Episode 126: Something troublesome, whether enemy or ally
When Dawson and the others entered the administrator's chamber of Chicken Ball, the representatives from Amato Imperial Japan were already assembled.
The faces present matched Dawson's expectations, but the expressions on their faces were unexpected.
He had anticipated smug looks, yet they all appeared somber instead.
Goudo wore a strained expression with his eyebrows downturned, and both Aifo and Zeyi standing beside him had slight frowns, clearly displeased.
Major Miiko looked exhausted, fine lines at the corners of her eyes, and Baron Tailo wore a grimace as if suppressing a headache.
Only Major Jinku and Lieutenant Makoto, standing as an escort, maintained neutral expressions. Yet upon closer inspection, fatigue seeped from beneath the surface of both their faces.
Dawson did not recall having caused such reactions, but his instincts told him something had occurred.
And he had also realized that there was something related to that 'something' in question.
"Should we send congratulations on the successful destruction of Heaven Hailou?"
Dawson asked in a careless tone. The expressions on the others' faces intensified.
Apparently, whatever was connected to Heaven Hailou was troubling Goed and the others.
"What is it? Heaven Hailou was a key facility for both the SU government and the space fleet. Its destruction should be cause for celebration."
When he asked for clarification, a deep sigh came from Major Miko.
"Haa~. Special Lieutenant Dawson. Are you pretending ignorance, knowing full well? Or are you truly unaware?"
Her tone was harsher than usual—uncharacteristic for Major Miko.
Dawson anticipated the severity of the situation, yet replied.
"Only just arrived from Amato Imperial Japan. But yes, I’ve heard talk of pirates taking the best parts during the Heaven Hailou campaign."
"Haa~. Is that so. Then let’s cover the missing information before getting to the main point."
Major Miko waved her hand. A spatial projection monitor appeared before Dawson and his companions.
The screen displayed events following the destruction of Heaven Hailou.
"The Tenshin Koudan lost most of its leaders in combat and collapsed. The vast majority of its supporters who participated in the war also died. Yet a small number survived. Immediately after the fighting, they began fleeing."
Those survivors headed toward TR, arrived, absorbed sympathizers of the Tenshin Koudan stationed there, and restarted.
Yet its scale was nothing compared to before the fighting. The difference was roughly equivalent to that between a large corporation and a family-run shop.
Yet TR immediately expelled the diminished Tenshin Koudan from its domain.
"A group capable of producing fanatics willing to ram SU space forces. TR likely judged that keeping such a group close posed too great a risk."
"Given the high number of casualties, SU having no place to stand was foreseeable. The records state that the Tenshin Koudan received privateer authorization."
Dawson followed the information with his eyes. It was indeed written that way.
And the reason for Goudo's grim expressions became clear—the fact that the Tenshin Koudan now held privateer status, meaning they were pirates.
“The Tenshin Koudan turned pirate, now infiltrating Chicken Ball—so that’s why you’re having trouble?”
The certainty in the question deepened the grimness of Goudo’s expression.
“The cause is the Tenshin Koudan. But the core issue lies in their conflict with other pirates.”
“Are the pirates trying to eliminate the Tenshin Koudan?”
“Not exactly. It’s that the Tenshin Koudan are seen as an annoyance—spouting nonsense and religious proselytizing without pause. Pirates take breaks at Chicken Ball between raids. They enjoy food and drink. Then, out of nowhere, they’re interrupted by sudden religious preaching. Of course they react poorly. Conflict was inevitable.”
Dawson imagined the scene Goudo described. He felt a distaste rise within him.
“Unbearable. That kind of thing really does deserve a fight.”
"Chicken Ball is a pirate haven. And lately, since the destruction of Hama no Onna, more unsavory pirates have begun arriving. We've come close to a situation where front-line art is made with the blood of Tenshin Koudan believers, using blasters."
"...Why not just let them be killed?"
"I'd like to, but these kinds of religious figures are masters at playing the victim. And the more sympathy they gather, the more followers they gain."
They act offended by minor provocations, then display righteous anger to the point of being seen as victims, drawing sympathy from people who know nothing of the situation and turning them into allies.
A skilled speaker could easily manage something like that.
"No benefit at all, only harm. What if we simply exiled them?"
"If they complied quietly after being told to leave, I wouldn't have to worry about them."
The surviving members of the Tenshin Koudan appear to have decided to live off the pirate stronghold, claiming their ship is damaged and refusing to participate in pirate operations.
"Adjust your schedule a little. Let them be killed by other pirates at the destination. That solves everything."
"If we do that, we must extend the same courtesy to other pirates whose ships are actually broken. It would create inequality. Even if we know it will result in future liabilities, we hesitate to act on short-term gain."
Goudo's argument is sound. Yet, since the goal is to eliminate an inconvenient presence—something inherently unsound—the principle may be bent.
Dawson considered this. The discussion had become tedious.
Dawson himself had not been inconvenienced by the Tenshin Koudan. If he had been, a response proportional to the degree of inconvenience would suffice.
A minor nuisance could be silenced with moderate force. If the offender acted as a victim and played coy, the price would be their life.
A solution through such pirate-like conduct would be acceptable.
Yet Dawson understood this approach was unreasonable to the extreme.
He therefore devised a method that would seem plausible to Goudo and others, and that could potentially eliminate the Tenshin Koudan.
"The Tenshin Koudan is a religious organization. Organizations function only when people gather. If their gathering is disrupted, the organization will naturally collapse."
"True, but stopping their assembly is already difficult."
"Not quite. Contact other pirates and have them hire one Tenshin Koudan believer each, then detain them through work obligations."
"Understood. Physically isolate them. Reduce their numbers, weaken the Tenshin Koudan’s influence. If continued, they will naturally cease to exist."
Goudo appeared to grasp this, though this part was Dawson’s design.
As for the reverse, if Tenshin Koudan believers onboard pirate ships attempted proselytizing or other activities, they could be summarily executed.
No need to defile the ship’s interior with laser weapons. Simply restrain them with multiple personnel, eject them through the airlock into space. The believer dies. In civilian clothing, seconds. In full space gear, until atmosphere depletes.
Eliminate one at a time in this manner. The Tenshin Koudan will vanish from this world—appearing to fade naturally.
Dawson does not seem to notice this point, but his close aide Ifo and the perceptive Major Miko appear to understand.
Yet neither of the two speaks words refusing Dawson's proposal.
Whether out of no objection, or weariness toward the Tenshin Koudan.
In any case, it is settled that another religious organization will vanish from this cosmos in the near future.
Though one might assume this resolves Go'do's concerns, another issue appears to remain.
"The matter with the Chicken Ball is nearing resolution, but more serious is the situation with SU. Shortly after the loss of Heaven Hailou, reports emerged of a new spatial jump ring under construction and nearly complete."
Go'do gestures to operate the spatial projection monitor. The display before Dawson and the others shifts in response.
The display showed the form of a new, partially constructed spatial jump ring.