scratches from previous battles.

 

"Well, Bentenmaru will now move secretly to Port Seruna. Prioritize repairs on things that are visible, like antennas and sensors. The only thing I'm worried about is..."

 

Marika looked around at the displays around the captain's seat.

 

"Odette is starting to pull back."

 

As if anticipating Marika's worries, Hyakume reported.

 

"It's okay, for now there's no sign of Fleet Command or the surrounding fleets paying attention to Odette. As for Silent Whisper, well, Coorie's still there, so there's no point worrying about it."

 

Hyakume looked up from the display and looked back at the electronic battle seat with a worried look on his face.

 

"Our automatic settings are still working."

 

The electronic battle seat, without Coorie, continued to display a solid picture, though it wasn't as hectic or flashy as it was at its peak.

 

"We don't have the electronic warfare settings yet."

 

Schnitzer, in the battle commander's seat, said while giving instructions on the priority of repair and inspection of weapons.

 

"For now, there are no enemies in the engagement range, so the electronic warfare equipment is not working."

 

"Pay attention to the surrounding situation and the movements of the Fifth Fleet."

 

Marika instructed.

 

"Also, pay attention to the situation of Odette. I don't think president Lynn will make a mistake when it comes to quitting, but he said that the most difficult thing about electronic warfare is to win and run away."

 

The simultaneous attacks by Orion pirates on the Fifth Fleet District quickly subsided, peaking at over 300 battle reports and 10 confirmed engagement reports. The frequency of battle reports dropped dramatically, as if it was a signal that a pirate ship that had fled from the core star systems, hoping to be pursued, had made a blinding jump in the airspace near the busy relay station to shake off the pursuing fleet.

 

Unable to gauge the pirates' intentions of sparking a simultaneous, all-district combat situation, Fleet Command, which was responding to the situation as it was coming to an end, discovered an unrecorded message in the command and communication network.

 

The presence of this message, left like a note at the top of the command and communication network, which was supposed to be the most heavily guarded in the galaxy, nearly threw Fleet Command, which had not anticipated it, into a panic.

 

The message from the Orion pirates to the Fifth Fleet Command was a warning of the next pirate surprise attack.

 

Hello, this is Kato Marika, captain of the Odette, the Orion pirate that is currently causing a stir.

 

Announcement to all members of the Galactic Empire Fleet. The pirates' next target of attack is Port Seruna, the Seventh Fleet District, and the attack is scheduled to take place exactly one day from now in Galactic Standard Time. We look forward to your participation from the First, Fifth, and Seventh Fleets.

 

Kato Marika, Captain of the pirate ship Odette.

 

Initially, there were signs that the Fifth Fleet HQ had tried to conceal the message left by the pirates on the command and communication network. However, their plan was quickly thwarted when the Joint Chiefs of Staff sent an inquiry with the exact same message attached.

 

The same message as the one left at the Fifth Fleet HQ had also reached the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Although they immediately attempted to trace it back, they were only able to trace the pirate ship that had escaped from the core star systems to a relay station that had last been seen in nearby space.

 

The pirate surprise attack that began with the attack on the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the core star systems seemed to have come to an end.

 

The Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Fifth Fleet HQ began discussing the thorny issue of how to handle the aftermath and whether to continue the pursuit. The atmosphere of the discussion, which was dominated by the usual laissez-faire approach, was completely changed by the inquiry from outside.

 

The Seventh Fleet Command had received a message with the exact same text.

"Sorry I'm late!"

 

As soon as the door opened, Chiaki jumped onto the main bridge of the Bentenmaru.

 

"I took a detour to make sure I wouldn't be followed, so it took a while to check."

 

The excuse was cut short midway. On the main bridge of the Bentenmaru, the lights were dimmed in preparation for battle, and a large fleet was displayed in 3D, filling the entire space.

 

"Sorry for the interruption."

 

Next came Lynn, who called out "Oh."

 

"Is this... the Imperial fleet from Port Seruna?"

 

"Welcome back."

 

Jenny turned from her observer seat and smiled.

 

"As expected, you can tell just by looking."

 

"Well, that's what it is, with this oppressive atmosphere."

 

Lynn looked around the bridge of the Bentenmaru.

 

"What's this data?"

 

"From Silent Whisper, which was sent ahead to Port Seruna."

 

Marika, who was looking up at the 3D image from the captain's seat, answered.

 

"This is the latest real-time data. The Imperial fleet is gathered in Port Seruna."

 

The image data from Silent Whisper showed a large fleet in battle formation. It was clear at a glance that they were not anchored in an anchorage airspace. The large formations, arranged in formation, continued endlessly up, down, left, right, front and back.

 

"...How many?"

 

Marika answered Chiaki when he asked.

 

"Compared to the number of ships in the airspace around Port Seruna last time, there are more than 1000 more. I told Silent Whisper's Coorie to be as quiet as possible when gathering information, so I've only received rough data so far, but there are about 600 ships from the 5th Fleet and about 400 from the 1st Fleet."

 

"That means the challenge I sent to the Joint Staff Headquarters and Fleet Command worked perfectly."

 

Lynn folded her arms with satisfaction.

 

"So, how are they going to attack this time?"

 

"I'm thinking about it."

 

Marika said, still looking at the display of what seemed to be countless fleets.

 

"Anyway, we've gathered the numbers for the Imperial fleet, so now we're thinking about how to send them to the Tau system."

 

Marika turned to Chiaki and Lynn, who had climbed aboard the docked Odette, and smiled.

 

"Do you have any ideas?"

 

Chiaki and Lynn looked at each other without saying anything.

 

"You see, when the Joint Chiefs of Staff started to gather information separately from the Fifth Fleet, we quickly moved to a backup plan (Plan B). We gathered the strength of the Imperial fleet, but we didn't think about how to guide you to the Tau star system after that."

 

"What if we infiltrate the Seventh Fleet's command and communication network?"

 

Lynn spoke up with a random idea.

 

"That's not enough. I haven't checked whether the Fifth Fleet's command and communication network is still active because I'm afraid of being detected, but we can also infiltrate the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Seventh Fleet's command and communication networks in the same way."

 

"Even if you succeeded once, if you use the same tactic on the same person repeatedly, you'll suffer a painful experience."

 

Hyakume interjected.

 

"Fortunately, things have gone well so far, but our enemy is the Imperial Fleet, which has always been the strongest force in the galaxy, and will continue to be so in the future. Moreover, it's been almost a day since the last time we attacked. We had plenty of time to investigate how the Fifth Fleet was disrupted."

 

"The Seventh Fleet's command and communication network is different from that of the Sixth Fleet, which is in charge of the Empire."

 

Marika turned her eyes back to the large fleet on the screen.

 

"The battlefront is wide and the circumstances are different, so it's normal for the Seventh Fleet to be commanded independently on the front lines. Even if we take over the command and communication network of the fleet headquarters, the fleets that are working in different locations won't move so easily."

 

"... That reminds me."

 

Lynn remembered that she had proposed a long time ago that if we could take over the command and communication network of the Fifth Fleet, we could use the same method on the Seventh Fleet and have them gather in the same star system. It was just two days ago.

 

"Well, um..."

 

The main bridge was silent. No one tried to speak about alternative plans.

 

Suddenly, the mobile phone started ringing lightly.

 

"Sorry, this way!"

 

Jenny, who was in the observer's seat, hurriedly checked the display of the mobile phone she had tossed into her side pocket. The display of the basic mobile phone, which she was still not used to, only showed that the caller was anonymous.

 

Since Port Seruna was within the effective communication range, it was not surprising that public communications could be made on board the Bentenmaru, which was connected to the network. However, the only person who knew the ID code of the mobile phone she had obtained in Port Seruna was the Athena Sakyura, a Space University research vessel. And if the caller was Athena, there was no need to conceal her identity when calling.

 

"Caller unknown. I'll answer."

 

Showing the ringing mobile phone to Marika in the captain's seat, Jenny pressed the answer button. The display showed that the call was made with multiple secret circuits set up.

 

"Yes."

 

Aware of her nervousness, Jenny put the phone to her ear.

 

"Jenny Dolittle."

 

"This is Ricardo Uberstein."

 

Hearing the familiar, calm voice, Jenny instinctively checked the display of the phone she had taken away from her ear.

 

"Yes, this is Orion's pirate ship, Odette. Jenny remembered, and set her phone to open, gesturing to Marika to listen over there, as she put the phone back to her ear.

 

"Are you Ricardo Uberstein, president of the Imperial Bank?"

 

As soon as she spoke the name, the tension on the Bentenmaru Bridge soared. The person on the other end of the phone answered with a smile, as if he knew that the call was being overheard by others.

 

"Ricardo Uberstein, president of the Imperial Bank. Yes, thank goodness I'm still in the same position as when we last met.'

 

'That's good.'

 

At least, it seems that Uberstein's position hasn't changed because of Odette and Bentenmaru's actions up to now.

 

'Congratulations. Your work from the Joint Staff Headquarters in the Core star systems to the 5th Fleet District has exceeded our expectations, without any flattery.'

 

'Thank you.'

 

Jenny answered frankly.

 

'It's only thanks to everyone's cooperation that we've come this far. We'll be back to Orion in just a little bit.'

 

'It's not enough.'

 

'Eh?'

 

Jenny couldn't help but ask Uberstein again.

 

'Your work is impressive enough, but you're being considerate of the Imperial fleet to minimize future troubles. Thanks to you, the damage to the fleet is surprisingly small compared to the turmoil you caused. As things stand, you are not a sufficient threat to the Imperial fleet.'

 

'Well, that is what I mean.'

 

Jenny tried to think of what Uberstein's request meant.

 

'Do we have to inflict more damage on the fleet?'

 

'In short, that is what it comes down to.'

 

Uberstein answered.

 

'The Joint Chiefs of Staff have ordered an interception at Port Seruna of the Orion pirate ships that have been passing through the district, but unfortunately the Seventh Fleet has not responded well. With the cooperation of the intelligence department, we were able to conceal information about the Orion pirates from the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Fifth Fleet, but you are in peaceful contact with the Seventh Fleet at Port Seruna. Also, the Seventh Fleet is always at war with the rebels outside of Imperial territory, so rampaging pirates are not uncommon. Therefore, the Seventh Fleet tends to underestimate threats from within the Empire.'

 

'You want us to take on the Seventh Fleet?'

 

After saying that, Jenny realized what Uberstein had in mind.

 

'You're asking us to inflict more damage.'

 

"That's a quick answer. You Orion pirates must attack the largest stronghold of the Imperial Seventh Fleet before fleeing to your own star system. If they don't take enough damage there, the Imperial fleet won't be able to send a large enough fleet to make your civilization surrender at first sight."

 

"I understand what you're saying."

 

Jenny looked up at Marika, who was supposed to be listening to the conversation, in the captain's seat. Marika was leaning her elbows on the armrests, her fingers digging into her hair, looking like she was about to groan.

 

"As you know, our fighting power is limited. I don't have much time, so I'll ask frankly. How much cooperation will the Imperial Bank give us in this matter?"

 

On the other end of the line, Uberstein burst out laughing with amusement.

 

"That's really helpful that we got this over with so quickly. Yes, what I'm about to do is clearly an act of treason, but if the intelligence department does it, it will be even more problematic. Even if I tell them that it's a stepping stone to adding your civilization to our galactic empire, it will be difficult to convince them even after everything goes well.'

 

The mobile device rang an unfamiliar sound.

 

'The Seventh Fleet has made a plan to intercept your forces at the request of the Fifth Fleet. However, as per the message you sent, this is in case you pass through the airspace around Port Seruna or directly attack Port Seruna. If the Orion pirates do not actively contact the Seventh Fleet, there will be no interception.'

 

Jenny checked the display of her mobile device. In addition to the voice communication, the mobile device was receiving some large data.

 

'What I'm sending you now is the latest status of Port Seruna's interception posture and fleet deployment. I want you to use this data effectively and deal a devastating blow to the Seventh Fleet at Port Seruna.'

 

'We're receiving it here, too.'

 

Hyakume said in the radar/sensor seat.

 

'Port Seruna's interception command system, patrol network, fleet deployment. I see, if they leaked this information even in peacetime, they'd definitely be arrested for espionage.'

 

'You're planning to have them engage in battle with the Imperial fleet no matter what, aren't you?'

 

Jenny said to the president on the other end of the phone.

 

'In other words, so far, the Orion pirates' plot has been going well.'

 

'For now.'

 

Uberstein admitted.

 

'However, in the current situation, your achievements are not so highly recognized, mainly in terms of the damage suffered by the Empire. Your skill in stirring up the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Fifth Fleet is impressive, but for now, these are only expected to occur a few times a year as terrorist attacks or natural disasters. This is still not enough to achieve results that will go down in history.'

