17 Asteroid Belt

"Install the propulsion unit at the designated point on the asteroid. Carefully."

Jin approached a single asteroid, leading a group of trainees, including the troublemaker squad.

Asteroid with a diameter of approximately ten kilometers.

At this size, gravity was barely perceptible.

In the unobstructed vacuum, countless craters stood sharply defined.

"Once the axis confirmation is complete, we disengage. I doubt it, but… no one should be caught by this much gravity, right? If anyone is, they’ll never earn a license for gravity-based combat."

The fourth-years—those who had deployed during the previous major assault—laughed at Jin’s words.

They had been stopped from following Jin precisely because they lacked the license.

Having experienced combat, albeit briefly, they seemed considerably more relaxed.

In contrast, the third-year students, second-years, are noticeably tense.

From a distance, their piloting appears rigid.

In contrast—

"Look, Yuriya. That crater there. It's connected, forming a vulgar shape."

"You... you're not supposed to be looking at things like that. You've already finished, haven't you?"

Jin is genuinely impressed.

Installing the propulsion unit is no small task.

Asteroids, of course, lack smooth surfaces.

Successfully placing it in one shot on a surface riddled with jagged rocks and debris is extraordinarily difficult.

While other units are still struggling to select placement sites, May has already completed hers.

A product of her spatial awareness and machine control mastery.

Even in routine drills, he had noticed—May’s machine control is unparalleled.

Without it, attitude control during high-speed maneuvers would be impossible.

Jin had confidence he was no less capable than others, but he wondered if he could have achieved this much at May’s age.

“Belwahr trainee. Well done. There’s still a propulsion unit left. Install that one too.”

“Yes, Instructor. Oh? Is Sasamori still on the first one?”

“Don’t underestimate me. I’ll install it right away.”

Had he marked it deliberately? Or had May’s comment put him on edge?

Kou installed the propulsion unit.

Jin decided to offer a caution, just in case.

“Sasamori trainee. Hurrying is fine, but don’t become careless. A misaligned installation could send you spinning off in the wrong direction.”

“Understood.”

There had been haste, clearly.

Adjusting the placement slightly.

“Hey, I’m in trouble now…”

“Belwahr trainee, don’t provoke him. Focus on your own work.”

“Yes, sir.”

The two of them always argued like this… or rather, goaded each other.

Jin believed he would need to address the tension, but he also recognized it was fueling both of them—pushing them forward through mutual provocation.

Though it went against Yuria’s role as supervisor, he chose to leave things as they were. It was better this way.

……Instructor. There is another asteroid at 1–5–3000. Current trajectory will result in collision.

Good observation. Nastin trainee. Regular personnel will adjust orbit. Continue operations—do not concern yourself.

Understood. Apologies. Thank you.

Jin glanced briefly at his own radar.

Of course, an object 3,000 kilometers away could not be detected.

He must have used image correction from the main camera and then estimated its position through calculation.

But in truth, the asteroid Yuria had mentioned was extremely small.

Jin would not have noticed it without prior knowledge from the regular forces.

High awareness of surroundings.

Jin is certain now that this child is suited for command.

The ability to detect subtle anomalies—unnoticed by others—will undoubtedly prove valuable on an unexpected battlefield.

How to refine that talent.

For Jin, it is both a pleasure and a source of fear.

Always, when teaching or guiding another, he worries the brilliance might dim.

Several minutes later.

Thrusters are installed across the asteroid.

Jin watches the trainees step back, thinking of chestnuts.

"Temporary Battalion, this is the command. Thruster installation complete. All units, withdraw."

"Understood. Initiating all thrusters."

At the same moment, the reply comes from the bridge of the Rosario-class cruiser *Rhea*, which has carried them this far.

The asteroid flares into sudden brilliance.

The thrusters are ether thrusters, the same type mounted on assault frames.

Inside, ether is densely packed—enough to function as propulsion for a limited duration even without a reactor.

The cruiser *Rhea*, nearly one kilometer in length, cannot possibly contain an asteroid of this scale.

A Nail-class destroyer is four hundred meters; a Lombardia-class battleship, five kilometers—neither could manage it.

Then, what to do? The solution is simple: carry the asteroid itself.

Approximately five hundred thrusters are installed.

