Episode 69: Policy Investigation Underway

Taking all allied ships, starting with Sparrow Hawk, on a raiding operation at a distance from Chicken Ball.

The target is, of course, SU Space Force vessels.

"Is the war between SU and TR still ongoing? No major shifts in the situation—just stalemate and minor skirmishes?"

Dawson murmured, seated in the Captain's chair aboard Sparrow Hawk, deploying spatial projection monitors around him and connecting to various data streams.

Oine assisted with information gathering, preemptively researching whatever Dawson might need.

The other crew members—Bera, Cori, Hitokane, and Kiwaka—occupied their bridge stations, dividing the operation of Sparrow Hawk among them. Bera handled navigation, Cori managed weapon systems, Hitokane adjusted power output, and Kiwaka monitored radar.

Dawson, normally seated in the Captain’s chair overseeing all ship operations, assumes multiple roles.

This time, however, Dawson requires information for mission execution, and the SU space fleet unit they are about to attack poses little threat. Therefore, under the new command structure, Dawson allows Bera and the others to manage Sparrow Hawk operations as training to become accustomed to the new system.

Dawson continues gathering intelligence without direct oversight of the ship.

“Delaying the war between SU and TR, occupying a star system, threatening SU personnel—none of these can halt the advance toward Amato Armament permanently. A different approach is necessary.”

Shifting national policy is extremely difficult.

If that becomes the governing policy of a majority of the star arm, no individual effort can counter it.

Dawson considered using other factions to provoke unrest in order to alter the policy, but could not arrive at a viable plan.

"Oine. Location and specifications of the SU's spatial distortion-type jump device?"

"Constructed at the outermost edge of the solar system, the ancestral home of humanity. Its name is Heaven Hailou. It signifies a ring of light leading to paradise, a gate to heaven."

"Infiltrating as far as the solar system is still a considerable strain. Still, placing the jump device so far within the star arm seems poorly suited for gathering移民 applicants."

The device is important. Placing it at the heart of the S.U.'s main arm, the solar system, is logical. Many移民 applicants see humanity's origin point for the first time during this moment. They are inspired to carry forward pioneering spirit, as their ancestors did on Earth, and embark on their journey to a new star arm. This has become an effective ceremony.

Oine displayed new footage: a recorded farewell ceremony for settlers traveling to a different star arm, conducted several years ago.

Most of the gathered individuals wore smiles, dressed in junior enlisted uniforms. They listened to a senior officer delivering a grand speech from the platform. Officers in formal uniforms displayed similar expressions. Fewer than could be counted on one hand showed solemn, knowing expressions, as if aware of the truth.

Dawson exhaled through his nose, displeased, as he watched the footage.

Feh. They all pretend not to know the destination they're sent to is inevitably hell—hardly a sentiment one of us in the Amato Stellar Navy, who kills them, should be making.

As the Amato Imperial Japan, immigrants from SU are invaders who enter with weapons. Eliminating them is the obvious conclusion.

A soft approach, showing leniency, would likely result in several star systems within the Amato sector falling under SU's controlled space.

For the Amato Imperial Japan, Amato Star Arm had been a place developed entirely on their own since their ancestors transferred there by accident. It was natural to feel that no fragment of uncharted space should be handed over to any other faction.

If the public were exposed to the fact that going to Amato Arm would certainly result in death, immigrants would cease to gather—can you not explain how you know this for certain?

If Dawson reveals his identity, understanding may follow. But if the Amato Imperial Japan is known to exist in the Amato Stellar Arm, it could mark the beginning of a full-scale invasion.

A region we assumed was uncharted is already filled with developed star systems. From the SU's perspective, there is no reason not to seize what is already there.

To prevent such a future, Dawson and his team must ensure the SU abandons its plans to invade the Amato Stellar Arm without learning they are from Amato Imperial Japan.

Dawson considers whether he can reverse this constraint.

From the perspective of the Orion Stellar Arm, the Amato Stellar Arm lies on the opposite side. If we develop certain planets in that arm, then let SU survey teams discover them, the SU might believe humanity has already settled there. That could change the SU's choice of migration destination.

Colonists with development expertise—engineers, corporations, and power holders—will head toward the star arm where planetary development is underway. On Amato, where the SU believes no development has occurred, the poor will be discarded as before. That is all—only the type of migration changes.

Is this approach unacceptable as well?

Dawson continued examining information, searching for a feasible method to achieve the mission.

Even while Bera and the others led pirate operations, he kept researching—before, during, and after the work ended.

After prolonged information gathering, Dawson ultimately lowered his head, admitting there was no viable solution.

A method that could achieve the mission would be to create numerous TR-like insurgent forces within the SU’s controlled space, forcing the SU to continue fighting insurgent groups.

Using the poor as disposable assets in war would make the abandonment of Amato Stararm unnecessary. The more insurgent groups created, the longer the conflict would last, and the safer Amato Stararm would remain. A rather effective strategy, wouldn't you say?

The only concern is that it cannot be considered permanent. Once the opposition is eliminated, Amato Stararm’s incursion would resume.

Therefore, support for the opposition is necessary to prevent that. But it is difficult for the Amato Imperial Japan to provide such support.

Words travel easily. If it became known that aid came from another stararm, Amato Stararm’s incursion would accelerate.

Dawson and Oine pondered the dilemma.

Either sensing their hesitation or having finished the pirate operation and no longer needing to manage weapons fire, Corry cautiously spoke up.

"Um, uh, is that okay?"

"Hm? Do you have a good idea?"

"Not exactly good. But it's interesting, I think."

"An interesting idea. Tell me."

"Um. What if we pretended to be aliens? That might work."

Dawson and Oine react with surprise to the absurd suggestion.

Noting their reaction, Corry quickly adds further explanation.

"Um, well, it's a common theme in visual media. Aliens from another galaxy invade, a galactic war breaks out, and then they're either conquered or driven out—"

Listening to Corry's flustered explanation, Dawson gradually understands the intent.

"So, like in those visual media pieces. You're saying the Amato Imperial Japan Starfleet should pretend to be aliens from another galaxy and start a war with SU?"

It wouldn’t have to be from another galaxy or even another star fleet. Making the Amato Star Armada come from a different star armada, not human, just an artificial intelligence body or a military force made of sentient cultured organisms—would make it feel more like alien life, more convincing—

Corrie spoke while clearly confused, stringing together words as they came to mind.

It wasn’t the way one would normally explain something to a person, but there was still substance to what she said.

“Creating a rebel faction within SU that claims invasion by mechanical life from another star armada is possible. A more outlandish setup might actually be less likely to be suspected as a cover.”

“Y-yes. I mean… thank you for listening…”

Corrie seemed exhausted from explaining, or still disoriented. After finishing, she sank deeply into her bridge seat and fell silent.

Dawson observed the scene with a wry smile, then set as his immediate objective the proliferation of anti-regime factions within the SU.