 

'We don't mind if the annexation of the Orion Arm goes down in history, but we have no intention of leaving our name in history.'

 

Jenny gently pointed out.

 

'We have certainly received the information about Port Seruna. We promise to make use of it.'

 

'Wait a moment!'

 

Lynn spoke up.

 

'Not just Port Seruna, but also the command structure and latest fleet deployment data for the Orion Arm, and the command and communication network data!'

 

'If possible, could I ask for a bit more?'

 

'What is it?'

 

Jenny carefully repeated Lin's words.

 

'I would also like detailed data on the command structure and latest fleet deployment data for the Seventh Fleet in the Orion Arm, as well as the command and communication network.'

 

The reply was a little delayed.

 

'... What do you mean?"

 

“To wage war against Port Seruna, information from Port Seruna alone is not enough."

 

Looking up at Marika in the captain's seat, Jenny nodded.

 

"If we can get back to our own star system, we will surrender to the Galactic Empire. However, we must escape until then. Furthermore, we must bring a large fleet that can fight an interstellar war with us. In battle, we can manage with the situation at hand, but in order to wage war, we need to know the information of our surroundings."

 

"The Seventh Fleet's command structure and fleet dispositions are readily available, but detailed data on its command and communication networks..."

 

"I will keep your secrets."

 

Jenny said in a pleading tone, not a threat.

 

"That is what we need to get the war going, not in battle."

 

"I can't promise you anything in this call."

 

Uberstein said.

 

"But I understand the situation. It will take some time to confirm whether we can secure and provide the information you need. Thank you for your patience.'

 

'Thank you,'

 

Jenny said.

 

'If we enter into battle with incomplete information, the pirates may be captured or sunk. I believe that would be unfortunate for both sides. There is one more thing I would like to ask.'

 

'What is it?'

 

'Does the Imperial Fleet know the ID code of this phone?'

 

Uberstein laughed happily on the other end of the phone.

 

'Why do you care more about how much of your information is shared than whether the Imperial Bank knows your contact information? It's no wonder the Imperial Bank sees you as someone worthy of negotiation.'

 

'Thank you.'

 

"At this time, only the 6th Section of the Seventh Fleet Intelligence Department and I know the ID code for your mobile device. And the secret agreement between you and I is still valid. In other words, if this is successful, this information will be sealed away along with your existence."

 

"I understand."

 

Jenny looked around the bridge to see if she had missed anything.

 

"I look forward to hearing from you again."

 

"Have a nice voyage."

 

The call ended with a sailor's cliché.

 

Before the return of Silent Whisper, which had been scouting Port Seruna, data on the Seventh Fleet's command and communication network and its deployment status in the Orion Arm arrived via public lines.

 

The data was heavily encrypted and set to disappear instantly if the wrong key was entered, and was checked by Hyakume. After confirming that there were no malicious viruses or traps, it was decrypted and unpacked.

 

Although it was limited to the Orion Arm, the Imperial fleet's deployment status was detailed, including not only the ship types but also the equipment supply status and detailed reports of the current operations. The command and communication network was also accompanied by the latest explanation with a randomly changing encryption key.

 

"I can't believe they sent me this much data."

 

After returning to the bridge from the Silent Whisper that had landed on the Bentenmaru, Coorie simply removed the various devices set up in the electronic warfare seat and slipped into his seat.

 

"If we had had such accurate data from the beginning, not only would we have been able to do our job against the Fifth Fleet better, but we would have been able to deal with the change in policy of the Joint Staff Headquarters."

 

"Is it real?"

 

Hyakume asked.

 

"We were playing tag with the Imperial Fleet, so we didn't study the command communication network as much as they did."

 

"Is it real?"

 

Coorie switched the display to show the core data on the command communication network.

 

"The Seventh Fleet has a large area of ​​responsibility and each fleet tends to act independently, so it's not going to be useful if they don't make it different from the others, but yes, the core structure is multi-layered for each headquarters and it's larger in scale, but the design concept is basically the same as the Fifth Fleet. I think you can trust it."

 

"The Seventh Fleet's command and communication network, huh?"

 

Hyakume projected the complex, tangled core structure onto the display in front of him.

 

"Even though it's top secret, I'm surprised they sent something like that. Does that mean they trust us that much?"

 

"We've already breached the 5th Fleet's command and communication network. Even if we were to hide it now, it would be breached again if it was only a variation. They just decided that it was a secret that we didn't need to protect, right?"

 

"So, you don't think this data is proof that they trust you, Coorie?"

 

Marika asked, and Coorie pulled out the seat, knelt on it, and looked up at the captain's seat over the seat.

 

"I think we've gained enough trust in terms of utility value. The pirates of an uncontacted civilization have come all the way here, pulling out their central forces just like they did in the negotiations at Port Seruna. We have no choice but to admit it."

 

"Hmm."

 

"But that just means that the bank has decided that we're a useful piece to use as a negotiating partner."

 

Marika looked like she wanted to say something, so Coorie continued.

 

"As proof of that, the bank contacted us and sent us new conditions and the data required for them."

 

Coorie's mouth grinned.

 

"Let's play it well and use it."

 

"Devil."

 

Muttering under her breath, Marika looked around the bridge once more. Not only Lynn and Chiaki, but also Gruier and Misa had returned from Odette.

 

"Schnitzer?"

 

Marika called out to the battle commander's seat.

 

"Using the data we received, can you make a plan to inflict as much damage as possible on the Imperial fleet and escape?"

 

"If that's an order."

 

Schnitzer also pulled out his seat, resting his huge right hand on the back seat and turning half his body towards the captain's seat.

 

"But the captain doesn't want to do that, does he?"

 

Marika smiled.

 

"Thanks, Schnitzer. Thanks to you, it's easier to say things now."

 

Marika looked around at the faces of the crew gathered on the bridge once again.

 

"As you all heard, the banker said we should show our strength by inflicting more damage on the Empire so that they'll get serious about it. But I don't want to do that. We've come this far with great effort to minimize damage to the Imperial fleet, and if we inflict heavy damage here, it'll all be for nothing."

 

Marika's voice was carried not only throughout the Bentenmaru, but also to the docked Odette.

 

"Despite all the trouble we've done, the Imperial fleet hasn't suffered any major damage from the Orion pirates yet. The Joint Chiefs of Staff HQ was attacked by pirates, and they rampaged around our territory, but that's it. But if we inflict heavy damage on three of the seven Numbers Fleets here, even if we go to the Tau system and surrender in front of the Expeditionary Force, the Imperial fleet may not be stopped. It's not like a pirate to say this, but I don't want to incur any grudges that I don't need to incur."

 

Marika laughed a little.

 

"That grudge might not be directed at us pirates, but at our civilization. You might say I'm lenient, but it's because I'm a pirate that I think it's okay to be very lenient and consider everyone's circumstances."

 

Marika noticed that Gruier raised his hand modestly as if asking to speak.

 

"What is it, Gruier?"

 

"I think it's a wise policy to avoid incurring any unnecessary grudges from the Imperial fleet in order to smoothly annex the Galactic Empire after the end of the War of Independence."

 

Gruier said.

 

"That would probably be a safer, less dangerous path for us and the Imperial fleet, as well as for the Federation of Colonial Stars and the Stellar Alliance. But at the same time, it would mean avoiding further fighting and resolving the issue peacefully. That's probably a more difficult path than fighting."

 

"I've always wanted to resolve the issue, but I don't mind a little violence, not peacefully, as long as neither of us suffers any more damage."

 

Marika smiled.

 

"I know it's difficult. But I think that even if we fight as originally planned, the chances of achieving our goal will be lower than expected."

 

Marika turned to Schnitzer.

 

"As the combat commander of the Bentenmaru, please give me your honest opinion. What do you think is the chance that we can defeat the Imperial fleet currently gathered at Port Seruna?"

 

"Ten percent."

 

Schnitzer answered simply.

 

"The First and Fifth Fleets know our strategy. Of course, our strategies so far have not been foolproof, but I think we have secured a fifty percent or higher chance of winning."

 

"Ten percent..."

 

Marika repeated.

 

"That's a dangerous number all of a sudden."

 

"If we just dragged them to a star system where we were exchanging fire with the Imperial fleet, we could come up with a more certain number."

 

Schnitzer explained matter-of-factly.

 

"At this stage, we have reliable information about Port Seruna. However, if we have to win by inflicting more damage, that alone changes the conditions of the battle. Of course, it is the job of the battle commander to analyze the enemy's situation and increase the probability of victory. If necessary, we will devise a strategy for that purpose."

 

"Thank you, Schnitzer. But we weren't flying around the Galactic Empire hoping to defeat the Imperial fleet. From the beginning, we planned to surrender to the Galactic Empire, and we are doing everything we can to prepare the stage and gather numbers for that. In other words, it is not necessary for us to ultimately defeat the Imperial fleet."

 

"The reason why President Uberstein of the Imperial Bank made the effort to contact us was to ensure a certain result of the battle."

 

Jenny looked up at Marika in the captain's seat. "If we look at the Imperial Fleet's principles of operation, we can't deploy excessive forces when actual damage isn't that great. It's not cost-effective. Up until now, we've been trying to grab hold of the fleet management by the scruff of the neck, like the command and communication networks of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Fifth Fleet HQ, but that same tactic doesn't work on the Seventh Fleet. I think that's what the president told us."

 

"It's too dangerous."

 

Looking straight at Jenny, Marika began to speak.

 

"If we inflict more damage on the Imperial fleet, we will force both Odette and Bentenmaru to take on more risky operations than before. If Schnitzer is currently estimating the probability of victory at 10%, then no matter how much enemy information we add and how many assumptions we make that are favorable to us, I don't think the probability will go up to more than 30%. That means that the probability that either Odette or Bentenmaru, or both, will suffer heavy damage or more will be over 70%."

 

Marika glanced at Schnitzer. No correction was made.

 

"We'll manage somehow."

 

Jenny said with particularly good cheer.

 

"That's how we've been doing up until now."

 

"I don't want to lose everything we've done well so far and how much we've come up to with an adventurous operation in the future."

 

Marika shook her head slightly.

 

"I'm not saying this because I'm worried about Odette or Bentenmaru. Of course, that's one reason, but if we were to run away after causing great damage, and the Imperial fleet gets serious and pursues us outside of its territory, and Bentenmaru or Odette sink before we reach the Tau star system, then it'll all be over."

 

"If either of us survives, won't the Empire continue its pursuit?"

 

"Our goal is to bring the great military power of the Galactic Empire to the Tau star system by the deadline."

 

Marika stared at Jenny.

 

"But the Imperial fleet's purpose is to wipe out the pirates. Inside Imperial territory, they could have dragged the Imperial fleet, which has little combat experience, around as if it were a training exercise, but this is the frontier, where the rebel army and the Seventh Fleet are fighting. If Odette and Bentenmaru can't move, that is, if they sink the pirate ships, the Imperial fleet will lose its reason to advance further into the Orion Arm. Then the Imperial fleet will withdraw before reaching the Tau star system."

 

Marika raised both hands.

 

"We've lost."

 

After thinking of a rebuttal for a moment, Jenny also raised her hands slightly.

 

"So you don't want to sink Odette or Bentenmaru just for emotional reasons, and that doesn't mean you want to avoid any more dangerous operations. I get it, that's certainly persuasive."

 

"Thank you."

 

"If that's the case, then what we need to think about is who we should negotiate with and where and how we should get them out."

 

Jenny folded her arms and looked up at Marika.

 

"You're going to negotiate, right? You're thinking of resolving this through discussion, not a bang-bang, right?"

 

"Negotiations..."

 

Marika parroted back the words as if they were unfamiliar to her.

 

"Isn't that the only option?"

 

"It's a more difficult path than fighting."

 

Gruier's voice sounded inappropriately cheerful.

 

"But on the flip side, it avoids unnecessary damage to both friend and foe. Unlike real combat, it has the advantage of allowing you to start over."

 

"Thanks, Gruier."

 

Marika said.

 

"Even if it's a little tough, it's better than dying. But we don't have much time to start over again. The end of the War of Independence in history is tomorrow."

 

"In other words, we'll propose negotiations with the Galactic Empire to end the war on a conditional basis."

 

Jenny summarized the course of action they should take.

 

"Using our past achievements and the annexation of uncontacted civilizations in the Orion Arm to the Galactic Empire, we will negotiate with the appropriate departments of the Galactic Empire. ...Where and how should we apply for negotiations?"

 

"Right now, I'm thinking of negotiating with the place in Port Seruna where I can command the forces I want to bring to the Tau system."

 

Marika answered Jenny.

