060 Drifting Arc 1: Station

New arc. Drifting Arc begins.

Finally, a dimensional transfer.

Title scam resolved!

Suddenly, a lurching, dizzying sensation floods my head.

Like the one I felt when I was first abducted.

‘Everyone, safe?’

I send a comms check to the team. No reply. Or maybe... no comms at all.

I try re-establishing a data link with the station.

Radio, wired, quantum—nothing works.

Same with tower comms.

‘Only line of sight left…’

I vent the air, then open the hatch to the dedicated storage bay.

It works. The hatch swings open.

No tower connection means no launch clearance. Can’t move.

Would it be okay to launch in an emergency?

Wouldn’t want to get in trouble for breaking protocol over something like this.

Start up the radar and gather optical data while we're at it.

Radar's jammed. What the hell is going on?

The Dimensional Jump Gate is right in front of us.

There should be an asteroid belt between the Dimensional Jump Gate and the station.

But judging by how large the Gate appears, our current station coordinates are 0-0-M1.

Probably explains that weird feeling—dimensional jump.

Since capital ships have Dimensional Jump drives, the station must’ve jumped this far.

Closer look... the Dimensional Jump Gate’s getting bigger.

So the station’s moving toward the Gate.

“Wait—leaving the Sol system? Just leaving us here?”

This must be some kind of emergency.

The tremor earlier might have meant the station was under attack.

What now? Just let them haul us off without a clue?

Fine. I’ve made up my mind—I’m launching my Personal Ship.

“The station was supposed to be the cornerstone of Earth’s defense. What happens to Earth if the station runs?”

I try to maneuver my Personal Ship out of the hangar.

The control tower’s down, so the path isn’t clear. I move slowly.

Then, the hangar hatch starts closing.

I slam on the brakes. Give a light reverse thruster burst to kill inertia.

I send an open-hatch command. The hatch stays shut.

Looks like I’m trapped.

(On purpose? A rule of dimensional jump? Don’t know. But… )

After a moment, that dizziness-like unease returns again.

Looks like I’ve gone through the Dimensional Jump Gate.

Suddenly, a voice comes through the comms.

Steady now—entered the interdimensional gap, the sub-space. It’s the station’s internal broadcast from the station government.

‘Gamers currently stationed here—no, Earthlings—this is the administrative prince.

Just now, the station was attacked by surprise.

A massive missile, equipped with stealth, struck without warning.

No signs on the Dimensional Jump Gate—couldn’t respond in time.

At the moment the station suffered system failure, the enemy’s main fleet emerged—on the opposite side of the Dimensional Jump Gate, that is, from Earth’s side.’

Ah. So that’s why optical sensors picked up nothing.

‘I tried to initiate an emergency dimensional jump to protect the station.

But due to the damage, we could only perform a short-range jump.

So we activated the Dimensional Jump Gate and shifted the station into another dimension. That’s the current situation.”

The Prince paused, as if waiting for his words to sink in.

“I apologize.

The fact that our Earth Defense Station has retreated means Earth is now within enemy territory.

But if the station were destroyed or captured, we’d have no chance to strike back.

I had no choice but to make this painful decision. But I will return. I will reclaim Earth.

And I’d like to ask for your help. Please… I’m counting on you.”

Even though it was just voice, you could almost see the Prince bowing his head when he said “Please… I’m counting on you.”

Reclaiming Earth—that’s a big deal. But I feel it too. The desire to go back home. To protect Earth. That’s something I understand.

Don’t know where we’re headed—kinda nervous about that. But the station’ll need repairs, no doubt.

Which means we’re probably headed to a planet with one of the Empire’s main facilities.

Or maybe we’ll disembark right after passing through the Dimensional Jump Gate.

That next Dimensional Jump Gate? It’s the one they’ll likely target right after Earth.

So gotta keep an eye on not getting split up from the others at Brush Lips.

This is important.

‘Destination is Planet Anoi. Upon arrival, we’ll explain future activities.

Supplies—food and other essentials—will be provided by the administrative government.

Fortunate twist of fate: supplies are plentiful.

No enemies can reach us in hyperspace. Enjoy your freedom for a while.

Also, most of you here probably just happened to be here by chance, from simulation exercises.

A copy-robot should’ve been standing in for me if this was an emergency call...

We’ll probably end up listed as missing back on Earth, thanks to all this.

Some might even lose their status or position.

I offer my deepest apologies once more. The Empire will make amends in full.

"Ah, so I'm classified as missing and on long-term absence too...?"

I realized something important in response to the Prince’s words.

I haven’t even made it to second term yet! How did this happen!

I shoved the fear that we might never return to Earth down deep, where it couldn’t reach me.

"President, gather at the office. Everyone, come on over."

If the station's comms are back online, then the Personal Ship's comms—being independent of the station's systems—should be operational too.

I sent the transmission, thinking that'd do it—but still no signal.

Thought it was enemy jamming a moment ago...

Can't communicate in hyperspace, maybe?

But we're inside the station—should work fine.

I felt a slight unease.

"Activate Wide-Area Communication Device. Disable jamming. Connect to RIO."

『RIO. Can you hear me?』

『Yes.』

RIO's neural interface responds.

"Huh. So that's why."

Why are you jamming us, Prince?

Sorry.

Dropped in another side note—again, laying down another clue.

The mind's DNA is fiction.

No such thing exists. No theory, nothing.

Revised May 24, 2018.