Episode 64 <>

Dawson and the crew boarded the battleship <> and departed from Dock 4 of the space station 'Wagoyama'.

Currently, the only personnel on the bridge are those from the Rear Operations Room: Dawson, Oine, Hitokane, and Kiwaka.

This is Dawson's decision. Nevertheless, objections arose from personnel transferred from other departments.

"This one is the highest-ranking among these personnel. Are you dismissing me from the bridge?"

Goudo's statement drew a cold reply from Dawson.

"I am the Captain. I am the highest authority aboard the ship. Regardless of rank difference—your rank of Major, mine of Special Lieutenant—opposing the Captain's decision violates military regulations."

"Even so—"

Moreover, during a maiden voyage, malfunctions aboard the vessel are possible. Consolidating the crew's station assignments ensures clear accountability. If Lieutenant Commander Goudo were to remain on the bridge and a problem arose, command structure could become disrupted, delaying repair operations. For this reason, you are to remain in your quarters or the mess hall and stay calm.

Goudo could find no counterargument to Dawson’s regulation-based logic.

Ifo gently reassured Goudo, then turned a cold, hostile gaze toward Dawson.

At that moment, Zeei also raised a hand and spoke.

“I’d like to try piloting the Sparrow Hawk. Is that possible?”

“Impossible. The helm cannot be entrusted until full functionality of the control systems has been confirmed.”

"The helm isn't here on this bridge—yes, I know that's just a conventional phrase regarding command authority, so don't look at me like that. If piloting is impossible, then walking through the ship is acceptable?"

"That's acceptable. But numerous artificial intelligences are active within the Sparrow Hawk. Any unusual behavior will result in immediate restraint. Be mindful."

"Understood. Then I'll make myself comfortable."

Gai left the bridge. Dawson and Ifo followed.

Thus, after removing Goed's influence from the bridge, Dawson proceeded to move the Sparrow Hawk into open space.

As they approached their first destination—the spatial distortion-type massive jump device, the spatial jump ring Chinowa—Dawson spoke to Oine.

"How are Goed's lieutenant and the others?"

Oine sits in the bridge seat, black cords extending from both hands and connected to the armrests. The screen of the spatial projection monitor floating before her changes subtly despite appearing inactive, indicating connection to the ship’s internal systems via the cords.

"Goed’s lieutenant is adjusting the automatic cookers after consuming stimulants in the mess hall. Perhaps the taste was unsatisfactory."

"Trouble if someone interferes poorly. The flavor could worsen."

"No need to worry. When Goed was in charge of the rear supply depot, reports indicate he adjusted the automatic cookers himself after finding the meals subpar. He improved the taste significantly. Trusting him ensures the meals will be edible."

An unexpected skill, it seems. You wouldn’t have been assigned kitchen duty if you weren’t a lieutenant commander.

Lieutenant Colonel Aifou is waiting behind Colonel Goudo. His posture is flawless—perfectly suited as a lieutenant commander’s escort.

No surprise there. Lieutenant Jeeai?

He’s wandering the ship’s interior. He’s speaking to maintenance robots, but they’re not responding. Apparently, they’re avoiding him.

That robot is AI-equipped, correct? I was taught that AIs don’t typically dislike humans on first encounter.

I’ll ask for clarification—ah, apparently it sensed improper emotions. Not toward a single lifeform, but the kind of feelings one directs toward pets or sexual partners.

It showed similar interest in the Sparrow Hawk under construction. Could it be a mechanosexual?

“Hmm, well. The military health assessment concluded the threshold has not been exceeded.”

Dawson felt irritation at the realization that the one who seemed most rational was, in fact, the most eccentric of humans.

Yet Hikane and Kiwaka appeared favorably disposed toward the AI.

“Ships that require repair or modification develop a certain affection. I can understand the sentiment, even if the concept of attachment to machinery is foreign.”

“If you’re fond of machines, then I’m probably safe from your interest.”

