015 Beginner Training 1 Commander Shiina

I’d mistakenly used an E-type Missile Launcher Pod with a low maximum load during last week’s RIO.

I was summoned by the Prince and came to the training room in the Administrative Tower.

Today’s session is a beginner’s training for a newly assigned Personal Ship pilot—me, the gamer.

Six people are scattered around the training room, three men and two women, plus me.

“Everyone’s here. Let’s begin the beginner’s training.”

A woman in military uniform strides in with a confident air from the entrance.

“The training period is scheduled for five days. I’m Instructor Gamer Name (GN) Shiina. Please look after me from now on.”

“““Nice to meet you.”””

“““Please take care of me.”””

“……”

Shiina wears a red military uniform with a look reminiscent of jeans—same style as Meina. Long, flowing hair down to her waist, curvaceous figure.

Looks just like Commander Shiina. No—Commander Shiina, actually. Age… mid-forties…?

Right as that thought hit me, a killer’s gaze stabbed straight into my chest.

I sweat through my shirt, scrambling to revise my internal monologue. Age… early twenties. Probably.

Commander Shiina was smiling at me like it was nothing. Good.

Felt like she read my mind. Probably just nerves.

“First, everyone take turns introducing yourselves. No last names. Just GN.”

Commander Shiina pointed to the person on her right.

“GN Ooi.” Ooi, a thirty-something geezer.

“GN Forest.” Forest, a brooding teenage delinquent.

“Kiri…” Kiri, a quiet, twenty-something guy.

“GN Tanpopo.” Tanpopo, a glasses-wearing woman in her twenties.

“GN Akira.” Me.

“GN Ayame.” Ayame, a sporty girl in her teens.

"Alright, to the right of Kirii-san is the boys' team, and to the left of Tanpopo-san is the girls' team. We'll be doing the next training session by team."

(Whoa, hold up—I'm not a girl.)

"Good. I get to be with just girls."

Ayame and Tanpopo beam with genuine delight.

(Sure. I'm basically a girl anyway. Fine with me being on the girls' team.)

I surrender. Mixing in with the guys would just be more hassle.

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Commander Shiina’s lecture begins.

"First, I want to clarify the difference from SFC.

Where SFC was essentially a battle between individuals versus a fleet, SFO is a fleet versus fleet engagement.

Form fleets, and then accept simulated battle quests and emergency quests as a fleet unit."

The point isn’t boosting individual power—it’s making 1 + 1 + 1 equal four, or five, by working together as a fleet.

Form a fleet of at least three ships. No upper limit.

Once you’ve formed a fleet, you can take on simulated battle quests and emergency missions as a unit.

Two fleets face off—enemy versus ally—fighting simulated battles in the cyber-space battlefield to determine a winner.

Your performance in these simulations earns you cash rewards and bonus items from the Station Government.

Since it’s all virtual, attacks are purely simulated.

No real damage to ships. No need to worry about injuries or hull breaches.

This combat footage gets broadcast on-demand as gameplay.

Pilots—aka gamers—earn broadcast rights revenue. That’s how you justify calling yourself a pro gamer.

"Some say certain nations have bookmakers betting on this stuff."

"Right there! The guy himself can't place a bet—watch out for that!"

Commander Shiina didn’t miss the old man’s eyes lighting up. She pointed it out sharply.

"Next, the enemy’s origin. They’re slipping through the Dimensional Jump Gate system, materializing directly."

"The gates were set up by the Empire for interstellar travel. Think of them as a rebel armed faction opposing the Empire."

"They’re invading star systems with functioning gates, expanding their territory."

"The key to defense? The station. But we’re short on personnel."

"That’s why we run the SFO—training locals to build ships and help defend the system."

(An empire, huh. Sounds like a dictatorship. Isn’t that kind of regime more dangerous than the enemy?)

When I had a question floating in my head, Commander Shiina spoke again, as if answering it.

“Imperial expansion? No intention there. If there were, the invasion would’ve been over two hundred years ago.

The Empire’s sole purpose is establishing and maintaining a Dimensional Jump Gate in the Sol system.

We claim no interest beyond being a critical transit hub. That’s a firm statement.”

(…Seriously, is she reading my mind now?)

“Anyway, doubts like that’ll vanish once you start earning points in the SFO.

Now, let’s begin the simulation exercise.

Split into male and female teams. Head into the six boxes at the rear.

Those are mock-up virtual simulators modeled after a ship’s CIC.”

We split into three-on-three and stepped into the simulators.

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