162 Free-floating Planet Arc 4: Free-floating Planet

side: Imperial Capital (Kyle)

It had taken three days for the report of the approaching free-floating planet to reach the Emperor.

Then again, His Majesty wasn’t reading the report himself.

After the Emperor entered convalescence and the Chancellor passed away, the de facto ruler was the Emperor’s proxy (Kyle), who now received the paperwork.

Kyle tilted his head.

Why was a report on such a natural phenomenon making its way here?

Because everyone assumed it wouldn’t matter—hence the three-day delay in reaching this desk.

In that time, additional reports had come in, thickening the file.

Kyle frowned, flipping through the document.

In broad terms, the report read:

The Dimensional Radar detected a free-floating planet—specifically, a planet not orbiting a star, existing independently.

The free-floating planet is moving faster than light—without using dimensional jump (warp).

No planet should be able to move at such a speed.

Course still unconfirmed, but possible trajectory is toward Imperial Home Planet.

We tried to warp a battleship ahead to intercept and observe the course—but it was too fast. No real-time image could be captured.

According to the Dimensional Radar’s tracking data, the free-floating planet is heading toward the Imperial Home Planet.

Free-floating planet has reached the outer edge of the Imperial Home System.

Speed has dropped—only now can we observe its optical appearance.

Slowing down suggests possible intelligent involvement.

No Neahyume reaction detected.

"So the officer who reported this up until now just handed it straight to the Emperor and called it a day, huh?"

Trouble. If they’re civilized and have no interest in us, they’d either avoid attention or alter course.

So they’ve got business in this star system, then.

If they’re civilized, they’d’ve sent some kind of signal before entering the system.

No signal, just entry—means hostile intent.

A civilization that doesn’t get that basic rule probably can’t even manage faster-than-light travel, let alone move planets.

Still, gotta deploy defensive forces without provoking them.

That said, the Imperial Capital’s defenses already include over two hundred fortress ships and four million space vessels.

Add in the ones stationed locally for the Neihyūm contingency, and we’re looking at five hundred fortress ships and over ten million space vessels.

Factor in noble-led fleets, and that number goes up another twenty percent.

The real issue’s the three days we lost. Recalling the deployment force takes at least a week.

Right now, the only one we can pull back on short notice is Akira.

"One hundred thousand kills? Akira alone could boost our forces by twenty-five percent."

Kyle was calling Akira in for an emergency recall.

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side; Akira's estate, orbiting Elysion System (Akira)

'Emergency recall?'

Answering Kyle's transmission, the first thing I heard was an emergency summoning order from the Imperial Capital.

'Got a delicate situation here. Help me out. Best case, diplomacy. Worst case, war.'

Kyle said something ominous.

'Brother. You’re interrupting my private time with my husband, aren’t you?'

Actually, since it was urgent, I’d taken the call in the living room.

I figured if it was something top-secret, I’d be summoned to the private conference room in the neural net.

So Steff was listening in right beside me.

‘Steff, I didn’t mean it like that. It’s an emergency. You have to understand.’

Kyle was flustered by his sister’s protest.

True, this might be the first time in ages Steff had been home alone with him.

I’d been working for the Empire that hard.

‘Then… may I come along as well?’

Steff started throwing a fit.

But no. Kyle said worst case scenario—war.

I couldn’t drag her into that.

I opened my mouth to argue.

‘Steff, but “““we’re in this together too!”””’

There she stood—my beastfolk wife duo, eyes wide, mouths open.

‘Finally, we’re together… we want to help the master too!’

Ah, this is definitely one of those "no way out" scenarios.

What now? How to secure their safety and still answer the emergency call...?

"Got it. We're heading out in the New Fortress Satellite. It's got the experimental dimension jump (warp) accelerator installed."

This New Fortress Satellite’s got top-tier defense and combat power. Can hold a fleet of forty thousand ships.

Multiple annihilation-reaction reactors onboard—can vanish into a dimension jump (warp) on a dime if things go south.

It was Elysion System Defense’s trump card, which is why I didn’t want to show it off much… but we’ve got no choice.

‘Kyle, we’re going in the fortress satellite. If this falls, the Imperial Capital’s done for.

Still, hoping for a peaceful resolution.’

‘Sorry, Akira.’

‘Dimension jump (warp) prep! Target: Imperial Capital. Initiate dimension jump (warp)!’

I warped the Imperial Capital with everyone dragged along.

Didn’t expect the enemy to be a free-floating planet, not at all.

Lorenzo was intercepting intel mid-jump.

Kinda impressive how well he’s got his network set up.