 

"The Seventh Fleet Command, the Fifth Fleet Command, and the Joint Staff Command--are there any others?"

 

"Ideally, I would like to apply for negotiations directly with the Holy Royal Family, who are at the top of the Galactic Empire, but at the moment I don't have any such route or connections, and the Joint Staff Command is the top of the Imperial fleet, and I'm on friendly terms with the Fifth Fleet Command, and the Seventh Fleet is the boss of this area, so I think it should be fine."

 

"That's not enough."

 

It was Misa who interrupted.

 

"You know that when a bonfire starts, it's 90% decided who's going to win and who's going to lose, right?"

 

"Of course."

 

Marika nodded.

 

"It's the same with negotiations. Unless you make some really unreasonable demands, the outcome of a negotiation is pretty much decided before you even meet. Unlike a battle, it's not firepower that counts, it's information gathering and groundwork done in advance, but that's why, just like in a real bonfire, it's possible to turn the tables beyond your ability."

 

"I see."

 

Marika's face lit up.

 

"I think it's difficult because I think of it as a negotiation, but I just need to think of it as a battle. If you think of information gathering and analysis as replacing electronic warfare, bluffing and acting skills as replacing firepower, and words as replacing bullets, I feel like I can manage it somehow."

 

"That's not all."

 

Misa gave a wry smile.

 

"What other preparations do we need to make before we go into battle?"

 

"Gathering information and checking the situation on the enemy's side. The banker passed the information around to us, but we haven't been able to confirm it, and we only know the fleet's location."

 

"We also need to do some groundwork."

 

Gruier said.

 

"Right now, the only connections we have are with the Imperial Bank and the Seventh Fleet Intelligence Department. I think it's better to inform them of the change in policy and ask for their cooperation as soon as possible."

 

"I'll contact them."

 

Marika's face clouded over.

 

"That's right, the banker is cooperating with the preparations as if we were going to do a real battle. If we're going to inform them of the change in policy, we'll have to convince them to still cooperate with us. That's what we need to start the negotiations from there."

 

"What's the backup plan in case the negotiations don't go well?"

 

Marika gave a firm thumbs up to Schnitzer, who spoke calmly.

 

"When that time comes, let's use force as originally planned."

 

"Aren't we going to negotiate?"

 

Chiaki called out from behind the captain's seat.

 

"Of course we'll negotiate."

 

Marika turned to Chiaki.

 

"The pirates are negotiating with the Imperial fleet. Isn't it the same for both of us, holding a weapon in the other hand when we shake hands?"

 

"Are you planning to even bring the battle plan to the negotiating table?"

 

"I think it would be more reliable to have a plan that can definitely inflict damage on the other side."

 

Marika nodded.

 

"However, it might be bad if we have to switch to Plan B again. But we're not picky about the means, since the stars and our futures are at stake."

 

"In order to be picky about the means to achieve our goals, we need to have as many means as possible available."

 

Coorie started tapping on the control panel.

 

"I understand, Captain. If the negotiations with Headquarters go wrong at some point, I'll prepare a plan to forcefully drag the Imperial Fleet into the star system."

 

"Please, Jenny, can you contact President Uberstein again?"

 

"Eh, but the number was blocked."

 

Suddenly realizing something, Jenny placed her finger on the display of the cheap terminal she had no intention of learning how to use. The call from Uberstein was set to blocked so that no record of the call would be left. If that was the case, there was a chance that the caller's ID was attached to the data sent.

 

A business card with only contact information written on it was easily found in the data sent.

 

"I can get it. This is probably a hotline to his office."

 

"Well, then, first we need to come up with a logical explanation that will convince the banker and the intelligence broker."

 

Marika sat down in the captain's seat.

 

"From Bentenmaru, Odette, you can hear me, right? That's why, bring some snacks from the dining hall to the bridge of Bentenmaru. We're going to have a strategy meeting now, and everyone is welcome to join."

 

Equipped with FTL boosters, the solar sail ship Odette II touched down in the space near Port Seruna earlier than expected.

 

Outside of the controlled airspace, but within the air defense identification zone. Odette also cruised in outer planet orbit on Ganbart, where the 5th Fleet HQ was located, and made a FTL jump to leave the scene before the Imperial Fleet noticed the intrusion into the command and communication network and military network.

 

So, it wasn't on the Imperial Fleet's radar as much as Bentenmaru, who had been chased by the First Fleet for ages. However, the Odette II is also the very spaceship that called itself the Odette, a pirate ship of the Orion D6 civilization, when it entered Port Seruna the previous time.

 

Port Seruna is outside the territory of the Galactic Empire, so there is no route control. However, even though it is outside the controlled airspace, the touchdown coordinates of the Odette II are deep within the air defense identification zone. Both the prejump phenomenon and touchdown are observed, and if the spaceship that appears is an unidentified ship that does not emit a transponder, a patrol plane will immediately fly in to confirm it.

 

At the same time as touching down, the Odette II inserted a transponder in accordance with the navigation laws of the Galactic Empire. However, the ship that emits the transponder is not the Odette II, a training sailing ship of Hakuoh Girls' Academy, whose home port is Sea of the Morningstar in the Tau star system. This was the Odette, a pirate ship from the Tau star system that had been officially registered the last time it entered Port Seruna.

 

"How is it?"

 

On the main bridge of the Odette, Marika, sitting in the captain's seat, looked around at the faces of the bridge crew.

 

"Does something seem to be coming?"

 

"It looks fine for now."

 

Chiaki, who was sitting in the radar/sensor seat, answered.

 

"There are no unidentified ships in the nearby space, and there are patrol planes, but they haven't changed their orbit towards us. I wonder if the Orion pirates that attacked the center haven't been linked to our spaceship yet?"

 

"Even though we're within the air defense identification zone, there's still a little way to go before we reach Port Seruna."

 

Marika checked the current location of the Odette displayed on the display.

 

"They may be organizing a powerful interceptor fleet to head this way, or the First and Fifth Fleets coming this way may come flying at us. But we were lucky not to be suddenly surrounded by battleships and bombarded with no explanation right after touchdown."

 

Marika placed her hand on the communication panel in the captain's seat.

 

"President Lynn, are you ready?"

 

"Yes, we've successfully re-entered the command communication network."

 

"Gruier, how's the communication situation?"

 

"Hyperspace communication is stable."

 

Gruier answered from the radio operator's seat.

 

"There's no need to worry about communication being cut off at a crucial time."

 

"Got it. Turn on the communication line."

 

Marika put the headset on her ear and checked the microphone. She checked the communication status displayed on the display.

 

The communication line was simultaneously connected to three heavily protected command communication networks.

 

Marika opened her mouth.

 

"This is the Odette. This is Captain Kato Marika of the Odette, a pirate ship of the Orion D6 civilization. Currently, Captain Kato Marika of the Odette is simultaneously communicating with the Galactic Empire Fleet Joint Staff Headquarters, the Fifth Fleet Headquarters, and the Seventh Fleet Headquarters."

 

Marika glanced over the notes displayed on the sub-monitor. She couldn't forget the important information she needed to convey.

 

"The Orion pirates are requesting a ceasefire with the Joint Staff Headquarters and the Galactic Empire Fleet under their command."

 

Our voice should have been processed as a voice message that suddenly entered the command communication network. The Joint Staff Headquarters is in the core star systems, the Fifth Fleet Headquarters is in Gambalt, and the Seventh Fleet Headquarters is in Gezerubu, all far apart. Even if they were to check the situation and dispatch the nearest fleet, there would be a certain amount of time lag.

 

Marika continued.

 

"I repeat. The Orion pirates are requesting a truce with the Galactic Empire fleet. This truce is being requested for the purpose of negotiating surrender. We, the Orion D6 civilization, are prepared to surrender to the Galactic Empire under certain conditions. Our ship is not equipped with anti-ship armaments, just as it was the last time we entered Port Seruna. We hope that the Galactic Empire fleet will accept the truce with the Orion pirates and negotiate for conditional surrender."

 

Marika glanced over at the communications monitor. Perhaps because she had unilaterally interrupted the command communications network, there had been no direct reply from anywhere yet. Marika checked the necessary information on the sub-monitor.

 

"I don't know if this message is being heard in real time, or if it will be played back later, but this transmission is being sent using the command and communication networks of the Joint Staff Headquarters, the Fifth Fleet, and the Seventh Fleet. If, despite our request for a ceasefire, the Odette is attacked by an Imperial fleet, or subjected to an equivalent use of force, we will assume that the ceasefire has not been accepted by the Galactic Empire, and we will be forced to take countermeasures to achieve our objectives."

 

Checking the items on the sub-monitor, Marika paused.

 

"The pirate ship Odette has come here to negotiate with the Galactic Empire fleet, not to fight it. We hope that the fleet will respond to the negotiations. Also, this message has been sent to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Fleet Commands of the Fleet 5th and 7th, but please make the Imperial Fleet the sole point of contact for negotiations. We have come here for the future of our world. We hope that if the Imperial Fleet accepts the ceasefire and the conditional surrender negotiations are mutually satisfactory, our future will be as bright as the Galactic Empire's."

 

Marika checked the items displayed on the sub-monitor once again. There was nothing missing from the items that should be conveyed in this appeal.

 

"The current location of the pirate ship Odette is near Port Seruna, within the air defense identification zone. The pirate ship Odette will now proceed to Port Seruna via normal navigation. We await the response of the Galactic Empire fleet."

 

Looking at the note on the sub-monitor, Marika looked around the bridge.

 

"This is the Orion pirate ship Odette, captain Kato Marika. We're ending communication."

 

"Communication ended!"

 

Lynn announced.

 

"All communication settings on the command communication network are cancelled, and you have to completely erase your tracks so that you can't be tracked or traced back, and can't be hijacked!"

 

"It feels a bit wasteful."

 

Gruier said as she completely erased the hyperspace line settings.

 

"It's not that easy to set up a hotline to the central command center of the Imperial fleet."

 

"It was hard work, though."

 

After processing everything in one go, Lynn looked around the display on the electronics battle seat to make sure there was nothing left to do or overlooked.

 

"But if you can show that you can just send a message and dispose of the troublesome setup and setup, that will show your presence to the other party. I think it would be a huge shock for the headquarters if an outsider suddenly sent a random message into the command communication network that is supposed to be heavily protected, but I think it would be even more annoying if they couldn't find any hidden doors or loopholes to reuse it in a follow-up investigation. Besides, if we have to set up another command communication network, this time it won't be for peaceful purposes."

 

Lynn started tapping on the control panel.

 

"It will be when the upcoming negotiations fail and we have to use force against the Imperial fleet. Then, the previous setup, which may have been countered, will be too dangerous to use."

 

"Any movement?"

 

Marika asked.

 

"Is there any movement in Port Seruna or the surrounding fleet?"

 

"Nothing yet."

 

Chiaki answered from the radar/sensor seat.

 

"I think the Seventh Fleet, which is in charge of the frontier, will be quick to react and move, but even if they requested a ceasefire through a special route, they probably won't be able to make the decision to launch an emergency intercept on the pirates right away."

 

"You need to hurry up, we'll be in trouble."

 

Marika looked at the latest observation data on the display.

 

"It's good that they offered to negotiate a conditional surrender, but we need to get the Imperial fleet to the star system by tomorrow."

 

"Odette is transmitting a transponder even though it's a pirate ship, so the control station should already know that there's a pirate ship here."

 

Jenny, in the first officer's seat, is also watching the fleet's movements around Port Seruna.

 

"If the Imperial Fleet is operating normally, it's not surprising that a pirate ship with the same flag as the Orion pirates who have been rampaging in the core star systems and the eastern galaxy would be suddenly intercepted. Moreover, we have proposed a ceasefire, even though it is a roundabout command communication network, and acknowledged that we are the same Orion pirates. Despite this, there has been no emergency interception or call from the patrol boat, which means..."

 

"At the very least, doesn't this mean that the fleet headquarters in Port Seruna has not yet decided how to treat us?"

 

Gruier, who was in the radio operator's seat, said. The lines are open for normal communication and FTL communication, but there has been no communication naming us by name yet.

 

"This is just wishful thinking, but at least at this stage, isn't it fair to say that the headquarters is considering how to treat us, which means that things are proceeding according to our plan?"

 

Odette II returned to Port Seruna, replacing Chiaki with Kato Marika as captain. The reason why Odette II was chosen over Bentenmaru as the spaceship to appear exactly at the scheduled time of the challenge letter left deep in the command communication network, propose a ceasefire, and conduct further negotiations is simple.

 

If the negotiations broke down, the armed Bentenmaru would have more freedom of movement.

 

The Odette had previously entered Port Seruna, had contacted the control station, and had a record of its crew disembarking. It had also been inspected by the Imperial fleet, so explanations should be minimal.