When all fire simultaneously, this is what occurs.

A ten-kilometer-diameter asteroid begins to move—slightly at first.

It gradually accelerates, turning toward the convoy.

Without counter-thrust from thrusters on the opposite side, it would simply be a mass attack.

Instead, deceleration is applied on the opposite side to adjust trajectory.

Once this is achieved, control is handed over to the cruiser.

The journey spans approximately ten million kilometers.

Once clear of the asteroid belt, overdrive is engaged to transport the convoy to the nearby orbital zone.

"Launch confirmed. All units return."

"Understood. Commencing landing sequence. Well then, back home. Don't forget anything—someone’s always leaving gear behind on an asteroid."

If that happens, they’d have to chase the asteroid, match relative velocity, and retrieve it.

It’s a considerable hassle.

After confirming no one had forgotten anything, the hundred-or-so training squad assault frames began landing.

Meanwhile, a regular infantry platoon, having corrected the trajectory of another asteroid, took up escort duty.

Twelve Ravens.

Thinking of comrades lost in combat against the giant-class enemies, a faint ache stirs in the chest.

Jin, noting it would take time with a hundred units, scans the surroundings.

"...Huh?"

Suddenly. Jin’s perception registers an anomaly.

The ether rifle mounted on Jin’s Raven.

He raises it toward the void.

‘Hey, what’s wrong, Instructor? There’s nothing there.’

‘Scared, huh?’

Mocking voices reach him, but he ignores all noise.

He pulls the trigger as directed by the unease.

An ether round.

A bolt of light streaks through the vacuum.

‘Hey, you actually fired… wait, what?’

Impact. Then a flash.

A bloom of light erupts in empty space. Regular troops snap into combat formation.

‘What was that?’

‘…I don’t know.’

Only instinct could describe it.

Something was there.

Jin fired without warning—yet he could not identify it.

‘Not ASID.’

‘Likely. No ether response at all.’

The power was dialed down to minimum—yet still left no trace.

ASID always carried ether.

One could say no ASID currently exists without ether.

‘How do you see it?’

‘I can’t identify the origin… but it’s correct to assume it was observing us through optical camouflage.’

The issue is who did it—and from where.

‘We’ve got nothing on that… Your perception is all we have. Anyone else?’

‘…No. I don’t—’

Don’t know.

Before he could finish, Yuriya’s voice cut in.

‘May! Sasamori! 6-9-100!’

‘Got it!’

‘You’re sure about this?’

The three troublemakers waiting for landing suddenly broke formation and surged forward at full speed.

‘Hey now. Those rookies…!’

‘There!’

The point Yuriya had specified.

Jin focused there—and realized it.

A faint shimmering presence.

Attempting to move, the optical camouflage's image correction fails to keep pace.

‘Got it! Scissors Combination A12!’

‘Understood!’

May and Kou’s units accelerate further.

Exchanging a signal only they understand, they split and drive something toward a corner.

‘Got it!’

May’s Leopard grips something firmly, holding onto the ball.

The escort squad leader whistles in approval.

‘Good work. Greenhorns. Quick judgment, flawless machine control.’

‘Yes. Indeed.’

Acting on impulse was grounds for reprimand.

But thanks to that, the unknown entity was captured.

‘Well done. I’ll overlook your unauthorized action for now.’

‘Sorry, Instructor. It just happened on instinct…’

It had been a hasty move, even by Yuriya’s standards.

I can't say I’d have acted as quickly as Kou or May did, hearing her presence there.

The two of them must have responded so swiftly because they trusted Yuriya.

Perhaps.

"Instructor. What should we do with this? Shall we carry it over there as is?"

"Yeah, that'll work. I'll leave it to you."

"Understood—"

Explosion.

Something May’s unit had grasped disintegrated.

Yuriya shrieks as the机体 is enveloped in shockwave.

"May!"

"Yikes! You startled me!"

A moment later, her voice returns, bright and clear. Jin relaxes his tense shoulders.

"Self-destructed."

"Ah… yes."

In the end, we still failed to secure any meaningful lead.

No—there is one clue.

The enemy did not wish to be detected, regardless of our presence.

"…We’ll report this upward."

"Yes."

An unsatisfying conclusion, to say the least.