Episode 105: Barrier Ship, Under Analysis

Inside the port of ≪Chicken Ball≫, the barrier ship is under analysis.

The port housing the barrier ship is sealed off. Access is restricted to personnel from Amato Imperial Japan only. It cannot be shown to others.

"Yet the more I look, the more alien this vessel appears."

From the operations room within the port facility, Dawson views the full structure of the barrier ship.

The barrier ship resembles a large, curved rectangular plate with propulsion systems and living quarters attached to its reverse side.

Designed to function in space, where atmospheric resistance is irrelevant, it would be ineffective on planetary surfaces.

There is nothing noteworthy in the propulsion systems or living quarters.

The core to analyze remains the spatial barrier generator—the heart of the barrier ship.

"It withstood several impacts from sizable asteroids, so I assumed the barrier’s strength was increased by number or output level."

There was no denying that aspect.

The barrier device count on the battleship exceeded standard norms. While a typical vessel carried one barrier unit, this vessel housed twelve. Each unit was a newly designed model, significantly larger than standard units—so large that only a battleship or a carrier could accommodate it.

Testing revealed that a single one of these new units generated barrier strength several times greater than that of conventional models.

Some parts of the device appeared unfinished, crude, almost as if they were prototype components hastily attached. Perhaps they had been moved from experimental phase to operational use.

Dawson, raised in the Amato Imperial Japan tradition of minimizing machinery while maintaining performance, found it hard to believe that such a design—large and still in experimental form—was acceptable.

The idea that a warship’s equipment is acceptable as long as it functions reliably is not entirely incomprehensible…

The barrier system appeared excessively utilitarian, so crude as to seem almost barbaric.

The boy’s heart, which had always admired warships, sighed at the lack of aesthetic refinement.

“This size makes simple integration onto an escort battlecruiser impossible.”

Dawson wanted to transfer the barrier vessel’s damage resistance to the escort battlecruiser.

But installing this system on an escort battlecruiser would significantly reduce cargo capacity due to its size. Moreover, the system seemed to consume generator energy at an excessive rate, leaving little surplus for combat systems.

In essence, this new barrier system sacrifices the battleship's combat capability in exchange for unparalleled defense.

"You understand now why the S.U. Navy chose not to equip battleships with barrier systems, but instead constructed a new class of vessel with no offensive capacity."

A battleship is, by definition, a fighting vessel. A device that negates its combat capability is nothing but excess weight.

Yet it would be wasteful to keep such impenetrable barriers unused.

Therefore, they built the barrier ship—a vessel designed for a single purpose.

That explains why the barrier system appears to remain in experimental phase.

Rather than refining the device's form, they prioritized advancing research until a new technological breakthrough occurred.

"Spent effort capturing it, and gained little in return..."

Dawson shrugs his shoulders.

There is nothing noteworthy about the barrier ship except the barrier system. Remove that, and it becomes nothing more than a pile of armor plating and scrap metal.

"Still, I'll analyze the new barrier system in detail and send a report to Amato Imperial Japan. Also, issue a directive to the artificial intelligences to see if they can refine the device."

The artificial intelligences from Amato Imperial Japan are diligent.

They improved equipment performance and modified designs even during the construction of Dawson's first ship, the Chewing Claw.

Even this large barrier system might achieve significant miniaturization through eliminating redundancies and replacing components.

"Still, it won't happen overnight."

Fortunately, Chicken Ball has many artificial intelligences. All of them were manufactured in Amato Imperial Japan.

Mobilizing the artificial intelligences aboard could sufficiently resolve the barrier device modification.

Even if the intelligences prove unable, submitting a report may prompt Amato Imperial Japan to produce a new barrier device.

Dawson intends to wait for one of these outcomes before replacing the escort battlecruiser’s barrier system.

But that would mean postponing the escort battlecruiser’s改造 indefinitely.

"Then there's nothing left but to return to the mission."

Sending immigrants to Amato Star Arm forever halted by the S.U. government.

Dawson was devising a new strategy for this purpose when Oine, quietly working beside him, suddenly spoke.

"Dawson. Another request has come from the Overseer’s Chamber."

"…What now. Another unusual demand?"

Dawson asked with visible distaste. Oine shook her head slightly.

“No. It appears to be a request from a corporate entity.”

Oine slid the spatial projection monitor toward Dawson’s position.

Dawson raised one eyebrow, his expression showing mild interest as he examined the text displayed on the screen.