 

Since it was not equipped with any weapons, there was no need to seal its firearms, which would be expected when requesting a ceasefire.

 

After considering all possible scenarios and various developments, it was decided that Odette would be the one to go out to negotiate surrender with the Galactic Empire fleet, and that Bentenmaru would continue preparations behind the scenes in case those negotiations failed.

 

Thus, Marika's Odette II was sent on a mission against the Imperial Fleet that would be her last, whether she succeeded or failed.

 

"I hope they'll discuss how to handle this."

 

Marika looked at the symbol of Port Seruna displayed on the star chart.

 

"It's a problem if they take too long. If they take too long to respond, we'll have to send a time-limited message next time. That would be like blackmail, so I don't want to do anything worse."

 

"What are you talking about, captain of the pirate ship that's causing the biggest fuss since the Sweeping War?"

 

Chiaki's words caused a huge uproar on the bridge.

 

"For now, the schedule is set, so you can just stay calm in the captain's seat!"

 

"Yes."

 

Marika answered frankly from the captain's seat.

 

As soon as the Odette entered the controlled airspace, it was called by Port Seruna's control station.

 

The call came from control station, but the person who appeared on the communications monitor clearly was not a controller. An officer in a fleet uniform mechanically relayed the necessary information.

 

Permission was granted for the Odette to enter Port Seruna's controlled airspace.

 

A landing ship's escort and a communication boat's docking were requested for inspection and preliminary negotiations, and a negotiating team from the Imperial fleet would be sent on board.

 

Marika confirmed that the request had not come from Port Seruna Control Station or Seventh Fleet Command, but on behalf of the Galactic Empire fleet.

 

According to the data provided by control station, a fleet of six mobile cruisers would be dispatched to escort the Odette, and the amphibious assault ship Kaoshun would approach for docking.

 

"Six mobile cruisers is more impressive than last time, but the one in front of us is the same amphibious assault ship as last time, and the same liaison boat is coming here with the negotiating team."

 

Lynn said, looking at the data from the control station shared by all ships.

 

"Maybe they gathered the same members as the last inspection so that it would be easier for us?"

 

"That's not all."

 

Chiaki looked at the list of the inspection team and negotiating team that were scheduled to board the ship with a difficult look on her face.

 

"Of course, if it's the naval forces that have experience boarding the Odette, they'll be able to investigate and respond quickly, but if it's the same Keith team as last time, I think they're trying to avoid giving us new information as much as possible."

 

"I don't think it's just us."

 

Marika checked the situation of the First and Fifth Fleets that were gathering around Port Seruna.

 

"We made our request through the command and communication network so that it would only be communicated to the top brass and not to the fleet. Even if it was the Imperial fleet, we couldn't trust that they would be able to keep control if they suddenly started calling for a ceasefire or surrender negotiations right in front of us after making a long flight after receiving a warning of an attack."

 

Marika looked up at the bridge.

 

"The control station requested an inspection and asked for a negotiating team to board, and the fact that the other fleets hadn't moved at all means that at least the headquarters is willing to negotiate with us."

 

Marika forced a smile.

 

"This operation was a success."

 

"Well, it was a bit of a stretch."

 

Chiaki looked up at Marika's confident profile as she listened to the commotion on the bridge.

 

"They've barely had a break so far, so it's certainly better to relax the crew than to make them unnecessarily tense..."

 

Chiaki noticed that Gruier, who was in the radio operator's seat on the same level as Marika on the main bridge of the Odette, was looking up at her with a worried look on his face. Neither Jenny in the first officer's seat nor Lynn in the electronic warfare seat were smiling.

 

Gruier noticed Chiaki's gaze and looked her way. Seeing Chiaki's face, Gruier smiled and nodded. Chiaki nodded back with a wry smile.

 

"Yes, yes. If the captain is pushing himself too hard, it's our job to support him so he doesn't fall over."

 

"We've received a communication from the Imperial Seventh Fleet's amphibious assault ship Kaoshun," Gruier informed her.

 

"They're requesting permission to dock a drop ship."

 

"Of course!"

 

Marika informed her.

 

"Tell them I'll be waiting for them at the port deck, just like last time."

 

The Drop Ship, which was equipped with additional armor, didn't bother to circle around and check on Odette's condition like last time. With efficient maneuvers typical of combat, it approached the solar sail ship in the shortest distance possible, and following the same procedure as last time, attached the metal rubber adapter at the end of the flexible tube to the docking hatch.

 

"Even though it's the second time, you're pretty efficient."

 

Odette has turned off all of its propulsion systems and is traveling by inertia, not moving on its own. Seeing the Drop Ship's efficient docking displayed on the external monitor, Chiaki said with admiration.

 

"Even though the Drop Ship's mission is to slash into enemy ships, it's as good as a pirate's, after all."

 

"They're also in combat mode this time, aren't they?"

 

Marika said nonchalantly.

 

"We'll handle it the same way we did last time. If there's anything you want to see or check, you can show us around without having to check with the bridge every time."

 

Informed the welcoming yacht club members waiting on the docking deck.

 

"Also, no matter what the boarding team demands, don't resist them. I don't think they'll do it, but if they point a gun at you, surrender immediately. They're combat professionals, and if you meet them head-on, there's no way you can win."

 

"Understood."

 

Berinda, who was in command of the welcoming team, answered from the docking deck.

 

"We're opening the hatch."

 

After the standard procedure of checking the internal pressure distribution and atmospheric composition, the docking hatch on the Odette side opened.

 

On the other side of the hatch was a group of people in white armored space suits, just like the ones who boarded the Odette before.

 

"They're not carrying weapons."

 

Marika muttered with relief. The Marines were fully equipped with weapons, but all had their hands free to show they had no intention of fighting.

 

The face shield of the captain at the front was open.

 

"Imperial Seventh Fleet amphibious assault ship Kaoshun, this is Captain Keith of the 2851st Reconnaissance Squadron Keith Squadron."

 

The white armored spacesuits saluted and gave the same greeting as last time.

 

"Thank you for allowing us to board the Odette."

 

"We welcome the inspection team and the negotiating team on board."

 

On the docking deck monitor, Berinda bowed to the Marines without returning the salute.

 

"If you don't need a guide, we won't restrict the actions of the inspection team, so please go wherever you like. If you need a guide, we'll show you anywhere."

 

"Thank you for your cooperation."

 

"Negotiating team, please go further in."

 

Berinda raised her arm in the direction of the center shaft.

 

"I will guide you to the main bridge. Captain Kato Marika of the pirate ship Odette awaits the negotiating team."

 

"Welcome to the main bridge of the Odette."

 

Marika greeted the negotiators who appeared on the weightless bridge, pretending to be as calm as possible.

 

"I’m Captain Kato Marika."

 

"Thank you for allowing us to board the Odette."

 

The intelligence officer in military uniform returned a salute to Marika in the captain's seat, expressionless.

 

"I am here to prepare for the full powers negotiations with the Orion civilization on behalf of the Galactic Empire Fleet. I am 761, Section 6 Chief of the Imperial Seventh Fleet Intelligence Department."

 

Marika glanced over the list of negotiators sent to Odette by the control station. The negotiating team that boarded consisted of four people: 761, the head of the Intelligence Department's Sixth Section, a clerk for records, an intelligence officer, and an armored communications soldier carrying equipment to communicate with HQ without going through the Odette's equipment.

 

After looking around at the faces of the clerk, intelligence officer, and communications soldier, Marika returned her eyes to 761.

 

"At this time, the ship is not jamming any communications either inside or outside. We can lend you our communications equipment if necessary, but is there anything we can do to help?"

 

As far as we can tell from monitoring, the communications soldier of the negotiating team has not communicated with the outside world since boarding the Odette.

 

"It's not necessary yet," 761 said, raising one hand.

 

"I can't say for sure what kind of compilation will be made in the future, but this will be the first official contact between the Imperial Fleet and the Orion pirates. There is something we need to confirm before we enter into formal negotiations."

 

761 looked around the main bridge of the Odette, which was staffed only by women.

 

"Everything said and done by our negotiating team and the boarding party after boarding the ship has been recorded. However, we don't know yet how much of it will be made public in the future, or if the release will be restricted, or if the records themselves will be treated as non-existent. In other words, we are still in the middle of a record that can be edited."

 

761 turned his eyes back to Marika in the captain's seat.

 

"...You did a great job."

 

Without asking what that meant, Marika nodded deeply and answered.

 

"All of our pirates are excellent."

 

"Facing a troublesome enemy, the Imperial Fleet, including the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is struggling to respond. First of all, I would like to express my admiration for the way you have continued to deal damage to the Imperial Fleet from the core star systems across the eastern galaxy."

 

761 bowed his head, placing his white-gloved right hand on the chest of his formal uniform.

 

"I thought so..."

 

Jenny muttered in a small voice.

 

"I've heard that the intelligence department is full of bad actors, so it's hard to know what they're thinking, but there are some intelligence department members who are this theatrical..."

 

"The Seventh Fleet has to deal with rebels outside the Empire's territory, and the Sixth Section has to deal with those who aren't doing very well."

 

761 turned to Jenny and said.

 

"I'm proud to say that we have a team of talented personnel who are just as good as yours."

 

The bridge erupted in excitement. Jenny stared at the 6th Division Chief, who was not only joking, but also didn't even bat an eyebrow when he accepted.

 

Without any sign of concern, 761 turned his attention back to Marika in the captain's seat.

 

"I will explain the prerequisites of the Imperial Fleet. First of all, the Imperial Fleet does not trade with pirates."

 

After pausing, 761 looked around the bridge once more. Not a single voice of protest was heard.

 

"This has been the basic policy of the Imperial Fleet, both before and after the sweep war that wiped out all pirates from the Empire."

 

"I know that."

 

Marika answered calmly.

 

"So, what should we do?"

 

"Whatever the method, we should be grateful that you left a message calling yourself pirates only in the command communication network. Thanks to this, the Joint Staff Headquarters and Fleet Command have decided to pretend to negotiate with those calling themselves pirates, and we don't have to give unnecessary explanations to those inside and outside the fleet."

 

"Just pretending."

 

Marika smiled gently.

 

"Even so, we are desperate to have a meaningful negotiation with the Imperial Fleet. Besides, we intended to make the next call by regular communication."

 

Marika took out a pocket watch from the inside of her captain's uniform and showed it to him.

 

"As you know, we only have a limited amount of time left."

 

"I understand."

 

761 nodded.

 

"The Seventh Fleet is grateful that you have conducted the operation rationally. That is why we contacted you before carrying out any flashy operations such as calling on the entire fleet. Your spaceship, the Odette, is currently approaching Port Seruna in accordance with the instructions of the control center. The seven escorts, including an amphibious assault ship, are a bit strict for a spaceship from an uncontacted civilization, but this is not an unusual arrangement here. We have also instructed the escorting cruisers not to take combat positions so that the Imperial fleet waiting in the nearby airspace does not pay attention to us."

 

"Confirming."

 

Marika ran her eyes over the display. The amphibious assault ship Kaoshun and the six surrounding mobile cruisers were only illuminating the Odette with the minimum amount of radar required for normal navigation, and the energy reaction was not increasing much. The mobile cruisers' cannons were also fixed in their normal navigation positions, and neither the turrets nor the barrels were pointed at the Odette.

 

"There are many options available to both sides, but with our arrival, the Imperial Fleet wishes to make contact with you peacefully, so please understand?"

 

"Understood."

 

Marika nodded.

 

"We have unconditionally allowed the Imperial Fleet's requested inspection and negotiation teams to board this ship. In addition, this ship is currently sailing under the instructions of Port Seruna Control. Can we say that this proves that we are also making peaceful contact and wishing to negotiate?"

 

"At least, as long as the Odette is being escorted by the fleet and following our instructions, and as long as there are no other movements by the Orion pirates, you will be trusted. However, that trust is only uncertain, including the mutual hope that we can understand each other and will not resort to force without warning."

 

"I think that is enough to negotiate."

 

"Let's respect each other's positions. So, until the negotiations are completed, could you please refrain from communicating without instructions from us? Wherever the other party is and whatever the content is, it may be overheard. In return, as long as you follow our instructions, your safety will be maintained."

 

"I can't promise you anything, but I understand the situation."

 

Marika said. "If any communication becomes necessary, will we consult with you, who have come here to prepare for negotiations?"

 

"That's enough. Now, on to the next matter."

 

761 played his next card.

 

"Last time we met at the Imperial Bank in Port Seruna, you expressed a desire to keep your existence and actions secret, regardless of how things develop from here on out. Has that changed?"

 

"No."

 

Marika answered clearly.