Dawson questioned whether the two truly meant what they said, but reminded himself that he could not focus solely on Go-d’s group.

The battleship Sparrow Hawk was navigating space for the first time. There were countless items to verify.

Oine was attentive, systematically addressing the checklist. Still, some tasks required only the Captain’s final confirmation.

Dawson reviewed the items while directing the artificial intelligences to check for internal malfunctions and instructing Kiwaka to monitor nearby ship signatures with the radar.

The movement of the Sparrow Hawk’s turret and gun mounts, repeated changes in vessel speed, response of the suspension and inertia controls, the opening and closing of damage control bulkheads, the shutdown and restart of life support systems per compartment, activation of the jump drive and emergency exit from the jump space, and so on.

Testing each item that could endanger lives, under the Captain’s authority, Dawson proceeded through the checklist one by one.

As the inspection progressed, the vessel finally arrived at the recently completed spatial jump ring, Kano-Wa.

Kano-Wa’s total length was large enough to enclose an entire space fortress.

If the SU fleet possesses the same technology as the Kano-Wa ring, the reason they established a fortress base becomes clear.

After constructing the fortress within the SU-controlled space, they could transport both the fortress and the fleet through the jump ring. The base and its escort fleet would be ready upon arrival. Clever planning.

Yet each time, the fortress and fleet are shattered by the Heavy Cannon of the Amato Imperial Japan’s battleship.

Dawson and Oine continued their conversation when Kiwaka spoke up.

"Communication from Kano-Wa. We are instructed to move to the designated position within five minutes to enable a jump."

"Understood—wait, wasn't communication management your responsibility, Oine?"

"I was in the process of checking off items, so I delegated it to Kiwaka. A minor correction, really. A little improvisation."

Dawson silently accepted the implication: this was treatment for Kiwaka’s trauma related to sexual harassment.

Using monitors to expose individuals to people or artificial intelligence, to reduce fear in interpersonal relations, was a valid method. At least, that was the view within the Amato Imperial Japan military.

Given that Kiwaka had not refused Oine’s request, Dawson concluded the matter was acceptable—Kiwaka had perceived the need and taken on the duty.

Move Sparrow Hawk to the position relayed from Kainorin. Wait briefly.

At the moment of jump, a discharge began at the center of Kainorin’s ring. It soon became a ring of light large enough for a vessel to pass through.

"Transmission from Kainorin: The energy connecting space to space is immense. Please pass through as soon as possible."

Dawson activated the Sparrow Hawk's emergency launch while broadcasting inside the vessel.

"Pass through the jump point created by Kainorin. For safety, assume shock-resistant posture."

The ring of light was already approaching the Sparrow Hawk's bow the moment the broadcast ended.

The Sparrow Hawk passed through the ring while maintaining speed.

In a standard spatial jump, the vessel would enter the jump space and navigate after the jump system activated.

This jump through the Kainorin ring, however, was a transition from normal space to normal space. No perceptible change occurred before or after the jump, as humans experienced it.

Dawson monitored the closing ring of light at the ship's stern, feeling disoriented. He held a sense of incompleteness and initiated another internal broadcast.

Jump succeeded. Shock resistance posture released—Oine, confirm current position.

Oine determined their location from the arrangement of nearby stars.

"This is undoubtedly the Orion Arm. Calculating precise coordinates from the star chart—approximately one standard jump from Chicken Ball. The location where Dawson previously requested a transport ship loaded with an AI-equipped Engineer Robot."

"Ah, that place. Then the route is clear. No, I should contact Ida and the others at Chicken Ball first."

"Yes. We wouldn’t want to be mistaken for a target and attacked."

Oine seemed to have assigned the communication task to Kiwaka. Repeatedly calming Kiyaka’s concerns with phrases like, "They’re an artificial intelligence."

Meanwhile, Dawson wondered slightly whether there had been changes to Chicken Ball, returning there after such a long time.