 

"Regardless of the outcome of these negotiations, we hope that the records of Orion pirates fighting against the Galactic Empire will remain secret forever."

 

"When we met last time, we thought that the conditions were quite modest and simple for pirates to demand. The situation has changed a lot now, but yes, we still think that it is possible to keep the situation secret. However, we would like you to cooperate with us."

 

"What is it?"

 

"As I told you before, the Imperial Fleet does not trade with pirates."

 

761 continued, seeing that the bridge was still quiet.

 

"Strictly speaking, you are not pirates as defined by the Imperial Fleet. You are an armed merchant ship issued with a privateer license by a public institution, including the executive branch, a volunteer soldier, and a plenipotentiary mission in possession of a valid surrender document, even though only half of the Orion D6 civilization has signed it."

 

761 slowly looked around at the faces of the bridge crew.

 

"The Imperial Fleet does not trade with pirates. And you are not pirates. Is that okay?"

 

"In that case, what about the other request?"

 

Marika asked, looking 761 in the eye.

 

"Last time we met, I asked the Empire to allow pirates to continue to exist through privateering licenses issued to civilian ships. If the Empire does not trade with pirates and recognizes that we are not pirates, then do we need to worry about the logic that they will not allow non-existent pirates to continue to exist?"

 

"I have no intention of arguing about the interpretation of words."

 

761 said, expressionless.

 

"If all goes well and your civilization is incorporated into the Galactic Empire, it should be allowed to govern itself like any other civilization. In that case, the Empire will not interfere in the details of the ideals, meanings, or legal system of the newly added civilization. As long as the privateering defined by your civilization does not match the Empire's definition of a pirate, the Empire will not be interested in its continued existence or abolition."

 

761 twisted his tongue.

 

"Whether you call them pirates or not is not a matter of concern to the Empire."

 

Jenny couldn't believe her eyes when she saw the smile on his face.

 

"There are exceptions to everything. For example, even after pirates have been wiped out from the Empire, insurance companies still sell pirate insurance, but the Empire has not banned their sale."

 

A quiet laugh spread across the bridge.

 

"I understand."

 

Marika glanced at Gruier. Gruier nodded silently.

 

"From now on, we will negotiate with the Imperial fleet not as Orion pirates, but as plenipotentiaries of the Orion D6 civilization Federation of Colonial Stars. Is this okay?"

 

"Thank you for accommodating our needs."

 

761 bowed.

 

"There is one more thing I must inform you of in advance."

 

761 said calmly.

 

"Keeping everything secret means that we can't hold you responsible if something goes wrong after the fact. We need to discuss all foreseeable events in advance."

 

"That's what I want."

 

Marika replied.

 

"I believe that's necessary for both the Galactic Empire and us."

 

"Very well. Let's get to the point. The terms of our surrender to the Galactic Empire as a confederation of colonial planets representing half of the Orion D6 civilization."

 

761 signaled to the intelligence officer standing behind him. The officer opened the briefcase he was holding like a file.

 

"Your civilization is currently divided into two major factions in an interstellar war, and the final battle is approaching in the star system where your faction is based. Is that correct?"

 

"Yes."

 

Marika nodded. I had explained that much to her last time at the Imperial Bank in Port Seruna, and she had given her the relevant documents.

 

"The condition for surrender is that you must immediately gather enough military power to overwhelm both factions in your home star system, the Orion Arm Cetus star system. To that end, you have contacted our Imperial fleet and invaded the core star system."

 

The intelligence officer raised his hand to pause the file he had opened, and 761 turned his gaze to Marika in the captain's seat.

 

"Before we get to the main topic, I want to ask you one thing. Why did you come all the way here and decide not to attack Port Seruna, despite having already warned of an attack, and instead take the complicated step of negotiating a conditional surrender?"

 

"I simply chose the method that seemed most certain."

 

Marika stared intently at 761.

 

"The future of our planet depends on this operation. Taking combative measures means, more or less, taking adventurous measures, like gambling. We were fortunate to be able to proceed with the operation with an advantage against the Joint Staff Headquarters and the Fifth Fleet Command, who should not know much about us. However, we do not know whether similar tactics will work on the Seventh Fleet, who are used to fighting uncontacted civilizations. Also, even though we have made contact in advance, we do not know how cooperative or uncooperative the Seventh Fleet's intelligence department or the Seventh Fleet itself will be. If you think about it normally, if the Seventh Fleet were to cooperate with the pirates who have been rampaging within the Galactic Empire, it would be an act of aiding the enemy in any form. And one more thing, as you probably know, I have received a call from Ricardo Uberstein, president of the Port Seruna branch of the Imperial Bank."

 

Without changing his expression, 761 looked at Jenny. Uberstein said that the intelligence department also knew the ID code of Jenny's mobile device.

 

"President Uberstein advised us that the damage we inflicted on the Empire was too small. The damage was small compared to the scale of the battle, so when we take on the Seventh Fleet, we need to inflict more damage on a larger scale, to make the Imperial fleet take us seriously."

 

Marika looked at 761, who was listening in silence, and Gruier, who was observing his expression, and continued.

 

"Since we're a bank, they'll be able to come up with figures on the damage calculations right away, but it's not a banker's job to predict the fleet's actions from those figures. I thought the intelligence department had predicted the results of the battle and the scale of the interception, so I asked for the information that wouldn't be available without the intelligence department's cooperation."

 

Marika smiled.

 

"Thanks to that, we were able to send a message not only to the Joint Staff and Fifth Fleet Command, but also to the Seventh Fleet's command and communication network. And one more thing, we were able to confirm that the intelligence department trusted us in this matter. Therefore, we judged that there was a high possibility that our surrender negotiations would be accepted. We are grateful that you accepted our ceasefire offer and surrender negotiations."

 

"...I see."

 

"There is one more thing I would like to propose before we get to the main topic."

 

Marika straightened up in the captain's seat. 761 asked without any expression.

 

"What is it?"

 

"May I request that a third party who has been sworn to confidentiality be present in the preparatory negotiations that are about to begin?"

 

761 moved her head slightly.

 

"...Who are you talking about?"

 

She turned her gaze to Gruier in the radio operator's seat. Gruier noticed her gaze and gently shook her head.

 

"The third party already knows the situation to some extent and has prior knowledge on this matter. However, if the Imperial Fleet cannot trust the confidentiality of the witness, we are prepared to proceed with the negotiations without a witness."

 

"Who is it?"

 

761 asked, still expressionless. Marika confirmed.

 

"May I call you here?"

 

761 did not reply. Taking his silence as an understanding, Marika turned to Jenny.

 

"Jenny, please."

 

"Yes."

 

Jenny, who was in the first-in-command's seat, tapped the communication panel.

 

"Sorry to keep you waiting, please come to the bridge."

 

Soon after, Methuselah with dark blue hair appeared on the bridge, guided by a first-year member of the yacht club.

 

761, who opened his eyes slightly, greeted Methuselah with short hair and wearing the survey team uniform.

 

"It's nice to meet you. I'm Athena Sakyura, a member of Space University, and I was investigating the Orion D6 civilization on the research vessel Curiosity."

 

761 stared intently at the long-lived species (Methuselah) wearing the Space University research team uniform.

 

"May I confirm your ID?"

 

"Please."

 

Athena raised her left hand and showed the plain metal ring on her middle finger. The intelligence officer, who had opened the briefcase to a folder, switched the mode.

 

"Please place your hand here."

 

As instructed, Athena placed her palm on the display inside the folder. The biometric data was compared with the ID data in the ring.

 

"Space University, Department of Frontier Folklore and History, Schwantz Laboratory researcher, Athena Sakyura."

 

The intelligence officer pointed the display showing the comparison results to 761. "Confirmed."

 

Looking at the display, 761 turned his attention back to Athena.

 

"Excuse me. Would you like me to check my ID as well?"

 

"No need to."

 

Athena said briefly.

 

"I'll tell you what I want to confirm first. I boarded this spaceship at the request of the Orion pirates, and out of academic interest. My hope is to observe the negotiations between the Imperial Fleet and the Orion pirates as they are. I'm prepared to follow the Imperial Fleet's instructions regarding how to handle the results."

 

"History of the Frontier Folklore, eh?"

 

761 glanced at the display the intelligence officer held again.

 

"I thought history was a study of things from the past."

 

"If we conduct frontier research at the Space University, we'll have the opportunity to observe various races with different levels of civilization."

 

Athena gave the bridge crew a quick look.

 

"They gave us a chance to witness history being made. Even if we were not allowed to publish anything, we would not be worthy of being enrolled in Space University if we missed out on such a valuable experience."

 

"But what benefit would Space University have if we could not publish any reports or papers?"

 

"Space University can give its researchers valuable experience. And there are mountains of reports at Space University that will never be made public, and even their existence is kept secret."

 

"As you have just confirmed, the witnesses are staff members of Space University of the Galactic Empire."

 

Jenny, the vice-president, said.

 

"We are thinking of asking a staff member of a public institution of the Galactic Empire to witness the upcoming negotiations. Can you get the Imperial Fleet to agree to this?"

 

"I see, that is difficult to refuse."

 

761 shifted his gaze from Athena to Jenny.

 

"I heard that the Space University research vessel Curiosity was recently conducting research in an uncontacted area of ​​the Orion Arm."

 

"As expected of the intelligence department. You know a lot about it."

 

"Am I correct in assuming that the witness is familiar with not only the Galactic Empire but also the situation in the Orion Arm?"

 

"He's nowhere near the intelligence department that specializes in the frontier."

 

Athena answered with a smile.

 

"About the witness."

 

761 turned his eyes back to Marika.

 

"This is still a preparatory negotiation before a formal meeting. We would like to avoid outsiders participating if possible, but the Imperial Fleet does not have a list of the crew members of your spaceships or any data on their origins. Even if you have Galactic Empire citizens on your crew, we have no right to refuse their attendance, and probably no need to."

 

761 looked at Athena and said.

 

"If these preparatory negotiations go smoothly, the appropriate delegation from the Galactic Empire will be your next meeting. Of course, I can't guarantee that the delegation will make the same decision as me, but at least I won't refuse the presence of an observer."

 

"Thank you."

 

Marika looked at Athena.

 

"Then, we will ask Athena Sakyura to be the observer this time."

 

"Please be gentle."

 

761 gave a signal to the intelligence officer.

 

"Now, let's get to the point. First, let me confirm the situation regarding your war."

 

The intelligence officer opened the file wide.

 

"This is the situation in the Orion Arm as confirmed by the Empire on a 3D chart."

 

A star chart was displayed. It wasn't just the star system in Cetus. It included the star systems of both the Stellar Alliance and the Federation of Colonial Stars, as well as Marika's civilization that spread to the Orion Arm starting from the Stellar Alliance.

 

"For the sake of convenience, we will refer to your civilization as the Orion D6 civilization, following the name given by the Space University. As for the interstellar war you are currently fighting, both the master planet and your Federation of Colonial Stars have different names for it, so we refer to it collectively as the Orion Integration War."

 

"This... can't be."

 

Marika realized what the star chart that was being projected and the situation that 761 had explained meant.

 

"Did the Seventh Fleet check the latest situation of the Orion D6 civilization by themselves?"

 

"While you were away in the center of the Galactic Empire, we weren't just playing around. Fortunately, the Space University has compiled reliable information on the war in the Orion Arm, and there are many routes to indirectly check on uncontacted civilizations. It was a bit of a pain to send the Seventh Fleet's ships out to scout directly, but it became easier after you all went to the Joint Staff Headquarters and played a major role. We received an order from the center to closely gather information on the uncontacted civilization that hosts Orion pirates."

 

Marika looked over the star chart that was displayed. It included all the star systems, including the former Stellar Alliance, the Federation of Colonial Stars, which was annexed to join the Galactic Empire after the end of the War of Independence.

 

"So, the Seventh Fleet, what about the War of Independence?"

 

Marika cleared her throat and repeated herself.

 

"You have the latest information on the Orion Unification War, right?"

 

"It's up to date, but not very accurate."

 

761 superimposed countless tiny bright spots on the star chart.

 

"The number of ships we can allocate to the survey is limited. However, the data on the Orion D6 civilization's ship placement that you submitted in advance was very useful. This is the latest version that combines all the data currently available to the Seventh Fleet."

 

"... Neither side probably has data this accurate."

 

Marika said honestly. Jenny has more accurate data, but it's from records after the war. Neither the Stellar Alliance nor the Federation of Colonial Stars knows the exact placement of each other's forces or ships. As for the Federation of Colonial Stars, they didn't even have enough information on the location and status of the pirate ships, which are a valuable part of their forces.

 

"I am reporting the current situation regarding the Orion Unification War, which is being fought by the Imperial Fleet. The military forces gathering in the Cetacean system are reaching 60% of the Stellar Alliance's forces, and 70% of the colony planet's forces. This is surely the largest gathering of military power in your civilization."

 

Jenny wondered how the Imperial fleet had calculated the strength of the uncontacted civilization. The Federation of Colonial Stars must have gathered all of its forces in the Tau system to fight the Expeditionary Force at the end of the War of Independence.

 

"The Stellar Alliance has no plans for further reinforcements, but the Federation of Colonial Stars has more. Currently, the remaining forces from all over the Federation of Colonial Stars are gathering toward the Tau system. We estimate that 90% of the total strength of the Federation of Colonial Stars will eventually be gathered in the Tau system."

 

Countless bright points gather around the Tau system like two cumulonimbus clouds.

 

"With this, the number of ships will be about five to four. However, the strength ratio is three to one, giving the Stellar Alliance an overwhelming advantage."

 

761 spoke in a cold tone, as if predicting a match.

 

"Moreover, the number of ships and the ratio of forces were calculated assuming that reinforcements from the Federation of Colonial Stars, which is not yet in the system, have arrived. From the attacking side's perspective, waiting any longer will not increase their own forces, and the enemy's forces will only increase the more time they are given, meaning they will only be at a disadvantage, so the sooner they start attacking the better. Conversely, from the intercepting side's perspective, it's a matter of buying time to gather effective forces and create an advantageous formation, but according to our observations, the situation is so dire that a decisive battle in which both sides put all their forces into action could begin at any time."

 

"I think that's an accurate assessment of the situation."

 

Marika nodded in understanding.

 

"As the party likely to lose, I'd like to question the person in charge about why they started a war when they knew they were at a disadvantage, but unfortunately, we don't have time for that. If you have analyzed the military strength of both sides so accurately, you must have also calculated how much military power the Imperial fleet would need to deploy to subdue both sides, right?"

 

"Yes."

 

761 switched the bright spots representing the clouds of spaceships that were overlaid on the star chart to a spherical graph.

 

"If we were to express the attacking and intercepting fleets in numbers alone, it would look like this. As you can see, the volume of the attacking fleet is easily three times that of the intercepting fleet. The number of attacking ships is 900, of which 400 are combat ships. The intercepting fleet currently has a total of 300 ships, and this number is gradually increasing, but even if all the reinforcements from the colony planet arrived, it would still not reach 400 ships. The military strength that your civilization can currently deploy is a total of 700 ships, and including auxiliary ships, it is just over 1600 ships. This is it. If you want to overwhelm the forces of the Empire with numbers alone, the ancient theory is that the ratio of forces is three times. However, at this point in time, the Imperial fleet that has rushed to Port Seruna in response to your advance notice is the First Fleet with 400 ships, and the Fifth Fleet with 600 ships. If you know how unusual it is for a fleet to go outside its assigned area, this alone is impressive, but I won't say that."

 

"A total of 1000 ships."

 

Marika waited for a new spherical graph to appear near the star system.

 

"Even in terms of numbers, it easily surpasses the frontal forces of the Stellar Alliance Expeditionary Fleet. If you compare them in terms of strength, the Orion Arm's battleships that are not in contact with the Empire are considerably weaker than the Imperial fleet."

 

"Is that so?"

 

Without displaying the graph, 761 looked back at Marika.

 

"In addition to the First and Fifth Fleets, the Seventh Fleet, which was assembled at Port Seruna in response to the pirates' warning, has 200 ships. The three Numbers Fleets make up a large fleet of 1,200 ships, but this is barely twice the number of ships that the attacking and intercepting forces have in front of them."

 

761 displayed a new spherical graph in 3D next to the other two graphs. Its size was roughly the same as the Stellar Alliance Expeditionary Fleet.

 

"The First and Fifth Fleets were unable to sink or stop you. I don't think it was just this ship, but the fleet doesn't even know how many ships the Orion pirates had in total attacked the Galactic Empire."

 

There was a slight commotion on the bridge. Marika raised a voice of dissatisfaction in protest.

 

"Huh, you did your best, and now you're only giving us that kind of evaluation?"

 

"If your fighting power is the standard of the Orion D6 civilization, we can't send you out with confidence even if we had a fleet three times the size. Moreover, you've come this far and are still hiding the strength to threaten the Galactic Empire's fleet. I have to say that your fighting power is truly dangerous to the Empire."

 

"It was a fluke."

 

Thinking about what excuse to make, Marika answered for the time being.

 

"It just so happens that this is a style that the Imperial fleet has never faced before, but its actual fighting power is negligible. This spaceship is not really armed, so even if it is facing an Imperial fleet escort ship and does not fight back at all, it cannot sink it. Even if it were to ram it as a last resort, the hull is so delicate that it would only be destroyed."

 

"Sorry to interrupt you."

 

Berinda called out from the entrance to the bridge.

 

"Is it okay to interrupt you now?"

 

"What is it?"

 

While thinking of how to get back on track, Marika looked at Berinda and the white armored space suit behind her.

 

"The boarding team has completed their onboard check, so I have brought Commander Keith to the bridge."

 

"Thanks. Well then."

 

Marika looked at 761's face.

 

"You may enter, it's fine."

 

"Thank you."

 

761 turned to Captain Keith of the Marine Corps.

 

"You have permission to enter the bridge."

 

"Excuse me."

 

Saluting, Captain Keith entered the weightless bridge.

 

"I report. We have completed the inspection of the Odette's interior. As with the last time, we were unable to find any on-board weapons or destructive weapons."

 

"Thank you for your hard work. Please rest."

 

After telling her to take a resting position, 761 turned to Marika.

 

"Unfortunately, for the current fleet command, even not finding any weapons like this could be a cause for concern."

 

"Even if you say that..."

 

"What do you think?"

 

Athena, who had been listening in silence until then, raised one hand.

 

"May I speak?"

 

Marika looked at 761. There was no sign of rejection.

 

"Please."

 

"If the Seventh Fleet had conducted such intensive reconnaissance and observation of the latest situation of the Orion D6 civilization, they should have also conducted a combat power assessment."

 

Athena asked 761.

 

"The Orion D6 civilization should be in the middle of an unification war. There probably weren't any large-scale fleet battles, but they could have observed many small-scale battles that were sufficient for a combat power assessment. To gather this much information in a short period of time, there may have been contact that did not result in combat. The Seventh Fleet should be able to make a highly accurate combat power assessment. What did the fleet that scouted the latest situation of the Orion D6 civilization estimate as its combat power?"

 

After looking around the bridge, 761 answered.

 

"Below average for a frontier nation."

 

Unable to understand how much combat power that represented, Marika frowned and tilted her head. 761 continued explaining.

 

"The combat power of Orion D6 civilization warships, as determined by the Seventh Fleet's reconnaissance, is considerably lower than the standard combat power of the rebel army, which the Seventh Fleet considers to be its enemy. In the case of a warship of the same mass, its combat power is estimated to be 30 to 40 percent of that of a ship belonging to the Imperial Fleet."

 

"That's probably about right."

 

Chiaki muttered in a small voice.

 

"No matter what you say, our civilization is small in scale and has a short history, and we're not rich enough to spend money on armaments without thinking about the consequences."

 

"That's why, not only did you not back down a single step against the Imperial Fleet, but you even seemed to go easy on them on the way here, so it doesn't make sense with your combat power."

 

761 turned his eyes back to Marika.

 

"The fleet places more importance on the results of actual battles than on strength assessments based on observation alone. In that case, the strength assessment of Orion's spaceships places more importance on the battle information of the First and Fifth Fleets than on the observation results of the Seventh Fleet. Even if our kindred forces are several levels lower than yours, it's not an easy battle with an equal number of enemies. That's why I intended to make it so that the entire fleet would have to pursue you in earnest and gather more forces, but I never expected that you would come to negotiate like this here, the intelligence department's prediction was completely wrong."

 

"If we are really that strong, we will destroy the expeditionary fleet of the Stellar Alliance ourselves, and then attack the Stellar Alliance as well."

 

Marika said with a sullen face.

 

"Yeah, but if the attacking side is just as strong, that's the logic behind it being difficult. Seriously, why did it get so complicated?"

 

"Why did we win..."

 

Gruier spoke up.

 

"Will explaining the reason be included in the agenda for the preparatory negotiations?"

 

761 turned his gaze to Gruier. Gruier held 761's gaze with a gentle smile.

 

"No."

 

761 answered without moving his gaze.

 

"Even if the reason were revealed, the basic policy of the Fleet Command will not be easily shaken. Is there a secret behind your strength?"

 

"We are pirates."

 

Gruier suddenly covered his mouth and laughed, then restated it in an exaggerated way.

 

"We are allies of justice who have been granted a privateer license. Of course we have secrets."

 

After looking at Gruier's face for a while, 761 nodded in understanding.

 

"I see. I guess it can't be helped if you're a champion of justice."

 

"Gruieruuuuu"

 

Marika glared at Gruier in a low voice.

 

"I understand that there are many justices in this universe, and that they take on various forms depending on the place they are based on."

 

Gruier smiled back at Marika.

 

"Negotiations will go more smoothly if you understand our principles of action."

 

"I'm glad you joined in the preparatory work for the negotiations."

 

761 said with amusement.

 

"If I left the words "champion of justice" in an official document, I would lose my job."

 

"You said something that concerns me."

 

Gruier also asked with a smile of amusement.

 

"Has the basic policy of the Fleet Command been decided yet?"

 

761 looked around the bridge once more, then turned to the armored space suit behind him.

 

"Captain Keith. As the commander of the boarding team, I order you to forget all future conversations on board the ship. The Seventh Fleet Intelligence Division 6 Chief, 761, will be responsible for you and the boarding team you command, both before and after you board this spaceship."

 

"Ever since I received the order to board this sailing ship again for boarding, I had a feeling that things were going to get complicated."

 

After responding, Captain Keith gave a sharp salute to 761.

 

"Understood. Keith's team, currently under the command of the Intelligence Department, will continue to follow the orders of 761, Division 6 Chief."

 

"Thank you."

 

761 turned back to face the bridge.

 

"At this stage, I had not yet planned to inform you of the Imperial fleet's basic policy. However, for reasons unknown, you are concerned about time, and have declared that you will not hesitate to take drastic measures to achieve this. I do not know what measures you have prepared, but it is certain that they will clash head-on with the fleet's basic policy. I can also predict that this will be disadvantageous for both sides. In the hope that we can come to a compromise to make a better choice, I will inform you of the fleet's currently decided basic policy."

 

761 looked straight at Marika.

 

"We are buying time."

 

"As we understand, the tension between the attacking and intercepting forces in the Tau system is on the brink of an explosive situation."

 

Switching to a 3D display centered on the Tau system, 761 began to explain.

 

"However, we cannot predict the exact time when the battle will begin. The fleet has decided that the longer we wait to intervene in the Orion Unification War, the better. As I explained earlier, the reason is that you are too strong."

 

Jenny, who had been frowning as she looked at the star chart, raised her head to 761.

 

"The fleet battle is about to begin in the Tau system, and the longer the Imperial fleet waits to intervene, the more the fighting power of both sides will be weakened, right?"

 

"That's right," 761 answered Jenny.

 

"Also, if the fighting expands and the planet ends up being damaged, it can be used as a pretext for emergency rescue operations. The range of options available before the battle begins is infinite, but once the battle begins, the range of options narrows depending on the situation, so Fleet Command's orders become easier and more certain."

 

"That's terrible."

 

Marika said.

 

"I don't need to say that now. It's only natural that the Empire, which is investing its valuable military power in an uncontacted civilization, would seek a safe and reliable method. I'm grateful that you have decided on a policy of intervention in the Unification War. But that also means that if we take some kind of strong measure, the policy of intervention could be canceled, right?"

 

"Yes."

 

761 nodded.

 

"The Empire is planning to use their intervention in the Unification War as an excuse to prevent you from taking strong measures, wait until the start of the final battle, and once both sides' forces have been sufficiently weakened, send in the large fleet they have prepared at Port Seruna to intervene. Although there is a surrender document, it is only for one side, and rather than sending a large fleet to intervene when all forces are healthy, if they wait until they are in a position to win, they can ensure the safety of their fleet and end the Orion Unification War peacefully."

 

"That's how much damage there will be."

 

Marika said what was obvious. 761 replied.

 

"It's an acceptable sacrifice for the Galactic Empire. At this point, the Orion D6 civilization is uncontacted by the Galactic Empire, meaning it is not officially known about it."

 

"But we have to rely on the Imperial fleet, and that doesn't mean we can accept sacrifices."

 

Marika looked at 761, the clerk, intelligence officer, and communications officer around her, and Captain Keith behind them.

 

"I'm going to ignore the basic policy and get the fleet to act. Will you cooperate?"

 

"I'll listen."

 

761 said.

 

"I have explained our policy. Now it is your turn. It is not too late to decide whether to cooperate or not after hearing the plan."

 

The negotiating team aboard the Orion D6 civilization pirate ship Odette held a thorough meeting for the upcoming conditional surrender.

 

Nearly half a day after the negotiating team boarded the Odette, they reported the progress to the Seventh Fleet HQ in Gezerubu.

 

Preparations for the negotiations are progressing smoothly, and it is necessary to hold formal negotiations between the envoys and representatives of the fleet as soon as possible.

 

The Seventh Fleet Command, acting on the orders of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Fifth Fleet, proposed that surrender negotiations with the Orion D6 civilization be held the following day at Port Seruna.

 

The negotiating team aboard the Odette conveyed the intentions of the Fleet Command to the envoys.

 

The next communication from the negotiating team to the Fleet Command was that a staff member of the Galactic Empire's Space University had been rescued aboard an Orion D6 civilization spaceship.

 

At the same time, the research vessel Curiosity, which had just arrived at Port Seruna, reported that one crew member was missing.

 

After an inquiry, it was determined that the Space University staff member rescued by the Odette matched the missing staff member.

 

The drop ship was temporarily undocked and taken aboard the Odette in order to transfer and communicate.

 

After the drop ship was taken aboard the Odette, the negotiating team sent out a distress signal announcing an emergency.

 

"This is the Odette, an Orion pirate ship."

 

Without interfering with the distress signal from the negotiating team, the Odette contacted the control station.

 

"I have an urgent matter to attend to, so I will be returning with the negotiating team, the boarding party, and the Space University staff. Our destination is the star system called Cetus Arm of Orion. We will guarantee your safety until we reach the site, but we don't know what will happen after we arrive. We expect a quick response from the Imperial Fleet."

 

The Odette easily broke through the encirclement of six mobile cruisers and one amphibious assault ship that were not on combat alert, and disappeared from Port Seruna.

 

It was only immediately afterwards that the Imperial Fleet realized that the negotiating team and the inspection party, along with the missing university staff, had been kidnapped by pirates.

That day, the Federation of Colonial Stars was about to enter the final battle with the Stellar Alliance Expeditionary Fleet that had gathered in the Tau system.

 

The information on the Expeditionary Fleet that was being sent to the Federation of Colonial Stars Fleet Headquarters, which was built deep underground in the old government office in Shinokuhama City, Sea of the Morningstar, had already reached a stage where it no longer needed reconnaissance aircraft or patrol ships.

 

"The Expeditionary Fleet has entered inner planet orbit."

 

An announcer requisitioned from a local broadcasting station read out the information.

 

"The Federation of Colonial Stars will intercept the Stellar Alliance Expeditionary Fleet in orbit around the fourth planet of Sirius. I repeat. The Stellar Alliance Expeditionary Fleet has entered inner planet orbit. The Federation of Colonial Stars will intercept the Stellar Alliance Expeditionary Fleet in orbit around the fourth planet of Sirius. Please assemble all ships in the orbit of Sirius."

 

The Combined Fleet HQ, a cone-shaped coliseum with a huge pillar in the center, is equipped with several huge screens for displaying information. The clouds that look like dull crosses against the starry sky are not a natural phenomenon. A reconnaissance satellite in orbit around the planet Tau was directly optically observing the large fleet approaching the orbit of Sirius, one planet further out than the third planet, the Sea of the Morningstar.

 

"A frontal force of 800 ships, excluding transports and auxiliary ships..."

 

Among the shouts and shouts flying around the underground HQ, only one corner was quiet. Commander Christy Sherwood, head of the Pirate Division, was looking up at the image of the large fleet on the main screen, which could also be seen from the observation satellite in orbit around the planet Tau. As expected, the Stellar Alliance Expeditionary Fleet, which had reached the Tau system, had begun its advance on the Sea of the Morningstar with its strategic fleet, mainly large battleships, at the forefront.

 

"I guess the plan to get behind them and attack the auxiliary ships while it's still possible was not adopted after all."

 

A large fleet needs ample supplies to operate. The Expeditionary Fleet was expected to operate its frontal forces independently in the final battle, and at that time, the auxiliary ships, mainly transports and maintenance supply ships, were expected to be left completely naked with only minimal escort.

 

The operation plan to attract the frontal forces to the Sea of the Morningstar, then send all of the Federation of Colonial Stars's forces to the auxiliary ships, overrun them, and then turn around and confront the frontal forces that were expected to come toward them, was on the table until the very end, along with the naive plan for a frontal interception. If all supplies were cut off, the Expeditionary Fleet's frontal forces would not be able to continue fighting for a long time.

 

However, if the Expeditionary Fleet did not return to protect the transport fleet, its forces would be diverted to attack the transport fleet and head directly toward the unarmed Sea of the Morningstar. The expeditionary fleet can attack Sea of the Morningstar directly, then turn around and take on the remaining forces.

 

"It's about time," Ensign Endo Miki said, pouring lukewarm coffee into a mug on Commander Sherwood's sideboard.

 

"It'll still be a while," Commander Sherwood replied.

 

"They're trying to settle things by putting all their forces into it at once, but we need to drag out the battle as long as possible and wear down the expeditionary fleet. If the battle drags on, the expeditionary fleet, whose supply lines are already in tatters, will suffer, and we'll be able to gather some of our scattered forces."

 

"We've received a few applications for privateer licenses."

 

Miki glanced over to the booth behind her, which had become her own for the time being.

 

"Even if I issue a pirate license now, I don't know if Sea of the Morningstar will have enough time to equip itself for battle."

 

"It'll be a consolation. If I have a job to do, I can take my mind off a losing battle."

 

"Also, my subordinate pirates will be arriving from Antares soon."

 

Sherwood looked down at the display and checked the necessary data. The battle between the Stellar Alliance Fleet and the pirate fleet at Antares constellation had already ended. The reinforcements sent in such a cheating way were more than enough to serve as a relief fleet, and the surviving pirates were heading to Sea of the Morningstar.

 

"There's no need to send them straight to the battlefield."

 

Sherwood checked the rough flight plan of the pirate ship that had been submitted carelessly.

 

"I can't give you the order to fight unless you return it to the Sea of the Morningstar first, and at least give it some emergency repairs and supplies, and a verbal promise of a special reward."

 

"The combined fleet in orbit around Sirius has completed preparations for interception."

 

An announcement was made in the underground headquarters. The many large screens switched from the image from the orbital observation satellite to a much clearer image.

 

"Real-time imagery from the orbit of Sirius. The Federation of Colonial Stars interceptor fleet will soon begin its first attack on the approaching Expeditionary Fleet."

 

A sharp alarm sounded at the same time on Sherwood's desk and Miki's booth. Miki, holding a coffee pot in one hand and a cup in the other, jumped back to her booth.

 

"Touchdown signal, pirate ship!"

 

"Of all times, at a time like this..."

 

The touchdown signal observed by the interceptor fleet in orbit around Sirius was immediately collated and sent to the Pirate Division of the Headquarters via a FTL line.

 

"And in the orbit of Sirius!"

 

Miki's voice was almost a scream.

 

"We're right in front of the expeditionary fleet!"

 

"Not only is the timing terrible, but the location is terrible too. What kind of spaceship is this?"

 

Miki operated the control panel. The patrol ship ahead had captured the pirate ship that had just touched down.

 

The solar sail ship, which had just touched down, was unfurling its masts one after another from its slender, pure white hull.

 

"The White Swan?"

 

The distinctive hull was unmistakable. As Sherwood tried to confirm, he noticed that the white solar sail ship was not transmitting a transponder.

 

"Well, if they knew they were coming into the battle area, it was only natural..."

 

"Are there a lot of prejumps this time?"

 

Miki spoke up.

 

"What? Did they rush over to other pirate ships?"

 

"No, that's not the pattern of prejumps in our data!"

 

Miki struggled to push the large-scale prejumps, which were detected so one after another that it seemed like an error message, into the background of the display.

 

"Is this a new weapon of the expeditionary force? There can't be so many prejumps!"

 

Sherwood looked up at the image sent by the fleet in the orbit of Sirius. The image clearly showed the formation of the expeditionary fleet even though they were far away, and it flickered like fine heat haze was layered on top of each other.

 

"You can see the prejumps?"

 

Sherwood muttered, knowing it was impossible. There's no way that an optical observation camera showing such a wide area could capture distortions in space.

 

However, a flood of information quickly flooded into the underground command center.

 

"Many prejump phenomena!"

 

"Many prejump phenomena around the orbit of Sirius!"

 

"No fluctuations in the energy response on the expeditionary fleet side, no related movement observed!"

 

Verbal and image data reports were flying around. Miki tried to see how many prejump phenomena there were that were supposed to be pushed into the background.

 

"You've got to be kidding me... More than 1,000 prejump phenomena!?"

 

"Many unidentified ships!"

 

The analyst's voice was heard. Displays and data screens suddenly appeared, showing spaceships of all sizes that had suddenly touched down.

 

"Large energy reaction, many large ships!"

 

"Total number over 1000, still growing!!"

 

"What in the world did our pirate ship bring?"

 

Sherwood turned his eyes back to the display capturing the first spaceship to touch down. The solar sail ship had already fully deployed its mast.

 

"This is the Galactic Empire Fleet."

 

A harsh noise was heard on the speaker in the underground command center, which had only been playing announcements, and then words with a strange intonation were heard.

 

"This is a forced communication!"

 

Miki told Sherwood, switching between displays.

 

"It's not just us, it's probably being sent to all communication devices within a radius of several hundred million kilometers!"

 

"This is the Galactic Empire Fleet."

 

The prejump phenomenon continued uninterrupted. The number of the fleet that suddenly appeared was greater than the combined total of the expeditionary fleet and the interceptor fleet, and the total mass estimated from the prejump phenomenon was several times that amount.

 

"I am warning the two forces currently in this airspace. Disengage immediately and surrender to the Galactic Empire. The Imperial fleet's fighting power far exceeds yours. Disengage immediately and surrender to the Galactic Empire."

 

With a harsh noise, the forced intervention communication ended.

 

The underground command center was enveloped in a strange silence, as if the commotion from a moment ago had been forgotten.

 

Once again, the harsh noise of the forced communication came from the speaker.

 

"This is the pirate ship Odette."

 

"Odette?"

 

Sherwood muttered. Miki screamed as she pulled up a list of pirate ships on the display.

 

"There is no such pirate ship!"

 

A female voice with an easy-to-listen pronunciation spoke clearly, one word at a time.

 

"The Federation of Colonial Stars surrenders to the Galactic Empire."

 

Marika handed the microphone to 761. Lynn turned on the forced intervention communication switch, which was set to the widest range possible.

 

761 spoke into the microphone.

 

"The Galactic Empire accepts the surrender of the Federation of Colonial Stars."

 

"Okay, done!"

 

After waiting for 761 to finish, Lynn furiously started banging on the control panel.

 

"All the audio signals left in the electronic records have been tampered with to turn into noise. We can't handle cases where the sound played on the speaker is recorded exactly as it is, but please forgive us for that."

 

"Congratulations, Captain Marika."

 

Gruier called out to Marika, who was sitting in the captain's seat with a slumped look on her face.

 

"The declaration of surrender that ended the War of Independence will go down in history."

 

"It doesn't have to go down in history."

 

Taking the microphone from 761, Marika waved her hand.

 

"Generally, there aren't many documents left about what happened at the end of the war. It was because they were using forced communications that would self-destruct."

 

"It's going to be tough from here on out."

 

Jenny was watching the movements of the expeditionary fleet and interceptor fleet, which had stopped in an instant, on the display. Almost all of the ships on both sides had switched to inertial navigation, and the only spaceships accelerating and decelerating were the Imperial fleets that had touched down.

 

"Both the Stellar Alliance and the Federation of Colonial Stars will be incorporated into a social system that we didn't even know existed."

 

"I don't know what you're talking about."

 

Startled, Marika looked back at 761.

 

"Sorry, I'm talking about this. Well, in accordance with the confidentiality agreement, please pretend you didn't hear what I just said."

 

"They have a lot of secrets."

 

761 nodded.

 

"That's not something the intelligence department should have said."

 

"We've got a call from Bentenmaru!"

 

Gruier announced.

 

"It seems that a hole has appeared due to a large-scale touchdown!"

 

"I understand!"

 

Marika turned back to 761.

 

"As of this moment, we are releasing the negotiating team, the inspection team, and the observers."

 

"Then, the Galactic Empire will take responsibility for the Orion D6 civilization."

 

761 gave a clear smile. Marika responded with a smile.

 

"I know I'm going to cause you a lot of trouble, but please be gentle and not too shabby."

 

"Thanks to you, it was an interesting experience."

 

Athena said to Jenny in the first officer's seat.

 

"I guess this is how a war can end."

 

"The war is over, but I think our civilization will have a hard time from now on."

 

Jenny looked at the star chart, which showed the Imperial fleet that was about to touch down between the opposing expeditionary fleet and interceptor fleet. The Marsh Star was visible in the corner of the display.

 

"I think it will be an interesting research subject."

 

"That's your job."

 

Athena said.

 

"It's your job to record, study, and understand the changes in ourselves."

 

"That's right."

 

Jenny nodded.

 

"Thank you for everything."

 

"I think I'll be at Space University for a while."

 

Athena left the first officer's seat.

 

"Come visit us when you're done."

 

"Yes."

 

Jenny looked straight at Athena and answered.

 

"I'll definitely come."

 

"I'll wait."

 

Athena stopped next to 761.

 

"Curiosity is coming soon. Can you give her a lift?"

 

"That's easy."

 

761 ran his eyes over the Imperial fleet displayed on Odette's bridge. The large fleet that had touched down was gradually forming its formation.

 

"The sooner the better. If we can get our fleet to work before it starts, it will be easy to drop off at the Space University research ship with a drop ship."

 

The Orion Unification War ended before the final battle when a powerful Imperial fleet intervened.

 

Univer System's fourth planet, Tania, Information City Acacia.

 

Among the old stone buildings in the government housing district on the outskirts of the old town, the area where many teachers and professors live is known as Enma Yokocho.

 

Jenny looked around the section known as Hell's First Street, where the homes of the professors who have been there for the longest time are lined up.

 

Just like when she was last here, there was no uniformity to the unidentified object in the garden and the machines that looked like vehicles parked along the wide road. However, judging from the fact that there was not much decaying, it seemed that most of the things on the road were still alive.

 

Jenny stopped in front of an old government housing complex covered in ivy. Just like when she was last here, a brightly colored, low-profile sports commuter vehicle was parked in the road.

 

Walking along the sidewalk of the poorly maintained garden, Jenny stood at the entrance, where there was no sign of any modern technology around. On top of the thick door was a knocker, a heavy metal ring held in the mouth of a carnivorous beast with long fangs.

 

Jenny didn't hesitate to pick up the metal ring and slam it against the bump below. A heavy metallic sound rang out.

 

Before the echo had even faded, a muffled voice came from the funnel attached to the side of the door.

 

"Yes, who is it?"

 

"I'm Jenny Dolittle, a first-year."

 

Jenny spoke the lines she had prepared.

 

"I'm back. I wrote a report on the Orion Unification War. Could you take a look at it privately?"

 

It felt like a long time had passed before a reply came.

 

"Welcome back."

 

Athena's voice came from the other end of the speaking tube and spoke with a nostalgic tone.

 

"I've been waiting. The door is unlocked, so please come in."

 

Afterword (Asahi Novels version)

 

I finally finished writing, and it was the usual tightrope walk of "Please write the afterword during business hours." I was feeling the usual anxiety right after finishing a manuscript, wondering if there was a mountain of things I'd missed or left undone, and as I opened the previous volume, I wondered what I'd written in the last afterword, when I suddenly realized.

 

It's been exactly 30 years.

 

I'll never forget that it was August 1984, 30 years ago, when "Fairy Operation" was published by Sonorama Bunko as Sasamoto Yuichi's first work. So what kind of afterword did I write 30 years ago? I've forgotten. Ah, Sonorama Bunko didn't really have a culture of publishing afterwords at the time, so instead I made a timeline like a making of movie. Come to think of it, "Back to the Future" released the following year in 1985 was a movie that went back 30 years.

 

However, being an old writer, I don't have time to bask in my emotions. Yes, yes, I'll send the afterword in an hour.

 

When the deadline is about to arrive, data suddenly disappears and other unfortunate events occur. This time too, I printed the galleys sent to me digitally by mistake, and the PC, which had been playing background music until just a moment ago, suddenly went silent. I restarted the computer and reinstalled the drivers, and in the end it turned out that the cause was just a loose connection cord, which was a good thing that could be fixed easily.

 

In February of this year, the movie version of "Bodacious Space Pirates: ABYSS OF HYPERSPACE - The Abyss of Subspace" was released, and I've finally reached the 1st and 2nd volumes of the original "Miniskirt Space Pirates." Where did Marika and the other space pirates go and what did they accomplish when they jumped into the middle of the War of Independence 120 years ago? You'll have to read the main story to find out, but war is a tough thing. I'm against something that takes so much work.

 

A videogram of the movie version is scheduled for release in November. I've contributed a lot to that as the original author, so please look forward to it as well as the main story.

 

Thanks to you, I've come this far. I hope I'm still working well in 30 years' time.

 

See you again in my next work.

 

Summer 2014 (Oops, I cheated~)

Sasamoto Yuichi

 

Afterword (KADOKAWA version)

 

The fifth year, the fierce efforts to end the war

 

And then the end of the war.

 

The official history of this world is that the Galactic Empire intervenes at the end of the War of Independence, and both the Stellar Alliance and the Federation of Colonial Stars are annexed by the Galactic Empire, but at the end of the previous episode, it was revealed that the Galactic Empire, which was supposed to come, has not made any moves, so what will happen next?

 

In this episode, the author had planned to carry the War of Independence to the end, but in order to get the Galactic Empire to intervene, he realized that he would have to declare war on the Galactic Empire in the first place. The part where they are discussing how to bring in the Imperial fleet. That's right, the expeditionary fleet of the Stellar Alliance, which easily exceeds the Federation of Colonial Stars by three times, must be concentrated in one place to the extent that it gives up on a fleet battle, otherwise the War of Independence that has lasted for 20 years will not end. And in order to surrender to the Galactic Empire, there are many things that must be done as a preliminary step.

 

If you think about what needs to be done to achieve that, you have to decide not only on the chain of command for the Imperial fleet, but also on the form of the Galactic Empire as a decision-making body, right? Regardless of how much of it will be used in the story.

 

In the story, the daughters make such a list and nod nod nods, but this is after the author has groaned.

 

Nations are the strongest system in the history of humanity that has been built on fb in order to survive. The interstellar nations that appear in this work are modeled on nations from all over the world, past and present, and are set up without much thought to the details, with various arrangements made here and there.

 

If a communicative intelligent being creates a nation for the sake of profit, then the purpose of its existence and its form must be set with strict rationality. A huge organization that is not operated rationally and efficiently will be vulnerable and will decline in the future. It's strange, I wanted to write a free space pirate story, but where did I go wrong and end up having to create such a troublesome and troublesome setting?

 

Of course, for free space pirates, it's necessary to depict a restrictive, orderly, and troublesome world. If you expand the grave you dug yourself and make it into a huge tomb, then of course there's no use. So how can I overcome this?

 

No matter what I do, I have no choice but to do the usual method of doing everything I can one by one that comes to mind, and letting things take their course. If I could, I'd have a genius strategy and intellect and be able to write a manuscript smoothly, with a clear vision from the first scene to the last, but unfortunately I'm not that type of person. I'm the type who thinks as I write and moves forward using deductive reasoning.

 

The galleys of this work, which I wrote five years ago in this way, ended up being seen in Taiki Town, Tokachi, Hokkaido, from the end of the Heisei era to the Reiwa era.

 

When I started writing Miniskirt Space Pirates, a homemade rocket developed by volunteers who would later call themselves "Natsu no Rocket Team" finally started to erupt. Ten years have passed since then, and the amateur original members have gained experience and been replaced by young, established members and full-time employees. A company has been established to develop rockets and send them into space. The launch of the third rocket is scheduled to reach an altitude of 100 km, which is said to be the boundary between Earth and space, in Taiki Town.

 

Sasamoto's role is to use his experience in covering space development sites to respond to the press. His role is to explain the latest situation to the media, who have gathered at an observation deck more than four kilometers away from the rocket launch site. Reporters, the people who respond to the press and who rush to hear what happens with their cameras and microphones are usually writing about space pirates and aliens.

 

During the ten-day holiday from Heisei to Reiwa, the weather forecast for Taiki Town in the Tokachi region, where the launch will take place, is sunny, but windy.

 

The launch of the rocket is postponed for various reasons, including mechanical problems, weather, and external factors. Of course, what we have to aim for is a successful launch, and if postponing it will increase the chances of success, we'll postpone it as much as we like.

 

And that's also a job of "waiting." Our rocket, MOMO 3, which would have been the last of the Heisei era if launched as scheduled, has been gradually postponed due to problems with the aircraft and winds that won't die down, eating up our backup launch days.

 

In May 2019, the launch was scheduled for early in the morning because the wind was too strong for the originally scheduled afternoon or evening launch time, but the first launch of the Reiwa era was also beaten by two foreign rockets. At 5:45 a.m. on the 4th, the rocket finally ignited and began to rise energetically after a slow initial acceleration that made me wonder if it would be okay.

 

The launch of the first rocket, which only reached an altitude of a few dozen kilometers, was obscured by fog. I watched the second rocket through binoculars as it finally lit up and floated beyond the thin fog, but the fire went out and flames rose immediately after. This time too, I aimed my binoculars at the launcher four kilometers away, knowing that I'd have to see if something happened.

 

In the cloudless blue sky, a 10-meter-long, 50-centimeter-diameter rocket spewed flames that didn't trail any smoke, typical of fully burning liquid fuel, and continued to gain altitude. Because it was so small, all I could do was follow it until about a minute after launch, let alone the full 120-second planned burn time.

 

Even after the rocket melted into the blue sky and disappeared from sight, flight data was still being sent. A distant control center contacted me to say that it had surpassed Max Q, where flight resistance is at its maximum, and that the burn time had ended, followed by a message that it had exceeded 100 kilometers.

 

The altitude reached was 113.4 kilometers.

 

In response to the press, I was wondering what I would do if we didn't reach the target altitude of 100 kilometers, and that the US military's definition of reaching outer space would be anything more than 80 kilometers, but I was wondering what excuses I would make if the number was a bit off, but the numbers blew all those worries away. Space development is really full of unexpected things.

 

While I was doing that, I had planned to check the galleys for this issue and write a new one, but counting your chickens before they hatch means that the planned number of pages of manuscript that I haven't yet written is not going to progress as planned. So the next day, I left the wheel to a friend on the way back to Sapporo from Taiki Town and checked the galleys from the back seat. My tendency to not get motion sickness comes in handy in situations like this.

 

I didn't make it to the last scene on the way there, but I think I managed to return it to the editorial department before the holidays.

 

The end of the war also means the beginning of a new era. After Miniskirt Space Pirates, which I've been asked to republish, and Fierce War End Operations, I'm currently writing my new works, Super Miniskirt Space Pirates 1 and Pirate Officer Cadet. As always, the series titles are a bit strange, but these kind of things need to make an impact or people won't pick them up.

 

And so, I'm writing the new work smoothly. It's okay, it's okay, everything will be okay (I'm telling myself the above).

 

So, I look forward to your continued support in the Reiwa era.

 

May 22, 2019

 

Yuichi Sasamoto

 

This book is a new edition with additional content and corrections and a new cover of "Miniskirt Space Pirates 12: Bodacious Warfare Operation," published by Asahi Novel in August 2014.

Sasamoto Yuichi

 

 

 

1963: Born in Tokyo.

 

1974: Becomes hooked on "Space Battleship Yamato" from the original broadcast.

 

1979: Watches "Mobile Suit Gundam" from the original broadcast.

 

1982: Reads "Galactic Beggars’ Army" and learns how to use airplane pilot manuals as reference books.

 

1984: Published "Operation Fairy"

 

1992: Published "Come and See the Stars Dance"

 

1992: Begins researching rockets from the first H-II rocket to write a space opera.

 

2008: "Miniskirt space pirate" battle begins!

 

2012: "Moretsu Space Pirates" televised.

 

2014: "Moretsu Space Pirates" theatrical animation was released.

 

2018: "Miniskirt Space Pirates" second battle begins!

 

 

Matsumoto Noriyuki

 

 

 

Worked for a game company for about 10 years. After that, he became a freelance illustrator, working on illustrations for light novels. Currently, his main activity is manga. His representative works include "Rin - Noriyuki Matsumoto Art Collection" (Enterbrain), "Tsubame Yodamari Shoujo Kiko" (Tokuma Shoten), and "Minami Kamakura High School Girls Bicycle Club" (Mac Garden).

 

Notes

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TL Note: Here, Bentenmaru is written with katakana instead of the usual kanji.